And off to the west coast I went!

Columbia River Gorge

Dear Diary,
**disclaimer- I know, I know- diary form is so 25 years ago, but hey- its my blog.  hehe

Did I mention how much I love flying??

GUESS WHAT!!!  I got to go on an airplane again and it was so freaking awesome!  This time it was Sun Country- a Minnesota airline that flew right on over to Portland with not one single layover  I am down with all that.  After all, I don't want to sit and stare at the inside of an airport when I could be doing other fun things.

Interesting though, that crazy airline charges you at the outset $25 for each checked bag, which means almost no one checks their bag.  Which causes them to beg people before boarding to consider checking their bags for no charge.....  what in the ever living....... huh? Yeah, I did not check my bag.  Plenty of other people must know the drill- they went right up there.

Before we take off!  We had ourselves a little room!  YAY US

We were in the smaller of the two Minneapolis terminals and while the choice of restaurants and things to look at was limited,  wow did we get through check in and security like nobodies business.  We had not one moment of waiting

I have to say though, my sister came through for me again.  she was out of town - like Chicago out of town and let me stay at her house so I wouldn't have to drive from Park Falls on Monday morning.  This was amazing and awesome and I am so so grateful for her.  The Mad-English teacher also drove over and stayed in the vicinity and we had such a nice time relaxing on that amazing screen porch of hers.  And we had a little nifty Indian food as well, so that was a winner of an evening.

The beauty of the land in Portland

Anyway, so Diary dear, I had SUCH a nice time in the Portland area, we spent a lot of time driving up and down the Columbia River Gorge- that place.  Whoa.  So much beauty.  So many people.  Lol. And some really good foods!  Because you know the Mad-English teacher and I- we do like to scope out some yummy vegetarian friendly eateries.

The place we stayed in actual Portland- and I think for the first time ever we were right next door to each other- was a cute little motel that wasn't super far from the airport.  It was in a more "interesting" part of town, near a railroad track, said airport, a busy highway and oddly there was a berry farm only a few blocks away.  Like I said- interesting.  But the rooms were cute- like a little apartment and I tell you once I fell asleep I heard nothing.  But I keep the air on constant as background noise so I don't hear said trains or airplanes or cars.  We weren't there very long, so that was just fine.

Monday-

Well diary, after arriving in town about 1:30, getting the car and finding the motel- the first item of business was to find a place to hike around.  There was a very cool park area we researched and unfortunately the path we wanted to take was  under construction, so we ended up winding around the streets- and it was all up hill.  yikes.  I was not in the walking condition that I wanted to be- I have many factors of blame there but I won't bother making excuses.  Every single time I think I am in charge of my life I am reminded that indeed that is not the case.

Stone building at the park

Anyway, the point of this park ( Macleay Park) was this really cool stone building that was at the top of said hill.  And it was indeed there!  Along with a homeless guy smoking pot.  Lol.  who I carefully framed OUT of my photographs.  It was HOT that day- like over 90- and there was a nice little child selling lemonade who I gratefully bought some from.  I noticed the plants that are in front of houses and in beds and I had some major Japanese maple envy there.  The lavender and the rosemary and other herb plants grew like bushes.  I know that the Mad-Science teacher would have enjoyed that!  And the houses were GORGEOUS.  At least in that particular part of town.

Mount Rainier and Mount St Helen from the air

OH- I forgot to say, we got to see Mount Rainier and Mount Saint Helen and maybe we saw Mount Hood as well- but that was AH-MAZE-ING.  From the air- that is- it was such a magnificent sight.  So this ties in, stay with me here Diary, with the fact that when we finished that first hike we decided to head over towards the general waterfall area- and our first destination was this little building that turns out to be an observatory called the Vista House at Crown Point. I later saw from the highway that it was precariously (I may be exaggerating there) perched on top of a massive cliff (so glad I didn't realize the extent of that as I took photos over the edge).  Anyway, there is nothing like driving along and suddenly this massive mountain is like right in front of you as you are doing 75 65 on this freeway.....  so cool.  We are such mountain nerds. And that will tie in later in the trip-  I realize that I will be doing more than one post about this.

iPhone pic of Mount Rainier while traveling!

Anyway, we stopped at Vista House and took lots of gorgeous photos and I had major heights moments, but I took lots of gorgeous pictures and tried to ignore it.  I don't know why I always end up taking vacations to places that make me get the creep crawls from the heights, but that does seem to happen.  As the hubs says- now what did she get herself into....  lol.  Because we make a point of planning very little - we decided, though it wasn't exactly in our rough outline, to see a few waterfalls on Monday.  And a good thing we did see them, the crowds were really minimal.  I wish we would have gone on to Multanomah then, but we didn't and we didn't stop on Wednesday because it was ridiculous.  BUT we did see Bridal Veil Falls and Latourelle Falls, and they were spectacular!  Holy smokes. They are so big out there along that gorge.  And the land is amazing- the trees are huge, the moss and the plants all were just breathtaking.  Such a great destination and so many things to do.

