OWAV:) 02/28/11, 5am, 45°, Clear

Yesterday, Herb did laundry and housekeeping was in to clean our villa, so we are ready for another week in Arizona.  We finished up yesterday with a tour of "outer" Phoenix looking for yard sale signs and just checking out the territory.  New housing developments are everywhere.  Of course building has really slowed down here and many places are for sale or up for auction.  But it doesn't seem to slow the addition of new malls and houses in the suburbs.  Here at "Cibola Vista" where we stay, they haven't built anything for the past three years,  but plan to start on phase three of this complex in 2012.  They are running at close to capacity on most weekends and cater to events such as weddings, parties etc.   The long range plan is to build a total of seven phases to complete the resort,  many years down the road.

Yard sales were not to be found today, think the weather has been to iffy for people to brave the cold and put their stuff out to get rained on.   I'm on the lookout for a lemon tree,  in someone's back yard, just waiting to be picked and taken home so we can have our usual fresh lemon meringue pie, spring break when the "kids" are home.  

We made a quick stop at the grocery to pick up ice cream for our dessert tonight,  and a cake mix to make a lemon poke cake sometime tomorrow.  

Sun is out this Monday morning, the last day of February, with a promise of warmer weather,  cool breeze is still in the air.  Not much to write about so will close for today.   OWAV:)

OWAV:) 02/27/11, 5am, 45°, Rainy

Saturday dawned as another cool day in Arizona, with rain predicted.  Herb had breakfast ready when I got back to the room, after catching up on scrabble games and answering email.   I sliced a pear to go with our cold cereal and hard boiled egg.  This is more than enough breakfast as we will be eating at the theatre about 1pm today.  We spend the rest of the morning cleaning the kitchen and reading.

We leave for the theatre about 11:30am and people watch while we wait for the doors to open.  The meal choices today are the same as a week ago, Herb decides to try the fish and I the vegetarian option.  Dinners are okay but I think the meals are slipping in quality from two years ago.  We share a bottle of wine, leaving some to take back to the condo and forgoing dessert on this day.

Robert Shaw and his Lonely Street Band started the show, singing Johnny Cash songs from the 60's and beyond.  Among the more famous songs were Sunday Morning Coming Down,  Ring of Fire,  I've Been Everywhere Man, We Got Married in a Fever and Man in Black.  We both enjoyed the show and it was soon over.  Robert Shaw will be back to the Arizona Broadway Theatre in April with his "Elvis Presley Show",  How Great Thou Art.  He is a talented musician, singing, playing guitar and the harmonica. 

Back at the condo, our days have fallen into a routine of an event every few days, then filling in the gaps with reading, playing on the computer and waiting for the sun to come out so we can get our vitamin D replenished.

I'm going to fix meatloaf, baked potatoes and salad for dinner today.  Coming up on our agenda is a trip to the "Arizona Botanical Gardens", our first ballgame is on Thursday of this week and we will check out a couple of sports complexes and get tickets for another game or two.  More later,  OVAW:)

OWAV:) 02/26/11, 6am, 45°, Clear

We arrived in Care Free about 9:30, the market having just started.  A small market, with fresh vegetables, jams, sauces, Italian food  and meats.  Picked up a loaf of bread and apple mustard then we were off to find the thrift stores.  They have three very nice thrift stores, with good prices and high end clothing, if that is what you are interested in.  We mainly bought books and a few odds and ends.  No great buys, but it was fun to look and listen to other shoppers, who thought they had found a gold mine.  It was nearly 2pm when we got back to Peoria, found a small family owned, Chinese restaurant where we had a good meal and took half of it home for another day.  We stopped to browse at a few yard sales.

Back at our condo, I caught up on the scrabble games, email, etc.  Later I got out my knitting needles and knit a swatch out of yarn that felt like wool, bought from a yard sale, but no it is some kind of synthetic fiber as it didn't felt at all.  Pretty color so will put it in my stash and maybe make something later or donate it to Soroptomists, when we get back home.

Today is our day to go back to the Arizona Broadway Theatre, where we will see the "Man in Black" with dinner included. Weather is iffy with possible rain for the next two days and then warming up by Monday.   Maybe we will get some time in the swimming pool after all.   Later,  OVAW:)

OWAV:) 02/25/11, 6am, 45°, Clear

Lazy day yesterday.  Herb fixed cold cereal for breakfast, while I emptied a jar of our home-made sauerkraut into the only casserole dish in the condo, added German sausage, covered it and put it in a 200° oven.  Off we went to the shopping center.  Herb looked for a decent paring knife, for the kitchen and I a potted plant for the dinning room table.  Picked up milk and eggs at the grocery and arrived back at the condo, a couple of hours later, to the smell of sauerkraut filling our room.  Sure glad it tastes better than it smells.  I peeled potatoes, left them in cold water and we went to sit poolside.  It was still quite cool, but we read for awhile.  Then Herb came back to the condo, cooked the potatoes and was just mashing them, with a fork, as I came in.  I set the table and we enjoyed a lovely dinner without much effort.

Our condo is north of Phoenix, in Peoria, a suburb of Phoenix.  When we first came here six years ago, the nearest store was just a small grocery about 5 miles away.  In the past four years, huge shopping centers have appeared like mirages in the desert.  Less than two miles away we have, Target, Kohls, Home Depot, Lowes, and innumerable small shops, restaurants etc.  We are surrounded by housing developments on all sides.  Amazingly it is still fairly quiet and easy to get around.

I spent the rest of the afternoon catching up on scrabble, at different times I chatted with Rusty, Bobi and Cienna.  Made a phone call home, talked to Adam Stein about our roof.  They are still waiting for supplies that have been ordered.  We have been here a week as of today.

Must go post this so we can leave early for Cave Creek and the Farmers Market, plus yard sales and will look for a place to eat out today.   Later,  OWAV:)

OWAV:) 02/24/11, 6am, 48°, Cloudy/Sunny

Yesterday we did laundry, (washer and dryer in our condo) skipped breakfast and had an early lunch at "Paradise Bakery and Deli" on our way to Cabelas, where we wandered around the store for two hours.  Herb at his leisure and me at mine, going in opposite directions, meeting later at the checkout stands.  Herb had checked the map and is very good at directions so he is getting pretty good at navigation on the outskirts of Phoenix, going back to places we have visited in previous years.

