We continue to take each day as it comes. I spent 12/21 to 1/2 in Spokane making arrangements for a place for Pat. I encountered roadblocks at every turn, most notably the VA social workers, and called Ken on 12/28 and said I needed reinforcements. Our friends, the Schulers, arrived at SeaTac on Wednesday and the 3 of them drove directly to Spokane. We spent New Year's Eve in a hotel room.

Pat is now at the VA nursing home in Spokane. We continue to have ups and downs with doctors at the VA Hospital, but there is nothing positive to report with the prognosis.

I stayed at my brother Mike's over Christmas and he, his wife Mary, and son Joel went out of their way to include me in their holiday. Actually, it was not as difficult as it might seem since I was so preoccupied with getting Pat moved and settled that it didn't even seem like Christmas.

The weather has been very cold here in Steilacoom, and this being an old house only adds to the chill. It has been down in the 20's at night. The summit area at Snoqualmie was like a postcard when we returned to Steilacoom last Sunday. No huge buildup of snowbanks along the sides of the Interstate, but the trees all hung heavy with beautiful white fluffy snow.

May 2005 be good to you.

Ciao, Helen

Sadly, I do not have a cheerful post this time. My older brother, Pat, was diagnosed last week with terminal esophageal cancer plus diabetes. This along with a failing heart valve that he has been living with for 3 years. So my posts will be far and few between for a while.

I have been in Spokane while he has been hospitalized, and will return tomorrow to move him to a family home north of Spokane. It is sad and stressful, but I find some redeeming moments in all of it. And my other brother, Mike, and I simply want whatever will give Pat comfort and solace. Please keep us in your prayers.

We had reservations to fly to Idaho yesterday to spend a few pre-Christmas days with Brian and Sheila, but cancelled that. And I could end up spending Christmas in Spokane with Pat. I am holding on to the thought that we will have Gary and Carolyn and Jeff and Bev here for a few days after Christmas. After that, we will see if we are able to leave to go south with the Ouseys.

I had completed most of my Christmas shopping, and Ken, Colleen and Craig are perfectly capable of creating a Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for themselves.

Last Saturday was fun after I returned from Spokane. Colleen had several of her college friends here for an overnight along with a massage specialist and a foot masseuse. Ummm Ummm. I could get used to a massage once a week.

In case I don't post for a while, a merry and blessed Christmas to all.

Ciao, Helen

At last!! Some progress to report after the more recent postings about nothing getting done. Most of the Christmas decorations are up, and that just leaves the tree - yet to be claimed from a nearby tree lot. I even addressed envelopes for Christmas cards yesterday so that effor is also underway. I have done a small amount of baking, plus made a batch of crepes to put in the freezer, so I feel as if I have made headway. Truth be known, I quite like all of these projects which I did not even attempt when I was working.

The walls and ceiling for the upstairs shower were installed yesterday, and we can use it by this evening!!! It doesn't look like real marble or stone, but it does look new and shiny, and after all this time; I'll take it. Of course there is all the remaining stuff to be done such as taking up the old flooring and installing new, and installling a new sink, etc. etc. etc.

Colleen and I joined Curves last month, and I have been faithful about getting there, although joining an exercise/fitness program the week before Thanksgiving is not very smart. I figure I am just now catching up for all the eating and drinking I did while in Maryland. I do like the Curves concept as compared to a regular gym. It is for women only, so I don't have to deal with the macho men and muscle-bound trainers. Curves provides a circuit of machines with music and voice-over that lets you keep a rhythm as well as tells you when to change to the next piece of equipment, thus eliminating the need to even count. And there are no settings to wrestle with. All the equipment is designed for women and it all works on hydraulics, so again, a no-brainer. To be continued.

We are invited to a Christmas open house tomorrow afternoon and that, along with an open house given by our investment counselor pretty much sums up the social scene for us. We are looking forward to our visitors arrival after Christmas which will be our party time.


Ciao

Here it is Saturday and not a decoration to be seen. By the time we did a little shopping, cooking, and whatever else, we decided to postpone. Now Colleen is on her way to Colorado for 4 days to visit friends, so more time will pass. I'm thinking I will get started while she is gone. All of this decorating requires a fair amount of labor, but I won't have to do any of the dismantling since we will be leaving right after the first. Colleen gets that fun job.