Vista House- the alleged cliff is behind me- click on the link in the text for a pic of it

I just had to check my Facebook page to see where the heck we even ate that night.  Italian!  We had supper at a cute little Italian place in Troutdale.  Ristorante di Pompello. The food was good, I am pretty sure I had white wine and all was good in our world.  We went back to the motel and I happen to know I passed out- not sure about my compadre - lol.

Columbia River Gorge from Crown Pointe

It really was a good first day- I have to mention that highway where all the water falls are.  What a harrowing horrifying road that was.  Monday it wasn't too bad, but the addition of a million more cars on those stretches by Wednesday proved a challenge to drive to say the least.  This website makes it seem like it is a gentle happy drive, but nuh-uh.  It seems like it needs some shoring up to say the least.  The scenic highway goes along the side of the gorge, and the freeway is down along river  along with a lot of trains.  It was a relief to be down there - let me tell you.  It was interesting to see how much trains are used there as well- not so much in Wisconsin anymore- at least in the north.

Latourelle Falls

Latourelle Falls

Bridal Veil

Well, dear Diary, I am getting sleepy, I have been at this post for 2.5 hours  and I have to get to bed.  I hope this touches on the first exciting day that I had, and hopefully it will let me remember even more stuff tomorrow......  It will be ART MUSEUM day!!  WOOOOT.

Find your joy everyone

Love,
Debi

Birthday month-notalot update

I need more of this, minus the mosquitos that you can't see.

Wow, so birthday month has been filled with not a whole lot of actual celebratory actions. In fact it has been more than a little bit of distraction and transition.  And a lot of the effects of this is the decision to pare down my "stuff".

I call it a whole house purge.

During a recent update of my kitchen counters and floors, I have had to divest myself of a lot of things- and each thing that went back into my cupboards had to earn its keep.  So I found myself putting things back sort of where they were, then opening that door back up and ditching it.  There were a lot of sentimental favorites that got put in the donation box.  And I am fine with that.

The next logical step (ha at least to me) was to continue around the house and do the exact same thing in every drawer, closet and shelf.  Everywhere.  So far the only thing I have deferred to a later date is an upper closet cabinet that has all the Christmas stuff in it.  I just can't face that yet.  oy

And so on the bottom floor I basically have my sewing/back room to do, and that will be last.  I have been doing a little clearing out as I go, but if I can't make a decision, it goes back there to be dealt with on a day I am pretty sure I should be just drinking margaritas and throw all thought and caution to the wind.   Hmmmm.  That is not a bad idea- I will offer tequila to anyone who wants to help on that day.  :D  any takers??

Anyway, I have my clothes closet to go through, which I keep on top of for the most part, so that won't be bad and then I tackle the upstairs.  The traditional place to keep crap you don't use.  Yeah, now that will be a challenge.  I have a feeling that there are a few trips to the local thrift shop in my future.  I already have gotten 6 boxes of things out of the house, and it is AMAZING how good it feels.  I have room in virtually all the shelves and closets that I have gone through.  I can't believe it.

And every day before starting the house, I spend 30 min weeding my flower gardens.  I have a real problem with my right hand getting carpal tunnel symptoms, so I stop at 30 min. usually.  This morning it is cool and cloudy so I went for an hour and I can feel it.

While birthday month hasn't been the joyous occasion that it usually is, I have had lunch with some of my sweet friends, and have cleared my physical and mental space in many ways, and I have a lot of company and visiting to look forward to in August.  And while I have been taking some photos, I think that will be stepped up again soon, too.  Because, photography and all.

I have neglected to do a post of my trip out west to Oregon and I find that quite distressing as I have forgotten the names of some of the falls that we visited.  And the dam.  Fortunately I am an obsessive Instagram person, and also Yelp besides Facebook and all that info is there.  And I also have the young and functioning mind of my travel partner- the Mad-English teacher- to help spark my memory.  Good thing, too.

So another post will be coming your way soon, I hope.  This one (probably 2) will be filled with photography.  YAY!!

AND I got to go to another awesome museum, which was fabulous.  They are really one of the things I look forward to the most every summer, a new museum to take in the art.  And every year I find something unexpected that I love.  This year was no exception, I need to find the photos.  I think I only took iPhone pix of that one.  OH, and I just may get back to another major museum next month- gosh I hope so- but that is in the planning stages.  Stay tuned!

