Saturday, August 11, 2007

Far, Far Away!

That is where Mom and Dad live... Far, Far Away. Aka Oregon. And with only a
dial-up modem to contact the outside world I have been cut-off from email and
posting to the blog. (sniffle, sniffle) Once again I am confronted with my deep
and abiding love of:
1. Geoff (he makes our lives Wonderful.)
2. our internet server
3. MNO
4. my internet/blogging circle of friends
5. email

What frustrates me is that I am too lazy to grab a crayon and write down all the
wonderful thoughts I keep having about our great trip and all the sights we are
enjoying, the funny moments, the pleasure of spending days with family. This is
ridiculous... I really am going to start taking notes so that I do not forget
about Maria seeing fish in every stream and river, and the many little things we
have laughed about, like our flying car...

So, what have we seen, done, heard and felt?

We camped in the redwoods and played in the Eel River, which was shallow and cold.

We saw elk and deer, and an adorable black lab puppy that we could have brought
home for free!

We have filled ourselves with blackberries, which Maria insists are strawberries.
She looks in every shrub and tree and asks, "Strawbootie tree?"

Our first day of driving was so easy, we zipped through our planned stop in Santa
Cruz and continued over the Golden Gate and spent the night in Corte Madera,
where we fell in love with "Book Passage" and "Any Mountain."

In Petaluma I just happened to find the "Quilted Angel" on G Street. Heavenly.
I finally got to see for myself what is meant by a jelly roll, which in quilting
is a zero calorie bundle of fun. Links and photos forthcoming.

Come to think of it I have been in quite a few quilt shops. Tee Hee. (Note to
self: Do sew all Christmas/birthday presents this year and next, as you
rationalized you would do when stopping at the 4th shop.) Everytime I go to a
new quilt store I think: I'll just see if they have something unique or
special
and they always do have something unique and special. I
have seen so many new fabrics and delightful fat quarters, and I stumbled on two
good sales... you can learn so much about yourself when traveling. I have
learned that I love, love, love fabric. Or did I know that already? Whatever.

After 3 days of drving and stops in beautiful places, like Ferndale and Humbug
Mountain State Park, we arrived in Bandon Oregon, where we are staying with my
Mommy and her Mommy, and aunt Becky and Dan, and Ron. It feels like early autumn
here, which is nice for us, since we get plenty of summer heat back home. My Mom
has been sharing her latest jewelry creations with us. I love fabirc and she
loves beads... it's like a jewelry candy store here, with shelves,
drawers, baskets, bags, boxes and dishes full of beads, stones, crystals, pearls,
silver, gold, gems. She'll be taking some of her WIPs to the Park today for "Art
in the Park." Area artists will be painting, drawing and creating at a Park In
Coos Bay. Fun, ya?

We celebrated Grandma Eunice's 85th birthday, and included an extra celebration
of Max's 9th. We've been on walks around the harbor, and out along the road,
searching for blackberries. William did a little driving at Bullards State
Beach. I should take him out again today. Our visit is winding down. I think I
should point the car south on Monday morning, so today and tomorrow we will run
around and try to see and do all the things we meant to do when we thought we had
plenty of time. I'll take more pictures and hug my Mom and Grandmother more, and
see what we can do about bringing home blackberries.

Oh, there must be more to say, but I have forgotten little details, that seemed
so important. I feel happy here, and homesick too. I miss Geoff. We should be
here together. I think we should receive an endowment or a winning lotto ticket
so that we can live in the way I want to grow accustomed to... traveling around,
following family gatherings and quilt shops and berry festivals, building flying
cars, robots and secret passages, writing, drawing, reading, settling in to a
home of our own and seeing the big world too, making school from our fanciful
life of gardens, workshops, barns, travels, adventures, whims and interests.
Yes. Great big, affirmative yes.