Sunday, May 31, 2009

Storming the beach


Memorial Day brought us to Cannon Beach on Oregon's Pacific Coast in what we hope will become more than an annual expedition. The beach is too beautiful to enjoy only once a year.

Cap'n Quinn calls it his "sandbox," not fully understanding the term beach, but it's apropos. The world is his sandbox, after all, and in it we made sandcastles. This wasn't easy, having only one bucket and two scoops, one of which was broken. Next time, we'll be more prepared.

Posted as he is at the helm of the U.S.S. Fussy Britches, Quinn naturally did more than build sandy fortifications. We were also on the hunt for whales, braving the Ocean's treacherous shin-high breakers on the search for a Great White.

Alas, we never found one, but the ocean offered us a spent clam shell as temporary bounty. Quinn said no thanks, and went about his business.

It was a beautiful day, as most days have been this month while we await the final days before we move into our new home. It's been torturous, this wait, but it will be here soon enough.

We're already making preparations to build our own sandbox.

It will be slightly smaller than the one at Cannon Beach.

Saturday, May 02, 2009

Big moves



July 8, 2009, 8:30 a.m.


Mark the date and time above into the annals of history. Another classy young man will grace this planet on that morning, at almost precisely that time.

Keaton Siemers, the Skipper, will finally join the good Cap'n Quinn, Mommy and Daddy on the U.S.S. Fussy Britches.

He will arrive on the most sequential of dates -- 7/8/09. If only is his Mommy's C-section were to start at 6 or 10 a.m. would it be more perfect.

But we're shooting for a whole different kind of perfect: the perfect baby, perfect son, perfect big brother, all living together in the perfect new house.

That's the other part of our new news. As of last week, we reached an agreement to buy a house a few mere blocks from the tiny apartment in which we live now in Beaverton, Ore.

With luck, assuming all goes well, we'll be living comfortably there by the time the Skipper comes to join us. His room will be neatly painted, probably some shade of green, just a few steps away from his big brother, the good Cap'n.

The long journey from uncertainty in New Mexico to discomfort in Oregon will finally come to a close. A new house, a new baby, a happy family. It's all just a few weeks away.

Stay tuned. This ship has set sail.