Been a while

Sorry it has been a while, but here are a few updates.
Still looking for work, but staying busy most of the time.
Attic work is slow. I've done some painting with the help of my mother in law, Bob has put up lights, and we might get to the backerboard in the shower tonight.
I've been volunteering with the Kitzhaber and Schrader campaigns and calling voters is hard. 50 my first day and then 38 today.
Went to a class with my sister and dad last weekend about land management, garden pests, composting toilets and trees and much was learned.
I might be my professional board's (AIA) president elect next year. I've been secretary the last two.
I'm enjoying Pilates on Tuesday and Thursdays and hope to swim with Cait on Monday's.
This week I'm looking forward to a lecture Thursday about whales and critter cams that are attached to them and a tour of the State Hospital on Friday.

Willamette National Forest

Pretty falls and tasty mushrooms while the boys mountain bike.

Attic goes on

Even though I am unemployed, we have decided to continue moving forward with our remodel. We already had most of these costs figured into our budget, we'll see when it comes to the next step though. Here are the most recent pictures!













Future Bedroom!














Future Bathroom, Closet area, and a little helper!

Driving him Crazy

It has been a while since Bob and I were both home and shared an office for more than a weekend. This is day 3 and I already think I'm driving him crazy. I promise, I am very quiet, but I think even my footsteps or typing cause him to sigh in frustration as he tries to focus on his work. Dude, does he think about what he sounds like to me?

My turn...

I had tried to avoid it, I even moved firms at a risky time, but I've now been laid off. The real bummer isn't the missing paycheck it is that I actually liked my job. I liked my co-workers, the quirky bosses and even the love hate relationship with the developers we work with. I felt I was fitting in which I definitely did not at my last office (you may remember: boys club to the extreme). I know most firms in town have laid off, the state isn't hiring, and the Portland market is even worse. I'm not sure I can handle a bad firm or a bad job and I can't afford to do something i love that pays in beans because my unemployment check is a better deal. So help me brainstorm, help me dream because sometimes it is hard to think when you really need to.

Bob and I went to visit my grandparents last night and I wanted to snap this photo, for me and for my grandma. This is what love is.

Cider Making

A Friday night spent squeezing apples. Bob and I were there too, but behind the scenes I guess. Now we wait for 2 months...

I saw him sitting there, but I didn't want to believe it was him. He was bent over in a chair and looked so small. My grandpa has Alzheimers and he has for a while, but now he is slowly dying. I see my grandma more often, probably because it is easier, but it had been a couple weeks since I visited him. So we went into the dining room, sat down next to him, and tried to get him to drink a protein shake. He is down to 125 lbs, his skin is dry and bleeds easily, his hair is almost gone. Sometimes he answers you when you ask him a question, but mostly he is quiet. The room had nurses running around and other people eating, but he was by himself. I was aware of everything around me and knew this isn't what anyone should go through. He drank the strawberry shake for me only because i kept asking over and over while Bob tried to just tell him things we were doing because we can't sit there in silence. I teared up several times as I am now. Where is the strong man who always had engine grease under his fingernails? The man who told us to go play in the freeway when we were little (lovingly of course and we thought this was hilarious), who smoked until he had a heart attack (even a triple bi-pass 20 years ago didn't slow him down much), who sucked on cough drops like they were candy? Where is the man that told us if we were behaving we weren't having any fun? I hate this disease and I feel for my grandma more than anything. It is hard on me to see him like this, but she sees him everyday and sits with him even if he doesn't say anything. When we left him back in his room and told him grandma would be there soon, I had to be okay that it might be goodbye.
We lost my mom's real dad to cancer when I was in high school, long enough ago to forget how hard it is. These caring individuals are there for you from the beginning and it is hard to think of life without them, hard to remind yourself as you grow up, they grow old.

Camping with Davis Friends

This last weekend we met some graduate student friends down in Ashland for camping and the Shakespeare festival. It was hot, very hot. But so nice to see everyone before they head off on their adventures this winter (moving to Vienna and Ecuador). Goodbye was hard because we never know when we will get to see each other next.

Bob's b-day Mt. Biking

We celebrated Bob's birthday throughout the weekend, but here are some BBQ at a camp site pics. And his birthday cheesecake!

Summer nights

We got a bunch of people together for a baseball game and we celebrated some August birthdays!











I had to take another shot since Bob had his eyes closed in the first one, so this is the face he made.

Attic Update

We've started building walls, the rough plumbing is done, and we have a ridge vent! Plus my garden doesn't look too shabby either.

Bend/Sunriver

Some Yummy food, good times with the fam, and pretty scenery (mt biking with Bob).

8th anniversary

We went back to the Oregon Garden and stayed at the new resort there. Things have changed a little. The last eight years sure went by fast, but then again... We bought a house, got a dog, Bob finished his Masters, we moved to California,Bob started his PhD, I got my license, we moved back to Oregon. One thing was the same as eight years ago, it was HOT and I love Bob very much.

Moving on

Now that the trip has been given its glory, I can now blog about more current things! There was Bob's grandparent's 60th anniversary, my garden getting into full swing, the continuing saga of our bathroom addition, small trips to Sunriver and camping and this weekend is our 8th anniversary! Life is good and summer is here!

The last night

Our trip was full of beautiful buildings, tasty food, great wine, and most of all...Amazing Friends.

La Sagrada Familia

This is Guadi's most famous work. In 1882 construction began on this church, and the they hope to have it finished in 2030 - guess we'll have to go back. It is amazing, it is so unique and again I apologize for not doing it justice! This church is huge! There are elevators in the towers you can go up and see the city, there is a museum underneath with models of the church and Guadi's sketches. We only spent a few hours here but you could spend all day if it weren't for the fact that it is a construction site and everything is barricaded off. It is by far the most impressive structure I have seen.

Passion Facade






























Inside














Nativity Facade

Barcelona Guadi Style