10-26-2018, Redmond to Depoe Bay

Saturday morning sunrise promised the possibility of rain.  My bed was in the loft with a wonderful view of the sunrise.  That morning we would need to gather our stuff and the food and head out for the coast.  Sis #2 and her husband, Old BIL, were anxious to get to Mo's, a seafood diner they had visited on two previous trips to Oregon.

The loft area was located above the kitchen/dining and living area.  Sis #1, Sis #2 and Old BIL are early risers, like 5 AM.  I am not usually but when in Rome.  We were on the road by 9:30.  But not for long.  Not a potty break but a thirsty van.  I was surprised to see this old symbol of Sinclair in front of a service station.  And it was a service station not a pump your own petro place.  Oregon does not encourage pump your self gas stations.  That was quite the change for all of us.  Of course all 6 of us remembered when you never pumped your own gas.  Oil would be checked and windows cleaned for no extra charge and not tip expected.  That went away about 50 years ago in Texas.  Aaaah, the good old days.

We did not check out the Sisters Saloon and Ranch Grill since the goal was to get to the coast in time for a late lunch.  At Mo's.  Oyster shooters and a shrimp cocktail with more shrimp than you can eat were what we kept hearing from Old BIL.


We did not get very far before it was time to pull over to take advantage of a photo op or two.  First was an s overlook of Mt. Washington.  This area had experiences a forest fire at some point is evident in the picture.

Mt. Washington in background

 A couple of snaps of signs are always helpful for identification.

While we miss the beauty of the trees it is essential to keep a positive balance in the forest.













Next up was Youngest BIL's favorite venues, a big dam.  Gotta love a guy who made a good living by taking used parts for electric distribution equipment, refurbishing and reselling.  He loves power producing dams.

I chose not to make my #2 Sis crawl out of the van for me to crawl from the far back just to get photos.  So Y BIL was happy to take the photos.  His choice for a few of the photos were from a different perspective than mine would have been.

The reservoire, Detroit 

Opposite direction, the river

We have left the high desert behind as we cross over the Cascades.  We are traveling about 60 miles (95 km) south of where the Lewis and Clark expedition crossed the Cascades over 200 years earlier.  Looks like the folks that followed them have put quite a mark on the once pristine landscape.  Roads, dams and of course farms in this fertile soil.

Finally a sign selling the virtues of Mo's.  Old BIL has the scent of oyster shooters in his nose.  No stopping now till we reach that parking lot!  Good thing we paid to use that porta-potty a few miles back.  Mo's had a line but the wait was worth it.  The shrimp cocktail was crammed with about 2 cups of small shrimp.  Clam chowder and garlic toast were the perfect finish.

Our rooms for the night were a 1950's refurbished motel.  Clean but very spartan.  #2 Sis and BIL did not have power to the TV nor coffee pot.  Sis #4 and Y BIL had no TV sound on some stations.  Okay, let us just take a few minutes to rest and then go look at the beach areas.  We could see the Pacific Ocean from the parking lot.

Back in the van without all the suitcases seemed to give us all more room.  But who cared cause here is what we saw within 3 blocks of the motel.

 While at one overlook a friendly stranger noted there were whales in the bay.  Guess that is why the motel we were staying is names Whale Inn.  In just minutes I was able to get these shots.

Whale One:

Whale Two:

Whale Three was spotted from the van parked at a different location.  This was the first time Sis #2 had ever seen a whale.  Sis #4 was squealing every time the whales breached.  They appeared to be humpback to me.

Even though the sky was partially overcast the views were amazing.

Unfortunately at the next stop Sis #2 fell and bruised her arm and stressed her wrist.  The task then became getting to a store to get a brace for her wrist.  She would not hear of going to a walk in clinic.  She insisted we go ahead and stop at the light house that was on the way to the Walmart.   The sky began to clear somewhat giving 'sunspots' on the ocean.

Overlook at park where Sis #2 took her tumble

 By the time we reached the light house, the sky was just partly cloudy.  That lighthouse photo was taken through the back window.   A quick look around, bird photos and we were off to get the wrist brace.  By the time we returned to the Whale Inn it was time for a stiff drink.  The BIL's just wanted to go lie down.  We four sisters took off in the van to find a stiff drink.

