Volume II, Number I: 2000
A New Century - Does it begin this year or next? - Edition
The Other Year2000 Glitch
OLYMPIA -- By late November, a consensus had emerged in the US that the Year 2000 bug had finally been spotted in Florida – in the form of Butterfly Ballots and chads (be they dimpled, pregnant, hanging, or swinging door).
Longtime subscribers to the TaylorGram will have noticed its conspicuous absence last year. The eve-of-2000 edition had been published but no more that twelve were distributed.
While its editors would have liked to blame technology or the post office, alas, Elaine’s injury and other factors distracted us from getting them mailed.
So, from the vaults, it’s a special 2-for-1 TaylorGram bundle this year. While its not a find on par with The Beatles’ lost BBC sessions, it does keep your collection complete.
Here, There and Everywhere
TRAVEL BUREAU – The first guest book at the home of the taylorgram on Fair Oaks Beach is full, thanks in large measure to entries from this year’s visitors. That in a summer that will be remembered as one of the warmest, sunniest, and driest in the South Puget Sound in recent memory. It was a great summer for celebrating Elaine's 40th birthday in July, when our yard was filled with friends and their kids, including her little buddy Adam.
While guests are not required to work off their tab, some notable regulars do. Visits by parents on both sides of the house – Jim and Rachel Routledge in spring and Mel and Wilma Taylor in early fall – propelled the big yard project forward. [See related article below.] In between, we hosted Paul’s brother and his family – Dave, Karen, Naomi, and Graham – during their summer of transition. We got to spend some time with Naomi, who was preparing to leave for Michigan State University under a volleyball scholarship; and with Graham, who stayed for an additional week for a music festival at George, Washington and some work and recreation down by the lake.
We returned to Manitoba in May for a whistle stop visit and to mark some important moments – Dave’s graduation as a Master in Education from the University of Manitoba and Elaine’s 20th Nursing Reunion from Health Sciences Centre School of Nursing. It was also a great chance to get caught up with Jack and Alyssa, whose respective parents (Elaine’s brothers and their wives) have chronicled the kids’ growth for us with regular dispatches of digital photos and videotapes. Still, there’s nothing like getting face to face with the little Routledges. Add to that visits with as many old friends as we could fit in, and you have a great visit. Elaine came home sufficiently inspired to create a web site for her home town of Hamiota, which has become the municipality’s official site on Canada GenWeb. By the way, we have a fresh guestbook now, with many blank pages….
Two tons of fun
OLYMPIA – One rainy afternoon, Paul pulled four years of receipts from the county landfill and tallied the amount of yard waste that we have pulled off the formerly overgrown yard. The total: just a few pounds shy of two tons. In its place, we have added 25 yards of gravel, 20 yards of top soil, dozens of bedding plants, and 1,700 of hand laid cobblestone paving stones. [Before and after photos]
Goodbye Cherry Ames*, Hello e-laine.edu
HARBORVIEW MEDICAL CENTER, SEATTLE – Elaine has been greeted throughout the hospital lately by somewhat confused looks that say, "I should know who that is." Problem is, Elaine was not working nights or wearing scrubs. She has formally (but not completely) left the bedside in favor of training nurses and other staff on the use of Harborview’s computerized charting and medications system. She transitioned in October and, simply put, is loving it. She will be picking up a couple of shifts each month in intensive care to keep her skills fresh and round up the hours for the new half time position. Elaine began looking for a less physically demanding role after being injured in a car accident in September 1999. Plus, after fifteen years in the Coronary /Medical ICU, it was just time.
Olympia-Tumwater Foundation induction
TUMWATER – Recognizing Elaine’s continuing work with the Henderson House history museum and the Olympia Genealogical Society, we have been nominated for a membership to the Olympia-Tumwater Foundation, a privately-funded organization created for the advancement of recreational, benevolent, and educational projects for the State of Washington. (Spouses are included, even if they haven’t done anything to merit membership!)
Digital State Three-Peat and the Campaign for Digital GovernmentWashington: the Nation's Digital State
WASHINGTON, DC -- Washington State was proud to accept its third consecutive Digital State Award from the Progress and Freedom Foundation, the Center for Digital Government and Government Technology Magazine. The Digital State is an annual 50-state ranking of how state governments are using technology -– particularly the Internet -- to conduct the public’s business. The three-peat affirms the state’s transition to Digital Government, a campaign lead by the Department of Information Services where Paul has served for over five years, the last two and a half as Deputy Director. As deputy state CIO, he continues to travel extensively and speak on Digital Government at conferences from Sacramento and San Diego, California and Sante Fe, New Mexico to Asheville, North Carolina, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Las Vegas, Nevada. (Elaine was able to join in on the latter trio of trips.) The incumbent Governor won re-election and we are preparing for his second administration.
* Cherry Ames is a recurring character in a series of nursing stories. She has been around longer than Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys.