I am going to go out on a limb and make a commitment via FaceBook that I will blog on a regular basis. I enjoy FB, but I enjoy reading the blogs that contain so much more detail. I think I left off just before our Alaska cruise:
The cruise was fabulous and we had a delightful week with the Maryland Kirkwoods. Keith and Janet had a suite, so the girls and Ken and I spent lots of time hanging out with them and enjoying all their amenities. It was so much fun to have an entire week with the four of them and no responsibilities. We paid a deposit on another cruise but have no idea when or where!
This has been the summer for anniversaries......the second weekend of September we were in Coeur d'Alene with Jerry and Lois and family to celebrate their 60th anniversary. Last weekend we were at Crooked River Ranch to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Ken's cousin, Carolyn, and her husband Irv. Carolyn's sister and family were right next door so we got more family time. The weather has been beautiful throughout our travels this month.
At the end of our outing, we spent two days in the wine country with the Schulers. One day in the Yakima Valley and another in the Walla Walla area. Ten years ago we couldn't even find a tasting room in Walla Walla, but not so now. There are probably at least 200 wineries in that area. Walla Walla wines always seem to come at a dearer price than those of the Columbia/Yakima-area appellations, and since my palate is not that discerning, I will continue to purchase the Columbia River wines moreso than WW.
The final anniversary soiree was in Davenport with three couples celebrating their fiftieth anniversaries. We had a great time because half the county was there, and there were many that we seldom see since we are rarely in Davenport any more.
Our three weeks on the road provided a good shakedown cruise for the new-to-us coach, and of course we now have another "to-do" list, but all in all we are quite pleased. Ken has worked diligently to appease my need for orderly storage so there are now shelves in the cabinet designed for a washer/dryer, and the little Dustbuster cabinet is now the storage for the vacuum hose. There will be one trip back to Joey at Southside to finish up some other details, and then we will be ready to hit the road.
Ken wants to be out of Dodge the day after Thanksgiving to allow the best chances of getting over the Siskiyous without a weather interdiction. I'm not so sure I want to be away from home for Christmas two years in a row, so we are thinking we will either fly or drive back for same. Upon our return south we will be ready to pull up stakes at Foothills West and move out to the desert at Quartzite. I think we will stay for the better part of two or three weeks this year unless boredom (or too much laundry) sets in.
My quilt projects have been largely ignored this summer, but I think I am ready to get back into it. I have one within a couple of hours of being ready for the quiter, and another that is totally ready to go to the quilter. And then I can ponder which of my many unfinished projects I want to tackle next.
We have been following yesterday's news about the shooter at the Permanente plant in Cupertino, CA. We could see the plant's plumes of dust from our neighborhood when we lived there, and the shooter was captured just a matter of a mile or two from our old house.
We now have three grandchildren pursuing their higher educations; Sarah is now enrolled in nurse's training, Rachel is a junior at University of Maryland Baltimore Campus, and Nolan is a freshman and ROTC cadet at the University of North Carolina. And Keith is working on a master's degree when it doesn't interfere with diving or cruising:).
Thanksgiving is going to be in Madison Park with Jim and Colleen hosting. So far I have only been charged with making rolls. Sounds like a plan to me, but Christmas is apt to be a different story.
OK, I think I am caught up for a while. Here I go to FB to make my statement!! Ciao
Thursday, October 06, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
More Fun and Family
We have enjoyed more family time and some occasional company!! This past Wednesday found us surrounded by all except three of our entire family - we missed Sheila, Nolan, and Warren, and Brian was here for just a brief two days, but I will take it. Keith, Janet, and the girls arrived Tuesday evening and we will be together for two weeks. Jim and the girls were here for dinner on Wednesday evening as well!!
The six of us leave tomorrow for our week-long Alaska cruise. This day seemed very remote when we booked last January, but here it is. When we get to Juneau, Ken and I and the girls will go on a dog sled ride and visit a kennel. The rest of the trip will be lots of relaxing and family time.
In the midst of everything else, less than two weeks ago we drove to Eugene and finally found the right motor home for us. Needless to say, that process has created a bit of extra angst and pandemonium, but we are well pleased. It is a 2005 Horizon so Ken gets his diesel pusher and we gained four more feet in length. So two round trips to Eugene plus 24 hours of moving and technician time made our trip to Spokane for my reunion a bit of a rush.
We left Eugene last Thursday about five and got as far as south of Portland and then we were up at four the next morning to get to Spokane at a reasonable time to attend the first reunion event on Friday. It was all good.
The reunion was most enjoyable. I am always surprised to find us visiting with and having much in common with lots of folks that I barely knew in school. The wife of one of my classmates owns a quilt shop in Michigan :), and another and his wife are full-time RVers!
I will come back with a full report when we return from the cruise. Ciao.
The six of us leave tomorrow for our week-long Alaska cruise. This day seemed very remote when we booked last January, but here it is. When we get to Juneau, Ken and I and the girls will go on a dog sled ride and visit a kennel. The rest of the trip will be lots of relaxing and family time.
In the midst of everything else, less than two weeks ago we drove to Eugene and finally found the right motor home for us. Needless to say, that process has created a bit of extra angst and pandemonium, but we are well pleased. It is a 2005 Horizon so Ken gets his diesel pusher and we gained four more feet in length. So two round trips to Eugene plus 24 hours of moving and technician time made our trip to Spokane for my reunion a bit of a rush.
We left Eugene last Thursday about five and got as far as south of Portland and then we were up at four the next morning to get to Spokane at a reasonable time to attend the first reunion event on Friday. It was all good.
The reunion was most enjoyable. I am always surprised to find us visiting with and having much in common with lots of folks that I barely knew in school. The wife of one of my classmates owns a quilt shop in Michigan :), and another and his wife are full-time RVers!
I will come back with a full report when we return from the cruise. Ciao.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Two months have gone by
We have been home watching the rain and gray clouds, but as of this afternoon we are off to the east coast. There is a hop to Dover so we hope to be on it. From there we will spend a day or two with Keith and Janet and the girls, and then go on to Goldsboro for Nolan's graduation.
We spent some time in Spokane the latter part of April so Ken could join Bob Jayne in the annual "Opening Day of Fishing Season" saga which actually starts the day after opening day and they fish for three days straight. We now have quite a few lovely big trout in the freezer. Sharon and I spent some time shopping and lunching.
Our nephew, Joel, turned 30 at that same time so Craig and I drove over for his birthday party. The boys had a great time when they managed to get two rigs stuck in the mud - boys and their toys - and mud!! Who could ask for more. Craig and I were guests at the Big Meadows B&B for two nights and were well-treated by Rod......Karen had escaped to Paducah.
Craig has been out of work since last fall when the construction job finished at Pierce College. Now he is into his third week as project manager for a small local company that is building a school in Renton. It is an ugly commute, but it is a job.
Colleen and Jim are still an item and they just seem to keep on keeping on.......
Sadly, Ken's brother, Bud, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer with a three to four month prognosis. Ken stopped in Moses Lake and saw him last month and we are keeping him and his family in our thoughts and prayers.
Our summer plans take us back to Spokane the middle of July for my fiftieth!! high school reunion and then back home to have Keith and Janet and the girls arrive for our cruise to Alaska. I am very excited about cruising to Alaska.
NOW IT IS ALMOST MID-JULY. Everything previously mentioned has either happened or is on track to happen.
Our trip to Maryland and North and South Carolina was very good. We had time with Keith and Brian and families and proudly saw Nolan graduate from East Wayne High School. We drove to Chapel Hill the day before we left and toured the campus and the dorm where he will be living. It is quite a lovely setting.
Ken and I drove to Charleston for a few days since we had not ever spent time there. We discovered an awesome restaurant, toured a plantation and an historical house that is being maintained as much as possible without restoration. Our other outing was to tour Ft. Sumter.
Next week we will be in eastern and Washington and the weekend events for my reunion. Then we will rush home to be ready for Keith and Janet and the girls when they arrive Tuesday night the 26th. We are getting excited about the cruise and our time together.
We had a great gathering here for the Fourth of July. I think there were 20 here for the day. Steilacoom is a great place to spend the day because there is something going on all day long right up to the fireworks at 10:30.
Ciao
We spent some time in Spokane the latter part of April so Ken could join Bob Jayne in the annual "Opening Day of Fishing Season" saga which actually starts the day after opening day and they fish for three days straight. We now have quite a few lovely big trout in the freezer. Sharon and I spent some time shopping and lunching.
Our nephew, Joel, turned 30 at that same time so Craig and I drove over for his birthday party. The boys had a great time when they managed to get two rigs stuck in the mud - boys and their toys - and mud!! Who could ask for more. Craig and I were guests at the Big Meadows B&B for two nights and were well-treated by Rod......Karen had escaped to Paducah.
Craig has been out of work since last fall when the construction job finished at Pierce College. Now he is into his third week as project manager for a small local company that is building a school in Renton. It is an ugly commute, but it is a job.
Colleen and Jim are still an item and they just seem to keep on keeping on.......
