spinning through summer

The Pacific University Boxer - it's a dragon

It's all going so fast.

My 10-day residency on campus at Pacific University flew. So much learning. So many amazing writers. Every night I went to bed in my harder-than-a-rock dorm bed and felt blessed for the opportunity.

I read, wrote and workshopped writing. Classes from 9am - 5pm, readings from 7 - 10pm. Some nights there was the post-reading party, followed by the post-post-reading-party. Homework every minute in between.

I'd give up all the marketing jobs in the world to go back indefinitely.




But before that, Papa and Grandma came to visit during Rose Festival weekend. We hiked Wahclella Falls, watched the Dragonboat races on the Portland waterfront, partied with the entire family to celebrate all the June birthdays and Father's Day.


Rick and I also took them out to a unique Portland restaurant - completely vegetarian/vegan - and no one went away from the table hungry. Papa says the only problem is that now all his local friends want to take him to their vegetarian/vegan restaurants. Ha!

As for the spinning part, I spent several weeks with my driving privileges revoked due to four long days of what the doctors all call "labyrinthitis." (Like I should be watching for David Bowie to appear at any minute.) It's a form of vertigo, and seriously, the world spun like I was on a perpetual ride of the Wild Teacups. Vomiting included. I couldn't get off the floor where I had fallen and Rick thought it was a stroke, called 911. Several hours in the hospital later, a cocktail of medications had the worst of the symptoms under control and we went home. Glad that's over - hope it never returns.

Gearing up for the Big Party in August: Papa's 70th Birthday Bash. So excited. It will be the first time in years the whole family is together - our attempt three (is it three?) Christmases ago came close, only lacked Rick and Merissa.

Dress-shopping for the party tomorrow with the girls. On with the adventure.

The Momgoose

I'll do it...

Sherri won't brag about it, so I will for her.


This is the "narrative transcript" provided by Sherri's Faculty Advisor, a written evaluation that will be placed in her permanent file at Pacific University, regarding her work for the first semester of her MFA course:

"Sherri Hoffman is a terrific writer. I had the good fortune to work with Ms. Hoffman during the residency as well as during this semester. Her work already stood out even though she is only a first semester student. During the semester together she has only gotten better.

"Ms. Hoffman is working on a collection of linked stories about a family of six brothers growing up in Washington State in the 1970s and 80s. The lot of them make a heart wrenching coming of age story. She is gifted with voices; her dialogue is so real that I often forgot I was reading and not listening. During this term, she has worked hard to make each of the brother's voices unique and she has succeeded mightily. A real standout is the story "Show up to Move Up."

"Sherri has talent plus an intense work ethic. Her revisions show real work, and also a willingness to follow instructions. I fully expect to see these stories published. She is a gifted artist, a writer to watch."


That's my baby.


http://www.sherrihhoffman.com/
http://www.facebook.com/Sherri.H.Hoffman

now what?

I'm on a short break between terms of school, trying to catch up on a few things. Here's what we've done lately. Cue montage music.

It's been a wet spring, much like last year.

Becky went to China—and back.

I spent a weekend in Seattle with the Christensen Clan pre-Easter. Ellie and Jayne made fabulous Egg Cakes and we all went to the Easter Egg Hunt and were enormously successful,  even Jake, although his were mostly catch-and-release.

At home, we had our own holiday celebration, complete with zombie bunnies and the traditional video.

Rick finished his climbing as an assistant at BCEP for the year, and we spent a beautiful weekend at Smith Rock where he climbed, and I hiked around, did homework, and took some pictures.

Maxwell the Hedgehog has grown twice as big, and we all survived the prediction of the rapture.

In a moment of sunshine between storms, Rick and I hiked to Elowah Falls in the Columbia Gorge. It was a "baby" hike to accommodate my Brandon-Roy knee.

Rick is moving Ryan and Atreyu into a new apartment this weekend. This afternoon, Missy picked up the keys to her very own don't-have-to-share-with-a-roommate apartment, and she'll be moving on Monday. Nichole is gearing up for school in the fall at PCC. Becca is registering for summer classes at Clark, turning 18 next week, and hoping to get a car soon so that she can become an official driver (what-what?!!).

And for me? Second term begins on my birthday next month with a 10-day residency on campus at Forest Grove. Finished first term with four new fiction pieces and a healthy dose of reading completed.

So it continues. Life—keep up.

The Momgoose