It has been another quiet week, save Ken's encounter with a tree branch which resulted in a visit to the Madigan triage to learn that there is a long scratch on his eye. But the good news is that it is just that, a scratch, and should heal just fine. He told the attending physician that he didn't think gardening was a contact sport.
It was a five-hour process for the doctor to see Ken for a few minutes. As this area continues to bring in more and more troops, the load at Madigan increases, and I'm not so sure they have increased the staff equally. But we have received good care over the years, so I'll keep the faith.
I have been through a huge learning curve about mental illness over the past few weeks. One of my relatives has struggled with some depression, and hit bottom with a visit to her psychologist saying that she had suicidal thoughts. She has been hospitalized ever since and should be released today; a much healthier person. I'm sharing this because she has undergone a series of elctroconvulsive therapy treatments that have made a huge difference; something medications have not been able to do. And even if medications were to work, it is usually at least six weeks before they have an effect which is time that can not be afforded when one is suicidal.
The first thought everyone has is "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" when this treatment is discussed. But I have learned lots lately. This treatment in essence, delivers a one-to-two-second electrical impulse to the brain which induces a seizure. This while the patient is lightly anesthetized. This therapy is very commonplace in the east, and is coming to be used extensively here. After the first treatment, she awoke to say the sucidal thoughts were gone! And she has continued to improve with each successive treatment of which she will have had six. I found it absolutely amazing that a one-second electrical stimulus could so readily alter the brain's activity.
It is unfortunate that our society so often carries such a stigma about mental illness, when it is just that - an illness. But I guess part of the reason is that we can't see anything physical. If you have a minute, do some searching on line which can offer better explanations than I. Doctors are now saying they are very close to implanting a chip in the brain that would allow very specific treatments for various mental maladies.
I'm not naming names even though the family is very open about all of this, but I want them to tell you, not me. And we are so grateful for the continued progress.
I am off to IKEA with my friend Elisabeth. By the time we get there, usually around noon, the first order of business is to fortify ourselves in the cafeteria before we start our marathon shopping. I can't think of anything I need, but I doubt that will stop me from finding something that I will decide I DO need. I'm glad I looked at the site on line, because it appears that our IKEA has been remodeling and expanding, again, and even the parking has been altered.
We will be staying home for the coming three-day week end. For us, every day is like a week end, so no need to take up space on a holiday week end. Besides, we are pretty much without a dog sitter since Craig is living in Olympia, so we are grounded until we get that resolved. We love Cooper, but he is too much dog with too much fur to share our space in the motor home. I tell myself he is happier at home, and I know I am happier when in the motor home without him.
Sarah moved home from college last week end. I can't believe she has finished her freshman year. In June, she is going to take one of her core classes at a junior college near home and then the family is going to Montana to visit Janet's family and to visit their property at Little Bitterroot Lake. And Rachel had her first 'date' last week end. Neither one is old enough to drive, so parents chauffeured to and from the movie.
Have a safe week end, and take a moment to stop and think about all those veterans who have died. They all contributed to the freedoms we enjoy.
Ciao
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Sun, Friends, and Mother's Day
Oh that interminable sun!! We have had eastern Washington-like-weather for the past few days. I have been sitting outside this morning enjoying my coffee and the sunshine. It is going to gradually cool over the next few days, but it is glorious for the moment.
I received a call this morning from Kathleen Montez who was the bookkeeper for Al Hauer when I worked for him. I really like her, but her life has read like a soap opera for the entire 45 years of her life. And much of it is of her own doing. She is now in the process of moving to eastern Washington, Benton City, to be near her mother who has had cancer for the past two years.
I had a most enjoyable Mother’s day complete with flowers, candy, gifts, phone calls and the all-important KFC which Craig delivered at dinnertime. He also provided a lovely bottle of wine, and we shared the candy for dessert. Who could ask for more?
I so have itchy feet to go somewhere – until I look at the price of gasoline. I suppose we will all adjust and get used to the idea as have our Canadian friends and Europeans, but it is still a big pill to swallow. At least the Jetta gets about 30 miles to the gallon, but I’m afraid the motor home will be sitting still for a while at 7 miles to the gallon.
To add insult to injury we received the insurance and licenses renewals for the motor home. Yes, the basic license fee here in Washington is only about $35, closer to $60 for the motor home, but then there is an additional $300 for rapid transit tax!!!! As if we will ever see any benefits from it!
Colleen is sweltering in Phoenix where the daily norm is 100+. She gets up early in the morning so she can walk Skyla before it gets too unbearable. There is a pool in her backyard and Toby, the landlord’s dog loves it, but Skyla hasn’t had the nerve to try it yet. I know one does acclimate after a while, and I do love sunshine, but Phoenix in the summer (spring?) is too much for me.
I skipped my free sewing class last night, but there will be another one next month. I’m off to the sewing machine to work on one of several projects that are underway. I guess I should think about finishing some of them.
Ciao
I received a call this morning from Kathleen Montez who was the bookkeeper for Al Hauer when I worked for him. I really like her, but her life has read like a soap opera for the entire 45 years of her life. And much of it is of her own doing. She is now in the process of moving to eastern Washington, Benton City, to be near her mother who has had cancer for the past two years.
I had a most enjoyable Mother’s day complete with flowers, candy, gifts, phone calls and the all-important KFC which Craig delivered at dinnertime. He also provided a lovely bottle of wine, and we shared the candy for dessert. Who could ask for more?
I so have itchy feet to go somewhere – until I look at the price of gasoline. I suppose we will all adjust and get used to the idea as have our Canadian friends and Europeans, but it is still a big pill to swallow. At least the Jetta gets about 30 miles to the gallon, but I’m afraid the motor home will be sitting still for a while at 7 miles to the gallon.
To add insult to injury we received the insurance and licenses renewals for the motor home. Yes, the basic license fee here in Washington is only about $35, closer to $60 for the motor home, but then there is an additional $300 for rapid transit tax!!!! As if we will ever see any benefits from it!
Colleen is sweltering in Phoenix where the daily norm is 100+. She gets up early in the morning so she can walk Skyla before it gets too unbearable. There is a pool in her backyard and Toby, the landlord’s dog loves it, but Skyla hasn’t had the nerve to try it yet. I know one does acclimate after a while, and I do love sunshine, but Phoenix in the summer (spring?) is too much for me.
I skipped my free sewing class last night, but there will be another one next month. I’m off to the sewing machine to work on one of several projects that are underway. I guess I should think about finishing some of them.
Ciao
Monday, May 08, 2006
Is it Monday again? Already?
Last week was pretty quiet. Ken arrived home on Friday with a cooler full of fish. He does love fishing. While at the Jaynes, there was much discussion about the upcoming 50th high school reunion for Ken and Bob and the other 35+ classmates. The annual reunions are held in July, in Davenport, in conjunction with Pioneer Days. All good small-town stuff. We have not attended since this last innovation, but I believe the fifty-year classmates ride in a parade on Saturday and then a town-wide dinner at the Memorial Hall on Saturday night. Bob and Sharon have been told they will host a function on Friday night at Liberty Lake. There is always one bossy one in every group!
I attended a garden show on Fox Island on Saturday. Elisabeth's garden club helped with hosting, and she invited me. Now touring gardens is probably toward the bottom of my list of favorite things to do, but she is such a good sport to go and do whatever I want, that I had to reciprocate. The gardens we visited (private residences) were lovely, but everywhere I looked I saw work, work, work and money, money, money. I want a yard/garden to look presentable, but I don't want to be the one to do it.
I am looking forward to Mother's Day since my only request (always honored by Ken and Craig)is KFC for dinner. I love that stuff!! In years past, when I was still working, my only other request was to spend the day doing just what I wanted to do, but now that is pretty much every day for me.
Karen called to alert me to a two-day quiltmaking class that is coming up in November in Coeur d'Alene. Judy Niemeyer is a Montana girl who has created a reputation for her beautiful and intricate paper-pieced patterns. This is all new for me, and a bit intimidating, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Since it is two days, we will stay overnight in Coeur d'Alene instead of driving back to Karen's.
And then there is the Quilt Shop Hop for western Washington the end of June. There are shops from the Canadian border to Vancouver that are participating, so Elisabeth and I are going to start up north and see how many we can visit. We will stay overnight at least one night, if not two, as we make our way south. The shops offer all kinds of promotions and fun so we think it will be a good time. I intend to contact another friend of ours (we three went into real estate together and were known as the Three Muskateers) to see if she is interested in joining us.
My hair stylist will be here in fifteen minutes (she comes to my house, isn't that great?)so I had better get going. Have a good week.
Ciao
I attended a garden show on Fox Island on Saturday. Elisabeth's garden club helped with hosting, and she invited me. Now touring gardens is probably toward the bottom of my list of favorite things to do, but she is such a good sport to go and do whatever I want, that I had to reciprocate. The gardens we visited (private residences) were lovely, but everywhere I looked I saw work, work, work and money, money, money. I want a yard/garden to look presentable, but I don't want to be the one to do it.
I am looking forward to Mother's Day since my only request (always honored by Ken and Craig)is KFC for dinner. I love that stuff!! In years past, when I was still working, my only other request was to spend the day doing just what I wanted to do, but now that is pretty much every day for me.
