Merrifield Times

Melikalikimaka II

2008-12-28T13:18:00.000-08:00

We ended 2008 with a wonderful gathering of Jolyn's entire family on the Big Island of Hawaii. Prior to celebrating Christmas in paradise with a wacky gift exchange (nice girly scarf, Brendan), we endured the Pacific NW's record-breaking Snowpacolypse or Snowmaggedon, (as described by the press), along with canceled flights and horrendous driving conditions to Portland. But we all (15 of us) finally made it and delighted in just being together in that beautiful, warm place!

Hannah's Happenings

2008-12-26T13:00:00.000-08:00

2008 was both awesome and kind of sad for Hannah given her switch to a new school. Hannah enjoys most of her classes and has many new friends. Her favorite subject is Language Arts because she likes all the reading and writing. In August, Hannah and Mom made a fun trip up to Boise, ID to visit some good friends and they made several batches of yummy salsa. They looked for Napoleon Dynamite, (see the movie – then you'll understand) but didn't find him. Recently, Hannah started playing club volleyball which requires a big commitment with lots of practice and several tournaments. Hannah also played Ultimate Frisbee with Trevor, and learned how to “bid,” “huck,” “pull,” “cut,” “chili,” and even “dump” (not that kind of dump)!
The picture shows Hannah and some of her cousins in Hawaii.

Trev's Tracks

2008-12-21T12:55:00.000-08:00

With Trevor's move from a middle school with 80 students to one with over 600, it took a little bit of getting used to and has had its ups and downs. It also meant switching to a rival Ultimate Frisbee team! Unfortunately his new team lost all but one match to his former team in the Fall Series, but it was fun anyway. Sailing (and racing) our boat with Dad continued to be a lot of fun for Trevor over the summer. Trevor enjoys the speed and hopes to learn how to sail a boat on his own next Summer. Lacrosse also interests Trevor, and he likes to experiment with his lacrosse stick by stringing it and restringing it and restringing it. He recently decked out his new stick with a custom strung pocket and his future high school colors. Trevor looks forward to Spring so he can play and watch lacrosse to prepare for the high school team. Finally, Trevor did Crux rock climbing camp again last summer and got to join the advanced, older group which did much more climbing on Skinner Butte's basalt columns.

Advent Conspiracy

2008-11-23T14:29:00.000-08:00

The challenge of Advent Conspiracy:

The story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love.

So, what happened? What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a savior has somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists.

And when it's all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose. Is this what we really want out of Christmas?

What if Christmas became a world-changing event again?

Welcome to Advent Conspiracy.

Perhaps your Christmas tradition includes something to emphasize the "Reason for the Season". Maybe you've given or received a goat for Christmas (Thanks Aunt Judy!). These are not new ideas in our household but the Advent Conspiracy is encouraging. What more can we do to care for one another in a meaningful way?

The needs are all around: Darfur, Congo, China, Haiti, Myanmar, New Orleans... but the needs are also not that far away: Chicago, Detroit, Ithaca and Eugene. The needs around the globe and in the neighborhood seem greater now than ever. Awareness of these needs is increasing throughout the global community. What better way to celebrate Christmas than with a little Advent Conspiracy.

Roosevelt Middle School

2008-09-21T12:50:00.000-07:00

The switch to a large, public middle school from a small, private Christian one last Fall was obviously a significant change for Trevor and Hannah. They have adjusted fabulously to the new social scene of a much more diverse school, their increased academic challenges, riding a city bus to school , and our unusual living arrangement. They have taken advantage of many new elective opportunities like swimming, robotics, wood shop, drama, and kitchen science and earned straight C1's (the best grade possible) in the first trimester. While helping the kids get settled into their new school along with looking for volunteer opportunities, Jolyn was offered a part-time job as the school's Mentor Program Coordinator. She's responsible for over thirty adult volunteer mentors who meet with a student once a week. The program is thriving and it's rewarding to serve at-risk kids by providing them with a caring, consistent, positive adult role-model.

