Changes

Changes came hourly it seems.  News of Aunt Polly's death Sunday afternoon prompted the need to scratch my visit to Ruth in Reno.  Sad to realize Aunt Polly and I will not have our girls week next month while Jim goes to Hawaii.  Although there were some hard moments last fall what was learned and the great times we had far surpassed any blips.  "All good things must come to an end", that must be something from Anonymous.  Sad also to miss the many wonderful plans Ruth had made for our several days in Reno together.  Sad, but uplifting for Jan, JillXan and me to meet at Cannon Beach for their first trip to "The Compass", their beach house.   Times like these are the priceless values of the losses that we have experienced.  Changes happen and hopefully we are better for them.

This was the first remodel of the Cannon Beach house.  A tiny house on the beachfront.  Later, before Bob died 10 years ago, they bought the house to the right and then joined the two together with a gallery after Bob died to create . . .








this beautiful home.

The view from the lane entry one block west of the Coaster Theater.

It was a quick 24-hour visit with a dear friend.  A few tears, a lot of hugs, much sharing of our lives with Jan's old photos, my GramME quilt book and a family photo calendar brought us up-to-date and ready to move on.  This was there first visit back to the beach house since her son, Devin's, fatal car accident in July.   Wonderful lunch at The Lumberyard--prawn, Tillamook quessadilla, then salmon dinner at a charming place on Hemlock . . . walks on the beach.  I want you to know the GramME story quilt meant a lot especially to JX.  Memories make a difference as we live our lives after losses.

A favorite spot to read in the gallery. 

One day's harvest of sand dollars.

I guess you need to know to walk to the north.  I walked to the south and didn't see many shells except a lovely orange crab shell.

Eeyore, JillXan, Jan and the Haystack to the south of The Compass

and to the north the lighthouse and Lewis and Clark's view of the Pacific.

Eeyore and Jan.


Jan and ME.

From The Compass garden, "If tears could build a stairway. . .

 Until we meet again at Cannon Beach.  Here's hoping Ruth will be able to join us.











A look back to the Oakridge days . . .

Martial Arts class.

 
Ian, Gus, Lily, Brad and a neighbor riding the tracks.

Gus takes some air.

Ian's turn, Heather cruising.

Lily and I ate wild blackberries.  No need to have vines in your backyard--they are everywhere.

Brad and his boys.

Lily's table of clay doodles.  This one is a feast table.  She will tell you all that is there and the recipes as well.  I bought one of her paintings.  Now she really is an artist.

September 7, 2009, #72.

Some cousin shenannigans at GramME's.
Now who do you think this might be?

How fortunate it was that Brad had two weeks vacation.  Heather and family came to UT for Great Aunt Polly's funeral and some days of fun in Midvale, Mapleton and Salt Lake.  Now everyone's home and we can look forward to our 2010 reunion at Bear Lake Villas in August.