The Doctor is in.

March 2021

Billy Graham told Nancy and me and 17,000 assembled college students and others at KC'83 that, "Life is short." Hitting a lifetime milestone like our 40th wedding anniversary drives this home. Couple that with my impending retirement and it's a double whammy. Even my quickly thinning hair did not shout, "you are old," so loudly.

Annie pulled off a very successful surprise anniversary celebration, tempered as it was by the ongoing COVID-19 limitations. Nancy and I expected Sunday's ("Pi Day") excursion to Lewis Creek Park in Newcastle to be a time with grandchildren as we only expected to see Annie's and Nathanael's families. But before I could extricate myself from the back seat of Annie's gold Chrysler Caravan, Steve White pulled up in his new Mazda MX-5 sports car. It was his retirement gift to himself. This was followed by Nathanael's family, Susan in her new Chrysler Pacifica, the Pastrick family, Julie Adams, Dave and Heidi James, and even David and Bonnie Awabdeh and their toddler Jacob.

The outdoor setting, despite the light rain, provided a suitable venue for long-deferred fellowship. On my right hand, I switched to my father's ruby ring he'd bought in Japan in 1946. Nancy had been wearing her mother's 40th anniversary ruby ring since our 39th. She wanted to wear it all of our 40th year. Many rough edges persist in our marriage, but the sharpest have long since been worn away. God has kept the promise we understood at our beginning together. We are more effective for Him together than apart.

Joel and Jean Find Their Home
29234 158th Ave SE, Kent 98042

On the 20th, we made an offer to Joel and Jean to make a family loan to them just as we had done for Nathanael and Cynthia to help them get a home. Being able to offer cash finally helped them break through the crowd of home buyers in the current extremely tight home market. The next Monday, they won the bid on their new home, after missing out on many offers over the winter.

Their new home has Jenkins Creek as its south property line. The creek flows out of Lake Wilderness, where Joel and Jean were wed thirteen months ago, and continues through Covington before passing their home. Just south across the vigorous stream is Stoneybrook Stables, a horse riding and boarding facility. When Charis and I walked along their south deck, we could hear the stream and horses beyond it. What's not to love about this new Sitte haven? (We stopped by to walk around the just-purchased house after visiting Cynthia, Jonny, and Reuben, just 4.7 miles southeast of this home.)

After 44 Years in the Academy: Faculty Emeritus Status Awarded

When I first interviewed for a staff position at Seattle Pacific University, I was told not to expect to join its faculty. Surely, they feared that since I was coming from a faculty position at the University of Washington, I might be hoping to move to the SPU faculty at some time. Yet, even in my first year at SPU, Karl Krienke, dean of the School of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, asked me to teach EGR 1101, the subject I had taught for 12 years at the UW. The following school year I taught BUS 6171 in the Boeing Renton MBA program. It turned out to be a providential beginning at SPU.

For the record, here are the courses I've taught at SPU. BUS 1700 Spreadsheets,
BUS 2700 Statistics for Business and Economics, BUS 4900 Independent Study in Business,
BUS 6171 Quantitative Methods, CSC 1120 Introduction to Computers, CSC 1121 Internet and Email, CSC 1800 Special Topics: Web Design, EGR 1101 Graphics and Descriptive Geometry.

In the Provost's March newsletter, Dr. Laura Hartley wrote: "Additionally, four of our colleagues have been granted Emeritus status – Dr. Reed Davis, Dr. Dick Sleight, Dr. Rod Stiling, and Dr. Rob Wall. We are grateful for the combined 127 years of service these four individuals have given to Seattle Pacific."

The February Board of Trustees report included this announcement.

Additionally, and as referenced above, one of the highlights of the February Board meeting is the opportunity for the Board to recognize the meritorious service of retiring faculty members and to consider junior faculty for tenure.

EMERITI FACULTY:
It is with delight that I announce the following retiring faculty members were proudly
recognized as “Emeriti Faculty.”
        Dr. Reed Davis Political Science 32 years
        Dr. Richard Sleight Spreadsheets and Business Statistics 32 years
        Dr. Rod Stiling History 20 years
        Dr. Robert Wall Scripture and Wesleyan Studies 43 years

We are a better place because of their investment in our mission, and, in turn, the lives and futures of our students and those of us who have had the privilege of serving alongside them. May God bless each of them and their families during this transition to their next phase of life – one that I am sure will continue to benefit from their investment and influence in new ways.

Reuben Turns One

On the 18th, I drove down to Auburn to visit Jonathan, Reuben, and Cynthia. Nathanael was working from home via Zoom and I saw him during lunch.

Jonathan prefers "Jonathan" over "Jonny." He seems so advanced for his 2 year 9 month age. I only have Charis with which to compare him. His speech is clear and grammatically correct. And he amazed me by using his little toilet himself and then emptying it into the big toilet and putting his back together afterwards.

