Signing Off

When I began writing this blog over three years ago, I was a bit unsure about sharing personal thoughts to basically...the WORLD! Of course, I exaggerate, but one thing that has surprised me is the number of people who have told me "I like to read your blog". Part of my initial hesitancy, was the thought that I was being a little "full" of myself for thinking that my ordinary life would be interesting at all. But, since I was enjoying reading blogs of others, I embraced the concept and became a blogger. It was the perfect time for me to start a blog as we were beginning a new life in one of the most BEAUTIFUL spots on earth! Needless to say, it was a very exciting & challenging time for us as we navigated our new world as retirees. And, much of what I had hoped for...a flexible job, a great church, new friends, grandchildren close by, volunteer work, travel opportunities, and a cute, down-sized home has come true. In fact, life has been so good these past few years, it's kind of scary to think of what is around the corner. It's now funny for me to think about how obsessed I was about the weather prior to our move. I remember scouring the PNW weather reports daily! Would it rain all the time?...would we miss the sun?...would the darkness be too depressing? I'm happy to report that the weather has been the easiest transition, with no, no, no to my worries. And, if we have a slew of bad weather days, I imagine 30 below zero winters or hot & humid summers, and I think, "this is okay"! Having dear friends in AZ to visit every winter helps, too!!!!

Where am I going with this? This year I wrote a blog about New Year's resolutions and the fact that I did not do them. I then decided to make my first bonafide attempt at a resolution...to write more faithfully on my blog! And, I have not come through! I'm not sure why I've stopped writing faithfully, but I think the "need" for me to hash through transition issues is gone because we've settled into our new lives well. It's interesting to see that some of the bloggers I follow are also writing less...life is busy for everyone and sometimes living life is enough for one day! So, I think, for me it's time to just be a blog reader, instead of a blog writer. Our minister recently said that everyone has a story and with 7 billion people in the world, that's a lot of interesting stories!!!

To be sure, I've had lots of ideas for blogs that I wished I had written about....my commitment to a regular exercise since 1981 and the transformational impact it has had on my life, the deep connection to our church and the progressive Christian message, being humbled by being asked to be the lay leader of our church next year (the next big challenge for me...way out of my comfort zone), my gratitude to NPR, CBC, and BBC for keeping me informed over the airwaves, how incredibly happy I am when I'm reading a good book, and my continued gratefulness for health and the love of family and friends. In 6/2015, if we are lucky enough, Bob and I will celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. It is incredible to me that I am that old and yet feel so young. Since we never know what tomorrow will bring, I think it's always a blessing to feel that the present is the best time. I can't say I've always felt that way about my life, but I certainly feel that way now. So, while the "gettin is good", I'm going to sign off my blog. And to those who have been reading, I've appreciated the time you took to have a connection with me and my thoughts. Bye for now...

Sleep

They say you can't teach old dogs new tricks, but I beg to differ. For most of my life, I would literally gag if I took a sip of coffee. Then, about 15 years ago, with the advent of the Starbucks craze, I gingerly began drinking mocha's ( I laugh to think of the reaction to my first mocha at the Mall of America...I scrunched my face, saying "it tastes too much like coffee")!!!! Well, through the years, I drank more and more coffee, with less and less sugar and NOW...I LOVE COFFEE! I actually find this transition quite interesting. I don't attribute it to the caffeine as I like decaf as well, but I'm sure some scientist could explain how brains can be rewired from hating to loving a particular "taste" item.

What's an even more interesting change in my life, however, is the revolution of my sleep patterns. Until about 7 years ago, a nap was "like heaven" to me. I always felt guilty when, as a stay at home Mom, I napped when the boys napped. Even as a regular exerciser, I still seemed to need a daily nap. Along with my napping, I always slept great at night and could easily sleep for 9 hours!!! I really find that fact amazing in light of my current sleep patterns. As with my coffee change, I've thought a lot about how I could go from being a "sleeping queen" to a no napping, no more than 4hour at a time asleep, sleep pattern. One theory I've pondered is the fact that I now drink coffee, as discussed above. But, I tossed out that reason as I'm not affected much by caffeine. Another thought was leaving shift work. Working 3-11 from 1985 to 2000 definitely had an impact on my sleep patterns. I've come to the conclusion, though, that the BIGGEST impact on my sleep has been menopause. This common side effect "is what it is", but I am happy to report that LESS SLEEP = MORE ENERGY for me. I now find napping almost impossible and I rarely feel tired during the day. When I wake during the night, I listen to my little radio ( an indispensable gift from Bob) and eventually fall back to sleep. In fact, one of the ironies of our married life is that Bob is now the champion sleeper, a change from his troubled sleep in the past. I guess getting rid of the "worries of work life" will do that for some people.

