Catching Up

It's been awhile since I posted anything on my blog. I've been absorbed with facebook. I don't know why, except it is a pretty mindless activity, but a little bit interesting.

I've been doing the usual things. I play bridge every Monday. Eleanor, our 92 year old bridge buddy has been winning. Tomorrow is another day. I also played pinochle several times this month. Jeanette had 1000 aces on Wednesday. We went to Hillsboro to Marilyn's house for bunco. Our August Red Hat activity was at Stub Stewart State Park. We had a picnic. There were only six of us that could make it this time, but we had a good time, with great food and good company.

The other things that have happened this month were a death and a fifty year anniversary, each one day after the other. A friend died of a brain hemorrhage. It was very sudden. She had just turned 70 in July. I have played pinochle with her, and I've known her for a long time. She was a camera nut, like me. It was very sad.

The next day after the funeral was Larry and Jan's fifty year anniversary party. They had a big party with lots of family and friends.

Logan and Stephanie came to see us. Logan is starting school this fall at a community college and Stephanie is working in nursing home. She plans on going back to South Africa for another time of volunteering and touring the country. She then will go back to school. Logan is selling cutlery, but it is very expensive, and I'm afraid Grandma and Grandpa didn't help him very much.

Last weekend was the old timer's picnic. People that used to live, or still live in Vernonia got together at Anderson Park.

We are leaving tomorrow for the beach with Scott, our son, and three of our grandchildren, Kendall, Daniel, and Nicole. We will be gone for a week, but I promise to return with pictures from the little red cabin in Rockaway.

Stephanie and Logan
There were many people at the old timer's picnic including some of Mike's relatives.

Bob New, the local historian, was presented with a plaque.
A sixty year reunion

Even the old timer, Eleanor, came to the Old Timer's picnic. I think it is legal to call her an old timer, at 92.

I still have some beautiful flowers.

and Mike's tomatoes are growing al over.

Our Red Hat picnic

Larry and Jan's family

The Fish That Didn't Get Away.

Stewart and Scott went fishing on Saturday with John Budge. They all got their limits.

The Vernonia Friendship Jamboree

This past weekend was the Vernonia Friendship Jamboree. The population of Vernonia probably multiplied by ten over the three days. There were the local food booth provided by the lions, there were a lot of vendors selling food to jewelry, a free logging show, the characters in AXEMAN, a free horse show, there was a local art show, music, dances, fishing, car show, motocyle show, and a parade. It is fun to see all the excitement in a small town.

Randy Aultman is one of the Lions selling barbecued beef sandwiches. There were a lot of vendors.
Roxy got to watch the parade.
The local scouts lead the parade.
The grand marshal was a local businessman.

A winning baseball team

Mayor Sally Harrison, one of my bridge buddies.

Pretty girls on horses

Old time cars and trucks.

Citizen of the year, Josette Mitchell

More pretty girls on horses, part of the Ridge Rider Group

My Fair Lady Princess, Pat Ray

Local teachers, aides, cooks, custodians, coaches, and students showing support for building badly needed new schools.

The Astoria Clowns

Lots of logging trucks

Fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars. The local volunteer fireman handed out stuffed animals to the children.

There was a chain saw wood carver.

Art on display in the Learning center.

The Axeman of the T V show.

and Deloris Webb, one of the many volunteers that make it all happen.

Last Monday was my 67th birthday and we headed for the Oregon Coast. We spent two nights at the Mill Casino in North Bend / Coos Bay. On the way over to the coast we stopped at Spirit Mountain Casino and I played in a slot tournament. I was sure that I would win because it was my birthday, but no such luck. We gambled in the evening. The next morning we headed farther south and spent the day in Bandon. It was overcast, but a perfect temperature after the heat we have been experiencing. We gambled again in the evening, and both of us did pretty good. I hit a jackpot, and came home with winnings. On Wednesday we took our time going home and stopped to enjoy the ocean. It was a wonderful sunny day. We saw lighthouses, sea lions, very unusual birds, and some beautiful ocean beaches.

The light house a t Bandon

Table Rock

Sea Lions

The light house at Yaquina bay was open and restored to look as it had when in use.

At the Yaquina Light House there was an very interesting information center that told about sea life, birds an animals of the coastal area, and light houses.