BC still won't have anything to do with the travel carrier, but he is enamored with running water.
Monday, August 22, 2005
Water, water, water
Cat news:
BC still won't have anything to do with the travel carrier, but he is enamored with running water.
BC still won't have anything to do with the travel carrier, but he is enamored with running water.
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Abby is ready!
Yesterday we purchased the travel carriers for the cats. So far, BC has shunned both of them as though they were some kind of contagious disease. LOL! Abby, however, has chosen hers and thinks it's okay.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Showing Respect
Note: you'll have to forgive the quality of the pics as my camera doesn't do well in dusk or night time lighting, plus two of the pics were taken as we drove past.
Last night Mr. Retired and I went out to dinner and found ourselves on the outskirts of a demonstration. A mini one by comparison to what takes place in many cities, but a demonstration none the less. I've been on the outskirts of several demonstrations over the years. I was in Chicago during the anti-war march that resulted in the "Chicago Seven" trial. Now that was flat out scary! I've been close to labor union demonstrations in both Chicago and San Francisco. I've been in San Francisco during various political demonstrations, and none of them were really fun experiences; so to stumble upon a demonstration in my town was more than a bit unnerving.
What prompted the demonstration?
This town is home to the woman sitting outside President Bush's ranch. While I don't agree with her stand, I'm thankful that I live in a country where she has the right to protest and not be thrown in jail. I'm thankful that I live in a country where those who support her, as well as those who oppose her, are allowed to stand on the sidewalks with flags and signs and express their viewpoints. I'm thankful I live in a town where the reaction was peaceful. No fights, no violence, just quiet discussions, lots of horn honking, and lots of flag waving.
One local paper said 250 people attended. I'd guess that 2/3 of those where the pro-Bush/pro-military supporters. They lined both sides of the street in front of city hall and the Veteran's Memorial--a fitting place for them to stand, in my opinion. In the 30 min. I was there all the horn honking and support was for the pro-Bush/pro-military supporters--also very fitting considering we are home to many of the personnel stationed at Travis AFB.
No matter how many were there on either side, it still stirred my heart to see the flag held high, to see folks showing respect to each other, and to see people willing to stand and show the rest of the city where they stand and what they believe. God bless them all!
Last night Mr. Retired and I went out to dinner and found ourselves on the outskirts of a demonstration. A mini one by comparison to what takes place in many cities, but a demonstration none the less. I've been on the outskirts of several demonstrations over the years. I was in Chicago during the anti-war march that resulted in the "Chicago Seven" trial. Now that was flat out scary! I've been close to labor union demonstrations in both Chicago and San Francisco. I've been in San Francisco during various political demonstrations, and none of them were really fun experiences; so to stumble upon a demonstration in my town was more than a bit unnerving.
What prompted the demonstration?
This town is home to the woman sitting outside President Bush's ranch. While I don't agree with her stand, I'm thankful that I live in a country where she has the right to protest and not be thrown in jail. I'm thankful that I live in a country where those who support her, as well as those who oppose her, are allowed to stand on the sidewalks with flags and signs and express their viewpoints. I'm thankful I live in a town where the reaction was peaceful. No fights, no violence, just quiet discussions, lots of horn honking, and lots of flag waving.
One local paper said 250 people attended. I'd guess that 2/3 of those where the pro-Bush/pro-military supporters. They lined both sides of the street in front of city hall and the Veteran's Memorial--a fitting place for them to stand, in my opinion. In the 30 min. I was there all the horn honking and support was for the pro-Bush/pro-military supporters--also very fitting considering we are home to many of the personnel stationed at Travis AFB.
No matter how many were there on either side, it still stirred my heart to see the flag held high, to see folks showing respect to each other, and to see people willing to stand and show the rest of the city where they stand and what they believe. God bless them all!
Something lovely to view
This ...
(you can click for a larger image)
is what we see out our front windows. Charming, isn't it? In 3 days it has traveled from the street to the sidewalk, to the bushes and now in front of our neighbors fence. The local Big Lots store has been called--to no avail.
Wonder how long it will stay? Will it still be here when we move? Will it rust in the winter rain? Will it eventually become home to trash bags and clutter? Let's hope not.
(you can click for a larger image)is what we see out our front windows. Charming, isn't it? In 3 days it has traveled from the street to the sidewalk, to the bushes and now in front of our neighbors fence. The local Big Lots store has been called--to no avail.
Wonder how long it will stay? Will it still be here when we move? Will it rust in the winter rain? Will it eventually become home to trash bags and clutter? Let's hope not.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
It has begun!
Crook News—this is too big to save for last.
Note from our realtor, sent Tuesday, 8/16:
Hook News:
Edging frogged and restarted. Since I'm starting from the beginning, I changed it. I like the change better than what I had, so there was a reason I messed up. ;-) (see below)
My hooks are no longer a dilemma. The Susan Bates (from 1974) I use all the time (both yarn and thread), as well as my Rosewood hooks will travel with me. The balance of my collection I will entrust to the movers.
Crook news continued:
The hall closet is cleaned out. Well, my portion is. LOL! With the exception of 4 jackets, the rest of the stuff crammed in there is Mr. Retired's. HA! It will take him a month of Sunday's to be able to part with those jackets and such.
A Purpose for Everything:
Note from our realtor, sent Tuesday, 8/16:
Tim has cleared the lot and they chaulked the foundation out today.Whoo-Hoo! It has begun! I so wish we were there to watch, but we'll be there soon enough. :)
Hook News:
Edging frogged and restarted. Since I'm starting from the beginning, I changed it. I like the change better than what I had, so there was a reason I messed up. ;-) (see below)
My hooks are no longer a dilemma. The Susan Bates (from 1974) I use all the time (both yarn and thread), as well as my Rosewood hooks will travel with me. The balance of my collection I will entrust to the movers.
Crook news continued:
The hall closet is cleaned out. Well, my portion is. LOL! With the exception of 4 jackets, the rest of the stuff crammed in there is Mr. Retired's. HA! It will take him a month of Sunday's to be able to part with those jackets and such.
A Purpose for Everything:
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:...Emphasis is mine. As I frogged and redid the edging on my blanket, these verses went through my head. If you read all of Ecclesiastes 3, you'll find there is much more depth to God's Word than I'm sharing here. Maybe you'll find comfort in knowing there is always a reason for what takes place in your life. I often find I don't see the reasons, but I can find peace in knowing that God knows the reason, and He is in control. I hope He is in control of your life.
a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;”—Ecclesiastes 3:1,7, KJV.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
The hook dilemma
Hook news:
HA! I really should know better than to crochet when I'm tired. Last night I was on the end of the 3rd side of 2nd round of the edging (are you still with me? hehehe), when I found a mistake on the first round! *groan * So tonight, if I'm alert, I have to frog all the way back ... and if I'm going to frog that far, I might as well go back to that first mistake that I already knew about, and fix the whole darn thing. Guess this won't be in the mail on Thursday. Oh well.
This morning I was working on packing more crochet stuff—gads I was sure I'd given most of this away! I must have had more “stuff” than I realized. Har Har Har! Now I'm fixing a plastic tub of “go away from me” crochet stuff. LOL! I'll offer this tub to freecycle.
I've set aside 2 projects I want to work on after we move. Those I'll mail to myself so that they are in Oregon, and not in storage. My hooks are a dilemma for me, though. Do I find a place to put them in my luggage, thus possibly leaving something else behind? Do I mail them and risk their being lost? Do I store them and risk them being damaged? What to do, what to do.
Crook news:
Today I was shredding all the junk mail. I am careful to make sure there isn't anything metal, no staples, etc ... but I guess I wasn't careful enough because there was certainly something in the one car ad. You know the ad:
Joyce and Ethel
I've been pondering how to transport “Joyce” and “Ethel”. “Joyce” was my mom's houseplant and by some miracle it survived while I cleaned out her house, so I brought it home and named it “Joyce” after my mom. It's taken almost 5 years for her to really grow big and healthy. Now she needs some pruning. I refuse to leave her behind—even if it means she rides the 12 hours to Oregon wedged between my feet on the front seat of the car.
“Ethel” is an ivy plant - I forget what kind, but it's an indoor ivy with the tiny little leaves. Really pretty. She's another miracle (since I kill everything that I come in contact with), and I'd like to take her as well ... but since she's only a year old and there isn't this emotional bond, I'd give her to someone around here if need be.
Mover!
We have one! Praise God! No problem with them storing our things if we can't find a rental until right away. Plus, they are one of the few military approved movers in our area, and with Travis AFB just 11 miles away, that's a good recommendation all on it's own. Now we just need that rental unit in Oregon.
HA! I really should know better than to crochet when I'm tired. Last night I was on the end of the 3rd side of 2nd round of the edging (are you still with me? hehehe), when I found a mistake on the first round! *groan * So tonight, if I'm alert, I have to frog all the way back ... and if I'm going to frog that far, I might as well go back to that first mistake that I already knew about, and fix the whole darn thing. Guess this won't be in the mail on Thursday. Oh well.
