Monday, May 24, 2010

BRRR--Seattle

Greetings from the cold, wet Pacific Northwest! 

I am such a dork!  I KNOW better, but somehow when I am packing for a trip to anywhere, I pack clothes for where I am instead of where I am going!  My mind will NOT let me realize that it may be cold where I am going...such as in Seattle!  Needless to say, I am cold.  Oh well, I pay for my stupidity.

We have had a busy month, full of company in Tucson.  Mike and Bev were the first to arrive and Bev stayed an extra week so we could play and play we did.  I had a great time with her there.  Then Jerry arrived to pick up our truck and 5th wheel trailer.  He took it back to Odessa and he will be using it for a while.  While he was still in Tucson Ric and Janet arrived.  It was so much fun having them there together.  Jerry and Ric worked in the yard, or should I just say the outside, trimming trees and disposing of pack rat nests around the house.  The little critters are becoming a real pest.  Janet was sure a big help around the house as well...she seemed to be busy all of the time!

Jerry left with the truck and trailer on May 16; heading towards Odessa.  We dropped Ric and Janet off at the Phoenix airport on the 18th and we kept going north.  Made it to Kanab, Utah the first night.  I was so tired by the time we got there I couldn't have driven another mile.  But, surprise to us, most of the hotel/motels were full!  Apparently Tuesday is the day that all the tourist buses arrive!  We finally found a room in an older, but very clean motel.  Had a wonderful dinner of Navajo Taco's that night.  YUM

Next morning up early and off again.  We stopped in Mt. Carmel Jct. for breakfast and ordered the senior breakfast.  Holy smokes...if that was the size of the senior meal I am glad we didn't order the regular meal..it was huge!  After trying to plow our way through it, we decided to take Hwy 9 through Zion national park.  We have driven this route once before in the pickup, but decided we would be able to enjoy it much more in the van.  It was a great drive, beautiful scenery and we both enjoyed it.  We hit I-15 and I was in a driving mood, so we drove to Twin Falls, ID that night.  I was tired by the time we arrived, had to fight a cross wind all day.

Up early on Thursday and off again...by this time I am settling in to the "driving" mode.  Still fighting wind, but now rain has been added to the mix.  We stopped in Baker City, Oregon (pretty little city) for lunch then headed up Blue Mtn pass.  It was raining pretty hard and then that turned to SNOW at the top of the pass.  Fortunately it wasn't sticking to the road, but it was snow!  In MAY!  Late MAY!  Come on, give me a break.  Finally ran out of the snow on the Pendleton side of the pass.  And for the first time I didn't dread going down the Pendleton hill...no trailer behind me pushing me!!

We stayed in Yakima on Thursday night...wind still blowing hard.  Yakima is in the middle of the Washington wine area and I was wishing we had more time to stop at a few of the vineyards.  After a good nights rest we drove on into Jennifer's in the Seattle area on Friday, arriving about noon.  Glad the drive was over, but I did enjoy it and so did Al.

Saturday was the reason we were here...the wedding of Jesse Brasch to Jessica Bos.  Jesse is the son of good friends Rowland and Kathy and we were determined not to miss this wedding.  The wedding was perfect as far as I was concerned.  Very short ceremony and a long reception!  We enjoyed seeing friends and family. 

Yesterday  we had Gary, Jeannette, Kali, Scott and little Josh over for lunch.  Josh is 2 1/2 years old and we haven't seen him in over a year!  Boy has he grown.  Sure a cute little guy!  Last night Sherrie and Margo were here for dinner...so we are getting some family and friend time in.  Tonight and tomorrow we will see friends for dinner as well...always a busy, fun time while in Seattle.

We left the dogs and cats in the capable care of Gordon and Denise...but we sure do miss them.  Very odd not to have them with us. 

We are off to Odessa on Saturday for Memorial Day family reunion.  Then on the 1st we will head to Portland to see Melanie and family, then on to Medford area to visit with my sister before we head down the California coast. 

More later as we wroam!

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