So, all in all, I'm grateful for these changes. Drinking coffee has enabled me to "fit right into" the Northwest coffee culture. It's fun to find joy daily in such a small thing. My sleeping change has also been mostly positive as who wouldn't want more energy on less sleep? I know that change is the only constant in life, but I think this fact is often taken for granted. How nice when change happens for the better!

Victoria and Butchart Gardens

One of the places we've wanted to see since our arrival in the PNW was Victoria, which is the capital of the Canadian province of British Columbia on Vancouver Island. A few months ago I saw a Groupon for a "boutique" hotel in Victoria...a two for one night "romance" special. I had actually forgotten the "romance" part, so was pleasantly surprised to find flowers, wine, a cheese platter, and $50 credit at their restaurant when we arrived this past Wednesday. This Groupon deal was a deal indeed!

We left Wednesday around 9am and sailed through the border (those Canadian border people never crack a smile). We made it to the BC ferry with plenty of time to spare (of course anybody who knows us, knows that's always the case with us)! We strolled through this little ferry mall and relaxed with a cup of coffee. The ferry itself was a bigger and newer boat than the ones in WA. It was smooth sailing through beautiful island scenery. They had nice (expensive, too) food on board and we enjoyed a lunch of egg salad and "delish" clam chowder. One and 1/2 hours later we arrived at Swartz Bay and traveled about 30 miles to Victoria.

Our hotel was lovely and within walking distance of the downtown shops, restaurants, museums, and Inner Harbor. It was nice to "people watch" as we strolled along. Victoria was larger than I expected. It has a city population of about 77,000, but I guess since it is the capital of the region, it has a bigger feel to it. Although many people had told us to expect a very pretty city, I wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be. Still, it was fun to explore and be in another country!

Thursday was the highlight of our trip with our visit to Butchart Gardens. Bob and I LOVE botanical gardens. In fact, our favorite spot in St. Louis was the lovely gardens there. The Buthchart Gardens did not disappoint and we thoroughly enjoyed our day there. It was raining on and off, but they have these cute see through umbrellas (it is the PNW mind you) that kept the rain off me and it did not ruin the day at all. In fact, we loved these gardens so much that we decided to get a year pass and can't wait to go back. We can do this trip in a day (a long day for sure), but it will be a fun adventure when we return again!

These kind of little trips really hit home how lucky we are to be early "retirees"! It's such fun to take off and have no responsibilities for a few days.

Chilled to the Bone

Ten years ago we were living in Northern Virginia and working in Washington DC. Pete was also working in DC for Congressman Jim Leach at the time, his first job after college graduation. My Mother was alive as well as Bob's Dad. Steve and Pete were not married and we had no grandchildren at the time. Bob was two blocks away from the White House on that fateful day and Pete was across from the Capital. I was home, as I was not scheduled to work. So much has changed for us in the ensuing years. We've lived in three more houses and two more states. Bob has retired, our sons have married, we have three grandchildren, and our parents have passed. For us, all the "normal" things have taken place.

Of course for the many who lost loved ones on 9/11 and in the two wars we've waged, life will never be "normal" again. Certainly most of us did not feel normal during those first few hours when we couldn't comprehend the evil that was taking place. It was such an emotionally draining day as the tragedy unfolded before our eyes. I remember feeling "chilled to the bone". It was a relief indeed when I saw Bob finally walk in the door and got the call from Pete that he made it home. We were lucky to only have witnessed, but not truly suffered during this time in our history.

Today our church had a 9/11 memorial service and we had two Muslim guests share their stories. We worshipped together with them, each respecting each other's religious faith. Throughout history there have been so many horrible things done in the name of "religion". Today something good happened at our church as we prayed for peace, exchanged hugs, & shed tears. We ended with a blessing of the children, most who weren't alive ten years ago. Let's hope and pray that they never have to witness a day like that in their lifetimes to come.

