ANNUAL FISH-WIVES WEEK

Every year our husbands take off for their annual fishing trip, 10 retired guys in a condo - can you imagine that?  And three of us wives get together and have OUR fish-wives week.  This year we went to Fran's home in Washington.  Next year it will be at Cheri's in California.  Then back here to Oregon the following year. 

We have a great time shopping, talking, reading, watching movies and eating of course!  This year I started a diet a few weeks before our trip, and guess what!  I stayed on it the whole time!  AND Fran & Cheri didn't even induldge in cookies or ice cream.  One morning Fran came in and said she lost a pound already! YEEHAA for all of us!

Fran & Cheri on the Victoria Clipper

Helga and I on the Clipper

We went over to Victoria, B.C. and stayed overnight.   Another friend, Helga, went with us on the Victoria Clipper...it rained the whole way!  And it rained most of that day.  We got there and ate lunch and met another friend, Carol who is from Vancouver, B.C.  Carol got us a room at the Chataeu Victoria Hotel.  So after dropping off our luggage, Carol showed us around Victoria, went to Antique Row, some other shops, and then back to the hotel and had a fine dinner.  We all played games and cards and finally sacked out!  (Some of us snoring all night!)  We had to share beds and I believe I stole the covers from Helga most of the night too!   

The Space Needle in Seattle

We all loved this statue of the fisherman!

Playing Farkel in our jammies!

The next day Carol took us to the Empress Hotel - absolutely beautiful!  We didn't have High Tea though - too expensive!  We toured the Government Building and we even went to a thrift shop and bought trinkets! 

Dinner at Browns Social House - YUM!

The Empress (impressive!) Hotel

The Government Building - the second day was much sunnier!

View out the back of the clipper on our way home!

The last view of the Needle at night!

Took the Victoria Clipper home and stayed another few days and the Annual Fish-Wives Week was over!  Fran and I took Cheri to the airport, and then headed back to Oregon where we met up with our honeys for dinner.  As it happened, my brother and his wife were at my sister's, and we all went to dinner together, what a treat this was since I haven't seen my brother in a couple of years!  Fran and Terry stayed for a couple of days and went home.  I have to say, as much as I LOVE our week together, its nice to be home with my honey!  And I am sure Fran and Cheri feel the same.

I know that I've been lax in posting, since January - yeech!  We have been so busy with this and that, actually I have made a few lampshades too!  Doctors appointments, going here and there, and I now take painting classes too! We all have busy lives, and since retiring, it seems like ours is even busyer!  But I will try to keep up with the posts....my good friend Ravee, even called to see why I haven't posted in such a long time - guess I better get back to it!

Hope you all have been well...God bless you!

xoxo

Marilyn

DANG COMPUTERS!

Another funny sign! In the last post I did, the whole blog changed and I don't know how it happened! So please bear with me while I correct it and get back into the swing of things after the holidays are over! Maybe I can get my blog back the way it was????
xoxo
Marilyn

A SIGN OF THE TIMES!

These signs came to me via my email from various friends....I hope you get a kick out of them like I did!

Below is a photo my sister, Carol took of the "Old Mill District" in Bend last fall. She is really very talented with her camera! These three stacks are all that is left of the mill on the Deschutes River.



So did you think I fell off a cliff or something? Well, I didn't, it's just been very busy around my home these past few months. I haven't even made one lamp or shade! Not to mention my LACK of posting! But I do take a look at your blogs now and then and I can see that you all are doing great! BJ, well she's always making food that looks so yummy! Adrienne posts so many photos of the beautiful places she and her honey go! And Kathy is always showing her quilts and FOOD! The rest of my blogging friends are busy, busy, busy!

I took down the fall decorations and now up goes the Christmas decorations! We are not even having family come during the Christmas holiday - but I HAVE to put up some decorations and a tree! It just wouldn't be the same without all the "stuff"! Well, it's getting late and I have to turn on the Food Channel and watch the next "Iron Chef Challenge" tonight - my honey and I love to watch the chefs cook!

So have a great week, and PROMISE, I will start posting more often again! ALSO: When I posted this, it changed my layout, and I have been working on it, but can't figure it out? The right sidebar went to the bottom and I can't get it back to the right side! Any suggestions?

XOXO
Marilyn

KITCHEN-DINING-LIVING ROOM REMODEL

The picture above is what our kitchen used to look like. Pretty ordinary for a manufactured home! I hated the corner sink - not ever enough room. All the wood was OK, but I really like painted wood! And that black & white tile behind the stove had to go, along with the flooring!



This part of the kitchen is where we usually eat our meals. And outside that big window on the right is our "bird sanctuary"; we love watching the birds while eating our breakfast! When we moved here I painted the kitchen yellow with a splash (well, sponged) light blue here and there. And as you can see, it was yellow, blue, red, pink, green. And we had this old carpenters table that we use as another counter when needed (One of our friends gave it to us; it was actually hand-made by his father!)



This is the living room-dining room. We kept the color on the walls - it is called "Creme Brulee" from Behr in the dining room, and "Contemplation" on the living room walls (a light green) by Behr also. But the old carpet had to go - too many doggies had left their prints and scent (ours and the previous owners dogs.)

