Our Yucatan Trip - 1st 3 days, Aug 5, 6, 7 (Tues, Wed, Thurs) 2008

Our first night, Tuesday August 5th, we spent in Playa de Carmen which is the standard tourist town. We paid $2.20 a piece for our dinner of tacos by going to a "local" resturant on Calle 15 (as recommended by "Let's Go Mexico") and then $12.00 for two ice cream cones on Calle 5! Granted it was Hagen Das but it was a quick lesson on how important it is to know where to go!

The beach was beautiful and completely lined with hotels and resorts. This was not the Mexico we'd come to see so I didn't take many pictures. I did snap a shot of the the military patrol that we followed out of Playa de Carmen on our way to Tulum! And this was the "nice" town!

Here are some pictures from our days in Tulum, Mexico. We spent Wednesday and Thursday there.

Wednesday skycycling and swimming in cenotes at Hidden Worlds Adventures.

Thursday at the Tulum Ruins

followed by swimming and sunbathing on the beach in front of our $35 per night cabana!

The toliet and shower were in a seperate building and the electricity was a car battery that could light the single light bulb hanging from the palapa roof but we were right on the beach! The other places we checked to the left and right were $150 a night and they didn't have electricity either!

Our cabana was just far enough below the one sand dune between it and the beach that the wonderful sea breeze didn't get to it. After spending all of Wednesday night in our cabana sleeping fitfully in the still, hot air I made arrangements with the resturant owners to have a beach lounge chair left out for me so I could sleep on it in the area where they served food outdoors - literally on the beach. Jack sat up with me until everyone had left the beach for the night and then he retired to the cabana and his mesquito netting. I sprayed myself down liberally with insect repellent and streached out on the lounge chair. It was wonderful. I watched the stars brighten, listened to the surf, and enjoyed the wonderful ocean breeze as I drifted off to sleep.

Sometime around 11:30 or Midnight I was awoken by a "noise". Looking over at the "doorway" off the beach I could see a dark shape on the white sand. Visions of the HUGE iguana's we'd seen at the Tulum Ruins that day made me shudder at the thought of one coming any closer than it already was! Rolling off the far side of my lounge chair I shoved the chair in the direction of the "shadow". The end of the chair came up against something solid. Much more solid than I imagined an iguana would be. Maybe it was the low wall that seperated the resturants area from the beach proper. Cautiously I stepped over the knee high wall to see the "shadow" from that side.

It was a sea turtle! She had made her way up the beach to lay her eggs and had it in mind to make her way through the opening in the wall. I had startled her and she was already turning around. She was 3 or 4 feet long and moving as frantically as a sea turtle can in the sand. I moved away and she rested. It was a magical moment for me. I love turtles. Especially sea turtles (tortuga's). She resumed her trek back towards the water, resting after every two or three "strokes" in the sand and I moved along with her at a respectful distance. I waded in to the water as high as my knees with her which is when a large wave freed her from the sand and she disappeared into the dark water. I sent wishes with her that she find a safe beach to lay her eggs on tomorrow night and returned to my lounge chair smiling.

I'd thought about running for the camera and waking Jack up but decided against it. She did not need any additional stress and this was a memory for me. A reward for sleeping on the beach.

In the pre-dawn I woke again to sounds from the beach - this time it was a group of four armed soldiers or policemen making their way from the beach resort at the left end of the beach to the path between the two hotels at the right end of the beach. They didn't seem to notice me and I didn't move. With full daylight I saw lots of little lizard tracks around my lounge chair too. Not a magical moment at all.

At breakfast the next morning the owner of Trescelunas Cafe told me I was extrodenarily lucky to have seen the turtle... she has lived in Tulum for 5 years and has never seen a sea turtle! Jack wondered why I hadn't waken him. I explained I wasn't sure it would be a special thing for him and didn't want to break the spell of the moment. He seemed to understand.

Next installment will be of Friday's drive to Isla Holbox and our stay there!

Things are getting better every day!

I actually got up, showered, dressed and put makeup on yesterday! We went to breakfast and in the afternoon we went to a fund raiser for the new Klamath Falls Humane Society building. Sitting in air conditioning and listening to local musicans for 1 1/2 hours required a two hour nap when we got home but Hey! we went out of the house!

Our house guest, of the last 4 months, made the final move to her new apartment this morning! I will miss the talks we shared, between commercials and Jack and I's trips, but it is good for everyone to have their own space! Cyntzi has had a heck of a year and I'm hoping this is the begining of the upswing for her! Watching her deal with the medical issues as they've been diagnosed has given me a renewed determination to do all that I can... while I can! Cyntzi is only 5 years older than I and she didn't expect things to unravel as they have in 5 years!

Sunday is my 52nd birthday! And today Jack arranged for my birthday present! Finally, after many years of thinking, talking, and intending to do it I am signed up to go down the Upper Klamath River on Saturday! Class 4+ for 7 miles! Wha whooo! (That is not the same as a Class 5- right, Mike?)