Sadly, Ken's brother, Bud, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer with a three to four month prognosis. Ken stopped in Moses Lake and saw him last month and we are keeping him and his family in our thoughts and prayers.
Our summer plans take us back to Spokane the middle of July for my fiftieth!! high school reunion and then back home to have Keith and Janet and the girls arrive for our cruise to Alaska. I am very excited about cruising to Alaska.
NOW IT IS ALMOST MID-JULY. Everything previously mentioned has either happened or is on track to happen.
Our trip to Maryland and North and South Carolina was very good. We had time with Keith and Brian and families and proudly saw Nolan graduate from East Wayne High School. We drove to Chapel Hill the day before we left and toured the campus and the dorm where he will be living. It is quite a lovely setting.
Ken and I drove to Charleston for a few days since we had not ever spent time there. We discovered an awesome restaurant, toured a plantation and an historical house that is being maintained as much as possible without restoration. Our other outing was to tour Ft. Sumter.
Next week we will be in eastern and Washington and the weekend events for my reunion. Then we will rush home to be ready for Keith and Janet and the girls when they arrive Tuesday night the 26th. We are getting excited about the cruise and our time together.
We had a great gathering here for the Fourth of July. I think there were 20 here for the day. Steilacoom is a great place to spend the day because there is something going on all day long right up to the fireworks at 10:30.
Ciao
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Rain, Drizzle, Fog, Downpour, Showers, Fronts, and Wind
The saga continues but in a different state. We finally got out of Travis and drove all the way to Brookings, OR last week. We spent two nights at Harris Beach campground and the incessant rain made its way into the motor home in three different places; the windshield and both slides. So the rest of the trip has us operating with the slides closed. Ken applied lots of duct tape to the top of the windshield and that seems to holding. Needless to say, we have an appointment with Southside Motors for next week.
We spent three nights with the Ladds in Florence and cousin Harriet drove down from Albany. The weather prevented us from doing anything outside, but we talked, and ate, and drank well. A trip into town for Mo's clam chowder was a must, and then we were treated to some yummy meals prepared by Carolyn. The five of us pretty well polished off a bottle of Akvavit accompanied by the necessary pickled herring. In addition, we learned that Irvin makes a lovely hot buttered rum.
Harriet, Carolyn and I ventured into town yesterday to poke around in a few of the shops. A very nice quilt shop and TWO awesome kitchen stores, but alas, one was closed.
Now we are parked on the front tier at Sea and Sand RV Park just north of Depot Bay, and I am looking out through the rain-streaked windshield at the pounding surf. This is an awesome place for a view of the ocean. The only thing missing are a few big rocks for the crashing surf.
So two nights here, one at Cannon Beach and then we will be homeward-bound this weekend. Ciao
We spent three nights with the Ladds in Florence and cousin Harriet drove down from Albany. The weather prevented us from doing anything outside, but we talked, and ate, and drank well. A trip into town for Mo's clam chowder was a must, and then we were treated to some yummy meals prepared by Carolyn. The five of us pretty well polished off a bottle of Akvavit accompanied by the necessary pickled herring. In addition, we learned that Irvin makes a lovely hot buttered rum.
Harriet, Carolyn and I ventured into town yesterday to poke around in a few of the shops. A very nice quilt shop and TWO awesome kitchen stores, but alas, one was closed.
Now we are parked on the front tier at Sea and Sand RV Park just north of Depot Bay, and I am looking out through the rain-streaked windshield at the pounding surf. This is an awesome place for a view of the ocean. The only thing missing are a few big rocks for the crashing surf.
So two nights here, one at Cannon Beach and then we will be homeward-bound this weekend. Ciao
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Full Circle Back to Travis AFB
And here we sit. This is always our stopping point when going to and coming from Arizona because it is a good place to regroup, resupply, and catch up on laundry. However, our two day stay is extending well beyond because of weather between here and the Oregon coast. We have already had some major winds and rain over the past few days, and there is more to come.
We spent our last night in Arizona on the desert which we love to do because there is hardly anyone there, and it is so peaceful and quiet. Of course just because Ken set up his motion-detector camera, we didn't have any four-legged visitors as we did on the way down in December.
One of our outings while in Tucson was to visit the Titan Missile Museum. There is a "real" missile in its silo, with a hole in the roof to prove to any passing satellites that it is in fact unarmed. This missle was never "live" but used for training. Our tour was conducted by one of the last mission commanders of the program, and Marge would not have been anyone to toy with; I'm sure she was all business all the time, and she provided an excellent insight into the workings of the system. If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend a visit.
Last Sunday, Jeff Schuler drove up from San Jose to meet us in Lodi for lunch and some wine tasting. Who would have thought of Lodi as a wine center? We visited three wineries and all three had some very nice wines. The Ouseys were staying here at the Famcamp with us so they joined us. A very pleasant afternoon.
We are hoping to coordinate our travels home to allow us to meet up with Ken's cousin, Carolyn, and her husband Irvin. They have a house near the beach in Florence, so I think they are going to try to drive over from their home in central Oregon for a visit. When we lived in eastern Washington, traveling south would take us through central Oregon so we would see them more often than we do now.
I am tired of looking out the windshield at the never-ending rain and gray skies so I will get on with my day. Ciao.
We spent our last night in Arizona on the desert which we love to do because there is hardly anyone there, and it is so peaceful and quiet. Of course just because Ken set up his motion-detector camera, we didn't have any four-legged visitors as we did on the way down in December.
One of our outings while in Tucson was to visit the Titan Missile Museum. There is a "real" missile in its silo, with a hole in the roof to prove to any passing satellites that it is in fact unarmed. This missle was never "live" but used for training. Our tour was conducted by one of the last mission commanders of the program, and Marge would not have been anyone to toy with; I'm sure she was all business all the time, and she provided an excellent insight into the workings of the system. If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend a visit.
Last Sunday, Jeff Schuler drove up from San Jose to meet us in Lodi for lunch and some wine tasting. Who would have thought of Lodi as a wine center? We visited three wineries and all three had some very nice wines. The Ouseys were staying here at the Famcamp with us so they joined us. A very pleasant afternoon.
We are hoping to coordinate our travels home to allow us to meet up with Ken's cousin, Carolyn, and her husband Irvin. They have a house near the beach in Florence, so I think they are going to try to drive over from their home in central Oregon for a visit. When we lived in eastern Washington, traveling south would take us through central Oregon so we would see them more often than we do now.
I am tired of looking out the windshield at the never-ending rain and gray skies so I will get on with my day. Ciao.
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Is it warming up?
It has been hard to tell. However, as we are making our way from Tucson to Yuma, it is approaching eighty today, so I guess we are gradually getting there.
We spent our last two nights in Tucson at the overflow area at Davis Monthan AFB before moving on to Yuma, which we are doing at the moment. DM has a great Famcamp, but it is very busy this time of year, so to get a space with hookups, it usually takes two or three days of dry camping in the overflow area. We were only there for the two nights, so no problem.
Yesterday we happened on the biggest Ace Hardware store I have ever seen. The storefront covered more than a half block, and about 1/3 of the building was nothing but housewares. Ken entertained himself on the hardware side, and you know where I was. It pretty much qualifies as one of those "must see" locations.
The trip to Surprise didn't produce a surprise. It is scary to consider buying a used coach when you don't know the history.....and as we all know, the sales people will tell you anything. It is as if they consider every potential buyer as someone who doesn't know a motor home from motorcycle!!
We enjoyed two more evenings of entertainment before leaving Rincon Country. Both were guitarists/singers. Jimmy Fortune sang tenor for the Statler Brother for many years, but his best rendition of the evening was Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman". He nailed it!!
We will be in Yuma for the next two weeks and will join the Spragues and the Ouseys. I'm not sure what there is to do to keep us occupied for two weeks, but we will keep each other company. I will spend some time at a dentist since I lost a big filling earlier this week. Oh joy.
Colleen and Jim and the girls are back from a lovely time in Hawaii. A luau and a swim with dolphins were two of the highlights. Now it is back to swimming and working and school.
Just in the last month we have been invited to three 50th wedding anniversary parties. How could we be possibly be old enough to have friends and family old enough to have been married fifty years? Hmmmm, we are at 49!! Ciao
We spent our last two nights in Tucson at the overflow area at Davis Monthan AFB before moving on to Yuma, which we are doing at the moment. DM has a great Famcamp, but it is very busy this time of year, so to get a space with hookups, it usually takes two or three days of dry camping in the overflow area. We were only there for the two nights, so no problem.
Yesterday we happened on the biggest Ace Hardware store I have ever seen. The storefront covered more than a half block, and about 1/3 of the building was nothing but housewares. Ken entertained himself on the hardware side, and you know where I was. It pretty much qualifies as one of those "must see" locations.
The trip to Surprise didn't produce a surprise. It is scary to consider buying a used coach when you don't know the history.....and as we all know, the sales people will tell you anything. It is as if they consider every potential buyer as someone who doesn't know a motor home from motorcycle!!
We enjoyed two more evenings of entertainment before leaving Rincon Country. Both were guitarists/singers. Jimmy Fortune sang tenor for the Statler Brother for many years, but his best rendition of the evening was Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman". He nailed it!!
