There Goes Another Summer

Summer is over and it is time to get ready for winter. Putting all the outside stuff in and cleaning out the garden. All the peaches, pears, and salsa are canned and ready to be eaten come the cold weather. Its alot of work but they are so enjoyed.

We finished the summer by going to Lincoln City for 3 days. The weather was beautiful and we had a great time. Last Sunday we spent the day at Horseshoe Lake in Woodland. We had a great day with family, friends and really good food. The ride home was long but it was worth the trip. So now it is back to the routine of everyday. Kids are all back in school, I am back to my normal work schedule. Hope everyone had as much fun this summer as I did.

I am a winter person. And don't get me wrong I enjoy summer but I prefer winter. I like a good rain storm, and I love the snow. We of course don't get enough of the snow. I would like a lot of snow, not just to tease and then move on. Come November we need to start doing the snow dance. Oh ya, Christmas is just around the corner. Merry HO HO

Multnomah Falls

Spent the day at Multnomah Falls. Was really crowed, but standing by the falls with the spray cooling you down you really didn't care about or notice the people. We weren't stuck in the house with the a/c or out in the pool in the back yard where it really is to hot to be. We were out of the city that was the point of the day. We stoped at Rooster Rock State Park and had our lunch and the girls played. We had a nice shaddy spot and it was relaxing. Oh ya, it cost 3.00 Day Use Fee. But it was worth it. There seemed to be alot of other people who thought the same way as we did. The place was getting crowed by the time we left. It has been a really great 4 days with the girls. But all good things must end. So tomorrow I travel north to return them to there parents.

Until the next adventure....

The Old People of the Gorge

Some of you know my parents, some of you have only heard the stories. Gpa will be 80 this coming February. Gma will be 76 on August 31st. And yes she is a Virgo. So much that it is annoying sometimes.

My dad can work circles around any of the males in the family. We really don't allow them to do much anymore when it comes to us kids. Gpa just supervises the whole thing. And Gma tells him how it really is to be done. Same goes with Gma, she only gets to watch and put in her 10 cents. (inflation brought that up from 2 cents to 10 cents) Gma has Macular Degeneration. She can only see out of the side of her eye. No straight on vision. Her eyes are also what they call "wet". It is a term used that basically means her eyes are bleeding. As soon as they stop she can have surgery. Then, hopefully she will be able to see again. Gma had to go to the hospital for a couple of days. She has an arithmia and fluid in her lungs. She has trouble laying flat at night. She is all better now. I never really think about my parents getting old, but it is part of life and it happens. One of these days they are going to leave this earth and then I will be really alone in this world. I have Mandi and Jeremy,but they have there own families and lives. Hannah and Zoe are there too, but they have there family as well. I, like my mom and dad enjoy the time I get to spend with the kids for now. But one day I will be this old lady that can't see well and probably can't remember so good and will they want to be hanging out with me then. Probably not as often. I enjoy spending time with my parents more now then when I was younger. Maybe my kids will feel the same way when i am old. I hope so anyway. So for all of you that are older, really enjoy the time with the kids while you are younger. And to you young ones, if the kids don't want to hang out with you now they more then likely will like to hand with you when they are older. Like Mark Twian said. " I thought my father was a stupid man, until I was older and was amazed at how much he had learned in all those years."

garden and girls

Well here it is the garden. The herbs are doing well. The rest of the garden is doing fine too. It has grown alot more sence I took these pictures. Kinda over growing. But I have really eaten alot of good stuff. It has been fun to have it.

That is the pool for this year. The one I want cost more then I wanted to spend this year. So I got a small kiddie pool for the girls. They really had a good time in that cheap ass pool. The neighbor kids were over three days straight. But they were all really good. By the time the evening and play time were over they were more then ready for bath,jammies and bed. Me to for that matter. I will be going to get them for a few days in August. It will be time for school clothes shopping. The are both in school this year. Growing up to fast.

Well my vacation time is almost over. I go back to my regular schedule starting August 4th. Seems to have gone by fast but was alot of fun. I will do it the same way next year. I got alot done and got the rest I needed too.

Hope all of you are having a good summer. The holidays are just around the corner. Parish the thought.

Happy Fourth of July 2008

Good times had by all. Had a great time up north. The food, as it always is when Mel cooks and Shane runs the grill, perfection. And plenty of it. The girls were, as Willa calls them, Superstars the whole day. Mel brought her new husband Patrick, and her daughter Hopi. A very beautiful young lady she has grown into. I still see the little hopi, so hard to imagine them getting older, along with me. Was great seeing Mel and her family. New hubby seems like an ok guy. I wish her the best in her happiness. The memu: bbq chicken, steaks, and ribs. Mels ribs. no more be said. and howled out WallaWalla sweet onion with a pat of butter and a bouloun cube in the center and set on the back of the grill till done. That is a really cool way to grill onions. Cut up after they are cooked. Salads: green, potato, pasta, that is Willa's area. Mel made her mac and cheese. Brings back childhood for me. And her Cuban rice. To die for. I did dessert. Chocolate with more Chocolate Cake. Zoe was so worried I was going to take the cake home. She kept checking to make sure the cake was staying. By the time we ate, which was about 8:15 it was getting time for the fireworks and we were all ready for a nap. The fireworks were all around us and on our street as well. It was a good show. I was glad I went. And Miley and Bubba did just fine. Hope all of you had as much fun at your celebration as I did.

