1st day of work. how do all you people DO this year round?

you amaze me. even you retired blog readers out there, you used to work. how y'all do/did it 12 months out of the year is beyond me. i mean, 1 day and i am tiiiii--yerd. 'course, that could be the jet lag. still not quite right on the sleep. seems to be something special about 4 am. 3 days running--up at 4.

a shower and dinner call me, but first, here are details on Desi's camp this week. he is gonna love it, i bet. and for what I'm paying, he better.

life is grand here, cicadas humming and bats flying low at night to gobble the many mosquitoes. TEEMing with life, this place is.

Lyn says the chicken is ready. ain't gotta tell me 2ce

out!!

birthday edition

So the boys woke me at 4 am to show me some Duplo creations they made me. a giant walkie-talkie and a pirate boat. they had been up since 2. so i was gracious in my confused haze. they are asleep now after swimming a lot today in one of the 5 or 6 pools here in the compound.

had a surprise champagne brunch thrown for me this AM (thanks Bear--planning began in June). then a 3 hour nap after swimming. made grilled cheese sandwiches and walked to Coldstone for ice cream tonight. Cardinals won for me too, yay-er!

bed now. pics tomorrow. beautiful here. warm but not nasty hot. blue skies. saw stars tonight, even. apartment is sweet, painter did a fab job.

thanks for all the birthday wishes. it is nice to know the distance means nothing sometimes.

can i post to the blog at my new apartmnt?

let's see.

landed safely. tired but all is well.

here goes nothin'...

parting shots, last 1 this time I mean it

we'll also miss grandparents...



and places like the Children's Museum, where one can glue junk...



and take good care of stuffed animals:

summer babes, plus more

among the things we will begin to miss when the taxi comes in an hour...

porch wine with sisters:



long walks with pretty views and friends from near and far:



and getting pumped to go see Weird Al (Shanghai is, as you might guess, not on his tour list):

a few last US posts

Here's a pic that's long overdue. Waiting for a table at sushi place. Beyond that, no context for this shot.




Yesterday, walking home from the park, E proved his love for the greatest indie band ever from Stockton, CA: Pavement.

summer fun

In no order at all, some stuff we have been doing (besides not blogging for almost 2 weeks. "SAAAAAAA-weeeeee!"

1. eating at Burgerville



This satisfied customer looked out the window and noticed a bus stop sign. He got excited and said "If we move back to Portland, we won't need a car. The bus comes right to Burgerville!"


2. visiting friends





3. going to the science museum in Portland and St. Louis and the zoo in Chicago





4. seeing family in Portland, Salem and St. Louis









5. seeing tall things, including the Sears Tower. did you know it is no longer called that? google it if you don't believe me.