Merry Christmas

from McCall. I am looking out at some snow on the ground, but it is not all that cold. The last two days have been warm and rainy, so we consider ourselves fortunate to have something white outside. Walking has been treacherous because of a thick layer of ice underfoot, and some of that is still with us.

We had planned to stay in Twin Falls last Tuesday night, but Brian made reservations for us in billeting on base in Mt. Home, so we continued on. Our drive on Tuesday was easy and uneventful. We did not drive the interstate, and when we stopped in the little town of Alamo, we learned from the postmistress that there was a secondary road going north that would save us 50 miles. Another great two-lane road with little or no traffic. We met an occasional truck, but did not encounter any trucks going north with us. That alone made the route very enjoyable. There were stretches of road that would be straight ahead for a mile or more.

We drove to McCall on Wednesday, and Sheila and the boys followed on later in the evening. Brian got here about nine on Thursday evening. We have been eating too much, sleeping, and just generally enjoying ourselves. Colleen, Sheila, and I visited all the shops in town yesterday for our last minute items.

Brian and Sheila’s condo is just too charming and cozy. The theme “It’s always winter at the condo” shines brightly in every corner from the antique skis to the framed photos of the family while playing in the snow to the snowflake dinnerware. It is done in red, white, and beige – very Scandinavian!! And now there is the decorated Christmas tree, and dozens of Christmas decorations to add to the delight.

McCall is very cute. It sits on the shore of Lake Payette and has several very nice shops. I found it interesting that Paul’s Grocery (an excellent upscale grocery store) has a mezzanine that is a fabric and handwork shop. Only in Idaho?

As I write this, Sheila and Colleen are cross-country skiing, and Brian and the boys have gone tubing. I just finished making sausage strudels and tea ring dough, and now we are going to head for the local coffee shop to post this blog.
We will go to church at seven and then come home for raclette with cheese, onions, potatoes, cornichons, beef, and sausage.

I think we are getting up about 4 am tomorrow! We engaged in a little poker game last night with the winning team deciding how late we could sleep in the morning. It came down to Nolan and me, and Nolan won. Needless to say, a ten-year-old and twelve-year-old year old are not going to stay in bed very long.

We plan to leave either Monday (Ken’s plan) or Tuesday (Helen and Colleen’s plan) to be in Phoenix by Wednesday afternoon to pick up Gary and Carolyn at the airport and return to Yuma for the Schulers’ arrival.

A blessed Christmas to all. Ciao

Several days' of blogs

I am sitting at the front of the MH looking out across a field at a totally clear sky with one pointy peak rising up in the distance. I have even found a way to put a positive spin on the freeway traffic out in the distance…..at night the trucks look like lighted cars on a toy train – an ever-changing, Christmas-like view – along with lots of real trains in the background.

I got out and walked yesterday, finally, and found it to be pretty easy compared to the hills of Steilacoom. It is flat, flat, flat, here. Just about everyone I passed greeted me. Now if this place would get internet, I would be happy as a clam. We spent almost an hour at the library yesterday trying to use the modem, but gave up when we couldn’t get anything beyond 14.4, and our first email hung up while trying to download.

Last night after dark, we were treated to a parade of lighted golf carts with some of them looking pretty creative. One had icicle lights hanging from the canopy, and another with lighted wheels going ‘round and ‘round..

Ken and I have spent time working on a Christmas gift project, and that will be our task for the next day or two. We are running out of days before we will be leaving for Brian and Sheila’s.

December 16

The Christmas gift project continues, but we should be in good shape by tomorrow.

The weather finally calmed down today after two days of wicked winds, hence tons of blowing sand and dust Today we have had sunshine and temps in the high 60s.

Our friends, the Ouseys, have continued to receive very bad news about Gary’s brother – there is no treatment for his cancer, and he has just days to live. We are taking Carolyn to the Phoenix airport tomorrow, and their three children who live in Victoria all flew to Winnipeg today. So come Monday, our two motor homes will be sitting here unoccupied. But there is good security here at the park so I have no concerns.

After we drop Carolyn at the airport, we will spend some time with Colleen before coming back to Cocopah. Ken has a Fry’s ad in his hands, and he is headed in that direction. I think we are in the market for a new network card that is stronger than what we now have. I doubt I will be wanting to try to do much shopping on the Saturday before Christmas week end.

I talked to Craig last night for a few minutes. He and Cooper were at Cassie’s. Since Cooper spends the days by himself in the run while Craig works, Craig tries to take him with him when he goes out in the evenings.
I will try to post this blog later this evening, and if I don’t there will be another installment in a day or two.

December 17

Nope, the new network card did us no good, so we are still without internet access. I’ll go to the Ousey’s to post this tomorrow.

Sadly, Gary’s brother passed away last evening. It was such a rapid turn of events that it is hard to grasp. We took Carolyn to the airport today, but according to a phone message, there was a delay and she is stuck in Denver until tomorrow morning. It is unknown when she and Gary will return to Cocopah.

We had an early dinner with Colleen and met her roommate/landlady and her mother this afternoon in Phoenix. This is a great arrangement for Colleen, but Suzie is getting married and is going to sell the house, so Colleen will be looking for another place to stay. She would like to buy, but she has no idea how long (or short) she will be in Arizona, so that is risky too.

We stopped and shopped in a book store and a Stein Mart before coming home. I remember being very taken with the Stein Mart in Las Vegas, but I didn’t find anything exciting in this one in Phoenix.

Cinda called today to say that their house in Bellevue was broken into this past week and every piece of jewelry plus computers were stolen. Their property is very private so it would be easy for someone to gain entry and go unnoticed. And to file any kind of an insurance claim is a nightmare and it is hardly worth the effort, or the risk of being dropped if you have another claim. What has happened to the insurance industry in this country? We pay and pay and pay, and then are afraid to use it.

Tomorrow we will finish projects and errands and get ready to be on the road to Idaho on Monday. We plan to arrive Boise Wednesday afternoon, pick up Colleen and go on to McCall.

December 19, 2005

We are in the Air Force Inn at Nellis AFB. We didn’t get out of Cocopah until about eleven today, so this was a good stopping place . We will be on the road bright and early tomorrow morning to get ourselves with in striking distance of Boise for Wednesday noon.

I just finished chatting with Bev Schuler, and she and Jeff are going to drive to Yuma on 12/28 for their annual holiday visit. Jeff looked at flights and decided there was no easy way to get from there to there. We found Yuma to be a conundrum when we were looking at flights for the Ouseys. I thought it was because they needed to get to Canada, but evidently California is no better!

We do at least have a modem here in our room, so I am going to post this since I have been adding to it for days. Ciao

And so the fun begins......

We met up with Gary and Carolyn at the Wal Mart in Chehalis about 4 pm on Monday afternoon. I had driven on ahead so I would have time to visit Sister’s Fabric Shop in Chehalis, and it was well worth it. I have never seen so many fabrics in one place at one time. I did make a few purchases but practiced lots of restraint.

Tuesday, we went as far as Canyonville, OR and stayed at the Seven Feathers Casino - Ouseys’ recommendation and well worthwhile. For a mere $14, we had full hook-ups and use of the hotel’s swimming pool, 2 Jacuzzis and showers. It is by far one of the nicest hotel/casinos I’ve seen outside Las Vegas. We availed ourselves of all the amenities, including the $6.95 steak dinner, and didn’t drop a penny in the casino.

Wednesday took us as far as the Wal Mart in Willows, and again Gary and Carolyn knew exactly how to get around on the side of the building away from the general traffic of the parking lot. We were in an area between the building and a row of outside storage units giving us our own little “oasis”.

Thursday has us going as far as Bakersfield and Camping World. Gary has something he wants to buy, and then we will just stay put for the night. Tomorrow is Yuma!

Gary and Carolyn encountered a couple on the ferry coming from Victoria to Port Angeles whom they had met briefly once before. We have seen them every day since, and we stayed the same places the first two nights. It is a small world.

Ken discovered on the day that we were leaving that his driver’s license will expire on March 1 so he got up early on Tuesday and drove into Centralia to be the first in line. It seems there is always something unforeseen that pops up.

This is Thursday afternoon that I am writing this, and we are on I-5 with Merced to the east and Morgan Hill to the west. It has been very smoggy all day so even though there are no clouds, we can’t see the sun. We are far enough south to see them harvesting citrus fruit and to see palm trees waving in the breeze. We decided we were official Snowbirds as soon as we left the state of Washington.

Colleen finally found a decent one-way fare to Idaho for Christmas so we will meet up with her in Boise, and then she will road trip back to Arizona with us. I am looking forward to some real winter Christmas with crisp air and snow, even more importantly, time with Brian, Sheila and the boys. It should be lots of fun.



Monday, December 12, 2005

We cannot get an internet connection, even though Gary can, and he is parked right next door. We are suspecting our card because we can’t even connect on our computer when we go to Gary’s rig.

We had a bit of a challenge to find the Wal Mart in Bakersfield on Thursday, and at first glance weren’t even sure there was room for us for the night, but we did finally make it work. On Friday night we stayed at El Centro Naval Air Facility. Much to our amazement, we did not even have to register our “Canadian Nationals”. The guard at the gate said he could authorize their entry for the one night. We had to stay in the overflow lot which is no big surprise considering the location of this base, but we had access to the showers and that was most important.

After some rather harrowing driving in five lanes of traffic and up and down a pass as we drove through the San Bernadino area, we arrived at Cocopah in the early afternoon on Saturday. Much to Ouseys’ amazement, the area in front of our parking spaces has been taken from trees and cacti to bare dirt. Homeland Security is footing the bill to clear the area to help deter folks from coming across the border. But we have no one in front of us, there is the freeway in the distance, and railroad tracks with lots of trains to keep us company – sort of like home.

We had two different brake warning scenarios on the last day of travel, so we were up at six this morning to get the motor home into the Workhorse dealer, where they said they could find nothing. I really did not want to get up at that hour, especially to be told they could find nothing. Time will tell.

