Won't have much fun in Stalingrad

Winter Storm 08! Don't miss any of the coverage. Live from all parts of the inland Northwest. Car accidents, piles of snow, ....and more car accidents. Don't miss being told how extreme the weather is, how treacherous the driving conditions are. -over and over and over and over again. Pick your station, Q6, KREM2, KXLY4, they are all the same. Each with its "exclusive": tower cam, or incident van, or some such gimmick.
I tend to lean toward Northwest Cable News, as they take highlights from around the region -Portland, Seattle, Spokane, Tri-cities, etc. But as you watch, at first you would think that it was the Puget Sound News channel. Guess it makes sense, because that is where the money is. After a while you may actually see a report from Boise!
I suppose that it is good that there is full coverage. Otherwise we would not know how treacherous and serious the storm is. Out my window, I do see deep snow. But respect the cold, and you should be fine, right? The problem is that the TV is not making up these accidents. We drove into Spokane on the 17th to make it by 0900. On the way in, we saw one car facing the wrong way on Eastbound -90 near Freya. -Lane was closed, etc. On the way back, which was probably 1100, we saw ...more. A new accident on Eastbound 90 near Freya (with lane closure) involving two cars: they had kind of "bumped into" each other. We witnessed a Jeep Wrangler slaloming all the lanes of I-90 just past Argonne. And each of the on-ramps from there until we got off at Pleasant view, had a car off the road. So maybe bloated hysteria is a bit of a good thing. It should keep some people off the road. Still, strange people end up on the road, then off the side in the ditch. The funniest part is that a majority of these vehicles were bought so that they could stay out of the ditch. Like, Explorers, and Suburbans, and trucks. I actually have to chuckle. These people would actually do better with a more sensible car: Outback, or Jetta.
The kids want to build a fort in the snow. They also want to build a snow man. They don't seem to understand that there are different kinds of snow. Guess that is my job to teach them. But they need to be out in it to get the education. So far, they like to go, but I guess since I cannot move that well in the stuff, I cannot be there to show them what they are supposed to do. Anyway, the stuff we have right now is too dry for packing. I can't make a snow man in this stuff unless I use the chunks that the plows slough off the street.
This is not a football day. Even though it may be a Saturday, or bowl day, that is what the kids tell me.

Silly Old Leg-Before-Vicket English Person

I wish winter had come sooner. It is easier to train for nordic skiing when there is snow. Alas, I had to spend my thanksgiving week with the family, and not in a remote isolated neck of the woods with other skiers. Oh, well. Still, we have been gently introduced to winter as the temps slowly dropped, and occasionally we would get some flurries.
The kids love the snow. So far we have not had an icident where they got too cold. They seem to be at the stage where they could roll around in the snow sans clothes, and be happy as clams. We did some sledding. The goal was to get to the "mountain hill" that was "on the hill on the way to the lake". Where we sledded with "our cousins". So, we did some sledding off the tee box of the 10th hole. Interestingly, they wanted to pull the sled while the other sat. They did not want to be the one with the free ride. I guess they will learn.
Ethan also had fun throwing snow -not necessarily snow balls, as he "has not figured that out" yet.
Riles was all about playing a dog in the snow, getting on all fours, sometimes pushing the snow with her head. Seems strange to me.
Both made snow angels ...of a sort. They don't have the getting out of the snow without destroying the angel down yet. I'm glad they are enjoying it.
Now I need to get on my skis. (and I need to get the Ski Shack to finish putting bindings on my race skis)

Then Goes Out for a Cup of Tea

Already barely a month has gone by, and I can feel all this change. Crazy.
Another poor intro into the ski season. These are not fun times. The plan was that I would be on my own...with the ski team...for T-day (again), and the kids and Sarah would spend the time with her Dad and all those who made it to Bellingham. Turns out, I was able to spend my time with them.
It all started with some business we had to attend (Molly, and her minor surgery) in Ephrata, so we were there at the top of the week. The kids enjoyed the drive, and were happy to find things to do in the "Ephrata house" -mostly involving sleeping bags, soccer ball, and rough housing. I broke another pole tip on a workout. That nixed workouts for a while. Birthday dinner was at Don's, just Sarah and I, as the kids watched Wall-e with a sitter. Ethan received his first Leggo's. They are a Rebel Alliance "scout transport", and an Imperial transporter. He has not ventured into creating new vehicles, but he has found the joy in destroying them. These are small ships- with few pieces, still we are finding ways to loose parts.
On the way to Bellingham, we stopped at Auntie Bekah, and Joh's. The kids like that visit, and expect it when we descend into Issaquah from Snoqualmie. There, we broadened their minds with exposure to the Thanksgiving Charlie Brown specials. The next day, we ferried Bekah to Bellingham with us.
T-day was a full house at Nat and Donna's. Ethan (especially) and Rileigh enjoyed having "cousin Sky" to play with. I enjoyed having energy burned off and I could sit back and not have to do anything. Also, I think the kids really benefited from mingling with that side of the family-the music seemed to impress them. Rileigh, more than Ethan, seemed enthralled when the piano, guitars, and banjo were played. -She may be the musician... we will just have to see.
The last day, saw us "loafing" around until after mid day (which is perfect day after Thanksgiving planning). That led to a short excursion to Fairhaven, where Gramma Donna was showing some of her art, and the kids perused the cool toy store. We also experienced the rain of Whatcom County. I think that is the wettest area of the Northwest. Right up there with the Hoh rain forest. -just a complete wetness, it does not rain hard, but somehow it is really soaking.
Then it was drive home, with a overnight stay in the "Ephrata house". From this I learned that the kids need to get better at unpacking. Riles changed shoes three times, and attempted two outfit changes during the unpacking today. Somehow she just could not understand that unpacking is not a shoe changing scenario. Whatever you have on is fine! Actually don't change, as you may get dirty, thus changing will occur after the unpacking is over. She could not understand why the vein was popping on Dad's forehead. "What's his deal?" "I am unpacking! sheesh! Just let me get on my red shoes." At least that was the tone, and the looks I was getting. Meanwhile, Ethan took each trip out to the van and back as a race, but seemed to forget that the purpose for going out to the van was to pick stuff up and bring it inside. He was also easily distracted with the remnants of snow, the glider riders, his Mach-5 hot wheel, etc.
Grammie did the cooking for us tonight. We went over and had some "left overs" there. I guess we are really utilizing our resources.
I need somethin' to slow me down.

Pull Yourself Back Together

-I'm away from the family for the weekend. I came to Denver to work on my ski frame and seat with Joe at Aspen Seating. Tomorrow I head to Park City to do some phisiology testing with the ski team. Then home on Monday evening. presently it feels like a long weekend. I guess I get to go to Ephrata when I get home.

-Friday with Joe was productive. Never the less, it is only a step. That means: I have something that will work, but there are still things to do to make it better. As these days usually go, there was a lot of talk, networking, and ideas thrown around. I talked with a guy who has been on the disabled alpine team, and I was able to discuss issues that go with being a disabled athlete and such. I also talked with Kendra some, and it would be nice if i could solidify some of the things we talked about, but I am not optomistic. And of cousre Joe and I discussed my seat, the frame, disabled sports equipment, Minnesota summers on the lake, and the state of disabled sports equipment development and competition.

