The Trials and Tribulations of boating!

Richard and I have been boating for more years than I really care to think about. We have had a slip at Spring Shores Marina for many years. We started with a 21 ft. Bayliner and now have a 24.5 ft. Bayliner with a fly bridge. I really like the bigger boat because it has the one thing on the other one didn't. A head, or in land lubber terms a toilet. Hey when you spend 2 weeks in 21 ft. of space and there are three of you and all you have is a porta pottie you would understand my joy with the head. Richard, Erin and I spent almost 2 weeks in the San Jauns Islands on that 21 ft. boat. We had a wonderful time where ever we went. I would have given my eye teeth for a stand up head at any point in time through that trip but never as much as the middle of the night when I had to crawl out of a small berth over Richard to try and find the porta pottie that we had to take out of it's perch every night. What a pain in the neck! Literally! Originally the pot was located under a cushion in the berth. To use it one had to move the cover off, this is accomplished by only bending over due to no head room. Once the cover is removed and the lid of the pot lifted, one turned around close a very small door that heaven for bid you should have long legs cause there was no way you were going to get the door closed. If you did succeed in getting it closed one had to wrangle down the pants in order to sit and do the business. One could never sit upright just not enough head room. What a walk through frustration. Some years ago Richard and I happened to do a Safety Patrol on Lake Washington for Sea Fair. We had a Coast Guard Reservist on board and the first time he asked about the facilities I casually asked him if he had ever peed on his knees? The look I got from him was one of total confusion and amazement at my innocent question. Richard and both burst out laughing realizing what it was I had said. I should have asked have you ever had to use the head while kneeling? He finally saw the humor in my question and we explained about the head. For guys it was always I real trial to go through the moves in order to relieve themselves. Now you know why I love our 24.5 ft. boat with it's stand up head. Still a bit short for the tall guys but it works just great for me.

Oregon Slugs!

I'm not sure any of my sisters will remember this particular incident but the topic of a little nuisance critter in Oregon came up tonight after a nice dinner with Chris our friend.

Connie was getting married! That in it's self was really cool but she was going one even better and getting married on the back deck where they lived. The place was at that time called "Bear Creek Lodge" it was at one time a favorite place for fisherman to stay and eat at the restaurant that was on the front of the place. The restaurant and lodging facilities has long since been closed up and it served as my mom, step dad, and little sisters home. On the day of the wedding, which was held in September, my mom was out in the yard making sure that there were no slugs on the deck. Wellllll! She had help in finding these often very large and always very slimy critters. Three little grand sons, Emery about 5, Jason and David were about 3, they were busy helping Grandma find the slugs. The boys would have no part in picking them up and putting them in the can but they would scramble around finding them for Grandma. Each would screech in joy every time she would pick up the one they had found. Not only did Mom get them all off the deck and the immediate lawn area but much more area that was far beyond necessary. Mom never said a word she just went about making them three very happy, very proud little boys. Buuuuttt! The bad thing about slugs is the slim they leave. It is very hard to wash off and Mom had a wedding she was hosting. Yuckkky stuff! She had a heck of a time washing that abundance of slim off her hands before the ceremony began. It didn't matter to her because she had made those 3 boys so very happy that every day after that they wanted Grandma to go pick up the slugs they would find.

Our Friend Chris!

Richard and met Chris seems like yesterday when it was really a few years ago. We were in the habit of going to our local Shari's for breakfast on Saturday mornings. We loved these times together, they were quiet and we really connected. When you get in the habit of going to the same place and sit at the same table all the time the wait staff get to know your face. On one such occasion the restaurant was having a contest to see how many patrons names they could get. I can reliably say this was the beginning of the end. Chris happened to be our waitress that particular morning. I already knew her name by her tag, we introduced ourselves shook hands, which was the one and only time we ever did that, and we were off. Chris had been through some really rough times. Our restaurant friendship continued for a few months. As we got more familiar with each other we began giving hugs. Any one who knows me that I am a very open hugger. I truly believe in the power of a hug. Makes you feel loved, cared about and truly valued. Getting close to New Years Eve we asked her to join our family in a night of dinner, games and watching the ball drop at Time Square. She came over just a wee bit apprehensive and left way after midnight a friend for life. She has become our fast friend and a call her little sis. From the girl time we have together to just chatting on the phone I am truly blessed to have Chris in my life.

My friend Chris!

That is a story all in its own. When I have a few minutes I will tell you all about her!

The Plum Stories,

You are not gona believe the newest book! Finger licken Fifteen. Grandma Mazuer and all her old cronies in the neighbor are mad at the lady who turned in the guy who had a penchant for showing his "winkie" to all of them. The one who turned him in did so because he missed her one day. To To funny.

