Category Archives: Travels

Boo Blew Through

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Elizabeth flew in from Maui Friday night and was just here for a quick weekend before heading out for her vacation playing in the snow — but we didn’t waste a minute!  Even stopped at Burgerville on the way home from PDX.

Next morning, we were off to get some new tires for the Tahoe.  They first suggested 4-ply, silly boys.  Got the 10-ply.  This truck is for 4-wheelin’-off-roadin’-good-time girls.IMG_2509

While they were putting them on, we had time to dash back to the Hallie Ford for Elizabeth to see the Izquierdos.  In spite of admiring the monumental sculptures,  we agreed that our personal favorite was this amazing print.  Can you imagine the diligence required to carve the block before inking it and putting it to paper?  We wished they had made posters of it.  It would have been a money-maker!  We’d have bought two on the spot.  We do have an affinity in this family for women and their dogs.

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Then off to run some errands.  Tax-free shopping is a huge Oregon attraction.  Mother had sent me a great pair of garden sloggers for Christmas and Elizabeth fell in love with them.  Luckily, I still needed to buy a Christmas present for her and we were able to find a very similar pair at Fred Meyer’s.  ( You can see the Maui “slippahs” in the corner. They’re of no use here in February.)

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Since Boo also missed our Christmas Eve cracked-crab fest, we had another one in front of the fire in the living room.  That is good stuff.

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And that happy boy Kobe got to sleep with his Auntie Boo.

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Sunday was more tax-free shopping and the observance of a sacred family tradition called “Cake for Dinner.”  This rite involves driving to The Konditorei,

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and some careful decision-making,

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That one!!

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And home to have “dinner.”  I think all the food groups are represented here.  My choice was the raspberry lemonade.  It counts as two fruit servings 🙂

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That about finished us off for Sunday.  This morning it was time for her to load up the Tahoe for ten days of skiing in three or four western states.

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Today’s drive will take her through the beautiful Columbia River Gorge, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful road-trips in the world.

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We’ll have to wait for her to send pictures of Alta, Crested Butte, and Tahoe before her return to Oregon.  Then, very next day, she flies back to her home in Maui.  Not a bad winter vacation, I say.

Grandie got out of town!

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I have pretty much been (happily) stuck at 1880 since May with the menagerie — my own fauna and the grands.  However, (also happily)  MM’s return to Maui has been delayed, so I took the opportunity to leave her in charge and to accept the Shoemaker’s invitation to join them on the coast for a few days.  I had a lovely room and bath to myself on the top floor with a spectacular view.

During a magnificent sun break, we ran the Shoemaker dogs, Obadiah and Anabel on the beach. I’m not sure which one this is.

Roxanne warned us repeatedly to “Watch out for sneaker waves.”  Jack and I teased her about this unmercifully.  Then, this afternoon, after I had left for home, she called to say she actually had to help rescue a woman who did not heed this admonishment.

The Rev always has a cute grin on his face, even with soaking-wet sneaker shoes on.

As for me, I was just really glad my wellies were in the car.

Then back to the house for a little R & R.

Unnecessary to mention that delicious food played a part. Obi and Annie liked the special dog Christmas treat that MM had picked up at Life Source.

 

And, although the whole idea was that I should get away from it all for a few days, I really, really love being able to take it with me, electronically speaking.

Hele me ke aloha

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After living in Portland for about ten years:

MM is moving to paradise:

She’ll be working at Ironwood Stables in Napili on Maui.  (See the site at www.ironwoodranch.com/)

And my assignment today is to take Blue to the vet to get him checked out to join her in a few months, but it seems a shame to disturb his nap:

Katherine Goes to Cuba

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Recently, Katherine went on an education/business tour to Cuba to learn about their health care system.  She wrote:

From an American perspective it’s interesting learning how other countries work.  From a Cuban perspective, my impression was that they are very proud that they are able to supply every citizen with healthcare despite the poverty that is prevalent there.  It’s extremely systematic, and I think they are trying to sell the system to other countries who might be interested in socialized medicine.  The Cuban culture is suffocating due to lack of international support for Communism so they have opened up certain aspects of their society to visitors to a) show how “successful” communism can be and b) export Cuban culture, e.g. social systems (like healthcare), architecture, music etc. to keep it alive.