Enjoying the Four Corners

We've been hanging out and getting stuff done. Lots of food, lots of errands, lots of events. We have gone to Elda's Mexican Kitchen every week for breakfast; it's worth the repeat visits. We've also eaten a lot of home cooking and visited friends and relatives in the area. I've gotten more familiar with Farmington, partly because I've driven in by myself twice a week to take a Zumba class. Fun!

Elda's Breakfast Tacos. Mmmm.

Navajo Tacos at Russ' Brother's House.

Sunset from the porch. Bucks in the field.

Photo before Zumba Class.

Warm Hearts come to a Stony Pass

We did a four-wheel drive excursion to Stony Pass above Silverton, Colorado as a memorial to Russ' dad. Ten of us scattered some of his ashes at the pass and paid tribute to his life. I found the whole day so moving, and a perfect way to remember him. Several years ago, he confidently drove me up the Kleinschmidt grade out of the Snake River Canyon; the scariest drive on a so-called road I have ever experienced. Driving our convoy of four-wheel drive vehicles seemed like an appropriate way to honor a man who not only enjoyed driving, but built such roads during his career. 

Stony Pass. Altitude: 12,592 feet.

Arrival at the top.

It was a beautiful day.

Everyone took a turn.

Lunch under the quaking aspens.

On the Road and Enjoying the Ride

Life on the road is beautiful, surprising, tiring, fun, delicious, stressful and fulfilling. We're putting in long driving days because this journey started and ends with a scheduled event. We need to be in Silverton, Colorado by September 24th, so we will be there.

Cedar is traveling well this time. He just sleeps in his carrier in the truck as we drive. I'm glad he adjusted to the journey; last time he would yowl for hours until he wore himself out.

Snake River sunset.

This is from the RV Park in Heyburn, Idaho.

It's good to stretch out after a long day in the carrier.

A Visit to Ponderosa Place

Our fall adventure begins with a friend. Our first stop as we travel to New Mexico is in central Oregon with a college friend. He has a hunting and camping property near the Deschutes National Forest. The last couple of miles are on the roughest road the R-Pod has ever navigated, but it did well and we had no damage, but we went super slow, picking our way around the larger rocks.

This isn't the road, but the road wasn't much better.

This first section of the road was great compared to what came later.

A Short Trip to a Long Beach

It's been a long time since I last posted. I haven't felt up to writing since my father-in-law died. I've been grieving at home, and Russ was away in New Mexico with his family. We were expecting it to happen, but it still felt like the end came too soon. I wasn't ready. I don't think I will ever be ready, even though I use the stoic practice of memento mori and think about my own death almost every day, so that I better appreciate my time. I am still left with this empty space in my heart.

Our long-time friends bought a property on the Long Beach Peninsula and have been inviting us to visit with our our R-Pod and camp with them. So, as a shake-down cruise prior to another longer trip to New Mexico, we finally told them that we were coming. It was so magical. Long Beach is only a few hours away from our house, so the drive was short. We stayed there on September 8th and 9th, and returned home on the 10th. It was short but relaxing. Their property is in the middle of the peninsula, about a 10 minute drive from the Pacific beaches. It's set up with a permanent 5th wheel trailer, and they also store/use their travel trailer on the lot. It left plenty of room for us to park our R-Pod.

Long Beach, WA is a public road.

Storms on the Coast in Tillamook, A Cold April for Flowers, Appliance Revolution

We took the R-Pod out to the Oregon coast to meet some friends who live in their fifth-wheel for six months at a time. They've been in Florida, mostly, visiting family and enjoying warmer weather, and they suggested we meet up as they make their way back home to Seattle. The campground was Barview Jetty County Park at Rockaway Beach, Oregon. It is a short drive from Tacoma, so we thought it would be a nice warm up for the summer travel season and a good test of cat camping with Cedar. He did ok. There was definitely an adjustment period when driving in the truck again, but after our first stop for lunch, he quieted down. He settled right back into the trailer and was much less destructive than when we brought him north.

Our weather was wild. Historic storms. Portland, Oregon got something like 6 inches of snow. Luckily, we came through the coast range in Washington and missed most of the white stuff. It did hail on us once we got settled in at the campground. Seeing the waves lash the coast was spectacular. The sea really churned the sand up from the bottom and turned frothy and sandy colored. The wind and sleet kept us inside most of the four days we spent there, but we did visit a lot with our friends. Plus we made it to the Tillamook Cheese Factory and the Pelican Brewery.

Cold but beautiful. Snow on the hills. Wind was severe.

Planning Well to Do Less, Cones, Chairs and Birthdays

I have always felt that organization is my one superpower. Even as a small child, I organized and put in order anything I could. As I have matured into the middle-aged adult that I am, I now feel like planning and organizing are not for improving my productivity, but for increasing my leisure. Unfortunately, I still judge my worth based on how much I can get done. Self esteem sometimes comes from external rewards, but mostly I find my value in crossing an item off my list.

Now I want to plan well so I can do less.

My Hobonichi Techo. True Love.

The other true loves showing me how to do less.

An unusually calm day for a walk. Looking North.