This opinion article from the Sacramento Bee is a wake up call for those of us in publicly funded higher education. It's shocking - but then again - maybe not. The public here in California is clearly hesitant to fund higher education and back the concept of 'access to all.' That seems incredibly short sighted to those of us who think higher education is the key to California's future economic development and competitiveness. The public systems have tough choices ahead; many realize that increasingly privatizing operations is probably inevitable.
It's especially poignant to me that the author points out parallels to Iceland - one of my other favorite places. Oh how things have gone awry!
There is a plague upon my garden. Some varmint is eating leaves off my (our) lemon tree (left), rose bush (middle) and strawberries (right). I should note the rose has only about nine leaves left on it - so we're into a critical intervention period.
When we raced home to surf the 'net about the Pointer breed - we were underwhelmed about what we found. Really? They are the classic dog breed for the American fancy - but this is one of the classic links I found:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,719914,00.html
I've been collecting and scanning in Eutaw pictures this week. Thanks to everyone who sent me ones I didn't have. Disclaimer(s): The movie is necessarily low resolution. The musical background was the "default" and I couldn't figure out how to change it, but now it's part of the movie here at the Aerie on our computers.
I just got the mail by myself for the first time in about 15 or 16 years.
If I'm the first one home, my routine is to sling the car keys and tote bags and purse down, holler out, "Is there a dog here?" Eutaw dances around with me or maybe sheepishly grins up at me as she wakes from a deep sleep. Then we head out the door to get the mail (and take care of business).
We had to put Brown Bear's Eutaw Red Sky to sleep yesterday.
She will leave such a huge hole in our lives.
She was my constant through most of my adult life. Getting a dog signaled a stability and capacity for responsibility that I equated with growing up. Sally Diess in Eugene helped us find Jim Shine in Sparks, Nevada, who had a litter of Chessies and a "female pick" left. Her puppy years were spent in Oregon, her middle years in upstate New York, her old age in Santa Fe and San Diego. I look back to those Santa Fe years - newly divorced - and never remember myself as lonely; Eutaw was with me. She was my personal trainer, my sous chef, my kitchen floor cleaner, and my great, great friend.
She was an intrepid mountain climber but was always mystified at why there wasn't water at the end of the trail. If there wasn't water - there had better be meadows of tall grass and wildflowers that she could eat. Her last weekend with us she spent some quality time eating sage flowers in our backyard. Her first mountain adventure was with the Vultures at Mount Hood, Oregon. She smiled for the first time on that trip. She also learned how to eat huckleberries off the bush - a delicate skill she honed harvesting strawberries in our backyard gardens over the years. She was only about 6 months old at Mount Hood and her paws gave out on the third day of scree so that she was carried back to the cabin. The fourth day I stayed behind to swim her while the rest of the gang hiked - starting a 16 year tradition for the two of us. However, she became a canine Adirondack 46er with her late fall 1998 summit of Wolf Jaw. Our house in San Diego today is on a mountain of sorts but she only hiked it a handful of times as a 15/16 year old. There are so many beautiful places we explored together - my memories of them framed over and beyond her perked up ears.
After two years of go-getting, she became a stylish retriever of bumpers, frisbees, splashes and snow. She launched herself into icy waters in Minnesota and New York with verve - especially if it was off a dock. Her "home" swims were the Willamette River Whitely boat launch, the Erie Canal in Vischer Ferry, the Henry Hudson Park near Selkirk, Delmar Dog Beach and Abiquiu Reservoir. But she wasn't above a good water freak in reservoirs, rivers, other oceans, and deep stream ponds too numerous to list. She hated water from a hose or as rain. Go figure. I spent weekend days over the years driving her to her swims - just the two of us. I'd blast the radio/CDs/iPod and she'd tolerate it until she could smell the water - and then she'd whine along to the music (sort of). She loved the ocean and breaking surf most - her days at Delmar Dog Beach were her finest even though she was nearly ten when the Pacific became her home waters. To be clear, her swims were really her working zone - she would retrieve bumpers until her back legs would tremble like jelly and I would call an end to the work. I think her other favorite place was Lower Gates Farm in New Hampshire (meadows! pond! bullfrogs! reeds to demolish!). I am sure she had the talent to take on the jr/sr/master hunter circuit but I balked at the birds-in-the-freezer stage; she hated the show dog thing despite winning a best in breed at 9 months (only two Chessies competed!). She never blamed me for her status as companion dog.
