2010 In Review

I open this post with a poem I wrote back in 2000...


Time
Time is ever pressing, driving separate wheels of life
Apart, our wheels slow to a crawl
Together, they spin dizzily out of control
And time races forward, faithful to the end


For me, one of the wheels that helped me spin up is no longer with us - Dad. Not a day goes by that I don't think of something funny he said or his influence on my wheel of life. Merry Christmas, Fine Father!


Speaking of wheels, Alex is off creating his own, entering Casper College and majoring in Art and Graphics Design. His obvious talents extend to drumming as well.



And goodness me if Rachel isn't the busiest flute/piccolo player this side of the Mississippi! All around Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New York, California she plays, like a blur, she's off to the next performance.



This is the first Christmas I'm not seeing Rachel - she's off to the the Rose Bowl Parade, that blur thing, or Connor, who's in Virginia celebrating Christmas with his grandparents. One thing that is certain about Connor, he is dentally challenged right now. He gnaws on food most of the time, but his permanent teeth will be in place soon!



Wheels turn and steer me in lots of directions, but none of my travels have been as meaningful as they have been with Lisa. 2010 was a busy travel year...Phoenix, Eugene, Spain, California, Boston, Maine - some for running and some for fun! Spain was epic - Madrid, Valladolid and Barcelona, where we dined at the most memorable, sumptuous restaurant - Moo.



Spain won the world cup - very, very exciting. This was to have multiple repercussions on attire the rest of the summer!






Wait, that's Emily in Lisa's Portland Marathon shirt! Ok, no photos in La Roja attire, but this is a winery in Oregon that uses Spanish grapes :-) Abacela was just one of our stops along the way of our epic road trip to California. Lisa, Emily, her friend, Lizz, and I traveled the Coast Highway and I-5, stopping all along the way for fun in the sun! Here are Lizz and Emily in La Jolla for an al fresco lunch.



Finally, a trip to Camden, Maine to see Shawn and Sarah get married. Wow, what an idyllic setting for a gorgeous couple. Congrats!



Finally, as 2011 approaches, I eagerly anticipate the National Premier of "Hood to Coast", right here in Portland, Oregon! Okay, where else would it be? My life is that much sweeter with my running family. Cheers!



So, a busy year with lots of spinning wheels spawning new directions, new lives, new adventures, just the way I like it!!!

Love,
Clark - Fine Fox, Dad, Brother, Son, Uncle, Raconteur

P.S. Lots of photos posted throughout the year in earlier posts - Thanksgiving in Wyoming, Hood to Coast, Mama in Portland, Alex and Emily grduating... and the list goes on :-)

Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving 2010

Connor and I flew into Denver, drove up with Jamie and Lynn to celebrate Thanksgiving at 1123!

Shawn and Sarah's Wedding + Boston

Shawn and Sarah Wedding 2010

Lisa and I spent a little time in Boston before the wedding in Camden, Maine. Shawn and Sarah's wedding was fabulously fun!

Hood to Coast - 2010

Hood To Coast 2010

Hood to Coast 2010 - Two Lingering Vans of Whoopass! What a great time we had this year. Staying the night in Seaside was a blast!!!!

Clark

California Road Trip 2010

Cali Road Trip 2010

Lisa, Emily, her friend, Liz Marks, and I took an 8-day roadtrip to California, stopping along the way to see the Oregon Caves, Ashland, Oregon, the Redwood Forest, Pac Highway, San Francisco, San Simeon, Santa Barbara, San Juan Capistrano and finally San Diego. We stayed at the Catamaran Resort on Mission Beach, just across the road from the beach - awesome vacation!

Alex in Portland 2010

Alex in Portland 2010

Alex and I had a wonderful time this past week. Judging by my facebook posts, we spent a big chunk of time whipping up tasty dishes! Canon Beach and Ecola State Park were a nice change of pace from the heat of Portland. Good times!

Love,

Clark

Mom in PDX July 2010

Mama spent time in Corvallis with Cousins Glenn and Paul, of course Judy was there too. I didn't realize Mom didn't have her camera, but I took a bunch of photos in Portland. I fixed a nice sous vide salmon with caprese salad and yukon potato & bean salad. Mom and I visited the Rose Garden and the Portland Art Museum - Robert Crump's Genesis was on exhibit.

