Winter Wonderland--a Vacation for Glenda

Well, this is the last vacation for Glenda for 2008. She won't be going to work until next year! We have been busy buying warm!!! winter clothes for me since I will be attending the Inauguration this year. We must prepare for the coldest weather. On Inauguration Day my day will begin at about 4 a.m. I will pick up my group at 5:30 a.m. at a Metro stop; then we will travel to the National Mall--no, not a shopping center. After we pass through security, we will be outside for the next 8 or 9 hours. Pray for warmth and no rain or snow. Anyway, one of the purchases online was a snow rake to help prevent ice dams on the roof. You will see a couple action shots taking by a rookie reporter for the Backyard Review, a widely read magazine for outdoor enthusiasts.

B-u-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r!

Well, our unseasonably warm Fall came to a crashing halt. In a matter of two days we went from upper 40's to stuggling to reach 20. The new wood stove got a true workout. It did really well. One day Glenda and I both went to work, and I got home around 2:30 p.m. The house was around 58 degrees inside, and it took a while to get our temperature up. Our wonderful bed was gloriously warm for us even though the weather outside was rather frightful, inside it was quite delightful. We even had some snow.

Oh, Let Us Give Thanks!

Another wonderful Thanksgiving rolled around. This year we were blessed with all our children, their spouses, and the grandchildren making it over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house. Rather than "Hoof and Mouth," "Hand and Foot" abounded in our house. Alas, Ruth and Jim were beaten all too often. On Thanksgiving afternoon, we all made our way to Uncle Dan's house and a feast set out for a king. The warmth of family and friendship encouraged all of us. The cold Fall weather had stayed away, and so everyone was able to enjoy the day. Grandma and Grandpa Ward came to dinner with us, which was a true delight. On Friday, the Miller tradition continued of early wake-ups and trips to the malls. We all did our best for the economy. Then we went for a walk up Pilot Butte with the family--what a treat!!! On Saturday Christy and Glenda hosted a baby shower for Maryanne while the boys went a hikin' again to Tumalo Falls. Benjamin enjoyed the trip and especially the Cold Stone ice cream afterwards.

A few More Pictures of Disneyland

We stayed for the parade and then shopped.

Disneyland

We rode the submarine which is now about Finding Nemo. The Matterhorn was cool. The monorail has brand new vehicles. We even captured a picture with Capt'n Jack Sparrow, matey.

California Adventure

Well, California wouldn't be complete without a trip to Disneyland. We only went on a few rides, but I did beat Glenda when we went on the Toy Story ride in California Adventure. It was 3-D laser. We had our picture taken with Goofy--I know Glenda gets her picture taken with him all the time. We didn't ride the Hotel Hollywood--the EMTs were having lunch and didn't want to be disturbed. We went to a Bug's Life theater and did some shopping. Then we traveled to Disneyland and enjoyed our afternoon and evening. Hope you are enjoying our travels.

More from Mexico

Hope you enjoy the pictures. The water was 86 degrees!!!!!

Mexican Riviera--Ole!

Well, it began in July after all my trips back East were complete. I found a good deal on a Mexican cruise, called my sister and asked if she wanted to go, and started planning. In October it became a reality. Glenda and I flew to Burbank; Don and Cathy picked us up, and we headed for the cruise ship in San Pedro. We enjoyed the warm sun, the smooth waters (swimming and sailing), enjoyed the shopping, and ate to our hearts' content. Our ports were Cabo San Lucas, Matzatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. Cathy was a real kick to have along. We all kept one another busy.

Mom and Dad Ward

We had Mom and Dad over for salmon dinner. It was nice for them to get out of Stone Lodge for awhile and come and visit.

Glenda Is 06 Oops, My Dyslexia again!

She's not old, and she's not gray; but she sure is having a good time at 60. Here are a couple pictures of her new toy--work machine. She is sewing some dayglow orange covers for my luggage handles so I'll be able to spot them in the airports where I travel.

Never Enough Time with the Grandkids

The summer months after our trip to Northern California seemed to fly by. We went to see the our kids in Salem and, of course, visit the grandkids. However, the time never seems long enough. One of our favorite haunts is the Gilbert House where Gracie loves to go shopping and Benjamin discovered a train. After this particular visit to Discovery Village, we visited the Dairy Queen and DILLY BARS!

Summer Getaway

Even though this is posted when it has just snowed 3 inches, Glenda and I actually made a trip to Northern California in June. We visited our friends, Pat and Kerry Harrigan, in Fall River Mills. We had a delightful time with them, and Pat is still trying to perfect my rifle skills--don't worry all the ctitters are safe. While we were there, severe thunderstorms set all of Northern California on fire. Our plan was to drive directly west to the coast after our visit with the Harrigans. Alas, that was not to be! Most of the roads, and eventually all of the roads, leading to the coast were closed. We ended up driving to Grants Pass and then down to the Redwoods. At one point on this detour, we were closer to visiting our grandkids in Salem, Oregon than we were to our overnight destination in Ferndale. But on we went. Here are some shots of that adventure.