Happy Birthday Lori...you are 18!

And to my youngest grandchild...Lori...Happy Birthday Sweetheart...you are already 18.  Once again I blinked and you grew up!



Lori, here is kiss to you...so you can wipe it off your cheek and say "ick".  This was a game we played from when she was very young...at least I think it was a game, regardless, I kissed her anyway!





Lori was born in California, but she and her parents moved to Portland, OR when she was a little over a year old.  She was an early bloomer...walking at just 7 mos old.  And let me tell you, she hasn't let any grass grow under her feet since!  And she definitely has a bit of me in her....very independent, sometimes to her parents dismay!  However, after saying that, she is a very thoughtful young lady and very focused. 

She knew one speed growing up and it was fast.  I can remember her riding her bike as fast as her little legs would pedal...and she didn't know how to brake...just run into something, fall, get up and do it all over again.  I can't tell you how many times she scared the daylights out of me. 

Then she found horses.  We sent her to horse camp in 2002...and the love with horses still continues today.  She is an excellent rider, has competed in Rodeo's, and trains horses as well.  She loves all animals and if her parents would let her she would have a gazillion animals.  She has raised lambs, llamas, alpaca's, rabbits, chickens, horses, and dogs. 

Lori graduated from high school this year...and she is one smart young lady.    Still isn't sure what she wants to be, so far it has ranged from being a vet, to a coroner, nurse, surgeon, etc.  However, she has some interest in political science as well...so only time will tell. 

Whatever she decides will be her life calling, she will be very good at it.  That is just the kind of person she is.  Happy 18th Birthday sweetheart....we love you.

Whoa....where did the time go?

Odessa, or Odessolet, Wa
Okay, so I promised myself I would blog at every stop of this trip.  Hmmm..that didn't last long.  The time has litterally flown by. 

We are sitting in our 5th wheel in Odessa.  I am still marveling at how we got here and how fast the time has gone.  So lets start where I last left off...Portland.

We headed out of Portland on June 13 headed for Seattle.  We had a nice, slow drive up, it must have been uneventful because I don't remember much of it!  After unloading the car at Jenn's (all 3 flights of stairs) I was done for the day.

The next day, Tuesday, Al had a dentist appointment in the afternoon.  In the morning Jenn took me out to her friends house in the middle of nowhere Bothell, Woodinville, Carnation, for a massage.  I WAIT to get to Seattle so Jackie can give me a massage.  Ah...felt soooo good.

Wednesday was busy, for lunch we drove to North Bend to meet granddaughter Cammie and her friend Lorissa for lunch.  Cammie and Lorissa are living in Cle Elum now and both are working for the summer.  Cammie is planning on going back to school in the fall. She looked so good and seem to be really happy.  Then that night we met good friends Bill and Lorie Lince for dinner at Cafe Purple in Kirkland for dinner.  This restaurant was reviewed on the TV show "The best thing I ever ate" and I knew I had to try it.  And it lived up to it's reputation...I have some wonderful lobster risotto...yum.  I was so stuffed, but I had to try the coffee sundae as well...burp!

Thursday rolled around and it was back to the dentist for Al for 2 hour appointment.  Sheech.  I went over and visited Seattle daughter in law Janet while Al was in the dentist chair.  I about froze to death...brrr...I definitely have Tucson blood now.  That night neice Sherrie came over and we ordered in pizza. 

Friday arrived and we had lunch with long time friends Frank and Lynn Conger at the Beachhouse Cafe in Kirkland (used to be the Foghorn for those of you who would remember it).  We had a good, but way to short visit with them.  Then that night Ric was panhandling for the Cure near Jenn's house.  Now let me explain that one...Ric walks in the 3 day, 60 mile Walk for the Cure for breast cancer.  He does his "panhandling" on freeway offramps...has a sandwich board that says "$$ for boob's not Booze".  This night he made over $200 in donations.  Pretty good for a couple hours work. Jenn and I hopped in the convertible and took a picture of him


Yes, this is our son.

Saturday dawned gray and raining (we are in Seattle).  Jenn had a function to go to that morning so Al and I just rested.  That afternoon we went to good friends Rowland and Kathy's house for dinner.  As always we enjoyed our visit with them, but it was just too darn short.  I don't want to move back to Seattle, but I sure do miss our friends.

Sunday was Father's Day and we went to Ric and Janets for dinner.  Granddaughter Ashley was there as well as Janet's parents and Al's ex wife Marilyn.  We had a good visit and Al enjoyed his day.

Monday Jenn, AL and I went to our favorite place for breakfast, Lil Jon's Cafe in Bellevue.  It is just down the street from where we used to live and has been there for 47 years and hasn't changed.  YUM.  I spent the rest of the day packing.  That evening Jenn, Sherrie, Al and I went to COHO Cafe for dinner...if you are even in the area, defintely try this place.

Tuesday Al had a 3 HOUR, yes, 3 hour dentist appointment.  I dropped him off and came back to Jenn's to load the car.  After his appointment we headed over the mountains to Odessa.  But, we did stop in Cle Elum to have an early dinner with Cammie and Lorissa and to see their place.  Very nice apartment, just right for someone with young legs...it is a 3 story place as well.  We arrived in Odessa around 8:00 that night and I just crashed.

