Yup, I have just jumped from Thanksgiving right to the New Year....but I will give you a glimpse of the intervening weeks.
To start at the end, we arrived today at Travis AFB Famcamp in Fairfield which will be "home" for about two weeks. In addition to our annual time with the Schulers, we are awaiting the arrival of the Spragues. They hope to leave Spokane on the 4th so if the weather cooperates, we should see them around the 7th.
Our trip down was uneventful, and we had great roads all the way with barely any snow in sight except the upper half of Mt. Shasta. Getting out of Steilacoom was a bit hectic because the kitchen had to be completely emptied. We are having it remodeled while we are away this winter so it had to be ready for the contractor to come in and demolish and rebuild. Trying to juggle Christmas, a four-month trip, a kitchen remodel and Christmas proved to be a bit overwhelming at times.
We spent Christmas Eve with the Johnsons in Bellevue and Colleen came back to Steilacoom for Christmas day. Craig and Cassie came by before we left and arrived with pizza in hand which was a godsend since I had nothing left in my kitchen but some empty cabinets. Colleen stayed two extra days and helped us with last minute packing and organizing.
I had hoped to get down here in time to attend a Kaffe Fassett quilting class today, but there was just no way we could get out of town in time. I am waiting for a call from Bev to hear how it was. Marvelous, I'm sure because he is so talented.
Keith and Janet and the girls are cruising in the Caribbean as I write this, and Brian is home from his lonely outpost overseas for the holidays.
Brian has learned that his next job come July will be at Seymour-Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, NC, a base where he has never been stationed. So we have a good excuse to hop on one of my private jets to go join in the transition the latter part of July.
After we leave here, we are going to travel with the Spragues to southern California with a stop at some hot springs in the Salton Sea area, and then on to Quartzite for a week in the desert with about 250,000 of our closest friends. I'm sure it sounds awful, but there is lots of desert so if you stay away from the town of Quartzite itself, it is quite enjoyable.....until the waste water tanks are full and the fresh water tank is empty!!!!!
We have made no plans beyond the week at Quartzite although we will probably end up back in Casa Grande where we have been going for the past few years. We know many of the regulars, and it is a good spot for Cooper.
Happy New Year and all the best to each of you in the coming year. Ciao
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Monday, December 07, 2009
Deep Freeze Time
Brrr, are we ever feeling the Arctic blast from the north. The furnace has run almost non-stop all day, and it is having trouble getting the temperature above 65. What does that tell you about a 90+ year-old house with plaster walls and scant insulation? I was stringing some lights near the fireplace and discovered a major cold spot between the fireplace and the outside wall.
We have continued to fine-tune the next three weeks to coordinate Christmas and leave-taking. We are going to spend Christmas Eve with Curt and Cinda and family in Bellevue and then come home to have Christmas morning here. Then we hope to be on the road by noon. Since I hope to be in Pacific Grove the morning of the 29th for a Kaffe Fasset Quilt presentation, we need to make tracks and getting an early start can't hurt. This plan gives Colleen both of her Christmas favorites; Christmas Eve dinner with fondue and Christmas morning gifts and breakfast.
We dutifully trekked out to the Madigan clinic today since this is the week for flu shots only to discover they have nothing to offer. What little regular flu vaccine they received is depleted and they don't expect to get any more. So we will just have to continue to be judicious about hand-washing, and hope we have a bit of leftover immunity from years past.
We are closing in on time for the evening news. Ciao
We have continued to fine-tune the next three weeks to coordinate Christmas and leave-taking. We are going to spend Christmas Eve with Curt and Cinda and family in Bellevue and then come home to have Christmas morning here. Then we hope to be on the road by noon. Since I hope to be in Pacific Grove the morning of the 29th for a Kaffe Fasset Quilt presentation, we need to make tracks and getting an early start can't hurt. This plan gives Colleen both of her Christmas favorites; Christmas Eve dinner with fondue and Christmas morning gifts and breakfast.
We dutifully trekked out to the Madigan clinic today since this is the week for flu shots only to discover they have nothing to offer. What little regular flu vaccine they received is depleted and they don't expect to get any more. So we will just have to continue to be judicious about hand-washing, and hope we have a bit of leftover immunity from years past.
We are closing in on time for the evening news. Ciao
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Thanksgiving Past
We spent a lovely afternoon in Kenmore with Jordan and Cliff Swain, Josh, and Cliff's parents, Lee and Debbie from Davenport. By the time the groaning board was ready, we had two of everything including turkeys, stuffings, vegetables, cranberry sauces and desserts. Cliff deep-fried one of the turkeys and it was very tasty. That was a first for me. I have always been intrigued with the process but never wanted to get that up-close and personal with a pot of hot oil. Cliff and Jordan's toddler, Thomas, was adorable and provided lots of entertainment. Jordan is an artist so her home reflects her talents, as did her beautifully set table.
We are having friends here for dinner tomorrow night. Jerry was Ken's boss at Western State, and he and Mary Ellen live at the other end of our street. I know I am preparing mahi mahi from Ken's summer fishing trip, but the rest of the menu is yet to be decided.
There are a few scant plans in place for our annual trip south, but they are scant and only get us into the first two weeks. We will leave here with a planned stop in Albany, Oregon to visit Ken's cousin, Harriet. From there we will make our way to the desert for a few days on then who knows where. Possibly back to Casa Grande where we have been for the past three winters.
Colleen ran her first half marathon in Seattle today. She has been very faithful to her training schedule, and she came through with flying colors. She was running for Break the Chains to bring awareness to human bondage and slavery. I am very proud of her.
I have one string of lights on the mantle and some red and white candles in their holders. Is that enough for Christmas decorating? We are not going to put up a tree since we leave on 12/26, and it takes me about three days to dismantle, pack away and stow in the attic. I will awaken our nutcrackers, unearth the hand-knit socks, and bring forth the Nativity set, but that is about it. We are about halfway there with gifts; either already purchased or at least filed away in our minds.
We were sorry to hear that RV friends from Canada lost their motor home to fire in a parking lot while inside a restaurant in Bakersfield. A passer-by realized there was a little dog inside and broke a window to get inside and save him. It will be about two weeks before the insurance appraiser gets there, but in the meantime the Robinsons have been given the use of a motor home, help with packing their belongings, and storage space for same by someone who was in the restaurant at the time. There are good samaritans out there.
Keep warm and keep the holiday spirit. Ciao
We are having friends here for dinner tomorrow night. Jerry was Ken's boss at Western State, and he and Mary Ellen live at the other end of our street. I know I am preparing mahi mahi from Ken's summer fishing trip, but the rest of the menu is yet to be decided.
There are a few scant plans in place for our annual trip south, but they are scant and only get us into the first two weeks. We will leave here with a planned stop in Albany, Oregon to visit Ken's cousin, Harriet. From there we will make our way to the desert for a few days on then who knows where. Possibly back to Casa Grande where we have been for the past three winters.
Colleen ran her first half marathon in Seattle today. She has been very faithful to her training schedule, and she came through with flying colors. She was running for Break the Chains to bring awareness to human bondage and slavery. I am very proud of her.
I have one string of lights on the mantle and some red and white candles in their holders. Is that enough for Christmas decorating? We are not going to put up a tree since we leave on 12/26, and it takes me about three days to dismantle, pack away and stow in the attic. I will awaken our nutcrackers, unearth the hand-knit socks, and bring forth the Nativity set, but that is about it. We are about halfway there with gifts; either already purchased or at least filed away in our minds.
We were sorry to hear that RV friends from Canada lost their motor home to fire in a parking lot while inside a restaurant in Bakersfield. A passer-by realized there was a little dog inside and broke a window to get inside and save him. It will be about two weeks before the insurance appraiser gets there, but in the meantime the Robinsons have been given the use of a motor home, help with packing their belongings, and storage space for same by someone who was in the restaurant at the time. There are good samaritans out there.
Keep warm and keep the holiday spirit. Ciao
Sunday, November 15, 2009
More Birthday Fun
Colleen invited some family for my birthday celebration, and Craig was the hunter/gatherer. He went crabbing the day before and provided crab for all for dinner, and Colleen knows my penchant for caramel apples, so that was dessert in lieu of a birthday cake. Of course there was the requisite number of "sweet and sentimental cards". Not!!
I am into my third week of yoga and discovering how far I have to go. It is just a small group of about a half dozen women that meet for an hour twice a week at the local community center. The instructor is quite good, and I continue to hope I will progress to a point of being able to do at least the basics without falling over!!
Yesterday was more fun with Colleen. A birthday/Christmas gift was a cheese-making workshop held in Chimicum, WA on a working goat farm. With a herd of at least two dozen goats, the owner produces enough cheese to accommodate several local markets and a co-op. She and her family live about a mile down a road to no-where, but it is their own little oasis complete with a creamery/milking parlor, goat barn, miniature horses and herds of ducks and turkeys. In her former life, Suzanne was a geneticist and her husband is a veterinarian.
She is very practical and in addition to the rudiments of cheese-making, she provides lots of cost-cutting ideas for the process of making cheese. It is actually a pretty basic and simple operation and in the course of the day she demonstrated a soft chevre, a ricotta, a "cooked" hard cheese, and feta. All very simple.
The goal for the farm is to be self-sustaining and to not waste anything. The pigs, which are now in the freezer, root up the garden area and are fed the whey from the cheesemaking process. Turkeys and ducks roam freely dining on bugs and critters and are also recipients of the whey. The herd of goats are kept in a barn at night that gets cleaned only once a year. New straw is continually laid down over the old building up a self-heating base for the animals. Suzanne said being in the barn in February during kidding season is like sitting over a radiant-heated floor.
As we walked toward the pasture to admire the herd, Suzanne called to the girls and they came running to the fence. Very cute. Of course I have "country" running through my veins so I loved all of this.
Colleen and I were on an early ferry so stopped in Chimicum for breakfast at the "local hangout" which was a glimpse into local life. Actually it was more of a coffee/bakery place but we had a tasty breakfast while eavesdropping on the adjacent table of local retired geezers who discussed everything from local personalities to a bit about some aspects of good grammar. All very entertaining. I am always game for trying a local establishment as opposed to some chain restaurant, although I doubt there was even a McDonalds in Chimicum.
We have been invited to Jordan and Cliff's for Thanksgiving, and I am looking forward to deep-fried turkey; a specialty of Cliff's. Craig, Cassie, and Greta are going to Stayton for Oregon to see her family, and in particular her grandfather who is in failing health. That said, I am going to have an early Thanksgiving dinner next weekend for them and Colleen.