We will go North to Carefree on Friday, visit the farmers market, thrift stores and maybe yard sales.  The weather is supposed to turn colder with possible rain on Saturday.  On Saturday we will be inside watching a performance at the Arizona Broadway Theatre, "Man in Black".    We tried sitting by the pool yesterday but the cold breeze and cloudy conditions chased us back into the condo.  Late afternoon Herb BBQ'd pork chops and I freshened up the leftover potato salad and added lettuce to the green salad.  Toward evening we finished off the applesauce cake.  Today I will have to plan more menu's for the rest of the week.

❝Back to the 1964 camping trip.  We arrived at Lake Mead, just south of LasVegas and checked into a campground, near the boat launching area.  It was a shaded area and the temperature was in the low seventies.  Balmy compared to the weather we had experienced getting there.  After the trailer was set up we found a grocery store and stocked up on groceries as we would be camping in this spot for ten days.  Herb's Mom was a very good cook even with the limited facilities of the camp trailer.  I don't remember much day to day but I know we spent as much time out of doors as possible soaking up the sun.  We took long walks investigating our surroundings.  In the evenings we sat around a campfire or played innumerable games of cards, canasta or pinochle, one of our favorite pastimes.  One day, Bobbi Jo stayed with "Nana and Poppy" and Herb and I visited the casino's in Vegas.  He not much of a gambler and I having never seen a one-armed bandit before didn't know how they worked.  So we mostly watched people and looked at the sights.

Soon our time was over and we resumed our trip with plans to see the Grand Canyon.  It really wasn't a good time of year to see the Grand Canyon so decided we would go to the south rim and at least get a glimpse of it.  We camped at the south rim and woke up, next morning, to six inches of snow covering the ground.  We pushed on, heading north into Utah.  I remember Herb coming down with a cold and flu which slowed us down for a couple of days.  We got into a bad snow storm near Heber City Utah, seems like we were pushing snow with the front bumper of the Jeep Wagoneer.  We made it to  Porterville, Utah where we spent the night at Loraine and Steve's (my sister and brother-in-law).  We set up the trailer in their back yard,  had a short visit as we were late arriving there.  That night we shared their one bathroom with their family of ten.  On the last day of our trip, driving through Payette Canyon, north of Boise, we again encountered blizzard conditions.  Herb and Dad had to chain up the four wheeled drive jeep so we could continue on.  We were about sixty miles from McCall, Idaho, which was home for Mom and Dad.  We arrived home safely and had very fond memories of this trip.  In later years, after Herbs parents retired they bought their own travel trailer and spent several winters in the Lake Mead area of Nevada.  I don't recall that they repeated the adventures of the 1964 trip.❞ Stay tuned, OWAV:)  

OWAV:) 02/23/11, 7am, 45°, Sunny

Poolside with Mona & Jerry

Slept later than usual,  although we were in bed at an early hour.  We had a busy day yesterday,  getting ready for a visit with Mona and Jerry.  They arrived about 11am, bringing us tree ripened grapefruits and lemons.  We take them on a tour of the grounds here at the condo and relax pool side, soaking up the sun and catch up on our visiting.  It is hot in the direct sun but cools right off if you move into the shade.

Hot air balloon, Idella & Mona

We find a nice sunny spot for our dinner, where Herb can BBQ the steaks and we bring the other food from the condo to the outdoor table.  Dinner always tastes better when shared with others and we have few leftovers when we finish.  Later as we have applesauce cake for dessert on our patio, we are entertained with a hot air balloon launch nearby.  With camera's in hand we walk closer to get a better view.  The balloons, all six of them, finally full of people, are launched and sail away toward the nearby hills.  A nice ending to an enjoyable day.  With hugs all around Mona and Jerry head back across town for one last night with Jerry's stepmother before starting their journey back to Salt Lake City.

I take the laptop and head for the lobby where I catch up on email, scrabble games, and check the weather back home.  Joseph is again under a weather watch with more snow on the way.  Wonder about our roof???
  
Haven't decided for sure what we are doing today, either going north to Carefree and check out the thrift shops, or south to wander around the Cabella's store.  What to do for dinner???  OWAV:) 

OWAV:) 02/21/11

Herb fixed bacon, eggs and toast for breakfast, I caught up with the scrabble games, then we finished up our grocery shopping at Costco and Albertson's.  

Arizona Sunset

In the early afternoon, we took our books and sat pool side to read for awhile.  Not warm enough for swimsuits but the sun feels good shinning on ones back.  Later in the afternoon, Herb took the car to have the oil changed and I fixed dinner.  We had a simple dinner of deer steak, brought from home, with texas toast and raw veggies and fruit.  So good to have home cooked food even if I do have to fix it.  Doesn't take long to get tired of restaurant fare!   I always find it fun and a challenge to cook in a strange kitchen without all of the usual utensils.

Mona and Jerry will come for dinner tomorrow, then maybe on Wednesday we will drive to Carefree and check out the thrift stores for reading material.   Stay tuned, OWAV:)

02/22/11  4am

Early to rise---------❝Many times on our trip to Arizona, thoughts of another trip kept running through my mind.  In March of 1964, we, (Herb, Me and two year old, Bobbi Jo), took a trip with Herb's parents.  They had a Jeep Wagoneer station wagon and we rented a small travel trailer from a friend.  The plan was the five of us would take a trip to Arizona to see the country and check out places to stay so that Mom and Dad could spend time in Arizona or Nevada in the winters.  It was to be  a way for them to leave all of the snow and cold weather of McCall Idaho, which would be better for Mom's asthma.  We left McCall, early March for the three week trip.  The trailer and car were packed with all the essentials of a three week trip including the potty chair for Bobbie Jo.  It was situated behind the back seat of the station wagon.  I guess we hoped this would save time so we didn't have to stop every hour for a "two year olds potty breaks".  All went well the first day and we arrived in Twin Falls, Idaho late afternoon, found a trailer park and set up for the night.  That nights dinner was ham, scalloped potatoes and asparagus.  That is the only meal I remember.  We visited with my Aunt Carrie and Uncle Harold who lived in Twin Falls.  I was nervous about that because both Herb and Dad smoked and I was afraid they would light up a cigarette in Aunt Carries immaculate house that had never had the smell of a cigarette any where near it.  My worries were for naught and the visit went well.  We left early the next morning for points south.

