money

Just if case anybody is wondering...the new truck is getting about 14 mpg, even towing a trailer behind it. Not awesome mileage, of course, but not bad considering we're towing a travel trailer. We've prepared all our own meals, on about $40 worth of groceries, plus what I had at home, and most of our camp sites have been around $20-$25. If gas wasn't so expensive, this would have been a darn cheap vacation!

Sweet sleep!

Slept for 10 1/2 hours last night. Sweet!

Today we are headed south for the Redwoods, where we will stay for the night, then turn north again and travel to Grants Pass and Phoenix, OR where we will be visiting the parents and going on a Jet Boat ride on the Rogue River. So, we'll see you tomorrow night or Monday, Mom and Dad!

the trip

The housesitter is at the house, and all is well.

Today we went to the Sea Lion Caves in Florence, Oregon. Frankly, I got a bigger kick out of watching the sea lions out on the rocks from the pull-out we stopped at yesterday, than from the $26 we paid going down the 200' elevator into the cave, with about a 20' span of fenceline, overlooking the actual cave. We were told there were about 200 sea lions in the cave this morning, but actually it was more like 30. It was fine, fun for the grandson, but much more commercialized than I remembered it being.

After that we went to The Dunes. I stayed in the trailer and wrote and read, while the hubby and grandson rented a dune buggy and went for a ride. They had a great time and some day we hope to come back again and stay for a few days.

Tonight we are staying in Cape Blanco and who knows where we will be tomorrow.

My only disappointment so far is that I really want to just stay at a campground on the beach and we haven't been able to find one. I was able to go online tonight (obviously) and found what is supposed to be a great campground...back up by Florence. Oh well, live and learn. I guess I should have researched things more before we left, but frankly, we weren't sure where we were going to go.

Our daughter has given us strict instructions to have the boy back by the 4th of July, so they can celebrate his birthday. Although the hubby is objecting to this time table, I am insistent that we abide by it. That'll give us a day to clean up the trailer, get the mail, pay the bills, and then head out again. I'm still struggling with not feeling well, but the hubby and I both came to the same conclusion that the problem right now is with the new trailer. We've been leaving the windows and doors open as much as possible, in order to air out the trailer of all of the "newness"...i.e. toxic fumes from construction. It's giving me a headache and sore throat every night and last night I was awake from 3:30 until 7:00 a.m. Hopefully my exhaustion, combined with some Benadryl, will help me sleep tonight.

I have no idea what we are doing tomorrow or where we are headed. The hubby wants to continue south to the redwoods, but I am ready to go east and visit my parents. He thinks we can do both, but I'm not sure we have the time. I guess we will have to map it out tomorrow and do some planning, for once on this trip!

My aching body

Woke up Wednesday morning at 5:00 with a migraine headache. Took some meds and went back to sleep. Woke up again at 9:00, headache gone, packed and hit the road.

Traveled to Seaside, Oregon where we found a nice park to camp in. Came down with a sore throat during the day, woke up today with a sore throat and headache.

Can a girl get a break?

At least I know it's not strep throat since I'm still on antibiotics for my tooth.

check it out

check it out:
http://www.vimeo.com/1211060?pg=embed&sec=1211060

and then this:
http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/?fbid=YMSLn

my tooth

Well, $1400, an hour and fifteen minutes, and one root canal later, and my tooth is fixed. It better work this time. I've spent way too much money and time on this one tooth.

Spooners!

Oh my word...Spooner Farm's strawberry stand is open! Yes, summer is officially here!

Grrr

So our trip is once again delayed. :(
The tooth is a slight bit better, but I'm not completely pain free, so the hubby and I decided we'd better not leave until I can see the endodontist. I was able to get an appointment tomorrow at 11:30. We'll see how it goes after that.
I am extremely disappointed and generally just bummed out. We were supposed to leave on this trip a week ago and because of my health issues, our departure date keeps getting bumped further and further out. I thought I had all of my teeth and dental problems fixed a couple of months ago, after spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars on dental work, and now I'm right back in the middle of it and it's going to probably cost over a thousand dollars this time. This sucks.

Score!

What a find!

I had the hubby drive me to Olympia yesterday because I wasn't feeling well, but I had to go and get some things done.

