Intel Webcam

There should be a webcam looking west outside the 3rd floor window at Intel where I work. I often head up the stairwell to go to my lab and see these gorgeous views. I watch the colors change on all the tree varieties, and can see the snow level on the Coast Range mountains. In the spring I see the trees come alive and all the blossoms, and in the fall I watch the numerous vibrant colors unfold.

Here is a shot from early April. It had been cold and there was a new deposit of snow in the Coast Range.

Here is October 27:

This is November 2:

Here is November 15:


November 16:


November 21:


And November 30 (last year):


I should capture the spring progression in a few months. I consider it a treat to have such a diversion during my work day.

Living in the Country

When we selected our new home in Beaverton in 1984 we were on the edge of housing developments. We could look to the west and the north and see empty fields and farms.


Here is our new home with empty lots around us.

The major north-south street adjacent to our neighborhood was a lonely country road that ended in a T-intersection.

A few years later a housing development went up to the west, another to the north (with a golf course), and the lonely country road was extended and renamed from 158th St. to Bethany Blvd.

In spite of all the development, we are still on the edge of the country, with rural roads and farmlands beginning just a mile away. I routinely hop on my bike and head out from my house for pleasant rides on the rural roads. Here is a random picture from a day I got caught in a February snowstorm on a Saturday ride.

We pick corn, strawberries, and peaches within 8 miles of our house (not counting our garden).

We drive about four miles to a tree farm to cut our Christmas tree. Here we are with our hot chocolate on a hay ride to the tree cutting area.

I would say we have the best of both worlds in the neighborhood where we live. The conveniences of the city and positives of the country close at hand.

The Resurrection and the Life

Some of you followed the blog for Megan Smith's fight against leukaemia after she gave birth to her daughter:
http://prayersformegan.com/

There were so many ups and downs, and so many giving support and prayers. And we were all so griefstricken when she ultimately lost the battle.

Ryan grew up in our ward, and his family still lives here. The daughter, Rylee, came back with Ryan's parents at one point. Rylee is truly a miracle child, born under tragic circumstances.

I was asked to conduct the graveside service here in Oregon last week. It was a gray and wet day, and so sobering to see the white casket with Megan's remains poised to go into the ground. I gave the concluding remarks at the service, which I am including here.

The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 15:19: For if in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable.
We have cause to be miserable. We are griefstricken by the loss of such a vibrant and good person as Megan. Anyone who knew her was immediately impressed with her energy, her charisma, her goodness.
We suffered and prayed along with her and her family during her struggle against cancer, and mourn at the tragic loss.
But because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because of our hope in Christ, we can rejoice. Christ won a victory over death. He gave his life on the cross at Calvary and rose from the grave on the third day.
Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 15:20: But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

We can take comfort in knowing that, while we lay her tabernacle of clay into this mortal grave, her spirit, free from physical pain and suffering, has returned to her Father in Heaven who gave her life and begat her spiritually, for indeed we are all begotten sons and daughters of God. I can imagine she had and continues to have a joyful reunion in paradise with loved ones who have gone before her and welcomed her home.
And we are confident that Megan’s spirit will be reunited with a perfect and immortal body to come forth in the first Resurrection, and that we will one day be reunited with her.
Christ said in John 11:25: I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live
That is my testimony, and that is the good news of the Gospel.

1960-61 and ACW

I wrote previously about my father being stationed remotely in the Air Force 1959-1960.

http://acraigwalker.blogspot.com/2010/11/little-league-baseball.html

Here is a photo of him in Labrador:


In addition to baseball, Barry and I had interest in football, and we got L.A. Rams helmets for Christmas. In fall 1960 we moved to Gulfport, Mississippi, and here is a picture of Barry and me playing football in our yard (or field next to our house). I love this picture. Such nostalgia.


About this time my favorite football team was the Baltimore Colts, with Johnny Unitas, Raymond Berry, and Lenny Moore. Still have some football cards.

I was bugged with the hassle of having to tell people I didn't go by my first name, Alan, but by my middle name, Craig. So when we moved to a new place (Gulfport) for third grade I just told the teacher and fellow students that my name was Alan, and that's what I went by when not at home. It was an interesting experiment, though when we moved again I went back to Craig.

I always thought it was a lame excuse by my parents to name me so my initials would be ACW (and putting my preferred name in the middle), the same as the Air Force squadron where my dad was stationed. Sigh. There are some advantages of going by my middle name to offset the aggravation of filling out forms with space for first name and middle initial. When someone calls on the phone for Alan, I have a pretty good idea they are a stranger. And being "A. Craig Walker" does sound a little distinguished. There is a famous radio and TV personality in Portland with the same name, so often people ask if I'm "the" Craig Walker, and I can just smile and reply that no, I'm just "a" Craig Walker.

