Okay so as you all know I ran (or rather survived) the 2016 Rock and Roll Half Marathon a few months back. Well they have opened up sign ups for the 2017 version. If you are at all interested in trying this out you will want to sign up sooner than later. Right now the Half Marathon is around $60 and it goes up periodically from there. As sore as I was afterwards I had the time of my life. Get those running shoes on and start training. You will be able to say you accomplished something that you never thought you would. As soon as school starts I will be ramping up my running.
Scott
Monday, August 29, 2016
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Getting Ready
Just a quick post to let you know that I have received my first set of Eclipse Equipment. Don't we look stunning? And as a bonus, we found that when you wear your eclipse glasses, you can look right back into your eye while waiting for the sun!
Dad
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Thought I would share a couple of quick stories from our favorite boy, Lukas.
Last weekend I picked Lukas up at his house to drive him to my house. He had been very helpful to me and quite charming so when we got into the car I offered him my phone so he could play some games that we have chosen for him. He played quietly for about 40 minutes when he informed me in a very matter of fact way, "Grandma, I've organized your phone for you!" Now remember I am driving and there is no way I can look to see exactly what he meant by Organize! I tried not to sound panicked but I was a bit fearful as to what he had done. As we got out of the car at home he said, "See Grandma, a folder for you and a folder for me!" All my home pages were blank and Everything is now in a folder. So, now I'm relearning my smart phone!! I couldn't even find the phone icon to make a call. I had to ask him for help!
A few days later I was driving Lukas home from the park and he asked to play on my phone. I said ok but there wasn't much battery so he would have to plug it in. "Grandma," he said, "you keep leaving all your "apps" open and that's why your battery runs down." Oh Lukas", I said "you are so patient with me. You keep telling me that and I keep forgetting. Maybe I should get rid of my smart phone if I don't know how to work it." "Oh no Grandma, don't get rid of your phone. I've spent a lot of time trying to teach you how to work it!"
~Mom
Last weekend I picked Lukas up at his house to drive him to my house. He had been very helpful to me and quite charming so when we got into the car I offered him my phone so he could play some games that we have chosen for him. He played quietly for about 40 minutes when he informed me in a very matter of fact way, "Grandma, I've organized your phone for you!" Now remember I am driving and there is no way I can look to see exactly what he meant by Organize! I tried not to sound panicked but I was a bit fearful as to what he had done. As we got out of the car at home he said, "See Grandma, a folder for you and a folder for me!" All my home pages were blank and Everything is now in a folder. So, now I'm relearning my smart phone!! I couldn't even find the phone icon to make a call. I had to ask him for help!
A few days later I was driving Lukas home from the park and he asked to play on my phone. I said ok but there wasn't much battery so he would have to plug it in. "Grandma," he said, "you keep leaving all your "apps" open and that's why your battery runs down." Oh Lukas", I said "you are so patient with me. You keep telling me that and I keep forgetting. Maybe I should get rid of my smart phone if I don't know how to work it." "Oh no Grandma, don't get rid of your phone. I've spent a lot of time trying to teach you how to work it!"
~Mom
Monday, August 22, 2016
August 21, 2017
8/24: If you want to 'look around' on Google Earth, the place I'd like to camp is called Farwell Bend SP in Oregon. We may have to explore the nearby small town to be within moo-ing distance of a farm on the big day.
Dad
Friday, August 19, 2016
A Breathy Catch Up
Hey all,
I have been conspicuously absent lately (or, maybe, not so spicuously). As mentioned by Dad, I moved to Greenlake. I am now living with Paul, an arrangement that has been going swimmingly so far. While each counterpart tends to be gone whilst the other is asleep, we have found evenings to be the time to hang out and catch up on our days. The biggest drawback as of yet seems to be the smaller kitchen, but if that is my only complaint then I seem to be having it quite well. The best part, I must mention, is the fact that we live mostly underground. Yes, us hobbitses love our situation away from the blistery sun where we can carouse* as cool as we like.
