ODELL LAKE VACATION

WE WENT CAMPING AND FISHING

On Monday we took off for Odell Lake, nestled atop Willamette Pass. We took the boat, a couple tents, couple coolers of food and spent several days in the woods camping next to the lake. We had a great trip once we got there.

A little about Odell Lake. It is very deep at 282 ft deep at the deepest point. It is 6 miles long and 1.5 miles wide. This is a lake that sees all forms of water sports, from fishing, to skiing, to wind surfing. But no matter what you do you are surrounded by pure beauty every where you look.

Diamond Peak still covered with snow...taken from the boat.
We had a scary moment on the way up the mountain. We had stopped to use the restroom and found that we had lost 3 lug nuts and ruined a rim on the boat trailer. We changed the tire to the spare and headed back into the town we had just left and an had the trailer fixed. We might have made it another 15 or 20 miles before we lost the tire and had a wreck. Boy were we lucky.

The Kokanee(fish) were supposed biting and people were supposed to be getting great catches for the day. Hmmm, not quite what we found once we got there.

See we really did try to catch some fish.

We would hit the lake by 6:30 or 7 each morning and head back in to land around noon. There were a couple days that the wind picked up earlier than normal so it was best to head in before the normal 2 pm. Most people that fish Odell know to be back on land by 2 pm, because the winds pick up and the waves get big and choppy.

Our camp site...the big tent, before the tarp went on.

On Wednesday afternoon, Scott had gone to the dock to fish. He was gone for maybe an hour when he came back saying a storm was coming. So we put the tarp over the big tent and got the firewood tarped. Boy did it rain, great big huge pea sized drops. It was over almost as soon as it came. I was just glad to have had the tarp in place.

This is the view from our small tent...that is the lake just beyond the trees.
The rest of the weather was well, mixed. We had a couple really cold nights, 38 for a low, not the best when camping in a tent. We had highs of mid 70's and beautiful blue skies. The worst part was that wind, 25 to 30 mph winds can really make building a fire rough. Heck the first night it took an hour an half to make a pot of coffee on the camp stove. But because of the winds we spent the evenings in the middle of the big tent playing dice and talking, great quality time for us.

Our little visitor in action.

We had a couple little visitors each day. The chipmunks would come and see if Frank left food in his dish and then would steal what was left. On Friday morning we shared peanuts with them. We would toss them out and watch the little guys come ans carry them off. Once in a while they would eat them right there in our campsite. They sure were fun to watch.

We had a sailboat on the lake as well as the normal fishing boats. I was in awe of the gracefulness it displayed scooting across the water. The captain did have a rough time getting it out of the slip and banged the dock several times, but once it was under way it was almost magical watching it sail around.

Sunset from our camp site.....so pretty

While I was ready to come home I really wanted to stay even longer. I forgot how fun camping can be. Maybe next time we will actually catch some fish ;)

Looking straight up the trees.

FRANK THE HOPPING DOG

Our wonderful doxie, Frank likes to hop when he plays ball. This evening I tried to get some video of our little hopper. It isn't the best but it is good for a giggle. You really should see this little guy in action, I think he's part antelope.

CUTE REUSABLE BAG

I found the cutest little reusable bag this morning. So I set about making a practice one and will be making more. I have a couple changes I want to make to the construction, but other than that it is perfect. So this weekend I am off to find the perfect fabric for a girl I know and make her one for her Birthday. This is so small it will fit in just about any purse...woohoo.

The pattern and instructions can be found here...http://gluegunannie.com/

It is very easy to make and takes very little time once you get going. I used scrap fabric we had left over from other things and an old drawstring for the pull cord.

Oh and it is wrinkled from being folded up...oops should have ironed before taking pictures. Not that it will ever get ironed again...lol.

CANDLE FLAME SHAWL

I started this shawl shortly after I fractured my wrist and really couldn't knit much. I decided I needed a light weight project that was easy to knit and could be put down and easy enough to figure out where I was when I picked it up again.

I knit this for a dear friend of mine. She has taught me to expand my horizons, to try lace and is always

encouraging me. We have spent many hours talking and sharing our lives. When I really needed someone to talk to this last year she was there no matter what. I wanted to say thank you in a special way. Little did I know she would need a hug real soon. I finished the knitting last night and had started the blocking this morning, great timing.