Love,

Fox

Clark y Lisa en España

Spain 2010

What an amazing trip! Madrid and Barcelona with a side trip to Ribera del Duero wine region. While we were there, we watched Spain win two world cup matches - Viva España!

Emily Graduates from 8th Grade!

Emily Grad 2010

Emily graduated from West Sylvan Middle School last night with a 4.0! She looked so amazing in her dress :-)

Love,

Clark

Alex and Rachel in Portland!

Kids Summer 2010

We're having a lovely time so far...

Love,

Dad

Sunriver Getaway

Sunriver

Alex, Rachel and I stayed in Sunriver for 4 days and three nights in a nice rental house. The weather was not spectacular, but we had fun hiking, cooking, and relaxing!

Alex Graduates This Week!!!

Alex Grad Slideshow

I'm incredibly proud of Alex! Today is his last day as a senior at Kelly Walsh, so I'm sending this album of old pictures. More on the way...

Love you, Alex!!!!

Dad

The Day After Prom!

Hello Family!

Exhausted does NOT even describe how I feel right now but it was so worth it!  Dinner was delicious, getting slaughtered at pre-prom video games made me giggle, and dancing and having a GREAT time at prom was icing on the cake!  The theme was "It's a Jungle out There!" and the decorations were really cool!

Toodles!

Rachel

 

Alex's Scholarships!

Hey Everyone!

I have exciting news! 

So far I have three Casper College scholarships:

Hathaway-$1400 / year

Music-$1800 / year

Art-$1800 / year

Woot!

Alex

KWHS Concert

Hello Family!

The KWHS band concert was a practice for the District competition in Torrington, Wyoming.

Rachel & Ashley's duet received a 34 out of 35 which is a 1. The highest scores you can get is a 1.

Rachel & Darren's duet received a perfect score of 35 out of 35 which is a 1.

Rachel's Solo received a 29 out of 30 which is a 1.

Alex's Percussion Ensemble received a 1.

The band received a 2+ and a 1.

Next week the Jazz Band competes in Greeley, Colorado.

Enjoy the pics!

TTFN,

Rachel & Alex

March Winds Concert

The Casper College Flute Ensemble Concert called "March Winds" was March 27th. 

Enjoy a few pics!

Alex and I have a KWHS concert tomorrow night.

 

 

Easter 2010 in Oregon

Easter 2010

Remembering Dad - Jon's Poem

Remembering Dad

Early glimmers of a huge hand

More powerful than any words

Home at night from hard work

To start anew on varied tasks

Digging, hauling, hammering

The new house taking shape

Early morning at the table

We gather giggling to sneak up

On hands and knees around the corner

Tiger charge, we thunder in

Disturbing your quiet coffee

Poems, planning started at 5am

The sun not quite up yet

Water slow boil instant coffee

Cigarette smoke coiling up

Errant cough breaks silence

Weekend mountain at K-TWO

The radio station power humming

Hot summer days among the pines

Gained a little money and plenty

Of solitude … from the family

Pig sty you declared the house

A filthy place with dirt abound

Down on knees impatiently

You’d show us just how to clean

Sweep carefully, get the corners

Colorful paint carefully applied

Sanded over to a lacquer finish

Hands speckled with white dust

Still hold the cigarettes

In oleum quiet basement room

Loud music blasts from the stereo

Every classical piece I know

Big hands direct the orchestra

Tijuana brass such a contrast

Ham radio, the tower so tall

Wind threatens the safety

High up climbing for repairs

I holding a guy rope hoping

Discussions of E & M

Equations remembered proudly

Crystals and instantaneous vibration

Sunspots and powers unknown

Witch of Agnesi on graph paper

Books of all types to be read

Morse code drills the air dit-dah

W7HYW calling out CQ

The downstairs room held magic

Go tell your dad dinner is ready

Trampolines, desks and Zestos

Knocking down walls, bright paint

T-shirt pulled down for modesty

It’s late, we’re sleeping he growls

Curled up on the couch big hug

Snuggled inside the large arms

Belts and it hurts me more

I’ll eat the burnt toast we joke

Life’s lessons were given few words

No hitting was hard to believe

Sitting on the planter at sunset

Moments enjoyed through and through

Memories and stories too soon

Will be that which remains

Threats of this the last year

Will surely come true one day

A big bear man now bending

All the challenges and struggles

More meaning and power hold

Responsibility to give, for us

Know. Children and Seal love you.

