We Did Make It To Oregon

With William as my navigator, Alex and Bambi ready to take over the driving, Maria following on her map, and Max keeping me on schedule, our four day drive to Oregon went quite nicely, and yes, eventually, we did finally arrive at our destination. It was perfect timing, too, because as we reached the outskirts of town, Geoff called to let us know his plane had landed at North Bend! Everyone would be pulling into Ron and Delia's wooded driveway about the same time. And then we wasted no time filling that day, and the following, with all kinds of busyness...

Visited the feed store... pet the kitties, talked to the pig, marveled at the emu, and made eye contact with the goats~
Stopped in at the hardware store, and picked up cables for Mom and Dad's TV and PS3~
Fed the trout at the fishery~
Buttered the garlic bread~
Flew balsa wood gliders~
Moved Delia's tools and supplies into her workspace in the old brewhouse~
Saw the premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy! In 3D. Thank you, Ron!
Picked and inhaled blackberries~
Visited Face Rock~
Were treated to a tasty and elegant brunch at The Dunes... a 25th wedding anniversary gift from Mom and Dad~
Visited the ocean debris art sculptures. Alex helped construct some of these, when he came up to Oregon in 2010. Please visit: Washed Ashore~
And we bought a case of amazing oatmeal from the farmer's market: Oregon Oats, Co. Oh yum!

We also caravanned to Albany, where aunt Becky and Grandmother are settling into their new home. There we celebrated Max's sixteenth birthday and Grandmother's ninety-second birthday! You know I'll have more to share about that... Albany is a place worthy of it's own post, and we had a very nice visit with Grandmother and Becky. Back at Ron and Delia's, Bambi and Maria had a chance to see the jewelry Delia's made, and to enjoy her generosity, too. On our last day, we visited the old town, and I managed to get a nice couple of shots of their beautiful waterfront at sunset, including that lighthouse, silhouetted in the fading light.

We did a lot... even more than I've listed, but I can think of a dozen more things I wished we'd done. Even as early as our first day, I was trying to imagine how soon I could work out a return visit. What I most wish is that we didn't have to squeeze in everything, and hope to make everything worthwhile and meaningful, all at once. A nice thing about being close by is that it's easier to relax, to get comfortable, to be available for small things, and quiet visits. If we were a day away, I know we would drop by, hang out, and not be quite the mass invasion we can be when we move in for five nights! But Ron and Delia took us in good stride, and with a warm welcome. As big a crowd as we were, I'd love to see a visit with my brothers and their families there, too! That would be a good time, and the more the merrier!