She was my inspiration for the work I did for Chesapeake Bay Retriever Relief & Rescue. I could never understand how people could throw away such good dogs. Eutaw, however, hated sharing with the foster dogs. There was always one terrifying dog fight during a foster stay; I have a scar on my palm to prove it. She was an alpha bitch. Even as an ancient dog she could muster a growl deep in her chest to warn off overzealous sniffers and clueless puppies too close to her bowls. In contrast she loved gardening (well, the weeding part because you, of course, need to retrieve the weeds!) and small children. She was fascinated by babies and toddlers. She would "retrieve" tennis balls for the toddlers in her Albany backyard - it was fascinating how she would gently give the balls to them and clown for them on the 1 yard retrieves out and back.
CH Quail Run's Tesla at Redfire WD x WR Brown Bear's Skyfire Bear MH WDQ. Eutaw. Miracle of Nature. Fuzzy Butt. Helicopter Head. Bear Girl. Brownie. Eubie. Sweetie.
See you later Alligator, in a while Crocodile. Stay and be good.
So - being the motivated (but it's not a competition...) Baby Boomer that I am - I feel the need to report back on personal progress made over the last 12 days of holiday. It was an unprecedented staycation for me/us and I think we worked to make it a real separation from our work lives. We also stayed at home more days than expected due to rainy, winter storms that swept through at the beginning and end of the 12 days. Here's the short list:
1) Finished 2008 ahead of the Godfather in Gin Rummy by ~180 points.
2) Finished five books, browsed seven magazines*, and read two NYTimes Sunday papers + magazines front to back. Books were:
1. Lulu in Marrakesh by D. Johnson (6) - same idea as Syriana, but from a Bridget Jones perspective. Perhaps complex international political theory should be left to policy wonks afterall.
2. The Outcast by S. Jones (6) - the review score comes from the feeling of dread that I carried with me on Boxing Day as I read this. Thank goodness there was redemption at the end (and this comment isn't a spoiler!).
3. Close Call by J. McEvoy (7) - fun horseracing mystery to lighten the holiday mood - mission accomplished, especially since the book is set in Chicago.
4. The Monsters of Templeton by L. Groff (9) - thoroughly entertaining mystery cloaked as a historical romance novel...with a lake monster as a minor character. How can that miss?
5. Black Seconds by K. Fossom (8) - a tense psychological thriller by an excellent Norwegian writer (also wrote Indian Bride). Read like a Law & Order episode but with stoic, earnest and sincere Scandinavians in the roles instead of the cynical NYC types.
Next in the book queue: Custer's Brother's Horse (E. Shrake), Three Girls and Their Brother (T. Rebeck), The Condition (J. Haigh), This Must Be The Place (A. Winger), The Bestiary (N. Christopher), The Years of Rice and Salt (K. Stanley Robinson) and the next Sujata Massey mystery I can find at the library or Amazon.
* full disclosure... magazines were - People, Real Simple, Fido, Time, Dwell, San Diego Magazine & US Weekly
4) Planted and irrigated the vertical herb garden with parsley, cilantro, rosemary, sage, oregano, strawberries and some really unhappy basil (too cold and rainy this week in San Diego!). Still need to get thyme and a way to keep birds from eventual strawberries.
5) Kept the birds fed (even attracting a covey of quail today!)
6) Got stylin' and freakin' expensive new glasses (for computer and reading....so far)
7) Attended church to visit a minister I met this winter on a cross-country flight.
8) Re-arranged the second bedroom as a "Wii Studio" and learned how to Wii (Fit & Sport). I can't say I can Wii Dancing with the Stars like the Godfather can but the entire system is more silly fun than can be described. I'm embarrassed to confess I'm sore from the workout two days ago. But I do have the high scores in the household for yoga exercises and slalom skiing...for now.
9) Gave the ancient dog two baths (evil, evil accomplishment in her view) to help her skin condition and worried about her increasing confusion and discomfort.
10) Arranged travel plans for my parents to visit San Diego & Sonoma in February.
11) Blogged exactly two times.
12) Managed to stay beloved, while also recognizing and basking in the love of a good hearted man.
Life is so short - nothing like a 12 day holiday (seems like such a long time!?) to demonstrate how time flies. We thought we'd do so many "other things." I remember, as a younger thing, thinking that staycations taken by "older" colleagues were such a waste of time. How wrong I was. I'm not sure we're "rested and ready" for what the first quarter of 2009 holds for us - but we are certainly grounded in who we are as a couple and what makes us happy. So - I guess we gained some perspective and motivation, if nothing else!
My next planned day off is Inaugural Day. I'm already looking forward to watching every minute of the day's ceremonies in Washington, D.C.
