Updates

Jim and Tracy are still in town. Their little boy, who is about 3 months old, is not exactly what I would call mellow. Yeah. Not at all. I haven't held the little guy yet, in fact I think I touched a socked foot once. But even though he is cute I admit to him bringing a bit of anxiety to my life. Neither Jim or Tracy have been especially sociable. They have not hung out like they normally do, other than that night at the Melting Pot. I can't imagine why.... In about two and a half months or so we will have our own baby boy. I pray he is better than our first two during those early months and better than this little guy. It seems like all of them are outliers for general crankiness. I mean after 6 months or so they all seem to pull out of it and life gets better--but there are days those first few months....uhg. Yeah, time to change the subject.

This will hopefully be the week I hear back about the job at the nice Downtown Portland firm. Everything can can be crossed--fingers, toes, eyes, etc.--is until we find out. To me it would be akin to hitting the lottery. The firm was ranked as one of the top 50 small businesses to work for in Oregon last year, and it is an area of law that I think I could enjoy. If it doesn't work out, I suppose I will have to consider that there is a good reason and that something else will come up, but I hope it doesn't come to that. Still it has been a long process. Initial contact about 6 weeks ago. Application material 5 weeks ago. Interview 2 weeks ago today. This week the partners finally have a meeting where my position is to be discussed. I don't know if more interviews will be needed, but that is possible before a final decision is made. Torture...

Last night I was up after everyone else was asleep and saw the biggest raccoon I have ever laid eyes on. At one point it was in the backyard at the same time as Clyde. Clyde looked like a kitten when viewed with the raccoon nearby. It was at more than twice the size of Clyde is is about the biggest cat--though not the fattest--I have been around. The two animals just ignored one another. The raccoon didn't like the dogs that were in the yard behind our house. It was just scrounging for food in the backyard. It didn't even care that I was looking at it. Yeah, it saw me but didn't do anything other than move to the back of the yard. Too bad the boys were asleep.

In other news, Bridget has been busy doing strawberry preserves. They are fresh from an Oregon farm. The preserves are very good by the way. More berries--marionberry, blackberry and blueberry--are ordered and will be here next month.