Cape Disappointment, Day 3

Last evening the rain stopped long enough for us to have our first campfire of the year.  It was cold outside so we huddled fairly close to the fire.  We cut the fire short when it started raining again around 8:45 pm.  We had rain during most of the night and rain again this morning.  But around 10:45 this morning, the rain stopped and it didn't rain again just now at 5:10 pm. 

We took a drive to Ocean Park, Nahcotta, and Oysterville.  We drove along the beach north of Ocean Park and saw this private lighthouse.  When we tried to track it down, the entrance had a large gate that was closed.  Guess they don't like visitors.

This part of the Washington coast allows cars to drive on the beach.  Since we have a 4-wheel-drive vehicle, we like to drive on the beach occasionally.  This is the view of the ocean that we had:

After we got back from the drive, Dave and I went for a 7-mile bike ride around the park. 

Here's a picture of Dave and me that Charlie took yesterday.  Cape Disappointment Lighthouse is way in the background above our heads, and the jetty is right behind us. 

And here is a picture of Charlie and Pam:

Cape Disappoinment, Day 2

The sun is out for a few minutes and children are out on the bikes riding around the circle loop.  This week is spring break for some of the Washington schools so there are lots of families camping at the beach. 

Pam and I went to the laundromat at the store at the park because she needed to wash some towels.  When they winterized their motorhome they opened their taps and forgot to close them again when they arrived at this campground.  Their bathroom floor and part of their carpet got wet, so she had to mop up the mess with towels. 

The park had only one dryer, so we went to Ilwaco to dry the towels.  While there we walked around the marina and shops.  The town is a combination of a traditional fishing village and more recently, an artists' area.  This is where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. 

The following picture of a sculpture of a California condor depicts a writing of William Clark's (of Lewis and Clark fame) in which he wrote about seeing a "buzzard" with a 10-foot wing span.

And here's a picture of one of the fish markets:

My obligatory lighthouse picture features the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse:

And the amazing clouds:

Cape Disappointment State Park, WA

We arrived at Cape Disappointment State Park in Washington, which is about three hours from our house.  It's one of our favorite state parks because of its location at the beach.  The only bad thing about this park is that I have absolutely no Verizon cell service at this site (#21).  Dave hooked up the external antenna and was able to get two bars of service, which is barely enough to access the internet through his phone.  But here I am, online, and doing a crossword puzzle from a book while waiting for each screen to load. 

The weather is stormy, windy, rainy, with occasional glimpses of the sun.  In other words, normal weather for the Washington state coast in March.  Charlie and Pam, the couple that bought our 2000 31W Bounder, are camped next to us.  All four of us, plus their dog, walked on the beach this afternoon during high tide.  Walking north on the beach was great, with a great view of North Head Lighthouse, but turning around to go back to the campground was a different story.  Windy!  We made it safely back to our motorhomes and while Dave helped Charlie install his satellite receiver, Pam and I continued walking.  We thought we were on a trail to the amphitheater but we ended up at the dump station???  The guys teased us about that one. 

Here is a picture of the winter storm debris along the path to the beach:

And a picture of Dave at our campsite:

That's all the pictures I'm going to post for now because the connection is too slow.  Maybe (miraculously?) the signal will be better tomorrow.

Thanks for reading!

Update

When I started this blog last April 17, it was with the idea of keeping family and friends updated about my upcoming open heart surgery.  Well, it was exactly eleven months ago today that my aortic valve was replaced with a mechanical valve.  Dave updated the blog for me while I was in the hospital.  He did a great job and the blog became a good diary of those days.  I just reread all the entries for last April. 

My new heart valve is going strong and so is my blog.  I rarely write about health issues these days since I am all well now!  Gradually my blog is turning more into an RV travel blog.  This week we are going to Cape Disappointment State Park in Washington and in a couple of weeks we leave for our big Grand Cicle RV trip.

Recently three new "followers" have begun reading my blog.  A big welcome to Rick and Paulette, John Souva Jr, and a belated welcome to Margie M.  Margie, I feel like you and I are old friends by now, even though we've never met.  Since we aren't full-time RVers, my blog, as you might have noticed, veers off into other topics that are of interest to me. 

Thank you to all of you who take the time to read my blog.  Jackie, Sandy, Judy, Kiersten, Tim, and Dave, I appreciate you who have been faithful blog readers since the beginning! 

Timothy Keller

One of the preachers that I like to listen to is Timothy Keller.  He has a heart for the city and is pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA) in New York City.  Many of his sermons are available online free of charge here.  I also like his books because they are very clear and readable and make an impact on me.  His book Reason for God is excellent.  Keller's newest book is Counterfeit Gods.  Both of these websites contain a very short explanation from Timothy Keller about why he wrote the books. 