Karen called to alert me to a two-day quiltmaking class that is coming up in November in Coeur d'Alene. Judy Niemeyer is a Montana girl who has created a reputation for her beautiful and intricate paper-pieced patterns. This is all new for me, and a bit intimidating, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Since it is two days, we will stay overnight in Coeur d'Alene instead of driving back to Karen's.
And then there is the Quilt Shop Hop for western Washington the end of June. There are shops from the Canadian border to Vancouver that are participating, so Elisabeth and I are going to start up north and see how many we can visit. We will stay overnight at least one night, if not two, as we make our way south. The shops offer all kinds of promotions and fun so we think it will be a good time. I intend to contact another friend of ours (we three went into real estate together and were known as the Three Muskateers) to see if she is interested in joining us.
My hair stylist will be here in fifteen minutes (she comes to my house, isn't that great?)so I had better get going. Have a good week.
Ciao
Monday, May 01, 2006
The court didn't want me
I was one of 30 prospective jurors with 9 to be seated, so I was not one of them. Since it was a corporate situation involving a failed product, I suspect my background in business, sales, and marketing did not appeal to the defendents. I was up before six this morning, but home again by one.
Ken is at the Jaynes for the annual opening of fishing season. They fished Waitts Lake today and came home with about ten between them. Ken said the weather was miserable.
Cooper and I are keeping our own schedule, and tonight it will be early to bed. I have my sewing machine back so I have been puttering away at some projects. I need to quit starting projects and finish some of them.
Craig stopped by for about an hour yesterday and had some warm apple pie and coffee with me. He is working for his long-time friend, Mark, who has a contractor's license, with most of the work being slabs and skirting for manufactured homes.
I have no plans for the rest of the week, but I suspect I will come up with something. My problem is that I am perfectly content to stay home!!
Ciao
Ken is at the Jaynes for the annual opening of fishing season. They fished Waitts Lake today and came home with about ten between them. Ken said the weather was miserable.
Cooper and I are keeping our own schedule, and tonight it will be early to bed. I have my sewing machine back so I have been puttering away at some projects. I need to quit starting projects and finish some of them.
Craig stopped by for about an hour yesterday and had some warm apple pie and coffee with me. He is working for his long-time friend, Mark, who has a contractor's license, with most of the work being slabs and skirting for manufactured homes.
I have no plans for the rest of the week, but I suspect I will come up with something. My problem is that I am perfectly content to stay home!!
Ciao
Friday, April 28, 2006
It has been 10 days
since I last blogged. But sometimes there just isn't much going on, either around me or in my head!
I will call in this evening to see if I have to show up for Federal jury duty on Monday; if so, Ken will go fishing without me. Not a problem. There are too many people who think they are too busy to perform their civic duty, and I certainly have the time.
We have spent our time catching up around here. Ken worked in the garage this week, and I am thrilled that I have a straight shot from the door to the car without having to jog around a ten-foot-long saw setup. Last week end was the annual 'get rid of stuff for nothing' in Steilacoom so there went some more stuff. Oh but there is so much more that should be dealt with.
Not having ever lived in the same house for more than six years has caused me to realize how easy it is to accumulate over a period of twelve years. According to her blog, Catherine Ousey in Winnipeg has been on the same task, and it sounds like "Got Junk" is another good outlet.
The motor home spent two days at the dealership so it is fairly hale and hearty again. The biggest issue was the broken pantry slide which caused us to have to tie it shut every time we moved camp. But I love those two sliding pantries, so I'll do whatever it takes to keep them in good working order.
I popped into a 2006 38' Adventurer while there, and I loved it. It has a very long slide on each side (about 15 feet) which creates a huge living area. The slide on the curb side accomodates a side hallway and bedroom wall. The slide on the driver's side expands the seating/dining area. There is a second lavatory vanity in the bedroom, and the bathroom has two doors allowing it to be entered either from the bedroom or the hallway.
We have no travel plans at the moment although the Jaynes have a five day fishing trip to Waitts Lake the latter part of May, and have asked if we are interested. Of course! Thanks to the Spragues, we have a place to store the MH should we want to take it to Spokane and leave it if we have more than one trip planned for Spokane and beyond. That would be a huge savings for gasoline.
I am without my sewing machine for the day since I took it in for a tune up yesterday. I might as well take advantage of the warranty. I have several projects in process, but nothing completed. And of course see many many more that I want to try.
Ciao
I will call in this evening to see if I have to show up for Federal jury duty on Monday; if so, Ken will go fishing without me. Not a problem. There are too many people who think they are too busy to perform their civic duty, and I certainly have the time.
We have spent our time catching up around here. Ken worked in the garage this week, and I am thrilled that I have a straight shot from the door to the car without having to jog around a ten-foot-long saw setup. Last week end was the annual 'get rid of stuff for nothing' in Steilacoom so there went some more stuff. Oh but there is so much more that should be dealt with.
Not having ever lived in the same house for more than six years has caused me to realize how easy it is to accumulate over a period of twelve years. According to her blog, Catherine Ousey in Winnipeg has been on the same task, and it sounds like "Got Junk" is another good outlet.
The motor home spent two days at the dealership so it is fairly hale and hearty again. The biggest issue was the broken pantry slide which caused us to have to tie it shut every time we moved camp. But I love those two sliding pantries, so I'll do whatever it takes to keep them in good working order.
I popped into a 2006 38' Adventurer while there, and I loved it. It has a very long slide on each side (about 15 feet) which creates a huge living area. The slide on the curb side accomodates a side hallway and bedroom wall. The slide on the driver's side expands the seating/dining area. There is a second lavatory vanity in the bedroom, and the bathroom has two doors allowing it to be entered either from the bedroom or the hallway.
We have no travel plans at the moment although the Jaynes have a five day fishing trip to Waitts Lake the latter part of May, and have asked if we are interested. Of course! Thanks to the Spragues, we have a place to store the MH should we want to take it to Spokane and leave it if we have more than one trip planned for Spokane and beyond. That would be a huge savings for gasoline.
I am without my sewing machine for the day since I took it in for a tune up yesterday. I might as well take advantage of the warranty. I have several projects in process, but nothing completed. And of course see many many more that I want to try.
Ciao
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Post Easter
We had a great day on Sunday with Jerry, Lois, Curt, Cinda, Jordan, and Cliff. Unfortunately, Linea had to work, but we sent some goodies home for her. It has been months since we have seen all of them, and it has been at least two years since Jerry and Lois were here at our house. With Cinda and Curt in Bellevue, that is usually as far as they go.
We observed some surprised looks on the faces of people at church on Sunday since it has been months and months since we were there. I was struck by how few people were at the 8:15 service. It seems the numbers keep dwindling so I have to wonder how they are managing to pay off the million dollar debt incurred for the major remodel. I wasn’t in favor of it anyway, so I will choose not to worry about it.
Brian has made contact with Greg Kirkwood, Bud and Clara’s grandson, Donny’s son, who is a senior at the Air Force Military Academy. He told Brian he will be at Fairchild AFB after graduation, something to do with medical, I think. He had aspired to fly, but was found to have some color blindness so that took care of flying. Greg played football for the Academy so we watched him in several games last fall. I am happy that he and Brian have made contact since they pretty much trod the same ground, i.e. the Air Force.
We chatted with the Baltimore Kirkwoods over the week end. Janet and Rachel are back at school this week after spring break. Painting Rachel’s bedroom was the project of the week. Sarah has been home on week ends because she works for a tax accountant during tax season. She tells us that she is now training as a bartender at the U of Maryland’s golf course, plus being trained as a banquet manager. It sounds like the money is very good, and it is a pretty controlled environment. OUR GRANDDAUGHTER A BARTENDER????
I have my first Janome sewing class tonight, so I am looking forward to that. Of course that means the start of yet another project………..I must have about six going at the moment, so perhaps I need to think about finishing some of them.
Word of the day: diluvial: of, relating to, or brought about by a flood.
Ciao
We observed some surprised looks on the faces of people at church on Sunday since it has been months and months since we were there. I was struck by how few people were at the 8:15 service. It seems the numbers keep dwindling so I have to wonder how they are managing to pay off the million dollar debt incurred for the major remodel. I wasn’t in favor of it anyway, so I will choose not to worry about it.
Brian has made contact with Greg Kirkwood, Bud and Clara’s grandson, Donny’s son, who is a senior at the Air Force Military Academy. He told Brian he will be at Fairchild AFB after graduation, something to do with medical, I think. He had aspired to fly, but was found to have some color blindness so that took care of flying. Greg played football for the Academy so we watched him in several games last fall. I am happy that he and Brian have made contact since they pretty much trod the same ground, i.e. the Air Force.
We chatted with the Baltimore Kirkwoods over the week end. Janet and Rachel are back at school this week after spring break. Painting Rachel’s bedroom was the project of the week. Sarah has been home on week ends because she works for a tax accountant during tax season. She tells us that she is now training as a bartender at the U of Maryland’s golf course, plus being trained as a banquet manager. It sounds like the money is very good, and it is a pretty controlled environment. OUR GRANDDAUGHTER A BARTENDER????
I have my first Janome sewing class tonight, so I am looking forward to that. Of course that means the start of yet another project………..I must have about six going at the moment, so perhaps I need to think about finishing some of them.
Word of the day: diluvial: of, relating to, or brought about by a flood.
