Pool Party

Today we had a birthday party for Sarah. Her actual birthday was late December of course, but being so close to the holidays, it's hard to schedule one more event, so Margo agreed to put a party together early in the new year, and that day was today.

Margo arranged a package at our nearby recreation centre, following the time-honoured tradition of children's birthday parties we first learned in England: kids run around for about an hour, then congretate at a table, eat rubbish food, eat birthday cake, open prezzies, then run around a while more.

The package included staff-led activities like water balloon catch, and this rope swing.



We brought the food ourselves, so it wasn't too awful. But you know most of the veg and fruit came home with us.


Fun with party hats.


Time to make a wish ...


Sharing prezzies ...


And, back in the water!

Sarah's new school picture

Here is Sarah's 2009-2010 school picture.

She is having a great year - learning French and piano and really enjoying both. At the beginning of the year she had her favorite teacher, Mrs Wilson, who is now away for the remainder of the school year on maternity leave. Sarah was a bit intimidated by her new teacher, Ms Basso, but now seems to be content (and Ms Basso seems to be a bit stricter - which works for Sarah who will work hard when motivated, but will usually coast if permitted to do so.)

One more picture

Best Friends

While in Portland we had an afternoon and evening where we were graced with an unexpected snowfall. It was lovely for anyone who didn't need to be out on the road. Our pitiful two or so inches managed to foul up traffic throughout the metro area for many hours.

Those of us at home had a nice afternoon and evening with some Christmas cookies and some drinks, followed by a pasta dinner. Sarah and Nika had a great time throwing snowballs at one another and at any adult foolish enough to venture outside.

Visit Over and Looking Back

Yesterday we returned from our visit in Portland. One week seemed about the perfect amount of time. Our time with friends was engaging but not so long as to start tiring of each other. I got to tick off most of the top items on my Visit Portland checklist:

• Get more CDs at Everyday Music - the selection is unrivalled
  
• Shop for books at Powell's ... there's nothing like it up here, and the prices are considerably less
  
• Sample some local brews - this time at Horse Brass - Deschutes Jubel Ale on nitro, the new-to-me Hair of the Dog double IPA, and a malty winter ale from the Widmer Brothers Collaborator series named Sled Crasher
• Shop for music magazines at Rich's Cigars
  
• Acquire some Stumptown coffee beans
• Walk around Downtown, Division, Hawthorne, Belmont

Other highlights included a vegetarian dinner in a small restaurant staffed by volunteer nuns; breakfast at the renowned Petit Provencal; seeing Avatar in 3D; and getting stuck in an unexpected snowstorm that crippled the city yet completely disappeared by the same time next day.

It was great to visit friends. It feels like coming home, hanging around our old neighbourhood, and always sad to leave.

I have a few more pictures to share ...


Sarah and Nika composed a piano piece together. It's fairly simple and repetitive, but honestly enjoyable to listen to, not dissimilar to the music of Phillip Glass.


This is from a New Year's Eve gathering. Nika has just sussed me out and is warning the others: he's taking our picture!

Being the turn of a decade, there's been lots of written reviews of the past ten years, and I realised that a lot of things happened just about ten years ago for us: meeting and wedding Margo, Sarah's arrival, settling in our house, and meeting and making the friends we still enjoy. And driving home, I realised also that, aside from our years in England, I've spent the last twenty years living within a few miles of Interstate 5, and still do.

Looking back on 2009, our year hasn't been too exciting. Mostly we're preparing for events that will likely take place in this new year: studying, working, and saving, and awaiting Margo's graduation, the start of her new career, and moving to a new home and getting properly settled.