Auntie again!

Why no Australia posts? Well, upon returning home we were greeted with a snowstorm and then the mother of all rainstorms. The result: me last night in the front yard wearing galoshes and a slicker, trying to create a dam out of wood, rocks, and bags of sand to divert the river that was suddenly flowing under our porch. No damage done to the house, but after seeing the news footage of mudslides and entire apartment complexes in downtown Woodinville underwater, I thought it prudent to do something. The rain has abated, and we are looking forward to a few calm days so the earth had better start soaking this stuff in. I was pleasantly surprised that no trees fell on our property, and we never lost power.

Eros once again, limb-loosener, whirls me
sweetbitter, impossible to fight off, creatures stealing up.
--Sappho (the ancient greek lyric poet)

In more exciting news, I am an Auntie again! Sappho Isolde was born at 3.30 Monday morning to my amazingly pain-tolerant viking sister. While chatting to my mom on the phone during her unmedicated labor, she casually passed the phone to her husband during the most intense contractions. Sappho, I cannot wait to meet you. And clothe you, of course. More dresses to make!