Lynette (far right with the "BMC" on her vest) almost blends in with the reflectiveness of the morning.

Race official.

OK, thats a little clearer. Lynette, second from the right, at the START line.

And there OFF! Lynnette already jockying for second slot.

Josh waits for Karina.

Whatever is making him smile now, he will soon forget. As fit as he may be, this will bring him some pain.

Karina is the second one in, with the hat. What a trooper, she would have been here over a half hour ago if the officials hadn't made her wait to start because the exchange wasn't set up yet. We couldn't help it that Bobbi crused so darned fast!

Come on Karina!

Karina hands off to Josh and Van 2's journey begins.

Hmm, gorgeous views all along the way.

Hollie showcases the anti-black-bugger bandana she may be forced to wear on her leg.

Here he comes.

Now he's passed five/six walkers and left Off Your Walker in the lead and with no one for Hollie to pass.

Josh hands off to Hollie.

She heads out for an antagonizing leg.

We sit and admire the beautiful view from the air conditioned van as we ponder Hollie's trek.

The van as we wait for our tiny red dot to appear on the hillside. Patty is there is the only one visible in the van.

Hmm. Where's Hollie

There she is! Our tiny red dot has arrived, powing up the hill ponytail a-flyin'!

Hot, uphill, gravel, racing to keep the others from catching up...What more could you ask for?

Here she comes just a stomping up the hill! (Do Wah Diddy Dada Dum Dada Doo!?)

She had a couple of the hardest legs! 90% Uphill, and 100% of the uphill is hot and gravel. One jerk kept driving back and forth as fast as she could, sending gravel dust up for miles. What a bee_atch! Hollie outproformed for real!

Looks as if she's only strolling along, but she is moving fast enough to not let any single walker within sight.

OK, job well done, Hollie hands off to Heather who is smiling??

Heather is setting such an awesome pace, but somehow here, she looks like she's walking?

OUCH! Here Heather is telling how nasty and persitent the bees are. One just stung her below the left shin! Thanks to God it was Heather and not Lynnette!

Heather hands off to Shannon.

Go Shannon! Go!

Heather is a sport and posses for a picture even though she's ready for a nap. Leg completed!

Beautiful views abound on this trip.

Here comes Shannon. What a stride! This leg was almost 7 miles!

Almost done...

Here comes Patty!

Closer now...

She's listening to her music and not noticing that I'm snapping pictures.

Ahhh. Now she sees the van and the camera. She had her CamelBack on, so we didn't need to get her any water. She's in such good shape, I think she might even go for the run next year, along with Heather.

The end?? of my pictures anyway

Karina hands off to Josh.

Wooahh! Way too fast! Josh hands off to Hollie.

Hmmmm. I seem to have missed the Hollie/Heather exchange. I was so out of it by then that Patty had to drive as I spent the time halucinating and drifting into unconciousness. Here, after I've regained my sanity, is Heather handing off to Shannon.

Shannon hands off to Patty. Then there are no more pictures from my camera since I was the next leg and the finish line.

Star Trek Cat Fight

I just thought this was hysterical!

Good Morning

Ok, I'm up at six in the morning.  Can't ever seem to sleep in on the weekends anymore when Lexie is at her Dad's.  It's a little odd.  If she is here, I can sleep in, but when she's gone, I'm restless and up early doing all kinds of chores and reading.  So, this morning I got up at 5:30am and put in the movie Desparado, Rrrrrrooow!   Put Fifth Element back on the shelf, and promptly went out back to read.  Yeah, yeah I know, why put a movie in and not watch it.  Some strange new habit of mine.  Ever since Lexie's dad and I went our separate ways, I stopped watching TV almost completely.  I have no desire for it except for movies.  I think it was all the nights Frank and I just sat there watching and watching, barely talking except to discuss what was or wasn't interesting to watch.  Yuck!  Anyway, the first weekend Lex stayed with Frank, I put in a Harry Potter movie from the last book I had read, since I was reading The Half Blood Prince.  So, the whole weekend, I read and when I wasn't reading or doing house stuff, I was watching the movie.  Never the whole movie in one sitting, just pieces of it.  That new trend has continued, and so far I've had two Potter weekends, a DeJavu weekend, I Robot, and this weekend was going to be Fifth Element.  But this morning I walked past Desparado and put it in, so now it's playing in the background while I blog.  Earlier I was outside watching the sun come up behind the clouds and listening to the rain as I read the final book of three of the Golden Compass, the Subtle Knife, and Amber Spyglass.  Very good. 

