For Madelaine during finals week

 

 

We are all eager to see you soon!

The Friday Clive

"There are always plenty of rivals to our work. We are always falling in love or quarreling, looking for jobs or fearing to lose them, getting ill and recovering, following public affairs. If we let ourselves, we shall always be waiting for some distraction or other to end before we can really get down to our work. The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still unfavorable.  Favorable conditions never come."

I found the italicized portion of this quote in my usual source, The Quotable Lewis, but I searched and found the original speech online here: Learning in War Time. I highly recommend you read the speech in its entirety.

Road trip

Autumn's beauty is displaying itself boldly outside Madelaine's window in Eugene.  It was perfect Oregon weather for our trip north:  blue sky, a little rain, then plenty of fresh, cool air.  We were in town for a debate tournament, but I was able to sneak away on Thursday and spend the day with my marvelous daughter.  She came down with a nasty bug on Friday, so I was all the more grateful that we took the time away on Thursday.

A gorgeous drive to Harrisburg led to apple picking, difficult pumpkin decisions, and the chance for me to enjoy watching last year's roommates and their rich friendship.

Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow ripening fruit.  ~ Aristotle

Apple picking in the autumn, watching friends quietly chatting, being with my daughter...it was a beautiful day. I am grateful.

There and back again

Mt. Shasta

It was another Eugene trip this weekend.  The landscape was as glorious as ever, the company sweet, the road long. 

It's good to be home.

Sunset on Hwy. 5

Time does not stop

How can two weeks go by so quickly?

Not only did time not stop, it flew.

Even though we were just getting ready for Christmas (just washing the Thanksgiving dishes it seems like), now we are preparing to welcome in the new year on the road, to reflect and celebrate together.  The new year! 

We will lift glasses of bubbly, play killer speed scrabble, hopefully get to play in some snow, and enjoy the time we have together. 

And while some are watching the Rose Parade and every possible bowl game on New Years Day, I will go further north to take Madelaine back to school.

Goodbyes are not getting any easier, but maybe time will move as quickly this quarter as it did during these precious two weeks together?  I can only hope and pray.

But tonight we celebrate, laugh, give thanks, and celebrate some more.

Happy New Year to you!

Morning musings

The view from where I sit is sparkling with sunshine and clear skies.  The bare tree branches outside are a stark silhouette, and the moss of the lower branches glimmers like Hobbiton in the morning light.  I can feel the chill of the day seeping through the old window frames in this lumbering house my daughter calls her home during the school year. It is good to be here.








She is packing, and soon she and I will join all those who have left town for Christmas holidays.  Driving alone yesterday, with only Jan Karon's new novel to keep me company (and a welcome phone call...thank you, Carol), I was eager to just get here, for time to move faster than possible.  Now I am ready for time to slow, stop if it cared to.  I am so glad to be together.

The dirt on the windows makes for lousy pictures, the age of the glass causes the clarity to wobble, too. But I love being on this bed, looking out at these trees, seeing the sunshine sparkling in the Eugene sky, and having Madelaine bustling away around me.











Yes, if time could stop. Just for a bit.

The road home

The weather for my drive was perfect.

Shasta Lake was beautifully full.




Mt. Shasta was distractingly snowy and glorious.





Gutenberg College graduation made me want to either

a) return to school myself OR
b) spread the good word that Gutenberg is a unique and worthwhile college to consider.

These tutors really care about the souls of their students, and I have been impressed with how that has worked in the life of our Gutenberg girl. Everyone makes a big point of saying that Gutenberg isn't for everyone; well, of course it isn't. No school is for everyone. And I do think more people could benefit from the work and the community that is Gutenberg. Click that link up there. Consider it if you or your loved one is planning on college someday.





We packed life back into the van, sad goodbyes were said, and off we went.

Oregon said goodbye.

California said hello.

A few hours later we were home with the ducks and the weeds and the chores to be done before company comes on Monday and all those sweet faces that jumped out the door to welcome home our long-gone girl.

It's good to be home!

On my way....

to pick up my favorite college girl. It is a long drive, and I start the trip knowing it will feel like forever. But at the end of the drive will be a girl, finished with her three-hour Western Civ. final, finished with her first year of college. When we waved goodbye in September, the year was a total unknown, but now it is seen in all its glory and groaning. Now there are people in Oregon who will be missed from home. The world has changed for our daughter, just the way we hoped it would.

