Unexpected Travel

When I was a Hospice admissions nurse, I witnessed hundreds of patients in their decline. As a society, we are all living longer, and the majority of Hospice patients are older folks. It is always such a sad thing to see an elderly person slowly get worse bit by bit. After a massive stroke, my Mom has lived a fairly decent life in a nursing home. I say that based on her seemingly content demeanor. For me, it would be a horrible life, but she has adjusted over the years and never indicated to me that life was not worth living.

Early Sunday morning I received a call that my Mom was being transferred to the hospital for impaired breathing. Living so far away, I then began the agonizing worry of "should I go or not". Even though the doc said it was not "life threatening", I just felt compelled to go. And, after arriving and being available to talk to the docs, I'm glad I came. Most people say that if they are healthy they want to live a long life and quietly die in their sleep. But, in this day and age, that rarely happens. Modern medicine can do "so very much" and the challenges faced as the older person declines are enormous. Those challenges are now upon us in relation to the care of my Mom. On the one hand she insists that she wants to live "ten more years" and wants everything done. On the other hand she keeps taking her oxygen off and is a very non-compliant patient...go figure. I hate seeing my Mom in this predicament, as I know she is very sick, but actually not sick enough for something like Hospice now. So, we follow that cliche of taking each day at a time. And, in reality, that is all each and everyone of us has anyway...the life we are living "right now".

As I sit here in her hospital room, I am grateful for the following...that Pete and Anne are close by and can keep me updated, that she is getting good care from a nursing staff that has taken quite a bit of abuse from her, that her primary care doctors are geriatricians (specialists in the care of the old) and seem very caring, that the silver lining is seeing my sweet girls, Hannah and Lizzie, and for the caring support of family and friends through emails, FB, and phone calls. It means so much to know people are there for you with care.

I head home tomorrow, but the worry continues about her condition. Each exacerbation of her condition will bring the same dilemma...do I go out now or wait? I think what is always in the back of my head is the fact that when my brother was dying, we didn't make it in time and heard about his death at the Albuquerque airport. Last year it was the same with Bob's dad. We received the news from Scott after landing at Newark airport that Pop had died. It's the bane of modern day living that we sometimes live long distances a part. I will have to find peace, knowing that I have the eyes and ears of Pete and my Mom's medical providers. Right now some angels of mercy at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines are caring for my Mom with "care" even though my Mom is not very pleasant...they are professional and pleasant, however, and for that I thank them more than they will ever know, from the bottom of my heart.

Christmas Eve Celebration 2009

It's hard to believe that we are celebrating our second Christmas as residents of Washington and with no snow, thank goodness. Our Iowa family and friends are buried in the white stuff, but we are happy that they are all safe and with loved ones.

Last night we celebrated with Angie's family with a fun dinner, anticipating Santa's arrival. We enjoyed meeting Kristi's Dad for the first time. Ultimately, Christmas is all about children and seeing the excited smiles of Felix, Robee, Owen, and Ivy were a gift in itself. Today we head down to Steve and Angie's for the "Christmas Ham dinner" that Steve has requested. And, there won't be much of a season let down this year, as the arrival of a sweet baby will soon be upon us...what more could anybody wish for? Merry, Merry Christmas to all and a here's to a great year ahead!

When the Hair Dryer doesn't work, it's time to call the engineer of the house!

This morning when I tried to dry my hair, the blow dryer wouldn't work. I fiddled with it for a while and kept pushing buttons, but soon knew it was time to yell, "Bob, the hair dryer isn't working"! Of course being the handy engineer that he is, he seemingly pushed the same buttons, but got a different result from me...it worked!

Bob and I have a very traditional marriage and in retirement, I've really come to realize how much of the "home stuff" I actually do. It kind of evolved that way because #1, we are "traditional", and #2, he worked full time all his professional life and I was a part timer. It only seemed fair to me, through the years, to accomplish all the tasks that I usually do. I always drew the line, however, when it came to yard work, hanging things on the wall, computers, and anything that was, in the least way, mechanical. Bob is a "handy" person "par excellance" and I'm...well, I have no talent in that area.

