Organic Gardening

Today we did our pre-gardening. We are required to attend a meeting every year as we return to our organic community garden and today was the day. Yes, we will have scarecrows again this year. We even signed up for our mandatory work session to help the community garden with maintenance in May. Dick and I then went directly to our garden space to clean it out. We are moving to a larger space! A few asprins later, I can say our old plot is clean and ready for the next person. Brett came by to help and we even left the old place with new bark for the walkway around its border. Then we transplanted our rhubarb to the new space. The new plot looks like it has great soil and is already for us to plant. We were informed the water would be turned on mid-March and frost season ends mid-April so we are ready to go. Now for the planning and waiting for that warm weather and no more SNOW! It's just spring fever.

Tank turns 15 !!!

Many of you have met Tank, Brett's big, black dog, who lived with us on Turner Rd for years. He is getting old and grey but just celebrated his 15th birthday with a dog party. 15 is very old for a large sized dog. Tank is getting a lot more grey, creaky joints, and is losing his hearing but he is still a shiny-coated, easy-going, friendly dog. You just might have to shout a little to get his attention.

Brett and Liz held a party for him on Valentine's day and since a number of large dogs were involved, they held it at Lexie Dog, a new doggie place in downtown Lake Oswego. The main play room was decorated with streamers and balloons. There was a big sign on the door declaring "Welcome to Tank's birthday party". Brett did a great board showing pictures of Tank as a youngster, teenager and many of his trips backpacking and snow shoeing. There was a "human's" table with lemonade, cupcakes laid out in the shape of dog bones and snacks for nibbling. Then there was the doggie table with a banana and peanut butter cake with cream cheese frosting. YUM! There was a bowl with heart shaped dog treats and a party favor for each dog with more heart treats and a doggie donut in each bag to take home.

Tank's friends included Tillee (Brett and Liz' other dog) and her sister, Poppy who are both Bernese Mtn. Dogs, 3 Portuguese Water Dogs (Shasta, the mom and brother and sister, Jamaica and Mr. Lincoln. Lincoln is our dog), a Rottweiler and another non-denominational dog. They all had a lot of fun chasing balls and each other. Then the fun began with bobbing for apples. The Portuguese Water Dogs won the prize for the "Dogs in the water the most" and Tillee won for most apples eaten.

Next, the dogs were grouped together by who got along best into smaller side yards and Tank remained the center of attention when his cake was brought out. We weren't sure how all the dogs would do in one location with food around so we played it safe. Once Tank was able to spot the cake, he licked the frosting happily while Brett took pictures. We cut up the cake and all the invitees inhaled their pieces. The humans were then served cupcakes to round out the day.

It was a wonderful tribute to a great dog. Tank took his glucosamine and pain pills ahead of time and seemed to enjoy watching all the youngsters make fools of themselves. It was just a man's-best-friend day.

SPLASH!!!!!

I just have to share...at 5pm today Dick and I were chatting and he said to look out the window. A whale jumped straight up in the air just out front of our window and fell back into the water. It continued to do this 5 times in a row. We have never once seen this happen. I immediately called a neighbor so she wouldn't miss it...and of course it stopped. Margaret wanted to know how much wine we had been drinking. She has lived here since 1992 and has never seen that happen!It's just a new experience!

Time Flies

I can't believe we are already in February. 2009 is going fast, already. Lot of things are happening in Lincoln City and with the grandkids to keep us busy. We recently visited a new, City sponsored transitional home for men here in LC. I was really impressed by how nicely it was set up and monitored by a live in resident manager. One man was only 18 and kicked out of his home once he was of legal age. He was going to high school and working but the home gives him a roof over his head to help him move on with his life.

Today, we went down to pick City Hall to up a laptop supplied by the city for Dick's use as a City Councilor. We went into the meeting hall and the IT guys showed Dick just how to plug in to use it during the meetings and also had set it up with desktop icons to help him navigate all the city documents, etc. Dick brought along his people (me) to get training also, but I think they actually did such a great job there won't be much for me to do. I did connect him to our wireless connection here at home (there is also one set up for when he is at City Hall) and he is ready to roll.

Dick and I signed up to work on the 2010 census and go to take our tests tomorrow. We figured we walk all over this town anyway, why not put it to good use.

Finally, we also accepted an invitation to help the Culinary Center celebrate it's second year of existence here in LC. A great chef at our favorite restaurant, Blackfish Cafe, established the Culinary Center in an old, unused restaurant over City Hall. They not only provide classes for locals and visitors, but also do classes for employees of restaurants and bars for licensing and for food handlers. The remodeling makes it a beautiful setting with a lot of stainless steel cooking areas, mirrors for viewing chefs at work and a beautiful view of the ocean. For those of you who know Lincoln City a little, it is next to Price and Pride (near the outlet mall) and over the library. I am still hoping to take some classes there soon but we have enjoyed special events in the center.

The grandkids are all fine and growing strong. Grandpa Dick just completed a light bar to go over Eliana's bed and amazingly, it works well. Eliana is happy to have her own room now that she is 9 and her little sister just turned 2. In the few minutes we were trying out the new light strip, Dena had papers off Eliana's dresser flying everywhere and her camera out of the case and pushed lots of buttons. I can see why Eliana likes her own space. So far, Sarina is still enjoying sharing a room with a 2-year-old. Dena hasn't climbed up to the top bunk in the middle of the night yet!

We are looking forward to this summer when all the girls, Allison, Eliana, Sarina and Dena will be here in Lincoln City on weekdays and home with Jason on the weekends. Allison is working for a camp here is Lincoln City so they will be staying with us at night and at camp all day. During most of the year she will be working out of Portland since the camp is only open during the summer months. I am sure I will have pictures of camp to post once that happens.

In a couple of weeks we will be helping Brett's dog, Tank, celebrate his 15th birthday. This is pretty old for a big dog but Tank is hanging in there. He doesn't hear too well...or at least fakes it well enough. He has some joint problems and trips a little when he is trying to run up the stairs here at the beach. But good old Tank still loves to come visit us at the beach and tries to pretend he is young and runs and bounces a little just like the rest of us as we are getting older and pretending right along with him.

So, with the Arctic Blast at Christmastime past and snow melted, we then had wonderful 70 degree weather this past week. It was amazing to drive from Lincoln City to Portland with the top down on my car in February. Now we are back to normal Oregon weather...it's just raining!