Did the Christmas decorating this evening! We've decide to keep it simple this year with a small tree and just a few lights in the livingroom window. Jack is not feeling particularly Christmasee and I am ok with minimal decorating.

The Santa's and Nutcrackers are out of course. I enjoy unwrapping them each year and remmembering when I received each one. Most of them have been given to me by the boys over the years, a few have come from friends and some I've bought myself - each one has a memory attached! Tonight I shared some of them with Jack as we decorated. I have several skiing Santa's and Nutcracker's which were received when I was enjoying cross country skiing as often as possible.

I came across a Santa in a canoe tree ornament in Jack's Christmas decorations! How neat is that! It's as close as I've seen to a Santa in a Inflatable Kayak yet! Our friends Caron and Rocky have outfitted themselves with Class 4 capable IK's so we'll be able to do a wide range of rivers in 2008! Mike told me he really wants to do some whitewater with us this coming summer and I'm looking forward to that. We'll have quite a floatilla!

I hope everyone is enjoying the season with friends and family! We are planning on having a big Christmas Dinner with Caron and Rocky in Roseburg, then traveling on up I5 to Mike's place in Corvallis to exchange gifts with Caleb and Mike and have a Christmas "lunch" with them and be back home on Christmas Eve. Brett called and let us know he received his Christmas package in Japan and opened everything immediately. According to Jack, Brett was using his new electric shaver as he talked to him! Brett is leaving on the 22nd of December for two weeks in Thailand! He'll be mixing work with pleasure. He is looking for a teaching position there and he plans on doing some "solo deep water diving" - which is rock climbing a cliff over deep water - if you fall you go diving (dropping!) into the water and if you make it to the top you have to dive in to get back to the boat! Brett will be doing the most dangerous thing of us all I'm willing to bet!

This morning was spent at Dad's house. Gary and Jack spent several days earlier this week clearing things out, taking pictures so the grandkids can let us know what they'd like to have and taking care of legal matters. Today Jack and I brought home some things. The neatest being a unique ceramic yellow pitcher that Jack remembers always held Koolaide when he was about 6 years old. It's in perfect condition and we look forward to serving our grandkids (when we get some) fruit juice from it. Do they allow you to feed kids Koolaide anymore??? Hmmm.

We have a thin coating of snow on the ground and a lot of ice from snow melting and then the temperatures dropping below freezing again. At 4 pm it was only 29 degrees althought the skies were blue and the sun shining! It is looking and feeling like winter here!

Happy Holidays!

Thanksgiving took on a new meaning for me this weekend.

We enjoyed Thanksgiving day with many friends at Nancy and Ed's house. The dinner was wonderful and was followed by a lively game of domino's! Jack broke his record for staying at any ones house - 5 hours! I thoroughly enjoyed the day despite my initial disappointment that neither of my son's were going to make it down to Klamath Falls for the day.

We popped up at 4 am Friday to make the 5 am Fred Meyer Sock sale and were amazed at the light turn out this year. It wasn't crowded at all! Makes a worrisome statement on the economy around here. Leaving there we discovered that anyone that was shopping that early was at Big R! We couldn't find the items we want for Christmas presents so we weren't there long. The rest of the day passed with us realizing that there isn't anything that we need or even want to buy! Man, is that something to be Thankful for!

Saturday morning, at Dad's request, we went and looked at the model studio to make sure there would be a window Jake could look out of at the assisted living facility. Dad was visibly pleased when we'd told him his dog could be with him at the assisted living places we were considering and he seemed eager to make the move. We gave Dad the strongest reading glasses we could find in hopes it would allow him to read during the long hospital days (he'd said when he got moved he'd need to see an optometrist again as his prescription glasses weren't working). Reading has been Dad's primary activity for a couple years now and with his inability to hear there wasn't anything to replace it!

Jack and I spent 1 1/2 hours with Dad to make sure we would be there when the doctor made his rounds Saturday morning and discussed the possible time line with him. The fluid retention had to be resolved before the Dr would make any further decisions. He said Monday would be the soonest he thought we'd know.

During my day Christmas shopping that afternoon I came across a large print book and bought it with the idea that between the reading glasses and large print Dad had a good chance of being able to read. It was about 7:30 pm when I took the book up to the hospital and gave it to Dad. The nurse said he'd been sitting in his chair earlier in the afternoon reading so the glasses seemed to make a difference. During my visit Dad told me not to wear the tires off the scooter we were going to get him before he got a chance to use it and told me about setting a breaststroke record at OSU when he was younger - speculating that maybe he could do some water therapy in a pool to get more mobile again. His feet and legs were still very swollen although the nurse said they were actually going down. Nancy had shared Thursday how massaging her mothers feet and ankles helped her swelling so I massaged Dad's feet for a few minutes before wishing him a good nights sleep. Dad smiled and gave me a wink as I left.

At 6:15 am Sunday morning our phone rang. Dad died during the night.

I am thankful I didn't wait until morning to take Dad the book. I am thankful I know that he was cheerful and at peace Saturday evening. Dad had told Jack a few days before that he wished he could just have a heart attack and be done. I am glad that his last wish came true. I'm thankful I KNOW his last day was full of family contact, efforts to make his life as good as possible and an optimistic outlook for the future.

