I can't believe it is the end of February and I can't believe our ocean view still changes everyday. We have a pebble covered beach as we do each Winter but it is moving. As we look out the window, the pebbles used to be mainly to the left. That area is now pure sand and the rocks are directly in front of us. The pebbles or small rocks include many agates so it is agate collecting time again. I am amazed we don't see people bumping into each other as they walk with heads down on the beach looking for agates but so far it hasn't happened.
We also are dealing today with a tsunami alert. Just unusual currents for this area so I am hoping Hawaii and other areas will be safe also after the big earthquake in Chile. We have a lot of problems on the Oregon coast with currents already. People don't respect the power of the ocean and we recently had a drowning of a man trying to save his dog and another near drowning the same day. Jim, the local safety and rescue person with the fire department told Dick that actually that one day, Valentine's Day, there were 5 rescues just here in Lincoln City. Beauty and the Beast out our window.
Politics are a main topic in our household since Dick is running for Mayor this year. Our accountant is pretty well set up now. I set up the records online so she can take over with the legal stuff with the State. I set up the books and we are already pleased to have a few donations coming in. It is amazing what it will cost in this little town just to print and mail flyers. I was planning on taking pictures this weekend but it is still grey and drizzling. It is supposed to improve and be sunny on Monday...maybe even Sunday ...so we will try then.
Dick had a wonderful listening session at a small coffee shop around the corner Thursday night. There were 17 people and they had great ideas and concerns to share. I think it will be a good idea to keep this up as we meet some very interesting people this way. I am still amazed at the diverse and interesting backgrounds of the people we meet in our little town of 8,000. Just today we stopped by a little shop only 3 blocks away where they sell Persian rugs, throws, pillows and other imported items and the man there also does awesome work restoring furniture. He does beautiful work! I took my Grandmother's old rocker in and had the seat recaned but he insisted on tightening up the joints and giving the old rocker a little TLC as well. While picking up the chair, I visited with the woman who runs the store...his wife. She has been teaching GED educational classes for the past 34 years at the community college. She had great stories about some of the students, especially single moms who had dropped out of school only to come back enthusiastically once they have children of their own and grow up very fast. What success stories! Lincoln City schools have a very high drop out rate and the schools themselves aren't great so that is another challenge to face. I am glad there is someone out there to help when the kids need to get that GED. She said many need them to get electrician certification or a license as a beautician. Reality hits when jobs are needed.
We still go almost daily to Starbucks and gather with friends to discuss all sorts of concerns for the community as well. There are many people who drop by and who can share background on topics if they have lived here forever, fresh ideas if they are new and a sense of humor to most topics...even septic tanks! I see people becoming more interested in speaking out about problems and stepping up to the plate to either run for office or volunteer for committees. It is exciting to see a friendly, but quiet woman grow by feeling she can speak up and let people hear her thoughts. For now it was a group of 17 over coffee but soon it will be at the City Council meeting on TV. She is up for the challenge!
It is a quiet place...Lincoln City...but it's just an amazing place to live.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
It's an Election Year
It is an election year for Dick in Lincoln City. He has been a City Councilor and enjoyed the work but this time around he is trying for Mayor. Oh, joy. I am not political but of course support whatever he wants to do.
As usual, as Dick talks with people he refers to "his people" and in a small town...I am "his people". So, we headed to Salem to meet with a CPA who specializes in filing the policitcal/financial forms with the State this past week. I did this for him last time but it is a fairly difficult program and even when I called the State to ask questions, then didn't know how to answer. So, we are now paying someone to file those forms to make us legal. The checking account and paper trail is no problem for me but boy am I glad the State stuff is out of my hands!
Pippa, a friend, is working on a better handout/mailer for this campaign. I still have to take pictures for it but she is creating the "look". Next will be fundraisers at people's homes. We didn't need to ask for money last year as we didn't spend more than the $2,000 maximum before the more detailed State filing. This year, however, newspaper ads and some signage may be necessary.
Dick has been on a "Listening Tour" with the other Councilor in our Ward (Lincoln City is divided into 3 Wards to cover such a long city-26 miles). They are meeting people in the Ward at a community coffee (and bead) shop and talking issues, problems, etc. He has already had people asking if he is running for Mayor...still just a rumor traveling around since he hasn't declared yet. Sounds like some decent support but the current mayor is very well known and has been in politics for years so there may be a rough road ahead.