Considering the latest trip I took with my 3 sisters I was thinking about the last time all of us sisters went on a vacation together. It wasn't just us sisters however. Dad and Mom, Carol flew out here from Florida bringing with her baby Kemp, I was engaged to Richard and he of course had to go along. Then there was Teri, Connie and Lucy. We were headed for Spokane Washington via where the road took us. One of our first stops along the way mind you we started in Twin Falls. Guess I should tell you how we traveled. Well we had a big old blue Chevy station wagon. Full bench seat in the front the sat three, full bench seat in the back that would seat four kids or one adult and three kids then you had the very back now that was the place to ride. All of this was before seat belts and car chairs for babies became the rage. So if you count how many of us were in the car whew there were 4 adults, 2 teenagers ( me and Teri) and 3 children, NINE of us. Funny thing was the car never seemed crowded. We all took our turn riding in the very back including Richard who is 6 ft. 3 in. tall. Richard helped Dad drive and then of course I got to sit in the front seat next to him. We were engaged after all. Okay back to the story. Our first stop was along the Payette River. Dad was the only one who had seen it before and we thought it was a wonderous sight. Oh I forgot to mention Sox our Boston Terrier was with us. As we all stood watching the river roar by Sox wanting to get a drink stepped on a rock and it tipped and ya you got it he slid into the river. The rocks were slippery and he was moving down steam fast. Fortunately Richard was standing just down from him and with a scoop of Sox's harness grabbed him from the river. One major accident avoided. We spent the night along the banks of a river near Ellensburg Washington. I can't begin to tell you where we all slept because putting nine people including one little boy down to sleep was my Moms thing. I know the dog slept with me as he always did and I slept as near to Richard as I dared with out getting yelled at by Mom. That vacation was spent touring the sights on the way to Spokane, such as Mt Rainier, the stops on the Lewis and Clark Trail and so on. But to me the most memorable thing actually two most memorable things were first was Lucy, I swear the girl had the bladder the size of a walnut. Every time we passed a rest area is was I gotta go. We were making no time with the constant stopping. On one such occasion Mom told her if she didn't stop she was gona end up in the garbage can. There were lots of them along the road back then. Anyway she did it again. 30 minutes from the last stop "I gota pee, Richard". Richard swerved into the next trash can. Lucy was able to hold it after that. The other thing was us kids got to stay in our first ever motel room. We were in Seaside Oregon and Mom and Dad treated us to a night in a real bed. We had a room that had a kitchenette, way cool to someone who had never seen one before, and it was located right on the beach. The only thing that separated us from the Pacific Ocean was a low stone wall. I was very impressed by that hotel. The wonder through a young persons eyes is truly a wonder to behold.

I loved that trip. We got to see old friends that had moved away. I state I had never been in. The Pacific Ocean for the first time. Mt. Ranier totally awesome. But most of all spending a wonderful vacation with family. Mom and Dad were divorced not long after that. I married Richard while I was still in high school because of the divorce. Mom, Connie and Lucy moved to Oregon. Teri married and was on her own in Twin Falls. Carol and Kemp went back to Flordia and have been back many times. We had a great time! That is one space of time in my life I wish I could repeat.

It's Late and should be sleeping!

It is getting late but due to my over looking when one of my meds got low a failed to take it in I am unable to sit and watch TV so here I am at this computer writing yet again about some of the things we did growing up.

We had the coolest wagon when we were growing up. It wasn't that it was anything special but it was brown and pulled real easy and we had more fun trekking across the United States with out ever leaving our own yard. Mom would let us take blankets and pillows from the house and of course the essentials when you are going on a wagon train. From one spot in the yard to the next we would make camp. Use a weed, that when dry looked a lot like coffee grounds, to make our morning and evening brew. Pile sticks which we packed with us in the wagon from place to place. We could pretend a feast fit for a king or a simple lunch. Teri, Connie, Lucy and I spent many happy hours camping our way across the yard. Our wagon never failed us, never broke down and the puller didn't need a harness. What a fun time we had! I sometimes long for that much simpler time in life when all you have to worry about is when school is out for the summer and how long is it till Christmas. Our lives were simple, slow, full of love and fun.

I have so many things that are running through my head it is sometimes hard to remember what I have said. I can see Lucy sitting in a very small ditch with a little boy named Danny. Both were in diapers and both were covered with mud. I see us taking special care of the piece of window screen Dad gave us to use when we made mud pies because if you sifted the dirt first is was fine with no clods, awesome piece of equipment of have. Richard would save part of his lunch for Connie and Lucy when were dating. I was still in school and dating a man who had been out of school for a while and had recently gotten back from basic training for the National Guard. He still lived at home and yes his mom still fixed his lunches. They were usually always so big that he couldn't or wouldn't eat it all. When he came to visit me after he got off work he always brought his lunch pail in the house with him. Those two little sisters of mine would attack his lunch pail as if they were starving. He always left them something even the smallest thing made them happy.

I thank God everyday for my family, kids, grandkids, sisters, mom, dad, and even the extended ones. I am truly blessed to have you all in my life.