violetismycolor

sicker.than.a.dog...

Influenza. Bronchitis. Ear Infection. Sinus Infection.

Uggghhhh...

Dutch weddings and other oddities...

What kind of odd and wonderful things happen at EVERY Dutch event (meaning my Dutch family's events) that I attend? Singing of songs: The Happy Wanderer, God Bless America, Daar bij die Molen. Yodeling by Tante Betty. Dancing the Chicken Dance, the Hokey Pokey, and a line dance that wanders through and around various rooms at our venue. The celebrants hoisted onto shouldertops. Guys who put their ties around their heads, pull their pantlegs up and push their socks down...this is usually after many drinks at the open bar have been guzzled. My cousin, Ted, wearing some really odd and cool hat that he has made. And lots of hugs and kisses from all the relatives I haven't seen for quite awhile.

This is exactly the kind of party I attended this weekend to celebrate the 80th birthdays of my Tante Thea and my Uncle Joe. Fun, fun, fun.

The first photo is of my cousins, Carol and Mary Ann, and I at lunch together. The rest are of the party. We DID have fun!

Bonnie goes to New York...

Bonnie flew to New York this morning for her JET (teaching English in Japan) interview tomorrow morning. She called me as she was approaching her hotel, which is only a couple of blocks from where she is interviewing. She travels so confidently, she amazes me. Could this be the little girl who wouldn't talk to store clerks, even if it meant getting her favorite cookies or candies? Nothing could induce her to do it. She was so shy.

I remember getting near college graduation, when I was doing job interviewing and a company flew me to San Francisco for an interview. I think it was the first time I had checked into a hotel by myself. I rented a car, by myself, for the first time. I got all dressed up and went to try to convince someone to hire me. I am sure Bonnie feels like I did at the time. Very Grown Up. Very happy to be a Real Adult.

It is an awesome time for her. Her adult life is just getting started and she is heading for the stars...or Japan, which is almost as far. I feel very proud of her.

back from the black...

I am finally trying to get back to the blogworld...been busy, crazy, out of touch.

Today, I spent the day with my parents up on the Hill (OHSU Medical Center), getting a series of scans for my dad. Pill Hill, as they call it, it on a hilltop with a road that runs through it in a series of curves and switchbacks that makes finding one's way to the correct buildings very confusing. Thankfully, I knew it somewhat from the years of taking OTHER people there...my sister Joan, when she was having kidney failure; Bonnie, when she had her summer internship in a lab there; my MIL, when she had her cardiologist there; and Adam, when he was working his neurology job there this past summer.

Over the weekend, I was in Cannon Beach with my coffee-friends for our Beach Weekend...full of chatting and eating and shopping. The weather was decent and the company was excellent.

I have another couple of days at home and then I fly to LA for my aunt's 80th birthday. I have lots of relatives that I haven't seen in a few years and I want to touch base.

Cookie continued her doggie weirdness this weekend by refusing to come into the house for anyone and not even coming NEAR anyone but hiding in a corner and refusing to eat. Poor, weird Cookie.