I'm not sure of the time frame or how many days it took us to get to Lake Mead, Nevada, but we stayed at least one more night on the road.  That day we had driven through a winter storm on very slick roads and a strong wind, not a good thing when you are pulling a travel trailer.  No trailer parks were to be found that night and after asking around we were directed to someones house, that had a lone space for rent and we would have to use the bathroom inside of their back door.  The wind was blowing a gale, it was dark and it was bitter cold.  Again we fixed something to eat and were soon in bed, snuggled under all the covers we had, to keep warm.

Travel trailers in those days were a far cry from what they are now, with all of the convenience's of home.  The trailer we had was about 15' long with a double bed in the back end, a fold down bed made up each night where the dinette was and a hammock overtop of the dinette.  A small gas stove, with oven, for cooking and to take the chill off of the cold nights, before we went to bed.  It had a small refrigerator but there was no furnace.  To say the least it was a very cozy arrangement.❞   To be continued.  OWAV:)

Have a potato salad fixed for dinner, email answered, blog copied into blogspot.  Will  get the scrabble caught up.

OWAV:) 02-21-11, 6am, 48°, High Clouds

We are both up this morning, drinking coffee and Herb is reading.  We were in bed by 9pm last night, slept soundly, then awoke at 5am.

Yesterday we had a small breakfast of oatmeal and oranges, saving room for dinner at about 1pm.  We got to the Arizona Broadway Theatre early and sat watching people and reminiscing about shows we have seen in the past and looking at the new shows coming up.  The ABT opened six years ago and we attended one of the first performance there.  It is a lovely and spacious venue.  Every year I start looking at their website, to see what will be showing while we are here.  This year we came a day early just to catch the last performance of "MyFair Lady".  Luckily for us, they had extended this performance by three weeks.

Dinner before the show is prepared on site with a chef and his crew.  Herb had the roast pork and I the beef roast.  We always order a bottle of wine "Duck Pond Merlot" to sip with our dinner.  After dinner,  orders are taken for dessert to be served at intermission.  We split the Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake.  OOOOH my goodness,  they about had to roll us out of the place!!!

Now on to the show.  "My Fair Lady" is my all time favorite musical, first seeing it at the University of Utah, in the late 1960's.  The story of a common flower peddler,  Eliza Dolittle,  lifted from the gutter by Professor Henry Higgins, who turned her into a lady, in six short months.  The music and costuming is incredible, as well at the singing and dancing.  Songs such as "I Could Have Danced All Night",  "With a Little Bit of Luck",  "On The Street Where You Live", "I'm Getting Married in The Morning", "Isn't She Lovely" and "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face".

To make a long story short, Henry takes Eliza, from her life as a flower peddler, with a cockney accent, no manners, and in six short months, turns her into a proper lady.  But he still treats her as a common flower peddler, not realizing until he has driven her away, that he is in love with her.  After many "tantrums"  by both Eliza and Henry the story comes to a close, with the tradition ending of living happily ever after.

What a wonderful way to spend our first rainy afternoon in Arizona, attending a five hour extravaganza.  We stopped on our way back to the condo, picked up a few groceries, caught up on email, scrabble games and crashed by 9pm.

We will go to Costco this morning to do the rest of our grocery shopping and decide what to feed Mona and Jerry, as they are coming to have dinner with us tomorrow, before they leave to start their journey back to Salt lake City. 

Stay tuned, OWAV:)

OWAV:) 02-20-11, 6am, 48°, cloudy

Long, long day yesterday.  We left Bountiful before 4am, coffee cups in hand.  We took the Legacy bypass around Salt Lake City.  As we came onto interstate 15, the construction started and we dodged around, in and out of pylons for the next 50 miles.  So thankful we did leave early, before all the traffic got started.  It was a dark morning as the full moon was covered by a blanket of smog.  We stopped at a rest stop/ Chevron station and Herb let me drive as the sky is starting to lighten.  

We arrive in Cedar City, big snow flakes starting to fall.  Breakfast on bacon, eggs and pancakes.  With us and the car refueled we push on.  We encounter snow covered slick roads over the pass with many cars in the ditch.  Snow soon turns to rain as we get to a lower elevation and we decide it will be wise to take the long way around, via Las Vegas instead of around the north rim of the Grand Canyon. 

We got rain off and on all day but the roads and visibility were good. We skirted Las Vegas, taking the scenic route through the Arizona state park, "Valley of Fire".  The red rock formations are incredible.  About six years ago we saw the start of the new bridge being constructed around and over Hoover Dam and wanted to drive over that. Another reason to come through Las Vegas way.  It was a big disappointment as the new bridge has tall cement sides so nothing can be seen from the car.  The original road went right across the dam and the view from it was breath taking!  We arrived in Peoria, at the Cibola Vista condo at 5pm.

Unloaded car, caught up on scrabble games, emailed people, ate fruit, cheese, nuts, cookies and milk for supper and crashed about 8pm.

I must get a grocery list made, we will shop this morning.  We have tickets for "My Fair Lady" dinner theatre.  It starts at noon.  

Guess that is all for now, it is 7am. Sounds like it is raining. Love to all. OWAV:)

OWAV:) 02/18/11

Spent most of the day in Porterville, visited with Lynelle, then went to Loraine's and visited with her and George.  Loraine seemed to be having a good day and is content with George being there and has accepted that she isn't able to live alone.  Hard for her to accept after she has been so independent for so many years.  Blanche arrived about noon with fish sandwiches for all of us.  We visited and reminisced until about 2pm.  Talked alot about the ranch in McCall and what George and Blanche remembered about the times they spent there.  Brings back lots of memories.

Back in Bountiful, we stopped at Costco to fuel the car, we also got a big salad and a rotisserie chicken for all of us at Greg and Jolene's for dinner tonight.  Caught up on scrabble and will leave early tomorrow for the last leg of this journey.  Got tickets for a Johnny Cash special at the Broadway Theatre for next saturday via a special email from the Theatre.  Two big shows and one ballgame booked so far. Love to all.   More tomorrow, maybe.

