Why, Barbara?

 I could never figure out why old people wanted to go back north when there was still so much fun to be had in Tucson. "Why go? Don't go," I would say, "Stay with us."

There was no way I could change their minds. My friend Carole would plead with them, and yet there it was...that empty spot where they lived in our hearts. "What was that need?" I thought. But it remained...they were Snow Birds that had flown south to escape reality, and they needed to go north to stay. 

I was never young, it seemed. That flight of fancy that teenager had was never mine. I was born seeing what could happen when you took big chances. I never felt omnipotent. I knew that young people could be wounded too.

Retirement was a dream come true. We were educators and always in the public eye. To be invisible seemed like a wonderful way to live our lives. My husband and I followed the dream. We became snowbirds and lived in Arizona for half the year. I, for one, could have my teen years back and behave badly. It was fun.

Then my husband died. The following year, I traveled to India for my granddaughter's high school graduation. I continued to go south for 3 years. I found a group of like-minded people at the University of Arizona's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. I wrote and read wonderful books and simply became a part of the OLLI group.

Actually, my life was perfect! 

Then one day, the call of my Oregon home and family told me it was time to go back permanently. No more migrating south for me. I began to understand what geese knew from the beginning. There is a season for all things.

My Tucson AZ. home on the golf course

Living longer and longer is the fact that those of us who are younger face. We don't plan on dying soon.

Theater Performance

Livingroom

I had my youth, a working life, and then retirement. Now there is a fourth part to my life. The fourth stage sees me beginning all over again back where we started. I have come full circle.

Kitchen

But what do you do with the life you have lived for half of each year...the house, collections, and friends?

Outdoor evening eating spot.

Facing reality is not as easy as it sounds. I had collected things for all of those years, and they had always stayed in Arizona. Twenty-six years of memories to be bundled up and moved or simply left behind.

Well, of course I did all of those things...sold, bundled, and abandoned. The material things are gone. Now I have memories and pictures.

The truth is that home is home when you are someone like me. I was born and raised in Oregon. I love this place, and it seems that no matter where I go, I am always looking for something just like it. Now I understand why old people want to go home. Like migrating birds, we need to return. 

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When Our Little Grocery Store Closed

Our small town grocery store closed a few month past and we are still reeling. A local college (so rumor has it) made the owners an offer they could not refuse. That is a rumor too. But, if you believe money talks then you can see how it all seems to fit.

We miss that grocery store a lot. It had almost everything we needed and the best selection of beer in the region! What was not to love. But the final straw is the removal of a state owned liquor store (we live in Oregon you know) that is housed in the back of the same building. It has not moved but it will have to and probably soon. Everyone I know is sad and inconvenienced by the loss of the grocery store but the liquor store??? Oh my goodness. Not the liquor store.

We have laughed so hard about this.

So we are traveling further to a big box store to get our groceries. The beer selection is horrible AND there is no liquor store in the back where no one can see you go in and out. It is not a good thing.

I am just saying!!!

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The saddest thing was that I could not find one photo of the original Hank's in Cornelius Oregon online. That is just sad! We don't value what we have until it is gone.

How To Make Rain

There are people here in the Western United States that need a rainmaker...not the financial kind but the water kind. I just want them to know that I am able to do that. Yes, you heard it from here. I can make rain that comes out of the sky.

On several occasions I have made rain. Really, it isn't rocket science. You can do it too. It is all in the wrist (or something). See you only need to think really hard and make big plans for a special event that needs to be held outdoors. It can be a wedding, a camping trip or even a gathering of family in the backyard for a bbq and a movie. You need to send at least 20 text messages and get everyone to agree on a date and time. Then wait. How hard could it be?

We need a bigger screen Grandma!

So, if you live in the Portland Metro area, you can thank me for the rain. I send out a text message on Monday inviting everyone to my daughter's house to watch a movie outside. (Oh, did I mention that you also need to inconvenience someone you love with your plan?) The text message went out to 9 people. Everyone I could think of was in the loop.

I received a flurry of replies...I can't come on Friday, I can't stay up late on Saturday, I don't return to Portland until 11 pm Friday and, best of all, we need a bigger outdoor movie screen! See what I mean by planning.

We finally agreed on a time, date, what food to bring, who we could borrow a projector and screen from, who would light the bbq and so forth. We were set. I was thrilled even though the whole thing scared me a lot. I am not in charge much these days so I didn't want to mess things up.

It is the big day today. I opened my eyes this morning and, for the first time in months, it-is-raining.

Am I good or what? #PDX, I appreciate you gratitude. I am always glad to help with droughts and other natural problems. Just let me know!

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Supporting My Local School for Mother's Day!

Fund Raiser
I am a huge fan of children. I suppose that is why I am a sucker for school fund raisers. The cost is out of sight for most of the things they sell but I don't mind. But I am always glad to go to the yearly flower sale at our local high school because they have made it possible for parents and students to buy Mother's Day gifts at a reasonable price. It is the schools way of giving a little back. 