We've settled into this routine and it's great to have that comfort of knowing we respect each other's strengths. Bob certainly knows who to turn to for medical advice, for example, and I certainly know who to call when something needs to be analyzed and fixed. I'm not sure if it all evens out, but I can't tell you how grateful I am to call "Bob................" when something doesn't work. As the Master Card people say, "it's priceless"!

To Tree or Not to Tree

For the first time in our entire married life (actually, my entire life) we thought about not putting up a tree this year. Since Angie is due right around Christmas, we'll be going to their place on Christmas Day. With no visitors to "share the spirit" so to speak, I wondered, "Why bother?". For the past 10 years or so, I've had some "bah, humbug" moments surrounding the "holiday season". It's basically the same old, same old argument about "too much commercialism". As the Christmas season gets earlier and earlier each year, it drives me crazier and crazier. Thankfully, since we have a small family, there really isn't too much for us to buy, but the whole idea of adding more stuff to our over-stuffed world, often gives me angst. Bob was definitely on board for skipping the tree this year (we will definitely have one when the little guy is around), but the idea wasn't sitting well with me. I kept weighing the pros and cons of our little tree and I kept coming back to this conclusion: if we don't have a tree, then we really have entered the "world of the old people".

And, so, last Sunday we got all of our Christmas paraphernalia out of garage storage, put on the Christmas CD's, reminisced over each ornament, and proceeded to decorate the house and tree. Tonight as I lighted the tree and front window candles, I had this thought..."I'm really enjoying this", which means we made the right decision. When the boys were growing up in Iowa, we would always go to church on Christmas Eve at 5:30. If I had to work Christmas Day, we opened gifts on Christmas Eve, so there was often a lot of squirming in the pews during the service. Afterwords, we always drove down Summit Street, where these beautiful older homes had luminaries lighted in their walkways. There was something about that sight on Christmas Eve that always felt sacred to me. I think we all have personal memories of what is special about Christmas. My hope is that with all the hustle and bustle of the season, people can still find time for the sacred that belongs in Christmas.

22 days and counting...

This past Saturday Angie's sister, Jen, and her step mom, Kristi, hosted her baby shower. It was such a fun afternoon with yummy food, fun games, and a hilarious color commentary by Owen as Angie opened up her gifts. There were the usual "oohs and aahs" as she showed us all of the cute clothes and gadgets available for babies now. I was worried (what me? worried) about the weather (snow had been predicted), but it did not materialize and in fact, I had clear, sunny skies as I traveled south to Jen's house. The mountains were in all their glory and my already good mood was lifted even higher. Events like this reinforce how grateful I am to be a grandma...now, almost X 3. We'll keep you posted!

I Love My Crock-Pot

I first heard about crock pots about 35 years ago when I was first married. They were becoming very popular then, as women (mostly, women, I believe) were drawn to a cooking gizmo that promised a delicious slow cooked meal after returning home for the day. I grew up with a Mom who didn't do too much "home" cooking. We ate a lot of canned/frozen foods and I was pretty much a cooking novice when I left home. I'll never forget my thoughts when Bob's Mom showed me a few hints in the months before we got married. As she demonstrated how to cut up an onion, I thought "Wow, this is a lot work". Whenever my Mom used onions, they were the frozen, chopped,kind (yes, you could get them that way and they are still available) and having to cut them up into tiny pieces, with eyes tearing was a new task for me. Of course, hundreds of onions later, I now know the "real" work of my cooking career was just beginning.

Through the years I've become a decent cook, believing that variety is the spice of life. I've learned to make lots of different dishes, but I've grown away from anything fancy. When the kids were young, I cooked mostly from scratch, but as the years have gone by, I started to cheat, most notably using jar spaghetti sauce. Actually, I get pretty tired planning the meals week in and week out. We grill lots in the summer and that is always pretty easy. Still, I do reserve some love for the slow cooked meals I make in the crock. Soups are among my favorite. I never get tired of coming home to my meal cooked and the house smelling so very good.