OWA(different)V:-)

OWAV:) 02/18/11, 7am(mst), 40° Herb says, cloudy-

First my thoughts as we left Joseph yesterday: 02/17/11 Why do I hate leaving home?  Is it because of the weather forecast, or that the roof is partly gone, or just because I feel safe in our home, (even if the roof blew off) and don't want the worries that come with travel??  Face it I'm just a worrier!!  As we leave our house surrounded by a foot of snow, the almost full moon illuminates the valley, the mountains standing out against blue sky.  It is 4:30am and 18°.  The road is very slick on Creighton Lane, it feels like we are driving over a bed of marbles.  At first Herb thinks a tire is low or something, he slows way down to get the car to stop its crazy motion and drives forty miles an hour to Enterprise where he checks all the tires and we go on.  Car is okay now and road is practically bare, very little snow has fallen.  Looks like Joseph got the major portion of the storm.  It is light as we approach LaGrande, roads bare and we are on our way.

Good bed, good nights sleep, nice to have a sister at the half way point, even if she isn't home.  Arrived here yesterday at about 3:30, we had been on the road for ten hours.  With Herb driving all but about two hours of that.  Roads were good and as usual my worrying was for naught.  We stopped at the local Target store to pick up some milk, oreos, etc and to walk and stretch our legs after the long ride.  Unload the car at Mona's and visit with Greg and Jolene for awhile before retiring downstairs to the apartment that Mona and Jerry call home.  After living in Mongolia for two years, they decided that less space was better (not so much to keep clean) so turned the big part of the house over to Greg and Jolene.  It works for all.  Mona and Jerry are in Phoenix visiting Jerry's step mom and helping her with up-keep on her house.  We will meet up with them when we get to Arizona.

We are going to Porterville this morning and visit with my sister Loraine who lost her husband two weeks ago.  Will see some of my our niece's and families.  Then head south tomorrow.  OWA(different)V:-)

OWAV:) 02/16/11, 4am, 27°, 4" snow overnight,

Scrabble games are caught up, second cup of coffee finished.  We got the snow that was promised and more is coming today, just in time for our trip to Utah, Arizona.  Oh Joy!!!!  I hate bad roads and am trying to not let myself get really frustrated about it.  Usually we could wait to travel, but we have already bought tickets for the dinner theater in Phoenix.  Hotel reservations are already made.  We have to be in Phoenix by Saturday night so we can go to the last performance of "My Fair Lady" on Sunday.  I have to keep thinking that it will all work, just stay calm!!

Up early again and was joined with a chat from Rusty.  It appears on my screen as a text message.  "I can't sleep either."  He has seen that I'm on the Internet, so we connect with the video chat, drink our coffee together and catch up on his China job and what his plans are before he leaves again.  Most pressing is to see his tax guy and get his taxes done for the year.  Being single they really stick it to him.

I talked to Adam Stein yesterday about the bid on the roof, he will bring it by this morning. Sounds like it will be about the cost of our deductible, so I called Farmers and told them we wouldn't be filing a claim.  We just pay the $1000.00 and be glad we have money to pay it with.  There goes the rest of the state income tax return.

Write group was good yesterday and I will miss those weekly sessions with my friends.  I will keep in touch via email.  We again pot lucked our soup and sandwiches.  I didn't stay for scrabble, wanted to get home and see if our Internet was back up and working properly.  I was suffering from scrabble withdrawals, must have been why I was feeling so shaky!

Herb is out plowing and I told him I would sweep the walks, snow is light and fluffy, so that should be easy.  Then I will finish packing, try to think of all the last minute things to do and be ready to leave early in the morning.

OWAV:) 7am

OWAV:) 02-15-11, 4am, 41°, slight breeze

Some rain overnight, occasional breeze this morning.  Woke up at 2:30am couldn't go back to sleep so got up, started the coffee.  With coffee in hand I have read a chapter in "Olive Ketteridge".  This book is beautifully written, I suppose that is why it got a "pulitzer prize"  but it is mostly about the heartache and disappointments of everyday life in a small town.  Not an uplifting book, but does give you a lot to think about and be thankful for.

After yesterday, I have to add another page to my list of wind storms in Wallowa County.  It was breezy when I got up.  With wind continually getting stronger as the morning wore on, by 9am I was having flashbacks of "The Wizard of Oz" and by 10am, thought that anytime soon I would see Dorothy and Toto flying by the living room window, coming all the way from Kansas.  "The Wizard of Oz" has struck terror in my heart, from the time I was five years old and first heard the book.  As soon as Dorothy and Toto lifted off I would be in tears and the exasperated teacher would send me out of the room and later write a note to my mother, explaining that something was wrong with me.  It wasn't until just a few years ago that I read the book, first silently to myself and then to Cienna on one of her visits.  It didn't scare her.

Even though the wind gusts yesterday were very strong, I really wasn't worried, just figured we would ride out another storm.  About 11am, after yet another gust, Herb came down the stairs saying, "We just lost part of our roof, I saw it fly off and land in the driveway."  Thus started a round of phone calls, first to find someone to cover the the damaged roof so we wouldn't have more damage, if it started to pour rain, as it was threatening.  Then to our insurance agent to start the process of filing a claim.  How nice it is to have a local agent, a real person to talk to when something like this happens.  A short time later Adam Stein came to look at the roof, said he would be back as soon as the wind died down and it was safe for his crew to get a temporary cover on it.  So now our roof had a bandaid covering, a bid is forthcoming and then the adjuster will come etc etc.  We are still hoping to leave Thursday morning for Arizona.  Another bump in the sometimes rough road of life.

Rusty had a safe flight to Bend from China, always a relief when he is back on US soil.  We lost internet service yesterday, after the big gust and it won't be restored until sometime today, so not as easy to communicate with our kids.  How soon we get use to these new-fangled methods.

Guess that is all for now, it is 5am.  OWAV:)

OWAV:) 02/14/11, 4am, 40°, Breezy

Windy last night when I went to bed, so bedroom window wouldn't stay open without banging.  We always like fresh air at night, I woke up in the suffocating heat and got up.  It was 4am and very warm, still breezy.  It is supposed to cool off and storm, just in time for our trip south.  Phoenix is 70° today and might be down in the 40's when we get there on Saturday.  GRReat!