Yesterday and today have been full of taking care of final details but we are not overly sad. We are thankful that Dad got to skip nursing homes and/or assisted living. Friends have called, come by with cards, food and sympathetic words. We feel loved and important because they take the time to do so. We are thankful for their caring actions.

Thanksgiving....Thankful I've given, Thanks for others giving.

Thanksgiving Eve 2007 - So much to be thankful for in just one year! Tomorrow is Jack and I's 1st Wedding Anniversary! This evening Jack came home with a dozen long stem roses of a unique greenish/white color. He is forever impressing me with his thoughtfulness towards me! Even when he has a great deal on his mind concerning his father.

Dad went back in to the hospital on Monday. Fluid is building up in his lungs again. He has not recovered any of his strength since his last hospitalization. The doctor is assessing Dad's level of care needs while he is in the hospital and will advise what kind of assisted living housing he will go to when he leaves the hospital. Jack has been meeting with the local homes and Gary has collected information on the VA options. It is very distressing for Jack to see Dad using a walker to get from his bed to the livingroom, to see him unshaven and disheveld. The only thing he can do is his best to get all the arrangements made for a smooth transition for Dad. So he is working deligently at that.

I have many, many things to be thankful for but most of all I am thankful for our good health! It makes it possible for us to throughly enjoy our new home, traveling, family, friends, scuba diving, and rafting! We've done all that this past year and have more such plans for 2008.

Life continues to unfold in wonderful ways and I am grateful to be here to experience it!

As the truck made it's way up the hill I jogged as fast as I could until the truck's headlights swung around the corner. Calling Shilo to me I put her on the leash and we moved to the shoulder of the road to let the truck go by. The windows were tinted so I couldn't tell if it was one or more people inside. As it made it's way along the ridge ahead of me I started walking again. There was nothing to do but get back to the car ASAP.

Then the truck stopped and turned and backed into a spur - it's headlight (only one was working) shining out across the field. I was going to have to walk past them again. I stuck my chin out determined to look confident and unafraid. That fell away when the engine started up again and the truck started slowly back towards me. As they passed this time the window was rolled down and a man leaned out to ask me how I was doing. I responded with "Fine, just walking my dog." and kept walking the other way. Once they were a ways away I called Signe again. I was scared. Another set of headlights were moving along the upper road - the fork was close and I didn't know if they were going to come down this road too!

The one headlight truck was turning around again behind me. I asked Signe just to stay on the phone with me so they'd see me talking to someone - and I kept walking. The truck ahead of me went back down the paved section and left the area. This time the truck passed me rather quickly and went down the paved road also! I hustled even faster, eager to be done with this walk! Signe said the one eye truck came to the barricades at the start of the road, turned around and was heading back to towards the dirt roads. Thats when I knew Signe was waiting at the head of the road! We continued to talk as I reached the pavement and then realized she was walking to meet me and we had passed each other in the dark! I switched on my flashlight and we found each other! I was almost hysterical. It was not a relaxing walk under the stars!

Tonight we went to the YMCA and worked out for an hour!

And that was the rest of the story!

I've been catching up on Sea-Ami and The Money Pit sites this evening but none of my comments will post! Just want to let you guys know I appreciate the news. S'te, my niece, has a great spread of pictures on their outdoor fence project and TT's kitchen biscuts project!

I loved the sentiment for Veteran's Day that Diane posted on her site. Veteran's Day passed very quietly here. Klamath Falls is constructing a veteran's memorial wall in Veteran's Park and we are purchasing two bricks...one for Jack's father - who received a purple heart and made the Army his career and one for Jack who served in the 101st Airborne Division. We felt it was a neat thing to do on veterans day.

Last night I posted a bunch of pictures to flickr if anyone is interested in seeing the pictures of what we've been doing. Just click on the flickr badge to the left and it'll take you to the site.

During tonight's walk I got a little rattled and will be re-thinking walking for an hour every day. It's dark when I leave for work at 7 am and gets dark very soon after I get home around 5 pm, so I have been walking in the dark for the last couple of weeks. Often my friend Signe joins me but tonight she couldn't so it was just Shilo and I. I walked up what we call "The Road to Nowhere" - a wonderfully landscaped, paved two lane entrance to a housing development that never materialized. The pavement ends within a quarter of a mile but the dirt road continues on - branching in several directions through the sage covered hills. It was 6 pm and I envisioned a stress free walk under the stars along the dirt road where Shilo could run free without fear of traffic or disturbing anyone.

Walking "briskly", as the doctor ordered, I can cover some distance in 30 minutes! I decided to take a left fork in the dirt road that Signe and I had never gone down but had speculated that it would connect with the upper right fork at some point. This streach of road dipped down into a wash then up a small hill and around a couple others by the time I reached my turn around time. As I was walking out I noticed headlights moving along the upper dirt road fork and congradulated myself in picking the "unused" fork. I wondered what they might be doing out here on a Tuesday evening which lead me to thinking of all the weird stuff we see on CSI. If they were out poaching deer a stray bullet could hit me and they wouldn't even know it! The other reasons for being out there in the dark would be drinking, drugging, or seeking mischief.

