PNW TOUR DAY 1

First I'm So sorry that this blog has been in hibernation but that's kind of how I've felt. Won't go in to a lot of details, but I came home under the weather so to speak and still trying to crawl out.

We had a REALLY busy weekend the week we left for the Pacific NW. We had family picture day and all the fam was here. Pictures went very well, however, and OF COURSE Penny got in to the picture ceremony! It would not have been a family pic without her.. Annoying little sister was shut up in the house ..heh heh

So Monday we were VERY busy. We had dumped all our clothes needed in to the suitcases before the company descended! So now we had to unpack and do it right. It hard packing too because we have had an incredibly hot summer, not just a few days but months. and some of the places we were going had had a few hot days but also some cold. But we did it!

The Saint got all the furry children to the Spa and asked Dr. Amy to check Penny's ear that had a knot on it. (we could have gone back to Hawaii for that little request!)

Emptied the frig and hauled off the garbage and had all clothes laid in place to just put on and GO!

Up fairly early so we could get all the last minute stuff done and we were off about 9 in the morning. It was a HOT morning as usual so we were looking forward to some cooler weather.


Plane was on time and we left around noon. You have to pay SW extra now if you want to get seated early so you can sit together! So we did. Had a brief layover and change planes in Kansas City but we were in the boarding early group so we were good to go, but no time for food at all! Kansas City has a terrible Airport, as I've learned before. You can't get anything unless you go out of the Secure area. Anyway, off and over our beautiful country. I don't know why people think we are running out of room, they need to fly across our country:)



A little cloudy but mostly sunny and clear. The Saint had the window seat but that's ok, it's too uncomfortable for him in the middle and all the planes were jammed full.

We arrived in Portland late in the afternoon and saw Mt. Hood as we flew in.





The airport is another story. That is if you want to rent a car and your carrying 2 carry on's each! It seemed like we walked for miles before we finally got to the area. I know it was close to an hour and then we couldn't find it and had to be redirected. Really bad set up there for car rentals.

We got a great little car a Mercury Mariner. A little white suv. It was great for us because we like to sit up and look out and we don't like real low riding cars. Found the Airiport Motel with no problem at all. It was very nice and they had a lovely restaurant.. So we dumped stuff in the room, freshened up and off to eat. We got to bed as soon as we could as we knew we had a very busy 9 more days ahead of us!

I LOVE SUMMER!!!!!

Started out kind of tired this week, but picked up steam as the week as gone by.. Literally I think :)

I almost got Spikey in the pool ..hahahaha

Little Bitty, or aka Yummy was here most of the week cuz his mummy has gone to work full time so that brightens up a week no matter what!

A few weeks ago I bought an old table at an estate sale for $1. We went to Walmart and spent $20 on paint and a brush and that was my project for the week.
Well it was till the temp approached 100 and then I just finished fast! Anyway it's just beautiful and Yummy painted a bird house too! I'm going to put it in my flower bed I think.

And of course Penny the Wonderdog of Emmett Stone Lane got to help.. She painted green :)

But as the heat rose so did getting the table done! QUICKLY

TA DA!!!!!!!!!!!

As I said the temperature has been on an upward spiral this week.
So "POOL" was the word. It was with Yummy and his mama Kat
and cousin Riley and Jimmy even got his head wet but sister Tina didn't have time to stay and swim


:( Cousin Riley is "Jack" in Jack and the Beanstock! So we are all a twitter!

Yummy
brought his "Dadda" Daniel one afternoon and swam a bit. He gets sunburned really easy!
Yummy found a dead butterfly :( he was very sad~ but he took it home to save it in a plastic bag!



Thursday I got my hair permed for the big "trip" to the PNW on August 3. Also we have family pictures taken next Sat. man I hope it's not so hot!


So TODAY(being Saturday) me and the Saint spent most of our day by the pool or in the pool. My arm is healed much better now,

although not closed, so I can go in the water!





Me and TooSweet, annoying as she always is and the Saint

swam and swam and had a picnic lunch by the pool

and then swam some more.

AND I DID A TRICK!!!!!!!!!!

After the swim the Saint made some HOMEMADE SALSA!!!!!!
We have tomatoes everywhere!

On the porch!Beside the pool~
Even some that are trying to get TO the water.. I don't blame them! There's a flower pot in full bloom under that!

So the end of a wonderful, middle of July, week and heading in to a VERY busy week of appointments and company etc etc. and were off again!!!!!!!

Busy 'to do' week :)

Monday was kind of an off kilter day because it seemed like a Sunday. Nothing was open. Tuesday morning I went in to have my second round of mini dental implants. And before you cringe, yes, it's that bad :) they drill into your bone and leave a spike ~ Daniel wants me to take a picture of that along with the open gash on my arm and freak every one out.. uhhhhhh no Daniel, not going to happen. Not near as much pain this time because it was done without the stitches, but it's left my mouth really sore and I think I'm on a really good weight loss diet. YOU JUST DON'T EAT!

Wed. I finally got to see my own family Doctor about my arm wound. Almost all the stitches had come out on their own by then. It had been two weeks and he was impressed with how well we had been taking care of it. I have a very good Doctor in the house :) He talked about sending me to the wound center and we both decided ahhhhhhhhh noo lets not, I can see me ending up with staph from that. Still have a peculiar knot and a lot of bruising, and some dents in my arm, but considering everything it's doing good.