This morning I was working on packing more crochet stuff—gads I was sure I'd given most of this away! I must have had more “stuff” than I realized. Har Har Har! Now I'm fixing a plastic tub of “go away from me” crochet stuff. LOL! I'll offer this tub to freecycle.
I've set aside 2 projects I want to work on after we move. Those I'll mail to myself so that they are in Oregon, and not in storage. My hooks are a dilemma for me, though. Do I find a place to put them in my luggage, thus possibly leaving something else behind? Do I mail them and risk their being lost? Do I store them and risk them being damaged? What to do, what to do.
Crook news:
Today I was shredding all the junk mail. I am careful to make sure there isn't anything metal, no staples, etc ... but I guess I wasn't careful enough because there was certainly something in the one car ad. You know the ad:
You've been chosen out of everyone in your town for a really special deal!Yeah right! Well, whatever was stuck in that advertisement is now jammed in the top of my shredder. In trying to remove it using reverse, I managed to dent the top of the shredder, 2 of the blades are busted and now if I plug it in, it runs and runs—really fast—and within a few seconds the motor smells like it's burning up. It's now in the trash and we'll have to buy another shredder – and leave it behind no less!
Joyce and Ethel
I've been pondering how to transport “Joyce” and “Ethel”. “Joyce” was my mom's houseplant and by some miracle it survived while I cleaned out her house, so I brought it home and named it “Joyce” after my mom. It's taken almost 5 years for her to really grow big and healthy. Now she needs some pruning. I refuse to leave her behind—even if it means she rides the 12 hours to Oregon wedged between my feet on the front seat of the car.
“Ethel” is an ivy plant - I forget what kind, but it's an indoor ivy with the tiny little leaves. Really pretty. She's another miracle (since I kill everything that I come in contact with), and I'd like to take her as well ... but since she's only a year old and there isn't this emotional bond, I'd give her to someone around here if need be.
Mover!
We have one! Praise God! No problem with them storing our things if we can't find a rental until right away. Plus, they are one of the few military approved movers in our area, and with Travis AFB just 11 miles away, that's a good recommendation all on it's own. Now we just need that rental unit in Oregon.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
A Symphony of Praise
Hook News
Yes, there is crochet news at long last. LOL! Last night I actually picked up my hook and started working on the edging to the baby afghan I'm working on. I was concerned that after 13 days away, my tension would be wacky, but it's not and all is well. I have a mistake in the beginning of the second round—but I'm not gonna fix it. After all, only God is perfect. :)
Crook News
Friday I packed up all my books. I think that was harder then sorting through them and giving away so many of them. But it's done. On my book shelf now are 2 books for my sister-in-law, and the 5 books I hope to read over the next few months. I'm probably being too ambitious in my reading selections, but I can always pack up the few that are left and take them with me.
Yesterday Mr. Retired and I packed up our biblical library. We have tons of study books and such, and since we've read them they now need a new home. We posted at note on the local freecycle list and were contacted by the wife of one of the “Growth Group” leaders at a nearby church. She is coming tomorrow to take all the study books, tapes and song books for her church to use. It is nice to know they are going to a church that holds to the same doctrinal beliefs that we do. :)
Today I'm working on packing all my quilting stuff. I've got almost all of it corralled in one place. It will be nice once we are in our new home and I have a room for my things again. No more storing here and there. My serger is packed and ready to go to storage until we get into our house; but my sewing machine will hopefully travel with us to our rental home.
A Symphony of Praise
I also own volume 1 of this series, as well as the two “Hymnworks” CD's. They all feature Linda McKechnie on the piano. Truly a talented lady, blessed by God in so many ways. Someday I'd like to own all her CD's. You can check out her website for more information and news.
Yes, there is crochet news at long last. LOL! Last night I actually picked up my hook and started working on the edging to the baby afghan I'm working on. I was concerned that after 13 days away, my tension would be wacky, but it's not and all is well. I have a mistake in the beginning of the second round—but I'm not gonna fix it. After all, only God is perfect. :)
Crook News
Friday I packed up all my books. I think that was harder then sorting through them and giving away so many of them. But it's done. On my book shelf now are 2 books for my sister-in-law, and the 5 books I hope to read over the next few months. I'm probably being too ambitious in my reading selections, but I can always pack up the few that are left and take them with me.
Yesterday Mr. Retired and I packed up our biblical library. We have tons of study books and such, and since we've read them they now need a new home. We posted at note on the local freecycle list and were contacted by the wife of one of the “Growth Group” leaders at a nearby church. She is coming tomorrow to take all the study books, tapes and song books for her church to use. It is nice to know they are going to a church that holds to the same doctrinal beliefs that we do. :)
Today I'm working on packing all my quilting stuff. I've got almost all of it corralled in one place. It will be nice once we are in our new home and I have a room for my things again. No more storing here and there. My serger is packed and ready to go to storage until we get into our house; but my sewing machine will hopefully travel with us to our rental home.
A Symphony of Praise
“Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.”—Psalms 33:1-3, KJV.While I type this, I'm sitting here listening to “Symphony of Praise, Volume 2”. A wonderful CD of music that blends classical music with hymns and always leaves my heart happy. My favorite piece from this CD is “Because He Lives with 1812 Overture by Tschaikowsky”. You can hear an MP3 sample here.
I also own volume 1 of this series, as well as the two “Hymnworks” CD's. They all feature Linda McKechnie on the piano. Truly a talented lady, blessed by God in so many ways. Someday I'd like to own all her CD's. You can check out her website for more information and news.
Saturday, August 13, 2005
Once they were lost
But now they are found!
Today I decided to clean the bottom book shelf in the computer room and either toss or pack the stuff that was there. There were 2 paper grocery bags in front of the shelf unit, both filled with give away items. I moved the bags and there sitting on it's side was my fudge pan. It was in a box of things I'd gone through a few weeks back and I guess it slipped behind the bags without my noticing it. Anyhow, I picked it up and *gasp* there -- right there inside the fudge pan -- was my missing NT and my travel Bible. Oh joy!!!!!!!!
They are both now back in my night stand where I know they are safe and sound. Come time to move, they are going in the luggage -- with me. :)
I'm sure there's a lesson in here somewhere, but since I'm not seeing it -- I think I'm going to repeat it until I learn. LOL!
Today I decided to clean the bottom book shelf in the computer room and either toss or pack the stuff that was there. There were 2 paper grocery bags in front of the shelf unit, both filled with give away items. I moved the bags and there sitting on it's side was my fudge pan. It was in a box of things I'd gone through a few weeks back and I guess it slipped behind the bags without my noticing it. Anyhow, I picked it up and *gasp* there -- right there inside the fudge pan -- was my missing NT and my travel Bible. Oh joy!!!!!!!!
They are both now back in my night stand where I know they are safe and sound. Come time to move, they are going in the luggage -- with me. :)
I'm sure there's a lesson in here somewhere, but since I'm not seeing it -- I think I'm going to repeat it until I learn. LOL!
Friday, August 12, 2005
What one starts, one should finish; or...
Fuelish me.
Wednesday was the last day of our trip. Woke up to fog, fog, fog. Wonderful. :) Went to a lovely pancake place in Brookings for breakfast and couldn't find a parking spot. That's always a good sign, and we weren't disappointed—had a great breakfast, in fact it was the best of the trip.
Our drive down from Brookings was wonderful. Temps in the mid-60's, and fog mingled with moments of sunshine. Totally grand! There were spots where the fog was literally shooting UP the side of the coastal mountain and climbing up to the sky. Other places where it was wafting across the road like big puffs of smoke.
Eventually we reached the Oregon/California border and the dredded “Inspection Station”! Not to worry, no plants, no fruit ... and no inspection! The Inspector was too busy standing over on the side chatting with another state employee—ah yes, my tax dollars at work. Whatever. LOL!
I admit to shedding a few tears as we crossed the border. I so wanted to go back to Waldport. *sigh, sigh, sigh* Well, nothing to be done about it other than be a good girl and come back here to “Heatsville” and pack.
We caught Hwy. 299 in McKinleyville, and traveled across to I-5. Some beautiful sights, and boy was it HOT! We got caught in 4 road repair traffic jams, but none of them were very long.
We had a late lunch (3:15pm) in Weaverville at a little “mom and pop” type diner. Food was great, even if it was 104 outside!
After reaching I-5, we gassed up in Red Bluff. Now here's where it gets fuelish. You see, Mr. Retired started the process, but I finished it so he could wash the front window. Problem is, I apparently had left my marbles in Oregon and I did something FOOLISH. I failed to put the gas cap back in place. So off we go, we hear this “clunk”, and wonder what it is. About 300 ft down the on ramp, I realize what it is! We stop, I check and ... yup ... cap is gone.