I'll be in a guided "big" raft... not my usual Aire Strike inflatable kayak... for this one for two reasons. One - I've been told the water AND rocks are way to wicked for an IK and two I'm not sure I am recovered enough to see my own self through any whitewater just yet. I'm not planning on "sluffing off" but if I run out of steam there will be 5 others in the raft that can help compensate! I've felt better every day since last Saturday so by this coming Saturday I am expecting to be ready!

Cyntzi has dubbed me the "unsinkable Molly Brown". I kinda like that!

I'll post Yucatan pictures soon! Love to all!

We've been home one week today. On Monday Jack and I went to our respective doctors - the antibiotic seemed to knock out the fever and killer headaches but we were not "better". Blood tests show elevated liver enzimes and low white blood cell count for both of us. The dengue fever tests have been taken and sent off... Weakness makes us "take it easy" even if we are silly enough to mow the lawn or vaccum the carpet. One bout of activity requires 14 to 16 hours of rest!

Jack is now up and around more than I. Although we've both developed a red, full body rash I am the only one that has swollen up with retained fluids! My feet and legs ache more than anywhere else although I ache all over. Dizyness has become my constant companion anytime I am up and walking around! The doctor says there should only be another few days of this stage... and then up to 3 months to recover strength and energy.

This morning Jack shared he thinks he isn't being impacted as hard as I because he was inoculated for all the jungle diseases when he went to the Phillipines when he was in the military 45 years ago. Hmm? I think it's the female tendency to retain water. Don't know if that is one to pose to the doctor or not.

I have managed to get the pitures from our trip on one computer and will try to get them sorted and tagged. We did get around on what was our last trip to Mexico. Even if this isn't dengue Jack is clear he never wants to go to Mexico again.

I am reading a novel, Almanac of the Dead by Leslie Marmon Silko - which I had started before going to Mexico - and find it fits well with the read, sleep, dream routine I'm doing! The book is different than any other I've ever read and I have to do it in small doses.

Everything is in small doses right now!

We are home. We are sick. Doctor prescribed the antibiodic given for denge fever. Ciprofloxacin.
We were bitten by many, many insects or many bites by some bugs. More later.

Mike was hiking across a glacier in the Cascade Mountains near Three Fingered Jack last weekend and this weekend he's on the water with me and "the girls".

On Saturday, August 2, 2008 Shannon, Johanna, Mike and I spent the day on the North Umpqua River between Glide and Whistlers Bend Park! I floated this section many times when I lived in the Roseburg area so I knew it would be safe even with the higher than normal water levels all the Oregon rivers are experiencing this summer. There have been two deaths at Blossom Bar on the Rogue River - right where I went out of the raft the first year I did the Wild and Scenic Section with Willie and his friends! The newspaper articles say where people normally can push off the rocks (which I did when I went in) the water in now so forceful that the women were pinned against the rocks and not able to push off or come to the surface in the highly airiated water.

The waterfall just before the take out was the only technical section and we all took the slot on the far left side of the picture (River right) so we had it easy.


Some other boaters didn't know about the falls evidently and when they tried to get over to a safe slot they got stuck and really had a time of it. Johanna is sliding on by as they struggle to get their raft off the rocks! The guy standing on the rock really is running a risk of being left out there!! They did get through intact and with everyone they started with!

We had our lunch just below the falls discussed the dangers of skin cancer due to over exposure to the sun. We ALL got sun burnt because the day started out overcast and we didn't put sun screen on our legs!


It was a fun day - all splash and giggles white water! This was my July river day! A little delayed but I'll do another river in August to stay on track with atleast 1 day of whitewater each month this summer!



Tomorrow Jack and I depart for our 9 day trip on the Yucatan Pennisula of Mexico! There we have tickets for one day of skycycling, snorkeling in cenotes, and exploring caverns outside of Tulum on the Ultimate Canopy and Cavern Adventure. If interested you can read more about it at http://www.hiddenworlds.com/adventurepackage.aspx !

Our overall plans include seeing the Mayan ruins at Tulum and Chichen Itza, visiting Isla Holbox for the best seafood in Latin America (per the posts on Trip Advisor), spending a Sunday in Merida, exploring the Progresso area and any littl e puerto in between.

Will post again after the 15th!

Whew! The big birthday project is done! Packaged, addressed and poised to go to the post office in the morning. I started the project two weeks before the 22nd and am still sending it out two days late! Many hours, thirty years portrayed, and a long walk along memory lane for me! I hope it brings smiles and inspires memories and the sharing of stories.

Between sessions with the scanner and computer I helped Jack go get, unload, rake, and water down two yard of decomposing granite around the big willow tree in the backyard and the extension of the driveway to the back of the shed.

Tuesday evening we had the whole gang over to welcome Leo's daughter and her family to Klamath Falls. They are visiting from Salt Lake City, Utah. I made Carne Con Chile with all the fixings (following the reciepe Grandma Judy gave me many years ago!) Everyone really seemed to enjoy the food and the company. I'm getting better at cooking for 12+ people. I only burned the rice and I did it far enough in advance that I was able to get a second batch done before the company arrived! Yeah!