Black Friday, and the Temple

I have a variety of memories associated with Black Friday, some of them shopping related, and some other activities. With the convenience and low cost of shopping online it is rare that I get out and try to chase bargains early Friday. I have unpleasant memories of fighting huge crowds at Best Buy trying to find sale items, which were usually sold out by the time I got there.

Still, there have been fun and profitable times. For a number of years we would use the 50% off coupons for Michael's to purchase picture frames for my Portland Temple picture. Suzanne and I would have to hurry to the store as the coupon expired by 8AM some years. They would stamp your hand upon entry to validate your entry time.

I took the photograph in late 1989 of a brand new Portland Temple and liked it so much that I started giving it as a gift. I entered it at the Washington County Fair one year in the photography section and won a first prize. I pretty much wore out the negative making many dozens of 8x12 prints. It was especially convenient and effective for wedding gifts for those married in the Portland Temple. One year I bought a mat cutting system on sale and with an additional coupon discount at Michael's.


I would buy large sheets of mat and we would get an assembly line going to make several at a time. A few months ago I did a big push and finished building up frames and mats for all my remaining prints, so I only have a dozen or so left poised for gifts.

The finished product:

I Have a Dream (Part II)

Last year I composed a post about common dream themes.

http://acraigwalker.blogspot.com/2009/11/i-have-dream.html

There are a few more I could add.

One is that we are shopping for and/or moving to a new house. As dreams go, there are always weird complications involved, either with the selection/purchase of the house, or the poor construction/layout of the new house, or the inability to find things after moving in. My past experiences also blend in one way or another. Even though in real life I can't fathom ever moving again, this doesn't seem an obstacle in the dreams.

Another is that I am called to serve another term in my mission in Germany. This used to be a lot more common in the past.

I sometimes dream that I'm in a passenger jet that is on the verge of crashing. We lose altitude and struggle to find a place we can land safely. Oddly (and fortunately) the crashes have never been bad nor caused injury. Flying from Dubai to Frankfurt last month on a red-eye I was dozing off and having one of those dreams.

After moving from my first job at Naval Weapons Center in California to HP in Boise, I often had dreams of going back, or of them contacting me to help solve work problems. They were strong dreams. I had similar ones after moving to Oregon, but not as much.

One dream theme I'm thankful I don't have is one that a SWAT team member shared with the YM at their activity last night. He related an account of how his team was called to a hostage situation and they ended up shooting and killing the suspect (he came out of the house firing his gun at them). After this experience he has had nightmares of someone burglarizing his home, or shooting at him, and it is the guy they shot. He wakes up like in the movies, bolt upright in a cold sweat.

Why are dreams so weird, though? A strange mix of reality and bizarreness.

To Rent or Buy

In spring of 2000 we were preparing for Blair's wedding and looking at renting tuxedos. For the cost of the rental we wondered if it would be worthwhile to just buy one. Suzanne found a tuxedo coat and shirt marked way down at Nordstrom Rack near our home. I went to the downtown Nordstrom Rack and found some pants marked down. We also got a cumberbun and bowtie, with studs and matching cufflinks at the Rack. So the full deal. I no longer remember the total cost, but it was amazingly inexpensive, under $200 I think. We lucked out because I think much of it was leftover from the big Jan. 1, 2000 celebration stock and being closed out. In fact, my studs and links say 2000 on them (but subtlely). We figured the tux would pay for itself vs. renting with two or three weddings, which, with five kids, was a good bet.

Here I am wearing it at wedding number three in 2005:


Also in 2005 (I like this photo with my mom):


With the beautiful bride:


And with my beautiful bride:

Since I already own the tux, I have worn it on several other occasions. Two or three times I have worn it at Halloween, instead of a costume (and just for fun). I wore it at grad night where I was a volunteer card game dealer. And just last week the Young Women in our ward had a special event where everyone dressed up, so we as a bishopric wore tuxedos (I and my 2nd counselor owned ours, and my 1st counselor was able to borrow one). We must have looked sharp because we got a lot of compliments.

To make the tux useful for several years it means I can't grow out of the size. It has gotten a bit tighter, but I'm happy to say all that cycling and tennis must be keeping me in shape as it still fits. And each time I wear it I feel such satisfaction.