March 25--The Happy Reunion

  The beds at the La Quinta were soft yet firm and dreamland was certainly welcome after our skimpy snack.  We awoke to sunshine and Jeff was eager to see Dennis and Laurie who were in the room next to us.  So he called them and then we knocked on the door and a happy reunion ensued.  It was so wonderful to see them and revisit our friendship from last summer.  They joined us for breakfast at the cattle call buffet and we quickly got ready to go.

Laurie and I went to the car (appropriately, a Dodge Grand Caravan) and waited for Den and Jeff to settle the bill.  Dennis had left his camera in his room, but nobody could seem to get back in
to the room....not the maid, the front desk guy or the custodian.  They finally figured out that the door lock had dead batteries.  A quick replacement got Dennis his camera and sent us on our way. 

Laurie in the "Caravan"

We registered Jeff as the alternate driver (oh, woe is us) and headed north on the scenic route--Highway 89 through Payson to Cottonwood and our B and B. We enjoyed the sights of many Saguro cactus raising their arms high as if to wave hello.  The brown desert and huge rocky bluffs and mountains were a stark contrast to the green verdence of the Willamette Valley in March.  We stopped for a picture opportunity and to stretch our legs.

The Berger Boys reunited

Desert scenery

Ahh....no rain on my head!

Laurie and I had planned the route while Den and Jeff were dealing with the rental car stuff, and were surprised to find out that friends of theirs lived just outside of Payson.  While on the road we gave them a call.  To our surprise, they were home and welcomed us.  We got directions and soon were taking the road less traveled, up and through some country that can only be described as "rough", and that is being kind.  We were headed to the "town" of Gisella, about 5 miles from the highway. 

After some twists and turns we found the home of Jeannette and Norman.  Set in front of a small hill and facing east, their home looked out on the bluffs in the distance.  Jeannette and Norman are retired from nursing, and they said they searched the whole 4 corners area before they found their little home in Gisella.  They were so kind and welcoming, I soon felt that I had known them for years instead of minutes.  Their home is full of pottery, photographs, paintings and quilts that they have created.  Add the presence of a wonderful little dog--Bella, and it was a perfect respite.  Jeanette and Norman made us a traditional Southwest lunch and his sister Florence and her daughter joined us for a lunch.  Much laughter and good conversation made the time fly by.  Finally we needed to leave so we could get to the B and B by 6.  It was sad to go, but wonderful to have made the side trip to see such nice people. 

Our Hostess Jeannette

Jeanette and Norman's home in Gisella

Norm, Jeff, Jeannette, Laurie, Dennis and Bella the heeler

Cactus on the edge of "town"

We went through Payson and several other small towns and then up up up to a stunning view of Arizona from about 5000 ft.  We were following the Mogollin Rim--an amazing natural sight.  Finally we started to descend to the Verde Valley.  From the name, I expected an oasis, but it was definitely desert-like.  Soon we were in Cottonwood and found the Desert Rose B and B, our home for the next 3 nights. 

The caretaker, Betty, showed us to our rooms and around the property.  We have the use of the whole bottom floor of the house including our two bedrooms and baths and a dining and living room.  Outside there is a fountain made of round rocks that recycles from a waterfall on top to a pond at the bottom.  The sound of flowing water is so soothing.  We settled in, and Jeff and I enjoyed a moment outside watching the sunset over the Arizona Hills while listening to the fountain.  Ahhh.....peace at last.  I really felt that I was finally on vacation.

The sunset over the hills and fountain

Ahh.....finally on vacation!

Following Betty's directions we had dinner at a tavern that Jeff said (reading from the menu) was the oldest original movie theater in the west.  The owner got tired of the place burning down all the time so he finally built the walls out of concrete.  The last time it burned down, at least the walls kept standing.  I don't know how it was a theater, but it made a good tavern and a Black Butte Porter and delicious dinner made me a happy camper.  Back to the B and B and then to bed.  We anticipate a trip to Sedona tomorrow to see those famous red rocks and maybe do some shopping and hiking.  And then, who knows.....stay tuned!

