CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

Family & Friends:

If you’ve been reading this blog you know that we have had a rough week. Our car died in Indiana and then Hal, our beloved laptop, was laid low by a coffee tsunami. I can’t say we’re happy about all this but we’re getting by.

On top of all that there has been a situation developing here in Durham around issues with the Durham Public Schools and the Durham School Board. The newspaper article you see below doesn’t go into too much depth on the background of the issue. I know it will come as a surprise to some of you that I would be arrested so I thought I would take the time here to tell you what has lead me to take this action.

During the last election cycle here in Durham I ran for the At-Large position on the Durham School Board. I am on the executive committee of the Durham NAACP and I am involved with many other local community and political groups. Many friends and supporters encouraged me to run for School Board and I did. I got 11,000 votes to my opponents 16, 000. So, it was a pretty good showing. Since the election I have been working with a group formerly called Concerned Black Citizens and now known simply as Concerned Citizens of Durham. This is a group of parents of public school students, all of whom are black except me, who have tried unsuccessfully to have issues concerning their children addressed by the public schools. The complaints include; a child being searched outside the presence of his parents and the principal refusing to give an explanation for the search, a child with a nervous disorder being suspended for not listening to a teacher even though his Individual Education Plan states that he sometimes will “freeze” in a stressful situation, a 5 year old sent to In School Suspension (ISS) for stepping out of line, and many, many, more cases. All of these parents have attempted to have these problems dealt with on the school level and have been denied due process. The problem isn’t that they don’t like the answers they’ve been given, as one school board member has stated, they have not been given any answers. They have been stonewalled. Calls aren’t returned, meetings are cancelled at the last minute, responses to paperwork never come, and on and on.

The response of these parents has been to take their grievances to their elected officials, the School Board. The response of the School Board has been to refer them back to the same school administrators with whom they have gotten so little response. This in turn has frustrated the parents and they/we have become disruptive at School Board meetings. The School Board, rather than investigate and try to correct the complaints, has chosen instead to try to silence its critics. They have opted to eliminate “Open Public Comment” all together. Instead citizens must now submit an item ten days in advance to be placed on the agenda. The suggested item goes to a “gatekeeper” group made up of the Superintendent, the Chair, and the Vice-Chair. Two of the three must agree to allow the item on the agenda. The effect of this system is that items that the School Board does not want to discuss are effectively blocked from ever being brought to the full School Board. It is claimed that there are other Committee meetings in which citizens can be heard. The problem with these meetings is that the full board is not in session and they are not official School Board meetings. They are the equivalent of leaving a phone or email message with the School Board. The board is not in session and has no obligation to follow up on what is said or to even respond to a complaint.

So, parents with legitimate complaints have been told they have no recourse. The School Board refuses to even hear what they have to say much less take any action to resolve the situation. Besides the fact that there are real children suffering real trauma under this system there is also the issue of freedom of speech. We are being denied our constitutional right to bring our complaints to our elected representatives in an official, open public meeting.

This past Thursday night was the first School Board meeting where these new rules were in effect. When I got to the podium I attempted to discuss an item that the “gatekeepers” had refused to allow on the agenda. I was told I was out of order and that I would be removed from the room. I sat down on the floor and the Sheriff’s deputies came over to me. I told them that I would be glad to walk with them once they put the handcuffs on me; I wasn’t going to be “escorted” off the premises. This time they would have to arrest me. One woman officer said that she would “spray” me before she put cuffs on me. I said in a loud voice that she was threatening to spray me and that I was not resisting. I repeated this several times in a calm voice. The officers then placed the cuffs on my hands, behind my back, and lifted me up. I then walked with them out of the room chanting, “Lift the ban and fire Ann”. As we walked I repeated that I was cooperating and that I wasn’t resisting. The deputies, except for that one, were very professional and calm.

I was booked and bailed out for $150 by a bondsman on a $1,000 bond. The charges are disorderly conduct and 2nd Degree Trespassing. My first court date is May 18th. I will plead not guilty to both misdemeanor charges and ask for a trial.

So, there you have it. Any questions? Feel free to email me.

Steven

THREE ARRESTED DURING SCHOOL BOARD MAYHEM

The Herald-Sun/Bernard Thomas

 
By Mindy B. Hagen and Katie Hagen : The Herald-Sun
mhagen@heraldsun.com
Apr 29, 2005 : 12:40 am ET

DURHAM -- Three people were arrested and scores of protesters exchanged shouts with police Thursday night as the Durham school board held its first meeting under new rules governing public comments.