When in Eugene, do as the Hippies

2008-09-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

Although our house was on the market, it became unlikely that a move could be pulled off in time for the beginning of the 08-09 school year. Wishing to avoid transferring the kids mid year, we explored renting a place within the Eugene School District boundary. We were blessed with a wonderful offer from good friends to rent the lower level of their home in the District area which had our schools of choice. The rental amounts to something more like communal living than a landlord and tenant relationship. Our two families share meals, evenings, rides, and much of our lives these days. Mike and the kids stay at the “Winter Palace” 3 or 4 nights a week. The kids ride the city bus to school and back unless it's time to return to the “Country House,” where Jolyn stays at night with the furry members of our household. We all spend some of the evening together unless there are other activities (oh, that never happens...). It's not easy nor ideal but it's working out pretty well thanks to the gracious hospitality of our great friends!

Perfect Timing...NOT

2008-08-21T12:34:00.000-07:00

You know what they say about investments - well, besides, “Oh, crap!” Seriously though, something like “Timing is everything” or “Buy low and sell high” may come to mind. In real estate, “location, location, location” is paramount. In the case of our home, a phrase from Get Smart is appropriate...“Missed it by that much.” The house is only 50' from the Eugene School District boundary where we ultimately wanted our kids to attend. With Trevor approaching high school (can that be...) and Hannah starting middle school (what?), it was time to earnestly explore options, the best (and really, the only) being to move into the Eugene School District boundary. With the kids' private school only an option through eighth grade and an already shaky real estate market, the timing seemed right to begin the moving process early in 2008. Projects began at a fevered pitch in the Spring to prepare the house for listing, including finishing the 900 sq.ft. walkout basement. We managed to “Get 'er done” just in time for the bottom to drop out of the market. Yep, if you were looking for the root cause, this might have been the listing that broke Fannie's back. Or was it Freddie's...So now, we continue to wait for that elusive buyer.

Sailing in the Nude?

2008-07-30T11:55:00.000-07:00

In May, Mike sailed in the NOOD (not nude, however) for the first time. Oh, that's the Sperry Top-Sider National Offshore One Design. The Seattle event provided three days of racing in Puget Sound for over 200 boats in 24 classes. Whew! In addition, the Santana 20 Class Championships were hosted by the Eugene Yacht Club over the summer. The Santanarama 2008 was great week of fun and competitive racing. Mike's frightful-looking boat finished 6^th out of 39. Apparently, ugly is fast. On a smaller scale, but no less enjoyable, Mike loves racing our 14' Lido with Trevor. They make a pretty good team and managed to take 2^nd and 3^rd place in the Summer and Fall Wednesday Night Series respectively. Trevor was recognized as the “Junior All-Star” in the Lido fleet. After Trevor masters the Zuma, Mike hopes he's ready to take the helm on the Lido.

Climbing: The World's Loneliest Sport

2007-08-18T22:31:00.000-07:00

By now it seems that it wouldn't be summer without a week at Crux Rock Gym. This year it was Hannah that made the most apparent improvement. That was especially evident as Mike watched them climb the local basalt columns. Hannah tackled a new route this year with perseverance and growing confidence. For Trevor, it's getting to be a little too routine. Expect him to look for greater challenges next year. He's old enough to move up and climb with older kids and learn new techniques.

Who knows... Maybe he's up for an assault on the North Face of the Uxbridge Road...

A Sailing Adventure

2007-08-10T21:42:00.000-07:00

No, it's nothing close to the Barcelona World Race (as those sailors spend Christmas in the Southern Ocean). Heck, this wasn't even a race. But it was an adventure.
Perhaps inspired by the story of Grandpa Herc sleeping on the Flying Dutchman on Cayuga Lake, Trevor became interested in his own nautical adventure last year. With the realization that Mr. T would become a teenager at the end of the summer, Mike was determined to share the experience with Trevor before another summer slipped by.
The plan was modest. They would simply spend the night sleeping on the Lido on Fern Ridge Lake and meet up with the rest of the family the next day for a picnic. The two adventures pushed off from the dock in the early evening. The north wind was fairly strong and refused to die as the sun went down. We found shelter in the lee of a small island and prepared the boat for the night. Although it took a while for the wind to die and the boat to stop rocking, Trevor and Mike managed to sleep well.
Morning came... early as Mike discovered the breeze (now quite mild) had swung around to the South. As the new moon rose just before sunrise, they relocated to the north side of the island and settled back for some more sleep. It seems likely the pair of adventurers will come up with something more for next year. At any rate, it was a special experience that Mike and Trevor enjoyed together.

I am fearfully and wonderfully made

2007-08-03T22:07:00.000-07:00

In August, we all made a trip to Portland to see Body Worlds 3 at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI).