First item...soccer shoes for my granddaughter. I promised her I would buy her new ones as her old ones are two sizes too small. I intended to stop at Famous Footwear because the word on the streets was they had pink shoes. Hubby took a different route and went to the Goodwill first, though, in search of some items needed for the trailer. There, lo and behold, I found black soccer shoes with pink stripes...in her size...perfect! I called Famous Footwear...nope, no soccer shoes with pink on them! Six bucks..what a bargain! Now, for an older child or adult, I probably wouldn't buy used shoes, as they tend to conform to the shape of the foot, but for a 5 year old? Perfect!

Next up...drapes for the guest room. What did I find? The perfect drapes...gold linen, lined, tab tops, perfect size...six dollars a panel...$12.00 total for drapes I probably would have paid almost $100 for in the store. What a deal!

We were able to skip Famous Footwear and head to Costco next. We got the things we wanted, all except a table for camping, but we did find four aluminum camping chairs...lightweight, comfortable and pretty much perfect.

Next to Fred Meyer, where we found a small, portable, propane bbq on sale for $20.

Guess it must have been our lucky day! :)

oh my aching tooth.

First it was the flu. Took me out of action for two days. Now I have a raging toothache. I managed to get into the dentist Friday afternoon. He took an x-ray and concluded that he had no idea what was wrong. Doesn't look abscessed. Can't see any cracks. (I've already had a root canal on the tooth and it has a crown.) Maybe there are four roots? Go see a specialist. In the meantime, take some pills. Oy vey, why do these things happen on a Friday? When we're trying to leave on vacation on Monday? How much money can one tooth cost? Will we ever hit the road for our next adventure? The tooth hurts. My whole head hurts. The pills are making me sick. Oy vey.

Metro

maybe i really should get one of these.

and the winner is...

I made a decision about the car. The Suzuki it is. I think. I just filled up the tank and will drive it until it's empty to check the gas mileage and get a more accurate reading, but the list of pros and cons reads like this:

Suzuki:
Pros:
running good
less miles
better gas mileage
easy to zip in and out, easy to park

Cons:
kinda rough and uncomfortable to ride in
needs a new belt
needs a front end alignment
sucky cup holders (this is important, people!)
filthy, stinky dirty, desperately in need of detailing

Blazer:
Pros:
more comfortable
generally just nicer

Cons:
generally just a poc: broken suspension, brake lights on 24/7, door panel broken
not as economical
every freaking cop in town follows me thinking it's my son driving the car

In the end, it was just the gas mileage that was the deciding factor. That and I can parallel park it in front of the church without being completely and totally embarrassed by my lack of mad parking skills!

The Return of Hope

I was beginning to lose hope. I thought for awhile, that I was losing faith, and I wondered to myself "how can that be?" I have always had faith. When we did a bible study class in church a few years ago, faith was one of my spiritual gifts. Then I realized that it wasn't my faith that I was losing, it was hope. I'd sit and think this situation we're walking through was never going to get any better. But suddenly my hope is back. I'm not sure why. But I'm glad. I felt like God was so far away. Like he was hiding Himself from me. Then I realized He was there all along. I just wasn't looking for Him. Maybe someone is praying for us. Probably.

Joan, Joan, Joan!

Okay, so I was watching one of those entertainment news shows this morning...the one with A. J. Hammer, or whatever the dude's name is...

and I see this little blurb about Joan Rivers, who, generally I don't really think is all that funny, and how she was kicked off a TV talk show in England, I think it was, yesterday, because she dropped the F bomb, and it was live TV and all...

Well, she apologized afterwards...and, excuse me for saying it, but I think this is hysterical! She apologized by telling them that she was so effing sorry for swearing on their show...

I haven't stopped laughing all day...I know...I'm sick..and I'm tired, but this just struck me as outrageous and so funny...

Focus!

I have accomplished an amazing amount of work so far today. I couldn't get to sleep last night and was up until after 2:00 a.m. Because of that, I didn't get out of bed until almost 10:00! Add to that the time necessary for bathing, dressing, eating, etc., and I didn't really get started on my day until about 11:30...yet already I've accomplished more than in the last two days put together!

So far I've balanced my checkbook, paid bills and done my filing. I went to our laundromat and picked up the blankets I had dropped off there yesterday, and also dropped off my garbage into the dumpster. After that, I went to the dry cleaners and dropped off my son's wool, winter coat to have it cleaned. I've done 2 loads of laundry, with a third load started, done the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen, planned dinner and made up a list for the grocery store. I've also got my desk cleaned off and, of course, done my usual morning pickup on the rest of the house.