Now this afternoon is my first chance to really get settled since we are parked permanently for the next month. I have lights, a wreath, lighted snowflakes, and poinsettias to put up. Some of the motor homes and park models have brilliant and extensive displays of Christmas.

Tomorrow we can start checking out the activities, of which there are many.

The bad news on this trip was to learn that Gary’s brother, Dennis, has been diagnosed with brain cancer. It is anticipated that a decision will be made today as to whether he is a candidate for a Gamma Knife procedure. Gary is flying to Winnipeg tomorrow to provide some moral support for a week. Gary and Dennis’ mother, age 87, is understandably distraught, so I’m sure Gary can help to calm her. We keep the family in our prayers.

Okay, I’m going to take my little memory stick to the Ousey’s and see if I can get this posted.

Ciao

One more Sleep

We are down to the finale. I am mostly just tidying up and putting away in the house to make Craig's life easier. Ken is outside washing the motor home - and it is cold out there!!

Craig, Ken and I went downtown to La Creme Brulee last night, and I must say I was quite disappointed. The name, the accent, the ambiance were far superior to the food. It has a limited menu of only about five appetizers, five entrees, and two or three desserts.

Even though it was before seven, they were out of three of the entrees. We ordered onion soup, and it was mediocre at best. Mine was just tepid, and the soup had all the marks of being watered down. The basket of rolls looked inviting, but they tasted like they had been living in the freezer for several weeks. The wine list consists of just one wine, French, Cotes d Rhone, in all three colors, and we all three enjoyed the bottle of red wine. We chose to share a country pate which came with three little scrappy pieces of melba toast, 3 cornichons, and a half dozen broken pieces of walnut. The pate was good, but it could easily have been the French brand available at Costco. The creme brulee was the better part of the meal, but not nearly as rich as some I've had or made.

If it is still in existence when we come home next spring, we'll try it one more time.

This really is the last blog from home. Probably California next time. Ciao

Two sleeps until departure

We are meeting Gary and Carolyn in Chehalis at the Wal Mart on Monday evening. That is about as far as they will get considering they leave Victoria at 10:30 and won't be on the road until after noon by the time they cross, clear customs, and hook up the car. Plus Carolyn wants to stop and shop for fresh produce and meats. I'm delighted to meet them there so I can check out the fabric shop that I have heard so much about.

We were quite taken with Cassie while she was here for dinner on Thursday. She is very poised, attractive, and nice, and didn't flinch when I told her we were have leg of lamb for dinner. She seems to have a balance of femininity and strength. She is slim with long strawberry blond hair, and wears very stylish up-to-the-minute glasses. She has a five-year-old daughter whom we would hope to meet one day. And she came bearing a beautiful bouquet of flowers!!

We have had a bit of winter. Several inches of snow fell night before last, and there are still some remnants on the lawn. Plus it has been pretty cold and staying near the freezing mark at night.

I spent some time organizing the motor home this afternoon. I have been taking basketsful out and dumping the contents so it was reckoning time. So far I have been able to cram everything in somewhere. Since we are taking Christmas gifts, warm clothes for McCall, and some of Colleen's possessions, it is getting snug in there.

We bought a new heater that should be a bit more efficient than our old one. It is an oscillating tower so I'm hoping the heat moves around better. Of course there is a chance we will have no use for it since we will staying in parking lots on the way down, and I would hope we wouldn't need it while in Arizona.

Tonight we will drop in at Creme Brulee. I just called to ask about reservations, and the owner is so french I could hardly understand him. When I asked if it was a set fixed-price menu he said, "Oh no, this is America, you can have whatever you want." And he has a license to sell beer and wine so what more could one ask for?

Keith and Janet and the girls are in Willimasburg this week end. I have tried to visit Williamsburg twice, and twice I didn't quite make it. So I will be interested to hear about their experiences.

So the next blog will probably be from somewhere in California. Ciao

End of Thanksgiving Weekend

Now we need to prepare in earnest for out trip south. We are down to the last 8 days. I have no problem with being ready to leave, but I am still working on Christmas gifts which need to be finished for Keith's family and Craig. The rest of the family will be together so I have a bit more time. Gary and Caroline, how far do you expect to get on the fifth? We are debating whether we will leave and meet you on the fifth, or rise and shine early on the sixth and meet up with you.

Our Thanksgiving Day was very enjoyable albeit quiet. Craig, Colleen, and I engaged in a game of Scrabble to while away some time. And then we grazed on into the evening.

Colleen and I met Cinda, Linea, and Jordan in Seattle on Friday. We had lunch together and browsed through a few stores but bought nothing. I can't shop when I am with anyone. Shopping is serious business, and I need to concentrate!

Craig has a new girlfriend and she is coming to dinner on Thursday evening. I think she has been an item for a while, but we just learned about her this past week. I love her name - Cassie. Thursday is our 43rd wedding anniversary, so it will be fun to celebrate with others. I think Ken and I will try the new restaurant here in town some night this week for an anniversary dinner. It is called Creme Brulee, is in the bistro style of dining, and it is rumored that the owner is French. I'll give a full report.

Colleen is out walking Cooper. He loves to be walked, but Ken isn't a walker, and I find I can't manage him on the leash and keep myself all together. There is always a risk involved when walking him for fear there will be a dog on the loose. Steilacoom is pretty good to enforce leash laws, and it doesn't happen very often, but it is a very helpless feeling when a strange dog appears.

Dinner calls.

Ciao

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving

It is Thanksgiving eve, and all is well - the tomato aspic is prepared and in the refrigerator. It will just be Craig, Colleen, Ken, and me for dinner tomorrow. Why am I needing to make 3 pies? Well, tradition says one must have mincemeat (actually Ken says we must have mincemeat) and pumpkin, and we have huckleberries from Montana that are crying to be put into a pie to be shared.

I scored on the turkey this year. I prefer fresh to frozen, but the commissary was already out of them. However, Trader Joe’s had fresh turkeys, and all of them, regardless of size were $9.99. And they are organic, for whatever that may be worth. So tonight Mr. Turkey will get dunked in a bourbon brine to ready him for the oven tomorrow.

2 cups coarse or kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 cups bourbon
2 gallons water

Add salt and sugar to 2 quarts of the water and heat until salt is dissolved. Combine with the remaining cold water, add the bourbon and plunk the turkey in the brine. We leave it overnight, chilled (on the back porch), then rinse and roast it in the morning.

This recipe was on last year’s Thanksgiving episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.

Cooper gets a bath tonight, just because. He always looks like an unmade bed, but he does look more handsome after a bath. As I was reading a website about honey, I learned that it is common for groomers to add some honey along with the shampoo when bathing a dog. Maybe we will try it. They say it makes the coat much shinier, and the stickiness of the honey goes away as soon as it is combined with the shampoo.

On that note, I will retire for the evening. Happy Thanksgiving to all and g’day to you Canadians who have already had your Thanksgiving.

Ciao

We give thanks this Thanksgiving.................

for the good news that Keith will not be recalled by the Army and can resign his commission with no further obligation. Do you hear that sigh of relief? It happened with a telephone call that Keith just happened to pick up since he was home yesterday for a bite of lunch. My understanding is that since last July those who have fulfilled their military obligation and are still in the inactive reserves are not duty-bound to return to active duty. My cynical mind wants to say that President Bush and his cohorts just quietly let this one sit, but saner minds prevailed and Sheila pointed out that the military has the onerous task of changing over to a completely new digital process for tracking all military folks, and it has simply taken this long to catch up to Keith. I will not concern myself further with the process, but will just be thankful for the outcome. But my heart and my prayers go out to all families who are affected by the situation in Iraq....and Afghanistan.

We keep thinking we need to be busier to get ready to go south on about the fifth of December, but we must be more ready than we think, because we aren't busy!! I did do a bit of housekeeping, sorting, and rearranging in the motor home yesterday, but it was nothing major. I do need to give some more serious thought to Christmas. I particularly need to finish shopping for Craig since we will not be here with him at Christmas. And I want to take a string of lights, at least, for decorating the motor home in Arizona. Then there is the planning for what to take and what to wear when we go to McCall to spend Christmas with Brian, Sheila, and the boys. At least I am thinking if not doing!

We are invited to Jerry and Mary Ellen McKain's for dinner this evening, and that is always enjoyable. Jerry mixes a mean cocktail, and there is lots of good conversation throughout the evening. Ken worked for Jerry when he first went to work at Western State Hospital, and then it turned out that we moved into Steilacoom and on to the same street as the McKains.

Colleen has had three business trips in as many weeks. She was in Pasadena at the Fuller campus for each of the two previous weeks, and as of this past Wednesday she is in Nashville to observe a class to better prepare herself to write the follow-on course. She called last night and said it is cold there. But most anywhere in the US would feel cold coming from Phoenix.

The interstate just east of Snoquolmie Pass is still down to one lane each direction as a result of the latest rock slide. The DOT announced last night that the repairs will not be finished by the Thanksgiving holiday, and folks could face a 30 mile backup. Their advice is for everyone to stay put and not try to cross the state. There are two alternate passes, but they have fewer lanes, and the weather and road conditions could be a major issue for either one.

Curt, Cinda and Linea were planning to go to Spokane, driving over on Thaksgiving morning and returning Sunday evening to get Linea on a plane back to Chicago early on Monday morning, and I know that is their first choice, but I have assured them we would love to have them here with us. I am just waiting to hear from them, but knowing their schedule, I am pretty sure they won't try to get to Spokane.

To complete the sewing machine saga: Elisabeth and I went to a sewing and quilting fair last Friday, and I found the machine I wanted at a great price. So went back to the shop that I had been dealing with, told her the going price ($500 less than what she was asking) and asked if she could match it. She did! Another example of a consumable that doesn't even come close to selling for the suggested retail!! But I love the machine, and know exactly where it will live in the motor home. Of course the expenditure for the machine is only the beginning. It has been so long since I have sewn that there is a whole new world of notions and accessories, plus the price of fabric and patterns has quadrupled since I last purchased any. So I had better get busy and go shopping!!