Ciao
Friday, April 14, 2006
Happy Easter
It is drizzling outside, and the weather picture for the next five days does not show one single ray of sunshine!! But everything is certainly green!!
I have done a little work outside on the patio, and Craig and Ken have put in a number of hours just pruning and mowing, but the yard does look better. I have tried to get someone to come out and give me a bid for some heavy duty work, but I guess they are all too busy. Our two big dogwood trees are showing their first signs of life, and they are usually in full bloom by the middle of May. None of our rhodies are in bloom yet, but I have seen a few around town.
Ken just put some gravlax in the refrigerator to season until Sunday. The biggest challenge is to find absolutely fresh salmon that can be cured in this way. Some salt, sugar, dill and a splash of Aquavit is all it takes.
I see our fellow travelers, the Ouseys, are keeping busy with family and grandchildren, but Carolyn called a few days ago, and we were already discussing where we want to go next winter!! They will do some traveling on the Island this summer, and we might do some traveling here in Washington, but the price of gas is causing us to have some second thoughts.
We are sorry to learn that Jeff Schuler’s father passed away earlier this week at the age of 88. These last two Easters and last Christmas have been sad times for us and our friends with the loss of 2 brothers and a father. Jeff and Bev, daughter Debbie and granddaughter, Rebekah, are in Memphis. There was a service today at the Lutheran Church in Germantown that Jeff’s father attended.
I have been doing a bit of quilt work, and a lot of quilt fabric shopping. I have managed to add several pieces of fabric to my collection, and should have enough to finish my current project. Then it is back to the Christmas wall hanging that I abandoned last winter. It needs to be finished for this coming Christmas.
Happy Easter to all. Ciao
I have done a little work outside on the patio, and Craig and Ken have put in a number of hours just pruning and mowing, but the yard does look better. I have tried to get someone to come out and give me a bid for some heavy duty work, but I guess they are all too busy. Our two big dogwood trees are showing their first signs of life, and they are usually in full bloom by the middle of May. None of our rhodies are in bloom yet, but I have seen a few around town.
Ken just put some gravlax in the refrigerator to season until Sunday. The biggest challenge is to find absolutely fresh salmon that can be cured in this way. Some salt, sugar, dill and a splash of Aquavit is all it takes.
I see our fellow travelers, the Ouseys, are keeping busy with family and grandchildren, but Carolyn called a few days ago, and we were already discussing where we want to go next winter!! They will do some traveling on the Island this summer, and we might do some traveling here in Washington, but the price of gas is causing us to have some second thoughts.
We are sorry to learn that Jeff Schuler’s father passed away earlier this week at the age of 88. These last two Easters and last Christmas have been sad times for us and our friends with the loss of 2 brothers and a father. Jeff and Bev, daughter Debbie and granddaughter, Rebekah, are in Memphis. There was a service today at the Lutheran Church in Germantown that Jeff’s father attended.
I have been doing a bit of quilt work, and a lot of quilt fabric shopping. I have managed to add several pieces of fabric to my collection, and should have enough to finish my current project. Then it is back to the Christmas wall hanging that I abandoned last winter. It needs to be finished for this coming Christmas.
Happy Easter to all. Ciao
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Wine Country and home
OK, I'm slowly adjusting to living in a real house again, but I miss the easy motor home life!!
We spent two days at the Prosser Wine Country RV Park so we could visit some of our favorite wineries. It is still early in the season, so lots of the smaller wineries are only open on week ends, but we found plenty to visit. The fruit trees are bursting into bloom, but the grapes are still sleeping. I'm sure they will be showing signs of life within the next few days. One of our favorite wineries is Paradisio del Sol. Their wines are quite good, and you usually have to make your way past the chickens and ducks to get to the house/tasting room. We not only purchased some wine, but a dozen eggs that came in various hues from brown to pale aqua. Tasty.
Craig and Cooper greeted us upon upon our arrival home. As always, Craig had the house as neat as a pin. However, the yard looks like we need a herd of goats. My goal for the coming week is to find someone who is willing to spend about a week around here getting the ivy, the blackberries, and the grass under control. It is more than either Ken or I want to take on. He will be busy with the raised garden beds, and I'll put some effort in to the back patio and the containers.
Most everything looks the same around town. One of our neighbors down on Birch has her home on the market. I figure it is overpriced by about $100,000, but we will wait and see.
We are having Curt, Cinda, Linea, Jerry, Lois, and maybe Jordan and Cliff for dinner next Sunday. It will be fun to see all of them. I haven't even talked to Craig about it, so I don't know if he and/or Cassie and Greta will be here or not. I haven't settled on a menu, but I'm leaning toward a new pork loin recipe I found, and perhaps Greek-style roasted potatoes with lemon and seasonings.
Our calendar is filling up for the next few months. Of course at the top of the list are the various quilt shows and a shop hop for me, but we are expecting Brian and family and their friends the Hoovers for the 4th of July. Then we will probably take the motor home to Motana to meet up with Keith and Janet at their lake property, after which we will go back to Spokane/Davenport for Ken's 50th (50th?!!!) high school reunion. The first week end of August is my high school reunion (45th) in Spokane, and that is also the week end of Ken's Kirkwood family reunion in Oregon. It looks like we will either go our separate ways or set some priorities. And before all of that, the last week end of this month is the opening of fishing season so Ken will make his annual trek to Spokane to fish with Bob Jayne. Oh yes, Rod and Karen are coming through in about a week.
It was one year ago this past week that we lost Pat. So of course my thoughts were particularly focused on him, our family, and memories. I do miss him, but I am thankful his ordeal is over.
Overcast and cloudy is pretty much the order for weather for the coming week. I need SUNSHINE!!
Ciao
We spent two days at the Prosser Wine Country RV Park so we could visit some of our favorite wineries. It is still early in the season, so lots of the smaller wineries are only open on week ends, but we found plenty to visit. The fruit trees are bursting into bloom, but the grapes are still sleeping. I'm sure they will be showing signs of life within the next few days. One of our favorite wineries is Paradisio del Sol. Their wines are quite good, and you usually have to make your way past the chickens and ducks to get to the house/tasting room. We not only purchased some wine, but a dozen eggs that came in various hues from brown to pale aqua. Tasty.
Craig and Cooper greeted us upon upon our arrival home. As always, Craig had the house as neat as a pin. However, the yard looks like we need a herd of goats. My goal for the coming week is to find someone who is willing to spend about a week around here getting the ivy, the blackberries, and the grass under control. It is more than either Ken or I want to take on. He will be busy with the raised garden beds, and I'll put some effort in to the back patio and the containers.
Most everything looks the same around town. One of our neighbors down on Birch has her home on the market. I figure it is overpriced by about $100,000, but we will wait and see.
We are having Curt, Cinda, Linea, Jerry, Lois, and maybe Jordan and Cliff for dinner next Sunday. It will be fun to see all of them. I haven't even talked to Craig about it, so I don't know if he and/or Cassie and Greta will be here or not. I haven't settled on a menu, but I'm leaning toward a new pork loin recipe I found, and perhaps Greek-style roasted potatoes with lemon and seasonings.
Our calendar is filling up for the next few months. Of course at the top of the list are the various quilt shows and a shop hop for me, but we are expecting Brian and family and their friends the Hoovers for the 4th of July. Then we will probably take the motor home to Motana to meet up with Keith and Janet at their lake property, after which we will go back to Spokane/Davenport for Ken's 50th (50th?!!!) high school reunion. The first week end of August is my high school reunion (45th) in Spokane, and that is also the week end of Ken's Kirkwood family reunion in Oregon. It looks like we will either go our separate ways or set some priorities. And before all of that, the last week end of this month is the opening of fishing season so Ken will make his annual trek to Spokane to fish with Bob Jayne. Oh yes, Rod and Karen are coming through in about a week.
It was one year ago this past week that we lost Pat. So of course my thoughts were particularly focused on him, our family, and memories. I do miss him, but I am thankful his ordeal is over.
Overcast and cloudy is pretty much the order for weather for the coming week. I need SUNSHINE!!
Ciao
Saturday, April 01, 2006
A busy week
We did all that was planned in the last blog. Ernie and Jean Perkins came for dinner last Sunday evening, and along with Rod and Karen, we had a great visit. Ernie is recovering from some complications after nose/sinus surgery, and that on the heels of some aggressive radiation for prostate cancer, but he is on the mend.
Ken and Rod spent many hours at the air museum at Hill AFB last week end which is considered one of the best in the country for vintage aircraft. It is fun for us to be able to offer some of these 'little-known gems' to friends. Karen and I made a valiant effort with regard to quilt shops, but had little success.
Last Monday we drove from Hill to Mt. Home AFB which is where we are still with Rod and Karen having left last Wednesday to make their way home. Brian and Sheila had the four of us for dinner on Tuesday evening plus Brian was able to offer another plane opportunity for Rod by taking him over to a hanger for an up close and personal view of the F15.
The trip to Mt. Home proved costly. We discovered one of the duals was flat as we were stopped at a rest stop just east of Mt. Home. In fact, the same dual that went flat in Yuma. But this time it was damage, not a faulty valve, and at the moment, Ken is at Les Schwab getting a new tire. Oh the fun I could have had with the money spent on that one big round black ugly piece of rubber. But again Coach Net, our roadside service, came to the rescue and changed the tire at the rest stop so we could come on in to the base.