The student sales organization call themselves Crimson Florist and students from throughout the school make things to sell. Wood shop, metal shop and the green house all begin production sometime early in the year so they can be ready for the crowd that shows up to buy what they have created during the week before Mother's Day.

Today I scored two Adirondack chairs hand painted by the young men selling them. $50 each and hand painted! Wow.

Where: Glenco High School, Hillsboro Oregon
When: Today until Friday (and maybe longer)

Items for Sale

My Chairs

Out and About
The neighborhood is alive with activity right now.  Weather in Oregon has been the best in history for this time of year.  Temperatures in the 80's for almost two week. No rain in view until Mother's Day. It is almost scary.

Have a wonderful day.

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Neighborhood daycare workers taking a walk on a warm Spring morning.

How to Move! Tips gathered from experience! +Info Links

We are in the process of packing to move...we hope.  Even though there are a few problems with the sale, the closing is is scheduled for July 22.  Talk about being the pickle in a sandwich...this has got to be it.

So we are putting things in boxes, sorting out and disposing of unused or wanted clothes.  We are trying to simplify our lives and make this move easier. We have moved in cars, farm trucks, pick-up trucks, u-hauls and moving vans.  There has been the dorm room to apartment rental move, apartment rental to small house rental move, small house rental to small house purchase move.  Moves up and moves down only to move back up again!  For most of those moves we have used old stuff from family or bargains I have found.  We have very few valuable things.

There are a few things I have learned as I traveled "around the block of experience."  Just in case:

Moving Van?
Image by Andrew Torris

1. When you hire movers, always buy their insurance.  Your insurance may say they will cover it but we learned the hard way that their exclusions were our problems.  A box of china  was crushed by careless movers and my insurance company would not pay!
2. Check on the movers carefully.  If you are storing items, insurance becomes more important that ever. 
3. Buy a package of boxes ( at Costco) that are sized correctly.  This makes loading a van easier.
4. Don't assume that bedding, towels and clothing are lighter.  Those boxes can be very, very heavy.
5. Mark all boxes carefully.  Note what order you want them taken into the new house.  Some things can be left in boxes for a few days (or until you move again!).
6. If you are moving with your partner or husband try to pack together. Both people should know what is in each box. This can be a stressful time and cooperation really helps.
7. I like to downsize before I move.  I do not want to do any sorting when I move into the new house.
8.  Pack suit cases as though you were going on a trip so you have the necessities on those first days.  
9. Accept that your storage areas and garage is very full of things. Allow room for those things.
10. Remember, when you think you are through packing, you still have a lot to do.  I once forgot how much room our gardening supplies could take up.  What looked like a pickup load turned into much, more.

We are not young and we are eating an elephant just one bite at a time.  The trick is to take it slow and easy.  Gulping does not work.

Just a thought.

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Moving Day Checklist

How Yelp.com Portland helps us + Thai Flombe in Hillsboro, Or

First Day of Summer is coming!

If we are going to eat in a restaurant in downtown Portland, we check with Yelp.com to see what other people think.  Words like "dirty" or "terrible service" make us take pause, especially if there are several agreeing opinions.  But out here in the west part of the metro area things are different. We are overrun with franchises and drive through in Hillsboro, so we are more apt to try a family owned restaurant no matter what the reviews.  If we are planning a special evening out we will check with Yelp but we know that the reviews may be submitted by people that are not locals.  That is very important.

So yesterday when I had a very good meal at a local main street restaurant, I knew I had to tell you about it. My husband and I were shopping for a screen door knob at the antique stores in downtown Hillsboro when hunger hit us both right between the eyes!  Main street is turning into a trendy place for busy working people meet for lunch.  Local government workers along with Intel employees fill restaurants during the lunch hour. We went to the Thai Flombe Restaurant. I ordered the Red Curry with chicken.  Yum yum yum!  This dish was so creamy, spicy with a touch of sweetness.  I have never tasted Thai food locally that was this good.

When I got home I looked at Yelp.com to see what other's thought of the restaurant and to add my review.  I was not surprised to see that 85% of the reviews were favorable.  I thought that the reviewer, Spawna, said it the best:

I love this little jewel of affordable deliciousness [Thai Flombe] in the heart of downtown Hillsboro. The restaurant is owned and run by an extremely friendly Thai couple who provide excellent and quick service. This is one of the few restaurants in the Hillsboro area that is not a corporate chain, and the difference is dramatic. 

After reading this comment I suddenly realized that, when we talk about the best ever restaurants, we really are talking about the choices in a specific community.  It is all relative and relatively speaking, Thai Flombe is very good...especially for here in Hillsboro, Oregon.

A special thanks to Yelp.com for providing reviews for the best eating places around.  It really is a great help.

