Saturday, August 26, 2017

A New Adventure

Today we embark on a new-to-us adventure. It's something that's been planned for a year.  My sweetheart and I - and about forty of his family and close friends - are off to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of his sister and her hubby and have a grand reunion. We're excited! Anchors aweigh!



Thursday, August 24, 2017

Moving On

Thank you for your sweet comments to my last post about the fire that destroyed our home-away-from home.  We have begun to adjust to the loss and have started to move forward and live life again.  The days after the fire were very difficult and the 'mountains' of paperwork needed for the insurance company kept our emotions at the surface. Listing every personal and household item in the trailer was hard.  Even harder was the fact that we also needed to supply pictures of the destruction and of anything we had inside that could not be salvaged.  I have a feeling the insurance company has never seen a list such as ours and they may have been overwhelmed by the photos we sent - twenty-nine pages of photos with multiple photos on each page.  We dug through the rubble and took photos of anything that was recognizable to prove that we had, indeed, had it in the trailer and that it could not be used again. When the packet of paperwork was ready and had been mailed, the relief was huge! A big load off our shoulders. The remains of the trailer were towed away and that brought new, deep emotions as it went down the road for the last time.  Seeing the big empty, charred area next to our driveway brought tears to my eyes all over again.  Each day has gotten easier and we have begun to think about the work that needs to be done before the next home-away-from-home arrives.
Yes, there will be another RV in our lives.  We've already begun to consider what that will be.  We have visited a favorite RV dealer and looked and considered several directions we could go. We have a 'favorites' list but will take our time to decide what features we really need and what we don't need.  Of course, we must wait for the insurance company to do their work and present an acceptable settlement before we can make the final decision.  We've dreamed for a few years of upgrading one more time and it seemed easy as I thought about it.  We thought we knew exactly what we would choose.  Now that we aren't very far from making a decision it's harder than I thought it would be.

We had an adventure last weekend that was the most precious gift God could have given us right now.  Eclipse 2017 began its journey across our country at the Oregon Coast just ninety miles from our home.  We wanted to do something special to be part of the event.  Our son and daughter-in-law live about forty-five minutes south of us and we got our heads together and 'cooked up' a gathering of grandparents to share the event with four of our grandchildren.  I made some changes to Daffodil, my little vintage trailer, to accommodate comfy sleeping arrangements for my sweetheart and I. She usually has a twin-size mattress but this time we added a full-size mattress that belonged to my dear mother.  We packed our things for an overnight excursion and headed south to join them for a sleep-over!  We parked in our son's driveway and had our own little guest house!
The grandkids' other grandparents live near them but they were invited to spend the night, too.  What fun we had!  After a potluck BBQ we celebrated our youngest granddaughter's fifth birthday together.  Brynlee (we call her Bryn) is the sweetest little girl.  She has a loving heart and is full of fun.  Cake, ice cream and gifts and then some fun games.
We stayed up late - like we did when we were young.  The next morning we had a potluck brunch and watched coverage as the eclipse began on our coastline not far away.  Soon we all donned our eclipse glasses so we could go out on the deck to watch the wonders in the sky.
It wasn't long before we were completely mesmerized by what we saw.
When the moon had fully eclipsed the sun we cheered and clapped - as did all of the neighbors on decks and in yards nearby.  It got fairly dark and  cold and all around we could see that lights had come on.
Soon it was over and we spent more time together.  We all knew we had experienced something awesome!  We munched and played games and soon it was time to head home.  That sounds simple but our normal forty-five-minute commute home took us five hours!  Yes - that's right - five hours!  I loved the license plate on this car in front of us.
The trip was long and we were tired before it ended but it was worth every minute for the joy of being with our family to celebrate and experience a once-in-a-lifetime event.  We've been cherishing those moments all through the week.  It's been a very busy week - we are getting ready for an adventure that was planned a year ago!  God knew back then that we would need this adventure we are about to embark on and He knew we would need it right now.  I'll be away for several days and I'll share more when I return.


Saturday, August 12, 2017

Protected, At Peace and Thankful

I have not posted since my sweetheart and I returned from our trip to the Oregon Coast last week. I had plans to share our trip with you and then continue with my 'Grand Trip' series of posts.  That will happen in time, but we have had a major event in our lives that has totally changed everything for us for awhile. If you follow me on Facebook you've already read about what happened.

We returned home from our trip on Friday afternoon - rested but glad to arrive home. I was coming down with a bit of a cold and I felt I needed to rest and drink a lot of fluids so I could try to stave off any further illness.  My sweetheart parked our home-away-from-home next to our driveway where it always sits between trips out and about. Once the trailer was parked and secured I went out and took a few things out - only things that were very important or things needed for the evening or the next morning. I planned to return the next day, Saturday, to bring in the things that don't stay in the trailer all the time - all of our clothing and the food items that were added for our trip to the coast.  I will be forever grateful that I took the time and the energy to retrieve what I did - my camera bag, my laptop, my devotional bag with my Bible and devotional books, my housecoat and a small jewelry bag that I had added for the days away.  I also brought in a darling antique mirror I had purchased at the coast so I could enjoy it. I had a pretty rough night with breathing and coughing and a very sore throat so the next morning I chose to sit in my comfy chair, with my feet up, and watch Hallmark movies through the day while I snoozed, coughed, sniffled and drank gallons of water.  Sometime in the afternoon I told my sweetheart I didn't feel well enough to go to the trailer to remove the clothing and the food items - I would do it Sunday afternoon.  Now, that shouldn't have been a problem - but it became a VERY major problem!  It's a decision that I would redo if I could, but I will never be able to go back.

We went to bed at a normal time that Saturday night. I hoped to be able to sleep so I took two Benedryl in hopes that I would be able to breathe and sleep at the same time.  It seemed to work and we were sound asleep when, just before midnight, my sweetheart heard the doorbell ring. In my deep sleep I had not heard anything!  He quickly stepped into his jeans and went to the door. There was no one there so he stepped out on the porch to see if someone was nearby. He saw no one but what he did see stirred both of us into immediate action.  Our home-away-from-home was on fire! A young man who had been driving by saw the fire, called nine-one-one, rang our bell to wake us and ran to our neighbor's home to wake them. My sweetheart's 'new' pickup was parked very close to the flaming inferno of our trailer so he quickly ran to move it.  By the time he moved it away from danger it had already sustained fire damage. If he had hesitated to move the truck for more than a few minutes longer it would have been a total loss.

When my sweetheart alerted me of the fire and told me to get dressed and get out I quickly dressed with no idea if the house was or would soon be on fire. In my rush I grabbed my shoes and my purse and we got my little dog out.  It seemed surreal as I stood and watched the flames that rose high above the roof of our home.  I ran around the sidewalk and street barefooted as I watched the firemen work on the fire.  Then I realized that I was clutching my shoes! so I finally put them on.  Our neighbors from all around were outside watching the fire, standing with us and supporting us. The young man who saw the fire and acted quickly to make sure we were safe stood with me while my sweetheart spoke with the fire chief.  My sweetheart had assured me that our home was not involved and that brought immense relief in the middle of the tragedy.  The fire crew worked for a long time to be sure that the fire was completely out and that everything in harm's way was safe. We were assured that the fire was not caused by the propane system in the trailer.  The firemen said it acted like an electrical fire and we believe they are right, but there are no answers. Because there was no suspicion of arson, and because we owned it outright with no other 'interested parties' involved, there will be no investigation to find the cause.  We have surmised and suspected and tried to find a reason in our minds for the fire. Still, there are no answers.

Our home-away-from-home was a total loss.  Much of it was destroyed beyond recognition. It is a burned and charred mess of what was once beautiful. Most of the floor of what remains is still stable and we have been able to go inside and open burned or charred cabinets to see if anything could be retrieved. Very little was salvageable. What didn't burn was destroyed or severely damaged by the extreme heat, thick black smoke and the water used to extinguish the fire. We have spent many hours looking and picking through the rubble to see if something remains. I've stood and sobbed as I looked at the disfigured, charred remains.  I've stood in disbelief inside of the blackness of what still stands with the horrible smell that a structure fire leaves behind.  At first it was very hard to face but as days have gone by I've been able to remember the joy we had there. Those memories will always be sweet. And I have peace because I know that God was watching over us and that we will go on from here.