Ciao

Birthdays, Spelling Bee, and Sewing Machines

As I sit here trying to figure out where to start, the above are what come to mind. I had a birthday luncheon yesterday for 10 women for Elisabeth's birthday. All in all in was a success, even though I was aware of little things that didn't meet my expectations. It was a fun project, but I'm glad it is over.

Grandson Warren asked his family for pledges for a spelling bee in which he was competing. So in true grandparent, aunt and uncle, and mom and dad style, they all came through and he raised the most money for his school - $53. In turn, he received a $70 gift certificate from Toys R Us.!! I think there are several of us who would like that kind of a return on our money.

I-90 near Easton has had another major rock slide which has resulted in either no traffic or one lane of traffic for the last few days. We would like to drive to Spokane to look at a piece of property, but don't know that this is the best time to do it. This is the third rock slide this year, and it makes one wonder why all of a sudden. It tends to make me not to even want to drive it.

After several weeks of research, I made a decision about a new sewing machine, and picked it up last Thursday. Within 15 minutes, I realized it could not do one of the things I expected - straight stitch in a circle as small as two inches in diameter. So I returned it on Wednesday and looked at some other possibilities. Now I think I am ready to try again. Buying a sewing machine, even limiting oneself to one brand, is like buying a mattress. Every store has a different number, or color, or model for the same item. As I am sure it is intended, it makes it virtually impossible to comparison shop. More to follow.

You might recall my tale of woe about crunching the camera case behind the slide wall in the motor home? Ken took it in last week, and the repair cost $49; yes $49. And $3 of that was for parts - staples. I didn't think it was possible to have anything done at a vehicle or RV repair facility for less than several hundred dollars. I am just relieved that there does not appear to be any structural damage to the slide that would compromise its ability to keep water out. Of course in another month, we won't have that worry for a while as we bask in the sunshine of Arizona.

Here is the soup I served at the luncheon yesterday. I thought it very good. Plus it is easy, inexpensive, and can be made the day before.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

1 large onion, sliced
3/4 cup sliced green onions, white part only
1/4 cup butter
1 16-oz can pumpkin
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup Muscat Canelli (I used Lairds apple brandy)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp curry powder (or to taste, I used more)
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Several parsley sprigs
2 cups half and half
Salt and pepper

Saute` onions and scallions in butter until golden brown. Stir in pumpkin, broth, bay leaf, sugar, curry powder, nutmeg and parsley. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer soup to food processor in batches and puree. Return to pan; add half and half, salt and pepper. Simmier 5 to 10 minutes. 6 servings. I garnished it with the green onion tops, minched.

Wine Women and ?

This past week was a busy one. Colleen arrived on Thursday evening to join in the weekend's festivities for the Chick Fling. Friday morning had the hairdresser here for about 3 hours, to be followed by Colleen's birthday lunch. Then she and I jumped in the car and drove to Bellevue for the week end. I drove I-5 and I-405 on Friday, and drove I-405 round trip to the airport on Sunday, and I made it in record time every trip. Even on Friday, about five o'clock, we didn't have to slow down. Perhaps there are some folks who are driving less.

The Chick Fling was lots of fun. We enjoyed a lovely dinner Saturday night at the Metropolitan Grill, and spent Sunday morning reading the paper and noshing on quiche and sausage strudels.

We had briefly discussed transportation to and from dinner, but had not settled on anything. As we were getting ready to go, Cinda's collegue, Dennis, drove up in a rented van (Cinda's treat), and stood beside the open doors in his black slacks and white shirt. Dennis' profession is in education!! It was much fun. As he arrived at the restaurant, the valet handed him his claim check only to be told by Dennis that he wasn't staying, just dropping us off, and would be returning for us. So of course the valet folks recognized all of us when Dennis returned to get us.

Curt and Cinda have a lovely hot tub, so we jumped into that several times over the week end!!

After dropping Colleen and Lois at the airport Sunday afternoon, I headed for Indian John Hill rest stop on the other side of Snoqualmie Pass to meet up with Ken and proceed on to Yakima where Rod and Karen were staying. We stayed at Sportsman State Park in Yakima, and it was beautiful. There were lots of deciduous trees whose leaves had turned, but not all had fallen. So there was golden light in the trees plus a golden carpet on the ground.

There is a wine area between Yakima and the Tri Cities known as Rattlesnake Hills. Those dozen wineries have developed a "passport" and when 10 wineries have stamped your passport, you get a corkscrew or wine glass and are entered into a drawing for an empty wine barrel. Quite a clever marketing endeavor, and we did our best to visit all. The one or two we missed; we have visited before.

We enjoyed our time with Rod and Karen and spent some time discussing winter trips down south. They are going for the months of January and February, but are not inclined to stay for more than one week in any one place, so we will meet up with them occasionally throughout the winter.

Gary and Carolyn - your cupboard doors arrived today so if we don't see you before, we will have them with us when we get to Cocopah. Do we need to open the box to be sure you got what you were expecting?

Brian and Sheila gave me puzzle books for my birthday; a New York Times crossword dictionary and a book of Sudoku puzzles. If I didn't know better, I would think they were being cruel. Those puzzles are addictive, even though they are thoroughyly frustrating. You have probably seen them in your newspapers. They are simply based on the numbers one through nine, with each number appearing just once in each row, both horizontally and vertically. It is all logic, but when over half the numbers are missing, it is difficult to find the logic.

And a lovely box of cut flowers arrived from Keith and Janet today. My kids ease the distress of growing another year older!

And on a closing note: I am so glad Harriet and George took my advice!!!!

Ciao

Pennywise and pound-foolish

I needed a small table for a plant in the corner of our shower and while at IKEA last week, I found one. It was okay except it was orange, but I figured I could paint it and with a search on the internet, I found the primer and paint products I would need to make this happen. I sprayed the primer without incident, and yesterday I created a "paint booth" on the back porch to spray on the burgundy paint. At some point, the sprayer lost its mind and applied a whisper of burgundy paint over an area of at least 180 degrees, if not more. Now I had paint spray on the cabinet, the floor, the recycling bins, and me!!! The cleanup process took forever, and I doubt the floor will ever be the same (not that it was much to start with). To apply mineral spirits or paint thinner only thinned and spread it, so it was a process of one swipe, change towels, and another swipe.

Ken very kindly came to my rescue, but in the process of moving a heavy chest, he jammed his big toe and it immediately turned blue under the nail. We are still waiting to see what it is going to do. The final act was to send Ken to the garbage can with the table, the paint, and the full wastebasket - including throwing away the disfigured wastebasket.

On a happier note, I had a lovely day with Elisabeth on Tuesday. We did not drive to Chehalis, but I met her in Gig Harbor where she treated me to lunch and we visited not one, but two quilt shops. I did not escape without buying something, but it was very small and insignificant. But I did spend some time talking to the shop owner about the merits of Pfaff sewing machines!!

I am off to the Olympia Farmers' Market since we garnered such a lovely bunch of produce last week. Colleen's birthday was last week, but she has requested her birthday meal while here tomorrow so I need to ingredients for stew and apple crisp. That, along with homemade bread, is her all-time favorite meal.

Here is a recipe I discovered in our Sunday paper. I have prepared it twice because (a) it is so easy, and (2) Ken loves it. Enjoy. Ciao

Roasted Pears with Caramel Sauce (what could be easier?)

4 Tbs butter
1 cup brown sugar
4 pears, halved and cored
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup toasted nuts

Heat oven to 400. Place butter in baking dish large enough to hold the pears in a single layer, set in the heating oven until butter melts. Sprinkle sugar over melted butter, then place pears, cut side down, on top. Bake until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven, turn over pears and baste with pan sauce. Return to oven, bake until golden and glossy, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly. Transfer pears to dessert plates or bowls. Top each with a dollop of sour cream, drizzle with caramel pan sauce, sprinkle with nuts and serve. Helen's version: I added a splash of white port to the butter and brown sugar mixture and topped the pears with a bit of shredded coconut along with the sour cream and nuts (I used almonds).

Merry Monday

All is quiet here. Ken is outside raking up huge piles of maple leaves. We have one huge maple tree that shelters the tree house, and it drops about a gazillion leaves this time of year. They are quite lovely to look at until it rains when they all turn to brown mush.

My friend, Elisabeth, called and suggested lunch tomorrow. So I think we will start early and visit a fabric shop in Chehalis before we have lunch. I have never been to "Sister's", but it is supposed to have fabric galore. And I am sure we will find some delightful place for lunch.

Speaking of lunch, there is a little shop getting ready to open in "downtown" Steilacoom - "Creme Brulee". A peek in the window offered snippets of a French bistro with banquettes against the walls, colorful wooden chairs, checkered tablecloths, and various French posters and decorations. There was also an application for a liquor license taped to the door, so it all looks very promising. It is rumored that the proprietor is French!

Carolyn Ousey called this morning to check in before they head to Winnipeg to visit family. We talked about a route and stopping places for our trek south the first part of December. She and Gary have made this trip a time or two so they know all the good Wal Marts and casinos to overnight. Ken really wants to spend some time in California, San Diego and San Luis Obispo, so I guess we need to figure out those pieces.

I did read that Bon Appetite magazine, and did see one or two promising recipes, but I'll try them first to see if they are worthy of being passed.

Ken is on the phone with the garage that is providing a second opinion on the ills of the Jetta, so I'll have a full report in my next blog. Ciao.



Craig came to pick up his mail yesterday and stayed for dinner. He still feels like he is floundering in his new job. Isn't that how all new jobs feel? Plus his manager and his mentor have both been away. Not an easy way to learn the ropes.