The road may not be all that long, still I am weary.

Cmon sort your trash

Went back to the raging metropolis of Ephrata this past weekend. -The booming cultural and economic titan of the Northwest. I'm not sure if our readers were aware of Ephrata's stature, and I must say that the community does a fine job camouflaging their success. None the less, I hold fast to my inclination, as it is the County Seat, and that means the Internet is fast fast fast!
Anyway, the kids were glad to see Chesty, Sam, and Molly. And I think the cats and dog appreciated us invading their serenity. I wish we had a place to keep them over here. Rileigh was more gentle with Chester, and he let her hold him. But then there was also the incident, where she thought she could carry him, and she kinda started to lose her grip, and he started to struggle, which ended in a little claw mishap. With the clawing and the biting and the crying, and the running and the jumping, a-hey. Nothing serious, but feelings were hurt some, and the progress which had been made, took a few steps back. There also seemed to be a big push to go to the "toy store" (which is kid code for Walley World). Why they got so attached to that store, I will never know. In the end, they were ready to head back to "the condo" -directly.
The kids and I are ready for a little more snow. But their concept and mine are different in many ways. This is OK with me ....and them.... but so far we have only been enticed by a light dusting and cool pictures from "THE" Halsted family.
I have reinforced my "bunker" (of sorts), with the results from the poles, and from letters to the editor in the local paper. I am not talking about the obligatory physical bunker, which comes when we start building our house. See, living in Idaho comes with some stipulations, and more are tacked on for Northern Idaho, or "The Panhandle" for short. Building permits are not handed out for free! Oh no, there are some requirements that go along before they get approved. One is the bunker, but as I said, we won't get ours until spring. No, I started this topic -before you got me off on that unnecessary tangent- with my personality bunker. Think Pink Floyd if I am losing you. Anyway, keep up with me here, you're built too low, things keep flying over your head! We are part of about 30% of the Idaho population (the ones that voted anyway). Also there were a few items on the ballot that required a little sharing of funds for the "good" of the population. Well, we were in the minority with those issues as well. Then there was a local issue, where a council person wanted to get a community pool/sport complex going. That was nixed emphatically, with the reasoning that we the people don't have $20 to waste, a year, on such frivolous political trivialities. So, I tallied that up, made some assessments, and put another brick in the wall ...so to speak. I have to be careful though, because walls are not always a good thing. I build up misconceptions about a person before I meet them, and soon there will be no bridging the gap. And all because I made some opinions about someone before I get to know them. I can't assume that I am the minority and that everyone is out to get me because of it. For example, someone could have voted against the sport complex, but is not adamantly opposed, they just did not feel it necessary. It is just easier to hunker down, than to open up and work things out.

You've Got to Pick Up the Pieces

I love how daylight savings time comes and goes, and the kids could care less. Where does the free hour go? We certainly do not get the benefit of it. I had to explain it to Rileigh this morning, but I know it did not sink in. I recognize the look. Oh, and I know, time is not something easily grasped. Especially when we put artificial values to it. So, Rileigh and I used up some time, that just blew away in the wind with that hour we deposited last spring and were supposed to reap this morning.
For Halloween, we helped Grandpa answer the door. Ethan enjoyed the job immensely. He jumped up at every ring and knock. However, he was a bit stingy, in that he gave each bag one piece of candy. So we had to help him with his dispersal. Riles was not impressed with the masks and costumes. Having said that, she was interested enough to view from behind a few people: peeking from around corners, and people. Safely viewing the visitors from behind the shield of others, and walls.

Life Filled to the Brim

Lately I have been very satisfied with being passive. I have done well being entertained, though I have not done much to contribute. I think this behavior has an excuse, though the only reason it is excusable is that I am not all that narcissistic. It is there, just not enough to pull me to the computer this past month. Here are some examples why:
To say that we are moved in to Rathdrum is to be quite optimistic.We do spend the majority of our time here. However, we are back and forth from Ephrata, business, and other distractions. This has led to the condo resembling more an extended stay hotel than a residence. There are things which need to be unpacked. There are storage systems which need to be procured. And there is the matter of feeling familiar with the area, which only comes with exploration and living in the place. So, our things are 3/4 of the way out of the boxes, and it is basically unknown how much more furniture is needed, or that is sitting in the storage shed at the other end of the Village. Moving does a number on my psyche, and I am coming around. It is simply a challenge for me to be in the appropriate state of mind.
My focus has been toward skiing. And I seem to be struggling with the maintenance. Part of being acquainted with the area has been through my workouts. I am seeing roads in a different way, at 10mph instead of 50-60. It has also been through breakage and simply acquiring equipment that I have become aware of areas and infrastructure that I was not aware of before. I could be a little better at setting up relationships with the local skiers, but so far, this tedious (yet important) task seems to be going well. Simply knowing each other are there not only helps the morale, it also allows for helping each other out.
I went to a wedding in Bellingham last weekend. This was one big adventure. We started on Wednesday. I had the NWPVA board meeting at noon, so we tried to get out of the house by 0600. It is pretty interesting that Sarah and I still struggle with tardiness. This time was no exception. I just hope the curse of the Washingtons is more diluted for the kids. I made it to the meeting, and because they started 5min late, I was on time. The kids went with Sarah to visit a friend in Gig Harbor. I did not receive a full report, but I believe they had a good time. The kids and Sarah met me at the VA hospital, for the PVA pizza feed. Some staff and friends were happy to see the kids, whom they had not seen in quite a while. We stayed the night in Bellevue, or Lakemont, with Auntie Bekah and Auntie Joh.Sarah had to be at SeaTac by 0700(for a business trip to Madison WI), so the kids and I went from there to Denny's. then the Boeing museum of flight (which did not open until 1000, so there was some time killing practices going on). I did not have to coax the kids too much into enjoying themselves. There were a few displays which were animated, and there were a few interactive displays as well. We had lunch at the museum, and afterward killed more time by going to a park or two in the West Seattle area. That night was with the aunties as well. Friday, was a leisurely departure and drive up to Bellingham with Auntie Bekah, for the wedding of the girl's step sister. (I'm hoping the kids are getting something from this touring) Rileigh was scheduled to be the flower girl, and Ethan was penciled in as the ring bearer. The rehearsal painted a grim picture of the twins participation. Ethan had his heels dug in the whole time. Riles only dug her heels in when she realized that she would be standing up front. Plan B? The next day, Rileigh did play the flower girl role, without any encouragement. I'm not sure if it was the dressing up, or that she discovered that she was holding a basket of flower petals, I don't want to mislead anyone in thinking that I know what goes on in her head. Ethan was satisfied to fidget with me in the ranks of the other well wishers, and in picking up the flower petals afterward.At the reception and other social gatherings, the kids performed adequately, but we are reinforced that they are my kids. Not too keen on new people and new situations. Sunday was breakfast with Grandpa Nat & Gramma Donna, step siblings and aunties, then drive south to the pugetropolis. I took this opportunity to educate the kids on another of Seattle's parks: Ft. Lawton, or Discovery Park, or the "Hunger Strike" video location. I may have overstepped my bounds at this park, as it was dark by the time we left. I think the kids have a better understanding of the difference between a skeeter eater and a mosquito now. I think they thought they were witnessing a giant mosquito that had the ability to ingest half their blood supply. I don't think the kids want to go into another "dark forest". This is also the location which is where "the iron gate that closes by itself" and "sounds like an elephant" originated. Rileigh hugged me for taking them to the van. While the kids slept at their auntie's in Lakemont, I went to get Sarah from the airport at 2345. 20 min commute at that time. We drove to Ephrata after a breakfast at the Issaquah Cafe. In Ephrata, Sarah met with one of her consultants, and we had pizza. On the way home, I progressively felt less good. Filling up at the shell station on Pleasant view, I was shivering like I had been banished to Siberia. I'm still recovering, but I had some flu like bug. We had a MRSA talk at the PVA pizza party at the VA, which did not help me much in the wee hours of the night unable to sleep.
In short, I have been tired and distracted.
The kids are still enjoying preschool. There have been no fights, or exclusions, at least no one has shown lasting signs of being offended. Maybe they learn that in kindergarten. They are unashamed to blurt out that "momma is not a fan of Halloween", which does not help us much. The message is quite unclear as to where "mom" really stands on the issue. I like avoidance, and blurting like that....is not conducive to avoiding.