Arrested were Steven Matherly, Curtis Gatewood and Carol Walthour.

School board member Jackie Wagstaff said late Thursday that Matherly was charged with second-degree trespassing and disorderly conduct.

Gatewood, a minister and former head of Durham's NAACP branch, was charged with obstructing justice.

Walthour was charged with inciting a riot and assault on a government official after she cursed and argued with a police officer who tried to get her to leave the grounds of the school office building downtown.

Wagstaff left the meeting after the outburst and headed to the Durham County Jail. Around 11 p.m. she said about 10 members of Concerned Black Citizens, a group that has attended recent board meetings to oppose the new comment policy, were headed to Duke Hospital.

Wagstaff said Walthour started feeling faint and having heart trouble while being booked at the jail, and that an ambulance was called to take her to the hospital.

Wagstaff blamed the chaotic scene and arrests on the school board's new policy, which only allows public comment on items scheduled on the agenda.

"It's asinine to think that Durham Public Schools would create this kind of mayhem just because they don't want to listen to people anymore," she said. "If those board members don't listen to those parents who come here over and over again, this will continue to happen. What's the next step, to put a gate up around the Fuller Building? They took it to the extreme tonight."

The meeting opened with stern warning from board chairwoman Gail Heath, who has struggled to maintain order at past meetings. Concerned Black Citizens members have yelled and held up signs to call for Superintendent Ann Denlinger's ouster and for an investigation into their complaints about problems at Shepard Middle School.

As Heath called the meeting to order, the front rows of the room were covered with citizens holding neon signs criticizing the superintendent and school system.

One sign read, "A parent has a better chance of being arrested at the school house than at the crack house." Another simply said, "Oust Ann."

The outbursts erupted during a discussion of the budget, when Donald Hughes, Wagstaff's son, approached the podium. He started the crowd in chanting, "Lift the Ban and Fire Ann," as Sheryl Smith, another frequent board critic, was removed from the room after verbally sparring with Heath.

Moments later, as Matherly's comments veered away from the budget, Heath ordered him to sit down. Instead, he sat in front of the room and refused to leave. At that point, three officers entered and handcuffed him as a group of about 15 supporters followed him out the door.

Hughes refused to leave the room until Heath ordered him to.

As bedlam raged in the hallway outside the meeting room, Hughes tried to get back inside and continued screaming at Heath. With officers threatening to arrest the Hillside senior for inciting a riot, Wagstaff and Minnie Brown pinned his arms and prevented him from heading toward the police.

The group then flooded into the parking lot and stood on steps directly beneath the meeting room's window chanting, "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Ann Denlinger's got to go."

They moved to the street corner and began singing hymns such as "We Shall Overcome" through a megaphone.

At that point, about 10 more Durham police officers arrived and asked the group to disperse. After several warnings to leave, the mob erupted, and police and protesters shouted at each other. Gatewood and Walthour were arrested.

"They were asked to leave because they were causing a disturbance," police Lt. C.N. Cates said.

Before going to the jail to wait for charges to be filed against Matherly, Gatewood and Walthour, Hughes said he was at a "loss for words" to describe his reactions.

"It's a shame," he said as Wagstaff stood close by. "We just want the chance to express our opinions. The last I knew, we had the opportunity to protest in America. Somebody is going to pay for this. You are not going to do away with our rights and get away with it."

Hughes said school board members have themselves to blame.

"This all started because of the public comment policy," he said. "They disregarded the public, and therefore, they have this problem on their hands."

The Ballad of LapTop Hal

The Ballod of LapTop Hal
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

Sung to the tune of "The Beverly Hillbillies"

Come listen to a story about Laptop Hal
Everybody liked him, he was everybody's pal
And then one day while working on a blog
He suddenly smelled coffee and woke up in a fog.

Now Hal is in the workshop, no one can really tell
If'n he'll come back to us or if he'll go to hell
We're all really hoping that he ain't gone for good
'Cause if'n that's the case then our goose is really cooked.

Ya'll check this blog again real soon, ya' here?
Put yer feet up, stay awhile
Donations much appreciated

Quality My Ass!

