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March 13, 2015

IT'S FRIDAY, MY FAVORITE DAY!!

I don't know how we deserve two "Friday the 13th's" in a row, but here we are again! Spring is just around the corner and we are back to Daylight Saving Time once more. We did have a little rain this week but I am not complaining as the flowers (and the weeds) appreciate it. But getting used to Daylight Time is another matter. It takes me about a week to adjust and I really don't understand why the powers that be think that we need to spring our clocks forward each year and then push them back in the fall. I am not the only one who is messed up with this custom, as my two cats are having trouble too.

We had a nice trip to Bainbridge Island last weekend. It was a nice drive but the reason we went up there wasn't so nice. We were there to attend a funeral for our friend Marge Kane. She had a stroke and didn't survive. We drove up the night before the service and that evening I helped her daughter set up a picture board showing some of the highlights of her life. Marge lived a very full life as a nurse, mother, grandmother, world traveler and reluctant steamboater. I say "reluctant" because even though she loved being around her steam friends, she was perfectly happy to be on shore - not on the boat! At the reception after the service, her daughter Jenni displayed many scarves and earrings that Marge had purchased and worn. She offered them to friends at the funeral as a memory of her mother and I thought that was a nice gesture. She was a great friend and I will miss her.

Later that afternoon, we drove a couple of hours to catch up with our daughter Leslie and son-in-law Jason who were in Tacoma for one of Paige's soccer games. If I am anywhere near one of her games, I make an effort to be there. She has such a talent and is really fun to watch. Unfortunately, her team didn't win this time.
I also had a slight fall while I was there. I was trying to find the perfect spot in the grandstand to watch the game. I was trying to step up over a couple of rows when my left knee gave out on me and I ended up on the floor between rows! I didn't hurt myself too bad, just a couple of bruises on my ankle and knee but my pride was hurt. I have been pretty stiff and sore all week. Note to myself; take the stairs next time instead of stepping up over the rows - as cement can be very unforgiving.

We only stayed for half of the soccer game because we had a long way to go to get home. We decided to stop in Raymond at one of our favorite places on the way back for dinner. It is a "Fifties" diner and they have great food. It wasn't too crowded when we arrived and most of the people who came in were picking up "take-out" orders. After waiting 45 minutes after we had placed our order and still no meal, we decided that it wasn't worth it and left. It seemed like nobody who was sitting at the booths was getting food - just the people who had take-outs. We ended up a couple of blocks down the street at a McDonald's drive-thru and we were happily on our way in a couple of minutes! I guess we will cross Slater's Diner off our list from now on.

It has been sort of a slow week with me hobbling around with my aches and pains and Dave feeling under the weather. We did what we had to do and that was about it.

I have been working on my French lessons. We bought this Rosetta Stone program so that we could pick up a few words before leaving on our trip. The program is pretty complete and is far more French than what I wanted to learn. My problem is trying to pronounce the words! I can recognize the words when I see them written out but I doubt if I would want to carry on any kind of conversation.

Leslie and Jason found a new home. They had their place in Silverton up for sale for about a year. When nothing happened, they decided to try to sell it themselves and a month ago they finally got an offer. It passed the inspection (except for a new septic line) and then they had to find a new place to live by April 15th. It was panic time there for awhile as the places that they loved were gone before they had a chance to make an offer. It really has become a "seller's market" They thought about renting until they found something but most landlords wanted a year lease and besides they have a dog. But, they kept looking and found a 4-bedroom home in West Salem which is where they wanted to be. So Dave and I will be offering to help them move when they are ready.

I caught a glimpse of the elk herd on the island this week. It is getting to be calving time and the "girls" all gather on the island to give birth to their young. It is the safest place away from predators. In a month there will be all sorts of activity going on over there with the new calves.

We are headed back up to Seattle again this weekend. This time we are attending the annual meeting of the Northwest Steam Society. We are going up Friday afternoon; attend the meeting on Saturday and come back home on Sunday. I am looking forward to seeing all my steam buddies.

We don't have any pictures again this week. By the time we think about taking any pictures, the moment is over or we just forget to take any. We weren't really doing anything worth photographing anyway. We were too far away from the action at the soccer game and of course, a funeral isn't the place to bring out the camera.