Volume II, Number X: 2009
An At Sea Edition
You, Me and Mexico
After strangely unseasonable weather over Christmas and New Year's, we were all the happier to escape to Mexico for a belated celebration of our 20th Anniversary. We took a 7-day cruise, nicknamed the Mexican Sampler, to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta.
It was the most relaxing week we have had in years. The weather was warm, the waters were smooth (for the most part) and it all added up to an exceptionally good waste of time. We met some interesting people on ship and had a chance meeting with Winnipeger Steve Bell and his wife while standing in line at a Starbucks across the street from the port in Puerto Vallarta. It was a NAFTA moment -- Canadian musician, American coffee and Mexican port of call.
Perhaps the most authentic experience of the week (although it was still very much a tourist attraction) was a tour and fiesta at Hacienda Dona Engracia in the agave growing region of the Mexican state of Jalisco. Not surprisingly, the Hacienda had its own Tequila distillery and offered a tasting that was at least as good as any wine tasting.
As they kept pouring varieties, our tour guide Yessica mentioned that she used one flavor of tequila when cooking turkey, and her colleague used another when cooking something else. Oh sure, we'll remember we thought. Not so much.
Luckily, Elaine had her business card and sent her a note when we got back. We were charmed by her response:
HELLO MRS.ELAINE I´M SO HAPPY TO READ THIS MESSAGE .
IS A PLEASURE TO REMINDER HOW TO USE YOUR TEQUILA.
I USED THE ALMOND IN THE TURKEY , AND , LUCAS
USED THE PEACH FOR THE PORK .
YOU CAN USE THE PEACH FOR THE MARGARITAS - PEACH TEQUILA WITH REPOSADO AND FRESH PEACHES , ICE BLENDER IT AND USE SUGAR ON YOUR GLASS
AND I WISH YOU GOOD LUCK WHITH YOUR NEW PRESIDENT
SEE YOU SOON HASTA PRONTO
There is a sampling of photos from the trip in the photo gallery at the top of this page, which includes stops in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta - plus pictures of towel sculptures, one of which greeted us each evening when we returned to our cabin. But wait, there's more: the crew even held a seminar on how to make towel art.
Just to manage your expectations, if you come for a visit, your towels will be in the two shapes they have always been offered here -- folded and lumpy.
It was the most relaxing week we have had in years. The weather was warm, the waters were smooth (for the most part) and it all added up to an exceptionally good waste of time. We met some interesting people on ship and had a chance meeting with Winnipeger Steve Bell and his wife while standing in line at a Starbucks across the street from the port in Puerto Vallarta. It was a NAFTA moment -- Canadian musician, American coffee and Mexican port of call.
Perhaps the most authentic experience of the week (although it was still very much a tourist attraction) was a tour and fiesta at Hacienda Dona Engracia in the agave growing region of the Mexican state of Jalisco. Not surprisingly, the Hacienda had its own Tequila distillery and offered a tasting that was at least as good as any wine tasting.
As they kept pouring varieties, our tour guide Yessica mentioned that she used one flavor of tequila when cooking turkey, and her colleague used another when cooking something else. Oh sure, we'll remember we thought. Not so much.
Luckily, Elaine had her business card and sent her a note when we got back. We were charmed by her response:
HELLO MRS.ELAINE I´M SO HAPPY TO READ THIS MESSAGE .
IS A PLEASURE TO REMINDER HOW TO USE YOUR TEQUILA.
I USED THE ALMOND IN THE TURKEY , AND , LUCAS
USED THE PEACH FOR THE PORK .
YOU CAN USE THE PEACH FOR THE MARGARITAS - PEACH TEQUILA WITH REPOSADO AND FRESH PEACHES , ICE BLENDER IT AND USE SUGAR ON YOUR GLASS
AND I WISH YOU GOOD LUCK WHITH YOUR NEW PRESIDENT
SEE YOU SOON HASTA PRONTO
There is a sampling of photos from the trip in the photo gallery at the top of this page, which includes stops in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta - plus pictures of towel sculptures, one of which greeted us each evening when we returned to our cabin. But wait, there's more: the crew even held a seminar on how to make towel art.