Happy Thanksgiving to all. Ciao.
I am into my third week of yoga and discovering how far I have to go. It is just a small group of about a half dozen women that meet for an hour twice a week at the local community center. The instructor is quite good, and I continue to hope I will progress to a point of being able to do at least the basics without falling over!!
Yesterday was more fun with Colleen. A birthday/Christmas gift was a cheese-making workshop held in Chimicum, WA on a working goat farm. With a herd of at least two dozen goats, the owner produces enough cheese to accommodate several local markets and a co-op. She and her family live about a mile down a road to no-where, but it is their own little oasis complete with a creamery/milking parlor, goat barn, miniature horses and herds of ducks and turkeys. In her former life, Suzanne was a geneticist and her husband is a veterinarian.
She is very practical and in addition to the rudiments of cheese-making, she provides lots of cost-cutting ideas for the process of making cheese. It is actually a pretty basic and simple operation and in the course of the day she demonstrated a soft chevre, a ricotta, a "cooked" hard cheese, and feta. All very simple.
The goal for the farm is to be self-sustaining and to not waste anything. The pigs, which are now in the freezer, root up the garden area and are fed the whey from the cheesemaking process. Turkeys and ducks roam freely dining on bugs and critters and are also recipients of the whey. The herd of goats are kept in a barn at night that gets cleaned only once a year. New straw is continually laid down over the old building up a self-heating base for the animals. Suzanne said being in the barn in February during kidding season is like sitting over a radiant-heated floor.
As we walked toward the pasture to admire the herd, Suzanne called to the girls and they came running to the fence. Very cute. Of course I have "country" running through my veins so I loved all of this.
Colleen and I were on an early ferry so stopped in Chimicum for breakfast at the "local hangout" which was a glimpse into local life. Actually it was more of a coffee/bakery place but we had a tasty breakfast while eavesdropping on the adjacent table of local retired geezers who discussed everything from local personalities to a bit about some aspects of good grammar. All very entertaining. I am always game for trying a local establishment as opposed to some chain restaurant, although I doubt there was even a McDonalds in Chimicum.
We have been invited to Jordan and Cliff's for Thanksgiving, and I am looking forward to deep-fried turkey; a specialty of Cliff's. Craig, Cassie, and Greta are going to Stayton for Oregon to see her family, and in particular her grandfather who is in failing health. That said, I am going to have an early Thanksgiving dinner next weekend for them and Colleen.
Happy Thanksgiving to all. Ciao.
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Beautiful Palouse
Colleen and I just returned from our four-day fall birthday trip to southeastern Washington. The Palouse country is beautiful most any time of the year, but I think fall is my favorite with the stubble fields and the winter wheat green fields forming a patchwork quilt across Whitman County.
We revisited several shops that we found last year, but our B&B experience was just that .... an experience.
It was a ranch located between Colfax and Pullman and our host and hostess were a husband and wife of retirement age who have partially retired from farming but have plenty of other interests. Their home was a perfect layout for a B&B with a full daylight basement that afforded four bedrooms and two bathrooms, but I don't think these folks have really considered what a B&B should offer besides a bed, a bathroom, and a breakfast.
Colleen's and my room had obviously been the family room when the house was built and it came complete with a fireplace and a bar. But it looked as if this also became the catch-all over the years since it sported a French provincial china cabinet adorned with a two-foot tall Father Christmas standing guard from the top. Draped across an old trunk was a saddle and bridle, and the chaps were hanging from the fireplace mantle which was adorned with an imitation evergreen tree.
Colleen got the special bedside table that was adorned with a feathery, sequined, two foot long blue peacock that our hostess said she just had to have and waited for it to go on sale.
When we got a glimpse of the birdcage the size of a small refrigerator with a foot tall parrot sitting on its outside edge, we declared that we were not breakfast eaters so no need to prepare breakfast for us. Because the bird and cage were located right at the end of the stand-along eating bar in the kitchen and adjacent to the dining table. Ugh.
These folks were very nice, have been ranchers all their lives, and so I suspect they didn't have any sense of anything being amiss. I just wonder how they have stayed under the radar of the local health department.
Saturday was homecoming for WSU so we avoided the stadium area, but the day before we found a fruit sale where the school was selling its apples and pears. We found at least a dozen kinds of apples that we have never heard of so considered that quite a find. Moscow has a great Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings so we found lovely peppers and squash among other things, but we shopped very quickly because the overnight temperature had been 15, and it had not warmed up very much by 8:30.
The little town of Palouse is becoming quite a tourist gem. There are three antique shops with two of them being very inviting, a nice little quilt shop, and the Green Frog restaurant serves up some very tasty food. We shared a bowl of homemade soup, a black bean burrito that looked and acted more like a lasagne, and spinach salad. All very tasty and yummy. The shopkeepers were lamenting that there is no place for visitors to stay in Palouse so I'm thinking that might be my call for a bed and breakfast. No need to worry about competition from the ranch over by Colfax/Pullman!!
Colleen and I saw Mike and Mary and Becky and Ben while we were there and all are doing well. Mike is not supposed to ride in a car for long periods of time, but he seems to be getting a bit of cabin fever.
We spent two of our four nights at the Sprague RV park/B&B/canning kitchen. Colleen made apple butter after we returned from down south on Saturday afternoon. Rod is still working at the jobsite at Vantage, so Karen is busy trying to keep ahead of the freezing weather and to winterize everything. This early cold snap makes me think more and more of sunny Arizona. Ciao
We revisited several shops that we found last year, but our B&B experience was just that .... an experience.
It was a ranch located between Colfax and Pullman and our host and hostess were a husband and wife of retirement age who have partially retired from farming but have plenty of other interests. Their home was a perfect layout for a B&B with a full daylight basement that afforded four bedrooms and two bathrooms, but I don't think these folks have really considered what a B&B should offer besides a bed, a bathroom, and a breakfast.
Colleen's and my room had obviously been the family room when the house was built and it came complete with a fireplace and a bar. But it looked as if this also became the catch-all over the years since it sported a French provincial china cabinet adorned with a two-foot tall Father Christmas standing guard from the top. Draped across an old trunk was a saddle and bridle, and the chaps were hanging from the fireplace mantle which was adorned with an imitation evergreen tree.
Colleen got the special bedside table that was adorned with a feathery, sequined, two foot long blue peacock that our hostess said she just had to have and waited for it to go on sale.
When we got a glimpse of the birdcage the size of a small refrigerator with a foot tall parrot sitting on its outside edge, we declared that we were not breakfast eaters so no need to prepare breakfast for us. Because the bird and cage were located right at the end of the stand-along eating bar in the kitchen and adjacent to the dining table. Ugh.
These folks were very nice, have been ranchers all their lives, and so I suspect they didn't have any sense of anything being amiss. I just wonder how they have stayed under the radar of the local health department.
Saturday was homecoming for WSU so we avoided the stadium area, but the day before we found a fruit sale where the school was selling its apples and pears. We found at least a dozen kinds of apples that we have never heard of so considered that quite a find. Moscow has a great Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings so we found lovely peppers and squash among other things, but we shopped very quickly because the overnight temperature had been 15, and it had not warmed up very much by 8:30.
The little town of Palouse is becoming quite a tourist gem. There are three antique shops with two of them being very inviting, a nice little quilt shop, and the Green Frog restaurant serves up some very tasty food. We shared a bowl of homemade soup, a black bean burrito that looked and acted more like a lasagne, and spinach salad. All very tasty and yummy. The shopkeepers were lamenting that there is no place for visitors to stay in Palouse so I'm thinking that might be my call for a bed and breakfast. No need to worry about competition from the ranch over by Colfax/Pullman!!
Colleen and I saw Mike and Mary and Becky and Ben while we were there and all are doing well. Mike is not supposed to ride in a car for long periods of time, but he seems to be getting a bit of cabin fever.
We spent two of our four nights at the Sprague RV park/B&B/canning kitchen. Colleen made apple butter after we returned from down south on Saturday afternoon. Rod is still working at the jobsite at Vantage, so Karen is busy trying to keep ahead of the freezing weather and to winterize everything. This early cold snap makes me think more and more of sunny Arizona. Ciao
Friday, October 02, 2009
Happy October
Where did September go?
The good news is that Mike had successful surgery last month and the prognosis is good with no plans for chemo or radiation, even though the tumor was malignant. He spent four days in the hospital and is now home recovering. Even though the surgery was laproscopic, he was quite uncomfortable for several days.
We have attend TWO rallies since my last blog. The Winnebago rally in Lynden was interesting, and the group that is from this area was very welcoming and inclusive. Of course we were urged to join, but I resisted, and was honest with them in that I really don't want to join a group and feel obligated to do my share of the work when called upon. The work is fine, but it has to be on my schedule.
We spent five days in Spokane to see Mike through his surgery, and then we joined Rod and Karen at an Alpine rally in Richland. Another very nice group of folks, and this rally, like the previous week's rally, tended to have a heavy emphasis on eating!!
We visited just two wineries while in the area. It was crush weekend, and those special weekends attract hordes of people, many of whom do not know a merlot from a marlin, so we didn't venture out very much. We always go to our favorite winery, Barnard Griffin, and this time was no exception.
Next week Colleen and I are going to Spokane and Whitman County for a combined birthday outing. We did it last year and had so much fun that we are going to stay an extra day this year. Karen is graciously allowing us to stay with her while going and coming so it should be a very fun four days. Both Colleen and I relish the crisp fall air and all the wonderful fresh fall produce, particularly squash and pears.
I have whittled away at my unfinished quilting projects, and I think I am ready to embark on one last major unfinished quilt. I keep seeing fun fabrics and new patterns that intrigue me, but I won't let myself start anything new until the UFOs have been cleared away.
Happy Halloween!!! Ciao
The good news is that Mike had successful surgery last month and the prognosis is good with no plans for chemo or radiation, even though the tumor was malignant. He spent four days in the hospital and is now home recovering. Even though the surgery was laproscopic, he was quite uncomfortable for several days.
We have attend TWO rallies since my last blog. The Winnebago rally in Lynden was interesting, and the group that is from this area was very welcoming and inclusive. Of course we were urged to join, but I resisted, and was honest with them in that I really don't want to join a group and feel obligated to do my share of the work when called upon. The work is fine, but it has to be on my schedule.
We spent five days in Spokane to see Mike through his surgery, and then we joined Rod and Karen at an Alpine rally in Richland. Another very nice group of folks, and this rally, like the previous week's rally, tended to have a heavy emphasis on eating!!
We visited just two wineries while in the area. It was crush weekend, and those special weekends attract hordes of people, many of whom do not know a merlot from a marlin, so we didn't venture out very much. We always go to our favorite winery, Barnard Griffin, and this time was no exception.
Next week Colleen and I are going to Spokane and Whitman County for a combined birthday outing. We did it last year and had so much fun that we are going to stay an extra day this year. Karen is graciously allowing us to stay with her while going and coming so it should be a very fun four days. Both Colleen and I relish the crisp fall air and all the wonderful fresh fall produce, particularly squash and pears.
I have whittled away at my unfinished quilting projects, and I think I am ready to embark on one last major unfinished quilt. I keep seeing fun fabrics and new patterns that intrigue me, but I won't let myself start anything new until the UFOs have been cleared away.
Happy Halloween!!! Ciao
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Summer is Waning
I have been trying to get warm all day! But fall is beautiful in Washington so I am looking forward to the next two months.
We have been staying close to home and mostly puttering. There is a state-wide Winnebago rally in Lynden the middle of this month, and we plan to attend. We have never participated in any of the local or state activities before.
This coming weekend is girls' weekend in Seattle. Cassie, Greta, and I are going to Colleen's for Friday and Saturday night to include some Thai food and on Saturday - pedicures all round. Colleen now has a woman living in her apartment, but Colleen gave her fair warning that this little activity was in the works.
Please keep my brother, Mike, in your thoughts. He was just diagnosed with a malignant growth on his kidney. The prognosis at this time is very positive with no plans for any treatment beyond the removal of the kidney. He is scheduled for surgery on 9/21. We will make ourselves available if he or his family needs us for anything.
Rachel is now a full-fledged college student. She moved into the dorms at University of Maryland Baltimore Campus on Friday, and I presume classes started today. Sarah is living at home and is taking some specific classes nearby to get ready to enroll at Towson for her RN.
My fresh roasted beets are beckoning me to finish dinner. Ciao.
We have been staying close to home and mostly puttering. There is a state-wide Winnebago rally in Lynden the middle of this month, and we plan to attend. We have never participated in any of the local or state activities before.
This coming weekend is girls' weekend in Seattle. Cassie, Greta, and I are going to Colleen's for Friday and Saturday night to include some Thai food and on Saturday - pedicures all round. Colleen now has a woman living in her apartment, but Colleen gave her fair warning that this little activity was in the works.
Please keep my brother, Mike, in your thoughts. He was just diagnosed with a malignant growth on his kidney. The prognosis at this time is very positive with no plans for any treatment beyond the removal of the kidney. He is scheduled for surgery on 9/21. We will make ourselves available if he or his family needs us for anything.
Rachel is now a full-fledged college student. She moved into the dorms at University of Maryland Baltimore Campus on Friday, and I presume classes started today. Sarah is living at home and is taking some specific classes nearby to get ready to enroll at Towson for her RN.
My fresh roasted beets are beckoning me to finish dinner. Ciao.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Ooops!
Has it really been that long since I blogged? We have been home for about one month so I guess it is true.
The trip across the country to get home was uneventful (fortunately....more later), and we spent two nights in the parking lot at the Winnebago plant in Forest City, Iowa. It is a very small town surrounded by Winnebago. The founder of Winnebago grew up in Forest City, and began his professional career as an undertaker. As Winnebago evolved, he kept it all in Forest City.
I was keen to take the factory tour, but I didn't see much because (1) the lines were not working the week of July 4, and (2) there were no lights on inside the buildings. However, there is a very cute quilt shop in the town so that was good compensation.
We drove along a bit of the Oregon Trail in Nebraska, but otherwise pretty much just drove toward Washington. We spent four days in the Spokane area at Clear Lake which has a Fam Camp affiliated with Fairchild. Our friends, the VanAusles, who own a home in Phoenix, spend their summers at Clear Lake so we were parked just a few spaces down from them. We saw friends and family while in the area.
Everything was in relatively good order when we got home. Craig and Colleen were good to stop in every once in a while to check on everything. Even with the hot weather, most plants survived.
The highlight of our summer has been the job of having had Warren and Nolan spend a week with us. We LOVED every minute of it. Uncle Craig and his boat were the highlights and I think the boys were out on it about five out of the seven days. In fact they stayed out on it for two nights running. Both boys were a joy to have here with us, and we hope we get to do it again next year.
Ken's cousin, Carolyn, and her husband, Irvin, were traveling in our area so we were very happy they chose to come by for a visit. They live in central Oregon, and none of our travels ever seem to take us that direction, so it was great to see them.
We were VERY GRATEFUL to have had an uneventful trip, because only after getting home and opening mail did we realize that I had overlooked paying the annual insurance on the motor home. So the entire trip from Maryland to the Maritimes and back across the country was without insurance. I was so confident I had paid it that I even removed the reminder from the computer's calendar, but I think I wss confusing paying the insurance with all the other tasks to get ready to go to Canada such as insurance cards and licenses.
I got home a week ago after having spent a week in eastern Washington and Eureka, MT for a quilt show and classes. My friend, Karen, and three of her quilting buddies were in Eureka as well. The entire town turns out for the one-day show with about 500 quilts displayed on store fronts and throughout the town park.
I stopped in Union Gap on the way home last week and bought peaches and some other fresh produce. So Ken and I canned about 16 quarts of peaches recently. I know it isn't cost-effective, but they certainly are tasty.
Steilacoom has a weekly farmer's market this year, and it is great. It isn't huge, but it has a good balance of produce, crafts, and snacks and all in all is very well done.
I have been spending some time trying to sort and reorganize my quilting area. It is amazing how quickly it can get to be such a jumble. I have completed a couple of small projects that have been hanging around forever, and am about to finish one quilt and finish a quilt top. I will not let myself start something else until I clear out the UFOs. There is another complicated partially completed quilt top that is lurking in my future before I can embark on something new.
Okay, I'll try to be a bit more prompt with my blogging!! Ciao
The trip across the country to get home was uneventful (fortunately....more later), and we spent two nights in the parking lot at the Winnebago plant in Forest City, Iowa. It is a very small town surrounded by Winnebago. The founder of Winnebago grew up in Forest City, and began his professional career as an undertaker. As Winnebago evolved, he kept it all in Forest City.
I was keen to take the factory tour, but I didn't see much because (1) the lines were not working the week of July 4, and (2) there were no lights on inside the buildings. However, there is a very cute quilt shop in the town so that was good compensation.
We drove along a bit of the Oregon Trail in Nebraska, but otherwise pretty much just drove toward Washington. We spent four days in the Spokane area at Clear Lake which has a Fam Camp affiliated with Fairchild. Our friends, the VanAusles, who own a home in Phoenix, spend their summers at Clear Lake so we were parked just a few spaces down from them. We saw friends and family while in the area.
Everything was in relatively good order when we got home. Craig and Colleen were good to stop in every once in a while to check on everything. Even with the hot weather, most plants survived.
The highlight of our summer has been the job of having had Warren and Nolan spend a week with us. We LOVED every minute of it. Uncle Craig and his boat were the highlights and I think the boys were out on it about five out of the seven days. In fact they stayed out on it for two nights running. Both boys were a joy to have here with us, and we hope we get to do it again next year.
Ken's cousin, Carolyn, and her husband, Irvin, were traveling in our area so we were very happy they chose to come by for a visit. They live in central Oregon, and none of our travels ever seem to take us that direction, so it was great to see them.
We were VERY GRATEFUL to have had an uneventful trip, because only after getting home and opening mail did we realize that I had overlooked paying the annual insurance on the motor home. So the entire trip from Maryland to the Maritimes and back across the country was without insurance. I was so confident I had paid it that I even removed the reminder from the computer's calendar, but I think I wss confusing paying the insurance with all the other tasks to get ready to go to Canada such as insurance cards and licenses.
I got home a week ago after having spent a week in eastern Washington and Eureka, MT for a quilt show and classes. My friend, Karen, and three of her quilting buddies were in Eureka as well. The entire town turns out for the one-day show with about 500 quilts displayed on store fronts and throughout the town park.
I stopped in Union Gap on the way home last week and bought peaches and some other fresh produce. So Ken and I canned about 16 quarts of peaches recently. I know it isn't cost-effective, but they certainly are tasty.
Steilacoom has a weekly farmer's market this year, and it is great. It isn't huge, but it has a good balance of produce, crafts, and snacks and all in all is very well done.
I have been spending some time trying to sort and reorganize my quilting area. It is amazing how quickly it can get to be such a jumble. I have completed a couple of small projects that have been hanging around forever, and am about to finish one quilt and finish a quilt top. I will not let myself start something else until I clear out the UFOs. There is another complicated partially completed quilt top that is lurking in my future before I can embark on something new.
Okay, I'll try to be a bit more prompt with my blogging!! Ciao
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Intercourse!!! Of Course!!!
Yes, we are in Intercourse, PA, but I must digress a bit to finish our trip to the Maritimes. Joan and Ron Leitch, whom we didn't socialize with all that much when we lived in Halifax, treated us as if we were royalty. They came by the MH for a drink, and then took us to their cottage where we dined on lobster and salad and dessert. We caught up on their two daughters, one a pharmacist and one a teacher, and their two granddaughters. Ron worked for Zellars (W.T. Grant) when we were neighbors, and then he went on to own two Arbys franchises. Now they summer at their cottage on PEI and winter at their lovely home in Manzanilla, Mexico. I think we just might have to cruise to Puerto Vallarta and visit them!!!
On our way to Intercourse, we spent a night down east on the Maine coast. We just happened on a small RV park and while checking in, there was a sign that asked if one had ordered lobster!!!! The park owner said he would cook them and deliver them to the MH whenever we wanted.............I wanted. He arrived at our door about 40 minutes later with a lobster for each, about 1 1/2# each, and the total bill was $22!!! The best lobster of the entire trip.
The next day we spent the early evening driving in a circle trying to find a particular RV park, only to discover that it was a sea of mud............so we kept going. We crossed the line from NY to Connecticut, stopped at a rest area, rested for a while.................and at six the next morning awoke from a good night's sleep and proceeded on our way.
The Pennsylvania Dutch Country is not only beautiful with its green fields of wheat, tobacco, and corn, but it is absolutely charming with all the Amish farms and the horses and buggies that ply the roadways. We are backed up to a country road that is frequented by the clip-clop of horses hooves as the buggies pass by.