We'll be leaving for Salem in the morning. Jack's class reunion is Saturday in Philomouth. Tomorrow evening we are meeting with Caleb to celebrate his 27th birthday. Last Saturday we met with Mike and had a birthday lunch at a Thai resturant in Eugene. We tried thier version of Mango Sticky Rice for dessert....mmmm will have to suspend opinion until I can taste what Brett and Maya are eating called Mango Sticky Rice. The two do not seem to be the same!

That's it for now folks!

Added one, created two and lost one on the Rogue River whitewater trip!

Johanna is as much a water dog as I - I could tell when she arrived with her own tahiti and a life vest! Ed and Shannon had a blast! Any time I looked back at Shannon all I could see was her beaming smile. I asked if it was a smile or grimmace - with a laugh she confirmed she was having a great time! Although this was Ed's first time on a river he made everything look effortless - no matter what the rapid looked like he never seemed the least anxious. In his quiet way he said he's in for any whitewater trips I plan.

Nancy is not a whitewater person. My tipping over and swimming the first real rapid out of Hellsgate Canyon (this year it is much more powerful than any other year I've done this section making it a "real" rapid rather than a riffle) had her looking for the way back to the car. She made it though the rapid herself just fine but watching me going under water a few times unnerved her. I told her I was just 'demonstrating' how to swim a rapit (an unplanned demonstration!) but she wasn't going for it. So we deflated her tahiti, packed it in one of the other IK's, and she rode with me in mine until we got to Galice Resort.

Rather than shooting the rapid's and going in at the boat ramp we beached the IK's upstream of the Galice Resort and I walked Nancy across the gravel bar. The rapids we'd run just previous had undone her last nerve and I was afraid to try to take her down what is normally a rather narrow shoot and around a bend. Walking through rattle snake alley was preferable...I didn't tell her the area's nickname until that evening. I just told her to really watch her footing - we didn't want a twisted ankle!

When I returned to the river bank Ed, Johanna, Shannon and I continued down the river. The shoot just prior to the Galice boat ramp is washed out due to the high water! I could have gotten Nancy around the bend without subjecting her to more whitewater!

There were surprises all day! Familiar rapids gone, new ones in unexpected places and the force stronger than usual in the normally dicy rapids below Chair Campground. The biggest shock was seeing the tourist jetboats from Grants Pass at Galice Store! The store clerk said that started last year! And this year with the high water they are going almost to Graves Creek boat ramp. These are the "little" jetboats - they only hold 36 people! Sure messes with the peace and tranquility of the trip when they come roaring up.

I didn't take a camera since I was going with 4 novices so there aren't any pictures. Maybe next time. We are considering a North Umpqua run later this week. The July 19 plan to go on the Klamath River was "smoked out". There are 16 fires burning in the Trinity-Shasta area and all the smoke seems to be coming our way.

Enough for now... hope everyone is enjoying what they are choosing to use this day of their life to do!

I'm watching Spanish dubbed "In the Line of Fire" to get my ears used to the tempo of Spanish. We'll be enjoying the Yucatan in less than 3 weeks! I've been doing the Rosetta Stone lessons but by watching this movie I can tell it's going to be a challenge... a fun one I hope!

Our 8 day stay will included seeing Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Isla Holbox, Chichen Itza, and the Merida area. We're going with a reservation for a room the 1st night in Playa del Carmen, a backpack a piece, our "Let's Go Mexico" book, a map of the Yucatan, and a rental car! This is monumental for Jack! And he told me he isn't as anxious about this trip as he was about our honeymoon trip to Zihuatanejo! That one was much more structured than this one! Life is an adventure and it's so good that Jack is relaxing in to letting it be that!

But before August 5th we have a day whitewater river trip planned for July 19th, Jack's class reunion in Philomouth and a birthday dinner in Salem with Mike and Caleb on July 25-26!

I have to get Brett's address to get his birthday present to him in Thailand!

My retirement days are full! Hope all is well with all my loved ones out there!

It's HOT in Klamath Falls! Amazingly hot for this time of year! Three foot of snow on the roof this winter, freezing temperatures at night until the end of May and now triple digit heat in the first half of July. Global warming and the new ice age in the same year! It's to hot to sleep...our usual wind has not picked up to bring cool air into the house.

We left Coos Bay on Monday morning and now on Wednesday evening it is a distant memory of cool days!

Jack and I spent 4 days and 5 nights at "Campo Beatty" which gave us lots of time to interact with all the grand-nieces and nephews! S'te still looks like a teenager - even though she has three of her own!

Last Thursday we were up at dawn to make the most of the minus tide for clam digging in Charleston. We were all too sucessful - cleaning 72 clams took the rest of the day! Diane fried a huge batch up and we still had some to freeze! S'te and the teenagers went again Friday morning but all of us "old folks" were to "down in the back" to go again!

Diane, S'te and I spent most of the Friday cooking, baking, and preparing for the family gathering on Saturday as we caught up on the happenings of each of our's lives. With Diane in Florida, S'te in San Diego and me in Oregon we don't get togeather and just "chat" very often.