On Wednesday, we drove to McCall to spend some time with Brian, Sheila, and the boys at their condo. They went skiing yesterday, and will again today before coming home. We drove up to the lodge yesterday to see the boys on their snowboards. They are quite good except Warren just needs some more weight in order to get up more speed.
Last night was a local hockey game between the Mountaineers of McCall and the team from Sun Valley. This is a sideline for all the players, and in fact there are one or two on the McCall team who are in the Air Force here at Mt. Home. What amazed us was the quality of hockey they played. No fights, just hard and fast skating and checking. McCall won in the last minute of the game!!
Between the last two periods, we were able to chuck a puck. We purchased numbered rubber pucks to be thrown at a small spot on the ice, and if it were to land, and stay on the spot, the thrower would win $150, but no one did. It was fun!! The arena is very nice, and we liked the whole small-town feel of the evening.
There are huge piles of snow all around McCall, and when we got up this morning, our car had about six inches of new snow piled up from the early morning snow. We hurriedly left for Mt. Home, and with some very slow driving in places we made it back. By the time we got to Eagle we were seeing green grass and spring flowers.
We are down to the last few days on the road. We will leave here either tomorrow or Monday and proceed on to the wine country in Washington before we go home. Again, weather will dictate how long we can tarry.
Ciao
Ken and Rod spent many hours at the air museum at Hill AFB last week end which is considered one of the best in the country for vintage aircraft. It is fun for us to be able to offer some of these 'little-known gems' to friends. Karen and I made a valiant effort with regard to quilt shops, but had little success.
Last Monday we drove from Hill to Mt. Home AFB which is where we are still with Rod and Karen having left last Wednesday to make their way home. Brian and Sheila had the four of us for dinner on Tuesday evening plus Brian was able to offer another plane opportunity for Rod by taking him over to a hanger for an up close and personal view of the F15.
The trip to Mt. Home proved costly. We discovered one of the duals was flat as we were stopped at a rest stop just east of Mt. Home. In fact, the same dual that went flat in Yuma. But this time it was damage, not a faulty valve, and at the moment, Ken is at Les Schwab getting a new tire. Oh the fun I could have had with the money spent on that one big round black ugly piece of rubber. But again Coach Net, our roadside service, came to the rescue and changed the tire at the rest stop so we could come on in to the base.
On Wednesday, we drove to McCall to spend some time with Brian, Sheila, and the boys at their condo. They went skiing yesterday, and will again today before coming home. We drove up to the lodge yesterday to see the boys on their snowboards. They are quite good except Warren just needs some more weight in order to get up more speed.
Last night was a local hockey game between the Mountaineers of McCall and the team from Sun Valley. This is a sideline for all the players, and in fact there are one or two on the McCall team who are in the Air Force here at Mt. Home. What amazed us was the quality of hockey they played. No fights, just hard and fast skating and checking. McCall won in the last minute of the game!!
Between the last two periods, we were able to chuck a puck. We purchased numbered rubber pucks to be thrown at a small spot on the ice, and if it were to land, and stay on the spot, the thrower would win $150, but no one did. It was fun!! The arena is very nice, and we liked the whole small-town feel of the evening.
There are huge piles of snow all around McCall, and when we got up this morning, our car had about six inches of new snow piled up from the early morning snow. We hurriedly left for Mt. Home, and with some very slow driving in places we made it back. By the time we got to Eagle we were seeing green grass and spring flowers.
We are down to the last few days on the road. We will leave here either tomorrow or Monday and proceed on to the wine country in Washington before we go home. Again, weather will dictate how long we can tarry.
Ciao
Friday, March 24, 2006
Today is Friday, it must be ..........................
Here we are at Hill AFB just north of Salt Lake City. I always feel like we are getting such a great deal when we stay at a Famcamp within the military system because the prices are very reasonable ($14 with full hookups), and I feel very comfortable and “at home”. It was a rather long day today since we drove from St. George, Utah to Ogden. We managed to drive through Salt Lake City right about four o’clock, but fortunately, the traffic moved pretty well. Karen and Rod are still traveling with us, but we will probably go our separate ways after our stay here.
We spent a good number of hours in the car yesterday as we went all the way to Bryce Canyon Park. Ken and I had never seen it, nor had Rod and Karen. But there has been snow in the area, so I feel as if we need to return at a different time of year for yet another perspective. The red rock is spectacular, but I feel it was diminished by the snow. Whereas one looks up to appreciate Zion Park, one must look down to appreciate Bryce.
We have friends from our Navy days in Iceland who live in this area, and we are delighted that they are going to come for dinner on Sunday night. I love the fact that the friendships formed throughout the years in the military never go away, and we can just pick up where we left off.
So it was while we were in St. George. Joan Schultz and her son Danny lived just a block or two from us all the time we lived in San Jose. Danny and Brian were the best of friends, and we have all kept in touch over the years. I did call Joan while we were in St.George, and we had a good visit, but she is a bit under the weather so we did not have an opportunity to see each other. Her son, Danny, who is married and has two teen aged sons is still in the Air Force in Texas but is getting ready to retire and move to the civilian side of health care which is what he has done all of his 20 years in the Air Force.
According to Gary’s blog, he and Carolyn are home and are in the process of moving out of the motor home and into their house. That is major after one has been on the road for almost four months. And before you know it, they will be repacking the MH for their trips around the island and elsewhere over the coming months. I am so overwhelmed at the thought of arriving home within the next two weeks that I am tempted to just park in the driveway and continue to live in the MH.
There is a museum of vintage aircraft here at Hill AFB that Ken and Rod plan to see, and Karen and I are going to seek out every fabric and quilt shop we can find. That, along with any other items of interest in the area. We will probably leave here on Monday with Rod and Karen making their way toward Washington and we toward Mt. Home to see Brian, Sheila and the boys. Ciao
We spent a good number of hours in the car yesterday as we went all the way to Bryce Canyon Park. Ken and I had never seen it, nor had Rod and Karen. But there has been snow in the area, so I feel as if we need to return at a different time of year for yet another perspective. The red rock is spectacular, but I feel it was diminished by the snow. Whereas one looks up to appreciate Zion Park, one must look down to appreciate Bryce.
We have friends from our Navy days in Iceland who live in this area, and we are delighted that they are going to come for dinner on Sunday night. I love the fact that the friendships formed throughout the years in the military never go away, and we can just pick up where we left off.
So it was while we were in St. George. Joan Schultz and her son Danny lived just a block or two from us all the time we lived in San Jose. Danny and Brian were the best of friends, and we have all kept in touch over the years. I did call Joan while we were in St.George, and we had a good visit, but she is a bit under the weather so we did not have an opportunity to see each other. Her son, Danny, who is married and has two teen aged sons is still in the Air Force in Texas but is getting ready to retire and move to the civilian side of health care which is what he has done all of his 20 years in the Air Force.
According to Gary’s blog, he and Carolyn are home and are in the process of moving out of the motor home and into their house. That is major after one has been on the road for almost four months. And before you know it, they will be repacking the MH for their trips around the island and elsewhere over the coming months. I am so overwhelmed at the thought of arriving home within the next two weeks that I am tempted to just park in the driveway and continue to live in the MH.
There is a museum of vintage aircraft here at Hill AFB that Ken and Rod plan to see, and Karen and I are going to seek out every fabric and quilt shop we can find. That, along with any other items of interest in the area. We will probably leave here on Monday with Rod and Karen making their way toward Washington and we toward Mt. Home to see Brian, Sheila and the boys. Ciao
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Viva Las Vegas
Hello from Las Vegas. We have been to the strip, and I’ve gambled away my $2 in the penny slots.
We left Foothills West in Casa Grande on Saturday morning and made our way to Bullhead City. Karen found a county park right on the Colorado River which afforded us a great place to stay for two days. We drove across the river to Laughlin for dinner and introduced Rod and Karen to the joys of an In N Out burger and fries.
On Sunday, we drove to the little old mining town of Oatman to see and feed the burros that tromp up and down the street looking for carrots and feed. Oatman is a little like Tombstone; complete with the shoot ‘em up showdown on Main Street, but we quite enjoyed ourselves. We ducked into a little place for a cup of coffee only to encounter a gentleman singing and playing his guitar. I couldn’t resist buying his CD even though I have never heard of him.
On Monday, we covered about 100 miles to settle in at the Famcamp at Nellis AFB. We are in overflow which means we have no hookups, but it is working out just fine since we came in with water and empty tanks. The Spragues are pleased with the performance of their newly added second solar panel, and our generator works just fine. There are warm and clean showers with lots of hot water.
Karen had never seen Las Vegas, and it has been years since Rod was here, so they have walked and gawked for hours on end. We tried to get tickets to see Mama Mia, but they were outlandishly expensive so we passed. Ken and I didn’t spend as much time downtown, but we could see some changes from when we were here last time – which was when Brian and Sheila lived here around 2000.
Jeff and Bev Schuler are going to visit Keith and Janet this Saturday. Bev has been in Washington DC this week for a nursing conference, and Jeff is joining her today. Bev wants lobster so it is lobster and wine at the Kirkwoods on Saturday. Keith and Janet live quite close to where Jeff and Bev lived right after he finished college and was active duty in the army for a while. They haven't seen Janet and the girls since Brian and Sheila's wedding. I think Keith has been in San Jose since then. Wish we could join them.