3/24/12 Departure

Friday night we spent at Neil and Carol's where Carol fixed a wonderful gourmet dinner and Kath surprised me with a outrageous Market of Choice Strawberry/custard/chocolate cake with candles and song thrown in.  We played Mexican Train till my face hurt from laughter and we headed to Kath's for my last night in Oregon as a 62 year old - on to more adventures.

Saturday - We had a fairly relaxing day of packing and light chores due to having the foresight to making the list and living the list.  Emily and Ruben came over and spent some quality time and then Betsy and Robert stopped by to spend time, watch March Madness and spread some birthday cheer my way.  It has been truly heart warming to feel the love.

Max drove us to the airport and we checked our bags.  It was my first time through a body scanner and I do feel a bit invaded - my God, am I really that big.  Things went smoothly up to getting our bags off and heading towards the "Super shuttle" that was anything but super.

There was another couple already there and the driver felt the need to fill in any blank spots with a constant repartee that she hoped would up the tip.  I learned more about Cactus league baseball then I ever thought but did not want to know.  Meanwhile, we are waiting for Mrs. Burns, (no relation to Mr. Burns of "The Simpsons"  Ten minutes go by and Lucille, our driver gives her a buzz and was told it would be another ten minutes.  We wait listening to trivia concerning the Diamondback's new stadium and how the Cubs are threatening a move to Florida unless they also get a new stadium and on and on.  Ten minutes fly's by like the Turtle 500.  Ms. Burn's shows up to inform us that her luggage is lost and it may be another ten minutes.

Now you have to understand, Ms. Burns shops at all the top stores such as St Vinnie's and Goodwill.  Her sense of color and style are unique, she is fashion challenged and that is the kindest way I can describe a Coral blouse with orange pants and flaming pink running shoes - Mesa airport could use her to guide planes in.  This is complimented by a smile where her tooth, lonely that it may be, gamely tries to light up her ruby red lips.

Lucille insists that she can't leave Ms. Burns stranded and there are no Cabs in a 15 mile radius so we wait and hear more baseball trivia as to who is in a slump and who has lost a bit off their fastball.  Time sails by like watching the Dance of the snails.  Thirty-five minutes later, Ms. Burns arrives looking flustered and a bit out of sorts.  She informs us how all of her meds and "a big old jar of money" was packed away in the missing bag and what to do, what to do??  My thought was to just get in the #@%*ing bus so we can get to our hotel.  Ms. Burns did have a carry on so not all was lost, a green, pink and yellow stuffed bear, (looked like the bear shopped at the same stores she did.)  Ms. Burns then regales us with stories from her travel to Louisiana where she had gone on a "Swamp Tour", gee I never knew that there was such a thing and now that I do know, I can cross it off my list of things I might ever want to do.  Being a bit peckish as I haven't eaten in a while, my fantasy's start evolving as to how I can strangle this woman and get away with it - thank goodness for restraint and common sense. 

We get to the hotel at 2:00 A.M. only two hours late.  Every restaurant is now closed but the clerk informs us that there is a vast array of snack food in their 3 vending machines.  We dine on beef jerky, peanuts and some Sun Chips washed down by some 2% milk that the clerk scrounged up when he saw the utter defeat in our eyes, ah, the wonders of travel.

Time for Vacation

Hello faithful readers,
It is time to revive the blog for another get-a-way.  Jeff and I are going to Arizona to meet his brother Dennis and sis-in-law Laurie for yet another adventure.  Meanwhile, we have both been working at paperwork, yard work, house work and surviving the spate of crazy weather that March in Oregon can bring.  Some pics from the last few weeks:

Actually got the first mowing of the season done

Odin, king of the swing

Loki thinks I have stirred up some rodents with my gardening

Freddy waits to catch more weeds

I was just trying to get through the last week of work before spring break, and then on Wednesday, a big surprise.  I woke up in the morning to a heavy and wet snowfall and the happy news that school was cancelled for the day!  I went back to dreamland, but woke to a nightmare.....the unhappy realization that the electricity was out.  So much for a leisurely and relaxing snow day.