And then I heard a truck on the road behind me. With the ideas that had just gone through my head I choose to call Shilo and walked in to the sage before they saw us and watch them passby. I still needed to walk "out" 5 more minutes so I returned to the road and marched on. I watched the headlights of the truck as they moved along half a mile ahead of me and felt all was well until the the truck turned around and stopped. My 5 minutes were up.

I turned around and started back the way I'd come a little more briskly than I'd gone out. I walk about 11 minute miles- 30 minutes- I figured I was a little under 3 miles from my car. If I walked very quickly I might be back to the pavement before the truck returned down the road. I was suddenly aware of how dark, quiet, and remote the area was. I flipped open my cell phone to call Signe. She knew the area I was in and would best know where I was. Headlights lit up the sky above me as another truck bounced alongthe rutted road on the ridge above me. I stepped off the road again and stood behind a juniper until they'd passed and gone around the hill I'd just come around. Now there were 2 trucks behind me. Back on the road I dialed Signe. She wasn't home but I gave Leo a rundown of where I was and my concerns - asking him to have Signe call me when she got home.

As soon as I hung up my cell rang and it was Signe! Just checking in as she left work! Speaking somewhat breathlessly, as I was covering ground as quickly as I could in the darkness,and was making my way up a hill, I told her my fears and that I just wanted someone to know where I was just in case something occurred - which at this point was most likely going to be a sprained ankle. The road was cut into the side of the hill at this point and fell away into the wash I'd just come up from on the far side so when I heard the third truck moving along the ridge just above me I felt trapped in plain sight. As soon as they came around the switchback I would be in thier headlights. Then it dawned on me if they came around the corner quickly they could hit me or Shilo - no one would expect that someone would be walking out here in the dark! Still talking to Signe I switched on my flashlight and flashed it around in the air so the driver would see it. We were coming to the turn at very nearly the same time. The driver stopped and waited until I'd made my way past then continued in the other direction.

Now I really wanted to get back to the car and figured I still had 1.5 to go so I told Signe I'd call her as soon as I got the car but wanted to hang up and really cover some ground while the vehicles were all still behind me. Signe offered to come and walk towards me so we could meet up and then there would be two of us out in the dark! She is the best of friends! I told her "No", and that this was all just imagined stuff so far and to go on home, if I didn't call in 40 minutes send the guys out for me. We hung up.

I broke into a semi-jog. Shilo romped in the road ahead of me... thoroughly enjoying the outing!
Behind me I heard the truck that I'd just passed turn around and start up the hill again!

Jack just came out and pointed out that it is 11:40 pm. I've got to go to bed. I'll continue the story tomorrow night...

I've been very, very negligent of the blog - I was surprized though to see Sept 20th as the last post! We have be extremely busy and are glad we did everything when we did... winter is closing in with wet, dark days!

The shed is completed!From cement pad to finished product! We brought everything from the storage unit and have unpacked the last box - as of this weekend! We are moved in!

The south side yard is planted and the sod is in around the patio and forms a path to the south side gate. Everything will get rooted with the rains and snow and be ready really grow come spring!

In addition to that we celebrated Mom Judy's birthday here in September and Signe and Jack's birthdays last weekend. It was a wonderful sunny fall Sunday afternoon for the party and we made good use of our patio and barbaque. The party had a "Octoberfest" feel due to the menu of a variety of sausages and sauerquart. When the temperature dropped we lit our first fire in the the brass patio fire pit that Caleb gave us as a wedding present!

Jack's Dad has had a rough fall. He was in and out of the hospital several times in three weeks. After a week in ICU the doctors did a procedure to stop the leaks in his lungs and he was able to go home. The fluid seems to be staying out of his lungs now. It's a slow road to getting his strength back but he is very happy to be home.

Last month we adopted Shilo - an 11 month old lab/austrailian shepard mix. She is very bright and loves to fetch... anything...but she is esspecially fond of balls. Mr. Mike still rules as the #1 best dog in the world but he can't walk very far without having really stiff joints. I don't run anymore but do try to walk an hour three or four times a week and like to have a dog with me so Shilo gets the chore. She seems to like it. We call her our Camo Lab - she is a sweet girl! She is smaller than Mike but she has the same calm nature - except when a ball is involved... then she is a pest!

Finally Jack and I felt we had a "free" weekend and we took a Saturday to go to Lake of the Woods and try out our new scuba gear. Shilo enjoyed the water. My computer registered the water temperature at 47 degrees. We were in the water for 25 minutes. We found the kinks in our systems - my hood is too big and I got a smashing "ice cream headache". Jack found that with his wetsuit being new he needs more weight to sink...he couldn't get off the surface! We were freezing and ready to give it up after 25 minutes. The packing the gear from the dock back up to the truck finished us off for Saturday. It's 50 stairs plus the path to the foot of the stairs! I think I prefer shore dives! And I don't want to dive again this winter in a high mountain lake!

Our next dive will be in Monterey over Thanksgiving weekend! The ocean is warmer! The house/dog sitter is set up, time off arranged, and reservations made. We'll work on getting me a different hood and Jack additional wieghts this coming weekend.

Caleb and Mike have said they'll come for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday so Jack is happily gathering reciepes for the event. He is really looking forward to making his first company T-day dinner. It will be small - the boys, Jack's Dad, and us - but that will be nice, for a change! Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

It's been a busy month since my last post! I can't be sure I can even remember everything but here is a run down!

