We Are Family

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Day 2...trees and waterfalls anyone???
What's a trip to Portland without a Max ride to the center of the earth???

Yeah, you're not imagining it...she DOES sorta looks like the Unibomber...

Couldn't have said it better myself~

Is it bad to commit a crime with your mom in tow???
Is it worse to have her snap your picture doing it????
:)

Dr. Seuss trees....(Weeping something....I can't remember)

We visit the Vietnam Memorial after our hike through the Hoyt Arboretum

These words bring me peace...

After a stop for Chai tea and black coffee, it's on to the next stop -- Multnomah Falls~!

Strike a pose :)

I made her give me the keys to the car before I took this....just in case....

"The magic is in the hole"

And tomorrow??? It's off to the mountain!!

Current Mood: chipper

The Mominator is in P-Town~!
Alert the media: Mom faced her phobia, boarded a plane and made it to the West Coast~!

I'm afraid Portland may never be the same....

Her first Starbucks...isn't she precious????

After spending the morning at the Beaverton farmer's market to gather fresh-from-the-farm produce (which led to the unintentional breaking of my garbage disposal), we headed downtown...First stop: the Saturday Market...

She insisted I stand in the MIDDLE of the Max tracks so she could "get the trees and the bridge in the frame"...I felt like SUCH a tourist :)

The rain popped out for a bit, so we went to Huber's (Portland's oldest restaurant) for their signature turkey sandwiches then headed to Pioneer Square for a PDX perennial shot with the Umbrella Man...

Mom insisted I take a turn, too...

Oh my God, this makes me laugh every time I see it....She looks like one of the panhandlers who skulk around outside VooDoo asking for a quarter...We'd gone back here like four times and the line was longer each time!! So I said forget it....

...and programmed the address of Voodoo's NEW location into my GPS and headed to their digs on Sandy...I look like a movie star :)

Let's see...we also hit Powells (that pix didn't come out for some reason), tried to get into the Grill (but it wasn't open yet), checked out the entrance to China Town, hit some shops and did LOTS of walking...Not bad for a first day~!

Two and a half more days to go -- stay tuned~!

Current Mood: exhausted

Making the effort to celebrate...
So it was my birthday on Saturday....I was dreading it after all that's happened because I knew I'd be fielding b-day wishes from my friends and students (MySpace continues to keep me linked to so many of my amazing kids)...I mean, how do you answer the question, "What are you going to do to celebrate?" when you don't really feel like you deserve/should/want to celebrate???

But.

I've made a promise to myself: to welcome joy, to begin healing, to allow myself to smile...So when Donna and Jennifer invited me to dinner, I went...and when I found out it wasn't too late to register for the Race for the Cure, I signed up...and when my VooDoo after-race donut wasn't enough to satisfy my appetite, I went to brunch...It's all about balance...

Not only did I have a deliciously healthy dinner on Hawthorne, I got flowers and cards and took a walk through a Belmont neighborhood of cats....Good stuff~! Thanks, ladies :)

The morning was cloudy and cool, but that didn't dissuade over 45,000 people from showing up to Waterfront Park donning something pink in support for finding a cure for breast cancer.

Jen participates every year in honor of her grandmother....It was beyond empowering to be surrounded by thousands of people who've loved and lost and survived...Being a part of this was important to me...

There were so many people walking the 5K route, we were split into two starting lines...You know I had to get a shot of these tie-dyed 'We Are Family' signs :)

If you let your eye follow the crowd to as far as you can see, that's ALL people....Like I said, over 45,000 participants in this year's walk -- it continues to be the largest Race for Cure on the West Coast~!

And you know I got my VooDoo on after the walk, but there was enough room left for breakfast here in the Hollywood District...(Great neighborhood cafe, Corb -- you'll love it!!)

After all this, I can honestly say I truly did have a 'happy birthday'...and that's a good thing...

Embrace life and welcome those random encounters with happiness~!

Current Mood: good

A step toward healing...
The phrase 'soul searching' has taken on new meaning for me. With the loss of Cheryl, I was (and still am) forced to experience parts of myself I've never had to before: grief, fury, despair...anyone who's lost anyone knows what I'm talking about. And even though I want more than anything to be on the other side of all this emotion, I know I need to go through it. No shortcuts, no fast forwarding...I get that. But one thing I'm allowing myself permission to do is begin healing...I cannot live my life inconsolable, raging, depressed. There are people in my world who need me whole; I need myself whole. So today I went to where I could begin that journey...

Corby, I'm sorry to tell you that our GPS was little help on these mountain roads, and Google Maps was plain useless...Know what got me here with no wrong turns?? A freakin' BOOK...!

This hike literally took me two miles uphill -- but when this is waiting for you, it's all worth it...Still catches my breath every time I see it, though there were some tears this time, too...

I had the mountain to myself for an entire half hour...

Coming back down, I crossed the road for my next hike: the trail that skirts Lost Lake

A perfect spot for a bagel and apple break...

Today was my first step. I'm committed to allowing a bit of joy to enter back into each of my days. My best friend (who's living a half a world away, but has never been closer to my heart) has reminded me that experiencing happiness does not diminish my love for Cheryl. And of course I know that, but we all need reminders from time to time...Thanks, Bett.

Embrace each day for the gift that it is...

On Sunday, August 31st, I had to give a doctor 3,000 miles away permission to remove my sister Cheryl from life support...For anyone who knows me, they know what that means. I've been able to contact many of you since that day, and have seen many others of you back in NY where I came to be with my family to celebrate Cheryl's life...