Mr. Retired backs up, scraps car on one of those plastic reflectors on the side of the road. He stops car and walks back to get gas cap. No cap. :( No choice but to head for our house and hope for the best. Only thing is we wasted almost an hour, so it was fairly late when we got to our house. It was still quite hot when we got here too.
When we come in the house, the cats are upset. They have no water, and the house reaks of dirty litter. Apparently our housesitter scooped out the litter pans, but never changed them. Well, in 10 days those babies were starting to walk. ;-) We spent time loving the kitties, we fed and watered them, cleaned the litter pans and showered.
I also had to take the time to call our one credit card company. We managed to misplace Mr. Retired's piece of plastic. Luckily, no charges on the acct. The company cancelled and is sending us new cards. Of course, late yesterday I finally found the errant card ... but by then it was too late. Oh well. ;-)
Tried to stay up and catch the 11pm news, but I was too tired. I hit the bed and thought, “Gads, this is harder than the floor.” LOL! We've always slept on a very firm mattress, but we got spoiled on our vacation and now we want a softer mattress. Guess we'll have to break down and buy a topper to use until we move. ;-)
Anyhow, that's the trip home, and now you know how fuelish (or foolish) I can be. LOL!
Wednesday was the last day of our trip. Woke up to fog, fog, fog. Wonderful. :) Went to a lovely pancake place in Brookings for breakfast and couldn't find a parking spot. That's always a good sign, and we weren't disappointed—had a great breakfast, in fact it was the best of the trip.
Our drive down from Brookings was wonderful. Temps in the mid-60's, and fog mingled with moments of sunshine. Totally grand! There were spots where the fog was literally shooting UP the side of the coastal mountain and climbing up to the sky. Other places where it was wafting across the road like big puffs of smoke.
Eventually we reached the Oregon/California border and the dredded “Inspection Station”! Not to worry, no plants, no fruit ... and no inspection! The Inspector was too busy standing over on the side chatting with another state employee—ah yes, my tax dollars at work. Whatever. LOL!
I admit to shedding a few tears as we crossed the border. I so wanted to go back to Waldport. *sigh, sigh, sigh* Well, nothing to be done about it other than be a good girl and come back here to “Heatsville” and pack.
We caught Hwy. 299 in McKinleyville, and traveled across to I-5. Some beautiful sights, and boy was it HOT! We got caught in 4 road repair traffic jams, but none of them were very long.
We had a late lunch (3:15pm) in Weaverville at a little “mom and pop” type diner. Food was great, even if it was 104 outside!
After reaching I-5, we gassed up in Red Bluff. Now here's where it gets fuelish. You see, Mr. Retired started the process, but I finished it so he could wash the front window. Problem is, I apparently had left my marbles in Oregon and I did something FOOLISH. I failed to put the gas cap back in place. So off we go, we hear this “clunk”, and wonder what it is. About 300 ft down the on ramp, I realize what it is! We stop, I check and ... yup ... cap is gone.
Mr. Retired backs up, scraps car on one of those plastic reflectors on the side of the road. He stops car and walks back to get gas cap. No cap. :( No choice but to head for our house and hope for the best. Only thing is we wasted almost an hour, so it was fairly late when we got to our house. It was still quite hot when we got here too.
When we come in the house, the cats are upset. They have no water, and the house reaks of dirty litter. Apparently our housesitter scooped out the litter pans, but never changed them. Well, in 10 days those babies were starting to walk. ;-) We spent time loving the kitties, we fed and watered them, cleaned the litter pans and showered.
I also had to take the time to call our one credit card company. We managed to misplace Mr. Retired's piece of plastic. Luckily, no charges on the acct. The company cancelled and is sending us new cards. Of course, late yesterday I finally found the errant card ... but by then it was too late. Oh well. ;-)
Tried to stay up and catch the 11pm news, but I was too tired. I hit the bed and thought, “Gads, this is harder than the floor.” LOL! We've always slept on a very firm mattress, but we got spoiled on our vacation and now we want a softer mattress. Guess we'll have to break down and buy a topper to use until we move. ;-)
Anyhow, that's the trip home, and now you know how fuelish (or foolish) I can be. LOL!
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Fizzling Out
The drive down the Oregon coast was wonderful. We saw tons of sights that we can't wait to go back and explore. Scenery was breathtaking and traffic was light.
Driving through Florence reaffirmed to us that it was NOT the place for us--to big townish, and reminded us too much of where we currently live. Port Orford was darling, but too warm for us. North Bend and Coos Bay were depressing. Gold Beach looked interesting, and we will probably explore there some day. One thing we noticed was the difference in scenery. The southern coast of Oregon is very similar to the California coast. The pine trees are less prevelant, the hills are brown and dry, the air is not as fresh and cool. It was sad, very sad. Made worse because we have left our hearts in Waldport.
Eventually we got to Brookings. The entire town is ... well, it's like being in a California prison town. I felt like someone had pulled the plug and all the air was leaving my balloon. It was worse when we got to our motel. Somehow I messed up and we aren't in the newer Best Western on the ocean, we are in the older one that is inland. The room is non-smoking, but right next door are all the smoking rooms. Our neighbor opened his window and door and sat there and smoked. We wound up closing our window and letting the room get stuffy in order to breath. I did lodge a complaint, but every room is taken. Not to worry ... I will let Best Western and AAA know my feelings. *wink*
After Mr. Retired had a short nap, we went down to the ocean front to look around *sigh, sigh* and have dinner. Went to the "best" seafood place in town. Honestly, it's not even the level of Red Lobster. The salad dressing was watery and from a bottle, the tartar and cocktail sauce was from a bottle and the clams .. I doubt they were fresh. I felt like I was back in the valley eating "fresh frozen" from the east coast stuff. Gads! Eight days in heaven on earth and I'm so spoiled! LOL!
Now ... don't want you to think the whole day has been a fizzly bust, because it hasn't. After supper we went down to the beach and walked around looking for shells. (Do you realize I am going back to California without ONE shell!?) Anyhow, no shells but a nice smooth pebble that washed up in a wave ... and I finally ... FINALLY ... got to take off my shoes and wade in the ocean!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :))))) My socks are probably ruined as they got soaked by a large wave before I could pull them off. hahaha My pants will dry and I will have to vacuum out the car when we return home -- but it was worth it. *huge grins*
Food for the body, food for the soul
Twice today I was reminded of "manna from heaven". This morning the folks in the room above ours were dropping seeds to the birds, and the birds were down below on our porch waiting for it fall ... just like manna from heaven.
Driving through Florence reaffirmed to us that it was NOT the place for us--to big townish, and reminded us too much of where we currently live. Port Orford was darling, but too warm for us. North Bend and Coos Bay were depressing. Gold Beach looked interesting, and we will probably explore there some day. One thing we noticed was the difference in scenery. The southern coast of Oregon is very similar to the California coast. The pine trees are less prevelant, the hills are brown and dry, the air is not as fresh and cool. It was sad, very sad. Made worse because we have left our hearts in Waldport.
Eventually we got to Brookings. The entire town is ... well, it's like being in a California prison town. I felt like someone had pulled the plug and all the air was leaving my balloon. It was worse when we got to our motel. Somehow I messed up and we aren't in the newer Best Western on the ocean, we are in the older one that is inland. The room is non-smoking, but right next door are all the smoking rooms. Our neighbor opened his window and door and sat there and smoked. We wound up closing our window and letting the room get stuffy in order to breath. I did lodge a complaint, but every room is taken. Not to worry ... I will let Best Western and AAA know my feelings. *wink*
After Mr. Retired had a short nap, we went down to the ocean front to look around *sigh, sigh* and have dinner. Went to the "best" seafood place in town. Honestly, it's not even the level of Red Lobster. The salad dressing was watery and from a bottle, the tartar and cocktail sauce was from a bottle and the clams .. I doubt they were fresh. I felt like I was back in the valley eating "fresh frozen" from the east coast stuff. Gads! Eight days in heaven on earth and I'm so spoiled! LOL!
Now ... don't want you to think the whole day has been a fizzly bust, because it hasn't. After supper we went down to the beach and walked around looking for shells. (Do you realize I am going back to California without ONE shell!?) Anyhow, no shells but a nice smooth pebble that washed up in a wave ... and I finally ... FINALLY ... got to take off my shoes and wade in the ocean!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :))))) My socks are probably ruined as they got soaked by a large wave before I could pull them off. hahaha My pants will dry and I will have to vacuum out the car when we return home -- but it was worth it. *huge grins*
Food for the body, food for the soul
Twice today I was reminded of "manna from heaven". This morning the folks in the room above ours were dropping seeds to the birds, and the birds were down below on our porch waiting for it fall ... just like manna from heaven.
"Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat."--John 6:31The second time was when we stopped for coffee at the "Station Restaurant" in Bandon. The place was packed and we had to wait for a table. As I stood in the entryway, I was looking over the rack of freebie stuff, and there at the top I saw copies of "Our Daily Bread". I thought it was interesting that this restaurant served food for the body and food for the soul.
