THE GREAT ADVENTURE ARRIVES IN WILLIAMS

I am not even dating this post, the days have just been blurring past us!
We arrive in Williams,and the Almond Grove RV Park. Aunt Mary Lou has told us that this is where all of the kids learned to swim-many years ago! The park is pretty run down, and the space where we will live for the next few days is tight,and not what we would call "scenic"-but the manager of the park is cheerful and helpful, and we ARE really close to Arbuckle! We get the house all set up,tell Daddy a few more times where we are-and each time he hears it,he is very happy! Aunt Mary Lou has invited us for dinner,and we are anxious to get there and visit!
Mary Lou made a delicious dinner of Jambalaya-yum! It was nice to be back in this happy house once again-Uncle Leo was ready for cocktail hour,Daddy was way ready for cocktail hour-Auntie Babe showed up,ready for cocktail hour-we had a great and relaxing evening. There is just this great feeling when we are in that house-its hard to explain, but it is very good!
Daddy was invited to sleep-over,so Mike and I went back to our little home-away from home in Almond Grove-have to admit, it was the first good nights sleep we had enjoyed in quite a few days.
The next evening we picked up a couple of great pizzas,My cousin Liz was coming for dinner that night. I had not seen her in quite some time-and it was great she could come! The next day she and her husband were heading out for New Hampshire-so they would not be in Arbuckle for the big picnic that was planned. I was a bit jealous that Liz would be seeing Fall-but I was excited for her too-.....really!
the pics are of Liz and I,the "gateway arch" going into Williams,that famous and beloved patio, and a photo op in the kitchen

RELAXING IN REDDING

Sunday evening we arrived in Redding-and the welcome committee arrived shortly after!
Denise and Pat showed up just as we were beginning our set-up routine,so thankfully w
e could take some time out to have a welcome cocktail! The heat here is something that we are not used to-over 100 and it is after 4pm-eek! they promise(those weather gurus)the temps will be around 80 tomorrow-lets hope they are correct! We have had such lovely weather all summer in Montana-and Idaho and Washington were beautiful-we are, I guess, spoiled. If we can make our way to so. cal slowly-we might miss the incredibly hot weather that Oct. can produce there too! tonight we order pizza and just enjoy visiting-tomorrow Pat is making his famous bbq ribs-looking forward to that! it is good to be off the road for a few days-this is a pretty park, owned by the same people who have the one in Eugene-gotta comment on the potties here-just because they are sooo nice,just like a fine hotel, really! After all that experience dealing with "camp" potties-I guess I just tend to notice more-or at least with a different eye-its wrong, I know-but my fellow "potty hotties" out there know what I mean! The owners designed this place to be what they always wanted when they started travelling in their Rv-and seldom found. They have done a great job in making a really nice park!
Last night we had a wonderful evening with Pat and Denise-Clint and Mindy and Austin and Katy were there too-Mike and Austin played guitar-Pat made the best ribs ever-We met a cousin of Pat's,Rick-and his wife Jana, and son Drew. they have lived here in Redding for quite awhile-yet Pat did not know it. They are a cute family and it was fun to get to meet them.
Today we have just been relaxing at "home"-laundry,walks, and Daddy got a much needed manicure-tonight we will go back to Pat and Denise's for dinner, then on the road tomorrow AM to Arbuckle. I can finally tell Daddy yes, today we go to Arbuckle!
everyday we get up, and the first thing he asks is "are we going to see Mary Lou today?" This has been the conversation since we left Washington Sat. morning. We are all looking forward to getting to Arbuckle-lets hope Arbuckle is ready for us!
the pics are of our park in Eugene-the backseat duo, and a special edition of "working out on the streets of Redding"-it was quite a sight-good thing the zoom was not on the camera lens-eek!!enlarge the pic to full screen-go ahead!

AND THE FUN JUST CONTINUES!

