Mt. St. Helens, well at least we tried!

This picture shows lava formation just outside of Yakima on the way to White Pass. What I have read is there was a volcano in this area many ages ago called Goat Peak. This lava is what is left of it!!!! There is of course, a lot more, but this picture is the best to show what it looks like! Pretty cool!

This is Mt. St. Helens on September 28, 2008. We couldn't even get to the "blast zone", as the road was taken out during a snow slide this spring. It was going to be the last nice weekend this summer/fall, so we decided to go check it out! It was in the low 80's. There were all kinds of wild flowers blooming. It was a pretty nice day all in all.

MINIs at the XXX Burger

The MINI club went on a 4-hour drive and ended at the last remaining XXX Burger and Rootbeer place in America! I met them at the XXX! The blue car next to mine in the bottom picture drove over with me - it was a blast! She ordered one of their huge burgers - the size of a dinner plate! It was a great day, the weather was a perfect 68 degrees and no wind. Lovely day! I washed and detailed my car beforehand, and later that night my tendonitis was back. Boo hoo! But it is better now, I will just have to watch myself!

Visiting

Well, I took a stay-cation in September and got to visit a longtime friend from my childhood - Ann, I drove over to Olympia to her parents' house, and we had a good visit! Then I went to my sisters' house and played with the nieces! It was a fun day! The day before, I went to the dentist for a cleaning, and then went to lunch with Diane! It was a pretty good week, the weather wasn't the best, more fall-ish than summer, and of course the next week it was back in the 90s! Oh well, the best laid plans! It was great to see Ann again, it had been about 4 or 5 years.

The quail is a baby I rescued from the road. She had car accident injuries, and so we were in a box for a couple days they she decided she could fly! So into the cat carrier she went! She stayed with us for about a week, then I let her go on the property.

We have had a lot of deer on the property again. Can tell fall is coming! I scared 3 does the other day when I was feeding the horses! I believe they were the same girls that have been "living" here all year. You can get quite close to them before they spook. I am actually surprised they don't eat with the horses!

New Personalized Plates!!!!!

Now we are officially a Beanybaby car! Whoo-hoo!

Mt Rainier

This is Mt. Rainier on June 28. We were going to go to Mt. St. Helens as well, however they had a "slide" over the roadway, and so the road was closed until mid-July. It was 100 degrees on June 28. It was not that warm at Paradise. The snowpack was still a zillion feet deep, so there was no where to go except the Inn, or the parking lot!

My MINI!!!!

I cannot believe I was able to get this loaded on! Well, this is my MINI and me, at the Bonair Winery during the Spring Barrel Tasting in April. I don't normally drive around with wine glass in hand, but you must bring your own for Barrel Tasting, as the wineries are too busy to be doing nothing but washing glasses!

What a day!

I had to take my MINI to NWMini on Thursday the 10th, to get the top fixed; it decided it did't want to be a convertible anymore! So I left here at 6:10am and arrived there at 820am. I left at 240pm! It took that long! I was so bored! But on my way over on Snoqualmie Pass I saw a moose! Yes, a moose! Crossed right in front of me on the freeway! What a sight! Sooooooooo big! And it was a young one at that! I had slowed way down, waiting for another but it was by itself! So far as I know anyway! I have been trying for several weeks to post a picture of my MINI, but for some reason can't seem to get any pictures to post here! I will keep trying!

Here is a picture of Bob taking pictures at the meeting spot for the East Meets West tour

Bob's MINI

Here is Bob's new (to him) MINI! One day I will have pictures of my MINI to post!

East Meets West on a Drive to Paradise/Packwood

June 7 was the day! What awful weather, but we had a great time! Bob and I went together in his MINI, and we met two more MINIs in Ellensburg to drive the Canyon Road together! Then we met up with three more MINIs in Naches, and drove up Hwy 410 to meet with many more MINIs on the other side! There were 27 MINIs total, I think because the weather held people home, and only five drove on up to Paradise after the lunch. The lunch was great! Everyone brought wonderful food, and there was sooo much of it! I took a yummy Antipasto Pasta Salad, and Bob brought two cases of soda! When we drove into the Park, a herd of Elk decided to depart! It was too much! It was a little damp, but everyone was in great spirits. We met so many great people, and several from this side of the mountains!

