Friday, December 26, 2008

Christmas 2008






Shepherds entering.



Silent Night choir.



angels waiting.



from the choir.



self portrait in the pew.



a Christmas scene.






family.




Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Night before Christmas Eve

It's trying to snow again. Ariel is in Seattle. Merry Christmas to you, Ariel, and happy holidays to all.

Somehow we are ready for Christmas. All but pictures out to family and friends, which we will try to get out for New Years'. The house is decorated, the Christmas train is under the tree in the living room, and the Polar Express under a small tree in the boys' room. Lights and wreaths outside. Another train on the lawn. The village is up, the snow babies, the creche, the Advent calendar, candles on the mantle, biscochitos on the counter, stockings to be hung, and lots, lots more. Easily half our storage is Christmas decorations.

We finished the gingerbread house last night. It looks very funky, but the icing and candies hide many sins. Jackson is finishing his letter to Santa. He's including Rylee's wish list, too. Surprisingly, Santa may get the letter and bring many of the things they wish for. Now if they only stay nice long enough not to get bumped to the naughty list.

We have broken down and gotten Jack a DS handheld game player for Christmas. We are both insisting on monitoring and limiting the games he plays, and we found a game called Professor Layton and the Curious Village, which sounds like it is a good (award winning) game with a story to follow and many, many logic puzzles to solve. Some of the puzzles may be a little hard for him, actually, and it will require him to read a lot. Maybe it'll be a good game for the family. The game takes advantage of the stylus and touch screen feature of the DS.

We didn't decide until this weekend to get him the game player, and I spent Monday morning going to stores and calling around to discover that there was not one DS player left in all of the city. So I tried Amazon, and sure enough it is being overnighted for only a couple of bucks more, along with the game, which we would also never have found in town. It's been a kick to track the player and game from processing to warehouses to local centers to hubs and then to Albuquerque, all in the space of about 16 hours.

Cyndi has gotten the boys presents (and clothes, of course) along with a few other small things I had ordered a few weeks ago. We also got them the remote control vehicles they asked for: Rylee is getting a muscle car and Jackson a "monster" truck. Those should be big hits and great battery drainers. Ry is getting a junior-sized soccer net and ball. "It's one of my sports," he says. Tonight we will sort through everything and decide what gets wrapped and placed under the tree and what comes from Santa.

We got a ham for Christmas Eve, tamales and taquitos, guacamole and chips, rolls, salad, wine and beer. Cyndi is making posole (hominy and pork, served with red chile and maybe a side of pinto beans), too. The family will all be in town and in and out to eat after mass, as Bennie is still at the skilled nursing center, where we will have a (somewhat potluck) supper on Christmas day. The family thinks he will be moving right after Christmas, either home or an acute physical therapy center. Since we are having an open house on Christmas Eve, we probably should get makings for luminarias, too.

Cyndi's gotten small gifts for nephews and nieces, and I managed to ship stuff to my family. Nothing extravagant, but I think they will be enjoyed. Meanwhile, we are receiving boxes and cards from family and friends.

Wednesday is Christmas Eve, and as I've mentioned, there will be the Childrens' Mass. We need to get there by 4 to get a pew for the family, to get Ry in his shepherd's costume, and to get Jack to a last-minute choir practice. Afterwards it will be time to switch on the lights, even light a fire, for posole and ham and possibly a little Christmas nip, visit Bennie, and then put the boys to bed in their Christmas pajamas.

Fortunately, I do not believe there is much assembly this year, just a lot of charging to do. Christmas Day we hope will be quiet and peaceful, with maybe a hike in the mountains during the day. We plan to have a second Christmas with Ariel when she returns after the New Year. She will spend more time in Seattle and Bainbridge Island with her college roommate, Em, and maybe even visit Portland for a week just to look around. Then fly home.

Big, wet snowflakes are falling now. Much love to all.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

nights before Christmas



A busy week. Snow, school parties, Cyndi's parties. Plans for Bennie. Plans for Christmas. The solstice is near. More snow forecasted.

Ariel is in Seattle, too faraway, hanging with Emily, seeing how it fits. Wish she were here.

The Children's Mass is Wednesday. Christmas Eve is so soon. Saturday, the boys had practice for the pageant and the choir. Rylee is a shepherd, Jackson is in the choir. We were so proud of them. Today there is another practice for the choir.
Family may be here for the mass on Wednesday evening to see the boys, and maybe we'll have posole, tamales and ham afterward.

Tasty gifts coming from family. Chocolates and smoked salmon. We have tasty stuff on its way, too.

Friday evening we ate at the ABQ uptown and toured the shops. Don't know when we will get the last of the shopping done. I think there's a trip to Radio Shack this year for electronic games and remote control stuff and a side trip to a sports store for a soccer net.

Yesterday we drove to Santa Fe. We didn't take the Railrunner afterall. We were too busy all day. Parked at the new railyard underground lot and got our tickets at the depot for the Polar Express. For trademark reasons, I'm sure, it's not called the Polar Express anymore. It's the Christmas train. The boys wore their pajamas. All the kids wore pajamas, and some adults, too. There was a conductor, a reader, and, later, Santa, giving bells. There was singing, but mostly because one little girl would spontaneously sing and we'd join in. There was hot chocolate (instant packages and hot water) and cookies. There was a flat car, too; so the boys loved to go out. It was cold and dark and the train really moved along in some stretches. The sky was clear and the stars bright. Snow lay along the tracks.

We ate late at La Choza and drove home. Carried the boys to bed in their pajamas.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

snow day

It snowed yesterday. Not a lot, but it is white. When the boys got home last night, they put on their coats, hats, and mittens, and played in the yard under the glow of the outdoor lights. Jackson built a small snowman. He used buttons, sticks, and an organic baby carrot for the nose. (It's all we had.) Last night they announced a two-hour delay for school, but this morning they announced school was cancelled today.

It looked like it might snow all through the night, but it did not. They are forecasting, however, a couple waves of snow through Thursday, and maybe another series next week. I wonder if we are getting some of the storms that dumped all that rain upon Ariel in Hawaii. It should be clear but cold Saturday. We are planning to take the Polar Express out of Santa Fe, which should include a reading of the story, hot chocolate, and, of course, the children dressed in their pajamas. There ought to be a conductor, tickets to punch, and Santa, too. The express Railrunner is up and running as of this week, and I think there is a schedule that would take us from Albuquerque to Santa Fe before the Polar Express departs and take us back afterwards. For free this weekend, too.

Maybe we will have a white Christmas. The boys' grandma asked me, "Why does everyone want snow on Christmas? It just makes it hard to drive." Cyndi and the boys would love it. It's that vision of a sleighride "over the meadows and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go." We don't know where Christmas will be this year. At the moment, we are figuring out Bennie's continued care, which may or may not bring him home for Christmas.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Honolulu Marathon update

Ariel texted just before the 5 am start in Honolulu. I found her entry online to watch her splits, but so far no entry. I also have streaming radio from Honolulu, and they are saying there is a heavy downpour now, almost one-half hour into it. They also say there's 23,000 running. The course map shows that Ariel should be looping through downtown and headed to Waikiki, maybe even near where we stayed. A beach cam just shows darkness and a few lights.

It's snowing here now. We started a gingerbread house yesterday, but we need to correct the icing recipe today. After church, we hope to interest the boys in the Children's Mass pageant and choir for Christmas eve.

It's rained a lot in Hawaii since Ariel's been in Kauai, but she was up for the race.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Kauai bound

Ariel's in Kauai with her friend, Emily. Emily's been working there but is returning to Seattle with Ariel after they both run the Honolulu Marathon. We miss Ariel.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Santa Fe holiday

Thanks to Gary & Beth's points, we stayed at the Residence Inn in Santa Fe Friday and Saturday night after Thanksgiving. It turned out perfectly. Bennie is still at the recovery center, but all the family was in town for the weekend and Cyndi got a chance at an opportune moment for a short holiday with me and the boys for the weekend. Ariel was going to the cabin but those plans changed, and last I talked with her she was going for an overnight with some friends.

We went up Friday afternoon. I can't remember why but it was about 3 by the time we made it to Santa Fe. We threw in a bunch of stuff. Lots of toys, casual clothes, a couple of bottles of wine, some Scotch in case Pete and Dori came up for a night for Pete's birthday. (They didn't come up. I suspect Thanksgiving Day was hard enough and they deserved a rest, too.) There was talk of some snow but that didn't happen, and the weekend was sunny though chilly. We got a nice room, with a little kitchen and a fireplace.

After checking in, we drove to the plaza for an obligatory stop at J. Crew and the toy store nearby. The boys wanted more transformers, but I dug my heels in. We got a paper airplane kit instead. The sales at J. Crew were great, so Cyndi got a couple of bargains. That made her very happy, and made for a perfect weekend.

We went to Tomasitas. It was packed. We actually went to Whole Foods during the wait time and picked up some snacks, a bundle of firewood, some ground coffee, pears, "rupidebeer", and milk. We had some wonderful whole beans, rice, Margaritas, sopapillas, and huevos rancheros once we got our table. All for under $40, a bargain in Santa Fe.

That night we lit a fire, started Mama Mia, and fell asleep after two or three songs.

The next day I found out I was only supposed to burn one of those sawdust-and-wax logs in the fireplace, and Cyndi told the front desk we actually did not watch the movie. They nicely took it off the bill. We had a wonderful hot breakfast.

We went to the plaza again, a visit to a winter version of the Indian Market at the convention center, and another toy store trip. Okay, my heels slipped and I gave way. Transformers were purchased. (They have spring-loaded buttons, so they automatically transform!) Checked out the railroad depot area. (Lots of activity there. About a mile or so from the plaza. It's the terminus for the RailRunner, which begins service between Albuquerque and Santa Fe in about two weeks, in time for the Polar Express adventure we're planning just before Christmas.) Then a relaxing afternoon. We went to Il Vincino for pizza and wine that night. That was under $40, too. We took a walk towards the plaza again for ice cream at the Plaza Bakery, a tradition from the time when Ariel was a child. The boys ordered their usual chocolate ice cream with rainbow sprinkles. Back to the room, another fire. The boys loved playing with their transformers, when they weren't fighting over them. (Jackson tries to trade, but Rylee doesn't always agree.) Cyndi and Jack went to the jacuzzi and gazed at stars in the crisp night air while Ry and I cut up some pears.

