Sunday, September 29, 2013

Belknap Springs

Belknap Springs still displayed showy flowerbeds last weekend during our late September camping trip.  We tried something new this trip, inviting my little brother Doug and his lovely wife Anisa, to share our 5th wheel with us. (We kept the bedroom and gave them the living room hide-a-bed.) We are such amazing hosts, we even left Zeek at home so they wouldn't have to room with him! My brother Galen and his wife Carol parked their RV next to ours in a spot very near the upper swimming pool, fed by hot springs.  We enjoyed some wonderfully relaxing soaks in that deliciously hot pool, day and night.
We posed for pictures in all kinds of lovely spots, I'm not sure why none of us are preening on that particular bench.

Their jazz band sculpture became a little more weatherworn in the past 10 years since I last saw it.
The gang is checking out the boiling hot water that comes out of the hillside and obeying the sign that says "Do not touch." Hi, Doug.
A feisty snake darted out in front of me on a trail. I believe I reacted in a surprisingly mature fashion.
We explored the Secret Garden. Hi, Doug and Galen.
Doug and Anisa enjoyed some romantic interactions.
They're so inspirational. I can't remember the last time my own dear husband beseechingly got down on his knees.
Hi, Doug.
Aren't they cute.
Galen and Carol pose with the bears.

Awww.
I love this, on the riverside patio.
Gorgeous place to soak in the beauty of the McKenzie River.
We had many deep meaningful conversations over the weekend, and I'm happy to share that we made some real headway in getting my little brother Doug to confront and deal with some of his childhood traumas. Just how many years were you in kindergarten? How old were you when Galen announced his engagement to the lovely Carol? (After a few arguments and much math, I believe 7 was the correct age.) Doug and Dave (who would have been 8 or 9, we didn't do the math on that one), bitterly resented the arrival of Carol into the life of their beloved big brother. At the family dinner where Galen and Carol passed out engagement photo announcements, Doug pointed to a label on Galen's trousers and declared, "F is for foolish." Doug and Carol had further friction on down the road, when as an 8-year-old recently bereft of his mother, Doug would go stay with Carol after school while the older siblings were still in school. One day Carol offered him a sandwich, made with the cotto salami containing black peppercorns. Doug refused to eat it, and Carol said he couldn't have pie until he ate the sandwich. Little Doug cried. Doug got pie. And we have laughed about it a million times over the years.

Doug wondered why Sister Beulah spanked him, a timid first grader (or was it kindergarten again) at Elliot Prairie Christian School, just for playing Train with all the other boys, with their fingers in the back pockets of the boy in front of them. Could they help it if someone's pockets got ripped? And why did he next have to suffer a crabby elderly teacher at Tennessee School in 2nd grade, one who was known to rap you on the head with a ruler if you displeased her? Poor little Doug. Fortunately, he had the love of his family to carry him through, and we love him to this day.

It is so much fun to enjoy the present day and reminisce about the past with my oldest and my 2nd to youngest brother and our patient, long-suffering wonderful life partners. And to the rest of my 9 siblings, we missed you! When is the next family reunion?

Friday, September 13, 2013

Fun at Freddy's


Fred Meyer has suddenly become my very favorite store, and I can hardly wait till the next time I go there. Why, you wonder? Well, on Wednesday, my enjoyable encounter with an elderly gentleman who told me I was skinny enough to eat cookies was enough to make me think fondly of the place.  Then Thursday, my brother Galen invited me to dinner and requested that I bring ice cream to go along with the Razzle Dazzle Berry Pie from Kris’s Kitchen in Lebanon. (Wow! Best pie ever! Worth every point!) 

So after work, I went straight to the ice cream aisle at dear old Freddy’s.  (I didn’t even check the cookie aisle to see if my new friend happened to be there getting more cookies for his grandkids.) Two young men about the age of my sons were in front of the Dreyer’s, and I stopped next to them to wait my turn just as one of them said, “The trouble is, I don’t even know what kind of ice cream LeAnn likes.”

I gasped with delight. “Well,” said I. “You’re in luck. I’m LeAnn, and I like Dreyers Light, preferably something chocolate.” They laughed and thanked me, and I assured them I was looking forward to the surprise party that someone is obviously planning for me, and really, I’d be happy with any kind of ice cream that they bought me.  They quickly excused themselves and got out of the way so that I could get the Dreyer’s Light Vanilla that I needed. Such nice young men.

As I paid for the ice cream, I told the clerk how much I love coming to Fred Meyer these days and enthusiastically shared my recent experiences with her. The gentleman in line behind me was unashamedly eavesdropping and at the conclusion of my tale, he said, “And I bet you aren’t a day over 29, are you?”

“Why thank  you, I don’t believe I am,” said I. “That settles it, I am definitely coming back here tomorrow.”

As I left, I plotted that I should probably make an appearance in the potato chip aisle the next day in hopes of another serendipitous encounter with as yet unknown friends. However, when I told my husband of my latest Fred Meyer adventure, he cautioned me about making a habit of flirting with men at Freddy’s.  Ha, flirting with 80 something and 20 something men. Oh yes. I ignored his nonsense as usual. But then today in response to my story, a co-worker made a laughing remark about me turning into a flirt at Fred Meyer. Oh no. Is it true? I hereby vow to put a stop to daily visits to Fred Meyer before I allow my obsession with desserts to turn me into a pathetic flirtatious fool who hangs out in dessert aisles hoping some guy will either give me permission to eat cookies or offer to buy me ice cream. I must flee from temptation. Stop and think before I open my mouth and say stupid things to strangers.

Just another time my life could easily turn into an illustration of a quote of which I have to occasionally remind myself:
“If you can’t be a good example, you just might be a horrible warning.”