Quality My Ass!
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

It was overpriced, the pool closed @ 10 pm and opened @ 10 am. What's up with that? The bathroom was tiny and the "free" breakfast had only cold things and a toaster!

Baba Pignose

Baba Pignose
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

When all else fails pull out the pignose!

Yuan Yuan @ Breakfast

Yua Yuan @ Breakfast
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

Not a morning person!

Yuan Yuan asleep

Yuan Yuan asleep
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

She looks peaceful now but just try to wake her up!

Another One Bites The Dust

Well, the car is kaput! There's no two ways about it. The car is a gonner, finished, pushing up daisies. I'd like to say that she was a good 'ole car and that we're going to miss her but I'd be lying. She's been nothing but trouble from the day we got her. She's been a whiner and a malingerer, a shirker and a hypochondriac, a dirty no good money pit, and a major pain in the tuchus! Good riddance to bad rubish. May the junk yard tear her to shreds and crush her into soda cans. May her parts linger in an open field until they rust and are no use to anyone because that is how she treated us.

Ahh! That felt good! Now, here's the plan. We are going to rent a car, one way, and drive home. We leave in about an hour. As soon as we can gather our things out of the old car and find the highway again. All of us have things to get back home for and this is really cramping our style.

Anyway, thanks for all the cards and letters (NOT!) We'll be in touch soon.

Later

Steven

We're OK. The Car - Not So Much.

For those of you who haven't heard yet we had a little car trouble yesterday. We made it half-way to Indianapolis when we heard funny (funny strange not funny ha ha) noise coming from the engine. Then all the dashboard lights came on including the one that says "Service Engine Soon". So, we pulled up an exit ramp that, luckily, was right there and the car stopped moving right at the top of the ramp. Yuan Yuan was asleep, thank god. So, we called AAA. After about two hours we were on our way back to Walter and Cope's house. We had the car hauled to "Gasoline Alley" where Cope assures us we will get competent and timely service.

Once the patient is admitted for tests we'll let you know what the diagnosis is. We'll get things going again. The only questions are "When" and "How Much".

Later

Steven

Engine's Thoughts

Engine's Thoughts
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

Ever wonder what your engine is really thinking?

(Double Click on picture to enlarge)

LOST?

LOST?
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

This is the sign we saw when our car broke down in the wilds of Indiana.

(Double click on the picture to enlarge it)

The Indiana Breakdown

The Indiana Breakdown
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

With only a cell phone, a computer, 6 Diet Cokes, 2 lbs of sharp cheddar cheese, 2 pillows, coats, sweaters, and nearly their entire wardrobes, our entrepid travellers wait impatiently to be rescued.

(Double click on the picture to enlarge it)

Nevada Avenue

Nevada Avenue
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

Go out the front door of Cope, Walter, and Sarah's house, turn left, and this is what you see. Beautiful, isn't it?

The Backyard

The Backyard
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

This is the backyard of Cope, Walter, and Sarah's house. It was too cold and rainy for us to use it on this visit but we have sat out there in the past.

The House

The House
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

This is Cope, Walter, and Sarah's house on Nevada Avenue in Urbana. It is just a few blocks from the University.

Walter & Portrait

Walter & Portrait
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

Walter sat for this portrait below the other portrait.

EAST TO OLD KENTUCKY

We have had a wonderful trip out here, as usual. Things are always a little rushed but that is the nature of a film festival. You have to spend a lot of time running back and forth from the house and switching admission badges with those that want to go to a particular movie. It is a little like musical chairs because we have three passes and four adults and a kid that want to see the movies.

The nice thing about this festival is that these films are “Overlooked”. That means that, for the most part, they have had their debut and Roger Ebert thinks that they just didn’t get the respect that they should have when they were released. For the most part he is right. Everyone loves the films he picks. But since these aren't first release movies that means that there aren't a lot of folks running around trying to make contacts and break into "the business". So, it is a lot more relaxed and mostly just for the locals.

For those of you who don’t know, Roger Ebert was born in Champaign-Urbana and he is a favorite son. He is very much at home here. He is very relaxed and, we are told, very approachable. The street in front of the Virginia Theatre where the festival is held has been renamed “Roger Ebert Way”.

In the morning we head east toward Louisville, KY. We hope to hook up with my old buddy Phil but we haven’t been able to contact him yet. Phil was my best movie going buddy, as it happens, when he lived in Durham.