Wish us well. It will keep us busy in 2010 and out of too much mischief. It's just an election year!
As usual, as Dick talks with people he refers to "his people" and in a small town...I am "his people". So, we headed to Salem to meet with a CPA who specializes in filing the policitcal/financial forms with the State this past week. I did this for him last time but it is a fairly difficult program and even when I called the State to ask questions, then didn't know how to answer. So, we are now paying someone to file those forms to make us legal. The checking account and paper trail is no problem for me but boy am I glad the State stuff is out of my hands!
Pippa, a friend, is working on a better handout/mailer for this campaign. I still have to take pictures for it but she is creating the "look". Next will be fundraisers at people's homes. We didn't need to ask for money last year as we didn't spend more than the $2,000 maximum before the more detailed State filing. This year, however, newspaper ads and some signage may be necessary.
Dick has been on a "Listening Tour" with the other Councilor in our Ward (Lincoln City is divided into 3 Wards to cover such a long city-26 miles). They are meeting people in the Ward at a community coffee (and bead) shop and talking issues, problems, etc. He has already had people asking if he is running for Mayor...still just a rumor traveling around since he hasn't declared yet. Sounds like some decent support but the current mayor is very well known and has been in politics for years so there may be a rough road ahead.
Wish us well. It will keep us busy in 2010 and out of too much mischief. It's just an election year!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
2010
It is already February and I haven't blogged forever! Where does time go when you are having fun?
I just started learning to knit! There were a number of us who are friends who wanted knitting lessons either to improve skills or to start from scratch and learn the basics, so we started checking out the times and places to learn. Since I am only in the Portland area on a limited basis I was determined not to hold back my friends by restricting their choice of classes to fit my schedule. However, I did mention these were my friends, and they rallied to adjust their schedules to mine and we set the date for our first class...I didn't have to take classes here in Lincoln City all by myself.
We found a coffee shop near our condo in West Linn that also houses a small knitting shop. Coffee first, yarn second. The woman who runs the knitting part, hosts knit-ins where women come to share a cup of coffee and knit and she is there to help out if needed. Ruth gratiously agreed to take us on and teach a basic class on Tuesday mornings. On the day of our first class, I picked up my friend, Shirley in the next building down from our condo and we drove over to the coffee house. We both ordered coffee arriving early to do so and chat a little before the rest arrived. Ruth helped us select yarn and needles and we were ready to roll. Shirley and I would be the only true novices. Donna, Sandy and Joan arrived and we all settled in with coffee to start. Ruth had us cast on and showed Shirley and me how to actually knit. She suggested we not worry about mistakes but just knit away to get the feeling and ryhthm. Ruth also has the philosphy that little mistakes make the knitted item unique and handmade. I like this woman! I knit away and had plenty of holes, blips and ended with more stitches than I started with but I was getting the hang of it and it felt good.
Class was over but my group of friends decided we needed lunch. Not wanting to move, we just ordered sandwiches and soup right there at the coffee house and kept knitting. It was such a joy to sit there and talk with these great women. The knitting became the secondary purpose of our meeting. We had a new member to the circle of friends, Sandy. She has been going through personal triumphs and hardships yet had such a vivacious personality it was amazing. I hope she will continue to join us in other gatherings. She was amazed to hear that Donna had 3 women gatherings in one day! Most women struggle to share time with friends even weekly! She is another one of my amazing friends. Joan is full of spunk and the funniest woman I know...well there is Linda but that is another story. Joan writes funny stories for the Lake Oswego Review and I know I have been in a couple of them. She too has had a demanding 2009 but the fighter she is, Joan has conquered it all and now stands on top of the mountain of life enjoying what she sees. Shirley is another awesome friend who has had a rough 2009. Smiling and beautiful as always, Shirley was struggling with knitting. She finally shared with us that she may be putting up a block beacause her mother was a perfectionist who told Shirley she couldn't do anything right. We all disagreed with Shirley's mother and encouraged her to stick with it...and hopefully she will. As for me, I feel very lucky to have friends like these women and to be able to share time with them. They encourage me. They make me laugh...and cry. I feel so blessed to have had a great 2009 knowing what these women have been going through and still are experiencing. If I can be there for them just a little, I feel lucky. I hope everyone has friend just like them. Joyce will be joining us next week and she too is a charming and caring person who went through some milestones last year like turning a big one...no I won't mention which birthday exactly but we are also glad she is healthy again.
