10/2/97
Hello my friends!!! I am well on this warm autumn afternoon. I am back at school and glad about it. I feel more accustom to the school this year not to mention the focus of working one job. Though I am a sub at Radiance I have yet to actually work even one day. Things have been smooth for the most part except I have a bit of sad news for you. Bones left his home on Mud Bay a month ago. Patricia looked everywhere for the last three weeks. First your old place and talked to Fred, then the pound including looking a few times at the book of cats that were hit by cars(that was the most difficult). She is so sad - we thought maybe it was just one of his romps away for awhile. We all keep a look out for him and since he has not showed up, we hope at least he might have a new home somewhere.
I just got off the phone with your mom Jen. She's a cool lady! Though as mom's do she told me all the difficulties first then the good stuff. It was great to catch up - I am glad you guys are well.
A celebration of Autumnal Equinox was had this last weekend with lots of friends, food and wine! At first Tor and I thought we were going backpacking at the coast then all these other good things seem to call to us. The first being - let's have a dinner party this weekend. And all the days before that?? A dress rehearsal photo shoot for A Street Car Named Desire(a great play). A phone call from Common Ground CSA to come and pick all the Basil we want - and we did!! Four grocery bags packed full! We made enough pesto to fill 16 big yogurt containers. Tor and I were stuffing that $5 garage sale La Machine until 1am. The next morning Tor was all fired up for the days ahead. He did promise Scot W. that he would work for a couple of hours that day plus we needed to clean up(something I would not do alone). So as I slowly got dressed I informed Tor that I was going to pot hunt for a Chanterelle soup while he was on the computers. Jealous as he could be I set off solo that foggy morning for the Evergreen woods. Beautiful large mushrooms!!! I made enough soup to fill the big black pot. We were set for the Fall dinner!
The meal was great. All the good people we know showed up.
We have been spending a lot of time with Peter Ruggerio. He is a wonderful person to have in our lives. You won't believe it! He has been asked to take care of a 29ft. Cascade sailboat named Aspara for 9 months. So guess what we are doing this fall?? I am reading up on proper sailing procedures,Tor is learning about the inboard engine and Peter is taking a Tuesday night class on safety and such. Between the three of us we should be out of the East Bay slip in a couple of weeks. We thought it was kind of ironic that our two sailing experts leave for extended travel just when we get this boat! Not just that but not long after you left El Nino pushed currents that have warmed our ocean up to 66°. They are catching Marlins and you can see jumping Swordfish off the coast. What a treat it is! We had a wedding out at Long Beach a few weeks ago and after Tor and I wanted to dip our toes in just to make sure it was true. I didn't want to leave! I couldn't believe more people we not out at the beach with water as warm as CA.
We have been spending a good amount of time with Gwen & Patricia. Making meals and canoeing out on Mud Bay at night. Another good year for Phosphoresance. It was Gwen first time to see it. Melanie and I had lunch at Sweet Oasis last week. Her belly is growing she says that her back is just starting to get uncomfortable. Things are well with her though she is undecided about staying at Radiance through Winter Solstice. Too much stress! Sydney is at a meditation retreat - the one that Rosanne did. I can't remember the name. She was excited for it. She might be sleeping here for a few days but we actually have a new roomie! It's Tina Pappas my friend Kitty's sister. We have known each other since we were 8. It is pretty wonderful to have her here. She starts her organic chem. this fall at Evergreen.
So many thing to remember.......Tor and Scot have been canoeing a bunch. Most recently down the Queets River. It's the largest in the Olympic National Forest. Though the river was only an "upper class two" they both had a few surprises that challenged their beginning paddler status. Hmm....how can I put it. It sounds completely exciting but at one point of no return Tor had to leap out of the canoe to avoid collision with a tree plus root system that nearly stretched across one branch of the river. It sounded spectacular avoiding near disaster and coming out dry instead of capsizing under a log in a river many time bigger that the Chehalis. Needless to say it was an exciting challenge but not a river that they wanted to tackle again any time soon.
We have a busy week ahead - first Arts Walk. Mal Pina is having a show at the Wild Side Store of her bird photography. She is doing better. I don't remember where I left off in her story. Things are the same between her and Bob which is nothing. He is obviously not feeling great about his actions because he won't talk to Scott LeDuc or I on a professional level(school tech stuff). We figured it was just because of us being so close to Mal Pina but he all but ignored Patricia when she was picking up Gwen from after school sports at LP Brown. It's sad. That will all bite back at him one day.
Later this weekend we have a wedding - then we are picking Tor's folks up at the airport. They have been in Denmark for the last 4 weeks. Right now I think they are in Paris. How fun. Well... what about me traveling?? I haven't talked to Andrea but Tor is in the mood to take advantage of my time off and even speaking about Hawaii(ooooh). Can you believe it? We will see where that will lead.
Now that we are a bit organized with Tina's stuff in the kitchen and we can see the computer desk again I think that Tor is going to print out the guide so I can start work on the glossary. That would be good because those cold days are just around the corner, though according to Peter it will be a dry winter because of El Nino.
My family is good. Marilyn and Don are taking care of Taj while Lisbeth and Dana are gone. Diana started up school again and is seeing a nutritionalist that is pretty much saying what you and I have learned about out bodies. She is asking about how to cook tofu! She was so inspired after her first visit that on recommendation of eating more whole grains and beans she went to the co-op and bought a bunch then went home and put the dried beans and rice in a pan and cooked it together! Ha ha they even ate it thinking that was how it was suppose to taste. Her and Ron had barking spiders for hours!
My mom and dad are good. They harvested all of the apples in the garden and made apple sauce and pie!
Tor is well and his hip has only been hurting him a bit this month. It is great to see him eating so well. His brain has been in all the canoe books he could possible check out at the library. Mine focus has been charting my cycles. It's so eye opening to know all about my body and Tina is thinking of starting to chart too. Well I am sure I forgot something but I'll just have to tag it on next time.
Your postcards are great to get, everyone loves them. I miss your both. Say hello to Sean and Janet.
LOVE Melissa