Real humans. Real science. Really amazing!

Experience the human body in all its elegance and complexity in this first-of-its-kind exhibition. From entire bodies in dramatic poses to side-by-side comparisons of healthy and diseased organs, BODY WORLDS 3 is a stunning exhibition featuring over 200 authentic human specimens. See how your body's systems relate to one another and work together to help you function and survive. View firsthand how lifestyle choices impact your health and how muscles and joints work together during athletic performance.

It was fascinating and amazing and well worth the trip. We are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made.

Ithaca Is Gorges

2007-07-12T14:16:00.000-07:00

Growing up, Mike was a lifeguard at Robert H. Treman State Park. It's one of many beautiful reasons that Ithaca Is Gorges. It's always a treat to be able to walk the trails again and take in the incredible scenery of Creation.
After lunch, the whole family plus Kelty started at upper Treman and walked the gorge trail. Trevor and Mike made it to the lower park and back. Meanwhile, the girls enjoyed the scenery and some splashing about in the creek. Check out the album for more pictures. To the right is a composite picture of the 115 foot Lucifer Falls on Enfield Creek in the park and Trevor in the blue shirt.

Cooperstown, NY

2007-07-10T13:56:00.000-07:00

In all the years we lived in NY (a total of 27 between Jolyn and Mike), we never visited the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. Perhaps it was because Mike switched to a safer sport (lacrosse...), when they put the ball in the hands of the kids to pitch... With Trevor's interest in baseball (although he played lacrosse this past spring), it seemed like a natural choice to visit the Hall of Fame.
Here's an album showing some of our (Trevor's) favorite items, exhibits or scenes. We hit Cooperstown just right, if you want to avoid crowds. An early Tuesday in July was fine with us -- long before the festivities surrounding the All Star break and the 2007 HOF induction ceremony.

Fourth of July Celebration

2007-07-05T13:51:00.000-07:00

It's been a while but we made the trip back to New York over the fourth. It was largely a spontaneous decision to go on our part. Mike learned from his sister that Uncle Gus and his neighbors would be throwing a big (~70 people) 4th of July party and all the cousins and their families would be there.
We also wanted to surprise Mike's mom who is doing ok but recovering from hernia surgery. After traveling on the fourth and arriving at my sister's quite late, we managed to get over to Longview just before lunch time. The four of us wandered into the cafeteria and found mom patiently waiting for her meal. Unfortunately, we were not early enough to take her out for lunch but the surprise was worth the trip.
For many reasons, it was a good trip. We caught up with family and friends, visited old haunts, made a trip to Cooperstown, did a little hiking and just had a fairly relaxing time together. New York weather didn't disappoint us either... There was no shortage of humidity and thunderstorms. Here's a photo album from our time in Fair Haven.

Hannah Turns Ten

2007-03-05T20:37:00.000-08:00

Hannah turned ten this year and had a major sleep over with a few friends. They made their own pizzas, played games, had a scavenger hunt, worked on a quilt and enjoyed homemade birthday pazookies (You must try one)... and all that was before bed. It was enough to wear Lido out!
The morning brought the sleepy girls to Grandma's for pancakes. It's a real hit. All in all it was a fun time with friends to celebrate the special gift that Hannah is to us all. Here's to the birthday girl.
Later in July, she spent a special weekend with Grandpa Herc and Georgia.

Time With Tanner

2007-02-21T19:46:00.000-08:00

No, this is not an undercover scene from the world of NFL dog fighting... It's actually just our black Lab Lido playing with Grandpa Herc's new yellow Lab, Tanner. We made a little trip over to Bend to meet Tanner for the first time and do a little skiing at Bachelor. Seeing Lido and Tanner kinda reminded us of Lido playing with our neighbor's dog Ben. Only now the roles were reversed. Tanner had two speeds... ON and OFF. It seemed Lido was game for a bit of K9 rough housing but a little bit when a long way for him in his advanced age of three!
They had a great time and so did we. The skiing was great and we always enjoy riding Grandpa's lift. That's been his winter gig for years. Bachelor sure is a beautiful place to work!

Trev's Tracks

2006-12-20T23:05:00.000-08:00

Trevor started Middle School at Willamette Christian. He enjoys having 2 lockers, and his favorite teacher is Mr. Abbale, who teaches Bible and History. Trevor developed a great interest in Lacrosse this year and has his own stick, which he strings and restrings constantly as a hobby. Skiing and snowboarding continue to be favorite activities. Trev took snowboarding lessons with his friend, Josh, but is still a big fan of downhill and cross-country skiing. Highlights of the year for Trevor included sleeping in a snow cave and hanging out with his cousins, Brendan and Leah.

