Southern Journey 2015

From the time of our previous blog update, there were some significant "curves".  These included the need to return to La Grande for rental issues and then Joanne's diagnosis of a melanoma on her leg as well as surgery in Portland.  The best part of the two months in Portland was time with good friends and family.  Lynne & George joined us a couple of times for some delightful meals out.  We are pictured here at the Clackamette RV Park on the Willamette River, a park we stayed in during part of our visit to Portland.

A special three days during October was when Mary flew up from CA with baby Dalin.  Here is recorded the very first meeting with his Aunt Melissa and his twin cousins, Karina and Lily.

We had lunch out with the family and a couple of Mary's friends.  Obviously Dalin's Aunt Michelle and Aunt Melissa enjoyed every minute of their luncheon with their nephew.

Another treat during the days in Portland was visiting with Aunt June and Janice.  June was the librarian in the middle school where I taught in 1968-69 and Janice was a student in my very first class! 

During the Portland visit Ken was interviewed by KATU TV station regarding his "Oregon Washington Joins Idaho" idea!  If you want to hear more about that venture, I suggest you email Ken :-). 

Upon heading south we spent a night at Seven Feathers...a great RV park along I-5 in the southern part of the state.  

We finally entered CA just before the fall rains hit Oregon.  The massive views of Mt. Shasta are spectacular.  Our travels on down through CA included a visit with cousin Lyman Oelricks in Red Bluff.  The extensive draught in CA was so evident...many streams and rivers with dry beds!

Upon arriving in Southern CA, we spent six days in an Oceanside RV campground while visiting Mary's family in Vista.  Grandpa Ken had a lot of fun with the grandies...baby Dalin really chuckled at Grandpa's antics.  

Grandma Joanne was treated to a hair design by Ms. Hayden...and vice versa!  We then ventured on to Arizona arriving at our winter home on Thanksgiving Day.