"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."--John 6:31I haven't read this devotional in several years, so I picked up a copy. After all, my soul needs to be feed with the living manna. What are you feeding your soul?
Coasting along
Last night we signed the papers, the builder signed the papers, and the realtor signed the papers, so it's official ... we are Oregon landowners, with a house on its way. :)
The four of us sat in the realtors officee and chatted like old friends. We told stories, laughed, sighed over the state of education these days, and started becoming friends. Friends #3 & 4. *grins*
We've already got an invite for July 3, 2006. hehehe They throw a neighborhood shindig (only about 2 dozen houses in the neighborhood) and everyone brings food, they BBQ and from their front yard you can see the fireworks. Then on the 4th, everyone drives over and watches the fireworks in Newport. hehehe
We've learned that our new neighborhood is FRIENDLY! Friendly as in be prepared for drop in guests (oh gads, I'm gonna have to start cleaning again! LOL), be prepared for dinner invites, be prepared to extend dinner invites ... etc. Personally, sounds wonderfully warm and I can hardly wait.
Today we head down the Oregon coast for night's stay in Brookings, then it's down to the Valley where we will pack, and pack, and pack, and pack. LOL! Come October sometime we will be heading HOME! Yes -- HOME! For home is where the heart is, and our hearts are here in Walport, Oregon.
The four of us sat in the realtors officee and chatted like old friends. We told stories, laughed, sighed over the state of education these days, and started becoming friends. Friends #3 & 4. *grins*
We've already got an invite for July 3, 2006. hehehe They throw a neighborhood shindig (only about 2 dozen houses in the neighborhood) and everyone brings food, they BBQ and from their front yard you can see the fireworks. Then on the 4th, everyone drives over and watches the fireworks in Newport. hehehe
We've learned that our new neighborhood is FRIENDLY! Friendly as in be prepared for drop in guests (oh gads, I'm gonna have to start cleaning again! LOL), be prepared for dinner invites, be prepared to extend dinner invites ... etc. Personally, sounds wonderfully warm and I can hardly wait.
Today we head down the Oregon coast for night's stay in Brookings, then it's down to the Valley where we will pack, and pack, and pack, and pack. LOL! Come October sometime we will be heading HOME! Yes -- HOME! For home is where the heart is, and our hearts are here in Walport, Oregon.
Monday, August 08, 2005
The Tim and Tom Show
Our realtor was not feeling well this morning, so she sent us up to the construction site where her husband, Tim, was working. His partner Tom was there, and this gave us a chance to meet both of them and actually talk facts and figures.
We have already toured Tim and Pam’s home and knew how lovely it was; today we toured Tom’s home. OMW! Absolutely gorgeous! We got to see the tile they will use in our entry and pantry, the hardwood for the kitchen and dining area, the alder wood for the cabinets, the special cabinet they are going to add for me in the pantry, and the counter top for the kitchen. :)
We have opted for a few extras: whole house vacuum system from electrolux, pre-wired for DSL/wi-fi, power-surge protection for the entire house. Saw the exterior color—not my favorite, but you know what? For the price and since it’s earth tones ... I like it. :) Learned how the factory applies the paint to the exterior wood using a pressure pressed system. All we’ll need to do is wash it down. All the windows will be vinyl double-pane and are easy to maintain. Same with shower. :) Plus, the window covering system for all the windows is WAY COOL. If I opt to add a valance here and there I can ... otherwise we are good to go. :)
By allowing them to be creative and make many of the decisions on the tile, color, etc ... they can call this a spec home, and that’s important for them business wise. Plus, it’s why the price is so great, and that’s important to us as the buyers. We can have some extra’s, buy some new furniture, and still be within our budget. Hurray!
Here’s the really weird part—both Tim and Tom used to live in our neck of the woods. Both worked in the towns right around us. Both still have family and friends there. So they know what we are moving from and why, and they understood what we wanted in a home.
Tim and Tom talked to Mr. Retired about how a propane/gas BBQ was better than charcoal up here. Hurray! I had visions of him burning down our house and trees. HEHEHE! Found out where to go to buy our washer, dryer and fridge. Plus we finally got the skinny on the time frame. Here’s a lesson for you:
LOL! Permit will be taken out beginning of Sept. If all goes well, then house will be done in 5-6 months. Now, that’s longer than our realtor told us (which was 90 days), but it’s still workable. We can delay our closing by 30 days, hopefully find a place to rent up here (even motels will do breaks on rates if you are living monthly – and our realtor has said she will help us find something) and be over the highway passes before the snows hit. Do not want to do the tire chain-gang thing. ;-)
So, I won’t be moving this Christmas after all. I think that’s rather nice, myself.
We have already toured Tim and Pam’s home and knew how lovely it was; today we toured Tom’s home. OMW! Absolutely gorgeous! We got to see the tile they will use in our entry and pantry, the hardwood for the kitchen and dining area, the alder wood for the cabinets, the special cabinet they are going to add for me in the pantry, and the counter top for the kitchen. :)
We have opted for a few extras: whole house vacuum system from electrolux, pre-wired for DSL/wi-fi, power-surge protection for the entire house. Saw the exterior color—not my favorite, but you know what? For the price and since it’s earth tones ... I like it. :) Learned how the factory applies the paint to the exterior wood using a pressure pressed system. All we’ll need to do is wash it down. All the windows will be vinyl double-pane and are easy to maintain. Same with shower. :) Plus, the window covering system for all the windows is WAY COOL. If I opt to add a valance here and there I can ... otherwise we are good to go. :)
By allowing them to be creative and make many of the decisions on the tile, color, etc ... they can call this a spec home, and that’s important for them business wise. Plus, it’s why the price is so great, and that’s important to us as the buyers. We can have some extra’s, buy some new furniture, and still be within our budget. Hurray!
Here’s the really weird part—both Tim and Tom used to live in our neck of the woods. Both worked in the towns right around us. Both still have family and friends there. So they know what we are moving from and why, and they understood what we wanted in a home.
Tim and Tom talked to Mr. Retired about how a propane/gas BBQ was better than charcoal up here. Hurray! I had visions of him burning down our house and trees. HEHEHE! Found out where to go to buy our washer, dryer and fridge. Plus we finally got the skinny on the time frame. Here’s a lesson for you:
Always talk to the builder, not the realtor.
LOL! Permit will be taken out beginning of Sept. If all goes well, then house will be done in 5-6 months. Now, that’s longer than our realtor told us (which was 90 days), but it’s still workable. We can delay our closing by 30 days, hopefully find a place to rent up here (even motels will do breaks on rates if you are living monthly – and our realtor has said she will help us find something) and be over the highway passes before the snows hit. Do not want to do the tire chain-gang thing. ;-)
So, I won’t be moving this Christmas after all. I think that’s rather nice, myself.
Sunday, August 07, 2005
We have a house
Well, almost. We close the deal tomorrow. It’s a spec home being built on a lovely lot with trees and wildlife. The hill overlooks downtown Waldport. Today we met with our realtor. Her hubby is the contractor (we checked him out – credentials are GREAT!) He was agreeable to all our changes and said they were small ones and would not be a problem. Small to him, but BIG to us.
Got to see samples of the tile and counter, cabinets, flooring, and such—and we were very pleased. He can’t take out the building permit for 2 weeks as the permit approving guy is on vacation, but once he has the permit it should only take 90 days to build. We will have firmer dates once the approval guy is back at work. Then we’ll talk to our current realtor in the valley and adjust the closing date on our home. If all goes well ... we should be in our new home for Christmas!
You know, it’s funny. We moved into our first home on 12/22, and the deal for our current home closed over Christmas (although our move was delayed until the end of January) and I spent Christmas time packing. Now here I am looking at moving in to a new home at Christmas. What is this, anyhow? LOL!
I took pics of the lot, but I need to have Mr. Retired help me plug my camera in to the laptop and then I don’t remember how to use the GIMP to adjust the pics ... so those might not be up until tomorrow.
But at least I know we’ll have a place to lay our heads. :) As we drove back, the teachings from Luke 12 were going through my head. In particular verses 27,28:
He has provided—just as He promised.
Got to see samples of the tile and counter, cabinets, flooring, and such—and we were very pleased. He can’t take out the building permit for 2 weeks as the permit approving guy is on vacation, but once he has the permit it should only take 90 days to build. We will have firmer dates once the approval guy is back at work. Then we’ll talk to our current realtor in the valley and adjust the closing date on our home. If all goes well ... we should be in our new home for Christmas!
You know, it’s funny. We moved into our first home on 12/22, and the deal for our current home closed over Christmas (although our move was delayed until the end of January) and I spent Christmas time packing. Now here I am looking at moving in to a new home at Christmas. What is this, anyhow? LOL!
I took pics of the lot, but I need to have Mr. Retired help me plug my camera in to the laptop and then I don’t remember how to use the GIMP to adjust the pics ... so those might not be up until tomorrow.
