Days off are good!

Woke up to a rather mellow weather day: overcast, but not chilly. I admit it, I like days like this! Perfect weather for running errands.

Across the street at the school the geese begin to gather.

I notice some of the flowers are beginning to take over new territory. Mark loves working in the yard, so I gave the flowers notice that they'd better enjoy this while they can. The sheriff is coming to town!

While running my errands I noticed this little coffee shop: Cheer Me Up! Coffee. How could I resist? And the gal in the shop was so darn nice, and yes cheerful, so I was go glad I went in.

And the coffee was very good and that cheered me up and that meant they meant what they said. Cheerful coffee was the order of the day.

At home I noticed the little tree growing next to our cherry tree out front. The big ole cherry tree just keeps hanging in there. It's bark is peeling off, it's growth has stopped all together, but the darn thing just keeps on keeping on. And now it has a little brother. Life. Ain't it grand?

More geese join the fold.

Pretty peaceful day on our street. By looking at this picture you wouldn't know the second largest mall in Oregon sits at the end of our street now, would you? And I love that the mall is there, except at Christmas time and I'm trying to drive anywhere: the traffic is NUTS.

And I LOVE my new car. Especially when it has coffee on it. New car and new coffee: loving it!

Once in the house I discovered Lire in two of her favorite places: in a box and on the air hockey table.

Not sure why she loves them like she does, but that's the way it goes.

I cleaned house, met some friends over in Aloha for dinner, and then picked up Doug from work. All in all a very good day!

For my mom

This is a poem from one of my favorite authors of all times. It says it all.


i carry your heart with me

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart) i am never without it (anywhere i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true) and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide) and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

e.e. cummings

CAKE at the RMH

When I got to the Ronald McDonald House on Wednesday they were filming different parts of the kitchen. I'm guessing it's for an upcoming Auction for the house (I'll be greeting folks at the door: sounds like fun!). I avoided the camera as much as possible.

One of the dads staying at the house was curious about the camera. Aren't the murals on the wall amazing?

The gentleman running the camera was so nice about answering his questions. I really liked that.

The Western Culinary Institute had a fund raising event where folks would have a meal, and then go into the theater and watch the movie "Julia and Julia". What a great idea! On this day they were bringing the check, and they had a CAKE that looked like a check to go along with it.

Hmmm...think he's waiting for CAKE? Oh yes.

Earlier he was hanging out with me, popping out from behind the island in the kitchen and trying to 'scare' me. He is adorable and he was fun to hang out with.

The official presentation of the cake. Man, I need a new camera. I'm waiting for the Christmas sales to come into being and then WHAM! I'm striking. Jennifer and Kseniya are helping me figure out what type of camera I need to get. Thank goodness for friends who know what they are doing!

The lady on the left created the cake. I loved the decoration, but I have to admit something: I do not like fondant. At least I've not met any that I've liked so far. Oh well, at least there's still frosting to be had. Today I'm going to a baby shower, I've been assured there will be CAKE, and if I'm lucky it will be a Costco CAKE. I do love Costco CAKE. Or at the very least the CAKE will have frosting and not fondant. A girl can only hope.

Ah, time for cake. He had an appointment, but mom was very nice and waited a couple of minutes until they could cut the cake and ensure he got the first piece.

Little guys like him are why I love baking for the house. I'm now working on learning to decorate sugar cookies. The more festive the treats, the more fun, eh???

Time well spent.

While in California Dad, Linda, Tom, and I went to lunch at Sierra Nevada Brewery. The last time I went there Mom, Dad, and I went, so I was happy to go back and remember how much fun we had. Mom liked going here, so it was something we needed to do.

I like it when breweries let you view the 'working's of their business. You can take a tour, but we didn't have time so it will have to wait until the next time I go down. Dad and I will have to suffer through another lunch and some beers. Oh my.

Dad and Linda check it out.

Nuff said.

Some poor folks were trying to leave, and they very nicely waited until we took the picture until they left. How nice was that?

Family

At the park where my dad lives the women have a twice monthly 'ladies lunch', where they go out for lunch. If I was visiting during one of the luncheons I would attend. Tuesday was the latest luncheon and the women had a place set for my mom and put some lovely flowers there for her. They then brought them to us, and I thought that was such a wonderful way to honor her. She would have loved that.

The folks that live there are the BEST. When Dad called Linda to tell her that mom had died, Linda told him to call Peggy across the street. And even though it was 4 in the morning, Peggy came right over to be with dad when the Hospice came to take Mom. That's the kind of folks that are in his life, and that makes all of us kids feel so much better. We can't be there for him at all times, but they're there to help him through this. People like Peggy make this world a better place.

On Fridays Mom and Dad would go to Shakey's Pizza to eat some pizza and listen to live music. We did the same Friday night. Dad asked the band to play Mom's favorite song.

It was nice to be together, doing something Mom would have enjoyed. Mark and Glen hang out, while Scott waits for pizza. It was so darn nice to be with Glen and Scott. We have to figure out the next time we can all get together.

Mark and Rhonda. What a wonderful family I have.

Here we are: John, me, Linda, and Tom.

Another picture. The last time we took a group shot it didn't turn out, so thankful these did. Dad will like to have these, and heck: I will too.

Here we are with Dad.

Linda was amazing with the paperwork. Mom's benefits come her Post Office retirement, so we need to be sure all paperwork is turned in correctly. Thank goodness she's so good at that! I'm sure not.

We're all hanging in there. Dad is staying strong, and that filters down to all of us. We're very lucky to have such a wonderful family. My mom will be missed very much, and I'm so glad I have so many great memories of her.

My Mom

This last Monday my mother Erna died. She fought cancer for 5 years, and while it took her life I believe she won. She lived a full live, she never gave up, and she always looked at the bright side. It was hard to know my mom and not love her.

My mother gave me my love of reading, especially mysteries, and I find myself sounding like her more and more everyday. I find myself saying things just like she did, and I think that's wonderful. When I sound like her, or find myself saying something I know she'd say, I'm keeping her spirit out there in the world. My mom was fascinated by Egyptian culture, and I grew to love it as well. Basically they believed that if someone's name was out there, say on buldings and momuments, that the person's spirit continued to live, even after death.

I believe that everytime I bring out that part of myself that was my mother that I'm keeping her spirit alive and strong. That she's still here, that crazy sense of humour of hers and all.

Everytime I laugh at Bugs Bunny or watch the Wheel Of Fortune. Everytime I read an Agatha Christie book. Everytime I say something droll to my kids and they roll their eyes, my mom will be there. I was so very lucky to have her as my mom. I wish every child had a mom like my mom. This world would be a much better place.