Catching Up!

As long as I'm still sittin here I might as well fill everyone in on some of last week's adventures. I mentioned that our elderly Dalmation, Abigail had surgery on her foot; she's getting better and going back to the vet tomorrow for new bandages and a checkup. She and Sandy were both exceptionally happy to be home after I picked them up on Tuesday morning.

Vacation went well really, about 3 days to short but better that than 3 days too long. The BSU and I headed out last Wednesday headed for the Oregon coast after an overnight stop in Baker City Oregon. The trip was uneventful and pleasant and when we arrived Thursday afternoon, Noah and Lily were waiting for us and most of the family were on scene as well.

So our camper went up and we got settled in. There was tons of food and communal meals at Mary's camper and all the BSU's 6 sisters showed up but one. So its a relaxed time of visiting, catching up, eating and some trip over the sand dune to the beach to wade in the waves. Definitely no swimming for this thin-skinned boy though! This is the Pacific Ocean, not the the Gulf of Mexico, so its much to cold for anything but walking in!

I took two brother-in-laws and son Noah out one afternoon and we found a logging road where we could shoot my guns that I had carefully stashed away and brought along. That was a pleasant diversion for one afternoon, the next day several of us went down to the Tillamook Air Museum for a visit. This museum is housed in the largest wooden structure inthe world and the building and its story are truly as interesting as the airplanes it houses. The best part was the basketball backstop and hoop that was installed over the door like it was put there to while away the hours shooting hoops- its 120 feet above the floor! We all had a good laugh over that!

Sunday we pulled out of the campground and headed for the BSU's hometown of St. Helens where we got a room and spent the evening doing laundry and visiting at sister mary's house. Lots more food, left over from the weekend!

Anyway, as usual, the BSU was not ready to head home to Utah after getting her toes stuck in the Oregon dirt, so I left her there when I returned on Monday. She said she wasn't staying a whole week but she hasn't called yet to say that she has a flight scheduled... So, at least I've less distraction from completing my schoolwork! I guess she will let me know when I'm to be at the airport and expecting her. And I hope she's not expecting me to clean house like I normally do in her absence...

The kids, Noah & Lily finished their road trip on Sunday night, safely back in Ogden. They left the beach on Saturday and spent the night at the half-way point to avoid pulling 14 hours straight on the road in that Tracker. The trucklet made quite a fine showing for itself overall, I'm very pleased that it took them so far safely and with only the problem of the loose drum bolts causing a problem and delay. That's pretty commenable for a 15 year old rig of undeterminate history before 3 years ago.

I think they had a pretty good time overall but Lily may never agree to sleep in a tent again. She's a girly-girl and really prefers the luxury of a mattress and running water, but she survived. They did do much more driving than realxing and playing on the beach but it was a good trip for them overall. And a little surprisingly, they are still talking to each other upon their return! Good for them.

That's it in a few paragraphs. When the research paper's done maybe there will be more details. 'Night.