We drove to Keith and Janet's yesterday and ended up spending the night. We had to retrieve the fish, orchid, and alcohol that we left for safekeeping while we went to Canada. Last night we were treated to grilled pork chops that were drenched in a bourbon sauce, and this morning it was biscuits and gravy. One never goes hungry at a Kirkwood house!!!
Tomorrow morning we hit the road and we are headed west. We will make a stop in Indiana to visit my niece and nephew, and then on to Iowa to tour the Winnebago factory and visit a quilt shop in Winterset. Ken then wants to hook up with part of the Oregon trail since some of his Kirkwood ancestors were on one of the first trains to come west.
Until next time; ciao
On our way to Intercourse, we spent a night down east on the Maine coast. We just happened on a small RV park and while checking in, there was a sign that asked if one had ordered lobster!!!! The park owner said he would cook them and deliver them to the MH whenever we wanted.............I wanted. He arrived at our door about 40 minutes later with a lobster for each, about 1 1/2# each, and the total bill was $22!!! The best lobster of the entire trip.
The next day we spent the early evening driving in a circle trying to find a particular RV park, only to discover that it was a sea of mud............so we kept going. We crossed the line from NY to Connecticut, stopped at a rest area, rested for a while.................and at six the next morning awoke from a good night's sleep and proceeded on our way.
The Pennsylvania Dutch Country is not only beautiful with its green fields of wheat, tobacco, and corn, but it is absolutely charming with all the Amish farms and the horses and buggies that ply the roadways. We are backed up to a country road that is frequented by the clip-clop of horses hooves as the buggies pass by.
We drove to Keith and Janet's yesterday and ended up spending the night. We had to retrieve the fish, orchid, and alcohol that we left for safekeeping while we went to Canada. Last night we were treated to grilled pork chops that were drenched in a bourbon sauce, and this morning it was biscuits and gravy. One never goes hungry at a Kirkwood house!!!
Tomorrow morning we hit the road and we are headed west. We will make a stop in Indiana to visit my niece and nephew, and then on to Iowa to tour the Winnebago factory and visit a quilt shop in Winterset. Ken then wants to hook up with part of the Oregon trail since some of his Kirkwood ancestors were on one of the first trains to come west.
Until next time; ciao
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Down Memory Lane to the Maritimes
After what seemed like endless miles of driving we arrived in Halifax on Tuesday afternoon. There were only two choices for RV parks, and much as we try to avoid them, the KOA was the best bet. Giff and Betty Anne were determined that we should park in their driveway, but it was just too short/small, and we worried about damaging the blacktop.
We drove through our old neighborhood and stopped to take pictures of the first house we ever owned. In asking to do so, the current owner invited us inside for a look around, which we did. I can honestly say I don’t feel as if we have lost anything. Clayton Park was a very desirable address when we lived there, and I guess it is still a desirable area, but we can’t see that it has held its value. Other than a great floorplan, there is nothing appealing about the property. The current owner is talking about everything from new windows (sorely needed to replace the old aluminum) to a remodeled kitchen (not all that bad except for the cheap cabinets that are the same ones we had when we lived there).
We drove by the grade school that Keith, Brian, and Colleen attended, and it looks like a forty-year-old building. The most notable change about the entire neighborhood is how overgrown it has become as the trees matured plus several properties near our old house now have hedges.
This morning we stopped by the Giffins, and will return this evening for dinner (lobster). Giff is in New Brunswick fishing and will be home in time for dinner, but we had a good visit with Betty Anne and caught up on their five boys and their families. We reminisced about the long-ago weekend the four of us spent together in our little camper and how much fun it was.
We have chatted with Joan and Ron Leitch who were our next-door neighbors here in Halifax. They are at their cottage on P.E.I for the summer, and they now spend their winters in their newly-built home in Mexico. We have waffled about going to P.E.I. to see them, but we have decided to, so we will take a spin across the new Confederation Bridge that is the longest in the world to span ice-covered waters – about eight miles.
The weather is unbelievably beautiful with temps in the low seventies and blue sky and sunshine; not that we didn’t encounter some rains and thunder and lightning the days we were on the road getting here. Ciao
We drove through our old neighborhood and stopped to take pictures of the first house we ever owned. In asking to do so, the current owner invited us inside for a look around, which we did. I can honestly say I don’t feel as if we have lost anything. Clayton Park was a very desirable address when we lived there, and I guess it is still a desirable area, but we can’t see that it has held its value. Other than a great floorplan, there is nothing appealing about the property. The current owner is talking about everything from new windows (sorely needed to replace the old aluminum) to a remodeled kitchen (not all that bad except for the cheap cabinets that are the same ones we had when we lived there).
We drove by the grade school that Keith, Brian, and Colleen attended, and it looks like a forty-year-old building. The most notable change about the entire neighborhood is how overgrown it has become as the trees matured plus several properties near our old house now have hedges.
This morning we stopped by the Giffins, and will return this evening for dinner (lobster). Giff is in New Brunswick fishing and will be home in time for dinner, but we had a good visit with Betty Anne and caught up on their five boys and their families. We reminisced about the long-ago weekend the four of us spent together in our little camper and how much fun it was.
We have chatted with Joan and Ron Leitch who were our next-door neighbors here in Halifax. They are at their cottage on P.E.I for the summer, and they now spend their winters in their newly-built home in Mexico. We have waffled about going to P.E.I. to see them, but we have decided to, so we will take a spin across the new Confederation Bridge that is the longest in the world to span ice-covered waters – about eight miles.
The weather is unbelievably beautiful with temps in the low seventies and blue sky and sunshine; not that we didn’t encounter some rains and thunder and lightning the days we were on the road getting here. Ciao
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Family and Graduations
We spent three days at Kings Bay Naval Station near the Georgia/Florida line, and in addition to seeing 'gators, we visited the Georgia Sea Turtle Center www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org. Having only opened within the past two years, the center is dedicated to rescuing and preserving the sea turtles of the area. Several big tanks were home to some turtles who were rehabilitating, and hopefully they will be well enough to be released back into the wild. I could readily relate to Simone and her impatience. Having been given a big block of ice with some small fish frozen into it, she chased it round and round her tank until she became completely frustrated and whapped the water with her flipper about five times as hard as she could. Even though she is missing one rear flipper, she is expected to be released soon.
We arrived at the Ft. Meade RV Park on Sunday, May 17 and will be here until June 13. The past ten days have been a round of fun-filled family activities and celebrations. Janet's parents arrived on Tuesday, Colleen arrived on Wednesday, Rachel graduated on Thursday, Sarah graduated on Friday, and Craig, Cassie and Greta arrived on Friday. Saturday was a Kirkwood bash with all of us together at Keith's and enjoying smoked buffalo brisket prepared by Chef Brian.
Then again on Sunday we were all together and joined by Sarah and Rachel's friends for a graduation party. To be continued! Ciao
We arrived at the Ft. Meade RV Park on Sunday, May 17 and will be here until June 13. The past ten days have been a round of fun-filled family activities and celebrations. Janet's parents arrived on Tuesday, Colleen arrived on Wednesday, Rachel graduated on Thursday, Sarah graduated on Friday, and Craig, Cassie and Greta arrived on Friday. Saturday was a Kirkwood bash with all of us together at Keith's and enjoying smoked buffalo brisket prepared by Chef Brian.
Then again on Sunday we were all together and joined by Sarah and Rachel's friends for a graduation party. To be continued! Ciao
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Visiting Relatives
After our stay in Pensacola, one day's drive took us to Ocala, Florida and the home of my cousin and his wife, Bill and Helen Davis. We were graciously greeted and it was their insistence that we stay in their guest room rather than the motor home. When we declined because of Cooper, he too was invited upstairs to the guest room.
Their home was featured in Southern Living back in the eighties, and they have done much to update it over the past two years. I was fascinated with the covers on the swimming pools in Florida. The pool and surrounding patio area is completely enclosed with a steel framed structure that is finished with screening so not only does the pool stay clean, but if the heat and humidity are tolerable, one can sit out by the pool and not be bothered by bugs and mosquitoes. Very clever, those Floridians!!
They took us to dinner at their country club on Friday night, and at Bill's suggestion, I had grouper which is a local fish.....it was a delicious firm white meat fish and a beautiful presentation topped off with an orchid!!
Since Bill is thirteen years older than I, he always has some family lore to share that I didn't know about. Apparently after the wheat harvest had been sold by my Uncle Paul and he was paid in $20 gold pieces, my grandmother sewed each coin into its own little pocket in a flour sack, and then hung the flour sack on a hanger under a coat in the closet. When needed, she could simple remove the stitching from around one of the coins!! He also reminded me of the story of my grandmother taking Babe the horse into the town of Colfax to do her shopping, and not ever tying her. As my grandmother made her way in and out of the shops, Babe simply followed her down the street and waited while she went into the next store.
After our visit with the Davis', we crossed into Georgia just north of Jacksonville and stayed three nights at a military submarine base to be used as a base to explore the area. We drove where we could in the Okefenokee Swamp and to my delight, we saw several 'gators..................
Their home was featured in Southern Living back in the eighties, and they have done much to update it over the past two years. I was fascinated with the covers on the swimming pools in Florida. The pool and surrounding patio area is completely enclosed with a steel framed structure that is finished with screening so not only does the pool stay clean, but if the heat and humidity are tolerable, one can sit out by the pool and not be bothered by bugs and mosquitoes. Very clever, those Floridians!!
They took us to dinner at their country club on Friday night, and at Bill's suggestion, I had grouper which is a local fish.....it was a delicious firm white meat fish and a beautiful presentation topped off with an orchid!!
Since Bill is thirteen years older than I, he always has some family lore to share that I didn't know about. Apparently after the wheat harvest had been sold by my Uncle Paul and he was paid in $20 gold pieces, my grandmother sewed each coin into its own little pocket in a flour sack, and then hung the flour sack on a hanger under a coat in the closet. When needed, she could simple remove the stitching from around one of the coins!! He also reminded me of the story of my grandmother taking Babe the horse into the town of Colfax to do her shopping, and not ever tying her. As my grandmother made her way in and out of the shops, Babe simply followed her down the street and waited while she went into the next store.
After our visit with the Davis', we crossed into Georgia just north of Jacksonville and stayed three nights at a military submarine base to be used as a base to explore the area. We drove where we could in the Okefenokee Swamp and to my delight, we saw several 'gators..................
