1. I buzzed the Camry down to Creswell this morning to visit my great friend and former team teaching partner, Rita. Rita called in an order of Chipotle Ham Breakfast Sandwiches and a Walnut Raisin Sweet Roll, I picked up the order, and we sat at her dining table, a familiar spot, and enjoyed our breakfast and talked about new times and old times. Rita and I began our team teaching partnership in 1993 and, as we were talking today, the passing of time played tricks on me. If felt like we might be about to collaborate on a creative philosophy/writing assignment, about to figure out yet another way we could take advantage of the innovative physical space we taught in. It was a classroom designed specifically with the idea of helping students work in groups, be able to get up out of their chairs (and away from the round tables) and perform dramatic scenes, and to do any number of fun activities out of which a deeper understanding of and deeper experience with philosophy and writing grew.
I taught Shakespeare for many terms in this same classroom. I, too, used this space with my students in theatrical and other imaginative ways, doing my best to help get Shakespeare's plays off the published page and into the students' limbs and bones through acting out scenes and presenting their learning to one another in ways I thought were fun and invigorating.
So, today, I was in the present with Rita, talking about our families, Rita's life in retirement, our cats, and books and movies, but I was also transported to an energetic and stimulating period of time in my life as a teacher (not the only such period, by the way) when I was taking acting and improv classes with Sparky, bringing things I learned from her and from Rita into the classes I taught, and was feeling a kind of euphoria that came with being full of energy and fearlessness.
2. Shortly after noon I gassed up the Camry and drove south and east along the Willamette River to Oakridge where I met up with Bruce and Roberta (Brainard) Garner. Roberta and I have sent a lot of messages back and forth through Facebook, first, when she published her book, Pay the Piper: Growing Up in North Idaho, and, secondly, as we've communicated about Kathy's medical ordeal and about Luna and Copper, Kathy's cats. Roberta and Kathy are sisters. I didn't know Roberta in Kellogg, nor did I know Bruce. We had a great time today, enjoying beers at the 3 Legged Crane Pub and Brewhouse and yakking for a couple of hours.
We fell into a comfortable yakking groove right away and covered a lot of ground.
We yakked about the Silver Valley and the Bunker Hill Company; we talked about Kathy and I learned more about her life at the adult family home where she resides; I learned more about Roberta and Bruce's family; we yakked about life in Oregon -- and so much more. It was a great session. I really enjoyed 3 Legged Crane's cask conditioned Bitter and Stout. I loved getting to know Bruce and Roberta better and really enjoyed feeling the depth of our common roots in the Silver Valley.
I had told Debbie I'd try to be back to Eugene by around 4:00. We didn't have a lot planned for Friday, but we both wanted me to drive back to town in as much daylight as possible.
So I bade Bruce and Roberta farewell.
I didn't want to.
I wanted to hang out for longer, yak more.
The good news is that Debbie and I will return to Eugene at some point. I can visit Roberta and Bruce again.
The added good news is that Roberta and Bruce have family reasons to travel to Montana, Idaho, and Washington.
So, one way or another, I hope to see them sooner than later.
Until then, there's Facebook!
3. Back in Eugene, Debbie and I decided to stay in for the evening. We ordered a Thai dinner from Tasty Thai near where we are staying. I enjoyed my order of Drunken Noodles and Debbie told me her Avocado Curry with Yakisoba Noodles was really good. We rounded out our order with Steamed Vegetable Dumplings -- I love steamed dumplings and these were delicious.
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