Hannah's Happenings

2006-12-20T22:35:00.000-08:00

Hannah has had loads of fun this past year. Her favorite summer camp was over-night at Camp Harlow where she slept in a cabin with her school buddy, Madeline. She is in 4^th grade this year and is having fun in math with fractions, long division, and common factors. Hannah just finished playing KidSports volleyball with her class mates. She is very excited about Christmas with her Aunts - Judy and Sally, and with Grandma and Grandpa, and “Uncle” Tim (Jolyn's cousin) who she hasn't seen in a very long time.

The Crux of the Matter

2006-08-10T21:27:00.000-07:00

Once again Trevor and Hannah spent a week at Crux Rock Gym. It's one of their favorite summer camps. They improve each year and find the confidence and skill to accomplish even more than in past years. There's basic climbing, boldering and belaying, the high, balance beam (forwards, backwards and (or) eyes closed), the King Swing and one day climbing the basalt columns of Skinner Butte. Mike always enjoys watching the kids try different routes on a sunny summer day.

One Good Visit Deserves Another

2006-07-08T22:02:00.000-07:00

Summer is a beautiful time of year here in Oregon. We probably shouldn't say that as it violates the newcomer non-disclosure agreement... But it's been ten years so that may have expired. Even if it isn't sunny, dry and warm (but not hot) practically every day of summer... which it isn't... It's still great to have people visit. Soon after returning from Bend (where we celebrated the 4th) Jolyn's sister Becky arrived from Chicaaaago with Brendan and Leah. They are about the same age apart as Trevor and Hannah and just a little older so it works out great. It's amazing how cousins are such fast friends. It takes them no time at all to pick up where they left off. The Cruise Director (aka Grandma) had everything all lined up... a trip to the coast (that's the left coast) and jet boat ride, a day at the Wildlife Safari (yes, that's in OR), some shopping for the girls and fishing for the boys and of course a day at the lake.

Goodrows Visit the Pacific NW

2006-07-04T18:07:00.000-07:00

In late June/early July, the Goodrows (pictured in front of Sahalie Falls)visited the Northwest with stops in Eugene (with us), Bend (with Grandpa Herc and Georgia) and Washington (with friends). It was great to see Mike's sister Merri, John and Kelty again and especially nice to meet Colden (check it out: "hockey hair", shoots left) for the first time. We managed to pack quite a bit into their visit including a couple birthdays, a little hiking, some ski lift aided mountain (inactive volcano) climbing, some sailing (naturally), a splash of swimming and plenty of hangin out and relaxing. Overall it was one big celebration. At times... several times... we just had to sleep... anywhere we could... anytime we could... What else can we say about the dog days of summer? Good times.

He's All Thumbs...

2006-04-24T15:14:00.000-07:00

You've heard the expression, "He's all thumbs!" Well in this case, he has no thumbs. That's the only explanation we can come up with. If it happened only once, we could chalk it up to chance. But this story has been played out not just twice but at least five times. We're talking about deep seeded acts of rebellion driven by inner frustration or feelings of inferiority that most of us can't comprehend. It must be buried down in his subconscious. Something so traumatic and troubling that these acts... these cries for help are not only difficult to express but so complex and mysterious as to defy understanding. You see... It all began (as the theory goes) as an infant...
Yep, when Lido was very young and very small (which is not difficult to imagine), his dewclaws were removed. We're talking elective (not by Lido mind you), cosmetic (his legs do look quite shapely) surgery. What's puzzling (and perhaps at the root of Lido's psychological issues) is that his breeder chose not to pay for a necessary, life saving surgery...
The rest of us (sans Earl) think thumbs are pretty cool. They're not everything but they're opposable which is more than you can say about any dewclaw... Okay, now we're probably just making Lido mad...
If you can't tell from the picture, this is a collection of the gloves and mittens Lido has chewed... mostly on the thumbs. Click on it for a larger version.

Water in Crystal and Liquid Forms

2006-04-18T17:18:00.000-07:00

Yes, winter is winding down and summer seems to be on its way... That's the definition of spring isn't it? Around here (at least on the "Wet Side") it starts in February and continues... more or less through May.

