Nana and Grumps Visit

Susan and Paul have been visiting this weekend. We've had a nice and mellow weekend, spending most of our time just hanging out in the backyard being entertained by the kids who are over the moon excited to have a visit from their Nana and Grumps.

McElligot's Pool

Every once in a while I will come across a children's book that I didn't know we had. My mom comes by every other week to visit the kids and she often brings a book or two she has saved from my childhood. I don't always see them when she brings them, but I'll discover them a day or two later. Most of them are instantly familiar and bring back good memories.

Last night I was putting Andrew to bed and out of the bookcase popped McElligot's Pool by Dr. Seuss, which my mom must have dropped off. We read it together, and what a great book. (Interesting how much longer my old childhood books are than the new books I buy my kids these days. Speaks to our shortened attention span.) Anyway, I don't think it is one of Dr. Seuss's more famous ones, but I'm not sure why not. It has such a nice message of optimism and the virtues of patience, as well as a sense of wonder and possibility. What a nice little gem. Thanks Mom! : )

Unusual day at work

Most of the time I'm in meetings all day, or sitting at my computer going through emails. But today, a change of pace. A big change! I am in Sausalito at The Plant Studios, famous for recording sessions with the likes of Prince, Fleetwood Mac, Dave Matthews and Metallica. We're filming for a marketing program launching later this summer.

Jeff climbs Half Dome

Jeff spent the weekend in Yosemite, climbing Half Dome with his Uncle Gary and Gary's friend Ned (aka Flash.) They backpacked up to Little Yosemite Valley where they camped Friday night. Then Saturday they hiked 13 miles, climbing to the top of Half Dome and back down 5000 feet to the Valley. The last stretch to the top of Half Dome is quite steep, and you get up by pulling yourself up cables that are installed into the rock. They had a fantastic time! He came home on Sunday in time for an afternoon Father's Day celebration with the kids. Here are a few snapshots of his trip.

Jeff's Uncle Gary heading up the Mist Trail by Vernal Falls:


Looking down on Nevada Falls. That's Liberty Cap in the foreground, and the back side of Half Dome in the background on the left. Little Yosemite Valley is on the far right, behind Liberty Cap.


Here you can just make out a trail of people climbing the cables up the side of Half Dome:

And here's Jeff's Uncle Gary starting his descent down the cables.

Val's Big Day

Congratulations to my cousin Valerie Ross who graduated from Stanford today! What a huge milestone! Jeff and I were able to join the fun for a celebratory dinner tonight with a variety of family members, several of whom I had not seen in years. So much fun!! Thank you to Cheri and Brian for hosting the dinner, it was great to see you and have everyone in the same place!

Julia's new outfit and Andrew with his snuggles

This gray Sunday morning we are preparing for Jeff's return from his backpacking trip (He's climbing Half Dome with his uncle!) so that we can celebrate Father's day. We're about to head out to the grocery store, but Julia wanted me to take this picture of her in this outfit she got from her Nana. And she specifically wanted to send the picture to Nana (and I know you're out there, Nana, looking at this!) Andrew wanted in on the picture too, so here he is holding his "snuggle dog" and "cozy".

Fridays with Benne and Grandpa

The kids at Pescadero State Beach

Dallas is HOT

I'm in Dallas today for a very quick research trip for work, and the heat almost knocked me over when I got off the plane.

Greetings from hot and sunny Dallas, ya'll!

Infidel

My book club is reading Infidel, by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and I just finished tonight. Wow. I did not know much about Islam before reading this book, and this was quite an eye opener. I know she has been controversial, and there are intelligent reasonable people who disagree with her (I'd love to read something by someone like that... anybody have a suggestion?), but it is truly hard to imagine how to view it another way after reading this book.

She paints a stark and unflattering picture of Islam. The religion, she says, is based on oppressive beliefs and a value system that celebrates submission and obedience above all, particularly of women who have no rights whatsoever. They are trained to have no self-will, and are completely ruled by their families, who are completely free to maim or even kill them for the slightest infraction, with the cooperation and encouragement of the government. The horrors she describes make me want to shut my ears and not think about it. Which is of course exactly what she doesn't want me to do... and she succeeded.

A great read, I recommend it highly.