Treasured Moments ... Just Poke Me in the Head!

We are currently sitting on the Clear River in Idaho. 

This is the view from our screen door, taken as I was putting out the slides. 

If we had backed up another 6 feet, there would have been a very large SPLASH! Loved hearing the river ripple by us as we lay in bed last night. Worked better than a sleeping pill. All I remember is saying how beautiful the sound was and I was out. I think Mark was out before I finished speaking. (He usually is). 

We said our good-byes to the damp-side of Washington 

where moss grows on anything that stands still long enough...

...and headed to Eastern Washington 

where our stay was both exhausting, 

(more mentally than physically),

and cherished. 

Our first stop was back at the KOA in Ellensburg, so I could be with my sister, Renee', 
for her oral surgery. She had recently been in the hospital for an infection, as well as a bad reaction to the antibiotics given her, in which her lips swelled up like Daffy Duck and her head like a Macy's Day Parade Balloon. (I wish I could have been there in time to see that!) 

But seriously, I don't think I've ever been so scared. This infection was much too close to her brain and spinal fluid. My insides felt like they had been run through the blender and I couldn't stop shaking. This is my little sister!!!

By the time I got there, her head was back to normal size. We (her daughter, Charisa, and I) drove her to the oral surgeon, who in Guinness Book of World Records time, doped her up, took out her offending teeth and tossed her back at us like a hot potato. 

We had the best ride home, EVER! I am SO ticked off; I took out my phone and thought I had hit VIDEO, only to find out later that I had taken a still shot and held my finger on the camera button the whole time, whilst I thought I was capturing the BEST AFV entry to date. My sister is REALLY funny when she is loaded!

I spent two nights with her. We had to get her a tablet and pen, because when she spoke, it was Stoner-language and us folks that were not doped up, couldn't keep up. My stomach muscles quiver at the memory of how bad they hurt from laughing so hard.

When we got home, she insisted both couches were pushed together like a big adult play pen...well, that sounded pornographic...let's just say, if you'd seen us trying to get in and out of this giant couch-box, porn is the LAST thing that would come to mind. 

We (Charisa, Dorothy and I) watched movies while Stoner lady kept making the Thumbs Up gesture for only God knows why. Since we knew we wouldn't be together at Christmas, we decided to get into the Christmas Crackers (hence the paper crowns) and glow sticks (we have weird family traditions). 

Caught off guard . . .

Bee or Frog?

Izzy's hat was a wee bit too big for her

Dopey and with wand; cursing or blessing me?

After Renee came back from her surgery-drug-induced-trip, we made Friendship bracelets.

Charisa and I created Alfred the Meatloaf Head for dinner.

(I later added potato teeth that darkened and separated as they cooked)

I was so busy laughing at everyone's surprised reaction, I FORGOT TO TAKE AN 

"AFTER" PICTURE of Alfred the Meatloaf head. 

Epic bummer!

Those two days flew by way too fast. And I have no idea how my niece, Dorothy, was able to avoid being in ANY of the pictures, but next visit . . . I WILL catch her!

Next stop, Moses Lake, Washington to visit my "memory" (she holds my memories for high school and a good deal of my 20's in her head for me...I ran out of room in my head)...my doppleganger in spirit (not in looks). We are so funny together...Michelle Ma belle.

She too avoids cameras, so I had to catch her when she thought I was taking a picture of some cute chotchkies she had purchased.

This is my BFF. She has the biggest heart you'll ever find. Having undergone a double lung transplant and now dealing with an acute rejection, she finds strength in making others laugh. She is my hard chocolate candy with a gooey caramel center. I love her. Whoever reads this, and I know from my stats I have viewers all around the world, please add her to your prayers. She is a woman worth having around in this world!

While visiting, she taught me how to knit and purl. 

Day 1

Day 2

She spoiled me rotten with some of her amazing cooking. First was a Fresh Strawberry and Cream Cheese, Glazed Pie on a Shortbread-type GF Crust. (Eaten too fast for pics) Then she made homemade 1000 Island Dressing for our Shrimp salad lunch during my knitting lesson...AND she sent me home with, well, all these wonderful, homemade, canned products!

(Indian Chutney, Melon Jelly, Pear-Cranberry Jelly, and 3 jars of my fave; Tomato Relish!)

For my birthday she made me a crocheted cowl, which I had never seen anything like before. I have to "block" it, I think that's what she called it - - - I'll wait and post a picture when I am wearing it. It is gorgeous. She is very talented. 

 

She also bought me this Moon Stone necklace, something else I had never heard of. It shows the moon under glass during the day, but at night it glows exactly as the moon was on the date of my birth, which was a crescent. (It is sort of dark now, so you can kind of see the crescent) She knows me so well. Such a personal gift. My birthday is also the day Man First Walked On the Moon, so it is doubly special to me.

It was like Christmas on my Birthday with more thoughtfulness than I have ever gotten, wrapped up in love, with great food-goody-ribbons! (I know, probably only makes sense to me). Ha Ha! And Michelle.

Here are some scenery shots I took along our trip to Idaho. I hope you enjoy them.  Had to delete a a good sum of them, as there were a lot of suicidal bugs on this leg of our trip...bug guts do not make for pretty pictures.

Hooking up the Toad to head out

Cotye tries to be a lap dog - but only half of his body fits - Lap half-dog?

Energy.
 I don't know. I tried flapping my arms in the wind,
and not only didn't I work up any energy, it tired me out!

Horses. Horses. Horses.
They are always standing in the same position.
I think they may be sculptures or very slow horses?

Mansion - - - Or Haunted Mansion?

Lovely Lake . . . or wait; it may be a river.
Whatever it is, it is beautiful!

Now this is a lake!

Nourishment

God's steps

Vastness

More Vastness...where did everybody go?

Lewis and Clark

Tumbleweeds

Until yesterday I had no idea tumbleweeds could fly. We came around a corner on a windy road and there were tumbleweeds everywhere, even in the air!!! By the time I grabbed the camera, the only ones left were the ones taking the road. 

We are getting ready to go explore the little town of Orofino, Idaho. I am hoping there are some beautiful things to photograph. Much easier while mucking about in the Toad!  It is SO hard to take photographs while traveling in the Tumbleweed. You have no idea. I am bouncing around, avoiding dead bug guts, whilst working as fast as I can to capture my object before it speeds by me at 70 miles per hour!

I wish I could just poke myself in the temple every time I wanted to capture the image my eyes were beholding. Bypass the camera completely! It would solve all my problems and you would be amazed at the beauty that is out there, out here, EVERYWHERE!