April was a very interesting month for outdoor activities in the Merrifield household. On the first, Trevor and Mike went downhill skiing. They took a friend of Trevor's and his brother and Dad. The four of them had taken snowboarding lessons earlier in the winter. Seemed a little strange to be skiing on April Fool's Day but the joke was definitely not on us. We had a great day.

Then sailing started the following week for Mike. All are happy and thankful to have our local lake back again. The original earthen dam was build in the 40's and the drainage system was failing. (Earthen dams actually leak but it's supposed to be a controlled leak...). Somehow the Army Corp. of Engineers prioritized the repair project higher and found the money to fix it last summer. We were potentially looking at years without a lake and the vital flood control it provides... and recreation! Now, they will likely focus on Mississippi levee system.

The following weekend the Merrifields were all back in the mountains for cross country skiing (Mike, Trevor and Hannah) and snowshoeing (Jolyn and four friends of ours). Lido and Chico went barefoot... They trekked in a couple miles and had lunch. Then it was time to build their accomodations for the night. It seems that no matter where people go they have to improve things. Several people started working on the snow cave while others gathered wood for the fire. The Merrifield's friend John proceed to build a combination sleeping shelter, kitchen and living room complete with fire pit. Actually the fire creates its own pit as it burns and melts through many feet of snow. The girls headed home around dusk and the guys prepared to spend the night in their snow cave. After breakfast the next morning, they headed off for a wooden shelter another mile or so away and then headed home.

Returning to the valley it was back to baseball and sailing... Trevor's team has had a rough season... winless so far. However, he enjoys it and does pretty well despite the teams results. He's been catching quite a bit as well as pitching and playing infield (around 2nd base). The season continues through the middle of June so there's still time for the team to improve.

Earl Gray

2006-02-18T16:35:00.000-08:00

This is our new cat Earl Gray who is... oh, several years old... we're not exactly sure... He used to belong to neighbors of our friends from church, John and Joan. A while back, Earl and his family moved but not too far from John and Joan. After a while, Earl returned to his old neighborhood. He was recognized, cared for and returned to his family. After a while, Earl returned to his old neighborhood. His family tried to confine him for several weeks and Earl just kept finding his way back. He was cared for by some other neighbors of John and Joan until they moved... Then John and Joan took him in and now... (you guessed it) they're moving. They decided Earl needed a new home since he wasn't really compatible with their cat and Earl had run out of neighbors.
We had been thinking about getting a cat but were always concerned about the slim chance of getting a normal cat. This seemed like a good opportunity since Earl has a nice personality for a feline.
As Earl's latest cat care providers, we introduced him to all the bipeds in the family and a small part of the house. We think he's aware of another mammal lurking outside the door... and Lido knows something is going on but he's not sure what. As cat-dog relations go, Earl is pretty streetwise for his age. After all, he's well travelled. Lido, on the other hand, has only seen a cat once. In that encounter, Lido ran toward his soon to be best friend at full speed. I think he's still wonding why that cat bolted up a tree... We're hopeful that Lido and Earl will become pals. Stay tuned.

Trev’s Tracks

2005-12-25T14:12:00.000-08:00

By Trevor
This spring, Trevor had a great time playing for the Little League Diamond Backs. In one of his games, he hit two inside-the-park home runs!!! In his last game, the team had two problems. First, one of their best pitchers, Brendan, was injured. Second, they only had 8 players including Brendan. Near the end of the game, Trevor went to the mound to pitched. He nearly saved the game, but the dumb time limit ended and the D-Backs were behind by one run!!!!!! That was really upsetting. Late in the summer, Trevor and his sister Hannah stayed with their Grandpa Herc & Georgia for a whole week… without their parents!!!!!! This school year is going great. Trevor's favorite subject is math. His sister thinks that long division is very, very hard, but to him, it's easy. His best friend at school is a kid named Josh. They are very close friends and both play in Beginning Band. Trevor was first chair Alto Saxophone. Trevor got a bunch of neat stuff for Christmas including a PS2 (PlayStation2). It is a video game system with controllers that have a whole bunch of different buttons (just for those of you that don't know). His sister got a really fun game called “Wallace & Gromit in Project Zoo”. Trevor had a lot of fun this year and hopes you did too.

