The Boys of Summer...Next Year

Tonight was our last softball games for the year and we finished on a high note. The weather was cool, rainy and windy but we had a good showing of our folks and one of the more fun teams to play against. We lost both games, but the last one we played them close. The umpire had a good sense of humor and everyone just had a great time. I can not think of a better way to end the year and have everyone look forward to playing next year. Now its time to get ready for snow boarding;-)...vertu svalur

[Listening to: I Want You - Savage Garden - Savage Garden (03:52)]

...But The Curtain Never Went Up

Three days of rain on the mountain pretty well shut down the Mt. St. Helens show, well at least the viewing of it;-) We did have three great days of camping and hiking up high on the mountain; I do so love the mountains in the rain. It was not cold enough to snow but that cannot be too far off...vertu svalur

Off to the Mt. St. Helens Show

I am off to spend three days on Mt. Rainier. With any luck, I shall be high up on the S/SE slope where the view of any activity in the crater of Mt. St. Helens ought to be just about perfect. Not that I am wishing anything unfortunate on anyone, but if it is going to erupt, why not while I have a front-row seat;-)...vertu svalur, y'all!

Fall Is In The Air

What a nice couple of mornings we have had recently. The air is crisp and it is down right chilly in the mornings. The maple trees in the neighborhood are starting to change color and the pumpkins are ready for picking and carving for Halloween. Winter is on its way, O ja!...vertu svalur (quite literally;-)

From the Boardroom to the Links...and Beyond

I must say that yesterday was quite the interesting day. It started early with me running out and helping the gang set up for our annual employee golf game and barbeque, then home for a wardrobe change and then off to the convention center for a "Technology Roundtable Discussion" withour US Senator Maria Cantwell. I was quite impressed with her ability to absorb information, process it and then relate it as first-hand knowledge shortly thereafter. I could actually watch her and see the process churning behind her blue eyes as we each briefed her in turn on our different areas of expertise. Them in a matter of less than an hour, she was in front of the cameras, answering detailed questions about these technical issues and answering them both completely as well as correctly. It kinda makes me proud that I voted for her, even if she is a Democrat;-) Then it was back to the house for another wardrobe change and then off to the park for the barbeque and games (I totally missed the golf game). We had a beautiful late-summer day, good food, great company, and lots of fun playing soccer, volleyball, and frisbee. We packed it all in late in the afternoon and called it quite the day...vertu svalur, y'all;-)

[Listening to: Walkin' on the Sun - Smash Mouth - Fush Yu Mang (03:27)]

Parade Pics!

For those who wanted to see what we were doing with all of our weekends, here ya go...enjoy!

[Listening to: The Boogie Bumper - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy [Interscope] (03:38)]

The Whole Parade Crew, Except Me

That's Me Driving;-) 

It Really Is About The Kids, After All 

Life Is a Ball...Game

We had a good practice tonight, but then we had better after our rather dismal softball game last Sunday. Of course, the whole point is to get together and have a little fun and we have done that. I do hope that we do a bit better this Sunday, at least well enough that folks won't get discouraged. With only five teams in our division, we will get to know each other quite well and it would be nice to at at least give them some competition. But, I guess as long as we continue to have fun and improve our game a bit each time then we should be happy, and I will be at that...vertu svalur

[Listening to: Tubthumping [Original Mix] - Chumbawamba - Tubthumping (04:39)]

101 Trombones Led The Big Parade...

It was the same old gang doing the parade circuit this morning, in Connell for their Fall Festival this time. Actually, Karen, Jeanne, Jake (Jeanne's 3-year old grandson), Laurel and I were there; with the addition of Jeanne's son, and Jake's father, Chad and Karen's daughter Crystal. Even though Sandy did not make it this time, we did coerce Laurel into being the "Educational Princess" and ride on the back of the convertible, with Jake in his usual place in the car seat and me driving. Chad carried the banner and the others worked the crowds handing out candy to the kids along the way. The weather cooperated and the early morning rain gave way to a cloudy, but pleasantly cool day that was perfect for the festivities. What fun!!! That makes three parades on three weekends in a row that we have put the good name of ESD 123 "on the road" in neighboring towns. What fun it is and why we have not done this before no one knows; who knows perhaps by next year we will be able to field a real float. Not that Karen's Mustang convertible, festooned with ESD banners, and all of us in our maroon and khaki company colors isn't all that shabby, after all we are a hit;-), but we know that we can do it up better with a little time to prepare. We try and remember that this was thrown together in just a couple of days and that we did not anticipate it going beyond the first parade. Anyway, there is a parade in Pomeroy on Friday and what a wonderful small town that is; I have always enjoyed spending time there and I am certain that this one will be the most fun of all...vertu svalur og glaður allan tímann líka

[Listening to: The Boogie Bumper - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy [Interscope] (03:38)]

Brrrrrrr!!!

I will echo my friend Marianna in this sentiment. The morning started off just gorgeous, even though a storm was forecast for the afternoon. So, you know me, I figured that I would climb up and meet the weather coming down, and that is exactly what happened. Between the dramatic drop in temperature and the howling wind and me in only my hiking shorts and boots and at about 9,500 feet up, I thought that I was going to freeze before I got off of the snowfields, but even worse was the rain down below Pebble Creek. It was a cold, stiff drive back to the house and I am now sitting at home trying to warm back up. Too much fun, ya know;-)...vertu svalur, O ja!

