The Week that was So o o Long

Where are all the bloggers??? I'll admit I'm a little over the top checking it out all the time but I love hearing from all of you and seeing pictures, booklists and funny polls. Now if we can just get a few more family members to comment or blog. It is such a great way to stay in touch.

So since there is nothing new on which to comment, I decided to bore you with the week of two empty nesters in the hinterlands.

Saturday - high drama at Briggs Shop and lots of WORK their also. Sue works and then does a Birthday party for Hugh. Chloe was the highlight!

Sunday - more drama and work at Briggs Shop. Join Mom & Dad for coffee with Holly, Joyce, Jenny, David, Carolyn, & Peter. Discussing options as Uncle Roy diagnosed with bladder cancer last week. Think there will be very little intervention. Sue and Hugh head to Missoula and Sue lectures Grandpa most of the way - sorry to be so bossy. Hugh has lovely evening with Em and family and a tired Sue visits with Aunt Tempie and goes to bed at 9:00. Tim was at a bachelor's party in Las Vegas so missed seeing him. My friends Randee & Leslie Hearst's dad Lorin passed away - he was such a positive influence for Bob and I early in our marriage.

Monday - Bob works in peace except for several calls from brothers - he has really been a marvelous big brother this week. Sue gives Western's report at Dennison's administrative retreat at UM (my boss is still in Colorado at a trial since Aug. 7) and at the end Dennison says "Wasn't expecting a commercial!" Grandpa takes the so darling girls & Jessie out to breakfast - my little Timberlee loves going out for breakfast. Hugh suffers more talk on the way home - Jack & Allowee here so come up and all play cards in evening. Highlight - Aunt Emmy's boss wondered if they could just forget her putting Emmy on a reduced schedule!

Tuesday - Grandpa keeps working and falling at the shop - got everything all confused and sold it to a couple people at once so Bob backed everything up to have a clean-up first. Grandpa met with an auctioneer from Missoula who did Uncle Jack's sale. Faculty arrive on campus, Karl & Sue open new faculty training, Department of Energy inspector arrives from Denver to look at the Biomass project, etc, etc - a busy day. Bob and I take Jack, Allowee, Hugh, Carl & Martha to dinner & play cards (see blog Lovely Evening).

Wednesday - Grandpa heads home to Logan all black and blue. Very worried about his stability, he fell 10 times in his 6 days in Montana. Karl and I give the "State of the University" talk to open Fall Faculty conference since Dick isn't here. Newspaper does story on UMW faculty unrest that upsets many so doing damage control. Bob joins me for the annual Faculty & Staff picnic in the evening. Enjoyed haiku emailed from Norway as a highlight of the day.

Thursday - Bob continues to help John and negotiate issues with father's and sons. Student orientation at UMW - new Assistant Provost gives a wonderful talk at Convocation, he is originally from Belfast and recently from Boston so has a great accent. I do a session with Parents with the Dean of Students. Lots of new freshman and UMW numbers are holding steady. Long phone discussion with Commissioner's labor negotiator that almost made me late meeting Dad for this evenings activity. Doug and Sandy took the Sirings, Cregers and us out to the Centennial Ranch Cookhouse for dinner. It was to say good-by to John Creger who is leaving for Gonzaga and to thank us for doing Brendan & Jenna's rehearsal dinner last summer. It was lots of fun and very good food. A beautiful drive as the smoke as cleared this week.

Friday - more normal day except for the phone call from the Commissioner first thing in the morning - i worked helping students most of the day - amazing how many folks come to college expecting not to have to pay anything! We were supposed to go out with Liane, Bill, Tyler, & Bob at Papa T's as Bob is headed back to Brown on Saturday but due to missed phone messages and my lack of communication we missed it. However, must say the tomato sandwich we had for dinner was good after all the lunches & dinners out this week. We basically crashed! Maddie was dropped off at UM to start her next adventure & C.M. & Sara headed to Seattle to meet Spencer.

Saturday - Dad, John, & Doug are working like dirty dogs all day trying to clean out personal and Briggs trucking things from the shop. Our shop is getting filled up with another truck and old Volkswagen. I worked from 8 to 1 as we were open to register folks coming in this weekend - classes start Monday. Mom & Dad came up and we worked on re-filling the bookshelves I'd moved last week. Was nice to have mom's touch in rearranging. Forest fire smoke is rolling back in. The Norway adventurers arrive in Seattle.

So - that's it. Plan to continue writing boring blogs until someone more interesting joins in -- that would be any of you. Do need lots of positive thoughts on Monday - Anne should hear from Dr., Tempie should hear from Dr., Bob will meet on his sleep apnea with the Dr., and Uncle John Husted is having a tumor removed from his cerebellum in Billings. The Chancellor's case went to the jury late Friday so he will be back which will be great for Karl and I - so with classes starting things will be back to normal in a couple weeks at work.

Please share the normal day to day activities of your lives as that is always fascinating and reassuring to us. We need a picture of Jamison as he is growing up so quickly. Love to all.