Date: Tue, 04 Sep 2001 15:17:47 -0400 Subject: Weekend Update: Labor Day Weekend 2001 As the impending change from the Summer schedule to the Fall schedule drew to a close, we decided to cover our obligations on Friday so that our family could picnic on a rock next to a waterfall in northern New Hampshire. Some people reading this update have been to the Basin up near the Old Man in the Mountain. It has become one of our family's favorite refuges of repose since the Shaw family took us there some 13 years ago. The weather held out for us. In late Summer, the water flow was significantly smaller than we've seen it before. As I was thinking about wearing the water shoes that I brought with me, I took an early spill on some watery moss-covered rocks but thankfully only bruised my knees and foot. Andrew, whose feet are as big as mine now, was wearing them so when the kids and I hiked up the water trail, I was careful to put on my sneakers on and stayed out of the water, until we came to a pool where we could jump in. (Joy stayed behind with the coooler and towels, next to a waterfall, contemplating, doing some needlepoint, and shooing off a persistent chipmunk that begged her for handouts.) The water was painfully cold but the younger one was, the longer one tolerated the numbing effect. I snapped over 60 pictures with my digital camera of beautiful scenery and beautiful offspring. It was hard to select which one to send with this update but I'll share one I really like of the kids. Despite a full day of climbing in and out of the water at the Basin and two hours riding each way, the kids elected to go also to gym night that evening at the church. The next day, after chores, Joy, Emily, Andrew, and myself went to visit my brother Steve on the day before his 44th birthday. We enjoyed relaxing in their pool and catching up. We couldn't stay as long as we would have liked because David Young and his father were arriving at our house from Virginia that evening. Nevertheless, connecting was important to us. The college girls stayed behind to ensure the house was presentable and receive the Youngs, and to also complete their packing for their return to college on Monday. Mr. Young turned his car southward again at 5AM on Sunday morning leaving David and his college accoutrements with us. On Sunday, Judy Mattoon joined us with her girls. We've known Judy since kids' camp many years ago on the New York (metropolitan) district and see her from time to time. While we were having a relaxing Sunday afternoon, my niece Melissa and sister-in-law Nancy were making a trial run to her college to "get a feel" for what the academic commute would be like. That's how Nancy put the intention of the drive that ended in a head-on collision and several roll-overs of the truck that they were operating!!! It seems a person in the oncoming lane "fell asleep" (at 3PM) and crossed-over the median to slam into their vehicle. Nancy said that the truck finally stopped rolling and settled on the passenger side (where she was sitting) and they dangled there by their seatbelts, faces covered with dirt and debris. She also said someone helped them out of the truck; they don't know who and have speculated that it was an angel. Russell (my brother, and Nancy's husband) said he was glad it wasn't "Andrew" from "Touched by and Angel". (I'll say!) Nancy and Melissa were transported to the emergency room and they performed tests on them. Deep bruises, and pain, but thankfully (!!) no broken bones or internal injuries (there was initial concern around the spleen) that showed up in the tests (as I heard the report). That's not the feel I think they were looking for in a commute. On a more serene note, Monday was moving day for Mandy and Jessica, and David, too. They packed the van and Old Lazarus Sunday evening. We dawdled a bit, not leaving the house until well after noon. I lightly sanded the top of the Acclaim with a nylon pad and recoated the roof with a spray can of primer. I also checked the fluids on Old Lazarus with my girls watching on, hopefully to learn how and imitate my actions from time to time. I added a quart of oil to dillute the darkly colored oil on the dipstick. (I told the girls that's what makes the dipstick easy to read! Then I said they should find a college guy to change their oil for them.) The move back into the dorm was much easier than in the previous year because Joy and I only did minimal setup for Jessica after a bunch of us helped to carry her stuff in. Miranda had already completed part of her own distribution of goods earlier in the week. The marked difference between this return to college and last year's freshman drop off was in the college kids' anticipation of reconnecting with their college friends. For Joy, especially, it was a poignant reminder that we are in the family phase of change, because in the next 5 years, we will likely become "empty nesters". We wonder what the future will hold with kids getting married and parents getting a bit farther down their own road. I expect to see Miranda on a number of weekends this semester as she finishes her student teaching. I expect we will also see Jessica come home when she gets the opportunity. So, the drop-off felt to me to be just another summer event, until we got home to just the four of us and a house that was a bit quieter than it had been all summer. After dinner, the four of us played a game of cards together and watched some TV. The Fall routine can wait just a few more hours. Mark -- +---_-----------+ Mark Metcalfe, metcalfe@cadence.com | c a d e n c e | Cadence Design Systems, Inc. Phone: (978) 446-6451 +---------------+ PCB Systems Division, Technical Communications Manager