Monday Meanderings

Got back from a little road trip to see my sisters and to go to a graduation party for my Grandniece Miranda.  She is the first born of our grand-kid generation to emerge from high school and go on to college.  And so it begins.  

I wish her all happiness and success.  She's going far away to a school in Virginia.

We'll miss you sweetie.

This was the first drive on my own to to Portland Oregon, or anywhere in over two years.  I had health issues and the van needed long overdue maintenance.  The van runs great now.  My back is healthy enough to drive the 274 miles, with lots of stops.  I was nervous, I could have relaxed.  Oh well, paying extra attention can't hurt.  It was a great trip.

The hotel I stayed in was occupied also by my best friend in Walla Walla and 20+ of her family, all there for a family reunion.

The view from the top of a hill in Gabriel Park, Portland Oregon.

Sunday morning there, I went with my sister to her dance exercise class at the Gabriel Park rec center but I walked the park instead of dancing. The view here is solid trees mostly evergreens in all directions.  Beautiful.  Makes me homesick just a little. Walla Walla is surrounded by wheat fields and sage in all directions but the SE where the Blue Mountains rise up.  Beautiful in its way but the not tall firs of home.

Sunday here I went with friends to Pendleton to see "Jersey Boys" about the Four Seasons. The actors were all unknown and really good, did their own singing.  The sets and costumes were in perfect detail for the times, the early 60's when I remember them and was in college.  I noticed the girls all had shoes the same colors as their dresses.  I made my dress-up dresses in college and took some of the fabric to Leeds, a popular shoe store in Seattle, and bought dyed to match shoes.  Lots of hair and high heel shoes, ouch.  My feet are still mad at me.

My friend from Enumclaw, Nancy, has been moved from the nursing home there where she was healing from a diabetic foot wound to a hospital in Gig Harbor because of kidney problems.  That was resolved and then yesterday she was moved closer to home to a hospital in Tacoma.  Her foot was reinfected so they tested it again and diagnosed her with a H-MRSA infection in her foot probably acquired in the nursing home.  She wants to go home and her family is busily rehabbing her house to accommodate that.  When is the million dollar question.  She's scared, we're all scared for her.  I have a brother-in-law who got H-MRSA (health care related MRSA) with his open heart surgery after a heart attack over two years.  He too is diabetic.  It took a long time several surgeries and he has finally recovered so it can be done.  

A Freebie

 I am a big fan of Dana Stabenow and her character Kate Shugak.  I'm impatiently wait for the next book to come out as she left us with a cliff hanger.   I also follow her blog.   She posted this page recently and I am sorry to be so slow in reposting.  Dana Stabenow web page.   She is also on Facebook if you are interested.

It included the link to the Alaska Sampler a free online collection of Alaska authors.  I don't have a kindle or other reader but I downloaded on my desktop and am enjoying it immensely.

Father's Day

My Dad 1937

Thinking of you with love.

Road Trip

My faithful mini-van is visiting my faithful mechanic this week and again next week when the parts arrive. Selling my house and moving twice left maintenance at the end of the to-do list.  I have a little get away planned with my sister and her family in July and we are going to meet in east central Oregon.  

The van is a comfy, safe ride for myself and assorted combos of grand-kids. She got a thorough inspection, many juices replaced, the front brakes done, a soon a new timing belt and some other overdue maintenance.  I'm good about oil changes and topping off fluids but sometimes us older models need a little more.  

Yesterday while driving about on errands the temperature gage went as high as it could go and steam poured out from under the hood.  A small hose on top of the engine had burst.  My van had the good grace to wait to do this until I was in a nice place with parking in the shade.  It's in the 80's this week.  I called the garage for help and texted my son to b---h.  Both son and Brendan the mechanic showed up.  The Brendan came in his own car with gallons of water and we nursed the little van back to the garage.  My son went on his errands and Brendan gave me a ride home.  I am so happy this didn't happen out on the highway or worse yet on my way to meet my sister.  I made brownies this morning to take to Brendan and company when I go to get my van later today.

This is the Baker City Tower, in surprise, Baker City Oregon.  This was taken out our motel window on another road trip.  It is supposed to be haunted.  The previous night we could see someone looking out the top floor windows (we carry binoculars) and we liked thinking the ghost had given us a view.  More interesting than thinking someone is up there cleaning the floors or whatever.

This is the Baker City Tower close up.  It was built in 1929 and is the tallest building in Eastern Oregon.  This lovely Art Deco building is on the National Register of Historic Places.  We also visited Oregon Trail Interpretive Center just east of the city, a remarkable record of the Oregon Trail travelers.  It's also close enough to visit Sumpter something of a gold rush ghost town.  The Sumpter Valley State Dredge Park is just west of here.  It's quite a sight, the piles of dredging are along the highway for miles and not much is growing on them either today after over 100 years.