Going through some old magazines I found an article I had saved by one of my favorite designers; Gail Claridge in Westlake Village, Calif. Her kitchen & living room were done in Woods, Reds, greens and some yellows. I loved it! And that was the look I was going for. But I didn't quite make it to her designer look. However, I really like what we ended up with. TAKE A LOOK!



So, we put in new flooring throughout the kitchen, dining area, and living room. We painted the cabinets "cottage white" Got a new dish washer (the old one was on its last leg!) subway tiles for the backsplash, plaid wallpaper, and my dream: a new GAS range! This was quite a feat in an "all electric" home! I sewed new valances and a new chandelier shade (picture below). I still have that corner sink, but it REALLY would have cost a LOT more to re-arrange the whole kitchen! Now I am looking for black kitchen table & chairs; but haven't found them as yet.



Details: We removed the door under the sink and I added a curtain. Problem was, I couldn't find an "old" curtain rod! We looked in antiques stores, then found an old spoon. Well it wasn't quite long enough, so Roger took it out in his shop and welded an extension in the middle and attached it to the cabinet - neat huh!



I saw a photo of someone else who bought a rabbit for a door knob, so I found an old "bossy" she even had a bell around her neck. How cute is that!



I wanted the look of a farm kitchen, so I asked Roger if he could drill some holes in some of the cabinet doors - what do you think????



There was a cupboard for your china, so we took the glass out and added the chicken wire instead. I added red & white check paper to the back of the cabinet to make it stand out a little better. And we got knobs and drawer pulls for all the doors and drawers.



I found this shelf in an antique store and had to have it! I was planning on putting it in our bedroom, but it just didn't look right there. So when I put it up against the plaid wallpaper, voila! Also the bottom half of my mothers hutch I have kept all these years just added the green & white tiles to the top...I think I will re stain it or maybe paint it green or red?



I found this little rug just perfect for Baylee to lie on while we are having breakfast - now she can watch the birds also; actually she likes watching for the squirrels.



So this is the "after" picture of the dining room and living room. Although, we're never done re-decorating are we!



And this picture is the "after" picture of the living room only.



Now there is still one UNFINISHED PROJECT! YIKES! This spot is where the built-in oven was. We can't decide just what to do with it. I think we are going to build some pull-out drawers for all this "stuff" with a cabinet door over that. Maybe leave the microwave showing? We'll see!



AND WE COULDN'T HAVE ENDED UP WITH SUCH A NICE REMODEL WITHOUT THE HELP OF Ann & Gerald; who are local carpenters/designers in our area. Actually they did all the hard work! Roger and I only finished up a little here and there. And I have to tell you Ann & Gerald are so easy to work with! I don't think I would have gotten my gas range if it hadn't been for their genius! THANK YOU BOTH FOR SUCH A GREAT JOB!



So we are off on another camping trip for a few days. I have been gone from blogging for over a month now. But with winter coming on, I'll be a better blogger, promise! You all have a great week, enjoy the autumn! I plan on tossing a few leaves around myself!

xoxo
Marilyn

AIN'T SHE SWEET!

1955 Chevy four door station wagon! SUE-WEEET!

My honey and I were driving back from a Wallowa Lake camping trip a few weeks ago and saw this beauty on the side of the road - FOR SALE! I said "There's my car!" But of course, Roger didn't stop to look at it - He's a Ford-man, you know! Ce la ve!

Then last weekend we traveled to La Grade, Oregon for a car show and decided to drive back home on the same route as before. And what do you know! Driving through that same little town out in the middle of nowhere - there was the car - still FOR SALE. This time my honey stopped and we looked it over. He checked the engine, the shocks, the general condition, etc. The owner came out and we took it for a spin, it sounded great; discussed price, and ended up buying it! YEE HAA! Roger said "now this is YOUR car!" YEE HAA AGAIN!



Now we have the T-Bird, the 29 Model A, and now my 55 Chevy! I love it, and I am not going to have to do much to it either, the engine is good, we have an extra set of tires with mags, we even got the old engine - and sold it to a friend already!
Taking her home!
I know, I know; too many cars! But the T-Bird will stay in the family (Roger's father gave it to him - he was the original owner and bought it in 1956). The Model A needs an engine and more work so it will be a while before we can drive it around. But I will be driving my '55 around town, with the radio blasting! We're back in the 50's again!

Well, that's what's new here. I want to have something written on the back, but don't know what. I was thinking of "Gramma's Blue Toy" or "Gramma's Baby". Any suggestions?

Have a great week,
XOXO
Marilyn

HEY Y'ALL, YOO-HOO! I'M BAAAAACK!

The Oregon Gardens, Silverton, Oregon

No, I didn't fall off the end of the earth! We have just been going, going, going! First we went to the Oregon Garden Resort in Silverton, Oregon. Such a beautiful place...the rooms are built in groups of four with fireplaces and patios for each room; very quaint! We got a special deal that included the room, dinner, touring the gardens, a spa treatment, and breakfast! We all stayed an extra night so that we could see the surrounding towns too.