For my birthday Jack and I went to Reno for the weekend and stayed at the Grand Seirra Resort in Sparks. The main draw was the Sierra Nevada Roundup but the Annual Rib Cookoff was in full swing too! That is one of my favorite foods! We sampled four or five different styles and had to quit. There were dozen's! I came home with a new flute and a pair of great shoes! I'd made the mistate of taking non-walking shoes so had to get a pair while I was there. The Grand Seirra very plush! I quized Jack on how much he'd spent for the room when we first went in... it was very elegant and I feared he'd "treated" me to a $500 room! Turns out they had "upgraded" us to one of the condo units they are marketing... sly aren't they? No bite from us though. I had a nice time but casino's and all that jazz just don't really do much for me. I'd rather be on a river or in the mountians camping!

We came home on Sunday to miss the Labor Day returning home traffic. While Jack and Steve worked on the shed I gathered up all our remaining nursery wedding gift certificates and went shopping. Man did I score! Horizon Nursery was having a "garage sale" and I got rhody's, a magnolia, honeysuckle, moonlight hydrangia, iris, roses, rosemary.... with the gift certificate from Gary and Susie for Horizon. Not in the garage sale but still on sale was a butterfly bush and a Rose of Sharon that came home with me too! Then off to Liskey's with the gift certificate for them. They were having a 50% off Labor Day sale. Hosta's, sedeum, asters, lavendar, mallow, statice, and several ground covers came home with me from there!

The driveway on the side of the house looked like I was starting my own nursery! So for about a week I planted every night after work. Getting hundreds of dollars of plants for next to nothing is wonderful but I should have worked in some kind of labor arrangement!

After a week of working in the yard until dark, after work, everything was in the ground and getting settled in before serious fall begins. And the nights are getting colder! Frost is threatening to happen any day now.

Jack went to a Men's Retreat on the coast the following weekend. He got to visit with Joel, who he hasn't seen since June and came home full of energy and ideas. He put the raised bed timbers in place and mowed all the lawns!

Scuba classes for me started September 8th and have taken each weekend since. I have passed my written scuba test and leave this weekend to make the 5 dives required to get certified. We're doing them in the Smith River outside of Hiouche, California. I've all the gear in my garage and wil head out immediately after work tomorrow to get there by 10 pm. It's about a five hour drive and we start out pretty early Saturday.

Jack's dad had surgury today and that went well. He is in the hospital tonight but it's looking like he will be released in the morning. The doctor was very pleased by the outcome of the surgury. We're all hoping Dad will be able to get back to normal soon. He hasn't been well enough in the last four months to even come to dinner at our new house!

I've got pictures but haven't loaded them on the computer and won't until next week. I'll try to post the shed progress pictures and my newly created flowerbeds along the south side of the property and house. I'm pleased with the shady grove garden I created!

This book is long enough! I'll post again and tell you about diving in the Smith River!

Deschuttes River trip was a float not a white water adventure! Caron and I were the only ones that really seemed to mind because it was a wonderful day to float the river. The eight mile streach we did from Pringle Falls Campground to LaPine State Park boat ramp had a couple of interesting things but was mostlya relaxing float. We saw a couple osprey, blue heron, a redtailed hawk, kingfishers, an unidentified low flying black duck (a stealth model?) along the way and Cameron caught the littlest frog I've ever seen at the boat ramp!

As for whitewater action, we had to portage on river right above the Tethrow Log Jam at river mile 4 to catch the only white water on the whole streach, which is directly below the log jam. Jack, Leo, Caron and I shot the rapid but Signe and Rocky, who had Cameron riding in his kayak with him opted to take the standard portage on river left and bypass the log jam and rapid.

Getting out of the kayaks upriver of the log jam was the most difficult part of doing the rapid. The river is deep right up to the bank and the first person has to get on to the bank without aid. The current carried Caron a little closer to the log jam than any of us wanted her to be before she got to the bank. There were a few tense moments when Leo had one foot on the bank, one on a log that had begun moving with the current, was holding Caron's IK (inflatable kayak) and encouraging Caron to jump on to the bank quickly! After a slight hesitation Caron jumped, Leo pulled himself and the IK onto the bank and let the log go on it's way. I was watching from a spot upstream and waited for Jack and Leo to help me up the bank from there! The rapid is a roller with one larger wave breaking back on the far right. We picked a route river center and avoiding the potentially difficult wave. I went first and got positioned to take a couple shots of the others as they came through the rapid. Here are the shots.

Other than that the rope swing at mile 8 was the only other distraction from visiting as we manuvered around the many logs that reached out into the river from the banks. A wild fire had gone through this area some time ago and young trees are just coming up in many places. A good example of natural forest rejuvenation.

A white water rafting trip was supposed to be part of Cameron's 9th birthday present but he got a campout, river float, and trying out a river swing instead. He told us Sunday that he had a great time so I guess it wasn't to bad that there wasn't any white water action for him.

We had lots of great food all weekend and more shared memories with friends so I feel kind of bad that I was bummed that there wasn't any "action" on the river. Caron and I are the white water junkies and wanted more! Signe kept saying she had a wonderful time floating the river.