Morning we burned the last stick of firewood, the boys and I grabbed a little breakfast while Cyndi ran a couple of miles on the treadmill, slowly got out of Santa Fe, and returned home. (Our bill was 0. Thanks, Gary and Beth.)

A wonderful weekend.

Friday, November 28, 2008

wintry days ahead

The weather changed to gray and wet. To Cyndi, it was perfect weather for a family Thanksgiving. Ariel had her 25th birthday this year, and we celebrated with a party on Sunday. Several of her friends came over, some from school days, some from post-school, some running and bicycling partners. We grilled a bunch of food. Ry and Jack were so excited about the party, and they joined in. We were a little concerned, because they can be so overwhelming, but Ariel and her friends welcomed them, especially in rounds of Twister and a word game.



Ariel's friend, Ethan, taught Jackson a hand game, which Jack took to show and tell this week. Cyndi had a busy week prepping for the family meal. She took it upon herself to get and make all the side dishes.



On Thanksgiving morning, Jackson was up early and when Rylee woke up, they hugged each other like little cubs. We didn't do our usual Turkey Trek run. There was a light rain, and there were still dishes to make. Pete and I got Bennie for Thanksgiving at Dorie's.



Ariel joined us, too. There was wine and lots of good turkey. Jackson played some chess and played with Lauren. I saw Ry pop in and out of the room. He seemed to be entertaining himself, as the other kids were running about.



The boys' vocabulary astonishes me sometimes. Ry said something about being in balance the other day, and Jackson told me all about ordinal numbers. They have a saying, "If you want to be enthusiastic, you've got to act enthusiastic." That word, enthusiastic, comes out so clearly from Ry's 3-year-old voice. Jackson is reading, but has yet to read a book aloud to me. Rylee is spelling. He wants a soccer net, so we told him to write it down for Santa. He got out a piece of paper (from his drawing supply) and a pencil, and asked how to spell net. He drew a huge n (backwards) and an e from his name and then a t. It was a capital T, Jackson pointed out.

This afternoon we travel to Santa Fe for a little holiday vacation. It may snow.

Friday, November 14, 2008

art



This is typical of Rylee's figure drawings. This is a self portrait. He explained to me that he only could get four fingers on one of the hands. "But that's okay," he said. It's just a drawing. He's beginning to make narrative art, where he'll put lots of figures on the page, maybe add some numbers or letters, usually his name, and it'll have a story. A drawing of Mommy will include a coffee cup. Pumpkins are a big theme, and some of the pumpkins might have a scary or mad face. I recall Jackson pretty early on included buildings in his drawings. Here's a collage he did last year:



Jack's been pushing for a "DS" for him and another for Ry for Christmas all year. I thought they sounded pretty cool. A friend of his has one, and you can write and draw on the screen and send it to a nearby friend who also has a DS. I think he likes that feature, and I wonder now if I can add that feature to his laptop. I looked at the DS closer, and it's really just another portable game player. I saw the line of games. Yuck. I have to talk to Santa.

Some good mornings this week. A couple of runs and a swim workout early before Cyndi went to see her dad. "The rosy fingers of dawn" reached from above the mountains this morning as I left the pool. Made oatmeal for the boys. Ry gave me a big, big hug this morning. He's got baseball gear strewn all about the living room. Puts on Jack's cleats immediately out of bed, then puts on the catcher's gear. There's a YMCA program for 3-5 year olds he'll love in the spring when Jack's in little league.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Thursday, November 6, 2008

just an update

Pictures are coming, I promise.

Ry is writing his name now, counting, even adding and subtracting (actually he's been doing that for a while), singing songs he learns at preschool, and even spelling words he hears Jack spell. Jack taught him to write his name. Ry likes to draw pictures of his family, individually and as a group. They have big heads, big round eyes with little pupil dots, and big smiles. The boys always include Ariel in pictures and "family hugs." Ry writes his name on his pictures. Right now Ry's into Word World, Handy Manny, spreading out all of the baseball gear, battling his transformers, wearing his costume (still), and Halloween candy (it's on a high shelf, with threats Daddy will take it away). Jack has started using the word processor on the computer. He's teaching Ry to play chess. He's reading and takes weekly spelling tests. His teacher loves him. He has a perfect record for never having been disciplined in school. (He monitors that and I'm afraid he may be devastated the first time he gets a "deduction.") Cyndi takes the boys regularly to the library. They get some DVDs and Jack always gets "science books." Right now he's reading about Halley's Comet.

Cyndi goes every morning to have breakfast with her dad at the recovery facility and goes again later in the day or evening. He looks better, seems to be in good spirits, but is still very frail and he is still unable to walk. There's some talk about moving to another facility or even home. I don't know that he will be walking by Thanksgiving.

So a new routine is starting to develop where I make breakfast for the boys and then dress them in the clothes Cyndi's already laid out. I only wish there were a routine where I get up earlier and run.

I just sent a letter to Michael. It's a little late; hope he gets it. The boys got your cards, Mom & Dad. Thanks.

Ariel called me Tuesday night to ask if I was feeling better and to congratulate me. I said it was a long time coming. Later I thought I should congratulate her. It's such a wonderful thing for her generation. When I look at her face, the faces of the boys, and the faces of all of the children born in this generation I see such beauty. I really, really like the new face of our country.

Dad sent a picture of flying his flag on Wednesday. Patriotic pride, I guess, is a good description.

I don't know where Thanksgiving will be. It'll probably be somewhere in Albuquerque. Thanks to Beth and Gary, we plan to spend a couple of nights in Santa Fe that weekend, and if the ski slopes open on Thanksgiving Day maybe we can even sneak in some skiing. A big maybe. It just turned cold yesterday. It's been very warm so far this fall.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Halloween weekend

Friday was Halloween. The kids in Jack's class got to take costumes and games to play on Friday. He brought the chess set and played with another boy who knew how to play while many of the kids gathered around. As I hoped, the game didn't actually end. One of the children upset the board. He also wore his costume to school and many children keyboarded him on the playground.

Our little party was fun. Soup and other food; family and some friends brought some nice wine to share. The kids played until it was time to trick or treat. Ariel came. We strolled up our block, then down another. I'd say only 1 in 3 houses had any lights on to welcome trick or treaters. Still, the kids loved it and both Jack and Ry were dragging their jack o'lantern buckets filled to the brim with candy. Ry probably only ate candy that day, and he was a holy terror. Cute though. Afterward the kids spread out their loot in the living room and began trading. (Anything with peanuts was confiscated.)

Saturday morning, we had breakfast burritos just before the early polls opened at 10. Ry ate the eggs and bacon and cheese and tortilla heartily, and for the rest of the day the boys forgot about candy. The line to vote looked long, but it was sunny and the process was unbeleivably smooth. The boys got to go to the booths with us to watch us fill the ballots out. Afterward, there were some errands and a birthday party that didn't quite pan out. Cyndi and Ariel went out that night for Indian food.

The weather was so beautiful and warm the entire weekend. We got up early Sunday morning and discovered it was even earlier than we thought. After we changed the clocks, we went to church. I sat in with Jackson at the children's eulogy, so he could get used to going with the other children. The children knew all the answers and Jack just took it in. One question was, "Do you want to be a saint?" He turned to his friend and asked, "What's a saint?" It was a donut Sunday, and afterwards we got some more shelving for the garage. I spent the afternoon re-reorganizing the garage and mowing the backyard while Ry got all the baseball gear out onto the front lawn. Nicki came over (she's at UNM) and she and the boys played a little baseball. We grilled some chicken and ate that with some salad and sweet potato fries outside. It was just a beautiful evening.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

jinx

Woke up this morning and first thing I read was this: my sentiments from yesterday. And later there was this.

Friday, October 31, 2008

scary

It's been a week of anticipating Halloween and it's been weeks of anxiety over the elections.

Both Rylee and Jackson have had costume days at their schools. Yesterday, they went trick or treating at the care facility where Bennie is recuperating. Tonight, family and friends will stop by for what has become a tradition of sorts: potato soup & homemade croutons and then a spin around the neighborhood for trick or treating. At some point, I need to carve at least one of our pumpkins. The boys have been watching Halloween specials and are excited about candy. Next year, they plan to be ghosts. More scary, but thankfully not gory.

I'm sure there'll be plenty of new pictures for you in the next few days.

Rylee and I turned on a few World Series games. It was on but we weren't really watching much of it. Rylee knows that game five was rained out. For a few days, then, Ry's obsession has gone from transformers (or trains or airplanes or cars or computer games he finds on the boys' internet sites--mostly pbskids and disney and the like) to baseball again. He searched for all of the gear--the cap, Jack's cleats, the fielding glove from his cousins, the dangerous bat from Brendon, a game ball from last season, his batting glove and his batting helmet--and rigged a ball tee in the living room. On the night of the rained out game, he quietly and carefully made a sort of baseball shrine before going upstairs to bed.

Here's a story from Cyndi. Last night we went with all the sisters' families to see Jordyn in a dance performance. (The Picture of Dorian Gray, a darkly themed adaptation of the Oscar Wilde novel. I believe it was a local production. Very professionally performed . Wonderfully staged and choreographed--what do I know--with mixes of ballet and jazz or modern dance. Some underlying humor. Great costumes. Long-winded monologues and readings between dance scenes.) It was at the Kimo Theater downtown (a grand, pueblo-deco theater, a landmark restored a decade or so ago, Albuquerque's premiere place for movies in the '30s and after.) During intermission, Cyndi and Jackson walked into the refreshment room. Jackson saw a piece of yummy looking chocolate cake and pressed Cyndi to ask for it. It was the last piece, and just as Cyndi was about to ask, another woman (who actually had purchased the necessary tickets for the refreshments) asked for the slice. Jackson was disappointed and they went back to the seats. When the performance was over, Cyndi was standing in the lobby. The man who was serving the cake at intermission came to her and asked, "Are you the woman with the boy who wanted the last piece of cake?" She was cautious in answering. "Yes," she said. "I saved him a slice," he said and gave her a slice of chocolate cake on a plate, wrapped in cellophane, for her to take and give to Jack. A stranger made one small, extraordinary moment.

