Or - Maybe Not!

It looks like Priscilla will have other company on her trip north!

Heading for the North Land

After almost five years that she has lived with us, Priscilla is moving back to Alaska. There have been many great things about her living here, and we will miss her often and thoroughly. But she isn't done with Alaska and her family calls from there.

Monday morning we plan to begin the trip. We'll start with a loaded U-Haul and drive it and her car to Tacoma. There the hired day-labor guys will unload the U-Haul onto pallets before the pallets are loaded into a container which will then be loaded onto a barge which will take her things up to Anchorage.

Tuesday morning early, the plan is to drive north as far as we can get - hopefully to Prince George. We want to drive very far per day in warmer, lighter B.C.. Who knows what weather and roads will bring in the Yukon and Alaska? Actually, snow and cold are anticipated for much of the trip.

I expect great beauty. I expect long cold days. I pray for the Lord's covering. Would you pray for us on our trip?

After a couple of recuperation/visiting days in Anchorage, I will board a large jet plane and fly direct to Portland. It will be good to get back home.

Annual Breakfast with Jim

For anyone's information, our brother Jim works as a spiritual mentor (I think that's the politically correct term) with the athletes from a prestigious university located in Palo Alto, CA. Anyway, he travels with the football team and they were up to play the Beav's in Corvallis, but they stayed in Eugene. We usually drive north to share breakfast with him on game day. Since this is Priscilla's last opportunity (as she is moving back to Alaska), off we went.

The sunrise down the valley was worth a photo before we took off.

This is the properly posed version...
...this is the - "Wait! I wasn't ready and was talking" version!

Mr. Camera-shy actually agreed to pose with Jim and me! We had a great time chatting over a nice breakfast before Jim had to move on with his duties.

Big Buck on Hunting Season's First Day!

Todd had just told me that he had never gotten a buck on the first day of hunting season. A few minutes later he said, "There's a huge buck! Everyone stay back from the windows!" (In case you don't know, we live on 14 acres on top of a mountain - our own hunting grounds!) Of course, we all gathered at the windows to see what was going on! It was amazing - this large buck had about four does with him and he was just casually browsing right beside the driveway.

Todd harvested him in exactly the same spot as last year's buck, and Tyler helped skin and clean him out. Freezer meat!
Good eating this winter - way to go, Todd!!!

"Duct Tape" Days for Homecoming

Todd and Michael created this amazing Viking helmet for Michael's senior year homecoming duct tape day.

All that weight training and football practice is paying off!
The Nacho Libre mask even got a duct-tape covering!

Bandon Pier

Life jackets are available for children to wear while walking on the pier - use and return. Great idea. Not sure if that bird is a juvenile seagull or another species.

Crab pot watchers.
These folks were tending crab pots farther out.

So here is the first of a pair of seals, just hanging out! They hit the jackpot with salmon bits and bones washed from a fish cleaning sink out on the pier. The seagulls were pretty happy too!

This seal has a healed gash on its back. It certainly hasn't impaired its ability to eat - this dude or dudette was chubby! And amazingly maneuverable in the water. Really fun to watch!

Beach at Bandon Yesterday

Annie had a blast at the beach! She is still sleeping after a few hours yesterday chasing seagulls and running amok.

The huge outcroppings of rocks out on the Bandon beaches may be left over from a very old lava flow. All I know is, they are really cool to look at.

What a nice beach to walk on and a perfect day - 75 degrees, light breeze. Aaah.