Saturday was a huge sucess in my reckoning! Uncle Homer, Aunt Peggy, Cousins Robin, Kerri and Tammy came with their spouses and adult children. Kerri even brought their brand new granddaughter! Diane and Keith's good friends Clint, Sally, and Donna where there too. Mike made it down from Corvallis and discovered his second cousin by marriage also has a Honda Shadow motorcycle...and that they live in his area! Maybe a renewed family connection there! Jaleel spent as much time as Mike would let him on the motorcycle...complete with helmet and jacket! Mike is his new favorite cousin!

After visiting with the adults for a bit I organized a water balloon playoff for the kids that wanted to play and throughly enjoyed their fun. Everyone got a little wet and we had a ton of laughs at the antics. The little 3 year olds were overjoyed to be part of the "competition".

Sunday 9 of us went down the Siltcoos River Canoe Trail in Jack and I's inflatable kayaks. S'te, Ty, Mak, Raquel, Jaleel, Laderia, Destiny, Brayana and I put in at Lake Siltcoos about 2 pm. Just in time for the afternoon winds to make getting to the mouth of the river a real challenge! The kids had never paddled before so it was fun to watch them get the hang of making the boats go where they meant for them to go! S'te took lots of great pictures. She is a great photographer and Ty is following in her footsteps.

There was a spot along the trail for the kids to climb to the top of the sand dunes which flowed directly into the river. Everyone swam across the river and back! Then we practiced getting into the boats from the water - just incase someone wanted to jump and and swim later in the day. We shipped our boats down the boat shute at the dam and came to the esturary portion of the trail sooner than anyone wanted to. We could hear the surf pounding as we pulled out of the river. With the little ones we didn't want to risk actually coming out in to the Pacific Ocean and getting turned over in the waves!

By 5 pm we were in dry clothes and packing the equipment in to the pickup. S'te and the kids went on to walk on the beach while Jack and I headed back to Campo Beatty! Diane and Kieth treated all of us to a great BBQ chicken dinner and we celebrated Cavelle's 1st birthday with song and cake!

It was never to hot and never more chilly in Coos Bay that a light sweatshirt didn't fix. The sun shined every one of those four days! I got to chat and play and be on the water!

It really was a great visit!

We're so busy I can't keep up with it on the blog! The deep dive - was interesting in that they proved to us how it is to be "narked".

While we were on the boat ramp each one of us was timed on how long it took us to pick out and point to numbers 1 through 20 which were randomly placed on a water proof chart that was taken down to the deep dive platform. At 80 feet deep we were timed again and the time it took was twice as long for me! And I distinctly remember thinking, "I'm doing it much quicker this time! Must be because I've done it once now." And then a small jellyfish pulsed by and was caught up in watching it move through the water until the instructor tapped me on the shoulder and showed me that everyone else had started off in the direction of the shore.

Point being that your thinking isn't as clear when you are deep and you need to be very aware that reaction time is slower than you think it is. A drunk with out the hangover!

Jack and I went North to Port Townsend and took the ferry to Whitbey Island then went off to LaConner where we spent two days. It was grey and wet except for the afternoon we spent on San Juan Island at Lime Kiln Point. There the sun broke out long enough for us to enjoy our picnic lunch. I spent the ferry ride through the San Juan Islands out on the front deck watching for the Orca's. Normally they are seen at Lime Kiln Point but on this day they were at Anacortes. I watched in hopes of seeing them coming through the channels. As the ferry approached the Anacortes terminal several bright colored boats zoomed up and I spotted the Orca pod moving through the water between the boats. There were 6 or 7 of them and with the binoculars I could see the rippled dorsal fin of the male Orca featured at the Whale Museam we'd visited in Friday Harbor. I was jazzed to get to see them before we left!

I am not cut out for the overcast coast! We drove down to Paradise Cove the following day and after another grey rainy day, which we spent driving to Seaside for a bowl of clam chowder, Jack and I decided to cut our trip short and return home. The high blue skies of the Klamath Basin were a welcome sight!

And so ended my 1st road trip of retirement!

May 31, 2008 Saturday evening - The Night Dive!

Jack and I woke up from our nap, made a quick dinner and joined Margie at 7 pm in the small dorm to go over the fish and fauna we'd seen during our afternoon dive. It's always easier to check the dive computers for information when sitting with someone that knows how many times to tap the left or right button to get the screens to change to where you want them.

Being the slowest at getting geared up Jack and I started assembling our equipment as soon as we were done with the Underwater Naturalist paperwork. The rest of the class was to be suited up and ready at the boat ramp at 8 pm. With our "head start" Jack and I were suited up and ready when Kaya came down the ramp. That was a first!

Kaya is the class instructor... Jack and I were assigned to Margie. I think we were the "special cases"! Whatever the reason we were lucky to get Margie as our individual trainer. She took the time to get us properly weighted, show us the intricacies of our dive computers, point out the octupus under the ship remains, and share to 'wonder of the deep' amoung other things.

After the instruction portion of the night dive we all shrugged into our BC's and headed down the ramp to the waters edge. As we did a bueatiful bald eagle swooped by and landed on the point just past the ramp. In the gathering darkness the white feathers gleamed. Noble and regal he watched our group of seven black hooded, bug-eyed, white faced humpbacked creatures swim out in to the dark waters. Wondering what type of creatures we were?