Pam and I went to the Big Read, grand finale, last evening.  It was held at the hurricane creek grange hall and played to a full house of 100 people.  A catfish dinner (catfish was surprisingly good) and the potluck dishes were varied and tasty.  I took a dozen deviled eggs and two quarts of dill pickles.  Deviled eggs were gone by the time I went through the line and when I picked up my pickle jars to bring home, there was only three pieces left in one jar.  

After dinner, thank yous were extended to the many financial supporters of the "Big Read" and also local volunteers.  Elizabeth Oliver is stepping down this year after being chairman, since the inception of the "Big Read" six years ago. If Fishtrap is chosen to participate next year we will be reading " The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan.    

With the grange hall bursting at the seams, alive with laughter, singing and the clapping of hands, everyone joined in as Kurt Sutton, entertained us with music and his impersonation of Mark Twain.  He closed his show by stepping into his own persona and gave a tribute to our many service men and women, who have served our country.  With laughter in our hearts and full tummies, we made our way home.

Pam and I did a quick detour, stopping at Becky and Johns for a short visit.  Becky still in Joseph, one day longer than she planned.  She and John went to the Elks crab feed on Saturday night and Becky spent the day in bed with an upset stomach and hives.  No more crab for that girl.  She will head back to Salem and law school today.

Bobi, Cienna and I had our almost daily chat yesterday, while catching up on our many scrabble games, so nice to see there smiles and hear voices at the same time.  Rusty is flying home from China and will land at the Redmond airport sometime today.  He usually emails us soon after disembarking.  Will be good to have him back in the USA.

Awe, Ruby Peak is lit up, my clue to bring this to a close for another day.  OWAV:)

OWAV:) 02/13/11, 5am, 34°, Rain, Breezy

Have scrabble games caught up, coffee refilled and heated.  Ready to write.  We had strong gusty winds yesterday afternoon, lasting into the night.  Really shook the house at times.  Won't know until it gets light, if anything has blown over, away or down.  The wind has stopped now.

I'm reading the book "Olive Kitteridge".  This is my third attempt.  On the cover it has the sticker, "Winner of the Pulitzer Prize".  The first time I started reading it, after the first chapter ended and the second started with different characters, I thought it was a bunch of disconnected short stories that had vague or unfinished endings.  So I took it back to the library.  I wanted a book with a beginning, middle, and an end, hope-fully one that tied up all the loose ends and made sense.  I started it a second time, when it was mentioned at my book group.  I found out that it is indeed a story of a town, and the people who live there, with the main character woven in and out of the story, in various chapters.  I either got busy, or bogged down again in the middle of it, and back to the library it went.  Last fall, friend LeaAnn Hughes included it in the sack of books she sent home with me.  I dug it out last week, and am now over halfway through it and most of the time it is making sense, and parts of it are quite funny.  The writing is descriptive and it is easy to imagine oneself as a part of the story.  Sometimes I'm the bi-polar school teacher, other times the waif of a new bride, but never the alcoholic, piano player at the local bar.  (I never did learn to play the piano.)  I will finish this book.

While I'm on the subject of books, tonight is the grand finale of the "Big Read".  We have been reading "Tom Sawyer" and other books, by Mark Twain.  After a dinner of fried catfish, with potluck furnished by the community, we will be entertained by a Mark Twain impersonator.  I read Tom Sawyer, tried for the second time to read Huck Finn.  But found myself wading the Mississippi River too many times, and gave up!  I enjoy the big read but more and more I realize I will never be a "literary" reader.  My mind just doesn't do it.  So I will try to read some of those books, but I will read for my own enjoyment.

The light is dawning, better check and see if everything is still standing.  OWAV:)

OWAV:), 01/12/11, 4am, 27° Cloudy

Mornin time again.  Breezy through the night and this morning, maybe stronger gusts today.

Yesterday went well, I posted all of the membership renewals for Friends of the Joseph Branch.  Made address labels and everything is ready to be mailed today.  We have a core support group of less than one hundred members, who pay their membership of $30.00 yearly.  About half of those are members who volunteer and have to have a membership to do so, (insurance and liability issues), the other half are mostly members from out of the area who are die hard railroad fans and love riding the rails everywhere.

The Eagle Cap Excursion Train is still a bone of contention to many locals and then the added "blight" of the rail cars that are stored on our tracks for another year, still wrangles many people.  As with most issues I can see both sides, but bottom line is, I would still hate to see the tracks pulled up and the railroad come to an end.  Not only is it part of the history of Wallowa and Union Counties but it is a beautiful and restful ride through the canyons and along the rivers.  The stored rail cars are helping to pay down the debt and keep the excursion train operating.  Only time will tell the outcome.

Mid afternoon yesterday I mixed up light rolls for a potluck dinner.  Becky is home for the weekend, so to make it easier for her to see more people, several of us took food and ate together at Becky and Johns house.  The guys BBQ chicken drumsticks and the rest of us provided salads, desserts and rolls for the event.  Becky has many tales to tell about her days in law school, and she is just getting started.  Sounds to me like half the professors are wacky, and frustrates me to think of the money spent to pay their salaries.

Talked to niece Blanche yesterday.  They are working on keeping Loraine in her home as long as possible.  George is semi retired and has volunteered to stay with her.  They are trying to figure out how to work other care givers (family) in so he can have some days off, to keep his business going.  We will visit there one day on our way to Arizona, and stay in Centerville with Jolene and Greg.  Mona and Jerry have left for Arizona and we will meet up with them for dinner before they return home, the end of the month.

Rusty will be home in Bend on Monday after 4 1/2 not so good months in China.  He thinks they will be on jobs in Brazil, New Jersey, and back to China the end of this year.  Hope they all go better than this one did.  Doesn't think at this time that he will make it to Joseph for spring break.

Bobi took a class at "Power Mac Pac" yesterday and learned how to move a head of Rusty with his eyes open to replace the original one with eyes closed.  How much I love these three people can't be explained in words.  They are the joy in my life.  OWAV:)

OWAV:) 02/11/11, 5am, 27° Clear & Frosty

Up at 5am, did scrabble games and looked at books on Book Browse.  It shows up in my email twice a month, has new books in review.  "By my Side" caught my eye this morning, about animals, non fiction, a tear jerker I think, but should be good.  Herb and I just finished the second book by Cora Holmes, Dear Cora.  Non fiction, good reading about people living and making a living in the Aleutian Islands in the 90's.  One of the first things we do when on vacation is check out the thrift stores and yard sales for books.  Doesn't take much to keep us entertained.