We will be in Yuma for the next two weeks and will join the Spragues and the Ouseys. I'm not sure what there is to do to keep us occupied for two weeks, but we will keep each other company. I will spend some time at a dentist since I lost a big filling earlier this week. Oh joy.
Colleen and Jim and the girls are back from a lovely time in Hawaii. A luau and a swim with dolphins were two of the highlights. Now it is back to swimming and working and school.
Just in the last month we have been invited to three 50th wedding anniversary parties. How could we be possibly be old enough to have friends and family old enough to have been married fifty years? Hmmmm, we are at 49!! Ciao
It is warming up
We still have not had a "hot" day; it did reach eighty once so far, but the nights get right down chilly. I have shed one jacket and am down to wearing a down vest over my sweatsuit for a morning walk.
We have enjoyed some entertainment while here and have been out and about a few times. Tucson does not have a good east/west travel route so it takes a lot of time to get to the other side of town which seems to be where I always want to be (quilt shops, JoAnn's, Davis Monthan AFB, etc).
Karen and Rod took us to Green Valley last Saturday to meet friends they met at an Alpine rally. Dave and Sandy are very interesting, personable folks. His second career was being employed by the Ford Motor Company racing team, and Sandy traveled with the team as well, feeding as many as fifty at a time - and making her bathroom available to all of them!!!!!! Dave had interesting stories to share about going back and forth across the border in Baja with something like 25 semis.
They clued us in on the differences between Green Valley and the other town nearby. Green Valley is very much a mecca for retirees. They live in a lovely adobe-style 2 bdrm/2bath home with a great room living area. Their back yard is spacious with about half of it a patio complete with a built-in gas grill. They have a two car garage, plus a third garage on the other side of the house for their RV. I was ready to move.
Colleen and Jim and the girls left for Hawaii yesterday so I am waiting for a travel update. Colleen has to be in Pasadena for meetings later this week so her trip is going to be cut short. But even a bit of Hawaii in February should be a treat.
Our travel plans beyond the winter include the trip to NC in June for Nolan's graduation, and then an Alaskan cruise the first of August with Keith, Janet, and the girls. We are very excited to have the four of them to ourselves for a full week since most of our get-togethers are major events with lots of people and little time to just sit back and enjoy them. And this is our first cruise, so that makes it all the more exciting.
Warren and Nolan are finishing the wrestling season and both have done very well. With Nolan graduating in June, it will be up to Warren to carry on the Kirkwood legacy on the mat!!
The Ouseys came down from Casa Grande last Wednesday for a visit. We are usually in the same park, so it was good to have some time with them since we have hardly seen them. The weather was pleasant enough to allow us to eat outside.
We still have several items on our "to-do" list before leaving the end of the month: Sabino Canyon, Sierra Vista for Mexican and/or German food and a quilt show and today a drive to Surprise to "surprise" look at a motor home.
Last Sunday we drove to Mesa to catch up with the Davenport crowd. Daryl and Jan gathered everyone at their patio for snacks and margaritas and then we went out for an early dinner. We toured the Gary Reinbolds' newly acquired park model and saw the Brian Ziemers' new-to-them Monaco coach. We all seem to make similar transitions along the way with changes in our winter accommodations.
We have enjoyed some entertainment while here and have been out and about a few times. Tucson does not have a good east/west travel route so it takes a lot of time to get to the other side of town which seems to be where I always want to be (quilt shops, JoAnn's, Davis Monthan AFB, etc).
Karen and Rod took us to Green Valley last Saturday to meet friends they met at an Alpine rally. Dave and Sandy are very interesting, personable folks. His second career was being employed by the Ford Motor Company racing team, and Sandy traveled with the team as well, feeding as many as fifty at a time - and making her bathroom available to all of them!!!!!! Dave had interesting stories to share about going back and forth across the border in Baja with something like 25 semis.
They clued us in on the differences between Green Valley and the other town nearby. Green Valley is very much a mecca for retirees. They live in a lovely adobe-style 2 bdrm/2bath home with a great room living area. Their back yard is spacious with about half of it a patio complete with a built-in gas grill. They have a two car garage, plus a third garage on the other side of the house for their RV. I was ready to move.
Colleen and Jim and the girls left for Hawaii yesterday so I am waiting for a travel update. Colleen has to be in Pasadena for meetings later this week so her trip is going to be cut short. But even a bit of Hawaii in February should be a treat.
Our travel plans beyond the winter include the trip to NC in June for Nolan's graduation, and then an Alaskan cruise the first of August with Keith, Janet, and the girls. We are very excited to have the four of them to ourselves for a full week since most of our get-togethers are major events with lots of people and little time to just sit back and enjoy them. And this is our first cruise, so that makes it all the more exciting.
Warren and Nolan are finishing the wrestling season and both have done very well. With Nolan graduating in June, it will be up to Warren to carry on the Kirkwood legacy on the mat!!
The Ouseys came down from Casa Grande last Wednesday for a visit. We are usually in the same park, so it was good to have some time with them since we have hardly seen them. The weather was pleasant enough to allow us to eat outside.
We still have several items on our "to-do" list before leaving the end of the month: Sabino Canyon, Sierra Vista for Mexican and/or German food and a quilt show and today a drive to Surprise to "surprise" look at a motor home.
Last Sunday we drove to Mesa to catch up with the Davenport crowd. Daryl and Jan gathered everyone at their patio for snacks and margaritas and then we went out for an early dinner. We toured the Gary Reinbolds' newly acquired park model and saw the Brian Ziemers' new-to-them Monaco coach. We all seem to make similar transitions along the way with changes in our winter accommodations.
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Casa Grande to Quartzsite to Tucson
I have been reminded by Colleen, not so gently, that it has been one month and then some since I last blogged..........
We had an enjoyable month in Casa Grande while hanging out with several couples from Wisconsin. There was a bonfire every night, and it was at the site right next to ours, so we didn't have far to go. That group starts with a get-together for drinks and snacks between four and five-thirty and then reconvenes around 6:30 for the fire. It is tough to squeeze dinner in between the socializing and the drinks. But it was all fun.
Our desert experience was great with much better weather than we endured last year. We managed to stay out for a full week and still had plenty of fresh water and some capacity in the holding tanks. I proved I could wash and rinse dishes with about one quart of water, and I could wash and rinse my hair with 2 cups of water. Baby wipes are a perfect substitution for wash clothes and full-on showers!!
Now we are in South Tucson at Rincon Country West RV Park and are parked next door to the Spragues. This is a big park with over 1000 sites, but we really like it. A person could stay busy from morning til night seven days a week if one were so inclined. There is everything from entertainment, to dancing, to cards, to needlework and quilting to golf to ceramics and pottery. We are parked in amongst the park models rather than over in the RV section, and we have found everyone to be very friendly.
I had a lady at my door in less than 1/2 hour after we arrived to invite Karen and me to join the quilt group on their outing to a local quilt shop and lunch. Ken and Rod are quite taken with the well-equipped wood shop, and there are hobbies and crafts galore. Karen attended a hardanger class yesterday so we ventured out to JoAnn's last night to arm ourselves with the supplies for yet another project. But the total investment for fabric, thread, and needles was less than $10 so I guess that is a pretty inexpensive endeavor.
As I write this, the thermometer is trying to climb up out of the TEENS. With the wind chill factor it is about 2 degrees outside. And the cold will continue for at least another 24 hours. We are quite comfortable with the furnace plus a small space heater, but there is not a lot of insulation in these motor homes. Particularly here in front in the cockpit area where I am sitting in a sweat suit plus socks plus slippers plus hot coffee.
We have had several threats of visitors but none have yet come to fruition. We are hoping some friends or family will find their way to come and see us while we are here. I promise it is going to warm up. We will leave this park the end of February and move on to "somewhere" in a westerly direction. We want to be back in Steilacoom by the first of April so we can leave for North Carolina the first of May!
Colleen and Jim and his girls are headed to sunny Hawaii later this month and all is well with the the rest of the family.
Stay warm. Ciao.
We had an enjoyable month in Casa Grande while hanging out with several couples from Wisconsin. There was a bonfire every night, and it was at the site right next to ours, so we didn't have far to go. That group starts with a get-together for drinks and snacks between four and five-thirty and then reconvenes around 6:30 for the fire. It is tough to squeeze dinner in between the socializing and the drinks. But it was all fun.
Our desert experience was great with much better weather than we endured last year. We managed to stay out for a full week and still had plenty of fresh water and some capacity in the holding tanks. I proved I could wash and rinse dishes with about one quart of water, and I could wash and rinse my hair with 2 cups of water. Baby wipes are a perfect substitution for wash clothes and full-on showers!!
Now we are in South Tucson at Rincon Country West RV Park and are parked next door to the Spragues. This is a big park with over 1000 sites, but we really like it. A person could stay busy from morning til night seven days a week if one were so inclined. There is everything from entertainment, to dancing, to cards, to needlework and quilting to golf to ceramics and pottery. We are parked in amongst the park models rather than over in the RV section, and we have found everyone to be very friendly.