Just to whet your appetite for Keller's writing and sermons, here is a quote from Counterfeit Gods:

“How can we break our heart’s fixation on doing ’some great thing’ in order to heal ourselves of our sense of inadequacy, in order to give our lives meaning? Only when we see what Jesus, our great Suffering Servant, has done for us will we finally understand why God’s salvation does not require us to do ’some great thing.’ We don’t have to do it, because Jesus has. . . . Jesus did it all for us, and he loves us — that is how we know our existence is justified. When we believe in what he accomplished for us with our minds, and when we are moved by what he did for us in our hearts, it begins to kill off the addiction, the need for success at all costs.
- Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods (New York, NY: Dutton, 2009), 93-94.

More about CASA

Today I went to a Reasonable Efforts Symposium.  The subtitle was "Best Practices in Dependency".  This program is funded by a grant from the Washington State Courts and is part of the Court Improvement Program.  When I went to this symposium last year, the title sounded like a lot of gobbledy gook.  I didn't realize that all the professionals involved in the dependency court process were represented at the symposium.  That includes the commissioners and judges, attorneys for the parents, social workers for the parents, social workers for the children, the assistant attorney generals who represent the state, psychologists, foster parents, and of course, CASAs and GALs (Guardian ad Litems).

The symposium is held in Longview, WA, each year and people from the counties of Clark, Cowlitz, Skamania, Pacific, and Wahkiakum participated.  This year's theme was "Colliding Ethics...a Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Ethics and Dependency".  The presentations and discussions were pretty interesting.  The theme last year was "Purposeful Visitation".  I didn't like that discussion as well, partly because I had already heard the main speaker at a Washington State CASA Conference that I had attended. 

There were about 10 CASAs from Clark County at the Symposium and I felt honored to be among them.  It was a stimulating experience!  Click here for more information about the Court Improvement Program and click here for videos of part of symposium from prior years.

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate)

This afternoon I worked on my CASA review report which is due in a week or two.  CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate.  I am one of many volunteers who report to the court on behalf of the best interest of children who have been removed from their homes because of neglect or abuse.  The children may be placed with  relatives, or foster homes, or sometimes with a non-custodial parent.  The child becomes a dependent of the state, and the court proceedings are called dependency court.  Each case can last anywhere from a month to several years or more. 

To learn more about the CASA program that I work with, click here.

Cartoons

I found these cute cartoons on a new blog that I read, Veragirl's blog.

                       These dinosaurs missed the boat:

This one is me:

Stub Stewart State Park

Yesterday I wrote that spring was here.  Today, winter is back.  It's rained off and on and it's colder than yesterday.  We decided to go for a drive this afternoon.  We took the car, not the motorhome.  First we went to Portland to locate the football field at Lincoln High School where Dave will be refereeing some Saturday evening semi-pro games. 

Then we drove west on Highway 26 and went to L.L. "Stub" Stewart State Park.  It's one of the newest Oregon State Parks and is located 31 miles west of Portland and about 12 miles south of Vernonia, OR.  The park is located in a hilly area and has 17 miles of trails for walking, bicycling, and horses.  The  paved Banks-Vernonia Rail Trail bike path runs through the park. 

Since the park is new, all sites have full-hookups with 50 amp power.  The sites are each 50 feet long.  There are two camping loops, West, which has 43 RV sites and 12 tent sites, and East, which has 35 RV sites.  All the sites are gravel, but the roads are paved.  The East loop has a very nice play structure for children.  We were checking for Verizon service at the park and noticed that there's a cell tower not too far from the park, so the signal was good. 

The park has a separate loop with 12 small cabins and 3 large two-room cabins.  In addition, there is another loop that is a horse camp, with 14 full hookup sites and 4-stall corracls and 2 double-size full hookup sites with 6-stall corrals.  Those RV sites are also 50 amp, 50-foot sites. 

The park also has a nice day-use area which has a good view over the tops of the trees on the hills.  The trails may be accessed from the day-use area.  Day-use parking costs $5 per day. 

The registration area:

Site #9 in the West Loop:

Spring is Here

We had to leave Champoeg yesterday, boo hoo!  Duty calls, though.  Last night we went to a seminar sponsored by Christ Our Redeemer Chuch entitled "Building Biblical Relationships".  This morning Dave had to be at the youth flag football games and tonight he is refereeing a semi-pro game between the Vancouver Vipers and the Portland Monarchs at Kiggins Bowl.  In the midst of all the football, our neighbors decided to cut down a big tree in their front yard and needed to borrow Dave's chain saw. 

I went for a 7.5 mile bike ride around our neighborhood.  It was short-sleeve weather but a bit breezy while I was riding.  This is the first time that I've ridden in our neighborhood since last fall.  It was great to be out and about.  Many people were working in the yards or playing with their kids.  Spring is here!