I better get on the road so I can see it for myself, and then bring her back home.

Eleven more days

We can hang on for another eleven days. We've done it for the whole school year, right?

But what is it about the last few days that make them sooooo s-l-o-w?

Eleven.More.Days.

Ten hours of driving by myself.

And then we're together again!

We will have a ten-hour drive to ourselves, and a summer of family time to share.

Eleven.More.Days.

To my far away girl

Look what is blooming, Madelaine!  In between thunder showers and swirling winds, we grabbed these pictures for you.  We miss you.

p.s.  only 45 more days!

Days of joy

Last Sunday the long wait was over, and our dear college girl came home for spring break. Oh, it is good to see her. And to hear her play piano, read aloud, laugh, visit, and be her generally wonderful, at home, self. Welcome home, Madelaine!

And while Madelaine was riding forever on the Coast Starlight train toward home, these two fellas were debating their brains out. I sent them all the way to San Diego in my van without me, glad that I have friends who could fill in while I recovered from the viral mess that I have been. Oh, did I want to be there, cheering on every bit of news as we heard that they were winning and continuing on all the way to the quarter final round...which they also won! I had a dear friend who called me so I could hear the news as it was announced:

"And in the round of Auburn Wheeler/Wheeler against (Name That Opponent), the winner is........Auburn Wheeler/Wheeler!!!!" ...

and the crowd goes wwwwiiiilllldddd.

We screamed here in the privacy of our own living room like good March Madness fans. Our team, our Wheeler/Wheelers, were tearing up the tournament!!! Yahoo!

Out of 202 debaters, son Rex was the 15th place speaker, and son Zack was the 5th place speaker. Out of 101 teams, Auburn Wheeler/Wheeler came in 3rd. We were so proud, so thrilled, so delighted. Often times in life you work hard and you don't get any accolades; this time my guys did, and I am so glad. Congratulations on a job well-done, sons.

On Monday, just hours after the boys got home, I was back in the emergency room with my dear mother. Fortunately, she was not admitted; we really wanted her to be home, but she was, once again, having trouble breathing. This time it is bronchitis, on top of recovering from pneumonia. At the age of 83, I can only begin to imagine how tired she must be. She keeps telling me her warranty must be up because all her parts are giving out. Oh, to have the cheer and humor she has when hit with physical ailments over and over again. I am awed, once again, by the gift she is to me.

Gratitude

How can I put a number on the gratitude I feel for my mother's current health and for the return of our college girl for Christmas break?

Madelaine arrived safe and sound, although she was exhausted from a night on the train with a pack of wild and newly-released college students. I took her straight away to a day of debate tournament excitement, and she held up like a champ. As we talked I noticed that she speaks of her classmates, her tutors, even her studies with such affection. It really seems like the perfect place for her!

And if that was not enough joy for one person, here is my mother in all her glory. She's feeling well, her strength is back, her hearing isn't perfect, but it is improved, and ... well ... she's ALIVE!! I never expected to have another Christmas with her, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude for her vibrant and inspiring life. I've taken her Christmas shopping, she's checked out a huge bag of books from the library, she is working through her ironing pile and she is back to church after too long an absence. She came over to do laundry this morning just as I was about to serve a late breakfast of popovers. She stayed, she chatted, she showed great interest in Madelaine's fall quarter at Gutenberg. And the whole time I was tempted to pinch myself...."Yes, Diane, this is real. This truly is a gloriously happy day!"

Home again

A dear girl on a warmer day

A train will be pulling into the station tomorrow morning, carrying one whom I love so much. Home...she's coming HOME!

"there is no happiness like that of being loved by your fellow-creatures, and feeling that your presence is an addition to their comfort."

~Jane Eyre

And what a perfect addition to our comfort! We've stocked the tea and we're ready to play Speed Scrabble, bake treats, and watch movies. And talk. And be quiet. And read books. And savor every moment we are together.

~ Jane Eyre quote courtesy of A Quotidian Life, a family of friends anticipating the holiday visit of their own college girl. Enjoy your reunion, friends!

~ Photo courtesy of Miss Addie

Yesterday

There was the sound of Christmas melodies and the smell of gingerbread men baking, all telling me that the Christmas season has arrived.

