Michelle T. Wyatt, M.D.
Dr. Wyatt has been Board Certifi ed in
Internal Medicine since 1994. She has an
interest in the prevention and treatment of
chronic disease including heart disease,
diabetes, women’s health, as well as
acute illness and injuries. Her focus is
on wellness and preventative medicine,
including the mind/body/spirit connection.
Village Health Services
2868 Willamette St., #100
Eugene
Most insurance plans accepted. Not accepting Medicare.
www.villagehealthservices.com Please call to schedule your appointment with Dr. Wyatt soon.
541-684-3988
Taking Care of Your Four-Legged Family for Over 30 Years
Full Service Clinic:
• Well Pet Care
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Cancer Management
• Behavior Consultations
• Dental Care
Cameron Jones, DVM
Barbara Maki, DVM
Cary Heyward, DVM
Appointments Available 8am-6pm Weekdays 9am-4pm Saturday
info@amazonparkvet.com • 541-485-0161 • 725 E. 25th Ave. Eugene
Get outstanding low prices
on quality products.
Your choice
$
2
– 1
$
$
sale price
mail-in
rebate*
1
reg. 3.49
Qt. Motor Oil
Choose from 5W-20, 10W-40,
10W-30 or 5W-30.
H 135 396, 397, 399, 393 F12
FINAL
PRICE
While supplies last.
*$1 mail-in rebate. Limit 5 per household.
Consumer responsible for taxes.
SAVE 35%
12
99
reg. 19.99
8-Pk. Solar Path Light Set
Bright white LED. Built-in sensor
automatically activates light at night.
E 132 402 B4 While supplies last.
SAVE 32%
16 99
MONTH
viewpoint
BY MADELEINE VON HOLZEN
Under the Umbrella
Why the horrible wet spring makes us happy
S
ince we arrived in Eugene from Switzerland in
January, we have noticed something very
peculiar and apparently linked to this place: a
shift in the seasons. We were fi rst told that the nice
days would start, after a rainy spring, in May or June.
As we went into February and very humid March,
the beginning of the sunny weather was planned,
but constantly moving, for two or three weeks later.
A few days ago, we fi nally understood. “The fi rst of
July, there is a click and the showers suddenly stop” a
friend told us. This being said, we now know that August
and September are the greatest months and that October
is still so nice and warm.
Discovering your town in spring 2011 (yes, we have heard that this year is
really the worst for so long and we do understand that it normally rains much
less) and living here for a few months leads you to develop theories about the
weather. Ours is: There is a link between the amount of water falling from the
sky and the kindness of the people, as we have never met so many nice people
as here. This is why.
Being happy in a sunny and warm place seems really easy, whereas staying
smiling and positive in a dreary climate requires other qualities. You have to
be strongly optimistic, be capable of developing faith in the future and renew
it every single day, and fi nd another interest in life than wearing nice summer
shoes. So there must be, here in Eugene, a high concentration of this specifi c
type of people (some moved from arid and consumerist California, didn’t they?):
the ones who care less about Fahrenheit degrees than about others; people
happy to show you around, willing to help you, to do everything that can be done
so that you feel good.
Then of course, Eugene weather gets people to communicate. It is well known
that meteorology is the fi rst topic of conversation between us humans. But
here, it has to be explained and discussed. Being a newcomer, you are honestly
trying to understand what is happening. And locals are sincerely happy to help
out, looking sorry for you as if they could do anything about the sky’s behavior.
And there is a lot to say. The ocean, the mountains, the silver waterfalls and
biodiversity, the lovely variety of green here, opposed to other yellowish
uninteresting places. You learn to contemplate the humid and dripping nature.
Very helpful as you can feel lost looking outdoors every morning or when you
read about this record dry and warm spring in your own European country.
We must say that the umbrella — which happens to be a great place to
meet — helped us a lot. Eugene people very rarely seem to have one of those
instruments, as if this awkward protecting thing was created for tourists. Well, if
you have an umbrella, especially if it is enormous and has two decks (never seen
those gigantic objects elsewhere), you can get closer to the natives. You can
host a family and wait together for the rain to stop. Of course, parents dressed
for their daughter’s soccer game as if they were going fi shing don’t need you,
but then, that’s a great occasion to learn about fl y fi shing. You will discover how
eager Eugene people are to share their passion, even with some Swiss guys who
have no idea how to catch — and then release — a trout going by in a river. No way
a stranger would get invited to an introduction to downhill skiing in Switzerland
just because he was chatting under an umbrella.
Last but not least, the (few) sunny days, when they arrive, become “fantastic”
and impact on the way you exchange with others. “With this great weather”
starts any dialog and gives a bright tone to everything. And you, Eugene
habitants, are so good at laughing about it (“What is that thing up there?” when
the sun shines).
So honestly, yes, it has been a dreadful spring here and we can’t wait for the
summer to start. But we are convinced that we would not have met all these
incredibly nice people elsewhere than in wet Eugene. Which makes us really happy.
Madeleine von Holzen is a Swiss journalist living with her family for seven months in Eugene through a
house trade.
reg. 24.99
27" 3-Speed
Tower Fan
Oscillating feature
provides wide
coverage. Slim design
works well in small
spaces. W 137 382 1
C OME C ELEBRATE F ATHER ’ S D AY
While supplies last.
41 ST A NNIVERSARY
with Bloomer’s Nursery
20% OFF ENTIRE ORDER
AND OUR
Eugene True Value Hardware
2825 information
Willamette
Store address
here
Eugene, OR
(541) 342-5191
www.truevalue.com/Eugene
store url goes here
Sale
ends
SALE
ENDS XX/XX/11
6/30/11
©2011 by True Value ® Company. All rights reserved.
Find the right products for your project and expert advice at True Value.
6 JUNE 16, 2011 EUGENE WEEKLY
JUNE 18TH & 19TH ONLY
Also serving hot dogs & beverages & Dads eat FREE!
89719 Armitage Rd. Eugene, OR 97408 (541) 687-5919
WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM