We seem to be keeping busy. We have done a bit of post Christmas shopping and Keith, Janet and the girls just left for a day in Seattle. Since we can go anytime, we opted to stay home for the day. However, we might drive to Curt and Cinda's and rendevouz later in the day.
Craig and Cassie have been here two evenings to share dinner with us, and we will be going their way tomorrow. They gave all of us girls gift certificates for pedicures so tomorrow will be a girls' day at the salon.
There has been much eating, enjoying wine and game and card playing. Our prime rib dinner on Christmas turned out very well, and I probably will never be able to duplicate it. As usual, I combined several recipes plus my own ideas, but it all turned out well with the exception of rather flat yorkshire puddings. Well, you can't win 'em all.
I am already enjoying some of my Christmas gifts. I asked Santa for 100 #2 pencils and chisel-pointed erasers for my puzzle work - and he obliged. I also came across a stemware drying mat, and I love it. It looks like a refined rubber floor mat covered with little rubber bristles that raise the glass up enough to let air circulate; hence glasses air dried without spots. It is great.
We have had lots of rain, but the last two days have produced a few hours of blue sky and sunshine. In a couple of weeks we will be absorbing full days of the stuff once we get to Arizona. Ken looked at the web cams for the Siskyous this morning and the road looked fine with lots and lots of RVs heading south.
I hope all of you are staying well and enjoying the season. Ciao
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Merry Christmas.......
to all our friends and family. We are thrilled to have the 'Baltimore Kirkwoods' here to share this special time with us.
One of Janet's surprise Christmas gifts for Keith was two Seahawks tickets for today's game against the San Diego Chargers so he and his dad left about 9:30 to catch the train to Seattle. it is cloudy and cool outside with a good possibility of showers, but we hope the weather at least stays dry.
Since Craig, Cassie, and Greta were headed to Oregon to spend Christmas with Cassie's parents in Stayton, we all met at the Hawks Prairie Restaurant yesterday morning for breakfast. Greta will stay with her grandparents for the next week or so, this was the only chance for Greta to meet Keith and Janet and the girls. And like the rest of us, they all thought Cassie was great and Greta quite precocious.
As luck would have it, Santa and his wife sat down at a table near us for breakfast. He wasn't wearing his full formal red suit, but he had on a red shirt, and had glasses and a beautiful full white beard. Colleen and Greta approached him after he had finished breakfast and Greta announced she had a question for him. "Where are your reindeer?" He told her they were still at the North Pole. And he gave her his business card. Of course we have a picture, which I will post at a later date, and it couldn't have turned out any better if we had tried.
We will go to church this evening and then come home for our traditional fondue supper. And even though we have no need to wait for Santa, we will wait and open our gifts in the morning. We usually have seafood for Christmas dinner, but this year we are going to be even more traditional and have prime rib and Yorkshire pudding.
Brian, Sheila and the boys are spending their Christmas at the condo in McCall. I think Brian has to work next week, but they will go back up for New Year's week end.
I hope all of you are well and happy this Christmas season. Ciao
One of Janet's surprise Christmas gifts for Keith was two Seahawks tickets for today's game against the San Diego Chargers so he and his dad left about 9:30 to catch the train to Seattle. it is cloudy and cool outside with a good possibility of showers, but we hope the weather at least stays dry.
Since Craig, Cassie, and Greta were headed to Oregon to spend Christmas with Cassie's parents in Stayton, we all met at the Hawks Prairie Restaurant yesterday morning for breakfast. Greta will stay with her grandparents for the next week or so, this was the only chance for Greta to meet Keith and Janet and the girls. And like the rest of us, they all thought Cassie was great and Greta quite precocious.
As luck would have it, Santa and his wife sat down at a table near us for breakfast. He wasn't wearing his full formal red suit, but he had on a red shirt, and had glasses and a beautiful full white beard. Colleen and Greta approached him after he had finished breakfast and Greta announced she had a question for him. "Where are your reindeer?" He told her they were still at the North Pole. And he gave her his business card. Of course we have a picture, which I will post at a later date, and it couldn't have turned out any better if we had tried.
We will go to church this evening and then come home for our traditional fondue supper. And even though we have no need to wait for Santa, we will wait and open our gifts in the morning. We usually have seafood for Christmas dinner, but this year we are going to be even more traditional and have prime rib and Yorkshire pudding.
Brian, Sheila and the boys are spending their Christmas at the condo in McCall. I think Brian has to work next week, but they will go back up for New Year's week end.
I hope all of you are well and happy this Christmas season. Ciao
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Christmas is still coming
even if every last thing isn't done. I can't believe how long it is taking to put this house back together. We still have to decorate and put up the tree which we did get yesterday. The only good thing about this slow painful process is that I won't have to clean house afterwards because I have cleaned every step of the way.
Colleen will be here later tonight. She stayed in Redding last night and when I talked to her about an hour ago, she was just getting to Grants Pass. Now we have to hope the two dogs like each other since they have never met before. We think they will be okay because neither is aggressive, although Colleen said Skyla has become pretty protective and possessive through the move. I don't think Cooper will care as long as he has his bed, his tennis balls, and food and water.
We lost power again night before last around midnight and found out yesterday that it was a feeder line that runs down the middle of Walnut Lane. The utility folks kindly let us know that the road would be torn up for about three hours in case we wanted to get our car out of here so we could go someplace - which we did. And power was restored about two yesterday afternoon.
Curt and Cinda are still without power with nothing on the horizon. They are sequestered in their kitchen/family room with the fireplace and they have a gas range and water heater so they are managing. I haven't talked to Elisabeth for a day or two, but they are out quite a ways so I suspect they may still be without power as well. But they keep themselves well-prepared with a generator and stored water plus a good wood-burning fireplace. For some people of my generation, it is second nature to figure out how to stay warm and dry and fed - I grew up with cold running water, a wood stove for heating and cooking, and no indoor plumbing!!
Colleen is thrilled to be driving through southern Oregon with a gray overcast sky, and I am beginning to have visions of sitting in the sunshine in Arizona - which I will be doing in a month. I don't mind our northwest weather, but sunshine sounds good.
It's time to get back to work. Stay warm. Ciao
Colleen will be here later tonight. She stayed in Redding last night and when I talked to her about an hour ago, she was just getting to Grants Pass. Now we have to hope the two dogs like each other since they have never met before. We think they will be okay because neither is aggressive, although Colleen said Skyla has become pretty protective and possessive through the move. I don't think Cooper will care as long as he has his bed, his tennis balls, and food and water.
We lost power again night before last around midnight and found out yesterday that it was a feeder line that runs down the middle of Walnut Lane. The utility folks kindly let us know that the road would be torn up for about three hours in case we wanted to get our car out of here so we could go someplace - which we did. And power was restored about two yesterday afternoon.
Curt and Cinda are still without power with nothing on the horizon. They are sequestered in their kitchen/family room with the fireplace and they have a gas range and water heater so they are managing. I haven't talked to Elisabeth for a day or two, but they are out quite a ways so I suspect they may still be without power as well. But they keep themselves well-prepared with a generator and stored water plus a good wood-burning fireplace. For some people of my generation, it is second nature to figure out how to stay warm and dry and fed - I grew up with cold running water, a wood stove for heating and cooking, and no indoor plumbing!!
Colleen is thrilled to be driving through southern Oregon with a gray overcast sky, and I am beginning to have visions of sitting in the sunshine in Arizona - which I will be doing in a month. I don't mind our northwest weather, but sunshine sounds good.
It's time to get back to work. Stay warm. Ciao
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Remembering
It was one year ago today that Gary Ousey's brother passed away after having been diagnosed with brain cancer within the month! We were in Yuma at the time, Gary had already flown to Winnepeg earlier in the week, and we took Carolyn to Phoenix on the 17th for her flight out. It was a very sad time for them. Dennis widow, Catherine, has continued with blogging and sharing some of her emotions, the good and the difficult. She is presently visiting their daughter in Vancouver and plans to move there permanently next summer.
We had a very enjoyable evening with the Bakers last Monday night with much of the conversation centered around the RV life. They took their RV to Orlando and back last summer and other than some tire and battery problems they had a great trip. We keep saying we are going to get together and go somewhere, but so far we haven't.