Caron's Dad, Sam, camped with us and acted as the camp cook, which we all appreciated! Arriving late Friday night there was a hot dinner ready and both breakfasts included my personal favorites, pancakes! "Ranger" Rod stopped by Saturday night after he got off work and again Sunday morning. He is working at the Newberry Monument this summer which is at LaPine. As always his presence produced a lot of laughter. Kay and Ernie looked us up too! Kay is also a ranger at the Monument and the jobs keep Kay and Rod from seeing friends most of the summer.

When we got home I cleaned the rafts throughly, dried them and put them away, more than likely until next spring. Our weekends are full now with other activities until the end of September!

When we got home we and a new project! One of the main branches of the willow tree broke off at the trunk. It didn't fall completely because the arching branch hit the ground and held the rest against the tree. Jack and chain saw went to work! It was a BIG branch!

I've been working out in the back yard and the gym so it made moving the sections of the branch pretty easy. There was a lot to move too!

The willow needs more trimming but we'll wait until fall. This windfall opened up the south side of the tree to sunlight so my "shady spot" isn't going to be as shady. I think Jack trimmed it up very nicely. He spent some time working in the woods as a choker setter! He knew what to do with the chain saw! In Oregon in the 60's and 70's I guess it was a rite of passage for a young man to work in the woods. Atleast long enough to know they didn't want to do it their whole life! Jack went on to be a lineman for PP&L instead... a WHOLE lot less dangerous?

With the work done we kicked back and relaxed on our fully equiped patio! It is sooooo nice. Caleb did a great thing for us putting the patio and driveway in!

The family picnic was great! Seems like everyone had a good time on Saturday. There were babies from 2 mos old to Uncle Homer who is in the 80 year category! Jack was surprized at the number of people I'm related to but that comes from Uncle Homer and Aunt Peggy having six children by themselves! Tammy, her husband David, Malia, and her three little ones were there from Uncle GL's branch of the family, and Jack and I from Mom's. There were atleast 30 people in the 3 camping spots!

McKaley, Candy and Kerry did a great job cooking for the crew and we ate like royality. Robin and Rick's fresh tuna on the grill was excellent! Hamburgers and three different kinds of hot dogs as well as chicken was rounded out with all kinds of sidedishes.

After eating we spent hours just sitting around the central fire and visiting. Malia is all grown up (26 yrs old) and has three great little ones. Her daughter is the spitting image of Tammy when she was little! She even has her quiet demenor.

Aunt Peggy is slowly recovering from being ill earlier this summer but she and Uncle Homer were there enjoying being surrounded by their family.

Sunday did not go as planned by any means. It had started sprinkling about 10 pm so we covered the tables with tarps. It poured down rain all night and continued into the morning. This picture was taken about 8 am. Everyone agreed breakfast was off and the main focus was on how to get all the soaking wet gear packed up. I felt almost guilty in my nice dry little trailer. Jack and I gathered all the coffee pots and got hot coffee ready in the trailer so there was coffee for those of us that can't cope until atleast one cup is consumed.

Kerry and Brian were the first two up (Jack and I were up at 5 am) and they joined us in the trailer for a cup of coffee while we waited for the rest of the camp to stir. It was nice way to start the morning. If our camper were bigger I would have been tempted to try and get others in too but 4 is definately the limit! Brian and Jack were antsy to get going so as soon as others crawled out of their tents, packing up began in earnst.

By leaving we made room for everyone to pull up close to their gear and load up. By the time we made it out of the camping area and passed the campsite going back down Fairview Road all the cars were backed up, trunks open and items were being tossed in. Camp was disappearing quick.

Jack and I ate in Myrtle Point at what used to be Tubby's... now called the Cosy Kitchen. I worked as a waitress there when I was 18 years old... for two weeks on graveyard. The place looks about the same...I don't think I do. Time passes on. As for the rest of town - it's mostly empty buildings on Main Street. All the places I hung out and shopped in are gone except Safeway and McKays grocery stores - and the former Tubby's.

It took 4 hours to get home and it rained most of the way. Here in K-falls the skies were blue and the sun was shining - as usual! It's good to be home!

It's Wednesday and that is over the half way mark of the work week! This weekend's adventure is the family picnic at Laverne Park. I talked to Cousin Robin last night and several of the family are camping at Laverne so we'll have more than just a picnic time to sit around and get caught up. Aunt Peggy is steadily getting better according to Robin and the sleep study she just did may get her a "machine" so she'll rest better and recover quicker. Uncle Homer and Aunt Peggy will be there for the day but will return home.... camping isn't very comfortable for them.

Caron and Rocky loved the kayak trip so much they went and bought two of their own! We are going to have a fleet! Yeah!

I have to get the info together for the Deschuttes trip in two weeks but Caron and Rocky are going to do the Amacher Park to Hestness Landing on the North Umpqua this weekend. I am so jazzed that they enjoy it so much...boating alone is a big NO-NO. And it's more fun with more people.

Hope everyone is well and enjoying what they are doing! It's the only way to go.

Just a quick post to let everyone know we had a great time this weekend at the Trees of Heaven Campground and rafting that section of the Klamath River. It was Jack, Caron and Rocky's first outing on whitewater in inflatable kayaks! They all did great! I was the only one that went over! It's SO imbarrassing when you are the one with the most experience! Oh, well. We all had a great time! Here's a few pictures... one of Jack and I's new camping abode!