There is only thing missing. We are counting the days until our college girl comes home (twelve days, twenty-three hours to go as I type.) Yes, I admit, I am just a little eager to have her back home.

Gratitude for a trip north

314. Two nine-hour drives with my husband. Time for:
315. Much needed sleep. And
316. Eric Bibb. And



317. Till We Have Faces from Blackstone Audio. What a fantastic story! The only problem is we got home in the midst of disc six. I suppose we could have driven around the neighborhood until it was over, but we chose to turn up our road instead. Sometime this weekend we'll have to finish the tale.

318. Beautiful fall weather for driving.

Including:
319. Snow on the passes,
320. Long autumn shadows across golden hills,
321. Rice fields under water,
322. Rain splashing down.

More reasons to love the drive:
323. Cows, cows and more cows. I love cows,
324. Hot, steaming espresso just when we needed it,
325. Silence when we wanted it,
326. Talking as long as we wanted to.

327. The ability to leave for three days without fear. This included:
328. A responsible son who is willing to organize and transport those we left behind.
329. A friend who cheerfully offered, without being asked, to take all my children.
330. My mother's stable health that allowed us to leave.

The greatest thanks is for our visit with our girl at Gutenberg College, including:

331. One-and-a-half days of attending classes, a favorite being a
332. Lively discussion about Jonathan Edwards and the First Great Awakening.
333. Making cranberry salsa in the school kitchen, enjoying conversation with residents as they came in and out.
334. Making espresso in the same kitchen, sharing stories and laughing with the house manager.

335. Visits at cafes with our girl. Hearing her stories, hearing her golden bells of laughter, just being together.
336. Oh, I love that girl.
336. The Best Dessert Ever: Guinness Bread Pudding. Yumola.


337. At last, gratitude for the safe arrival home.
338. A clean house with candles aglow when we arrived.
339. Happy children showing no signs of trauma from our absence.
340-342. Hot bath, warm bed, deep sleep. Aaah.

And now we are busy cleaning, cooking and generally preparing for Thanksgiving. A favorite day to gather family and eat great food. Cannot wait.


Maybe I should rename this Multitude Wednesday?

For my crazy girl in Oregon

who asked, "When you come up to see me....do you think you could bring...a DUCK?"

How many different ways can I possibly say no? No. No. No. NNNNNOOOOO!

This was all part of a very difficult phone conversation where we decided she would not be coming home for Thanksgiving. Our favorite holiday. Full of traditions we do every.single.year, and this being my Tradition Girl. No coming home for Thanksgiving. Sigh. Unhappy sigh. And why is she not coming home? Oh, you had to ask. Sadly, I was supposed to purchase a train ticket to get her back to Oregon, and by the time I did they were sold out. Call me dumb, but it never occurred to me that there were enough people traveling on that huge train for them to run out of seats. I am no longer dumb (in that particular knowledge set.)

We made a rather happy compromise. The mommy and daddy (sans duck) are going to drive up to see her, attend some classes, drink coffee in cool Eugene cafes, and talk as much as we possibly can. She'll have papers due, classes to prep for, but we'll read our pleasure reading while she slaves and enjoy her while we can.

Now I am not here to say that she preyed upon my guilt when she asked me to bring a DUCK when we come north. Let's just say I was not tempted for a second. Not one second.

Instead, crazy person, I offer you pictures:

They are so happy in the water, so happy together, so happy in their stinky, mucky duck coop. And happy there they will stay. And they will be waiting for you when you arrive home in December.


(And, yes, the tickets are purchased.)

Quick updates

My mom is resting comfortaby in the hospital. She is expected to be in for another week, though. After such a serious infection, she is weak and needs more care. We miss her like crazy, but we are glad that she is in such capable hands.

Our college girl has been diagnosed with bronchitis. She has antibiotics and cough medicine, and she has friends to help her. And her mother and father are doing their best not to drive her absolutely crazy with emails, phone calls and text messages. It's hard for parents to grow up, though. The college girl, on the other hand, is doing a marvelous job at it.

Some duck pictures

for a dear girl in Oregon.

The flu has reared its ugly head in the house in Eugene, especially unfortunate during the first week of classes. I hope pictures of these funny creatures bring some cheer and laughs to a girl with aches and a cough and generalized misery.

The duck version of toweling off after a bath.

The Elvis hair style is still poofing and making us laugh.

"Feel better soon, Madelaine!"