Snow 2008 Continued Again

Here are the cars before I broke into them.






Had to recover Christmas presents from the trunk of the Jetta. Warmed up the car to pierce through a sheet of ice on the trunk that was at least an inch thick, maybe more.



Hummingbirds have been guarding this thing like a cat watching, well, hummingbirds. Finally got the right proportion of sugar to keep the mixture from freezing at 24 degrees F.




More perspective from downtown Lake O. The snow finally stopped this afternoon. More predicted tonight and on Christmas Eve.

More snow 2008

It's still snowing. Still. Probably more than a foot out there right now. It was above Claire's knees this morning when we walked to Dana's.

These photos all were taken late yesterday afternoon. The snow was crusty on top, but it had started to snow again.

Here's downtown Lake O at about 4 p.m.






Barometers from our back yard:














Now compare to photos from this morning. Look at the top of the truck:





I haven't seen an official snowfall total, but there's gotta be more than a foot on the ground. Folks haven't seen anything like this for 40 years. More than 100 Tri-Met buses were stuck on their routes this morning at 7, according to one driver.



Claire sure enjoyed her walk in knee-high snow this morning to Dana's. Good thing it was only a block. We woulda had one wet girl otherwise.










More pics soon. It snowed all morning. I think it might just have stopped.

Snow 2008 Continues (That's right!)

It was blowing, angling sideways, drifting and snowing ALL DAY. Longtimers say they've rarely seen a storm like this here, and it's not over.

We took full advantage of it when we still could this morning. Claire trudged across the street, pounded on Jack and Lilly's door and dragged the whole family out in the snow.



Heidi and Barry got out the discs and sleds that they brought with them from Colorado. Fifth Street became our wonderland.

Jack took his dad's old-fashioned sled for a ride and met our car. Claire, as usual, wanted to try, too.



Later, Jack took the girls for a ride.





Eventually, we made our way to F Street and one of the neighborhood's steepest hills.




Jack leaped onto his sled time and again. Claire warmed up to her first sledding experience by scooting down on her bum. Later, she decided she'd run down the hill and hop rides back up.




As I write this, we've got 8-10 inches of snow on the ground outside. TV says it's turning to freezing rain. Not good. I'll get this posted before the power goes out.

More snow pics

Much of it melted today, but here are some shots taken Sunday when we got 3.5 inches of snow. Ron, our neighbor and father to Karuna (back of sled sled) took 'em. They augment the ones I posted on Picasa.



That's Corinna. Luca's mom, pulling the gang.




Later, Luca's dad dug in and took over.

Her way around

Hiccups and everything!



Plus....a new game:

From one career to another

Last weekend, colleagues gathered at a local restaurant to celebrate Sarah's time at the paper. She joined three in her bureau taking a buyout, walking off from a floundering craft into the rainy horizon.



Here are the three candidates now, gathered round Tom, the bureau chief. That's Wanda on the left, an editor for both Brent and Sarah in her career, though we were not highlights of it. And that's Kate on the right, a reporter/writer/mother/shaman.



These are real-life journalists. Newspaper people. Part, until last week, of the "mainstream media" that Sarah Palin vilifies. They don't bite. They don't say "Gotcha!" all the time. They have families and eat and drink and care about the world they live in. The woman talking to Sarah -- Ann -- also recently left the paper to teach. She works with developmentally disabled kids at a local high school. She loves it. She suggested Sarah look into education as her next career.



Claire made her rounds. At one point, she waltzed up to the bar in the background and yelled "Can I have some apple juice?!?!" four times until a bartender noticed. She got what she wanted --juice, on the rocks, with two slender straws. Uncle Andy made sure she drank it.



Bob, a retired photographer, graciously attended and took to Claire, interviewing her as if he'd been a reporter himself and as if she were the star we think she is.



Claire also got to know Kate's daughter, Lilly, who tolerated Claire stalking her every move.





Sarah woke up the day after this event, a Monday, and said, "I feel nervous." She was "unemployed" and facing the next chapter of her life. She was now a stay-at-home mom.

Is there such a term as "overemployed?"

Sarah has threatened to take over this blog, or another one named more appropriately, to reflect the more compelling and constructive tale of how she raises our two girls. "Hardhats and sippy cups" may still apply, however. It may be even more apt now.

Happy Beach Birthday

UPDATED WITH NEW PICS.




Friday morning, Claire woke, stretched and promptly asked, "Daddy, am I still two?"

She was. But for only one day more. For that, we packed and headed to the beach to celebrate Claire's third birthday with Sonya, Matt, Ella and Mauren.

Destination: Oceanside. Specifically, Moondance, a new favorite beachhouse. The mobile girls found plenty of room in the two-story house to run, to jump and to swim in its big jetted tub. Good thing, too, because the wind and rain kept us indoors much of the time. Paige enjoyed watching it all unfold in front of her.






In fact, the weather was wet enough that it wasn't conducive to taking many photos. So, we didn't. We only made it down to the surf as a group one time.



Saturday night, Mom made cupcakes at Claire's request, Matt made a big salmon and risotto dinner and we broke out the candles to sing happy birthday.



The parents managed some adult time late at night after the kids went to bed, sitting around on leather couches talking about the election, Saturday Night Live, music and budgets.

At one point, Claire yelled from her bedroom for dad to come in to help her go to sleep. After dad curled into bed with her, Claire asked "if he'd sleep all the night in my bed."

At first I balked at answering. Then I leveled with her: "Mom and I would like to have some adult time with Matt & Sonya," I explained. Claire thought for a moment, then said: "I want someone to sleep with me, and you and mommma want to talk with Matt & Sonya. How can we investigate this?"

I was stunned and puzzled. Later, we realized that mom had interceded in a scuffle between Ella and Claire by asking, "Claire and Ella both want to play with the same toy. How can we solve this problem?" Now, Claire was applying that problem-solving approach to a conflict that she perceived between how she and dad each wanted dad to spend his time. Happy third birthday.

Sunday evening, we unwrapped more presents when we got home. Claire made out with a doctor's kit, a hugable globe, a new sweater, a play board, a rope ladder (yet to be hung in the basement),








books,



a hooded bathrobe,





and a harmonica.

Claire takes over packing

Halloween.08

Mom and dad had the day off, so it felt like a holiday. By midday, we got down to work carving the pumpkin. Claire helped design the face while dad carved.





Claire dressed as a spider, with plenty of creepy crawlys up her sleeves.





Of course, it is election season.....



.... and Claire thought it good to bring back the last President to do so much good for the GOP.

Later, we dressed Paige up as a pumpkin and headed for the harvest festival downtown.





Luca got his face painted and watched as Claire got her webbing on.







A conservative in the crowd could not help but don dad's Nixon mask, to the alarm of liberals and young children standing behind him. Don't worry. His operatives aren't breaking into your home as you trick or treat.



Costume of the day went to this little Sumo wrestler, who truly fit the part:



We thought our little pumpkin was pretty cute, too.






Back home, we were reminded there's nothing like candy to sap little girls of energy. Claire, not wanting to miss any trick-or-treaters, snagged a few zzzzzzzs while eating dinner.