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IT'S FRIDAY, MY FAVORITE DAY!!

I need a vacation! Oh, that's right, I just had one. I have been working so hard around the place since I got back from our trip that I am ready for another break.

We did take some time off last Friday and drove into the valley. Our oldest granddaughter, Ashtin was graduating from Middle School and we didn't want to miss that. Her parents had a small reception before the graduation so we met at their house before attending the event. We are so proud of Ashtin; she received a couple of awards and has maintained a better than 3.5 GPA over her two years in that school. It is hard to believe that she is going into high school this fall. There are about 150 in her class, so it took a while for the ceremony. Then after a class party, she got up the next morning and played three games in a basketball tournament and then followed that up with a soccer game. I wish I had half her energy!

We were going to spend the whole weekend in town but Saturday, none of us were feeling too sharp, including the dog. So we decided to cut our visit short. I made a quick trip over to Milwaukie to visit my sister Judy. She's in a rehabilitation center trying to get rid of a nasty infection in her knee. She's also doing some physical therapy and while she isn't crazy about that part of it, it seems to be helping. I wish I was closer to her to I could give her more support, but she's in good hands there in that facility. Dave canceled his night out with his Blazer Broadcasting buddies and we came home Saturday evening and got a good night's sleep.

The first part of the week I spent working out in the yard. It was hard to know where to begin. Believe me, a month is a long time to go with no maintenance! I got my vegetable garden planted and then tackled the weeds. All I could do was to start at one end of the property and start working my way toward the other. Thank goodness we had some rain for the next couple of days and that forced me to stop and gave me a chance to recuperate. I was really stiff and sore from crawling around on my hands and knees on the ground and pulling weeds. But with the rain I had no choice but to stop and take it easy for a few days. I think God's looking out for me because he knows I won't slow down by myself.

The rain finally let up by Thursday and so I have been at it again. I was able to get my windows washed and the house dusted and vacuumed. I have now weeded completely around the house and am working on the outer areas, along the driveway and down Gamble Street. Sometimes I feel that this half-acre gets larger every year!

Dave took the Kubota into the shop in Tillamook to have repaired. It won't start, the brakes need some attention and a tire blew out while he was loading it on the trailer. Anyway, we will have to put off the retaining wall project until we can get the tractor back. We will go on to the next thing on our list. The Captain Bell needs a paint job and so we have ordered bottom paint ($250 a gallon) and hull paint (at another $250 a gallon) and will start that project next week, weather permitting. We want to have her ready for the 4th of July parade again this year and that is coming up in just three weeks.

We spotted the herd of elk on the island this week. That is always a welcome sight. Although we often see them across the bay, they only make it onto the island five or six times a year. They arrive during low tide and usually spend a couple of days eating the fresh spring grass before swimming back to the mainland. We also spotted a couple of young eagles soaring in the sky over our place. They kept circling in the sky catching the wind drift. That was spectacular. The two feral cats have been earning their keep. I have seen Tom with a mouse or shrew in his mouth a couple of times. Good job guys, just remember my birds are off limits!

Dave will be heading back into town today. He got talked into helping with the Rose Cup Race broadcast again this year. After 35 years he wanted to bow out but they said they needed him. So he will be spending Father's Day out at the racetrack - again. I don't think the girls would know how to celebrate the day if their dad didn't have to work on Father's Day. Maybe next year. Meanwhile, I will stay home and hold down the fort while he is away.