I have had several posts I wanted to write over the past several days, but no time in which to do so.
On Friday, Elliot turned 13. This was momentous, as he has felt 13 for about 2 years now, so it was nice to make it official at last.
I was tempted to write a sentimental account of the day he entered our lives, of how I woke up that morning about 6:15, uncertain of what was going on, but by 6:45 was able to tell Donn, “I wouldn’t bother going in to work today.” Of how that turned my normally mild-mannered husband into a sort of Ricky Ricardo, who rushed about dropping suitcases (it was empty. Of course I didn’t pack in advance) and calling everyone we knew. I stood next to my bookcase, trying to decide what book to bring (my plan was to read through labour but it didn’t work out quite like that), while he whirled about me, Captain Stress, the Superhero of Impending Paternity. But really, I assumed I had hours. I’d taken the classes, watched the videos. The smiling lady in the video, rocking gently with a wistful smile on her face while her husband brought her juice, waited all day before it was time to go to the hospital. No one was more surprised than I when Elliot arrived 5 hours later, apparently very angry. Donn and I gazed down in some bemusement at our son, to all appearances just an enormous mouth topped by a tiny, wrinkled forehead. “Maybe we should call him Mick (after Mick Jagger),” I suggested. Donn’s comment was, “He looks a lot like your brother.” By then, Captain Stress had departed (off to where he‘s needed next!), and our inherent snideness was reasserting itself.
On his 13th birthday, things were a little less eventful. For one, we slept a lot later. (A plus side of adolescence that they don’t tell you about–they sleep late in the morning! At last, my genes are asserting themselves!) Our friend Michelle, whom we worked with in Mauritania, was due to arrive early afternoon at the airport, and we were nearly on time to pick her up.
So far, I am liking the teenage years. Of course, we’ve only had 4 days of them so far, but I feel it’s an auspicious beginning. For one, the party. No more frantic days of planning, goodie bags to buy for, games to supervise, tears to dry, cliques to navigate, etc etc. He invited 3 friends over, we fed them pizza and Doritos, they watched movies and played GameCube and grunted and looked things up on YouTube. Michelle, Donn and I sat out on the balcony in the mellow evening light and chatted and sipped cool drinks.
They spent the night, these 3 extra boys, and in the morning I got up to make them pancakes. “We’re not hungry,” they told me. “We just ate pizza and Doritos.” For breakfast? Oh for the cast-iron stomach of youth again!
We spent the weekend proudly showing off our state (Oregon) to Michelle, since it was her first visit. We took her to Saturday Market, where we found henna booth after henna booth, all stocked by Americans painting “authentic Moroccan designs” in places I’m fairly sure weren’t authentic. (I.e. lower back, pregnant belly, etc) Michelle and I were amused. In Mauritania at least, henna is just for women, and men aren’t supposed to even see it being done; it is part of the mystery and wonder that is femininity. (Although I did see it offered to tourists in the marketplaces in Morocco, which I suppose is where they got the idea). But Michelle and I were comforted; if we’re ever starving, at least we’ve got a money-making idea. We could open a henna booth.
We took Michelle to Powells (City of Books), where I gave her a map and a walking tour. (For those of you poor people who have never been here, Powells is a bookstore that is an entire city block and 3 storeys tall. They sell new and used books, and they have pretty much everything. It’s a marvellous place, and when we were in Mauritania, I used to have dreams that I was back in Portland and shopping at Powells) It was a very fun way to pass an evening. I had to let the kids be on their own in the kids section because otherwise, they were making me miserable, nagging at me to go to the kids’ section. I proudly showed Michelle entire sections on, for example, Artic Exploration; not something that most bookstores can afford to devote much shelf space to.
We took her berry picking (her first time ever! She’s from Kansas), and to the Rose Garden, which is full of roses of all colours and sizes, all in bloom now, an olfactory delight on a warm, breezy summer day under the blue sky.
We took her down the Columbia River Gorge.
Actual quote from Michelle: I thought Kansas was green! (She’s just come from Mauritania so we can understand her)
The Columbia River Gorge is full of waterfalls, and must be one of the greenest places on earth. The modern highway runs alongside the river, the high cliffs echoing to the roar of constant trucks and trains, but a little further up the scenic highway winds its way through forests of fir and maple and oak. Silvery water cascades over mossy rocks; huge waterfalls thunder hundreds of feet to pound on brown rocks; myriad trails head up and up, switchbacking back and forth alongside streams, along cliffs, along steep drop-offs leading to more waterfalls.
The children claim to hate hate hate going on hikes. They whine, they complain, they gripe. Then, once we actually start walking, they scamper on ahead, often still whining. I don’t know why, but it sure is annoying.
But it is all worth it for the views.
Also, we now have two photographers in the family. I gave Abel my old camera, the one with sand in its sensitive bits so that it only works intermittently, and he loves it.