Max and I went to breakfast (and wonderful, wonderful coffee) and came back and bundled up, ready for the cold and dark wait for the electricity to be fixed.  By nightfall, I had thrown in the towel and reserved a cheap room at the Super 8, but cold-hardy Max said he would stay.  He built a fire and he and Freddy held down the fort.  Jeff (who also was in the cold and dark) and I shared a warm room and warm shower in the morning.  I was ready to go to work, when the word came through.....no school again!  Yay!!  Finally, I went home and saw the electric co. crews coming down the road.  The electricity came on again on Thursday at 10. 

Roses in the window--snow outside

Loki holds down the warm covers

So I can't wait to put in one more day at work and head for the south.  We will be posting regularly on the blog, so stay tuned!

Beach House Weekend

2-10 thru 2-12

A trip to the beach.  A return to sanity, a serene sanctuary where a calm prevails, a time of quiet walks on the beach, a time to reflect on the past, to enjoy the present and ponder the future.  Well, that was the plan....

Friday was pretty much following the vision.  Emily, Ruben and friend Jeremy arriving around 6:00 and Neil and Carol around 8:00.  My spaghetti and salad was a hit and the evening was spent with ample amounts of laughter, music, games, conversation and just.....joy!!!  I will admit that Neil whomped us good at Rummy - O, I bow to his expertise.

Saturday morning was when things started going Rod Serling on us.  After breakfast, the weather was perfect - mid 60's, sunny and no wind and we all went for a walk.  Freddy was up to his usual antics - running wild and digging sand in hopes of getting to the bottom of things.

Morning Coffee

Ru examines his finds

Freddy heads for the beach

This middle aged man wearing a winter coat and a attractive stars and stripes bathing suit came up to me and asked if I had seen the "metal box."  After getting him to slow down and put his mouth in gear with his brain, he reported the following.

On Friday night, UFO's had been spotted up and down the coast with green blinking lights.  They had been observed in several spots dropping off sealed metal boxes measuring 5' X 5' and very heavy.  It was reported that they were buried in the sand and couldn't be moved.  By now, I'm feeling more threatened by his fragile mental state then any UFO that I might come across.  We parted ways, Mr. UFO to scour the beach and us to take Freddy for a swim in the creek.  I had not gone 25 paces when a 60 something woman approached us.  She was sporting a stylish utility belt packing assorted tools and pouches containing stuff that I really did not want to know about.  She repeated Mr. Stars and Stripes story but left quickly in search of alien treasure.  We then saw the Yachat's Emergency Rescue squad pull up and they start walking the beach.  They approached me to ask me if I had seen anything unusual on our walk.  Rangers' Rick and Wanda actually downplayed the alien angle and assured me that the reported box was probably just a tackle box that washed off a fishing boat. Or maybe flotsam from the Japanese tsunami. Was this the beginning of a cover up, is this the start of a new World order and what the heck was in that woman's utility belt?

Ruben climbs

Freddy gets to swim

Ruben climbs again

stonefield beach--are there aliens????

Well, we went back to the cabin and as the day progressed, the crowd's began to swell - at last count it was up to 26 which is considerable on a beach that normally has 3 people or fewer.  The party grew with twenty somethings running around in black lace brassieres tossing a frisbee.  The only thing missing was a Coney Island hotdog cart. 

Neil and Jeff check out the bra clad frisbee players

Keep your eye out for those metal boxes

Rummy-O in the  sunshine

Beach house music

Well I can safely report that no metal boxes or aliens were found, or were they?  Klatu baradu nikto...

The rest of Saturday was sunny and warm......in February!  Maybe the alien influence changed the climate......I'm all for it!  Anyway, we were able to play another game of Rummy-O outside on the picnic table and sit in the sun and read and eat snacks and relax.  Neil and Carol took off for the valley and Em and Jeremy and Kathy made sweet music (at least it sounded sweet to us) and we had a relaxing evening.  The sunset was amazing and Ruben even showed me a new video game that kept me up late.

Wow sunset

And the lone crane watches

It was hard to leave the beach.  One last walk in the morning at low tide revealed no metal boxes, just sand, sea, rocks, shells, birds, happy people and a tired and sandy dog.  We cleaned up and headed east, refreshed and ready for another week.

