White Christmas...

Christmas Eve was a quiet one at home for us.  Week two of being snowed in.  

We are getting creative in the meal department as we use up our groceries.  I mixed hamburger with baked beans.  I didn't have the pineapple to mix in like mom does.   Not bad...not the best.

We called mom and John after dinner.  We miss you...look forward to our makeup Christmas Eve...when the slush is gone.

We watched one of our favorite holiday movies, 'Jingle All the Way'.  Arnold, Sinbad, Phil Hartman...we watch it every year.

Santa was nice to us, thanks to our heavy dependence on internet shopping...and E and Jodie braving the Thanksgiving weekend crowds.  A color print out picture sufficed for one additional gift we plan to get for E...when we are no longer snowed in.

Mike and Vance drove the Suburban over to get us Christmas Day afternoon.  Tbey were amazed at the depth of the snow in our culdesac.   Mike, Va nce and E shoveled a path to the Suburban, then it was a group effort to get Jodie and I to the truck.

The five mile stretch of Birdsdale Ave., that separates us.  It was a bumpy ride.  Lots of packed snow.  Cars were slid off the road.  One older lady was in tears as she drove off after having been pushed out of the ditch by some good samaritans.

Turkey dinner was wonderful.  Being with family and friends was wonderful.  Sharing gifts was fun.  We gave my sister-in-law the book "PC's for Dummies" and a coupon for a day with a live computer dummy...yours truly.

Denise was nervous that Mike and I might be talking politics.  I was good.  I kept my "Dan Quale in a skirt" comments to myself.

One of the day`s highlights was seeing it snow so heavy at my in-laws' estate.  It was beautiful!  A genuine white Christmas...

State of Emergency

Gresham, Oregon, was declared to be in a state of emergency this morning. Mayor Shane Bemus said that areas south of Powell Blvd. are inaccessible for emergency vehicles.

The Portland Metro area offices of Oregon Dept. Human Services are closed today. In my 19 years as a DHS employee, that has never happened before.

E just measured "a foot and seven inches" outside. That's 19 inches...if math is right...not sure anymore because whenever I help E with his math he get's it wrong!

Last week we had some snow and ice. Over the weekend we had freezing rain, which usually ushers in warmer air and an end to freezing temps, but now we have more snow.

Snow events here are brief and infrequent. Our region is not prepared for a prolonged snow storm.

This is the second week the Jodie and I have been snowed/iced in. I planned to be on vacation this week. I don't think we will be able to get Jodie into work this week. Regular rain to clear
this snow and ice out is not coming until this weekend.

We don't like barriers, and this weather is a big one for us!

The weather out there is frightful!

Intern JJ called last night and asked that I post on the church website that all services, classes and activities are closed Sunday...today.

It's understandable.  10 plus inches of snow, with freezing rain on top.  We would not have made it in, even without the freezing rain.  

We have a lot of members who live close to  church, and a lot of people who hail from other parts of the country where snow isn't a big deal.  

Freezing rain must have been the decider.

Today was supposed to be the children's Christmas production at church.  Such a high point of the season!  The kids understand the real meaning of the Christmas better than we adults do!  I'm always partial to the littlest boy with the loudest voice --- off key; or the little girl  who is never in the right place and is constantly being pulled back into the right place by the conductor, the parent, the kids...until everyone gives up and lets the free spirit be.

Hopefully this will be rescheduled...as well many other things...

We broke free...for two hours

Yesterday morning, Thursday, was the first morning of the week without ice.  We were surprised how clear it was.  The rain had really done its job.  There were traces of slushy ice on the ground, but it was negotiable.

The forecast called for artic temps to return at four in the afternoon.  Jodie and I work for the same agency, but different offices.  I decided to work from Jodie's office yesterday, since it is only a mile from our house.  We would just leave by three in the afternoon to avoid the "freeze."

E's school was canceled Monday and Wednesday this week.  School was open on Thursday.  Before we went to Jodie's office, we dropped E off at my in-laws.  He rides with cousin Vance to school.

As soon as we got to Jodie's office it began to snow.

Within an hour the snow had turned the streets white.  School closed.  An hour after that E, Vance, friend Marcus, and sis-in-law Denise were at Jodie's office to escort us home.  Vance and Marcus did a awesome job escorting myself and Jodie to our van.  E opened the door and started it up.  Denise drove it home for us.  Then, they went and got groceries for us.

Back home, Jodie and I felt silly.  We were trying to be responsible.  We hadn't been to work all week,  and we thought there was a big enough break in the weather to make it to our jobs. Denise said not to worry.

I don't remember there being such a long freezing spell here before.  Tomorrow, a huge storm is supposed to hit, bringing eight inches of snow.  It's not supposed to warm up until Christmas Eve.