I had a lady at my door in less than 1/2 hour after we arrived to invite Karen and me to join the quilt group on their outing to a local quilt shop and lunch. Ken and Rod are quite taken with the well-equipped wood shop, and there are hobbies and crafts galore. Karen attended a hardanger class yesterday so we ventured out to JoAnn's last night to arm ourselves with the supplies for yet another project. But the total investment for fabric, thread, and needles was less than $10 so I guess that is a pretty inexpensive endeavor.
As I write this, the thermometer is trying to climb up out of the TEENS. With the wind chill factor it is about 2 degrees outside. And the cold will continue for at least another 24 hours. We are quite comfortable with the furnace plus a small space heater, but there is not a lot of insulation in these motor homes. Particularly here in front in the cockpit area where I am sitting in a sweat suit plus socks plus slippers plus hot coffee.
We have had several threats of visitors but none have yet come to fruition. We are hoping some friends or family will find their way to come and see us while we are here. I promise it is going to warm up. We will leave this park the end of February and move on to "somewhere" in a westerly direction. We want to be back in Steilacoom by the first of April so we can leave for North Carolina the first of May!
Colleen and Jim and his girls are headed to sunny Hawaii later this month and all is well with the the rest of the family.
Stay warm. Ciao.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Travel Update
We had an uneventful trip from Travis to Casa Grande. We stayed in Bakersfield, courtesy of the Walton family, and then on to a night on the desert near Quartzite. I love the desert when it is deserted - and it was. But there was some critter who visited in the night and left paw prints on the hood of the car, and we never did figure out what it was.
We had an "intresting" encounter with a truck driver, not once but twice the day we drove from Bakersfield to Quartzite. Once outside Bakersfield, and again outside San Bernardino, he swerved over toward us as we were passing him. I waited too long before calling 911 so he did not get stopped, but he should have been. We have no idea what his reason was other than the fact that we were in an RV taking up space on "his" interstate.
The park here in Casa Grande looks about the same, but we are shocked that the Encore company is actually spending some money and is replacing the entire electrical system - and it needs it. We are parked in the same general area as we have been for the past three winters, and have pretty much the same neighbors.
Jeff and Bev arrive tomorrow night for their annual holiday visit - at 10:30 p.m which is way past my bedtime!! I'll have to take a nap. Ken and I are thinking we might go to Bisbee/Tucson/Sierra Vista for an overnight while they are here. Bisbee is a rather interesting former mining town, and the draw for Sierra Vista is Ricardo's restaurant just south of town.
Keith and Janet and the girls are cruising in the sunshine of the Caribbean, and Colleen is horseback riding in the snow in Montana. Skiing is on the agenda for tomorrow; for Colleen that is. She, Jim, and the girls drove to his brother's in Missoula yesterday and will enjoy a few days of true winter.
Gary and Carolyn Ousey got on a ferry out of Victoria a day earlier than expected so they scaled the Siskiyous today and will be in Casa Grande in two or three days. They are staying at a park that is about two miles from here, so I'm sure we will see them often.
Another couple we know will be coming to this park around the tenth of January, and then we will hook up with the Spragues back on the Quartzite desert the end of January. Such a social swirl.
Stay cool or stay warm as the case may be. Ciao.
We had an "intresting" encounter with a truck driver, not once but twice the day we drove from Bakersfield to Quartzite. Once outside Bakersfield, and again outside San Bernardino, he swerved over toward us as we were passing him. I waited too long before calling 911 so he did not get stopped, but he should have been. We have no idea what his reason was other than the fact that we were in an RV taking up space on "his" interstate.
The park here in Casa Grande looks about the same, but we are shocked that the Encore company is actually spending some money and is replacing the entire electrical system - and it needs it. We are parked in the same general area as we have been for the past three winters, and have pretty much the same neighbors.
Jeff and Bev arrive tomorrow night for their annual holiday visit - at 10:30 p.m which is way past my bedtime!! I'll have to take a nap. Ken and I are thinking we might go to Bisbee/Tucson/Sierra Vista for an overnight while they are here. Bisbee is a rather interesting former mining town, and the draw for Sierra Vista is Ricardo's restaurant just south of town.
Keith and Janet and the girls are cruising in the sunshine of the Caribbean, and Colleen is horseback riding in the snow in Montana. Skiing is on the agenda for tomorrow; for Colleen that is. She, Jim, and the girls drove to his brother's in Missoula yesterday and will enjoy a few days of true winter.
Gary and Carolyn Ousey got on a ferry out of Victoria a day earlier than expected so they scaled the Siskiyous today and will be in Casa Grande in two or three days. They are staying at a park that is about two miles from here, so I'm sure we will see them often.
Another couple we know will be coming to this park around the tenth of January, and then we will hook up with the Spragues back on the Quartzite desert the end of January. Such a social swirl.
Stay cool or stay warm as the case may be. Ciao.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
On our way to Arizona
We left home one week ago Monday, and are just now finishing a stay at Travis AFB before moving on. We will probably stay in Bakersfield tomorrow night and go on to Casa Grande the next day.
Our time here was pretty well filled with several days in the Sonoma Valley visiting wineries - and tasting wine - and buying wine. Brian has some connections to some folks in Napa who grow merlot grapes so for our Christmas gift he arranged for us to meet them, do some tasting, and take a case of wine away with us. A most enjoyable endeavor all the way around.
Jeff and Bev came up and met us in Sonoma on Friday so we had lunch and dinner together along with visiting a few wineries. We will see them again on the 29th when they come to Phoenix for their annual post-Christmas visit.
It has been difficult not having Cooper with us because he has been our traveling companion for so many years. For the first few days, I kept wanting to turn around to see if he was sleeping, but it is getting easier as time goes on.
I am up after midnight writing this because I couldn't sleep, so I guess I will go back to bed and try again. I will post again after we get to Casa Grande. Ciao.
Our time here was pretty well filled with several days in the Sonoma Valley visiting wineries - and tasting wine - and buying wine. Brian has some connections to some folks in Napa who grow merlot grapes so for our Christmas gift he arranged for us to meet them, do some tasting, and take a case of wine away with us. A most enjoyable endeavor all the way around.
Jeff and Bev came up and met us in Sonoma on Friday so we had lunch and dinner together along with visiting a few wineries. We will see them again on the 29th when they come to Phoenix for their annual post-Christmas visit.
It has been difficult not having Cooper with us because he has been our traveling companion for so many years. For the first few days, I kept wanting to turn around to see if he was sleeping, but it is getting easier as time goes on.
I am up after midnight writing this because I couldn't sleep, so I guess I will go back to bed and try again. I will post again after we get to Casa Grande. Ciao.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
A sad post-Thanksgiving
After a very enjoyable day with friends and family here for Thanksgiving Day, yesterday was difficult in that we had to put Cooper down. His legs simply gave out on him. We feel very bereft, and it will take some time to get used to not having near us with his demands and devotion. Most of you probably already know because I have it on Facebook, but just in case you don't follow FB.......
We saw to it that he had a good 15 1/2 years. Rest in peace, Cooper.
We saw to it that he had a good 15 1/2 years. Rest in peace, Cooper.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Oh the weather outside is frightful...........
It looks like we have already waited too long to leave town. It has been cold cold cold for the past week with the nighttime lows hovering around freezing, and this morning I am watching the snow come down and accumulate. I have an appointment this afternoon which I just might cancel, and today was the day that Ken and I were going to finish grocery shopping for Thanksgiving. That too might get put on hold. Right now, the ground and the trees and shrubs are all white.
Ken has been shopping for a different motor home and thought he had found the one he wanted, but it has several issues that make us uneasy, so it is a no-go. We are looking at used, and our other two were new, so it feels much more risky when you don't know the history of the rig.
The Spragues have been in contact with us for making some travel plans after the first of the year, so we are going to meet up with them in the desert for the annual rally that they attend. Then back to Casa Grande for a while before heading off to Organ Pipe National Monument south of Tucson. They have found a nice park in Yuma, so we will follow them to Yuma and give that burg one more chance. So far I have not been enamored with that area. That should take us to March and there is nothing planned beyond that.
Happy Thanksgiving to all. Ciao
Ken has been shopping for a different motor home and thought he had found the one he wanted, but it has several issues that make us uneasy, so it is a no-go. We are looking at used, and our other two were new, so it feels much more risky when you don't know the history of the rig.
The Spragues have been in contact with us for making some travel plans after the first of the year, so we are going to meet up with them in the desert for the annual rally that they attend. Then back to Casa Grande for a while before heading off to Organ Pipe National Monument south of Tucson. They have found a nice park in Yuma, so we will follow them to Yuma and give that burg one more chance. So far I have not been enamored with that area. That should take us to March and there is nothing planned beyond that.
Happy Thanksgiving to all. Ciao
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
It's November, Thanksgiving can't be far away
It was difficult to know that this is the month of November since we had sunshine and the thermometer was rising into the 70s today! However, the weather folks have assured us this is short-lived, and we can anticipate rain in the near term.