I make my way through the world with words -- reading others', writing my own. So here is what I wrote and shared with all who came to be with me and my family during this difficult time.

Thank you again to all who have and are still helping me through this...

I can’t begin to tell you how amazing it is to be in a room with so many people who know and love Cheryl and truly ‘get’ what she means to me and my family. Thank you. From every piece of me, thank you for taking the time to share yourselves and your memories of Cheryl with us….

It’s always a challenge to know where to start with stories – there are so many good ones to share. And I’ve heard many more in the last few days – tales I hadn’t heard before, ones that thrill me to know Cheryl’s humor and compassion stretched far beyond what I ever imagined. That is so cool, but that is also so Cheryl.

One of my first memories is teaching Cher her letters – actually, it was really more a way for my adolescent self to stick it to all the doctors who said she’d never learn to walk, never learn to read, never, never, never…Note to self: not a good word to toss around a Thurston female : ) So you say Cheryl will never walk? Okay. Never going to talk? Gotcha. Never going to recognize numbers or letters? Alright, we’ll see about that…Before we knew it, Cheryl was outrunning half the neighborhood, exhausting anyone within earshot with her never ending questions and pointing out letters and numbers on every passing sign….Remember, Mom, on the expressway?? Cheryl pointed and said, “That’s a nine.” And we’re like, “Oh, no, that’s a six, Cheryl…” and then we looked at each other and said, “Ohmygod, she just identified her first number…..and we corrected her!!” Didn’t dissuade her, though, she only got better… and when I last took her out for the day this past July, she practiced counting to ten with me…

The three things Cheryl loved most are the three things I love most, so maybe that’s why we were always so connected…for us, there’s nothing better than a good book, a long walk and time spent in the company of animals, dogs especially. So when I used to pick her up every month, our routine was an easy one to predict: a stop at Borders for a couple paperbacks (Ernie back in the day and, more recently, her new beau: Arthur), heading to my house for lunch (say it with me: eggs, Q, toast, cereal, and whatever else wasn’t nailed down) and then outside for our walk with my dogs….Honestly, is there a better way to spend an afternoon?

So when I first found out last Saturday that Cheryl had been taken to the hospital, I didn’t assume it was dire….she had weathered so much, but she was so strong, I just assumed this was another of those times she….well, you know. But then the unthinkable became my – our -- new reality. To describe what I felt would be unfair and unnecessary because it is not mine alone to feel – everyone in this room has experienced the pain of her loss or you wouldn’t be here now, today – but what I need people who know her to understand is how powerfully alone the news made me feel. Because I got the call while in Portland – so far away from people who knew Cheryl and know me – I was literally alone. I could not get a flight East for over 24 hours and so I did the only thing I could do – I wrote and phoned the people I love who know Cheryl…Many of you are here right now. And I told you that I didn’t know how to be in the world without her. She defined me, I told you. She’d taught me how to be a teacher. She taught me patience and acceptance and compassion. Without her, who was I?

Thing is – grief is tricky. Just when you fear it has consumed you, it eases back just enough for you to catch your breath, to clear your mind a moment and gain a different perspective. Which is another skill Cheryl taught me so well….On some of our walks, we’d take the dogs out back and wander the paths I carved in my gardens and those I mowed in the woods behind my house. And as we came through, she’d stop to gather sticks and leaves that she’d tuck in her books. But before heading back to the house, she’d always tug my arm and tell me to “sit” on this bench I’d placed next a bird feeder behind my back garden. Funny, I never sat there when she wasn’t with me, it really was just for the squirrels and blue jays, but I always sat there with Cheryl. And it was during these times that I appreciated my gardens so much more – to admire them at rest, from a different point of view. This was what Cheryl reminded me to do every time she insisted I “sit”; she had an uncanny way of reminding me what was truly important.

Last night, my mom said to me, “I just need to know where she is…” so I pointed to her heart, “She’s here,” I said; then pointed at mine, “And here,” then added, “Cheryl’s in all of the people who’ll be coming tomorrow. She’s in every student I’ve ever taught and in anyone who’s ever heard us tell stories about her. She’s a part of so many people’s lives…” And she’s in each one of you here today.

So this is why I know I’ll be able to make my way in the world without her, because I’m not without her – none of us are. When I go home to Portland and you go back to your homes in Georgia and Maryland and Minnesota and Auburn and Albany and throughout Rochester, she’ll be there on the walks we’ll take, she’ll be pointing out her letters on the pages of the books we’ll read and her compassion will shine through every time we scratch behind the ears of one of our dogs or cats…

As a matter of fact, it’s about time I look into adopting another dog…I’m thinking Arthur would make a great name…

So thank you. Thank you for loving Cheryl, for caring for her, for being here today and for keeping her a part of you always….Let’s tell some stories…

It's been one full year in Portland...
Last Thursday, I celebrated my one year anniversary in P-Town while at work, driving through Klamath Falls, Oregon -- a small town north of the California border....It's still so strange to think it's been an entire year NOT living in New York...(not to mention it's been a little over two years since being with Corby and three years since Hurricane Katrina set into motions the events that led Corby and I to meet then spurred me to make the hard decision to leave my job and my home)...Who could've known????

And though the jury is still out on what sort of job I'll eventually wind up doing (not to mention where I'll wind up doing it), I'm NOT regretting this decision to head West...I've learned more in the last year than I have in the last ten...And while I gave up a lot, I got much in return. Different, but that's sometimes a good thing...

