Adventures

 So life is going on as usual.  The kids went to Calif for a few days to attend a friends wedding. They took the grandson along and I heard they had a great time. All of the Calif. cousins were there as well as the one from Hawaii so the kids had a fun time playing. 

Bill and I had tickets to go into Cincinnati to see the Celtic Women show at the Aronoff Center.  It is located right downtown so we left a bit early to find parking. We have been here before, we brought Rory to see Paw Patrol, but it has been a few years. Anyway, we had front row balcony seats and the show was very good.  They sang songs from their Postcards from Ireland tour. Here are some pictures.

 The next night we went to our local dinner theater to see The Music Man.  It was also very good.  We hold season tickets at La Comedia Dinner Theater and have enjoyed everything we have seen here. The first is our View of the stage and the others are of the actors.  They serve a buffet dinner before each show and the food is good.  Many people take advantage of the second serving but Bill and I don’t  we usually get enough food the first time around and save room for the dessert.  

On Saturday morning it was up early and Bill took me to Dayton International Airport for my trip out west.  First stop California to finish up the paperwork with Mom’s death.  I had a connection in Dallas and our flight ran late so I barely made it.  They were boarding when I got there. Unfortunately, my luggage didn’t make it.  They said they would deliver it to the hotel.  I am staying 10 miles from the airport at the Fairfield Inn in Norco.  My luggage came in on the next flight and arrived at 2:00 in Ontario.  It arrived to my hotel at 7:00 pm!  I received an email around 3:30:that said it would be at the airport until about 8:00 and would arrive at the hotel by 2:00 am.  I was not happy with that so I drove back over and went into the baggage off price.  They said it had just left on a truck and would be delivered soon.  Soon was 3 hours later!  I really wanted to brush my teeth and change clothes but that didn’t happen. It finally arrived and I got everything setup and got ready for bed.  I was exhausted since I am on Eastern time. At least going home it will all be dirty laundry.  During the day I spent some time at my niece’s house going through papers and other stuff of Mom’s.  I kept some of it and tossed most of it.  Vanessa will be happy to get it out of her house.   I stopped at Rodrigo’s Mexican Restaurant for dinner  I had my favorite meal there.  

Sunday morning I got up and went for breakfast here at the hotel.  Not impressed.  I will most likely be going to local restaurants the rest of the time I am here. Last Sept when I was here they had a much better breakfast.  This time it was lukewarm bagel and biscuit egg sandwiches and some fruit.  Vanessa is having everyone over to her house for Easter.  She made lasagne, salad and garlic bread for all of us then we played some games with the kids.  It was good to see the family.  

On Monday I went to a local restaurant for breakfast called the Cowgirl Cafe.  It was good but the prices here are high. Then Vanessa, Kellie and I went to see Mom’s financial planner to complete the paperwork to close the accounts and distribute the money.  It will take a couple of weeks but I believe we have completed everything needed to do.  I also saw the tax people and got the info I needed about what needed to be done next year for taxes.  We went out for lunch afterward at Olive Garden and had soup and salad.  For dinner I drove through Jack in the Box for dinner.  We don’t have one close to us and I love their horrible, awful tacos.  Don’t judge.  

Tuesday was the day we drove Mom’s ashes out to Riverside National Cemetery to be buried with Dad.  The guy at the desk was being a butt and telling me I didn’t know what I knew.  He was making the process difficult.  After arguing with me for a bit he went to sit down and the chair rolled out from under him and he fell.  We said it was Mom getting back at him for giving me a hard time.  Anyway, others finally came out from the back and we got everything taken care of.  We then drove out to where Dad is interned and said hi to him.  On the way back to Vanessa’s we stopped for lunch at a Mexican restaurant.  Traffic wasn’t too bad.  I went back to my hotel and later went out to dinner at Poly’s pies to have soup and sandwich.  I also picked up a cinnamon roll for breakfast tomorrow morning.  I have a flight at 9:20 so I packed and got as ready as I could.  I checked in for my flight on line then went to bed.

Wednesday when I woke up was I greeted by a sage from Alaska Airlines saying my flight was cancelled and to call them.  I did and they said they rebooked me on at flight later in the morning but it was out of Burbank airport!  These two airports are 52 miles apart through LA traffic.  The only other available flight from Ontario would not be until 9:00 pm with a stop in Seattle and I wouldn’t arrive in Portland until midnight. So I called the rental car and informed them I was dropping my car at Burbank instead of Ontario and started driving.  It took about two hours to get there.  The plan did come and I did get to Portland about 3:30pm.  I called Rose and since it was later we decided to just get together tomorrow.  I went to dinner at Shari’s and had soup and sandwich.  Since it was free pie Wednesday I had a piece of Marionberry pie with ice cream, yummy.  Back at the hotel I read a bit and then went to bed.  I stayed at the Hampton Inn at the airport.  