We are hoping Brian and Sheila might have a few days available between now and the first of the year when we might meet halfway for a gift exchange and some Christmas cheer. He is pretty tied down with his job, so it is difficult to find a block of time to be away.

Ken spent the better part of yesterday with the motor home in and out of service sites. ....with nothing fixed. A new radio and speaker and shower head are being ordered from Winnebago. As for the Chevy/Workhorse problems: The instrument cluster (our second one) needs to be replaced, and there is such a run on those as a result of a recall, that we might get one by the time we get to Arizona, and the overdrive switch problem requires a trip to Allison which is located near SeaTac Airport. Our last MH was a Ford, and we never even darkened the doorstep of the Ford service center. Aargh. But we did buy chains for both the MH and the Jetta so we are ready to hit the road.

The shower pan for our upstairs shower was installed yesterday. Now Ken will put up the green board to be ready for next Friday when the walls are installed. Lesson learned: Never, never, never, build an over-sized shower, if you don't want to tile it. Our only other option, short of a natural stone such as marble or granite, was fiberglass that looks like marble. It is expensive and heavy!!

Sarah tells us that the University of Washington application went in the mail this week. We would be thrilled to have her going to school in Seattle. She is also applying at two or three schools in the east; all in Maryland I believe. She is a strong student and has been involved in band and volleyball, so I can't imagine why all those schools wouldn't want her!! Can it be true that we have a grandaughter old enough to be going to college?

It is 6:15 a.m. and I've been up since 4:00 a.m. to take Colleen to the airport, so now I have to decide if I want to go back to bed or want to wait for the newspaper to arrive! Probably read the paper first and then go back to bed.

Ciao

Home again. We had an uneventful trip other than sitting on the tarmac at BWI for an hour while the mechanics worked on the cooling system for the avionics. We arrived home to a warming trend, so we missed the cold days.

Now it is full speed ahead for Christmas and all related fun stuff. Colleen and I are going to start decorating tonight, and finish up on Friday which is a day off for her. The tree will wait for a while so it won't dry out by Christmas.

We used to bundle up the four kids, and along with the dog, load up the station wagon to drive to a tree farm to cut a fresh tree. Now Ken and I leave the house and stop at the closest tree lot. If there is nothing to our satisfaction we drive to the next closest, and so on, until we happen on the perfect tree. Then we cash in some of our stocks and bonds to pay for it (I thought we lived in the Evergreen State) and bring it home.

And the really fun stuff this year will be company and an eggnog party. Gary and Carolyn will be here on the 29th and Jeff and Bev Schuler usually arrive around the 27th. So Friday, the 30th will probably be the annual eggnog open house. I must say that my eggnog recipe has been praised by even those who thought they didn't like eggnog. It is from a military officers' wives cookbook from the 60's:

Eggnog Supreme

12 eggs, separated
1 1/2 c sugar (I have been known to use less)
1 quart whiskey (rye for you Canadians)
2 qt milk
1 pint half and half
1 pint heavy cream
Nutmeg

Blend egg yolks with sugar. Add whiskey. Add milk and half & half. Beat egg whites to a soft peak. Whip heavy cream until fluffy. Fold egg whites and whipped cream into yolk mixture. Chill. Serve sprinkled with nutmeg. 40 small servings.

Helen's method:

Blend egg yolks, sugar, milk and half & half and chill. When ready to serve, place half in punch bowl, beat half the egg whites and half the cream and fold in. For drama, take your bottle of rye to the punch bowl which you have now placed on the table or buffet, and pour it in (with flair and all to see). I place a shaker of nutmeg beside the punch bowl. This method keeps the punch bowl looking more attractive, and you have a second batch at the ready for the late arrivals.

And then after the party, we won't care what we do for the next day or two!!

