Family & Friends

Do you remember the song from Sound of Music about favorite things? Well, two of my absolute favorite things are family and friends. Right now, at this very moment, my life is full of both. David and Rachel arrived from Washington last Friday and are staying with us and dividing their time between her family and ours. It is WONDERFUL to have them here. Jon, Julie and Maddie arrive this afternoon and will be staying through Monday. Heidi, Caleb, Josesphine, Amy and Hans are also coming as often as possible to be with us and their siblings. Last Sunday we were with some of Doug's family and we will be with the most of my extended family on Christmas night. My life is truly blessed with such an amazing family.

Next comes friends: Although I would say I am also blessed with many friends there are few dearer to me than those in my book club. The Traveling Book Club has become a secure harbor and a place of fun, friendship and belonging. We do read books, normally one a month. We do discuss those books and enjoy the process. But, we have morphed into much more than a book club, we have become true friends. Last Monday night was our annual Christmas dinner and ornament exchange. It was my privilege to host this event. Bev entertained us with a story about her Aunt Mary and the New Year's Day bra sale that had us in stitches. Best of all, it was a true story. She really needs to write a book about her Mennonite upbringing. We enjoyed a fabulous pot-luck dinner and then retired to the family room to exchange ornaments and discuss our December book. A great time was had by all.
The Traveling Book Club -- Back row: Vivian, Pat, Lesa, Beverlee. Front Row: Nancy, Judi, Sharon, Nancee, Dolores.

Duck, North Carolina

Monday morning after the wedding, we all met at Jack and Joan's for breakfast and goodbyes to Amber, Dad and Marilyn. By late morning, we sisters were off for our journey to Duck, North Carolina. After some wrong turns and funny moments of getting headed in the right direction, we were off for a wonderful five days at the beach. Ginny's beach cottage is pictured below. Really, that is the right place. Three floors, 8 bedrooms with private baths, complete with a pool room, study, laundry, downstairs tiny kitchen, living room, dining room and huge kitchen. The main living space was on the third floor so we got our exercise just climbing stairs and wandering around the over 6,000 square feet of house. Even though the place is BIG, it has a very comfortable and cozy feel. Tuesday dawned cloudy and cold. The day was spent mostly in our pj's enjoying each other, lots of conversation, some naps, a walk around the neighborhood and to the beach, good food and more conversation. The perfect beginning to a great vacation. The view of the back of the beach house, with the pool and spa as well as views to the ocean from the upper deck. Joyce and I had the middle level to ourselves. She at one end and me at the other end in the princess room. Really, we each had our own suite complete with sitting area, bath and flat screen TV. It was rough but we managed. Wednesday was spent exploring Duck and some of the surrounding area. Of course, the day began with a leisurely breakfast, sitting around in pj's and talking and then finally getting dressed and heading for Duck, about 15 minutes from the house. The need to do some shopping was met first, then a really great lunch at The Point (pictured below), followed by driving south to Kitty Hawk and finally on to Roanoke Island. By the time we got to Manteo on Roanoake Island it was closing time for the shops and actually for the whole island it appeared. We did a little sightseeing and walked along the harbor. Back to the house, for dinner and talking and a movie.

Thursday was set aside to celebrate Jean's 50th birthday. The day began with bringing her coffee in bed and then breakfast was enjoyed on the top deck. After a leisurely breakfast we adjourned to the living room for more talking and relaxing before preparing for a day out. Turning 50 is nothing to take lightly so we wanted to be sure there was plenty of celebrating and enjoying this momentous occasion.

At the north end of the island in Corolla near the light house is a beautiful park. We took a gourmet lunch of turkey sandwiches, chips, hummus, grapes, and chocolate cake and toasted Jean with sparkling juice. The setting was absolutely gorgeous and the weather was perfect. After lunch we drove to the light house and wandered among the old houses and shops. One of the shop keepers instructed us in the proper way to pronounce Corolla and it's not the same as the car but rather with a southern twang...Coraaaalla.

