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:)