But at least I know we’ll have a place to lay our heads. :) As we drove back, the teachings from Luke 12 were going through my head. In particular verses 27,28:
Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
He has provided—just as He promised.
Tourists
Saturday we did the tourist thing. :) Visited Yaquina Head Lighthouse. The wind was so fierce it almost ripped our eyeglasses off our faces. :-o The rocky crags were most impressive, and the waves crashing in were almost deafening. Can’t wait to go back during whale watching season.
Went to several beachs, but no toe dipping as either the beach was closed or there was no parking. We'll try Agate Beach on Monday when the real tourists have gone home. *grins*
For dinner we went to Nye Beach and ate at “April’s”. Highly over rated in my opinion, and since Mr. Retired agrees, I don’t think we’ll be pounding on their door again any time soon. Hehehe After dinner we took a short drive and then returned to our room to relax! It’s been a long several days/weeks. We talked, read, and just plain goofed off and enjoyed ourselves. Went out for a bit to “Flashbacks” and had a dish of ice cream. Gosh, we really did act like goofy tourists. LOL!
This has sure been a great trip. We have completely enjoyed ourselves. Plus, we now know what our future hometown is like. Best of all we know we’ll like it here: the weather, the shopping, the people. Now we just need a roof over our heads.
Booking It
Saaturday we also visited 2 book stores and what did we do? We bought books, of course. For some reason this strikes me as funny. We buy books here, so that we can pack them in our suitcase and take them down to our present home, where we will pack them in a box and bring them back here. HAHAHA!!!
So what did we add to our library? Me, I bought my usual stuff. I looked for some books by James Grippando, but none to be found. Darn! I did pick up an older Ken Follett (back when he was a better author), and 2 books by James Patterson: “When the Wind Blows” and “The Lake House”.
Mr. Retired, now he’s an interesting man. He bought a serious book. Serious in more ways than the subject. The book is 4 inches thick, 932 pages, and weighs approx. 5 pounds. I figure he’ll be reading “The Autobiography of Henry the VIII” for several months.
Sunset
From our patio we have a view westward and we have seen some spectacular sunsets. Saturday’s was most impressive with the fog bank out on the horizon, and the red sun dipping slowly below it as though it were melting. It made me think of Malachi ...
Went to several beachs, but no toe dipping as either the beach was closed or there was no parking. We'll try Agate Beach on Monday when the real tourists have gone home. *grins*
For dinner we went to Nye Beach and ate at “April’s”. Highly over rated in my opinion, and since Mr. Retired agrees, I don’t think we’ll be pounding on their door again any time soon. Hehehe After dinner we took a short drive and then returned to our room to relax! It’s been a long several days/weeks. We talked, read, and just plain goofed off and enjoyed ourselves. Went out for a bit to “Flashbacks” and had a dish of ice cream. Gosh, we really did act like goofy tourists. LOL!
This has sure been a great trip. We have completely enjoyed ourselves. Plus, we now know what our future hometown is like. Best of all we know we’ll like it here: the weather, the shopping, the people. Now we just need a roof over our heads.
Booking It
Saaturday we also visited 2 book stores and what did we do? We bought books, of course. For some reason this strikes me as funny. We buy books here, so that we can pack them in our suitcase and take them down to our present home, where we will pack them in a box and bring them back here. HAHAHA!!!
So what did we add to our library? Me, I bought my usual stuff. I looked for some books by James Grippando, but none to be found. Darn! I did pick up an older Ken Follett (back when he was a better author), and 2 books by James Patterson: “When the Wind Blows” and “The Lake House”.
Mr. Retired, now he’s an interesting man. He bought a serious book. Serious in more ways than the subject. The book is 4 inches thick, 932 pages, and weighs approx. 5 pounds. I figure he’ll be reading “The Autobiography of Henry the VIII” for several months.
Sunset
From our patio we have a view westward and we have seen some spectacular sunsets. Saturday’s was most impressive with the fog bank out on the horizon, and the red sun dipping slowly below it as though it were melting. It made me think of Malachi ...
“For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.”—Malachi 1:11
Friday, August 05, 2005
Friends
Quilting bits
We went to the local quilt show today. I had to work hard to keep from dragging my jaw on the floor. Stunning works of art—each and every quilt. They had a beautiful quilt up for the price of a raffle ticket, and I jokingly asked if they’d hold it for me until October. The lady said sure, but why October. Told her were here house hunting and would be leaving to pack and then return here come October—either in our own home or a rental while we looked. She grinned and asked how many bedrooms did we want. Seems her neighbor just put her home on the market today—private sale, word of mouth. So she and I chatted, I bought 2 raffle tickets, left my name, hotel room number, my soon-to-be-old-home address and phone number. She gave me directions to her friends home.
As she glanced at my raffle ticket with all the info, she said something about Vacaville and how hot it was. Yup, that’s one reason we are moving. Seems she’s been there – eons ago, but she’s been there. So we chatted about how towns change. Finally she asked if I had some paper and she wrote her name and phone number down. Said to call her before we left town and she’d let me know if she’d heard of any other homes available, and to please call her when we arrived this October. Alice and I shook hands (great handshake, btw) and smiled and I realized I’d just made my first new friend.
Later on, Mr. Retired and I were wandering around “judging” the display quilts (every attendee got to vote), and we bumped into Alice. Actually she saw me and came running over. I introduced her and Mr. Retired and the 3 of us talked and she told us that she learned to quilt in this class and then took me over to meet her teacher, and said there was a special story behind why she even started to quilt. It all has to do with a quilt top her late mother-in-law left her ... and then she said she’d save that for telling when I was moved in. *huge grins*
Oh, and I won a door prize too—a bag of batting. *giggle* I had a real hard time not buying a quilting book and some fabric—but I told myself to behave because they would be available once we are settled.
Exercising my brain
I’ve been on a reading binge—no crochet, no tv, very little internet. It’s been very refreshing. So far, I’ve read 2 of the 4 books I brought with me. Patriot Games was hard to read and enjoy because I’ve seen the movie so many times; however I devoured 1st to Die by James Patterson.
1st to Die was a total nail-biter from cover to cover. Yipes! I found myself sitting here last night, next to the open window listening to the ocean crash in on the beach, and not able to see much due to the fog—and every little noise made me jump. hehehe Then the folks next door let their puppy out and the sound of the dog snuffling around just a few away made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I set my book down, closed the door, shut the drapes, and curled up in bed really close to Mr. Retired to finish the book. He woke up just as I got to the finale, and he reached over and gently touched me. How I kept from letting loose with a blood curdling scream is beyond me. LOL!
I started Cat & Mouse earlier today and I'm already 75 pages in. I'll not have any nails left by the end of this vacation. hehehe
The Black Swan
I have been looking forward to visiting The Black Swan bookstore in Newport, for several months now. Imagine my surprise to arrive there today and find out they are going out of business. :((( Most of the shelves are already bare. It’s a sad sight indeed. They didn’t have any books by Grippando or Patterson, otherwise I would have splurged.
Housing update
We weren’t going to do any house hunting today, but after chatting with Alice, we had to go look. In the process we stumbled across 2 other potential homes. Mr. Retired chatted with a real estate person (Joe not being available), and she will be making arrangements for us to view these places. Plus we spoke with the gal whose husband is building on that invisible lot (hehehe), and we found out where the lot is—why right next to the yellow house, of course. HA! Anyhow, since the building permit giver-outer is on vacation for the next 2 weeks, contractor can’t start on house right away, so she is going to set up an appointment for us to meet with him on Monday. Whew! So little time, so much yet to do.
Fog and the beach
The beach we wanted to visit was fogged in today, so hopefully tomorrow we will be able to dip our toes in the ocean. In the meantime, I’m enjoying all the fresh fish/sea food. I’m spoiled already. I actually had a burger for lunch—and I didn’t care for it. Go figure. I grew up on midwest beef, and here I am hungering for fish, not beef. hehehe
We went to The Chowder Bowl for supper, and were able to find a parking spot and were seated right away. Not the norm for supper—especially on Friday evening. Guess someone up there likes us. *grins* I had fried clams and chips and Mr. Retired had fried cla ... nah, he had fried halibut and chips. LOL!
Called home and all is well with the kitties and our niece, but she says it’s HOT! I’m not looking forward to going home. :((( Wonder if Mr. Retired would do the packing and let me stay here? ROFL!
Hope all of you dear readers are well. Until tomorrow ....
We went to the local quilt show today. I had to work hard to keep from dragging my jaw on the floor. Stunning works of art—each and every quilt. They had a beautiful quilt up for the price of a raffle ticket, and I jokingly asked if they’d hold it for me until October. The lady said sure, but why October. Told her were here house hunting and would be leaving to pack and then return here come October—either in our own home or a rental while we looked. She grinned and asked how many bedrooms did we want. Seems her neighbor just put her home on the market today—private sale, word of mouth. So she and I chatted, I bought 2 raffle tickets, left my name, hotel room number, my soon-to-be-old-home address and phone number. She gave me directions to her friends home.