The painting, curtain hanging, Christmas decorating, and general organizing will be finished by tomorrow night. For those of you who live in the Lakewood/Tacoma area, I suggest you go to Rodda Paints on South 84th. Good product, reasonable price, and excellent customer service. We discovered today that they had mixed two gallons of satin instead of flat as I had asked (and the receipt verified), and they apologized, replaced the paint and refused to charge me for the two new paint pads I wanted to purchase. A good business from all that I can tell.
We weathered the massive wind storm with no problems. Steilacoom seems to be quite sheltered from storms, and we especially so. We had a few branches down, and were without power for about 15 hours, but that was it. The only concern was no power to run the sump pump which had been constantly running in the basement because of all the heavy rain associated with the storm. So Ken fired up the generator in the motor home and hooked up the sump pump! Problem solved. Our friends in Gig Harbor, and Curt and Cinda in Bellevue are still without power and are being told it could still be days before it is restored.
Six more sleeps and the Keith and Janet and the girls will be here. And probably fewer than that for Colleen. The moving company picked up her household goods today, and she is leaving Phoenix after church tomorrow. She is staying in Pasadena tomorrow night and then will head north fromt there. She should be here Wednesday or Thursday.
I mailed about eight Christmas cards this year. Since I blog and keep in touch by email, I have limited my list to those whom I don't have contact with during the year. So if you are reading, this you won't be getting a Christmas card! Ciao.
We had a very enjoyable evening with the Bakers last Monday night with much of the conversation centered around the RV life. They took their RV to Orlando and back last summer and other than some tire and battery problems they had a great trip. We keep saying we are going to get together and go somewhere, but so far we haven't.
The painting, curtain hanging, Christmas decorating, and general organizing will be finished by tomorrow night. For those of you who live in the Lakewood/Tacoma area, I suggest you go to Rodda Paints on South 84th. Good product, reasonable price, and excellent customer service. We discovered today that they had mixed two gallons of satin instead of flat as I had asked (and the receipt verified), and they apologized, replaced the paint and refused to charge me for the two new paint pads I wanted to purchase. A good business from all that I can tell.
We weathered the massive wind storm with no problems. Steilacoom seems to be quite sheltered from storms, and we especially so. We had a few branches down, and were without power for about 15 hours, but that was it. The only concern was no power to run the sump pump which had been constantly running in the basement because of all the heavy rain associated with the storm. So Ken fired up the generator in the motor home and hooked up the sump pump! Problem solved. Our friends in Gig Harbor, and Curt and Cinda in Bellevue are still without power and are being told it could still be days before it is restored.
Six more sleeps and the Keith and Janet and the girls will be here. And probably fewer than that for Colleen. The moving company picked up her household goods today, and she is leaving Phoenix after church tomorrow. She is staying in Pasadena tomorrow night and then will head north fromt there. She should be here Wednesday or Thursday.
I mailed about eight Christmas cards this year. Since I blog and keep in touch by email, I have limited my list to those whom I don't have contact with during the year. So if you are reading, this you won't be getting a Christmas card! Ciao.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Projects, Dinners, and North Korea
I am taking a breather from cooking, wrapping, and internet shopping. It seems as if I have a dozen different projects going and can't get any of them to the point of completion. I started wrapping gifts today, and have at least one that must be mailed, so I need to keep at it.
It is cold and drizzly outside today so it is a good day to be inside. I thought Craig, Cassie and Greta were coming for dinner, so put together a couple of dishes this morning.........now they aren't coming because Craig has been sick for three days, but the good part is that dinner is ready~!!
We were invited to Curt and Cinda's for dinner last night, and as always, it was a very enjoyable evening and an excellent meal. She had been shopping at Williams Sonoma so created a marvelous reduction sauce with veal glace and chestnuts. Roast beef and oven roasted carrots rounded out her menu. Our contribution was a green salad with orange segments and pomegranate seeds and an orange-based dressing and for dessert a little plain one egg cake with chocolate frosting right out of my old Betty Crocker cookbook.
While shopping at Williams Sonoma, Cinda purchased a package for me containing four different sea salts including one from the Big Island in Hawaii that is black!! I am excited to try them all.