Yet to be done? Go to the store, finish cleaning the guest room and bath, and adjoining hallway, look online for drapes for the guest room, and finish boxing up my son's clothes and putting them into storage. Whew! Amazing what you can accomplish when you're focused!

Omak

So it turns out we own 200 acres over in eastern Washington that I didn't know about. Actually, that's only half true. I knew we owned property in eastern Washington, but I didn't know it was 200 acres. I thought it was like 5 or 20, or something like that. I've been dying to go and see it, although I think my hubby thinks I'm a little loony. He went online today and found it via the whole earth satellite website thingy...it's almost to Canada and there are no towns anywhere near. How perfect can you get?! He says he and his dad are going over there hunting this fall...not in my new trailer they aren't!

flu

On a brighter note...today I am nearly recovered from a bout of the stomach flu, accompanied last night by a migraine headache. Isn't life grand? This illness has delayed our next vacation trip by several days. I have yet to pack the trailer or get my house cleaned and laundry done. I haven't collected my mail from the post office, refilled my prescriptions, balanced my checkbook, or paid my bills. I have watched hour upon hour of inane daytime television; do you have any idea how many dance shows are on television these days?

I treated myself to a bowl of chicken noodle soup at Denny's today, in a desperate need to get out of the house and try to get back on my feet. It actually helped quite a bit and my stomach is nearly back to normal. I'm exhausted and feel like I've been run over by a truck, but there is one good thing about having the flu; losing three pounds in one day!

In addition, the book I requested months ago from the library, came in today! The Good Life by Helen and Scott Nearing...it's a book I've been wanting to read for SO long; perfect for camping!

this valley

Sometimes I feel like Job. Over and over again, for years, we have fought to hold our family together, despite the attacks from the evil one. To write out what we have been through the last ten years, would leave most in disbelief. It wouldn't even make a good soap opera...too dramatic, not very believable! lol

I tell myself over and over that other families have been through worse, yet it doesn't ease my sadness and depression.

Today I read this...the "Daily Snippet" I subscribe to on my blog:

He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, and your lips with rejoicing.
(Job 8:21)

Will that day ever come? Will I ever rejoice again? I cling to the promises of my Heavenly Father and trust that He is ever faithful. Without Him I will not make it through this valley I am walking through.

Home again...for now.

After being gone for four days, I am NOT happy about being home and cannot wait to leave again. That speaks volumes to me.

Spending the last four days together was the best thing my hubby and I could ever have done. He is my best friend and no one knows me better than him.

Is this not the cutest group of grandkids you have ever seen? *sigh* I love being a grandma.

gone

Current location: somewhere in Washington, off the I-5 corridor

We took off for a few days vacation; just threw some clothes in a bag, loaded 'em in the truck, and off we went for some much-needed r & r.

We purchased a trailer along the way and pick it up tomorrow. Can't wait to go camping with our friends.

For the first time in a long time, I'm really, really glad we're self-employed.

Ridiculous

I read something interesting the other day. Our county prosecutor makes $140,000 a year. $140,000!!! That's $11,666.67 a month. He makes as much as our Superior Court judges do. Ridiculous, especially considering his lack of competency.

finally!

We trekked to Oly once again on Saturday, starting our search for a new truck all over again. The hubby wanted to go to the Toyota dealership and ask them to search for a Toyota Tacoma like he wanted. We drove through the auto mall past the GMC dealership and out of the corner of my eye I spotted it. Well, not just "it", a whole row of them...Toyota trucks...all lined up, in the GMC lot.

Look! I said. There's a red one, like you wanted...what are they doing over here? We drove into the lot and took a closer look, a REAL close look...there it was, the EXACT truck he wanted. I mean, the EXACT truck. It wasn't sold, after all. It had been moved over to the GMC lot, along with a dozen other Toyota trucks!

We went around to the Toyota lot, several blocks away and inquired about it. "Oh yea", the salesman said. "That's our overflow lot. I forgot about that. That's where we put cars and trucks that we don't have room for over here."

Unbelievable. This guy almost lost a sale because he couldn't be bothered to check their inventory list and see if the truck had actually been sold!

