Better Late Than Never

Today was the day we planned to leave home for our trip to California.  We were up and ready to go by 9 am.  When Dave went out to back the motorhome out of the driveway and hook up the car, he noticed that the motorhome had a very flat driver's side front tire. 

Dave put in a call to our Good Sam Emergency Road Service and about five hours later someone came from Les Schwab Tires to remount the tire and put air in it.  We thought that five hours was a pretty long time to wait for service, but at least we were still at home and not stranded out on a highway. 

About 2:30 pm we were able to leave home, but first we had to drive to our nearest Les Schwab dealer that can handle trucks, the one just south of Kaady Car Wash on Mill Plain in Vancouver.  They checked the tire and found that a plastic grommet that goes on the valve cover had cracked.  The service person said that he sees a cracked grommet about once a year, so it's not that common, but does happen once in a while.

Finally around 3:50, we were able to leave Les Schwab, hook up the car, and head south on I-205 along the east side of Portland, OR.  We expected to hit traffic at that time of day, but we had very little traffic the whole way south, so that was a blessing. 

We stopped for the night at Seven Feathers Casino RV Park in Canyonville, Oregon, our intended destination for tonight.  We arrived here around 8 pm, which wasn't too bad considering what a late start we got. 

We took the shuttle over to the casino to get some food since I didn't feel like cooking after our stressful day.  After we ate, we played a penny slot machine and had some fun while winning $7.  I used to say that I wasn't a gambler, but I could get used to winning a few dollars occasionally!

Tomorrow we will continue driving south on I-5 as we tackle the Siskiyou mountain pass and hope to get through there after any snow and ice has melted or been cleared.  Our destination tomorrow night (we hope) will be an RV park in Corning, CA. 

Happy Thanksgiving

Vancouver, Washington, like much of the Pacific Northwest, has been experiencing very cold (for us) weather and some snow.  The temps have been in the high teens at night and not a whole lot warmer during the day.  Here's a couple of pictures of the snow at our house, which turned out to be less than what was originally predicted.  Still, it was enough snow to cause school cancellations at some of the higher elevations on Tuesday.

Here's a prayer for Thanksgiving from Pastor Kim Riddlebarger's website:

Our Sovereign God, who created all things for your pleasure and who gives to all life, breath, and every good thing, we praise you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life. For rain and sunshine, in abundance and in lack, we acknowledge that our times are in your hands. You supply all of your creatures with your good gifts: the just and the unjust alike. Nevertheless, we especially give you praise for the surpassing greatness of your saving grace that you have shown to us in Christ Jesus our Savior. For our election in him before the foundation of the world; for our redemption by him in his life, death, and resurrection; for our effectual calling, justification, sanctification, and all of the blessings of our union with him, we give you our heartfelt thanks. And we look with great anticipation toward that day when you will raise us to life everlasting, glorified and confirmed in righteousness, so that we may sing your praises without the defilement of our present weaknesses, distractions, and sins. As you have served us with these gifts, we ask that you would give us grateful hearts so that through us you may serve our neighbors. In the name of Jesus Christ our Savior, Amen.

Have a happy, safe Thanksgiving!

Ultrasound

Just a little something to keep us going until the due date next April:

The prediction is that the baby is a grandDAUGHTER!  Since Dave and I have two sons, this is very welcome news.  It's about time that we have a girl in our family, besides our wonderful daughter-in-law, this is!  And if the ultrasound isn't correct, a baby boy would be very welcome, too.

Where's the Craft Show?

Pam's sister and her husband came to Ocean Shores yesterday and saw signs for a local holiday craft show.  All six of us piled into two cars and went in search of the craft show.  We came into town and immediately saw the signs, very nice signs.  The signs pointed out the day, the time, the location, and even the address.  The problem was that since we were visitors to Ocean Shores, we didn't have any idea where that address was.  The signs did not include any arrows or any other clues to what direction we should head in.

One of the signs said that the craft show was going to be held at the community center.  Since we didn't know where the community center was location, we thought that maybe they meant the "Convention Center".  We drove by the convention center, which is located right in the main area of town, but we saw no indication that a craft fair was being held there.  We drove on out of town, towards the marina area, and then back again, a total of ten miles.  No signs, and no sign of a craft show.

We stopped at the library and asked a librarian if she new where the community center was.  She directed us to the Convention Center.  I was kicking myself that we should have stopped at the Convention Center to begin with.  Both of our cars parked at the convention center, we went inside and asked some women sitting at a table if this was the craft fair.  "No," they said, "This is an AA Convention!".  They didn't know where the craft show was being held.

We finally found some local people who were looking for the craft show at the Convention Center, too.  When we told them it was at the community center, they were able to give us directions, which, naturally, led us five miles back to the marina area. 

We finally found the community center, and yes, a craft show was being held there!  I spent a whole dollar and bought a very over-priced tea light candle from a young boy. 