Colleen is in the throes of last minute packing and will be ready for her movers next week. She said she is so excited for this move that she feels like she could jump in her car and drive straight through -but assured me she wouldn't. She said Skyla is curious about all the boxes but doesn't seem to be distressed. Now when the suitcase comes out it will be a different story....she just doesn't know she gets to go along this time.
We watched the Diane Sawyer special about her visit to North Korea. Of course there was nothing revealing because everyone has been told what to do and say. I find it curious/frightening? that that country's leader has the time to create directives on every little aspect of everyday life. Talk about state control!!
We are invited to Kit and Katherine's tomorrow night for dinner so I feel like we have had a great week of eating out. Katherine and I worked together in real estate about one hundred years ago. Now Kit, who is a retired pilot, is working in real estate.
Back to my chores. Ciao
It is cold and drizzly outside today so it is a good day to be inside. I thought Craig, Cassie and Greta were coming for dinner, so put together a couple of dishes this morning.........now they aren't coming because Craig has been sick for three days, but the good part is that dinner is ready~!!
We were invited to Curt and Cinda's for dinner last night, and as always, it was a very enjoyable evening and an excellent meal. She had been shopping at Williams Sonoma so created a marvelous reduction sauce with veal glace and chestnuts. Roast beef and oven roasted carrots rounded out her menu. Our contribution was a green salad with orange segments and pomegranate seeds and an orange-based dressing and for dessert a little plain one egg cake with chocolate frosting right out of my old Betty Crocker cookbook.
While shopping at Williams Sonoma, Cinda purchased a package for me containing four different sea salts including one from the Big Island in Hawaii that is black!! I am excited to try them all.
Colleen is in the throes of last minute packing and will be ready for her movers next week. She said she is so excited for this move that she feels like she could jump in her car and drive straight through -but assured me she wouldn't. She said Skyla is curious about all the boxes but doesn't seem to be distressed. Now when the suitcase comes out it will be a different story....she just doesn't know she gets to go along this time.
We watched the Diane Sawyer special about her visit to North Korea. Of course there was nothing revealing because everyone has been told what to do and say. I find it curious/frightening? that that country's leader has the time to create directives on every little aspect of everyday life. Talk about state control!!
We are invited to Kit and Katherine's tomorrow night for dinner so I feel like we have had a great week of eating out. Katherine and I worked together in real estate about one hundred years ago. Now Kit, who is a retired pilot, is working in real estate.
Back to my chores. Ciao
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
We had a letter recently from our neighbors at the RV Park in Loma Linda. They are now back in Nampa Idaho after Vic completed his round of proton therapy. Eva wrote that Mad Hattie was asked to leave, and she couldn't believe how quiet it got after she was gone. That poor old lady is going to have a difficult time settling in anywhere. And why she is living in a 24' motor home is beyond me. I have a feeling she doesn't have much of anybody to look after her.
Ken is slowly recovering from some kind of a bronchial malaise. He is now coughing less and has a little more energy. He will recover just in time for me to come down with it I suppose.
The motor home is at South Side Motors now that it has been at the Workhorse facility. There is a problem with the coach battery and no one can figure out the cause. Workhorse says it is losing its charge as a result of the house batteries, but South Side doesn't think that is the case. At least they are talking to each other so perhaps there will be some resolution by the end of the day.
I am down to the last act for the Christmas quilt which is to finish the binding. I have it attached by machine and now just have to sew it down on the back side. Any further embellishments will have to wait to be added for next year because there are too many other things on my agenda at the moment.
We have been following the story of the Kim family that was lost in the Oregon backroads. We took that same road several years ago - in the summertime - and it was iffy then. As I recall, parts of it were just a glorified logging road with hairpin turns and single lane traffic. But as mentioned on an internet site, many maps and online programs show that route as a viable option to get to Gold Beach. Sadly, the body of James Kim was found this morning.
As we talked about what we would do in that situation, we determined that we would not leave our car, and it would behoove us to carry something like a big blue tarp or red tape to put on top of the car to be seen from the air. Duct tape is going to be another addition to our bundle of emergency items we carry in the car. In addition to the usual blankets and flashlight, I also have a metal coffee can jammed full of partialy used candles that would create one good-sized candle for some light and a bit of heat for quite a while. And a good use for all those half-burned candles.