Ariel will be home tonight for the soup and family and trick-and-treating. She and Cyndi had a long bicycle ride a week ago, and we all went out to a happy hour with some running friends. (I don't like these happy hours our friend sets up and I knew I wouldn't.) Did I say she's off to Hawaii to visit her college roommate on Kuaui and together they're running the Honolulu Marathon? It's around Christmas.

I haven't written anything about the elections for quite a while. I didn't want to overwhelm myself or jinx anything, but still I have had ongoing anxiety about this election. We're about four days away now. There's an early election polling place open Saturday, and we'll try to go then. Dad sends some humorous things he finds on the internet from time to time. I've been watching the news a lot, listening to public radio, reading everything I can find, following the polls and a few electoral college maps, and it's all so irritating. I understand the argument that nothing should be taken for granted, particularly in light of the last two elections, and I understand the "never-say-die" face that must be put on, but it's hard to understand how McCain and his pundits can read this election as close. How can this thing be within the margin of error? God forbid McCain and Palin win this thing afterall. (I saved you from my Palin Is Evil analysis a few weeks ago. Or did I?) As I study it, and as others have remarked, McCain would have to win all of the red states and all of the "too-close-to-call" states, including Ohio, Florida, North Carolina and Indiana, steal Pennsylvania (I don't see it happening), and still take something like Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado or New Hampshire. If that doesn't happen, it's likely it will be a real landslide for Obama, and they're talking almost supermajority numbers for Congress. As scary as that must be for the GOP, that would be good for our country. Time for the Republican old guard to exit. The red states aren't a lock for Republicans, the South is moving in a different direction, and McCain's even losing ground in his home state. Locally, there's not a Republican I could vote for in the partisan races. Apart from the whole Palin charade, McCain and his pundits just look mean and shameless and now they're just whining. (Reminds me of when George Bush told us during an early crisis, "It's hard to be president." Whiney babies.) That's what irritates me, but I have to add that Olbermann has been equally irritating. (I give him credit for being the first "news" person--cable news is really entertainment isn't it?--to stop kowtowing to Bush and Cheney and the forgotten secretary of defense before Bush's favorable rating plummeted and it was safe again to be critical.) Obama will be a breath of fresh air.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

juno

We're watching the first few minutes of Juno. Remarkable language. Funny. Jackson asked, "Is she pregnant?" Yes. "Is she married?" No. "Then how can she be pregnant?" This is a 7 year old's question.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

bumblebee redux

We have now entered the fourth day of Rylee in his bumblebee costume, and I'm sure we will continue to count until Halloween. Like his infatuation with everything baseball, when he insisted on taking all his gear to bed with him, Rylee asks every morning, every day and every night if he can put on his costume. It goes over clothes and pajamas. He marches around with the mask always on, along with the gloves. He thinks he looks like a ninja or a stormtrooper. He wears it in the stores, in the hospital, and in the gym. He gets many reactions. Last night, a young guy going in the gym as Ry and I walked out said, "Cool, dude." He loves it.

Today it rained, and it is cool. The leaves are turning and falling. The last events of the balloon fiesta were canceled due to wind and, on one day, a vicious thunderstorm that rolled in and brought hail to some parts of the area.

Jackson has a new game. He makes a list of things and then asks, which one doesn't belong? Last night it was red, green and orange. At first I thought orange because it was not a primary color and then remembered that green was also not a primary color. He knows his colors. So I said red. The answer was orange. Red and green are both Christmas colors.

I wonder what our Alaskan family think of the continuing coverage of all things Palin.

Bennie continues to get better.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

bumblebee

Well, the bumblebee-that-buzzes costume did not come in the package delivered to me. Instead, they sent a pair of black children's gloves. I called them, and they said there wasn't any in stock. So we went to Party City and sure enough there was a bumblebee-the-transformer costume, which Rylee has been wearing all day. Even to Trader Joe's. He loves it. The materials to make Jack's costume cost more, but think it will be great.

What a difference in Bennie! He looks so much better.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

balloons & bennie

The balloons are up this week. That means wonderful fall weather. Cold and rainy on Sunday but sunny, blue and warm since then. Jackson had a tough time with asthma earlier this week. It seems to be triggered by colds. He's a tough guy. He's a boy now. Handsome and sweet. He works hard on his room. It's part library, part office, part classroom. It's his "cousins club." Did I mention his clipboard he takes to school for the cleaning club? He got a new computer CD called brain power that he loves. He's off tomorrow for a balloon day.

I saw Ry's classroom today. He goes two mornings a week. He brought his new bumblebee transformer for show and tell. He's been talking about it for weeks. He has very few toys of his own, and this one is his. Even Jackson seems to acknowledge that. Apparently, everyone with a three or four year old boy knows about bumblebee transformers. Ry's a sweetheart. Likes jokes. Likes to tumble. Isn't afraid to slug Jack.

Rylee has decided to be a bumblebee (the kind that buzzes around flowers) for Halloween. Jack's going to be a laptop.

So good to have Ariel here for a while. We all went to PF Changs last weekend: sea bass, marinated tofu, and lots more. It was fun. I haven't seen her during the week. She went up to the cabin the night of the rain.

I think Bennie is on the verge of some noticeable improvement. The pain and a fall prior to the surgery took its toll on his mobility, and the surgery must have been very difficult. I think the first almost two weeks after the surgery, he just needed to deal with the trauma of the surgery and the pain. He's staying at a rehabilitation center about a mile from our house. Cyndi goes there before 7 am to join him for breakfast, goes late at night, and at least once during the day, while her sisters, brother, and brothers-in-law also go daily, usually staggered throughout the day. Her mom is there daily, making the trip from Belen. I think Marty or Michael almost always drive her up. At the beginning she stayed overnight with Dorie, but the trip from the hospital to Dorie's was almost as long as returning to Belen and I'm sure she must find some relief to be in her own home at night. I don't think anyone thought there'd be so much recovery needed. He's been bedridden, but his appetite is good, the pain is being managed, and I think there will be some obvious improvement in being able to get around again. No one seems to know, so I'm guessing it may be another 3-5 weeks before he's home and certainly before the holidays. I happened to visit on Monday when he had physical therapy. It was difficult, but it was really only the beginning. He was determined I could see and in good spirits, despite the circumstances that, as I said, I don't think he or anyone expected.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

who's online

I just saw that Chris posted a couple of pics. Go to home page and then the Ariel & Chris link. And the Alaskan Bleichers have a new post at long last. Sarah's site is really developing, and she has an update on the debate at Ole Miss.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Bennie

The reports are that Bennie is recovering well but slowly. The pain is at least being managed better. They will be moving him to another hospital for up to two more weeks of recovery before being released to go home. I haven't seen him yet. The staff seems to limit visits more than other hospitals (or maybe it's this particular floor), though there has always been someone with him during visiting hours. Ursula has been there a lot and deserves some rest and relief of her own. Cyndi has been there a lot, too, and the children have coordinated a bit more to stagger visits and help their mother. Cyndi is much less stressed going into this new week. Even Michael seemed so stressed when I saw him last the night of the operation. Janey came up this weekend.

champagne apples

Ariel joined us for our trip for Dixon apples on Saturday. The local media had been reporting heavily on the smaller crop this year, and the orchard has become intensely popular the past few years with long lines for cars and another line of people with wheelbarrows waiting to get into the apple shed. I should have known, but apparently it was being reported on Saturday morning that the first day was Friday and there were three hour waits to get apples.

We left around 6:30 in the morning. The boys were rustled out of bed in their pajamas. We grabbed a few snacks and headed out. We arrived before 7:30. There was no wait for a parking space and only a short line of wheelbarrows in the orchard. We dawdled a bit and within an hour of arriving left with 4 bags of champagne apples. (About two bushels in all.) There was no cider available.

It reminded me of balloon fiesta, which begins this weekend. You get up before dawn, put the kids in the car with their pajamas still on, bundled in blankets, get in a long line of cars, park, then into more lines and a crowd of people milling about, sipping their coffee, enjoying the brisk fall morning, and talking. Instead of green chile breakfast burritos at the balloon fiesta, you have apple fritters at the orchard.

The morning was gorgeous in the canyon. Jack wandered a bit around the orchard, while Ry steered the wheelbarrow. On the way back, we toured the Cochiti campground, another Corps of Engineers campground by a man-made lake, and stopped in Bernalillo at The Range Cafe, where we had excellent Huevos Rancheros, a breakfast burrito, tortillas, red and green chile, pancakes and scrambled eggs. A quick stop for clipboards and a pencil sharpener and before noon we were home, ready for a nap. A very nice Saturday morning.

Ariel took a few apples, and Jack took some to school for show and tell.

a few rotten apples

On the way up to get apples, Ariel, Cyndi and I spent most of our time talking about the debate the night before, the debate coming, and the financial bailout.

I haven't heard what the consensus is on the debate. I don't think either McCain or Obama had any slam dunks. I thought that if you are a McCain supporter, you will think he won the debate. I think this is because he came off a bad week and it could have gone bad during the debate. I thought Obama came off well--informed and articulate. With the way McCain is running his campaign, with the same ol' GOP tactic of distorting facts, and that smirky smile during the debate, I've changed my mind that he is a good guy.

I don't have a problem with Obama's coolness. It does appear to me more deliberative and even presidential.

The distortion of records is irritating. The campaigners must think we are stupid, which unfortunately maybe we are. But everyone must know from basic civics in school that bills come loaded, so that voting yeah or nay on a bill doesn't really reflect a position on a particular part. I know it works to attack the other person, but I'm really hoping to see a debate that addresses issues, and the attack seems particularly hypocritical and mean-spirited because we were promised that the campaign would be elevated.