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Katrina lives
Although the detritis from Katrina has been removed from the areas where we drove, the evidence of the devastation remains. Most houses along the Gulf are built on pilings that are about ten feet high, and there is many a site with nothing but the pilings standing. And most of the inhabited sites were occupied by newly-built homes. We primarily drove through affluent areas, much beachfront, so of course ours was a pretty sanitized view of the devastation.
We chose to stay at a casino in Bay St Louis, MS last night that has a nice RV park. Most all of the 'regular' RV parks in this part of the country have become trailer parks and are home to displaced families who lost their homes. We didn't even hop on the shuttle to the casino, but it was a nice park with grassy sites and a great place to hunker down for the night.
We have been driving I-90 for the past hour which takes us right along the shoreline with several causeways and interesting views. Up ahead is the Northrop Grumman Pascagoula shipyard with a skyline of acres and acres of cranes.
...Later Sunday evening....
We settled in at the RV park on the Naval Air Station Pensacola, and took a drive around the base and into town for some reminiscing. Needless to say, there is not much that looks familiar. However, the Mustin Beach Officers Club still stands in all its glory right on the beach. It is a beautiful building, and is in fact still an officers club. We attended our first formal Navy dinner and dance at that club right after Ken was commissioned in July 1964.
We drove into town and drove the street where we lived while here but cannot remember the address and did not see anything that looked familiar. However in looking at the houses, I am sure the house where we lived is still there; nothing looks new or updated. I have called and left a message for Mike to see if he remembers since he drove with Keith and I when we moved here.
Tomorrow we will visit the Naval Air Museum that is only about a mile from where we are parked. We can leave the A/C running and leave Cooper long enough to go tour the museum. More to follow. Ciao
We chose to stay at a casino in Bay St Louis, MS last night that has a nice RV park. Most all of the 'regular' RV parks in this part of the country have become trailer parks and are home to displaced families who lost their homes. We didn't even hop on the shuttle to the casino, but it was a nice park with grassy sites and a great place to hunker down for the night.
We have been driving I-90 for the past hour which takes us right along the shoreline with several causeways and interesting views. Up ahead is the Northrop Grumman Pascagoula shipyard with a skyline of acres and acres of cranes.
...Later Sunday evening....
We settled in at the RV park on the Naval Air Station Pensacola, and took a drive around the base and into town for some reminiscing. Needless to say, there is not much that looks familiar. However, the Mustin Beach Officers Club still stands in all its glory right on the beach. It is a beautiful building, and is in fact still an officers club. We attended our first formal Navy dinner and dance at that club right after Ken was commissioned in July 1964.
We drove into town and drove the street where we lived while here but cannot remember the address and did not see anything that looked familiar. However in looking at the houses, I am sure the house where we lived is still there; nothing looks new or updated. I have called and left a message for Mike to see if he remembers since he drove with Keith and I when we moved here.
Tomorrow we will visit the Naval Air Museum that is only about a mile from where we are parked. We can leave the A/C running and leave Cooper long enough to go tour the museum. More to follow. Ciao
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi
It was a delightful visit with Danny, Christa, Trevor, and Corey, and we loved where they live, in the southern part of the Texas Hill country. They treated us to some Texas barbecue and a tour of a nearby town, Castroville, which has connections to Alsace. The little tiny town closest to the Schultzs' is Riomedina with two stores. We patronized the grocery/hardware/antique store and I couldn't resist the Texas-made wine with my mother's name, Genevieve, and the locally made Alsatian sausage. In addition, there are fresh tamales available every Friday, so a dozen of those came along with me as well.
Danny and Christa live on five acres out in the country....and they need five acres for their menagerie....lucky is any creature that ends up in their care. They have four dogs, one of which is named Moose because as a chocolate lab, he weighted 125 pounds when they got him but is now a svelte 100 pounds. His head is as big as a five gallon bucket!! In addition, there are five kitties, 2 cockatiels, and a pond with turtles and goldfish.
Friday night found us in Vinton, LA in an RV park to which I would never return, but the stay was salvaged by the restaurant down the street. It is the lone restaurant in a small town, and Friday night is crawdad special night so of course I indulged. They were okay, but I didn't find them especially flavorful. Ken had deep-fried catfish which he said was very good.
Today was a lot of bumpy roadway as we made our way toward New Orleans. We certainly have seen reminders and remains of recent hurricanes. We have driven quite a distance in Louisiana and Mississippi that is right along the Gulf Coast, so the damage is quite apparent.
Ciao
Danny and Christa live on five acres out in the country....and they need five acres for their menagerie....lucky is any creature that ends up in their care. They have four dogs, one of which is named Moose because as a chocolate lab, he weighted 125 pounds when they got him but is now a svelte 100 pounds. His head is as big as a five gallon bucket!! In addition, there are five kitties, 2 cockatiels, and a pond with turtles and goldfish.
Friday night found us in Vinton, LA in an RV park to which I would never return, but the stay was salvaged by the restaurant down the street. It is the lone restaurant in a small town, and Friday night is crawdad special night so of course I indulged. They were okay, but I didn't find them especially flavorful. Ken had deep-fried catfish which he said was very good.
Today was a lot of bumpy roadway as we made our way toward New Orleans. We certainly have seen reminders and remains of recent hurricanes. We have driven quite a distance in Louisiana and Mississippi that is right along the Gulf Coast, so the damage is quite apparent.
Ciao
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Texas Continued
We spent last night at an RV park in Ozona which is a town of little or nothing, but the park was adequate. It was built before 40' rigs with cars in tow so the sites were very short, but they were pull-throughs and there weren't many sites occupied so it worked out. We just stopped for gas in a little town called Sonora, and they have individual banners up identifying their service memebers by name and thanking them for their service to their country. Nice.
We still aren't seeing much habitation but at least the landscape has turned green.....and the air humid. There are lots of trees and low growing bushes across the rolling landscape. The wind blew off and on last night but no thunderstorms materialized which is good. Severe thunderstorms can be precursors to tornados, and the last place I want to be during a tornado is in this motor home that would get flipped around like a matchbox.
We expect to get to Danny's later this afternoon, and he has given us directions for a scenic route via Kerrville so that should be enjoyable. More later. Ciao
We still aren't seeing much habitation but at least the landscape has turned green.....and the air humid. There are lots of trees and low growing bushes across the rolling landscape. The wind blew off and on last night but no thunderstorms materialized which is good. Severe thunderstorms can be precursors to tornados, and the last place I want to be during a tornado is in this motor home that would get flipped around like a matchbox.
We expect to get to Danny's later this afternoon, and he has given us directions for a scenic route via Kerrville so that should be enjoyable. More later. Ciao
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
A whole lot of nothing continues
We come upon a small rise only to look beyond and see another endless stretch of I-10 straddled by endless acres and miles of desert-like nothing. We get excited if we see roadkill!! There have been several coyotes, one black unidentifiable, and several truck tire caps.
Our destination is Ozona which has one RV park and that is one of one for the surrounding hundred miles!! It gets mixed reviews online with the biggest problem being small sites, but we just need a place to stop and sit still for the night so it will be fine. Tomorrow will be a <300 mile day to Danny and Christa's. Ciao
Our destination is Ozona which has one RV park and that is one of one for the surrounding hundred miles!! It gets mixed reviews online with the biggest problem being small sites, but we just need a place to stop and sit still for the night so it will be fine. Tomorrow will be a <300 mile day to Danny and Christa's. Ciao
A Lot of Nothing
We stayed in El Paso at the Ft. Bliss Famcamp last night and proceeded to get a late start this morning....but it isn't as if there is anything to get excited about seeing in this part of the world. We are currently about 50 miles east of El Paso and there is NOTHING out here. We can look to our right and see Mexico since we have been paralleling the Rio Grande and at times have come within a half mile of it. The Border Patrol is very much in evidence around here. Ooooh, we just passed a green cultivated field of something. Woohoo!!
On the advice of the famcamp host, we took a circuitous route to get back to I-10 this morning and it took us through part of Ft. Bliss which is a huge Army base, and it is getting bigger with construction as far as the eye can see. We were told there are about 40,000 troops being transferred here, and by the time you factor in dependents you are looking at about 100,000 additional bodies that will require housing and medical care.
The speed limit for cars is 80 and trucks are 70 during the day. We continue to 'truck' along at about 62. I think we have a rest area in another fifty miles or so and we will stop for lunch. Ciao
On the advice of the famcamp host, we took a circuitous route to get back to I-10 this morning and it took us through part of Ft. Bliss which is a huge Army base, and it is getting bigger with construction as far as the eye can see. We were told there are about 40,000 troops being transferred here, and by the time you factor in dependents you are looking at about 100,000 additional bodies that will require housing and medical care.
The speed limit for cars is 80 and trucks are 70 during the day. We continue to 'truck' along at about 62. I think we have a rest area in another fifty miles or so and we will stop for lunch. Ciao
Monday, April 27, 2009
New Mexico and Texas
We are within 70 miles of El Paso where we will stay at Ft. Bliss Army Base if there is space available. It has been a very uneventful drive with nothing but a lot of god-forsaken country to look at. We made a side trip into the town of San Simon to find the post office which wasn't difficult. I think the population is about 500 and the website says the high school will graduate seven seniors this year. The local Catholic Church looked like it was held together with a lot of faith, and it was about the size of the Catholic Church in Steilacoom. It looked like a town forgotten, or perhaps a town never recognized since I couldn't even find much of anything on the internet. Ken thinks cotton was/is the local crop.
All around it is flat with nothing but brown grass and a few yucca plants here and there. Off in the far distance are occasional uprisings of rock and cinder, but it all pretty much blends into the mundane foreground. We haven't even seen any wildlife, dead or alive. Ciao
All around it is flat with nothing but brown grass and a few yucca plants here and there. Off in the far distance are occasional uprisings of rock and cinder, but it all pretty much blends into the mundane foreground. We haven't even seen any wildlife, dead or alive. Ciao
Heading toward Texas
We spent Saturday afternoon and Sunday in the FamCamp at Davis Monthan and enjoyed some down time to just sit still and do a few chores. Ken installed a second vent cover on the roof so we can now drive with both vents open to allow a better circulation of air. And I went to the commissary on Saturday to restock some basic essentials.
The highlight yesterday was to take a drive around the base to look at the "boneyard" where there are hundreds of military aircraft either mothballed or destined for destruction. Google Earth gives a great perspective on the enormity of the site as well as good close-up views.