Can't Wait!

Well, Saturday the 7th, the MINI club is having a drive! It is the East Meets West on a Drive to Paradise (Mt. Rainier). However, plans have changed slightly as this was to be a potluck lunch, and since there is over 8-feet of snow on the grounds at Paradise, we are driving down to Packwood to eat our lunch! It should be a lot of fun, and I can't wait! So far, I believe I counted 48 MINIs going on this trip! Wow! The weather isn't going to be so great, but the day will be perfect, I just know it! More after it happens!

May 31st

Well, Bob has been looking for a MINI now ever since the Haulin' Ash tour. So today we went looking and he came home with a 2005 Chili Red Cooper with a white roof! No stripes, but a sunroof! We then met with a couple from the MINI club that I purchased a cabrio cover from, and they each brought their cars! So we had a little MINI meeting at the Park and Ride! What a hoot they are! We ended up talking for about an hour! Then we went to Heidi's where we played a zoo game with the girls, and had dinner and desert then we drove home in our respective MINIs! We had a great day all in all!

Whew!

May 17 was the Haulin' Ash Winery Tour in memory of Mt. St. Helen's eruption. It was a chance for a whole lot of MINIs to get together, along with their respective owner's, to have fun and visit several wineries in the area. We started at this side of the mountains by a drive through the Canyon, and then the first stop was Piety Flats Winery, where everyone brought a picnic lunch and a great chance to get to know those who we had not met previously. Then we went to Windy Point Winery. What a great view they have of the valley! Then we headed to Prosser, where we made a stop at Canyon's Edge, where they have a lovely chocolate port called Jeremiah's Chocolate. Wow! Then we went to Airfield Estates, they had a great Merlot. You know me and my Merlots! From there we went to Kestrel Vineyards, and wow, everything was great! From there, Bob and I said goodbye to the club as they were headed to Tri-Cities for an overnight. We made one more stop at Olsen Winery, then headed home. What a great day! 43 MINIs! Wow! The temperature on the way home in Yakima reached exactly 100 degrees! What a great time it was... lots of good memories. Especially driving down the freeway and getting waves from every car on the road!

Just Stuff

What a tragedy at the Kentucky Derby, poor Eight Belles. I was rooting for her! And what a gorgeous Thoroughbred. Just a real sad freak accident.

I got news at work about a possible raise coming my way since I passed my National Exam. I will believe it when I see it! I did get a customer service award! What a shock to be treated to awards and raises for doing something good for a company, when all the last company did was drag me down.

I talked to my niece again, and we talked about Max (again!) and I told her he was taking a bath, and she asked was he taking a bath with a hose? This was after 8pm at night! I said no, he was just licking his toes!

I don't think I mentioned that I fell again a couple weeks ago. I thought I broke my left arm the pain was so bad, but only pulled a muscle! I still have issues with my shoulder however. Then last Sunday I was out in the sun a couple hours, and my legs got so sunburned - nothing happens to my legs! So bad they swelled up and hurt like heck to put lotion on. They are still very red, but now at the itchy stage, and one knee is peeling a bit already. The pharmacist said all those cortisone shots I have had in the last few years depletes the melanin in the skin, and this will be what will happen from now on. So I got some major sunscreen and will be using that from now on! I mean, I have a convertible! I will be in the sun this summer!

Speaking of the convertible, I was able to put the top down on Monday on my way home from work! First time this year! The wind was blowing so hard by the time I got half way home, I had to stop and put the top back up! Ahhh--warmth! It was some serious wind, there were a couple of gusts that if I had not had a seat belt on, I really feel like I would have been blown out of the car!