On our trip around and around Ocean Shores (in the rain), we saw at least six deer.  We got a few glimpses of the ocean and the b ay through the trees and houses, and we visited a very nice Convention Center and also a very nice community center.  Now about those signs....

Power? Who Needs Power?

This morning, Friday, just as we were getting up, the power went out.  It turns out that someone had an accident and hit a power pole.  Even though we prefer to have power for our motorhome, we can get by just fine (for a while) without power.

Yesterday we made the 45 minute drive north from Grayland to Ocean Shores.  We are staying at another state park, Ocean City State Beach.  We had a lot of rain yesterday and there were puddles everywhere since this is another older state park which doesn't have sufficient drainage.  But, again, we have full-hooks and are paying the off-season resident senior fee of $6, so we aren't complaining.

Our friends, Charlie and Pam, arrived at the park a couple of hours after we got here.  We visited for a while and then decided to go to Quinault Casino which is located near the state park for their $4.95 dinner special.  The portions weren't large, but were adequate.  We also decided to go back today for the $1.99 breakfast special. 

Quinault Indian Casino in Ocean Shores, WA

This morning after we this area lost power, we were glad that we had decided to eat breakfast at the casino.  The casino didn't have power either, but they had generators going, so the slot machines were all working.  Breakfast was served by candlelight, and the toaster didn't work, but we were served eggs, sausage, and hashbrowns.  Dave won $12 while we waited for breakfast, so he was able to treat us all to the breakfast special. 

After Charlie played some blackjack and Pam won $5 playing a slot machine, we all drove north on Highway 109 to Taholah where the maintained road ended.  We checked out a few RV parks, including two Camp Club USA 1/2 price parks, and enjoyed some views of the Pacific Ocean.

We stopped for lunch at a little place in Pacific Beach.  The weather was so nice today that we were able to eat lunch outside in the sunshine.  Pacific Beach State Park is one of the nicest parks in the state system, located right on the beach.  This park is always full in the summer even though it doesn't have full hookups. 

Charlie places his order at Falcon's Nest

When we got back from our drive around 2:30, the power was back on, so we are once again happy campers!

Grayland Beach State Park, WA

We are at another Washington state park where the off-season senior rates are $6/night.  This park has full hookups, but 30 amp instead of 50 amp.  We have a satellite signal, but a poor Verizon signal. 

Yesterday it rained all day so we did a couple of errands in Aberdeen.  This morning the sun was shining and the temperature was around 50 degrees.  We drove south to Tokeland and the Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation.

At Tokeland we visited the historical Tokeland Hotel.

Then we headed back north on Highway 105 and visited Westport, WA.

One of the highlights of Westport was a visit to the Grays Harbor Light Station.

 

The view of the ocean from the paved trail along the beach.

Westport's Maritime Museum

Westport's harbor contains many fishing boats--both charter and private.

After a walk along the harbor, we stopped for a tasty lunch at Bennett's.

Maryhill Art Museum

Maryhill Art Museum is located on a hill above the Columbia River, just south of Biggs Junction, where U.S. Highway 97 crosses I-84.   The museum entrance fee is $7 per person, but the grounds may be viewed free of charge.  One day I viewed the outdoor sculpture garden, and another day I visited the inside of the museum.  Since flash photography was not allowed, I decided not to take any pictures inside the museum.

Maryhill Art Museum

This chateau-style museum was built by Sam Hill for his residence.  He didn't actually ever live here, though, because his wife, Mary, did not like the weather in the northwest and moved back to the east. 

Sam Hill

In addition to building Stonehenge and Maryhill Museum, Sam Hill also built the Portal Peace Arch in Blaine, WA, which marks the boundary between the USA and Canada.  He also built the historic Columbia River Highway, which is still used today and parallels I-84.

Entrance to Maryhill Museum

The art museum contains various exhibits--Lewis and Clark, Native People of North America, sculptures and drawings by Auguste, Rodin, a section about Loie Fuller, and many items from Queen Marie of Romania, who was a friend of Sam Hill's and came to the dedication of the museum.  Also included was a section called Theatre de la Mode, with small doll-like models of fashions from 1946 Paris, and a special exhibit of graphic arts. 

My favorite, however, is the ongoing exhibit of chess sets from around the world.  Those were all works of art.  One of the most striking chess sets was not because of its ornateness but because of its eerie message.  It was from 1926 Russia and was titled Socialists vs Capitalists.  The Socialist chess pieces were robust, healthy looking citizens, and the Capitalist pieces were sick-looking people wrapped in chains.  Very eerie portrayal.  I looked at that for a long time and thought, how interesting that socialism vs capitalism is very much in the news again today in 2010.  If you have to guess which side I'm rooting for, you don't know me very well!

The grounds of the museum are relaxing and peaceful.  Below are pictures of some of the outdoor sculptures.

Another couple of views of Maryhill Art Museum

Part of the garden at Maryhill Museum

The view from the museum  looking to the south across the Columbia River Gorge