Another happenstance was the fact that I attempting to garner a new position at work. Unfortunately (I think?), I was unsuccessful. Though I had the support of many people, the sole decision-maker decided to go in another direction. I am not as disappointed in not gaining the position as much I am discomfited concerning my next steps. Do I go to college? Do I attempt to pay of loans? Do I stay in Security? All this questions have very fine and quite fulfilling answers that are as of yet undiscovered by me. hmmm. Many ponderous nights are yet ahead of me.
In more laudable news, Patrick and I scored tickets to a few Seahawks games this season. Our first game is in fact the Seahawks' first game, the Opener against Miami. In just three weeks the Regular Season will commence and Patrick and I will be there to add our voices to the mix. I think this will be a good season for us, the loss to the Vikings today not withstanding.
As far as my goal to read 52 books in 52 weeks goes, I fell behind during the move. Understandably, maybe. If I finish a book by this weekend then I'll have caught up. If not, I'll attempt to read two books next week. I have read some doozies lately. A scientific and whimsical, "What If;" a rousing tale of a young girl in Nazi Germany who steals books in the aptly titled, "The Book Thief;" the lackluster sequel "Shift" to the fantastic and unique sci fi, post-apocalyptic, "Wool;" the intricate, acclaimed, stunning, difficult, and hauntingly beautiful books by Faulkner, both "As I lay Dying" and "The Sound and the Fury;" and the philosophical rantings of a conflicted Frenchman, "The Fall."
As of now, I've suggested to Dad to read What If, Mom to read the Book Thief, and Patrick to read The Sound and the Fury. In other words, I have really appreciated these books, all for different reasons. I say this in hopes of reciprocity. As I've undertaken this challenge to read all these books in all these weeks, I've taxed my motivation to initiate. In other words, it is hard to choose new books to start! Sure, I have a long list of books that I want to read, but the motivation is hard to come by. I have added Dad's newest recommendation by Schlosser and hope to read that within the next month, but I am short others. If you please, are there books I ought to consider? I would love it if you suggested some. Please though, offer me a good reason why** I ought to read the book. Hopefully your why will motivate me to get going. I apologize for my apparently slothiness***.
Once again, sorry for my absence. I hope to dedicate more time to this going forward. On that topic, is there anything in particular you'd like me to talk about? If not, I am sure I will find something to ramble about in the future. I'll accept direction, nonetheless.
Enough meandering, take care all. I hope you're all well and happy and eating delightfully tasty foods. Until next time.
-Bradley
* It is at this point that I discovered that "carouse" has drinking connotations, which is considerably different from the activities partaken in by myself and Paul. Whereas the word suggests boosing, accuracy confirms 'lackadaisy'
** Without spoilers, please!
*** I am appalled that "slothiness" is not a word. For your information,"Slothenticity," "Slothiforous," and "slothish" are also not words. Shameful, really. "Spicously" isn't either, but I didn't really expect that one. "Breathy" isn't right as well, but I didn't want to use "Turgid" or "garrulous" as I already wrote snobby enough in the body. I blame the ponderous nights for my vocabulary.
I have been conspicuously absent lately (or, maybe, not so spicuously). As mentioned by Dad, I moved to Greenlake. I am now living with Paul, an arrangement that has been going swimmingly so far. While each counterpart tends to be gone whilst the other is asleep, we have found evenings to be the time to hang out and catch up on our days. The biggest drawback as of yet seems to be the smaller kitchen, but if that is my only complaint then I seem to be having it quite well. The best part, I must mention, is the fact that we live mostly underground. Yes, us hobbitses love our situation away from the blistery sun where we can carouse* as cool as we like.