We are headed out of here either today or tomorrow, depending on the weather in southern Utah, to stay in the St. George area for a day or two to take a look at Bryce and Zion if we can get close. We have a friend, Joan Schultz, from our days in California who lives in Ivans, which is next door to St. George, so we will make it a point to see her.
……..I just got online and the weather looks fine up ahead so we will go!
Ciao
We left Foothills West in Casa Grande on Saturday morning and made our way to Bullhead City. Karen found a county park right on the Colorado River which afforded us a great place to stay for two days. We drove across the river to Laughlin for dinner and introduced Rod and Karen to the joys of an In N Out burger and fries.
On Sunday, we drove to the little old mining town of Oatman to see and feed the burros that tromp up and down the street looking for carrots and feed. Oatman is a little like Tombstone; complete with the shoot ‘em up showdown on Main Street, but we quite enjoyed ourselves. We ducked into a little place for a cup of coffee only to encounter a gentleman singing and playing his guitar. I couldn’t resist buying his CD even though I have never heard of him.
On Monday, we covered about 100 miles to settle in at the Famcamp at Nellis AFB. We are in overflow which means we have no hookups, but it is working out just fine since we came in with water and empty tanks. The Spragues are pleased with the performance of their newly added second solar panel, and our generator works just fine. There are warm and clean showers with lots of hot water.
Karen had never seen Las Vegas, and it has been years since Rod was here, so they have walked and gawked for hours on end. We tried to get tickets to see Mama Mia, but they were outlandishly expensive so we passed. Ken and I didn’t spend as much time downtown, but we could see some changes from when we were here last time – which was when Brian and Sheila lived here around 2000.
Jeff and Bev Schuler are going to visit Keith and Janet this Saturday. Bev has been in Washington DC this week for a nursing conference, and Jeff is joining her today. Bev wants lobster so it is lobster and wine at the Kirkwoods on Saturday. Keith and Janet live quite close to where Jeff and Bev lived right after he finished college and was active duty in the army for a while. They haven't seen Janet and the girls since Brian and Sheila's wedding. I think Keith has been in San Jose since then. Wish we could join them.
We are headed out of here either today or tomorrow, depending on the weather in southern Utah, to stay in the St. George area for a day or two to take a look at Bryce and Zion if we can get close. We have a friend, Joan Schultz, from our days in California who lives in Ivans, which is next door to St. George, so we will make it a point to see her.
……..I just got online and the weather looks fine up ahead so we will go!
Ciao
Monday, March 13, 2006
Hey Mike and Mary
Welcome to the Kirkwoods' blog site. You will probably learn more about us than you ever wanted to know.
We like it here! This is a very nice little RV park, and I could see us returning for a longer stay next winter. Unlike so many that we have encountered, this one is not overrun with rules, golfers and their wild golf carts, and "can't or won't dos". The staff is VERY FRIENDLY, and there are no hours for the pool or spa - open for business 24 hours per day. BTW the name is Foothills West and it is located at the very northern edge of Casa Grande off Val Vista.
Yesterday we met Rod and Karen for lunch as they were making their way from Dollbeer Park in Mesa to Beaudry RV in Tucson to attend an Alpenlite rally. They had made one last visit to the Mesa Market and Rod drove a hard bargain to purchase a crimson and gray Cougars blanket for Ken. Now Ken thinks it should be a permanent drape over the back of the sofa - NOT!
Colleen and her new love, Girlie, drove down to visit and have dinner with us yesterday. Girlie is very sweet, smart, alert, and seemingly a bit headstrong. She would bark when other dogs were walked by, but more out of saying, I want to play."
She looks like a small long-haired German Shepherd with very erect high-set pointed ears (think German Shepherd), and the backs of them are as soft and fuzzy as a Koala bear. As is typical of the breed (Belgian Tervuren)her feet are small and look like cat paws. We discovered that the Belgian Malinois has a short coat, so hence the thinking that she is a Tervuren. Since she was originally rescued as a stray near Douglas, AZ, we are wondering if she had an encounter with a bobcat. Our site here at the park as a metal sculptor of one, and Girle barked and growled at it. On the other hand, with her intense yellow eyes and long bushy tail, she sometimes look a bit of a wolf. We quite like her.
Ken put the new screens on the front windows yesterday, and we are delighted with them. They very effectively cut the sunshine and glare, but allow us to clearly see out. It is interesting to see the sunshine on the dash, but still have it cool to the touch.
We plan to go into Phoenix a time or two this week. We want to see Martha one more time before we leave as well as Colleen. Rod and Karen will join us here next Friday night, and then we will make our way toward Laughlin and Las Vegas. We don't have a complete route planned, but have a general idea. However, if it stays cold and wintery up north, I'm stayin' down here!
Ciao
We like it here! This is a very nice little RV park, and I could see us returning for a longer stay next winter. Unlike so many that we have encountered, this one is not overrun with rules, golfers and their wild golf carts, and "can't or won't dos". The staff is VERY FRIENDLY, and there are no hours for the pool or spa - open for business 24 hours per day. BTW the name is Foothills West and it is located at the very northern edge of Casa Grande off Val Vista.
Yesterday we met Rod and Karen for lunch as they were making their way from Dollbeer Park in Mesa to Beaudry RV in Tucson to attend an Alpenlite rally. They had made one last visit to the Mesa Market and Rod drove a hard bargain to purchase a crimson and gray Cougars blanket for Ken. Now Ken thinks it should be a permanent drape over the back of the sofa - NOT!
Colleen and her new love, Girlie, drove down to visit and have dinner with us yesterday. Girlie is very sweet, smart, alert, and seemingly a bit headstrong. She would bark when other dogs were walked by, but more out of saying, I want to play."
She looks like a small long-haired German Shepherd with very erect high-set pointed ears (think German Shepherd), and the backs of them are as soft and fuzzy as a Koala bear. As is typical of the breed (Belgian Tervuren)her feet are small and look like cat paws. We discovered that the Belgian Malinois has a short coat, so hence the thinking that she is a Tervuren. Since she was originally rescued as a stray near Douglas, AZ, we are wondering if she had an encounter with a bobcat. Our site here at the park as a metal sculptor of one, and Girle barked and growled at it. On the other hand, with her intense yellow eyes and long bushy tail, she sometimes look a bit of a wolf. We quite like her.
Ken put the new screens on the front windows yesterday, and we are delighted with them. They very effectively cut the sunshine and glare, but allow us to clearly see out. It is interesting to see the sunshine on the dash, but still have it cool to the touch.
We plan to go into Phoenix a time or two this week. We want to see Martha one more time before we leave as well as Colleen. Rod and Karen will join us here next Friday night, and then we will make our way toward Laughlin and Las Vegas. We don't have a complete route planned, but have a general idea. However, if it stays cold and wintery up north, I'm stayin' down here!
Ciao
Saturday, March 11, 2006
The rains came......
about ten last night, and it has been raining pretty much ever since. I think it is supposed to clear up by tomorrow afternoon, but as of now, Phoenix has received 8/10 of an inch.
We were up at five yesterday morning to get an early start for Yuma because there were threats of strong gusty winds. We made it with no problem, had the screens installed, and did a bit of shopping. While parked at Yuma Palms shopping mall, Ken discovered one of the outer duals was flat. "Hello, Coachnet?" We had someone arrive within a half hour and discover that the problem lay with the valve stem extension, and there was nothing wrong with the tire. So with an adjustment and some air, we were on our way. I used Coach Net one other time to unlock my car and in both cases, we signed our names and were on our way.
We said good by to the Ouseys, but we reminded ourselves that we only live about 100 miles apart, even though it is different countries, and we will get together this summer. They are such good folks and good friends. We have enjoyed our time with them. We have known them for about 30 years thanks to the US and Canadian forces.
Last night we overnighted at the Paradise Casino which is right across the road from Cocopah where we stayed in December. There are rows and rows of plowed dirt roadways separated by dirt berms. We just pulled in and parked. Tried the casino, but it was so smokey, I wouldn't go back. But Ken did and won $50 on a quarter machine. I was more than happy to accept half of his smokey-smelling winnings.
Since we were up at five, we were ready for bed by seven, but made ourselves stay up for a while. We had constant entertainment as we watched the various rigs come in and park for the night. Everything from a 40 foot long Dynasty to a box van with a welded rack on top that was loaded to the gills. Our guess is that is was someone who had just pulled up stakes from his Quartzite shop. He never set foot outside the van, so obviously was able to crawl into the back from the cab. It doesn't take much to entertain us, does it?
We were up at six this morning so we could be first in line at Mr. Goodwrench's place. We dined at McDonalds, shopped at the Yuma Marine Air Station commissary, and made a final quick pass through the Yuma market.
We arrived in Casa Grande about three this afternoon and are parked right across the street from the office and pool and spa. It is a smaller older park with quite a few park models, but friendly staff and everything very neat and attractive.
I can't think for the rain pounding on the roof. Ciao
We were up at five yesterday morning to get an early start for Yuma because there were threats of strong gusty winds. We made it with no problem, had the screens installed, and did a bit of shopping. While parked at Yuma Palms shopping mall, Ken discovered one of the outer duals was flat. "Hello, Coachnet?" We had someone arrive within a half hour and discover that the problem lay with the valve stem extension, and there was nothing wrong with the tire. So with an adjustment and some air, we were on our way. I used Coach Net one other time to unlock my car and in both cases, we signed our names and were on our way.
