Post Scripts

IPhonea: Land sakes, not only does an IPhone have a yellow pad for notes you can email to yourself, it also makes videos (Showing my age, eh? Well I'm at an age where I don't really give a rat's patootie what people think and that's a very liberating state of mind). Little did I know, until we got home from this trip, that Rod had made a video while I was taking photos at Sweet Creek Falls. Dignity be damned, the shot was worth it and so was the video.  

Bird Straifing: Our rig has two small (10" x 10") screened skylights for ventilation and light, one in back by the kitchen and one up front. The first thing you do when setting up camp is to open them. Instead of a sleeping area up over the cab there's a television flanked by storage cabinets. After a walkabout day and dinner one night we decided to watch a movie. I noticed something splattered on the lower corner of the screen that looked like bird poop. Sure enough a wet paper towel confirmed it. When you think about the physics of a straifing flyby that made it through a 3" opening and screen at the proper angle to hit the TV screen it was pretty amazing.  

Dogs in pickups: I always worry about dogs riding loose in pickup truck beds. Many owners have their pups safely tethered but a majority don't. We were stopped at a red light in Bandon, OR when an older Jeep Cherokee pulled up next to us. The rear driver side window was down. A happy looking German Shepherd was sitting in the seat with his head out the window and his seat belt on. That's what I call a responsible owner or one smart dog!

When eating out in Oregon always ask your waitress about portions: We were totally shocked at the lumberjackesque portions served at restaurants in Oregon and learned to ask questions first. When we asked our waitress at a Coos Bay eatery if the half portion of a particular salad would be enough if we split it she simply smiled and said "Oh Yeah". We did our best to finish it, but it may have been enough for a family of four.

So the point is: Plan less and wander more. Don't take things so seriously. There is something amusing in any situation. Squeeze the life out of every day before your head hits the pillow. Sweet Dreams!

Lookin' Through Old Books

The title is borrowed from the poem "Lookin Through Old Books" from one of my favorite cowboy poets, the late Vince Pedroia. It begins:  

Lookin' through old books

You never know what you'll find

Maybe an old pressed Douglas iris

Your mother's favorite kind

Besides getting the garden in and planning summer adventures, one of my favorite spring activities is to LTL or Lighten the Load: clean out drawers, closets and storage areas and rearrange spaces. Move a few pieces of furniture and find more open space and comfortable seating. Change what's hanging on the walls create a new awareness. We found many things we no longer used and donated to local charities. Win-Win.

I moved a stored bookcase into the living room and decided to pull out a few of my books and move them out there. I looked through each one and found some interesting things: Old newspaper articles by my great grandfather was once the editor), a handwritten recipe for Tabouli I had been looking for for years) and a picture of me and my two bodacious friends. We had gotten together for lunch in 2007 when Laurie (on the left) was down in our neck of the woods from Washington, Jean is on the right.

We are all now certifiable, card-carrying senior citizens. We've known each other since Kindergarten, over 60 years. Holy Senior Discount Card, I'd say that's some perspective on life! I think we'd all agree that laughter and a good attitude is the key to longevity. When was the last time you spoke to one of your best buds? Take a note ~ Make the call!