Yesterday I was looking through an old crock-pot cookbook and found an easy recipe I have never tried. Today I layered sliced potatoes, carrots, peas, browned ground turkey & onion in my 4 quart pot. I then mixed a can of tomato soup with 1 can water and poured it over the meat. And, after 8 hours on low, voila'...a tasty one pot meal. Tonight we enjoyed it with some warm, crusty bread. My beloved crock-pot is this cook's best friend (and my non cooking husband's too)!

New Views

Christmas came early to our house this year when we received our new camera via UPS last week. Lately, I'm starting to wonder about "our" Christmas gifts. Last year "we" gave each other a dandy "hiking" GPS which was supposed to guide us on our backpacking trip that we never got to take. (It truly is hilarious when we take it out on our local hiking ventures...Bob keeps saying "I'm still trying to figure it out"...becoming irritated when I ask, "why haven't you figured it out yet?) Anyway, as you can guess, it is a gift I will ALWAYS TREASURE! This years gift ends up being "our" new camera. All kidding aside, I am running out of ideas of what to get Bob, so I jumped at the chance to get the camera, forever grateful to Bob for not only taking our pictures, but faithfully placing them on our blog, facebook and keeping them organized on the computer. I could never imagine going back to the days of stacks and stacks of photo albums.

Yesterday brought everyone out of woodwork in Bellingham as the SUN appeared and we headed, camera in hand, to one of our fav spots in our fair city. Last year, we posted several shots of Boulevard Park, but now we have new pics to share. It was fun to see blue sky while we watched the sun slip behind Lummi Island. It was also fun to see Bob, happy as a little kid, with his, I mean our, new camera! It may be raining again today, but yesterday's memory...well, the pictures speak for themselves. Happy Christmas planning to all.

Ease and Effort

It's been almost two years since I've become involved with the practice of yoga and with each class, I'm convinced it is one of the best things I do for myself. Among the things that I have learned is that not only is yoga a rigorous physical experience, but that it's spiritual essence is just as essential to the practice. I love this as I have a deep interest in spirituality and how we, as humans, experience it on so many levels.

Some people find their spiritual path through their religious belief and truly feel that their way is the only way. I, on the other hand, believe there are many paths to take in trying to understand this "mystery" of life. If there is caring, love and kindness on that path, I wonder why anybody should judge that as wrong.

Which brings me back to yoga. I love the inner peace that comes with the exploration. Yesterday, during our Thanksgiving Day class, Melissa talked about the ease and effort that goes with almost anything we do in life. Immediately, I thought of being married for almost 35 years, and the "ease and effort" that has gone into our marriage. Of course there are many ways to phrase it...the yin and yang, the push and pull, the good with the bad...but, yesterday, the words, ease and effort resonated with me and the way I've come to understand the world. We all welcome the ease, but the effort will always be there. And...so it goes.

Something to Ponder

Yesterday Bob and I visited the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field in Seattle. We were very impressed and will keep it on our list of things to do on a rainy day. The history of flight is an amazing story indeed. They had very interesting WWI and WWII exhibits. My Grandpa was a soldier in WWI and my Dad was a marine who saw action at Iwo Jima during WWII. It is always sobering for me when I think about the fact that they both survived these wars and because of their luck, I came to be.

At one point yesterday, Bob and I sat down to watch a WWII documentary. Among the information presented was the fact that 54 million people died during that war. It is so difficult for me to wrap my mind around that figure. I remember how devastated we were as a country to lose over 3000 people on 9/11. It is simply incomprehensible to me that just shortly before I was born, the world lost 54 million souls. And, by some twist of fate, I have missed the horror of war, even though it continues to be ever present in our world. 54 million people. They said after the Holocaust, "never again". But, since then, wars have continued and people continue to suffer the ravages of war. It's so sad and something we must all ponder.

Favorites

Today I was thinking about all the wonders I've been able to see, as we've moved throughout the good old USA. It's always hard to come up with one favorite thing about almost anything, but I am going to give it a whirl. I was born in New York City, so I will start there.

