Bonnie Files continued...

No big dramatic news from Bonnie's World. She's healthy, happy and willing to let us make her look silly. What else can you ask from a pet?

Labor Day

We celebrated Labor Day with a trip up Mt. Bachelor, something all the skiers in the family have done in winter but I'd never been. The top is as bare as the moon and very interesting.

Methow 2007

Another great visit to Methow. It was August, hot and summery. We swam in the river nearly every day, even me who hates cold water. The river is so clear, so beautiful.


Brian, Josh and Grandpa Keith started work to restore Stubby, something that's got the kids very excited. It will probably take several visits to finish but it keeps them out of trouble. Later in the month Travis and Brian went back to help building the new garage/storage building.

Summer fun

I attended a family reunion at Aunt Esther's this year, the first in something like 20 years. The six Head sisters and their decesdents all used to go to the Sherwood farm every summer. Esther died several years ago but her son owns the place and had a gathering this year to honor an art show for Esther. Sarah came and my nephew Reese and his family but Kristin and Travis were in Hawaii with their dad. It was fun, although I recognized very few extended family members. Mostly it was fun seeing all the places I used to play and hang out.

Yes, this is me playing golf. You are not crazy, although I might have been. Strange game.

The Great Salt Lake

Brian's job took him to Salt Lake City this summer and I went along for the ride. While there we went to the Olympic training ground in Park City, high in the mountains above Salt Lake. We watched ski jumpers of all ages practicing on ramps and a swimming pool. Then Brian got to ride in a bobsled (a wheeled practice type, not on ice), the same kind the Olympic athletes use. It went something like 90 miles an hour and he loved every minute. Below he's helping get another team started.
We spent one afternoon in Salt Lake itself. It is an interesting experience to say the least. The beaches were nearly deserted. The water was bath-water warm, brimming with brine shrimp so thick you felt like a dumpling in a seafood stew. Brine flies swarmed above the surface of the water and you could float on the top of the water with zero effort.


Salt Lake had many fascinating buildings and Brian and I only got to see a fraction of them.

Fires followed us for the whole trip. This huge one was near the Idaho-Utah border and it stopped interstate traffic for nearly two hours. It was burning right up to an overpass we were parked near and gawkers taking photos were as interesting as the fire itself.

This fire surrounded the town of Shoshone the night before we arrived. Brian's grandma was born there so it was our halfway overnight point. In the background you can see the city, an oasis of green surrounded by ash.

Barber, outside of Boise in Idaho. Brian's grandma lived here in her childhood and we tried to find the homestead, to no avail.

Summer wrap-up Part III

Two important projects completed this summer. Above is a dresser from the Methow farm. It was ugly as sin, battered and covered in layers of old paint. It wasn't wanted there so we took it in the off chance there was a swan underneath. I spent a good deal of spring working on what must have been 20 layers of paint. Travis and I sanded like crazy and all the old paint still wasn't off. We passed it off to Patience Man and Brian managed to get the last of the paint. I completed the stain and finish and it turned out beautiful. Brian uses it now in his room and it reminds him of Grandma and Grandpa every day.

Below our tree fort turned into a clubhouse this summer. With teens and preteens its usefulness as a fort was slim. So Travis built a bench seat and table in it, added shelves and a sofa (don't even ask how they got it up there) and lights. He slept up there for two weeks straight, he loved it so much. Jess and Josh have camped up there as well and like to hang out during the day, reading and visiting with friends

Summer wrap-up Part II

Two unrelated events that were fun, or at least amusing. We did very little letterboxing this summer; it just seemed too busy. We'd go somewhere and bring our stuff but other priorities keep us from hunting. Up top the kids are looking for a box in Tumalo State Park, also the site they went to Camp Fire camp later in the summer. Josh got to stay overnight twice and learn all sorts of outdoor skills and Jess once. The other days were just day events -- they seemed to enjoy it. They also attended a day camp for basketball in August. Both want to play on school teams.


Below is just a silly photo of TJ, all done in after a road trip Mom wanted to take in the Cascades.

Summer?!!? a wrap-up

Our first summer fun was the Trillium's maiden voyage. For the ignorant, the Trillium was the itty-bitty travel trailer Gram and Grampa Hole used for their bi-annual jaunts. We bought it from the estate, mostly because Brian was sentimental about it but also because we thought it would be a nice addition to family camp outs. This spring we went camping and drove through a rainstorm to get there. The water got under our tarps covering all of our stuff in the utility trailer, meaning we arrived with wet clothes and wet sleeping bags.