Speaking of which it is coming down to the wire, our trip to Arizona, so I must, absolutely must get with it.  I have the FJB (railroad) stuff to get done this morning.  Get my suitcase out and start to pack.  Fix a box of "staple stuff" to take with us for meals.  That way we don't have to buy our favorite spices there.  I always get more things done under pressure so this should be a good day.  Looks like the sun just hit Ruby Peak, so I'll let you know later what I accomplished. Herb is on his way to have the studded snow tires taken off of the car. We always debate about doing that but I hate those "clicken" things, not sure they let you use them in Arizona.  I always think back about the times before studded tires and how we went everywhere with maybe snow tires and no 4-wheel drive.  OWAV:)

OWAV:) 02/10/11, 6am, 17° Stars Shinning

Sorry to disappoint my many followers, but I slept late, mind seems to be blank.  Going to take a shower and get on with the day.  Maybe I will write later.

I'm back to try again.  Slept until 6am today, scrabbled, showered and gave myself a hair-cut.  Hair feels better and should be a little easier to manage.

Herb and I went to Lostine to sign our tax returns, maybe our state return will be in the bank when we get home from Arizona.  Just in time to pay the feds $1200.00.  Different tax laws, deductions, and withholding tables got us this year.  At least we have the money to pay it.  We also bemoaned the fact that we wouldn't be eating at the Lostine Tavern.  About a year ago they stopped making their own french fries and went to frozen ones.  So one more place in the county we won't be eating.  Saves us money.  So we can give it to the government.

Stopped at Safeway on the way home and bought oysters, $5.00 a jar.  Came home, started the oyster stew, made a mixed greens salad added walnuts, craisins, fresh apple pieces and blue cheese.  Dressed it with balsamic vinegar.  Much better than a greasy burger and fries and cheaper too!!

The sun is shinning, another pretty day in Wallowa County.  I need to work on Friends of the Joseph Branch, membership forms.  Will close until another day.  OWAV:)

OWAV:) 02/09/11, 4am, 27° Dark

Scrabble games caught up, wind not blowing, nothing on the calendar, what to write?  How about yesterday and another BS chapter.

Write group, with a new lady joining us, Max is her name.  Kathy Putnum has known her for years and said she reminds her of a cat.  Strange then, that her writing was about how she adopted two, almost dead, kittens while living in Mexico.  She is a lovely writer and I look forward to hearing more.  After we "potlucked" out lunches, several of us attended a funeral for a mutual friend's husband.  A lovely service conducted by the deceased's grandson, an ordained minister.

Late in the afternoon, I arrived home to the smells of dinner cooking.  Herb indulged me with a glass of wine as I plopped on the sofa, exhausted from doing nothing.  Daughter,  Bobi joined us via a video chat and a brief wave and hi from Cienna, home from school, waiting for the computer, to start her homework.  Aaaah, the smell, our dinner is ready.

❈BS Then we were three.  Late fall of 1960 my cousin Lynn Dickson, joined Sylvia and I in our one bedroom apartment.  She would be attending beauty school with me.  Now Sylvia would have the bedroom, and Lynn and I the Murphy bed in the living room.  The rent would be split three ways, as were the groceries and the tiny closet.  I was now able to save some money for Christmas gifts.  Also when working on actual patrons, we were allowed to accept tips.  We saved our tips like they were gold nuggets, in reality, they were mostly quarters.  Life went quite smoothly with the three of us living together, Lynn was a better cook than either Sylvia or I.  She added variety and special touches to our otherwise boring diet.

We did some fun things together, one of which was a moonlight shopping trip to the "Bon Marche". The three of us felt safety in numbers, as we left our apartment in the middle of the night and walked ten blocks to take advantage of the sale, that started at midnight.  I don't remember what any of us bought but it was our first experience of elbowing our way into position at the sale table.  Later, clutching full shopping bags, sure that we were in possession of the bargain of the year, we hurried back to the safety of our apartment.❈

I see through the window that Ruby Peak has that ruby glow it it time for me to get on with my day.  OWAV:)

OWAV:), 02/08/11, 27°, 5am, 1/2" snow

Outside looks white this morning with a light covering of snow.  Seems like we go from snow, to wet and sloppy or icy and slick.  Sometimes I wish it would just snow a foot and stay that way.

Had an enjoyable lunch yesterday with friend, Kathy Hunter.  She is a story teller, writer, teacher, gardener, and "raiser" of chickens.  Her smile lights up the room when she is present.  We split a sandwich and I had a bowl of the cauliflower soup.  Lunch at "Ruby Peak Naturals", is home made, and more healthy than other lunches in the county.  Good choice Kathy!

Before coming home from Enterprise, I stopped at Soroptimists, and the grocery store.  I had a hankering for oyster stew, but no oysters to be found at Safeway.  At home I fixed a pork chop dinner for Herb, then put together a rhubarb custard pie, using frozen pie crust and rhubarb.  Later in the afternoon we ate it warm with a scoop of ice cream.  Herb thinks I have the crust just right.  Does that mean I can quit practicing now?  Probably not.

Have another busy day today. I will prepare chicken thighs for Herb to cook later today for his dinner, because I will go to write group and lunch, then to a funeral service.  One of our sorority members, husband, passed away last week and we will attend his funeral service at 1pm.  Also I will fix a plate of olives and pickles for the family dinner after the funeral.

That's all for today from Barton Heights, OWAV:)

OWAV:) 01/07/11, 5am, Windy

I do love sitting here listening to  the wind as long as the gusts don't get too hard.  We moved here thirty eight years ago and have gone through some "hellacious" wind storms.

One storm early on broke our boat dock, on Wallowa Lake, loose from its anchor and set it adrift.  The damage could be repaired and we spent many summers, boating, water skiing and fishing while using the dock with friends.

Another year when Rusty had his sheep, during lambing time, we struggled to get from the house to the "sheep shed" to check on the ewes at night.  Not only was it hard to stand or walk but pieces of tin roofing were flying through the air.  On those windy nights, both Bobi and Rusty could be found sleeping downstairs because the wind shook the house with each gust, rattling windows and blowing through the cracks.  These winds usually came, along with a warm front, so the melting snow turns to a solid sheet of ice.  Standing is difficult and walking is impossible.  Cars driving up or down the hill on our road, have ended up over the steep bank, in the field below. 