We enjoyed a brief visit from our friends, the Ouseys. Since they live in Victoria, they just drove on to the ferry, disembarked at Port Angeles, and drove about 100 miles to arrive here. Ken and Gary talked computers and military air stuff, and Carolyn and I did a bit of shopping.
She and I enjoy a glass of wine so I decided to open a bottle of a tempranillo blend that been rolling around in the pantry since receiving it in a wine club shipment a few weeks ago. Our eyes lit up as we sipped and tasted because it was very yummy. A few days later I decided to go on line to see about ordering some more from the winery when I discovered that it is $40/bottle. NO WONDER WE WERE SMACKING OUR LIPS. That wine will definitely have to be a "special occasion" wine, but I am determined to acquire more.
I have not been particularly motivated to do much quilting, but finally this week I finished a small quilt I have been making for a friend of Craig's who has been recovering at Walter Reed Hospital for the past six months. The top is finished and it is ready to be shipped off to the long-arm quilter in eastern Washington. Now what to do? Drag out a UFO (unfinished object) or charge right ahead and start something anew?
We will host Thanksgiving this year to include Craig and Cassie, Colleen, Jim and his girls, niece Jordan, husband Cliff and son Thomas and perhaps Cassie's parents who live in Stayton, Oregon. Colleen has been charged with table decor, and I will work on all the usual traditional dishes. I sometimes stray a bit and make a different version of the cranberry sauce or the stuffing or the sweet potatoes, but the meal always contains the usual traditional components. Jim is a pie maker extraordinaire so guess what I will ask of him? However, he says he is not fond of pumpkin, so I'll make that. And I'll make the mincemeat pie because most of the kids don't even like it, but it is one of Ken's favorites.
As soon as the dishes are done, the turkey carcass disposed of and the motor home packed, we plan to be on our way out of town for an early departure for our winter down south. We have no reservations or commitments until the latter part of January so we will just see where the trail leads!
Enjoy the rest of this lovely fall with all of its sensory inputs. Ciao
We enjoyed a brief visit from our friends, the Ouseys. Since they live in Victoria, they just drove on to the ferry, disembarked at Port Angeles, and drove about 100 miles to arrive here. Ken and Gary talked computers and military air stuff, and Carolyn and I did a bit of shopping.
She and I enjoy a glass of wine so I decided to open a bottle of a tempranillo blend that been rolling around in the pantry since receiving it in a wine club shipment a few weeks ago. Our eyes lit up as we sipped and tasted because it was very yummy. A few days later I decided to go on line to see about ordering some more from the winery when I discovered that it is $40/bottle. NO WONDER WE WERE SMACKING OUR LIPS. That wine will definitely have to be a "special occasion" wine, but I am determined to acquire more.
I have not been particularly motivated to do much quilting, but finally this week I finished a small quilt I have been making for a friend of Craig's who has been recovering at Walter Reed Hospital for the past six months. The top is finished and it is ready to be shipped off to the long-arm quilter in eastern Washington. Now what to do? Drag out a UFO (unfinished object) or charge right ahead and start something anew?
We will host Thanksgiving this year to include Craig and Cassie, Colleen, Jim and his girls, niece Jordan, husband Cliff and son Thomas and perhaps Cassie's parents who live in Stayton, Oregon. Colleen has been charged with table decor, and I will work on all the usual traditional dishes. I sometimes stray a bit and make a different version of the cranberry sauce or the stuffing or the sweet potatoes, but the meal always contains the usual traditional components. Jim is a pie maker extraordinaire so guess what I will ask of him? However, he says he is not fond of pumpkin, so I'll make that. And I'll make the mincemeat pie because most of the kids don't even like it, but it is one of Ken's favorites.
As soon as the dishes are done, the turkey carcass disposed of and the motor home packed, we plan to be on our way out of town for an early departure for our winter down south. We have no reservations or commitments until the latter part of January so we will just see where the trail leads!
Enjoy the rest of this lovely fall with all of its sensory inputs. Ciao
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
On the Warpath
I'll spare you some of the details, but I thought I would let you visualize Helen Kirkwood marching around the halls of Madigan Medical Mall with fire in her eyes.
After waiting a total of 1 1/2 hours, encountering an assistant who could neither make the scale work nor read the answers on my questionnaire and not having laid eyes on my caregiver, Ms. DelaRosa, I grabbed up my handbag, opened the door of the examining room and marched out!! I lurched to a stop at the receptionist's desk long enought to learn that I could find the chief of the Internal Medicine Clinic on the second floor. So up the stairs I went in search of Col. McGuire whose name was on the letter I had received directing me to make today's appointment.
Not knowing where I might find the elusive Col. McGuire, I decided to enter through the double glass doors identified as "Command something" and trod upon the flowers of the carpeted hallway looking for directions (remember this is the U.S. Army and there aren't many flowers so you know I was on hallowed ground). I stopped two young women, one in uniform and the other a civilian employee, for directions to Col. McGuire, and with a panicked look on their faces said they didn't know but they would take me down the hall to the secretary who would surely know. So they escorted me through some more glass doors to inquire as to the location of the colonel. Either the look on my face or the steel in my voice seemed to get everyone's attention and I think they were thinking to themselves they really wanted to get me out of there before I accosted some general. The nearest woman picked up the phone and quickly dialed the patient ombudsman, Ernestine, and handed the phone to me. I only got through about two sentences when Ernestine said she would come up and get me!!
All the while as we walked back downstairs, Ernestine was telling me how they want all their patients to be happy!! And it seems Col. McGuire was just the acting chief, and Col. Vilner was the current chief.............but he was in a meeting.
After speaking with Ernestine, and she in turn talking to her boss (who is one level down from the chief), the second in command said she was going out to the clinic to talk to Ms DelaRosa. She then returned to say both Ms DelaRosa, AND HER SUPERVISOR, Dr. Bales were in an office and invited me to go with her to speak to the two of them.
With some profuse apologies from my caregiver, and some further explanations from her supervisor, Dr. Bales (who had been my previous caregiver, and I LOVED him), I pretty much accepted apologies and explanations and returned to the clinic with the caregiver to proceed with the appointment that was to have taken place two hours earlier. Even at that, it wasn't a particularly stellar encounter, but it will suffice for now.
I understand all about busy doctors and clinics, but there had been some other poor communication prior to my appointment so I went into today's appointment already loaded for bear so as the clock kept ticking away, my blood pressure kept rising until I decided to take it upon myself to do some marching!
Fortunately, I had "dressed" for this appointment so looked pretty no-nonsense in black pants and shirt and aqua blue silk jacket. I would like to think that helped my credibility, and I thought it might be fun to put on the same outfit and walk down those same halls tomorrow to watch the looks on faces!!! Ciao
After waiting a total of 1 1/2 hours, encountering an assistant who could neither make the scale work nor read the answers on my questionnaire and not having laid eyes on my caregiver, Ms. DelaRosa, I grabbed up my handbag, opened the door of the examining room and marched out!! I lurched to a stop at the receptionist's desk long enought to learn that I could find the chief of the Internal Medicine Clinic on the second floor. So up the stairs I went in search of Col. McGuire whose name was on the letter I had received directing me to make today's appointment.
Not knowing where I might find the elusive Col. McGuire, I decided to enter through the double glass doors identified as "Command something" and trod upon the flowers of the carpeted hallway looking for directions (remember this is the U.S. Army and there aren't many flowers so you know I was on hallowed ground). I stopped two young women, one in uniform and the other a civilian employee, for directions to Col. McGuire, and with a panicked look on their faces said they didn't know but they would take me down the hall to the secretary who would surely know. So they escorted me through some more glass doors to inquire as to the location of the colonel. Either the look on my face or the steel in my voice seemed to get everyone's attention and I think they were thinking to themselves they really wanted to get me out of there before I accosted some general. The nearest woman picked up the phone and quickly dialed the patient ombudsman, Ernestine, and handed the phone to me. I only got through about two sentences when Ernestine said she would come up and get me!!
All the while as we walked back downstairs, Ernestine was telling me how they want all their patients to be happy!! And it seems Col. McGuire was just the acting chief, and Col. Vilner was the current chief.............but he was in a meeting.
After speaking with Ernestine, and she in turn talking to her boss (who is one level down from the chief), the second in command said she was going out to the clinic to talk to Ms DelaRosa. She then returned to say both Ms DelaRosa, AND HER SUPERVISOR, Dr. Bales were in an office and invited me to go with her to speak to the two of them.
With some profuse apologies from my caregiver, and some further explanations from her supervisor, Dr. Bales (who had been my previous caregiver, and I LOVED him), I pretty much accepted apologies and explanations and returned to the clinic with the caregiver to proceed with the appointment that was to have taken place two hours earlier. Even at that, it wasn't a particularly stellar encounter, but it will suffice for now.
I understand all about busy doctors and clinics, but there had been some other poor communication prior to my appointment so I went into today's appointment already loaded for bear so as the clock kept ticking away, my blood pressure kept rising until I decided to take it upon myself to do some marching!