Everything We Hoped It Would Be

Next week we will mark three years since we've arrived in the Pacific Northwest. It was an interesting dynamic choosing a place to retire. We thought long and hard about whether to to return to the known (Iowa City) versus embarking on the unknown (B'ham). We had lots of hopes and fears once we made the final decision. Would we like it? Would it rain all the time? Would we find nice people to meet? Would retirement prove to be meaningful, etc, etc, etc.........and the answers are yes, no, yes, and yes! I'm happy there are more yes than no's, as it reflects how happy we've found ourselves to be. We're incredibly grateful for our health, for without that, so much of what we have experienced would not have been possible.

We've both found volunteer projects that take lots of time and energy, but they have energized us as well. I've been lucky beyond measure to find a great flexible, very part time job as an oncology nurse. Oncology nursing is one of the greatest blessings I have in my life and I'm so glad I can continue to practice in this field. We've become involved with an amazing, dynamic church and have met amazing, dynamic people there. I've found a great yoga community that has been transformative for me. We've begun to form new friendships, but keep connected with dear, old friends as well. We've explored our new surroundings with gusto and never take for granted the beauty that surrounds us. We've traveled to visit family often and cannot begin to describe what fun it is to be relatively young grandparents. Although we've lost all of our parents, we are relieved that their suffering is over. We've downsized to our "little house" and found it freeing to rid ourselves of stuff we didn't need anymore.

Since I'm always waiting for "the next shoe to drop", I sometimes worry about how I will respond when that happens. I hope I will have the strength to manage it well. The cancer patients I've cared for along the way have been great teachers when it comes to grace with suffering. I hope I can draw from their example when my time comes to face difficulties ahead. For now, I relish each and every day. Thankful, thankful, thankful indeed.

Canada Memories

Jasper Tramway


Jasper National Park


Icefields Parkway


Icefields Parkway


Only "Wildlife" We Saw


Beautiful Dining Views


Lake Louise Beauty


Lake Louise


Carol Loves Inukchucks


Top of Tunnel Mountain in Banff

Iowa Fun

Puzzle Fun with Papa Bob


Lizzie Likes Puzzles, too


Lots of fun at Jan & Mikes


Nails done


Carousel Time with Hannah


Ice Cream treat at Texas Road House


School Begins


Cute as a Button


Love that Carousel


Playing at the Mall

Where did August go?

We are getting back to "normal life" (whatever that is!) after three very busy weeks in August. Our trip to the Canadian Rockies with Bruce & Carol was WONDERFUL! We happily found out that we are good travel buddies with the Fischer's and are so appreciative we were able to share this special vacation with them. Words cannot truly express the beauty of the mountain scenery of Jasper & Banff National Parks in Canada. Spectacular, gorgeous, amazing, awe-inspiring are a few that come to mind! Lake Louise in Banff was one of the most beautiful landscapes I've ever seen. We were lucky with great weather, good accommodations, nice places to eat, and lots of delicious ice cream! We returned on a Thursday and the next day drove up to Mt. Baker to show off our own Northwest beauty to the Fischer's. We even got to make some snowballs! Our travelers left Saturday am and we followed in the afternoon, had dinner with Steve, Angie, & Evan, and stayed overnight in Seattle for our 6am flight to Iowa on Sunday.

Our week in Iowa flew by! Pete & Anne were busy moving out of their rental, navigating the move into their new home, getting the girls ready for school, working at their jobs, and trying to keep their stress levels manageable. We were so happy to help out as much as possible. We had lots of time with Hannah & Lizzie and it's such a joy watching them grow into the amazing people they are. They did incredibly well, considering the chaos in their lives for now. They have adjusted to life in IC well. Pete & Anne clearly love their new home and new jobs, too! We also connected with several dear friends and are grateful to the Sullivan's for their hospitality as we, Hannah, & Lizzie camped out with them in their lovely home for several days. All of our friends were so kind to Hannah & Lizzie, which was much appreciated by this Grandma.