Turning fifty really should be celebrated doing something reminiscent of childhood. How about a game of miniature golf including a train ride to the first hole? We had a blast. And the winner is ME!!! In case you're wondering if there is a future in this for me, the course was a par 42 and I won with an amazing score of 60! The four of us in front of the fireplace just before having to leave. Although we are all smiling, none of us were really ready to head home. Not being in a hurry for the trip to end, we stopped in Williamsburg, VA for a little shopping and dinner at Chownings Tavern. Dinner was great followed by amazing desserts, especially the peanut-butter chocolate pie. There was even a magic show that commenced not three feet from our table and we really could not tell how he managed to get the oranges under the cups. The night was spent at Joan's house. It was raining when we left for the airport on Saturday morning, an appropriate response from nature for the end of a wonderful sister's time away.

Jason & Jacky Get Married

Family weddings are absolutely the best. I love every minute of the event. Below are some pictures which should give you an idea of the wedding. It was a wonderful event and I feel blessed that I was able to be there to celebrate with Jason and Jacky. Jason getting ready and looking good.
Jason and Jacky were married at the Washington Golf and Country Club in Arlington Virginia. It was a beautiful setting.

The Bride and Groom on the lawn following the ceremony.

Jessie was a bridesmaid. I'm not sure exactly what Kelly and Amber and talking about but it does look interesting.

Dad and his girls looking fine.

Dad and Marilyn meeting Edyn Jean Elwood, the 11th Lindley great-grandchild.

Kayla had a secret to tell grandma.

Amber and Kayla blowing bubbles for the departing couple.

Jason and Jackie as they head off for the honeymoon.

Cleaning off the camera, AGAIN!

It's September 30 so I just made it under the wire to have at least one post per month. Maybe someday I'll get around to posting more often but for now, you can be glad I don't take very many pictures. If I did, this entry would be really tedious. As is, there are just enough pictures to fill you on the last month.

We start with Maddie's first birthday celebrated on August 29 in 106 degree heat, hence the swimming pool, a great way to keep the kids cool. Jon and Julie did a wonderful job of creating a circus themed party complete with popcorn and peanuts.

Maddie really enjoyed playing in the pool with her friends.
Julie made a sugar free avocado iced cake for Maddie. It was so cute watching Maddie decide what to do with it as she had never eaten any kind of cake. She eventually gave it a try.

Aren't they the best looking family? Jon and Julie and Maddie opening the birthday presents.

Do you think that Josephine understands Grandpa's jokes yet? He sure thinks it's funny.

Cousins -- Maddie has something to tell Josephine about her dedication service. Josie was in the nursery and missed the entire event.

This is my newest project, a mosaic table top. It is almost finished and I'll publish pictures once it is complete. I'm having a great time playing with broken pottery and adhesive. Very therapeutic.Having missed the opportunity for our annual Fourth of July party, we opted for a Labor Day gathering of the family. This was the first ever, and possibly annual, family cook-off. The food was fabulous. Joyce won the grand prize with her scrumptious blue cheese coleslaw but I don't have any pictures of that. Here is Heidi's prize winning side dish of beautifully presented jello cocktails.

Heidi and Miss Josephine, both looking beautiful.

The guys barbecued, played bocce ball and eventually went to the park for a rousing game of over-the-line.

The women talked, ate, went through hundreds (maybe thousands) of old family pictures and had a great time. There was plenty of laughter over old hair and clothing styles as well as remembering those awkward stages we all go through.

Lindley was helping out with feeding Maddie.

I recently had the privilege of watching Caleb, Lindley and Lincoln for an evening. Here are the two youngest playing dress up.

Okay, that should bring you up to date on the last month of my life. At least the parts that have pictures attached. Friday I leave for Virginia for Jason and Jacky's wedding and then time with my sisters in North Carolina. Surely there will be pictures and stories to share so check back by the end of next month.

I really should post more often...huh?

Okay, I was just checking some other blogs and wondering why people don't write more often. Hmmm....I'm the worst offender. If there is something new on my blog every month I'm feeling pretty good about myself. However, it is time to post something new so read on.