I spent a couple of hours at the local mall this afternoon and succeeded in coming home empty-handed. I really couldn't think of much of anything I needed, and the one or two things I had in mind I couldn't find. Of course the stores all have their Christmas departments fully decked out. I just looked the other way and walked on by.

I am not a Democrat..

nor am I a diehard Republican - the issue with Miers and Bush is Bush!!! And as I read more and more, my word, crony, pops up often.

I had to take the Jetta in for some more warranty work to replace the passenger seat mechanism. But this is a great dealership, and as long as we ask ahead of time, we can get a loaner car. So I took my friend Elisabeth, and we went to IKEA for the day. I LOVE THAT STORE!! I only bought three or four small items, but of course we walked the entire store and stopped in the restaurant for lunch.

Yesterday was Collen's birthday. Our main gift was a plane ticket to come up the week end of the 21st for the Chick Fling. But I did make a small pieced table topper that I wanted to send to her. I missed the post office opening on Saturday, so decided I would send it Federal Express, overnight. It weighed less than one pound and was a small box..................$38 it cost. Gift-giving just became money and gift cards. No more shipping and mailing.

I am ready for fall and Thanksgiving with a small arrangement of dried colored corn, and a wreath on the front door with silk sunflowers! And since we will be leaving the first of December, the Christmas decorations will stay tucked away for the year.

Mike and Mary are planning to be in Phoenix the middle of December to visit his half sister, Martha, so we will drive up from Yuma to see them. Then a bit later we will leave Yuma to spend Christmas with Brian and Sheila and the boys at their condo in McCall. Only to return to Yuma in time for the Schulers to join us for the annual week between Christmas and New Years.

I just received the November issue of Bon Appetite, so I need to go study up on all the recipes for Thanksgiving, in case I need to cook! If I find anything that looks outstanding, I'll pass it along in my next blog. Ciao

No Dishwasher?!

Nope. The $1.3M motor home did not have a dishwasher. Heck, even the little old cheap (~$185K) Winnebago had a dishwasher). But the big guy had a full sized Bosch washer and dryer!! I can only think of two items that caught my eye at this years’ show: The feature of the year seems to be a pull-out counter that provides extra working or serving space in the kitchen area. It slides out from under the fixed countertop so therefore is about one inch lower than the counter, but you just about need a double slide to accommodate it. I liked the concept and it would provide about 2 square feet of extra counter space.

Bounder had a modest-sized motor home somewhere around 35 feet that had a toilet and lavatory in the mid section, but across the back end in the bedroom was a vanity that ran the width of the coach with a shower at one end. I liked it! One salesman asked if we had found the coach of our dreams, and I said, “Yes, it is parked at home in the driveway.”

Road Treks are quite the compact little van, complete with shower, toilet, two-burner stove and sleeping space for four – all in a van. One of the options is the spare tire cover that can be raised and pivoted to provide a surface for a small gas grill. But one could buy a modest Class C motor home for the same price.

There, you have the promised report on the annual RV show. Tune in again next year at this time!

Ciao

It was a dark and cloudy morning

But I am up, dressed, and halfway through my first cup of coffee and the paper. The season is starting off as it should with a day or two of clouds and rain, a little clearing and a day or two of clouds and rain. I always say I don't mind the clouds and rain, but I am almost euphoric when we travel to places with lots of sunshine such as eastern Washington, western Montana, and down south. I think I like the sense of staying inside and cozy, but it isn't so great outside when it is dark and dreary.

Yesterday was the start of the Tacoma RV show, so we will go today to see what is new. And I do mean see, not buy. I especially enjoy the various vendors who are hawking such wonderful items as 100% vinyl/plastic/manmade material doormats at $75/each and decorated with various gaudy designs!! But once in a while there is a product that generates some interest, and could actually be useful. I'll give a full report later.

Craig came for dinner last night. Now that he has changed jobs and works in downtown Tacoma, we don't get to see him for lunch every once in a while. I don't think he has been able to make much of an assessment about the new job since he has done and seen little so far, and the training phase has not really begun. An interesting note is that Cinda is frequently called as an expert witness for a company that is in direct competition with OSC where Craig is working. Both companies manage L&I claims, but I doubt this situation will have a negative impact on the cousins' relationship.

Another Jetta glitch. We recently found a spring lying on the floor on the passenger's side, and upon inquiring of the VW service department, were told that it is a common failure, a recall, and they have to replace the 'seating system'; whatever that is. Again under warranty. At this rate, the entire car will have been replaced by the time it hits 75,000 miles. So far most everything has been warranty work, but that is going to run out, and then what? I'll keep baking cookies for the service department in the hope that they will keep fixing. When that ends, we'll buy a Honda!

And what do you make of Harriet Miers (I'm not even sure of the spelling, let alone her)? I don't have a problem with the fact that she has not been a judge, but I do have a major problem with the fact that it SMACKS of Bush cronyism and manipulation. His philosophy of selecting folks whom no one knows anything about needs to be put to a stop. Unfortunately, there are more voting Republicans than Democrats.

Back to my paper.

Ciao

Note the green bell pepper

I just did an edit on the previous blog; to add one bell pepper to the recipe for pulled pork!!

We have stayed home all weekend with Ken getting his football hit, and me.........working on my quilting project. I did walk yesterday, but it is dark and drizzly today, so I will stay in.

I had been trying to reach Colleen since we returned home on Thursday and was beginning to get concerned when she called yesterday. Seems I had forgotten that she had a business trip to Pasadena coming up, and she managed to add a stay in Las Vegas on the way. So she and a friend have spent the week end lounging by the pool and gambling the requisite $20. She goes on to Pasadena this afternoon for two days of meetings at the main campus and then returns to Phoenix on Wednesday.

Lois, Cinda, Colleen, maybe Calla, and I are planning a Chick Fling the last week end in October. We did something similar two years ago when we all went to Portland to celebrate Lois' birthday. We considered various places for this year, but decided Cinda's lovely home in Bellevue would be perfect since Curt has a business trip and won't be around to have to put up with us. We figure the money we save on hotel rooms and plane fare can be put towards a catered dinner, massages and pedicures, good booze and limousine service. I suggested we smoke cigars and watch dirty movies, but no one has taken me up on that one! What generation gap?

This was Homecoming weekend at the University of Maryland, and Sarah was going to take Rachel to the game, so I'll be anxious for this evening's phone call to hear all about it. Ken suggested Rachel should attend all the games since UofM won yesterday. Keith has been attending the games, so I suspect he was there yesterday. Between a friend who is in management for Coca Cola who frequently offers box seats and catered food, and the neighbor who is the UofM golf pro, he has fared quite well for golf and sporting events at school.

Speaking of food; I need to finish dinner - the Sunday dinner of our childhoods - pot roast, mashed potatoes and gravy and carrots.

Ciao

The coming week looks quiet with no appointments for anything to be repaired.....not us, nor the car nor the motor home. Whoopee, we can stay home.

Double Trouble

I'm sorry about the double post, but I guess all of us have had some quirk with our blog at some point.

We returned from Pacific Beach yesterday after an enjoyable three days. The tides were very low, but the wind and rain came in on Wednesday night and created a fair bit of noise and motion. The motor home definitely catches the wind! We drove to Lake Quinault Lodge on the southern edge of the Hoh Rain Forest and Karen and Rod treated us to lunch. We did avail ourselves of a short 1/2 mile trail that took us through some lovely old-growth forest along with the evidence of years of fallen trees.

There is no cell phone service for us at Pacific Beach, and of course no internet, so one does truly "get away from it all".

We have nothing coming up on our calendar. The Spragues have invited us to join them for a day or two of wine tasting in the Yakima Valley along towards the end of October, and I suspect we will take them up on it.

We received delightful thank you notes from Nolan and Warren for the trip to Yellowstone. Delightful except that little brother Warren regretted that big brother Nolan wasn't eaten by a bear. Spoken like a true little brother. Sheila sent along a copy of the Gunfighter which is the newspaper for the base. There was a photo of Brian and Sheila embracing upon his return from deployment, and a wonderful photo of Nolan holding up his sign that said, "I missed you Dad."

Colleen and I are about to enter into dueling crossword puzzles. She gave me a date book for 2006 that contains 52 NY Times puzzles - and she has the same. My only stipulation is that we remove the answer sheets so we are not tempted to look at the answers. At least not until both of us are totally stumped. I know from experience that it can take me the full week or more to finish one of those.

Here is an easy slow cooker recipe:

Pulled Pork for sandwiches

3# boneless pork shoulder
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2" squares
2 large onions, sliced
1 bottle Kraft barbeque sauce
Helen's version: add a spoonful of beef or chicken base to bolster the meat flavor and a splash or two of wine - red or white.

Cook on low for about 7 hours. Remove meat, shred, and return to the sauce. If you want more onion flavor, you could add 1 package Lipton Dry Onion Soup Mix.

Ciao

The Quilting Queen

I have discovered the fun of quilting, well piecing at this point, but still within the genre of quilting. Thanks to longtime friend, Karen, who purchased a pattern for a Christmas wall hanging and my suggesting she make two. Well I’m making my own and I have discovered what fun it is. I think it is because I like things that are pretty, flat, smooth, clean, and orderly!! I was not the star pupil in home economics classes, certainly not sewing, so it is a lengthy process for me.

Of course now I’m thinking I need to replace my forty-year-old Singer sewing machine with something that is all-singing and all-dancing, but I really don’t need anything other than a straight stitch at this point, so I’ll keep what I have. Besides I could always fall back on my grandmother’s 100 year old Singer treadle that is in the guest room.

We are going to join Rod and Karen at Pacific Beach this coming Sunday for four nights on the beach. It is one of our favorite state campgrounds, because there are sites that do back up to the beach, or the water in the case of high tide. The town of Pacific Beach has a service station and a grocery store so there is no reason not to just sit and watch the water.