as I stood by my window and looked out on those

no time

It was 30 this morning, at 9. Yesterday the "grass was all frozen" when we woke up. Maybe it is fall? Oh, yes I guess it is.

Anything Goes

Nishka nishka nishka nishka
There is not enough space here to write about the whole trip, so there is simply a summary.
How long has it been since our trip to Kack-alacky? Was it yesterday? Was it last year? Time is a funny thing, no? That was an awesome trip on a couple different levels (using both positive and negative connotations for awesome). It was so expensive, both in time and money. We had not seen each other in a long time. We were in a completely different environment. It was a great time.
The kids were great. They carried their travel necessities in their own backpacks. They did not run (too far) from us in the airports. They were not "Jeffry" on the airplanes("I'm four years old"). They thought flying was cool and not scary. They were shy for a while with people they were supposed to be comfortable with, but that usually tapered over a short time. Rileigh did the first leg of the trip with an ear infection. Despite being miserable, she did not torture the rest of us. They liked the pool, they liked the beach, and Ethan liked Wii. The one disappointment I had was that neither wanted to eat the seafood.
After such occasions, I always get the post "activity" (whether it be vacation, or competition trip, whatever) blues. This time was no exception. Always questioning was it worth it all? Did we maximize our time? In the end, I do think it was worth it. I did not maximize my time, but I am satisfied with the activities we did do.
The kids went on their first field trip yesterday. We went to a "you-pick" farm. There was a corn maze, they picked pop corn, and they picked pumpkins. It was way too warm for the first of October. Hopefully the field trip gave them a good impression of fall/harvest. Rileigh was there with answers to what does corn grow on? what is the corn growing on the stalk called? It was nice to see that she was not afraid to offer a response to the queries. I have seen her offer too many responses while in class, so the task is to curb every blurt, without discouraging participation.
It is cool seeing them go through these experiences.

I Go Searching Down There

Pets. Interesting creatures, and why they put up with us is a mystery. Maybe Sammy does not know any better, because he is right there getting pulled, patted, and nearly strangled without much coaxing. And molly is the embodiment of Pavlov's learned helplessness experiments. ...or maybe dogs just want to really be apart of a family/pack, and will put up with whatever the Alpha dishes (with tail wagging).
Right now, the house has some visitors, in the form of a Chihuahua-Pekingese, and another cat. The "mother in law" upstairs/apartment/ or simply the upstairs is being rented to the twins' former nanny. She is going to be the house care taker of sorts as we are spending more and more time in Idaho. Rileigh will not leave her little dog alone. This relieves some pressure from Sammy, and I don't hear him complaining. Rileigh pointed out to me that Sammy is not allowed upstairs now, because "The cats will put their noses together and run in circles". Ethan thinks the dog is funny, but is really not all that interested. He likes to play chase with them, if they run, but usually, the dog in question seems to be more threatened by this offspring of the "alpha" chasing them than having fun. And Molly does not seem up for games.
The kids have been trying to get us all sick for the past three days. Riles has put forth the best effort with runny nose and sore throat. Ethan seems to be faring better. This morning felt like a scene from the book: Little House on the Prairie. The part where the family caught fever and were too weak to take care of themselves. We were no where near that, regardless, I have a better understanding of that situation.

Nobody There Remembers Me

There is nothing left for you and me.
Oh, woe is me, or us. One would think that with all my experience, I would be good at moving. Woe as well, that I am alone in this, only we experience the true sting. Only we know the anguish of moving two hours from our present residence, to a place inhabited by my parents. Blue skies, warm sun, forested hill sides, golf course! :such miserable conditions! Pain and sorrow in moving merely our clothes, and personal possessions (as the place is "furnished") Yes, sing the blues with me.
I am getting old, there is something wrong with me, I have a degenerative disease, or something. This has to be the single most easiest move -by far- that any of my immediate family has ever done. And yet it is an experience I would not wish on a snake. (We have bestowed this ordeal on some spiders, but that was not entirely our fault. Sometimes they hide so well that they get overlooked.) I have "not had the time" to properly update in photos and blog. I have not been in the proper frame of mind either. Thus this ordeal, which should be taken as an occasion, may pass into oblivion, as it has not been recorded appropriately.
The kids are torn. At the "condo", they talk of going home to Ephrata. When we drove back to Ephrata, so that Sarah could do some work, etc, the kids wanted to go back to the condo. They seem to like being close to Grammie and Gwahmpa, and they have enjoyed the pool (which will most likely be closed by Monday). They have also seemed to enjoy the "new preschool". So it seems, despite the terminology of "home to Ephrata", the kids have appreciated the move.
And for the record, I am GLAD that we are only going to Twin Lakes ID, and not across the ocean, across the country, or even out of the Northwest.

Redoubtable

Just to fill my place, until I can get more down, I am filling this space. I was in Utah this past week helping some prospective Disabled Nordic Ski Team athletes learn how to use their mountain boards. The week prior, I was at Flowing Lake in Snohomish WA, at a camp for disabled kids.
Now, those are two good signs that summer is on the way out. Exciting and depressing at the same time.

