food galore

Like Mom, I'm afraid our van is going to be too small to hold all our stuff and "snacks." Fear not of hunger. Between sushi, salmon dip, peanut butter fudge, meats and cheeses, fruit leather, cheesecake, peach pie and icecream, trail mix, veggies and dip, grapes, clementines, bananas and a brocolli-tortellin salad...we shall have the energy needed to crash the waves, corral the children, and still play cards at night. Oh and some sweet and sour meatballs and danish butter cookies and sour licorice too. I had so much fun shopping. I have to go and make some of these snacks. Can't wait to see everyone. We'll try and pick up a boogie board or two once we get up there. It seems Anita and J.C. have bailed so we can have all the kids in our room and the grandma's and aunties will have their piece. Hope no-one is trying to diet.

Traci

Recovering from chores

We asked my father to come up for two jobs; picking up a dryer and cutting down some trees around our garden. Somehow that turned into days of tree cutting throughout multiple areas, days of deck staining, fixing the heater ducting in the crawl space, tightening the toilet down, staining the hottub and changing it's water, making a dump run and cleaning the garage. I have to admit I didn't do that much work and I am still trying to recover. I have never seen a person drink as many liquids as my father drank while he was here. He was going through a gallon of milk a day, coffee in the morning, lemonade at lunch and some beer at night. It was amazing. He said he gets thirsty when he works. Anyway, it was awesome to get that many jobs done and it was great to have my father's help.

I started in on my shots last week. There is really nothing to it. Greyson gets the meds ready and I inject. The only bad part is that they are supposed to put me into a temporary menopause with all the associated symptoms. I haven't noticed anything yet. But I am always cold so maybe the hot flashes just make me comfortable. So anyway, so far so good.

-Mel

Blogging for the sake of blogging

Hello all,

It sounds like the weather is going to be great at the coast for our trip. We have started back to school but won't have any kids until the 6th of September so everyone is preparing for the onslaught.

I have been golfing as much as possible and Traci and the kids will join me every so often. Everyone is very busy around here and we are looking forward to the beach trip.

Well, I have to go take Tucker to soccer practice and really didn't have anything to report on anyway but my wife wanted me to blog so here it is.

Tim

Weather update

Here are two different forcasts for Lincoln City. Both are looking quite nice. We are bringing our boogie board and wetsuits to enjoy the nice weather. -Mel

Thu Aug 31 Sunny 66°/52° 20 %
Fri Sep 01 Sunny 74°/55° 20 %
Sat Sep 02 Sunny 74°/55° 20 %
Sun Sep 03 Sunny 76°/54° 0 %
Mon Sep 04 Sunny 73°/54° 0 %

THURSDAY - Partly sunny in the morning - then mostly sunny. Highs 60 to 65.
THURSDAY NIGHT - Partly cloudy. Lows around 50.
FRIDAY - Mostly sunny. Highs 65 to 70.
FRIDAY NIGHT - Partly cloudy. Lows around 50.
SATURDAY - Partly sunny. Highs around 70.
SATURDAY NIGHT - Partly cloudy. Patchy fog. Lows around 50.
SUNDAY - Partly sunny. Highs around 70.
SUNDAY NIGHT - Partly cloudy. Patchy fog. Lows around 50.
LABOR DAY - Partly sunny. Highs 65 to 70.

Instructions Repeated (from Mom)

OKay, this is for those people who lost the directions Dad originally sent.

Come as early as you like on Friday because the adult crowd has secured an extra night and will be arriving Thursday evening. We have to be out by noon on Monday.

They say the kitchens are fully equipped with dishes, pots/pans, etc.
I have packed enough toilet paper for the 4 days.

You need to bring:
* food (I have cookies, bacon, potato salad & will think of something for Friday evening)
* sleeps bags or sheets & blankets
* towels
* charcoal & lighting fluid if you plan to use the barbeque
* personal toiletries (I have thrown in several bars of soap)

Here are the driving directions: If you come into Lincoln City from the north, turn right onto Logan Road (when you see McDonalds). The signs will also say "Roads End State Park." Drive about 1/3 mile and turn left onto NW 53rd and then immediately within 50 feet turn left into the first driveway. They say there is room for 6 cars.

