Loose in PDX

Mom, Don, and I spent last weekend in Portland. Saturday afternoon, while Don and I kept our date with Topol at the Keller Auditorium for one of his final tour performances in the musical Fiddler on the Roof, Mom was squired around by Sarah and Jennifer. Focusing their shopping efforts at Washington Square Mall, Mom consented to ride in a borrowed wheelchair from one end to the other, shopping all the way. Finishing the afternoon off with ice cream, Mom drank every bit of her rootbeer float. Although both wheelchair drivers were nearly fired for recklessness, they won back enough points to be offered by Grammy the opportunity to do it again in a couple months so that she could Christmas shop. Unfortunately for us, Danielle had to work all weekend, but she joined us afterwards every evening for dinner.

Mom's favorite conquest was this pair of Aerosoles.

Hood River Family Reunion 2009

Objectives:

Reconnection

Eating

Laughter

Mission:

To gather without a funeral

Motto:

The rules are: No Rules!

Favorite Fashions:

Teresa's shoes

Danielle's glasses

Favorite Quote:

I'm still waiting for my fat to render.

Most of Clyde and Carol's Clan

Most of Betty and Vern's Clan

Click here to view these photos and others at Photobucket.

Sarah's Summer Digs

For the fun of easy access to downtown summer life, Sarah has rented and decorated a studio appartment in the rejuvenated Pearl. It was fun to see her creative spin on this 1920's apartment. She is a natural at pulling things together.

Time Out

We stretched out our blankets under the trees at a nearby park and enjoyed...

good music...
good food...

and good company.

Thank you, daughters!

- Love, Mom

The Fabulous Fourth

We accomplished quite a bit at Mom's house last week. It was nice to do a little each day rather than trying to cram it all into one day. By the time we left we had cleaned inside, oiled the cabinet doors in the kitchen, fertilized the lawn, pulled more weeds in the flowerbeds, and watered, watered, watered. By the weekend we were ready for a break and some Fourth of July small town entertainment.

The best part of the week, however, was seeing family and friends.

Our Mission

I took Mom back to her house for two nights and three days of gardening. My mission was to make a dent in the overgrown flowerbeds and thoroughly water the yard and flowers. We had some warning from family and neighbors that much needed to be done, but it was still a sad shock to see how tall and thick the weeds were and how patchy, overgrown, and dotted with milkweeks the grass was. These pictures don't begin to show how dismal it looked. This was the first time that I felt it looked uncared for. I felt bad for Mom as we drove up and resolved to throw myself into the task and not let her sidetrack me with inside jobs. As soon as we were unloaded and she was settled inside I began. Thankfully, reinforcements started coming the next day.

Rock Garden

Back Yard

Front Yard

Daughter-Grandaughter Power

Danielle arrived Friday morning and Sarah came in at dusk that night. I think we were drawn as much by that invisible, unnamed family umbilical cord that is rooted somehow in this homestead place even more than by the mission we were undertaking. This house, which is held together by the sweat equity of my parents seems to be our cradle symbol for family.

Armed with tools we began under the watchful eye of Ellie, our director and comrad.