 A great little place was located about a block away but we were too pooped to walk so loaded into the van, again.  That had to have been about the 30th time I had crawled in and out of that van on just this day.  There was a wait at the stiff drink place.  But the seats were soft.  We four attracted a lot of attention.  We had on our sister shirts.  One man asked if he could be our brother.  Other groups took photos.  Even though we were really tired it was still a fun time.  Eventually we did get our drinks and hor d vours (which we 4 country girls always call horse de veers cause we are silly).  You did not have to rock any of us to sleep that night.

10-25-2018, More Oregon Trip

Yesterday's post was a bit ahead of the order of things.  I arrived in Portland, Oregon, a day before the rest of the group.  The hotel I had chosen was just ok.  The restaurant left a lot to be desired.  but I was to meet the rest of the group at the airport the next morning so no biggie.  The area outside the hotel included a Japanese style garden complete with a small waterfall.  And a hardy hibiscus the same color I had in Missouri.  So out comes the camera and a snapshot.



The wait at the airport was fairly short.  Three of the five arrived in wheelchairs.  Yes, this is definitely an older group. The youngest of the bunch is Sis #4's hubby.  He goes to get the rental van and the rest just sit and people watch.  Probably the cutest people to watch was this little person.  That backpack!!!!

The group at Salty's

Once a van was located it was time to get 6 people and 8 suitcases/backpacks into the van.  But Youngest BIL did it just right.  And we were off to Redmond, Oregon.  No, we were on our way to a meal of seafood cause it had been a really long day.  A quick google and Salty's seafood it was.  And it was so good that when we returned to Portland for our return flights, we ate there again.  Salty's seafood had great Moscow Mules, too.  That made the 3.5 hour ride to Redmond much better.

The three hour plus ride took us from a lush landscape to a high desert.  Here are a few pix I snapped from the way back, third row seat of a mini van.  And BTW with 4 people over 70 with some taking diuretics the 3.5 hour trip was broken into about hour segments.  Back to the views.

Mt. Jefferson

As we were drawing near our destination we came up on a gash in the earth.  Flat land, flat land and 300 foot deep gash with bridges to cross it.  Crooked River is at the bottom the gash.  There was a park and restrooms.  Peter Skene Ogden State Park was a perfect stopping place.

Sis #4 and Youngest BIL

Back on the road and we let either Siri or Google or one of those guidance thingies take us to our destination.  Well, that did not work so well as it took only the back roads, took us in a couple of circles and we finally had to stop and ask.  We arrived, unloaded and checked out the place.  The deck overlooked the golf course and there were deer wandering around on the course. 

A not so quick trip to the grocery store for supplies for breakfasts and our dinners.  Sis 4 and I decided not to have to cook so we stopped for a pizza.  It was a 24" and lasted for most of the next 4 days.  The other good thing about the trip to the grocery store was we found the quick way to get to the main highway, not the round about route from the map programs.  That was the end of day one and since I have already written about day 2, maybe I'll do day three tomorrow.  See you then.

10-24-2018 Really, nothing

Oh, my goodness.  You probably think I am dead or have been sick.  None of the above though I am still dealing with all those pesky tendon issues.  Nope, just have not had much to say.  That may not be the complete truth cause I have been muttering to myself quite a lot these days.  I am just so tired of the constant edge of disaster news, emails and tweets.  I did a little door to door leaving info about one of my preferred candidates.  I have voted so there is little else I can do.  Now let us move on to what the fun things are I have been doing over the last say 6 weeks.

 The September trip to Sisters, Oregon for a great niece's wedding was really wonderful.   My three sisters, two of the husbands and I spent about 6 days traveling in Oregon.  Of course the wedding was the Big Event that included surprising the bride with her grandfather's presence.  He had some heart issues a few weeks before the wedding so the doctors initially said he could not travel.  Eventually the tests showed he had improved enough to share the day.  Here are a few snaps from the moment of her arrival for group photos and her surprise.

My sister, Suzie, nephew, Steve, BIL and surprise, Royce and the gasping bride.

Now you made me mess up my makeup, Papa.

Bride's sister, Sydney (also, my great niece) their step father and The Twins.

These two boys kept several of us occupied keeping them out of the ponds and streams that surrounded the patio!