We have a sleeping plan with a couple of alternatives.

Bedroom on main floor: Grandma Sharp and Grandma Far Away
Downstairs: Room with king bed for Janice and Larry
Downstairs: Room with 2 sets of twin bunks for Aunt Joanne, Aunt Nancy, Anita, India
Upstairs: Double Bed room for Melanie and Greyson
Upstairs: Room with two sets of twin over double bed bunks-Tim, Traci & kids or Time Traci and all the boys (or girls)
Upstairs: Room with two sets of twin over double bed bunks--The Deans & kids or Jenn, Biran and all the girls (or boys)

If you have read this far you will be rewarded with the "door code." It is 29.
Enter through the front door inside the sun porch and locate the combination key lock box to the left of the door. Enter the code number and remove the front cover with the door key attached. Unlock the door. Return the cover with key to the lock box. Re-enter the code to put the key back.

Or, open up the door & say hello to the dozen people who are already within.

Mom/Janice/Grandma

Lincoln City, Here we come!

Soon the chaos will begin.
I was talking to my mother tonight and she was saying that it looked rather gloomy for our visit to Lincoln City. So I decided to get online and get a weather update so all can be prepared. So here is what different sources are saying....

Yahoo says:
Friday 01
High 69°FLow 54°FPrecip. 0 % Sunny
Saturday 02
High 70°FLow 52°FPrecip. 0 % Sunny

Weather.com says:

FriSep 1 Sunny 69°/54°
SatSep 2 Sunny 70°/52°

Accuweather.com:
Friday, Sep 1
Mostly sunny. Winds from the N at 10 mph. Realfeel®: 58 °F High: 63 °F

Friday Night, Sep 1
Mainly clear. Winds from the NE at 10 mph.Realfeel®: 45 °F Low: 47 °F

Saturday, Sep 2
Sunny. Winds from the NNE at 12 mph.Realfeel®: 61 °F High: 66 °F

Saturday Night, Sep 2
Clear. Winds from the NE at 5 mph. Realfeel®: 52 °F Low: 49 °F

One tooth down, one to go

I think I have only had 2 or 3 cavities in my life. But today I got to see what all the fuss was about. I had my first tooth drilled on and my first temporary crown put on. I go back in on Monday to get the same treatment on the other side of my mouth. I would like to blame my parents for these cracking teeth of mine. I am going to have to get a mouth splint to wear at night so I don't repeat this process. If only I didn't grind my teeth. They say it is a sign of stress. I remember doing that even back when I was like 7. Poor kid.

I had been weeding, picking up dog poop, watering, and cleaning this evening. I have a bunch more jobs I want to do before Rudd Sr. and the Mrs. get here. Stinky dog needs a bath, then the bath needs a bath...

Greyson borrowed the first series of Buffy the Vampire Slayer so we have been watching that at night. It isn't great but it passes the time pretty well.
The chickens destroyed a part of my flowerbed so they go sent back to the coop. Everytime we go outside they cry and cry to get out and run free. I told them that they blew it. No second chances when it comes to my plants.

That is all my tid bits.
-Mel

Californi Family Photos or Boring you to death

Hi Northwest Family ,
I'm still experimenting with the Blogg adventure. Wanted to send a couple pictures of Mom/Grandma Ruby. One is at Stephanie's reception with our best friends that came from California.( the date is not correct on the photo) The other is Grandma with Phil and Michelle's in-laws. Her new back yard was just finished and hope you can appreciate their great back yard and the view of Simi Valley. Notice the pool in the back with water spouts; at night there are lights and looks like Las Vegas.

You'll get to see Grandma in person for your Labor Day Family reunion; just wanted to share a couple photos. Bye for now,
aunt chris

Weekend at the beach

So I was told that us girls (and corresponding husbands) are supposed to be taking care of food for this coast trip family gathering of ours coming up. Just so you all know, I don't cook well and don't really like to cook either. So that said how do you want to divvy up tasks and what do you want ME to do. I can and will prepare food but it will not be up to the standards set by the Porter's or Dean's. Traci laughed at the last meal I prepared for her family at my house. I am not sure exactly why she was laughing but her children did not go hungry. That is the important point.