 

Had a great day yesterday, got up early, did some housework, went tanning, went to the store, and met Mom.  We did a great little hike around Jenkins Estate.  I absolutley love Mom time, I hope she comes with me anytime she wants.  I love my Mommy!  Everyone should be so blessed to have as great parents as I do.  Funny, smart, whitty, creative, loving, caring, whew!  Then I came home, more housework, fill the bird feeder, laundry, reading, lunch, then a nap.  Sigh.

 

I love the sun, it's warmth, energy, vitamins, happiness, but...I will always love the rain.  It was so welcome to me last night.  I had heard rumor from local weather that it would rain this weekend, so I opened my bedroom window.  What a reward, around 11:00pm last night I woke to heavy rain falling on the covered back deck.  The smell, the air, the sound.  I love water, and water from the sky is crisp, cleans the air, feeds the plants, whew.  So, this morning I got up and read out on the back deck listening to the rain.  In fact...I came in just to pay a couple bills, look at MyFamily.com, blog, and then I'll be back out there, then breakfast, nap, reading, store, and then off to pick up my little angel.

 

I'm excited about the Portland to Coast.  I'll only work Mon-Wed, then Thursday, Lex Grammy and I will drive down to Salem to pick up the van.  Then Friday morning at 3:00am, the westside members of my team will show up at my house and we'll all drive down to the Hawthorne bridge to see Lynette off at the start line.  Our team is named "Off Your Walker" and the walkers include, myself, Shannon, Heather, Patty, Hollie, Josh, Karina, Lynette, Bobbi, Shelli, Sujata, and Katie.  Mom, Aunt Christine, and Hollie's sister-in-law Misty are all volunteering at exchange 20 on Pittsburgh road in the costal range.  Mom will take Lexie at 3:00am Friday when we set off. Then she will get Lex to the Thicket where my Dad, her Grandpa will watch her while Mom and Chris volunteer. I'm excited!

 

Word(s) of the day: SPORRAN

Today I'm grateful for Lex, Mom and Dad, Tiki, Turkey, Chikita, Midda, Griff, water, rain, good books, good activities, water and rain.

New way to post??

Checking out a feature new (to me), posting via email…

 

 

Playin with a travelin band...

Sunday, we went to Ladd Acres School softball playing field to watch the Blue Angels in the air show. The flight pattern for the show means that the jets have to fly low and often directly over the school. It was awesome. Would have been a little smarter of us to show up at 3:00pm, when the Angels part began, but we were there shortly after 10:00am. But it was a pleasant day out at the park. Lexie and Lucas enjoyed the day. I put the camera away right before the main show, but was glad to be able just to watch. I think Dana got some pictures on his phone that I’m hoping he’ll email to me.

Awesome books; Outlander and Golden Compass

Today I'm grateful for Lex, Mom and Dad, PDAs, PTC, iPod, books and stories, particles, friends, and water.

Lexie went to the dentist yesterday morning. Here she is with her two baby dolls which she has named Lucas (in blue) and Lexie (pink). The hygensist loaned her the sunglasses to shade from the working light. This is her getting her flouride treatment. Something Borgish this way comes.

Update

Forgot to mention in my last post...The DVRC is awesome. Elliot is teaching Filial Therapy, bascically, I am learning how to do play therapy with Lex. It is about equal as to who is benefitting more from this, me or Lex. Once or twice a week, we spend thirty minutes of play time with the toys granted from the project. She loves it, I love it, we both look forward to it, and I can't begin to describe what we've gained from it. Well, I'll try to begin describing anyway. The biggest thing is the bond. We already had a strong one, but this is immensly making it stronger. I am learning communication skills that help me so much! She is getting a set time that she is in control and teaching her how to be in control. I hope so much that one day all parents can get this for themselves. This class and all its benefits are priceless!

Lex also had her first session with counselor Amy. Lexie came out happy and loving it, gave Amy a big hug and said she couldn't wait to go back. Awesome!

Lex got her second award for student of the week. She goes to the best preschool I could have imagined, I can't thank Ms. Amy enough for being the best teacher, or Tonya enough for being a friend and directing us there.