New Year's Eve has been a tradition with the Schulers and us since 1981. We girls go out on the 31st to shop for dinner for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. We enjoy a nice dinner, and then attempt to stay awake until midnight to enjoy a kiss and a sip of champagne as we watch the ball drop in Times Square. Then by 12:15 we are in bed!! Gary and Carolyn; take notes!

Ciao

We have spent several more leisurely days here in Columbia. Janet, the girls, and I have ventured out on two or three shopping forays, and as expected, we encountered madness. Janet dropped us off at the mall entrance for Columbia Mall, and it was another half hour before we saw her again. That was after at least 20 minutes previous driving around trying to get a parking place.

Yesterday I treated the four girls to pedicures, and Janet treated us to lunch, so it was truly a girls' day out.

We have done some Christmas shopping, so we can leave Keith's and the girls' gifts here. I am all in favor of not having to mail anything to avoid supporting the U.S. Postal Service.

We are going out to Ft. Mead today to take a look at the FamCamp. We are thinking about driving the MH out here next spring for Sarah's graduation on June 3 and the covenants here where Keith and Janet live will not allow us to park it in front of their house. Actually, since they live on a circle, there really isn't room for us.

Sarah is working at Pizza Hut today from ten to nine. Where are the child labor laws? She worked last night so that is where we went for dinner.

Tomorrow is our last full day here. Janet is taking the day off, but I think Keith is working, and the girls have school. We leave about eleven on Tuesday morning. I see where it is 25 degrees farenheit this morning in Steilacoom. We are hoping everything in the MH was winterized as we thought. Time will tell.

I keep up to date with all of the happenings of the Ousey clan. I feel as if I know Gary's brother and sister-in-law, Dennis and Catherine, since I follow Dennis' blog as well as Gary's. Actually Dennis' is a compilation of political satire, prose and poetry, in addition to the latest news from Winnepeg.

It rained heavily here last night, but since the guest room is in the lower level sans sight and sound, we were totally unaware.

Keep on blogging,

Ciao

Here I am, surrounded with our two wonderful granddaughters. We had an uneventful flight here on Sunday, and have just enjoyed our time with Keith, Janet, and the girls.

The girls had yesterday off, and only half days on Monday and Tuesday, although Sarah works about 3 jobs so we have seen less of her than Rachel. She is a waitperson at Pizza Hut, and works at a nearby furniture store. As soon as tax season starts up, she will be working also for an accountant. All of that while maintaining a very high gpa. She completed her first college application today for the University of Maryland. One down and several more to go. We are waiting for the application from the University of Washington. Guess what school we would choose for her?

Rachel is a busy social teen. When she is not around she is more than likely on the phone with someone or on the computer with someone. I'm sure she is destined to be an actress, she is very outgoing, and can be very dramatic.

Keith has taken some time off, although he did work last Monday. He was asked to fly to Florida for a meeting, and he said, "No, because my parents are here." So he was asked again if he would go if he were to go on the corporate jet. So rather than a very long day, or two days, he was outbound a little after six in the morning and back here on the ground about four.

We just finished a marvelous Thanksgiving dinner. I made tomato aspic since it is a favorite of Ken's, and I rather like it, but it was soundly rejected by the others. My only other contributions were dinner rolls and an apple pie. And we still have dessert to go!

Craig and Colleen are spending the day with some of the Kirkwoods. Dinner is at Cliff and Jordan's in Kenmore, and Linea is home from school. In additon to Cliff's parents and their friends, Curt and Cinda and Jerry and Lois will be there.

We have no specific plans for the next few days. I think the girls are planning to brave the crowds tomorrow, but probably not me!!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Ciao

We did leave town for a total of about 48 hours. It was my desire to go to the wine country, which is a 4 hour drive each way, and after one day there, Ken felt the need to return home. He said he was worried about the pass, but I have to suspect he wanted to be home the day before the Apple Cup to be sure he was in place at 4 pm this afternoon. So we had a few hours to visit a few wineries in the Columbia/Yakima Valleys and to purchase some Washington wine to take to Baltimore tomorrow.

The snow level on Snoqualmie Pass was considerably lower yesterday than when we drove over on Wednesday, but anything that had been on the road near the summit was gone. You could see a bit of snow along the frontage roads that had been left by a snowplow.