Well, long story short...we bought it. My hubby and I are now the proud new owners of 2008 Toyota Tacoma crewcab 4WD pickup truck. Bright red, to boot.

This is the first new car or truck the hubby and I have ever bought in the 30+ years we've been married. We have always bought used. BUT, the new truck actually cost LESS than the used trucks we were looking at. We got $4000 off the cost by using our Costco membership, plus another $1000 off from a Toyota rebate they are now offering. It's such a relief to have a nice, reliable vehicle. Both of our cars are falling apart. In fact, in one week last month, the transmission went out on the hubby's car, then the clutch went out on the work truck he started driving when his car broke down, then the fuel tank fell apart in the '63 Corvette we own that he started driving when the truck broke down. The only vehicles we had left to drive were my blazer, which has no heat, a broken suspension, and a broken door panel (and I was driving it), or his motorcycle, and considering our lovely (not) Washington weather, it wasn't really an option. He finally had to borrow a friend's truck for a week!

Now the next question is do I keep driving my Chevy blazer with 168,000 miles on it, or drive his old Suzuki Grand Vitara with 140,000 miles on it? The blazer is definitely the nicer, more comfortable of the two, BUT the Suzuki has an extra year of driving on it, gets better mileage and has 4WD. Not to mention all the repairs that need to be made to the blazer. I'm thinking the better gas mileage will be the deciding factor.

It happened again

It happened again. The hubby finally decided on his new truck and picked it out. A red 2008 Toyota Tacoma crew cab pickup. It had everything he wanted, except leather seats. For some reason, they don't make Toyota Tacoma pickups with leather seats. He had researched and thought about it and after seeing it on Sunday, decided this week that he wanted it. He stopped at the dealer today to buy it, and it was gone. Sold. Maybe we're just supposed to keep driving the cars we have until they die.

Chickens!

I want chickens. Yes, I know. My husband and kids think I'm crazy, but I want chickens. Just a couple! I don't even know if I can have chickens where I live. Kristi, do you know? Just think...fresh eggs! no hormones...straight from the hen's butt, chicken eggs!

Maybe I need to move to a farm.

I also want to learn how to ride a horse.

Lupine

I am becoming obsessed with my yard. For the last ten years it has been ignored, except for mowing and trimming. The plants are all overgrown, there is no bark left to speak of, and all the beds are full of grass and weeds.

I've spent hours and hours this spring, working on the flower beds around our house, hoping I could get them all cleaned up this summer. So far I'm almost 3/4 of the way done; much further along than I thought I would be at this point in time. I keep getting distracted though, by purchasing new plants! I told my daughter today that I'd rather be spending money on plants than on counseling, and at this point I think my gardening is more therapeutic!

One of my beds is being turned from a rose bed into a perennial bed, with a few roses mixed in. I have the weeds all pulled, the roses pruned and the soil all tilled up. The fresh-dug dirt keeps begging for new plants, and who am I to resist? It's probably not a good thing, though, to spend one's gas money on Lupine! There are so many of these growing along the highway that I wanted to just stop one evening and dig up a few! but I didn't. The DOT would probably frown on that idea.

There are also some amazing deep purple iris' growing in someone's yard not far from here. I wouldn't mind some of those, either!

Oh my lands sake!

Look at this dress! It is the cutest thing I think I have ever seen! I found it on this blog: Malphi: Frills, Frocks & Fancies!

It has rekindled my desire to start sewing again...I wish I could buy one in every color...along with the bloomers..and several pinafores and aprons! Adorable!

STOP

I was driving into town today from my house on the way to the credit union. I came up to a stop light where I could either proceed straight to the next corner and then turn, OR turn into the grocery store lot and enter the credit union parking lot from the back.

Looking up, I noticed that the light had turned red, and thought to myself...guess I'll go to the next corner and turn there since this light is red. I proceeded ahead...

Do you see where I'm going with this?

Halfway thru the intersection it dawns on me that the light is RED. Which means I need to STOP. NOW.

Well, actually, about twenty feet back.

I am brain dead. I need a vacation.

Fortunately, there were no cops around and I didn't get a ticket.

I did get a bunch of funny looks from all the other drivers, though, as I backed up out of the intersection.

P.S.

The car dealer called today.
It's sold.
Bummer.