Trip to the Vet

Miley had her little operation Thursday. She was a girl puppy now she is just a puppy. Got all her shots and is good to go. They both had there nails clipped, and Bubba had his yearly steriod shot and got new med's and had his ear cleaned really well. He had an infection. They had to knock him out cause he tried to bite the Vet. But everyone is doing fine. I took my neighbor Pam with me, cause it is hard for me to take both of them on the leash at the same time. So she went with and we had a nice breakfeast at a place down the street from the Vets called Jetts Burgers. Use to be an antique car dealership back in the day. It is now a restaraunt. Had a great breakfeast and lots of it. So if you ever find yourself in Washougal on 6th street stop in at Jetts you won't be disappointed. And yes my Vet is in Washougal. I may have to use the gas to get there but I pay so much less there then I would have to in Portland. Alot less. I also know the owner and her husband. Both are from Stevenson. So everyone have a great 4th of July. I am going up north to spend the day with the girls.

Camping Battleground Lake State Park 06/2008

Hey all. I am back from my first summer get away. Four days of camping at Battleground Lake. Only takes about 30 minutes to get there and it is a nice place to camp. They offer spaces for tent, trailers, and cabins. there are only four cabins and they are pretty much booked up a year in advance. They have small spots for one tent and the larger space, like we had for 2 or more tents. And we were close to the restroom which was nice for the middle of the night.

The dogs were really good. Miley got lose once but never left camp. Willa found her just hanging out in camp. She slipped her necklace somehow. But they were very good there first camp trip.

A friend of ours from Vancouver came with her two girls and spent one day playing in the sun at the lake. That is what is so nice about this place you are not so far away that people can come up for the day and play.

We met a older couple from Arizona. There motorhome was so big I didn't think they were going to get it into there spot. We met a couple from California that had there great granddaughters with them. The girls were from Maryland. And Hannah and Zoe made friends with a couple of boys that were from Florida. They were traveling around with there grandparents. You meet all kinds of people from all over when you camp.

Monday was the only day it was overcast and chilly. We stayed close to the fire that day. But the rest of the time the weather was great. I kinda hated to leave Thursday, but back to work I needed to go. So the first camp trip of the season was good and I am looking forward to another sometime in July or early August.

Camping

It is getting close to the day we leave for camping. I can't wait. The doing nothing, hanging by the fire and smelling like smoke for days. Sleeping in a tent, thank god for my aero bed. I also hope it doesn't rain. Shane will make sure we are all tarped well so we don't get wet. I have been getting my things together. Go get the wood on Friday. And a harnes for the princes. dont need her slipping her collar. Cant do that with a harness. Isn't she getting big. So when I get back I will post pics and let you know how things went. Enjoy the weather. Hopefully it won't rain. Bye

Crows and Moles -vs- My Garden

The crows and I are having a little disagreement. They want to eat from the garden, and I want to eat from the garden. So far they are winning. The bush beans, of which I had 6 plants, I know have 1 plant. The moles come by every so often to let me know they are still around and the seedlings get shifted all over the place. And of course lets not forget the squirrels. Now the squirrels I don't mind. There feeder is by the garden. And I have sunflowers coming up all over. There small plants when they do come up, and the flowers are pretty so I guess I am not to bothered by that. But the crows and the moles have got to go. According to my dad I have so many crows in my neighborhood they could start there own city. A friend of my parents shot a crow and hung in on a pole to keep the other crows out of his garden. It works, but I am sure that shooting a crow in the city limits is frowned upon. So I wont be doing that. And also, from what I was told, crows are very family oriented and they mourned the lose of the dead crow. Loudly. Zoe is suppose to be coming to visit for a few days so her and I will be making a scare crow. My mom says those things don't really work, but we shall see. It will be fun to do anyway.

Now the moles are another story. I guess I will just let him stay. And the crows too. We all need to eat, and I guess I can share.

The fence my dad put around the area is working great for keeping the four legged ones out of there. Miley hates it when the butterflies go in there and she cant get them. Oh yah, she either got stung or bit by something the other day. Her lip swelled up and she looked lopsided. I called my vet, CamasWashougal Animal Hospital, and they said to give her a 1/2 a benedril. The swelling was gone within an hour. And she took a really nice nap as a bouns. I kept telling her, but just like a kid, do they ever listen?