Our flight leaves around nine in the morning with a stop in Detroit. So we will get to Baltimore by dinner time. I plan to do my Christmas shopping for the Baltimore Kirkwoods while there to save mailing packages. Besides, with two teen girls, it is just easier to be there to figure out what will work for gifts.

We have had sunshine and blue skies for the past 3 days, so I guess the threat of rain passed us by for now. It was very frosty when we got up this morning.

Colleen and I have joined Curves. They have a site in the complex where she works at Starbucks, and it is about a 5 minute drive from home. I'll meet her there at 3 today when she gets off work. The workout routine seems pretty easy considering the rewards promised, so we will see.

No results for governor yet, but I think the recount has begun. If the recount comes out as close as the original count, a matter of less than 300 ballots, then I suspect the losing party will be looking at doing something more such as going to court. It is claimed that a candidate who was ahead with the original count, has never lost to the recount.

Only 5 days left to buy your turkey!

Ciao

And now Christine Gregoire has pulled ahead by less than 200 votes..........I see a recount coming. And speaking of politics, with Colin Powell's resignation (read fired), we have lost the last (and only) bastion of sensibility and reason of this administration with regard to foreign relations. I never would have believed I would be saying that about a four-star Army general! Condie Rice is so much not her own person, but Bush's puppet, that we will see even more aggression and complacency; none of it in the right places.

The weather foiled Brian's efforts to come to McChord AFB yesterday, so we missed him both coming and going. We are in the midst of about a full century of clouds, fog, and rain. I don't think the forecast shows a glimmer of sun for the next week.

We have a couple of appointments today, financial planner and then a haircut for Helen, and then we will decide if we want to prep the motor home for a 2 or 3 day outing. As noted in the aforementioned paragraph, it will all be with rain and clouds. But I can sit, with a drink in my hand, and look at the stormy Pacific for hours on end! No need to bother with the grill and charcoal, but better be sure we have the wellies and oilskins!

Ken spent the better part of yesterday slugging away at the concrete floor in the basement to create a well for a sump pump. The entire town of Steilacoom sits on a sidehill that is full of springs, so when the rains come, there is just too much water to be absorbed fast enough. He is installing a proper automatic pump since we will be away for the first part of the year - the rainy part.

Better buy your turkey - Thanksgiving is less than 10 days away.

Ciao

As of yesterday, the governor's race was favoring Dino Rossi for about 3,000 votes. Yay! This is a nail-biter. The count is now down to pretty much the provisional ballots and those that were not signed (with volunteers seeking those voters to sign their ballots). And with both, it is impossible for the pollsters to hazard a guess as to which way they will go.

We were expecting Brian, along with a second plane, to be coming through McChord today on a cross-country, but it turns out that McChord is having a 'down' day that precludes any flying, so there will be no landing here. We are hoping we might still see them on their way back to Mt. Home in a few days.

We have been singing the praises of Tatonka Takeout here in Tacoma which is a little walk-up eatery that features buffalo burgers, and it was going to be the lunch stop today. This little 'hole-in-the-wall' is about the size of a good-sized living room, with one corner cordoned off for the cooking area. It takes a while to receive your order, but the wall are covered with photos and kitsch about bison to while away the time. There are about a half dozen tables plus a little bar at the window with metal tractor seats for stools.

Today is my friend, Elisabeth's, birthday so she and her son who is visiting from the east coast are coming for dinner. I dredged up an old recipe that was a mainstay for me about 30 years ago, but is still pretty acceptable, a chicken and rice dish embellished with mushrooms , bell peppers and light cream. The birthday cake is a sour cream chocolate cake with chocolate sour cream frosting.

Our Thanksgiving plans have changed dramatically from staying here and spending it with the Jerry Kirkwood family. With one small invitation from Keith, we were online booking tickets for Baltimore. We leave on the 21st and return on the 30th. The girls only have half days at school on the Monday and Tuesday prior to Thanksgiving, so we should have a little extra time with them. Janet works half days, and I'm sure Keith has some comp time coming, so we should see lots of everybody. When asked what we could bring besides good Washington wine, Keith answered that we could not bring tomato aspic. No problem, we'll make it when we get there, and Ken and I will eat it and enjoy it. I suspect he doesn't want to hear about mincemeat pie either.

