Nom de Plume

While in California, I drove a monstrous truck that was lent to me by Jose, a friend of the family. It was so big, I needed the steps on the side to get in and out of it. I was bigger and taller than everyone else, got 2 miles to the gallon, and contributed significantly […]

That week in California was THE longest week in my life.
But now I’m home again. Steve picked me up from the airport last night, and I was so happy to see him. It reminded me of when we were doing the long-distance thing. Being apart, every now and then, does wonders for a relationship.

And here’s my “office”:

Ah, the things we do for Internet access. I am currently sprawled in the truck Jose loaned me, laptop on middle console, surreptitiously stealing wireless from the doctor’s office in Julian.

As my mother is in Iraq (though currently “vacationing” in Romania), she can’t oversee some of the stuff she needs to do at the ranch. So I’m heading down there on Sunday for a week to have the patio done, get blinds for the windows, and arrange for the new fence. Busy times. The hardest […]

Yesterday, we went slightly east to the Cedar River, where there was a kayaking tournament Steve wanted to watch. We hiked around a bit, and then explored some of the other rivers and trails. It was a good day — and for me the highlight was seeing a large wild cat posed on a hillside […]

Of COURSE I ignored rain warnings and left a day later than I should have. I-5 was closed between Yreka and somewhere in Oregon, and traffic was diverted through Route 97. Which goes over the mountains and into the woods and deep into a penetrating freeze. The entire traveling population in the Western U.S. was […]

Had such a great time with Steph and Peter last night that I’ve decided to stay another day here. And I’m ignoring the fact that it’s supposed to be very rainy tomorrow.

Steve and I (and Harry) have survived Christmas with my mother and Wayne.
No small feat, let me tell you.
Actually, that’s not true. I am typing this for my mother’s benefit; she is sitting right next to me in the doctor’s office where we are waiting for her tetanus shot. She stepped on a rusty […]

Harry and I hit the open road Tuesday morning — and after two hard days’ drive (and a stay with at a Greek Orthodox convent), we are in Julian for the holidays.

I am starting to look forward to driving down to Julian for Christmas. Steve thinks I’m insane to drive, but I want to be able to take Harry, and also bring some things up here … so it makes sense. Also, I realized the other night when Elizabeth and I were walking, that I’ve never […]

We’re headed down to Julian for Christmas and Mom’s freaking out because the inspector hasn’t signed off on the building. Something about a drywall permit. Which Steve says doesn’t exist. If all else fails, we’ll be camped out in the meadow.

It was Steve’s birthday on Monday, which means that last week was his “birthday week” and last weekend was his “birthday weekend.” Essentially what this means is that I’m supposed to do whatever his little heart desires.
His little heart desired a surfing/camping weekend. So we packed up the gear and the dog and went […]

My mother has always been passionate about the ranch, which my grandparents bought during the Depression. I had never felt the same connection — until this trip. This time, it occurred to me that the ranch is the one constant place in my life; in fact, I can’t remember a time without it.
And it’s […]

“What are you going to do while I’m gone?” I asked. Steve and I were walking around Seward Park this evening. “Are you going surfing?”
“Well,” he said, “the waves are crap, so probably not. Besides, it won’t be as much fun, you know, alone.”
“Are you saying you’ll miss me?”
A pained look crossed his face. “Uh, […]

Well, I go. On Saturday. My mother embarked on rebuilding the ranch house about two years ago, and it’s finally finished. Which means she can start unloading the container that’s been sitting there ever since she retired and got stuff out of storage.
Yes, that’s right. My mother is the only person I know who actually […]

This was our bible. Recommend.

I suspect there isn’t much unbeaten path along the Oregon coast, and if there is, this book didn’t illuminate it. Perhaps better for central and eastern Oregon, but unhelpful for our purposes.

We joined 101 at Astoria, and drove into Nothern California. There are now only two small sections of Highway 101/1 that we haven’t driven: from Crescent City to San Francisco and from Bellingham up to the Canadian border. Actually, disgraceful as it is, I’ve never been to Canada at all. Perhaps this is the […]

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