We have a bit of sunshine and it isn't terribly cold, but it is definitely a winter light outside. I am happy to have the temperatures get back to what is normal for us around here because I could not get warm last week when it was so cold.
Ciao
Ken is slowly recovering from some kind of a bronchial malaise. He is now coughing less and has a little more energy. He will recover just in time for me to come down with it I suppose.
The motor home is at South Side Motors now that it has been at the Workhorse facility. There is a problem with the coach battery and no one can figure out the cause. Workhorse says it is losing its charge as a result of the house batteries, but South Side doesn't think that is the case. At least they are talking to each other so perhaps there will be some resolution by the end of the day.
I am down to the last act for the Christmas quilt which is to finish the binding. I have it attached by machine and now just have to sew it down on the back side. Any further embellishments will have to wait to be added for next year because there are too many other things on my agenda at the moment.
We have been following the story of the Kim family that was lost in the Oregon backroads. We took that same road several years ago - in the summertime - and it was iffy then. As I recall, parts of it were just a glorified logging road with hairpin turns and single lane traffic. But as mentioned on an internet site, many maps and online programs show that route as a viable option to get to Gold Beach. Sadly, the body of James Kim was found this morning.
As we talked about what we would do in that situation, we determined that we would not leave our car, and it would behoove us to carry something like a big blue tarp or red tape to put on top of the car to be seen from the air. Duct tape is going to be another addition to our bundle of emergency items we carry in the car. In addition to the usual blankets and flashlight, I also have a metal coffee can jammed full of partialy used candles that would create one good-sized candle for some light and a bit of heat for quite a while. And a good use for all those half-burned candles.
We have a bit of sunshine and it isn't terribly cold, but it is definitely a winter light outside. I am happy to have the temperatures get back to what is normal for us around here because I could not get warm last week when it was so cold.
Ciao
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Wedded Bliss, Palouse Hills, St. Nicholas
We have been home since last Monday, and the house is still in a pretty significant state of disarray. I do have the kitchen back together, and that was no mean feat since I had to start from the top down and wash and/or dust every single shelf, spice, dish, kettle and wall. But the floors do look very nice, and I am especially excited to be rid of the vinyl in the kitchen and to have the fir floor.
Ken is in the process of painting quarter-round so he can move on to some painting of the walls and trim. It does make it easy since the living room and dining room are both empty……but there is not one open square inch in the guest room!!
On Friday we celebrated 44 years of wedded bliss peppered with a few little exceptions along the way. Ken’s treat was a maple bar for breakfast!! We went out to dinner, but enjoyed a shrimp cocktail and a bottle of Washington wine before going downtown to Le Crème Brule.
I found a Columbia Valley wine, Palouse Hills, that is produced and bottled in Walla Walla. It was a reasonably priced, very tasty cabernet. I bought it for the significance of the name since Ken was at WSU during our early courting days and I can still hear Ray Conniff recordings serenading us at the student union building. Now the challenge is to find more of the wine because there only seem to be a few bottles available on closeout at the state liquor stores.
We had promised ourselves we would give Le Crème Brule one more chance, and it fared quite well this time. Ken had rack of lamb and I had duck maigret en papillote. Both were very nicely presented, and my only criticism is that my duck breast was a bit over-cooked. Espresso and crème brule rounded out the evening. There was even a small jazz combo playing which added to the ambience.
Yesterday was a St. Nicholas faire at the Olympia Waldorf School that Greta attends so I made an appearance for about an hour. Cassie was in charge of making gingerbread that was then being sold for $1 per piece, and there was a brisk business because it was very cold outside where some of the crafts and vendors were located. I purchased a few little stocking stuffers and walked through the school for a peek. Greta’s dad was there with her so I met Jason and visited with Greta for a few minutes. Her latest news is that she is now six!!
I can’t get warm, and I think part of the problem is our heating system rather than having been a hothouse plant down south for three months. For some reason the back of the house just doesn’t get very much heat, and of course that is where the television and computer are located, so it makes for some chilly leisure time.