Fortunately, I had "dressed" for this appointment so looked pretty no-nonsense in black pants and shirt and aqua blue silk jacket. I would like to think that helped my credibility, and I thought it might be fun to put on the same outfit and walk down those same halls tomorrow to watch the looks on faces!!! Ciao
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Beautiful fall
I love this time of year, and the last few days have been beautiful with blue sky, sunshine, and turning leaves. But this afternoon it is back to reality..........rain. That just gives a reason to turn the lamps on low, build a fire in the fireplace and snuggle up with a quilt and a book.
Ken is continuing to improve with a final diagnosis of amyotrophy (caused by the diabetes) as evidenced by a sudden onset of pain in the hip and thigh. But he continues to improve and has completed a month's worth of PT. We have charged headlong into the diabetic diet routine and all is working well. He is at the very low end of the scale, and a few years ago he would not have even been considered to be diabetic.
This past Monday was Colleen's birthday which we celebrated on Saturday with her requestd menu of stew, bread and apple crisp. A pretty easy meal from my perspective. Craig, Cassie and Greta joined us as well as three new faces; Jim and his daughters Noa and Ani.
Colleen and Jim have been a twosome since summer, but I have tried to mind my own business and not get too involved:)!! He lives in Seattle and lost his wife about 3 1/2 years ago so he has been a (super) single parent to the girls who are ten and twelves. We have known Jim for ages as he was Brian's best friend when they were in college at UW and we have always been very fond of him.
Jim has included Colleen in several recent social events where she has met his friends and the folks from his office. In August they spent four days in San Francisco, and this coming weekend they are going to one of the San Juan islands for an annual get-together with friends of his. We are very happy for both of them and are thrilled to have him and his girls be a part of our lives.
Ken is keeping himself occupied by shopping for a new-to-us used diesel-pusher. I am still very content with our current coach, but he would really like the diesel engine. With the wonder of the internet, he has been shopping the entire country, and I see a real possibility of our making a quick trip to Iowa or Minnesota or some other far-flung state should the right rig become available.
I mentioned in a previous blog that we had not seen the Schulers since last Christmas, so they are coming on Saturday for a short two-day visit. She and I use our October birthdays as an excuse to get together this time of year, and we are looking forward to seeing them.
Our friends the Ouseys have been threatening to come and see us, and I think I have convinced them that they need to act on their threats. We are hoping they will come for a visit later on this month. And then we will see them again when we all get to the desert in January (although we hope to leave here right after Thanksgiving).
We had a good time in Prosser on our little mini-vacation last month, and the wine cellar is replenished. I love that part of the state with all the green fields and vineyards. We stopped in Kennewick to visit with my cousin, Ellen Jean, who is about 90 years old and cute as can be. She has had two broken wrists and a broken hip, but she is on her feet and perky as can be. She can't be bothered with staying down.
Happy Halloween. Ciao
Ken is continuing to improve with a final diagnosis of amyotrophy (caused by the diabetes) as evidenced by a sudden onset of pain in the hip and thigh. But he continues to improve and has completed a month's worth of PT. We have charged headlong into the diabetic diet routine and all is working well. He is at the very low end of the scale, and a few years ago he would not have even been considered to be diabetic.
This past Monday was Colleen's birthday which we celebrated on Saturday with her requestd menu of stew, bread and apple crisp. A pretty easy meal from my perspective. Craig, Cassie and Greta joined us as well as three new faces; Jim and his daughters Noa and Ani.
Colleen and Jim have been a twosome since summer, but I have tried to mind my own business and not get too involved:)!! He lives in Seattle and lost his wife about 3 1/2 years ago so he has been a (super) single parent to the girls who are ten and twelves. We have known Jim for ages as he was Brian's best friend when they were in college at UW and we have always been very fond of him.
Jim has included Colleen in several recent social events where she has met his friends and the folks from his office. In August they spent four days in San Francisco, and this coming weekend they are going to one of the San Juan islands for an annual get-together with friends of his. We are very happy for both of them and are thrilled to have him and his girls be a part of our lives.
Ken is keeping himself occupied by shopping for a new-to-us used diesel-pusher. I am still very content with our current coach, but he would really like the diesel engine. With the wonder of the internet, he has been shopping the entire country, and I see a real possibility of our making a quick trip to Iowa or Minnesota or some other far-flung state should the right rig become available.
I mentioned in a previous blog that we had not seen the Schulers since last Christmas, so they are coming on Saturday for a short two-day visit. She and I use our October birthdays as an excuse to get together this time of year, and we are looking forward to seeing them.
Our friends the Ouseys have been threatening to come and see us, and I think I have convinced them that they need to act on their threats. We are hoping they will come for a visit later on this month. And then we will see them again when we all get to the desert in January (although we hope to leave here right after Thanksgiving).
We had a good time in Prosser on our little mini-vacation last month, and the wine cellar is replenished. I love that part of the state with all the green fields and vineyards. We stopped in Kennewick to visit with my cousin, Ellen Jean, who is about 90 years old and cute as can be. She has had two broken wrists and a broken hip, but she is on her feet and perky as can be. She can't be bothered with staying down.
Happy Halloween. Ciao
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
ON THE ROAD AGAIN!!!!!
After endless rounds of doctors' appointments, tests, labs, etc., we said, "The hell with it all." We are on our way to Prosser to do some relaxing and wine-tasting for a few days.
Ken is feeling better, but the only answer so far is a diagnosis of diabetes.....which could be a player in the previous three months' problems, but no one is saying. He is more mobile, and in considerably less pain, but he right leg and knee are not to be trusted because of so much atrophy. PT starts on Tuesday.
So in spite of setbacks, we are feeling pretty frisky and decided we wanted to go play for a while. He has given himself a bit of a break and allowed me to drive the MH for a short stretch which I have been saying I need to do anyway, just to be sure I am comfortable with it. I think I've got the hang of it.
I have made two trips to Yakima/Union Gap in the last three weeks to take advantage of peaches and pears. I canned seven more quarts of peaches, but the pears I made into chutney as well as subjecting some of them to drying. I used an "off-the-wall" method of drying using a box fan, furnace filters and bungee cords, so it will be interesting to see how they turn out. The whole process is from an Alton Brown "Good Eats" segment on the Food channel.
We have had a dearth of encounters with our friends for various reasons. Rod and Karen Sprague are leaving Spokane on Saturday to take in the balloon festival in New Mexico and then will go on to San Diego. We haven't gone anywhere, and they have been busy so haven't been over our way.
We haven't seen Jeff and Bev Schuler since last January. They usually come to Steilacoom in the spring and again in the fall; neither of which has happened. The fall trip is hoped to occur yet this month. Jeff stepped on a piece of wood in his shop and did enough damage to require surgery. He should be mobile again in the near future.
But the Jaynes and their friends are coming to western Washington the end of this month, so we are looking forward to a visit with them!!
We are just rolling down the hill with Yakima spread out before us.....and even though there are lots of clouds, there is sunshine peeking through at the moment. In another hour we will be settled in at Wine Country RV and relaxing with a little libation!!
Ciao
Ken is feeling better, but the only answer so far is a diagnosis of diabetes.....which could be a player in the previous three months' problems, but no one is saying. He is more mobile, and in considerably less pain, but he right leg and knee are not to be trusted because of so much atrophy. PT starts on Tuesday.
So in spite of setbacks, we are feeling pretty frisky and decided we wanted to go play for a while. He has given himself a bit of a break and allowed me to drive the MH for a short stretch which I have been saying I need to do anyway, just to be sure I am comfortable with it. I think I've got the hang of it.
I have made two trips to Yakima/Union Gap in the last three weeks to take advantage of peaches and pears. I canned seven more quarts of peaches, but the pears I made into chutney as well as subjecting some of them to drying. I used an "off-the-wall" method of drying using a box fan, furnace filters and bungee cords, so it will be interesting to see how they turn out. The whole process is from an Alton Brown "Good Eats" segment on the Food channel.
We have had a dearth of encounters with our friends for various reasons. Rod and Karen Sprague are leaving Spokane on Saturday to take in the balloon festival in New Mexico and then will go on to San Diego. We haven't gone anywhere, and they have been busy so haven't been over our way.
We haven't seen Jeff and Bev Schuler since last January. They usually come to Steilacoom in the spring and again in the fall; neither of which has happened. The fall trip is hoped to occur yet this month. Jeff stepped on a piece of wood in his shop and did enough damage to require surgery. He should be mobile again in the near future.
But the Jaynes and their friends are coming to western Washington the end of this month, so we are looking forward to a visit with them!!
We are just rolling down the hill with Yakima spread out before us.....and even though there are lots of clouds, there is sunshine peeking through at the moment. In another hour we will be settled in at Wine Country RV and relaxing with a little libation!!
Ciao
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Several more nice summery days, but
there is a big bunch of clouds hanging around way out in the Pacific that will probably make there way here by Thursday. Can fall be far behind?
Ken continues his tests with no clear answers and just a lot of speculation. He is scheduled for a spinal tap on Thursday as they continue to look for an infection or a virus. The pain has lessened and he is more ambulatory, but is in constant fear of taking a tumble. He has even driven a little this week. To be continued.