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It's all Portland Metro Week: Farmer's Markets

I love our local farmer's market.  I walk the three short blocks on Sunday morning to pick up my produce, a bouquet of flowers and lots of information for my blog.  Hillsboro is the location for three of these markets. My Sunday farmers market is here in Orenco Station, Hillsboro Oregon and downtown main street hosts one on Tuesday evening and another on Saturday morning. Here in the Portland Metro area you can find a farmers market somewhere every day of the week.

Orenco Station Farmer's Market Sundays 10 AM-2 PM

Oregon Farmer's Market Association web page lists over 100 market from throughout the state.  The organizers like to support local farmer and artisans food creators as well as local artists.  As a result the market here in Hillsboro has some rules for what vendors can and cannot sell.  For example, importing vegetable from out of the area is not permitted.  The time the market can and cannot be open is set and a bell is rung for when sales can begin and when they must end. (Don't be late!)  The atmosphere of the market is friendly and welcoming.

The last Sunday I stopped and talked to two of the artisans that were selling their creations.  The first was a woman that owns a business called Basketry Bontanica by Carol.  Her beautiful baskets are available through her Etsy Shop and are priced very reasonably. She has over 100 people rating her service and the baskets she creates at 100%.  If you are a basket lover like me I encourage you to take a look at her artwork and maybe even order a custom designed piece. (503-336-1176) Tell her I sent you over.

...specializing in Appalachian melon and Cherokee style storage baskets, open-weave garlic and onion storage, Market baskets and other styles for household use. You'll find a number of basket designs here and if you don't see what you desire, contact us with your ideas...custom baskets can be woven just for you.

Botanica basket in Orenco Station Farmer's Market

Owner of Basketry Botanica

Garden Art by Roberta

The second booth that caught my eye was one called Garden Art by Roberta.  She will teach you how to recreate the beautiful items she has for sale. Her classes for creating concrete leaves are $30 and if you can get a couple more people to join you she will have a class just for you.  The $30 includes all the materials.  Her number is 503-350-2348.  Her class schedule for 2011 is:

• June 18 Saturday 1-3
• June 29 Wednesday 1-3
• July 13 Wednesday 10-12
• Jule 16 Saturday 10-12
• August 2 Tuesday 1012
• August 13 Saturday 1012
• September 3 Saturday 10-12
• September 3 Saturday 10-12
• September 7 Wednesday 10-12

I always buy my vegetable from the Martinez Family Farms but there are many other local small farms that are selling each Sunday.  

If you are here from out of town be sure to check the schedule for the markets held downtown.  Artisans are always set up for you to enjoy their creations.

HFM Sunday at Orenco Station

Located in the parking area between NE Orenco Station Parkway and NE 61st Avenue, just off Cornell Road., Hi Hillsboro, OR

Market manager name: Laura Conroy

Market phone number: 503-844-6685

Email: support@hillsboromarkets.org

Hillsboro Farmers Market in Downtown Hillsboro

Main St. between 3rd and 1st Avenue's, across from the Courthouse, Hillsboro, OR Hillsboro OR, OR

Market manager name: Laura Conroy

Market phone number: 503-844-6685

Email: manager@hillsboromarkets.org

10 Things About Buying a New Car...we saved some money!

     We just bought a new car today.  Phew!  Trust me there is a reason why we only do this every nine years!  But there were a few things that were different this time around.  We actually enjoyed the experience.

1. Interest rates for those of us with good credit are REALLY LOW!
2. The gadgets on cars are absolutely amazing.  Because the interest is low we can afford better stuff.  Blue Tooth, Alarm Systems, Tire Pressure Warnings, Sound System that searches for the kind of music you want, 4 wheel drive, etc.
3. More power!  We purchases a Subaru Outback Limited. We found the size and configuration to be perfect and the 2.5i  4 cylinder had a lot more power that the old Forester.
4. Our American Express Credit Card paved the way for Fleet pricing on the car saving us several thousand dollars.
5. We discovered that we we could do most of our research and decision making before we even left home.  By going to American Express Auto Purchase Program, we could compare prices, amenities and view the interior of all those cars we felt might be in the running.  That site is available to you even if you don't have a card.  This is good information to have even if you don't have the card.  More information makes you a better bargainer. 
6. The warranty we got this time was 6 years.  We both like that a lot.
7. We are a lot smarter...we did not get the service package when we found out it would only save us $70 over the length of it's use.  Ask how much it will save you.  The service package was only good at the dealership we bought it at.
8. Sales practices by car salesmen may have changed in the last nine years...for the better.  At any rate it worked that way for us.
9. We discovered that you can get a good price even if you don't trade your car in and it is a whole lot easier.  We liked that a lot.
10. Dealers will take your credit card for $2000 on the down payment.  Airline miles are a good thing.

    I don't know about you but I hate to feel like I have been taken.  This is the first time in many years I have walked away from the purchase of a motorized vehicle that I have had a good taste in my mouth.  That, my friends, is a very good thing.
     Incidentally, Brian at Royal Moore Subaru in Hillsboro, Oregon is a very good person to deal with.

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