We said good by to the Ouseys, but we reminded ourselves that we only live about 100 miles apart, even though it is different countries, and we will get together this summer. They are such good folks and good friends. We have enjoyed our time with them. We have known them for about 30 years thanks to the US and Canadian forces.
Last night we overnighted at the Paradise Casino which is right across the road from Cocopah where we stayed in December. There are rows and rows of plowed dirt roadways separated by dirt berms. We just pulled in and parked. Tried the casino, but it was so smokey, I wouldn't go back. But Ken did and won $50 on a quarter machine. I was more than happy to accept half of his smokey-smelling winnings.
Since we were up at five, we were ready for bed by seven, but made ourselves stay up for a while. We had constant entertainment as we watched the various rigs come in and park for the night. Everything from a 40 foot long Dynasty to a box van with a welded rack on top that was loaded to the gills. Our guess is that is was someone who had just pulled up stakes from his Quartzite shop. He never set foot outside the van, so obviously was able to crawl into the back from the cab. It doesn't take much to entertain us, does it?
We were up at six this morning so we could be first in line at Mr. Goodwrench's place. We dined at McDonalds, shopped at the Yuma Marine Air Station commissary, and made a final quick pass through the Yuma market.
We arrived in Casa Grande about three this afternoon and are parked right across the street from the office and pool and spa. It is a smaller older park with quite a few park models, but friendly staff and everything very neat and attractive.
I can't think for the rain pounding on the roof. Ciao
Monday, March 06, 2006
Last week in Ehrenberg
We will be on the road this coming Friday, and bright and early we will be because we need to be in Yuma before noon to keep an appointment to have sun screens made for the front windows of the motor home. Then on Saturday morning Ken has an appointment to get the motor home lubed and oiled in preparation for the trek home.
We will spend the next week or two in the Phoenix/Tucson area and then start for home. Rod and Karen fly back to Phoenix this Wednesday, and will be attending a rally in Tucson next week. Then we plan to join up to drive part way home together.
I think we are going to try Bryce and/or Zion in Utah. We will go on to Mt. Home to see Brian, Sheila, and the boys before we go on to Steilacoom.
Speaking of which.....Ken stopped to chat with someone who came in to the park today because they had Washington license plates - they are from Steilacoom!
We drove to Lake Havasu City on Saturday to have a look around. Since it was just founded in the early 60s, everything is quite new. There are some huge magnificent homes scattered around the town. I found the only two fabric shops in the town, and we did stop and take a quick look at the London Bridge. I could see us seeking out an RV park to spend a month next winter.
We are still waiting for rain. It was overcast all day but stayed dry.
Ciao
We will spend the next week or two in the Phoenix/Tucson area and then start for home. Rod and Karen fly back to Phoenix this Wednesday, and will be attending a rally in Tucson next week. Then we plan to join up to drive part way home together.
I think we are going to try Bryce and/or Zion in Utah. We will go on to Mt. Home to see Brian, Sheila, and the boys before we go on to Steilacoom.
Speaking of which.....Ken stopped to chat with someone who came in to the park today because they had Washington license plates - they are from Steilacoom!
We drove to Lake Havasu City on Saturday to have a look around. Since it was just founded in the early 60s, everything is quite new. There are some huge magnificent homes scattered around the town. I found the only two fabric shops in the town, and we did stop and take a quick look at the London Bridge. I could see us seeking out an RV park to spend a month next winter.
We are still waiting for rain. It was overcast all day but stayed dry.
Ciao
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
....and the skies are (not) cloudy all day
I have had to do a double take several times today to make sure I knew what those dark things were in the sky. We had a few sprinkles of rain last night, and it has been overcast all day today, but I don't know if we will see any other precipitation.
We had a most enjoyable weekend in Phoenix with Sheila and Colleen. Of course IKEA was the first order of business along with a short visit to the 69th annual Junior League Rummage Sale. The sale had been underway about one hour when we arrived, and folks were lined up by the dozens to pay for their treasures. We looked and left. But then we were at IKEA a bit before it opened so we had breakfast while we waited.
We went out for a German dinner on Saturday night with Sheila and Colleen treating us in honor of Ken's birthday (tomorrow). I must say that we are a pretty tough bunch of critics when it comes to German food, but we collectively decided we would give the restaurant a B. My schnitzel was good, as was the red cabbage, but I think I make a better spatzle. A good time was had by all.
We 'girls' spent some time putting some finishing touches on Colleen's apartment by doing some rearranging and hanging some pictures. It all looks very cute and cozy. Then on Sunday after Sheila left, Ken and I went with Colleen to two different shelters to look for a dog. She didn't take one home, but there were a couple of possibilities. One interesting dog was a Catahouli - a Louisiana cattle dog. But it is a lot of dog needing a lot of exercise so probably not a good candidate for an apartment.
We talked to Craig on his birthday, and it sounds like Cassie made sure he had a good week end. He said they ate well. Cassie is the daughter of a home ec teacher and Craig says she can cook up a storm.
I had fully recovered from my cold of a month ago, and now I have some sort of respiratory ailment that has hit me with a vengeance. I have lost all sense of taste, and I have coughed until every muscle in my body hurts. I am ready for this to be over.
Carolyn and Gary are having us for a steak dinner tomorrow night for Ken's birthday. I will bake an apple pie, but between not feeling well, and the confines of the motor home, I am using a frozen pie shell. Oh horrors.
Ciao
We had a most enjoyable weekend in Phoenix with Sheila and Colleen. Of course IKEA was the first order of business along with a short visit to the 69th annual Junior League Rummage Sale. The sale had been underway about one hour when we arrived, and folks were lined up by the dozens to pay for their treasures. We looked and left. But then we were at IKEA a bit before it opened so we had breakfast while we waited.
We went out for a German dinner on Saturday night with Sheila and Colleen treating us in honor of Ken's birthday (tomorrow). I must say that we are a pretty tough bunch of critics when it comes to German food, but we collectively decided we would give the restaurant a B. My schnitzel was good, as was the red cabbage, but I think I make a better spatzle. A good time was had by all.
We 'girls' spent some time putting some finishing touches on Colleen's apartment by doing some rearranging and hanging some pictures. It all looks very cute and cozy. Then on Sunday after Sheila left, Ken and I went with Colleen to two different shelters to look for a dog. She didn't take one home, but there were a couple of possibilities. One interesting dog was a Catahouli - a Louisiana cattle dog. But it is a lot of dog needing a lot of exercise so probably not a good candidate for an apartment.
We talked to Craig on his birthday, and it sounds like Cassie made sure he had a good week end. He said they ate well. Cassie is the daughter of a home ec teacher and Craig says she can cook up a storm.
I had fully recovered from my cold of a month ago, and now I have some sort of respiratory ailment that has hit me with a vengeance. I have lost all sense of taste, and I have coughed until every muscle in my body hurts. I am ready for this to be over.
Carolyn and Gary are having us for a steak dinner tomorrow night for Ken's birthday. I will bake an apple pie, but between not feeling well, and the confines of the motor home, I am using a frozen pie shell. Oh horrors.
Ciao
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Another week of excitement..................not!!!!
Let's see, what exciting stuff do I have to talk about? We have done a bit of socializing with the Canadians. Rob's birthday was a few days ago so we were treated to a luncheon barbeque with bratwursts, hot dogs, and pistachio pudding dessert. Gary and Carolyn treated us to dinner a their "house" earlier this week and we enjoyed a pork tenderloin that was delicious. Then we went to lunch yesterday with Gary and Carolyn at our newest favorite Mexican restaurant in Blythe. The nice thing about a meal in a Mexican restaurant is that there is always enough to bring home for another meal.
I got my hair cut this morning at a little shop in Quartzite and it took about twelve minutes and cost twelve dollars. That works for me. Ken and I then motored on to the big city of Yuma. We made an appointment to have sun screens installed when we are back down there the tenth of March, and then left my rings at the jewelers to have them sized down by one and one half sizes.
The big size was their idea, not mine, but they are going to give me a "good deal" and only charge me one half the fee to resize them!! Plus I paid $140 for the first sizing to include a chunk of gold, but now the jeweler tells me that it is just a small amount of gold that will be removed when he sizes them down. I said I wanted it!!!!
Sheila will be in Phoenix this week end, so we are also going to go to Colleen's for a week end of shopping and eating and visiting. It is about a two hour drive from here and we will go in on Friday morning and come back to Ehrenberg on Monday. I haven't seen the inside of a Trader Joe's for a while, and there are still fabric shops that I haven't explored.
I do have about ten new pieces of fabric for a new project as soon as I get my hands on the pattern. I am moving toward a contemporary/oriental look in ecru, oriental florals and black for a new duvet cover for the bed in the motor home. Neither oriental nor contemporary sound like me, but I think it will work with the window coverings and wallpaper.
We are already anticipating Christmas..........Keith and Janet and the girls are coming to Steilacoom! They made the decision early because they were able to get tickets at a very reasonable price. I assured them I would begin preparing as soon as I get home. We have not had them with us for Christmas since Sarah was a toddler, so it will be a special time.