Okay, enough with the philosophy...I'm back to work, so this weekend wasn't too exciting...Spent a sunny and warm Saturday taking the bus into downtown to check out a couple festivals, visit the Saturday Market and wander the shops...Sunday was a chill day -- a walk for groceries, finishing up my second book of the weekend, and hitting the gym (I logged a total of 17 miles for the two days, go me!!) I've got an early start ahead of me tomorrow, so I'm hoping to get a good night's sleep...

One more anniversary just passed as well -- Corby, you've been gone for exactly one month today (!) So I figured a symbolic showing of your absence would best be reflected in the growth of the plants on our porch (yes, I'm that much of a hippie...)

One month since I planted our bulbs...crazy, huh???

And your tomatoes: they're almost ready to eat~!

Oh, and Squirrel says hello from her favorite summer morning spot...she misses you, too!!!!!!!!

Here's to a stellar ending to a beautiful month in two amazing places on the planet...

Love you, Bett~
MUAH~~!

Current Mood: loved

Hiking Heaven~!
These last few days were a lot of things: HOT, for one -- in the 100s Thursday, Friday and Saturday (only 86 Sunday, VERY refreshing) -- but it's also been full of activity...I captured a few of my goings-on...just for you, Bett~!

Saturday was the Beaverton Farmer's Market and the Hawthorne Street Festival....

This the view from across the Beaverton Town Square as I headed over...

Here's a shot from between a couple stalls....It's a big market: tons of vendors, live music and oh-my-God-to-die-for fruit~!

I spent the afternoon with Jen at Hawthorne... I don't know if was the heat or the shopping, but I forgot to get pix (!!!) I did, however, manage to stimulate the economy with a couple of purchases from local shops -- two incredible wrap skirts and a sweater from a local artist who recylces vintage clothing into these masterpieces (really, they are stunning) and a crazy discounted pair of sandals from Imelda's -- THE shoe store in Portland....

Sunday was a VERY early start, to beat both the heat and the crowds....I met Donna at her home and we drove about 45 minutes east along the Gorge to Eagle Creek
( http://www.oregon.com/hiking/eaglecreek.cfm ) where we did about 6 1/2 miles on this amazing trail alongside cliffs, over bridges and beside waterfalls...

The morning began mostly cloudy which was fantastic b/c it kept temperatures down...

This was Lower Punchbowl Falls...Corby, you so would've licked the rocks here -- crystal clear water~!

Here's Donna above the rim of the falls...we're sort of wondering what happened to the guy who left his white T-shirt behind on the log there...

This snake was sunning itself before we interrupted him...Tons of birds, chipmunks and lizards (not to mention dozens of dogs once we headed back a few hours later) accompanied us along the trail...

You can't tell from this pix, but I'm on this SCARY HIGH bridge looking down into a chasm...This is no place to be if you have a fear of heights~!

I'm a happy panda :)

But now it's time to get some chores done before the start of the workweek, so that's all for now...It's supposed to be nice next weekend, too, which is awesome b/c I scored a couple of free tickets to Portland's CityFest downtown at the Waterfront Park...go me~!!

Current Mood: happy

Green thumbing it in P-Town
If you're not Corby, this entry may be a little dull...I'm just getting him up to date on the day to day around here...For instance, you'll first see Squirrel enjoying our beautiful summer weather right along with me (and, as you'll soon see, all of the new plants I'm accumulating...Well, Corb, you said I couldn't get a dog yet....)

Sorry, gotta say it again -- no rain since July 3rd for me...Ahhhhhhhhhh.....

Your tomatoes are ROCKIN', Bett~!

And remember those bulbs I planted the day before you left??? It's been three weeks...not bad, huh??? Look closely: nearly all have poked through!!

I found the perfect companion for our giraffe :)

The guy on the left will give you fresh herbs for cooking when you get back: rosemary, thyme, oregano...And the one of the right is a Hawaiian volcanic rock plant -- darn thing's growing right out of volcanic pumice. It's our reminder of us NEEDING to take a trip to Hawai'i soon...Cost Rica, too, I'm thinking....I'm gather info from two experts, so don't you worry :)

And here's our "money tree" -- that's the common name for this winding fig plant...I learned that it has cool 'feng shui' properties. Here's a link to more info:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-money-tree-plant.htm
I've always wanted one just b/c they're so beautiful to me but -- here's the kicker -- within a week after I potted it and placed it in the house, I got my raise, paid off the LAST of my debt, learned that YOU found a job, got the first monthly interest kickback on my new account...Hmmmmmm....Maybe it IS good fortune~!

So, Corb, there's a little glimpse into the simple life back in P-Town...Missing you tons, but having a blast playing and exploring and working and learning...You keep doing the same and we're simply gonna be UNSTOPPABLE when we're back together~!

Current Mood: cheerful

Anybody hungry???
This weekend was the 25th Bite of Oregon Festival at Waterfront Park, so I got on the bus (all by myself!) and met Jen downtown for an afternoon of food and fun ...

We did a bit of wine tasting, had some Vietnamese food then I took a break finishing my strawberry yogurt cone to show off this sign -- yum~!

This was the chick from the Food Network Iron Chef show...

And these guys were a couple local musicians who Jen knew, so we hung out and cheered them on a bit...

It's been a social time these last three days -- hung out with five different folks spread over a dinner, a lunch, an afternoon drink, a breakfast and today at Bite...I haven't grocery shopped in a week~! Good thing I'm logging 5-7 miles a day -- course, it's an even better thing that I have no appetite still...missing YOU too much, Corby~!