Erin NeMoyer & Our Vikki

Erin & Vikki
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

Erin is Vikki's nephew's fiance. She goes to Vet School here at the University of Illinois. We had breakfast with her in Urbana. We gave her Cope and Walter's phone number if she ever needs a home cooked meal.

Cope & Yuan Yuan

Cope & Yuan Yuan
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

These two have really hit it off again this year. Yuan Yuan sticks to Cope most of the day, asks for her first thing when she wakes up. Cries if Cope leaves. Woa Woa, as she is called, is thrilled to have a "baby" in the house.

WEFT

WEFT
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

The Reverend Zernial Bogan & Rober Walker on the air at WEFT. The best little community radio station in the world. Cope had a show there for years but had to "simplify" and finally gave it up. The morning we were there the Rev. had about 15 students from the Urbana High School Orchestra in the studio playing live.

FILMS GALORE

If you've never seen Phantom of the Opera with a live orchestra then you haven't lived. We saw it on the big screen at Ebertfest this afternoon. Dad and I also saw a movie called "Yesterday". It was a film made in South Africa. Made last year it is the first movie made in the Zulu language, or so they say. It was about a woman named "Yesterday" who lives in a small village. She contracts AIDS and her husband dies of it. It was VERY sad!!! But it was a great movie. Walter recognized the landscape as the Drakensberg Mountains near Pietermaritzburg between Johannesburg and Durban. Tonight we are scheduled to see a movie about the making of "Blacksploitation" films in the seventies. I'll let you know how it is.

In the morning Vikki and I will have breakfast with Erin NeMoyer. Erin is Vikki's nephew Mike's fiance. They are getting married next year up in Buffalo, NY. Anyway, she goes to Veterinarian school here in Champaign-Urbana at the University of Illinois. She is pretty busy so we're lucky to get on her schedule.

Later

S

ANOTHER DAY IN THE HEARTLAND

Every time we visit out here we seem to bring the rain and cold with us. In St. Louis it was bright, sunny, and warm. Here it is wet and getting colder. Ugh!

While Vikki and Walter went to movies yesterday Yuan Yuan and I explored Champaign-Urbana. We went to a local pet store and saw the big birds and the tropical fish. We went to the local Children's Museum. It wasn't anything to write home about (even though that is essentially what I'm doing). It was small, half the displays were "Out of Order" and we were the only one's there.

Then we had lunch at a coffee shop that I've been to before. We sat on the sidewalk and talked about how things are made. Metal comes from the ground and that's what cars are made of. Wood comes from trees and that's what furniture is made from. Glass comes from sand and that's what windows are made from. I'm going to have to brush up on my science if I'm going to keep up with the kid.

Cope is taking the day off today. We will see a few more movies, I supppose. Sarah is busy with school, track, violin, and test prep. She says she hasn't decided what college she wants to go to yet but Walter thinks Smith would be good. They know people there or who went there. Sarah is, gulp!, driving these days. She is, by all accounts, a careful and considerate driver.

Cope, Sarah, and Walter all plan to be at Erin's wedding in August. They are signed on for the beach house. As are Vikki, Yuan Yuan, and Steven. (Bob, if you're reading this, is it true that you're bringing the boys? That would be great!) We plan to be there the entire week. We would arrive on Sunday (Monday at the latest) and leave the next Sunday. That is a whole week to fill up. We thought maybe we would take the Ferry out the Provincetown one day. Last time I did it you could leave at 9 in the morning, get to Ptown by 12, have lunch and walk around until 3 and be back by 6. Anyone else up for a side trip? Let me know.

Later.

S

Walter & Vikki

Walter & Vikki
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

The expression on Vikki's face looks like she's been caught by the papirazzi. Walter and Cope bought three passes for "Roger Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival" so we trade off Yuan Yuan care. I was in the car waiting to pick them up. Later in the evening Dad and I went to see a really good, really depressing Film Noir movie (Dark Movie Movie? Isn't that from the Department of Redundancy Department?)

Sarah Copenhaver Matherly

aaa sarah
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

We finally got a shot of the elusive teenager in the house. A quick breakfast and off to school. We hope to see her again sometime.

HOPE MATHERLY

HOPE MATHERLY
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

The next Joni Mitchell?