We have had the Olympics on every night, but little of it has captured my attention this year. Of course the ice skating is my favorite, but I am tired of listening to
Dick Button and all of his negative comments. And even the skating has failed to put me on the edge of my seat.
It has been getting very cold at night, but it is warm and sunny during the days, and the temps are headed for 80 this week end!
Ciao
I got my hair cut this morning at a little shop in Quartzite and it took about twelve minutes and cost twelve dollars. That works for me. Ken and I then motored on to the big city of Yuma. We made an appointment to have sun screens installed when we are back down there the tenth of March, and then left my rings at the jewelers to have them sized down by one and one half sizes.
The big size was their idea, not mine, but they are going to give me a "good deal" and only charge me one half the fee to resize them!! Plus I paid $140 for the first sizing to include a chunk of gold, but now the jeweler tells me that it is just a small amount of gold that will be removed when he sizes them down. I said I wanted it!!!!
Sheila will be in Phoenix this week end, so we are also going to go to Colleen's for a week end of shopping and eating and visiting. It is about a two hour drive from here and we will go in on Friday morning and come back to Ehrenberg on Monday. I haven't seen the inside of a Trader Joe's for a while, and there are still fabric shops that I haven't explored.
I do have about ten new pieces of fabric for a new project as soon as I get my hands on the pattern. I am moving toward a contemporary/oriental look in ecru, oriental florals and black for a new duvet cover for the bed in the motor home. Neither oriental nor contemporary sound like me, but I think it will work with the window coverings and wallpaper.
We are already anticipating Christmas..........Keith and Janet and the girls are coming to Steilacoom! They made the decision early because they were able to get tickets at a very reasonable price. I assured them I would begin preparing as soon as I get home. We have not had them with us for Christmas since Sarah was a toddler, so it will be a special time.
We have had the Olympics on every night, but little of it has captured my attention this year. Of course the ice skating is my favorite, but I am tired of listening to
Dick Button and all of his negative comments. And even the skating has failed to put me on the edge of my seat.
It has been getting very cold at night, but it is warm and sunny during the days, and the temps are headed for 80 this week end!
Ciao
Friday, February 17, 2006
Ken must be right when he says our week consists of 6 Saturdays and a Sunday because I do not know what day of the week it is. I think it is Friday, but then again, it could be Saturday.
We added another chapter to the Martha story. Mike called earlier this week and said Martha's daughter Rachel and husband were in Mesa visiting Martha and of course I wanted to meet them so we drove to Phoenix on Wednesday and came home yesterday. It was so much fun to meet them. The only time I ever laid eyes on Rachel was when she was an infant and she and her mother came to Washington for a visit and now she is in her late 50s!
Rachel and Assad were geologists (now retired) and living in South Dakota. They have a daughter and son-in-law, both of whom are optometrists, and a son with a degree in theater but after several years of performing in New York, he has returned to school - law school. Apparently Assad is very knowedgeable in his field, and for all the times he told folks that he was attending some kind of a geological seminar or function, he failed to mention that he was a presenter, not just an attendee. A modest man.
We also drove out to The Resort while in Phoenix to visit with some of the Davenport folks. Some of the conversation focused on the upcoming 50th year high school reunion for the five of them who are Davenport graduates.
We stayed all night with Colleen, and her little apartment is very cute now that she has everything in its place save hanging pictures. She has many lovely items that she has acquired from her years of travel or gifts from others to include Polish pottery, prints and paintings and some textiles. She is still shopping for a dog to adopt. She has contacted a number of rescue places to find just the right companion.
And to finish the Phoenix trip, Ken very patiently helped me find a quilt shop that I had been wanting to visit and then very patiently waited while I did my shopping. Today I plan to put some of my purchases into play.
Ken's cousins, Carolyn and Irvin Ladd from Crooked River Ranch, Oregon are in the area for a few days. We drove to Parker to visit and have dinner with them earlier this week, and now they are in the park right next door to us, so we had them over last night. I think they have been on the road for about two months, and will be going home within the next few days. We have had the fun of having friends and family around us for this entire trip.
It is overcast this morning, but it doesn't look like it will last. We had lots of gusty winds earlier this week but they have gone away. The temps have cooled down to the high 60s and low 70s.
Ciao
We added another chapter to the Martha story. Mike called earlier this week and said Martha's daughter Rachel and husband were in Mesa visiting Martha and of course I wanted to meet them so we drove to Phoenix on Wednesday and came home yesterday. It was so much fun to meet them. The only time I ever laid eyes on Rachel was when she was an infant and she and her mother came to Washington for a visit and now she is in her late 50s!
Rachel and Assad were geologists (now retired) and living in South Dakota. They have a daughter and son-in-law, both of whom are optometrists, and a son with a degree in theater but after several years of performing in New York, he has returned to school - law school. Apparently Assad is very knowedgeable in his field, and for all the times he told folks that he was attending some kind of a geological seminar or function, he failed to mention that he was a presenter, not just an attendee. A modest man.
We also drove out to The Resort while in Phoenix to visit with some of the Davenport folks. Some of the conversation focused on the upcoming 50th year high school reunion for the five of them who are Davenport graduates.
We stayed all night with Colleen, and her little apartment is very cute now that she has everything in its place save hanging pictures. She has many lovely items that she has acquired from her years of travel or gifts from others to include Polish pottery, prints and paintings and some textiles. She is still shopping for a dog to adopt. She has contacted a number of rescue places to find just the right companion.
And to finish the Phoenix trip, Ken very patiently helped me find a quilt shop that I had been wanting to visit and then very patiently waited while I did my shopping. Today I plan to put some of my purchases into play.
Ken's cousins, Carolyn and Irvin Ladd from Crooked River Ranch, Oregon are in the area for a few days. We drove to Parker to visit and have dinner with them earlier this week, and now they are in the park right next door to us, so we had them over last night. I think they have been on the road for about two months, and will be going home within the next few days. We have had the fun of having friends and family around us for this entire trip.
It is overcast this morning, but it doesn't look like it will last. We had lots of gusty winds earlier this week but they have gone away. The temps have cooled down to the high 60s and low 70s.
Ciao
Monday, February 13, 2006
Ehren Where?
We are in Ehrenberg which is a hard-scrabble little “berg” that is a hub for migrant workers with only a Flying J and one or two shabby store fronts. Blythe, CA is six miles to the west where we found an Albertsons, Rite-Aid and K Mart. There is nothing to do around here from what we can tell, so we are making plans to spend a day or two with Colleen within the next week or two!
This park is quite nice, fairly small with very wide sites and a view of the Colorado River and beyond. We are parked about 200 feet from the banks of the river so have a great view.
We are traveling with the three other couples so we busy ourselves with visiting back and forth and sharing meals. We did engage in a game of Mexican Train with Rod and Karen yesterday afternoon. They are flying back to Spokane on Wednesday and will return to Phoenix/Tucson in a month. They are going to store their trailer at Doll Beer where we stayed in January.
It has taken me ten days to shake this cold, but I think I am about over it. Of course two others were complaining of sore throats yesterday, so I suspect everyone will end up with it.
I am making paella for the group for dinner this evening, but I am afraid it will be shy on the seafood considering my shopping choices, so I am counting on something from the frozen sections. If I serve enough sangria, no one will know the difference, right?
Carolyn and Irvin Ladd are about 45 miles north of here in Parker, but we haven’t made contact with them. They called once but have their number blocked, and even Harriet didn’t have their cell phone number. I think they are leaving to go back to Oregon within the next few days.
I promise I will blog the instant something exciting happens around here, so you may not hear from me for a month! Ciao.
This park is quite nice, fairly small with very wide sites and a view of the Colorado River and beyond. We are parked about 200 feet from the banks of the river so have a great view.
We are traveling with the three other couples so we busy ourselves with visiting back and forth and sharing meals. We did engage in a game of Mexican Train with Rod and Karen yesterday afternoon. They are flying back to Spokane on Wednesday and will return to Phoenix/Tucson in a month. They are going to store their trailer at Doll Beer where we stayed in January.
It has taken me ten days to shake this cold, but I think I am about over it. Of course two others were complaining of sore throats yesterday, so I suspect everyone will end up with it.
I am making paella for the group for dinner this evening, but I am afraid it will be shy on the seafood considering my shopping choices, so I am counting on something from the frozen sections. If I serve enough sangria, no one will know the difference, right?
Carolyn and Irvin Ladd are about 45 miles north of here in Parker, but we haven’t made contact with them. They called once but have their number blocked, and even Harriet didn’t have their cell phone number. I think they are leaving to go back to Oregon within the next few days.
I promise I will blog the instant something exciting happens around here, so you may not hear from me for a month! Ciao.
Monday, February 06, 2006
On to Benson
I am still playing catch-up with my blogging. We were in Mesa until last Wednesday, the first, when we moved on to Benson. We enjoyed our stay in Mesa at the Doll Beer Mobile Home Park. Old but perfectly suitable. It was fun to have Martha pop in and out almost on a daily basis. She usually arrived with fresh fruit, or cookies, or something else she thought we might have use for.
We toured one of Frank Lloyd Wright's properties last week before leaving Mesa - Talisian - which is still a working design school. I need to learn more about the man, because he was pretty complex - eccentric? It was quite fascinating to walk through the living areas that he and his family occupied for several years. He would never create a structure on the top of a rise, but always placed it under the brow of the rise to make it one with the surrounding area. Of course the location of Talisian was really out in the middle of nowhere when it was built, but the greater Scottsdale area has moved in closely.
