Way back in March our good friends Dennis & Margene Taylor graciously fulfilled Victor's "I've had enough of the cold" longing to go to the beach. We once again got to spend time with them at their cute round house on the ever-shifting sands of San Felipe, Mexico. I was in an exhausted place and found that I probably was not very good company. Margene had made the mistake of having the "Hunger Games" Trilogy beside the bed at their home in Corona, California. So I just wanted to sit and read. (Needed to catch up on vols. 2 & 3 in anticipation of the November movie release) Or I just wanted to sit and sleep. Or sit and play Canasta. And the worst part is that I got home and found that even though I had more seashells (which is one of the great joys of their beach), I didn't have a single photo!!!! But as always they are generous and kind and just let us be our quiet selves! Good place to go in the early Spring when you want to warm up the old bones. We also got together with our friends/fellow Senior Missionaries, the Browns, for dinner and a Canasta game before we left for Mexico. Such good people!
This is a photo from when we were there in Nov. of 2010, just so you can see why it is so inviting.
Opened up the Cabin again officially April Conference weekend. You never know what you will find after a long winter close-down. We have arrived to find three feet of snow; we've arrived to find only the wall of snowmelt behind the cabin from where it falls off the roof. But this year we arrived to find no snow whatsoever!! THAT was a little worrisome to feel we would have a drought year ahead of us! Still pretty chilly, but delightful to be back at my special place after so many months!! Victor turned on the sprinklers and we had fun making and looking at the unique ice formations made from letting the hose run all night!
This is one of my favorite pictures. I had never seen my chicken wire form a pretty icicle curtain before!!
.jpg)
Individual twigs and leaves each make a unique sculpture. It is fun to hear shards of ice falling or cracking as the morning sun hits and the ice begins to melt!
.jpg)
Conference watching time is usually also pedicure time. Ethan felt like he wanted to help put lotion on his mom's feet. He was so intent and patient about it that we loved watching him!
In the first week of May we had planned a trip to Logan, Utah. I had given Victor a Bed & Breakfast getaway last Christmas, but when we got news of Julie's death and her services in Oregon we could see that we weren't going to be able to work that in and still get to Oregon. So instead we changed our plans to go up through Nevada, stopping overnight at Nathan & Colleens in Twin Falls , then did an overnight-er in Boise to see Mildred and the Hunts before we went on to Oregon. Becky and her three kids went with us - and considering how tight that made vehicle travel - we were pleased with how well everyone did with long hours in the car. Grateful that the Tundra is so spacious.
Nathan & Colleen's beautiful spring flowers!
Left Twin Falls. Left Boise & started the long journey on to Portland.
Not many places to stop on I-84 at the time of day we were passing through, but we had to try the well-advertised "Bozo Burger" joint (aka C & D drive in). It was just OK in my opinion
As we neared Portland I was excited to once again get to go through the Columbia River Gorge. It was glorious in its early spring splendor! We decided to take the little side-trip across the river to the miniature "Stonehenge" which was built by a private citizen as a monument to soldiers.
View from inside the circle
.jpg)
The view of the river and gorge is breathtaking from between the columns. (Near Marysville, WA)
.jpg)
Gives you an idea of the height of the columns
We spent several days in Portland with Jim and Elaine. It was also a reunion to see cousins we hadn't seen for a very long time. We were so impressed with how Jim and Elaine's children just dropped their work assignments and came to spend days & nights on end with their parents to help with the process of sorting out the million details of an unexpected death. Julie had been in the process of moving on the weekend of her death so two apartments had to be cleaned out, in addition to all the process of buying a plot and arranging for a funeral and housing out of town guests, etc.
One of Julie's team mates from her Montana team rallied all her team mates from high school and college to come attend the services. Once Jim and Elaine learned this (that it would be over 100 people) they arranged to have a gathering time in the cultural hall right after the funeral services so they could meet all of Julie's friends they didn't know very well. I have never seen so many tall girls in one room before in my life!!
Jim and Elaine found a quiet little cemetery not far from their home where they bought plots for themselves and for Julie.
The last time I saw Julie was March of last year when she joined Elaine & Jim and Aunt Pat and Victor and me for lunch in downtown Oregon. We had a wonderful visit and she seemed to love her job as an Unltrasound Technician! She was the favorite aunt to all the little Deming grandchildren.
So thankful we had this time together!!
.JPG)
We left Portland in the evening and drove through the night so that Becky's kids would sleep better in the car. Arrived back at Twin Falls about 4 a.m. This time we stayed a few days to help Nathan celebrate his birthday.
Aria had fun getting to know her cousin Gideon, but mostly she liked all their new toys & kid-friendly chairs!
Gideon was at the drooling stage
We went to a favorite Italian restaurant in Twin Falls that serves fun family meal choices. These two can eat their weight in olive oil dipped bread & green salad!
Popcorn & movie night was extra fun. Nathan & Colleen are making their way through a 50 lb. bag of popcorn!
Three generations of people who eat popcorn with their tongue!! NO!! The whole point is to get to lick nice buttery fingers!!
No comments:
Post a Comment