Here she is. Little miss Miley Blue. She is now 4 months old. Growing more and more everyday. She will have her little operation July 2nd. Don't need anymore wrinkled ones. I wouldn't be able to sell them. I would end up with a house full. Two is enough. Trust me.

Project #2.

The carget is gone. And after I swept and pulled up all the staples, the floors don't look that bad. Jeremy came over and helped. He is a worker, reminds me of G-pa. Don't get much of a break with them. But we got it done and I really appreciated him helping me. Next step is to strip,sand,seal,stain,and seal again. More fun. But they will look so nice when they are finished. Fred's has the area rug I want.

A Summer Project

I started project number one this weekend. Clearing an area for my garden. Planting vegies and cleaning flower beds. G-ma is coming to help. And G-pa for the rotatiller. Doesn't think I could do that myself don't you know. It turned out really nice. I don't have a whole lot of vegies but enough for me.
And saturday the East County Neighborhood Assoc. had a get of your yard debri and other crap day. So I got rid of a lot of stuff for a $10. donation. Can't beat that. There was a lot of people.

Project 2, tearing out the carpet. I am re-doing the hardwood floors in my house. The weather needs to be a little bit warmer. Sence my vacation starts offically on June 3rd I am going to need projects. For those of you who haven't heard I will only be working three days of my rotation week in June and July. eleven off, three on, I could get real use to that.

We are going camping 6-21-25-08 at Battleground lake State Park. We were going to go to the beach but with the cost of gas we decided to stay closer to home. Battleground Lake is a nice place to camp. Willa and I and the girls went there a couple of summers ago. We had a nice time. I am taking the dogs with me. At least I am close to home, so if they aren't good I can take them back to home.

Hopefully I can get the pool up by mid June. Hannah's last day of school is June 18th. Going to spend as much time with the girls as I can this summer. Sence last summer I was laid up due to surgery and I feel the need to make it up to them this summer. And with the price of gas, my travels to Woodland are going to be numbered to very few. Just incase none of you have traveled to Woodland, its about a 35 minute drive, and in my gas hog of a truck that is about a 1/2 tank.

Well, that is that for now. With the end of each project and adventure I will post pics. So stay tuned. Wishing all of you a great summer.

Here they are. Brother and sister. She loves him, he talorates her.

Death

Where do we go when we die. Is it like we have been taught. Is there an after life. Or do we just, as the say, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. And we slowly fade away. Will we all meet again. No one really knows for sure. We all have are beliefs, our faith, our hopes that we do all see our family and loves ones again.

A co-workers husband passed away, another co-worker and friend lost a son. And with there passing, the questions arises. Is there an afterlife? I believe there is and that all my friends and family, and people that made a difference in my life will be there to take my hand and welcome me to the other side. Will I see our Heavenly Father and Jesus when I get there. I hope I do. I believe I will. But do we really know for sure.

When my uncle passed 3 years ago I remember whispering in his ear and telling him it was ok to go. Be with Grandma and all the other members of the family that will be there for you To help his spirit make the transition of not having a body anymore. Was I telling him that for him, or more for me. To make me feel better about him leaving this earth. To re-assure me that he was, in fact going to a better place, where there is no sence of time, no wars, no poverty, on hunger, everyone living peacefully together. Maybe a little of both.

When my daughters best friend passed away another friend of his had a dream. They were sitting on a log by a river. He told his friend. It wasn't that bad passing. He didn't hurt anymore, he was going to be ok. Not to be sad. It gave this young man, who had known his friend sence they were very young, a sence of peace and closier.

In the book, The Five People You Meet In Heaven, the man has met all five people. The last being a small child.
He ask, Did you know her, did I save her, did I pull her out of the way?
No pull she says. So there is was. The end of his story.
Push she said. Push her leg. No pull, you push. You keep her safe.
But I felt her hands. I remeber I felt her hands.
Not her hands, the girl smiled. My hands, I bring you to heaven. Keep you safe.

So with the passing of my co-workers loved ones. I hold fast the knowledge of knowing that, in fact there is an after life, a place of peace and happiness. Where someone, be if family or friend will be there to take my hand, bring me to heaven, and keep me safe.

Summer has arrived

Ok everyone, summer is finally here. Well maybe, at least for a few days. Then reality will set in and the rain will once again be here to remind us what part of the country we live in. Not that I am complaining mind you. I myself enjoy the rain. It saves on the water bill, and makes all the flowers, trees and grass grow. And there is nothing like just hanging out with a good book or movie on a rainy day with the one you love. Be it human or animal.
So enjoy the two days of great weather we are to have and embrass the rain when it returns. For they both need to happen and we need them both as well. And if you are so inclined, go stand in the rain when it returns and be happy we live in this part of the world were you can embrass the rain when its here and maybe, kinda, actually, in someway look forward to it from time to time .