OLA: Driving Home to Seattle, Washington (and Boise, Idaho)

from warm brown hills to whitish tops to all=white mountains, Mt. Shasta in California

it was brown with splashes of white at first

We have done what snow birders are not supposed to do! We have driven to a cold climate instead of from one! From San Diego (actually Jamul) we went to Camping World and McCormick Diesel and Brake in San Marcos to have some repair work done on our RV. Then we rested for a few days in Soledad Canyon RV Resort of TT in Acton, California about an hour from LA, packed for our 2-month break from the routine, and stored the RV there to drive to Seattle (and Boise).

and brownish white with shawls of fog

It was absolutely fascinating to see the change of scenery, from brown mountains and green fields to mountains with dashes of white and leafless trees, to mountain that are pure white (Mt. Shasta) and evergreens. We are back home in Seattle after two stops: Woodland, California (a little north of Sacramento) and Albany, Oregon (a little north of Eugene). In one sense it is good to be back. We last left Seattle in June 2011.

the Andersons with Bill in their lovely Oregon City home

A nice interlude was a visit to the new home of Roxanne and John Anderson in Oregon City. The last time we saw them they were still in their old home. What a lovely place, built for when they have the Anderson clan around, enjoying each and every room, whether Victorian which Roxanne likes or Scandinavian which John loves with his Swedish roots. And the late lunch/early dinner we were served was so healthy yet delicious, greens and chicken salad, 2 kinds of cheese and special crackers, and pears and apples! Again I learned a new thing from their kitchen…spun honey for my chamomile tea! 

  

family dinner in Kent, Washington

We arrived in Seattle late that night but we gave my eldest daughter Trisha, her husband DJ, grandkids Yeye and Kenji big hugs and their pasalubongs. Although we had a reunion in Orlando in Jan 2012, that is still one whole year of missing them! The next day we had the chance to exercise at LA Fitness! At night the whole family, including Krishna, my eldest granddaughter, came together for dinner at the Aberion home. The couple served swimming rama, Thai green curry, and pad thai. We also finally met cute Jacob, the 9-month son of Darlyn, sister of DJ, and Paolo. Tavy, DJ’s and Darlyn’s Dad was also there, leading the karaoke session after dinner with his Elvis croons.

karaoke around the tree in Kent

dinner at Anthony's in Des Moines with the Zderics

Another round at LA Fitness greeted our second day. Then I saw Bill’s family doctor to have a physical check-up since my GERD seems to be recurring.  He changed all my medication and so far it seems to be working. At night we had dinner with friends from the Fil-American Association of St. John the Baptist Church of Kent, Washington, which we co-founded five years ago.  Irene and Fred Zderic and Bill and I love Anthony’s, a famed seafood restaurant in Des Moines, Washington. It was another night of reminiscing. And maybe in late February we will be able to go to their new home in Bremerton!

a much awaited haircut
at the Gene Juarez Beauty Academy in Federal Way 

The third day we had an appointment with Krishna at Gene Juarez Beauty Academy, for Bill’s hair to be cut, right after another session at LA Fitness. She graduates in a month! It was so gratifying to see her in action! That night we had dinner with what Bill calls my Estrogen Club, women who met at the Kent Evening Toastmasters Club and decided to make the friendship deeper by creating a Book/Dinner Club that meets once a month, rotating among our homes. Kathleen hosted the affair at her and John’s lovely home in Black Diamond. Through the potluck of appetizers, barley soup, pear salad, and Korean chap chee, and the pumpkin cheesecake and brownies, the chit-chatting with Inja and Brian, Cathy and Keith, and Pam lasted five hours! They last visited us at our campground in Elma, Washington Jan 2011. I have sorely missed friends with history as I met many new acquaintances while RVing in America!

lovely dinner at Kathleen and John's home in Black Diamond!

with Fides and Benjie Alviar at Stone
a Korean restaurant in Redmond

The fourth day was Sunday and the Seattle SeaHawks was trying to complete win their play-off, unsuccessfully, against the Atlanta Falcons. So, as expected, Bill was glued to the TV while I was baby-siting Kenji, his parents having gone on a long-overdue date at the famous seafood brunch at Salty’s. When they came back, we went to LA Fitness and shopped for groceries so I can cook dishes my grandkids asked for.

At 6 PM we heard Life Teen Mass, always a joy with lively songs, at St. Louise Church in Bellevue with Fides and Benjie Alviar, friends from way back in the Philippines (Fides and I worked together in I/ACT). Regular dinner dates before the change in our lifestyle, they even joined us once at the campground in Spokane. Fides chose to have dinner at Stone, a Korean place. And, though Fides had lost her voice, it was a merry time with Benjie doing much of the translation, the main topic being their 40^th Renewal of Vows in the Philippines, Fides’ successful bout with breast cancer, and our other little health issues.

surrounded by my apos!

Busy week but on the fifth day Bill had to finally leave for Boise, Idaho. He will be there for a month and will be back in time for Valentine’s Day, I hope, and the family reunion with April and Claudine in the first week of March. Bill’s son Jim is managing partner in a real estate law firm there which gained possession of land and building which, though it needed some repair, was great compensation for one of their cases.  On the other hand, I have the chance to baby-sit 6-year old Kenji whom I took care of in his first two years of life and bond with the whole family of Trisha!

Bill with Krishna and her car!

But, in the final analysis, even if in one sense it is good to be back ‘home’, Bill and I will be apart for a month, the longest separation in 4 ½ years of marriage. We were briefly apart for a few days two years ago and again for several days last year when I met up with Ann and Jingjing in Las Vegas. Since we started this RV cruising lifestyle, six months after we married on 8/8/08, we had been together 24/7. So I hope y’all will keep me company through the next four posts which will be sans Bill!