Before going in I made sure I knew the compass heading for where we were going, the heading back, that Margie's tank light was white, and Jack's was red. I turned on the big hand held light, swallowed my apprehension and waded in with my dive buddy, Jack.

The mission was simple. Navigate out to the bouy, practice communication skills with lights underwater in the dark, look around for the nightlife, turn our lights to our chest and experience the darkness and watch the luminous fauna glow, then navagate back to shore. All the time staying close to your dive buddy.

I got an unexpected extra credit assignment. My hand held light dimmed to a orange-red glow after only the first few excersizes. I could see Margie's white tank light ahead of me but as I looked around for Jack the glow didn't penitrate the darkness enough for me to see him. I didn't see his light either. We had stirred the bottom up with our decent and visibility was extremely bad.

First I shook the light hard several times - that's what works on our flashlight at home. Then I banged on the side of the casing feeling more anxious as the 'glow' faded to nothing. It was completely dark. "Keep breathing. Be still. Think the situation through. Move slowly and deliberately." I repeated to myself. The 7 mil gloves made unzipping the pocket on my BC by touch awkward but I managed to get it done and pulled out my back-up flashlight. Basically by braille I oriented the flashlight and found the On switch. And there was LIGHT! Whew! And the little light seemed much brighter than the large one! And there was Jack and Margie - not far away. I guess if I'd looked around longer I would have seen their lights but I'd become very focused and tunnel visioned around the fading light in my hand.

I was very glad to see them! I did not want to do the lost buddy routine no matter how much extra credit could be earned. I'd embarrassed myself enough earlier in the day!

Signaling I was 'OK' I happily let Jack take the lead in navigating us back to shore.

Topside Margie complimented me on handling the situation so calmly. Evidently she'd been watching me the entire time. She even admitted she'd enjoyed watching the process and was impressed that I solved the delimma without assistance. I accepted the praise, mentally promising myself I will not be doing any other night dives.

One more dive to go! Sunday morning 8 am at the boat ramp for the Deep Dive!

Advanced Open Water Certification Dives

Friday - May 30th- We were up at 5:30 am and had the trusty Tahoe Trailer on the road at 7:20 am! First stop was Caleb's house in Portland to deliver the two recliners. Rain and clouds hovered over us all the way to Portland but we caught a break in the showers long enough to get the chairs into the house dry. We were back on Hwy 205 within 20 minutes. 30 minutes later we had crossed over the Columbia River in to Washington.

Retracing our steps to Mike's Beach Resort from the Washington border took 3 hours pulling a trailer which had us in the RV site about 5:30 pm. This was good because Underwater Naturalist had been added to our certification and I still had to do the chapter excersizes to hand in come morning.

The air was warmer, the waters clearer. Hope rose that this round of dives would be better than those done in March. If they weren't, I doubt we would continue with the sport.

The only other occupants at Mike's RV campground were a group of young Asians that had gathered for an oyster cook-out. The first few showed up with bags of oysters, followed by several carloads of friends. I slept but Jack heard them laughing and talking until 4 am. They were not overly loud just enough to keep him up. Not good when you have 3 dives planned for the next day.

Saturday, May 31st 9 am We are suited up in full 7 mm wetsuits, hoods, gloves, booties, BC's and dayglo tanks! Our first dive was an equipment check dive to check out Jack's new BC (Bouyancy Control Device), wieght distribution, and final Peak Bouyancy swim through the PVC diamond! Everything worked and we were jazzed!

Then came the navigation dive. Jack lead us out to the bouy on the compass heading as directed. I was to bring us back using a reverse heading. Numbers and I are not really on a first name basis and when I looked down at my compass to set my course I had no idea what numbers to use! So I headed to shore using "natural navigation" - following the upward slope of the bottom. I knew I was "off course" as we approached the 15 ft level and did our safety stop. The large oak leaf looking seaweed was nowhere in sight. After our 3 minutes swimming along at 15 feet I lead Jack up the slope into a batch of sea grass - first time we'd seen that! Surfacing at 5 feet we were looking at Margie and Kaya's ( our instructors) smiling faces. They were standing ankle deep in the water and greeted us warmly. Jack surfaced, looked at them and just pointed at me.

They were so nice! I'd taken us from one side of the resort's beach to the opposite side. Margie just said she was glad we didn't keep on going! They'd been following our bubbles first from the boat ramp, then from the pier, and finally along the beach! I really appreciated the lack of criticism! I felt pretty stupid.

Margie gave me a new navigatgion task of leading Jack from our current point on the right side of the pier back to the pier pilings - compass heading of 60 degrees - from a piling I was to make a 90 degree turn - to the right for a new reading of 150 degrees and proceed out in to the canal looking for 5 different kinds of fish, 4 non-fish, and 2 plants to identify later. When we were at 1000 psi we were to return to the shore at the boat launch on the left of the pier where we'd original started at, which would be at a bearing of 300 degrees! What a task! And she really believed I could go through with it!

So off we went! Jack dutifully followed me. We made the turns using the compass headings and got to explore something of the Hood Canal. At 40 feet we ran in to a thermoclime just as we came across the remains of a fiberglass boat. Jack indicated to me that he was cold and wanted to move out of the cold water - great underwater comunications! I settled myself on the bottom and rest the bezel on my compass to N off 300 degrees and headed back. We came up right at the boat launch!!!! I did it! We'd been underwater for 40 minutes! It was a great dive!