In a nutshell, though, LOTS of wheels turning in this little brain of mine, from revamping my website to....gulp....possibly returning to college for another degree??? More on that later, after I talk to so more people about what that might mean...Good Lord, leave me alone for a couple weeks and look what happens~!

Current Mood: excited

96 degrees and counting~!
Summer is indeed HERE, my friends. I still haven't seen rain since July 3rd but I'm NOT complaining...Not to rub it in, Corb, but you are missing some AMAZING weather. Yeah, I know...you've been in the Indian Ocean, on Outback trips, entering Kangaroo matches, exploring Perth and Freemantle...but it's in the mid-90s and BEAUTIFUL back home!!!

Anyway, to beat the heat, I headed for an early afternoon hike in the Tryon Creek State Park -- about 5 miles from the townhouse...how's THAT for convenient???

And I wasn't five minutes in when there were 'trail closed' signs...But -- you'd be proud, Corb -- I just ducked under two fences and climbed over a barrier and went on my way...it was only a little section closed and I REALLY wanted to hike :)

It was a great trail, too -- lots of variety of elevation and bridges and water features...

The water here looked so funky reflecting the heat, but it's super crystal clear and supports salmon...

This fallen tree trunk was too cool~!

Okay, these weren't part of the trail, but they are the sunflowers I picked up at the farmer's market last Saturday...

And here's Squirrel pretending to be a jungle cat...I caught her sleeping beneath the new house plants I brought home :)

So, Corb, there's my last couple of days...I left off the pix of my fun new hair-do (it's really not that different, though) and the, um, scratch-and-dent event on my Vibe...I'm bringing her in tomorrow to be all better and you'll be able to see me in a few days -- Jen and I are going to the Waterfront for a Taste of Portland this weekend, so I'll have her take some pix of me :) I'll be taking the bus all by myself -- look at me!! All grown up :)

Love you, B

Current Mood: cheerful

Greetings from Grand Rapids~!
So these next few months, I'll be dedicating my entries to the Corbmeister...As I'm writing this, he's out wrestling kangaroos in the Outback, but -- hey, I was in Grand Rapids...that should count for SOMETHING, right???

My hotel was in City Center, right on the Grand River...I took advantage of the warm sunny days to run along the river each day~!

This is the building where we spent most of the conference...I met lots of people leading the New Tech school reform movement all over the country and worked directly with one of the new schools I'll be working with this coming year. Again, learned a TON!! A nice perk: this hotel was HUGE and had the BEST service I'd ever experienced, so I took the opportunity to do a little bit of self-pampering during my four day stay...

Can you say 'room service'???? Nothing like a light dinner after putting in five miles :)

I got into town late Tuesday afternoon, and on Wednesday, discovered a blues concert in the park across the street. Had a great time hanging out with this local guy I met, a contractor from Grand Rapids who helped build the conference center where I was spending the week -- how weird is that??

There were some hiphop and street dancers performing as well...This event is a weekly series that happens every Wednesday, it was pretty crazy~!

This city reminded me a lot of Rochester -- the river running through it, a mix of old an new architecture...(Have to admit, I love this picture)

And there were sculptures and water fountains everywhere...overall, not a bad little town :)

Got back LATE last night, but (thankfully) there were no glitches getting there or coming back...Squirrel was very happy to see me again; she'd done TERRIFIC on her own -- ate and drank (and pooped, Corb~!) I'm very proud of her :)

For today??? Well, it's Saturday and I'm in Portland, so that means a trip to a farmer's market...Gonna check out the Beaverton one today since I'm in the neighborhood, but not much more than that and a few walks to run my errands...I need to get my brain and body back on West Coast time (again)...

Miss you, Bett~! Skype me when you get back to civilization :)

Current Mood: groggy

Welcome HOME~!
So I've been at this new address for less than a week, but I couldn't WAIT to show you the pix!!! Come on in...let me show you around!!!

After you come in the front door, this dining room is on your left...

...and the kitchen is connected by this open window (fun!) I totally lucked out finding this place -- it's under new management, so this unit was completely redone right before I moved in: all new carpeting, new lighting, new wood flooring, new counters, new paint, all new appliances...too freaking cool!

And off the kitchen is my laundry room...

Here's the view in the hall entering the living room...I took these at night, too excited to wait for morning :)

Here's half of the 'half' of my two and a half bathrooms as you come down the hall...

And here's part of the living room...I'm going to turn a 360 to give you the full effect, 'kay???

Can't WAIT to use this fireplace!!!

And here's where I'm all set up to use my videocam and headset to chat with Corbett while he's Down Under (yeah, he flew out yesterday...he'll be gone until December...more on that later...)

Off the living room is my little slice of heaven...This faces south, so I get sun all day (yay!!!) And you gotta LOVE these pines!! Plus, this unit backs up to the wetlands....Each morning, I'm greeted by a river otter and blue heron, not to mention a slew of ducklings trailing their momma...Even a nest of baby seagulls has made a home on my roof. A freaking Disney movie in my backyard all over again~!

Turning from the balcony, it's time to head upstairs...

Here's the guest room...

...it's where I'll work when I'm not on site at school and write...One of the full bathrooms is off this room as well...I didn't take a picture, I mean, how many bathrooms can you see???

And this is the view after coming out of the guest room looking toward the main bedroom (which you won't see because that is only room I didn't finish yet...it's on my 'to do' list for tomorrow...)