We are working through the insurance process with two insurance companies - one for the pickup and one for the trailer. The people at both companies have been so kind and compassionate.  The pickup is at a local repair shop that has been owned by the same family for many years.  We have been so pleased with the way they have responded to us. The insurance company that is handling the loss of the trailer needs lists of all of the personal and household items that were destroyed.  The lists must include replacement cost for each item listed so there is a lot of research involved. We were asked for any photos we have of the interior and the things we lost.  As we've searched through the rubble we have photographed many things that were destroyed. Some things were totally consumed or burned beyond recognition. Fortunately, it's not hard to remember what was in every cupboard and closet and storage bay.  It's a daunting task but we will soon be finished and will be able to submit the final required paperwork for review and settlement.

Our yard all around the trailer is singed and ugly from the destruction that fire, extreme heat and thick, black smoke brings.  The grass is burned and black.  We're fairly sure we've lost all of the roses in my little rose garden. They are brown and dry and 'crisp'. One small tree will come out. Soon the remains of the trailer will be taken away and we will begin to deal with the damage to the yard.  We had planned to make changes to that part of our yard someday in the future.  The time for that is now and we can visualize that one day it will be a beautiful part of our property once again. Forever changed, but beautiful.

We've been asked if we are afraid to have another RV. Won't we be afraid something like this will happen again?  No, we are not afraid.  God has given us such incredible peace and we are beginning to look to the future and dream again.  Something like this puts everything into perspective. We are SO grateful that we were safe. We treasure what's really important. It's not the stuff!  It's life and each other and those who are dear to our hearts. We have good neighbors and friends who have been there through the last days to go the extra mile to care for us. There will be another home-away-from-home and there are more adventures on the road ahead.  And as the sign that hangs in the entry way of our son and daughter-in-law's home reminded me, there is always, always, always, SOMETHING to be thankful for!

Thursday, August 3, 2017

A Special Gift

Today is my birthday! My sweetheart gave me a very special gift - a trip to the Oregon Coast for a few days.  He knew this birthday would be hard. It's the first one without my mom so he chose to take me to a place I love - a place that always makes me relax. And make my heart sing.

I'd like to tell you a bit about what my dear, little mother endured to bring me into this world.  She was in her eighth month of pregnancy. I was supposed to arrive in September but apparently God had other plans.  My dear mother had been dealing with bouts of appendicitis on and off for a few months. The doctors told her and my father that they could do surgery but it would mean that my life would end. Since things were not at a critical point my parents chose to wait and give me a chance to live.  I'm sure glad they did!  On the morning of August second my mother had an appendicitis attack that took her to the hospital. There was no waiting!  My parents were assured that, at that point, surgery could proceed and that I would be fine. The doctors said I would stay right where I was for the next month.  Surgery went well - and then labor began.  Then, thirty-two hours after her surgery, I was born!  Healthy and strong. When I tell my story I like to say that the doctors were wrong because they didn't know me. My story is (and I'm sticking to it!) that during the appendectomy I heard voices and wondered what was going on out there so I decided to come find out for myself!

My mom had a great sense of humor.  Over the years it seemed I couldn't get sympathy from her.  After I had a baby she chuckled and said she couldn't sympathize because I hadn't just had an appendectomy.  Then, after I had an appendectomy she told me, 'no sympathy' because I wasn't eight months pregnant!  Honesty, she was very sympathetic and compassionate but she loved to tease.

Over the years I have given my mother roses on my birthday. She always laughed and said I wasn't supposed to do that - I was the one who should get roses.  And I always said, 'these are for you because you worked so hard to bring me into the world and you worked hard to make sure I grew up to a good, strong lady'.  She never refused the roses. In fact, she showed them off with pride to anyone who came by.

I really miss my mom, especially today, but I wouldn't ask her to come back from the joys of Heaven to celebrate with me today.  Instead, I will cherish the memories through the years and continue to be thankful for her every day.

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

The Grand Trip - Reunion and Discovery

Thank you for your sweet comments about the first part of our 'grand' trip.  It's fun to go back and see the photos and relive the miles and miles of travel my sweetheart and I enjoyed early this spring. The next part of our journey was very special. It involved a reunion and discovery of new places beyond.  After the wonderful visit with my dear friend we had a short drive to our next destination the following day. It wasn't long before we stopped at a beautiful RV park near my father's family. We had looked forward to a few days with them on our trip south. This was a reunion that meant a lot to all of us. It had been a few years since I had been able to travel their way.  We had a wonderful time together. I loved being with my father's family again - his sister, brother and his dear wife and my cousins and their children and grandchildren.  It was just what I needed!