We exited the water feeling like we really are scuba divers! Shedding our gear we debriefed with Margie and got our marching orders - time to eat and rest up for the NIGHT DIVE. She gave us several id books to look for life we'd made note of during the dive and we returned to our little Tahoe. We were to met with Margie at 7 pm - the night dive would be at 9 pm... after some instruction time. Reading went to napping almost instantly when we streached out on the bed to go through the books! We were so exhusted!

Trailer is RE-packed and we are poised to start out in the morning... a few hours from now!! Yikes! I was ready for bed at 9:30 pm then it crossed my mind that I should check the details on the Washington State Ferry system. I think I have it figured out now... or I'm so rummy I think I have it figured out and it's just an illusion! Important thing is that I now know that we have to have a reservation to take the ferry from Port Townsend to Keystone and I have the phone number to make that reservation! Ha~

Tomorrow we deliver recliners to Caleb in Portland and then scoot on up to Mike's Beach Resort on the Hood Canal http://www.mikesbeachresort.com/scuba.htm , where we will complete our Advanced Open Water Certification dives! Jack maintains it will be his last "cold water " diving. I'm looking forward to seeing the local octopus!

We are staying at in the RV section at the dive resort and when our classes are done on Sunday we are continuing up the coast to Port Townsend taking the ferry to Whidby Island and going on to La Conner, Washington to spend 3 or 4 days seeing what the Potlatch Resort has to offer these days. It has been 12+ years since I've been there.

I'm hoping we'll ride the ferry from Anacortes to Friday Harbor and on one day. I seem to remember hearing that you get to see the best of all of the islands by just standing at the railing during the ferry ride. Maybe get off and have lunch at Friday Harbor on San Juan Island... we'll see.

We plan to drive back home via the Oregon coast route and stay at Paradise Cove Resort http://www.araresorts.com/our_resorts.html in Wheeler for a day or two and check out the crabbing and swimming pools! It is so cool having a trailer and the time to be able to just go and stay until we want to go again!

Our approximate return will be 2nd week in June... I'll post again then!

Love to you all!

Memorial Day Weekend 2008

It's been pointed out to me that I haven't blogged in months - since about the time I put in my notice at work that I would be quiting! Two months was a long time to train someone and wrap up a job! I worked with a great bunch of people and wanted to leave everything as well documented as possible. I'm a bit compulsive about that stuff. So I wore my love for writing out during the work day!

But as of May 22nd I am officially retired! I want to thank family and friends for the cards, best wishes, flowers and plants I received Thursday! My work fellows furnished a day long potluck to celebrate my good fortune at being able to retire at my "tender" age! From beginning to end it was a wonderful day!

Jack and I left Friday for 4 nights at the Trees of Heaven Campground and enjoyed Memorial Day Weekend with Mike. I got to share my enthusiasm for inflatable kayaking with my youngest son on the two Klamath River runs adjacent to Trees of Heaven campground Saturday, even though it was a bit chilly and overcast. And I got to take my "new" IK on the river for the first time.

Sunday we drove about 30 miles down river to where the Scott River runs into the Klamath River with the intention of running the 3 mile class III- section just before the confluence. Before going up the Scott we scouted the 1 mile section between the confluence and Sarah Toten Campground take-out that California Whitewater lists as an optional extension of the Scott run. There's a set of BIG rollers that Mike and I took time to really look over and a small take out at Sarah Toten that we were afraid we could easily miss so we'd dismissed that option and returned to the bridge at Hwy 96 to find the Scott River takeout.

That did not begin or end well! Where the book says the take out is the Lost Ductchman's Mining Association (LDMA), has taken over the entire junction and posted Private Property and No Trespassing signs everywhere. We took a dirt road that looked like it ran right in front of all their signs and might go to the river but the road ended at a group of shacks a little above the river. I got out and was explaining to a woman sitting there that we were looking for the public access to the river when we were joined by a "Hatfield" looking man who gruffly informed me we were on private property, that the signs said "No Trespassing", and since we aren't members we had no business on the site, repeatedly. I explained to him why we were trying to make our way to the river and asked if he knew where the public access was. He just repeated his statements. We left with the feeling a shotgun could come out at any moment!

Glancing at the river as we left we saw that the option of "continuing on down to Sarah Toten Campground takeout" wasn't an option! The Scott is split by a gravel island right before the Hwy 96 bridge. On river left there is a waterfall that would separate an inflatable kayak from it's kayak er and on river right the gold prospectors have channeled all the flow through a series of sluice boxes. It is not navigable anymore.

Traveling up Scott River Road we spotted a little sign that said "River Access" and we went down that road - skirting another encampment. The sandy beach is overgrown with willows where we think the takeout used to be. A machete would be needed - which we didn't have.

We went on across the bridge and went down the road on the opposite side of the river to check out what looked like a possible take out spot. When we turned the truck around to head back to the main road this is what we saw. Those are Rottweilers. Two more joined the four you see as we started back up the road! Can you imagine trying get your gear loaded after a river run and being greeted by a pack (6) of rottweilers! We decided that we would not be doing the Scott River run.

