Notes for 2000 (from Newton)

Atlanta, March 9, 2000. Waiting for a connecting flight to Montgomery, will be going to Troy State for a distance learning conference. I'm wondering if Jacob will end up here, going to Georgia Tech. I started reading A Walk in the Woods on the plane. Coincidentally, he began his Appalachian Trail hike March 9, four years ago.

Waking up Jacob
It's been my job for a number of years to wake up the kids for school. This morning I wanted to make sure that Jacob actually got out of bed when I told him. So I grabbed both his hands and pulled him up. The boniness of his hands, the dazed expression-still half-asleep-the polled.back hair-for an instant I saw Jacob as an old man and in that instant he was my Dad.

Easy come, easy go
For a week I've been feeling wealthy. Sold my business in Internet software: money in the bank and stock. Then, yesterday, big tumble in the stock market. And Jacob gets accepted to Cornell-$3s;ooo a year. But it's beHer this way. I know that when it comes to what really matters, money is not important.

Ithica, NY. Jacob and I are here for 'Cornell Days' so he can decide whether he's going here next year or to the University of Illinois. It's a beautiful day-sunny and 55ˇ even though there is snow on the ground from a storm last week. Cornell has a beautiful campus-up on a hill overlooking one of the Finger Lakes. We left Richmond at 3:15 a.m. and I dropped off Jacob at 11:15 at Hollister Hall for lunch with 'student ambassadors' from enginecring. I parked, then Walked down to Hoyes Community Center to eat lunch-very nice dining facility. Then I met back up with Jacob and we went to an orientation meeting and then On a tour of the Engineering Quad. Our motel is a real dive, but there is a murmuring brook just outside our back window.

Earth Day, April 22, 2000.

I finished building the grape arbor today-took me 2 weeks rather than the 2 days I had thought. Molly and I went to the Great Big Greenhouse and bought 8 grape plants, which I planted. I'm pretty worn out now.

Emma went to an {astor Egg hunt at the Community center near the Brooks' house. Then Hanna came back and played for a while. She and Emma made Watermelon-Surprise ice cream treat-lime ice cream on the outside and strawberry on the inside with chocolate chips for seeds.

Today is Block Saturday, tummorrow Easter. My Mom's funeral was last year on Black Saturday.

Mother's Day. We went to early church today since Jacob was doing a Scripture reading. We didn't go out to eat-Beth wanted to have a pot roast. Right now we're waiting for Molly's recital to start. Molly did a great job, playing a movement from a Mozart concerto with a difficult credenza at the end.

Socceer game yesterday for Emma and Luke. All 4 kids are playing socceer this year, makes for a hectic schedule.

Richmond Airport, May 31.

Emma and I are waiting to fly to Arizona. We will stay there for 2 days, while I attend the Calico Conference at the University of Arizona. Then, on June 2 we fly on to Colorado Springs for Amy's graduation.

Tuscan, June 1.

Emma and I are at the University of Arizona. We both got up early today because of the time change. I woke up at 5:30 and Emma got up at 5:45. We are staying in a dorm. Yesterday on the plane the pilot said it was 101 degrees in Tuscon. WŽre wondering if it will get that hot today. We saw cactuses and palm trees. In the dorm we on the fifth floor, room 537 We hope we can eat breakfast at the McDonald's in the Student Union, but it's not open yet. We are going to try again in a minute. We mirnt eat Chinese today because we passed by this morning a restaurant called 'Samauri Sam's' Tommorrow I give my presentation then we are going to fly to Colorado, My pants are all dirty because somebody has been putting her big dirty shoes on me!

W e SOW a 62 inch t.V. Daddy suggested
t hot we get One.
The dorm is very boring. We went downstairs
to explor.. I watched some t. V.. I watched MGgic School Bus . I also watched Zoom.

June 13. Classic Amphitheatre at Strawberry Hill (Fairgrounds). Jacob is graduating from Highland springs H:gh School. He's giving the Valedictorian address. yesterday I finisned Bean Huuse II And plankd beans, gourds, cucumbers, morning glories, sweet peas and nasturtiums. Also transplanted 'All Star' strawberries Everett Rogers brought on Sunday.

June 16. Last day of school for Henrico County. Luke will be moving on to Godwin High School next year and Jacob on to Cornell. Molly on to 10th grade and and Emma on to 4th.

Bluff Mountain. We reached the summit here at 4:00 , after starting from the Blue Ridge Parkway at 2:30. Beaut“ful views and very nice grassy campsite just off the Appalachian Trail. We're having nuchos and tacos tonight.
<---JACOB LOG--->
3372 steps to 1.4 miles
2408 steps/mile
1481 steps down=.5miles=1691 steps up
1 up=1.142 down
.876 up=1 down
wireless power=solar cell generators powered by ultraviolet/infrared transmissions
<---END LOG--->

Council Bluffs Iowa. July 22, 2000. Beginning of RAGBRAI 18. Molly and I are planning on going for 3 days, before meeting back up with Sue Hayter in Indianola. The weather is great, low humidity and 8O's. Very different from last year when we were sitting around sweating in Rock Rapids the day before the start. We had a good spaghetti dinner which we're hoping will give us a carbo boost tommorrow.

Harlan, July 23 at 5:00 p.m. We arrived here at 1:00 after leaving at 7:00. I bougntu bike computer yesterday which was very nice to have today. Total distance Was 57 miles, average speed was 11.4 mph And top speed was 29.5. Last night it rained but iur stuff only got a little wet. Great weather today, Mostly overcast. We just snacked along the way tuen went to the Pizzo Hut buffet when ue got to Hurlan. We got our money's worth. is going to be tougn day with lots of hills. But Tuesday Should n't be SO bad. not quite as hilly. The forcast for Tuesday is chance of thunderstorms.

Indianola, August 1. Monday was a tough day. We started just after 6 in the morning and finished just after 6 in the evening. In the 12 hours on the road we hul almost Continous hills. We also had to stop on the way tv get Molly's bike fixed- it wasn't going into tue lowest gears. We had lots of drinks-the best was lemonade slush we hal just past Canby. Average speed: 8.4 mph Top speed: 32.4 Distance: 74 miles.