The end to a perfect day

I've decided that while the perfect end to a perfect afternoon is making a new friend, it should NOT to be done the way I did it tonight. As I pulled onto the freeway to make my way home, I pushed play on a book on CD that was just hitting the good part, and cruised along behind a fellow driver. Unfortunately, the "friend" I made was cruising along behind me at that point, and made herself known with flashing blue and red lights. After handing over my license and registration and answering the usual questions about why I was going so fast (72 in a 55) and where I was going (home after swimming all afternoon), I was rewarded upon her return to my window with a warning. Thank goodness for friends!

I've missed your old friend...

A couple of weeks into summer I got a text message from A. It was a picture of the To pool, under it said, "I miss you!"
Today Lisa To got a message "Is it okay if I come visit the pool - and you guys ;) - with A this afternoon?"
The following text was received "You are always welcome to hang at the To pool."

Today the pool and I rekindled our friendship. There was splashing, laughing, and sun bathing. A and I also enjoyed some much needed friend time over cheese, crackers, and berries. From the edge of the pool, we watched the sun descend below the hills and commented, "I love summer!"

Last Weekend

Saturday:

I worked and then went on a shopping spree (a early anniversary present).

Sunday:

Church then a killer softball game. Killer = they killed us. :) Then a trip to Portland for the tradition of seeing the Harry Potter movies with Z&A. But no fight scene??? We were a little disappointed.

Monday:

After waking up at 7 in the morning at the Banker abode, I enjoyed a leisurely morning with tea, toast and my book while I waited to Amanda to wake from her "nap" after taking Z to the airport at four in the morning. Then it was another of the great adventures of A&M! While our tube supplier was MIA, we searched around town for ANYTHING to float down the Sandy River on. Finally settling on some nice pool floats, we attacked the river. In attacked, I mean meandered, walked, and bumped our way down the river. Three hours later, we were content, a little cold, and glad to have checked one more thing off of our "to do" list. We also decided that while it was fun on our little pool floats, it would have been a little better with actual inner tubes. :)

All Around the Town

Stephanie and Corbett join us, on Sunday, for exploring McMinnville. We started with breakfast at Wild Wood. I'm pretty sure it's my favorite restaurant in town.

There were quite a few "Corbett" pictures. As in, Corbett just points the camera from whatever angle he wants and shoots. There are always some very interesting pictures resulting. :)

After breakfast we took to the streets. This weekend was "Who's on Third?". It's a traditional festival celebrating McMinnville. Third street is the main historical downtown area. The whole street was blocked for the weekend with artist booths, vendors, sidewalk sales, and musicians.

Corbett and Stephanie were entering a raffle for a new guitar.

These two little girls were "helping" one of the artists with a watercolor. I just couldn't help but take their picture.

This kiddo was just too cute with his ice cream cone. When I asked if I could take his picture he just grinned and nodded. It was when I showed him the picture that I really wished I could catch him, he had the cutest grin. As I walked away he kept saying "Thank you!" :)

We convinced Corbett to try the bull. This was the only picture I got. :)

I should have known better than to have them pose.

Random collections

A couple of years ago, Mike got some records as a gag gift. There was a Donny Osmond and a Partridge Family. They hung on the wall in our old apartment. After that when we would find fun records at garage sales we would pick them up and they would be added to the collection. Slowly added were Frank Sinatra and some Johny Cash. The collection has been growing lately. I told Mike a while back that while the random collection was fun, I really wanted to actually listen to some of these records now.

On Friday morning Mike headed to an estate sale in town to check it out. He called me with the info that there was a record player there for $20! I called him back and left a message to get it. Unfortunately he didn't get the message until he was at work, but Saturday he headed back to see if it was still there. It was! I get a message while at work that it's loaded in his car along with a record holder and all the records they had left. They had wanted to get rid of it so badly we got the whole collection for $15! His comment that he would need help unloading it from his car when he got home made me pause. This is what I found upon unloading:

It's a whole console! It works wonderfully and is positioned in the dining room. I now get some sweet music while working in the kitchen! It has a radio and...

an eight track! Crazy!!! We don't have any 8-tracks, but maybe that will be the next collection. ;)

Mike had to teach me how to use the record player, but once that was done I've LOVED listening to all of our records. Though in the collection we got with the player is a lot of organ music and polkas...not to sure I'll be listening to those anytime soon. :)

Playing Possum...

Friday night I was getting ready for bed when I heard Mike saying "Get it Oliver, get it!" I emerged from the bathroom wondering what the heck was going on. When I asked, I was informed that something ("a giant rat, raccoon, or maybe a possum") was hiding behind the grill on the patio. Oliver was too scared to go chase it out, but kept on sniffin' the front of the grill. Mike moved the grill enough to stick the camera back behind the grill and take a picture to try to figure out what it was.


At this point I couldn't tell if it was a giant rat or a possum so I went scurrying inside. I wasn't going to have some rodent jump out and bite my toes!

I decided to document the process from inside, but soon realized I had to at least open the screen. My flash was reflecting and I couldn't seen a darn thing!

Mike was trying to use the flash light to figure out what was back behind the grill. When I asked why he wasn't closer, his response was "I'm not blocking it's escape path!"

Finally Mike layed down on the ground and took a picture (from a ways away) under the grill. It WAS a possum. "Are possums dangerous?" "No, ever heard the term 'playing possum'. They play dead as their defense mechanism." "Oh, so it's okay for Oliver to be getting closer sniffing him." "Oh yeah, Oliver won't hurt him and he'll ignore Oliver." Or so Mike said. Two minutes later I hear, "Oh come on Oliver!" as they both run for the door. Apparently this Possum wasn't going to play dead any longer!

A busy weekend!

Saturday started out with work and a LARGE coffee. Once I was home from the work day, I made a salad for Sunday's church picnic and waited for Mike to get home from work. We planned to go to the Mac fireworks display. Once we were there and got settled (after waiting in half hour of traffic) we hung out for a while until the display started. They weren't that great, but Mike and I had fun together. Though, on our way out we decided that if the display is at the Evergreen Museum next year we're not going. We had to sit in traffic for over an hour to get out of the parking lot.

Sunday, after church, we had our 4th of July picnic. I made my favorite dessert type salad and a huge 5 gallon cooler of lemonade. We hung out at the park, eating and laughing.

We then rushed to the other half of the park for our softball game. We didn't win, but had fun. I even hit the ball and got on first, then got to third on the next hit. It was a lot of fun! :)

After the ball game, we came home for some naps and relaxing before our big night out.

A couple months ago I was driving to work and drove past the Drive-in theater in Newberg. I hadn't been to a drive in since high school at my grandma's house. I suddenly wanted to go again. So last night Mike and I packed up the car to spend a night at the movies. We packed a picnic supper, blankets, cards, and took off for the drive in. Playing was "Up" and "The Proposal". Both movies were spectacular! We laughed and almost cried. We even saw a Greece acting troop wondering the grounds. It was a great date night.

After not getting home till 2:00 this morning and in bed till 2:30, it's been a lazy day. I got the oil changed in my car and then been sitting on the couch. I hope your Independence Day weekend was just as exciting!