We are having second thoughts about a Volkswagen. The Jetta has developed some major driving issues. A torn CV joint boot(?) was repaired yesterday, but there are problems with shocks and tires, and of course no one wants to accept any responsibility. In driving it today, it is behaving and sounding differently than before the CV joint repair, so now I’m wondering what else they did or didn’t do during the repair. I see dollar signs!!

It sounds like Sarah is thriving at school – boyfriend Matt is out and Murph is in. He is a senior and also works at the U of Maryland golf course. Oh, and I guess her classes are going well too.

To one of my faithful Blog readers, Dennis Ousey: I’m sorry to hear about Catherine’s health problems and I wish her a successful surgery for cartoid aretery and a full and complete recovery. I will be thinking about the two of you.

Ciao

Thanks to the Quilting Queen, Karen, I am now completely hooked on this hobby. I can't walk past my worktable without stopping to put something together. This all started because she purchased a pattern for a Christmas wall hanging, and I suggested she make two. Except now I am making my own, and having a wonderful time doing it. I was never the star pupil in home economics classes, certainly not sewing, so I am proceeding very cautiously - but enthusiastically. I just have to refrain from running out and buying all the latest and greatest gadgets, including a sewing machine.

I could probably justify the machine since mine is 40+ years old, and it was used when I bought it. I used it quite a bit when the kids were younger, and it was adequate, but it does have its quirks. My fallback would be my grandmother's 100 year old Singer treadle which still works just fine!!

We are having car woes. The Jetta was acting up and we were told that the tires are feathered, the brakes are wearing, the shocks are shot, and the boot? for the CV joint is torn. So $400+ later, the torn boot is repaired. The brakes and shocks will wait a bit, and Ken will have a discussion with the tire folks since we are still well within warranty. And the motor home has a couple of minor issues so it goes in this week, except now that it is over one year old, some things are not covered by warranty.

We are going to Pacific Beach on Sunday for four nights with the Spragues. It is one of our favorite state parks because there are sites that back right up to the beach - which becomes water at high tide. The town of Pacific Beach has 2 grocery/service station businesses and that is all. So it is a great place to go to relax and watch the waves. (And Karen is bringing her sewing machine!)

Sarah's high school boyfriend is now history, and she and Murph (a senior who also works at the UofM golf course) are an item. I haven't talked to her, but it sounds like she is adapting well to college - and the social scene.

I can't believe the Texas/Louisiana area is in the line of another hurricane. I talked to my cousin, Bill Davis, who lives in Sarasota, Florida. He loves the climate, and although threatened, they have never been hit by a hurricane. But he is questioning the wisdom of staying knowing that one day they won't be so lucky as to be bypassed. It is the same for us who live in the Puget Sound area with regard to a big earthquake - not a question of if but when.

I have a 7:30 appointment in the morning so I think I will trundle off to bed. Getting up at 6:30 just doesn't happen in my world!! Ciao

Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my......

We left Mt. Home for Yellowstone Park on Monday, Labor Day, about noon. We spent the night near Rexburg at an RV park that was close to the highway, but perfectly adequate. It was situated lakeside, however fishing was not allowed since the lake is owned by someone other than the RV park owner. But the boys were able to ride their bicycles around for a while and that was an adequate diversion after a half day of driving.

Our campsite in Grant Village Campground was just fine. There were no hook-ups, but we were right next to the bathrooms, and we could drive the car just a short distance to a building that housed dozens of showers. So six of us boondocked for four days, and we still had fresh water and holding tank capacity when we left.

We are partial to the park campgrounds that DO NOT have hook ups just because the sites feel more rustic and parklike. Fishing Bridge and the other campgrounds with hookups just look like a parking lot with big motor homes tethered to their cords and hoses. I would recommend Grand Village if you want to stay in the Park.

We saw bison on several occasions, a bald eagle in flight, a moose cow and her calf, and several groups of elk. We heard the bull elk bugling as we sat around the campfire in the evening. The only bears and wolves were in captivity – more on that later.

The boys tried fishing in Yellowstone Lake, but no luck. Apparently, it is very difficult to catch fish anywhere in YNP. But they seemed to have a good time just seeing the animals, Old Faithful, and many of the hot springs and geysers. They each went through about four disposable cameras so they should have some memories from all those photos.

There is a bear and wolf exhibit in West Yellowstone so we visited there before entering the park. All the animals (about 6 of each) were orphaned or abandoned and then rescued. They are enclosed in a very natural setting, and it is very enjoyable to watch them. On their way home last Saturday, the boys stopped again, and were able to go out and hide some fruit and kibble for three of the bears before the bears were let out for the day. Revel and Stoke (love those names) and Spirit apparently quickly found the hidden treats.

We have been to Yellowstone Park several times, including when our kids were young, but it was a special delight to view everything again through the eyes of Warren and Nolan. Grandpa and I had a great time.

We headed north last Saturday as Brian and Sheila turned south for Mt. Home. We stayed in Anaconda at a Passport America park that is right down the road from Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. Although we did not avail ourselves of the hot springs, we could have, and they are accessible 24 hours per day.

On Sunday, we drove north from Anaconda towards Phillipsburg and Drummond. Philipsburg, once a mining town, has done quite a good job of making itself appealing as a tourist stop. There were some cute shops and interesting little places to eat. Some mining barons must have made the town their home at one time because there are some beautiful big brick houses scattered around the town.

Just as we were approaching Drummond, we had to stop and wait while a herd of cattle made its way across the road. That is the second cattle drive we have seen on this trip, complete with folks on horseback!

Monday and Tuesday nights were spent in Kalispell. We were only able to drive 16 miles into Glacier Park because of snow. I wasn’t surprised because there was a dusting of snow across the upper half of the Mission Mountains. In the afternoon, we drove out to Little Bitteroot Lake to look at the property that Keith and Janet bought last year. All was in order, and there are 2 new homes going up on either side of them.

I could happily live in Montana, preferably on a lake, for the good weather months and then go south for the winter. Though varied from place to place, I find most of the western half of Montana very appealing. Unfortunately, so do a lot of other people, and real estate is dear.

After our two days in Kalispell, we went on to Spokane and stayed overnight with Rod and Karen Sprague. It is great that they live in the country and have lots of room, so no problem finding a place for the MH. A very good RV resort complete with dinner and breakfast! We had a good visit, and made plans to rendevous later this month at Pacific Beach after they attend a rally in Leavenworth.

Now it is time to do some thorough housecleaning in the motor home and catch up on laundry. But that is not such a big job that I couldn’t be ready to be on the road again tomorrow.

I am seeing more evidence of fall here in western Washington that I did on the rest of the trip. Our big maple tree is turning color as are some of the other trees and shrubs. And there is a bit of a nip in the air.

Cooper was happy to see us since he is home alone all day while Craig works – and I’m sure it felt good for Craig to go home and sleep in his own bed last night. He is coming up for dinner after work tomorrow. And one week from tomorrow is his last day at Babbit Neumann Construction. He is starting a new job on Monday working for an L&I contractor managing claims and claimants. The money is better, the hours are better, and the benefits are better. So we wish him well.

Colleen called this week to crow about the fact that the temperature in Phoenix had dropped to below 100. She said it was scary to realize that she could actually tell the difference. She emailed today to say that all was going well with the new job.

Ciao

Where does the time go?

I can't believe it has been two weeks since I blogged. Where do I begin?

Karen's visit was a delight. We actually made some progress on a pieced Christmas wall hanging, and I learned a few tips and tricks along the way. More than the sewing, it was wonderful to spend time with Karen. It just proves that no matter how long the time, a good friendship endures, and you just pick up where you left off.

After Karen's visit, we began to focus on our trip to Mt. Home to welcome Brian back from his four month deployment and then head off with the four of them for a trip to Yellowstone. In fact, as I write, we are finishing the last bit of packing before we depart Mt. Home for Yellowstone.

We left Steilacoom on Tuesday and spent the night visiting Ken's cousins at Crooked River Ranch in Oregon. We love the four of them (two sisters and husbands), and always take advantage of any chance to see them. As usual, we were treated to great food and wine, and reluctantly left on Wednesday. We drove just a short time and spent the night in Burns, OR at the RV park that is part of the local casino. It was probably the smallest casino I've ever seen, so we chose to keep our money in our pockets.

Thursday had us arriving at the FamCamp at Mt. Home AFB. It is a great RV park, and feels just like an exclusive membership park. It is walking distance to Brian and Sheila's house, so the boys and their dog paid of a visit on Saturday morning. The FamCamp has about 25 sites, but I think there are only about 8 that are occupied.

We remained on standby waiting to hear when the planes would be returning from the western Pacific. Four planes had problems, mechanical and weather, so eight of them landed here yesterday afternoon. Of course we are always bursting with pride over our kids, and yesterday was no exception as Brians' plane was the first to land since he is the CO. The local television station interviewed both Sheila and Brian, but none of it was aired, just a brief piece with a picture of the four of them at the flight line.

Time to hit the road. I'll try to blog with a little greater frequency after this.

Ciao

Cosner Visit

Mike and Mary arrived around noon on Friday and left today about noon. We had a great visit, and Mary and I worked hard at the yard sales in Steilacoom yesterday. We did find a few gems....I now have another book on French herbs, with gorgeous photos. We introduced them to the game of Spades which Jeff and Bev taught us last week on the wine country trip. It is much more enjoyable than Hearts, in my estimation, even though I don't play it much better.

Now I will get ready for Karen's visit by rearranging my sewing space to make it more efficient for some hard-core projects. Maybe I should create a wine bar right next to the sewing table - that would save steps up and down the stairs.

When Colleen went to Arizona, she drove away in a new-to-her Honda, and left the Toyota for us to sell. I drove it around to the yard sales yesterday with signs in the windows, and it was sold by mid-afternoon!

Sarah turns eighteen on Tuesday!! How can that be? And I believe she moves into her dorm room next week end. She has started her new job at the Universty of Maryland pro shop, and I think today she is out on the course driving the golf cart for a foursome. It is anticipated that tips will be good. The pro lives across the street from Keith and Janet and he and his wife are friends of theirs. When Keith and Janet and Jeff and Wendy go out, Rachel babysits the children. All very convenient for some and lucrative for others.