Another happenstance was the fact that I attempting to garner a new position at work. Unfortunately (I think?), I was unsuccessful. Though I had the support of many people, the sole decision-maker decided to go in another direction. I am not as disappointed in not gaining the position as much I am discomfited concerning my next steps. Do I go to college? Do I attempt to pay of loans? Do I stay in Security? All this questions have very fine and quite fulfilling answers that are as of yet undiscovered by me. hmmm. Many ponderous nights are yet ahead of me.
In more laudable news, Patrick and I scored tickets to a few Seahawks games this season. Our first game is in fact the Seahawks' first game, the Opener against Miami. In just three weeks the Regular Season will commence and Patrick and I will be there to add our voices to the mix. I think this will be a good season for us, the loss to the Vikings today not withstanding.
As far as my goal to read 52 books in 52 weeks goes, I fell behind during the move. Understandably, maybe. If I finish a book by this weekend then I'll have caught up. If not, I'll attempt to read two books next week. I have read some doozies lately. A scientific and whimsical, "What If;" a rousing tale of a young girl in Nazi Germany who steals books in the aptly titled, "The Book Thief;" the lackluster sequel "Shift" to the fantastic and unique sci fi, post-apocalyptic, "Wool;" the intricate, acclaimed, stunning, difficult, and hauntingly beautiful books by Faulkner, both "As I lay Dying" and "The Sound and the Fury;" and the philosophical rantings of a conflicted Frenchman, "The Fall."
As of now, I've suggested to Dad to read What If, Mom to read the Book Thief, and Patrick to read The Sound and the Fury. In other words, I have really appreciated these books, all for different reasons. I say this in hopes of reciprocity. As I've undertaken this challenge to read all these books in all these weeks, I've taxed my motivation to initiate. In other words, it is hard to choose new books to start! Sure, I have a long list of books that I want to read, but the motivation is hard to come by. I have added Dad's newest recommendation by Schlosser and hope to read that within the next month, but I am short others. If you please, are there books I ought to consider? I would love it if you suggested some. Please though, offer me a good reason why** I ought to read the book. Hopefully your why will motivate me to get going. I apologize for my apparently slothiness***.
Once again, sorry for my absence. I hope to dedicate more time to this going forward. On that topic, is there anything in particular you'd like me to talk about? If not, I am sure I will find something to ramble about in the future. I'll accept direction, nonetheless.
Enough meandering, take care all. I hope you're all well and happy and eating delightfully tasty foods. Until next time.
-Bradley
* It is at this point that I discovered that "carouse" has drinking connotations, which is considerably different from the activities partaken in by myself and Paul. Whereas the word suggests boosing, accuracy confirms 'lackadaisy'
** Without spoilers, please!
*** I am appalled that "slothiness" is not a word. For your information,"Slothenticity," "Slothiforous," and "slothish" are also not words. Shameful, really. "Spicously" isn't either, but I didn't really expect that one. "Breathy" isn't right as well, but I didn't want to use "Turgid" or "garrulous" as I already wrote snobby enough in the body. I blame the ponderous nights for my vocabulary.
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Book Recommendation
Other than your Mom and other baby boomers, you don't have personal memory of the cold war era. This book is a very readable history, written almost like a techno-thriller, except that it is all true. If you want to take a peek into the history of nuclear weapons and especially a first hand history of a slow motion accident at a Titan 2 site, well, this is your book. It is at any library in both book, and audio book formats.
Command and control : nuclear weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the illusion of safety
Eric Schlosser.
Dad
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
This past week I have been wading through piles and piles of papers from my parents. I've emptied a couple of large tubs! It's been fun and sad at the same time. I've learned a lot about both sides of my family that I never knew before. If you ever want to read some of the things I found feel free to let me know. I have it pretty organized into a couple of books now, one for the Well's and one for the Rendahl's.
I thought I would share one story that my Uncle Stanley (your Grandpa Rendahl's older brother) wrote. I will share the story first and then give you the background. This is a true story.
