Talli’s 3K Time Places Her First in Her District This Year, And Hayley’s Band Wows in Oregon State Univ. Competition

We were in Oregon this weekend to watch our granddaughter run in the Centennial High School Invitational Track Meet in Gresham on Saturday and then to spend this Easter Sunday with our son Gregg’s family worshipping at their church, Newberg Friends (Gregg's sermon was spot on) and then enjoying a wonderful day together.

Talli, a Junior, ran the 3,000 meters in a time of 11:08, which is only seconds off of her personal record. Though she came in third in her heat (among contestants from all over Oregon and Washington), her time was good enough to place her first among all varsity 3K runners in the 6A Pacific Conference of which her school is a member – a fabulous achievement.

In the photo above, I caught her (at left) in the last turn before the final stretch of her race. At that point she was slightly in the lead, but strong kicks by the two gals with her just nipped her at the wire. Click on the pic for a larger image – you can see the intensity of competition. Both the boys’ and the girls’ track teams in her school, Newberg High, placed second overall at the Invitational, where over 50 high schools participated.

Granddaughter Hayley, an eighth grader, traveled to Oregon State University for a day last week where her Middle School’s Advanced Band received an “excellent” rating – the highest you can achieve – in a competition among schools from all over the State . Hayley is the first chair clarinet player and performed at least one solo, if not two, if I recall correctly. A pretty good week for granddaughters.

Of course our third-grade granddaughter, Aubrey, is a happy, super-good student and has been occupying her time with horseback riding lessons and piano lessons. Sure was great to catch up on all the kids’ doings and to have some quality time with Gregg and Elaine.

And a Happy Easter to all! Christ is risen. Allelujah!

Every Time We Move, I Say “Never Again”

A move is somewhere in the top five of things that cause stress. Only a divorce, a death in the immediate family or a job loss is said to cause more anxiety than changing your address.

But that’s exactly what my wife and I did at the end of last month – yet once more. We moved from a northeast burb of Seattle to a southeast burb of the city – ending up almost an hour or so closer to our son and his family in Oregon and a little closer also to our other son and his family who live on Seattle’s Eastside.

A few moves ago, we started counting the number of places we have lived since we were married. We stopped counting in the low 20s, and we weren’t nearly complete. Let’s just say that our sons know what it is like to live up and down the west coast – from a beach city like Santa Cruz, California to the steelhead and salmon paradise of Clackamas, Oregon in the foothills of Mt. Hood, and to the four-season Inland Empire area around Spokane, Washington.

There’s always been a seemingly good reason to move – an interesting job offer, a better climate, a nicer house, a business opportunity or maybe just wanderlust a time or three. This move was because we had an opportunity to purchase a smaller but comfortable town house at a really great price that should serve us well until we head for the old folks home. Truly, I/we hope this is the last move we have to go through for a long, long time.

O, btw, the fire hydrant in the pic above is ideal for our dog, Buddy.

Our new place is just large enough for the two of us and for two house guests a few days at a time. While you’re here visiting, my office will turn mobile (I’ll take my laptop into the master br). So, what are you waiting for? Come see us sometime.