What a drag.

So we decided to take the trailer close to home, in case we found any problems. We ended up at Jack Creek in the Metolious River basin, after checking out several other options. It turned out to be a happy accident. The campground itself was nothing exciting but it was right on the creek, which was exquisitely beautiful. The water was fast and clear and full of fallen logs that sprouted more wildflowers than I had seen in many years.

We went without kids, without dogs. It was great, very peaceful. I read an entire novel in two days and Brian and I had lots of time to talk. It was a mellow beginning to what would become a hectic season.

Why you should never ask a movie buff for a discriminating opinion

Memorial Day weekend was spent in Lacey this year, visiting Brian's sister Leah. It was a nice trip, we kept it simple and didn't fill it up with a bunch of running around. Brian and Travis were thrilled to spend a couple of hours in the cool comic store in Olympia and Travis was especially thrilled to drive with his aunt in her sports car instead of tooling around town in the minivan with the other kids and parents. Jessie and Shiori spent quite a bit of time working with their grandma on outfits they were sewing for Grandma's Week (see olden days skirt modeled above). We decided on a group movie on Day Two, trusting Brian's recommendation that "Pirates of the Caribbean" was appropriate for the younger kids. Needless to say, I won't be asking him for recommendations again anytime real soon. With a child hanged and a woman shot in the head in the first 10 minutes, it was a tad over the top for 10-year-olds.
The man can't be trusted.

Mother's Day

Well, yesterday was Mother's day. Leslie wanted to got on a Sunday drive and check out some campgrounds. We have a new to us trailer and are looking at doing some more camping this year. I didn't take the time to put 2 and 2 together when looking at campgrounds. I just knew that there were some that I liked and some that I didn't. Now I am realizing that we need to know if there is water, pull through, back in space for the trailer, sun, shade, lake, river, stream, fishing, hiking, and the list goes on and on. I might sound like this is a burden but actually it is quite fun exploring new places and looking at what they are like so that we can go camping at the drop of a hat and know what we are headed into. !!And all that is within 2 hours of home!! Well when Leslie said let's head up to the pass and check out campgrounds I thought she really meant go over the passes and check out campgrounds on both sides. It turns out that she really meant to go to the to and back down our side again. Well she was a sport and let me take her on a loooooooooooooooooong drive instead. We went all the way down the McKenzie and into Springfield, up to Marcola, Sweet Home, and back home again. We stopped at 20 plus campgrounds and found several that we liked. 8 plus hours later and we are back home again. So much for this episode of "Exploring new worlds, seeking out new civilizations, and boldly going where many campers have gone before" bh

Luaus and party girls

Louie Paul and Kristin -- college fashions are so silly nowadays

We just got back from a nice weekend. Kristin's school had one its biggest fundraiser/social events and since it was a luau put on by the Hawaiian students, it seemed a good reason for a visit.

Travis suprised us by wanting to go but he misses his sister and I think was curious about college life. So B and I stayed at the McMenamins in Forest Grove (we had made reservations before TJ decided to come) while he stayed with his sister. As is happened Kristin was not in her dorm but sleeping in a tent as part of a political demonstration she and some friends were doing about displaced persons in Africa. So TJ got to rough it with a gang of college kids doing very collegey things. He seemed to enjoy it.

We spent part of Saturday afternoon at Goodwill, oddly enough. What started as a simple trip to get job applications for Bug turned into a full-blown shopping trip for her, her friends who came with and even us (had to do something to kill the time). It was fun actually.

Sunday we met Sarah and her godmother Lori, my cousin. We had breakfast and visited and Lori took time to check out the family scrapbooks I finished recently using old family photos and memorabilia. It was really great to see everyone and be back in Portland. I miss it.

Passing on the addiction

The kids went skiing a record number of times this winter. Brian is so excited about sharing his love of skiing with them, it's the one constant from his childhood that meant a lot to him.

J and J's mom and stepdad don't ski so their mentorship with Brian is the only exposure they get. For several years they only got on the slopes once or twice a year but this year they went four times and it really showed in their skills.