As she glanced at my raffle ticket with all the info, she said something about Vacaville and how hot it was. Yup, that’s one reason we are moving. Seems she’s been there – eons ago, but she’s been there. So we chatted about how towns change. Finally she asked if I had some paper and she wrote her name and phone number down. Said to call her before we left town and she’d let me know if she’d heard of any other homes available, and to please call her when we arrived this October. Alice and I shook hands (great handshake, btw) and smiled and I realized I’d just made my first new friend.
Later on, Mr. Retired and I were wandering around “judging” the display quilts (every attendee got to vote), and we bumped into Alice. Actually she saw me and came running over. I introduced her and Mr. Retired and the 3 of us talked and she told us that she learned to quilt in this class and then took me over to meet her teacher, and said there was a special story behind why she even started to quilt. It all has to do with a quilt top her late mother-in-law left her ... and then she said she’d save that for telling when I was moved in. *huge grins*
Oh, and I won a door prize too—a bag of batting. *giggle* I had a real hard time not buying a quilting book and some fabric—but I told myself to behave because they would be available once we are settled.
Exercising my brain
I’ve been on a reading binge—no crochet, no tv, very little internet. It’s been very refreshing. So far, I’ve read 2 of the 4 books I brought with me. Patriot Games was hard to read and enjoy because I’ve seen the movie so many times; however I devoured 1st to Die by James Patterson.
1st to Die was a total nail-biter from cover to cover. Yipes! I found myself sitting here last night, next to the open window listening to the ocean crash in on the beach, and not able to see much due to the fog—and every little noise made me jump. hehehe Then the folks next door let their puppy out and the sound of the dog snuffling around just a few away made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I set my book down, closed the door, shut the drapes, and curled up in bed really close to Mr. Retired to finish the book. He woke up just as I got to the finale, and he reached over and gently touched me. How I kept from letting loose with a blood curdling scream is beyond me. LOL!
I started Cat & Mouse earlier today and I'm already 75 pages in. I'll not have any nails left by the end of this vacation. hehehe
The Black Swan
I have been looking forward to visiting The Black Swan bookstore in Newport, for several months now. Imagine my surprise to arrive there today and find out they are going out of business. :((( Most of the shelves are already bare. It’s a sad sight indeed. They didn’t have any books by Grippando or Patterson, otherwise I would have splurged.
Housing update
We weren’t going to do any house hunting today, but after chatting with Alice, we had to go look. In the process we stumbled across 2 other potential homes. Mr. Retired chatted with a real estate person (Joe not being available), and she will be making arrangements for us to view these places. Plus we spoke with the gal whose husband is building on that invisible lot (hehehe), and we found out where the lot is—why right next to the yellow house, of course. HA! Anyhow, since the building permit giver-outer is on vacation for the next 2 weeks, contractor can’t start on house right away, so she is going to set up an appointment for us to meet with him on Monday. Whew! So little time, so much yet to do.
Fog and the beach
The beach we wanted to visit was fogged in today, so hopefully tomorrow we will be able to dip our toes in the ocean. In the meantime, I’m enjoying all the fresh fish/sea food. I’m spoiled already. I actually had a burger for lunch—and I didn’t care for it. Go figure. I grew up on midwest beef, and here I am hungering for fish, not beef. hehehe
We went to The Chowder Bowl for supper, and were able to find a parking spot and were seated right away. Not the norm for supper—especially on Friday evening. Guess someone up there likes us. *grins* I had fried clams and chips and Mr. Retired had fried cla ... nah, he had fried halibut and chips. LOL!
Called home and all is well with the kitties and our niece, but she says it’s HOT! I’m not looking forward to going home. :((( Wonder if Mr. Retired would do the packing and let me stay here? ROFL!
Hope all of you dear readers are well. Until tomorrow ....
Trolling
Wish I could tell you that I've been out fishing, but I haven't. However, this blog has been trolled. Whee! Guess that means I'm catching someone's attention. LOL!
The fog has lifted, we had a great nights sleep (even if it was in pieces and parts) and today we are doing some laundry and shopping. Gosh sounds like home. hehehe
Pieces and Parts
Why did we sleeep in pieces and parts? Because Varmie and I wore Mr. Retired out and he crashed at 9:30 and woke up at midnight—just as I reached the end of a most excellent mystery.* The man should learn not to lightly touch me when I'm at that point in a book. hehehe
Bad guy a goner, heroine doing well, I can breath again and Mr. Retired is WIDE AWAKE! LOL! So we talked some about our hopes and dreams, about the day with Varmie and how being with someone who knows us a bit and knows this area gave us a totally different perspective on living here. We finally fell asleep being even more thankful that Varmie spent the day with us. Thanks Varmie (you will never again be Varmit to me) for being such a wonderful friend, for enduring with us, for sharing your knowledge and being honest about things around here. Most of all, thanks for being a friend. Can't wait to finally be living here and being able to catch up with you more often. :)
Book news:
Almost sounds like I'm an author or something, doesn't it. hehehe Having finished 2 of the 4 books I brought on vacation, I think we might need to stop in at one of these bookstores. Dang! Wanted to visit the "Black Swan" with Varmie yesterday. Once we are moved in up here, she and I will do that. :)
*I just finished "1st to Die" by James Patterson. The murders were somewhat more gruesome than I care to read about, but after the first one I skipped the descriptions. Anyhow, a good read—he's a good author. Not as good as James Rollins, but good none the less.
Final note for now ... "Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD."—Psalms 150:6
The fog has lifted, we had a great nights sleep (even if it was in pieces and parts) and today we are doing some laundry and shopping. Gosh sounds like home. hehehe
Pieces and Parts
Why did we sleeep in pieces and parts? Because Varmie and I wore Mr. Retired out and he crashed at 9:30 and woke up at midnight—just as I reached the end of a most excellent mystery.* The man should learn not to lightly touch me when I'm at that point in a book. hehehe
Bad guy a goner, heroine doing well, I can breath again and Mr. Retired is WIDE AWAKE! LOL! So we talked some about our hopes and dreams, about the day with Varmie and how being with someone who knows us a bit and knows this area gave us a totally different perspective on living here. We finally fell asleep being even more thankful that Varmie spent the day with us. Thanks Varmie (you will never again be Varmit to me) for being such a wonderful friend, for enduring with us, for sharing your knowledge and being honest about things around here. Most of all, thanks for being a friend. Can't wait to finally be living here and being able to catch up with you more often. :)
Book news:
Almost sounds like I'm an author or something, doesn't it. hehehe Having finished 2 of the 4 books I brought on vacation, I think we might need to stop in at one of these bookstores. Dang! Wanted to visit the "Black Swan" with Varmie yesterday. Once we are moved in up here, she and I will do that. :)
*I just finished "1st to Die" by James Patterson. The murders were somewhat more gruesome than I care to read about, but after the first one I skipped the descriptions. Anyhow, a good read—he's a good author. Not as good as James Rollins, but good none the less.
Final note for now ... "Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD."—Psalms 150:6
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Ya Hat it’s just fine
Day something of our trip. My friend, Varmit, arrived and we hugged—good hugs—and smiled and she and Mr. Retired hugged and then we spent the day together. End of report. hehehe
What do you mean you want more details? Okay. We talked, we laughed, we were serious, we drove here and there, we visited 3 potential houses, we did some touristy things, we had dinner, came back here, reluctantly hugged good-bye and Varmie went home. That’s it in a nutshell.
Of course, there was the stop at Cape Foulweather were we stood and looked 300 ft straight down to the ocean. I’d love to show you a pic, but that’s not possible as Mr. Retired had left his camera in the car belonging to the real estate guy in Depot Bay. :rolling my eyes because after all I’ve never misplaced or lost anything:
Varmie brought a bunch of her crocheting with her and Mr. Retired and I both drooled all over the pretties. She does such beautiful work, and it was a real treat to see it up close. I love the way she incorporates texture into her own designs. Yes, dear readers, I got to see some secret stuff. hehehe
The 3 of us went house viewing (see below), then drove up to Lincoln City to see where the outlet stores are situated. Lincoln City, nice place to visit, wouldn’t want to live there.
Eventually we drove down to Yachats and had a wonderful dinner. We dined outdoors no less—you sure can’t do that in the valley we presently live in! Varmie had fried oysters—freshly grown and harvested in Newport; I wanted smoked salmon fettucini, but they were out of the smoked salmon, so I had crab fettucini. Mr. Retired was a copy cat and ordered the same thing I did. (Varmie and I busted up laughing when we copied me cuz he did the same thing at breakfast! LOL!) I also enjoyed a lovely green salad with a creamed dill dressing. Yummers.