On the road again--Sparks NV

December 29 - January 1st 2012

Kathy and I debated about what to do for New Years.  Kathy had just gotten back from a 7 day trip to Disneyland with Max (son), Emily (daughter) and Ruben (grandson).  A great time, but she felt those horrible, "I got the responsible adult blues", sung to the tune of "Crazy Mama".  For the past 2 years we had spent the New Years in the Reno area and it was getting to be a tradition.

After careful deliberation, prayer and quiet reflection, we came to a WTF conclusion - we be gone.

We had some business to attend to in Portland on Wednesday so we decided to take a new route down the Columbia Gorge.  So after a stop for the night at Hood River, we headed South on 97 at The Dalles.  What a wonderful trip.  The scenery was excellent and neither of us had ever seen it so, it was moments of mutual discovery.  We cruised down the Highway ensconced in the luxurious ride of Kathy's truck, listening to music, singing, stopping often for photo ops, snacks, lunch at local diners, quiet conversation and just enjoying the moments.

We arrived Western Village Hotel and Casino in Sparks around 7:00.  Got our room which was clean and comfortable and then headed over to the Casino to see what kinds of trouble we could get into.  We had dinner at the hotel restaurant and enjoyed the fact that the Casino caters to locals and the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly rather than the impersonal, pushy lack of ambiance found in Reno.
We gambled, drank large amounts of coffee and at times laughed so hard, my cheekbones hurt.  Lady luck was not watching me as she had taken up permanent residence on Kathy's shoulder.

On Friday, the 30th we got a late, lazy start but finally made it out of the resort around 12:00 for a road trip to Virginia City.  We took the long way to V.C. and were using Vera (my cell phone GPS guru) to get us there.  Vera routed us down a road that few men, or women would be brave enough to traverse a road that was truly amazing in it's rugged beauty.  The wind was howling down the canyons, but we enjoyed the moments for the beauty of Nevada, the quaintness of Virginia City, and just the feeling of freedom that surrounded us. 

We got back to our room and had another fun evening of gambling, music and more then our share of guffaws.

Saturday was spent watching football and being amazed about how I was getting creamed in a Bowl pool I am involved in. (Reading the rules would have been a major help).  We found a local pub where we played pool and schmoozed with the locals.  We went out to Pietro's Familia Restaurante in downtown Sparks.  Delicious Italian food served by polite elderly Italian men while being entertained by a 75 year old vocalist who did a mean rendition of Mack the Knife.  We then went over to the Nugget where I sat down at a video slot machine that was broken, as it kept paying off in prodigious amounts.  We hit Midnight standing outside and listening to the fireworks and being grateful for what 2011 offered and looking forward to the adventures that '12 will give us. We got to bed around 2:00 after taking a chunk out of the local economy.

Sunday we were up at 6:30 and on the road by 8:30.  We traded naps and driving.  It was reminiscent of our trip across the country.  Another long ride home but very enjoyable.  It's just how you want to look at things.

Happiest New Year wishes to all of our friends and family.  May '12 offer health, laughter and plenty of opportunities to break bread together.

Mt Hood from the East side

Eagle Lake on the way to Susanville, CA

The road to nowhere....actually ended up in Virginia City

Coming down from Virginia City....the dust blowing down the canyons

Disneyland Trip Slideshow

Thursday, Dec. 22

We got up at going and pulled out of the Tropicana at about 8:45.  Amazingly, the trip out of LA was easier than we expected.  It only took us about an hour to go from Anaheim to Valencia and we soon were in the San Juaquin Valley.....pretty much the middle of nowhere except for miles of trees, mostly oranges.  We stopped at Pea Soup Andersen's for a late lunch and made it to Redding by 7.  It was so nice to have 3 drivers.  But driving that far and sitting that long left us happy to be at the Super 8 and settled into a not moving bed.  I'll sum up this trip tomorrow, but suffice it to say, we consider this trip to be a great success.  And...... it will be good to be home!

Our reflection in a tanker

My turn to drive

The traditional pose