Just to manage your expectations, if you come for a visit, your towels will be in the two shapes they have always been offered here -- folded and lumpy.
It might be on iTunes...
He’s no Fireside Al but Paul put in a respectable performance as reader of the holiday classic, Twas the Night before Christmas, for the annual Christmas CD of original recordings by the staff and friends of the Center for Digital Government.
A Family Tie in South Africa
Paul travelled to South Africa in September where he met some of Elaine’s family, including cousin and fellow genealogist Marius Bacon. And because he dared not come home without them, he returned with photos of the Bacons of Johannesburg. As Marius noted, we met as strangers and left as friends just 24 hours later. The next visit must be longer, and must include Elaine!
This years TaylorGram gallery also includes a few pictures from a conference at which Paul spoke at the invitation of the South African government.
This years TaylorGram gallery also includes a few pictures from a conference at which Paul spoke at the invitation of the South African government.
Making New Ties Here and There
Elaine spearheaded an ambitious campaign to support the members of our little church who are deployed oversees. In fact, we adopted the entire units in which they serve. The care packages include everything from bed sheets and pillow cases to cookies and baby wipes to long distance phone cards and a handful of MP3 players. It has been quite the education in getting to know the naming conventions used by the US Army, Navy and Air Force -- in addition to learning the logistics of making everything fit in regulation-sized boxes for shipping them into the war zone. Eight years seems numbingly long to be at war but their spouses and kids are daily reminders of why not to forget those who serve on those unseen foreign shores.
In the Neighborhood
Elaine’s other bit of community involvement marched into its fourth year during Thurston County’s Relay for Life in support of cancer research in June.
We’ve been helping out as we can with the construction of a new building at a local summer camp. During the summer, it will be the home base for an expanded day camp program for local kids. On Sundays, our church will use it for services.
We also hosted the fourth annual Friends, Family and Firework party in mid-July. We lost count at about 120 guests who came and went throughout the afternoon and evening, right through to a 10PM fireworks flotilla. We think we’ll do it again one more time in 2010 so mark your calendars and make plans to join us on July 13, 2010. Same place. Same time.
We’ve been helping out as we can with the construction of a new building at a local summer camp. During the summer, it will be the home base for an expanded day camp program for local kids. On Sundays, our church will use it for services.
We also hosted the fourth annual Friends, Family and Firework party in mid-July. We lost count at about 120 guests who came and went throughout the afternoon and evening, right through to a 10PM fireworks flotilla. We think we’ll do it again one more time in 2010 so mark your calendars and make plans to join us on July 13, 2010. Same place. Same time.
Family and Friend, Home (There) and Home (Here)
With the party complete, we headed back to Manitoba for the 125th anniversary of the municipality where Elaine grew up. Ron and Pattie hosted us all at the Routledge Resort in downtown Hamiota. It was a great family reunion -- good times, great memories and some very late nights. And then it was on to Winnipeg to get caught up with the Taylors.
Naomi Duddridge, Paul’s niece, came out for US Thanksgiving this fall for a little Turkey, a little shopping and a visit to the Tacoma Museum of Glass.Our Canadian visitors this year also included Paul’s mom and dad at Easter and then, in August, our friends James, Leeanne and Dani Hill and Paul’s uncle Dick and his friend Marlice in the fall.
Their visits came during the final season of construction at the waterfront and the painting of the house. With apologies to the Obama Administration, we have done all we can do to stimulate the economy (at least at The Home Depot) so please forgive us if we stop for a while.Together with our friend Lynne Rach in Calgary, we finished and relaunched an online labor of love called The Books of Ruth: A Water Colour Childhood. The site attempts to capture what is, essentially, one father’s love story to his daughter, one painting at a time. The father in the case is the Canadian artist A. A. Brooke whose work reflects early 20th century life in the Carman, Manitoba and Salmon Arm, B.C. The daughter is an old friend named Ruth. You can see more of their story at www.booksofruth.com.
