Holding out on Fall

Everyone has been saying how the colors are great in the mountains - the aspen are turning famously golden.  But Thomas and I found that they were still pretty green.  We took a motorcycle ride up through beautiful glades and peaks.  It was gorgeous, a bit chilly at times, and a LONG ride.  My poor tushie couldn't handle more than forty minutes or so at a time.  There were some lovely patches of gold, and many more lovely vistas.  I imagine there will be a couple more good weekends for viewing...

Disenchantment in the jury box

I think today was supposed to be inspiring, awesome, and gratifying.  Or at least that is sort of how the judge got the instruction hour started.  I had the (not so) coveted jury duty letter in my mail box a few weeks back.  Today was the day.  I remember when I had received one back during my days at Metro CareRing.  I read my book and magazines for three hours and then caught a bus back to work disappointed that I didn't make it past first base.  I was really intrigued about what happens in the great halls of justice, but didn't get invited past the sea of peopled numbers.  Today I figured that I could head down to Tiri's Garden afterward to check-in as the Urban Peak youth were leaving.  I thought I might take care of an errand while downtown, and then after a bus ride home, I hoped to harvest potatoes and make jalapeno pepper jelly.  Of course last night I wondered if my plans hadn't jinxed me.  Tonight I can say the jinxed me. The first group of numbers called was at least four pages long, a murder trial I overheard from an old lady who was dismissed late in the morning and then called her husband from the public phone in the waiting room.  She said they expected that trial could last a week.  Phew!  There were a number of groups that were called and left.  I just kept getting closer and closer to the end of my book.  Then between 11:15 - 11:30 am I heard "#1360", and before the woman could call my number again, I snapped to and called back "here".  Another half hour and I would have been on my way!  The trial was briefer than the briefing for jurors before jury selection, before trial, and before instructions on how to deliberate.  I cannot imagine how dull that gets to be for lawyers and witnesses waiting to get on with the trial.  The trial was regarding a protection order and determining whether or not the defendant broke it.  I was in the first twelve to take a seat for questioning and wasn't suprised when I was asked further about the kind of law my dad practices.  I listened to the comments of others about their previous experience with protection orders, quite a few actually.  Some potential jurors seemed argumentative just to get dismissed.  One woman who was quite emotional about her story ended up not getting cut.  I noted that maybe only two others had college degrees, which made we wonder if the others with degrees were "smart enough" to get out of it. I was in the six to make it to the next round.  Though it wasn't the outcome I wanted for my day, I felt the sense of obligation and accepted it without complaint.  What troubled me, and still does, is that at 6:15 pm when I delvered the verdict in court, I felt so much more mistrustful of our justice system than inspired to have been a part of it.  To watch the public defenders trip over their words, objections, and questions, it doesn't give you hope for low income peoples who cannot afford to hire a lawyer.  A comedy of errors that left me disappointed.  And the prosecutor carries such a weight of the burden of proof, but the facts and evidence provided was really quite slim.  It makes one wonder to what a jury of your peers looks like: race, ethnicity, gender, education, etc.  What makes the people who decide your fate your peers?  Unfortunately, there was not a great consensus in the jury room to start our deliberations, and admittedly I felt a bit outnumbered and belittled for my understanding of the "facts".  I would have felt more comfortable knowing that a more logical, objective group of people would be deciding the fate of the defendant.  There are winners and losers, and sometimes they win and lose for the wrong reasons, or at least that is how I felt at the end of it all.  But my "one day, one trial" is done; it will not carryover to another day.  I am left disenchanted and hopeful never to be sitting behind a table waiting for six people to decide my fate, as the case was tonight.  Six people who brought baggage to the table and various interpretations of the law, too.  Oh boo...

What luck...

It wasn't really luck at all.  I got good news from my dad this morning that my uncle was taken off the respirator last night, and he transitioned well.  They were able to take out some of the other tubes this morning, and he continued to handle it well.  There is a long haul before him to regain his health, but to think there was only a 1% chance three days ago.  I am grateful for all the prayers, but not as grateful, I am sure, as my dad and uncle's family.  Good news!!  peace...

Feeling your strength

Thanks for any prayers offered up already.  My uncle went from a 1% chance of leaving the hospital to 20+% chance.  He is still unconscious, but he has been responding to my dad's voice with hand squeezes, and they have had to restrain him because he is fighting the ventilator and tubes.  These are positive signs for his fight to live, but they all still need prayers for strength and courage.  There is no word at the moment for when they will know how things will end.  I do believe God is lifting them all up through all of our prayers.  Whatever the outcome, to know they have courage to see it through and faith to believe they are not alone...thanks...

Sadness...

While I know that wondering will get me nowhere, I am sitting at my desk, about to go to lunch, wondering where my parents are, if they have landed in Denver, if they are in the air, if they have arrived in Wichita yet... My uncle, my dad's only sibling, had ventricular fibrillation yesterday, resulting in a loss of consciousness.  He was on a respirator last night when I first learned of this, but have no idea what condition he is in now.  Terribly shocking and out of the blue! Yesterday I also learned my best friend growing up lost her baby at 33 weeks of pregnancy.  These two and their families are in great need of comfort and strength.  All prayers are welcome...

too lazy to write

I haven't found (or made) time to post all the exciting things happening this summer.  Life's been a lot busier than one can maintain for too long.  The last weekend in August, Tom and I returned to Portland to see family (and some friends this time, too).  Most notable was Nick's wedding to Jen Zea - now Ford!  It took me a minute to place myself in reality as I entered her phone number in my contacts list as Jen Ford - crazy!  Granted, I haven't changed my sister's to Miki Greenlee.  After working or being on the road since fourth of July, I conceded to stay home for a weekend, though I had wanted to get out of town with the long weekend.  Our low-key weekend was anything but!  Friday I spent a half-day at the farm before picking Mary up from the airport.  I also picked up a couple books at the library for planning a wedding, as if that wasn't distracting and a wee bit stressful.  Mary & I rendezvoused late in the evening with Jennifer to dance, dance, dance on the one night Vinyl was playing in town.  Phew!  Three hours of getting down left me pooped! Saturday, I slept in until practically noon (well, at least lazed in bed), so instead of breakfast, Tom and I went to our favorite sushi place for lunch, followed by errands on the west side and grape leaf plucking at our friends Ryan and Britta's house before church.  We had a wild and raucous evening of playing LIFE with Mary and then Gabe.  What a hoot!  Mary took us all by surprise when she spun the wheel and ended the game as a Billionaire Tycoon! Sunday, I slept in again, but not as late.  Tom & I went to the farmers' market and got some olive bread, which became lunch.  And then we got 1/2 bushel of cukes and a bushel of chiles and had ourselves a domestic day of pickling 20 quarts of cukes and peeling/freezing chiles.  Phew!!  A hot and spicy day in the kitchen! And since we had one more day, Tom & I met up with (cousin) Jake for an eight mile hike in Rocky Mountain National Park on Monday.  It was fun to have family time. It was invigorating to hike, and the scenery was lovely.  We finished off our play date with pizza and beers. Did I mention I was tired today?  Anyone can guess that I slept hard this weekend, but I am not sure "enough" is true, too.  And my legs aren't sore, but biking to work this morning took a little more energy than I wanted to give.