Oh, and the other highlight of the drive was to stop at a DQ for a Blizzard and locate a nearby Trader Joe's. Ciao
The highlight yesterday was to take a drive around the base to look at the "boneyard" where there are hundreds of military aircraft either mothballed or destined for destruction. Google Earth gives a great perspective on the enormity of the site as well as good close-up views.
Oh, and the other highlight of the drive was to stop at a DQ for a Blizzard and locate a nearby Trader Joe's. Ciao
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Steilacoom, Casa Grande, Tuscon
We left Steilacoom last Sunday and arrived back in CG on Thursday only to discover that our refrigerator had quit some time in the previous 48 hours. Fortunately, nothing was spoiled and there was little that had to be discarded. The most difficult part was paying the repair bill for a new board!!
We spent a bit of time with Colleen and Craig and Cassie and Greta while home. Colleen's trip to Rome, although not entirely as advertised, was nonetheless a marvelous experience. She has decided the Roman version of yes is actually maybe and probably not. She blogged a bit and posted some photos on the latest site that Keith set up for the family: daneswithkilts.net.
Craig and Cassie and Greta had us for dinner on Friday night, and it was DELISH as usual. Greta is growing like a weed, and is becoming quite grown up. We are excited that the three of them will join the rest of the family in Columbia next month for the graduations.
I hope/plan to blog more frequently as we make our way across country. I have to believe there will be some memorable moments worth blogging about. Ciao
We are going to stay here tomorrow and hit the road on Monday with a goal of arriving at Danny Schultz's by Wednesday evening. He and Christa and their two teen-age sons, Trevor and Corey, live in Rio Moreno which is northwest of San Antonio. Danny and Brian were friends in grade school and we have always thought of Danny as one of our own. We haven't seen him and his family for about 15 years so we are quite looking forward to this reunion.
It has been hotter than I would like, and I don't expect that situation to change any over the next two months. Thank goodness for A/C.
We spent a bit of time with Colleen and Craig and Cassie and Greta while home. Colleen's trip to Rome, although not entirely as advertised, was nonetheless a marvelous experience. She has decided the Roman version of yes is actually maybe and probably not. She blogged a bit and posted some photos on the latest site that Keith set up for the family: daneswithkilts.net.
Craig and Cassie and Greta had us for dinner on Friday night, and it was DELISH as usual. Greta is growing like a weed, and is becoming quite grown up. We are excited that the three of them will join the rest of the family in Columbia next month for the graduations.
I hope/plan to blog more frequently as we make our way across country. I have to believe there will be some memorable moments worth blogging about. Ciao
We are going to stay here tomorrow and hit the road on Monday with a goal of arriving at Danny Schultz's by Wednesday evening. He and Christa and their two teen-age sons, Trevor and Corey, live in Rio Moreno which is northwest of San Antonio. Danny and Brian were friends in grade school and we have always thought of Danny as one of our own. We haven't seen him and his family for about 15 years so we are quite looking forward to this reunion.
It has been hotter than I would like, and I don't expect that situation to change any over the next two months. Thank goodness for A/C.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Rain, what else?
Actually yesterday and today have produced a few glimmers of sunshine, but the first few days at home were nothing but gray clouds and rain. Of course with all the rain, the yard was totally overgrown, except the apple trees which Craig had pruned, so we had a landscape service here to do a lot of trimming and to top the evergreens in front to open up our view.
Colleen gets back from Rome tomorrow night so we will get a first-hand account of the entire adventure. I understand the Italian orchestra did not arrive prepared, so there was an impact on the rehearsals and the performance.
If all goes as planned, we will probably leave for Arizona this weekend. We are about halfway through our commitments and appointments and should finish on Friday.
We went to Curt and Cinda's after church on Easter. As usual, we spent a very enjoyable afternoon of visiting and eating. Thomas is just beginning to get his feet under him, and he was taking several steps on his own as he walked from one person to another. That was Sunday, so he is probably running by now.
The Maersk Alabama captured my attention the entire time, and I especially connected with the captain and his family because there were two photos of him that looked exactly like our Keith. That plus the U.S. Navy involvement kept my interest up.
Craig and Cassie are having us for dinner on Friday night. That is always a treat because they, like the rest of this family, are great cooks and host and hostess. We have seen Craig briefly since we got home, but haven't seen the girls yet.
Here are Cinda and Linea's websites which are fascinating and informative reading. They are becoming very well know on several fronts, and hopefully on another once their book gets published. I am so impressed with their candor and honesty about the road they have traveled through Linea's illness, and I know they are a tremendous support for other families in the same situation. Bookmark these and take a look once in a while as they are both excellent writers.
http://www.wellsphere.com/linea-profile/119590
http://www.cindajohnson.blogspot.com/
http://www.lineacinda.com/
Ciao
Colleen gets back from Rome tomorrow night so we will get a first-hand account of the entire adventure. I understand the Italian orchestra did not arrive prepared, so there was an impact on the rehearsals and the performance.
If all goes as planned, we will probably leave for Arizona this weekend. We are about halfway through our commitments and appointments and should finish on Friday.
We went to Curt and Cinda's after church on Easter. As usual, we spent a very enjoyable afternoon of visiting and eating. Thomas is just beginning to get his feet under him, and he was taking several steps on his own as he walked from one person to another. That was Sunday, so he is probably running by now.
The Maersk Alabama captured my attention the entire time, and I especially connected with the captain and his family because there were two photos of him that looked exactly like our Keith. That plus the U.S. Navy involvement kept my interest up.
Craig and Cassie are having us for dinner on Friday night. That is always a treat because they, like the rest of this family, are great cooks and host and hostess. We have seen Craig briefly since we got home, but haven't seen the girls yet.
Here are Cinda and Linea's websites which are fascinating and informative reading. They are becoming very well know on several fronts, and hopefully on another once their book gets published. I am so impressed with their candor and honesty about the road they have traveled through Linea's illness, and I know they are a tremendous support for other families in the same situation. Bookmark these and take a look once in a while as they are both excellent writers.
http://www.wellsphere.com/linea-profile/119590
http://www.cindajohnson.blogspot.com/
http://www.lineacinda.com/
Ciao
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Just crossed into Oregon
We will be sleeping in Steilacoom tonight after three five-hundred-mile-days from Casa Grande, but it has been an easy drive. Cooper might not agree as he doesn't have much room in the back of the Jetta, but he seems to be making the best of it.
The area here around Ashland is beautiful with all the hills and valleys displaying gorgeous spring greens. There is a dampness in the air, and clouds are hovering, but there is no rain.
The park in Casa Grande was getting pretty sparse by the time we left this week, and I suspect in another few days, the only residents will be the handful who stay year 'round.
We are looking forward to seeing Craig, Cassie, Greta, and all the Johnson family while we are home for the next ten days or so. And we will have Skyla as soon as we retrieve her from the kennel tomorrow.
We haven't heard from Colleen since she arrived in Rome, but she would have still been airborne when the earthquake hit north of Rome. I understand the second quake was felt in Rome, so she would have been there for that one. I know this is a busy week with about five hours of rehearsal time every day, so I'm not surprised we haven't heard from her.
We enjoyed a visit from Brian last weekend. He had a trip to Tucson and Phoenix for this week, so he came one day early to come and see us. His friend, Phil, who is still in the area joined us for the night as well.
Brian brought star gazer lillies, and since they were just two days old when we left, I couldn't bear to throw them away. I have had them with me in a glass of water in the side door pocket, and although they look a little the worse for wear, the car smells heavenly.
Janet managed to get tickets for Wicked while the guys are on their fishing trip in May, so it will be Janet and the girls, Janet's mother and I. We will just make a day of it by taking the train up and back. I have driven through NYC on more than one occasion, but this is the first time I will have set foot on a sidewalk!!
All the Kirkwoods will be in one place for the girls' graduations since Craig, Cassie, Greta, and Colleen are all going to be there. That is a rare occurence, and I am very much looking forward to it.
It is time to stop for coffee here in Medford. Ciao
The area here around Ashland is beautiful with all the hills and valleys displaying gorgeous spring greens. There is a dampness in the air, and clouds are hovering, but there is no rain.
The park in Casa Grande was getting pretty sparse by the time we left this week, and I suspect in another few days, the only residents will be the handful who stay year 'round.
We are looking forward to seeing Craig, Cassie, Greta, and all the Johnson family while we are home for the next ten days or so. And we will have Skyla as soon as we retrieve her from the kennel tomorrow.
We haven't heard from Colleen since she arrived in Rome, but she would have still been airborne when the earthquake hit north of Rome. I understand the second quake was felt in Rome, so she would have been there for that one. I know this is a busy week with about five hours of rehearsal time every day, so I'm not surprised we haven't heard from her.
We enjoyed a visit from Brian last weekend. He had a trip to Tucson and Phoenix for this week, so he came one day early to come and see us. His friend, Phil, who is still in the area joined us for the night as well.
Brian brought star gazer lillies, and since they were just two days old when we left, I couldn't bear to throw them away. I have had them with me in a glass of water in the side door pocket, and although they look a little the worse for wear, the car smells heavenly.
Janet managed to get tickets for Wicked while the guys are on their fishing trip in May, so it will be Janet and the girls, Janet's mother and I. We will just make a day of it by taking the train up and back. I have driven through NYC on more than one occasion, but this is the first time I will have set foot on a sidewalk!!
All the Kirkwoods will be in one place for the girls' graduations since Craig, Cassie, Greta, and Colleen are all going to be there. That is a rare occurence, and I am very much looking forward to it.
It is time to stop for coffee here in Medford. Ciao
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Winding down
We are coming up on our final two weeks at this location before we make a mad dash back to Steilacoom for a few days. We'll leave the MH parked right where it is, drive the car home, return, jump in the MH and head east.
So far we have stops planned for San Antonio, Pensacola, and Ocala. Everything else is wide open with the only goal being that we are at Ft. Meade for our check-in date of May 15.
Keith has organized a deep sea fishing trip for the "boys" while we are all in Maryland, and Janet is working on a New York trip for a play for the girls. Fun fun.
Sheila just spent two weeks reserve time in Tucson and was able to drive up twice for visits which was really fun. We especially enjoyed hearing all the first=hand stories of the boys' accomplishments and plans. And on the second occasion, Brian's good friend from Ramstein and Mt. Home days joined us for dinner as he is undergoing some training at Luke AFB here in Glendale.
We really can't complain about our weather in that we have not yet experienced too many days that required constant air conditioning. Quite a bit of wind recently.....and hot weather on the way.