It's hard to believe that August has only one week left. Our original summer plans included a visit from the Garvey's, but they were just about spent from moving, so they headed home to AZ instead. Beautiful weather has finally arrived in the PNW and is a welcome relief from the heat/humidity of the Midwest and our cool, cloudy summer thus far. Bob has been a "busy beaver" with Habitat and Red Cross work since our return. It's almost like a full time job for him! So, due to his "demanding schedule", pictures of our trips will have to wait. It's great to be home safe & sound, with fun memories of time spent with family and friends!

ARRIVAL!

Bruce & Carol arrived right on time early yesterday evening. After the beastly heat of the Midwest, they immediately began enjoying the cool, fresh air. And, as we were driving away from the airport, they were able to see glimpses of Mt. Rainer...a great way to start our time together. We then headed to Steve & Angie's for dinner and entertainment provided by our sweet Evan. After yummy pizza, salad, & dessert (thanks, Angie), we drove our travelers north to B'Ham. We've begun catching up, but there is so much more to talk about. I think these next 10 days should do it!

Today we will show our dear friends around town, ending with a dinner party tonight. Since Kent is a new pastor and Bruce is a retired pastor, we thought it would be fun for them to meet. We have room for eight, so I've included some dear new friends as well. Tomorrow we head to the San Juan Islands, a trip we always enjoy, no matter how often we go! On Saturday, the REAL vacation begins as we head to the beautiful Canadian Rockies!!!! An added plus...summer has finally arrived in all it's glory in the PNW...yeah!!!!

Bob the Barista

One of our "guilty pleasures" in retirement has been daily coffee drinks from the various coffee shops around town. We like Starbucks (even though it's not politically correct to admit that in this area), and Woods (a really great local place) is another favorite. Part of the appeal is the drink for sure, but the cozy ambiance of these establishments is another draw. As my friend Geri says, "it's a destination...a way to get out and about"! There is that positive aspect, but a BIG negative is the price!!!! About 8 months after we moved here we began making afternoon coffee at home due to the expense. Unfortunately, we slipped out of that good habit and again began our daily treks for our "coffee fix"!

Several weeks ago I began ruminating about the cost and the environmental waste from not using reusable cups. When I added up what we spent in a year, I actually got a little sick inside. So, I approached Bob (in a nice wifely way) and suggested that we curtail this little habit of ours. He was reluctant. He loved his daily java visits, book in hand. And, I pretty much thought, it was a lost cause trying to convince him. I'm not sure what did it (probably hearing the costs in hard dollars and cents), but Bob began investigating home espresso machines. Mind you, we were not looking at the REAL costly ones, just a mid priced machine that would allow us to make our drinks at home. Bob loves "the hunt" when we are deciding on a new product in our lives and he really investigated this one. And about a week ago, we brought our 20% off coupon to Bed, Bath & Beyond and came home with our Cuisinart espresso machine. I love it because it does not take up too much counter space, was moderately priced, and the stainless exterior matches the rest of my appliances. Bob loves it because, well, it's a new GADGET!

Bob has embraced this new coffee maker with gusto. He bought a "how to" book named I Love Coffee and is getting his technique down with each drink brewed. Because summer has finally arrived, we are now drinking iced mocha's and I think they are as good as the ones we were paying the big bucks for. We also purchased some reusable cups with straws...yeah for the landfill! I feel a little bad about Bob missing out on reading at the shop each day, but our little home is proving to be cozy enough. Bob has warned me that he will still treat himself now and then. And, I'm fine with that. Believe me, even if we cut down on half of our trips, the resulting savings will be very nice! It's hard to break habits, especially ones that are "kinda fun", so I am VERY proud of my coffee loving husband who can now add "barista" to his list of talents!

First Round

Several weeks ago I received an email from a dear nursing friend whom I worked with for many years at the University of Iowa. 4JPW was an amazing place to learn the field of oncology & Jeanette was a wonderful teacher and colleague. I was delighted to learn that she and her husband, Hubert, were vacationing on the Oregon coast. Her email asked if we would be available for a visit, as they were planning to see the San Juan Islands. They had heard about this "hidden gem" from family who had previously visited. As luck would have it our calendar was free and plans were made!