I defrosted the big chest freezer today, which had not been done in years. It turned out to be pretty quick and easy as I was able to remove the big slabs of ice from the walls before they fell and melted. So it is back on and cooling down. That freezer is 35 years old, and I'm sure eats a lot of electricity, but I think we will just leave it in place for the time being. With the new refrigerator and its large freezer, I could almost give up having a second freezer -- almost!
Last Thursday, Elisabeth and I drove to Yakima to buy fruit, taste wine, and eat some good Mexican food. As we started home, my car began to chug and smell funny. After some fits and starts, we happened on the service entrance for a car dealership wherein we met a very nice sales manager who correctly identified the problem even before the mechanic put it on the computer (bad coils) and after retrieving new parts from the local VW dealer, he had us back on the road in about an hour at an unbelievably low price. We were very fortunate.
Colleen came down on Saturday and we canned peaches, and tomorrow I have some apricots that will be ready for jam. I want to go back over in the next week or two to get pears and anything else that is inviting. Ciao
Ken continues his tests with no clear answers and just a lot of speculation. He is scheduled for a spinal tap on Thursday as they continue to look for an infection or a virus. The pain has lessened and he is more ambulatory, but is in constant fear of taking a tumble. He has even driven a little this week. To be continued.
I defrosted the big chest freezer today, which had not been done in years. It turned out to be pretty quick and easy as I was able to remove the big slabs of ice from the walls before they fell and melted. So it is back on and cooling down. That freezer is 35 years old, and I'm sure eats a lot of electricity, but I think we will just leave it in place for the time being. With the new refrigerator and its large freezer, I could almost give up having a second freezer -- almost!
Last Thursday, Elisabeth and I drove to Yakima to buy fruit, taste wine, and eat some good Mexican food. As we started home, my car began to chug and smell funny. After some fits and starts, we happened on the service entrance for a car dealership wherein we met a very nice sales manager who correctly identified the problem even before the mechanic put it on the computer (bad coils) and after retrieving new parts from the local VW dealer, he had us back on the road in about an hour at an unbelievably low price. We were very fortunate.
Colleen came down on Saturday and we canned peaches, and tomorrow I have some apricots that will be ready for jam. I want to go back over in the next week or two to get pears and anything else that is inviting. Ciao
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Update
As a synopsis: floors are finished, house is back together, some sunshine has allowed a few flowers to bloom, we have not only a new refrigerator (planned), but a new dishwasher (unplanned), Cooper and the Westfalia have caused the remodel budget to pale in comparison, the weather in North Carolina and Maryland can be oppresive, we love to spend time with our family, Ken has been in pain and gimpy for over a month, and Colleen and Craig have been helper-bees over the past month.
Brian and the boys were here for three days in July after a whirlwind trip from Virginia to North Caroline to Idaho to here. They retrieved the car they had stored in Boise and drove to Lewiston where Doug Riddle (Jordan's dad), whom we love, took the three of them up the river through Hells Canyon. It can sometimes be difficult to impress teen boys, but they were impressed!! Doug was a sweetheart for doing that.
On Saturday, we hosted about eighteen family members with all but two staying the night. The front yard looked like tent city. The menu of the day was a Spanish theme with tapas, gazpacho, and paella. What an easy menu for a crowd!!! Jerry and Lois, Curt and Cinda and Linea, Jordan, Cliff, and Thomas, Craig, Cassie and Greta, Colleen, and Brian's longtime college friend, Jim, and his two girls were all in attendance. Fun, fun, fun.
Brian and the boys and Ken and I were in a shuttle to the airport on Monday morning at four IN THE MORNING to go to North Caroline in preparation for Brian's change of command on Friday, July 30. They have lovely new quarters on base, and with some frenzied unpacking, their house was quite settled and liveable by Thursday, which was a good thing, because Thursday afternoon saw the socializing begin again with the arrival of Sheila's sister and family and Sheila's mother and her sister plus Keith Craig and Colleen. There were also several longtime friends in town for the change of command.
Thankfully, Friday was overcast and the change of command was in a hanger at nine in the morning so we didn't suffer the heat and humidity. Here is the culmination of the day:
www.seymourjohnson.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123215892.
Then it was back to Brian and Sheila's for another full day of fun.
Part of the Air Force tradition is a "roof stomp" where many of folks who are under Brian's command come to the house, put up a ladder and stomp around on the roof. I think we counted about 25 flight suits on the roof, then they descended on the keg of beer in the back yard!!
We drove to Maryland on Sunday to see the Maryland Kirkwoods for a day or two because there was no way I was going to be on the east coast and not see Janet and the girls. Our plan was to hop from Andrews AFB to McChord, but the one flight had no seats so some super sleuthing garnered us two last minute one way tickets on Air Trans for a great price. We have been home since Thursday morning.
Ken is in the midst of a medical mystery after awakening on Fourth of July weekend in excruciating pain in his right hip and thigh. After three trips to emergency over that weekend and several appointments and tests, there is still no conclusion and he continues to rely on pain medications. Several things have been ruled out, mostly really scary stuff, but still no answer. He has developed weakness on his right side to the point that he doesn't trust himself to drive because he can't react fast enough.
He is scheduled for another test this Monday, plus he delivered a letter to the doctor yesterday to make it crystal clear as to what was occurring along with a request to move faster with some kind of a diagnosis. Continuing to take high-powered pain meds isn't the answer nor the solution.
Cooper on the other hand is like the Energizer bunny and just keeps going and going and going at 15 1/2. We had to have a sitter stay with him while we were away and Roseanne spoiled him beyond belief, plus she walked him downtown every day!! I never would have imagined he could do that as stiff as he appears to be. We had avoided some grooming and medical issues for him thinking he was gong to expire any day and wouldn't tolerate anesthetic, but he proved us wrong again - hence the big dent in the budget for some minor surgery, grooming, and teeth cleaning. This is the third winter coming up when we didn't think he would be going south with us.
We are now home for a while with no specific plans until we have Ken mobile again. So come and see us!!! The guest room is completely finished and it does have a new bed, so it is safe to visit. We would love to show off our newly finished floors, redecorated rooms and remodeled kitchen!!!
Now my goal is to get to the sewing machine to finish a couple of quilts that are in progress plus go to Yakima for some fresh fruit to do some canning before the summer is over. How homey is that? Ciao
Brian and the boys were here for three days in July after a whirlwind trip from Virginia to North Caroline to Idaho to here. They retrieved the car they had stored in Boise and drove to Lewiston where Doug Riddle (Jordan's dad), whom we love, took the three of them up the river through Hells Canyon. It can sometimes be difficult to impress teen boys, but they were impressed!! Doug was a sweetheart for doing that.
On Saturday, we hosted about eighteen family members with all but two staying the night. The front yard looked like tent city. The menu of the day was a Spanish theme with tapas, gazpacho, and paella. What an easy menu for a crowd!!! Jerry and Lois, Curt and Cinda and Linea, Jordan, Cliff, and Thomas, Craig, Cassie and Greta, Colleen, and Brian's longtime college friend, Jim, and his two girls were all in attendance. Fun, fun, fun.
Brian and the boys and Ken and I were in a shuttle to the airport on Monday morning at four IN THE MORNING to go to North Caroline in preparation for Brian's change of command on Friday, July 30. They have lovely new quarters on base, and with some frenzied unpacking, their house was quite settled and liveable by Thursday, which was a good thing, because Thursday afternoon saw the socializing begin again with the arrival of Sheila's sister and family and Sheila's mother and her sister plus Keith Craig and Colleen. There were also several longtime friends in town for the change of command.
Thankfully, Friday was overcast and the change of command was in a hanger at nine in the morning so we didn't suffer the heat and humidity. Here is the culmination of the day:
www.seymourjohnson.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123215892.
Then it was back to Brian and Sheila's for another full day of fun.
Part of the Air Force tradition is a "roof stomp" where many of folks who are under Brian's command come to the house, put up a ladder and stomp around on the roof. I think we counted about 25 flight suits on the roof, then they descended on the keg of beer in the back yard!!
We drove to Maryland on Sunday to see the Maryland Kirkwoods for a day or two because there was no way I was going to be on the east coast and not see Janet and the girls. Our plan was to hop from Andrews AFB to McChord, but the one flight had no seats so some super sleuthing garnered us two last minute one way tickets on Air Trans for a great price. We have been home since Thursday morning.
Ken is in the midst of a medical mystery after awakening on Fourth of July weekend in excruciating pain in his right hip and thigh. After three trips to emergency over that weekend and several appointments and tests, there is still no conclusion and he continues to rely on pain medications. Several things have been ruled out, mostly really scary stuff, but still no answer. He has developed weakness on his right side to the point that he doesn't trust himself to drive because he can't react fast enough.
He is scheduled for another test this Monday, plus he delivered a letter to the doctor yesterday to make it crystal clear as to what was occurring along with a request to move faster with some kind of a diagnosis. Continuing to take high-powered pain meds isn't the answer nor the solution.