The last entry ended halfway through our vacation. Well suffice it to say that the rest of the trip was as wonderful as the first half. We left David and Rachel's on Monday morning definitely feeling sad to say goodbye. Our first stop was Pike Place Market in Seattle. The nectarines we purchased there were the best I've every had. They were also the largest and most expensive but worth every penny. It didn't make sense to buy any fish since we had no way to cook it or get it home unspoiled but it was fun watching the guys slinging huge fish around as people picked what they were buying. It is worth stopping just to see the variety and quality of the food.

Just one of the vegetable and fruit stands. I'm not sure if the picture below does justice to the size of the lobsters, but one would feed more than one person. They were HUGE.Leaving Seattle we headed south for Mount St. Helen's. It was too foggy to see the mountain on Monday but we were staying in the area and the next morning proved to be clear and beautiful. It was fascinating to drive the 50 miles from Hwy 5 through the countryside once devastated by the volcano. It has been 29 years since the volcano blew and the area is still in the process of recovery. Forests have been replanted in many areas and some places have naturally regrown. The replanted forests looked so strange and we realized it was because all the trees are the same type and nearly the same height. It felt like a movie set. Once in the National Park, nothing has been replanted and the original destruction is still visible. Trees blown down, most areas with little or no vegetation, and areas of deep ash. The mountain itself is beautiful in it's barrenness. We spent half the day there and then once again headed south.

Monday we stayed near Multnomah Falls, the second highest falls in the US. Yosemite Falls being the tallest. It was a beautiful area. When we drove up to the B&B where Doug had made reservations my my initial reaction was...'let's find a motel.' However, it turned out to be a very nice place to stay and quite historic, nearly 100 years old and still owned by the original family.The rest of the week was spent visiting such places as Tillamook, Oregon, home to Tillamook Cheese and touring the factory. We spent time enjoying the beauty of the Oregon Coast and onto the majesty and quietness of the Redwood forests of Northern California. It was a restful and relaxing trip home.

Washington Vacation - Friday

I know, this is out of order but so is my mind and I need to go back to Friday. Orcas Island was Saturday but Friday had fun all on it's own. David and Doug were up early and went to Twin Lakes. They hiked about 6 miles that day enjoying some fishing, photography and hiking. Evidently they also enjoyed mosquitoes as Doug can attest by his swollen right hand. They came back tired, happy and a little sunburned.

Rachel and I spent our time in Lynden at the antique/old stuff stores. Lynden does boast some amazing antique shops and I had to limit my spending. The prices are fantastic and the bargains for things I would actually like to buy were abundant. It was so much fun that I actually went back later in the afternoon after Rachel went to work. There was just one more thing to purchase. I knew if I went home without those little glasses I would kick myself later. We also ate lunch at Mother's Dutch Bakery. The food was good and the waitresses were so cute in their little flowered dresses, pig tails and dutch hats. The only thing missing were the wooden shoes.

Rachel had to work from 2:00 until 9:00. Doug, David and I barbecued chicken and cooked corn on the cob for dinner. Excellent! Part of my afternoon was spent making peanut butter chocolate chip bars which made everyone happy. It was a good day.

Washington Vacation - Orcas Island

The jarring noise of the alarm woke us at 5:30 a.m., an hour after sunrise. There is no need to arise before daybreak to get an early start in Washington. Today we are off to Orcas Island, part of the San Juan Islands. The ferry leaves from Anacortes at 7:45 and we need to be there an hour early to board. Riding on the ferry is peaceful and beautiful. Islands of many sizes, from truly mini to large enough for farming and villages, dot the passageway. The trip took about an hour to arrive at Orcas Island.

Immediately after disembarking from the ferry we headed around the island to Mt. Constitution. Orcas Island had a number of mountains all over 1000 foot elevation with Mt. Constitution topping all the San Juan Islands at 2400 feet. The views were dramatic. We could see Mt. Baker, Bellingham, the many islands of the San Juans and even into Canada. After spending some time just enjoying the views we drove to Mountain Lake. David did some fishing as did Rachel. Doug and I both took naps in the car, just enough to refresh ourselves for the day. By this time it was almost noon and time for lunch.