This is birthday month girl signing off- and bound to find joy if it is possible.

The Ups and Downs of this Birthday month

Life does have a way of changing things up right when you think you have it down pat, doesn't it.  We all know that is what happens, intellectually.  Emotionally, though, you wonder- a. what the hell was that all about? and b. Certainly this is done now and I can have a little peace.  Well, that may or may not happen depending on a whole host of circumstances, but I am willing to not bring new variables into life and cause an uproar-------  I hope.

I have hinted at the fact that I have had something going on in my house and it includes some kitchen work.  It is about freaking time, as the same vinyl floors I have had for 25 or so years was starting to look worn, not to mention the other little things that drive one crazy.  So suffice it to say, I am putting things back in their spot, and I am having one of those purge moments.  I am going through my cabinetry and literally considering every single thing and either keeping it or boxing it up.  There is no letting it slide this time, as I have done in the past.  Sometimes you have to just drop the emotional attachment and the stories you think of and how you know who gave that to you for a wedding present, though you haven't touched it hardly since you got married and you are pretty sure none of the children want it.....  This is going to lead to a major household purge. The MA is a little worried - lol.

Speaking of whom, a couple days ago, when I was deep in a battle with a few lines of grout on the new flooring- he came in to the house early, as it was raining, and we were looking at some pretty magnificent cloud formations.  We decided to go for a ride- with my camera in hand.   I shot in a few places and ended up on Butternut Lake, where there was a great view to the east of the colored clouds from the sun over the lake-- and since we were right by the Butternut Resort, we went in for a few minutes for a drink.  He said to me: after all, it is birthday month.  awwww.  I have not had a lot of time to celebrate birthday month.  I have had a bit of emotional turmoil going on, some of it completely unexpected, and my joy has not been too prevalent these days.  So a nice amber Fat Tire did sort of help, as well as talking with Dick and being some place different and doing a photo shoot didn't hurt one bit.

I'm in a place of having so many things to do and not a lot of time to do them.  The mosquitos this summer are a problem, so you have to be fully dressed and armed with lots of spray to brave the day. A good stiff breeze does help a lot.  So not a lot of weeding is going on, and wow do I need to do that.  And of course the windows have not been washed yet (NOT my fave thing to do) and I haven't posted one single thing about my trip to Oregon.....  and on and on.  Oh well.

I am going to take a few days this coming week to just do things around the house with no big agenda.  And cook a few things as I want to.  And probably take a little day trip or two because that needs to happen.  And being to enjoy my birthday month a bit more.

Every year is different, and life isn't guaranteed to be happy during these particular birthday month days, but we sure can look for the joys that are always there.  Even if other things have popped up and thrown a shadow over them.  So I'll be looking for that silver lining, that alternate point of view- sometimes looking to the east during a sunset is the very best view of all.

Tribute to my friend--- Cathy

I first met Cathy a few years after I married and moved to Park Falls.  Interestingly, I had first met her hubby, Ed, as he was a teacher at the High School and was teaching a photography class I took sponsored by the local tech school- the developing end of photography that is. Shortly after I had my oldest son, I needed a person to care for him -as I began teaching preschool.  Someone suggested Cathy, and the rest- as they say- is history.

So many pictures of our kids, so few of us

Cathy and I turned out to be pretty compatible and we spent a lot of time together.  As a new mom and someone who was uprooted from her own mom, I needed someone to be sort of my mommy mentor-someone who could coach me through that first little guy and subsequent babies.  This was not a deliberate thought, but is indeed was what happened. She was that and became so so so much more.  Cathy was generous with her home, her time, her tea and her heart.  For many many years we were inseparable.

Our spot to survey the action on Schnurs Lake

The young Busby and Oswald families spent a lot of time together.  Her younger girls, Erin and Brittany, are the same ages as my older 2 boys Jon and Greg.  Cathy, as I said, was Jon's caregiver during the 1.5 year that I taught Pooh Corner Preschool.  My boys loved going over to their house, because Cathy was always arranging for  the kids to have the very best experiences even in the simplest things.  Her dedication to this showed in the passion she gave to the kids she tutored after school, the children she watched while moms were teaching full time, even the daily life that she gave to her girls and then eventually the children that she taught.  We spent time with occasional pony cart rides, lots of time swimming at the lake house, trick or treating,  sledding down their various hills in the winter and on and on and on.