All in all, McCain's shoot from the hip style, mixed with his reliance on GOP campaign tactics, is diluting his appeal.

I've seen some of the Palin interviews and now I'm not quite so up in arms about her potential appeal. Has it faded, I wonder, among those who were so supportive when she first appeared? She comes off poorly. She's even lost much of her self-confidence, which was probably her biggest asset. In watching the interview with Couric, it made me think of those clips that were around for a while a few months back of that unfortunate Miss Teen contestant. The contestant had obviously been coached for the interview portion of the pageant. She probably had an arsenal of stock answers, but she only knew just a few. Someone told her she could take those stock answers, pick up a few key words from the question, and make a convincing sounding answer. But the question confounded her, and she spoke plain nonsense. It was painful to watch, in the same way it was painful to watch Palin.

I'm not the first to make the connection. I went to YouTube and already there were at least two videos satirizing Palin in that way. One showed her interview with Charlie, who asked about the Bush Doctrine. You see Palin answer, but you hear the Miss Teen contestant's answer. In another one, you see the contestant on stage answering the interview question, but you hear Palin's answer to Kouric about Russia and Canada bordering Alaska.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Cyndi's dad

Bennie (Papa) had surgery yesterday and is recovering today. He had what I think of as calcification around his spine near his neck and upper back which was strangling the spinal cord. He was in a lot of pain, couldn't use an arm, and was having difficulty walking. The entire family was at the hospital yesterday, visiting him. Reports are positive on the surgery, though I'm sure he will need lots of rest to recover. Cyndi is hopeful and will be looking for signs of improvement. She looks forward to seeing her dad going on trips again and playing his guitar at church.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Abiquiu Lake, Riana Campground

We spent one night at Abiquiu Lake. Before leaving Saturday morning, we had dinner with Ariel Thursday at El Pinto.



Abiquiu Lake is a reservoir controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers in the heart of Georgia O'Keefe country. Imagine her landscapes and you know the panoramas around the lake. We decided to go there because it's about two hours from our home, it has showers, and the temperatures should be mild this time of year.

The Riana campground sits on a mesa above the lake. It is not forested, mostly cedar and small pine trees. The temperature during the day reached the mid or upper 70s (in mid September) and there was a cool breeze as we set up the tent. The evening was cool but always comfortable. There was a slight rainfall as evening approached.

I took on the cooking duties. I grabbed some food and ice Friday night at the grocery store after work, so I had some ideas about meals. (I loaded up the gear Saturday morning, and since the gear is at hand ready to go, and since we've had some experience now, and since we were only staying one night, packing was easier and lighter.) Cyndi loved the meals. Grapes and watermelon on our drive. "Bratwurms" when we arrived around lunchtime. Barbecued chicken on the campfire ring in the evening. Homemade chocolate chip cookies Cyndi made before the trip. A hearty breakfast in the morning. After the tent is up and Jackson blows up the mattress, Cyndi sets up the sleeping quarters, and she cleaned up after the meals.

We did some exploring, but Cyndi did much more exploring on her mountain bike. She loved it. A nice workout for her, and a little alone time for a change. We brought some bikes and "scooters" for the boys, and they said the best part was riding them (at high speed) down the hill to the playground and shoveling and climbing and spinning on the merry-go-round.

We drove the switch backs down below the dam (it turns into a pleasant dirt road along the river) and down to the boat launch. We checked out Ghost Ranch on the other end of the lake. We didn't go swimming or fish. (The boys need some good, simple rods.) There were a few boats on the lake but very few. There are two roads down to the lake, with some picnic areas and family fishing spots, along with the boat launch and a dock, between the turnoff for 96 and the campground. The visitor's center next to the dam was closed.

There are basically three loops of sites at Riana. Some beautiful spots nearest to the lake, numbered in the low to mid thirties, and some nice walk-in tent sites with "pads". I think all sites have a table, a grill, a campfire ring, and a lantern holder. Two shower facilities in all. Very clean campground. We chose our site at one of the highest spots for the view, a short walk to the showers, and the cover over the picnic table. We were next to the park attendant, who was very nice. The sites on this loop have water and electric, and Jackson was able to play his computer with the car parked next to the outlet. Mostly RVs on this loop. We had a few neighbors, but it was not crowded at all. One neighbor played music at night, but at least I liked the songs. There is a strict quiet hours policy between 10 and 6, the gate closes at 10 at night, and there's a clear prohibition posted against alcohol. Needless to say, we were very discrete with the bottle of wine we brought for dinner.

With the rainclouds all around, we didn't get to see a huge display of stars at night, as we expected. There was a little wood left at the site to burn and Jackson and Rylee gathered up some dead twigs to add to the fire. The chicken cooked perfectly over the coals in the ring. I brought a sauce I conjured up in a small grape jelly jar while packing the cooler in the morning to brush on the chicken. We had an old package of jiffypop leftover from a prior trip, and we were able to pop some of it and not set it on fire. The boys played with their glow sticks. Mostly, we sat and watched the glow of the sun setting.

After coffee and breakfast, a long bike ride adventure for Cyndi, and a trip to the playground, we took down the camp, packed the car, showered and changed into clean clothes. On our return, we stopped in Abiquiu (about 15 miles) and had an excellent lunch (and the boys split a rupidebeer float) at the Abiquiu Inn.

There's a general store called Bode's (gas pumps, and maybe some firewood?) in Abiquiu, which is in a beautiful small valley with many signs for art studio tours. We saw a small vineyard along the road. We toured the grounds of the Inn, and it looks like they have some very nice accommodations. There was an eclectic sculpture garden. The food really was prepared very well. The restaurant is casual and pleasant. There's some wonderful art hanging, a gift shop, and a gallery upstairs.

I enjoy the peace of driving on these trips, but driving through Espanola is still not very pleasant. I was hoping it had changed. Going north on 84/285 there's a left, a right and then another left in town, and the directions are not that well marked. (This is also the way to Ojo Caliente until the road splits outside Espanola.) Once in town, keep a sharp look out for arrows to Chama on the way up, to Santa Fe on the way back. We stopped at a produce stand on the way back just before getting into Espanola.

I remembered again how I didn't like this stretch of driving. When we go to Taos, there's a little bypass we take to avoid most of Espanola (I always forget where it is exactly but always manage to find it) or we drive the longer, slower high road, which is one of the most beautiful drives anywhere, taking you through Nambe, Chimayo, Truchas, and Penasco. The stretch through Pojoaque is built up now, too. Good for the pueblo, but also a bit sad. The Lottaburger there is long gone. And the newly constructed highway taking you past Tesuque and the opera still is unnerving even though the view of the Sangre de Cristos is beautiful if you are a passenger. I had a lot of time to reflect on all of this (and more) on the drive. Once you are close to Abiquiu, though, you remember why you came.

Jackson was a tremendous help in setting up the tent and taking it down. I foresee a day when camping will be much easier with the boys' help. Jack's great. He loves being involved. It was fun to work with him and I realized how much he can do now. He packed the poles away when we took the tent down. Together we folded the tent and the ground tarp, walking the corners together. I asked Jackson to sweep away the dirt and rocks from the tarp, and he took it on energetically. When Ry wanted to help, too, Jack left him a small pile of pebbles to sweep away. Ry tried to help set up the tent, too, as Jack placed the poles around the tent. Poor guy smashed his finger with the rubber mallet, pounding in a stake. It wasn't bad, just a short cry. As Ry likes to say, "It's okay."

I have an old Swiss army knife that Jackson likes to see when we camp. I hardly ever use it, but it's nice to know it's there. I keep it in a tool chest with other emergency, repair, and spare stuff I almost never need. Jack's still too young to have a knife, but he carried it in his pocket most of the time and now we keep it in his tackle box, along with his flashlight. I told him when we were driving home to put it there for next time.

He thought he lost it when we got home. He looked all around the car, moving seats and his stuff, while I unpacked everything. He didn't tell me what he was doing, but I knew. Some things I put back on shelves in the garage. Others went inside, where Cyndi quickly unpacked them and started a load of laundry. When he couldn't find it, Jackson went in to tell Cyndi in dread. Cyndi helped look while I unpacked the last items from the rooftop carrier. (We've got our money's worth with that carrier; holds the miscellaneous odds and ends, such as folding chairs). It didn't take long for her to find it. (He told me offhandedly later that it was in his pocket the whole time; he must have known I knew.) Cyndi didn't say anything, either. Jack was really relieved.

I was thinking while this was all happening that there was a lesson here, but I also knew that he was suffering with worry. Jack really treasured the knife and he knew I had trusted him with it. I think my dad gave it to me, not when I was a boy, but later, and what's more all the tiny tools worked and nothing was missing. It looked almost brand new. We had talked several times about taking care of it, mostly for safety reasons. Honestly, I knew I wouldn't really miss it. My camping box has other tools I'd grab long before I'd ever pick it up to use. "It's okay," as Ry says philosophically.

So I didn't say anything while he looked for it. I admired him for looking so hard on his own, stoically searching, not saying a word. Of course, Cyndi had faith that it would be found. He doesn't know it yet, and won't for a while, but it's already his.

I know this is off-topic, but I'll mention it anyway: I've been trying to wrap my thoughts around the current economic crisis. It makes all the fuss about Palin seem so insignificant now. I can't help thinking, as I try to sift through it, that the costs of Bush's policies are bankrupting us and that there will be many who will benefit from this while many more will pay the price, all the while we are told we cannot afford basic needs, like health care. That's my general reaction for now. I suppose there's opportunity somewhere.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Ariel's home

Ariel arrived back in New Mexico on Wednesday. The boys were very excited to see her when she came over yesterday. More energy than usual. Last week, Ry drew a portrait of his family. There was Ry surrounded by Mom, Jackson, Ariel and Dad, all with big smiles. So we went to El Pinto with Ariel last night for calabicitas burritos, huevos rancheros, and lots of beans and chips. We sat on the patio. Our waiter wasn't there the night McCain and Palin bought some chile, but he did see Hilary when she came and he liked her. Ry talked a lot with Ariel but I don't remember what. He goes along with just about anything. Jackson gave a narration to Ariel about his movie. Cyndi and Ariel talked about bicyling, and we all talked about Fairbanks, Jenni's wedding, and meeting Chris in France or Italy when he gets some R&R time. We caught up with other family. Ariel's had enough travel for the moment, so she's probably not joining us for an overnight camping trip to Abiquiu Lake, but next weekend she may join us on a trip for Dixon apples. Yeah! Good to see her. She looks great.

