Week 26 - Oregon - June 23 - June 29, 2025

This week I spent a lot of time in the woods - digging up weeds and walking for endurance.  One of the Ponderosa Pines we planted years ago...on the edge of the canyon... was doing badly, and we needed to tie it up.  Tyler helped us and, hopefully, it will grow straight and tall.

The biggest event of the week is that Dad was able (with the help of Tyler) to get the old flue out of the chimney.  Days - even weeks - had preceded this day's victory.

The hole in the chimney in the basement.

The hole is full of sharp points of the elbow

Tyler and Dad checking out the hole

Ya gotta love vermiculite on the floor.

The HOOK tied on to a rope is finally placed on the flue and the rope goes up the chimney.  The two pull really hard on the rope.

Victory!!!

All that remains is to go to the chimney flue place and place on order for a replacement.

FRIDAY - I went to Silver Falls State Park to walk the Trail of Ten Falls. It is a five mile loop and I thought it'd be a good training hike, carrying my 22 pound pack.  It is a beautiful place, the falls beautiful, and there were a bizillion people.  Really, I think I prefer wilderness trails where you can enjoy a bit of solitude

The trails were all hard surface trails...like super packed earth with a layer of gravel.  If legs were stressed!  I prefer mountain soil even if there may be roots or snags on the trail.

I did i!!

SATURDAY 

We went to three cemeteries taking photos for Find A Grave.  I was really proud of Dad who didn't let an old unreadable tombstone hinder his efforts to find the proper grave site.

In one of the upstairs bedrooms I built some shelves (with blocks and boards) in the nook.  I now will be able to transfer many boxes of photos and FH information and move this work area up from the basement.

SUNDAY - on my daily walk I decided to dig up all of the thistles I could find on West Slope.

I saw my first snake of the summer - about as thick as a fat pencil.

The cats had a big night.

 Week 25 - Oregon/Orem - June 16 - June 22, 2025

Zelensky is celebrating his "kill" of the day.

Tuesday morning - We headed off to Orem to celebrate Archer's Missionary Homecoming.

Our first stop was in Arlington so we go could use the 'facilities; and of course, we went to the little store and began the end of our successful diets.

WEDNESDAY - Magnus had a golf tournament  in Sarasota Springs.  Ivan rented a cart and we putted around on it.  It was fun to watch Magnus do his stuff.

There were many of these noxious plants around the course.

We drove by the new Sarasota temple which is beautiful.

Time for lunch....at Klucks.....which has delicious chicken....

And for dessert - Parlor doughnuts!

THURSDAY - THE DAY ARCHER RETURNED!!!

    Relief food at Onoh's drive in.  Yummy.

This was a notable trip to Costco looking for white long sleeve dress shirts.  There were only two larges and no small or medium.  Our team looked through all of the display.

FRIDAY - this was senior citizen day at the movie theater.  Actually, it wasn't really, but most if not all people there were senior citizens.  The movie was Mr and Mrs Smith which was really kinda funny, and stupid in so many ways.  I did enjoy it, though.  With your ticket you got a raffle ticket for a free small box of doughnuts.... My ticket won, #199.

FRIDAY-  For starters we went to Ivan's place of work where there was a lemonade truck serving big glasses of lemonade to those of us who had a ticket.  Ivan had tickets for all of us....supplied y the property management team at this business complex.

Dinner was at Bam Bams, and the juicy brisket was soooooo good.

SATURDAY - on Jessica's recommendation we went to Light House doughnuts.  They were really tasty....but maybe not a destination place.

There is this bleu Kawasaki motorcycle which has been in pieces on the back porch for about three years.  Archer is working non-stop to make it work.  Dad is helping him a bit.

We got a surprise email from Kyna Cardwell.  Unbeknownst to us, they are on a service mission at the Heber Valley Camp...for one year--actually two 6 month stints, each April through September.  They live in their RV ( and pay $400 per month....if you live in a cabin it is $700 per month).  

Anyway - they saw our photo at BamBams on Facebook, and texted us.  We drove to Heber City where they met us and gave us a grand tour.  The church owns 11,000 acres up in them der mountains...the camp takes up a fraction of the area.

area.  

It is an incredible camp.  apparently there can be 3000 campers all at the same time - from all over the west....our Stake cold go there too.....it probable costs more and the transportaion costs could be prohibitive. but theyu have  - the best of the best.  We drove all over in one of them many side-by-sides.  A few of the places.

 A lake (a reservoir) with boats

Countryside between pavilions.

 A climbing wall, brought to the camp on a flat bed truck and lifted into position every mourning.

A High Ropes course

We were there on a Saturday, after all campers had left, and were able to attend a luau for all of the sevrice missionaries - about 200.  We sat in a covered pavilion with  twenty long tables and had a luau dinner that would have made Tess spencer proud.  For entertainment there were singers zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz and a limbo contest.  Kyna did quite well limbo-ing,

SUNDAY -

 Archer gave his talk and did quite well.....but we were all a bit disappointed tht he didn't speak any Mandarin.

Kyna and Chris drove in from Heber city.

Bruce and Vonda drove in from Orem.

That afternoon Ivan put on a Scone Neighborhood Fest.  Tons of people came!  I like this photo...sadly missing Magnus.

MONDAY  - we left before the crack of dawn and drove straight through to Oregon.  We made it on two tanks of gas - - like 22 gallons.  Our final act was....in Cascade Locks.

It was a whirlwind.  Had a good time.  Lost in the diet realm.  I really hate the drive to Utah.