I am beginning to feel pretty good about Christmas shopping. I think I am at least 50% there with some ideas for the rest. I LOVE the internet. And with many sites offering free shipping, it is hard to beat the bargains. I like to support Operation Christmas Child, but I passed on shopping and packing a box and went with a donation instead since I am so content not to have to go out to shop. Now I am anxious to finish getting the house back together so I can move forward with decorating, wrapping, and menu planning and baking.
The Ziemers called us yesterday to wish us a happy anniversary – Daryl was Ken’s best man. They are planning their annual trip south and hope to leave around the 4th of January. Daryl’s mother was in the hospital recently and now they are making some arrangements for someone to look in on her each day while they are gone. Daryl and Jan always spend most of their time at The Resort in Mesa, but since we will be just down the road in Casa Grande, I am sure we will see them once in a while.
Gary and Carolyn Ousey are now in Harlingen, Texas and then will join us in Casa Grande in the middle of January. They escaped the cold and snow in Victoria, but it looks like they are quite chilly in Texas at the moment.
Since this is not being printed, I don’t have to worry about a corrigendum, even though I am confident there are some errors. Ciao.
Ken is in the process of painting quarter-round so he can move on to some painting of the walls and trim. It does make it easy since the living room and dining room are both empty……but there is not one open square inch in the guest room!!
On Friday we celebrated 44 years of wedded bliss peppered with a few little exceptions along the way. Ken’s treat was a maple bar for breakfast!! We went out to dinner, but enjoyed a shrimp cocktail and a bottle of Washington wine before going downtown to Le Crème Brule.
I found a Columbia Valley wine, Palouse Hills, that is produced and bottled in Walla Walla. It was a reasonably priced, very tasty cabernet. I bought it for the significance of the name since Ken was at WSU during our early courting days and I can still hear Ray Conniff recordings serenading us at the student union building. Now the challenge is to find more of the wine because there only seem to be a few bottles available on closeout at the state liquor stores.
We had promised ourselves we would give Le Crème Brule one more chance, and it fared quite well this time. Ken had rack of lamb and I had duck maigret en papillote. Both were very nicely presented, and my only criticism is that my duck breast was a bit over-cooked. Espresso and crème brule rounded out the evening. There was even a small jazz combo playing which added to the ambience.
Yesterday was a St. Nicholas faire at the Olympia Waldorf School that Greta attends so I made an appearance for about an hour. Cassie was in charge of making gingerbread that was then being sold for $1 per piece, and there was a brisk business because it was very cold outside where some of the crafts and vendors were located. I purchased a few little stocking stuffers and walked through the school for a peek. Greta’s dad was there with her so I met Jason and visited with Greta for a few minutes. Her latest news is that she is now six!!
I can’t get warm, and I think part of the problem is our heating system rather than having been a hothouse plant down south for three months. For some reason the back of the house just doesn’t get very much heat, and of course that is where the television and computer are located, so it makes for some chilly leisure time.
I am beginning to feel pretty good about Christmas shopping. I think I am at least 50% there with some ideas for the rest. I LOVE the internet. And with many sites offering free shipping, it is hard to beat the bargains. I like to support Operation Christmas Child, but I passed on shopping and packing a box and went with a donation instead since I am so content not to have to go out to shop. Now I am anxious to finish getting the house back together so I can move forward with decorating, wrapping, and menu planning and baking.
The Ziemers called us yesterday to wish us a happy anniversary – Daryl was Ken’s best man. They are planning their annual trip south and hope to leave around the 4th of January. Daryl’s mother was in the hospital recently and now they are making some arrangements for someone to look in on her each day while they are gone. Daryl and Jan always spend most of their time at The Resort in Mesa, but since we will be just down the road in Casa Grande, I am sure we will see them once in a while.
Gary and Carolyn Ousey are now in Harlingen, Texas and then will join us in Casa Grande in the middle of January. They escaped the cold and snow in Victoria, but it looks like they are quite chilly in Texas at the moment.
Since this is not being printed, I don’t have to worry about a corrigendum, even though I am confident there are some errors. Ciao.
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