Monday, September 15, 2008

another state fair weekend

Sunday morning was cool and breezy. After bacon and scrambled eggs, we went to the state fair. It was uncrowded. We walked directly to the petting barn, then saw the rabbits, the horses, the sheep and goats, and the cows. We toured the exhibition hall, which was mostly kitchen knives demonstrations and really, really bad junk. We stopped at the Backyard Circus, which was a terrific show. It included the children and ended with a puppet parade. We bought an Indian taco at the Indian Village just as they had the flag-raising ceremony, which was accompanied by a drummer and a singer. They boys ate a hot dog and a corn dog at the food court, next to a diving show. Rounding out the boys' state fair diet were cotton candy and cherry slurpees. Our last stop was to see Nicholas's lego entry. The crowds were entering, the day was getting hot, and the parking lot was full as we left.

Cyndi and I went to see The Women. It just opened and so it was showing in the large theater. There were many women sitting in the audience who came in twos and threes and alone. There was a grand total of 4 men in the audience. There are no men in the movie. A boy does appear near the end. Our boys stayed home with their cousin Jordyn.

Saturday morning Jackson, Rylee and I filled up the tank with gas, before the prices go up again in the wake of Hurricane Ike. We bought two sets of storage shelves for the garage. When we got home, I began moving all the stuff in the garage and assembled the shelves while the boys pulled out and rediscovered everything in the garage. Around six, the boys had moved into their bedroom to disassemble that room, leaving a yard full of lego pieces, balls, cars, trains, etc., etc., and I, now crippled, started the coals so we could have a Bleicher week-end cookout. The basic Bleicher week-end cookout, as confirmed by Lisa in one of her recent comments, is ribeyes, salad, and wine. After dinner, I retired to the garage to put away the last of the odds and ends, mostly tools, screws, nails, paint brushes, and left over materials from a smattering of repair projects.

I moaned all night.

Friday, September 12, 2008

sam & eddy

Ry is in his second week of preschool. Ry likes to stay up at night with me as I unwind by surfing back and forth between MSNBC and Letterman, catching glimpses of a recent movie playing for the umpteenth time or an old movie (recently, Anatomy of a Murder and Now, Voyager) or a re-run on TBS or a ball game or the top 10 plays of the day or Project Runway or the weather channel.

With just a little prodding, Ry will tell me about preschool. The trucks and shovels aren't on the playground this week, but the slide is stil there. He sang itsy bitsy spider. They look at books but they don't read them. He always washes his hands after potty. They don't take naps. He likes the play dough. He's brought the same toy car (remote control or transformer, don't know exactly) to show and tell, and he does explain how it works. And he has two friends, Sam and Eddy. They're boys. It took two days of going through boys' names to get their names. Now we know. He says he'll know more friends at school.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

wasilla connection

I'm setting a political course for this blog at the moment. I saw that Lisa sent me a follow up email to her prior comment, and Dad's forwarded a note that's circulated on the internet (Gary passed it on to him) and a reaction from someone he knows from Wasilla about the new pol phenom, Sarah Palin. At least the family is campaigning among themselves. I have yet to speak much with Cyndi's family. A couple of mild Republicans among the in laws but otherwise Dems, too. Cyndi probably shares Lisa's surprise that Palin IS such a phenom.

I see there are efforts to deconstruct Palin. I dont' know that it'll amount to much. So she's padded her resume. Not much news there. How fascinating that she is the center of the national election! Dems for now just have faith that time will tell and the luster will fade. Polls are even at the moment, with McCain/Palin enjoying a bump ahead.

We shall see if Charlie can ask any tough questions or just lobs softballs. Charlie actually has a blog site, but he's not posting his thoughts. I just saw that there looks to be about 1300 comments and proposed questions posted that ABC says are being directed to Charlie.

Biden at least seems to be taking his debate with her seriously enough not to believe it'll be a slam dunk.

Meanwhile, I downloaded Obama's "blueprint" to be convinced.

And I think I'll undo the control that moderates comments to this blog.

Monday, September 8, 2008

no politics monday

We had a nice weekend. I actually ran on both Saturday and Sunday. Cyndi got bike rides both days. It was very warm. The boys played outside on their scooters, and we went swimming twice. Cyndi got another swim lesson on Sunday. We got some DVDs and books from the library on Ry's card and picked up a Dion's pizza and turkey salad. After my run on Saturday we went to the dollar store and got out under $5. Then a late lunch of whole pinto beans, chicken tacos, breakfast burrito, huevos rancheros, sopapillas and honey, and red chile. We added the old speakers and mouse to the laptop in the boys' room where Jack sets up his "office." Someday, he'll get a real student desk. And someday later, some bunkbeds. After church, where the boys kept losing their bakugan toys (little plastic balls that open up into transformers) as they rolled among the pews, we had coffee and donuts with Janey, who was visiting her daughters in town. Birthday cake for Dorie Sunday night.

I talked with Ariel. She'll be coming September 16. She sold her car and they were putting a few things in storage. She thinks she'll be in Albuquerque at least until Christmas. She'd like to find a publishing internship or work a little, travel a little and write. There are plans for graduate programs next fall back east. And she'll be visitig Emily in Hawaii in December and they'll do the Honolulu Marathon together.

I need to train for something. In April there's Big Sur, and Nashville has a country music marathon around the same time that could be fun.

Nashville's not far from Sarah, who's including posts in her blog about her first Ole Miss football game. I got a good email from Dad, detailing the wedding and promising pics. Cyndi spoke to David for his birthday and he said the wedding was great. I heard from Sandra, too, about the wedding, and she sent me some information to update the family history. I need to get back to that. Lisa sent me a comment which is under the cspan post.

Fall's coming. State Fair is here. Dixon apples will be harvested in just a few weeks. And we'd love to get a camping trip in this month. Did I mention we drove up to Santa Fe on Saturday? It rained most of the day. Had a late breakfast at Pasquale's (the boys and I ran from the car with our umbrellas), strolled the plaza (an arts-and-crafts show, where we found a small santuario or retablo of St. Pasquale, the patron saint of cooks), stopped at J.Crew and Toyopolis, and ran to the St. Francis in the pouring rain so I could get the car. On our way back, drove through La Cienega, got lost when we didn't take the turn off to Los Golondrinas, and circled back to stop at Sunrise Springs to have a glass of wine, an appetizer, some rolls, and a very expensive macaroni and cheese for the boys. The restuarant was very quiet and so were the grounds as we walked around the pond afterwards and strolled about. A strangily damp day.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Equal Time

Since I made a few comments about the Dem convention, I thought I'd add my two cents about the GOP convention that ended last night, for what it may matter.

The choice of Sarah Palin for VP is the biggest surprise. There's plenty to like about her, and I think voters will be drawn to her in droves. Throughout the campaigning leading up to the nominations, I thought that a Democratic win for president was inevitable. Bush & Cheney would be ousted, even though they were leaving anyway, along with the Republican party. McCain was a hero and the only palatable choice among Republicans running but he never seemed maverick enough to disengage himself from the GOP. Now my gut tells me that the GOP ticket has better than an even chance to get into the White House. It may depend on the electoral college again and a few, small swing states, like New Mexico.

The Dem convention theme seemed to be not so much Obama's stump speech about change--I still don't have any clear idea what he proposes to change but I trust that his administration really will bring about change in the country's goals and aspirations--but more to make the point that at this moment in time a Democrat, whoever he may be and whether or not you supported him during the primaries and despite any reservations you may still have about him, must be elected president to undo the course set by the past Republican administration. (A course begun with Reagan and Gingrich and the Christian right, and whatever merit the course had has since become sullied.) We cannot afford another Republican mandate. Judicial picks really do matter.

I don't think I am alone to have reservations about the Democratic ticket, despite my reluctance to re-admit Republicans into the White House. So the choice of Palin is awe inspiring.

The Republicans, in a strategy that tips its hat to Karl Rove, have adopted the Obama theme and made it their own. So now everyone is for change. (And everyone is united.) The problem I see for the Republicans is that eventually some clear voice will state the obvious. The status quo is a Republican-led course. Electing Republicans will not change the status quo. And the best these mavericks have to offer is outing Republican corruption. That's great, but it's not the substantive change I think the US needs. McCain can't convince me that he and Palin are going to end partisanship if they cannot define a middle ground. The ticket seems to be drifting further to the right. I don't believe for a second that the Republicans will bring about real change in the broad realm of energy--its source, its production, its technology, its management and consumption, its innovation, its cost, both financially and ecologically, and our commitment--which is probably our most important issue at the moment. Republicans, I fear, belatedly and reluctantly only pay lip service to any change in energy policy. Except, of course, that they're anxious to drill.

Meanwhile, the Democrats are all over themselves with God Bless the USA and red-white-and-blue spectacles. I don't think they have much to offer--I can't imagine now what they will have new to offer--to counteract the appeal of the new Republican ticket. I don't think any McCain-Obama debates will be persuasive, and Biden could lose a debate with Palin. It seems unlikely there are any skeletons that may be exposed. Most people seem to have already dismissed the daughter's pregnancy as a real issue, even though I suspect some people had (only) a second's worth of self-righteous indignation given Palin's purported conservative position. I thought it odd that when the pregnancy was disclosed, mom took pride in asserting that her daughter "chose" to keep the baby. What a strange word choice.

And in a stroke of brilliance, the real issue about Palin--her obvious inexperience--is foreclosed. Obama is bright, articulate, and on the right side of issues, but my reservation about him was always about his lack of experience.