Truth and reconciliation

Our so called leaders speak.
Too hot lately. We took an opportunity to head to the West Side, for a short excursion. North Bend, and all the shops there, was our first stop. I guess the kids needed clothes. Cardboard boxes and burlap sacks were not holding up, or something. Clothes! I'm gonna be real popular when they are in Jr High- till they are out of the house.
Stopped off at a friend of Sarah's, Heidi and Darren Dishneau, who live in Snoqualmie Ridge. The place is amazing to us, because this was all forest until 10yrs ago. And it has only grown since. There is a lot of "planned community" going on. That is good in many ways, still, it creates a cookie cutter atmosphere, and a forced small town feel. It is more nice than Gig Harbor -where they have been fighting development, yet sell to developers all the time. Who doesn't know about this type of scenario? -Get with me afterward and we can talk. The Dishneau's have a 3mo old boy, Mattias, and it was nice to visit with the twins. Plus Darren loves/plays hockey, so where is the question?
We stayed in Bellevue, just off lake Samamish, with Rebekah and Johanna. HOT HOT HOT! Good thing the west side doesn't usually get hot or they would have had air conditioning. The kids enjoy visiting their aunties, even though the kids like to play wild, and their aunties are adults who live in an "adult" apartment. In the middle of the night, we were launched from our beds by a loud CRACK! The only thing it could have been was lightning, but thunder usually booms, not crack. It is always nice to be with a spouse in those moments, as the one is supposed to have all the answers, energy to investigate, while performing "human shield" role. awesome. The kids seemed to sleep through it, as we heard nothing of the loud noise from them. Thunderstorm brought no apparent cooling affects by the way.
A brunch of sorts at PF Chang's in Belle Square was in order. Downtown Bellevue is not what it was. All I can say is wow, and a little above my pay grade (or have I grown too "Ephrata"?)
On the way home, North Bend is on the way, so we had to stop again for anything we might have missed on Saturday.
I could not help but feel sorry for the people west bound I-90. It seems every weekend is a reason to head over the pass. Even the Army, in their Strikers, were on the road (I'm sure they helped things run smooth). From Ellensburg to Keechelus, it was stop and go for them.
I marveled at the windmills that have been erected near Vantage. We have dams, windmills, nuclear power plants.....
And by the time we were off I-90 and on hwy 283, the kids were bouncing off the walls.

In Amber Clad

Well, whatever Rileigh had, we all shared. Sarah fared the best out of all of us, but she did share her time with Riles. Motivation to do much beyond exist, did not happen for them from Sunday till Monday evening. Tuesday Morning, besting Riles time by an hour, Ethan went into the purge mode. So Tuesday was a wash as well. Wednesday morning, almost Tues night, it hit me. I thought I was going to make it through the woods with only minor scratches.
This was not the worst scenario we have ever had. This little "set back"/ bug/whatever it was, really just sapped motivation. The gross stuff was rather minimal. During our turn, we each simply sipped water all day, and lay around the house. The others played support role, and recovered as the case may be.

Come on Parkie!

I think I will take advantage of the fact that we live so close to the Grand Coulee Dam. Lets be honest, the Washington's deserve a little kick back from the dam building deal. AND, since I married into the family, I think I have certain privileges. In particular, I am thinking about plugging directly into the power that is generated. I only need one of the generators I think. My biggest issue, I think, is how do I get the full unadulterated power 70 miles. I understand there would be some energy loss if I were to use an extension cord from Home Depot. Plus, they might love me for buying 70 miles of cord, but I think there is a better way. Maybe I could just splice line off one of these high tension wires, but again, I don't want diluted energy. So, however I get it here, what I need to do then is construct some sort of snare/trip wire around the kitchen garbage can, and outdoor garbage lid, the table top, and counter top. This should rid me of the nuisance, in a clean and effective manner. So far nothing else has worked. I would imagine there would not even be any thing to clean up afterward. OK, so some may start pointing the finger in my direction, asking what is wrong with me. But I simply cannot understand how she has the audacity to think getting away with getting in the garbage is OK.

Pillar of Autumn

The week started with a trip to Twin Lakes. Actually, Sarah had some stuff to do in Spokane, so the kids and I were in Twin Lakes. And it was not a formal "vacation", just a trip there for a few days. We did bring the tandem kayak though. The kids and I played in the kayak one day, and we all went for a little cruise on another day. The kids really want to paddle now, but they also want to go faster than what their arm strength allows. It was nice to put the new life jackets to good use -not to say that riding your glider rider in a life jacket is not "good use", just not what it was designed for. We are all getting antsy to live over there permanent like.
On Saturday, Sarah put on a baby shower for a Friend. The kids enjoyed themselves a lot. Though, they need to understand that not all presents are for them. Dad took the opportunity to do some mountain boarding/skiing. Who needs to be around all that estrogen anyway? They don't need me muckin things up. The kids may have overdosed some on chocolate cake. Proof is in the pictures. What is not seen is the fascination with balloons. That is still going strong. Amazing that they are not all popped.
This morning, was not so fun. Ethan slept in -which was pretty cool. But Riles did not like something in her belly, and made that known at 0500. The rest of the day has been a wash, as I have been doing a bit of washing trying to keep up with Riles' digestive tract issues.
Daddy my breath is too lose (what does that mean!?)
the latest game for Ethan: "play rocket with the balloons" He has also found that he can rub them on his head, so when he tosses them up, they stick to the ceiling. Hey, just found out he "won" the rocket game. And that the popped balloon fits better on my arm.

Mendicant Bias

As I was blundering through the HALO game recently, I was pleasantly surprised by some familiar voices. I thought I had heard them before, but now that I blunder through a little less stressed, I find that I can interpret more of what is raining in on my senses. There is just a warm fuzzy feeling when you hear from trustworthy voices, like Mal Reynolds. That definitely gives one a sense of ease, when you know that you are with someone who has been through so much. It is also nice to hear Jayne, because then you know there is someone who will entice chaos that will only benefit you in the end. And that he adds some humor to the fight, invoking the name of his pistol. Where would we be without a little levity once in a while? And that is also why it is refreshing to know that Wash is still around. We have missed him so. I am glad that he was resurrected somehow.

I keep missing the opportunity to catch Rileigh holding Sammy. I guess it is a lot like Aunt Cindee holding their cat when Mom and she were little. And it does not matter how many times he bites, or scratches, or how many times we plead and punish, she still nearly strangles him every time she holds him. With all this holding, it is hard for me to understand why there is no photo.

Some independant quotes from the kids

Rileigh: "that (bike) helmet does not match my sunglasses."
Ethan: "these are my favorite pancakes."
Rileigh: "I want you to come after me at the gate because I need to get my helmet (from the car)."
Rileigh: "the mosquitoes tooked all the good water out of the camping kitchen and put yucky water back in." -this last one comes with a little more info. A couple days ago, we went for a little ride to kill some time. I took them to Banks lake, which is essentially one big park. ...or "wilderness area", ....officially it is a National Park. At any rate, it has many camp grounds, boat launches and the like. We stopped off at a boat launch that had running water/bathroom, and -we came to find out- an "outdoor kitchen" (basically a sink, under a roof. maybe for scaling fish, or prepping food for a large picnic, I don't know). So, I parked the van, and we strolled to the outdoor kitchen to fill the water bottles with water, noticing the squirrel (aka rabbit), quail and robin along the way. To my surprise, once at the sink I was beginning to be swarmed by mosquitoes -the like of which I had not experienced since Alaska, or one of my mountain trips. A sense of urgency was developing. The kids were noticing the increase in mosquito population as well, and I had to explain to them what a mosquito was (while being swarmed). Riles was kinda like Pleakley in Lilo and Stitch. At first calm and eager to experience something new, soon degrading to nervousness. She started saying "hey! get off!" -to the insects with no attempts at swatting them whatsoever. We got in the car as soon as possible. And in the car I had to explain that mosquitoes do not understand English, that they have a different language than we do. OK. Well, to add to it all, the water tasted funny. I think it is the minerals in the rocks, but to Riles, it was the mosquitoes fault.