Cousins

Cousins
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

MATHERLIES: THE NEXT GENERATION

DI DI @ PIANO

DI DI @ PIANO
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

Classical or Boogie Woogie?

Cope and Walter and I just got back from seeing "PLAY TIME" by Jaque Tati at Ebertfest. The real name of the festival is "Roger Ebert's Forgotten Film Festival". This is the third year that we have been out here for it. It all takes place at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign. It is a lovely old theatre that has been restored over the years and is almost back to it's original grand state.

We have a long weekend of film viewing ahead of us!

Steven

Walter & Yuan Yuan

Walter & Yuan Yuan
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

YUAN YUAN HIDES FROM THE CAMERA

Keep those cards and letters coming. These are the pictures I could get so far. Yuan Yuan hides from the camera. She is really a ham most of the time but she hides because she knows it annoys me. Ah! Life with a four year old. Anyway, I'll get her while she's sleeping.

Steven

abc elena

abc elena
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

ELENA W/YUAN YUAN ON HER BACK

abc sculpture

abc sculpture
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

SCULPTURE

abc slide

abc slide
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

WHEEEE!!!!

abc flowers

abc flowers
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

FLOWERS

abc stevenasleep

abc stevenasleep
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ

abc sneer

abc sneer
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

THE SNEER

abc sheep

abc sheep
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

SHEEP

abc city museum

abc city museum
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

CITY MUSEUM

abc leah

abc leah
Originally uploaded by PEDRO_.

LEAH

Finally, a response! I am choosing to feel the love and overlook the sarcasm. Ask and ye shall receive - more pics of Yuan Yuan. But first: another posting. Read it! You'll be tested for content and comprehension.

Today we leave for Champagne-Urbana to see the Illinois Matherlies. Our hostess is taking us out for breakfast (again) and we'll push off around 9. That should put us there around noonish depending on traffic and bladders.

As you can see from the pictures above we went to the City Museum but it was closed. The doors were open and people were walking in. So we did, too. A rather priggish woman asked what we were doing and we told her the door was open. We stayed for a few minutes and then left. You can see that it has all kinds of animal sculpures and places for kids to climb and slide. Too bad it was closed. Anyway, we went on the Botanical Gardens. We took a little tram ride that was the quick and easy way to see the place. It is about 90 something acres so we couldn't have walked it if we wanted to.

We were all tired and cranky and Yuan Yuan fell asleep on the way home. I was so exhausted that we decided to order Chinese out instead of have me cook. We visited with Audrey duriing dinner and then I read the kids a story (the Just So Stories!) while Vikki and Ann took Audrey home. Audrey is 85 and she's having an MRI today about which she has been very worried. We wish her the best.

I have gotten to know a few of the coffee hounds here at the local Starbucks. I'll miss them all, terribly. But I won't miss hearing "Good Morning, what can I get ya' !" or "I'll have a double decaffeinated half-caf soy mocha vente latte, with a twist".

OK, OK give it a rest...

before we are all subjected to a picture of Steve crying in the alley or a picture of Steve jumping off the arch, I figured I would spare this blog's name sake from the continued begging and pleading (and I am sure what amounts to wimpering off line to Vicki and Yuan Yuan) by blogging a quick note.

Looks like the Matherly's are having a ball crossing the country. I'll check in again later - more pictures (of Yuan Yuan) please.

:-)
Lil bro Michael

THIS IS THE EMAIL I JUST SENT ALL OF YOU

Hey Everybody:

http://www.thematherlyfamilyblog.blogspot.com/.

It's what you've all been waiting for!!! THE MATHERLY FAMILY BLOG!!! When I say MATHERLY FAMILY I don't mean just me and Vikki and Yuan Yuan. I mean all of us. Take a look at the blog at the above address. You'll laugh, you'll cry, but you'll mostly cry and scream "Why? Why? Why? Is this really necessary? Don't we have better things to do with our time?" Well, obviously, I don't.

I may be the only one interested in doing this but I had thought that we might all want to blog in once in a while. This is how it works:

1) Type the address into your browser address field. Don't google it. I haven't listed with any search engines.

2) When you get to the page scroll down on the right hand side until you get to the logo that says "I Power Blogger"

3) Click on that icon and it will take you to a page that offers you a chance to fill in two blanks. The top blank asks for a user name. Type in "enidmatherly". The second blank asks for a password. Type in "thedean".

