Zariwnyville

Sunset at Pacific City

Down to the Beach

We had two mini vacations back-to-back the last two weeks so the blog for September 23^rd is being written on September 30^th.

We celebrated our forty-ninth wedding anniversary on Wednesday.  Due to meetings in the evening we went out to a Thai lunch in the middle of a quiet day at the apartment.  Maybe next year we will make a bigger “splash” for our fiftieth anniversary.  That depends on where we will be and what we will be doing.  No we didn’t receive our mission call this week either.

On Friday we started our trip to Pacific City to spend the weekend with the Zariwny’s.  (Their mini vacation really started a few weeks ago when they joined the Cortez’s at the Wings and Waves water park.)  We woke up to rain and decided to take two cars to make room in the van for the food and luggage, despite our plan to all ride down in the same car.  As the time approached to load the cars and go, we experienced a change in the weather so Kerry hooked up the trailer to carry the food and luggage and we all traveled in the van to the beach.  This allowed us to play “I spy”, “twenty-one questions” and the “ABC” games while we snacked on nuts, crackers, candy and cookies.

Dakota

As we got closer to Pacific City the sky became clearer and clearer until when we arrived we had a bright sunny afternoon.  We settled into the beach house and promptly ran to the beach to play in the water and sand. 

No one was excited about cooking, so we planned to go out to eat, but as the sun began to set we decided the beauty of the sunset was better than a restaurant, so we brought pizza back to the house and enjoyed the view.

Saturday was another bright sunny day.  Early morning walks on the beach were warm and bright.  After Kerry served us a waffle breakfast we went down to the beach to build a sand castle.

Emerson and Dakota

We had tickets to ride the old coastal train at noon, so after lunches were assembled we drove to the train station while Dash napped and Kerry babysat.  Dakota and Emerson had never been on a train, so it was a new and exciting activity.  On the way back to the beach house, we stopped at the cheese factory for ice cream.  After some time on the beach and climbing the giant sand dune, we had dinner and settled in for the evening.

We were blessed the next morning with another beautiful day.  After packing the trailer and returning the keys to the house, we started to travel up the coast and do some beach hopping.

Conductor Punches Our Tickets

We stopped at Oceanside to enjoy one of our favorite beaches.  After a few minutes on the beach the wind increased and brought a chill in the air so we decided to drive up to the Cape Mears lighthouse to see if we could get out of the cold.

Our last stop of the day was “Hug Point”.  There was no wind there and we enjoyed the rest of a sunny, warm day before driving home.

We couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful weekend at the beach.

Climbing the Giant Sand Dune

Dakota, Dash and Kae

View From The Train

Emerson Loves The Train

Engineer Dakota

Emerson, Dakota and Pink-a-boo 

Sunrise at the Beach House

The Beach at Oceanside

Lighthouse at Cape Mears

Fun at Hug Point

Emerson in the Waterslide

Dakota in the Waterslide

Kae and Emerson in the Wavepool

Dakota

Bye for now,

Norma and Gary

Help Isn't So Hard To Find

The Hedge

The Hedge

There was a possibility the mission call would arrive in the mail this week (Thursday or Friday), but it didn’t.  We really didn’t think it would come so soon, so we were not really expecting it.  Maybe next Thursday.

Norma is suffering from her chronic foot problem again.  This time it is more painful than the other times.  She is seeing a couple of doctors, and between them she is wrapped up so tightly she can’t find any shoes to wear.  She is getting around in a pair of throwaway shoes with the back cut open.  She got a glimmer of light about a possible cure today and is hopeful it will
“do the job”.  We’ll keep you posted.

The Movie Samsara

Bill Self treated us to the movie “Samsara” this week.  It is the sequel to the movie “Baraka”.  They both deal with images of beautiful and strange people, events and places around the world.  The images and music were both inspiring and thought provoking.  We had “travel” on our mind as we watched.  Speaking of “travel”, Bill is leaving this week for a business trip to Kenya and Saudi Arabia.

We attended our first water polo game this week.  Quentin is on the Jr. Varsity team and we were invited to watch his game.  His team won by a large margin.

Quentin at the Goal

I have mentioned my hedge cutting activities the past few weeks; well, I finally received some help.  Case spent the night with us on Wednesday and offered to help me cut the hedge on Thursday.  He was surprisingly helpful in cutting leaves from the branches if I held them out for him.  It was hard to believe those little two-and-a-half year old hands could even close the pruning shears.  I said, “Case, you are very good at this work”, and he said, “Yes, I am very good at this work”.  After lunch I asked if he wanted to go play or work on the hedge.  He said he wanted to work on the hedge.  On the way out he said, “This makes me very happy grandpa”.  Dakota and Emerson came yesterday and helped also.  