Cascade Lake was our choice for lunch. The forest comes right to the edge of the lake except for a beach and picnic area. Although we saw more people here than anywhere else, it still was not crowded. People were swimming, kayaking and fishing. David did some fishing after lunch along the shore and caught and released one good sized trout. The walk along the shore was shaded by ancient growth forest and offered views of the lake. The perfect mid-day break.

After lunch, we drove to Cascade Falls which was a downhill 1/2 mile hike. That meant an uphill 1/2 mile hike back to the car. Next came Obstruction State Park at the end of the road with a 1.2 mile round trip hike to the beach. By then it was time to take the road back towards the ferry. We stopped in Eastsound for pizza in a rooftop restuarant with views out to East Sound. Everywhere we looked the views were spectacular. Orcas Island is so beautiful. After dinner, we drove a different road back to Orcas Village and arrived just in time to drive onto the ferry for the trip home around 7:30 p.m.

As we headed back from Orcas Island we had this amazing view of Mt. Baker in the distance. This looming inactive volcano dominates the landscape when not hidden in the clouds.

We arrived back at David and Rachel's around 9:30 p.m. just after dark. It was a long day but absolutely beautiful and fun. It is a good thing tomorrow is Sunday and we don't have to get up early or do anything strenuous. Although it will be time to begin packing and cleaning up as we leave Monday morning for the return home. We do have 6 days for the return trip giving us plenty opportunity to see and do and relax on the way back.

Washington Vacation Part One

The only reason to ever get out of bed before daylight is to leave on vacation. Doug and I were up by 4:00 a.m. on July 3 so we could get out of town before the traffic was intolerable. It worked well and we were napping somewhere beyond Buttonwillow by 9:30 a.m. The drive that first day was just long but successful. Our destination was Medford, Oregon and we were there by 5:00 p.m. After dinner and a good nights sleep we covered the rest of the drive to Lynden, Washington on Saturday, leaving Medford around 7:00 a.m. and arriving at David and Rachel's before dinner and fireworks to celebrate the 4th of July.

Saturday and Sunday were hot and lazy. We napped, talked and walked to the park. Very relaxing and great to be with David and Rachel. Doug catching up on the sleep he lost doing the large majority of the driving. I was not much help this time taking turns driving. Every time we started to drive I fell asleep. Not a good idea to let me drive.

David fixing dinner for us on Sunday night, tacos with all the fixin's.

On Monday night, we drove out to Birch Bay and Semiahmoo. Since dusk is at 9:30 p.m., we were able to eat dinner after David came home from work and then drive out to see the bay. It was a beautiful evening, cool and clear. Here are Rachel and Timber balancing on the pilings. They are very talented.

Doug and David had a great time photographing the old boats and buildings at Semiahmoo. I just wandered around and collected shells.

On Wednesday we all drove into Canada and spent most of the day driving along the Fraser River in Fraser Canyon. It was a spectacular drive but we did end up with a little too much time in the car. Today Doug and I went to Bellingham and the coast. We started in historic Fairhaven. There are some great shops that sell beautiful local crafts and we especially enjoyed the woodworking shop with great furniture pieces. Of course, we could not purchase anything due to the exorbitant pricing but did enjoy trying out all the rocking chairs. Skylark Cafe provided a perfect spot for lunch and before leaving town we found the gelato place.

From Fairhaven we headed for Chuckanut Drive, one of the most scenic drives in Washington according to the signs. The drive meandered along the coast, passing large houses with ocean bay views, thick forests and intermittent views of the bay and San Juan Islands in the distance. Larrabee State Park was a nice stop. It sits on a little cove with the rock strewn beaches providing lots of tide pools to explore. Unfortunately we did not come prepared to tramp through the tide pools but did enjoy the views. The rest of the drive was just beautiful.

Don't we look great. Just like two people enjoying themselves on vacation. The day finished with a stop at The Woods Coffee Shop to visit Rachel, dinner here and some reading and TV.