Why don't you wake up...

Why don't you wake up and smell what you shovelin? I've always liked that line. Both from Ned's, and the movie they took it from. But, like so many things that were "so cool" when they were new, time has eroded it's coolness. For example: Top Gun. THE coolest movie ever. ...in '86. In '08: cheese ball, fun to watch and basically laugh at. Cool? no. So goes the quoted line. The movie it came from was really cool when it came out, but has lost its luster over the years. Still, I guess for nostalgia's sake, it still "has it". If I don't know what's cool, will you call me a loser? If I don't bend the rules, will I stay a loser?

Which brings me to 70mph on the freeway. Apparently this speed limit does not apply on a Sunday afternoon in the summer. For almost all on the road, 75 was way too slow. There were a few like me, keeping the speed limit (but over by 5mph), and there was even an occasional "lets go back to the '30s and drive 45mph". (well they were going slow, I don't know how slow. Do you think I have a calibrated eye? It sure seemed like 45) The thing that surprised me the most was that I did not see anyone pulled over by the police. I did see a well placed "trap", though it seemed unmanned, as there were a few in a hurry who were not stopped. I did not notice the car until I was right in front of it. (I had a similar situation during Purple Dragon in '96 -but that is a completely different story) I noticed most of the cars passing me had West Side dealerships on the back, so I could assume that these people had a long way to go and a short time to get there. Look at bandit run. Got any Coors? I thought it was a nice evening for a drive, and I suppose the faster you are the shorter the time on the road, thus less people for me to deal with.

While I was away at Summer "camp", it seemed the kids missed me. They were happy to see me home, and the past few days they have asked if I am staying here. They are not too confident in me leaving the house. Even if all I am doing is crossing the alley to go to the gym. They go to the park almost every day with "the nanny". Swimming has seemed to be too difficult for Sarah or myself to pull off. The library has a puppet show every Tuesday evening. I went with them on the last showing, and afterwards the kids and I went for pizza. The kids need to open up more (surprised? Hello Halsted genes), and hopefully these scenarios will help. Rileigh pointed out, to me, all the kids she knew. But she stayed sucked in close to me. Neither one liked it when the other kids screamed/laughed when the puppets would do funny startling stuff. And apparently, Rileigh does not like pizza. She ate garlic bread period. I ordered lasagna for her, but it was not spaghetti, so she would not eat it. Ethan was happy with two slices of the Hawaiian. The fact that the Mariners scored in the 8th was lost on them as well. True northwesteners, in the baseball sense, I guess. It is pretty cool that we walked from the house, to the library, to pizza and back. It was no trek, merely a pleasant meander.

I missed the VA wheelchair games, but caught some of it on the Internet. Makes one miss all the shenanigans. The kids enjoyed watching "daddies Friends". The broadcasts were on xable.com, and the link was on the wheelchair games website as well. I thought it was really cool that this was broadcast, as the hardest part about what we do is getting people educated. Of course, this was not all that easy to see, as not all participants are "athletes" -and I could go into a half baked tirade here, but I won't.

Penitent Tangent

Northern Idaho is nice place to be on the 4th. At least the kids and I had a good time. We were relegated to the Village, and I think we had no problem with that. We had the Gilder Rider, the cart, the lake, and the pool. We did not seem to need much more. From the reports I got, I am glad we were not out on the roads.
The weather was typical, in that it was never what you thought it was going to be. We had some wind, some clouds and some heat. Not a lot of rain, which is what we have come to expect. If you want to spend the day in your swim suit, in and out of the water, you can expect to be cold. We did our share of that. We spent some of our time at the beach on the lake. The kids were not intimidated by cold water, andbased on their reactions, the water was rather "warm". Rileigh was also excited about swimming in the pool. Ethan was there, but was not as excited.
Ethan and Rileigh are still afraid of guns -which can be a good thing. There was a "21 Musket" salute at the flag raising ceremony, and the kids were not impressed. Thankfully, it is a quiet protest which they have, and not one of those kicking and screaming types. This led us to believe that the evening would be an exercise in futility. So, our plans for the evening included going to bed. With the kids in bed, I could not help myself, so I took to walking the dog, thus sampling some of the local displays. The lake is a good place to sample all the fireworks. Sarah went with me on the walk, and we ended up sitting down and enjoying one of the shows put on by a neighbor. It seems there is a "war" between the various inhabitants on the lake shore. The south end put on an impressive and enduring display. The faction at the village had an impressive showing. There was an adequate display from the East side of the lake, and the other factions along the north side struggled to put forth a show. On return, Rileigh was at the window watching what fireworks made it over the tree line. After a while we had to close the window, so that the fireworks would not come inside. Next year may include an official fireworks show.

Glider Rider

The kids have one Glider Rider -Like a Bike knock off's. They are supposed to have two, but we have one. Still have to find out what happened to the other. They are not at Noah's level, but they are having fun. And having a hard time sharing. What usually saves the parents is that the one riding will tire, and hand over the bike to the other. I think they also have expectations of how fast they are supposed to be going, and how much fun it is supposed to be. When they do not meet these expectations, they tire. They are getting the hang of it and are scooting along. Walks are much better this way. I hope they learn how to use the break soon.

Last weekend was spent in Spokane...well one day of it anyway. Sarah had planned to stay in Spokane all day due to some Mary Kay stuff she had to do. I had heard from Mom that there were some WWII aircraft hanging out at the airport, and here was my opportunity to see them. It would have been nice if we had planned the day out more, but then it would not be Sarah and me, if it were. The kids and I took Sunset Boulevard, after dropping Sarah off. I'm sure they did not get as much out of it as I, but I do think there is more going by, closer to the old road than on the freeway. They seemed to enjoy themselves. So, on the old Navy airfield side, a touring B-24, B-17G, B-25J, and TP-51C, had stopped for the weekend. I thought the kids would be scared, but they were just a little timid, and we looked to enter the hangar (looking for restrooms). Rileigh would not go in the door. She told me that she cannot go in there. So, we wandered around outside, and did not get the "up close" experience. -we did find a port-a-poty, that was accessible too I might add. The good thing, for me, was that they were giving rides to paying customers, so were were able to catch them starting up and taking off. The twins were interested in everything that was moving fast, just not impressed with the noise of the jets.
After watching the B-17 and B-24 land, we headed for Riverfront park. The kids loved the falls, and were having a good time on the playground near the Y. The kids wanted to ride the train that roves the paths -maybe next time. We then headed for the large wagon-slide, which took us by the carousel. Rileigh was not going to get on the flying horses, nor was she going to walk near it. But since I told her we were going around it, that was OK, and the trek continued. The goat slowed them for a while as well, especially Ethan. He picked up leaves and anything he could find (not just garbage) to feed the goat. They had a good time on the slide, but we had to move on, making a large circle route by walking past the opera house. We got back to the car to be 20min late to pick up Sarah. After getting Sarah, we stopped by Carl's Jr. and were back on the road heading toward the setting sun. The twins were out before Sprague Lake. And the sunset was impressive. I like trips like that, I hope the kids are impressed as well.