Sept. 29,2009

The happy travellers arrived in Eugene,Oregon Sat. afternoon-the weather is pretty-and pretty windy too!
We have been at this Premier Rv Resort before-this time we are parked in the back next to the pond and the cows-really pretty, and peaceful here. There is a huge football game tonight-Oregon at Eugene against Cal-the park is packed with "houses" and very quiet because everyone is at the game-just a few miles away from here. We are lucky to have made a reservation and to have a site here. the cows are out in the pasture having dinner-we do the same, and it is an early evening.tomorrow we head for Redding-the first time the three(make that four) of us have been in Calif. for awhile! Daddy and Ginger are good backseat buddies-they nap when they want-and both respect each others space-very happy travellers indeed!Three hundred and fifty miles to go tomorrow-then we will stay put for three nights-we are looking forward to seeing everyone in Redding tomorrow!
I had to take one last pic of Mt. Rainier last night-it looked pink against the sky-so pretty! I called Nolan as we went thru Portland-such a great city. Daddy brought his CID cap along, so Dave, if you need any help with those bad guys in Iraq-let him know!

DADDY'S MOST EXCELLENT ADVENTURE:PART I

Sept. 25,2009


THIS MORNING SHERYL, MIKE AND I MET AT PATRIOTS LANDING TO PACK DADDY FOR HIS "BIG ADVENTURE". WE SAID GOODBYE TO THE FANTASTIC, AND LOVING STAFF-THEY HAVE BEEN SO VERY GOOD TO DADDY, AND THEY ALL DESERVE A BIG HUG!!
WE SAID GOODBYE TO SHERYL-SHE WAS SOOO INVITED TO COME WITH US,BUT HAD TO DECLINE DUE TO BEING MOM TO NIKE AND DUNCAN-THEY WERE INVITED TOO! GINGER WOULD HAVE LOVED HAVING THEM FOR COMPANY IN THE TRUCK-BUT I GUESS IT WAS JUST NOT MEANT TO BE. WE WILL MISS YOU SHERYL,NIKE AND DUNCAN!
THE HOUSE IS NOT TOTALLY ORGANIZED FOR DADDY-BUT WE WILL FIND ROOM FOR EVERYTHING,AND WILL GET A ROUTINE GOING IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS-REALLY!
TONIGHT WE HAVE CHRISTOPHER COMING FOR DINNER-HE IS STILL WORKING IN TACOMA, AND IT IS SO COOL THAT WE WILL GET TO SEE HIM. I GOT UP EARLY AND MADE BEEF STEW IN THE CROCK-POT,SO I FEEL REALLY ORGANIZED, IN THAT AREA ANYWAY! THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS ARE GOING TO BE A REAL ADVENTURE-I AM GLAD TO HAVE THIS FORUM WHERE I CAN SHARE. I AM ALSO GLAD THAT YOU ALL CAN COME ALONG WITH US!!

THE PICS ARE OF THE BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF MT. RAINIER OUT OUR BACK WINDOW WHILE HERE IN GRAHAM,WASHINGTON. WE HAD LUNCH AT PATRIOTS LANDING WITH DADDY ON WED, AND ONE OF THE RESIDENT,PAT,JOINED US. PAT HAS LIVED AT PATRIOTS LANDING FOR A YEAR-SHE IS JUST A DOLL. LAST NIGHT WE TOOK SHERYL FOR A NICE ITALIAN DINNER-THE LEAST WE COULD DO FOR ALL OF THE HELP AND LOVE SHE HAS GIVEN TO DAD WHILE HE HAS BEEN IN WASHINGTON. WHEN DAVE HAD TO LEAVE FOR IRAQ,SHERYL WAS LEFT TOTALLY IN CHARGE-SHE HAS BEEN JUST THE BEST-AND DESERVES A HUGE THANK YOU FROM US ALL-THANK YOU SHERYL!!!!!(NOW GO HAVE A GLASS OF WINE FOR ME)

FUN IN IDAHO

You can read the blog below,just had a few more photos that will give you a feel for where we are! Idaho is a fun place!on the subject of fun..when we arrived here, we were told that we had just missed emmylou Harris-she had been parked in the space next to ours the previous day-in her Hummer hauling-Prevost bus.
enjoy the view from our temporary yard-and some fun pics I wanted to share.