It's Official!

As of about 8:30 this morning, we own a licensed adult foster care home. Yikes! A few mixed emotions happening--excitement, anxiety, terror, relief, etc.

Absense

It has been a bit hectic lately with little time to post. I hope that absense does make the heart grow fonder and my readers have not moved on to greener pastures.

I've done several walks lately.

• One volkswalk took us through downtown looking at a variety of fountains and landmarks. There is one called the Car Wash Fountain. It stops when the wind gets to 2 mph to protect pedestrians from getting wet. We also saw Portlandia from a new vantage point.
• There was a beautiful walk through a small town with fields and fields of dahlias. I will post some photos later.
• Several of us from work did the Race for the Cure in Portland on Sunday. It is the largest on the west coast with 50,000 entrants. Although I enjoyed walking with my coworkers, I had a hard time seeing all the women wearing pink and the bright "In Memory of" signs with names and photos.

On Friday, we had an inspection for the business. There were just a couple of minor things that needed fixing. She is returning on Tuesday morning and then we should be up and running. If you know anyone with dementia that needs a wonderful place to live, please drop me a line. With only 5 availabilities, we won't have room for long!

After the inspection, we headed to Newport to pick up one of DH's sculptures. He sold it from his website to an art teacher in Florida. So, he needs to refresh it a bit and ship it off. We took the long way home and wnet through the little town where he went to high school. There was a home football game and we wanted to sit back and relax a bit. It was a lot of fun. A former classmate was there and his son was the starting QB.

So, there is just a touch of what has been going on lately. Hopefully, I will be back to posting more regularly now.

In Memory of 1 of 2996

Felicia Traylor-Bass

Felicia, 38, was an only child who found a way to be an aunt anyway, playing the role with zest for the children of her five cousins. "She loved dancing and music," said one of them, La-Rae Shelton, recalling the rose tattoo on her cousin's left shoulder and her very short, chic haircut. "She really liked children, but she wanted to wait to get her career started before having a child." She did just that. After half a dozen years of marriage to Andrew Bass and a career that had taken her to Alliance Consulting, on the 102nd floor of the World Trade Center's second tower, she and Bass had a son, Sebastian. "She loved being a mom," Shelton said. "All her co-workers heard about her baby, the hair stylists, everybody." Still, Felicia made time for dancing after work, before heading home to Brooklyn. She took classes at Dance Space, on Broadway and Canal Street. "They did a dance tribute to her, as a memorial," Shelton said. Sebastian may be too young to remember that, but a generation of cousins who loved his mother will be sure to tell him.

Her husband remembers her as “a kind and generous soul who loved life and people. She was a beacon of joy, fun, and vibrancy to all of her family and friends. Becoming a mother in 1999 to our beautiful son Sebastian, Felicia seemed to find her true calling. She sacrificed and adjusted her life to be there for Sebastian at all times. Thankfully they got to love and enjoy one another, albeit too short a time, but none the less they had time together. The hardest thing to deal with is telling my son why his mother is no longer here. May all of us pray for calmer times ahead for our children.” As Sebastian grows older, Andrew sees Felicia’s looks and her feistiness, spunk and “the thirst to be on the go.” Lisa, Felicia’s cousin honors her with this tribute, “Her warmth, sense of humor and overall sweetness will leave a void in this world.”

Take a moment to read more tributes to Felicia at September 11, 2001 Victims, Legacy.com and Newsday.

Hat Tip: NYT, CNN. com (And Patrick & Benning for formatting help!)

Under the Pear Tree

This morning DH called me downstairs. Standing just 10 feet from the back patio was a beautiful deer. She stood quietly as a queen surveying her subjects. We had wondered if there might be deer nearby because we back onto a creek. Yet it is just a small area that is bordered on roads and neighborhoods. How doesn't make a difference in the excitement and wonder experienced.

Time to relax...

It has been busy around here so it is time for a little fun!

You are Milk Chocolate

A total dreamer, you spend most of your time with your head in the clouds. You often think of the future, and you are always working toward your ideal life. Also nostelgic, you rarely forget a meaningful moment... even those from long ago.

What Kind of Chocolate Are You?

You Are 58% Independent

Overall, you're a pretty independent woman. You don't follow trends just to fit in. You've got your own cool thing going on, though you sometimes still care too much about what other's think.

How Independent Are You?

Wildwood Trail Trial

Today a group from work did a 10 km run which we walked. There is a contest at the corporate office to get the staff active. Teams of 3-4 people earn points by completing different tasks. All this to win an Ipod.

It is one I last did as a run, but it was neary 10 years ago and about ?? pounds ago. It is one of my favorite places. I have talked about the 26 mile Wildwood Trail before. It meanders through Forest Park and this run is on a part of the trail I seldom get to walk. The photo is of me at the finish. We actually finished in 1:44:39.

Indescribable

From the Highest of heights
To the depths of the sea
Creation’s revealing Your Majesty
From the color of Fall
To the fragrance of Spring
Ev’ry Creature unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming:

Chorus:
Indescribable,
Uncontainable
You placed the stars in the sky
And you know them by day
You are amazing, God

All powerful, untamable
Awestruck, we fall to our knees
As we humbly proclaim
You are amazing, God

Chorus 2:
Uncomp’rable,
Unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart
And you love me the same
You are amazing, God

Who has told ev’ry lightening bolt
Where it should go?
Or seen heavenly storehouses
Laden with snow?
Who imagined the sun
And gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us
The coolness of night?

None can fathom…