My father's youngest sister has always been like a second mom to me. I attended college close to her home and I spent many weekends and holidays there when I wasn't able to come home. She watched over me and took care of me with the same love as she gave her own daughters. I've always told people my aunt and uncle had three daughters - and I was the fourth!  One of the days we were together she took us out to lunch at a favorite place of hers.  I wasn't too sure about eating there when I heard the name of the place!
 The food was incredible and the decor absolutely delightful. They played tunes from my younger years - 'my kind of music'. It was hard to keep from singing along when I was supposed to be eating! And we dined with Elvis. . .
And Marilyn!
These were life-size figures. It was hard to get good photos with the big windows and the bright  California sun shining in. What fun we had that day - good food, a great atmosphere and time with my sweet aunt and cousin.

We planned our schedule to include Easter Sunday with them. What a treat that was!  We attended church with my two aunts and my uncle. It was a special blessing to sit beside these dear people who mean so much to me. And it was a wonderful, uplifting service. Beautiful roses lined the walk from the church to the parking lot. I had to stop and take photos of two of them that touched my heart.  A yellow rose - my favorite.
And a gorgeous apricot-colored rose - my father's favorite.
That afternoon we all gathered for Easter Dinner at the home of one of my cousins and his wife.  This is an annual tradition and I have never been able to be part of it. It meant so much to me to be there with them - it might become an annual event for us!  My dear aunts and uncle, my cousins and their families gathered together to give thanks and share in a wonderful meal. My dear, little mother collected cobalt blue depression glass.  My cousin's wife (at whose home we gathered) began to collect it after she was in my mother's home. My mother had directed me to share some pieces of her collection with my cousin's wife when the day came that my dear mother was gone. I had carefully chosen, packaged and traveled with some very special pieces. There are no words to share the deep meaning of these gifts - for me or for my sweet cousin.  As we entered her home that Easter afternoon my eyes filled with tears because my mother's big blue vase greeted us. It was filled with an assortment of flowers my sweet mama would have loved. And her favorite cobalt blue candle holders graced the center of the very long dining room table. We had a great time together. It was fun to watch my cousins' grandchildren play and hunt for Easter eggs.

It was very hard to say goodbye. There were tears as we hugged and we promised to return again. The next morning we headed south toward places where we had never been before.  One of the nice things about traveling with our home-away-from-home is that we can stop for lunch when and where we chose - as long as there's a safe place to get off the road that is big enough for our vehicles. Rest stops along the way made good places to stop for lunch.  We stopped somewhere in mid-California and ate lunch. Later that day we made a brief stop at another rest stop and it wasn't long before we had neighbors parked beside us.  We couldn't help ourselves - we had to go over and talk to them and ask permission to take photos. This vintage car was parked next to us. . .
And this nineteen-thirty-six Yosemite National Park tour bus was right next to it!
These were both owned by the same family. They had taken them to be part of a family wedding in Northern California and they were on their way home again. We had a great time talking to them.  They were quite interested to hear about Daffodil, my little vintage trailer and they enjoyed seeing pictures of her. Vintage vehicle and trailer folks always have something to talk about!

We traveled quite a ways on the freeway toward Los Angeles.
 It wasn't long before we saw oil wells beside the freeway. That's a sure sign that we are in Southern California.  When I was a little girl we often traveled many hours from Oregon to Southern California to get to my grandma's house. I always knew we were getting close to her house when I started to see oil wells. I felt that again when I saw this first one.
Later we turned off the freeway and headed east.  We followed miles and miles of phone lines and wondered what might be ahead.
We drove on through dry countryside that is so different than where we live, but it has a beauty of its own.
Late in the afternoon we arrived at the RV park where we had reservations to stay for the night. We found a quiet spot under the trees. There was even a cute, little white fence.
The sun dropped behind the hills and canyons behind us as evening settled in. Big clouds moved in from the coast beyond and soon it was dark. We were comfortable and happy to be here. Tomorrow would be a new day and we had more adventures ahead. We were far from home and the memories of the past days were sweet.  Very sweet!