July 16-31

July 17th we went to the ribbon cutting ceremony for Sandy's first two pickleball courts. The event was well attended and hopefully just the beginning of pickleball in our community. Randy and I have also been playing at Estacada where we found a small but enthusiastic and welcoming group of picklers.
On the 20th we took lunch over to my Auntie Mary's. Besides having a wonderful visit she shared a school assignment my mom had written in 1942. What a gift, reading in my late mother's words, her thoughts and feelings of her past year which included the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the death of her father and being "relocated"
to the Portland Assembly Center then Minidoka, Idaho because of her race.
Last Sunday we celebrated Kelsie's birthday. As always it was great getting together with family for food, fun and reminiscing. It's hard to believe my baby girl is 35 years old!
Monday we went to the theater for the first time in almost two years. The popcorn was good, the movie... not so much. M. Night Shyamalan disappointed with his latest release.
Wednesday my fil, Larry's, cousin came to visit. It had been years since we'd seen Valerie and it was nice catching up. The week before Sharon took her namesake and niece, Sharon, and I out for lunch.
Randy has been busy getting bids for laying concrete or asphalt on our driveway and RV pad here at our home base and smoking the trout we caught last month at Lake Simtustus. He's also been enjoying his new recliner, which finally arrived from Indiana after a four and a half month wait.
We continue to regularly share meals and compete at dice, cards and board games with Sharon and Larry.
We've harvested about 20 lbs of blackberries at a patch near us and 30 lbs of plums at Uncle Kay's. I've been busy baking and freezing nature's bounty.
We'll be on the road for most of next month. Tomorrow we leave for Hoodsport followed by Gig Harbor, Sequim, Long Beach, Seaside and Neskowin.Read more