I am out of news, but will check in again by the end of the week.

Ciao

Just a short note

since it has been a quiet week. We have been doing little projects around home since we aren't here that often to accomplish same.

I have started a small lap quilt project thanks to the encouragement and expertise of friends, Bev and Karen. It is very basic, and I am simply trying to discipline myself to be very careful with measuring, cutting and sewing. The tolerance for error is slight. But I like the colors, light to medium greens and yellow, with old fashioned prints that were found in the 40's and 50's. Karen will be here next week to critique.

I made some peach jam yesterday that was somewhat successful. I never seem to get the firmness quite right. This recipe didn't use any pectin but relied on long slow cooking. It tastes good!! Now I need to hurry and use the last dozen fresh tomatoes.

Do I sound like a domestic diva or what?

We will probably leave for Mt. Home on Saturday, August 27, with a route via Redmond, Oregon if the cousins are going to be home. Then on to Mt. Home and Yellowstone Park whenever the schedule allows. We were in Yellowstone two years ago right after Labor Day, and it was a perfect time to visit because most everybody else had gone home. We are still undecided as to where to stay, but I am inclined to boondock at one of the campgrounds inside the park. Fishing Bridge is the only campground with hookups, but the spaces are very tight. The other campgrounds have dump stations, so worst-case scenario would be to have to unhook to drive over and dump tanks and then set up again. Not all that difficult.

Colleen will move into the home of a single professional woman who is a consultant for American Express. She has a young ill-behaved dog which Colleen is going to take care of this week while the owner attends a wedding in Tenino!! Colleen is a follower of the Dog Whisperer and is now also following the Monks of Skete, so she thinks she can make some progress with the dog's behaviour.

The sewing machine is calling me.

Ciao

So much wine, so little time

The week unfolded as predicted. The reunion picnic in Oregon was smaller than usual, and it took some coaxing to get some folks to sign on to the council to keep the organization going. The Kirkwood branch has always been seen as 'tagging along' at the end, and there were not many in attendance this year. We are thinking about having a get-together here some time in October to see if we can get a few more to join the fun.

We spent two days in the wine country with Jeff and Bev. Needless to say, it was pretty hot, but we pressed on. We did happen on a case sale at Claar Cellars, so added a case of cabernet. It was inexpensive so we can drink it at will without fretting over the price.

I couldn't resist the fresh produce in eastern Washington so came home with a box of peaches and tomatoes. Most of the tomatoes will be frozen, and I'll probably make chutney or jam with the peaches. I'm not set up to do full blown canning, and I'm not sure it is worth the investment for the amount I would do.

Mike and Mary are coming over next week end. It is great timing because Mary is a 'garage-sailor' and next Saturday is the annual Steilacoom town-wide garage sale. They should get here about noon on Friday and will go home on Sunday.

Then the following Wednesday, my friend Karen will be here for two days of quilting. Well she will sew and quilt, and I'll prepare meals and keep the wine poured. We have embarked on a Christmas wall hanging and now that I have most of my fabrics, I need her to make it beautiful. I can't resist the fabrics, and I have several projects ready to be made into something, but I never seem to get started.

Ken received a call out of blue this week from an Army buddy when in Germany - oh about 45 years ago. This man lives in Illinois but had driven through Davenport several times and was never able to find anyone who knew where Ken was. While watching the news of the fires here in Washington, this man decided to turn to the internet - and found us. It is a small world.

We have become enamored with Croatia, and have suggested to Jeff and Bev that we visit next year. Ken worked with a young woman at Western State who is of Croatian heritage, and has been there to visit several times. So we had her here for dinner last night. She came with a video of her friend's wedding in Croatia, and another video that gives an overview of the country. The Dalmantian Coast is beautiful, and she said there are hundreds of beautiful islands as well.

Here is the chicken dish I served:

8 chicken breasts, halved and skinned
1 8 oz pkg of cream cheese
1/2 cup fresh herbs (I used parsley, thyme, sage, and chives) finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1 cup white wine such as a chenin blanc

Combine the cheese and herbs and chill.

Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness. Roll 1/8 of the cream cheese mixture into each breast and secure with a toothpick.

Brown the breasts quickly in some butter and olive oil. Set aside, drain the fat, and deglaze the pan with the white wine. Stir in the garlic. Place browned chicken breasts back into the wine mixture, cover with foil and place in a 300 degree oven for about 1 hour.

Some of the cheese will ooze out and it will look curdled. Just give the wine a whisk to blend the cheese and pour over the chicken breasts to serve.

All is well.

Ciao

Home again

I came home from Phoenix yesterday without incident - except I almost missed my shuttle to the airport for being glued to the television. There was a real-time car chase taking place with the pursued driving at speeds upwards of 100 mph with at least 5 police cars in tow. At one point as the car was weaving in and out of traffic I saw two tanker trucks in the picture!! Finally an exit from the freeway, some stoplights, a little fender-bender and the police boxed him in. I still don't know what started it. The media said the individual had initially tried to run over a deputy.

Colleen is starting to settle in to her new job, and now the challenge is to find a place to live. Phoenix is growing at a rapid rate, and there just aren't any places to live. And those that are available come at a dear price. Since all of her household is in storage in Colorado, she is thinking of becoming a roommate rather than living by herself. She is currently at the Marriott Courtyard and will move into a friend's vacant house this week end until it closes later this month.

The weather here is glorious, and even though it is in the 80s, it feels wonderful after the heat of Arizona. We encountered several storms in the first few days with downpours and/or driving wind.

I drove through The Resort which is where we stayed for two weeks the winter before last when we met other friends in their motor homes. The Resort has hundreds of sites with 90% of them occupied by park models, single-wide manufactured homes that are half the length of a standard manufactured home. Most folks have added a patio and/or storage shed. Well this time of year it is a ghost town. I do not believe one single unit was occupied. Windows were heavily covered against the summer sun and many carports had vehicles and golf carts in some state of storage. The only sign of life was the maintenance folks who were busy readying everything for the fall and winter influx.

We leave Saturday morning for Dayton, Oregon where we will stay for two nights while we attend the family reunion in Hopewell at the Maude Williamson Park. Jerry and Lois are staying at the Best Western in McMinnivlle and will join us for dinner on Saturday night. Then Jeff and Bev arrive Sunday after attending a wedding in Vancouver. Right now we tentatively plan to proceed on to Washington wine country with Jeff and Bev for a few days next week.

Keith finally heard from the Army. "No". They will not grant an exemption, but they have granted a six month extension which moves his reporting date out to February. That gives some time for one or more things to happen. Dare we hope things will be winding down in Iraq? And he can proceed to "look for a job" within the Army at Ft. Meade which whould allow him to stay home.

Stay cool!!

Ciao

It is hot and muggy in...............

Phoenix. A store clerk said the monsoons have just arrived and should have arrived in May and be finished by now. The forecast for the next six days shows highs in triple digits! Plus humidity!!

Colleen and I did leave Friday morning. She now has a 2000 white Honda Accord, and it served us admirably on the trip down. It is very easy to drive (easier than our Jetta), and the a/c worked like a charm. We stayed with Sheila and the boys in Mt. Home on Friday night. Sheila had her wonderful taboullah salad for us for dinner, and after a good night's sleep, we were on the road again.

Saturday night found us in Kanab, Utah, and we arrived here in Phoenix about 8 pm last night. Due to an accident on the interstate between Flagstaff and Phoenix, the traffic was backed up and at a standstill, so we opted to head west to Prescott, and down through Wickenberg and into Phoenix from the west. There are mountains and winding road between Prescott and Wickenberg, and the drama increased as we drove through pouring rain.

I took Colleen to work this morning (we are staying about one mile from her office), and discovered the nearby Costco and Target. Of course I had left my Costco card in the checkbook - at home - but Costco in its usual efficiency and drive to separate you and your money was quick to give me a temporary card! Colleen and I are going to focus on checking out housing options for her before I leave here Wednesday morning.

Just as we are moving our daughter out, brother Mike and his wife Mary are moving their daughter in. Becky has been living in Lubbock, Texas while she earned her masters (in statistics??!!! Ugh!!) from Texas Tech. Now she is back in Spokane and wants to go to school to be an LPN! Becky works several jobs when going to school, and she discovered she really liked nursing care, especially the elderly and dying. Oh boy, do we ever need her and lots more like her!! And she doesn't want to be an RN, because she just wants to do hands-on nursing care. You go girl!! She will want to have a place of her own, but real estate in Spokane has also gone crazy.

Mike and Mary and Ken and I bought a 2 bedroom, 1 bath house in Spokane in the mid 70's for our mother to live in. It was probably built in the 40s, we paid $14,950 for it and it just recently sold for $119,000. With that kind of escalation, it is difficult for young people to get a foot in the door.

I'll be home about noon on Wednesday. Our friends, the McKains are having a memorial mass said for Pat on Thursday afternoon, so I want to be there for that. And then on Saturday we will be going to Oregon.

Ciao

Trip Plans

Colleen and I plan to leave for Phoenix either Thursday evening or Friday morning, depending on whether or not she buys a car before we go. Her little old Toyota does NOT have air conditioning, so if it is the mode of travel, we will be traveling at night. She and her dad are out at the moment looking at cars, so we will see what she decides to do.

I will come home within just a day or two of getting to Phoenix - if no other reason than it is cooler here. Colleen will start work the first part of next week, depending on when we get there.
It has been getting rather toasty around here, mid 80's, and that is warm for us although it gets plenty cool at night. I think tomorrow is supposed to be the hottest day of the week. According to the news, there are places all across the country that are sweltering.