Mike and I are planning on checking out other runs on the Santiam this summer... if there are put-ins and take-outs where Soggy Sneakers says they are!

It's been grey and raining since we returned to Klamath Falls on Tuesday afternoon! So strange for our area! It's nice to reflect on the past weekend from the couch!

It's been a long time coming but I'm finally feeling almost normal! The coughing is almost gone and energy is returning!

I've had lots of time to dwell on our recent cruise with Diane and Keith. Even though I was in my stateroom for the last part of the trip we managed to pack as much in the first three days as some folks do in seven so it was a good vacation. I certainly got a lot of rest during the second half of it!

The first day ran into the second one for Jack and I. We were up at 6 am Friday, flying out of Klamath Falls to Portland at 4 pm. During our 5 hour layover in Portland we ran in to a Klamath Falls neighbor and Caleb joined us for dinner so time went quick. Sleeping on the plane during the all night flight was the plan. It didn't work out. There was turbulance the whole way and everytime the warning sound went off I jumped a foot- waking both Jack and the other passenger sitting with us.

The warm, soft air in Orlando felt wonderful after the weeks of cold we've had in Klamath! Diane and Keith picked us up and we were looking for breakfast at 7:30 am Saturday! They do not feed you on airplanes anymore. Our food was a warm cookie around 3 am!

When we got to Port Canaveral we got sidelined to a dirt parking lot. Sis mentioned that was 'different' . With my belly full I wasn't able to stay awake any longer so I laid back the seat in Diane's van and took a nap. Sis got out and chatted with the flagger to get the scoop on why we weren't allowed to enter the regular passenger parking lot. Keith, Diane and Jack getting back in the van woke me up and they shared the news as we made our way to the passenger unloading area. A piece of luggage had been left unattended and the bomb squad was called. No one was allowed to leave the ship for seveal hours after the normal departure time which set everything back a bit. Sis seemed to think that might freak me out but it didn't phase me. After a night of turbulance on the airplane what's a bomb scare?

I was amazed with the organization of the cruise terminal. The porters were really hustling to get the tons of luggage for the delayed boarders sorted and loaded when it started pouring down rain! It wasn't cold but it was getting everything wet! Those guys kicked it up another gear and got the huge carts under cover! It wasn't long before the rain was over and 2,000 cruisers had been checked, stamped, photographed and boarded!

Can you tell who came from snow country?

Sis knew just where we wanted to be. Off to Deck #9! The Lido Deck - where we wasted no time getting food and drink as it was now 2 pm. The ragge music was going, the food was great, we were on the ship - Jack could finally relax! Keith and Diane explained the Carnival Capers activity sheet and showed us how to kick back.

Jack and I explored the outside decks before we started moving just in case I wasn't able to once we were underway!

The ship was big and bueatiful! It was everything that the brochures said it would be. Diane and I left the guys on the Lido Deck and took the Spa tour. That tour included a trip though the men's locker room which brought on a lot of remarks about the "guaranteed satisfaction" slogan! Everyone was in a party mood! After scheduling an 8 pm Hot Rock massage and ginger body rub we returned to the Lido deck just in time for the required life boat drill.

Then we got to go to our staterooms. Jack and I quickly unpacked and I was already in my nightgown when our portress came to introduce herself! Our dinner time was at 5:45 pm and I needed some real sleep before then! We got about an hour of sleep and then headed one deck up to the Platinuim Dinning Room. Diane and Keith had been checking out what the ship had to offer while we slept! We wished Diane a happy birthday and gave her a package to unwrap. It was a bunch of "dust collectors" for her dresser. As I'd expected Jack was ready to call it a day as soon as dinner was over so after tucking him in Diane and I headed off for our girls night out 2 1/2 hour spa treatment. It was decadent!

After that I slept like a baby! And so ended our first day on the ship!

That was our first day Fun Day at Sea. A day in the warm sun with nothing to do all day but lay around, eat, swim, test out the water slide and watch the activities on the Lido Deck!

The sea bands worked... mostly. Walking through the casino Sunday afternoon I got a sudden view of the ocean and it rocked me for a bit so I avoided the windows for a while. Other than that I seemed to get my sea legs and was able to enjoy the day.

Sunday was "Formal Night" and Jack rented a tuxedo! I have to scan the picture of us taken by the ships photographer.

We got back to Klamath Falls last Sunday evening but it wasn't until today that I spent any time sorting pictures out or really doing anything besides sleeping!

Seasickness wasn't a problem but by Tuesday evening -the third day of the cruise -I had a terrible headache and a very sore throat. Wednesday morning I was in the infirmary with a temperature of 103. Ampicillian, lots of fluids, and bed rest were all the Dr. could be do for the virus I'd come down with. So the best part of the cruise, for me, were the first few days. We have some great pictures and some stories that I'll share when I'm well. For now I just wanted to let everyone know we are back in the USA.

