Back to Port Orford...

This is my tired husband, ready to soak in the sea breeze and rest after a week of go, go , go.

In the morning hours, our lake, viewed from our deck, is a peaceful place, the ocean just over the dunes, cool breezes keeping us comfortable day and night. We missed this peacefulness during the girls' visit. It was fun having them; but it was also very tiring.

The look here is one of satisfaction. We did it; we had a great time at the Shakespeare Festival, at the beaches, at the zoo, at the various family reunions we shuffled to last week.

We're back home, just the two of us, two birds on a wire, or a ledge, getting ready to face another fall, winter and spring of rainy weather. The boat house needs painting, the deck must be washed and sealed, and the outdoor furniture needs to be brought in. But, not quite yet.

We are taking long beach walks, enjoying dry, sunny days.

Soon, school bells will ring and the world will return to another rhythm, that of work and study. Three of my children/spouses are in education; their work rhythm is well known to me. At the end of August, we all stock up at Staples, at Walmart, buying extra paper and pencils, not for ourselves, but for the children in our classrooms who might need such supplies. My husband volunteers for an organization that provides shoes for kids. And all over Oregon, in each mall, there are bins to collect coats for children for the cold and rainy months.

With employment down, and food and utilities taking such a big bite of a family's budget, it is important for all of us to give more, to be more generous, more understanding. Many people are unemployed or underemployed. My children in California who work for the state received pay cuts, in form of unpaid furloughs. They have to adjust their budgets accordingly.

The country is debating universal health care, and many people are confused and fearful. We know that something needs to be done, and costs need to be contained.

Come September, our representatives in Congress need to sit down and pass a health care bill that addresses our most pressing need.