Thursday, two of my most favorite little boys and their mama and me went to see Karate Kid! I loved that movie. I never saw any of the first ones so this was new to me. I think it was one of the PG 13 things when I had the day care and so we didn't get it. Anyway we went and it was fun! This next week TOY STORY! We are going snackless though! Cost us $60 to see a movie and have a snack. good grief people. no wonder the theaters are empty! It's a great thing to do on a really hot day. That little boy is amazing that's in it. and Jackie Chan! Loved him.

Friday was kind of our day of rest. My mouth was really swollen so just took it easy.

Today was ESTATE AUCTION DAY! We love those. I don't know why, but it's just fun to watch the people and sit in the heat and fan
and bid and bring home a truck full of junk! The house was really a steal $80,000. and really most everything else was pretty low.
Not sure why they were not trying to get the price up a little. I got a really cool old table
that Brownie is going to seal and I'm going to brightly paint and either put it in the pond garden or on the front porch. (we have old theater seats on our porch LOL) Also got some fencing
to keep this big terrorist dog in our yard. it's working across the front. Lots of odds and ends of things that we can do something with.
Got a washer that we can sell on Swap and Shop and make a little money off of it and I got 3 amazing old Albums. One is Johnny Cash with the TN Two on Sun Records, one is Patsy Cline and one Hank Williams.

All in perfect condition.

Upon leaving we found the SONIC! Had a delicious Banana Split that melted all over me but it was SO good..
and when I got home I had a plate of Fred's tomatoes. Brownie picked our first red one!
and I found I think 3 more that will be ready tomorrow.

We unloaded with all the furry children's help


and sat down in the cool house and I napped while Brownie went to see Timmy, his former partner. Timmy's not happy since Brownie's gone. I wish we could fix it.

Got clothes out for Church. I haven't been with this ugly arm, but going to give it a try tomorrow :) Onward and upward! It's July, it's hot and I love it!

Today is my dear Uncle Lyle's birthday.. I have no memories in my life that he's not in them. Every family gathering, everything. Named Daniel after him. Daniel Lyle. Love my Uncle Lyle.

And here is our Caroline with her Uncle Lyle, when she was just a little girl :)

3rd Day of our Great Adventure!

Woke up with a "too many hog dog stomach ache" so we just slowly ate breakfast Got our walking shoes on and were off to explore the Subway System. And by the way NO ONE should ever be afraid of the subway. It's the cheapest and easiest and your there in moments all the way across the city! We found the Port Authority Subway about 3 blocks from our hotel. They have a "fun day pass" that you get for about $8 and you can go anywhere and get off and then get back on and explore whatever else you wish. We had all our lives heard about GRAND CENTRAL STATION, so that was going to be our first stop. Except it's now called Grand Central Terminal. Upon entering it we saw lots of shops and food courts etc. and then we saw a sign to "Vanderbilt Hall" and since we have our local connection with the Vanderbilt's we wanted to see. So we walked and saw a beautiful hall. Very ornate and beautiful. We were on our way to walk around outside to see where the big entrance was when "IT" happened:( I guess I was looking up and Brownie was a few steps behind me and I just stepped of the curb that I did not see and fell forward. Most of the next 5 hours are sort of a blur to me but I will say that from the First responder cop to the Station Medics, to the Ambulance Paramedics and EMT's they were all wonderful. I was taken to one of the most well known hospitals in New York . Belview. But it is no longer a phychiatric hospital it is a trauma unit. Brownie said he had never seen so many police at a hospital before! I bet they could make a good TV show out of that place. So ANYWAY after a bazillion xrays and 15,16,17 or however many stitches in my arm I was finally released with the assurance that I would get to the Broadway Show Lion King that night!!!!!!! I had asked every one I saw if I was going to get out of there and could I go :) Expensive cab ride back to hotel and a cumbersome manner of applying makeup and doing hair, but I got all gussied up and so did Brownie and OFF we went! There are no words to described how amazing it was to sit in a Broadway Theater and see a Broadway show. Something I never in a million years thought would have been possible! I remember my Grandma and I watching Ed Sullivan when I was little and seeing bits and pieces of shows and us always bemoaning the fact that WE would never see one.. I think my Grandma was on my shoulder :) I had purchased the cd of the Broadway show a long time ago and given it to Jimmy so I knew how amazing the music was going to be but nothing prepared me for the awesome colors and costumes and the animals and I just don't even know where to stop or start. I sat there thinking of Riley when the little boy who played Simba came out. He was the same age and he was just adorable and just wonderful! Joshua J Jackson and he's 11 years old. I hope some day I can know he's become a huge star. After the show Time's Square was sort of like it is on New Years Eve I think :) Just sort of a massive crowd. All dressed beautifully, all well behaved and in happy spirits. We found a small bbq restaurant. I had very little to eat and needed something. Poor Brownie's tooth was still bothering him a lot and he was exhausted from the day of trauma. Another expensive ride to hotel in a cab and packed up to be ready to leave in the morning.That was the end of June 24th 2010 Happy anniversary to us. Next morning we had a car service again, that took us to JFK. We got there with a whole lot of traffic. (it was a Friday) Security was a bit sticky for me, I had the bandage on my arm so they had to do a complete pat down and search. She was very nice and apologized and said she hoped she wasn't hurting me :) she was not. Boarded another one of those little Delta Mickey Mouse planes but this one only had two seats on one side and one on the other so I Brownie didn't get squished and I didn't get bumped. Flight home was fast. Clear and beautiful. Just hated coming home after what happened, but would not change it. Got car, arrived home and all is well. Good to be in my bed. I started shaking and could not stop. Brownie kept piling blankets on me. I think it was just EVERYTHING. Anyway~~~~~ Loved Loved LOVED NYC wish I could go 2 times every year. at Christmas and in the late spring. So much to see. Want to do it again.