This past Monday the only thing I did was go to the doctor and get another round of antibiotics and a cough surup that did stop the coughing - and knocks me out. I made it through Wednesday and Thursday at work but Friday I was laid low again with coughing, fever and general hurting. Saturday and today I've remained inside and resting. I'm hoping tomorrow to be able to start out the work week right.

This is the whole post for now - goood night!

This is the same patio. I thought we had some snow right after Christmas but it has kept snowing and none of it is melting! This is the patio a few days ago!

I went out and finally got the snapshot of my snowbirds when they were knee deep in the real snow!But it has continued to snow and now they are almost buried!

Jack has been vigilant about keeping our driveway and sidewalks cleared (it's a law here that homeowneres have to have them cleared by 8 am). The mound of snow in our front yard won't be gone until JUNE!

When I got home from work today the three feet of snow that was on the roof now surrounds the house. Jack and his friend Steve got up there and knocked it all off.

Todays newpaper headlines were of three large buildings in downtown Klamath Falls that had their roofs cave in due to the weight of the snow on them. The Pine Street Safeway was evacuated and remains so tonight. The employees noticed the back loading doors bowing and strange noises were being heard. Nobody is taking chances right now!

Is there any doubt that we are ready for the Carribean?

It was wonderful to participate in a women's sweat this past Sunday. The snow was deep enough I wore my snowshoes to get there! It was very special to come out of the sweat lodge and be standing bare foot in the snow - steaming!

Life is so full of good experiences! I hope you are all enjoying what life has to offer you! One of my favorite sayings is "What I do today is important because I am choosing one day of my life to do it."

It's been a fruitful weekend. We brought home the last of what we wanted from Dad's house. The estate sales people are getting everything ready for a sale next weekend - if the weather permits!

I wrapped my fruit trees. We haven't seen the deer again but I want to be prepared ahead of time. It's a good thing I did that Saturday during a warm spell (40 degrees) because we had snow coming down sideways this afternoon and tonight. There is 5 inches of fresh snow on the ground right now. No telling what it'll be by tomorrow morning!

We've filled all the bird feeders for the hungry winged. We are seeing flickers, chicadee's, all kinds of finches, and sparrows at the feeders. Licorice loves watching the action from the various windows.

Jack and I got his clothes picked out and set aside for the cruise. I now have sea bands and meclizine tablets to combat sea sickness! Our dive logs have been located and put in the carry on...we're getting excited!

I've cooked twice this weekend! Dinner Saturday night and breakfast today! I didn't leave the house all day today. It was nice to just stay home!

About 1 am last night Jack woke me up - no riske story here!- to tell me there were 5 deer in our back yard AND they were snacking on our shrubs. The moon was bright so when the young forked horn streached his neck up to see what was in the birdfeeder outside out bedroom window I got a wonderful view of his profile. Sitting up in bed I could see a couple of other deer standing at the arborvida planted at the end of our patio. They are the first deer we've seen in our yard. They must be pretty hungry to brave the heavy dog scent around our house!

Jack asked if I minded if we just let the deer eat the shrubs...he didn't want to chase them off. I don't mind at all - I'm glad they have found them. Everything should have a purpose and seems like that is their's. Jack pulled down the blind in our room...so they could eat in privacy... and we went back to sleep.

When Jack got up at 5 am...his ususal get up time... he was surprized to find them all still here! He flipped the patio light on and stepped out and they still didn't leave. The little buck just looked at him.

Little Shilo stuck her head out the door and looked at the deer and then ducked back into the house!! She's only 1 1/2 and has never seen deer so we'll not snicker at her too much. She gets her feelings hurt really easy! I can just hear her saying "It's hard to be brave when you are small!" Since it was 2 degrees Jack didn't commune outside with the buck long.

From the livingroom window (ours faces into our backyard) Jack watched as one of the doe's pawed at the snow beneath the large apple tree at the far end of our yard. We didn't pick up the apples that had dropped this fall and now I'm glad we didn't. I'm sure they taste better than the evergreens!

They were gone when I got up at 6. The arborvida have been nicely trimmed down but the fruit trees we planted this summer seem to be untouched. I will be getting tree wrap and some fencing tomorrow. The trees will do fine as long as the deer don't de-bark them. If winter continues to keep snow on the ground they may be back to do that!

The three fruit trees were purchased with wedding gift certificates so they are doublely special! An apple, pear, and a plum!

It's Friday night so I stayed up late to post. Off to bed now! Tomorrow I'm off to Rite Aide to scope out the sea sickness remedies, then to the vet's for Mike to get his atheritis shot, and then to the gym! Getting ready for the cruise! 15 days away!

Oh,Oh meant to tell you all that Brett is safely back from his rock climbing vacation in Thailand. Evidently he took some falls but only left "alittle skin" behind. He also posted some pictures on flickr of his trip. You can find him under People 'evillordbrett'. Tisk tisk - as if he were!

He's doing some pretty awesome stuff from the looks of it! He went with his friend Marcus and spent about 10 days traveling around Thailand, climbing rock walls and celebrating New Years on the beach with a bucket of vodka.

He is planning the move from Japan to Thailand for this April. I hope to visit him there!

So many places to go and so little "vacation" to do it in!!!!

Love to you all!