And a few to give you and idea of the trip! Hope everyone is out there enjoying life as much as we did this weekend!

We've got our next rafting trip planned for two weeks from now on the Deschuttes River outside of LaPine, Oregon. No better testiment that everyone had a good time! Hoping Leo and Signe will join the 4 of us for that trip!

Got to get to bed.... work tomorrow!

I've stayed up to late but I finally have the pictures loaded of all the changes we've made since we moved in on June 16th! As I've said before it's thanks to hard working family and friends that these things have happened!

Caleb and Leo where the "foremen" for the two huge projects - putting in 30 yards of concrete for driveway, patio and workshop - and putting in an inground sprinkler system for the 1/3 acre we have!

I am happily doing the landscaping! It's a work in progress but there is progress. The fruit trees I mentioned in an earlier post can be seen and the Arborvita that were in our wedding ceremony are doing great at the edge of the patio. We even got one of the bird feeders hung!

And the very first flower bed is installed at the edge of the patio! It may have to be moved or raised but atleast I have something kinda finished! Since these pictures were taken we've put river rock around the arborvita and I've rototilled the entire area and made the first stab at leveling it out and getting it ready for the sod we'll put in this fall.

We are happy homeowners! :-) This weekend we are off to raft the Klamath River with Rocky and Caron! Our 1st real campout in our new travel trailer! Yeppee!

I just saw the date on my last blog post- about a month ago! Wow time goes fast when you are busy!

In this past month we have, with the help of family and friends, put in a 100 foot long concrete driveway, a 16 by 24 foot patio, installed a automatic sprinkler system, started our mini orchard by planting dwarf plum, pear, and apple trees, purchased a bueatiful dresser, a 22 foot travel trailer, went to Jack's class reunion and visited Diane and Keith in Coos Bay at their new house.

Oh, and I attended a women's retreat on weekend where we spent an afternoon floating down the Rogue River between Lost Creek Dam and Shady Cove. My first white water of the year!

Right now I'm laid up with a sore back from moving the new dresser in to house. When I feel better I'll get some of the pictures I've taken along the way! The house looks decidedly different already!

Hope the summer is going as splendedly as ours is for you all!

Getting settled in! The computer armourer came today so this evening I've been able to put the computer in it and get the office roughly set up. Emptied all the boxes that were in it at any rate. Next I'll attack the boxes in the garage!

I've got curtains up in the Master bedroom and am slowly working on the other two bedrooms.

But when Friday came Jack and I hit the Highway for Lakeview, Oregon as soon as I got off work for a weekend of digging for sunstones with Gary and Susie Rea and their friends, Patti and Wayne.

They'd heard about it on the travel channel and asked if we'd like to join them when they went. At the time we didn't know we would have just moved in but we said we'd go and we are glad we did! It's hard to explain how much fun it can be digging around in the dirt with a bunch of other rock hounds - it just is. We all had a great time and found enough sunstones to make us all happy.

Patti and I even took a turn in "the Pit" after lunch. There are several sunstone mining operations in the area and the four of them had visited a different one the day before. Dust Busters Mine is the place to go - in comparison to the other. The place looks rough but they have a big shade awning and tables that you are welcome to have your lunch at and you only pay for the stones that have gem value. For Jack and I that was 4 stones....the rest were free. We have a baggie full of "clears" that we'll but through the rock tumbler - when we uncover it! The good ones we're going to look into making into a necklace for me.

Just spending the weekend away from boxes would have been good enough but getting to spend some time getting to know Susie and Gary better was really great. I thoroughly enjoyed the dirt, the good dinner afterward, and pouring over our booty later!

Mike enjoyed the day from underneath this converted school bus. Kind of reminded me of Mad Max ... the whole movie could have been filmed in the area! Not all of the digging areas are pits... it's just where we choose to "mine for the day" - looked like fresh ground! We can't wait to go again...we learned a lot about where to dig, etc...anyone want to go?

I'm back online! Cable guy came this afternoon and believe it or not had to run cable before he could hook us up! He said it's amazing how many new houses aren't wired correctly for cable or dish hookups! He did a great job because all I had to do was reassemble the computer, cable modem, wireless network when I got home from work and we were online! We also have cable TV for the first time in 5 days! And a wonderful brand new TV it is! I've been torn all night between TV and reading email, blogs, and now posting!

Houses closed Friday, we moved the bulk of everything Saturday, thanks to the goodness of friends, and Sunday, after 3 trips with truck and car of the "little stuff" remaining, we did a final deep clean of the Roosevelt house, left the keys on the mantel, and made the call to the realtor with the message they were waiting for.... "We're out! It's all yours!"

Here, I didn't do alot - very aware that Monday was a work day and I was exhusted. Saturday afternoon Dad had arrived on his way back to Arizona after spending the week with his sister in Powers and together we unpacked most of the dishes (looking for a glass so he could have a glass of water! ) and put sheets and blankets on beds (Leo, Carl, and Ed had put together the beds before leaving for the day) so we had a place to collapse about 9 pm. I did get to load all the digital pictures of the wedding on the laptop Jack had given Dad last week! I also wrote down how to get to them and run the slideshow! Dad seemed pretty keen on the suggestion that he go to the senior center and take some computer classes with his "new" computer. It has XP on it and is good for most everything he may want to do... right now he is really facinated with Solitare! Dad had left without waking us up Sunday morning to finish the long drive to Bullhead!

