Sofie's first birthday today

Happy Birthday to our youngest grandchild, Sofie Muilenburg, the sweetest thing ever! John and Judy hosted a party for Sofie with the extended family on Monday, the 22nd. Pete made margaritas and chicken fajitas. Sofie got toys and clothes and dolls and birthday cake.

Only the good die young

Matt Winthrop died March 17 at the age of 34 years after a 15-month battle with esophageal cancer. We got to know the Winthrops shortly after we moved to Portland from St. Paul in 1973. We both lived in apartments across Barnes Road from St. Vincent Hospital. Their older son, Kevin, is the same age as our older son, Andy, and Matt was just a month older than our younger son, Pete. The Winthrops (Loring, Margaret, Kevin, Amy, Matt), the Johnsons (Jan, Jim, Jimmy, Jeff), and the Muilenburgs spent many a Thanksgiving dinner together. Kevin, Jimmy, and Andy were the same age, as were Matt, Pete, and Jeff. Poor Amy was the odd one (i.e., the only girl) left out. We stopped getting together on Thanksgiving when the kids got older, but Margaret, Jan, and Marge kept in touch throughout the years.

Matt was a remarkable young man, courageous, caring, considerate and compassionate. It makes me cry when I think about Matt and his wife Aryn sending flowers to me when I was in the hospital after my craniotomy.

The Winthrops had a celebration of life service for Matt on March 20 at the Portland Classical Chinese Garden, a place Matt loved and a place of great solace to their family.

Rest in peace, Matt.

Judge carries on, facing possible death sentence

Interesting story on the front page of today's Oregonian about a judge with brain cancer. Many similarities to my situation: 66-year-old male, two grown children, being treated at Kaiser Permanente....

Here is the link to the story:

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/03/despite_cancer_portland_judge.html

You've got to make your free throws

Bill Schonely coined or popularized numerous phrases and sayings during his radio career with the Trail Blazers, including "You've got to make your free throws." Sunset didn't, falling 62-56 to fifth-ranked South Eugene in a Class 6A boys basketball quarterfinal matchup at the Rose Garden Thursday night. South Eugene (20-7) used a 10-0 run at the end of the first half to take a 30-20 lead into halftime. Sunset (16-11) made only 9 of 18 free throws in the game.

Senior guard Anthony Holton led the Apollos with 16 points, but 6-foot-9 sophomore center Landen Lucas was named Qwest Player of the Game for Sunset with 15 points, 14 rebounds, and seven blocks.

Sunset is a young team, with 5 of 7 players who receive significant minutes being underclassmen. The experience of playing at the Rose Garden should be valuable for next year's team. Following quote is from Amanda Miles of The Oregonian: "Those guys, we want 'em to get used to coming down here," Sunset coach Todd Sherwood said of his youngsters. "We don't want 'em getting used to the feeling tonight, but we want to get 'em used to the experience of being in the elite eight."

Lunch with DIF colleagues

Marge and I went out to lunch yesterday with three of my longtime colleagues from Drug Information and Formulary, Diane Ditmer, Pontus Jaderholm, and Emily Thomas. I was determined to go someplace other than Harry's Fresh Deli, so we ended up at the Wooden Chicken Pub on NE Sandy Blvd. It is a typical sports bar-type pub that seems to be a hang-out for 49er fans. Just so happens that Tuesday is 75-cent Taco Day at the Wooden Chicken, and the place was packed. Our waitress was not happy that we asked for menus, then proceeded to order tacos anyway. This has to rival Costco's $1.50 hot dog and soda as a value meal.

As for news, Diane is leaving shortly for 3 weeks in Argentina.

Pontus' wife Christina had an ultrasound, and they found out they will be having a baby girl. So exciting, and you heard it here first.

6A boys: Sunset beats Central Catholic

The Oregonian, March 07, 2010 2:02 a.m.

Sunset 75, Central Catholic 64: Dominic Ditlefsen's 31 points powered the Apollos (16-10) past the host Rams (16-10) in an OSAA Class 6A second-round playoff game in Southeast Portland. Sunset, in unincorporated Washington County, led 30-29 at halftime before pulling away to a quarterfinal matchup against No. 5 South Eugene (20-7) at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Victor Aguero scored 23 points and Mt. Hood Conference player of the year Will Bond had 20 for Central Catholic .

It was a really fun game. Sunset had a great game plan that they executed to perfection. Head Coach Todd Sherwood (classmate of Andy) and Co-Head Coach Brent Buell (classmate of Pete) are doing a terrific job with this team. Now, on to the Rose Garden vs. South Eugene.

After the game, we went to Sandoval's Mexican Restaurant, where we ran into Andy's friend Todd Duwe and his wife and daughter.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert, the best film critic ever, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2002, which later spread to his salivary glands and jaw. He endured surgery after surgery. Although the cancer has left Roger unable to speak, eat or drink, it hasn't slowed him down one bit. In 2006, he was forced to leave his show after more than 30 years on the air. More than forty years after he started, his words are as powerful as ever. Roger has journaled about the lesson he's learned throughout this ordeal. It's one every person can live by:

"I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn't always know this, and I am happy that I lived long enough to find it out."