I'd like to say I've resolved to blog more in 2009. My hours spent in front of a computer at work seem to have zapped my energy for blogging. Face it, the Godfather does a great job keeping friends, family and his VOX neighborhood up to date with his (better) photos, our foibles and life events. Going forward my blogging niche is probably more about the journaling. I like the creative (can I write something pithy, cogent and interesting?) part and the personal record (the fun in reading back over what was in my head some months past).
Google Zeitgeist serves as inspiration today. Last night we were talking about the "things that stuck in your head or were on the tip of your tongue" during 2008. Here's my stream of consciousness answer this morning mixed with some of the ones we thought of last night.
Noah Tafolla
Russian River Pinot Noir
Hummingbirds and Orioles
Ancient Dog Eutaw
Family in Oklahoma
Fried Oysters
Giant Trees
Barack Obama
Gin Rummy
In Treatment
The Bundestag at night
Sister Mary Aloysius
Bobby Flay
Over the Rhine
Mac Takes Over the Aerie
Undergraduate Science Education and Marion Wright Edelman
The Biddies
Etsy Fascination
Laminated Drink Menus
The Bean
Herb Garden vs. Canyon Rat(s)
Johann Johannson and Jamey Johnson
Of course, the real 2009 resolution has to do (always) with those 15 pounds...but I sure hope to find some more peace, energy and inspiration to blog a bit more in 2009, too!
Warm patio under bare feet.
Fog already settling into the canyons.
Hummingbirds fighting over the everlasting flower.
Some aromatic cocktail.
Harrier hovering.
Cleveland sage and eucalyptus scents in the air.
Brown dog asleep, smelling like corn tortillas.
Amy Winehouse singing Tears Dry On Their Own.
Sunset.
http://universe.sdsu.edu/sdsuniverse/news.aspx?s=12
I hope this link stays live!
I love three day weekends - you can catch up on all the puttering and VOX surfing and reading you haven't had time for during the hectic work weeks. The Godfather's growing list of books read amazed me and Cori inspired me with her book reviews. Even though I haven't been blogging, I have been reading (especially on planes!) this summer. Here's a selection, in typical left-to-my-own-devices (non book club) reading categories:
Wacky/Endearing/Gothic:
The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint by Brady Udall. Sent by Lisa, like reading a train wreck - you HAVE to know how it's going to end. One of the better first sentences in a book out there (unlike this year's Bulwer-Lytton selections): 8 out of 10.
Miss American Pie by Margaret Sartor. This is a memoir about growing up in the 1970s. Painful (in that uh-oh-I-think-that-happened-to-me way) and laugh-out-loud (with her, of course, not at her....) adolescent musings in the time of desegregation. Oh, and it has horses in it. Probably best enjoyed by others coming of age in the 70s. 9 out of 10.
Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo. One of my favorite authors who seems to believe in the redemptive qualities of old friends, small town perspectives and Upstate NY (a nice counterpoint to Frederick Busch's books - also first rate). A book to get lost in - perfect summer read. 8 out of 10.
Apocalyptic:
The Solitude of Thomas Cave by Georgina Harding. The story of a whaling sailor who spends the winter alone - on purpose - in the Arctic way back in the 1600s (fiction). It's really a romantic novel at heart, wrapped up as a fable of faith. 8 out of 10 because it's not easy, but it sticks in the back of your mind.
Mystery:
Hitler's Peace by Philip Kerr. We were hooked on this author this spring while flying to/from Berlin. His lead detectives are well-drawn, strong, silent types. You'd worry about them, but you'd definitely invite them over for dinner. This one wasn't as good as a few of the Berlin Noir selections, but still entertaining. 6 out of 10.
Chasing the Devil's Tail by David Fulmer. Another atmospheric, historical mystery set in New Orleans. Good with bourbon in an airport. 6 out of 10.
Animals:
Stormy Weather by Paulette Jiles. I liked Enemy Women so much, I made the Godfather read it after which he rolled his eyes and said it was another horse book. Well, so what? This one also features a horse and strong, willful women trying to make ends meet in Texas during the Depression. You feel dusty after reading it, but not over-challenged. 6 out of 10.
Animal Mystery:
Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann. I so much wanted to like this book - sheep detectives - how could you go wrong? But - the ending disappointed me; not even the cheery sheep line drawings can eek another point out of me. 5 out of 10.
Wacky Animal Apocalyptic:
The Mule by Juan Eslava Galan. I am sort of sad to report that this might be made into a movie. Enjoyable read covering up some harsh realities about war and the foibles of humans. 7 out of 10.
