Bandon, OR

Gabbie surprised me Friday afternoon with a road trip Bandon Beach getaway for Memorial Day weekend. We saw true Oregon tide pools, sea lions, and the open sea. I wrote a haiku some time ago and feel that it is fitting. The ocean goes out. Starfish and sea anemone. The ocean comes in.The ocean goes out. Sea lions and green flora. The ocean comes in.Driftwood and garbagePetite crustacean scurry The moon orbits us. On the way home we saw elk and stopped at various flea markets and antique shops. In Elkton, we stopped to get some plants from a roadside nursery which also happened to be home to the Fort Umpqua. The husband and wife restoration team are retired teachers and a glimpse of future encouraged me. He, a science teacher, walked and talked with Gabbie for some time and for a minute there I was wactching Golden Pond. Coincidentally and ironically my grandfather Charles passed away Saturday evening. It was a perfect time and place to deal with the loss of my last elder. a tribute blog/eulogy will come next.

Kaitlin's Graduation Moraga, CA

The youngest Olson sibling graduated from college yesterday with a business degree and one hell of a party to boot. The morning started out stressful as I overshot the ceremony start time by 1.5 hours. It all turned out well though because we got to skip the speakers and within 15 minutes of parking we got to see Kaitlin snatch her degree. I didn't miss a thing. This was no ordinary graduation. It's customary at St. Mary's to designate plots on the surrounding campus lawn to student family and friends. No BBQ grills or lawn chairs at this extravaganza of hoopla. Almost each area was catered and included access to a full bar. Ours included an ice luge for alcohol shots and yummy fresh grilled tacos. By the end of the event, a dance party had formed outside of our tent, a 90 year old women in a wheelchair took a vodka shot from the luge, Gabbie found a best friend, and I earned a dollar by dancing on a table. Ties were loosened, faces became red from dancing in the hot sun, and folks were drunk! Needless to say, it was a gross display of wealth and I was glad to be a part of it.