Post wedding and reception fuzzy photo.  Groom, Chris, is seated next to my sis.  Back is Meagan, Steve & Wanda

Prior to the wedding there was time for #4 Sis, her hubby and I to do a little tour of the Sisters area of Oregon.  The older folks stayed at the house to rest from the previous day's travels.  We went looking for a big dam that was supposed to be nearby cause my BIL loves dams.  His business is about power distribution.  Any who the dam he found on the internet was not the one nearby.  The nearby one was just an earthen dam about 20 feet high.  Oops.  But around the corner, less than a mile we found this vineyard and winery!

 Behind the main buildins was a fabulous garden.  Man made pond and trickling stream was the perfect place to sit and enjoy the beautiful afternoon.  Of course we each had to have a flight of wines to taste.  One must never drink on an empty tummy and it was 1:30 by this time!

Those two peaks in the distance are the Sisters volcanoes.

By the time we wandered around the garden one last time it was time to head back to primp for the wedding.  I'll share more with you tomorrow as there was lots to see during this special time with my sisters in Sisters, Oregon.

Sisters in order of birth, 1936, 1940, 1946 and 1954.  You do the math.

Me, too, 9-28-2018

I have been almost paralyzed this week.  Paralyzed by memories.  Memories of being 11 years old and my body developing sooner than most of my friends.  With the onset of menses the spring of 1956 by the fall of 1957 I had begun wearing bras.  On this particular day I was wearing a corduroy jumper dress with a long sleeved blouse.  This outfit had been made by my Mom.  It was the '50s so my skirt was well below my knees.  Walking down the hall I was surrounded by about 3 boys.  The held me and managed to unfasten my bra through all that material.  I was embarrassed and bewildered.  While the boys had paid attention to me it was not in a way I liked.  I did not tell anyone and I do not know why.

In the guise of 'teaching the facts of life' my father molested me from the time Mom went to work in 1958 till I left home in July of 1965.  Not gonna give any more of the details.  During an overnight visit to a friends home I was awakened by a man fondling my breasts and touching me.  He constantly said it was ok just do not make a noise.  A later to my parents home he raped me.  Whispering, "I'm fixed do you will not get pregnant.  Now keep quite."

Again, I did as told.  I never fought.  But the 61 years since the beginning of the incidents has been filled with self loathing.  Decades were filled with nightmares, suicidal thoughts and threats.  Of course there was so much therapy.  In 2002 I was diagnosed with PTSD and treated with a reprocessing of the scenes.  I would give the details of the events.  A therapy treatment of eye movement and relaxation and then I would recite the details.  Only this time I would yell or do what ever I wished I had done at the time of the incident.

And then the uproar over Brett Kavanaugh's Senate Judicial Committee hearings.  I cannot will not watch on purpose.  I avoid the facebook posts that say it has been 30 years, why did she wait so long.  Well, considering the hell she is being put through now just imagine what it would have been like following the initial incident.  Victim blaming is not new.  Just read the Bible.  All I can say is I am not a victim.  I am a survivor.  So are all the other women that have been subjected to the unwanted grab to the unwanted penetration and have lived . . . in silence and misplaced shame.  Like it was my fault to be walking down a hall with breasts I did not ask for; or just being a daughter alone with a father while the mother was at work.  Sleeping in a bed at a friends home.  Just being a female.   

Then there are the young boys that have been bullied and raped as a rite of passage by older boys.  I do not have an answer to all this except to say this.  Do not teach your boys that this is okay by saying you do not believe.  By saying well it will ruin the rapist's life if we punish him for just being a boy following his nature.  We cannot continue with this and expect the world to be any safer for any of us.

September 5, 2018

My brain and fingers still want to write 19## like that part of my brain has not accepted that we are 18 19 years past that time.  But that was not what I have been thinking about.  Yesterday was Hubby's 78th birthday.  Seventy eight.  Wow, he was 3 weeks shy of 26 when I opened that apartment door to find him standing outside about to knock on the door.  There have been good years, there have been less than good years.  One year that we were certain was the end of all we had hoped to build together.

1959, Hubby

With Hubby's birthday and my 72nd to follow in 3 months, I have been thinking and evaluating my place in life. Part of that evaluation has been categorizing different life phases, especially during our marriage.  Several if not most of our years together were dedicated to gathering and building.  We purchased property on which we later built a house that we made a home.  We purchased furniture some of which we still use on a daily basis.  We hoped to have a family of 2 or 3 children.  Life chose we have one very special son in 1973.

