Spring Vacation

Dear family and friends,
It is with a sigh I leave Spring Vacation and go back to work tomorrow. Not that I didn't work this week, too, but it was all discretionary and long-awaited projects I was doing.

We cleaned the basement. Yes, the last line of every "to do" list I've made in the past 10 years finally got top billing and we actually devoted ourselves to it. It's not done, but it's a lot better and the impetus to keep going is strong. Ron says he feels very encouraged--but he said that right when my energy was flagging so it may be suspect.

Okay, at the risk of losing you as friends I will show some "Before" pictures:
I am not legally responsible for the traffic signs in our basement--well, maybe legally, but not personally. It has to do with teenage sons.

But then these teenage sons grow up and come back home and offer to build a basement closet for you...
And the kids come one by one to collect their stored boxes...."Oh, I remember this..."
And they help to paint (first we washed and rinsed with TSP, then we primed, then 2 coats of paint)
It's looking a lot brighter already!
So, after a week of sorting, separating, and either tossing out or setting things aside for the camp garage sale, the painting felt like a celebration of progress. We have empty corners! We only got half of the basement area painted, though. Hopefully we can keep the pace up even with the return to normal activities.

This week we also had Grandma C. here with us. She brought books and things to do being forewarned of our agenda. We had many nice visits between our sessions in the basement. She said she enjoyed watching the traffic at our house, and she meant on the inside of it.Today, Sunday, we drove her back to her home in Sweet Home. We went down Highway 99 hoping to see the tulip fields in bloom, but it must be too early still. We saw lots of daffodils.
Then we had the great fortune of finding a beautiful spot along the Santiam River where we stopped to eat our McDonald's hot fudge sundaes--yum--and I took these pictures of the spring run-off. I wish you could hear the sound of this powerful water.



I just love moss and ferns!

The week also included surprise visits of friends bearing apricot coffeecake from MennoniteGirlsCanCook, daughters-in-law with blackberry coffeecake from the same recipe source, chocolate chip cookies from an adorable 3 year old, a day's outing with my daughter and a "spring tea" with her at a friend's. We celebrated my Dad's 84th birthday with a nice turkey dinner here, and we had a welcome pizza supper with some of the kids after painting.
It was a great week, close to home but filled with people we love, who showed their love for us in many generous and helpful ways. We are so fortunate, and we're getting a clean basement too!

This last picture is of a big barn in Lebanon, Oregon which we passed today.