Okay, one more bathroom...What I like most about this is that you walk through this massive closet on both sides in order to get to the bathroom from the bedroom....how fun is that???

And here's the reverse view from the master bedroom toward the guest room/office...

Squirrel is simply loving life in our new place :)

Oh, and tonight?? I went to see Marc Broussard at the Oregon Zoo concert series...Too freaking amazing~! It's been sunny and warm since I came back from NY...as a matter of fact, I haven't seen rain since the morning of my picnic back in the 3rd!! I'm getting absolutely spoiled~!

So, yeah, Corby's gone...A full 27 hours now (but who's counting??)...My heart hurts, but it's good for him and for me -- he has an amazing opportunity to study the semester in Perth and I have an amazing opportunity to play in Portland and dive further into my new role at work...Yes, I said 'work' -- word finally came this past Monday...I'm staying with the company, though I'll be working with a couple of new schools which means traveling to Eugene once a week (two hours south) and flying a couple times a month to Klamath Falls (just north of the California border)...

With the exception of missing Corbett like crazy, I'm -- dare I say it???? -- feeling really, really happy. I have a great place to finally call 'home' that actually FEELS like home and is in a great part of Portland (only 6 miles from downtown), I have a good job (for sure) that I'm looking forward to digging my heels into next month and I've made some good friends who I'm making plans to spend time with in the coming weeks...

Wow. I've been here 11 months and I think it's finally coming together...Though I'm a little afraid to let my guard completely down and let true happiness shine through, I'm going to do my best and allow myself to feel some of this success. I deserve it, I think.

So, who's coming out to visit me first????????

Current Mood: grateful

Wow. In the last two weeks, we've been from Baltimore to DC to Pennsylvania and ALL over Western NY then BACK to Baltimore before returning back to P-Town...So, how'd it go??? FANTASTIC!! I gotta tell ya, I was sort of freaked out about my return to the East Coast...I was worried I'd come back missing it all over again or feel such a wash of regret that I'd spend the entire time beating myself up for leaving in the first place. Thing is?? Not ONE of those thoughts even crossed my mind. For real. All I felt was thrilled to see everyone I loved...The only regret? That I forgot how freaking HUMID it gets back East and how HORRIBLE the bugs are!!

So, with no further ado, get ready for the recap of my and Corby's East Coast Adventure~!

Can you tell these are the same clothes we traveled in??? Yeah, this was Day One sans luggage, but it was all good...Our stuff was delivered by the time we got back and, meanwhile, we got to enjoy Baltimore's Inner Harbor and Fell's Point~!

Day Two brought us to explore DC and a chance encounter with our next president :)

And he calls ME a hippie...freaking feeding the squirrels on the Mall...

Next, it's on to meet my NEW nephew Alex James...the most perfect, beatiful baby on the planet~!

Day Three pointed us northward where we stopped to visit Corb's pal in PA which meant we didn't get to Dawn's house until late....Boy, Corb sure must've been tired since he slept in the next morning...I don't think he realized where he was sleeping until he woke up, though :)
Much thanks and MANY hugs to Dawn and her crew for housing us those two nights...Always an adventure at the Squich crib!!

It was inevitable -- you know it as well as I...

This was the morning after chillin' with my cousin Mike in Rochester....We spent the evening with some of his friends at a beach concert and the next morning -- the day of my reunion picnic for my students -- brought a torrential downpour. Needless to say, I was NOT a happy camper...

However, in typical XroadZ fashion, by the start of the picnic, the skies cleared and it was wall to wall people!! Thanks again to ALL who showed, called and emailed to make my reunion trip a HUGE success...Over 60 people stopped by, students ranging in age from 15 to 30 -- simply amazing!!
Check out the slide show on MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/lauriethurston

Day Something-or-Other, after the picnic, it was on to visit Corb's family...Our first stop?? Firweorks from the back of a pickup on Honeoye Lake...Gotta love the country : )

The next morning, Corb took this pix in front of his family's cabin where we stayed...I was still sleeping, of course...it was going to be a big night!!!

July 4th means one thing -- dinner at Delmonico's!!

-- and a trip to downtown Rochester...

...for the fireworks!!

Congrats, Spencer~! This is Spence and Corb at the graduation party the next day...before or after the wrestling match, I couldn't tell you...

Corb's Uncle Craig is not known for doing things in a small way: after a massive party and onsite professional fireworks, it was time to light the bonfire!!

Over the next couple of days, we played...a LOT!! Here we are at the lake...

...and what's a vacation without a little mini golf???

Or a first swimming lesson???

While the boys played, I headed back to Rochester for a couple of days to visit my sister Cheryl, meet Phil for lunch, chill with Stacy, touch base with Manny and meet Toolbox's latest miracle...There would've been pix but my camera's battery died...gee, wonder why...

Before it quit, though, I did get one of Stacy after her soccer game...(Thanks again for a TERRIFIC visit, girl!! Come out and visit me SOON!!!!!)

Back to Honeoye for an Alger family reunion...

And what's a last day without a morning of fishing???

Or a final trip back out to Albion for a day with the Squich clan??? (For the record, 35% of the kids in this pix are not theirs...)

Thanks again, Craig and Darlene and Taylor (and Chance and Bandit!!) for ALL of your wonderful hospitality....we'll MISS you~!

After an all night drive back to Baltimore, I try to catch a few Zzzzzzzzs before boarding...

Hello again, Mt. Hood!!