October, 1973, Son

Hubby standing on base for foundation, 1969.

We sold that first house and moved to a different state in 1975.  We lived in Hubby's home town and took over the family business.  The thriving business experienced problems under my management.  That coupled with the changing repair business becoming a throwaway and buy inexpensively from WalMart saw the doors close permanently in 1985.  By that time Hubby and I were working for a company located about 35 miles from this second home.

Still have that picture, table and some of the decor.

During those years we were still in gathering and building mode.  Building friendships and family ties.  We worked in the church, we followed Son's school activities and we even were den parents for Scouts for a few years.  That home on Hadley Street that seemed to be in constant renovation served as a gathering place for our extended families.  Nearby cousins and uncles as well at the Kansas crew sat at table for Thanksgiving.  What excitement when we blew a fuse while part of the meal was still cooking.  By moving some portable cookers to other rooms we still managed a meal by 1:00 PM.

Floating Flat Creek

We added a full bath to the back room of that house.  That is the one where I promised God if I ever got that foil wall paper hung I would never buy foil paper again.  I finished it and never did buy any more of that type of paper again even though it looked smashing.  That was Son's bedroom which still had the space based wall covering on it when we moved in  February, 1993.  Even though there were many changes in the house, garage, yard and large outbuilding, I never felt it was complete.  Never finished the basement.  Never had the hall bath updated the way I wanted.  Those were the only two things, though.  Because we lived in that home while our Son grew from a toddler to a college junior,  he will always think of the red house on the hill as his home.

Hadley house before we painted red.

Senior photo of Son, 1991

The home we moved to in '93 was to be the last we owned.  It was unfinished when we purchased.  A new build so we could pick colors and customize for our likes.  We had a doorway opened and another narrowed.  Cabinets built differently than in the original plan.  Bookshelves added and flooring added in the attic for storage.  Carpet upgrades and decided to save $ by us putting up the wallpaper.  It took about 225 rolls of paper and borders to get the 'look' I wanted.  That cost a trip to the doctor for injections for what was determined to be tendinitis in my right forearm from overuse.  Tendinitis from overuse seems to be a constant theme in my life.  Wink, smile.  (Fighting adductor tendinitis today.  Should had not been doing 500 vine steps, only about 40.)

Digging the pond at Edgewood home.

Pond, 2013

While I had always had flower gardens in the different homes, the house on Edgewood was the most extensive.  Those of you who have followed my blog have seen photos of the yard.   And that yard was what proved to be the one thing that became more than I could maintain.  You see, one can build and build.  Gather and gather but eventually it becomes maintenance.  If you have managed to accumulate enough money you can pay someone to do the work.  I had not.  I knew I could not rebuild that flagstone walkway one more time if the moles damaged it once more.  Couple the advancing years for Hubby and I with three grandsons and Son living too far away to visit for dinner, it became time to quit gathering and building.

Edgewood backyard days before moving.

Gotta keep Son's wagon.

Last look at the walk the moles kept digging up

In 2013 we began the new part of our life, dispersing and letting go.  We had done some of this as we had realized we did not need more stuff when we had cleaned out our parents homes of 50 years.  That is when we started one in one or two out.  You cannot purchase something unless you already know what you are letting go.  That is a huge mindset change after decades of gathering and building.  Five years into living in half the space of our home, we still require storage units for the stuff we use.  And the stuff we cherish like the rocker of Hubby's grandpa.  The bed my mom bought me in 1963.  Family photos and keepsakes.  Decorations for different holidays.  Hubby's Jeep hardtop and doors.  A bicycle.  Hubby's dad's ham radio.  Stuff that not only we gathered but our parents and their parents before them.

Moving day, 10/30/2018

Today, the day following Hubby's 78 birthday, I sit here nursing my stupid leg.  It was doing better and then I walked without a cane.  I climbed on a one step stool to put some decor away after Son's party.  No longer gathering or building.  Just trying to keep myself healthy.  Working to remain mobile and upright.  Being near to Son, DIL and their family.  Spending time with my sisters.  Working to build relationships with the now 5 grand kids.  To give them that love that helps them have the solid foundation for their time of gathering and building.

Confirmation, 4/22/2018, Hubby, Son and grandsons

Bonus Grands,
Brother and sister, her prom, 5/2018

DIL and granddaughter