We hiked up to Fairy Falls, past many beautiful falls that have no names. In many ways, I thought this was as Fairy Falls should be, all mossy and cushiony green.
Don’t you think? But instead, Fairy Falls cascades over hundreds of rather pointy brown rocks.
We had a discussion and decided that the fairies aren’t the tiny kind, or they’d be crushed to bits by the force of the water. They must be the bigger kind that sit and comb their hair with silver combs under the fall of water, luring unwary passers-by to a doomed life of unhappiness and discontentment, like Angus in the Yeats poem.
18 comments
July 16, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Robin
Fairies or not, those falls would certainly lure me to my doom – I’d be so enthralled with their beauty that I would never be able to live and would be fated to slowly die of starvation while gazing in awe.
Happy birthday Elliot. 13. Wow.
July 16, 2008 at 10:52 pm
Robin
Ack! That was supposed to read “never be able to LEAVE”.
So much for grace and poise.
July 17, 2008 at 8:59 am
Rebecca
Wait wait wait. Tell me more about Powells. Mail me a map. I am – like poor Angus – enthralled.
Moving to Portland, now.
July 17, 2008 at 9:34 am
Mamasphere
You are making me ACHE for Oregon. Hiking was one of my most favorite things to do. I grew up in Eugene and we used to trek up to Portland all the time. Maybe someday I’ll get to move back.
July 17, 2008 at 9:41 am
jolyn
Happy Birthday to Elliot. I’ll be experiencing the teens for the first time in a couple of months with my own son. Though my sister and family have just descended upon us for a visit and two of their four boys are teens — I feel like I always have a heads up about what to expect in the next stage.
Those photos are so beautiful, I can only imagine what the real thing is like with all the sounds and smells…yes, Kansas is green (being a Kansan myself) but we don’t have falls like that! But it reminded me of when we moved from the southern Nevada desert to northern Italy, we just kept amazing, “It’s so green! It’s so green!” And we never got tired of the rain, ever.
July 17, 2008 at 9:53 am
Becky
I LOVE the Columbia River Gorge. I try to visit at least once a summer, and have hiked around to the falls on a couple of occasions. I love the scenic byway that avoids the freeway and takes you past all the falls, around tree-lined curves, and up and down…up and down. Fantastic. What a way to spend a few days. I love living in the Pacific Northwest. Good choice of “showing off your state” for your friends!
July 17, 2008 at 10:19 am
Kelly @ Love Well
Those pictures of the Columbia River Gorge are breathtaking. I want to move to Oregon now.
Is Oregon really your home? Did you grow up there?
July 17, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Shalee
I want to come live with you… in Portland, that is. I would hike every stinkin’ day. It’s gorgeous.
I’m from Kansas too, but only the eastern side is green. Once you hit the Flynt Hills there’s not much but brown boredom until you pass the Colorado state line.
Happy Birthday, Elliott! I’m glad you’ve moved pass your Mick Jagger look and moved on to the Caveman grunting stage.
July 17, 2008 at 7:10 pm
sunny
Oregon is almost as green as Hawaii:-)
July 18, 2008 at 3:41 am
megan
Ahhhh…we’ll be in Portland in a few short weeks. Reading this makes me that much more excited!
July 18, 2008 at 9:11 am
Pieces
This is a lovely post. I can’t believe that I have spent no time at all in the Columbia Gorge. Those falls are beautiful.
Happy Birthday, Elliot!
July 18, 2008 at 9:10 pm
LIB
Thanks for illustrating this (excellent) post. I love the picture of the two photographers at work!
July 19, 2008 at 9:50 am
AuthorMomWithDogs
Happy Bday Elliot! Cait will be 13 in a few months too. Scary. But, like you, so far so good on the teenage thing. And the sleeping in later is definitely a plus.
Thanks for sharing the pics. So beautiful. And I covet Powell’s. It’s enough to make me go to Oregon just for that!
July 20, 2008 at 5:10 am
Jennifer, Snapshot
Beautiful, beautiful pics.
My daughter (now almost 10) was born in Portland. We lived there for 3 years. I enjoyed showing people off, and loved it so much there.
July 22, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Nan
What a beautiful place! Now I want to visit!
I will be expecting many tips and reams of advice on your blog about Teenage Boyhood. And I am so glad I’m not alone in the Eleven-year-old-who-thinks-he’s-thirteen thing. Surely WE didn’t grow up so fast?
August 13, 2008 at 3:48 am
بنات
Happy birthday Elliot. 13. Wow.
What a beautiful place! Now I want to visit!
October 28, 2008 at 3:43 pm
urstarcom
Happy bifrthday, its real a beautiful place
October 28, 2008 at 3:44 pm
urstarcom
I wish 2 visit this place
http://www.ur-star.com