4) That will take you to a page that will have a highlighted text that reads "The Matherly Family Blog" Click on the highlighted text.

5) that will take you to a page that offers you the chance to create a new posting. Click on the text that says "Create".

6) Now you should be at a page that lets you type in text.

7) When you finish writing in your post click on the text at the bottom of the screen that says "post"

8) That should do it for the basics of blogging. You can learn more by googling BLOGSPOT. There are lots of tutorials etc. I am getting pretty good at it so you can also email me with questions and I'll see if I can answer them.

Good Luck

Steven

FINALLY - SOME PICTURES

The camera is working again. I went to Office Depot and got some new rechargeable batteries. That seemed to do the trick. So, now you can skip the written detail and just look at the pictures.

Today is our last day in St. Louis. Tomorrow morning we head out to Champaign-Urbana. It is only a three hour drive so we should make it by noon. Today we are actually going to the City Museum. We didn't make it the last few days but today we are definately going. Should be a good photo op.

Later

S

At the Rhythm & Brews Cafe In Midtown St. Louis

Vikki and Ann have graciously given me the day to wander around St. Louis by myself. It is a lovely, warm spring day and I just spent the last hour or so driving through some of the old neighborhoods near downtown. They all look like they are quickly gentrifying. Some of the old restored houses are beautiful and look like they cost millions. There are some public housing row houses as well. There are corner "bistros" and the like. I am sitting somewhere near SLU (St. Louis University). I can't see The Arch but I'm sure that's just because there are buildings in the way. I wanted to stop down at The Arch to go to the Visitor Center to see what attractions I might visit but it cost $8 to park. Jeesh!

Sorry, still no pictures. I finally bought new rechargeable batteries this morning but then I left on my wanderings without stopping back at the house to get the camera. Kidneys! But this evening I will be able to upload some more pictures of "the girls" at least. Then tomorrow we'll be out and about and that should be a good time for picture taking.

More later.

S

At the Rhythm & Brews Cafe In Midtown St. Louis

Vikki and Ann have graciously given me the day to wander around St. Louis by myself. It is a lovely, warm spring day and I just spent the last hour or so driving through some of the old neighborhoods near downtown. They all look like they are quickly gentrifying. Some of the old restored houses are beautiful and look like they cost millions. There are some public housing row houses as well. There are corner "bistros" and the like. I am sitting somewhere near SLU (St. Louis University). I can't see The Arch but I'm sure that's just because there are buildings in the way. I wanted to stop down at The Arch to go to the Visitor Center to see what attractions I might visit but it cost $8 to park. Jeesh!

Sorry, still no pictures. I finally bought new rechargeable batteries this morning but then I left on my wanderings without stopping back at the house to get the camera. Kidneys! But this evening I will be able to upload some more pictures of "the girls" at least. Then tomorrow we'll be out and about and that should be a good time for picture taking.

More later.

S

Another Day In St. Louis

Did ya' miss me? I'll bet you were saying to yourself "Where is that boy? Why so long between postings?" Well, I have to sleep sometime, don't I?

We had a real hard time with Yuan Yuan last night. She bunked in with us and tossed and rolled and cried for a couple of hours in the middle of the night. We're pretty sure she was asleep. We've seen this before but not for a while. She is sort of half asleep and half awake. She can talk to us but it is hard to understand what she's saying and when we do understand her it usually has something to do with a dream she is having. Anyway, we made it through the night.

Today, Yuan Yuan is going to walk with the girls to their school. It is just a few blocks away. Then Ann is going to take the girls out of school for the afternoon and we're going to the City Museum; a real kid friendly place.

I am sitting in the rec. room here at Audrey's retirement home. This is an IBM machine I'm on and I'm trying out different fonts and such that I don't have on the Mac. Or that I haven't found yet. We have been visiting for a while. I'm tired, ready to go back and take a nap. The kids are tired. We're all tired. I don't think we're going to do anything exciting at this time of day. Sorry to ruin your fun. I know you've all been waiting for us to just burst out singing and dancing but it isn't going to happen today.

Ciao for Now!