My friend, Elisabeth, came for a short visit last week. I think the most fun was introducing her to our very leisurely way of life. We did a bit of sightseeing, but spent lots of time sitting outside, sipping wine, and watching the birds. She has never been to Arizona so it was fun to see it all through someone else's eyes.
Gary and Carolyn are leaving in the morning, so we are going to go out to dinner tonight - In N Out Burger. And I will have them here for breakfast in the morning before they head out.
We have gotten acquainted with some of the folks parked nearby so it has been fun to visit back and forth. The couple behind us are from Nebraska, and he is a retired steel worker. They are driving a 1992 Holiday Rambler that they bought new, and tomorrow they are trading it in on an '04 Winnebago Adventurer. Another Winnebago owner.
That is as exciting as it gets around here. Ciao
So far we have stops planned for San Antonio, Pensacola, and Ocala. Everything else is wide open with the only goal being that we are at Ft. Meade for our check-in date of May 15.
Keith has organized a deep sea fishing trip for the "boys" while we are all in Maryland, and Janet is working on a New York trip for a play for the girls. Fun fun.
Sheila just spent two weeks reserve time in Tucson and was able to drive up twice for visits which was really fun. We especially enjoyed hearing all the first=hand stories of the boys' accomplishments and plans. And on the second occasion, Brian's good friend from Ramstein and Mt. Home days joined us for dinner as he is undergoing some training at Luke AFB here in Glendale.
We really can't complain about our weather in that we have not yet experienced too many days that required constant air conditioning. Quite a bit of wind recently.....and hot weather on the way.
My friend, Elisabeth, came for a short visit last week. I think the most fun was introducing her to our very leisurely way of life. We did a bit of sightseeing, but spent lots of time sitting outside, sipping wine, and watching the birds. She has never been to Arizona so it was fun to see it all through someone else's eyes.
Gary and Carolyn are leaving in the morning, so we are going to go out to dinner tonight - In N Out Burger. And I will have them here for breakfast in the morning before they head out.
We have gotten acquainted with some of the folks parked nearby so it has been fun to visit back and forth. The couple behind us are from Nebraska, and he is a retired steel worker. They are driving a 1992 Holiday Rambler that they bought new, and tomorrow they are trading it in on an '04 Winnebago Adventurer. Another Winnebago owner.
That is as exciting as it gets around here. Ciao
Monday, February 23, 2009
Waiting for Weather
Finally this week, the temperatures are going to hit 80 which is plenty warm enough for me, but we all know that is just the beginning. The last two days have almost felt humid due to temperatures near 80 but lots of cloud cover. we are never satisfied with the weather, are we?
We three couples are going to the Desert Botanical Gardens this afternoon where there is currently a Chihuly glass display. I understand the gardens themselves are exceptional, and the glass just adds to it. Since I am never sure how Cooper behaves when we leave him behind (which is seldom), I have already asked forgiveness of the neighbors who said they have had lots of dogs and Cooper doesn't bother them.
Cooper has bothered us lately!!!!! On three occasions we have forgotten to put the bread basket out of reach, and he has taken full advantage. So we end up 1) worrying whether it is going to make him sick, 2) having bread crumbs and wrappers to clean up, and 3) frequently having no bread for us to eat!!
Mike and Mary found themselves in the Seattle area for the past three days, so we were able to offer them the house for a stay. They couldn't find the outside key the first night so drove back to Federal Way to a motel, but Craig rescued them the next day and got them inside. They visited with Colleen on Saturday, and she gave them the grand tour of her neighborhood and Fremont, and on Sunday, Craig picked them up and took them to Olympia for some sightseeing and dinner at their house. Dinner at Craig and Cassie's is always a treat!! I think they just appreciated getting away from the cold and piles of dirty snow in Spokane.
John Ratzenberger says, "The manual arts have always taken precedence over the fine arts. Remember, somebody had to build a ceiling before Michaelangelo could go to work. Ciao
We three couples are going to the Desert Botanical Gardens this afternoon where there is currently a Chihuly glass display. I understand the gardens themselves are exceptional, and the glass just adds to it. Since I am never sure how Cooper behaves when we leave him behind (which is seldom), I have already asked forgiveness of the neighbors who said they have had lots of dogs and Cooper doesn't bother them.
Cooper has bothered us lately!!!!! On three occasions we have forgotten to put the bread basket out of reach, and he has taken full advantage. So we end up 1) worrying whether it is going to make him sick, 2) having bread crumbs and wrappers to clean up, and 3) frequently having no bread for us to eat!!
Mike and Mary found themselves in the Seattle area for the past three days, so we were able to offer them the house for a stay. They couldn't find the outside key the first night so drove back to Federal Way to a motel, but Craig rescued them the next day and got them inside. They visited with Colleen on Saturday, and she gave them the grand tour of her neighborhood and Fremont, and on Sunday, Craig picked them up and took them to Olympia for some sightseeing and dinner at their house. Dinner at Craig and Cassie's is always a treat!! I think they just appreciated getting away from the cold and piles of dirty snow in Spokane.
John Ratzenberger says, "The manual arts have always taken precedence over the fine arts. Remember, somebody had to build a ceiling before Michaelangelo could go to work. Ciao
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Lion King, Ouseys and Spragues
The title indicates the highlights of the past weeks. Ouseys are parked beside us, and Rod and Karen finally were able to overcome the ice and snow and are now parked behind us. We seem to have settled into a routine of sharing drinks and dinner every few days, and there have been the all-important trips to the fabric store, Costco, Trader Joe's, the nail salon, and the RV store.
Our Christmas gift from Jeff and Bev, tickets for Lion King, was exceptional. The costumes, the sets, and the music were magnificent. I can't even fathom how some people are able to create these massive works of art. Many of the sets and backdrops were quite simple in and of themselves, but the addition of the dancing and the costumes caused the entire stage to become one stunning sight.
We joined several couples from Davenport for a birthday luncheon recently; the first of the group to enter the 71st year. There are about a half dozen couples who spend the winter at an RV park in Mesa, so they came halfway and we met in Chandler.
We are formulating our summer plans. We'll drive the car back to Steilacoom for some appointments the middle of April and then come back down here, pick up the motor home and drive east. Ken wants to revisit Pensacola, my cousin has invited us to visit them in Ocala, Florida, and then we need to be in Maryland around the 24th of May for the two graduations. We have made reservations at Ft. Meade which is about 20 minutes from where Keith and Janet live, so there is some sort of a plan.
I am now the proud owner of an orchid plant - my Valentine's Day gift from Ken. So far it has appeared to be happy and contented!! I have it on the dash in the front window, and since there are sun screens on the windows, it only gets filtered light which it should like.
We are still waiting for warm weather.......we sat outside this afternoon/evening, and I was frozen by the time the sun went down and we came inside. The rest of the week is supposed to be in the mid to high seventies.
A RETIREE'S THOUGHT
My husband said, "What are you doing today?"
I said, "Nothing."
He said, "You did that yesterday."
I said, "I didn't finish."
Ciao
Our Christmas gift from Jeff and Bev, tickets for Lion King, was exceptional. The costumes, the sets, and the music were magnificent. I can't even fathom how some people are able to create these massive works of art. Many of the sets and backdrops were quite simple in and of themselves, but the addition of the dancing and the costumes caused the entire stage to become one stunning sight.
We joined several couples from Davenport for a birthday luncheon recently; the first of the group to enter the 71st year. There are about a half dozen couples who spend the winter at an RV park in Mesa, so they came halfway and we met in Chandler.
We are formulating our summer plans. We'll drive the car back to Steilacoom for some appointments the middle of April and then come back down here, pick up the motor home and drive east. Ken wants to revisit Pensacola, my cousin has invited us to visit them in Ocala, Florida, and then we need to be in Maryland around the 24th of May for the two graduations. We have made reservations at Ft. Meade which is about 20 minutes from where Keith and Janet live, so there is some sort of a plan.
I am now the proud owner of an orchid plant - my Valentine's Day gift from Ken. So far it has appeared to be happy and contented!! I have it on the dash in the front window, and since there are sun screens on the windows, it only gets filtered light which it should like.
We are still waiting for warm weather.......we sat outside this afternoon/evening, and I was frozen by the time the sun went down and we came inside. The rest of the week is supposed to be in the mid to high seventies.
A RETIREE'S THOUGHT
My husband said, "What are you doing today?"
I said, "Nothing."
He said, "You did that yesterday."
I said, "I didn't finish."
Ciao
Sunday, January 25, 2009
In N Out!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And what to our wondering eyes should appear but an In N Out Burger in the new Casa Grande shopping center, and of course we had to immediately try it out. For those of you who have never heard of nor encountered an In N Out Burger, it almost has a cult following probably because the locations are limited pretty much to California and some other parts of the southwest. Every restaurant we have visited looks EXACTLY like every other In N Out Burger restaurant.
The menu consists of a hamburger, a double hamburger, a cheeseburger, fries, soft drinks and three flavors of milk shakes. The fries are made from fresh potatoes, and if you look behind the counter, you will see an employee dutifully feeding whole peeled potatoes through the french fry cutter. All employees are fresh-faced teens who are a cut above what you would expect in a fast food establishment, and they are paid accordingly.
We will indulge another time or two while we are here, and then I will have had my fix for another year.
The weather has cooled a bit and we have had some sprinkles of rain over the past few days with the temps hovering in the high sixties. Right now I see blue sky and sunshine.
The Ouseys who have been on the desert near Quartzite for the past week are due here tomorrow so we will spend some time catching up. Carolyn and I always have to make at least one pilgrimage to IKEA and Trader Joe's, and although she doesn't know it yet, the annual quilting and craft show in Phoenix is coming up this week, so I will try to entice her to join me for that.
Have you read "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson? If not, get your hands on a copy ASAP. It is a true story of one man's efforts to build a school (schools) in Pakistan and Afghanistan. You will be amazed and completely drawn into his ongoing efforts, failures and successes. I must admit I had never heard of the man nor the book, but Brian and Sheila gave us the book for Christmas, and I am hooked!! You will see why as you read it.
We invited two couples from Wisconsin for drinks yesterday afternoon; this after the two Wisconsin guys had removed the bedroom slide from their fifth-wheel to repair a rotting floor caused by an ongoing water leak. it didn't take long for the half dozen 'geezers' to realize they weren't going to be able to remove and lower the slide, so the owner of a Bobcat came to the rescue. Slide removed, floor repaired, slide replaced and they slept in their bed last night.
