Camping in Memaloose

ES and I went camping for the 1st time in years down in the Columbia River Gorge at Memaloose State Park.We pulled out the tent and sleeping bags and what limited supplies we did have and piled them into the car.  Thankfully, we’d been invited to go camping with friends HC and MS, who were very well prepared and had all the needed supplies (down to the “good” tent stakes and a crow bar for when we needed to get them out).  We were ever so grateful to have gone camping with them – we’d have been in trouble.   They even headed down to the park before us and helped by setting up out tent (the wee one to the left).  We were very grateful for their help and generosity!

Our camp site was directly across from the river and right in a pretty grove of Willow trees.

We had a few nice camp fires and enjoyed the nice  evening.  We made that old throw back to girl and boy scout camps the world over – s’mores. 

While we were waiting for the bacon and eggs to cook for breakfast on Saturday morning, we ended our fast with what else…Easy Cheese and Ritz.  Certain things you only eat while camping.  This is one of them.  Then you forget it can actually taste pretty good (especially when you are hungry….).

We headed over to Hood River for the  day  It started out rather cool, but by the time the afternoon rolled around, we were quite toasty and the sun had finally come out.  On the drive over to Hood River, we caught site of all the fires burning along the Gorge.  It did a number on all our allergies…

We drove south of Hood River and stopped at an orchard/bakery, where we could buy fruit and pies and not feel guilty about baked good given we’d already bought fruit. 

The orchard/bakery had cut little cut out signs…we couldn’t resist!

We did a little shopping in Hood River and found some good bargains.  Love tax free shopping!

Happy B-Day BBQ and a Housewarming (a year later….)

We recently had lots of friends over to celebrate the summer, a year (and finally having enough furniture to call it a housewarming) in our house, and most importantly ES’s birthday.  We had grilled chicken, burgers, and dogs.  Everyone brought a dish and we had some really amazing food.  Lots of great salads, pies, cakes, and other treats.  The kids played horseshoes (plastic) and bean bag toss, as well as colored our patio with sidewalk chalk and entertained each other with fun games like ring around the rosie (who would have thought the plague could have inspired such a cute little game). 

 

Here are some misc photos.

 

   

Science is Fun!

ES and I headed down to spend the day in Portland on Saturday.  Our visit stop was to see Grandma, who is as fiery as ever despite being a quite a bit weary in body.  She was having a pretty good day and we all got to visit outside on the back patio.

My dad picked up tickets to OSMI for us – The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.  I hadn’t been there since I was a kid.  I love Science museums or really anything that makes science interesting and “cool” while still getting people interested (and teaching them something too).  The special exhibit was CSI:  The Experience.  Saw a few things that were a little familiar to me…I explained some of the biology and chemistry tests to my parents (at least all that science education has come in handy).

ES and I goofed around at the thermal imaging exhibit and tried our hand as “weather people” and the green screen.  I really thought if you were wearing green, it wouldn’t work and you’d blend into the screen (or at least the part of you that was green…).  I was wearing a green sweater, but no such luck!

 

We saw the OMNI Max picture “Adrenaline Rush,” in which I actually had to shut my eyes about 15 min in.  I was getting so dizzy watching those guys parachute over and over and over again.

We took a stroll along the waterfront and spotted the hotel ES and I had our wedding reception at – The RiverPlace Hotel in Portland.  Highly recommended if you’re coming to   The Rose City.

We finished out the day at a vunderbar German restaurant.  We had fresh pretzels (with really hot spicy mustard!) and snitchzel.  Excellent dinner.

Things that fall under the catagory of I just don't get it or did I really just over head this?

Things overheard-
Uttered recently at a Portland antiques show: How good can a hot dog at a gun show be?

Really??
I just don't get it...
My first thought when I heard this woman talking was...just how important is it. To put things in perspective, I was in a public restroom and all of the sudden this women just gets on the phone. She's planning some sort of party. I hear discussions of numbers, colors of favors, and flavors of cake. This all the while the normal "business" of the bathroom is going about around her. Have we really lost something when it comes to manners that we've come to the point that talking on the phone in a public restroom is just de rigeur. I think if I was caught in a flood the size of Noah's ark (and the door was blocked by some massive object), I'd make a call from a public bathroom. Till then my friends, rest assured you'll not get a potty call from me.

Enough of my kvetching.