Summer at home

Now that we are mostly moved in and settled, we are enjoying having a home and being close to family and old friends.    Shannon and Christian moved right after we did so we had fun with Isabelle while they painted and moved.    In between we spent time with Sue, Gary, Darcy, Trina, Ken, Arnie, Jean, Kate, Melina, Erik, Jenn, and Kelly.

We had been in one place too long, so it was time to be on the move again.   So we headed to Seattle where our friend Brenda from Texas was visiting with her twins M & M.   We hadn't seen her in more than 10 years.    Brenda, Annemarie, Cindy and I had a great time catching up.   We even made it to the Wheel at the Seattle Waterfront.    

While I was there, John found us a great spot at Fort Worden State Park for a week.   Brenda drove me to meet John and we stopped at Fat Smittys for burgers.   Brenda got the big one....

 We spent a little time with Ben and several great evenings with LeAnne after work.  One night LeAnne and Craig picked us up in a 1950 Willeys Overland convertible.   We drove to dinner with the top down but were wimps and had to put the top up to come home. Cold but fun.   On the way back to Ridgefield, we stopped in Shelton to visit with Tom, Chris, Madonna, and Matt.     John and Tom had a project to work on and Matt helped while Chris and Madonna and I had wine on the deck.   Not a bad deal.    Thanks guys!

Well we settled in for a few days before heading out again.    Brenda and kids were coming to Portland to pick up husband Hank so we were lucky enough to have them over for dinner.   Annie was here from Pittsburgh and was the hostess with the mostess.

Ryan and Annie, grandkids from Pittsburgh came for their annual summer visit.   In years past, we would travel in the motor home but this year we decided to rent a house at Sunriver so everyone had a bit more room.   Now that Annie is 5 ' 9 " and Ryan is 6' 2" they don't fit very well in the fold down dining area and the hidabed.    Sunriver has great amenities especially for these sports loving kids.   There are 30 miles of bike trails, basketball, soccer, regular swimming pools and a huge new water park.   Best of all there are lots of teenage kids to hang out with.   If that wasn't enough we had several adventures.    We took a ranger tour of a lava tube cave that was a mile long.   We hiked the obsidian fields at Newberry Volcanic National Monument, Paulina falls, rafted the Deschutes river and drove to the top of Lava Butte to walk around the crater.   The kids did a mountain bike and natural water slide all day adventure called the Paulina Plunge and left the old folks behind.    

Today is the last day of the Sunriver week.   We head back to Ridgefield to meet Mom Chris and Aunt LeAnne.   Our next adventure?    We will be spending 5 days with Isabelle while Mom and Dad celebrate their anniversary in Ashland.    A good time will be had by all.