The kitchen is calling me so,

Ciao

And so another week begins.....
We were able to see Sheila for a few hours yesterday. Her sister left around noon, so we picked Sheila up at SeaTac and brought her to the house for a few hours and dinner. She, Lisa, and the other squadron wives had a good time in Seattle. Sheila was a hero for suggesting the Pink Door for lunch. For the unitiated, it is a long-standing restaurant on Post Alley just above Pike Place Market, but it does not have a sign - just a pink door - so you have to be in the know.
We talked to Nolan and Brian on Saturday, and the boys were having quite a good time while Mom was gone - had had pizza at least once a day since Thursday with a promise from Dad for two more days' worth.
The upstairs shower saga continues, but we are getting closer. We placed the order for the fiberglass panels, and set the date for installation. We should have a working shower by the first week of December!!
I have purchased 4 Christmas gifts!! And not a clue as to where to go from here. And I have been collecting some holiday recipes, but haven't created a thing to put away in the freezer. there is still lots of time isn't there?
Still no governor for Washington, but it is looking like Christine Gregoire is holding a slim lead - darn, she wasn't my choice. This state has had enough of the democrats, bring on a republican!
Ciao

.....and the elections are over, even if we still don't have a victor in the race for Washington's governor. It looks like it could be a few days before that one is decided. I just watched John Kerry's concession speech, which was very much a class act. As I've said before, I am not enamored with either one; Kerry for not knowing what he might have done, and Bush for knowing what he has done (and not liking a lot of it).
We have been staying home and doing projects. Up until today, the rain and gray made one want to just hunker down inside, but we now have sunshine, and should have same for several days.
Sheila and several of the wives from the squadron are flying to Seattle tomorrow for a few days of shopping and being pampered at the Westin Hotel downtown. Her sister, Lisa, is flying out from Virginia to spend some time with her. For all the cities Lisa has visited around the world, she has never been to Seattle, so I'm glad we are going to have some nice weather for her.
Brian and Sheila have decided they will stay in Mt. Home for Thanksgiving and hope to work in at least one day of skiing. We will probably be with the Jerry Kirkwood family at Cliff and Jordan's in Kirkland. Both Oregon and Washington wine countries do an all out Thanksgiving weekend of wine and food tastings so I'm thinking we will try to get to one or the other on Friday and Saturday.
Have you had a hankering for some pizza? Try this:

In a food processor, puree 2 cans of artichoke hearts with some garlic, olive oil and oregano and use this for the 'sauce' on an unbaked pizza crust. Top with sliced tomatoes, black olives, onion, green pepper, and spinach. Add crumbled feta and mozzarella cheese and bake. As you can see, you could use whatever toppings that appealed to you, but I must say the artichokes are quite a nice change from red sauce.

Ciao

Sometimes, there just isn't much to say!

We have spent most of the week at home with Ken working on the upstairs bathroom and/or talking to and waiting for contractors to give their 2 cents' worth. But there is progress!! We have such a large shower area that it requires tile or custom acrylic. We are going with the latter since we have never had good luck with the integrity of tile and grout in a shower. It will probably be a gray granite look that should be neutral enough to work with most any colors. And while Ken is in the process, he will install a new vent fan since the old one was vented into the chimney........somehow that just doesn't seem right. And since the bathroom is already torn up, we might as well replace the fixtures and install a big cabinet on the wall, and replace the vinyl, and...........! Perhaps by Thanksgiving?

It is has been dark and cold for days, and right now it is so dark outside that I am sure the rain will come at any moment.

Colleen has called a time or two from Australia. She did see 3 kangaroos from afar and has seen 10 dead ones on the highways. She loved New Zealand and is already talking about going back, maybe even to teach. She has visited Bassim's family and met his parents whom she says are very nice. She saw his sister, Gigi, whom she had met when Gigi was here in the states last July. Colleen gets home midday next Monday.