The lastest on Mr. Mike is his ear infection is gone! Yeah! Did I post that after the last surgury his ear got seriously infected and the vet had to knock him out again last week and clean it out? When Jack unloaded him from the truck at the Vet's that time Mike turned around as soon as he realized where they were and got back in the truck and would NOT get out. Jack had to put the leash on him and nearly drag him out of the truck! For Mike that is extra-ordinary dis-obediance! Stronger antibiodics and a different rinse seems to have done the trick because today's checkup revealed a well healing ear and they were in and out of the office in 10 minutes!

I'm much more rested these past two days at work so the days haven't seemed so long or difficult and each evening I've gotten something new for the house which is always fun! Even if it is just curtin rods or throw pillows! We've actually made quite a few big purchases and they are coming in one at a time...since you have to order most things and wait... so each day contains something new! Yesterday was curtians for the bedroom and shades for the other bedrooms, today thow pillows for the couch and the cable for internet and TV, tomorrow phone service, Thursday the TV gets mounted on the wall, Friday our computer amoire might come in , next Monday or sometime next week we get our refrigerator...and have I mentioned we are going to be digging for Sunstones this weekend????

I best get to bed! Love you all!

Mondays! Wow! They are alwasy hard after a busy weekend and this one was just that!

Jack, Brett, and Chisato left for the airport at 5:45 am. Brett will be in Japan by this afternoon (tomorrow there) and Chisato is spending a couple days in San Francisco before returning to New York. Everyone else left early Sunday afternoon... after we went through the new house on Homedale. Some may not see it again for several years but Caleb and Mike will be back in July to do the concrete work!!! 30 yards of concrete and I'll still have lots of gardening room!

Brett demonstrated how to climb up the big willow tree and Oliver is really jazzed about the treehouse idea! When my film gets deveolped I'll have a picture of Brett in the tree and Oliver trying to skinny up it! It was great seeing everyone in the yard...a glimpse of what I hope the future holds! It's a great back yard for kids, grown-ups, and gardening!

The appointments for signing are for this Wednesday afternoon! Once everything "funds" we have three days to vacate! We're happy to do so - eager to get to the new - no stairs - house but the logistics are intimidating! We have more than I think Jack realizes! He is planning on doing the move with his truck, trailer and those of friends. We'll see.

I've got to go to bed now. I'm exhusted but got caught up reading my sister and nieces blogs and felt inspired to write to. It is so nice to get to be a part of their lives through their posts. I wanted extend the favor back!

Several wedding pictures can be viewed on Flickr now! There will be many more... these are some from Chisato's digital camera! Quickly loaded but will give you an idea of the day! Just click on sharenbland's pictures...

Wedding Weekend!

Was a whirlwind! Brett got in Wednesday evening and I had an American dinner of B-BQ Country Spare-ribs, corn on the cob, and Ceasar Salad ready for them when he and Jack got in. Dad also was here from Arizona! After dinner we unpacked a mystery box from Florida! It was full of fun stuff! Thank you Sis! I am the proud owner of the ONLY singing, dancing pink flamingo in Klamath Falls! Jack is getting a real introduction to the family!

I worked Thursday which gave Brett a day to visit friends in Grants Pass until it was time to pick up Chisato from the Medford Airport very late (or rather early Friday morning). They arrived at the house about the time Jack and I were getting up. While they caught some ZZ's Jack and I ran about getting things to finish up the wedding cake decorations.

I'd about finished the cakes when Mom and Teri arrived. Chisato and and I where working on the second batch of icing. Within an hour we had the cake decorated with raspberries and spearment leaves and we were off to the Rogue Gorge! We picnic-ed outside Crater Lake National Park and then went on to the Gorge!

On the way back we went through Crater Lake and Mom, Teri, and Chisato got to see the Lake and we went through the restored Lodge! It was so breath taking we ended up having to rush back to the house to greet Caleb, Mike, and Oliver at 8 pm. Our "rehersal dinner" was speggetti and we had a house full! Mom, Teri, Signe and I then spent until Midnight making the table decorations! It was fun and everything turned out bueatiful - in the end!

Saturday at two o'clock we set to decorating the Pavillion. Four o'clock Signe and I rushed off to get dressed for the ceremony - at 5:30. We were a tad late (an extra song length) but we were pretty!

Everything except the weather was absolutally wonderful. We had grey skies and sprinkles during the ceremony and a wind blew most of the time. Everyone was bundled up by the end of dinner! I didn't feel particularly cold but did don a shawl on by cake cutting time!

There will be pictures posted on Flickr later this week... but for now know that we all enjoyed the day! We meant to have the singing Flamingo as a greeter but he was forgotten at the house in the final rush! Got to go to bed now. Tommorrow is a work day again.

Mr. Mike is HOME! The bleeding would not stop so the vet had to put him out again and went in and cauterized the incision. So now Mike is home without packing in his ear and no bleeding.
He was pretty groggy and listless this afternoon but is coming out of it nicely this evening. He ate dinner a little while ago. All is well for now. We'll know more when the results of the biopsy come in.