We got lucky again as we had a warm, sunny day to tour San Juan Island with Jeanette & "H". It was such fun to reconnect with these wonderful friends. We enjoyed showing them the lovely views (although Mt. Baker refused to make an appearance) on our ferry ride to Friday Harbor. We even got to see some Orcas at the whale watching park, a first for me since arriving in the PNW. We stopped at the winery, British Camp, Roche Harbor, and ended the day with a delicious meal at the Rumor Mill (thanks, Brianna)! As is usual with good friends, we just picked up where we left off and I got caught up with all the happenings of the old gang. I LOVED working at the University and it is always great to hear everyone's news. Great, great memories indeed!

Although their visit was way to short, it was nice to hear the Gent's plans to visit Glacier National Park in Montana on the way home. It also got me in the mood for our upcoming company and travel to come. In a few short days, a second Iowa contingent, Bruce & Carol arrive. We will then head up to see the beautiful Canadian Rockies in British Columbia with them. We'll then head back to Iowa City the third week in August (do you see the IOWA theme here?) to see Pete and family...yeah!!! After we come back home, our third round of company, the Garvey's arrive, as they head back to AZ! WOW, what a fun August we have to look forward to.

We absolutely love having company, so if you are reading this and thinking about a trip to the BEAUTIFUL Pacific Northwest, quick...make your reservation at the Matthes B&B...you are always welcome here!


Bob and Hubert share a cup of Northwest coffee before heading onto the ferry to San Juan Island


Jeanette & Kathi- the ferry arrives into Friday Harbor


Jeanette loves lighthouses and we found one on the island


Jeanette & Kathi as we trek to take a closer look of the Lilm Kiln LIghthouse


After a nice dinner at the Rumor Mill


At Friday Harbor, waiting to board the ferry

REUNION

Several months ago my dearest friend from nursing school began floating the idea for a reunion. Since we graduated 35 years ago and none of us were getting any younger, it seemed like the perfect time to reconnect. Some of us had seen each other intermittently through the years, but we had not all been together since graduation. One of Rosemary's special gifts is amazing hospitality and she graciously offered to host us at her Jersey shore home. Calls were made, plans were set, & travel arrangements completed. Rose and her family spent countless hours organizing the event, finishing projects, cleaning, & cooking delicious meals, which made us all feel welcome indeed. Rosemary has always been such a generous soul & I'm not sure if this is possible, but she even outshone herself!

I flew in from Seattle on 7/5, had fun taking the train south to Bayhead, where Rosemary was waiting for me. We had a nice evening catching up before the rest of the group began arriving on Wednesday & Thursday. And, as always is the case with good friends, we all picked up as if it had just been yesterday. Rosemary and her daughter Christine (who inherited the welcoming, caring gene from her parents) had put together "question cards" that jogged our memories about the "good old" college days. We laughed about past classes, professors, and even what we ate at the snack bar. We shared the past, but also, got caught up on our current lives, jobs, and families. There were lots of hugs, smiles, support, and even some tears. All agreed it was a fabulous time and that we should meet again before 35 more years go by! (Now, wouldn't that be a sight to see)!

I came away with renewed respect and awe for my fellow nursing school friends. Rosemary, a former ICU assistant nurse manager, is now a substitute school nurse and home care nurse for total care patient. Lynn has become an expert in caring for quadriplegic patients. Maureen is working with military vets for the VA and has earned her Master's Degree. Sue just earned her PhD in nursing and is a nursing professor. Nancy works in an outpatient med/surg clinic and her husband, Bill, has worked to coordinate organ transplants for 30 years. With my radiation oncology work, we are certainly a well rounded group of nurses. Between us all, I'm sure we've collectively cared for thousands of patients during our careers. What impressed me most was how being a nurse still meant so much to us all. I always feel the best compliment you can give another nurse is that you would be happy if they were "your" nurse if the need arose. After reconnecting this past week, I know I would feel & be safe in any of their hands.

I don't think any of us can thank Rose, Christine, and Glenn enough for all their hard work & making us feel "right at home". I was blessed beyond measure to find these wonderful friends during nursing school in what feels like a lifetime ago. I'm so grateful the connection remains today.

Gadgets, gadgets, EVERYWHERE!