(My second reservation was his position on Iraq. He was right from the start but he did not have to account for the politics of the decision making. We all knew at the moment it began that it was ill-considered and ill-advised. The war was motivated by arrogance and hubris, if not greed. It was orchestrated by power mongers who insist on running government as though it were a corporation or a fiefdom and they were immune from personal responsibility. Even though we knew in our heart of hearts that the war was a gross mistake and that Bush was, well, it's the sad truth, an idiot, we were also mesmerized by the shock and awe and caught up in the humvee rides in the swirling sandstorms. Given his position, Obama couldn't seem to address in practical terms the horrible situation that came about. When Democrats supported the troops, and obstensibly the war, it was because the war was a fait accompli that couldn't easily be undone without grave consequences. Although he denies it, he later backpedaled, and it's clear McCain will go after him on that. That's the point of the "I'd rather lose the election than lose the war" position.)

Dems can hardly attack Palin on the inexperience issue. We applaud both Obama and Palin for being outside "politics as usual," a sad platitude, because they are novitiates. At the same time, however, we need people who dare to work within the political system to get things done, however small or big the accomplishments may be, and who have demonstrated they are good at it. They are both vulnerable. Sure, Obama has come up to speed since he first ran, but who's to say Palin also cannot come up to speed? I guess the argument is that Obama has some experience on a national level while Palin has some experience on the administrative level. Is it a wash?

Obama has to be ready for Day 1; Palin only has to be ready for Day 2. And, my god, we've managed to survive somehow with some other clearly inexperienced, and not even very bright, elected officials. Unfortunately, Palin will be learning under the wings of Republicans. She's a hearbeat away, and McCain sometimes looks like hell. (He's been through hell, so no surprise, I guess. Yeah, he's old, but his mom looks pretty strong at 96.) And as undeniably appealing as Palin is, she's also scarily conservative. (Sorry, I personally don't think a life-time NRA membership is a credential for politics anymore, but I do appreciate the love for hunt and game she must share with most, if not all, of her fellow Alaskans.)

Palin won't attract the women who supported Clinton. She's going to attract the men and women who might have sat on the sidelines this year because now they are excited. She's going to attract the people who began to doubt their support for Republicans. She's going to attract all the regular people who really are on the front lines and in the trenches of social and economic issues.

So I saw the Republican convention. Not as much as the Dem's, but I was there in front of CSpan every night. (I did, however, play more chess with Jacson and Rylee during the telecasts on those nights.) I couldn't stomach most of the speeches. Republican friends say they liked Gulliani's speech, but I turned away after a couple of minutes. Romney and Lieberman, egads, they were horrible. Palin had a good speech, clever in places, and it showed her personality to good effect. I liked the montages and tributes to McCain, but his speech wasn't motivating. Why do so many of these speeches bog down in the middle? Do they really think we need a line itemization? There have to be better ways to accomplish that, and, frankly, they all sound so hallow. I'm so tired of the anecdotes about people they met on the campaign trail and how they're running to protect them and help them. (They all do this now.) Fred Thompson, who strikes me as a washed out actor and never a serious presidential candidate, was the best speaker.

Wow, what compelled me to write this? Maybe to look back at it later?

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Jackson's 7th Birthday


A New PhotoShow. Click on photo.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

cspan

First things, I have to say I intend to put together a photoshow from Jack's birthday. I'm waiting for an update from Comcast.

Jenni's wedding in Vermont is coming up, and I'm sorry we won't be making it. I wish we were, and I know Ariel is particularly saddened that she will not be there. I think Ariel and I know how important it is for all of my family to be together for each other, particularly for such important occasions and celebrations. Last I heard there were only a few who might not make it, for school or new job reasons, but by now I suspect everyone else is on their way to Vermont. Have a wonderful wedding! Congratulations to the bride and groom.

Ariel is back from her trip with Chris. I haven't had much of a chance to talk with her since. I imagine she is finishing things in Alaska, spending some time with Chris before he is deployed, and getting ready for her upcoming return to New Mexico, if only for a short while before she's off to do something else. I know she's been making inquiries.

Jackson is in first grade now. He's resumed his piano lessons, but I'm not sure he's motivated enough to practice between lessons. He had a wonderful birthday, and invited many of his old friends for a swim party at our house. We had several inflatable pools and slides set up for the kids to play in. We had snacks and hot dogs and a cupcake tree for his friends. Later in the evening, family arrived and we grilled more food and ate outdoors.

Ry is growing. In preparation for preschool (at Jack's preschool), he potty trained himself in about a week. He still baby talks but he is in high gear in his learning curve. He is very polite and agreeable. The boys took swim lessons late in the season, and Ry is excelling at his swim skills. He is already smooth and comfortable in the water. I'd like to see the boys on a swim team next summer. Ry's ready for sports, but I'm afraid he will have to wait one more year for most.

Cyndi's been taking some swim lessons, too, and she is very excited about her progress. It's as though she was never taught before now. She's bicycling more, too, along with her regular yoga sessions.

I've been watching the Democrats' convention on CSpan. It's a better way to watch. No interruptions. No commentators and pundits. No filtering.

I saw Hillary and Bill and Michelle and even John Kerry, and I was impressed. I am particularly impressed that they are taking such a high road in taking on McCain while painting him with the legacy of Bush. I think they have hit the right notes with the themes for the convention, and I wonder how the Republicans will do in their convention. I haven't been the strongest supporter of Obama, even though it's such a compelling story, but I think the Dems have it right that we cannot afford another Republican administration. I saw Joe Biden's speech, too. I don't think it had the luster of other speeches, but I have no reservations with him as the veep. I'm trying to remember which judicial hearings that he came off so shrill and overmatched by the witnesses, but I have also seen him attack issues with a straightforward honesty that is rare. All that remains of the convention now is Obama's speech.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Jack's 7; Ariel in the Brooks Range

Jack had a wonderful birthday morning. Happy Birthday greetings from Ry. Song. Presents. Balloons. By the time he had to leave for school, many cousins and other family and friends of Cyndi's had already called to wish him happy birthday. They're very good about that. Tonight it's tempura shrimp (Jack's new craze) and birthday cake with family. Saturday is the party day.

Ariel returned from a week backpacking in the Brooks Range with Chris. They have pics posted. Follow their link on the home page. Now they're in a cabin in the Alaskan Range.

Here's a preview.




Sunday, August 10, 2008

Brooks Range

Ariel and Chris left today on a plane to go backpacking in the Brooks Range in northern Alaska. They're flying into Bettles, a town of about 40, where they'll pick up bear cans from the rangers, then hop on a bush plane (air taxi). The plane will land on a lake and then rendezvous a week later on another lake (longer, the better able to lift off). Chris' parents have a gps linkup, so they can be located, just in case.

Jack starts school on Tuesday, and Ry starts preschool a week later. They're playing in a new, inflatable pirate ship pool (end of season discount!) that we'll set up for Jack's birthday, along with another pool and a "sweet" slip and slide.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Finally

I finally finished that long blog about our trip. Lots of words for so few days. One night I couldn't sleep and mapped that blog out in my head. It's done, and the photo shows are up, too.

We were going camping this weekend, but now I think not. School starts soon, and Jackson's birthday is right around the corner.

(Shhh, he's getting the laptop he's been asking for since before Christmas. An extravagance, I think. I think this age group is the new market. The consumers are getting younger. I think it will be good for him in the long run. Poor Ry, he's happy with a little car or train or a baseball cap, and gets Jack's handmedowns in toys. Jack's already decided that both of them should get a Nintendo DS for Christmas, which is not nearly as extravagant an idea and they play appropriate games.)

Jackson is back at piano lessons, and they both finished two weeks of swimming lessons. Jack went to a casting call for a feature film last week. Cyndi's friend heard about the part and encouraged sending headshots to the casting director.

I talked with Ariel. Jennifer and Jacques were visiting her.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Children's Bicycles and the Princess

Continuing our little electronic scrapbook: it reminds me of scrapbooks I made when I was a kid, stuffed with black and white photographs held down by black paper corners, along with brochures, sometimes whole books, maps, and ticket stubs I collected on our trips. No brochures here, but maybe some links that in a little time will not link. After this narration, there should be three photoshows. The first is pictures from the 4th of July, when the boys joined a parade on training wheels and a tricycle. The last is pictures from our recent trip. In between are pictures Ariel sent over three or four emails that went out to many people. I don't include her comments from her emails or all of the pictures, but generally they show some of her mountaineering trips and then her bicycle trek from Fairbanks, through the Yukon and British Columbia, to the ferry at Haines. In all, some 700 miles of scenery, gravel, wind, bears and a few good souls. She took the ferry to Juneau to my brother's family and then returned with her cousins to Wasilla. From there, she biked up to Fairbanks and is now safely at home, waiting for Chris to return from training. Chris will be deployed soon to Iraq and Ariel will return, at least briefly, to New Mexico, before beginning some new adventure in her developing career. God speed, Chris.

I enjoy driving our Durango on road trips. I like the room. I've been working on a story that begins with a family returning from a trip. It's the literary stream of consciousness that I enjoy--the scenery constantly unfolding in front of you and the luxury, so rare it is now, of having so much time for an internal dialogue, jumping from one thing to another, sorting through things, while surrounded by the music on the radio and my family. Cyndi sits beside me, plugged into her i-pod, a new book or magazine on her lap, closing her eyes, meditating. The boys are in the middle row, with a DVD player sitting between them. Rylee watches the show and then drifts into his own little imaginary world. He can entertain himself. Jackson, on the other hand, wants to be entertained or to entertain others. He measures the trip in units of recorded Disney Playhouse episodes. A destination may be only a movie away.

Cyndi wanted to get a head start on our little trip, so we left Wednesday night to get in a few miles before stopping. We filled up the tank for about $100 and we got remarkably good mileage for an SUV. I didn't want to stay overnight in Gallup or Holbrook or Winslow or even Flagstaff. (I'm not crazy about Flagstaff as a destination, but the university there has a fabulous NPR station that covers the entire width of northern Arizona.) I remembered that Window Rock was only about 20 miles outside of Gallup and there was a respectable motel and restaurant there.