The news on the house closing is that it will not occur until June 15th as originally planned. The buyer if our house's lender hasn't got the paperwork drawn up yet and hasn't got an appraisal scheduled yet. That works out best anyway! Here we have the 3 guest rooms, the family room and the craft room to house some of the "out of town" family anyway! Sis, Keith, Brett, Chisato, Caleb, Mike, and Judy will be staying here I think.

The unanswered questions of yesterday have been resolved - in good ways!

My trial run of cupcakes went well. I didn't return with any! I figured out a few things I'd like to do different. This weekend I'm going to try out the "main cake" (It's a relief not to have to be packing!) Thanks to friends I think everything is going to come together for a bueatiful ceremony! I'm trying to remember to let everyone know they should bring a jacket or sweater - just in case it gets windy/chilly at the lakeside so they can enjoy the evening. It could be hot, cold, or somewhere in between!

Hope everyone is enjoying life with all it's unknowns!

Yesterday and today have been about Mr. Mike! Yesterday evening I put dog ear wash liquid in his right ear, massaged the ear canal and went to sop up the extra with a kleenx as usual. What was not usual was that the kleenx was covered with blood! He moved away and when he shook his head blood flew every where! I grabbed some more tissues and held them to his ear and they came away soaked too. Jack had hamburgers on the grill but immediately turned that off and called the after-hours vet. They got us right in. The vet looked in Mike's ear and was able to determine there is a growth deep in his ear and it was "oozing" blood. Not being our regular vet he gave us some medicine that would numb the ear so Mike wouldn't keep shaking his head and something to stop the bleeding but wanted us to take Mike to our regular vet in the morning. The stuff all worked and Mike slept most of the night - better than Jack or I did!

Jack took him to our vet immediately this morning and Mike had surgury to remove the growth within an hour! It was deep in the ear canal and large. The vet has sent the tissue off to be biopsed. He's not saying anything more on the subject until the results come in. The current problem is they haven't been able to get the ear to stop bleeding. Jack and I went to pick Mike up at 3 pm and the vet wouldn't even let us see him. He has him heavily sedated so he won't shake his head and is hoping the bleeding will stop. He felt it would excite Mike to see us and wants him to stay still. If this doesn't work then the vet may have to go back in and cauterize the incision. The vet mentioned some other intricate sounding procedure that may have to be done on the ear but said we'd cross that bridge when we get to it. I really miss Mike and am praying this is all going to be resolved shortly! Mike has been my buddy for many years now...I don't want to think about not having him around!

In addition to the medical excitement yesterday, we got a call from our realtor asking if we'd like to close on the houses before the end of the month! That would mean moving before the ceremony! In a way that would be great. In another way it will be challenging to get moved and get everything ready for the celebration!

So last night I packed 6 boxes, tonight I made a "test run" of the cake receipe I plan to use for the wedding - to take to the meeting tomorrow night and get feedback. It's a little unusual and I want to be sure it is well received by a variety of people.

I'll just alternate my evening activities and hope to be prepared for whatever developes! Cheryl said she would get back to us tomorrow on the likelyhood of everything closing before the first of June!

So now I'm going off to say my prayers and then to bed. Tomorrow will be here soon enough with what news it brings of all this things!

Wow, it's May 13th already! Wedding Celebration in less than a month! Closing of the sale of this house and purchase of the new one in just over 30 days! All good stuff!

It's been an emotional Mothers Day for me already. Thoughts of Mom came with a lot of sadness. I know she wasn't happy the majority of her life. I feel very lucky that I have had a better go of it. We visited Jack's mother's grave and left silk flowers - something I've never done at my mothers crypt. Don't know if that is part of the sadness today or not. I don't believe that Mom's spirit is there but it is a show of respect and rememberence.

Working in the yard brought me out of it as working in the yard always does. Life is a cycle and all is wonderfully planned by a far greater intelligence than I. All is as it should be in the world.

Here are a couple of shots of the new house... the "before" pictures! I've been sketching and day dreaming about the gardens already and am chomping at the bit to get started! As you can see the front is done... but then there is the rest of the lot!

Caleb is planning on doing the concrete work for us on the North side yard, the back patio, and the shed/shop for Jack that will be located under the trees in the backyard. Then inground sprinklers go in - then sod in the NON garden areas. I keep telling Jack I'm not much for grass - I don't think he realizes what the means - yet. An oriental garden area, a cottage garden section, mini orchard, raised bed vegetable garden.... hmmm, sound familiar? This will be my last garden!

Yesterday we purchased 4 arborviata shrubs... for the south end of the patio ... but they will serve as part of the decorations for the celebration before that! As you can see we have a lot of landscaping to do! Anyone desiring to get us wedding presents would be safe with any lawn ornaments or outdoor entertaining items! We'll be spending a great deal of time in the backyard!

The lot is almost a third of an acre and has many established trees. The neatest being a HUGE old willow tree that will be perfect for grandchildren to explore... Jack may get drafted into treehouse design!

The East West orientation of the house is great for sunlight in the house and gives me a little bit of everything to work with in terms of gardens... deep shade, partial shade, full sun, woodland... I'll be busy for years!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Mother's Day!