THE BLOG IS BACK!!

The last time I sat down at this computer to write my blog was Wednesday, February 21st. After several days of spring-like weather it had snowed that morning, and I had just gotten started writing when my phone rang. It was the call we had dreaded...Linda's sister calling to let us know that Dad had passed away. We frantically made plans that day to drive down to California.

We left the next morning, driving the truck this time because it has snow tires, and we knew we would run into snow somewhere along the way. In fact, we hit snow off and on the entire first day of driving, but none of it was heavy and the road was slippery only in a few places. We spent the night at our usual place in Red Bluff, California. The next day we drove down I-5 and the weather was nice and sunny, although a bit windy. 

We arrived in Carpinteria on Friday afternoon. Needless to say, it was very strange being there without Dad. There was a huge empty space where he usually was, and it just wasn't right not to hear his voice. Although he was 97 years old and was getting over his stroke from four years ago, we still did not expect it. We had planned to go down there the middle of March so we could celebrate Linda's 70th and his 98th birthdays together. But it was not to be. Instead, we all gathered a month earlier to say goodbye.

We spent three weeks in California, helping to clear out the house and get it ready to put on the market. There were a lot of tears along the way, and reminiscing about days past. It seemed like every little thing would evoke a story from someone. That house held so many memories for all of us!

After three weeks Linda and I packed up the truck with as much as it would hold and headed back to Yakima. We hated to say goodbye to the beautiful house that we had visited so much in the past few years, which had been Mom and Dad's home since the 1970's. But we were anxious to return to our home. It's true, you know, there really is no place like home.

Just before we left I developed a scratchy throat, but thought it might just be allergies. The day after we arrived home I woke up with the worst cold I have ever had, which in about a week developed into pneumonia. Linda came down with a cold too, and although she said it was the worst cold she'd ever had, luckily hers did not get any worse. I was very sick for two weeks with that stuff and let me tell you, it was no fun. I am still not 100% recovered, hence the shortened blog today. But I wanted to at least touch base with everyone and let you all know we are still hanging in there.

While in California I took a lot of pictures and video. I just had the energy to upload them all a couple of days ago. I will be sharing them with you in the coming weeks. I am also going to dedicate an entire edition of the blog to Dad in the near future. He was one of the most interesting people I have ever known. We all miss him terribly. As his grandson says, he was a Legend.

He definitely knew how to be great!

Summer Girl weathered our absence like the trouper that she is, with the help of our dear friend L.H. In fact, S.G. and L.H. became BFF's while we were gone. Summer Girl told me that she feels like she should get special treatment in this edition of the blog, since she went through so much while we were gone and then again when we got home. So here are the two pictures she picked out to grace this week's blog.

No end to her work! Now she had to be nurse to the sick!

The softer side of S.G.

I'm afraid that's all I can manage for this week. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you check us out again next week!