By the way, I went home Tuesday night and ripped out my knitting so I could practice starting again. Well...I practiced about 10 times because I couldn't do it again. Sometimes I would drop a stich and it would come all undone. Sometimes I couldn't remember how to get going. But, after all those tries, I am proud of myself for getting back to where I had finished in class all by myself and for figuring it out. I haven't checked with Shirley but I hope she is on a roll too.
It is just a happy knitting day.
I just started learning to knit! There were a number of us who are friends who wanted knitting lessons either to improve skills or to start from scratch and learn the basics, so we started checking out the times and places to learn. Since I am only in the Portland area on a limited basis I was determined not to hold back my friends by restricting their choice of classes to fit my schedule. However, I did mention these were my friends, and they rallied to adjust their schedules to mine and we set the date for our first class...I didn't have to take classes here in Lincoln City all by myself.
We found a coffee shop near our condo in West Linn that also houses a small knitting shop. Coffee first, yarn second. The woman who runs the knitting part, hosts knit-ins where women come to share a cup of coffee and knit and she is there to help out if needed. Ruth gratiously agreed to take us on and teach a basic class on Tuesday mornings. On the day of our first class, I picked up my friend, Shirley in the next building down from our condo and we drove over to the coffee house. We both ordered coffee arriving early to do so and chat a little before the rest arrived. Ruth helped us select yarn and needles and we were ready to roll. Shirley and I would be the only true novices. Donna, Sandy and Joan arrived and we all settled in with coffee to start. Ruth had us cast on and showed Shirley and me how to actually knit. She suggested we not worry about mistakes but just knit away to get the feeling and ryhthm. Ruth also has the philosphy that little mistakes make the knitted item unique and handmade. I like this woman! I knit away and had plenty of holes, blips and ended with more stitches than I started with but I was getting the hang of it and it felt good.
Class was over but my group of friends decided we needed lunch. Not wanting to move, we just ordered sandwiches and soup right there at the coffee house and kept knitting. It was such a joy to sit there and talk with these great women. The knitting became the secondary purpose of our meeting. We had a new member to the circle of friends, Sandy. She has been going through personal triumphs and hardships yet had such a vivacious personality it was amazing. I hope she will continue to join us in other gatherings. She was amazed to hear that Donna had 3 women gatherings in one day! Most women struggle to share time with friends even weekly! She is another one of my amazing friends. Joan is full of spunk and the funniest woman I know...well there is Linda but that is another story. Joan writes funny stories for the Lake Oswego Review and I know I have been in a couple of them. She too has had a demanding 2009 but the fighter she is, Joan has conquered it all and now stands on top of the mountain of life enjoying what she sees. Shirley is another awesome friend who has had a rough 2009. Smiling and beautiful as always, Shirley was struggling with knitting. She finally shared with us that she may be putting up a block beacause her mother was a perfectionist who told Shirley she couldn't do anything right. We all disagreed with Shirley's mother and encouraged her to stick with it...and hopefully she will. As for me, I feel very lucky to have friends like these women and to be able to share time with them. They encourage me. They make me laugh...and cry. I feel so blessed to have had a great 2009 knowing what these women have been going through and still are experiencing. If I can be there for them just a little, I feel lucky. I hope everyone has friend just like them. Joyce will be joining us next week and she too is a charming and caring person who went through some milestones last year like turning a big one...no I won't mention which birthday exactly but we are also glad she is healthy again.
By the way, I went home Tuesday night and ripped out my knitting so I could practice starting again. Well...I practiced about 10 times because I couldn't do it again. Sometimes I would drop a stich and it would come all undone. Sometimes I couldn't remember how to get going. But, after all those tries, I am proud of myself for getting back to where I had finished in class all by myself and for figuring it out. I haven't checked with Shirley but I hope she is on a roll too.
It is just a happy knitting day.
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