Disc Golf

Champoeg is one of several Oregon state parks that features an 18-hole disc golf course.  The game is played with frisbees which are thrown into baskets like this:

For people who, unlike me, can aim a frisbee and throw it correctly, it's a fun game.  The game is popular all year, not just in the summer.  There is even a Professional Disc Golf Association.  One time we were camping at Milo McIver State Park which has a very well-kept up disc golf course.  We were playing like the amateurs that we are, and we were "shushed" by some "professionals" who were playing in a tournament there.  Evidently the protocol is to be very quiet when they are throwing their shots, just like in real golf.  We didn't realize that they take the game very seriously.

We had beautiful weather today.  I tried to capture a picture of the sky so that you could see how blue it was.  The trees in this park are gorgeous. 

Besides cabins, this park has a few yurts:

We went for another bike ride and today I was able to ride 9 miles.  That's an improvement from yesterday!  Dave rode 10 miles, but I was busy taking pictures during that last mile.

Champoeg State Park

We went on a 6 mile bicycle ride this afternoon.  By the end of the summer, we should easily be able to ride 12 miles at a time.  Today, however, we had to start slowly since we haven't ridden all winter, except for the exercise bike, which is not quite the same.  Here are pictures of our site, an overview of the B Loop that we are staying in, our bikes, and one of the rental cabins. 

Alarm System

One of our neighbors' house was broken into a couple of weeks ago.  Since then, several of the neighbors have decided to get alarm systems.  The system we chose is Front Point. It had to be shipped from Virginia and arrived yesterday.  Dave began installing it but realized that the call transponder wasn't working correctly.  They shipped us a replacement part overnight via FedEx.  The part arrived around 2 pm today and Dave installed it and activated the account.  If there's a break in, the system will call our cell phones and then the police.  The system has a motion detector plus a loud alarm.

After the alarm system was installed and activated, we left for a camping trip to  Champoeg State Park (pronounced (Sham-poo'-ee) in Oregon.  It's one of our favorite parks and we stay here as often as we can.  The park is a little over an hour from home, so it's an easy drive.  We intended to leave home much earlier in the day but had to wait for the alarm system part to arrive.

From October through April, the Oregon State Parks charge "Discovery Season" rates and this beautiful state park is only $16 per night for full-hookup, 50 amp sites but they only have a few full-hookup sites so we reserved one.  The park is located south of Portland and Wilsonville and north of Woodburn.  It's far enough from the freeway that there is no freeway noise.  It's a very quiet and peaceful park in the midst of the beautiful Willamette Valley.
  

"Under God" and "In God We Trust" Upheld!

Court upholds 'under God' in Pledge of Allegiance:

By TERENCE CHEA, Associated Press Writer Terence Chea, Associated Press Writer – Thu Mar 11, 8:07 pm ET

SAN FRANCISCO – A federal appeals court in San Francisco upheld the use of the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance and "In God We Trust" on U.S. currency, rejecting arguments on Thursday that the phrases violate the separation of church and state.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel rejected two legal challenges by Sacramento atheist Michael Newdow, who claimed the references to God disrespect his religious beliefs.

"The Pledge is constitutional," Judge Carlos Bea wrote for the majority in the 2-1 ruling. "The Pledge of Allegiance serves to unite our vast nation through the proud recitation of some of the ideals upon which our Republic was founded."

The same court ruled in Newdow's favor in 2002 after he sued his daughter's school district for having students recite the pledge at school.

That lawsuit reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 2004, but the high court ruled that Newdow lacked the legal standing to file the suit because he didn't have custody of his daughter, on whose behalf he brought the case.

So Newdow, who is a doctor and lawyer, filed an identical challenge on behalf of other parents who objected to the recitation of the pledge at school. In 2005, a federal judge in Sacramento decided in Newdow's favor, ruling that the pledge was unconstitutional.

"I want to be treated equally," Newdow said when he argued the case before the 9th Circuit in December 2007. He added that supporters of the phrase "want to have their religious views espoused by the government."

In a separate 3-0 ruling Thursday, the appeals court upheld the inscription of the national motto "In God We Trust" on coins and currency, saying that the phrase is ceremonial and patriotic, not religious.

Reached on his cell phone, Newdow said he hadn't been aware that the appeals court had ruled against him Thursday.

"Oh man, what a bummer," he said.

Newdow said he would comment further after he had read the decisions.

Book Recommendation

I just finished reading this book.  It was published in 2009 and, in my opinion, is one of this author's finest books.  It was a riveting "page turner".  Here's the blurb from the book jacket: 

In the heat of the Arizona desert, a raging fire pushes temperatures to a deadly degree, and one woman is left to burn. Pulled naked and barely breathing from the fire, the victim has no idea who she is, let alone who would do this to her -- or why. In her hospital bed she drifts in and out of consciousness, her only means of communicating a blink of the eye. And then an angel appears.