Man, it feels so GOOD to be home...especially when you've found out on the way back that you'll be able to stay with your job this upcoming Fall and you can move to that new townhouse next week!!!

Thanks again to EVERYONE for such an amazing time!! Keep in touch and we'll see y'all next year!!!

Current Mood: giddy

ALWAYS an adventure, I'm tellin' you~!
Everything about our trip back East started out okay...

Leaving PDX, we said goodbye to the mountains...

Just doesn't get old....

Sorry, had to do one more -- right over Mt. Adams -- how cool is THAT?!!?

But, soon enough, the travel woes swept over us...

Here I am reflected in a pillar at JFK making one in a series of about a dozen phone calls...See, we were supposed to fly into Baltimore (BWI), but -- due to severe T-storms -- BWI cancelled all flights....So, the man put us on a flight to Reagan National: all good, except (a) our luggage was probably not going to make it with us since it was an earlier departure and (b) a rental car from that airport was over $450 MORE than I had been quoted out of BWI so I was trying to find an alternate route from Reagan to BWI to (a) find my luggage and (b) get my cheaper rental car...

And it all looked like it was going to work out until (a) the plane to Reagan sat on the tarmac for over 3 hours (all flights had been cancelled due to...you guessed it: severe T-storms...) So Corby called Delta to find out info but they told him -- according to their computers -- our plane had landed safely in BWI (scary, huh??) Honeslty, they were SHOCKED to hear we were still in JFK...Anyway, so after three hours idling on the runway, we RAN OUT OF FUEL so we had to hightail it back to the terminal to refuel...Once we were topped off, we were 42nd in line for takeoff -- woohoo!!! And, nearly five hours from our scheduled departure, we were on our way....

...into the same severe thunderstorm that shut down all the airports...

Yeah. Needless to say, it was a WILD ride~!

And, needless to say, our 'ride' wasn't over yet....We get to Reagan and (a) our luggage never made it with us but (b) I did find a way to get to BWI -- a super shuttle -- which was running late, but (yes!) still running...So, after I helped out this young woman from England who was in the states for the first time and had lost her passport AND identification and was absoultely hysterical (puts every annoyance into perspective, doesn't it???), we boarded the shuttle with a half dozen other folks rerouted to Reagan from BWI and were on our way...Time check?? 10:30 p.m....(Did I mention we were up at 4 a.m. when this whole ordeal began???)

So...not done yet...after one closed on ramp and one L-O-N-G detour to avoid a back up, we got to BWI at 11:46 p.m....We found the luggage counter, and -- you guessed it -- no luggage...Our next stop?? To the shuttle for the car rental place to be sure we beat the closing time of midnight, but that too did not meet with success... 12:04. Enterprise in closed...And the Alamo guy who was supposed to be there to check us in??? MIA...The chick at a different counter told me a car from her place would be about $300 MORE than what I'd been quoted from Enterprise so I asked her where I could get a taxi...And OF COURSE I'd have to take the shuttle BACK to BWI...

To say I was ticked off is the understatement of the year....

But -- thankfully -- in my tirade outside of the rental car place, I spotted someone working late in an outside kiosk and the man took pity on me and hooked me up....Now, I just needed to be to the hotel before 1 a.m. so the hotel didn't give my room away (which, they kept telling me, they could do if I didn't get there in time...)

At 1:08 a.m., I checked in....

Holy crap.

And this was just the FIRST DAY of our two week "vacation"....My Lord...

Current Mood: exhausted

Wow...yeah...
So Alex finally went home from the hospital -- yay!!! Kelly and Dave are settling in with the new 'fam' as I'm typing, I'm sure...The grandparental units are on their trek northward to personally welcome the little bugger to his dysfunctional extended family...He's gonna have to wait three more weeks before meeting me, though...Lucky for him!!!

In the meantime, I've been busy...Work is all over the map: graduations, conferences, retreats, planning for a student workshop...As a matter of fact, I just got back from a retreat in a place in the gorge called Menucha -- pretty cool views~!

This is looking east from the pool and firepit area...

And here is the view from the office looking west toward Portland...Nice, huh???

Look who joined us on the second morning?!?! There were five in all and they came right up to the windows of our meeting room -- too cool!!

Thing is, I honestly STILL don't know if I'll be working with this company next month, not to mention next year....LOTS of politics going on, but I supposedly will hear later this week or next (but then again I heard that in late March, then mid-April, then late April, then May, then early June, then....yeah, you get the idea -- not holding my breath...) But I sure as heck HOPE that I know before I head back to Rochester...Knowing if (a) I still have health insurance (b) that I can sign the lease for my new place and (c) that I won't have to start my job search over from scratch WOULD be nice....

But, since I can't control that, here's what I can do....have fun with CORBY!!!!

Here he is on the streetcar after we spent the afternoon in the sun at the Waterfront...he's getting quite the tan -- even in our (lately) somewhat limited nice June weather!!

And HERE is my favorite float from the Rose Festival Parade...We went out the night before to a show and didn't make it downtown Sunday morning, but they were still on display by the time we got there in the afternoon....

This is a replica of the dragon boats that they race on the Willamette River

Another of my faves...you sensing a theme here???

Bears, too :)

Scary pirates....aaarrrrgggghhhh!

And even scarier dinosaurs!!!

So, I'm taking a day off tomorrow since Corb has off as well....It's supposed to be nice, so I'm going to do some research on a good place to play...More pix to come, I'm sure!!!!