New York: The Manhattan skyline

New Jersey: The beaches of the NJ shore

Arkansas: The Boston Mountains, just south of Fayetteville

California: The redwood trees

South Dakota: Mount Rushmore, nestled in the Black Hills

Iowa: the campus of the University of Iowa

Washington DC: The National Gallery of Art

Virginia: Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park

Missouri: St. Louis Botanical Gardens

Washington-state of: the ferry ride to the San Juan Islands

When we lived in these areas, these "favorites" felt like gifts to me. Now, they each have a special place in my heart.

Heart Stopping Season

Pete and Steve not only grew up in Iowa City, but are University of Iowa alumni as well. So, as our friend Mike Sullivan said, they "bleed black and gold"! Bob first grew to love college athletics when we moved to Fayetteville, home to the Arkansas Razorbacks. They were his "team of choice" to follow until we settled in the land of the corn and we all became "Hawkeye" crazy. We arrived in IC in 1985 and watched the team go to the Rose Bowl. Through the years we had season tickets to football and basketball. We have lots of fun memories of memorable games.

This year we've been able to again rekindle our Hawkeye spirit. The football team had a great start and lots of the games have been nationally televised and available to us. The only problem is that many of these games have been razor close and it's a little hard on the heart. When we were back visiting Pete, we all held our breath at the quarterback pass with 2 seconds left that won the game! Talk about EXCITEMENT!. Although, they have lost their last two games, it looks like they will go to a good Bowl game and we'll certainly be watching.

It was wonderful to watch Pete and Steve grow up in Iowa City. Along with the excellent education they received, they made life long friends. Although they are very different people, it warms my heart that they have a mutual love of the "Hawkeye's"...a bond, I know, they will always share. GO HAWKS!!!!

S T R E T C H E D

We read lots of books and articles in preparing for retirement and they all pretty much gave the same advice...STAY ENGAGED! Being the good little soldier that I am, I was determined to get involved from the moment we arrived in the PNW. One thing I've learned through our many moves was that when asked, it is best to say "yes" as you probably won't get asked again. And, now, one year later I am finding that all my "yes" answers has led me to feeling a bit s t r e t c h e d. There's my job, Hospice, Red Cross, Transition Coach, RN student mentoring, Medical Reserve Corp, Newcomer's and church responsibilities. I'm not trying to say "Wow, Kathi, you are involved", but just showing what happens when you say, yes, yes, yes!!!

All in all, I think I have it under control and of course, volunteer jobs are just that...voluntary. The challenge is that I like everything I'm doing and hope to be able to "fit it all in" to my little life. With each endeavor, I'm meeting more and more interesting people who definitely work much harder than me. Although, I may feel a bit stressed at times, I know that I'm incredibly blessed to have all of these options at this time in my life. So, I will continue to keep my calendar handy and remain t h a n k f u l as I learn what will work and when to occasionally say "no"!

Lizzie is two!!!

Our sweet Lizzie turns two years old today. We were so lucky to have recently spent some time with her and with each visit, it is great to get to know her more and more. This time was even more special as we felt she knew we were her grandparents. The cutest part of the visit was when she would reach up her arms to Bob and say "Papa". He would then lift her up and her cute smile would appear. Bob and I got such a kick out of her expressions, especially the serious frown that makes you think that she is pondering world problems...it is so endearing. It is also fun seeing the dynamics between Lizzie and Hannah as they grow together as sisters. Lizzie was a little under the weather and didn't come with us when we visited the Des Moines Science Center. We bought Hannah a stuffed snake (her choice) and we told Hannah to pick a gift for Lizzie. Hannah took her job seriously and searched and searched. We found a cuddly polar bear and Hannah immediately took it to Lizzie when we got home. Lizzie was lying on the couch, not feeling well and it just melted my heart as she lifted her little arm and hugged her new bear close. We started missing her the moment we left and can't wait to shower her with hugs and kisses again. Much love, dear Lizzie as you head into your third year of life!