Cathy assisting Erin 

So many many stories come flooding back to me.  Cathy was a person who always expected the best out of others and herself.  She truly was one of the most intelligent people that I ever met and - she had the most college credits ever to boot.  Lol.  It took persistence as life seemed to interrupt her as she was getting that teaching degree.  But she did it!  I can not begin to imagine how much of my knowledge of a whole range of things is because I was around while she was studying.

And this happened :)

She was in the library at school for many years (at first to her dismay) and she made it the very best that she could.  She began teaching the little kids to keyboard, she did computer troubleshooting, she ferreted out books that would be of the most use to teachers, she helped kids find the books that she thought they would enjoy.  When she finally became that classroom teacher, I know for a fact that she did everything in her power to help those kids succeed.  She was always positive, she only worked to find a way to teach them in a different/better/innovative way.  She took her class on as if they were her own children.  Her abilities to teach were absolutely the best.  She had the highest expectations for the kids but mostly for herself.  She gave of her time, energy and love to our school district and to our kids.

Giving rides at the land - Greg is up and probably jon behind?  Maybe Erin

It is very very hard to describe all that she did with me, for me and I for her during those family years here in Park Falls, but  she was a huge part of my life.  I spent a lot of time at her kitchen table with the tea cups in front of us, talking and talking for hours.  I miss that chocolate tea we used to drink.  We walked together for hours, we spent time in the car driving the kids to various places and to the horses.....  Cathy was 10 years older than me, but I never felt the difference.  She was so welcoming to me in her life and I am so  so grateful.

Intense discussion apparently

We shared many interests and definitely one of them was horses.  And she is the person who helped me find Jacpot.  I loved going out to "the land" and helping care for and ride the horses.  It was such a treat and somewhere along the line we decided I could get one!  Talk about a childhood dream.  We started looking in the newspapers for horses and we looked at one or two, neither one of those horses would have been a good fit for me or for their little herd.  My horse would stay at their place until we could get things together at our house.

We found Jac at a riding stable in Mercer- he was 14 years old, calm and had a really good little canter.  We brought him back to Cathy and Ed's place and got everyone all settled in- and we headed over to Busby's house. So, within an hour we got a phone call that the horses were out and we spent a long LONG time finding them- the lead mare had driven Jac through the fence and off he went with the others apparently merrily following.

Cathy took this picture, but this is exactly the sort of thing she easily orchestrated  all . the. time.

Jacpot came into our life when the kids were a little older and so I spent a lot of time with Cathy in their old truck heading down to Fifield to feed the horses.  I learned lessons in patience, persistence and I acquired so much information about riding, horse nutrition, bridling and saddling, and life.  We had each other to sound off to, to listen to and to comfort and console over the big things and the small.

Jon and Erin on Breezer

How does a person sum up a relationship that is over 30 years in the making?  The stories that I have are so rich in detail but are too hard to explain.  The experiences that we had together were the things that made life deep and multifaceted.  She was at both of my boys' weddings, I was there for a few scary health moments with her hubby.  I came to see new horse arrivals, attended the county fair where they spent so much time, and was introduced to the joys of butt warmers in the Volvo after the cold of feeding the horses during real Wisconsin winters.  I pray that I gave back to her even a fraction of all that I got from my friend.

I believe this was the day Jon figured out he was allergic to horses. Nice job of driving, Miss Erin!

Oddly enough, we didn't see each other as much after we both got full time jobs at the same school.  And then when I started working in the high school as well as the elementary, my life really became separated from hers.  But when we crossed paths, there was always time for a few words- which in our case was hard to keep it to a few most of the time.   Her first bout of breast cancer was within a year of getting that job at school and I was astonished how she never missed a day of work to being sick from that chemo.  She attacked that disease by research.  Research during a time when there was no easily accessible internet, that resulted in her finding the best doctors she could, going far away for the best reconstruction that she could find and she did everything that she could to succeed at recovering.

At Cathy's retirement party

I just sat at that kitchen table a few weeks ago.....  it felt like old times.  As fate would have it I had to drive by their in-town house to get to the post office because of road construction.  I saw Cath out on the porch talking with someone and I knew that I would be stopping on my way back through.  We went into the house and had tea for what would be the very last time. We talked about all sorts of things, some related to her cancer, much of it not.  I was a few days out from my trip and when she talked it sounded like she still had lots of time.  She was anticipating the girls being home in August and was figuring out who she should get to come and do some repairs to the lake house...   We had laughs over some private jokes we shared and some quiet moments over the unknown.  We exchanged several hugs as I was leaving and made tentative plans for when I returned.

Hold your friends and family close- they are the true joys of life.

And birthday month begins!