Current Mood: chipper

I'm an AUNT!!!!
Kelly was all scheduled for a C-section on July 7th...so why is she entering the clinic all ready and raring to go on the 3rd of JUNE?!?!? Because we Thurstons have no freaking PATIENCE, that's why...Get 'er done -- that's OUR motto!!

And she tells me I'M embarrassing....

Yeah, so her water broke in the middle of the night and she had NO contractions -- not ONE labor pain....nice, huh??? If I could be assured that, I'd have myself a kid, too!!

How amazing is this picture of Dave and his new son??

Welcome to the world, Alex...

Truly a miracle, man. So freaking incredible...I love you guys!! See you later this month!!

Current Mood: thankful

Only in Portland...
...do they have parades at night that begin with a race that includes nutty folks dressed in costume...

Is that Thing 1 and Thing 2?????

Another great Saturday!! Earlier in the day, we hopped on our bikes for a trip to Powell Butte to ride the trails, then spent the afternoon at the pool before heading downtown at night for the parade...

So, yeah, there's this annual Rose Festival which is, in actuality, an excuse to have a ten day party...It all began Thursday with a carnival of sorts along the waterfront set up and pirate ships docked on the Willamette...Then Friday, there were fireworks and yesterday was the run and Starlight Parade: an actual parade at night -- marching bands and floats all lit up...Crazy!

Getting ready for the night...the weirdest part of this is that kids are encouraged to play in the streets before the parade starts: sidewalk chalk, light sabers, football, frisbee...it was all going on. Quite the party, I'm telling you~!

And afterward, we hit the theater...

Corb was a big fan of the series...and here he is -- comfortably in touch with his feminine side...

Day 7 and I'm STILL nursing some sort of respiratory infection that seems to be getting worse with each passing day....I'm going to do my best to RELAX today...let's see how that works out :)

OH!!!! And I've emailed a bunch of folks and posted a bulletin on MySpace: the XroadZ Reunion Picnic is all set!!! Thursday, July 3rd from 1-6 p.m. at the Red Creek Shelter at Genesee Valley Park. Come one, come all!! Just come sober and RSVP so I know how much food to have on hand. It will be a TIME~!~

Current Mood: sick

9 months and counting...
I've been out here nine months already...can you believe it?!??! I can't...crazy! In some ways it feels like I just got here, and other times it feels like I've been here forEVER~!

Some cool stuff has been happening, though, so I wanted to share...

Last Monday, I drove out to Nixya'awii to help kick off their Salmon Project exhibition:

Cooking salmon at the longhouse...

My bestest pal, Lisa....And, no, those AREN'T her glasses :)

Getting some dinner before the presentation...yum~!

My new GOOD friend Shay introduces the video the kids made...I had SUCH a blast working with you, Shay...come visit me in PDX soon!!!

Nice job to ALL at Nixya'awii Community School for the GREAT work done on your second major project~! I'll be heading back out there next week for graduation....can't wait to see you!!

On Wednesday, my Rochester pal Vivian Vande Velde popped into P-Town for a school visit...

We got to hang out for a couple hours and catch up...it was GREAT to see her!!!!

And the next day, I was back on a plane for a flight the Central Oregon for our Coaches Retreat...

The view from our resort in Sunriver...

A fireplace in my very own room?? Sweet!!!

The two days out here were great -- lots of good work done and (I think) I'm all set for a job come next year... should know more for certain by the end of the month, but it's looking good which is COOL NEWS since I'm starting to dig this job a bit...

But, wait -- it's the holiday weekend!!!

Saturday was simply glorious, so Corb and I headed across the Columbia River to Vancouver, Washington...Sounds far, but it takes about fifteen minutes to get there :)

Hanging out at a farmers market -- definitely on my Top Ten!!

The rest of the afternoon we spent back in P-Town doing some shopping in the Pearl District...

Today's Sunday and I'm getting a few things done around the apartment...who knows what other fun and adventure awaits the remainder of the weekend?!?!?! You can bet it'll be a party, though!!

Current Mood: happy

Summer comes early to Portland!!
It started Thursday: sunny skies, warm temps edging the mid-eighties... But Friday took it to the next level -- low 90s and record breaking heat brought folks to the Waterfront Fountain downtown...Summer has come to P-Town~!

I love this view because you can see Mt. Hood looming across the Willamette River...

Corby can't resist :)

On our way to PSU for International Night, we discover another popular fountain spot...These are all over downtown, but it's the first time I've seen this one with the water running...This is one of the reasons I love Portland -- you're in the middle of a city, but it never feels like it...

And Saturday?? Another record breaker -- 97 in Portland -- but we weren't going to stick around for that, we had plans to head west to the Coast...

First stop: Cannon Beach...We didn't hang here long, though. Having already 'done' Haystack Rock, we just stoppoed to say hello to the ocean...Soon it was back in the car to head South on 101 about 10 more miles...

Here was my REAL destination: Neahkahnie Mountain...This trail was awesome -- a 2.5 mile roundtrip with an elevation gain of 1600 feet...

Peaking through the trees on the way up...

This summit did NOT disappoint~!

And, after a break at the top to bask in sunshine and ocean breezes, we headed back down to hit Manzanita Beach :)

Now THIS is my kind of place!

Corb braved the frigid Pacific and was in his glory

Yeah, what my Frisbee says~!

Manzanita is my new favorite Coastal town, but we were eager to do some more exploring, so we drove a bit more south to Tillamook then west to Oceanside...

...and discovered wicked-cool cliffs and caves~!