Thursday morning I got up and had breakfast at the hotel.  It was much better than the Fairfield Inn in Ontario.  I checked out and headed to Rose’s boyfriend’s house.  She is selling her place and lives with him now.  Anyway, I finally met him.  We went through some pictures and thing she had.  I gave her info on her inheritance.  They took me out to Mexican food for lunch.  After that I drove for about an hour and half to get to Terry’s house in Lebanon, Oregon.  It was a nice drive through farmland and small towns.  I checked into my hotel, the Best Western Boulder Falls Hotel.  It is very nice and new.  After that I went to Terry’s house.  It is the first time I have seen it.  He has a nice house and huge yard.  Everyone else thought it was cold but I was comfortable in the 50’s.  Two couples from our camping group in California are here as well as Terry’s son.  Bill and I met Cathye, his fiancé, back in the summer.  The group went to dinner at a local Mexican restaurant.  I think I have had enough Mexican food to hold me over for a bit.  Back at the house we all sat around and visited.  On my way back to the hotel the low air light came on in the car.  I stopped at a gas station and put some air in.  Tomorrow I will have Terry check it for me.  

On Friday morning the group went to a local diner for breakfast but I ate at the hotel.  Then I over to the house.  Terry checked my tire and it was still low so he put air in for me.  I will check it again tomorrow.  We hung around and caught up with each other.  Cathye made lasagna for dinner for all of us  and it was really good.  Some other family members came over.  They have a pretty full house this weekend.  The weather has been nice, at least I thought it was.  

Saturday dawned and Terry and Cathye serving breakfast so I ate there.  They had eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy.  A real nice spread.  They are indulging all of us and keeping us fed.  My tire was low again so I spent some time on the phone with Budget and arranged to exchange my car.  The local shop didn’t have any cars available so I had to drive about 45 minutes to do that.  It was an easy change.  They group went to the Albany Historic Carousel and I met them there after getting my car.  

Afterwards we drove back to the house and had ham and cheese sliders for lunch.  For dinner they served a potato bar.  I wasn’t real hungry so I took a small potato.  As there were a lot of people there I ate quickly and moved from the garage area to the back porch to enjoy the sunshine.  It volume got a bit loud in the garage.  The wedding is tomorrow and everyone is getting excited.  I went back to the hotel and spent some time out in the hot tub.  It was very relaxing.  My head has been stuffed up for a few days, I assume it is allergies, and the steam from the hot tub really helped.  Cathye is checking into the hotel tonight, too.  There was a rehearsal in the evening.  This is the location.

I woke up on Sunday morning with a sore throat and a stuffed up nose.  Cathye called and we were going to meet for breakfast but I decided to stay in bed longer.  A hot shower helped to clear up my nose before I went down to a late breakfast.  I decided to stay at the hotel all day and rested.  I took a nice nap in the afternoon before getting ready.  Lydia’s sister, Francis, stopped by for a bit to visit.  I got dressed and went to the room the reception is being held in.  It looks really nice.  It was soon time to go to the wedding.  The weather cooperated and it was nice and sunny.  Everything went well and we soon moved into the reception.  Dinner was a choice between salmon and prime rib.  Guess which I had - prime rib!  There was also asparagus and roasted potatoes.  Dessert was wedding cake, of course.  There was both chocolate and vanilla.  Dancing soon followed then the reception wound down.  I went back to my room to change.  Terry called and said a bunch of people were going to the hot tub so I put my suit on and went down.  After that I went back to my room and went to bed.  

Monday was my last day in Lebanon.  Terry arranged for everyone to meet at the Apple Tree Cafe for breakfast.  We went back to the house and started saying goodbye.  Some of the people are going on a road trip with Terry and Cathye, some flew home, and some live locally.  I said my goodbyes and drove back to Portland around 1:00  it is about 1 1/2 hour drive but I made back to the Hampton Inn easily.  I did stop and get some throat lozenges on my way.  I checked in and dropped off my luggage.  I soon went to a late lunch, early dinner then dropped my car off and called the shuttle back to the hotel.  I have a flight at 6:00 tomorrow morning so don’t want to mess with the car then.  I settled into my room and made sure everything was packed and ready to go in the morning.  

My alarm went off way too early in the morning.  I got up, got dressed, and went down to catch the shuttle to the airport.  I was surprised at the number of people in the airport at that hour of the morning.  Not much was open but I made it to my gate.  Before the flight one of the coffee shops opened so I got a nice cup of tea to enjoy.  Only problem was that it was really hot and I burned my mouth!  They finally called my flight and we got off on time.  The flight was pleasant and I slept through most of it.  I upgraded to premium economy for comfort.  I had about a 2 hour layover in Dallas so I went to Friday’s for dinner.  Then I made my way to the gate.  This flight wasn’t as smooths but I made it to Dayton without much trouble.  Bill came and picked me up and I was finally home.  It was nice to sleep in my own bed finally.  I don’t plan on traveling for a long time.