Our offices are understanding of our mobility issues as it relates to not being able to get around on ice, but still, it is hard for us to accept.

Portland Arctic blas '08...

...in pictures.

Nice work Scott!

Iced in!

It started snowing here on Sunday, just as the forcasters said.  It does not snow much here in the Portland area.  Usually we have one or two snow incidents a year, lasting just a couple days.

People who have moved here from areas that get more snow are surprised at how little snow it takes to paralyze the area.  The highlight of the "storms" we get around here is watching the local tv reporters shivering on the coldest overpasses around town.

Most people laugh at the overkill coverage these snow events get.  For Jodie and I, it's a real hassle!

Jodie uses crutches.  I don't use crutches (I do use a walker some of the time), but my balance, my unstable gait, oh, and the fact I slipped on ice and broke my arm a couple years ago - we don't do ice. 

We use to have a set of snow tires for our last vehicle, a minivan.   We stopped putting them on years ago when we realized that it does no good to be able to drive anywhere  in snow and ice if we can't even safely make it to and from our car!

When it's icy, we stay home.  It's safer for us, and for whoever would have to rescue us if we got stuck, or fell, or had an accident.  It kind of annoys us, as if it is a life situation where we have not overcome our disability.  We more or less accept is as a practical limitation.

Most of the time, wintry conditions that make us housebound lasts two or three days.  In January 2004 we missed four days of work because of a big snow event.  That is the longest time we have stayed home because of weather.

We stand to break that record this year.  It snowed last Sunday.   It has been below freezing since.  Today is Wednesday.  It snowed this morning, and rained this afternoon.  A night of rain would clear the slush out for us, but the temps are supposed to dip tonight, and arctic temps are returning.

A large snow event is supposed to hit Sunday into Monday and Tuesday!

Jodie and I don't know at this point whether we will be returning to work tomorrow, Friday, even into next week.

Jodie and I can do some work from home, and that really helps, but it still makes us feel funny being away from our offices so long.

It's snowing!

Vance...at the buzzer....

Portland Christian played against Salem Academy last night at the Warner Pacific College gym...PC's home court. The girl's nicely avenged their loss to them at state last year with a 75-25 win.

Then it was the boy's turn. We were not looking good. Shots were not falling in. PC was down by 15 at half. They scrapped back.

In the final minute, nephew Vance Downey made his shots from the line.

The last second colided with eternity.

Vance at the three point line. He shoots. The ball hit the rim.

The buzzer blew.

The ball rolled outside the rim. It looked beyond return. It stayed there for a long time!

Some weird way, the ball came back up the rim and it rolled in.

PC wins...by 3!

Way to go Vance! Way to go PC!

Boys' day...

E is really into James Bond these days. We currently have the 007 movies OnDemand and he has seen several of them.

Last week, we got E's report card. Straight A's. To celebrate, he wanted to go see "Quantum of Solace". On the radio yesterday morning we heard a reviewer give the movie a thumbs down.

"I still want to see it, Dad."

Today, after the morning basketball camp, we went and saw it.

We both liked it. E nudged me a few times during the movie to let me know what different characters had done in previous Bond installments.

In the past I have gone to see "guy movies" with my friend Brad.

This was the first such movie E and I have taken in, just the two of us.

It was a big deal to him. It was a big deal to me.

'Solace' posts Bond's best opening - Entertainment News, Film News, Media - Variety

Water bombed?

Last Friday after work I was driving nortn on SE 148th, approaching Stark St. in Portland.  I heard a explosion, and my windshield was covered with water, as if a barrel of water had been shot it Jet White.

I was frightened by the noise and by the amount of water.

It was loud like a firecracker; very startling.  

It was a huge amount of water that came from the front, driver's side, and the direct hit was my front line of vision.

I saw police headed that direction when I turned off 148th, but then I saw police everywhere that night.

It had to be more than a water balloon.

Kids with a water cannon?   Were they trying to cause me to crash?  Any ideas?

Manzanita in October

The Oregon coast is beautiful year around, but October is a time of extra beauty down there.

Nice picture from stepdad John.

Thirteen years ago...

Thirteen years ago right this second (about 7 pm), God smiled and out family of two became a family of three.  

Jodie had called me at work at 4:45.  She felt strange, but didn't know why.  Her arms and legs had spasms, but she did not feel pain.  I went home immediately.

Jodie's sister came over to the house and she drove us the the hospital in Oregon City.  We figured it was a false alarm, but it wasn't.  Jodie was hooked up to the monitors and they went bonkers. The nurses were amazed.  The kept asking Jodie "You can't feel that?"  They were amazed.

Nancy, Jodie's doctor, just happened to be on call that night.  A C-section had been scheduled for Friday.  On Monday Nancy was mulling over whether Friday was too soon.  This was Wednesday, two days early.