Then in December of 1982 when it blew the roof off of the school cafeteria, filling the school with water as the rain and wind lasted for two days.  School was let out for Christmas break two days early and construction crews replaced the roof, suctioned up gallons of water and school started on time in January, as if nothing had happened.

Just four years ago, wind and rain raged through the night and we awoke to find our lean-to shed in a heap of rubble and the neighbors carport roof practically in our backyard.  The latest wind storm toppled trees and blew the top out of our yellow pine, depositing it on our deck, inches away from the big window in our living room.  So far our house, nearing its one hundredth birthday, is still standing and with a new roof, insulation and windows, is more wind proof than it was thirty eight years ago.  Every year we think that the wind has blown away everything, that is possible to blow away.  But it never ceases to amaze us as it exerts its power, letting us know that it is still in charge.

Bunco party went very well yesterday.  We had four full tables in Willa's nice big living room.  The perfect place for a party of that size.  Our Phi Master chapter hosted the party, for the fourth straight year. Our members furnished a nice array of finger foods for everyone to enjoy.  We played four rounds of bunco and over the din of sixteen voices, you could barely hear the bell as yet another bunco was scored.  Cash prizes in the amount of $40.00 were awarded to the winners and an equal amount will be donated to the local food bank.  A good time was had by all on this blustery, winter day.

On with my day as my thoughts turn to preparing for our Arizona trip.  OWAV;)

OWAV:) 01/06/11 4am, 32° snow n rain

Nasty looking outside this morning.  Good day to stay home and inside, but not to happen.  Our sorority is hosting a bunco party this afternoon.  Looks like we might have four tables and guess it is a good thing to do on this "particularly nasty day".  This will be the third annual bunco party and I seem to have the job of organizing it each year.  I often wonder why that is?  Because I'm good at it or because I'm bossy and other people let me take over, rather than challenge me.  I think it is because "they" are happy to sit back and let me do it while they enjoy a fun time.  I keep saying someday I'm going to get "smart".  It's probably not going to happen.  I know it will be fun, all having a good time, and next year I will do it all over again.

My sister Mona called last night.  She and her family went to Morgan for Steve's funeral.  Mona said it was a very nice service, over two hundred people in attendance, a large part of them family.  Steve was buried with a full military service.  Then back at the church, dinner was served.  She said, she thought there must have been about 100 kids under the age of five all wanting to be fed.  Had never seen so many little ones all in one place before.  She also said that last count Steve and Loraine have, one hundred six, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  Whew!!  Wish I could have been there.


It is super bowl sunday today, used to be an afternoon spent in front of the television for us.  Herb was a great fan and our kids and I grew up with it.  None of us liking it very much.  I haven't watched television on a regular basis for over twenty years.  Herb watches very little of it anymore.  I think back forty years ago to the time when we watched it as a family on Sunday nights.  Every Sunday, late afternoon, kids bathed, jammies on, we would make popcorn and watch "Marlin Perkins, Wild Kingdom" and "The Wonderful World of Disney".  Oh for the good ole days of, I Love Lucy, Mr Ed, Petticoat Junction, Leave it to Beaver, Andy Griffin Show and Father Knows Best, Bewitched,just to name a few.  When did the moral decline begin? "Three's Company"? I liked that show but looking back can remember the innuendo's and the gradual shifting of what was proper or not for a family show.  In other shows it became common to use put downs and show disrespect for parents and peers alike.  Bigotry and sexist remarks reared its ugly head on television, giving children the idea that is was the way to talk and act in real life.  Somewhere we lost the fine line between what had been done in the way of comedy, was now okay to use as a way to degrade and make fun of people.  More later, maybe.

OWAV:) 02/05/11 7am 38° breezy

Awake again at 4am, up and worked on scrabble, dressed but not quite time for breakfast so will write a few lines.

On my mind this morning is my sister Loraine and her family.  On Tuesday February 1st, her husband, Steve, passed away, after being ill for some time.  His funeral will be held today.

Steve and Loraine, married for over sixty years, raised eight children.  George, Stephanie, Melvin, Vicky, Blanche, Joel and Lynelle. Daughter, Mona died in a car accident at the age of ten in 1964.  Most of their lives they lived in an old stone house, with one bathroom and four bedrooms.  It was situated on acreage, with a creek running nearby.  A perfect place to raise there large family, it was located in Porterville, Utah.  For most of those years they raised a garden, had a milk cow, raised beef and also bummer lambs.

Fragrant Tulips

Steve was a decorated veteran of WW11.  He came home from the war and went to work at the cement plant running heavy equipment.  They lived in "Devil Slide" in company housing until buying the house in Porterville in about 1957.  Loraine worked for many years at the Internal Revenue offices in Ogden.  They both had a love of horses and raced their horses for many years.  They both loved the out of doors, hunting, and fishing.  When the time came to retire, they retired from jobs but never stopped working and playing.  They were alway busy and on the go helping children and grandchildren.  They were forever proud of their large family and counted it as there greatest blessing.

Within the past ten years life has dealt them some serious blows.  First they lost the old stone house to a fire that started in the wood stove flue.  Their family helped them regroup and a new house was built on the same site.  Then about two years ago, November of 2008, while looking for Christmas trees near their home, a fire in the wiring of the four-wheeler they were riding, disabled the four-wheeler and in late afternoon they started walking for home.  In the aftermath of this incident Loraine lost one of her legs below the knee, from frostbite.  Steve recovered, but was not in very good health before, and this accident added to his ills.  After many days in the hospital and months in a care center for Loraine, they did resume life together in their home, with family nearby furnishing meals and taking care of their many needs.

When we visited with them in October, they were taking care of each other as best they could, secure in the love of their family and each other.

These are just some of my thoughts as I think of all of you today, as you attend your dad's funeral and wanted you to know that my thoughts and love are with all of you.  I'm sure I don't have all the "facts" straight but this is how I remember it as of today.