Our friends with the Oregon Gardens behind them

Then, we were off to Wallowa Lake in Northeast Oregon with four other couples for a week of camping. It was just beautiful there too; except it rained almost every night and part of the day - guess we were a little early in the season! We took the tram up to the top of the "alps" where there was still a lot of snow on the ground and we could not go hiking, too icy! But we had a great time visiting and playing cards. Going to the shops in Joseph, and trips into the "wilderness".

This was taken near a place called "Lookout Station" Buckhorn.

At the top of the tram!

Then getting ready for the HIGH LAKES SHOW N' SHINE, our car club puts this on every year in our little town! It's a lot of fun and a lot of work before-hand! Selling raffle tickets and talking with all the people - lots of really pretty classic cars! Sorry, I didn't take any pictures this year! What was I thinking???

Oh, and we bought a new truck! A Ford F-150 with FOUR DOORS (count em!) I love it and its the color of rootbeer! Ain't she pretty!


Another thing I did not too long ago is I found out that the ANTIQUES ROADSHOW was going to be in Eugene, Oregon. So I got two tickets for it and my sister Carol and I went (the day before leaving for Wallowa Lake!) We had a blast! But lots and lots of waiting in lines! I took my "crepe paper" dolls, and Fran's "gadget". and Carol took our grandmothers teapot and a picture. Well, we finally got in our lines for specific things: me in the doll line and Carol in the glass/pottery line. I found out that the dolls were uniquely made probably by a crafter (my grandfather bought a set of them and gave them to my grandmother for a gift MANY years ago.) They were worth about $100 or so, and he said that the hats were what made them worth it! Go figure. As you can see in the picture, the dolls were played with by my mother and her sister when they were young - but I love them just the same! I have three of them and Carol has three. Carol found out what the teapot was worth, but we didn't wait in any more lines - the "gadget" line and the "picture" line were both two hours long!!!


Here is Carol while we were waiting in the first group of lines!

We spent Independance Day on Whidbey Island, WA. we were invited to our friends, firneds home on the beach. Good food, friendly people, and what a fireworks display right in front of us on the beach!







And now we are off tomorrow for two days in La Grande, Oregon for another car show! then we will be heading to California to visit our kids! And finally (I think!) one more trip over to the coast for the Winchester Bay COOL COASTAL NIGHTS Car show - however, we will be camping for four days, not bringing our T-Bird!

See what I mean, we have been gone and busy so much these past couple months! Retirement is so much fun!

You all have a great week, and maybe I'll see you at some of these places??? Who knows!

God Bless,
XOXO
Marilyn

LET FREEDOM RING!

FREEDOM ISN'T FREE - GOD BLESS OUR MILITARY - MAY GOD BLESS US ALL!







A salute to all those who protect the freedoms we enjoy here in America.
xoxo
Marilyn

ANNUAL "FISHWIVES" WEEK!

That's Fran, Cheri, and me.
Another year, the hubby's went off fishing for a week and a half. Us gals got together at my home this year....boy did we have FUN! Fran picked up Cheri at the airport and drove to my house on 4/30. The guys left on Sunday (5/1). We had a whole 9 days to do whatever we wanted! YAY!

First, we went into the town of Bend, Oregon and I took them up to Pilot Butte, which looks over the city and the lovely Cascade Mountain Range in the background: the photo at the top! Left to right are Mt. Bachelor, Broken Top, South, Middle and North Sisters. Does anyone know the names of the three sisters? Well, it's Faith, Hope and Cherity. Soooooo we renamed them: Fran, Marilyn & Cheri! I think it fits, don't you?!

So we went shopping, mostly at the thrift stores, antiques stores, and the like. We were looking for yard art. Since Cheri flew up here, she couldn't get much - but she had a great time looking for things for us. We found lots of goodies to put together, but haven't made them as yet - but here is a picture of the "yard art" my sister made for me last year:

Cute huh! We picked up more colorful dishes, vases, etc. I will show the pictures of mine when I can get it glued together and in the yard!


We met my sister, Carol at one of the oldest (and my favorite) restaurants in Bend, the Pine Tavern...it actually has two trees growing out of the ceiling! Take a look at our salads, we all had Crab-Louie! YUM!


Now that I look at it, I think Carol got a chicken salad, with fried artichokes on top!

On Friday, the three of us headed off to Florence, Oregon where my Dad and his bride let us stay at his home while they went to the Fireman's reunion in Calif. We had such a good time there! The first night we went out to dinner at a chinese restaurant - boy was that deeeeelicious!
Fran said this was the BEST General Tso's she's ever had!

YUM, YUM, YUM!
We had a great time there...Florence is just a beautiful place, although it rained a bit - but we relaxed and ate and watched lots of movies!

We also went into Redmond, Oregon to the Farmer's Co-op antiques:

Yeah, right!

I know our hubby's had a good time too - didn't catch many fish, but they enjoyed themselves just as well. In fact nobody even got the "big fish award" this year - none of the fish were big enough!

Well, that's it for another year....In 2012 we will be going to Fran's home the year after that to Cheri's....then it's back here again. It sure is nice to have a "Gal's week" where you can relax and let it all hang out!!!