Rain - Snow - Home 12-07-09

The first big storm of the rainy season and I must drive home from San Juan Bautista. It was very wet - rain or snow all day, fortunately traffic was light all the way. I left Mary's house not long after 7am and my first stop was Santa Nella for a decaf, grande latte! I almost always stop there on the way home and some of the baristas even remember my name!

Several of these pictures have windshield wipers in them and most show the crack in my windshield, that silver 'snake' across the bottom. If I had replaced the glass immediately after it happened it would have been done BEFORE I drove 2000+ miles, but I didn't and the crack progressed a little each day. I might be able to have it fixed on Thursday!

Here is Starbucks in the middle of the picture, Santa Nella seems to exist to service the travelers on I-5. There is no market that I have seen - mostly just gas stations and restaurants of the fast food variety.
Bleak is the only word to describe the day and the landscape. You see no cars or trucks, not even behind me, traffic was just that light.

After a few hours there was a break in the clouds and I thought the storm might be gone before I arrived at the mountains (the Ridge Route/Grapevine). But it kept on raining.

The vineyards were all different colors, I like these red ones.

I arrive at the foot of the mountains and it is still raining.

Porta-Potties being moved isn't unusual, but there were about six truck/trailer loads going south and each held 22 potties. I think they might be in preparation for the New Year's Day Rose Parade. There are usually great rows of them, especially at the after parade display of the floats.

Going over the 4000 foot level. Snow is falling, but everything is so wet and the flakes just dissolve when they touch something. I'm so glad! Ruth McDowell taught me how to drive in snow, which I have been forced to do several times in the last decade, and I always send a blessing her way when those flakes start to fall.

The snow is sticking on the bare earth, but still not to the pavement or the vehicles. I really lucked out with the weather this time. I stopped for another latte and something to eat, stopped at Trader Joe's for milk and spinach (for the lovely soup that Mary sent home with me) and arrived home just before 3pm. Considering the weather and the number of stops I made that is really good time. In good weather and no stops I can make it in 5-1/2 hours, but I do always have to stop at least once.

Tomorrow is the December Fest, Surfside Quilters Guild's first fundraising event. I hope it will go well. It certainly seems to be well organized.

Aunt Dorothy still lingers. I have talked to her daughter every day and she says Dorothy can no longer talk on the phone and will hardly open her eyes. I'm so glad that I made the trip before she was comatose. Other than my sister, Dorothy is the only person I have always known - everyone else has died, so now my sister and I will be the older generation. Feels odd.

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Trip north on I-5 Arrived in Portland 12-01-09

Guess I have gotten behind on my posts, or maybe just confused about the dates! And tonight I am just too tired to caption pictures and write a post. So, here are two pictures of my favorite mountain, which I have not seen much of in my last few visits to Portland.

These pictures were taken at a "Vista Point" on I-205 which diverts from I-5 south of town and goes east and then north to cross the Columbia and then rejoin I-5 in Washington State. Since all my family lives in the SE part of Portland I usually take this route. From the "Vista Point" there is a great view of Mt. Hood (when there is no fog, rain or thick low clouds). In the picture above you can also see Oregon City on the other side of the Willamette River and in the foreground Willamette Falls. Oregon City has many claims to early fame, including being the first incorporated city west of the Rocky Mountains, and there are many interesting historical sites preserved and open to the public.

Here is a long lens photo of Mt. Hood - it will always be the perfect mountain in my heart. I also saw Mt. St. Helens off in the distance and it took me a few minutes to figure out which mountain I was seeing - since it blew it's top it is no longer the shape I remember from my childhood.

I did visit my Aunt Dorothy today. She is coming to the end of her 84 years. The hospice worker (they are called angels, which doesn't appeal to me - I'd rather wait until I leave this earthly coil to meet any angels) was there and I asked her if Dorothy was deteriorating rapidly and she said yes. Dorothy is still able to stand up and change clothes and go to the bathroom with assistance and her mind seems just as sharp as always. She talks very slow and quietly, so I had to concentrate to catch what she was saying. She has lost a great deal of weight since I saw her last, I have never seen her so thin. I will go back to visit some more in the morning.

I hope this post makes sense, I gotta quit and get to bed.

Maybe a break from blogging 11-23-09

I had an e-mail this evening from one of my cousins telling me that my Aunt Dorothy is in hospice care and has been given a month or so to live. If I can possibly arrange it I will go up to Portland, OR., to see her sometime in the next few weeks. I will have to figure out how to make the trip - not sure I am up to the thousand mile drive. I'll keep you advised. Del

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