Breakfast at Multnomah Falls

Joe's son and his fiancee drove from the Olympia area today to have breakfast with us at the Multnomah Falls Restaurant. It was a cool, crisp, breezy fall morning. The fall colors were out in all their glory along the Historic Columbia River Highway.



WARNING!!!! THE NEXT PICTURE IS THAT OF A SPIDER

As we were waiting for the kids to arrive, we were enjoying people watching out the large picture window at our table. My chair was by the wall and my nose was almost at the window when all of a sudden it dawned on me I was eyeball to eyeball with "Charlotte." No I didn't scream. ( She was outside the window or I probably would have reacted) I was in awe of the beautiful web she had spun and how strong it was. I thought for sure the wind would "take her out". But she hung around the whole time we were there. This was the first time we have eaten here. I had shared a cinnamon roll with Joe while we were waiting so I only ordered a side order of scrambled eggs. It seemed to me the portions of all that was ordered was large, but the prices were reasonable and the service was great. It is less than an hour from our house and we for sure will come back again. Maybe for lunch next time.

Notice Mt. Hood in the distance.  Hardly any snow on it.  After we left Multnomah Falls we continued on the famous "Fruit Loop"  In the fall, it's many varieties of apples, and pears, and of course there were pumpkins everywhere.
One of our favorite stops on the Loop is the Apple Valley Store. ( I had to borrow this picture from the internet)  As we came around the corner  there were cars on both sides of the road. It was barbque Saturday and  they were making Apple Butter outdoors in a huge copper pot too.

Yesterday, I was showing off some of our great grand kiddos and  tonight here is the four boys of my oldest granddaughter. She tried to get it to me last night, but one of them didn't feel well and was in bed and the baby wouldn't look at her. I imagine it's pretty hard to get four boys to sit still too long for anything. Thank you Shawna for managing to get this one.  

For This I Have Jesus

I don't do this very often but it seemed to just "fit" where Joe and I are at the moment. So today, I'm gong to share what I read in my little devotion book. It's taken from OUR DAILY BREAD.

 The Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. Isaiah 49:13

There is rarely a problem-free season in our lives, but sometimes the onslaught is terrifying.

Rose saw her entire family, except for her two little daughters, slaughtered in the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. Now she is a widow among many widows with little money. But she refuses to be defeated. She has adopted two orphans and simply trusts God to provide for the food and school fees for her family of five. She translates Christian literature into the local language and organizes an annual conference for other widows. Rose wept as she told me her story. But for every problem in her life she has one simple remedy. “For this,” she said, “I have Jesus.”

God knows exactly what you are facing today. 

God knows exactly what you are facing today. Isaiah reminds us that God’s knowledge of us is so intimate that it is as if our names were written on the palms of His hands (Isa. 49:16). We may sometimes neglect the needs of others, even those who are closest to us, but God is aware of every detail of our lives. And He has given us His Spirit to guide, to comfort, and to strengthen us.

Think of the challenges you face at this moment, and then write these words beside each one as a reminder of His faithfulness and care: “For this, I have Jesus.”

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The following pictures of grand kids, great grand kiddos, and a teddy bear made me smile. Please click on picture to enlarge.

Fun at the pumpkin patch

Joe's grandson in the green and white

Saw this at Costco yesterday. The biggest teddy bear I've ever seen!

I'm Walking Again

A few weeks back, cabin fever was getting the best of us so Joe took us to the beach via Astoria. We both love to explore. This is old town Rainier, Oregon down by the waterfront 

Astoria is home to two Coast Guard Cutters. ALERT AND STEADFAST. They are based right next door to the Astoria Maritime Museum a must see if you are in the area. 

I use to live in Astoria and many times I'd walk to the waterfront and watch what is happening here.  The little white Pilot Ship you see here is taking off the bar pilot and putting on the river pilot.  Notice the little sailboat in the distance. 

We  went through Astoria, and then down the coast  to Depot bay, ate a Subway Sandwich we bought earlier while we watched the beautiful sunset then headed back home, a whopping 420 miles RT.

The fall colors are beautiful again this fall

We were on our way to visit friends in Oregon City and I looked up in an easterly direction to see this. I hollered for Joe to come look. Then we turned around 

The other direction to see this beautiful sunset.I don't remember ever having seen a double rainbow or any rainbow in the evening.  So beautiful.

We were so blessed to have long time friends Jim and Neila park their rig at Clackamette RV Park just off Interstate 205 for the weekend, on their way to the desert for the winter.  It has been over two loooooong years since we saw them last. The time went so fast. It seems like we were hugging them hello and poof we were hugging them goodbye. The good news is we will be seeing them now and then this winter. 

I've waited a long time for this.  I had my stitches out this morning and this afternoon I was out walking again. It feels so good. Doc said no PT and don't start off doing 10,000 a day :P  He also said he'd never heard of a Fitbit until he did my surgery.  He was excited to tell me he and his wife now have Fitbits.

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For those of you who were expecting us at  Verde Valley early November, our plans have changed. Due to some health problems and upcoming tests, we have had to cancel there. We are hoping to come to  Verde Valley now March 7-28th. Hope to see you then.

From White to Clear

Saturday, October 5th, my granddaughter, Leesha White, married her best friend, Michael Clear and we gained another grandson. This will be a very short post because I think the pictures and her beautiful smile say it all.

Welcome to our family Mike. 

Thank you for your prayers and well wishes. My knee is still pretty sore, but every day it gets better.

ALL THIS ...............FOR THIS.....

This past Monday I finally had the meniscus tear in my knee repaired. The doctor also ground and shaved some bone off that arthritic old knee. I went into surgery about 3:00PM and was in recovery about 4:00PM and back in my room about 4:30.  We got home close to 7:00PM.  He sent me home with a bottle of pain pills but except for in the evening and the night, I haven't had to use them. The blue wrap you see on my knee is an  aircast cryo cuff gravity cooler with knee cuff that came home from the hospital with me too.  If you look carefully on the floor to the left of my leg is a Jug with a white lid and handle. It is full of ice.  Joe hooks it to the cuff, and holds it up high while the cuff fills with cold water.  When it starts warming up, he connects the little hose to the jug again, empties the warm water back into the jug and reloads it with cold water again. 

Today, Friday, I removed the ace wrap and all the gauze and this is all that's left.  The steri strips and the couple of stitches will be removed on the 20th.  I'm so thankful for how smoothly everything went. I am able to walk with out the walker they sent home with me too. Thank you so much to all of you for your prayers and well wishes. Thank you to my Joe for all his tender loving care, keeping me fed, and the house spic and span clean.