Get out of the House

This may hurt a little but it is something you will get used to. The kids were not notably cute. There is nothing recorded to show how cute they are, nor were there any memorable phrases. They have been effort and real for some time.

Excrement. The first paragraph is not entirely accurate. Be careful, you might say something that you really mean. The accurate part is that nothing has been recorded for sharing. But it is not as though they have stopped being four year olds. They are as cute as they have been, it is simply that I, for one, have found other matters pressing preventing me from recording.

The magic jumping bean grudge cage match has progressed. Tonight they found it more fun to bounce off the walls. It seems they noticed that the force of two going against the wall pays dividends in launching them in the opposite direction. I guess the focus was diverted to getting maximum rebound, vs. the trying to get the upper hand I was noticing earlier. It no longer was antagonistic.

There has been a fascination with bugs as well. Bugs of all shapes. Ethan prefers the "roazie poazies", but is just as happy with beetles. The determination to find them seems to have picked up a bit lately. Both Rileigh and Ethan spend their outside time looking for creepy crawlies. A prime example was this evening, when Rileigh tumbled out of the thunder bubble. It so happened that this action brought her eyes close to some interesting subjects. Ethan noticed his sister's interest in the ground and curiosity got the better of him. Thus the rebound fiesta was put on hold, in order to better explore the ground. Being parents, Sarah and I inquired as to what was so interesting. This brought Rileigh over, with a worm draped between her hands (I think it was almost as long as she is tall), and more dangling from both hands. Parents tossed cookies, and with pale faces and weak voices, informed our daughter to let the worms go back home. She was not happy with this, and tried to pass off a few of her precious cargo to Ethan, under the guise of going to the dirt. She was not sly enough, and so it was stressed that the worms really wanted to be in the ground and left to their own interests- and that we did not know what those were, but it would be akin to a hand coming from the sky and pulling us out of our house. This seemed to register at some level, so another round of championship rebounding began and was enough to distract her. All day, they have been bringing in rollie pollies, beetles, and "lady bugs", so that they would not lose their friends. Somehow we have failed to express that bugs do not belong in the house. I am going to be on my toes for a while. Head on a swivel type thing.

Vampire Weekend

Just caught a quick glimpse(again) of Noah on his "Like a Bike". I simply needed a little pick me up. Somebody owes Matt something. He should get a call from the Vampire Weekend guys or Like a Bike.
I was trying to figure out how he got some of those shots as well. I thought maybe he was riding a skate board or something. But then, maybe he was just walking. Pretty smooth camera if he was walking.

Can not enjoy ice cream without goggles. Apparently, Ethan's only fit on the top of his head. "I told you they would not fit" he says. Which is all a fabrication, because they do fit. Try telling Riles hers does not fit.

The kids have a "Jelly Bean Jumper". The jumper is an inflatable trampoline with walls, made for ages 2+. In layman's terms, it's a grunge match cage mat. That is how they have been treating it anyway. They bounce off the sides, just like in WWF, and launch themselves at each other. Ethan's size to weight ratio, and strength has made it a "beat up on Rileigh" session. But Rileigh's never say die, "I don't take @#%*! from nobody" attitude make for extended stays in the Thunder Dome... bubble? They both spend equal amount of time crying/pleading to the parents to bail them out. And 90% of the time is hysterical laughter. Interesting to watch, and very confusing as to when, how, and where to step in. My next thought is to acquire those sumo wrestler suits that fit toddlers. For now, I'll just cringe as some of the falls look painful. I guess they just don't get enough momentum, and don't have enough weight to hurt themselves.
I want pictures, but so far the camera has eluded me during their stays in the jumper. The kids generate static electricity, enough to power the computer while I write this blog, which makes their hair stand up on end. We all know how valuable static hair is in a photo. I do have some video (not in a digital format), so the moment has been recorded, just want it in a more share friendly format.

The kids have Like a Bike knock offs on the way. And the communtiy pool (the frog pool as the kids call it) should be warm enough within a week or so. Summer will now commence. -It's almost July!? sheesh!

Sage and Sun

The photos attempt to show what I mentioned yesterday. This is no quiet cul de sac. The day started with a "Chief for a day" ceremony held across the street on the Grant County Courthouse lawn. A kid from the community is chosen to be a chief for the day for each of the law enforcement organizations in Grant County. Ephrata police, Moses Lake police, Soap Lake police, Warden (I think) police, Grant County police, Washington State patrol, Fish and Game warden, and the Grant County Fire Dept. Each chief for a day is escorted in, in his own car. This means a fairly lengthy "parade" of cop cars. And then there is the honor guard, and other dog and pony type stuff, like the police horses, and four wheelers, etc. It makes for quite a show, and makes breakfast a little more interesting. And to sign off for the day, a parade finishes up on this lawn, at around 8pm. Sure gets the kid's attention.

This morning was a good time to sample the sage aromas. It must be the temperature of the air, mixed with that it was rather still. Sage carries some nostalgic thoughts for me. The strange thing, is that this house has a grand bank of honeysuckle. There are many nostalgic thoughts there as well. But totally different. Honeysuckle to me, is Southeast. So the whiffs of that send me to places far away from Washington state. It was a grand morning to be out on my mountain board.

"down time"

Yesterday, I think it was, Rileigh informed me that her Tita Karley, and Uncle Regan were taking her and Ethan to the aquarium. She was rather insistent, and confident that this was going to happen. She said it was "going to be today, Sunday morning" (umm, wasn't it Tuesday evening when she was telling me this?) And on further query, she wanted to go to the one that "was many fish" and "has a big shark named Bruce". The fun part was that I could go too... if I asked. Ethan was sold. He bought into it hook line and sinker. I'm not sure what she really had in mind, but her Aunt and Uncle were in fact NOT driving from South Dakota in order to take them to the aquarium. In the end, she was distracted by other activities and that was the end of the trip.

Tonight, dinner was sauteed in sherry ...I think. I wish I had the camera on for when Ethan ate some of the food stuffs on his plate more sauteed than others. It was priceless. His faced wrinkled up like a prune and he shook his head from side to side. He told us it was spicy, but as adults, we thought he meant hot. Not until much later did it dawn on me; "OH! spicy!"