Just before Gallup there is a truck stop I have always stopped at, but it seems to be getting run down. I put some gas in the tank, which would take us all the way to Phoenix from that point. I bought some milks and snacks, and it came to $6.66, the number of the beast in Revelations, and "the number of a man." The former number for the highway going north from Gallup, which is used to get to Window Rock, was 666, a tributary of the old Highway 66. It's fun stuff, but you never know.

We got a very nice rate for the motel in Window Rock, and the people were so kind despite our rambunctious boys jumping up and down in the booth after our drive. The evening was beautiful and cool. Our stay there included a good breakfast in the morning.

The next morning we started early. Our plan was to get to Sedona early enough to spend the day there. But before leaving the Navajo Nation, we visited the Window Rock in the administrative area. Then it was a very short drive to St. Michael's and south from there to get back on I-40. The drive on the country highway through the reservation was beautiful--a good road, light traffic, horses on the shoulder, hogans and sheep corrals, fields of green sage, forests of Ponderosa.

An easy detour in all. We arrived too late and left too early to visit the arts & crafts market next door. On other trips with Ariel and Sarah, we visited the Hopi lands farther west and Canyon de Chelly slightly north and west from Window Rock. We saw a powwow at the fairgrounds, the men drumming, the women dancing in the long skirts that swished and jingled. I was a guest in Window Rock one summer during law school and ran in the canyon behind the Window Rock. I have a coyote story based on one of my runs. (Another coyote story is based on an encounter with a skunk in La Cienega, outside Santa Fe.)

We were on the freeway again. Arizona, but not the Navajo Nation, was on Pacific time that day, so we gained an hour. It was early enough to listen to Morning Edition on the radio, heading west toward Flagstaff. There's a stop I always take. It's exit 311 or 331, I always forget, but it's the Petrified Forest National Park/Painted Desert exit. As you approach it in either direction, there's nothing but desert expanse and a few petrified logs, but you can see a little oasis of living trees on a hill on the north side of the freeway. It can't be more than a quarter of a mile off the freeway exit. There's a Harvey House restaurant (you can plan on a good breakfast there once the gate opens in the morning) with a gift shop, a museum staffed with helpful rangers, plenty of clean bathrooms, a gas station with a tiny grocery store, and plenty of space to walk around or picnic. I noticed for the first time that trucks aren't allowed off the exit, which, along with its isolation, makes it a pleasant stop. Not your typical roadside attraction, tourist trap, truck stop, or rest area.

We took the highway south out of Flagstaff to Phoenix and then, almost immediately, the exit to Sedona. Right off the exit is Jackson's Grill, so we stopped for a picture. I have heard that it is a good restaurant but didn't know it was so accessible. The road enters forest and then winds down into the canyon until you reach the river. In the distance, you can begin to see the red buttes of Sedona.

We had made several plans. We had been to Sedona before and gone to the charming Tlaquepaque, with its dining and shopping. We also saw a concert one evening in an open-air amphitheater. There's good places to eat, a vortex or two to find, and lots of scenic hiking and mountain biking trails. I was determined, at least, to stop at Slide Rock, which is about 8 miles before Sedona.

Slide Rock is a great place. It's a state park with a small fee for the day. Very clean, very maintained. A small parking lot. We got there about 10ish and the lot was almost full. I could tell that only a few more would get in without an excruciating wait. From the lot it's a relatively short walk past restrooms to change in and a small store. We climbed down the stairs to the river.

The river, shallow for the most part, flows over a bed of solid, and very slick, rock. We tried wading across at the bottom of the stairs, just atop a small waterfall, to find shade on the other side. That was tricky and, as we discovered later, unnecessary because there's a little bridge part way up the river. As we crossed we looked upstream. There must have been hundreds of people in the canyon, mostly small children and their parents. Some were sitting in pools, some sliding in the rush of water, some jumping off a ledge into a pool, and others just walking around or sitting along the rocky banks. Jackson rushed ahead while Rylee and I sat on the bridge, climbed over small rocks, and waded in the shallow pools. Cyndi went after Jack.

The spot Jackson found was a long and wild natural slide. The water rushed through a narrow chute. Jackson and I went together the first time. My butt was a bit wider than the chute, so it was a struggle for me to slide. Meanwhile, other children would easily slide by, skimming on top of the wet rock, some on their bellies. And just as I would slip through the chute, the water would dump me into a little pool and quickly carry me to the next bit of narrow chute. That was the real thrill. Jack loved it.

At one point, I was standing on the slippery rock next to the chute and was about to help Jackson up when in one split second, with no chance to correct myself, I went from a standing position to my belly. Cyndi was alarmed. Did I break any teeth? Jackson was the first to start laughing when it was immediately apparent that I was perfectly okay. Cyndi started laughing, too. And Ry, who always manages to appreciate any attempt at humor, laughed along with them. I even laughed.

It reminded me of a time in Panama. David, a friend of ours, and I were swinging on long vines in the jungle across the street from our house. We'd lug the vine up the steep hill and then swing out through the jungle. Each time, the vine became muddier until I had another turn. As the vine reached the opposite arc of its swing, I slid right off the end, flying through the air, and disappearing into the jungle. When I got up, thankful I was miraculously okay, I looked up and there on the hill were David and our friend doubled over in laughter.

In all, we spent at least a couple of hours in the river. I think we must have seen about a 1/2-mile of the canyon, all rock, with red canyon walls beyond. On the way out, we bought some juice popsicles at the store and the boys changed out of their wet clothes at the car.

Driving into Sedona from that direction is a disappointment to me. It looks like a tourist trap you find almost anywhere, the main street lined with shops selling t-shirts and chocolate fudge. But once you hit the "Y", there's lots of options. We drove up to the airport, which sits on top of a big mesa, giving you a 360-degree view of the red rocks. We didn't stay and turned around. We found a crystal shop for Cyndi (this is one side of the Sedona mystique), and then figured we didn't have time for any hikes or other adventures in Sedona on this trip.

We followed 89A a short distance out of Sedona and then onto the road to Page Springs. It's a short distance to a small valley, and the town seems to be mostly a state fish hatchery and three wineries. We stopped at the middle winery, called Oak Creek, across from the hatchery. It was a nice place, new, with a friendly hostess (the owner, I think) and a small selection of gourmet oils and vinegars. We only managed to taste a white Viognier. The boys were anxious to get to the hotel, and Cyndi and I just looked at each other and knew it was time to go. I bought a bottle of the Viognier. It's still unopened.

It's a quick drive continuing on down the road to the main highway to Phoenix, but then still 90 miles or so until we'd reach the hotel. The highway is much more hilly and mountainous than I thought. It was hot, but the drive was easy. I don't remember what was on the radio. We had our usual mixes on CDs, and I remember playing Madeleine Peyroux on the trip and even La Boheme, not Cyndi's favorites. She had her meditations, the Dali Lama, and Sugarland on her i-pod. The boys were playing Playhouse Disney and Thomas the Train on their DVD player, and I think they brought a few DVDs from the library with them, too.

I told someone at a stop way back in New Mexico that we were going to Phoenix. She said she was sorry. Summer, of course, is not the time to go to Phoenix. I'd love to go in the spring, and catch the baseball spring training games. But the rates are terrific in the summer, and this trip was planned around the State Bar convention being held there. When it was announced at the start of the year that the the convention would be held at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, lauded as a 5 diamond resort, I immediately told Cyndi and booked their standard room. When it came time in late spring to sign up for the convention, I paid the fee. Now, we were fairly committed to a short vacation. Potentially, I could get almost a year's worth of continuing education credits for the price of less than a day's course anywhere else.

We've managed to have a few short vacations in resort hotels at substantially reduced fares during their off seasons. Beaver Creek in early fall, long before the ski bunnies arrive; the Broadmoor in the early spring, before the summer duffers and the family pools open. It's a real treat for us.

We drove up to the porte-cochere, and Cyndi and the boys ran inside to use the bathrooms. The front desk upgraded our room to a casita (more children friendly?) and I bumped into a friend from Albuquerque, now a judge, who had a miserable tale of car troubles and a late start. Cyndi, the boys and I left our car tere and went over to the convention center right away. I registered, while the boys collected the free swag from the trade show vendors. I went ahead and also bought four tickets for the Saturday night baseball game, the last tickets. Forty-five dollars a pop included the bus ride. Thinking in advance the Mastercard campaign: Tickets to the game, $180.00; the first round of hot dogs, fries and beer, $42; baseball caps, $36; holding Ry on my shoulders singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" with 40,000 and counting the balls and strikes with Jack in the top of the 9th, with 2 outs and the tying run on third, priceless.

The boys loved the hotel. One of the things they loved was getting rides on the carts. The bellmen would take you everywhere. Jack would ride in the front and talk with the driver. He had a fan from the trade vendors that spritzed water, so naturally the drivers were spritzed, too. If we were walking and one came along after dropping someone off, they'd always ask if we wanted a ride. We always took it. For the boys, it was an amusement ride, and for a $2 tip it was worth it.

The bellman who helped with our luggage gave us a little tour on the cart the first evening. The architecture is the old-style Spanish colonial (or is it Mediterranean?) that you would find in southern California. Lots of palm trees. We were in the casitas area, quaint villas of six to eight rooms each. There was a small pool nestled amongst the casitas. We went there the first night, late, and the water felt like a hot tub, as warm as the air. There's a lagoon with lawn games set up nearby and fishing, but we only saw it used the last night when the temperature dropped below triple digits. It was just too darn hot to play outside without a bathing suit. A TPC golf course borders the hotel. There are several beautiful gardens and flower beds throughout the grounds and here and there niches with flowering flower pots, tables and chairs. Wonderful places to enjoy the Arizona climate in the fall, winter or spring.

There was an outdoor bar, which in the morning served on-the-run or stop-and-read breakfast items. The boys and I got cereal and coffee there on Friday morning. A bistro at the hotel has indoor dining as well as tables looking out at a pool. We ate there Thursday night after we arrived. It had a family dining room--you only were seated there if you wanted to--that had a playroom attached to it, complete with Disney movies and puzzles and Thomas the Train and bean bag chairs. We actually had the room by ourselves, although another child ventured in from the other room. The boys ate a little, then played, and then ate again, then played again, while Cyndi and I drank wine and ate. The food wasn't extraordinary.