B hopes that they continue to enjoy it and participate as they get older. Travis went snowboarding twice this year and enjoyed it enough to continue. He had never really gotten into it, even though his dad skis.

Now I just need to find that second job to pay for all this. Expensive sport, skiing.

The Bonnie Files- Episode 5

Life with Bonnie continues to be interesting. She had surgery to remove several rotten teeth (evidently Grandma and Grandpa Hole were not big on brushing -- but who is?). At the same time they froze her eyelashes so they'd stop growing into her eyes and causing irritation and infection.

She's becoming more and more integrated into the family. Her new best friend is Travis but not so much because he has the warm fuzzies for her -- more because he's always been a kid who likes to cuddle and what better than a nice warm lap dog?

Bonnie went to the beach with us last month and seemed overwhelmed by the ocean. It was funny to watch her avoid the water at all costs. She stayed glued to our sides every second!

Santiam pass sledding expedition

Jessica held her own with the big boys

For Brian, speed was everything

Joshua hits a mogul

Magic tux and brown sand birthday

Travis attended his first formal dance last week. He went with a friend, not a girlfriend, so really I think it was in it for the tux. He fell in love with this mobster tux months ago and was just looking for an excuse to rent it. He looked pretty snazzy and felt like a million bucks.

Not being a great birthday gift shopper, I gave Travis leave to make me a cake for my recent birthday. He surprised me by his cleverness and resourcefulness. He baked sheet cake, used frosting and sugar to simulate a beach with sand and waves and an "over the hill" buoy. It was topped off with a smiling Chinese figurine sitting on the beach with a paper umbrella.

It tasted good too.

Forgotten holiday gallery

Sarah has become enamored with the idea of learning the fine art of massage therapy. Several family members selflessly allowed themselves to be subjects. When Sarah was done with Kristin she was so relaxed she was afraid if she stood up her blanket would fall off. Sarah tried to help, with comical results.
Josh received a book for Christmas he read in less than two days.
I guess it was good.


Made gingerbread men at Christmas with Sarah, Kristin, Josh and Jessie. We ended up making so many we had an 'army' of men, so they became the blue coats and the redcoats. Kristin and I also built a gingerbread house for the soldiers to recuperate in after the battle but it collapsed from the weight of too much candy on the roof.
War is hell.






Christmas was the time to introduce Sarah's boyfriend Kody to the time-honored Hole tradition of Game Playing. He went along pretty well for Trivial Pursuit but seemed to enjoy Taboo better. Eventually I think it started to get to him and he and Sarah took a break to watch football at a local pub (no TV at our house).

Which way to the North Pole?

Uncle Brian teaches Shiori to use a compass so she can find her first letterbox.
We were rich in relatives over the Christmas holidays. We were able to see all of Brian's parents, his sister and his niece. It was great to have all that family time but not travel. Next year it's our turn I guess. We spent a ridiculous amount of time hanging out, talking, playing games and watching movies. We took a walk finally to get some fresh air and decided to introduce Shiori to letterboxing, which she seemed to enjoy (if it wasn't for the cold).
All of the kids were in attendance, including Sarah and her boyfriend Cody. Cody had to survive the holidays with no football on TV but he seemed to whether the family baptism fine.

What's big and green and smelly all over?

Winter still hasn't arrived in Redmond but there was plenty of snow in the hills beyond Sisters, where we got our tree. It took a half-mile walk down a snow-packed road, another slog through knee-deep snow up a hill but we came away with two good firs -- one for my office and one for us. The one for us was the fattest tree imaginable, much fatter then it was tall. It was great for all of our ornaments but it dominated our living room in a major way.
Travis and his girlfriend Brandi, along with Jessie, try to make a sledding outing out of our annual tree hunt.

Turkey omlettes anyone?

Kristin, as usual, took copious naps during her visit. I swear -- either that girl never sleeps or we are stupifyingly boring.

Brian, Aunt Lana, Granny Gram enjoyed looking at Brian's digital photos on his computer Thanksgiving weekend. We had a houseful with most of the Hole/Brumbaugh clan in attendance. Travis and Kristin held reign as the only teens in house and Jessica and Josh were able to drop by for a few hours (it was their Thanksgiving to spend with their Mom). After dinner it looked like none of the food had been touched --we had that much. Nearly everyone dispersed right after the holiday and we spent the next week trying to eat all the leftovers.