Gaël is 6
We celebrated Gaël's 6th birthday yesterday. Super smash bros and pizza/white cake/neapolitan ice cream. I put up superhero posters (Avenger themed). While...
Scavenger Hunt
End of year digital purge. Stayed on social networks, but dramatically unfollowed and paired down. Feels really good. In the spirit of that, drop this...
Team Daddy and Gaël
"TEAM DADDY AND GAËL!" Every time before we do something now. Puzzles, basketball, soccer, video games, cooking or watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles....
Post hike: a perfect vacation
The shorter version: As usual Kevin put together an amazing video. The longer version: San Francisco - ate all Chinese pastries. Finally got 8 hours of sleep...
The sloppy hastily written pre-hike newsletter - reader beware
The pre-hike newsletter is always written last last last minute. As soon as it is sent I'm off south for a week of hiking and hanging with friends. I may be...
Blackberry Saison
These preceding weeks are full of warnings why not to eat the green berries. To wait just a liitttttllle bit longer. Classic tug-of-war of wills. Sagely...
The Rules For Eating Ice Cream
Since Gael missed a preschool gradutation, the YMCA had them make little hats and gave them diplomas. We went out for froyo afterwards. The nice lady asked...
Lola
First of all, the weather is so darn lovely, I'm going to try to write fast. Shorter for you, shorter for me, everyone wins! --- I have found the way to...
Quiet
Morning runs - already quiet and solitary - have become intensely so. If I leave exactly at 6:30, when I crest the hill the sun will be breaking over the...
Ginger Chicken in Albany Oregon
In Corvallis for a week to wait out a school closure. Spring is fickle here in the Northwest, sunshine comes in spurts and bursts between rain. That week we...
A spicy dinner party recipe
Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 10-50 minutes Ingredients: 3 random couples 3 random bags of groceries 1 small kitchen Directions: 1. Swap grocery bags,...
5
Gaël turned 5. He's flashed all the kid's routes at the climbing gym - getting good. That night we dug out an old night light and counted stars. Passed out...
And start with a sunrise
Every year should end with a sunset. Gaël was with his mother for Christmas. My plan was to go to New York, but I ended up in Oregon. These things happen....
Continuity
Cold pizza and sandwiches on the ridge. Although the hike is not long - 4 miles roundtrip - this is the farthest our little hiking group has ever gone. Even...
Raw and remote
Calm mind. Calm heart. Calm breath. This is my mantra every time I find myself in cold water. It took a long time for me to understand my enemy isn't the...
Summer Vibez
Alright here's the deal: you find yourself on a sunny rock sitting beside Mason Lake. The initial grouchiness of the morning has burned off along with the...
Finding some life in the desert
Vacation is over. Back to Seattle and finding a new world. The months of gray and rain have left the world flush. Clouds broken, sunny 70 degree days rolling...
DJ Petersen: not a luddite
Friendos, * I've joined a gym. $15/month at 24 fitness. I use it every day minus Saturday and go to as many free classes as possible. Petersens get value...
Early morning pancakes
Gaël slept an hour later than normal. Still up at 5:30 AM, but with a flurry of "CUDDLE, CUDDLE, CUDDLE". Burrowing under the covers next to me, he conked...
Titling e-mails is hard and this update is weak (I'll give it a 4/10)
Compañeros, Hello, hey you. Again (my bad), it's been a while. No news is good news? Life has been (and is) good. Spent the two months after vacation...