Maybe next week we can get out in the motor home for a few days since our dog sitter will return on Monday. Speaking of dogs, read this: http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/10/29/canine.caller.ap/index.html
Pretty amazing!!

Have a good week end, and keep on blogging!!

Ciao

My birthday, yesterday, was uneventful and enjoyable. I was gifted with flowers from Ken and the Baltimore Kirkwoods and the Idaho Kirkwoods tell me there is a gift on the way. I love it when the celebration goes on for days. Craig came by with 2 bottles of very nice red wine, so of course we had to try one. Woodward Canyon 2000 Old Vines Cabernet - a HUGE wine and outstanding! Ken and I went to Ft. Lewis to renew my ID card and then we made a stop at the commissary. That was the uneventful part. Ken cooked dinner for me, so all 'round, it was very nice.

I am meeting my friend Elisabeth for lunch. She and I met each other when entering the real estate game about 10 years ago and we have remained fast friends. She is a lovely, thoughtful person, and I enjoy seeing her. She lives in Gig Harbor so I must admit I don't go over to see her as often as I should. She is German, but has lived in the US (and is a US citizen) for at least half her life. My ideal trip would be to go to Germany with her!

Rainy, rainy, rainy, with a bit of sun tomorrow accompanied by: RAIN. Winter must be here.

We still have made no plans for the MH outing I mentioned in my last blog. We like to be spontaneous!!

I'm off for lunch.

Ciao

I'm back in Steilacoom after an uneventful drive across the state. I stopped in Ritzville for a cup of coffee and meandered off the Interstate to 'downtown'. I went into the Whispering Palms which was named the Whistlin' Pig many years ago. It turned out to be worse than a pig sty. One or two straggly men and the "waitress" were all at the counter puffing on cigarettes. Before anyone could get to me, I turned tail and ran. Continuing on my quest for something folksy in this farming community, I stopped at Jakes, which has also been there forever. Not much better. Not quite as many people smoking, but there didn't seem to be any separation of smokers from non-smokers. This place is frequented by truck drivers so you can imagine how bad the coffee was!! Enough!! Next time it is McDonalds.

On Thursday night, I met Mike, Mary, Joel and Pat for dinner at a new restaurant on the north side of Spokane. It is a rustic log style and very well laid out. And the meals were all good. For the uninformed, Pat is my brother, Mike is my brother and is married to Mary, and Joel is their son.Joel at 6'3" and almost 300 pounds (he is big, not fat (and still cute) was almost slowed down by the one-pound buffalo burger, but he mastered it. Pat is thin and does not look like he feels well. Unfortunately there is nothing we can do for him. A weakened heart valve leaves no alternatives at his age.

I arrived home about 4:30 yesterday, and Ken had proof that he worked on the bathroom and took care of the dog. The bathroom shower has a relocated drain, and the dog is still alive!!

We are planning to head out the middle of next week for a few days in the MH. The excuse is that we just had the shocks replaced and we need to see how it handles on the road. Besides, I want to get out and about before all the fall color disappears. I'm thinking north to the Skagit River area or Port Townsend and Fort Worden and Ken is thinking the ocean. We'll see.

I have sealed my absentee ballot so the deed is done. Enough said.

Speaking of politics, I find it absurd that this great country of ours doesn't see fit to import drugs from Canada, but now is ready and willing to accept flu vaccine from Canada. Of course, having lived in Canada for 2 years and having an affinity for our friends to the north, I am all the more embarrassed.

Today was quite a nice day with a fair amount of sunshine, and that is contrary to the weather report. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Ciao

Here is my one and only blog from Spokane. I drove over on Monday and have been so busy playing and chatting that I haven't had time to blog. Lois and I have been out and about most of the last 2 days with lunch being a major item on our itinerary. Yesterday we ate at Mizuna's downtown and I had the most spectacular appetizer of melted Brie with some sauteed fall mushrooms and slices of crusty bread. That along with a cup of squash and pumpkin soup swept with a wisp of curry. Outstanding. Tonight Jerry and Lois treated me to Thai food at a small restaurant nearby. Wonderful.