I had made reservations for La Hacienda for Friday night. It is a rare 4 diamond Mexican restaurant that sits apart from the main building. It was an absolute delight and not nearly as expensive as I anticipated. I asked for the earliest seating. The boys behaved well, and the service was supreme. The food has Yucatan influences and was fabulous. The boys split a couple of choices off the children's menu. (I think there was a soft chicken taco, maybe a cheese quesadilla.) Cyndi and I had prickly pear margaritas--yummy--and an ahi tuna jicama taco appetizer, which just disappeared. Cyndi had a shrimp entree, which she loved and asked for the recipe. I couldn't help it: I had a New York steak adobado. We have a pork adovado here in New Mexico. I preferred my dinner that Friday night. The boys drank yupbideer (Ry's word for root beer) and I ordered another traditional Margarita, with Don Julio, their blanco, and ended with a perfect espresso. We were happy. Cyndi ducked into the neighboring spa on our way out, I talked with some friends who were just on their way in, one of whom I hadn't seen for maybe 15 years, and then we walked to our room to get ready for more Friday night fun.

I can't leave without mentioning, again, another day with Don Julio. On Ariel's and my second family cruise to Mexico, the first for Cyndi and Jackson, we stopped in Puerto Villarta and the entire family headed in taxis down the malecon and fairly straight-away to an open-air restaurant that sits along the river next to the island of artists and across the street from a large mercado. Our family, or maybe it was David, discovered it on the family trip before. Cyndi, Ariel, Jackson and I found everyone there, sitting around tables. There were only a few other people at this time of day, many waiters, a marimba player, the owner, and a couple of iguanas down by the river. After some beers and some appetizers, many of the moms, aunts, nieces, sisters and daughters decided to go to the mercado across the street. I remember it being Cyndi's suggestion, though Gary and Dad and David quickly took up the idea, that we should do tequila shots. Dad thought this sounded fun. So we ordered a round, toasted saluds to someone's health or wealth, and drank them down heartily. I think there was a second round. Meanwhile, Jackson was playing his ukelele with the marimba player. He stood there strumming and doing a little dance right next to the musician, and the marimba player sang and played along. When the tequila was done, and only dads, uncles, nephews, brothers and sons remained, Cyndi prepared to leave for the mercado. She put on her hat and said goodbye to Jack. The owner saw her about to leave. He walked into the busy city street and stopped the buses and cars and trucks so Cyndi could walk across the street from his restaurant. The waiter told me the tequila was Don Julio, the best.

In addition to the casitas pool, there were four other pools. One at the spa I never saw. The other three were the Sonoran Splash, the East Pool and the South Pool. The boys practically lived at the Sonoran Splash pool. It had a zero entry, with little fountains, and lots of shallow areas, so Rylee could easily enjoy most of the pool. He played with a little surfer jeep and played in the jets. It had two slides, which Jackson loved. Rylee was actually the first person on Friday morning to go down the slide when the pool opened. I met him at the bottom, and it wasn't something Rylee wanted to do again, even if he loved it. Jackson didn't stop. He met other children sliding. He would slide with his snorkel and mask. He became fast friends with the female lifeguards.

I opted out of the convention on Friday morning. It was mostly plenary sessions, and I even skipped the keynote speaker. I never heard much about those later, so I don't think I missed anything. If I did, I could see them Sunday morning on video replay. Instead, I took the boys to the pool. We swam. Jackson slid. They split a hamburger and fries and a banana-strawberry smoothie for lunch on a table by the pool under the shade of the palm trees. They repeated that morning routine with Cyndi on Saturday and again on Sunday.

On Friday night, after our gourmet Mexican meal, we went to the East Pool for "dive-in" movie night. We parked our gear on the one lounge chair still not taken and sat in the water. It was much more refreshing than the casita pool the night before. (I heard more than once that the pools are stocked with ice in the summer.) It was dark, of course, and a big screen had been set up above a gate at the end of the pool. "Chicken Run", a stop-action animated film about chickens trying to escape from a coop, was playing. Cyndi and I ordered white Russians and sat in the pool, along the edge. Cyndi knew the wife of the judge I saw at the front desk and they chatted for a while. Ry and I sat on a ledge in the pool, while Cyndi and Jackson floated on clear innertubes, and we watched the movie until it ended and it was time to call it a day.

On Saturday night, after the baseball game, we went to the South Pool. By Saturday, it had cooled off a bit. It had to be very late, but there were some other people in the pool. There was a slight breeze, a full and bright moon, and in the distance you could see storm clouds and heat lightening. Cyndi sat in a lounge chair next to Rylee as he began to fall asleep wrapped in a pool towel. Cyndi sipped a glass of wine we poured in our room, while Jackson and I found a raft and floated around the pool.

So that's the tour of the resort, but we haven't found our room yet.

When we first arrived at our casita, I began to unload the bags from the car, which I could park close by. The bellman came with his cart and loaded them to take to the room. Jackson had hurried ahead with his card key and was impatient for me to see the room. We were astonished. The room was huge, with two fluffy beds at one end, a sitting area with couches and chairs and desks at the other end, and a fireplace and entertainment bureau in the middle. A small patio faced the western sky that afternoon and the open door sabotaged the air conditioning. And then Jackson showed me the bathroom.

We have an annual "Parade of Homes" during which contractors, architects, designers, owners and everyone else with a pot shows off new homes. The paraded homes always have very ostentatious master and guest bathrooms, a suite really of vanity rooms, water closets, jacuzzi baths, walk-in showers, and walk-in closets with built in cabinets. That was our casita.

Jackson had already set up the chess table in the middle of the room by an ottoman and Rylee had dumped all of the trains and other toys from the toy bags we brought into the middle of the room. We were now set to enjoy a little vacation.

There was a reception that night, but we didn't go. We enjoyed our room, had dinner at the bistro, and went for a night-time dip in the pool. Our room never cooled off that first night.

I have always wanted to treat Cyndi to a spa day, so this time I worked it into the budget and reserved a massage and a facial for her Friday morning. I thought that would be the best time for me to get away from the convention. The spa is also world class by reputation. I told Cyndi she should go as early as she could and stay as late as she could. She couldn't imagine being away from the boys for 6 hours, but she later said that the time flew. Cyndi should tell this tale, but this is what I gathered. After checking in and touring the spa, there was an early morning, and strenuous, yoga class, followed by saunas and steam rooms and waterfall jacuzzis, then massage, followed by some lounging, perhaps tea or fruit, then a facial, followed by a pre-ordered lunch, indoors I think, by the spa pool. Cyndi loved it, and it was worth it in marriage points.

Meanwhile, the boys and I walked past the tennis courts early enough to hear the pop of balls in play and had our breakfast of cereal and coffee. We walked to the pool with the slides and met the lifeguard along the way.

Friday afternoon and Saturday morning was continuing education for me, mostly bench and bar seminars and trial practice classes. Good. I joined Cyndi and the boys poolside at lunch. The CLE ended midafternoon and it gave us about an hour to gather up the boys and board the buses to Chase Field.

I think this was my fourth major league game. There was the Astros in the Astrodome in the 60s, the Braves with Ariel in their old park, and the Giants with Cyndi and Jackson in their foggy new park. Our seats weren't great. I thought the bar would do better, but it was fun nonetheless. The Diamondbacks were playing the LA Dodgers. The teams were tied in first place in their division, although both were slightly under 500. A huge Dodgers fan crowd was present, so there was plenty of yelling back and forth. Dodgers and Diamondbacks must be a natural new rivalry, with fans from LA driving to Phoenix or relocating there.

There's a player for the D-Backs, no. 34, Conor Jackson. He made a spectacular catch on the wall and hit a home run early in the game. The D-Backs seemed to be in command of the game.

I made a run for huge corn dogs and polish dogs and fries and tall beers, and later we all went to get Rylee a Diamondbacks cap. Cyndi and I got another beer. The boys got ice cream, and Jackson got a fan. The blades lit up when they turned and said, "Go D-Backs". It lasted a few days. Rylee still has his cap, and he and I will watch some Diamondbacks games on the television.

At the top of the ninth, Jackson noticed the scoreboard and we talked about how to read it and then correlated that to the action on the field, which was getting hot. LA was making a drive. A run was scored, a triple was hit into left field, a batter walked. So Jackson and I talked about the outs, the runners, the strikes and balls. When the tying run was on third, the whole stadium was on its feet and everyone was yelling and clapping. Every pitch was cheered.

Well, LA lost that night and we made our slow way to the buses.

Sunday morning, I drove early to get some coffee and some breakfast from off-campus. The coffee wasn't particularly good at the resort, and there weren't good breakfast options I could find. (I did order a nice room-service breakfast for Cyndi and the boys Saturday morning.)  While Cyndi and the boys ate the breakfast and went swimming again, I sat for one video replay. The front desk that morning was being a little curt and unbudging about extending our check-out time. Reminded me of the airport in Hawaii. All smiles and flowers and lovely music when you arrive; now get the heck out when you're departing, you cows. We packed our car, set up the DVD player, and left.

On our way out, we stopped at a nearby Whole Foods to pick up lunch and snacks for the road. There were samples of some kind of organic, coco-puffs looking cereal being handed out as we entered the store. But one of the puffs had peanut butter. Jackson did have a reaction, a slight swelling in the throat and runny sinuses for about an hour later, but fortunately not the shut down we fear. A good lesson for us to be vigilant. Typically, we always ask, and Jackson in particular always asks. Somehow, we slipped.

Down the road was a Costco that was selling gas at something around $3.59, which was unbelievably low then, so we filled up and headed north. It began to rain, and it rained all the way through northern Arizona, making the drive cooler. We stopped at Little America in Flagstaff for a break. I don't remember if we ever stopped again, but we must have stopped somewhere. The traffic was light, it was dark, and we made good time home.

Photoshow of Fourth and

Photoshow of More Ariel Alaska Adventures

Photoshow of Princess