Love, Aunt Della  OWAV:)

OWAV:) 01/04/11 6pm, 41°, Breezy

Good trip to LaGrande today.  Roads were bare, not much wind about 50° out there.  Got our shopping done at the "Grocery Outlet" before my eye appt.  Not any real great buys, but always manage to fined plenty.  Shouldn't have to buy much now before we leave for Arizona.  Went to the used book store, took books to sell and bought a couple.

One book I bought is "The Big Burn" by Timothy Egan.  It is about a forest fire in 1910 that burned through national forests of Washington, Idaho, and Montana.  In the aftermath of this fire, the idea of conserving public lands for all citizens was spawned.  Supposed to be very good.

I love the used book store in LaGrande, it is big, and well arranged.  It has just recently changed owners.  I liked the previous owner, but must say these people are taking it to a new level, lots of new ideas about displaying the books.  They added seating areas, a coffee bar and just made it more inviting and homey.  Also seems brighter, more lighting maybe.

BiMart is another place we shop, when in LaGrande.  Today we brought a tiny greenhouse home, that I have been looking at for three years now and finally bought it.  Will put it on the deck this spring where it will get the sun and hope we can anchor it to the deck, so the wind can't blow it away.  I only want it for about two months in the spring to start some bedding plants, then will put it in the old garage until next year.  See how it works.  Drove through the parking lot at Wal-Mart and I told Herb to just keep going.  Too many people, too much stuff.  Don't need it!!!

Went to Bear Mountain Pizza for the lunch buffet, good selection:  Salad bar, two kinds of soup, chicken wings, (I like), JoJo's, bread sticks, plus pizza and drinks.  Don't need anything to night, just a snack.  I hear Herb getting into the ice cream.

Eye appointment went well, haven't gotten any worse in the past four months, so that is good.  Hope they stay that way!

Chatted with Rusty, he is in Vietnam, headed to Saigon tomorrow for a few days.  He will be back in China on the 10th and home to Bend on the 14th.

Enough for now OWAV:)

OWAV:) 01/03/11 7pm, 34°

Well Mona guess I'm writing this for you, hate to have you get out of bed for no reason.  It is Thursday night but we will leave early in the morning for LaGrande.  I have an eye appointment at 9:30, then we will do some shopping, have dinner and back to Wallowa County in the afternoon.

I did some housework today, but mostly odds and ends of things I needed to finish.  But I did get the bathroom cleaned and kitchen floor mopped.  Yesterday I spent three hours, volunteering at the library, buffing dvd's, (actually the machine did the buffing) before I put them back on the shelf for people to check out again.  It is pretty boring stuff, but once in a while some people come in so I get to visit while I work.

Today I signed up for a writers retreat in Imnaha Canyon, to be held the month of April.  I signed up for the last available spot, the first week of April.  Not sure what I'm getting into but I have to try. That is one reason I got the laptop computer, so maybe I could take advantage of this kind of thing.  I want to edit the stories I have written about Wood Grove School and Lake Fork.  See if I can put them in some kind of order like chapters, add photos and then make it into a book.  I'm thinking I will use the format, that Apple has for making a photo book but it will be more writing than photos.  I did calendars through that program for Bobi and family, photo's of times they have been in Joseph. One for us out of photo's of our trip to Hawaii last year.  They turned out very nice.  That's my plan anyway.

Well my pen seems to have run dry so I'll say goodnight and don't let the bedbugs bite.
OWAV:)

OWAV:) 02/01/11, 4am, 8° Frosty & Clear

Have a busy day, with write group this morning and dinner at Margaret's house this afternoon.  Margaret called last week and said, "Lets do lunch".  So we arranged to meet at the Cheyenne Cafe at noon.  Last night she called and said I'm fixing food at 2:00, so bring Herb and come to my house.

Margaret is a dear friend, first she was my boss at school for seven years, and during that time she became a life long friend.  I think of the different roles, first a boss, sometimes a mother figure, a teacher of life's lessons and just the common ground of being women.  Women, who were raised on a farm, married young, had children.  She being older with much more experience and heartache, she became the mentor.  I don't remember having cross words, if we thought them, both of us kept them to ourselves.  I remember this as  a time in my life, when I worked hard, and laughed a lot.

Margaret retired from her job at school as the "head cook" with plans to join the Peace Corps.  After much frustration, filling out paperwork, jumping through hoops etc.  She, this country girl, got on a plane and flew into the great unknown.  Yes, she told me, she was afraid and had second thoughts about her decision.  But once Margaret made up her mind to do something, it was going to happen!

She spent two years in Belize, where she loved working with the local people and made friends with her fellow Peace Corps volunteers.  She didn't care for the bureaucracy or the politics but took it in stride and made the best of the opportunity to travel and explore a different country and culture.  She came home with stories to tell and one of her many talents is to tell a good story.  She regaled us with stories of bus trips, on broken down buses, but mostly about the love and kindness of the people.  She was referred to as "li white lady" or "Magwit".

Back in Wallowa County, she lived in a small cabin in the Imnaha Canyon country, where she wrote and readjusted to life in Oregon.  Always an independent sole, she did some traveling, in and around the western states, visiting family and friends.  She traveled in her station wagon, sometimes camping, sleeping in the back of the car.  She spent time, as a cook,  in Alaska and at Reds Horse Ranch. She enjoyed the grandchildren and great grandchildren that blessed her life.

She was blessed in another way, when she and an old family friend, Vandon Martin, shared their lives for the next ten years.  They spent some winters in Arizona as "snow birds", soaking up the sun, and exploring the desert.  They both blossomed in this relationship, comfortable with the love and companionship of each other.  I loved Vandon's dry wit, quick smile, and great hugs.  He was always welcoming and ready for a visit.  When Vandon's emphysema worsened and "canned" oxygen was his constant companion, Margaret was still there, by his side.  He passed away in September of 2009.

With the help of her family, Margaret once again packed up her belongings, and moved on with with her life.  She lives in Joseph and it is not uncommon for her to drive her faithful little red car to Asotin to visit family.  But mostly she meets friends at the senior center or local cafe to catch up on the latest happenings, in and around the place where she grew up and still calls home, Wallowa County Oregon.

Note,♥ Margaret, if you read this, remember it is from my prospective and my memory isn't what it used to be.  Just wanted to let you know how much I value your friendship and think you are an amazing lady.  Much love, Idella♥  OWAV:)