The weather has been around 50 during the day with a splash or two of rain but otherwise quite uneventful. There is snow on Mt. Spokane, and I noticed a layer of "powdered sugar" on the higher peaks of the Cascades on my drive over on Monday.

Lois and I stopped at Calla and Sam's new office today and enjoyed a few minutes of visiting. They have downsized their architecural firm and have moved to a very unique and intriguing suite of offices. And the best part is that there is a great little bakery/eatery in the same building and just around the corner. Then we headed out to Liberty Lake to look at Bob and Sharon Jayne's new house that should be completed by the end of November. It is a lovely 2 story with awesome views of the lake. And the guest room and bath on the main floor is referred to as the Kirkwood Suite. I'm afraid it will be spring before we get over to try it out.

I am meeting Mike and Mary and Pat tomorrow night for dinner at a restaurant nearby on the north side. Then I think I will have seen and visited with most everybody before I go home on Friday.

I left Ken to mind the dog and work on the upstairs bathroom, both of which he says he is doing. I think Craig has been by a time or two to see what he is up to.

I'm off to bed to read and rest up for another day of play.

Ciao

It is a drizzly Saturday here in Steilacoom, and I can't understand why Cooper thinks he needs to keep going outside. As for me, inside is the best.

I regret to report that I have nothing to report, but I am committed to 'keep on bloggin'. Ken is off to get new tires on the Jetta. We have had it for one year, doubled the mileage, and have worn out the tires at 40,000 miles. I understand the tires 'role' with regard to safety, but I can't get on a 'roll' when it comes to spending the money. So much money for round, black, smelly objects!

I had a long chat with Sheila last night to get caught up on all the Idaho Kirkwood activities. Brian should return from Las Vegas next week and should be home for a while. Both boys have soccer games today which signals the end of the season. And Sheila remains breathless with her contributions to help out the squadron families whenever she can.

Warren's birthday is next week and he will turn 9; our youngest grandchild!! He informed his parents recently that he intends to be a film producer so would like a video camera for his birthday so he can get started. His first work is going to be about cats (he insists that he was a cat in a former life) and the challenge is to decide if it should be live or animated, which would be much easier than trying to get a live cat to cooperate. He is not very forthcoming with what goes on in his head, but I love it when he does decide to share.

Nolan, age 11, recently completed a school project creating his family tree. I understand it is very well done, and once finished, he made the observation that he has a very strong military background: his maternal great grandfather was a POW during WWII and his paternal great grandfather was aboard the Jacob Jones when it was sunk during WWI. Both survived. Grandpa Rich O'Lear is retired from the Air Force and Grandpa Ken Kirkwood is retired from the Navy. Nolan's Uncle Keith Kirkwood served in the Army after he completed college. Dad Brian is an Air Force aviator and Mom Sheila was an aviator when she was on active duty and is now in the reserves. And off the top of my head, I can think of at least 6 other relatives within those generations who have served or are serving in the military. That is quite a heritage.

My next blog will probably be from Spokane.

Ciao

Well, we woke up Monday with nothing to do, and now it is Thursday and we still aren't finished!

We have spent a quiet week doing the routine: laundry, grocery shopping, and 'putering. We have had glorious weather the past few days, but the forecast says the rain will be here tomorrow.

Colleen left for new Zealand yesterday, and we received an email from her this evening saying the flight was uneventful and she was at her destination. I think she got there tomorrow, or left here day before yesterday?

We had Jerry and Mary Ellen McKain down for dinner tonight. They live just above us on Walnut Lane. Jerry was Ken's boss when he first started at Western State Hospital and Mary Ellen and I have played together in a bridge group. And I use the term 'played' very loosely. Since it is that time of year, we had rouladen, red cabbage, spatzle and German white wine. The only thing that would have been better would have been for us to be in Germany to enjoy the food and wine. We made it two times in 2003 and 2004 has been a big zero.

I am going to drive to Spokane on Monday for a few days of play with Lois. It has been a long time since she and I have had some 'girl time'. I think she is going to send Jerry on a fishing trip and Ken will stay here to keep Cooper company. Truth be known, we probably won't do anything more exciting than to sit in her lovely studio and drink wine and solve the problems of the world. She is a sister-in-law who has always been as close as a sister to me. She is a cool lady.