"There were no neighbors to call; there were no telephones yet. No one would hear her voice no matter how loud she screamed now that the Indians were gone. Her husband could not be reached. She had only one alternative and that was to pray. In that isolated spot she began to talk to the God she loved. All that day the Lord had her attention and heard her pleadings.
She did what she could in the garden and in the log house but her voice kept bombarding the heavenly throne. As dusk began to cover the island she spread her apron on the long log bench they had set near the lake shore, close to the water, as if to wait for guests. She continued to pray, 'Dear God bring my baby back.' Before the sun had completely set a canoe appeared on the horizon and then came directly to her inlet. The one at the oars lifted the paddles and let the canoe slide up on the shore. His companion stepped over the edge holding a bundle cautiously in his arms. When his feet reached dry ground he ran to the play-pen and carefully put the blond girl in the place from which she had been taken. He petted the top of the little girls head and ran back to his friend.
The mother sat in a bewildered silence until the dark skinned visitors had left and the girl began to cry, 'mama.' Her tear stained and worried voice could only say, 'Thank you dear Lord.'"
This is a story of my grandmother when she was a baby. My great-grandparents came from Sweden and settled on one of the islands in Minnesota. My great-grandfather rowed a boat into the nearest town each day to work. My great-grandmother was home alone with their baby girl, my grandmother. There were Indians living close by and they had never seen a child with white skin and blonde hair. So they paddled over, took her back to their home for everyone to see, and then brought her back. I can only imagine the terror in my great-grandmother's heart and mind when this happened. I am so thankful my grandmother was returned or none of us would be here today!
~Mom
I thought I would share one story that my Uncle Stanley (your Grandpa Rendahl's older brother) wrote. I will share the story first and then give you the background. This is a true story.
"There were no neighbors to call; there were no telephones yet. No one would hear her voice no matter how loud she screamed now that the Indians were gone. Her husband could not be reached. She had only one alternative and that was to pray. In that isolated spot she began to talk to the God she loved. All that day the Lord had her attention and heard her pleadings.
She did what she could in the garden and in the log house but her voice kept bombarding the heavenly throne. As dusk began to cover the island she spread her apron on the long log bench they had set near the lake shore, close to the water, as if to wait for guests. She continued to pray, 'Dear God bring my baby back.' Before the sun had completely set a canoe appeared on the horizon and then came directly to her inlet. The one at the oars lifted the paddles and let the canoe slide up on the shore. His companion stepped over the edge holding a bundle cautiously in his arms. When his feet reached dry ground he ran to the play-pen and carefully put the blond girl in the place from which she had been taken. He petted the top of the little girls head and ran back to his friend.
The mother sat in a bewildered silence until the dark skinned visitors had left and the girl began to cry, 'mama.' Her tear stained and worried voice could only say, 'Thank you dear Lord.'"
This is a story of my grandmother when she was a baby. My great-grandparents came from Sweden and settled on one of the islands in Minnesota. My great-grandfather rowed a boat into the nearest town each day to work. My great-grandmother was home alone with their baby girl, my grandmother. There were Indians living close by and they had never seen a child with white skin and blonde hair. So they paddled over, took her back to their home for everyone to see, and then brought her back. I can only imagine the terror in my great-grandmother's heart and mind when this happened. I am so thankful my grandmother was returned or none of us would be here today!
~Mom
Monday, August 8, 2016
Odds and Ends
I don't have any specific theme today, so let's see where this goes. . . .
Mom and I helped Brad get moved a weekend ago. Mom for sure is a journeyman packer. Having 90% of the stuff in boxes really helps on the actual moving day. Remember that any of you that may need to move someday. You can't discount the benefits of good preparations. We were also successful in finding a not impossible path to get the 2 piece couch out of the apartment, and into the trailer to take to Scott's. Yeah that was fun. Rumor has it that Lukas has already chosen 'his spot' on the couch.
