Bucket List...

My friend, Mrs. Vox at If You Don't Like it, Get the Hell Off My Blog - or something similar, just posted about the things she wants to do with her daughter instead of buying her "stuff."  So, she asked about having a bucket list.

I made one several years ago, but it probably wasn't very realistic.  So, I'll try again, with things I think I can probably actually accomplish in my remaining years.

1.  Bike the Route of the Hiawatha
2.  Raise over $10,000 for a charity
3.  Build and live in our barnhouse
4.  Get a wildlife rehab permit
5.  Go on another cruise (or 3 or 4!)
6.  See Belize
7.  Own horses and miniature donkeys
8.  Visit Vermont
9.  Take the kids and grandkids on a vacation
10. Drive across the United States (maybe on Route 66!)

Doesn't that all sound like fun?  I know that I could actually cross at least 3 of those off my bucket list by the end of next summer. 

What's on your bucket list?

Free Flooring?????

My sister used to be married to Bob.  They lived in a cute little "shack" with no power or running water up past Reserve Park.  Bob reminds me of - me.  He loves anything old and is sure that he can find a use for just about anything and everything.

When Linda and Bob moved to Oregon, I went up and helped them move the contents of the shack and several wonderful outbuildings.  I'd love to have one of the outbuildings for a chicken coop.

I drooled the whole time.  Bob had some of the most awesome things stored away.  One thing I remember in particular, was tons of old flooring.  BEAUTIFUL old flooring.  So, when we were in Portland, Bob came to breakfast with us one morning.  I mentioned to him that if he ever decided he wanted to part with it, to let me know as we wanted to possibly buy it for our new barnhouse.

Evidently, Bob is ready to part with some things.  I know that I couldn't have pried it away from him 3 years ago.  But, he said if we would bring a truck over, he'd give it to us.  Oh my God!

Bob thinks the flooring came out of the old gym at the Caldwell High School.  I'm sure it would take some work, but how cool would that be to have that in our barnhouse?  I'm so excited to start this place I can hardly stand it. 

Our count so far:
20 ft. backbar out of the Dry Creek Mercantile - free
old farmhouse sink from the Dubys - free
3 old bar stools from the Homedale Merc - $100 (purchased at a yard sale about 5 years ago)
flooring from the Caldwell High School gym - free

I love that our new barnhouse will have a wonderful history as soon as it's built.  I know there won't be a day that goes by that I won't look at the floor and think about where it came from, or the backbar from the Merc, or the sink from the Dubys.

As soon as we sell our house, we're heading to Portland to pick up our floors...

Thelma and Louise, and Louise, and Louise...

Well, here it is in pictures.  We had such a wonderful time, but what really mattered was that mom had such a good time.  It was, after all, her 80th birthday party!

Mt. St. Helens was magnificent.  So hard to imagine the power of a volcano. 

To my wonderful sisters, thank you for making it so much fun.  To my niece and great niece, thanks for joining us for part of the time. 

And to mom, you're such a wonderful inspiration to us all...

THIS Was Strange...

I'll be writing a post about our wonderful long girl's weekend for mom's birthday, but first I have to write about one of the most bizarre things I've ever witnessed.

While driving to Mt. St. Helens on Sunday, my sister Kate, a total bird-nerd suddenly yells, "What's that?  Are those birds?"  Then just seconds later realizes what she's seeing.  Only now, we're all seeing it.  We watched it for about 45 seconds before they flew behind a mountain.  I handed my camera to my niece Lisa to get a picture from her window and this is it.

It was a commercial airliner, flying low with two fighter jets off the right wing and two more off the left wing.  It was so bizarre.  We watched the news and nothing.  Why on earth would 4 fighter jets be flying in formation off the wings of a commercial plane?  I know that many other people must have seen this.  It looked like the plane was possibly going to land in Portland although we were in southern Washington when we saw it.  Did any of you Oregon people see it?

We even thought of Will and Kate, but they were already in LA.  If there had been a terror threat on board, I'm sure there would have been something on the news.  You know how I love this kind of thing, but I want the mystery solved!

Any ideas?

10 Things I Learned From Mom...

In honor of my mother's 80th birthday (in a few days), I wanted to re-post a "tribute" I did to her several years ago...

10 Things I Learned From Mom…

Use proper English

Never use the word “fart”

Mom will always eat the burned pancake

The person who makes the telephone call, should always be the one to end the call

If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all

The words to “Mairzydoats and Dozydoats”

No matter how bad you feel, NEVER complain

That “You Are My Sunshine” is the best song to sing to your kids

No matter how old you are, you’re never too old to have fun

No matter what, mom will always love you

We love you mom!