Jeremy and Natalie and the boys came over at 4. We hung out and the boys played with Tully and Rumi. Natalie brought green beans and a spinach salad to go with our: chutney cheese ball and crackers; mesquite-grilled teres major steak medallions with charred green onions; baked potatoes with butter, sour cream, cheddar, scallions, and candied bacon ( Read more... )

People just don't see their privilege. (Myself, of course, included.) Three years ago when we were legal strangers in Missouri but married in Washington, my sister and our cousin tsked and tutted and were oh so sad that Kevin and I never had an engagement or bachelor party, a wedding gift, a wedding ceremony, reception, cake, flowers, or honeymoon ( Read more... )

"Well, yes..." you say, but in my work week, today is Saturday. I just took Sunday morning pills and, looking at the pill case, realized this was the second-happiest dose on the box. I hasten to explain: Saturday night's little pill compartment is the furthest I can be from having to go to work! Thus this morning's is the second-happiest dose ( Read more... )

Nice time at Erin and Jake's house, with John and Babs and Neal and Kevin and me. Lovely golden juicy turkey with mashers and a trio of stuffings, onion casserole (and a bread-free one for me), gluten-free gravies and green bean casserole, sweet potatoes and wild rice and lovely nibbles and relishes and crudités, cranberry sauces and pumpkin pie ( Read more... )

My sister's former father-in-law died last week, and was buried yesterday. I went to the funeral, but not the burial or the meal afterward. My sister and her husband were here, as well as her three kids and five grandkids, a couple of whom I had never met. Sadly, the service took us away from one another and they had to leave early this morning to ( Read more... )

Kevin's parents drove from Rainier to see us and explore St. Joe. They got here Saturday night and slept six nights in our studio. It was a nice visit, stress-free, and they were great guests ( Read more... )

My niece Jodi was just here, with her husband and kids, and with her brother Adam. We sat and chatted, Kevin made cracker toffee at my request, and we had grapes and pineapple. They liked the house, liked the cats, and were genuinely happy to hang out for a bit ( Read more... )

Terrific dinner (as usual!) at Rick and Chaela's house with their daughters Mal and Kallie, Dr. Villahermosa with daughter and son-in-law, Lauren with little girls but without hunky husband, Chaela's mom Phyllis, and Mal's girlfriend Kynslie. Each of us said something for which we were thankful ( Read more... )

My cousin Teri's daughter, Kelly Griffith Bauer, just graduated from medical school at OHSU in Portland. Today the family gathered at her grandmother's, my dear Aunt Bonnie's, house on Lovers Lane to celebrate. Teri's siblings Bob, Betsy, Nancy, Joan, and Karen were there with spouses and children, as well as Rick and Chaela Hartigan with daughters ( Read more... )

The week before traveling to St. Joe, my sister Sharon popped up online, which has happened exactly three times that I remember ( Read more... )