Anywhooo...It's almost 11:00pm, so I better see what's behind those eyelids of mine. Forgot to mention in my gratitude list, DREAMS.....

Good Evening to you, then! Potter Fest continues.

Saturday night, about 10:00PM. I've just finished book one, The Golden Compass, and Tiki is trying to nuzzle my fingers as I type. He is always in front of the monitor when I'm at the computer. Funny. He's purring away and trying to get me to cuddle, but when I pick him up, he just wants out of my grip again. He just wants to be a part or something, not held, just here. So I stop typing now and again to scritch and nuzzle him back, and he's happy with that.

Books I've read this year, the year I am free....All the Harry Potter books, my favorites, a silly book and the DVRC, "Twisted Banana" an older kids book, "Northern Lights" Nora Roberts, listened to "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress", "Never Let Me Go", and my so far one of my favorites, "The Outlander". Oooooohhhh! I love stories.

On the weekends that Lex is staying at her dad's, it is a movie Potter Fest. I am so taken in with her stories, she is an absolute (insert the biggest word you can think of here) of a story teller. Now, in my mind a story teller is the best of arts and skills. I can think of no other gift so grand, other than listening and imagining. So, Friday night, Sorcerers Stone played over and over, and today it is the Chamber of Secrets. Since I watch no television, save for movies, anymore, the TV only plays and replays movies when Lex isn't here.

Since Wednesday Lex and I watched the Little Mermaid two or three times (once we both fell asleep on the couch during) so ever since, I've had the soundtrack playing in my head. "...under the sea....under the sea.."

Word(s) of the day for Friday, since I didn't Blog, but thought of it: ULCERATED FUNGULATING SORE

Yuck! some of the things you get to read about at my work...

Today was the PTC captains meeting. Awesome change that Nike took over from Fred Meyers. Love them both, but Nike is better. Aside from the working difference, one being a food and whatever else store, the other being a fitness and shoe guru, the campus at Nike is amazing. I took Griff to the meeting, got sidetracked on the way there 'cuz I saw someone on Jay street coming off what looked like a trail head with her dog. Paused, rolled the window down and inquired about good dog walking. She pointed out that the Nike campus has a full on trail all around, dog on leash policy. I went on to the campus, parked in the event parking, walked past a beautiful stone/water display with a monsterous marble ball rolling in the fountain water, into the "Tiger Wood" building, picked up my race packet, team shirts, and roadkill magnets. Back to car, back to Jay street, parked and took Griff on a great walk in what is but couldn't be recognized as, downtown Beaverton. Nike turned a marshland into a business campus with trails, both asphalt and wood chip, in all directions. Jenkins Estate two miles north from our house, Nike campus two and a half miles East. Yummy. I walked Griff only a small piece. It is beautiful, but at 10:00am also semi-crowded with runners, about one every three minutes. Griff is still young and a little unpredictable when it comes to people charging up to us (as he sees it). He will get used to it though. Only one time when a smallish women ran up on us did he lunge. Freaked me out, her more, I'm quite sure. The thing is that I was on the cell phone with Mom and not paying attention. After I learned my lesson, I talked him through each human contact, running mostly, and after about a quarter of a mile, his interest in bipeds lessened. Good. We'll be back there, probably more like 7:00am though. It is a wonderful trail.

Last night I gave Griff a bath, he loved it.

So, now I have just finished the first book, Golden Compass, movie coming out this year, and since I took a five hour nap today, sleep is well off. If Lex was here, we'd be playing the new fish game or just tangling around jumping, but she's not...I love her so. Still nice to have a "book" day to myself, and I really thing Griff loves the attention. Tomorrow I'll be having a grand day with Mom and Aunt Chris. Then to change the oil in the Pathfinder, then to pick up Lex. Last Monday, Grammy Lex and I wen to Pizza Schmizza at Tanasbourne. She loved it and has quite and affection for the wonderfully painted Zebra out front. Maybe I'll take her there for dinner after I pick her up.

Today I'm gratefuel for....EVERYTHING: Lex, Mom, Dad, Griffen, Friends, Zebras, STORIES!!!, iPod, music, Audible, Nike, plants, water, cats, Harry Potter and what-her-name that storied him up, writers and their imaginations, air conditioning, trails and trail makers, magnets, DVRC, stacks, food, coolers, campsites, the ocean, water, sand, and life.