Bellingham Gems

The following are some of the wonderful things we've grown to appreciate about B'Ham:

1. Views of Mt. Baker
2. Miles and miles of hiking trails
3. Our new church...First Congregational of Bellingham
4. La Fiamma's Wood Fire Pizza
5. The Soy House...great pho noodle soup and everything is always so fresh
6. Views of Bellingham Bay from Boulevard Park
7. The San Juan Islands
8. The amazing summer weather
9. Woods Coffee, with Cruisin Coffee a close second
10. The Bagelry's egg salad sandwich (on a delicious bagel, of course)
11. The Mt. Baker Chapter of the American Red Cross
12. 3 Oms Yoga (well, that's just me)- a great yoga studio with many wonderful instructors
12. Busara's Thai food restaurant
13. The way Bellingham prides itself on it's various "neighborhoods"
14. Fairhaven
15. Downtown
16. The Bellingham Cruise terminal where you can begin a voyage to Alaska on the Alaska Marine Highway
17. Village Books
18. Ski to Sea race and festival
19. Fred Meyer grocery store-keep those bargains coming
20. The beautiful Mt. Baker Theater
21. Newcomer's Club
22. Our own wonderful neighbors
23. And, finally, how welcomed we've felt since our arrival!

Looking at all the eating places I mentioned, I guess it's good there are lots of hiking trails. We're hoping for lots of company over the years so we can share some of these favorites with friends and family. Our guest room is always ready!

You usually end up where you are supposed to be

Bob and I got back Wednesday from our semi-annual trip to Iowa. It was wonderful as ever to see our family and dear friends. I love going back to Iowa and in my heart it will always be my first home. From early childhood and throughout adulthood, I've been on the move, with Iowa being the place I stayed the longest. We lived in Iowa City for 15 years, raised the boys and cemented connections that were strong and vibrant. I'll never forget the sadness I had with leaving or the grief I felt as I tried to adjust in Virginia. It's hard to believe that was nine years ago.

As we were leaving the motel for the airport last week, I glanced up and saw the following on the motel sign, "You usually end up where you are supposed to be". Those words rang so true to me because although it is always hard to leave my first home, I was also looking forward to returning to my new home. One of the pleasant surprises about this past year is how well the transition has gone. I thought there would be tears and regrets, but none of that has happened. In fact, we've pretty much fallen in love with the Pacific Northwest (as if you couldn't tell...can anybody stand one more mountain/water picture?). And, I learned that I have enough love for two great places in my life. When I was able to look out at my friend Jan's new home and see the pretty Iowa scenery, it warmed my heart. And, as we flew into Seattle over the Cascade Mountain range, it felt great too. Yes, it was a difficult decision to leave Iowa behind and try a new adventure, but I guess it is true that "You usually end up where you are supposed to be".

Thunderstorms and Lightening

As of last Thursday we've been in our house for one year. Over this time we've had some crazy weather happenings, but all in all we really enjoy the climate of the Pacific NW. One thing that has been different for us is the lack of thunderstorms. We've never lived in an area that didn't have them, especially in the spring and summer. In the past 12 months, I heard some distant thunder only once and that was during the night, which Bob slept through. So, it was a surprise to experience a "thunderstorm with lightening" yesterday afternoon.

I was reading a book around 4:30 and I heard some rumblings that I mistook for something I just couldn't put my finger on. I wondered if it might be thunder, but quickly dismissed the idea...I mean, we don't get storms here. Well, in a short while I was proven wrong because there was more of it and "it" definitely was thunder, with lightening thrown in for good measure. Then, it started pouring rain, which may not sound unusual for this area, but in fact, it is! Most of our rain comes in a mist and we actually have very few days where it rains all day. It's an interesting misconception that most folks have about the northwest. It is true that we have a good amount of cloudy days, but Seattle's average yearly rainfall equals that of NYC! Anyway, it was kind of fun to have that storm yesterday...it packed it's punch and then some blue skies appeared to end the day.

I think it's routine for people to talk about the weather wherever they live. Since in most places it is always changing, it's a topic that always seems new. Some like it hot, others like it cold. I've heard it said that we have what is called a "Mediterranean" climate. All I know is that for the most part, our temperatures exhibit no extremes...it's like we're on an even keel and for this time in our life, it suits us well.