We are gearing up for the Sage and Sun weekend. First City shin dig of the season. aannd I'm gonna miss it. I'm heading to Denver to work on seating for my sit ski. These "party" weekends are great by the way. Every other weekend of the year, you would think we lived on a cul de sac in a secluded neighborhood. See, we live across the street from the courthouse for Grant County. Which translates to: Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm, we are "not alone". But after that, on weekends, and on holidays: no bod ee. It was pretty weird for the first couple weeks, but now we expect it to be quiet. Then summer hits, and the County feels free to open our street to public "parties". One weekend we have vendors set up on the street, right out front, from Thurs till Sun. I'll tell you, I don't know why I leave. My social calendar is booked if I just stay at home. We also get front row seating to just about every parade, and there are a few. It is no Mardi Gras, but then we aren't under water either. But, I choose to be involved in activities which rip me away from the simple pleasures. It's a good thing my season is in winter, or I would miss all the fun.

Emerald blue

There is a sound made when liquid is poured into a cup. I can't really describe the sound, I think the description of the action is the best way to show what I mean. -Kinda like splash is not the sound of someone hitting the water, but we know what that sounds like. and then there is SPAH LAAASSHHH- I'm talking about pouring a cup of coffee. I'm not sure if it is what the mug is made out of, or the properties of coffee, but it seems to me to be unique. And it may be that my addiction to caffeine creates certain responses. Whatever the case, I pour a cup of coffee, and the sound has almost as much effect on me as the actual drinking of the stuff. I can't hear the sound of someone else getting poured a cup without me getting one too. I wanted to focus on the sound, but now I think about the latte, and I don't have the same connection. For me the latte, and breve, are attached to smell. Just a hmmm from me.
So the sun understands it is summer. At least, the daylight hours last a summer day. We have lights on the front of the house to help light up the house in the evening. The problem with living at this latitude is that these lights are ineffective until after 2100. The sun is up early in the morning as well, but I don't know much about that. Time has no value to me in the early morning. Respiration and circulation are more important then. So, the sun knows how long it is supposed to be up, but it seems it has forgotten how much warmth it is to provide. The temps do not feel like June. And this has been a rather steady trend, it is not just this week. So, with the amount of light, you get the impression of summer. And that is contrasted with the temps, and confusion sets in. I am beginning to doubt the accuracy of the calendar.
Yesterday I was in Seattle, and it was rainy. Yes you are correct, what is so surprising about that right? I still contend that it was a little out of the ordinary. I went to the VA to fine tune my new chair, evaluate my new cushion, and to get started on (we hope) better leg braces. I was able to lodge, in the hospital, so that I could participate in the softball practice. The Veterans wheelchair games are in July, and the Recreation therapists want to give the first timers some experience before they go. I actually drove over on Friday, did all the fitting and evaluating (VA does not "work" on the weekends! c'mon), and softball was on Saturday. Friday evening I enjoyed the Alkai beach path on my mountain board, and Sat, I did a short pole (workout) in the VA parking lot before the softball (we played in the VA parking lot). I should have brought goretex. I should have brought some of the clothes I wear in the winter. Instead, I brought clothes logical for June (at least for the Columbia Basin). I was under dressed, and I had sunglasses which were superfluous. In my favour, the sun remembered it's job by Friday evening, so at least I was dry on Alkai, its just that the sun did not remember till late afternoon, thus it did not warm up all that much. It was Saturday that I got wet. It never really rained. It was simply "misting" all day, which the west side is known for. I don't want to sound like this is me complaining. I like the cooler weather, and the sun and I have a love/hate relationship. I guess what all this illustrates is that I am an East sider again. I am re-acclimated with my home weather system. After eight years west of the Cascades, I think I got used to being wet all the time. And now, it comes as a surprise to me, that they are wet all the time, west of the Cascades.
Lodging is an interesting "benefit" to being in the VA system. (There are so many things to talk about, which happened to me in the last few days, I had to split up some of them) If there is bed space at the VA, and a staff member, like a therapist, nurse or doctor, writes the proper thing, I "get" to stay at the VA free of charge. In short, the VA can be a hotel of sorts. Now, before anyone gets the idea that they need to run out and become a vet to enjoy such perks, one should remember what exactly the VA is. First and foremost, it is a hospital, and that should be enough to send chills down the spine, and said person running in the opposite direction hands flailing in the air screaming like a little girl. That used to be enough to keep me away. But I got over that (sort of) and I feel some pull in the idea that I can be a good example to the new injuries. My night stay was not "free". It came with a few ....costs. I'll go through a few, but not in their entirety. I was in a four person room, with a curtain dividing each bed. The intercom the nurses use was in this room as well, and there is no button to select which rooms get to hear the messages over the system. My roommate (I only had one thanks be to God) was in for an infection, so he was hooked up to an IV, and he had the vampires in drawing blood for tests, etc. AND he had a temp, so he thought the room was hot. I should have asked for a blanket, instead of the light sheet of paper they put on the beds (or remembered my experiences and brought my own). It was a challenge to be a positive "role model" around this guy. Grumpy, disgruntled, knows-more-than-you vet is a good description. I also ran into one of the guys I was in the hospital with initially, who also walks on the "shadow side of the street". So, I wanted to focus on one thing in these writings, and have found it too difficult. But I think I am back on track now. The people at the VA are a different ....a different atmosphere is created. I guess it is like going to Wall Mart. At least I get a similar sense of the atmosphere. When all the people around you are not successful go-getter's, the air is different. In contrast, going to the Olympic training facility in Colorado Springs has a completely different feel. And it could be all due to the people in the place. So, in the VA, I think what I mainly feel is people who are not about fixing problems themselves, they are looking for someone else to solve. Or using someone else to solve their problems. This is mainly the patients. The staff usually want to help, but with so many people asking for them to solve problems, and a bogged down system, they have a less enthusiastic attitude. For the most part, the nurses, and therapists are the quality people and are good at what they do. It is all the administrators and secretary types who are in their positions not due to skill which bogs the system down. Add to that the "customer" who is full of whining and demands that someone do something for him, and we end up with an air de Wall Mart. And it all feeds on itself. It becomes a downward spiral.
The negative air in the VA system can be broken. It is not easy, and it is not permanent. It takes sacrifice from those involved, and either we all share the load or one or two do. I have had the pleasant experience to have dealt with some "VA martyrs". These were staff people who had too much energy for one person, and they also sacrificed their personal lives to the VA entity. I do not rate at their level, but I aspire to accomplish similar feats by my accomplishments in Nordic skiing. So far I have received some positive feedback at any rate. Hopefully we can feed enough positive stuff into the loop, to rid the negativism inherent in the system. I suppose if I look at it like weeding the garden, it will be helpful. Because it seems to be quite similar in the way that one rids the garden of weeds, then the next week has to do it again, and again and again. I think in one way the two situations differ, is that weeds are a direct relation type thing. I know I am pulling a weed, and that it is coming out of the ground or not. The VA system "weeds" are less obvious.
Let me finish, because I have to finish, with that I am appreciative of the VA system that I have to deal with. It is not perfect, as I think I have made clear, but it is better than it has been. I appreciate the leg work that was done before me, by the guys who have gone before who did not accept mediocrity. I am lucky that I am a veteran with a spinal cord injury, and not a civilian, or child with a disability. I have resources and people who are willing to help me. I just need to find them and make them see what I need, and how they can help. I don't want to "use"(and then abuse) the system like so many have. Rather work in the system.