A few weeks ago, Steve told me about a new e-reader that the Barnes and Noble folks were selling. I was thinking about getting a Kindle for Bob's birthday, but this new Nook intrigued me. It has the same e reader print so beloved by Kindle readers AND you can buy ebooks from local bookstores. I really enjoy the convenience of an e reader, but did not like the fact that Amazon would not agree to partner with local bookstores. There are great indie books stores...ones like Prairie Lights in Iowa City and Village Books in B'Ham. With all the changes happening in the publishing industry, I hate to see these fine establishments go under. Also, with the Nook, you can borrow from libraries. SO, with that in mind, I got Bob the Nook. Then, Steve, got a Nook for Father's Day and I started getting jealous. Yes, I really liked my Kindle, BUT, I loved these other Nook features.

Steve had mentioned that I should try to sell my Kindle on Craig's List. Bob, Steve, and I could then be "Nook" friends and share books. Angie LOVES her Kindle, so she didn't want any part of this deal. I know it is easy to post on Craig's List, but I procrastinated and as I've stated previously, all of this technology OVERWHELMS ME! So, when Steve listed my Kindle the other day in what seemed like a heartbeat, I was relieved. And, in less than 24hrs, an interested Canadian drove across the border, handed me $90, and was the proud owner of my former Kindle. Off we went to our local B&N and now Bob, Steve, and I have our own little Nook club. I LOVE my new Nook even better than my Kindle. It has some great features, but best of all, I can continue to support VILLAGE BOOKS in B'Ham...yeah!!!!

Steve turned 32 yesterday (still can't believe his childhood is long gone) and we met with Angie's family for dinner on Sunday night to celebrate. It was such fun watching Evan and his cousin Ivy interact. They are just so darn cute together. I had additional fun making videos (with Steve's help, of course) with my IPOD touch. I posted one of the cute videos on FB (after a frantic call to Steve...how do I post a video to FB from my IPOD, again?)! Although figuring out these various devices in my life cause some stress, they really are FUN and convenient, too! Ah, modern life....all I can say, is if you don't have children to help you with YOUR gadgets, quick, quick...ADOPT!

Old Growth Forest & Horseshoe Bend Trail

While the rest of the country is roasting in early heat and/or humidity, we are lucky to be enjoying cool, crisp PNW air. And, the cool weather is just fine for a nice hike, too! The past few days I've been looking on Mt. Baker Wilderness trail info sites and to my amazement the trails we were hiking this time last year are still snowed in...to the tune of 3 and 6 feet, with the word "inaccessible" on the current trail update reports! When they said we've had heavier than usual mountain snow pack, they were correct! When we were talking to one of the guides at the ranger station today, she told us that the Heather Meadows ranger station closer to Mt. Baker might not open until sometime in August this year...yikes!!!

As we were getting our annual Northwest Pass today, my trail research was verified and we found that only one trail in the Mt. Baker Wilderness area was not snow covered...Horseshoe Bend. Before heading there though, we went to mile marker 43.8 and wandered through an "old growth" forest area. This area is not marked, as it is a research area. Still, people somehow find it and there was an easy trail into this part of the forest. We had learned about the area just last week from a friend at church. We're not sure how "old" old growth forests are, but some of these trees have to be hundreds of years old. It was very humbling to be among them.

We then headed to our snowless trail. This trail is described as "year round & easy, so we had never been, usually opting for something more challenging. Today, though, was the perfect day for this trail as there were clouds, a few sprinkles, and IT WAS THE ONLY ONE WITHOUT SNOW! It did not disappoint. The trail follows the Nooksack River and with the snow in higher elevations starting to melt, the rushing waters were a sight to see. Everything about the forest was perfect today...the pine smells, the sound of the forceful white water rapids, and the low lying clouds surrounding the mountain green. I guess it is pretty evident...I LOVE THE MOUNTAINS!

As we were headed back to B'Ham, the sun came out and the sky turned blue, which was an added bonus to this already pleasant day. We are planning a hike with Steve, Angie, and Evan in a few weeks and we are hoping to take them to Horseshoe Bend. Evan LOVES to be outdoors and I think he will be in heaven with the trees and river. Hiking is one of my most favorite things to do in life and it will be fun to introduce Evan to this beautiful part of the world! The only thing that caused me a little pause, was the "bear" info sign at the trail head. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed we never run into one, but we always have the bear spray "just in case"!