Two women on horses & a girl with her dog...

were the only people we saw last Thursday when we hiked to Raptor Ridge on the Pine & Cedar trail in Whatcom County. This trail head is just a short drive from our house. Although we heard traffic from I-5 for the first 20-30 minutes, when we got to the other side of the mountain, there was just quiet and solitude and the few humans we saw. When we reached the ridge, there were no spectacular views of the mountains or water, but there was an abundance of forest evergreens and it was sure pretty. We shared a cookie and ate some clementines and enjoyed the "silence" immensely.

Our hiking will be a little curtailed now that the cooler, rainy weather is upon us. It's been fun enjoying these trails the last few months and we can't wait to start up again next year. In the meantime, we will take advantage of nice days when they come and walk in our local parks.

One important thing we will do in the future, though, is let Steve know when we hike in a remote area. The more we thought about it, the crazier it seemed that we never told anybody when we took these hikes. If we had gotten hurt, nobody would know, and, if on a remote trail, it might be a long time before someone came along. With no cell phone service, it sure would be scary. As the saying goes, "it's better to be safe than sorry"!

Pretty Pics

It has been an amazing fall season, with lots of blue skies and sunshine. We try to get out as much as possible because we know that the rainy season will soon be upon us. Attached are some pictures of recent hikes we have taken. The first ones are from the Skyline Divide Trail in the Mt. Baker Wilderness Area. To get there we had to navigate on a very bumpy 13 mile unpaved road and we barely saw another car as we drove in. I began worrying that "maybe we should have told Steve about our hike today", but was relieved when we saw other hikers setting out when we arrived. It was a spectacular day and as I stated on facebook, I felt like singing "the hills are alive" when we reached the top and saw these spectacular views of Mt. Baker, Mt. Shuksan, and the surrounding meadow. It's a sight I won't soon forget.

This past weekend we had very high winds and we thought a traipse through the woods with "maybe falling tree limbs" was not a good idea. Instead we took a stroll along what is known as the "Semiamhoo Spit" which is a little swath of land between Drayton Harbor with views of Mt. Baker and the San Juan Islands on the other side. The pictures we have are of Mt. Baker from the water view. As you can see there are not only incredible mountains, but this convergence of mountains and water, with beauty that is indescribable at times. I will let these "pretty pics" speak for themselves.

Wondering

I haven't blogged for a while and I have been wondering why. When I first started this blog I thoroughly enjoyed going on and on about some of my thoughts as we experienced our first year of retirement life. As I think about this, I believe that I'm feeling more and more comfortable, needing less to "work things out" on paper. During my high school years I was a dedicated journal writer and I penned book after book about my angst and woe. Although growing up in my dysfunctional family was no easy task, with maturity, I now realize it could have been so much worse. Still, those journals helped me immensely to get through that time and I am so thankful to pen and paper (no computers, then) for that gift.

So, now that we've gotten settled, I guess I don't have that inner push to "work it all out" that I did last year when we had so much ahead of us. I have a few blog ideas floating around in my head, but maybe not as many as before. One thing is for sure, though...I am so incredibly grateful that things have worked out so well for us this past year. It's been a year of changes, growth, challenges, and much happiness. These past few weeks Bob and I have taken some nice hikes and I (I mean Bob) will post those pics soon. In the meantime, I can't begin to describe how incredibly lucky we feel to have ended up in this beautiful place, blessed beyond measure!

Back to normal?

Or...whatever normal is now. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about what we were doing this time last year(which is what I usually do on the one year anniversary of our moves). The thing I keep going back to is how this year has gone by so incredibly FAST. Working man, Steve, often asks Bob and I, "What do you do all day?" and we answer that we keep busy with travel, volunteering, exercising, and regular life stuff. But, I often wonder, "Where did we find the time to work before retirement?". I've heard this same sentiment from other retirees and now I understand what they are getting at.

When our friend Mike was visiting recently, he mentioned that it was a little disconcerting how time flies and more so, as we get older. We decided it was because with each day we get closer to...well, you know what I mean. I guess the good thing is that life is never boring and there does seem to be this push to get things done...while you can, while you are able, while you are healthy.