Lunch with Audrey

For those of you keeping track we had lunch today with Audrey Hamman, Vikki's aunt. She moved into this lovely retirement community near Washington University in St. Louis. We have had a nice lunch and now I am logging it in at the computer in the rec room. We are going to do something kid friendly this afternoon but we are still not sure what. Audrey seems to be happy here. We have been visiting in the big room on the main floor. Audrey's apartment is way too small for all of us and three screaming little girls. It looks like the girls will go to school tomorrow but maybe not on Tuesday. Elena wants Yuan Yuan to come have lunch with her at her school tomorrow so maybe we'll do that.

Sorry that there aren't any pictures yet. I am going to try to replace the burned out batteries for my camera. Maybe I can post some tonight.

I know ya'll are hanging on every word. Hang in there. It will get more interesting. I promise.

Blogmeister Steven & family

STARBUCKS IS A RIP OFF!!!

I don't suppose that is news to anyone but I am sitting here at the Starbucks near Scott and Ann's house (Vikki's cousin Scott and his wife Ann) and I actually had to sign up and pay for WiFi. I had refused to do it at Barnes and Noble but they have me by the short hairs this time. I'm travelling and I'm addicted to the web. How would I be able to keep up this exciting blog of our every thought and movement? Huh? I wouldn't be able to so they've got me. But I think I may snap if I hear one more order for a "Vente Double Chai Latte with Soy".

Anyway, it is nice to have a day or two off from driving. I was so wired last night that I couldn't sleep but I couldn't stay up either. It was miserable. Yuan Yuan has made fast friends (again) with Elena; Scott and Ann's daughter. Elena is about 6 and is dying for a little sister. She has an older sister, Leah. Yuan Yuan tried to bunk in with them but soon came into "mama/baba room" as she puts it. Not able to cut the cord just yet.

We're not sure what our plans are for today. Scott has to fly out this afternoon. He works for McDonell Douglas as an airplane engineer (he designs jets and stuff). He is actually flying into RDU and then driving down to the coast near Camp Lejune. We could go to the zoo like we did last time. Or we could go to the City Museum which we hear is a great kid place. We are not going up in the Arch again. Claustrophobia/Acraphobia and all that, gulp! It is a clear, sunny day so maybe we'll try some kind of outdoor activity. Who knows.

Anyway, I'll sign off. If you have gotten this far in reading the blog please respond. I'm dying out here. Where is my public?

Steven

The Batteries On The Digital Camera Aren't Charging Properly - Here Are Some Old Pictures

St. Louis

We made it to St. Louis. And in the daylight, too. It turns out that we forgot that we crossed the time zone and gained an hour so we arrived an hour earlier at Scott and Ann's than we said we would. We went to the local brew pub to have a quick beer and wait for our hosts to return. We sat down next to a young woman who was sitting in the corner reading a book called "Silence". I laughed at the irony of reading a book called "Silence" in such a noisy bar. The woman looked up and we started talking to her. Turns out she was born in NC, has applied to Duke Divinity School for next year, knows someone we met recently, and on and on. Small world, huh?

Now we are at Scott and Ann's house. It is very late. I am exhausted from having driven half way across the country. I am updating this blog on our host's computer so I am not able to add pictures at this time. I will get up early for some alone time with the computer at Starbuck's where they have WiFi.

Ciao for Now!

Steven and clan

Chattanooga, TN

Here we are in Chattanooga. There is a lot of construction going on. The only place we could find to have coffee was a Panera Bread place. It could be worse, I guess. Chattanooga is a pretty big city. There seems to be a lot of downtown revitalization going on. It's like the city is coming back but you can tell they have a ways to go.

We are about 135 miles from Nashville. We'll head north on Rt. 24 and be in Nashville for a late lunch. The mountains were nice. We went by a whitewater facility and the sign said it was built for the 1996 Olympics. We aren't too far from Atlanta at this point so I guess this was the closest place for whitewater when they had the Olympics there. That was the Olympics where Eric Rudolph set off bombs. He was caught last year in Murphy which is where we spent the night. I got a copy of the local paper and his trial, which is going on now, is the main headline. He was on the run for about 6 or 7 years. There's no way he survived without help from folks in those parts.

Anyway, we are having a good time. We'll feel even better when we get past Nashville. I have about 10 hours of driving to do today. But, as you may know, I take a lot of breaks and I'm not afraid to say if I'm tired or need more coffee.

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Ciao fer now!

Steven & the family.