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
Friday, September 30, 2005
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
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
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
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
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
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
Thursday, September 15, 2005
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
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
Monday, September 05, 2005
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)