One big change I noticed was that Jonathan was no longer camera shy. Last summer he would often turn away when I tried to take his picture. Now, like Charis, he enjoys seeing the photos I just took of him.

Reuben warmed up to me after the first hour. I'm sure my visits will be more frequent once I retire so that, in time, he will be as happy at my arrivals as is Jonathan.
I've suggested that they come for a campout in our south yard this summer.

The rule of thumb is, "walking at one, talking at two." And according to Nathanael, Reuben
started walking the day before he turned one!

Monday the 22nd was Reuben's 1st birthday and Grandpa David and Grandma Helen came up from Oregon to celebrate with him. The 24th was Nathanael's first day back to in-person teaching
in Renton, so Nancy, Charis, and I went down and helped Reuben celebrate again. We played with Jonny while Cynthia took Reuben in for his one-year medical check-up. Cake and cookies on the picnic "table" (a blanket decorated with the periodic table), made for a fine 1st birthday party #2.

Valerie at 3 Months

Time will tell, but these days Valerie seems like a Type B personality in contrast with the Type A Charis. Once fed and burped, she is a cutie that is happy to sleep or cuddle in our arms.

I realize that every book we read to Charis, multiple times, will be read again to Valerie. I look forward to retirement more because I have grandchildren to love who will keep life interesting.

Valerie can get fussy, but calms down when one walks about with her.

I took her for her first ride on the big swing in our yard. Annie and Charis were next door meeting the dogs of Chinese neighbor friends Coco and Mia.

Even in a busy life, it seems there is no more important task than holding a baby. When doing so, no other responsibilities seem to come to mind.

What a nice way to be woken up on a Saturday morning. Annie set Valerie beside me and grabbed my cell phone for its camera.

Grandchildren more than fill the imagined void that retirement from years of teaching could leave.

Bits and Pieces

Since last summer, I've been searching the house for my sash on which my mom transferred my Madison Junior High letter, stars, and chevrons. During that search, I came across the next best thing, this 9th grade photo of me wearing my letter sweater. Only Tim Sayan accumulated more intermural "points" in three years than I. My imperfect memory tells me we only wore these on the days of school assemblies. I served as an usher at those events, which made it appropriate for me to dress up.

I had more tomatoes and peppers growing in the living room than I had holes dug in the garden (18) and 5-gallon pots and planters (24). Finding enough soil for the buckets will be a challenge. I am refreshing the soil from last year's pots with gypsum (for calcium) and other amendments. Charis has been "helping" whenever we go out to do more garden prep work. We planted four roses along the south side of the bunny yard. I grew them from cuttings last year. Scores of tiny strawberries we started from the seeds off of a COSTCO strawberry are now coming up. A few of the 200 strawberry seeds I purchased on eBay have also begun to come up. I planted 100 onion "sets" of the Stuttgarter variety just east of my tomato patch where I unsuccessfully attempted to grow bush beans last year. On the 27th, I planted the first tomato outside, and Early Girl. After a storm on the 28th, I planted 20 tomatoes in 16 holes. If any of these fail, I have many smaller plants waiting to go in the ground in April. But a survey of the tomato patch on this last day in March seems to show that all of the newly planted tomatoes responded well and have not suffered transplant shock.

Charis has passed another milestone. She now colors inside the lines.

Monday the 29th, I began my final series of twelve two-hour lectures for my last two sections of BUS 1700. At least for now, I assume my classes at 3-5 PM and 6-8 PM on Mondays and Wednesdays will be the last of my 44-year college teaching career. Future 1-credit seminar classes remain a possibility.

Alicia Pastrick announced that their third child will be a much prayed for girl. Rowen and Corvin will have a little sister who has already been named Vivienne. So Nancy and I will gain a surrogate granddaughter. Alicia calls Charis, Valerie, Jonathan, and Reuben the cousins of her kids.

On the 31st, Jean and Joel got the keys to their new house. Asbestos removal from ceilings and a roof replacement will delay their move, but they need time to pack. The whole deal closed in an amazingly short 10 days. Nancy repeatedly remarks in a surprised happiness, "They have a house!"

My Quotes from March

“What's the difference between a liberal and a conservative? A liberal will interpret the constitution, a conservative will quote it!”

“The First Amendment doesn't give anybody the right to be heard. People don't have to listen to you.”

“Most of my critics don't even listen to me; they are clueless. They just go to web sites that report what I say out of context.”

“Really think hard about what you want to do, because when you're doing what you want to do, is probably when you'll be doing
your best. And pray it is not a hobby so they'll pay you for it.”

— Rush Limbaugh (1951-2021)

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