Back on 101 heading north, we drove up one hill in Waldport to show Varmie the invisible lot #2. LOL! There are no signs saying “#2”, no indicators of where it might be, but wherever it is, it’s going to have a lovely home on it some day and we like the floor plan. LOL! Since the property seems to be invisible, I wonder if we can pay for it with invisible money? Harharhar
Eventually it was time for Varmie to head for home. :((( Good hugs all around, and a reminder that we’ll see each other again in about 3 months! :))))
Houses, houses, houses
What’s to become of us? Who knows. This next comment will either have you laughing, sighing, shaking your head or closing your browser and refusing to come back to read my ramblings. LOL!
Maybe we won’t buy a house. At least not a house that is already built. Maybe we’ll buy a lot and have a house built. After all, we currently know of 3 lots being developed with lovely houses and the prices are within our budget. So we are now looking at the possibility of either buying a lot and having a home built, or looking at the new homes currently under construction.
Today we did go see 3 houses. The first was lovely, although I didn’t like the formal living and dining room—I’d prefer a great room and kitchen set up; plus the back yard was tiered and I don’t do well on steps. The second house, now there was a winner. ROFL!
The second home is brand new, in fact they are still building it. Decent floor plan, nice deck, nice sized yard, but no shower stalls—just tubs. Oh, and it’s right next to the sewage treatment plant. Hahahahahahahaha Scratch that one from the list.
Last home was lovely, complete with sun room, nice deck, large master bedroom, shower stall and more, but the big draw back is the association dues of $100 per month. No thanks.
Still, it showed us that there are homes out there. We just have to find the right one. Anyhow, back in our room we were going over all the listings and such and again looked at the plans for the house on the invisible lot in Waldport. The more we look, the more we think this may be the route for us.
So whatz de deal wit ya hat?
All day, Varmie has been training us on the proper pronunciation of Yachats. Mr. Retired finally got it down and waited for just the right moment to spring his ditty on us:
Ya Hats: Ya hats just fine; ya hats really keen; ya hats on backwards ... groan, groan, groan. If you are done groaning, just remember—I live with him. LOL!
Personal notes:
Today I was reading from Mr. Retired’s small travel Bible. I’m using his because in my haste to pack, mine got left behind. Anyhow, he has notes of certain verses he likes and one of those is:
What do you mean you want more details? Okay. We talked, we laughed, we were serious, we drove here and there, we visited 3 potential houses, we did some touristy things, we had dinner, came back here, reluctantly hugged good-bye and Varmie went home. That’s it in a nutshell.
Of course, there was the stop at Cape Foulweather were we stood and looked 300 ft straight down to the ocean. I’d love to show you a pic, but that’s not possible as Mr. Retired had left his camera in the car belonging to the real estate guy in Depot Bay. :rolling my eyes because after all I’ve never misplaced or lost anything:
Varmie brought a bunch of her crocheting with her and Mr. Retired and I both drooled all over the pretties. She does such beautiful work, and it was a real treat to see it up close. I love the way she incorporates texture into her own designs. Yes, dear readers, I got to see some secret stuff. hehehe
The 3 of us went house viewing (see below), then drove up to Lincoln City to see where the outlet stores are situated. Lincoln City, nice place to visit, wouldn’t want to live there.
Eventually we drove down to Yachats and had a wonderful dinner. We dined outdoors no less—you sure can’t do that in the valley we presently live in! Varmie had fried oysters—freshly grown and harvested in Newport; I wanted smoked salmon fettucini, but they were out of the smoked salmon, so I had crab fettucini. Mr. Retired was a copy cat and ordered the same thing I did. (Varmie and I busted up laughing when we copied me cuz he did the same thing at breakfast! LOL!) I also enjoyed a lovely green salad with a creamed dill dressing. Yummers.
Back on 101 heading north, we drove up one hill in Waldport to show Varmie the invisible lot #2. LOL! There are no signs saying “#2”, no indicators of where it might be, but wherever it is, it’s going to have a lovely home on it some day and we like the floor plan. LOL! Since the property seems to be invisible, I wonder if we can pay for it with invisible money? Harharhar
Eventually it was time for Varmie to head for home. :((( Good hugs all around, and a reminder that we’ll see each other again in about 3 months! :))))
Houses, houses, houses
What’s to become of us? Who knows. This next comment will either have you laughing, sighing, shaking your head or closing your browser and refusing to come back to read my ramblings. LOL!
Maybe we won’t buy a house. At least not a house that is already built. Maybe we’ll buy a lot and have a house built. After all, we currently know of 3 lots being developed with lovely houses and the prices are within our budget. So we are now looking at the possibility of either buying a lot and having a home built, or looking at the new homes currently under construction.
Today we did go see 3 houses. The first was lovely, although I didn’t like the formal living and dining room—I’d prefer a great room and kitchen set up; plus the back yard was tiered and I don’t do well on steps. The second house, now there was a winner. ROFL!
The second home is brand new, in fact they are still building it. Decent floor plan, nice deck, nice sized yard, but no shower stalls—just tubs. Oh, and it’s right next to the sewage treatment plant. Hahahahahahahaha Scratch that one from the list.
Last home was lovely, complete with sun room, nice deck, large master bedroom, shower stall and more, but the big draw back is the association dues of $100 per month. No thanks.
Still, it showed us that there are homes out there. We just have to find the right one. Anyhow, back in our room we were going over all the listings and such and again looked at the plans for the house on the invisible lot in Waldport. The more we look, the more we think this may be the route for us.
So whatz de deal wit ya hat?
All day, Varmie has been training us on the proper pronunciation of Yachats. Mr. Retired finally got it down and waited for just the right moment to spring his ditty on us:
Ya Hats: Ya hats just fine; ya hats really keen; ya hats on backwards ... groan, groan, groan. If you are done groaning, just remember—I live with him. LOL!
Personal notes:
Today I was reading from Mr. Retired’s small travel Bible. I’m using his because in my haste to pack, mine got left behind. Anyhow, he has notes of certain verses he likes and one of those is:
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”--Philippians 1:6I held this verse close in the back of my mind all day today. It was a good reminder that God will take care of us; and it reminded me how special it is that God brought Mr. Retired and I together—for this verse is one of my special verses also.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
It’s for the birds!
A most interesting day.
We had been in contact with a local Realtor who knew what we were looking for in a house. Her vacation was scheduled for the time we are here, but she had supposedly made arrangements with her office mates to take us around and show us the local sights, where things are, and what properties were available. So I called the office this morning and got the brush off from her office mate. She would be too busy, but we could pick up the packet and go visit whatever we’d like to see.
Figuring it was better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, we went to the office and got the packet. There was nothing new in there, in fact we’d already looked and rejected most of the homes via the internet. However, we thought maybe “seeing would be believing”, so we gamely did our best to follow the map and go visit. What a daymare! We found ourselves pretty discouraged, but we refused to give up. We decided to drive over to Toledo and check it out. We found it ... interesting to say the least. Okay, scratch that city from our list of potentials and onward to someplace else—a coffee shop. Hehehe
One cup of coffee and one weird conversation later, we decided to travel up the road and see what was there. We passed several nice areas, and suddenly found ourselves in Depot Bay. Charming—totally charming. This is what we were thinking of when we came to Newport. Then up the road to Lincoln City—big but has potential—maybe. Talk, talk, talk ... and back to Depot Bay where we find a parking spot, dash across the street and wander into a real estate office.
“We saw your sign out front (3 bed/2 bath with shop) and thought we’d ask about it.” Receptionist calls Joe out front and we chat, go back to his office where we tell him what WE want in a house and what we’ve rejected. He gets it. In fact he’s just done pretty much the same thing himself last year. Heh! Fate! Kismet! Meant to be! God’s hand in all of this! He pulls up some listings and prints them out for us.
So on our way out of town we did some drive-byes of 2 potential homes. Rejected one (Joe wasn’t kidding when he said the sand could be a problem. hehehe One sand dune was taller than the house and almost as wide as a 2-car garage! LOL!), but we liked the other. Back in our room we searched for some homes, found 2 new listings, made notes and contacted Joe. He is setting up appointments for us to view these homes. We may not buy any of them, or we may walk into one and know we are home—but at least we are making forward progress with a realtor who understands and cares enough to help us.
How Mr. Retired will handle the situation with the vacationing real estate lady is unknown, but I’m sure he’ll do it graciously.
A sighting.
On our way to the sand dune place I had a sighting. Of what? Why a naked man walking through the marsh, dragging his blue jeans behind his behind. Hahahaha Wish I had had a camera with a good lense. Hehehe
It's for the birds!
This morning I stepped outside on the little patio to sip a cup of coffee and enjoy the view of the ocean, the fog, the waves rolling in on the beach, and the birds. Sea gulls mostly, but a few pigeons as well. Apparently other folks have been feeding these winged charmers as they are rather brazen in their approach and will try to wander right in the door of the room if you don’t chase them away. As I watched them wander up and down the grassy area, I thought of Genesis 1:20-21:
“And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”
I stood there in awe as I realized that God knew I would watch these funny winged creatures back when He created them. How wonderful to know that He thinks of all the little things as well as the big things.