One couple we knew from last year and both of the guys own barber shops within a half block of each other in Hager City, Wisconsin and have been friends for years. We now have an invitation for a place to stay on our return trip from Maryland next summer if we choose to go through Wisconsin.........which we probably will since I have always wanted to visit the Winnebago factory in Iowa.
And in another week or so, I will regale you with more heart-stopping, mind-blowing adventures from the land of sunshine. Ciao
The menu consists of a hamburger, a double hamburger, a cheeseburger, fries, soft drinks and three flavors of milk shakes. The fries are made from fresh potatoes, and if you look behind the counter, you will see an employee dutifully feeding whole peeled potatoes through the french fry cutter. All employees are fresh-faced teens who are a cut above what you would expect in a fast food establishment, and they are paid accordingly.
We will indulge another time or two while we are here, and then I will have had my fix for another year.
The weather has cooled a bit and we have had some sprinkles of rain over the past few days with the temps hovering in the high sixties. Right now I see blue sky and sunshine.
The Ouseys who have been on the desert near Quartzite for the past week are due here tomorrow so we will spend some time catching up. Carolyn and I always have to make at least one pilgrimage to IKEA and Trader Joe's, and although she doesn't know it yet, the annual quilting and craft show in Phoenix is coming up this week, so I will try to entice her to join me for that.
Have you read "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson? If not, get your hands on a copy ASAP. It is a true story of one man's efforts to build a school (schools) in Pakistan and Afghanistan. You will be amazed and completely drawn into his ongoing efforts, failures and successes. I must admit I had never heard of the man nor the book, but Brian and Sheila gave us the book for Christmas, and I am hooked!! You will see why as you read it.
We invited two couples from Wisconsin for drinks yesterday afternoon; this after the two Wisconsin guys had removed the bedroom slide from their fifth-wheel to repair a rotting floor caused by an ongoing water leak. it didn't take long for the half dozen 'geezers' to realize they weren't going to be able to remove and lower the slide, so the owner of a Bobcat came to the rescue. Slide removed, floor repaired, slide replaced and they slept in their bed last night.
One couple we knew from last year and both of the guys own barber shops within a half block of each other in Hager City, Wisconsin and have been friends for years. We now have an invitation for a place to stay on our return trip from Maryland next summer if we choose to go through Wisconsin.........which we probably will since I have always wanted to visit the Winnebago factory in Iowa.
And in another week or so, I will regale you with more heart-stopping, mind-blowing adventures from the land of sunshine. Ciao
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Ahhh sunshine
We are basking in mid-seventies weather!!!! We arrived this afternoon and are parked and set up in the same site as last year. Cooper likes it back here. And on my way to the laundry room, I encountered a couple who were here last year, so of course it is like old home week.
I-5 had been closed last week due to flooding, but I closely monitored a Seattle TV station website which was giving real-time updates on weather and roads. I-5 opened to trucks at noon on Friday and regular traffic at two.....we went through Chehalis about three!! We stopped in Albany for the night to visit Dick and Harriet Light who live in the Mennonite Village with everything from single family homes to condos and apartments. It offers care from assisted living up to Alzheimer care, which is what Dick is going to be needing in the not too distant future.
Bless his heart. He had no idea who we were, and he has gotten quite thin, but when he smiled, we saw the old Dick. He was always such a swashbuckling daring-do kind of guy, that it is very heart-wrenching to see him fail. But we had a good visit with Harriet, and she treated us to dinner at a Hungarian restaurant that is to die for.
Saturday night was the Wal mart parking lot in Red Bluff, Sunday an RV park in Bakersfield, and on to the desert outside Quartzite on Monday. There was a full moon and the stars were awesome while we were there. It seemed there were fewer rigs in town and parked on the desert, but the 'main event' doesn't start until Saturday, and we passed a lot of motor homes heading that way, so I guess it is going to pick up.
All that house cleaning and laundry I did today tired me out, so I am signing off.
Ciao
I-5 had been closed last week due to flooding, but I closely monitored a Seattle TV station website which was giving real-time updates on weather and roads. I-5 opened to trucks at noon on Friday and regular traffic at two.....we went through Chehalis about three!! We stopped in Albany for the night to visit Dick and Harriet Light who live in the Mennonite Village with everything from single family homes to condos and apartments. It offers care from assisted living up to Alzheimer care, which is what Dick is going to be needing in the not too distant future.
Bless his heart. He had no idea who we were, and he has gotten quite thin, but when he smiled, we saw the old Dick. He was always such a swashbuckling daring-do kind of guy, that it is very heart-wrenching to see him fail. But we had a good visit with Harriet, and she treated us to dinner at a Hungarian restaurant that is to die for.
Saturday night was the Wal mart parking lot in Red Bluff, Sunday an RV park in Bakersfield, and on to the desert outside Quartzite on Monday. There was a full moon and the stars were awesome while we were there. It seemed there were fewer rigs in town and parked on the desert, but the 'main event' doesn't start until Saturday, and we passed a lot of motor homes heading that way, so I guess it is going to pick up.
All that house cleaning and laundry I did today tired me out, so I am signing off.
Ciao
Friday, January 09, 2009
Happy New Year
We "weathered" the Christmas holiday and are now waiting on the weather to head south!!
There was a window of opportunity on 12/24 to allow us to get to Colleen's for Christmas Eve and Christmas day, and to get home again on the 26th. Curt, Cinda and Linea canceled their plans to go to Spokane because of weather, so they joined us on Christmas Eve for our traditional fondue, pickled herring and Aquavit. Holidays are meant to be spent with friends and family.
Joel and Shawna were married in spite of the weather. Instead of 90 guests, there were about 45. I hurried and mailed the candy wedding favors, but alas, they were one day late, so the family has been munching on them.
Here is my favorite story about the wedding we couldn't attend:
Early in December, I booked a hotel room for two nights thinking we would be in Spokane for the wedding. It was just a Super 8 on Argonne Road, but it took pets and they were offering a two-night special. However, the setup for their website tends to pull you along, and when all is said and done, the reservation cannot be changed, canceled or refunded. Arrrgggh!!
In a moment of blinding intelligence, I called Mike and Joel and told them the room was there and paid for if someone attended the wedding and then wanted to stay over, or couldn't get back home because of the weather. So, the bride and groom stayed there the night of their wedding. Sheesh, had I known that, I would have opted for a bit higher-end place. I think Shawna's family was staying at their house, and Joel and Shawna left on 12/25 for a honeymoon cruise to Mexico, so Super 8 it was for their wedding night. I love it.
BTW, I am asking everyone to boycott Super 8 motels and all Wyndham properties due to their deceitful marketing practices. In fact, when I called the motel about it, the receptionist said they had had others complaint about the same thing.
Jeff and Bev were here for their annual post-Christmas visit, and we did the usual: sleep in, play Boggle, and eat and drink at our leisure. Bev and I also did a bit of quilting.
Our goal had been to leave here yesterday for warmer climes, but the flooding has delayed our departure. I-5 has a 20-mile stretch around Centralia/Chehalis that has been closed since Wednesday afternoon because it is flooded, and now it is due to be open to trucks later today. We couldn't go west toward Aberdeen and pick up 101 because of road closures between here and there.
But we now have no excuse for forgetting anything since we have had two extra days to take care of last minute details.
Craig and Cassie narrowly escaped a repeat of last year's flooding. The water came to within inches of the floor of the house but didn't come inside. They had some lead time so were able to move furniture up off the floor in the event of flooding. The outside yard is littered with anthing and everything that can float, but that is better than mud and water inside.
I saw the surgeon on Tuesday and got a thumbs up. In fact the fusion site shows healing that would be at the four-month time frame rather than two, so I am pleased. I have been armed with all sorts of exercises by the physical therapist to keep me on track this winter, and I am looking forward to pleasant walking weather.
The next blog should be from some other state than Washington!! Ciao
There was a window of opportunity on 12/24 to allow us to get to Colleen's for Christmas Eve and Christmas day, and to get home again on the 26th. Curt, Cinda and Linea canceled their plans to go to Spokane because of weather, so they joined us on Christmas Eve for our traditional fondue, pickled herring and Aquavit. Holidays are meant to be spent with friends and family.
Joel and Shawna were married in spite of the weather. Instead of 90 guests, there were about 45. I hurried and mailed the candy wedding favors, but alas, they were one day late, so the family has been munching on them.
Here is my favorite story about the wedding we couldn't attend:
Early in December, I booked a hotel room for two nights thinking we would be in Spokane for the wedding. It was just a Super 8 on Argonne Road, but it took pets and they were offering a two-night special. However, the setup for their website tends to pull you along, and when all is said and done, the reservation cannot be changed, canceled or refunded. Arrrgggh!!
In a moment of blinding intelligence, I called Mike and Joel and told them the room was there and paid for if someone attended the wedding and then wanted to stay over, or couldn't get back home because of the weather. So, the bride and groom stayed there the night of their wedding. Sheesh, had I known that, I would have opted for a bit higher-end place. I think Shawna's family was staying at their house, and Joel and Shawna left on 12/25 for a honeymoon cruise to Mexico, so Super 8 it was for their wedding night. I love it.
BTW, I am asking everyone to boycott Super 8 motels and all Wyndham properties due to their deceitful marketing practices. In fact, when I called the motel about it, the receptionist said they had had others complaint about the same thing.
Jeff and Bev were here for their annual post-Christmas visit, and we did the usual: sleep in, play Boggle, and eat and drink at our leisure. Bev and I also did a bit of quilting.
Our goal had been to leave here yesterday for warmer climes, but the flooding has delayed our departure. I-5 has a 20-mile stretch around Centralia/Chehalis that has been closed since Wednesday afternoon because it is flooded, and now it is due to be open to trucks later today. We couldn't go west toward Aberdeen and pick up 101 because of road closures between here and there.
But we now have no excuse for forgetting anything since we have had two extra days to take care of last minute details.
Craig and Cassie narrowly escaped a repeat of last year's flooding. The water came to within inches of the floor of the house but didn't come inside. They had some lead time so were able to move furniture up off the floor in the event of flooding. The outside yard is littered with anthing and everything that can float, but that is better than mud and water inside.
I saw the surgeon on Tuesday and got a thumbs up. In fact the fusion site shows healing that would be at the four-month time frame rather than two, so I am pleased. I have been armed with all sorts of exercises by the physical therapist to keep me on track this winter, and I am looking forward to pleasant walking weather.
The next blog should be from some other state than Washington!! Ciao
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)