Cooper on the other hand is like the Energizer bunny and just keeps going and going and going at 15 1/2. We had to have a sitter stay with him while we were away and Roseanne spoiled him beyond belief, plus she walked him downtown every day!! I never would have imagined he could do that as stiff as he appears to be. We had avoided some grooming and medical issues for him thinking he was gong to expire any day and wouldn't tolerate anesthetic, but he proved us wrong again - hence the big dent in the budget for some minor surgery, grooming, and teeth cleaning. This is the third winter coming up when we didn't think he would be going south with us.
We are now home for a while with no specific plans until we have Ken mobile again. So come and see us!!! The guest room is completely finished and it does have a new bed, so it is safe to visit. We would love to show off our newly finished floors, redecorated rooms and remodeled kitchen!!!
Now my goal is to get to the sewing machine to finish a couple of quilts that are in progress plus go to Yakima for some fresh fruit to do some canning before the summer is over. How homey is that? Ciao
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Can it be that summer is finally on it's way?
I am looking out my window at blue sky with just a light film of haze.....and I have the doors open instead of having the furnace running. Woohoo!!
Yesterday was graduation/party day for Linea Johnson graduating cum laude from Seattle University. We didn't attend the graduation, but were front and center for the party afterwards, which was great fun. Congratulations Ms Linea. Check out my Facebook pages for photos of Linea and her mom in their robes.
Our gift to her was a quilt that I made sometime during the past year, but of course had put off the finish work, so there were several late nights with needle in hand, but it was finished for the party yesterday. So another unfinished project to check off my long list of unfinished projects; what next?
We have been living for this past week with the the two downstairs bedrooms' furniture piled in the living room as the floors were being refinished. Starting today, we can move back into those two rooms, and in another ten days we empty the front of the house for the same process. The upside is that I don't have to worry about "keeping house".
Since the bedrooms are empty, we might as well paint, right? It sounds like such a simple task, and we have been at it for several days. The biggest problem is to find the right paint colors. How can the look change so drastically from the chip to the application? But we are now on track and should be able to finish up over the next day or two. It had been years since either room was painted, so they were overdue. The guest room is now two shades of blue, a deep blue on the ceiling, and a medium blue on the walls. Ivory trim and a strip of border wallpaper finishes it off. The other room is beige on top, taupe on the bottom with a lighter colored chair rail. I gave away the IKEA sofa bed that had served us well so now I am rethinking the entire room setup. And I got rid of the bed in the guest room so that needs to be replaced. Give me some warning if you are coming to visit so i can be sure to run out and buy a bed!
Brother Mike and a friend were fishing near Long Beach, Washington the past two days so they came by last night to stay before driving on to Spokane. They are sleeping in the MH, and I haven't seen a sign of them yet. Two days of getting up early, fishing all day, and catching nothing, will wear you out.
Here's to summer........sometime. Ciao
Yesterday was graduation/party day for Linea Johnson graduating cum laude from Seattle University. We didn't attend the graduation, but were front and center for the party afterwards, which was great fun. Congratulations Ms Linea. Check out my Facebook pages for photos of Linea and her mom in their robes.
Our gift to her was a quilt that I made sometime during the past year, but of course had put off the finish work, so there were several late nights with needle in hand, but it was finished for the party yesterday. So another unfinished project to check off my long list of unfinished projects; what next?
We have been living for this past week with the the two downstairs bedrooms' furniture piled in the living room as the floors were being refinished. Starting today, we can move back into those two rooms, and in another ten days we empty the front of the house for the same process. The upside is that I don't have to worry about "keeping house".
Since the bedrooms are empty, we might as well paint, right? It sounds like such a simple task, and we have been at it for several days. The biggest problem is to find the right paint colors. How can the look change so drastically from the chip to the application? But we are now on track and should be able to finish up over the next day or two. It had been years since either room was painted, so they were overdue. The guest room is now two shades of blue, a deep blue on the ceiling, and a medium blue on the walls. Ivory trim and a strip of border wallpaper finishes it off. The other room is beige on top, taupe on the bottom with a lighter colored chair rail. I gave away the IKEA sofa bed that had served us well so now I am rethinking the entire room setup. And I got rid of the bed in the guest room so that needs to be replaced. Give me some warning if you are coming to visit so i can be sure to run out and buy a bed!
Brother Mike and a friend were fishing near Long Beach, Washington the past two days so they came by last night to stay before driving on to Spokane. They are sleeping in the MH, and I haven't seen a sign of them yet. Two days of getting up early, fishing all day, and catching nothing, will wear you out.
Here's to summer........sometime. Ciao
Monday, May 24, 2010
Miscellaneous
It has been a quiet month interspersed with brief moments of busyness. And that is fine with me.
Colleen's concerts are over, and I very much enjoyed the performance I attended, Craig returned from the east coast and is now back again for a few days to help with his friends rehabilitation, Keith made a five-day whirlwind business trip to Australia, and our last exchanges with Brian find him keeping busy and looking forward to his next assignment in North Carolina.
Nolan just completed his SATS (and did very well), Warren and Nolan have finished track, Rachel is home after her first year at UMBC, and Keith and Sarah are both finished with classes for the quarter.
We loved having the Spragues here for a short time, and we did manage to convince them to stay one extra day so the boys could spend more time poking around Tacoma looking at such things as acoustic guitars and guns, and leaving Karen and I free to mosey off to a quilt shop or two. I don't know when we will get together again as our schedules are pretty divergent for the next few months.
I have been following the activites of Linea and Cinda with their involvement in NAMI and Bring Change 2 Mind, both mental illness advocacy groups. I joined them along with Curt and other friends of theirs for two fund-raising walks this month. Two weeks ago was the 5K in Seattle, and yesterday was the 5K in Portland. Seattle's weather was lovely, and Portland's was wet, cold, and breezy. However, we walked on both sides of the river near downtown Portland so that was a new experience for me.
Ken drove to Portland with me yesterday which was a good thing, because I was so sleepy on the way home I probably would have driven right into something. Portland is such a difficult city to navigate that running into something is always a bit of a possibility!
We are paring down the kitchen to-do list now that all the plumbing issues have been resolved. We are ready to have the floors refinished and then it will be July after Chuck returns from Alaska before the base molding is installed, and some revisions are made to two of the upper kitchen cabinets.
If you ever select kitchen cabinets, do not under any circumstances allow anyone to talk you into hinged 90 degree corner cabinets instead of a single angled door. I did and I regret it. I can't even reach the bottom shelf nor see anything that is on it, so we are purchasing materials to have Chuck revamp both the cabinets to allow for lazy susans. That is what I discussed originally and the kitchen designer convinced me that these are much better -- even though she is as short as I, and she doesn't have hinged doors in her kitchen!! Lesson learned.
We are experiencing days and days of overcast, cold, and drizzly weather, but it is bound to change soon. Enjoy spring in your part of the world. Ciao.
Colleen's concerts are over, and I very much enjoyed the performance I attended, Craig returned from the east coast and is now back again for a few days to help with his friends rehabilitation, Keith made a five-day whirlwind business trip to Australia, and our last exchanges with Brian find him keeping busy and looking forward to his next assignment in North Carolina.
Nolan just completed his SATS (and did very well), Warren and Nolan have finished track, Rachel is home after her first year at UMBC, and Keith and Sarah are both finished with classes for the quarter.
We loved having the Spragues here for a short time, and we did manage to convince them to stay one extra day so the boys could spend more time poking around Tacoma looking at such things as acoustic guitars and guns, and leaving Karen and I free to mosey off to a quilt shop or two. I don't know when we will get together again as our schedules are pretty divergent for the next few months.
I have been following the activites of Linea and Cinda with their involvement in NAMI and Bring Change 2 Mind, both mental illness advocacy groups. I joined them along with Curt and other friends of theirs for two fund-raising walks this month. Two weeks ago was the 5K in Seattle, and yesterday was the 5K in Portland. Seattle's weather was lovely, and Portland's was wet, cold, and breezy. However, we walked on both sides of the river near downtown Portland so that was a new experience for me.
Ken drove to Portland with me yesterday which was a good thing, because I was so sleepy on the way home I probably would have driven right into something. Portland is such a difficult city to navigate that running into something is always a bit of a possibility!
We are paring down the kitchen to-do list now that all the plumbing issues have been resolved. We are ready to have the floors refinished and then it will be July after Chuck returns from Alaska before the base molding is installed, and some revisions are made to two of the upper kitchen cabinets.
If you ever select kitchen cabinets, do not under any circumstances allow anyone to talk you into hinged 90 degree corner cabinets instead of a single angled door. I did and I regret it. I can't even reach the bottom shelf nor see anything that is on it, so we are purchasing materials to have Chuck revamp both the cabinets to allow for lazy susans. That is what I discussed originally and the kitchen designer convinced me that these are much better -- even though she is as short as I, and she doesn't have hinged doors in her kitchen!! Lesson learned.
We are experiencing days and days of overcast, cold, and drizzly weather, but it is bound to change soon. Enjoy spring in your part of the world. Ciao.
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