The thunderous roar of the ocean waves intruded upon my thoughts, and I found myself again thinking about Genesis 1 and how God created the oceans and it’s wondrous waves that roar, He created the birds that fly, the food that we eat, the air that we breathe, the water we drink, the cattle, the very ground we walk upon ... and He created me.
He also created YOU, and I'm glad He did.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Seeing is Believing
We have arrived in Newport, Oregon!
The drive from Medford was beautiful. We drove through what seemed like endless tree farms. Miles and miles of pine trees of all kinds, shapes and colors lined the road on both sides. They reminded me of an honor guard welcoming home the weary travelers. They climbed up the mountains that surrounded us and traveled farther than the eye could see, some reached clear up to the heavens, and some leaned down to the earth. I saw majestic pines, skinny pines, pole pines, and even pine trees that looked like an artificial Christmas tree fresh from its box and in need of shaping.
We passed several fields that had bales of hay stacked in nice boxes, and one field where the rancher had used the bales to create abstract art. Then we passed the field where the hay had been put into rolls, and I could not resist. I burst into song, “Roll, roll, roll in the hay”, with the most wretched accent. Terri Garr would have poked me. Hehehe
For those of you who might have missed the movie, check out “Young Frankenstein” someday. Hahaha
We passed waves of wildflowers. I recognized the purple Lupine, and yellow mustard, but the prettiest wildflowers remain unknown to me—small white flowers with a sage green leaf. They covered many of the meadow areas we drove past.
Finally we reached the junction for Hwy. 20 and headed toward Corvallis. Once there we wound through and out of the town without any problems and pulled into a Shell station. Problem here—they were out of the gas we needed. hehehe So back to Corvallis we went. After winding around through the endless “one-way the other-way streets”, we pulled into a gas station with gas in their tanks and we filled our tank. The young man who did the honors (gee it’s nice to not have to pump the gas!) recommended a restaurant just 2 blocks away. So off we went, but we got stuck in a one-way turn that went the wrong way. Up 4 blocks we drove, and then over 3, and back down to 2nd street where we stumbled upon Michael’s Landing, a charming restaurant located in an old train depot. We enjoyed a lovely early dinner. I had fresh salmon and Mr. Retired enjoyed a chicken dish. If you are ever in Corvallis, do stop for a meal—you’ll be glad you did.
Once dinner was over, we headed back to Hwy. 20 and aimed our car westward toward the ocean. We drove through mountains, trees, valleys, around curves, and suddenly there it was in front of us—the Pacific Ocean!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had arrived.
We headed to our hotel, checked in, unpacked and grabbed the maps and went sight-seeing, house looking and neighborhood checking. Well, dear reader, this is where I say “Seeing is Believing”.
Sometimes you imagine something and when you actually see it, it is everything you thought it would be, sometimes it is more than you imagined, and sometimes it is nothing at all like you imagined. That’s the case for us. Newport appears to be a lovely town, but it sure isn’t what we imagined or had in mind. Fortunately, there are plenty of towns around here, and our Realtor is ready to show us loads of homes in all the towns, plus take us “touring” so we can see with our own eyes all there is to see.
Will we settle in Newport? That remains to be seen. What we do know is that we plan on settling on the coast of Oregon, and when we find the right town and the right house we will know it, for ... “Seeing is Believing”.
Personal Note:
This evening Mr. Retired and I talked about our impressions of Newport. Then he asked me how I would share this in my blog. I told him that all day my mind had been thinking of 1 John 1:1-4:
The drive from Medford was beautiful. We drove through what seemed like endless tree farms. Miles and miles of pine trees of all kinds, shapes and colors lined the road on both sides. They reminded me of an honor guard welcoming home the weary travelers. They climbed up the mountains that surrounded us and traveled farther than the eye could see, some reached clear up to the heavens, and some leaned down to the earth. I saw majestic pines, skinny pines, pole pines, and even pine trees that looked like an artificial Christmas tree fresh from its box and in need of shaping.
We passed several fields that had bales of hay stacked in nice boxes, and one field where the rancher had used the bales to create abstract art. Then we passed the field where the hay had been put into rolls, and I could not resist. I burst into song, “Roll, roll, roll in the hay”, with the most wretched accent. Terri Garr would have poked me. Hehehe
For those of you who might have missed the movie, check out “Young Frankenstein” someday. Hahaha
We passed waves of wildflowers. I recognized the purple Lupine, and yellow mustard, but the prettiest wildflowers remain unknown to me—small white flowers with a sage green leaf. They covered many of the meadow areas we drove past.
Finally we reached the junction for Hwy. 20 and headed toward Corvallis. Once there we wound through and out of the town without any problems and pulled into a Shell station. Problem here—they were out of the gas we needed. hehehe So back to Corvallis we went. After winding around through the endless “one-way the other-way streets”, we pulled into a gas station with gas in their tanks and we filled our tank. The young man who did the honors (gee it’s nice to not have to pump the gas!) recommended a restaurant just 2 blocks away. So off we went, but we got stuck in a one-way turn that went the wrong way. Up 4 blocks we drove, and then over 3, and back down to 2nd street where we stumbled upon Michael’s Landing, a charming restaurant located in an old train depot. We enjoyed a lovely early dinner. I had fresh salmon and Mr. Retired enjoyed a chicken dish. If you are ever in Corvallis, do stop for a meal—you’ll be glad you did.
Once dinner was over, we headed back to Hwy. 20 and aimed our car westward toward the ocean. We drove through mountains, trees, valleys, around curves, and suddenly there it was in front of us—the Pacific Ocean!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had arrived.
We headed to our hotel, checked in, unpacked and grabbed the maps and went sight-seeing, house looking and neighborhood checking. Well, dear reader, this is where I say “Seeing is Believing”.
Sometimes you imagine something and when you actually see it, it is everything you thought it would be, sometimes it is more than you imagined, and sometimes it is nothing at all like you imagined. That’s the case for us. Newport appears to be a lovely town, but it sure isn’t what we imagined or had in mind. Fortunately, there are plenty of towns around here, and our Realtor is ready to show us loads of homes in all the towns, plus take us “touring” so we can see with our own eyes all there is to see.
Will we settle in Newport? That remains to be seen. What we do know is that we plan on settling on the coast of Oregon, and when we find the right town and the right house we will know it, for ... “Seeing is Believing”.
Personal Note:
This evening Mr. Retired and I talked about our impressions of Newport. Then he asked me how I would share this in my blog. I told him that all day my mind had been thinking of 1 John 1:1-4:
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”So today I’ve shared that which I have seen (and believed) with my eyes, in the hopes that it brought you some joy. My prayer is that you might also believe and know the joy of fellowship with Jesus Christ.
Monday, August 01, 2005
Hello from Oregon!
We arrived safe and sound, the room has secure hi-speed net access, niece checked in and cats are fine, we walked over to a little restaurant and had some iced tea, I've recovered my password for this blog, I'm doing better typing on this laptop ... so all is right with the world. HA!
We left later than expected, but still got out of town in one piece. The drive up the valley was HOT (thermometer read 104 - 106) and I was thankful for our wonderful a/c in the car.
Gradually one cloud bumped into another and soon the small clouds had formed a large cloud. It was as though an invisible magnet had drawn them all to the same place. Soon the cloud grew large enough to cast a shadow on the top of the mountain, while the lower portion remained in the sun. The sight was absolutely breathtaking! The bottom of the cloud formation became dark, yet the top was fluffy and bathed in sunshine. As I watched, the shape began to change and I was treated to the a wonderous sight as a lenticular cloud began to form. We couldn't stay to watch the entire show, but it sure was wonderful to see.
Back onto highway 5, where we found our exit in Medford, and here we are. I'm ready for a quick shower and then some sleep.
Tomorrow -- meeting a friend and arriving in Newport!
Psalms 104
We left later than expected, but still got out of town in one piece. The drive up the valley was HOT (thermometer read 104 - 106) and I was thankful for our wonderful a/c in the car.
O LORD, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.We stopped in Weed, CA for a light supper at Silva's. We chose a table in the backroom where we could enjoy the view of Mt. Shasta while we dined. As I sat there sipping a cup of freshly brewed coffee, I noticed that the clouds were so low that they seemed to kiss the top of the mountain as they drifted across the top.
Gradually one cloud bumped into another and soon the small clouds had formed a large cloud. It was as though an invisible magnet had drawn them all to the same place. Soon the cloud grew large enough to cast a shadow on the top of the mountain, while the lower portion remained in the sun. The sight was absolutely breathtaking! The bottom of the cloud formation became dark, yet the top was fluffy and bathed in sunshine. As I watched, the shape began to change and I was treated to the a wonderous sight as a lenticular cloud began to form. We couldn't stay to watch the entire show, but it sure was wonderful to see.
Back onto highway 5, where we found our exit in Medford, and here we are. I'm ready for a quick shower and then some sleep.
Tomorrow -- meeting a friend and arriving in Newport!
Psalms 104
O LORD, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
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