Spring Break

This past week was Spring Break. I was looking forward to a few days with no plans. I had some tentative ideas of how to spend my five (not counting weekends) glorious days away from my students. Monday was a great beginning. I slept in, did a workout, had vacuumed the carpets, and was waiting for my laundry to try when the phone rang and my non-plans became, plans....

The phone call was from mom. I was heading down to the parents' on Tuesday to talk Dad into changing the oil in my car. I admit it was long overdue.

So, Mom's on the phone. "You might want to pack some extra clothes." (I'd planned on spending the night.)

"Why?" I asked.

"We're going to the Coast. Leaving in the morning."

The discussion went on for awhile and a couple hours later I found myself packing for a few days at the Coast.

On Tuesday we headed over to Newport. The weather was surprisingly nice. Mid 50's, and somewhat sunny with lots of wind. Dad & Eric went out fishing while the rest of us took a walk.
Wednesday was similar, but the weather was cooler.

Thursday's weather was crap. Typical Oregon Coast during Spring Break. We went for a cliff walk near Depoe Bay, and the entire time the song "I'll fly away" was running through my brain!




On Friday the weather was improving. Dad & Eric took the boat out again, leaving around 7:30 am. The Coast Guard closed the bar at 9:00 to boats under 26 feet (Eric's boat is 24') so they had to stay out until they were cleared to follow a charter boat back in around 2:30. Immediately after coming in the bar was closed to boats under 32 feet, so they got lucky.

Saturday was beautiful. We walked over to the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center. When I was a kid our elementary classes and middle school science classes made regular trips over there. We walked in this time, and it was completely different. The things that I remembered most clearly were the octopus tank and the touch tank. They've been completely rebuilt and they're so much nicer now. We found out from one of the volunteers that they were redone about fifteen years ago. Wow! Time really flies. Either way, it was a great way to spend a little time. And very economical since the center doesn't charge admission, but does accept donations. After lunch we took a walk on Nye Beach.

Spring Break was a good week. Now, if I only had a couple more days to get prepped for going back to school tomorrow.

Ducky Visit

It turned out to be a beautiful afternoon, and at one point I looked out the sliding glass door to see this female mallard standing on the patio.
She waited very patiently for me to find some bread, and after her snack and staring at Kit for several minutes, she waddled off. I have no idea where her mate is. She may be half of the pair who visited frequently last year until the buildings were resided.

Baby Shower

Today was my sister's baby shower. It was a much anticipated event, that started off simple before burgeoning. A few weeks ago I created over forty invitations. That's a lot, I know, but big family + lots of friends = big party. So, we had a girl party with games and cake and presents. It was a very nice afternoon. Now all we have to do is wait for the baby to arrive.

Cooking School

Today was Taste of Home Cooking School. Mom, Traci and I are seasoned veterans after attending two previous events, but Becky was a newbie; first introduced to really good food samples, cooking demos and giveaways.

The food samples this year were courtesy of Bo Mack's BBQ, OSU Catering and Block 15 Brewing Co. Good stuff all around. Of course our family is familiar with Bo Mack's. How can you go wrong with pulled pork, coleslaw and cornbread? Block 15 had samples of their root beer. Good stuff. And OSU Catering had a Thai theme. The duck won ton tacos were really yummy.

So, besides having a great time, I realize the point of cooking school is to actually cook. Looking back on the previous year, I don't believe I've made anything that was outlined at the last cooking school. This year I strive to do better. Now, what am I going to choose?

Coastal Weekend

So, it was time for the Annual Guys Weekend at the Dunes. Dad and Eric took off on Wednesday leaving the women at home. Sounds kind of sexist, doesn't it. It's not, really. A little space can be a good thing. Rainy Oregon outings can be miserable so we waited to make any definite "girl plans" until closer to the weekend. Last year we went to Portland. This year, we headed to the Coast for an overnight.

So, Saturday dawned chilly and a bit wet with hopes for showers and patchy sun. We (Mom, Sis, Auntie & I) set off to Lincoln City and spent the day shopping at the outlet mall. I made a few spring/summer purchases to spark up my wardrobe. Now, if only the weather would cooperate so I can wear them! We ate dinner at Mo's. Love the clam chowder, then headed on into Newport where we spent the night. Sunday was more shopping. We wandered Old Town and lunched at Rogue Ales before heading eastwardly for home. It was really great to get away for a couple days.

Shopping

I love to shop. Specifically, I love to shop when I don't have to buy anything, or when I'm not looking for something specific. The pleasure I get from color, texture, style and wandering through stores makes me happy. Today, I spent the day attempting to buy baby shower gifts for my sister. She has registries. Matching up little code numbers is not fun. Trying to locate "Area 1" in a store is not fun. Attempting to purchase what she wants is not fun! So, I bought nothing she registered for. Sorry, Sis. You get what you get.

Genetics

I have to admit that I'm not a science geek. Science is interesting, but only to the degree that I find individual concepts interesting. I have no desire to know all there is, but I find genetics fascinating. What to do we gain from our parents, grandparents, and so on back through the generations.

I remember doing some basic genetics in high school. It was an investigation looking at physical traits we shared with family members. During that unit we observed eye color, who could roll their tongues, who had detached earlobes, and whether or not you have crooked pinkies. If I remember correctly, tongue rolling and detached earlobes were rather common, dominant traits. The crooked pinkies, not so much. It's recessive, and I inherited that trait from both my parents along with "blue" eyes. I will also admit that I didn't give much thought to my fellow students who were adopted and how this subject impacts their lives. I've always known that piece of my past. I have photos of ancestors who look like me.

This evening I watched the finale of "Faces of America" which is the latest genealogical investigation taken on by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. In the past, his emphasis has been on African-American research, which can be a difficult undertaking. This time around he took the investigations to the molecular level, analyzing DNA to find haplong groups and shared ancestry. It was interesting, and makes me curious about my own. As someone whose interest in family history, this is kind of the next step. Well, it's something to think about.