I used Caron Spa in Ocean Spray and used size 9 needles. I love the yarn, it is a bit splitty, but if you use sharp tipped needles all is fine. The pattern I got off Ravelry. I am so glad that I made this shawl and can see myself making it again. I would use it as a break project, you know a project to work on when you need a break from everything else on your needles.

Dear Friend, if you are reading this post...watch your mail :).

MY ROOM!!!

My daughter moved out about 3 weeks ago. That left us with an empty room. I had had a girly room a couple years ago when my son moved out, but then he moved home and I was room less. I now have a room of my own again....woohoo.

This time I went more grown up. The pictures don't show the color well, it is a nice soft yellow, frosted lemon by Berh paint with white in the closet and the window. The chair is my great find off craigslist....$5.00 and the bookcase was $20.00, it is going to get stained the same color as the baseboards and the shelves. All I have to do is finish moving the rest of my yarn and knitting supplies in there and hubby needs to hang more shelves and the room is done. The window topper is actually my Great-Grandmothers' table cloth just laid across the curtain rod and tied up with lace/bead ribbon. Oh and the painting on the wall, the only picture in there, was my Mother's Day gift from DD. She painted it for me, her best work yet. The black shelves you see next to the chair is coming out, it just won't work.

Here for a short time

Our "adopted" son has been here for the last week and a half. He is just returning from Afghanistan, this was his 3 tour of duty. While it was great to see him and spend some time with him it is sad to see him go. I hugged my "son" like there was no tomorrow when he left this evening. I am unusually tearful tonight and know that it is because of him leaving. There is nothing like sending a kid off to make a mom cry. He is heading over to see his dad and family then back to CA for new training then back to Afghanistan for a year.

We have nothing but respect for him and all the men and women fighting in these two wars. My heart breaks to see him leave us for another tour, but I know he is doing what he feels he needs to do.

Please pray for all the men and women in uniform. They don't have to do what they are doing and yet feel the need to serve our country knowing that they may die doing so.

Go safey into the night and return to us in one piece.

Much Love....you know there is a home here when ever you need or want one.

Stay safe Sam. We love you with all our hearts.

SOMETIMES REALITY BITES

I really feel like reality bites, a lot, and hard. Not always just sometimes.
So far this year has been not so good. Just about the time I think things are getting better then reality lifts its heads and bites me.

Fighting with the daughter. Step-Father-in-law dying. I fractured my wrist. Fighting with the daughter. Truck broke down and will cost more than I care to mention. Fighting with daughter. And now niece having brain surgery because the procedure to help her with a tumor caused her to bleed out. Oh and did I mention fighting with the daughter?

As you may know I have been working on quitting smoking. I have done pretty darn good. But I caved and am smoking a little here and there. Sometimes the stress is just to much and I want to smoke. I know, smoking doesn't help it just makes things worse, but sometimes there is no reasoning with my smokers mind. I am trying hard to stay on track.

I want to be successful but man it can be hard when reality is biting and biting hard.

My niece will be fine, God was with her and the surgeons last night. The truck will get fixed, after I turn loose of the money and son finds the time to do the work. My wrist is up in the air, doctor is waiting to see what the next step is.

My daughter needs to make a big change in her life, but isn't ready to. Once she has made this change she will be her old sweet loving, caring, kind self. I saw a sign of the daughter I know and love, so she isn't completely gone. But now she is lashing out at others, not just me. She can be b****y to me, but not to the others. I won't stand for this.

Lord help me get her through all this and give me strength not to kill her or the guy she is with. Please open her eyes and let her see what she is doing and who she is hurting. Lord help me not to pick up another cigarette and smoke it. Give me the strength to turn away from them and not look back.

I have enjoyed being cigarette free, well except for the moments of high stress. I can breath, I can taste things, I can smell the fresh air and spring flowers. My breathe is fresh and minty, my clothes smell like my perfume. My hair smells good. I have found that not smoking is not that hard, I have enjoyed not smoking for the most part.

So back at it I go. Can someone make reality take a break for a week or so, please.