It is down to one month before Sarah is off to college. There is a freshman orientation coming up that is an overnight stay plus a few hours for the parents on the second day. I still can't believe she is going off to college. Both girls had their wisdom teeth removed two weeks ago, and they seem to have recovered. The entire family went to Niagara Falls last week, and they had a room on a thirty something floor with floor to ceiling windows that looked out on the falls.

Keith's reporting date for the Army has now been extended out to August 27. So they haven't let him go, but they haven't told him to show up for duty either. We continue to keep our fingers crossed.

We had a short afternoon visit from niece Cinda last week. She was on her way back to Bellevue from Aberdeen, so left the freeway to come to Steilacoom for a bit of lunch and a visit. And of course we were delighted to see her. She, Curt, and Linea are busy, busy, busy. Linea is recovering from three hours of sinus, tonsil, adenoid surgery, and is wanting to recover quickly to get back to work at Seattle Center before having to return to school in Chicago. Cinda completed her first year as a professor at Seattle University, and Curt continues his rehab work at the University of Washington. He works in the assistive technology clinic to help
in finding solutions for folks who have been the victims of stroke or accident resulting in physical impairment. I know it gets to be a heavy burden at times, but I can't think of anyone who is more caring or more compassionate then he. I know he is an asset to the UW.

We have the motor home washed and cleaned and ready for our next outing which is the first week end in August for the family reunion in Hopewell, OR. Jerry and Lois plan to attend, and if all is calm, so will Curt and Cinda. Jeff and Bev Schuler will be in Vancouver, WA that week end for a wedding, and plan to visit us for the following week, so we will drop the Jetta at their hotel in Vancouver on Saturday and they can drive down and join us on Sunday.

I can't think anything else of interest at the moment.............

Ciao

Lovely Lavender

We thoroughly enjoyed our lavender weekend. We met Gary and Carolyn at the ferry about noon on Friday and spent the afternoon and evening at the motor home catching up on our comings and goings. On Saturday we walked the street fair and took the shuttle bus out to two of the lavender farms. And visited two more farms on Sunday. All the participating farms had entertainment, food that could be purchased, and of course every conceivable lavender product.

I love the soaps and lotions and fragrances, but I have yet to find any redeeming quality to cooking with lavender. It is simply too mild to make a statement in anything from what I can tell. I've tasted lavender pound cake, lavender cookies and lavender ice cream, and I couldn't taste it in anything.

But it is lovely to look at, and the fragrance is heavenly. We have a huge plant by the back door that has just finished blooming as well as several in the garden. Now Ken is going to plant lavender along the pathway leading up to the front door.

We ate and drank well while with Gary and Carolyn and spent a bit of time talking about our travel plans for the coming fall and winter. We are thinking of leaving sooner (October?) rather than later for our southern sojourn. But we have to negotiate with Craig because we are losing our dog/house sitter since Colleen starts a new job in Phoenix the first of August. It is another Fuller campus which is where she worked in Colorado, but it is a higher level (and higher pay).

I have been spending a fair bit of time at Madigan Hospital for all the annual routine appointments, and I think I am about finished. I wanted to get everything finished before fall arrived. Contrary to my concerns that health care would become more difficult at Madigan because of the addition of troops and families to the Fort Lewis community, it seems it is running more smoothly than ever!

We have blue skies and sunshine; almost too much blue and sun, but we will enjoy it while it is here, because I'm sure there is rain in the forecast sometime in the near future.

Ciao

Hurricane Dennis where we used to be

Watching the news of the hurricane takes me back to the months we spent in Pensacola while Ken went through pre-flight. We were there from March to September, and as we were traveling on to Corpus Christi we were being closely followed by a hurricane which did not catch us. I don't remember much news, if any, about hurricanes for the time we were in Florida. We lived in Pensacola, and I aspired to live in Gulf Breeze, where the 'senior' officers lived. I wouldn't want to be there today.

We have been invited to the 50th wedding anniversary mass and reception for Jerry and Mary Ellen McKain this afternoon. The mass is also celebrating their granddaughter's quinceanero - fifteen years of Christian living. Molly and her family live in Texas and her father is of an hispanic culture which I believe is much more focused on the quinceanero. We are looking forward to it. When Ken first went to work at Western State Hospital, he worked for Jerry. Coincidentally, they live on Walnut Lane just a few hundred yards up the hill from us, so we count them as friends and neighbors as well as a former coworker.

Colleen and Cooper are out for their daily walk. She has made it a habit to walk him, and he doesn't let her forget it. He is in her face every waking moment until they are on their way. For a ten-year-old ill-behaved dog, she has made great strides in getting him to walk like a gentleman. They walk from here to Sunnyside Beach which is three miles round trip.

We watched a Rick Steves show on Friday evening which found him in Croatia. We want to go!!! In fact, we have posed that scenario to the Schulers, and the email response (within 15 minutes of my sending the message) was yes, yes, yes. It looks beautiful, and seems to be the bargain for Europe at the moment. This will not happen until next year, but we are going to talk about it when we are together next month.

Next week will be preparation for our Lavender Festival week end. For some reason, Winnebago chose not to install seatbelts in the dinette in our MH - so it is designed to sleep six, but can only transport five safely. We are taking it to a van conversion shop in Puyallup next week to see about two more seat belts. I have talked to them, and they see no reason why it can't be done. Me neither since the 2004s and 2006s have dinette seatbelts!

There must be some bad karma in this house. The treadmill gave up the ghost this week, and last night while preparing dinner, the microwave oven died. This on the heels of a new lawnmower just two weeks ago. Maybe it is just time to move!!

Cool and cloudy today, but sunshine is on the way, and is predicted to stay for the next week or so.

Ciao

Post Fourth of July

After a rather subdued holiday week end, we are seeming to continue in that mode - subdued, not holiday.

We did not even walk downtown on the Fourth. We were invited to friends for a barbeque early in the afternoon, and by the time I finished preparing some food to take, it was time to go. We came home and watched the fireworks from our upstairs window. The weather did cooperate; it was a beauiful day.

Next week is the Lavender Festival in Sequim, and the Ouseys are going to come over on the ferry from Victoria and join us. The festival runs for three full days, so we should have plenty to keep us busy. Eight of the farms are open during the festival and offer everything from demonstrations, to crafts, to food. That in addition to a street fair, and two dances. I am looking forward to it, and it will be fun to share it with Gary and Carolyn. We have reservations at an RV park that is actually a marina in Port Townsend. From the looks of the website it looks like a great place with good views of the water.

Here is a recipe I made last night. It is from my current favorite food maven: Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. Note it has no oil or fat in the marinade!

Indonesian Ginger Chicken

1 cup honey
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup minced garlic (8 to 12 cloves)
1/2 cup peeled and grated fresh ginger root
2 (3 1/2#) chickens, quartered, with backs removed

Cook the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger on low heat in a small pan until the honey is melted.
Arrange the chicken in one layer in a shallow baking dish, skin side down, and pour the sauce over. Cover tightly with foil and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, bake for 30 minutes, turn skin side up, increase heat to 375 and bake another 30 minutes.

Note: I used chicken breasts, and I just poured on the marinade and baked it. I needed dinner in an hour, not 24 hours. And it tasted just fine!

Ciao

A Short Trip to Vancouver

Colleen had an interview today at Regents College on the campus of the University of British Columbia, so we were on the road at 6 a.m. this morning because we just didn't know what to expect at the border. We zipped right through and had time for a mid morning breakfast before her interview at noon.

I have driven through the city several times, and today reminded me again what a large and beautiful city it is. I am determined to make it a destination point sometime in the near future. Its myriad of small neighborhoods give a European feel, and it appears that walking and biking are both very popular there. We drove through Stanley Park this afternoon which afforded us some beautiful views of the water and surrounding mountains. We stopped in the park at the Sequoia Grill for a glass of wine and a snack. Again, we had a gorgeous view.

According to Gary's blog, they are going to take us up on our invitation and come visit for a few days. Now we are waiting to find out when. I had made the assumption that they were settled in out at Maryhill campground with the RV for the holiday week end, but apparantly they are home. So we will stand by!

We will take in some of the activities here in Steilacoom on Monday, the Fourth. We usually wander downtown for a while to watch the parade and check out the food and craft booths. I have never been able to muster the energy to go back down for the dance, but we do watch the fireworks. We have had the fun of having either the grandsons or the grandaughters here to share the day with us in previous years, but alas, not this year.

To our Canadian friends: enjoy Canada Day and the long week end; and to our fellow Americans: have a happy and safe Fourth of July.

Ciao

A new lawn mower?

Yep, that is as exciting as it gets around here. Our last one simply died and would have required a new motor which didn't seem to be cost-effective since the mower is several years old and past its prime. So Ken is outside at the moment giving the new one a test drive. It is definitely quieter than the last one.

We have been staying pretty close to home, and have no plans for the next few days. Colleen gets in about 11 pm on Sunday evening so that means a late night trip to the airport.

I have sent an email to an RV resort in Ehrenburg, Arizona, on the advice of the Ouseys, to see if we can garner a spot for the month of February so we can be their neighbors. However, I am finding that a lot of these RV places either don't or can't read and respond to email, so I suppose I'll have to do it the old fashioned way and use the telephone.

Next week end the tall ships will be docked in Tacoma and there is quite a lot of stuff going on in conjunction with. Perhaps we will have to take a peek while they are here. This week end is Taste of Tacoma where about 50 restaurants gather in the park to sell tastes of their wares for $5 apiece. I can think of more enjoyable ways to eat restaurant food.

The news this week has not been to my liking on two fronts: the expansion of the rights of a city with regard to eminent domain. I always thought a man's home was his castle, and was his to keep except in the case of eminent domain whereby the property is needed for public use such as a street. Now it seems a city or town can take the property (and pay fair market price......big deal) in the interest of improving the economy by making it available for development. And developers are some of my favorite people.....Not!!!! Aaargh. Then there is the ongoing diatribe by Bush and Rumsfeld and the like with regard to the war in Iraq. They have sanitized this war and reduced it to such non-human terms, that I can hardly stand to see or listen to them.