Well it has been quite the whirlwind of a month or so here.  I was taken slightly by surprise by July's appearance- I knew it was coming but still.  Between a week long curriculum thing at work- I got nothing to say for that one- and the horse and a sweet little vacation I took and another all consuming event in  my life that soon will be revealed here- It has been quite the June....... and much of May...... and a bit of July.

Columbia River Gorge

So I will take on all of these things one at a time, but today I am going to focus on gratitude.

First- I am grateful for my family.  From my kids- The Mad-Middle son and Sarah recently had a 3rd Mad-Grandkiddo, and I will say she is gorgeous- little Claire was born before I went on vacation- to my sister who graciously shared her house and her time with me- to  my dear Mad-Accountant who dealt with the logistics of my recent loss and generally calmly puts up with my frenetic activities and somewhat dramatic tendencies.....  Of course I can't forget my other two kids, grand girls,  my brothers and my momma either.  :)

I appreciate the fact that I got through the year with only one minor yet extraordinarily annoying injury  and I really am entering birthday month ready to finally have some summer.  Now if the rain would quit (speaking of annoying) there could be a whole lot more kayaking and biking and walking and weed-pulling.  But hey there is no drought so there is that.

I am SO SOOOO LUCKY I have the friends that I have.  From my long distance friends who I adore with all my heart to my travel companion to my colleagues who are so much more than that to the different people who I would love to have lunch with this July (hint hint).  I am so happy to have so many amazing people who make my life so much better.

Rockaway Beach, Oregon

There are material things and personal things that I am grateful for as well, but the above list is the most important and so I will leave it exactly at that.

And I wish you all the joy this Sunday and birthday month can bring you.  Muah.

Gone

My heart is broken and I am almost without words.

My sweet old horse died this afternoon, just a few steps out of his barn.  I was getting ready to feed him before we went to eat supper.  I looked out towards his usual hangout, where he would stand to escape the flies and the sun.  I knew when I saw him down he wasn't getting up again.

He was 39 and until the last couple years he had been in perfect health.  He had been having some breathing issues the last year or so, but he never was in distress.  He just slowed down.  He ate his breakfast this morning with his usual relish and gusto.

 I wasn't expecting it.  I still don't believe it.  I keep looking out to see where he is.

But he's gone.

I know I will look for him every morning.  I will feel like I should be feeding him, heading out to see him watching for me.  Listening to him call when I come out the door.  Sticking his nose out to get rubbed, scratching that spot under his neck that sent him into another place.  Licking my hand and arm when I'm trying to fix the fence or reach the feed buckets.

He was such a good horse, so sweet natured.  So funny.  So calm. The horse I always wanted and more than I could every have hoped for.

Good bye Jac.  I hope your life was as good as you made mine.

June

Well I feel bad that I haven't written in here for over a month.  But I have been doing a lot of stuff and haven't had the inclination I guess.

My back yard has some really good views!

I am super tired this morning.  I have been getting up and getting to school by 6 (bangs head on table) to get my hours in for our "summer curriculum writing camp".  I am not sure who thought they should call this camp, but they are wrong.  There was no singing campfire songs and toasting marshmallows involved.  The word camp should never be involved with an extension of your work year,- truly it was an inservice and involved no ghost stories at night or swimming or any other "camp activities".

So, I will be done by noon because I have been getting to school so early- my 40 hours of "camping" will soon be up.  I am going to get a nice little lunch in with my dear friend the Mad-Science Teacher but then home I go.

This weekend I have to make a run to Rhinelander for what I shall call a little repair project for now- more to come on this later, stay tuned.  Sunday I can't even think of what the heck I was going to do because I am TIRED and could have slept for ages.....   But if nothing else, Monday it seems that grand baby #5 will be born so I am on Gramma duty for that day.  Unless something happens earlier that is.  :)  And it will be a little girl!

Oh I know, the Mad-English teacher is coming and we are going to go up to Bayfield for our end of school thing.  And he and I have an additional adventure scheduled in just over a week.  But I will tell you more about that at a later date as well.

Anyway, I can't sit here and ruminate over events of the last month or so as I have to go get ready for work.  My hand is so sore from computer work (and from garden weeding as well) that I am just shuddering at the thought....  I am not made to sit at a desk all day.  I will take the kids to teach, thank you very much.

Meanwhile I think I will post the requisite cloud picture and get going.  I believe my coffee has begun to kick in and I don't feel quite so zombie like.  Sort of.

Have a wonderful Friday- as I prepare to get the heck out of here and go to school......  if someone came and kidnapped me and say gave me a ride on their motor cycle from here to maybe way WAY south - or east or west- or even possibly north, I would not object.  Just sayin' people.  ;)

Find your

And kayaking happened a few days ago!  

joy and be kind.
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