Last Wednesday, we and the Spragues pulled up stakes and made our way to the Butterfield RV Resort in Benson - the only RV resort with an observatory - which Ken and Rod have visited. We quite like this place, and it is not age restrictive so there is a bit younger crowd and fewer folks careening around in golf carts. We are walking distance to a grocery store, hardware store and post office so what more could we ask for? We are parked across the street from Gary and Carolyn and Rob and Sue Robinson. Rob and Sue sold their home in Victoria some time ago and have been full timing it in their Bluebird motor coach.
I came down with a cold on Friday, so I am still operating at less that normal capacity, but it should be over in the next day or two. We have spent today, leisurely soaking up the sun and puttering. The rest of the group (Spragues, Ouseys, and Robinsons) is going to Kartchner Caverns this afternoon, but we were there 2 years ago, so we will look for something else to do.
Today is just about perfect with sunshine, blue skies, a light breeze and the temperatures in the 70s. We girls have been going into the spa every night which is a great way to cap off the day. The air cools down quickly once the sun goes down so the warm spa feels great.
We are going out for a little shopping trip to look for a pot for the cactus that we have been dragging around with us for the past 3 weeks. Karen and I have been in need of some quilt shop fixes, but so far only one in Sierra Vista. And I doubt there will be anything in Ehrenberg or Blythe when we get there later this week.
Ciao
We toured one of Frank Lloyd Wright's properties last week before leaving Mesa - Talisian - which is still a working design school. I need to learn more about the man, because he was pretty complex - eccentric? It was quite fascinating to walk through the living areas that he and his family occupied for several years. He would never create a structure on the top of a rise, but always placed it under the brow of the rise to make it one with the surrounding area. Of course the location of Talisian was really out in the middle of nowhere when it was built, but the greater Scottsdale area has moved in closely.
Last Wednesday, we and the Spragues pulled up stakes and made our way to the Butterfield RV Resort in Benson - the only RV resort with an observatory - which Ken and Rod have visited. We quite like this place, and it is not age restrictive so there is a bit younger crowd and fewer folks careening around in golf carts. We are walking distance to a grocery store, hardware store and post office so what more could we ask for? We are parked across the street from Gary and Carolyn and Rob and Sue Robinson. Rob and Sue sold their home in Victoria some time ago and have been full timing it in their Bluebird motor coach.
I came down with a cold on Friday, so I am still operating at less that normal capacity, but it should be over in the next day or two. We have spent today, leisurely soaking up the sun and puttering. The rest of the group (Spragues, Ouseys, and Robinsons) is going to Kartchner Caverns this afternoon, but we were there 2 years ago, so we will look for something else to do.
Today is just about perfect with sunshine, blue skies, a light breeze and the temperatures in the 70s. We girls have been going into the spa every night which is a great way to cap off the day. The air cools down quickly once the sun goes down so the warm spa feels great.
We are going out for a little shopping trip to look for a pot for the cactus that we have been dragging around with us for the past 3 weeks. Karen and I have been in need of some quilt shop fixes, but so far only one in Sierra Vista. And I doubt there will be anything in Ehrenberg or Blythe when we get there later this week.
Ciao
Sunday, February 05, 2006
We are still around, just silent
Not having internet available is making me crazy. I have no idea what I wrote in my last blog since I did it online (I think). Well here goes!!
Karen and Rod Sprague arrived last week after a rainy trip from Washington. We went to Casa Grande ruins last Thursday. Ken and I had been there before, but I think Karen and Rod enjoyed it. There is one part of a large structure and some low walls remaining as evidence of a people that existed for almost 1000 years until the 1400s. They, like many early civilizations, exhibited an interest (understanding) in celestial happenings and rhythms.
A first for me that day was lunch at a Crackerbarrel restaurant. I was underwhelmed to say the least. But I am usually super critical of most chain restaurants (except KFC). I found the food to be starchy and salty. It was interesting to arrive and be told it would be fifteen minutes before we could be seated. It turned out to be 45 minutes, and that same scenario transpired for every other person we encountered. Could it be that the delay is deliberate since there is a big roomful of knick knacks and old time candy to peruse and purchase while you wait?
Colleen and I flew to Colorado Springs last Friday to rent a truck and retrieve her belongings that have been in storage for almost two years. Her friend, Emmie, picked us up at the airport and hosted us for the evening. She is a gracious southern girl who exudes warmth and hospitality, and is a wonderful cook.
Two women and a truck……..
We had two men load the truck, then Colleen and I climbed aboard and proceeded to herd the behemoth down the road. It was twice as big as we needed, and it acted as though the wheels had never been balanced. It was a terrible ride until we got up to about 70 mph, and then it was a bit smoother. With the blessing of U-Haul, we drove all the way with the oil light and check engine lights on, but it did keep ‘truckin’ along.
We stayed in Gallup, NM on Saturday night, got up at six and were on the road by six thirty. We arrived in Phoenix around noon, and with the help of Ken and Colleen’s landlord, had the truck emptied and returned by mid afternoon. By evening, her bed was assembled and made, her entire kitchen unpacked and put away., and I slept hard last night!!
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Yesterday was a day for little projects which evolved into a little shopping which evolved into spending a bunch of money. We have a broken part on the latch for one of the pantries so of course that means going to the Winnebago dealer to spend a ton of money on a little part that isn’t even in stock at the moment with Winnebago. We also took note of some shopping sites in the area and went to Camping World, Trader Joes, and one or two quilt shops.
Finally last night we remembered to take advantage of the pool and the spa here at the ol’ Dollbeer Park. The pool was spa temperature, and the spa was so hot it was almost painful so we didn’t stay long. The pool area is right in front of our MH; about a 20 yard walk for us. The pools were immaculate, as they should be since I have never seen anyone in them, and they get cleaned about every other day.
We stopped by Colleen’s office yesterday to retrieve my handbag that I had left in her car, so her dad had a chance to meet her boss and see her office. She has a busy week getting ready for a big annual fundraising event this coming Saturday, but she still thinks she has enough energy to go to IKEA one evening this week.
We have no immediate plans for the day, but I have frittered the last 2 ½ hours on the Today Show, Sonoran Living Live, and View along with several cups of coffee. Okay, okay, I need to get on with the day. Ciao.
Karen and Rod Sprague arrived last week after a rainy trip from Washington. We went to Casa Grande ruins last Thursday. Ken and I had been there before, but I think Karen and Rod enjoyed it. There is one part of a large structure and some low walls remaining as evidence of a people that existed for almost 1000 years until the 1400s. They, like many early civilizations, exhibited an interest (understanding) in celestial happenings and rhythms.
A first for me that day was lunch at a Crackerbarrel restaurant. I was underwhelmed to say the least. But I am usually super critical of most chain restaurants (except KFC). I found the food to be starchy and salty. It was interesting to arrive and be told it would be fifteen minutes before we could be seated. It turned out to be 45 minutes, and that same scenario transpired for every other person we encountered. Could it be that the delay is deliberate since there is a big roomful of knick knacks and old time candy to peruse and purchase while you wait?
Colleen and I flew to Colorado Springs last Friday to rent a truck and retrieve her belongings that have been in storage for almost two years. Her friend, Emmie, picked us up at the airport and hosted us for the evening. She is a gracious southern girl who exudes warmth and hospitality, and is a wonderful cook.
Two women and a truck……..
We had two men load the truck, then Colleen and I climbed aboard and proceeded to herd the behemoth down the road. It was twice as big as we needed, and it acted as though the wheels had never been balanced. It was a terrible ride until we got up to about 70 mph, and then it was a bit smoother. With the blessing of U-Haul, we drove all the way with the oil light and check engine lights on, but it did keep ‘truckin’ along.
We stayed in Gallup, NM on Saturday night, got up at six and were on the road by six thirty. We arrived in Phoenix around noon, and with the help of Ken and Colleen’s landlord, had the truck emptied and returned by mid afternoon. By evening, her bed was assembled and made, her entire kitchen unpacked and put away., and I slept hard last night!!
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Yesterday was a day for little projects which evolved into a little shopping which evolved into spending a bunch of money. We have a broken part on the latch for one of the pantries so of course that means going to the Winnebago dealer to spend a ton of money on a little part that isn’t even in stock at the moment with Winnebago. We also took note of some shopping sites in the area and went to Camping World, Trader Joes, and one or two quilt shops.
Finally last night we remembered to take advantage of the pool and the spa here at the ol’ Dollbeer Park. The pool was spa temperature, and the spa was so hot it was almost painful so we didn’t stay long. The pool area is right in front of our MH; about a 20 yard walk for us. The pools were immaculate, as they should be since I have never seen anyone in them, and they get cleaned about every other day.
We stopped by Colleen’s office yesterday to retrieve my handbag that I had left in her car, so her dad had a chance to meet her boss and see her office. She has a busy week getting ready for a big annual fundraising event this coming Saturday, but she still thinks she has enough energy to go to IKEA one evening this week.
We have no immediate plans for the day, but I have frittered the last 2 ½ hours on the Today Show, Sonoran Living Live, and View along with several cups of coffee. Okay, okay, I need to get on with the day. Ciao.
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