Enough for now.

Winery Tour

On Saturday, April 26, Bob and I went on a winery tour of the Rattlesnake Hills AVA. We didn't realize it was Spring Barrel Tasting, and it was very busy at each winery. We hit up 5 wineries, starting at Piety Flats where I got a bottle of a really interesting Pinot Grigio/Chardonnay, each 50%; then we ended up at Hyatt, as I took a wrong turn! I came home with 2 bottles of Zillah Gorilla, a really wonderful Zinfandel. They were tasting out the barrel, and it is already tasting great! Then we went to Silverlake, one of our favorites - wow, it took forever just to get up the drive as it was one-way traffic, no one was directing, and then once there, it was fun, just very busy. Left without even getting our passport stamped! We then went to Bonair, one of Bob's favorites, where we found Bung, an Australian Shepherd, and he really made me miss Fannie. So Bob took a couple pictures of the area, and the ducks/duck pond, and we left. He had taken a picture of me with the MINI parked on the grass. The MINI looks great parked on the grass! We then went to Eaton Hill Winery. I like this place. It is also for sale. It is an old tomato cannery, and during the war, we were told farmers could bring whatever needed canning, and they would can it for them! They make a wonderful nectarine white wine called Sun Gold. We tasted out of the barrel, and they will be bottling next month and it will be up for sale on July 1. I can't wait! It is so good this year! (Every other year is when to buy, this year for last years' crop). I also got a recipe for a posole they were tasting out, wow, it was wonderful! Can't wait to make it myself!

The PSMINI.org group is going on a tour in May, and I will have more information then, as they plan to go all the way down to Richland and spend the night. I will get to go to wineries I haven't been to before! And with a great group of people! There are several MINIs already signed up! I can't wait!

Dentist

Whew! Made it to the dentist today! Had a tooth break on me a couple weeks ago, so he put a filling in it. On the way home, I could swear the thing came out! So I called his home phone and said I will make arangements on Monday to come back in. After looking at it with a flashlight in the mirror, it is okay! Just feels different, I guess. But the ride over was something! What weather would you like? I hit sun, snow, sleet, hail, rain, you name it, I got it! I had to wash my car before I left, knowing it was moot, but I couldn't see out the back window, and with the convertible, it is important to be able to see out the back window!

I got my hair cut as well, nice and short! So the picture doesn't look like me anymore! I talked to my niece Sarah today, (she is 4.5 yrs). It is so fun to talk to her now, as she can carry on a conversation! So I told her Fannie died, and she asked why, and I said because she was very, very old. But Max is still here, and that made her happy, she likes Max, and Max just fell in love with her! She asked how the farm was, and did I remember when she was here? I said of course I do, and maybe she will be able to come back soon!

I haven't taken Rose's blanket back off yet, she seems to like having it back on for these very cold nights! I think Zillah would like her blanket on, but since she is being a poop, she goes without! Her coat is still very thick. She is fine.

I can't believe I just found this!

Wow, I wish I would have found this way back when, then I could have written here instead of all those newsletters through the email! The picture of me and Bob was taken 4.19.08 at the RAM Sportsbar and Grill. We were there for a luncheon put on by the MINI club. We had a great time, I think 17 MINIs were there and 33 people. It was great! I will post pics of the cars!

My back is still my back, however in February and March I went SKIING (!) with my nieces on the beginner slope and had a blast! I had pain, but I have pain pills! So what the heck!? That is my motto now, and I am going to try to do anything to get back into shape! I cannot believe how much weight I have put on and how little I eat! Oh well.

It is about time to get out the bicycle! Bob got one as well, so we can go biking together. At least I hope the weather starts looking like the Spring we are supposed to be in!

My new job (started 3.12.07) is going great! I recruited another Rite Aid don't wanna be to our team and we are starting to get more scripts, so things are looking up at the pharmacy! Yeah! I would rather be busy than not!