Nancy came in and told us "We are having this baby tonight!"

There was a roomful of us in the operating room when E was born.  Besides Dr. Nancy, there was another doctor or two, some interns and some nurses.  Extra hands, in case they were needed, and a learning experience.   

I remember one of the other doctor's protesting having me in the operating room.  He said, "Why don't we invite people on the street corner to be in here?  Everyone else is!"

"He is the baby's father.  He stays!"  Nancy insisted.

I sat at Jodie's head in the operating room.  It did not take long for E to be brought out.  The umbelical cord was cut.  The clearing of his lungs, that first cry.  

Thirteen years later it is a birthday party at Laser Planet with eight buddies from school.  Laser tag, pizza, more laser tag, cake, then a few video games.  A perfect birthday for a newly branded teen.

A strange coincidence, thirteen years ago on the eve of E's birth, OJ Simpson was acquited in the murder of his wife.  I remember the verdict being cheered at my office.  Everybody cared and everybody had an opinion.  I wasn't cheering.  The night of E's birth I stayed in the hospital with Jodie and E.  Watching Nightline, I remember the pundits all weighing in on the OJ verdict.

Forward 13 years.  Another OJ verdict.  Kidnapping and robbery.  Guilty.  The difference now?  Few people care.

Thirteen years...

Meeting with Dr. Cooke

Jodie and I were interviewed by Dr. Christina Cooke yesterday.

We spent a delightful hour and a half sharing with her our experiences as disabled individuals with the medical profession.  Dr. Cooke is working on a book on that topic.

Dr. Cooke was having technical trouble with her laptop computer.  She had to go back to her office.  Her guide dog wanted to leave the building rather than go back to her office.   It was funny, the dog was ready to go home!

I realized after talking with her about the birth of our son, and all the uncertainty and preparation before his birth, and all the adaptation we made when he was a infant and through his early years -- I realized that Jodie and I have a book in us that needs to get out.

Where  do I start?  How do I begin to organize my thoughts?

Prayer for Aunt Sandi

I have not quit figured out what the readership of this blog is.  I have not posted a prayer request here before, but if you are of the persuasion to pray, my bio Dad's sister, my Aunt Sandi, really needs it.

As written by my sweet cousin Rena:

My aunt (Sandi) is in Good Samaritan Hospital - Intensive Care
Unit (ICU).  We are not sure if she is going to pull through.   She went
in to the hospital last Wednesday 8/27/08.  Her heart rate was at 210
beats/minute.  She was experiencing what is called a "Thyroid Storm".
The medical team had managed to decrease her heart rate with medication
and the family thought she was out of danger and went home for the night.
Apparently a nurse at some point during the night for some unknown
reason removed my aunt's heart monitor.  At some point a nurse entered
Sandi's room to find that she was not breathing & her heart had stopped
beating.  As I understand the doctors/nurses do not know how long she was
in this condition.  The medical staff worked for quite some time (I
believe about 30 to 60 minutes) to resuscitate her.  Long enough that
they called my cousin's & told them that their mother had flat lined.
When my cousin's arrived at the hospital the doctors/nurses were still
working on resuscitation.  During the time of Sandi being "flat lined"
her organs began to shut down.  A week later she is clinging to life in
ICU in a medically induced coma.  The doctors are still trying to get her
organs (lungs, liver & kidneys) to function.  She now has pneumonia & one
of her lungs has collapsed several times.  At this point she would not be
alive if it were not for machines.  Her kidneys are now barely starting
to function after several dialysis treatments.  Her liver is functioning
at a low level and I belive her lungs are functioning at about 10%.  The
doctors are not sure if she will pull through and if she does pull
through if there will be brain, liver, kidney or lung damage.

Could you please add my Aunt Sandi to your prayer list?  This is my
prayer for her & for the family.  I pray for the complete, speedy &
miraculous healing of Sandi Dionne.  I pray for all of her organs
including her brain, lungs, liver & kidneys to make a complete and speedy
recovery & function fully at 100%.  I pray for a holistic healing of
Sandi Dionne mentally, physically & Spiritually and for God's Will to be
done. I also pray for our entire family that we have the strength &
endurance to walk through this journey keeping Spirit close at heart.
And pray also for Spiritual, emotional & physical healing for our entire
family & each family relationship within our family.  May we all walk
through this journey with love & acceptance in our hearts for one another
and for wherever this journey leads us.  Thank you God for all of your
unconditional love for each & every one of us every step of the way.  God
Bless. And So It Is. Amen.

Thank you & Bless you.
Rena

Thank you.

Quick trip to Seattle

Jodie and I have wanted to get E to a Mariners game for years. We finally managed to get tickets to a game and get a hotel room up there.