Okay, I feel better now. Have a great week end. Ciao

Lazy Days of Summer

Today it is about 80 degrees, and one just wants to sit and soak up the sunshine. It is supposed to be the same tomorrow, and reasonable for the rest of the week.

We were home about four days when I decided to drive to Spokane to spend a few days with sister-in-law Lois. We spent 2 nights at the cabin on Lake Sacheen. She and Jerry have decided they are going to sell it, and I am going to miss it. We would consider buying it, except they have never been able to get approval for a septic system, and a sewer system is probably in the distant future. They use an electric toilet which is an interesting contraption, and very ecologically sound, but it has its limitations. Their property is in a little bay, and Lake Sacheen is very quiet since it is small, and there are no resorts or camps located on it.

I had dinner on Friday night with Mike, Mary, and Joel. Mike and Mary are going to Iowa on Wednesday to visit with a newly-found half-sister of Mike's, and her family. I'm sure it will be a great trip, and I am anxious to hear about it.

I took the long way home on Saturday so I drove about 450 miles instead of 300. I chose to drive from Spokane to Colfax to visit Pat's grave, and the graves of my ancestors. It was a lovely sunny day, and the rolling green wheat fields of the Palouse were at their finest. In leaving Colfax, I headed west toward the towns of Washtucna and Kahlotus, both of which are way past their prime, and just about qualify for ghost towns. My route took me through the Tri-cities, so a stop at Barnard Griffin tasting room was in order. It took me a total of ten hours to get back to Steilacoom.

Craig came for dinner yesterday for Father's Day, and Brian, Keith, and Colleen called. Colleen had attended an international teaching hiring fair in Philadelphia over the week end. Now she is in Colorado, and will be home next Sunday. Keith and Janet have been luxurating in the glory of having their home to themselves again after the departure of all the relatives. Brian has been doing some scuba diving on Guam, and toured the island last week end. The prior week, he was flown out to a carrier to meet and greet the folks who run that show.

We have no plans for the next week or two besides trying to keep up with the weeds outside. I have some projects that could use my attention, but I'm not moving very fast in that direction.

Speaking of the Father's Day dinner......here is the best-ever recipe for beef shish kabobs on the grill. The general idea is from Cooks Illlustrated and Brian and Sheila served this after his change of command last April.

Beef blade roast, cubed (don't be tempted to buy anything expensive)
minced cloves of garlic - about 2 or 3 cloves
olive oil - about 1/2 cup
fresh lemon juice - 1 lemon's worth
Salt and Pepper

Combine all in a Zip-lock bag for anywhere from one hour to one day. Thread on skewers with various vegetables such as mushroom, bell pepper, and onion. I also used fresh cubed pineapple.

The fat in the meat plus the marinade combine to make it very tender and flavorful.

Ciao

Homecoming

We arrived home this afternoon after a very easy trip. Keith drove us to Andrews this morning for a C-17 that was going to McChord. While waiting for our flight, we stood at a window about 100 yards from the runway and watched Air Force One pull up to await President Bush who went to Ohio today. The Marine helicopter landed, military personnel saluted and stood at attention and the president was escorted the few hundred feet from the helicopter to Air Force One. I am not a Bush fan, but I am an American and appreciate the office.

We observed something that few Americans have the opportunity to do anymore. There were lots of military and security personnel plus two German Shephereds inside the terminal where we were waiting for our flight. So shortly after George left, we were on our way to McChord.

We had a great time with Keith and his family, but it does feel good to be home. I'm sure Keith and Janet will be glad to have their lives get back to normal. her sister and family leave tomorrow and her parents go back to Montana a week from today.

Colleen kept the garden and flowers alive, but she has been working long hours so Cooper will be glad to have us home with him. She will be going to Pennsylvania next week for an overseas teaching job fair. She is looking at several possibilities to include Qutar and Beijing, but nothing is for sure.

We have few commitments over the next few weeks, so I'm hoping we can get out in the motor home in the near future. It is still my favorite way to travel.

Ciao

How Time Flies When..................

You are having a good time.

Since returning from New England we have seen the arrival of Janet's parents and her sister and husband and two children. Tuesday afternoon was Sarah's graduation, and last Saturday was the graduation party. Oh yes, and Keith's birthday was on Friday.

Sarah's graduation was held in an outside venue that is used for functions such as concerts. Fortunately, the weather was most pleasant, but unfortuantely, we were sitting on the wrong side to see Sarah process in and out. Fortunately, friends were able to take a photograph of her. There were two large-screen monitors so we were able to see her as she received her diploma. Afterwards we were treated to dinner at a Japanese restaurant which is Sarah's favorite, and then came home for a toast and gift opening. A very nice day all in all. I hope to have a picture or two one of these days.

Keith's birthday was rather quiet this year in light of all the graduation activities, but we did go out for happy hour and then came home for apple crisp which was his request. We are still awaiting word on his request for exemption from active duty which would be the best birthday gift of all.

Saturday's party was a great success with about 40 people in attendance. There was food aplenty and the deck looked very festive with white lights and copper torches. Sheila and the boys and her mother, Betty, came up from Virginia for the day so it was grand to have all four of grandchildren together. I don't know if the kids were impressed, but we were.

On Monday, Ken and I took MARC in to DC to meet up with the Virginians again to tour some of the monuments and ride the tram around the DC area. I am always moved by the Lincoln memorial, and this time was no exception. It has been about ten years since we have been in Washington so there are several new memorials. We saw the WWII memorial from the tram, but we walked from the Jefferson to the Lincoln to the FDR memorials. The Roosevelt memorial is very well done with several sheer rock walls, waterfalls, and pools, and it covers quite a large area. We will soon run out of space if other memorials occupy the same amount of space.

Ken and I arrived early on Monday so we spent about one hour inside the National Gallery of Art. I am always drawn to Cezanne and Cassatt, and there is a lovely painting of a lady, whose name escapes me, by John Sargent Singer that always intrigues me. I learned that the single Leonardo de Vinci at the National Gallery is his only work to be found in North America.

There is a C-17 schedued from Andrews to McChord tomorrow morning, so we will be there in the hopes that seats are available. We have had a wonderful time with Keith and Janet and the girls, but there comes a time when one is ready to be home. My next blog should be from Steilacoom. Ciao

We arrived back at Keith and Janet's on Friday afternoon. We left the southern area of Boston at 8 a.m. and didn't get here until 6. We only hit two areas that were stop and go for many miles; otherwise it was a pretty easy trip.

Last Tuesday we drove to L.L. Bean in Freeport, Maine. We remember L.L. Bean from the early 70's when it was a single two story building with creaking wood floors. Now it is a huge new two story building in the middle of town. The rest of Freeport is one big outlet mall. Older buildings such as a Carnegie library building have been taken over by the likes of J.Jill and Abercrombie and Fitch and Nautica. Ken bought some shoes, Helen bought nothing.

After shopping we continued north to the little New England town of Wiscasset to partake of a lobster roll at Red's. He guarantees there is a whole lobster in each sandwich. On a corner of main street in this little town sits a little tiny building with a walk-up window. One can purchase hamburgers and such, but the main player is the lobster roll at $11.00 each. It is nothing but lobster meat in a roll served with a little container of melted butter that is poured out of a tea kettle. This little establishment has been featured in the likes of Gourmet magazine and on the Food Network. It was a great lunch.

On Wednesday we visited one of Ken's Navy friends, Bill Kozain. He and Ken met on the plane that was taking them to Pensacola, Florida for pre-flight training in 1964. Bill and Nina live in New London, New Hampshire on 20 acres in a 100 year old New England farm house. Nina was out of town, but Bill treated us to a steak dinner which we enjoyed with him and his brother and wife who were visiting from Florida.

We like new New England, and especially liked New Hampshire, which we had never visited before. Bill took us down the road, around the bend, by the lake, and up the hill to a working maple farm. Just a farmhouse-type building with a little space in the basement dedicated to candy-making and office space. They have ten MILES of plastic tubing that is used to gather the sap in the spring. Their sugar shack where the sap is boiled down was the house where this man was born. Of course we purchased some maple syrup and had a delightful visit with the owners.

We spent our last evening in Boston having dinner and visiting with Ed and Madeline Gromada whom we know from Navy days in Hawaii. Ed was a brand new ensign and they had just gotten married. Ed has worked for several companies and as a consultant, and his career has taken them to Florida, Holland, and France. We have not seen them for over 30 years, but we took up right where we had left off. It was a delight to see them again.

Ed shared that he considered himself to have been a friend of Julia Childs. Of course, up until a short while before she passed away, she lived in Cambridge, and Ed's company was involved with Julia and a cookware promotion. He said she was a delightful lady. He said she was a great supporter of PBS, and while they were enroute to a dinner and fundraiser, she inquired of her promoters as to what they were charging for her cookbook at this event. Whatever the price, she informed them that they were to increase the price of her cookbook by $5 to better fund PBS.

Remember those who have served and those who have given their lives for this country.

Ciao

New England

We drove about 10 hours today, and here we are in Kittery, Maine with the wind blowing and the rain hitting sideways. Welcome to New England. We even managed New York City with no problems. We spent about 1 1/2 hours driving 30 miles as we circled the greater Boston area at 5 p.m.

We stopped just before crossing into NYC at Liberty Park which affords a view, albeit a rear view but a view, of the statue of Liberty as well as a spectacular view of the New York skyline. One can board a ferry from this park and go out to the statue of Liberty as well as Ellis Island which we plan to do on another trip. Ken's grandparents and my great grandparents all entered this country via Ellis Island.

Tomorrow we plan to drive north to Freeport, Maine, the home of L.L. Bean, visit Brunswick Naval Base, and visit Wiscassat, Maine where there is a little food stand called Red's, that earned the notice of the Food Network for its lobster rolls. We will be taste testing.

Ciao