My Little Helper

Bye for now,

Norma and Gary

Hiking In The Columbia Gorge

Punch Bowl Falls

Eagle Creek Trail

 We have had wonderful weather during the past month or so.  We have walked around Portland, but have not hiked the many trails in the Columbia Gorge until this past week.

On Labor Day we checked in with the family to see if anyone was doing anything special, or if they would like to drive up the Gorge and hike Eagle Creek Trail as far as Punch Bowl Falls.  Everyone had other plans, so we went by ourselves.  Punch Bowl Falls is one of our favorite spots and only about a twenty-minute drive from home.

We must have stirred up some interest in doing some hiking in the Gorge.  When we, later in the week, suggested hiking the Oneonta Gorge, many of the family were eager to go with us.  We planned to do the hike on Thursday.  In order to photograph it in the sunshine we suggested leaving early in the afternoon.  That didn’t go over very big, because everyone else had jobs that needed tending.  So we settled on Friday at one o’clock.  It was closer to two o’clock and the crowd had narrowed down to Angie, Karen, and Ben, who had hiked that gorge many times, and Norma and me who had never been there.  It turned out to be a more manageable group.

Oneonta Gorge

The Oneonta Gorge is reminiscent of the dry red stone slot canyons of Arizona, which we have visited; however, this slot canyon is green with moss and ferns.  The riverbed leading to the waterfall is river-rock and cold water.  At one place on the trek the snowmelt water is chest high with high walls of rock on both sides.  The biggest hurdle is the large log-jamb at the opening of the gorge.  We conquered it all and had a very enjoyable time.

On Saturday I repeated the two hikes at different times of the day in order to photograph them in some sunshine.  I’m not sure it made much difference because they are both beautiful under all conditions.  I did, however, get some additional exercise.

Oneonta Falls

Our next hike will be to Ramona Falls.

The most important milestone this past week was the ordination of Toby to the office of Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood.  He can do baptisms in the Temple and pass the Sacrament on Sunday.  His ward’s youth are attending the Temple on Tuesday after our family baptismal session with Toby where he will be baptized for his ancesters.     

Toby's Ordination Photo

Supporting Toby

Eagle Creek Trail

Hiking Eagle Creek

Lower Falls on Eagle Creek Trail

A Wet and Cold Trail

At The Falls

Oneonta Gorge

Oneonta Gorge

Oneonta Gorge

Oneonta Gorge

Oneonta Gorge

Crossing The Log-jamb

Oneonta Gorge

Wading Through The Gorge

Eagle Creek Beauty

Bye for now,

Norma and Gary

The Arrival of Coen Boston Bodmer

Coen's Happy Parents

Let the Labor Party Begin

It has been an eventful week.  As I mentioned last week we had a wonderful time with Tova and Jeff and the kids during our mini vacation at the coast.  We arrived home on Monday evening and on Tuesday we worked on the hedge and the kid’s books.  In the afternoon and evening we had several appointments, which made for a tight schedule.  First, we went to a Garry Liday investment dinner meeting with Bill and Peggy.  We left before we were finished with our meal so we could get home and receive the home-teachers who were waiting outside the apartment.  At seven forty-five we had an appointment with President Rigby to discuss our worthiness to fill another mission.

On Wednesday and Thursday we worked on the hedge and the kid’s books.

Kitta and the Doctor

On Friday we ran some errands and checked in with Kitta to see if she was ready to give birth.  She reported contractions, which had lasted most of the day but not strong enough or frequently enough, to go to the hospital.  Peter was having some very important examinations all morning and would not be home until the afternoon.

After arriving home and eating dinner, we received a call from Kae who said Kitta’s contractions were strong and five minutes apart.  We all got in the car and drove the twenty-minute ride to the hospital.  When we arrived the contractions had slowed down and there was a question as to whether she would be admitted just yet.  It was important the baby come now because Peter had finished and passed his exams and would be home for the long weekend holiday.

Learning to Wink Already

The family tradition of all the sisters and sister-in-law being present at all births was important to hold, so everyone was on their way to the hospital.  Of course no one knew when the baby would be born so it was necessary to bring snacks and games to last at least twenty-four hours.  The “labor party” began.

The long and the short of it was that at two forty-seven in the morning of September the first, little Coen Boston Bodmer was born.  Seven pounds and twenty-three ounces was his weight and he was twenty-one inches long.  After the photo session we eagerly went home to get some sleep.

Today many of the family gathered to witness the ordination of Benjamin Scroggs to the office of Elder in preparation for his attending the Temple and serving his mission to San Antonio in December.  Angie served all of us dinner.

Benjamin Scroggs

When we arrived home there was a notification from President Rigby that he had sent our mission papers to Salt Lake today.  We look forward to receiving our calling in two to three weeks.  

After The Ordination

Bye for now,

Norma and Gary

Attendees

Coen's Grandma and Grandpa