Family and Friends

Taking time with your best friend always seems so much more fun than "...taking time with your spouse" -- Right?  That's what makes it so neat when your spouse is your best friend!  Three weeks ago, Deb worked a short day, and then had Friday, the weekend and the following Monday off from work.  Since nearly all of my family is in the Puget Sound area, she suggested we take off after work Thursday and head over to the coast.  It proved to be an opportunity to accomplish some necessary arrangements for our daughter Erin and her fiance Chris's wedding in September, to see some very special family members, and also to get time with some friends who are really like family.  But the best part was we had a great time together.  Now how many married folks can say that about a couple of nine hour drives together, and four nights on the road together constantly.
Turned out the weather was great for us, and as always, Deb had her camera ever ready for the trip.  We didn't get photo's of everything we wanted, but more on that later. Since we left later in the day on Thursday, we made reservations for a motel in The Dalles.  Weather over the Blues was a little drizzley but not bad.  We made it to the Dalles before dark.  One of the things we always watch for is game along the road.  It's just who we are as a family.  And of course, we were not disappointed.  Saw deer out of Caldwell and Ontario.  However, the real treat was the big horned sheep we were fortunate to see.  I dare say there are folks who travel across I-84 several times a year and don't even realize they are along the south side of the road between Blaylock Canyon and the John Day River.  We stumbled on to them quite by accident a few years back when we were headed to the coast.  Our daughter Erin, the Wildlife Resources Management expert and Tree Hugger Extraordinaire suddenly exclaimed, "I just saw a big horned sheep!"  I am embarrassed to say, I doubted she knew what she had seen.  But we started watching, and sure enough saw more. 
We've since learned they winter over on the south side of the freeway, below the cliffs along the river.  So, Deb and I were fortunate to spot three different groups of them this time across.  Probably saw a total of about forty to fifty in all.  The first group had some rams, and the other two groups were all ewes.  What an incredible opportunity.  We stopped, and took a couple of quick pictures.  The problem is right along that particular part of the road the pull-off puts the passenger door right against the guard rail and leaves about two feet max from the driver door to the outside lane.  Not exactly where you want to jump out and be taking photos with all the semi traffic.  But still, what a great delight and privilege.  We made it to the Dalles, and before checking in ran down to one of our favorite Mexican food places and had a great dinner, and bloody mary and ice cold beer.  Then in for the night.
After a leisurely get up, and a very "continental" breakfast at the motel it was back on the road.  We tried through several texts and phone calls to set up a lunch with two of our nieces in the Portland area, but they both work, and work about 35 miles apart so it was next to impossible to find a place where both could meet for the hour they had.  Plus our one niece cannot drive for medical reasons.  We ended up picking her up and going to lunch.  It was a short visit, and since our grand niece was in school missed seeing her.  After lunch and a quick catch-up on the 'Oregon Shaws' we were back on the road for Centralia, Washington. 
Our daughter-in-law is co-owner of the Centralia Deli and BBQ.  She is going to cater the wedding.  Oh, didn't mention, the wedding will be on the "beach" at Kalaloch, Washington.  So, we have some cabins, and Debbie our d-i-l is taking care of the food and cake set-up.  She is one amazing lady, and of course had several great ideas.  It's one less thing Erin and Deb will have to fret over. Plus, we know how dependable she is, and that everything will be done just right.  After a couple of hours talking wedding plans, we ran to the outlet mall and then came back by for dinner.  Debbie let us stay at her house for the night, and so we entertained her little puppy Sophie.  The next morning it was back to the Deli for breakfast, then on the road to Puyallup. 
My cousin Janet "SweetPea" was diagnosed with throat cancer late last summer and told to get her affairs in order.  I went to see her in September, and got the typical Shaw greeting, "What, you think I'm going to die so you rush over here to see me!"  Told her I'd also come over to see my Aunt and attend a High School Class Luncheon, and that it, "...wasn't always about her!"  I'm glad she's still here and as feisty as ever.  Since I never had any female siblings SweetPea is really like a sister to me.  We were fortunate a couple of her daughters were there that day as well, and then one of our cousins popped in, so it was a great afternoon. When you live so far from family, you really value such an opportunity.
Late afternoon we ran "up the hill" to Edgewood where my mom's only sister lives by herself at the young age of 91 years.  "Honey" as I named her when I was very young is in fact just that.  Such a sweet, loving and caring person.  On that side of the family she is The Matriarch.  As neat as that is, it also means she is the last one to have all the memories of her generation and the ones befor.  Deb and I spent some time seeing the remodeling that had been done to her home, and then we all went up to her favorite Mexican Restaurant in Edgewood for dinner.  While the meal was great, as usual, the best part was for dessert we returned to her house and enjoyed a little over three hours of consuming memories and memorabilia from her still very alert mind, and personal archives.  How precious that is.  And, when Honey is gone, so will be all these beautiful mental treasures.  Every time we visit I try to record and capture as much as is possible knowing that valuable asset will not always be there to question. She is so precious, and thankfully, still very alert and blessed with a great memory.
We sadly told her good nite and headed to a motel in Federal Way.  We slept in, had a leisurely breakfast at the motel, along with a girls' swim team.  8-)  It's fun to see young people who are so well behaved and share so much team spirit together. 
From there it was back on the road for a short trip up toward our friends home.  They are like family.  Deb lived with them some time when she was in the Navy.  They recently moved to the NW when Mike took a job with Boeing to work on the new 747-8.  Of course, being playoff, we watched our beloved Green Bay Packers advance to the Super Bowl.  We also got to see their new toy, a Harley Ultra-Trike.  It is so beautiful.  Maybe down the road, but for now I have Rex's Softtail, and that means a great deal.
We had a beautiful return home on Monday, and I did promise to tell you about a picture we didn't get.  Deb was driving, we were coming down out of the Blues toward La Grande.  Nearing the bottom of the hill we had just passed a Semi and were in the inside lane.  In the median was an elk carcass, and sitting on it feeding were two mature bald eagles.  Unfortunately, we were unable to pull over with the truck right there.  What a fantastic sight though.  We felt blessed just seeing such a beautiful sight. 
Once again, we had so much joy from being on the road, and what made it so special was sharing it with each of our best friends in life.