- jch

© April 2003 Jon C. Haass Simple Pleasures Page 35

Dad's Life in Photos

Click on the photo below to access the entire album.

Herbs Photos

Dad's Obituary

Herbert James Haass

March 24, 1925-March 10, 2010

Herb Haass died peacefully at home on March 10, 2010, following a recent battle with emphysema.

Born and raised in Casper, Herb grew up in the shadow of the depression and often recounted stories of a dime for a loaf of bread and long spells without beef. Just shy of legal age to serve, Herb followed his brothers, Tom (USMC) and John (USAF), into the service during World War II where he earned the rank of Radio Technician, First Class, USN and served on the USS Santa Fe in the Pacific. His ship was one of the few in its class, a light battle cruiser, to avoid major damage or casualties in its major engagements with the enemy.

After returning from WW II, Herb pursued his AS in Engineering from Casper College, a BA in Education from the University of Colorado, and MA in Education from UCLA. He met and married Marjorie Ann Clark, daughter of Alex and Hazel Clark, on March 25, 1951 at the First Christian Church in Casper. Marj credits his charm, intelligence and wit as the key attributes that first won over her mother and then her father during their brief courtship.

Known in Casper’s education community, he started his career at Park School in 1957, teaching 6^th grade for a few short years before becoming Principal of Southridge Elementary School from 1959-1978. During his tenure, his innovations in Open Classrooms and Team Teaching were widely adopted throughout the Natrona County School System. As the first personal computers and kit computers emerged, Herb's interest in them led to his final position in the Natrona County School District as Director of Audio/Visual Services before he retired in 1987.

Herb's hobbies included ham radio, CBs, music of all kinds, computers, skiing and reading, but first among them was the ham radio, his window to the entire world starting at the age of 13. Weekends were often spent competing to communicate with the most countries in a given time period using Morse code or voice. His passion for ham radio is still marked by the antenna tower and his "command center" in the radio room at 1123.

Herb was the son of Jenny and Otto Haass and brother of John and Tom Haass, all of Casper, who preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife, Marjorie, oldest daughter Alexis Reed of Chesterton, IN, sons Jon Haass of Auburn, CA, Jamie Haass of Englewood, CO, Jeff Haass of San Francisco, CA, Clark Haass of Portland, OR, and Herb’s youngest daughter and twin to Clark, Mari Haass of Acton, MA. In addition, Herb enjoyed his ever-expanding family with 13 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.

A memorial service celebrating his life will be held March 20 at 3pm at The First Christian Church on CY Ave. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the Natrona County Education Foundation, 970 N. Glenn Road, Casper, WY 82601 in his name. Ever the educator, Herb asked that his body be donated to the University of Colorado Medical School.

W7HYW - over and out

 

Dad...We'll Miss You...73...

Today is a sad day for the Haass Family...Dad passed away this morning with Mari and Mom by his side.

Dad spent years preparing us for this day, but you never really expect it to come. Not to the work horse that helped Mom raise six kids. Not to the genius that taught me about computers. Not to master mind behind chicken gate. Not to the human machine that dug, climbed, painted, built and showed me the meaning of hard work. Yet, it has.

This photo of Dad in 1945, just back from the war with the 3 stars for Grandma Haass' boys in the window, really struck me as a vision of his youth and service to his country.

We love you and miss you, Dad...and in ham radio parlance...73...

Clark

Beaumont Street Visit

Hello From Snowy Casper!

Pics are from our visit with Grandma & Grandpa this afternoon.

Herb was wearing his new pants from Uncle Jamie and shirt from Dad.

Alex shoveled the snow and we had hot chocolate and lemon cake.

Alex & Rachel

Rock N Roll Marathon in Phoenix

RnR Phoenix 2010

What a blast! Lisa, Bill, Erik and I + Doug, Dawn Christine ran.

Christmas 2009 and New Year 2010 in Portland

Christmas 2009