Hannah’s Happenings

2005-12-25T14:05:00.000-08:00

By Hannah
Hannah is 8 ½ and will be 9 in March. This year she has played volleyball and gone to rock climbing camp. For Christmas, she got a PlayStation2! She is in 3rd grade, her teacher’s name is Mrs. Vanderhoff. Hannah had lots of fun in Whistler and enjoyed staying in Bend with her Grandpa & Georgia. Her favorite movie is Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were Rabbit. Her favorite food is honey baked ham. And most of all she loves Christmas!

They Rocked at the Locks

2005-08-14T14:20:00.000-07:00

Michael had quite the sailing experience this summer in their class nationals held in "The Gorge” near Cascade Locks, OR. This area of the Columbia River is known around the world as a first class windsurfing and kiteboarding venue. Thanks to the Columbia Gorge Racing Association, who served as our race committee, this area is gaining popularity with people who still sail boats. Although Mike has been sailing with Gordon and Don since 1998, this was his first class championship regatta. After four days and seven races, the Water Boa finished in 5th place (out of 23 boats) in the 2005 Santana 20 Class Championship Regatta. The class website has the best information about the racing, conditions and results (and several photos). It was Gordon and Don’s best finish at S20 nationals since they started sailing together 30 years ago. As Mike puts it, they had a blast (pun intended) and came home bruised but excited by the experience of racing in the Gorge and their results. This was the strongest wind they had ever raced in. During the races, the wind speed averaged 20mph with gusts approaching 30. And that’s before the wind really picked up in the afternoon. The conditions challenged both sailor and equipment as each were stressed – sometimes to the breaking point.

Summer Peak '05

2005-07-26T15:32:00.000-07:00

Mike went with a group of high school youth and a couple other adults on a four day retreat in the Oregon Cascades. They stayed at Fairview Peak Lookout and spent time reading, praying, hiking and just hanging out together. As you can see, it was a great time and is a really cool place.

Pressure and Relief

2005-06-01T14:35:00.000-07:00

Jolyn has had a stressful year (as you might imagine). Her selfless service to others has been a blessing to many at church, work and at home. On a global scale, difficult situations abound with wars, natural disasters, etc. Closer to home, we’ve been affected by loss, conflict and relational disasters. The opportunity to help out takes its toll so we are grateful for family time: celebrating Herc’s 75th on the coast, a week in Whislter (just us) and simply relaxing at home with a fire in the stove.

Comic Strip or Corporate Documentary?

2005-06-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

Mike was fired from Symantec (aka Somantic) in the middle of April – absolutely blind-sided - in what appears to be a very clear-cut case of him (and at least one other person) taking the fall for some upper-level management incompetence. They were accused, tried, convicted, sentenced, & punished without opportunity for any rebuttal whatsoever. The organization he was in has a reputation for being an absolutely poisonous place to work but Mike really poured heart & soul into it to try & succeed. He was just met with resistance at every turn & was ultimately libeled.
As the shock wore off, we discovered a blessing in disguise (in several ways). We have a family life once again! No more late nights at the office for Mike or calling contractors in India at midnight. We realized the incredible stress a job with big corporate America placed on us. We realized that no amount of pay or benefits could make up for the cost to our family.
We found sufficiency in our loving Heavenly Father and in the supportive caring of family and friends. Not only did the Lord see us through the trauma of a job loss, He provided for our every need.
In June, Mike re-joined SmartCAMcnc and the group of friends who pursued a start up company following the other lay-off in our lives 3 years ago. The fledgling company is doing quite well with over 10 employees. Pay and benefits can’t begin to compete with the likes of Somantic but quality of life has improved immeasurable for all of us. We couldn’t be happier.
In November, Somantic fired Mike's former boss. Id quot circumiret, circumveniat.

Big Boy

2005-01-20T09:50:00.000-08:00

Our puppy as you may remember was rescued by our vet with a life saving surgery. After recovering and being placed in our home, Lido grew... and grew. His role model is no doubt our neighbor's 100+ pound yellow lab, Ben. At the beginning of this year, Lido had come of age and it was time to nip that potential problem in the bud... Only he was missing one bud... The partial cryptorchidism wasn't really a problem but required a couple additional incisions to locate the hidden nut, squirreled away in Lido's abdomen.
Lido has had many nicknames so far in his colorful life including Lido Baggins, Prewash... and currently Big Boy. He's now close to 90 lean pounds and has to perform his KP duty while standing on the floor.