Summer Yet?

Yeah, so this is how I feel. I sit down to write, when I have time, and suddenly I am at a loss for words.

Sammy, here, has the right idea -I think. I sure do envy him. I have to add, that I have had ample opportunity to do as my friend here, and I can't say that I enjoyed myself. So I guess I really am not all that jealous of him....but just right now.

I was watching him walk the other day, and this thought came to me about how he is so confident. All cats for that matter. (or maybe it is my biases which cloud my vision. Anyway) He saunters around like all eyes are on him. The funny thing is that he is the most self-confident klutz I have seen. I have watched him miss the jump onto the washer and dryer quite a few times. Still makes me laugh. With his paws stretched on the top. his chin resting on the edge, with his whole body hanging down the side, as he slides off desperatley searching for some purchase with his paws. He has also looked for food in my hand, which has already been placed in his bowl. Not the sharpest tool in the shed. Yet he still parades around like he is someone important. I heard a quote recently: "what makes you worthy to breathe the air you breathe?" I don't think Sammy asks himself that question -ever. He is satisfied with himself, whether he is aware of his flaws or not.

In keeping up with the Jone's recently, I took the twins to Twin Lakes on Sunday, and we stayed 'till Tuesday. The pictures are linked, so you can quickly view if curious. I have been interested in seeing Spokane Falls all spring, which was a main goal of this trip. And lucky for me, all the snow this winter has produced an extended water fall season, so I was able to procrastinate and not miss much. I can only imagine the kayakers and rafters are loving this season. Also, it's always nice to go back "home", any little excuse.... Looking at all the changes, finding things which I had not seen before, and I guess I just have an affinity for the place. All this comes to me after for the most part. Before, all I can think of are the reasons why not to go. I'm glad I got up and went.

The weather is not all that warm there yet. The lilacs are still in bloom. They should have been done the first week of May, not June. But I must say that I enjoy it this way. I do wish it were warmer for a dip in the lake, but there are so many other things to do, that swimming is not missed. I have yet to try biking much this year, but I can see the potential for a large bug population. I have yet to find out...and may never (hopefully -the bug part). Still, the Hiawatha is calling my name...

I'm glad the kids saw the water falls. I also took them to Post Falls, and the Bowl and Pitcher -just down river from Spokane. I am confident that they did not appreciate what they were seeing, none the less, I think it will be filed away for future understanding. Ethan enjoyed throwing the bountiful rocks at Riverside State Park. I guess I could have taken him to any rock field and he would have been content. Still, my parents took me out "into nature" a lot when I was little, and I think it had a positive effect on me. I will pack in as many of these little adventures as possible before I become boring and oppresive dad.

Just for kicks:

Ease of travel

We had fun on our trip to London. It did not start out that way though.
On the way to Seattle, one of the tires on my chair blew. Popped. Exploded...whichever works best for you. If this gives the impression of flat tire, there is no fixing this flat, only replacing. We discovered that it was blown at 10pm. We thought the loud noise was a boulder hitting the windshield. Kinda like in the scene in "The Memphis Belle" when flak destroys the pilots' thermos, and the pilot and copilot are convinced the other was hit with shrapnel, Sarah and I looked at each other, the windshield, and each other, with the: "what was that?!?" look. Not until we got to her sister's, and I got in my chair, did I notice what "it" was. And Even then it took me looking at my blown tube, when I was working on fixing my flat, that it all came together.
We were supposed to be at the airport by 10am (1130 international flight). And if you know anything about me, I don't like to "push it", so I wanted to be at the airport by 0900. Still no worries you say? simply go to any number of bike shops in the Issaquah area and replace the tube. Sure, well OK, first option thought of was...heh heh heh...ho ho ho, (sorry still makes me chuckle) "lets just go to the VA". Yeah! I know! we actually thought that. So anyway, back in reality, we looked at which bike shops would be open. Turns out, they like to work reasonable hours, so none opened until 1000. Panic time for Sean. Luckily, one of the small shops, owner would let us in, this happened to be around 0900 by now. Turns out (as all wheelchair users know) bike tires are not the same size as wheelchair tires, thus bike stores do not carry the size tire a wheelchair requires. Screwy, and I think this should be remedied, but I don't know all the sordid details of tires, so I cannot offer a solution. And in my head: "See! throw in the towel this ain't gonna work!" Regardless, the store owner gives it a go. It seems my tire is blown. Not just the tube, but the tire as well. This means there is not enough tension to keep the tube from popping, which happens to the new tube that was just replaced. The tire store may be able to fit a tube in my odd size wheels, but a tire? no way. "Aww heck! Maybe Sarah can go to London on her own, or maybe the airlines will change the ticket for this medical emergency" Of course, Sarah is thinking, "I guess Sean gets to push around London on his rims till we can get this fixed" Go ahead and cringe, I am.
So, Sarah seems to think the VA is a viable option. Simply call them up, tell them I am coming in, and that I would like some assistance with a blown tire. At this point, I say sure, why not, what's it gonna hurt? May as well go through the motions. Whats the worst that could happen, except getting laughed at, or talked about around the "water cooler". And to no surprise to me, I have to leave a few messages. People are at work at the VA, its just that the only ones I get to talk to are the ones at the desk, the clerks, the "secretaries". The people I need to talk to are doing things. They are too busy to sit around at a desk to answer phone calls. Taxpayers don't like to see their money wasted in such way.
I drive to the VA, against all that is going on in my head. What is the point to go to the hospital to be ignored/can't help you, you don't have an appointment with me? But I want to appease Sarah, so I "go through the motions". And I roll in on my rims, because I want to carry some of the weight of my plight- its not her tire that blew. My first responses are as I expect. Sucks, but nothing I can do for you.
Then a miracle happens. A Physical Therapist gets my message, and comes looking for me! For those of you not familiar with socialized medicine, this scenario is unfathomable- akin to the Seahawks winning the super bowl- it just does not happen. (C'mon, I like the 'Hawks, I am simply not in denial. The Northwest does not win championships) Once the therapist came to us, I was on cloud 9. It is all downhill from there. We find a set of wheels in the store room, and I give her my wheels, and take this pair. It would have taken too much time to find a tire and a tube the same size and switch that out -seriously. So I went to London on some stranger's wheels. Thank goodness there is a store room at the VA with all the extra stuff. And that the real people at the VA are not automaton government workers (merely the secretaries, and clerks; just the people you have to go through to get to the therapists and nurses and such)!

We spent Mother's Day in Idaho. Here, we have Ethan and Rileigh catching up on TV in Mom and Dad's bed...or Grammie and Gwahmpa's. We also have some examples of the kids playing with the camera. And it gives them time to show off Rileigh's new Chelsea kit. There should also be one at the Coeur d'Alene, with the kids oh so happy to pose. Crazy how they pose all the time, except when you want to get a picture.