Salve For The Soul

I had forgotten just how beautiful and relaxing a gorgeous fall day in Seattle could be. I planned my trip so that I could catch the ferry from Bremerton to Seattle in the morning and it was just the perfect day! Great weather, smooth water, and no crowds. When I landed in Seattle, I parked and spent a couple of hours walking the waterfront, Pike St. Market and REI. It was an absolutely perfect day for just hanging out and enjoying the Seattle scene. Now, a day of meetings and then I am off to Mt. Rainier for a day or so of camping and hiking before I return home. Life is good and so...vertu svalur og glaður allan tímann líka

Morning Stars

I was out running in the pre-dawn hours this morning and chanced to see Venus and Saturn in conjunction before the clouds rolled in and hazed the sky over. What a beautiful sight, especially with Orion just to the right of the pair, beginning its rise to its usual place of prominence in the winter sky. I hope that y'all got the chance to see them also. Now off to work and another day of wrestling with the myriad amount of details associated with keeping the K-12 community connected and data flowing...vertu svalur

[Listening to: Good Woman - Cat Power - You Are Free (03:59)]

What A Week

We managed to pull off the All-Staff Day with only about two weeks prep time and I must say that it was prettty doggone good! It did take the efforts of a lot of dediated, hard-working people who scarificed their personal lives for the last week, as well as Jeanne and I putting in I do not know how many long nights working and worrying over all of the details but, in the end, it got done. Jeanne did a fantastic job pulling everyone and everything together; she has some great leadership abilities and of course she is exceptional working with people. Everyone loves her and would do anything for her and I do not think that anyoine else could have pulled this off anywhere near as well as she did, if at all. The new and improved sound system worked like a champ, though we still have yet to get the projection system totally ironed out yet. But, the Boss was impressed and was generous in his praise, especially for our Assistants that really did all of the hard work. THAT was appreciated by everyone, especially those of us that usually get all of the praise and don't deserve it all. We do have one Hell of a team of good folks and this really demostrated that to everyone. Now t catch up on my sleep and maybe even dream a little bit about...O' ja...vertu svalur

[Listening to: Maps - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps (03:44)]

Back In My Groove, Almost

I finally got up this morning and ran again, after a hiatus of almost three weeks! I do not know why, but I just have been unable to get motivated. Hopefully I can now put that behind me, but I am sure that my funk is linked to the recent cooling off of things and now that we are on the upswing again (at least I think that we are, but it seems that one can never be too sure, you know;-) my overall attitude should improve. Anyway, feeling tired but pumped and ready to hit the day head on, so 'til l8r...vertu svalur

[Listening to: Crush - Jennifer Paige - Jennifer Paige (03:23)]

I Have Been to the Mountain...

We managed to survive the retreat intact, but the expected tension was indeed there and it really spoiled some of the fun that we could have had. The professional collaboration with the schools' staff was great though and we did manage to have fun with the staff barbeque on Monday. I had four grills going at one time as well as cranking out some home-made ice cream; all-in-all we fed twenty-five folks and did so in fine fashion. Everyone ate, drank and made merry and then followed it up with a couple of hours of karaoke. It sure did make for a bleary early morning work session on Tuesday, O' ja...vertu svalur

[Listening to: White Flag - Dido - Life For Rent (03:40)]

Upwards and Onwards

Well, the phone system re-configuration is almost complete, the sun is shining, and I am three days into a week without my friend. What an empty feeling this week has left in me; I cannot wait until things return to normal. This weekend we are all off to our annual retreat with our small-school Superintendents in the mountains of Oregon and I am certain that it will be fun as usual. There is no doubt that we shall be under close scrutiny from all sides while together there and it therefore will be more important than ever that we act most correctly. Hmm...what a wickedly wonderful thing this life is; O, ja...vertu svalur

[Listening to: I Don't Blame You - Cat Power - You Are Free (03:05)]

Just Another Day In The Life...

In this era of gigabit networking over laser beams you would think that we would have the transmission of voice over copper lines down to a science, but then you would be...WRONG!!! Having spent another day watching and listening to technicians try to unjumble the mess that they have created out of our telephone system I am still awe-struck by the experience. I suppose that I should derive some small comfort from the knowledge that we do not understand everything about the way that the universe works after all, but then again I am trying to keep an office up and doing business. Well, we did manage to get the majority of the system functional and there is always tomorrow. I am beginning to think that I need a vacation before school starts myself, so perhaps I will follow Marianna's example and get out of town for a week. Hmmm, now if I can only figure out when...vertu svalur

[Listening to: Werewolf - Cat Power - You Are Free (04:08)]

Off to Paradise...Finally

Okay, well the day is almost gone but I am finally out of here and headed off to Mt. Rainier for what is left of the weekend. Cy'all and, of course,...vertu svalur

[Listening to: Free - Cat Power - You Are Free (03:34)]