So we could each take a day, or whatever. Any ideas? No hurry since we have a month left. I just thought I would throw it out there in case I needed to make a trip in to Costco.

-Mel

Time for a new mailbox

So yesterday I sit down at my computer to download my banking into quicken. As the information rolls in I noticed that Greyson had written three checks out of his new business checking account we had just signed up for and transferred funds into. I asked him what he was writing checks for already and he said "what checks, what are you talking about". Well US Bank scans in all checks cashed against your account and you can view them online. So I started opening the checks up and sure enough, someone else has our checks and is spending our money. Apparently someone went ahead and helped themselves to our mail, including our new checks and was spending away. So we went through all the steps of calls to the bank and calls to the sheriff. They say they have to conduct an investigation and then they will give us our money back. The thing that I found odd that two of the checks were for $15 to winco and $25 to Safeway. If you were going to break the law and use a stolen check, wouldn't you get a little more bang for the buck with each check? I sure would. My co-worker had his info stolen by the parking garage attendant a couple months ago. He gave him a check card to pay for parking and the attendant wrote down the numbers real quick while it was processing and then bought a couple thousand dollars worth of eBay goodies. So I guess the moral is that we have to be a little more careful. hence, our new locking mailbox. We will have to install it tomorrow. One time is enough for me.

I think that was the breaking point for me yesterday. I was feeling stressed out with work since I started working with our Vancouver office last month doing a new type of environmental consulting I haven't done before, including cold calls to potential clients. Next, I was surviving on a limited budget but then our dryer broke a few weeks ago so we have been using a clothesline(which is fine till say Oct.), and then yesterday the dentist said I had 2 fractured molars and need $800 crowns on both and a $400 splint to keep me from grinding my teeth at night and breaking even more teeth. "But your teeth look great" he tells me. How can they look great but be falling apart? What else... Oh, I almost forgot the whole upcoming "lets have you stick yourself with needles twice a day and just ignore all those side effects that make you feel like you are going through menopause for 6 weeks as we try a process that probably won't work" stress. So when the whole stolen money thing occurred it sent me into a stunned/freaked out trance. But with a quick hottub, hug from my hubby and a good nights sleep I awoke renewed.

So on the bright side (which I can see today):
-I will get my money back.
-I now have a locking mailbox that no one can steal from.
-I like the way my clothes smell from blowing in the breeze and my house stays cooler without using those power hungry dryers.
-Once my teeth are crowned I won't have to worry about cavities.
-And hey, there is a chance for a baby where there otherwise wouldn't be. And as a side note, if those of you who have been trained for giving bee sting kits would like to give me a shot here and there for practice I would love to be your pin cushion.
So seriously, things are really pretty good around here.

What else is going on in the Sharp/Rudd household? Well my chickens finally figured out they can fly over a 3' fence. It took them about 4 months but they finally tasted a bit of freedom and are loving it. I am not sure if my flowerbeds will ever be the same. Ada has not killed either yet which is good. I had 2 hummingbirds in the house today that I rescued and one I freed from Miles grasp. I save about 2 or 3 animals a day from Miles even though he is equipped with not one but two bells. I have seen him with birds, bugs, snakes, squirrels, rodents and scorpions. He stalks the chickens but is smart enough not to mess with them.

Our summer has been good but a bit lonely sometimes. It doesn't seem like we have gotten out much or had much company the last few months. I am also working from home a couple days a week which is nice but keeps me from getting out as much as I used to. I have been working out quite a bit and have started doing the bike ride down to SR14 with Greyson. I tried sewing a dress last weekend and I think I over adjusted the pattern for height. I got part way through and the waist was too long, so I tried to adjust here and there. The final product was cute on the hanger but just didn't quite fit. It might have been a tad overambitious for a beginner. I might go back to another shirt for next time.

I think that is all for my update. See most of you at the reunion next weekend.
-Mel