I think this all ties into my thoughts of "What is normal, now?". We traveled lots this summer and being away from home that much didn't feel like normal. I worked a fair amount in September, but only have one day scheduled in November and December...that definitely doesn't feel like normal...Bob is patiently waiting to hear back about a possible work opportunity...not normal, because it wasn't expected. I wonder if the new normal is living life one day at at time, relishing all the good of that day. I find that idea so comforting, recognizing how lucky I am to feel that way.

So, on this normal-like Friday, we traveled down to Steve's and Bob is helping him with projects around the house. Me? I am going to figure out how to drive Steve's car and do a little shopping at the local mall and have lunch at Panera's (a favorite lunch spot of mine that isn't in Bellingham). A cup of Panera's hazelnut coffee...definitely feels "normal" today!

Fun Filled Visit

I believe one of the largest blessings in our life is having great friends. Among our "best" friends are Mike and Geri. They recently traveled to our neck of the woods and we enjoyed the Labor Day holiday with them. There was food, wine, lots of conversation, laughter, and EVEN THE WEATHER COOPERATED! It had been forecast to rain the entire weekend, but by some twist of fate, we had a good deal of sunshine. Still, Mt. Baker was shrouded in clouds most of their stay. But, on our ferry ride home from San Juan Island, Mt. Baker made a glorious appearance. And, as we turned to see the view from the other side of the boat, we hit the jackpot and saw Mt. Rainer in the distance. We also enjoyed strolling along Boulevard Park and had an interesting conversation with a Canadian couple about their health care system (they liked it). We hiked at Whatcom Falls Park, ate at the Beach Cafe with Steve & Angie, and walked along the beach at Birch Bay State Park. It was such fun and I began missing these good friends the minute they left!

One Year Later

Steve and Angie are married one year today...big congratulations to them. One year later...they are now expecting a baby boy in January...Hannah has started kindergarten...Lizzie is almost two...my Mom continues to be stable and getting good care in IA...we are two weeks shy of our arrival in the Pacific NW...Bob's recovered from his hernia surgery...I have a great part, part time job...I have a wonderful yoga instructor at a great studio...we've met some amazing people...we continue to have deep connections with our Iowa friends...we recently spent time with family and old friends...we feel so lucky!

East Coast Adventure

Last year when we found out that Steve would be traveling to the east coast for business, a plan was hatched to introduce Angie to our east coast family and friends. We had a fun week and can't begin to thank everyone enough for the great hospitality shown to us. Angie was such a trooper, meeting lots of new people with friendliness and ease.

We began our trip in Providence,RI, then headed to the Jersey shore. We ended our fun in west central NJ, near Trenton and here are some of the highlights:

Touring the Breakers Mansion in Newport & seeing how the "other half" (actually much less than half) lived during the gilded age

Enjoying "Dels" on a hot day- a Rhode Island tradition

Having a fun picnic with Scott & Kristen at a lovely park on the water

Thai food with Roger and Maryanne

The wonderful day with family and thanks to Judy for coordinating it all...what a blessing to see Aunt Helen & Uncle Bill...what a treat to meet Ryder & Will, also great to see Bill, Rachale, & Deanne, grown up and happy

Fun with Rose, Glenn, Christine, and Sofie at Ocean Beach...swimming in the Atlantic, a night on the Boardwalk at Seaside, watching Steve and Angie enjoy their first "waffles and ice cream", so grateful to have this time with my loyal, dear friend, Rose ( I even got a "Jersey Girl" hoodie as well as a Bath & Body works gift basket-thanks, Rose and Christine!)

Relaxing in the beautiful west central Jersey countryside with Ken, Jackie, and Garrett. Steve and Angie spent the day visiting NYC and we met up with them for a nice dinner later in the day. Then it was off to see "Jersey Boys" on Broadway. We loved the show and afterwards, Times Square was a sight to see. I was mesmerized by the nighttime New York skyline as we took the ferry from Manhattan back to NJ.

Lots of memories flooded back to me as we visited our original home. How lucky that we still have these people in our lives...how grateful for their love and care...and as the saying goes "You can take the girl out of Jersey, but not Jersey out of the girl"!!!