Misguidedly known around town as the "Angel of Death," Sister Anselm has devoted her life to working as an advocate for unidentified patients. To her burn patient, she is a savior. But to this Jane Doe's would-be killer, Sister Anselm's efforts pose a serious threat. Ali Reynolds is on the scene as the new media relations consultant for the Yavapai County Police Department, keeping reporters at bay and circumventing questions about arson and a link to a domestic terrorist group called Earth Liberation Front. But her job quickly becomes much more.



As Ali struggles to help Sister Anselm uncover the helpless woman's identity, they realize that by locating the missing relatives they may be exposing the victim once more to a remorseless killer determined to finish the job. Faced with the possibility of putting all three of their lives in jeopardy, Ali fearlessly pursues justice -- and what she discovers is a secret even darker and more twisted than she ever could have imagined.



About the Author

J.A. Jance is the top 10 New York Times bestselling author of the Joanna Brady series; the J. P. Beaumont series; three interrelated thrillers featuring the Walker family; and Ali Reynolds series. Born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Arizona, Jance lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona. 

Sonic

I didn't feel like cooking tonight, so we decided to go to the Sonic drive-in restaurant which is not too far from our house.  I had a hankering for a hot dog and Sonic's extra-long chili cheese dog fit the bill.  Too many calories, but very yummy in taste. 

Doesn't this just say "eat me"?

Enhanced Driver's License

I needed to renew my driver's license and decided to apply for the new "enhanced" Washington State license.  It costs $15 more than the regular license and can be used instead of a passport for all land and sea travel between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean.  It cannot be used for air travel.  They told me it might take 45 days to get the hard copy, but I got it in 12 days.

Here's the website describing the Enhanced Driver's License (EDL): http://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/edlfaq.html

Why is Washington State using EDLs?

The federal government recently passed the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), which requires a passport or other federally-approved identification or proof-of-citizenship document for all travel into the United States. To preserve travel, trade, and cultural ties with British Columbia and increase security at the border, we are offering EDL/EID Cards to Washington residents who choose to participate. The EDL/EID meets federal requirements, and is an approved alternative to a passport for re-entry into the U.S at land and sea borders between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean.

What is Radio Frequency Identification:

Radio Frequency Identification is a wireless technology that stores and retrieves data remotely. An RFID system typically includes an RFID tag with a microchip and antenna embedded in a card or other item, an RFID reader, and a database.

Current Events

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Pastini Pastaria

Yesterday was our daughter-in-law Kiersten's birthday.  We joined Tim and Kiersten for dinner at the restaurant of her choice, Pastini Pastaria at Bridgeport Village in Tigard.  I had a butternut squash ravioli dish.  I don't usually eat ravioli, but this dish was excellent. Yummy! 

They have four restaurants in Portland, besides the one in Tigard and one in Beaverton.  And they also have a branch in Bend and in Corvallis.  None in Vancouver, which may be just as well since we would go there too often.  Maybe I'll try this dish next time we go there:

From Gene Veith's blog Cranach: The Blog of Veith:

In more archaeological news, the wall that Solomon built around Jerusalem has been discovered.

“The city wall that has been uncovered testifies to a ruling presence. Its strength and form of construction indicate a high level of engineering”, [Eliat] Mazar said. The city wall is at the eastern end of the Ophel area in a high, strategic location atop the western slop of the Kidron valley.

“A comparison of this latest finding with city walls and gates from the period of the First Temple, as well as pottery found at the site, enable us to postulate with a great degree of assurance that the wall that has been revealed is that which was built by King Solomon in Jerusalem in the latter part of the tenth century B.C.E.,” said Mazar.

“This is the first time that a structure from that time has been found that may correlate with written descriptions of Solomon’s building in Jerusalem,” she added. “The Bible tells us that Solomon built — with the assistance of the Phoenicians, who were outstanding builders — the Temple and his new palace and surrounded them with a city, most probably connected to the more ancient wall of the City of David.” Mazar specifically cites the third chapter of the First Books of Kings where it refers to “until he (Solomon) had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.

This is especially significant because a whole line of liberal Biblical critics maintains that David and Solomon were mythological. Added to that are Islamic scholars who deny any and all historical claims of Jews to the Holy Land.

Elian Mazan next to Solomon's Wall:

Undercover Boss

Now that the Olympics are over, we can get back to watching other TV shows.  We love Amazing Race and never miss an episode.  A new show that we just discovered is Undercover Boss.  In this show, CEOs work undercover in their companies for a week or so.  This week we watched one of the owners of White Castle hamburgers go undercover.  It was fun to watch someone at his level struggle when he had to do some of the factory jobs and store jobs.  It turned out to be a heart-warming show when he later honored some of the people that he met during his week in the field.  The show is on CBS, Sundays at 9 pm PST.  Check it out here.