Wednesday we were up and at 'em; had to take the rental car back to Spokane to turn it in.  It was a Chevy Traverse and boy I really did like it.  I am not much of a GM fan, but I liked this one.  Nephew Todd followed us in with our truck; then we hit Costco, Walmart, etc. for supplies.  We also stopped and bought a new recliner for the 5th wheel as the old one was worn out.  On our way home we stopped at Todd's parents house and his dad Larry told us of a Lift recliner that was for sale in Odessa.  Yes, we bought it...it is perfect for Al and it is practically new.  So now I have two new recliners. 

The rest of the time in Odessa has been spent cleaning the 5th wheel.  It was in storage all winter and was really dirty.  My back has paid for this little cleaning spree....

Today was Al's high school all school reunion.  His school was so small that they have reunion's every 3 years.  There was a good turn out this year, however, as expected, there were 26 who have died in the last year!  OUCH!    It was bittersweet for us to be there without Bob.  Didn't seem right.

Weather here has been different.  Usually by this time it is pretty hot, but not this year.  Everything is late this year as well.  Harvest will definitely late. 

We will be here until next Thursday, when we head north towards Noxon, Montana. 

Al has been doing pretty good.  He had a heck of time with all the stairs at Jenn's, but is finally getting his legs back now.  The stairs into the trailer are steep but he seems to be navigating them okay.  My back is doing okay, sore some days, worse others.  But it is what it is. 

Hopefully I will be back on track and blog more frequently now.  So until then....

Tonapah to Portland

Sunday June 12
We had a wonderful trip from Tonopah Nevada to Central Point, OR.  We decided we wanted to go through Mt Lassen National Park so we detoured after Reno to take us through the park.  Very beautiful drive.  However, when we turned off to go through the park the roads were closed due to SNOW!  We still had a pretty drive. 

We arrived at my sister's house in Central Point on Monday afternoon.  We really took our time and stopped often.   Two of my nieces were there for dinner that night and we had a good visit.  We layed pretty low the entire time we were there.  We went out to my niece Kay and her husband Mark's house on Wednesday night for dinner.  They have a beautiful home in Jacksonville. 

Thursday morning we headed north to Portland, well, actually Canby at our daughter Melanie's house.  Her and her husband Ron just bought a new house with acreage.  Very nice house and grounds.  They have 4 horses, chickens, ducks, and cats and dogs....oh, and did I mention our two grandchildren Victor and Lori????  Wheee..grandchildren. 

Friday Victor graduated from Clackamas Community College with an AA in General Studies.  For Vic this is a real accomplishment.  He really had the determination to finish this.  We are so proud of him.

Yesterday we had a slow day....just rested and had a nice dinner for the grads last night.  I offered to take them out, but they both opted for steak at home.

Today Lori graduates from Oregon City High School.  I can't believe ALL of my grandchildren are out of high school....sheesh...how did that happen?  I am so proud of all of them, they are all upstanding citizens.  Two with families; the rest doing what they want with their lives.  We are so blessed.

Grandpa, Vic, Lori, Gramma

Melanie,Vic, Lori, Ron

Victor and Lori

Tonopah, NV

We are wroamin' again!  It's been a long time since I could say that.  We are heading north for a few weeks...Oregon, Washington, Montana and Colorado are in our plans. 

We left yesterday morning from Tucson; made it to Kingman Arizona before I gave up...was too tired to go any further.  I wonder if the wind ever stops blowing in Kingman?  

On the road by 9:00 a.m. today...anxious to go over the new bridge over Hoover Dam.  I was planning on stopping to take pictures.  We went  over it and never knew it!  It is called Kingman Canyon Bridge or something like that.  Darn!  We also got hit by a swarm of bugs/bee's this morning...sounded like hail hitting the car.  The windshield was a mess of bug splatters.  I stopped as soon as I could find a gas station  to clean the windshield...that was a job...what an icky mess.

We spent over 2 hours in Pahrump, NV.  We now own a lot in Pahrump; part of our rental house sale in Tucson.  And I must admit it is a great lot; 1 1/2 acres and is surrounded by HUGE, expensive homes.  However, just like everywhere else, there is no building going on in Pahrump.  So we will just hang on to the lot.  It has a great view of Mt. Charleston from the front of the lot and a mountain view (I don't know which mountains they are) from the back.  Pahrump reminds me a lot of Lake Havasu City, AZ, only without the lake.  We both really liked it.  We then went to the Pahrump Valley Winery, which we have heard so much about from Gary and Jeannette.  Great wine!  We wound up buying a case of it and stuffing it in an already too crowded car!  We had lunch at the restaurant at the winery and it was top notch. 

After lunch we decided we should probably get back on the road...boring drive from Pahrump to here..not much to see.  It is cool here, weather being very unusual for this time of year.  It was 74 when we arrived and it is down to 60 now.  BRRRRR

Dogs and Al are doing fine riding along.  It is a lot of work for me on this trip...Al can do nothing so I have to not only drive, but lug suitcases in and out and put his walker in and out of the car; walk the dogs; etc.  Hope my back holds out.  So far, so good.  I am doing my exercises faithfully! 

Tomorrow we are headed to Reno; then to Northern California and through Lassen Park to I-5.  Hope to be in Medford, OR by Monday afternoon.

We are driving a rental car and it is a dream to drive.  It is a Chevy Traverse and I am really liking it.  Once we get to Odessa, we will turn it in (in Spokane) and pickup our truck and 5th wheel and bring it back to Arizona. 

So until then next post in a few days...we are Wroamin' again and it feels good.