Always a freaking adventure, I tell ya :)

Keep shining!!

Current Mood: ecstatic

Long time, no blog...
Hi, remember me?? The nutty former-teacher that turned who-knows-what-the-hell-I'm-doing? The one who sold nearly everything she owned, packed her Vibe and headed West? Well, it's been eight months and two weeks since I've landed in P-Town (but who's counting) and the dust on my new life has settled a bit...I suspect some shaking up is on the horizon, but I figured -- before all that nonsense happens -- I'd get you caught up on what's been going on...

Let's start with the FUN!

* Music: I went to see Everclear at a free show at Music Millenium last month -- very cool seeing this national band that grew out of Portland back 'home' to tout their newest CD 'The Vegas Years'

* Writers: Tobias Wolfe was in town last month as well reading from his newest short story collection. OHMYGOD, he was SOOOO fantastic. I love these opportunities!!

* Trips: I flew to D.C. to visit my VERY pregnant sister...Mom and Dad made the trip up from Georgia to see Kelly, too, so it was a little family reunion at the end of April...Kel's due in early July, so I'll be back East then to see my new nephew!!!!

* Portland Fun: With the weather getting nicer, we've been hanging out longer and more often downtown...dinners outside, walks along the Waterfront, movies at neighborhood cinemas (went to see *Paranoid Park*, an independent film about skaters filmed here in Portland...not the best flick on the planet, but cool to see all of our bridges and landmarks on the big screen!!) Our latest excursion was a night playing pool, hanging out with a Saudi Arabian friend of Corb's from class and trying to find the drag show Corb's other friend was performing in...See? Always a freaking party!

Shall we move on to work???

* E3 Stuff: Surprisingly, I'm starting to not hate my job : ) Actually, it's okay. As I've said before, I'm learning a TON and meeting some great people and I'm FINALLY actually doing some cool stuff that's helping my schools and some individual kids...Again, not precisely what I want to be when I grow up, BUT it's a pivotal stepping stone....That said, I'm uncertain what my job will BE come July...The grant funding my job runs out in June and, while a grant extension WAS approved a couple weeks ago, I still have no idea how that will translate into what I'll be doing....There's a lot still up in the air, but there's absolutely nothing I can do about it, so I'm not freaking out...I told them I'd give them until mid-June to give me some kind of idea of the future, and then I'm flooding the city with resumes....The cool thing? I have so many contacts now that I don't think it will be THAT hard to find a gig....Hell, I had a superintendent give me his card at the last meeting a facilitated and tell me to call him if I want a job in his district next year...

* Guidebook Stuff: After today, I'm done with my part of the teacher guidebook (yay!) Three -- count 'em -- THREE revisions, and it's off to Donna to add her stuff. I'm figuring I'll go through it one last time to be sure the flow of her additions is the way I want them before it goes off to the line editor and then -- fingers crossed -- to the publisher. And just in time, too, because I gave my SECOND presentation last week about reaching kids in crisis. This was at the National Association of Multicultural Education conference held at Oregon State University and I had an audience of over 130 folks....VERY COOL! I even had a principal approach me after to ask if I would work with his staff (!!!!) So, yeah, he's since emailed me...this might actually happen -- how cool is that?? It's EXACTLY what I hoped to do!!

* My writing: My first page was chosen by the upcoming SCBWI conference here in Portland. I'll be sharing it with editors and other writers this coming Friday (yikes!!) and getting feedback to move me forward with *Sentenced to Life*... Since the guidebook is done (for now), I'll have my weekends back to write for ME -- makes me SO happy!! Still no word from the folks at Ooligan Press on *Miles to Go*, but it's only been two months...And I'm still hopfeul I can be a facilitator at Write Around Portland, though I'll be back East when they're doing the summer training and have to wait until the fall again to see if my dates line up...But they still want me to teach, so I'm going to do my best to make it happen. To lead a community writing workshop for at-risk teens -- another life dream~!

Life stuff...

* I put the new townhouse on hold. Yeah, sucks, but it had to happen. With not knowing exactly about my job at E3, I can't risk not having a stable income and paying out more in bills...What IS good is that I've managed to pay off ALL my moving costs AND saved a bunch of money, so I'm sitting on NO debt (at all...none...nada....) and just waiting to hear on a job. As soon as I know I have one, I'm moving to that place...Lucky for me it's such a big complex, I've got a good chance there will be an open townhouse for waiting for me : )

* Heading back to the ROC in late June....Yup, arrangements are in place and we head east June 27th...We're flying into Baltimore (WAY cheaper than Rochester) and hanging out there and in D.C. for a couple days and then driving north to see friends and family...Corby's dad and son are meeting us there, so it'll be awesome...For my kids, I'm trying to set up a XroadZ reunion picnic -- it'll be WONDERFUL to see everyone again!! I'm totally looking forward to that~!

* Corb's leaves for the Land Down Under July 23rd...This is going to be a challenge -- he'll be gone for four and a half months!! -- but we're preparing for the transition...I'm psyched for him to have this opportunity and -- if I'm still with E3 -- I'll take vacation time and fly to Perth in October...now THAT would be an adventure!!!

So, that's what's been up...I know -- where are the pictures??? -- well, next time. I promise. I think a trip to the Coast is in the works for next weekend...The weather folks are forecasting a heat wave beginning Thursday -- a high in the 90s!! -- and it's supposed to last through the weekend, so I'm thinking ROAD TRIP!!!

Life is a gift, man. Tear into it~!

Current Mood: grateful