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May 28, 2010

IT'S FRIDAY, MY FAVORITE DAY!!

Last weekend turned out to be a change in our plans. We were going to go in and watch Paige play her final soccer game and spend the night, but Dave had come down with a cold and wasn't up to driving and being exposed to the elements, so we stayed close to home. By Monday, I thought I was coming down with his "bug" but I managed to ward it off with only a minor sore throat.

On Tuesday, the Garden Club went on a tour of the Japanese Gardens, Portland Zoo, Portland Rose Test Gardens and the World Forestry Center. We had our choice of two of the four to visit, as time was limited. We met over at Manzanita at the Pine Grove where we boarded a school bus. It was raining cats and dogs and no one was in a very "touring" mood, but two hours later when we arrived at our destination the rain had stopped and the sun was trying to poke through all the clouds. For those that wanted to visit the zoo, the bus driver stopped and let them off. After seeing all the grade school kids lined up to get into the place, I opted to visit the Japanese Gardens and World Forestry Center. After we were dropped off at the Gardens, we caught the shuttle bus up to the gate and then we had about an hour to wander around. The Japanese Gardens were developed in 1963 and it is the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan. I have lived here all my life, I had never visited the place. It was all in bloom with rhododendrons and azaleas and every blade of grass was groomed and in its place. (That's my kind of garden). After eating my sack lunch overlooking the view of Portland, I caught the bus back up to the World Forestry Center. This Center was rebuilt after the first center burned down a few years ago. I learned about all kinds of wood from around the world. All in all, it turned out to be a neat trip.

After what seems like eternity, the rains have finally subsided (I will keep my fingers crossed). I have been busy working outside trying to catch up with all the weeds and hopefully be able to get the rest of my vegetable garden planted. I am sure paying for it, as every muscle in my body aches. Good ol' Tylenol and I have become good buddies. But with a few more promised days of sunshine, I might get this place back in shape yet.

Dave and Ray worked on the church project just two days this week. With Dave having a bad cold it has been slow. But they did make a lot of progress in those two days. By the time they finished on Wednesday, they had the entire building jacked up in the air - level for the first time in years! They still have a lot of work to do to rebuild all of the foundation under the elevated walls, but the lifting part is done and that's the part that had them concerned. The rest is just carpentry. Because of Ray's schedule and the holiday, they won't get back to work until next Tuesday.

We are having Lara, Greg and the girls down this Memorial Day Weekend and they will be arriving tomorrow and staying until Monday. The weather forecast looks pretty good and they should be able to enjoy the beach.