The rest of the move was normal move tasks. Up and back, up and back, repeat. . . . At Brad's new place, I have it firmly in mind (now) that there are 7 steps down to the apartment. If you only count to 6, bad things happen (twice!) Nonetheless I believe that everything that we moved actually got into the place, one way or the other. Should be a good place for Brad.
Brad, in lieu of the standard feed the help pizza when you move, took Mom and I out to dinner at McMenamins in Bothell. First time for us. THat was really nice, and we're still wondering how he arranged for the 4 piece Pipe and Drum band.
All that being said, I am pretty sure that Mom and I won't be the prime help on any more moving days. It is just getting kind of hard to move boxes and furniture and all of that. If (or when) you plan on moving, that doesn't mean you're in in alone, but does mean that the actual hucking stuff back and forth will need to be done by either a large confirmed posse of people less that AARP age, or the 2 men and a truck people. Just saying. . .
On that topic, for the first time, I'm actually hiring someone to clean the gutters of or place. Yes, Dad is declining to balance on a ladder up 12 feet in the air this time.
I enjoy the Olympics. The replay helps so that I can watch things a day later, but zip through what would easily total hours of commercials. Sports that I really only watch every 4 years like swim races, diving, soccer, volleyball, and others that I forget. Fun to see those folks compete. I was sad that in the Womens bicycle roadrace that the USA lady having lead for so long got clipped right at the finish of that multi hour race and got 4th place. How hard must it be to come in 4th at the Olympics?
Advance warning again about planning for the total solar eclipse next August.
Summer seems to be slipping away. Amazing that's it's already well into August. Maybe the cloudy skies contribute to feeling that this summer is cheating us somehow.
Dad
Mom and I helped Brad get moved a weekend ago. Mom for sure is a journeyman packer. Having 90% of the stuff in boxes really helps on the actual moving day. Remember that any of you that may need to move someday. You can't discount the benefits of good preparations. We were also successful in finding a not impossible path to get the 2 piece couch out of the apartment, and into the trailer to take to Scott's. Yeah that was fun. Rumor has it that Lukas has already chosen 'his spot' on the couch.
The rest of the move was normal move tasks. Up and back, up and back, repeat. . . . At Brad's new place, I have it firmly in mind (now) that there are 7 steps down to the apartment. If you only count to 6, bad things happen (twice!) Nonetheless I believe that everything that we moved actually got into the place, one way or the other. Should be a good place for Brad.
Brad, in lieu of the standard feed the help pizza when you move, took Mom and I out to dinner at McMenamins in Bothell. First time for us. THat was really nice, and we're still wondering how he arranged for the 4 piece Pipe and Drum band.
All that being said, I am pretty sure that Mom and I won't be the prime help on any more moving days. It is just getting kind of hard to move boxes and furniture and all of that. If (or when) you plan on moving, that doesn't mean you're in in alone, but does mean that the actual hucking stuff back and forth will need to be done by either a large confirmed posse of people less that AARP age, or the 2 men and a truck people. Just saying. . .
On that topic, for the first time, I'm actually hiring someone to clean the gutters of or place. Yes, Dad is declining to balance on a ladder up 12 feet in the air this time.
I enjoy the Olympics. The replay helps so that I can watch things a day later, but zip through what would easily total hours of commercials. Sports that I really only watch every 4 years like swim races, diving, soccer, volleyball, and others that I forget. Fun to see those folks compete. I was sad that in the Womens bicycle roadrace that the USA lady having lead for so long got clipped right at the finish of that multi hour race and got 4th place. How hard must it be to come in 4th at the Olympics?
Advance warning again about planning for the total solar eclipse next August.
Summer seems to be slipping away. Amazing that's it's already well into August. Maybe the cloudy skies contribute to feeling that this summer is cheating us somehow.
Dad
Saturday, August 6, 2016
Happy Saturday!!
Just wanted to wish you guys a great Saturday!! If you're working or hanging, know that I'm thinking of you!!
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