On the downside, Elaine managed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time twice this year. She had a fender bender just before Christmas courtesy of a hit-and-run driver, which added insult to injury from an earlier, somewhat more serious accident in June. She is still recuperating from the first accident, with most Fridays filled with appointments to be poked and prodded in the name of getting better.
The cats are providing what is known around here as “purr therapy.” They have a remarkable sense of when Elaine isn’t feeling well. They find a place to cuddle in and turn it up loud ... for at least a little while until all three fall asleep together.
The year ended with significant and somewhat unexpected change. Paul was promoted to the newly created role of Chief Content Officer for e.Republic Inc., the parent company of the Center for Digital Government for which he has worked for the last eight years. There were a number of good reasons to create the role but the most significant one was the recent addition of the public policy magazine Governing to the e.Republic portfolio. He will also be the Editor-at-Large of the Washington, DC-based publication, making for a bit of a bi-coastal commute. The good news is that we get to stay in a community we love (Olympia) and Elaine will have the chance to explore the history-rich US capitol when she joins him on business trips. At least that’s the plan.
Sorry we didn’t write. We appreciate those of you who do. Sorry we didn’t update taylorgram.org earlier in the season. This once-a-year blog update isn’t the way this was supposed to work but, as it turns out, it is the best we’ve been able to do. (We do a much better job noodling around on Facebook so feel free to friend one or both of us there.)
Hoping you have a blessed Christmas season and all the best in the New Year!
Peace and Grace,
- Paul and Elaine
Naomi Duddridge, Paul’s niece, came out for US Thanksgiving this fall for a little Turkey, a little shopping and a visit to the Tacoma Museum of Glass.Our Canadian visitors this year also included Paul’s mom and dad at Easter and then, in August, our friends James, Leeanne and Dani Hill and Paul’s uncle Dick and his friend Marlice in the fall.
Their visits came during the final season of construction at the waterfront and the painting of the house. With apologies to the Obama Administration, we have done all we can do to stimulate the economy (at least at The Home Depot) so please forgive us if we stop for a while.Together with our friend Lynne Rach in Calgary, we finished and relaunched an online labor of love called The Books of Ruth: A Water Colour Childhood. The site attempts to capture what is, essentially, one father’s love story to his daughter, one painting at a time. The father in the case is the Canadian artist A. A. Brooke whose work reflects early 20th century life in the Carman, Manitoba and Salmon Arm, B.C. The daughter is an old friend named Ruth. You can see more of their story at www.booksofruth.com.
On the downside, Elaine managed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time twice this year. She had a fender bender just before Christmas courtesy of a hit-and-run driver, which added insult to injury from an earlier, somewhat more serious accident in June. She is still recuperating from the first accident, with most Fridays filled with appointments to be poked and prodded in the name of getting better.
The cats are providing what is known around here as “purr therapy.” They have a remarkable sense of when Elaine isn’t feeling well. They find a place to cuddle in and turn it up loud ... for at least a little while until all three fall asleep together.
The year ended with significant and somewhat unexpected change. Paul was promoted to the newly created role of Chief Content Officer for e.Republic Inc., the parent company of the Center for Digital Government for which he has worked for the last eight years. There were a number of good reasons to create the role but the most significant one was the recent addition of the public policy magazine Governing to the e.Republic portfolio. He will also be the Editor-at-Large of the Washington, DC-based publication, making for a bit of a bi-coastal commute. The good news is that we get to stay in a community we love (Olympia) and Elaine will have the chance to explore the history-rich US capitol when she joins him on business trips. At least that’s the plan.
Sorry we didn’t write. We appreciate those of you who do. Sorry we didn’t update taylorgram.org earlier in the season. This once-a-year blog update isn’t the way this was supposed to work but, as it turns out, it is the best we’ve been able to do. (We do a much better job noodling around on Facebook so feel free to friend one or both of us there.)
Hoping you have a blessed Christmas season and all the best in the New Year!
Peace and Grace,
- Paul and Elaine
Print Digest of the TaylorGram for your offline reading pleasure
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