At the Cove

The waves were exceptionally misty.

Brrrrr! Two Oregonians at the Beach

and also, brrrr

Kinda Sneaky

A giant sneaker wave came up and up! Almost to the rocks. We ran! Here is my self-portrait, after Lee Friedlander. I guess at this point I am also a kind of American Monument, too.

Kinda Snowy

Debbie at the pass, rest stop on Hwy 26. Frosty!

Kinda Crabby

We went to the beach for a day today and it was wonderful. Got a speeding ticket in North Plains. Kind of traditional. Ate at the Pig 'n Pancake - also traditional. Blueberry pancakes, bacon well done. Walked on the beach. Giant sneaker wave and little brown dog. Looked into Phyllis' unit to see how it was weathering the cold. OK! Went for a long walk there, and back. Very cold, no one in the Happy Zone pool today! Fell asleep on the way home. John driving, a bit slower. A lovely lovely day.

Long Lost Loveliness

This week I went to the beach for one day. It was a good day. I am so grateful to Nancy Drew for providing the opportunity to be there. I wrote a short letter to Sandy, sitting in the little blue velvet glider. I drank coffee in a cup and it was really fine.

October Surprise, In A Good Way

John's book, in Japanese, from Advance Music. John was on the road with Dave Frishberg, in Ashland, when it arrived. The package wandered about a little in the 'hood and thank goodness, finally arrived. What a surprise! I had been praying for something wonderful for John, out of the blue, and this advent was proof positive that our imaginations are woefully inadequate when it comes to dreaming up wonderful and unexpected gifts like this. Wow. We remembered Hans Gruber with gratitude, and with profound thankfulness think of Veronika, who carries on.

Thesis Morning

This morning was spectacularly beautiful and the day I swore I'd start working on my PhD. This was the highly suitable sky for this enterprise.

Blurry Morning Ride

Pat the Bunny and Nancy Drew heading into the otherworld of international air travel, en route to gay Paree. It was really early in the morning. It was a lot of fun for John and me to take them to the airport.

Kind of Glorious

This morning it was all illuminated.

Customer's Dream

A customer in the store today told me she'd had a dream about me. I was driving a beautiful old restored Volkswagen van, and then I was sailing. I was sailing very skillfully and so fast that the boat actually began to fly. I had mastery of the craft, and was able to fly it here and there. Today, after hearing about this dream, I came home and there was John's book in Japanese. Yesterday he went to Ashland. April would not let Dave take his sleepy pillow in case he forgot it there. Dave did forget his socks. John forgot all his clothes. Everything is fine!

Insomnia

Has been going on for months. For my birthday, I'd like a night's sleep.

Birthday Celebrations, of a Sort

For my birthday, we went for a walk in the cemetery. It was a beautiful day and there were gravestones like giant trees, and there were also giant trees. We really liked the Scrabble headstone. It was sort of a theme, as Nancy Drew had sent me the greeting below from Seaside with a Scrabble happy birthday. We had lunch at Costello's Travel Cafe (for the Canadian Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie, which was glorious), went to the 50% off sale of Title Wave books on NE Sandy, where I ran into Lucinda and bought a DVD about Rocket Richard, the Pocket Rocket (John's find, "go Habs"), and a complete works of Guy du Maupassat. We also poked into Buy Rite Furniture on Division, where there were awful pictures and lots of other stuff - a real medley. We also went for a walk and bought a Boss Day and a Veterans' Day card at Freddies. At home, we looked at pictures of Sophia on Facebook, with messy hair, coming in for a kiss in a striped hat (that one went into Seymour as a screen saver) and in a party dress. So cute! She is a very wonderful granddaughter. This was a wonderful birthday present for me. We went to see a movie (District 9)since class was canceled tonight. I had a nap on the sofa in the sun. After the movie we went to Barnes and Noble and looked at all the fly fishing magazines, to choose one for Peter. I also talked to Jane and Cath, and then left a message for Claire, who, I think, brought in the harvest yesterday. Cold now, chilly and windy. But beautiful. Quite the birthday, all in all.

Last Roses

The roses in the hood have been making a last ditch effort at beauty. These ones hang over the sidewalk on my way to work, if only I walk a particular route. I have been pausing to take in a whiff of their subtle scent every morning, but one morning last week a self-conscious neighborhood dude was ambling by, and so I had to cross the street, making me acutely aware of the limited number of days this pleasure is left to me this autumn.

Google

John went out and got Clear Wimax today. There goes our quality of life! I said, "hey, we can email eachother."

Nancy Drew I Love You

Wow, that Nancy Drew is off to Paris (that's pronounced Pah-ree)and we are phoning back and forth with the notion of me borrowing Oceans Eleven, her hideaway by the sea. I am so lucky - Claire wants me to come to the vineyard for lunch, too. It's my birthday and I am spoiled.

Time in the Hood

Spending more time in the neighborhood. It's nice.

At Last

Picked up bound copies of thesis today. At last. Turned them in. Phew.

Scholarly Activity

I can't believe this bit of rug is left uncovered by debris.

Le Chien D'Or

He is visiting, en route to Susan H.'s house. Found at a garage sale for $3.00.

A Great Messiness

It's really kind of spectacular, as two households become one. John is unmoved: he just carries on. The morning paper, must be read, regardless.

Lucinda

Lovely in her purple suede jacket, buying us coffees at Peets. Keeping us both sane, a little. Friendship is the best cure.

Marylhurst

Working out here again, three days a week, and a future course to endeavor teaching. I wish that my heart was less sore, but my mind seems to be working well. Boxes and bales and bags and totes and shelves and piles of material, liberally layered with dust and notes-to-self, occupy the home space as two homes have collapsed into one. Everything is fluid now.

Camping Out

It's been a long road since last post. My dad died. I spent a lot of time in Canada tending to the situation, mostly with my sister Catherine. She was very brave. My other sister took it hard, and had to find some distance from the situation. I came back for more or less good, and asked Beach Property Management if I could spend these last few days here. I am camping out. Our new tenant is a volunteer for Americorps, organizing tours and so forth for Haystack Rock. "No child left inside," is the motto of the group that got the funding to put this education program in place. I am thrilled that someone who loves the beach as much as me will be here. A marine biologist. I am happy I left the whale on the fridge. Blue Moby.

A Day Inland

Today we had time to do things like take my thesis to the Trappist Monastery in Lafayette to be bound in teal colored leather, with gold letters, and to visit my friend's vineyard in the country around Dundee. I still wish I was at the beach, though.

I Just Dream About It Every Night

It's sinful to miss a place so much.

Brave Times Begin

There are a lot of people with a lot worse problems. I figure if you stacked them up, from the unluckiest to the luckiest, we'd be right near the top. Nevertheless, we find we must be brave just now as the proverbial rug has been pulled right out from under us. Here is the bravest man in the world, who has no anger in him. I adore him. We are in this adventure together.