I think Keith is in Florida this week, and I think Brian is in Las Vegas. I know where Colleen is, and we saw Craig today at lunch time, so we know where he is. So please don't ask if I know where my kids are.

Ciao

We are having a wonderfully drippy soggy end to the week. The rain started lsst night, and it has been pretty persistent all day. Fortunately, the leaves on the trees are still fairly green and securely fastened so we can still look forward to some fall color. Actually, we are supposed to be back to sunshine by the middle of next week.

Colleen is taking care of last minute details before she leaves for New Zealand and Australia next Wednesday. She and several friends are attending a wedding in New Zealand and then she will travel to Canberra to see Bassim. He is taking her on to Sydney to meet his family. She will be gone for three weeks. Wish it were me!!

We have accumulated a few nice bottles of wine over the past year (it is difficult to accumulate when one continues to consume) so Ken spent some time streamlining the storage and tracking. Our basement stays at a consistent 62-64 degrees so he has hung long slim shoe bags from a crossbar, and each pocket is good to hold one or two bottles of wine. Then we set up an Excell spreadsheet to list what we have. Actually this all sounds rather elaborate for a mere three or four cases of wine, but at least we know what is down there.

We have not watched any of the debates, but my sense is that Bush could be in trouble what with Iraq and job losses here at home. And from what I am seeing and hearing, I think he is being out-maneuvered by Kerry and Edwards in the debates. Actually, I am uneasy with both candidates, but I guess those are my only choices.

We attended the Tacoma RV show yesterday and I am confident the sales staff outnumbered the buyers. I did an informal survey while driving back from California this week by counting Bounders, Winnebagos and "other" class A's. For every Bounder there was a Winnebago (4 each over the course of about 150 miles) and for every one of those there were 5 "other". Since we are Winnebago owners, we decided we wanted to see why the popularity of the Bounder. Two dealers at the show were Bounder dealers - but neither had one to show!! Go figure.


We have our confirmation for the month of January at Cocopah Resort in Arizona. It is an RV park surrounded by golf links - or golf links surrounded by RV parking spaces. Should be fun! Gary, do I need additional comprehensive insurance against flying golf balls?

Have a good week end and keep in touch. Ciao

We spent Wednesday through Saturday with Jeff and Bev visiting botanical gardens near UC Berkeley, driving to Monterey to check out the fam camp (not impressed), stopping in Hollister to visit Jeff and Bev's son David and family, and visiting a 100 year old estate and gardens in Woodside. And through it all we did our fair share of eating and enjoying the fruit of the vine.

Sunday morning we headed north to San Francisco and across the Golden Gate Bridge to drive through some of the wine country and then make our way out to the coast. As was the case during our entire trip, the weather was beautiful. We spent Sunday, Monday, and half of Tuesday driving along Highway One up the coast of California and Oregon. Is there anything more beautiful?

We stayed at Fort Bragg on Sunday night and upon departing on Monday morning, we drove through McKerricher State Park which is where we tent camped with the Schulers and the Mendozas about 23 years ago. I have never been so cold!! After 3 days of camping there, bundled in coats and blankets, we drove inland and were welcomed to the valley by scorching temperatures approaching 100 degrees!! That was a long time ago, but I still remember.

After staying in Brookings, Oregon on Monday night, we continued north to Florence where we cut across to Drain, Oregon to pick up I-5. That was a beautiful drive with the first part of it paralleling the Umpquah River and Mother Nature providing a palette of fall colors on the trees.

As we were traversing this route, we noted a campaign sign for Representative Bruce L Hanna. Now I have relatives in that part of Oregon named Hanna, and upon getting home and checking the internet, sure enough, Bruce is my cousin's son. He was appointed to the House of Representatives to fill a vacancy and now is running on his own. I don't know of any other relative who is/was a politician so I will wish him luck.

We both slept well last night and were glad to be home. That will last about 2 days and we will have itchy feet again. I do want to get out in the motor home for a few days just because this is such a lovely time of year and the campgrounds are virtually empty.

Ciao