I was kind of weary about driving out monster rig around the streets of Seattle. We had our Garmin navigation to help us. I did pretty good, but a few times the directions came to late for me to make a turn. I hate being dumped on a freeway in the left lane...and having to get way over to the right in a quarter mile....in heavy traffic!

Oakland beat the Mariners 2-0. Not a real surprise considering the kind of year the M's are having. Eve so, watching Ichiro hit the ball almost out of the park, watching Raul hit the ball, and seeing Johjima's magic behind the plate, was awesome. E bought an unsigned Mariner's bat for $30. A bat signed by a player cost $300! The stadium attendants were all supremely nice to us. One gave E a baseball card of the relief pitcher that came in for Seattle.

We had an interesting time getting back to the hotel. Every way we tried to go was closed off! A couple of U-turns, and we found our way.

Scooting around the neighborhood

The last two nights I have been going around the neighborhood with E, he on his bike, and me on my scooter.

It is interesting going down streets that we normally don't see.

One thing I noticed around our neighborhood was signs for Obama, and none for McCain. I am sure that trend would reverse as you go up the hill from us.

Tonight we went down to the Springwater trail. There are barricades set up. I think they are working on Johnson Creek, part of salmon restoration. We went around a few of the barricades. There is a new museum at the Linnemann Station. You will need to scroll down; I could no find a direct link.

In the early part of last century there was a interurban train system to help Portlanders escape the city on the weekends. One such destination was Paesano's Cedarville Park. I cannot find a good link for it, but below is a map. People would take the train there to camp, picnic and use the dance hall among the beautiful cedars. It is still used for weddings and other events. Tonight there was a bunch of people there and some form of bowling going on. Last Saturday we stopped at a nearby Shari's for lunch and we saw some ladies dressed in Sweedish garb. We heard them explain te were yoddlers at an event at Paesano's.





View Larger Map

E at state!

Tough loss to Gaston last night...15-14 extra innings. New ump at plate was jawed to death by the opposing coaches.

This morning our coaches decided to experiment with kids in positions they had not played before. One boy tantrumed and would not play outfield. He was shortstop the next inning and he smiled when he missed a key play. Not sure what was happening. To say more would reveal the "Bad Dad" in me.

But E took his job seriously, and his execution was to the best of his ability.

I am a very proud dad!

On to State!

E's baseball team beat one of the Camas teams twice yesterday to win districts and the right to represent Tri County at the state tournament. Junior National champs from Rockwood!

Camas is a great team. We got large leads early in both games, and had to hang on tight as the leads were chipped away.

Camas had to play a third game between our two games. That made the difference...they were tired. They now play in Hillsboro Monday for a berth at State.

The last game was tied in the final inning. E had been the starter pitcher. Our other pitchers...and our fielders...were struggling. They put E back in...he held them.

We were last up. They intentionally walked one of our hitters. Bases were full. A tap of the ball and the game was won!

No practices are scheduled. Our fielding sorely needs it. One of our boys is leaving for Disneyland. Another boy was not there yesterday.

Come on little team...we need 9 boys to show up at State on Thursday night!

Go Rebels!

We won?

E's baseball team played the nearly unbeaten Camas team on there home field last night. E pitched three good innings, Drew finished the game very well. Boys on our team who have struggled made some stellar plays in the field. This Camas team has been beating other teams by 10 points or better. I don't know how we got out of there with a 10-3 win!

There was a young boy (maybe 10?) with some sort of disability tooling around on a smaller scooter than what Jodie and I have. He was driving on the edge of the blacktop with one wheel in the dirt, kicking up dust. Littler kids were chasing him in fun. He was cruising around the tennis court. Made me feel good to see the little guy having fun.

As I was loading my scooter into Jet White, I saw a man watching us from his truck with a big smile on his face. I wondered if it was little guy's father....

Babies to grads....

Jodie's sister was pregnant when we began dating...so was my sister.

Eighteen years later we are attending 2 high school graduations, last week in Tualatin, yesterday in Washougal.

The simularities of the ceremonies were interesting. Both held on football fields, Jodie and I on the track with our scooters with the rest of the family in the stands, the band, the validictorians, the speeches, the diplomas, the switching sides of the tassle, the tossing of the morterboards, and pictures of the grads on the football field.

The mob scene afterwards as we tried to leave was the same too....but Aunt Jodie and Uncle Troy made it through.

Two babes survived 18 years. The were just seniors...but now they are babies again.

Excitement and uncertainty lie ahead. Embrace the future, talk to geezers like me to find out what mistakes I learned from, it's great to succeed, it's okay to fail, take care of today, see past tomorrow when you need to find hope.

Brit & Tyf, God is smiling upon you today. Uncle Troy & Aunt Jodie are praying for you.

Go out and shake things up!