Gales Creek Camp 2009

A busy weekend, to say the list!

On Thursday I finally finished all my "Thank you!" cards for the people who donated money to my Tour de Cure ride. So glad I did. One more thing crossed off my list.

On Friday we finally got everyone together, got all the paperwork filled, I took a long lunch at work, so that went could go to the Post Office and get all the paperwork done to get our passports. Tim's and mine expired a couple of years back. Kids never had them. It's funny, but when I was growing up, it was pretty much given that you would get a passport, as soon as you are old enough (16 years old, I believe)... Not the case for many US citizens. But I could see why they don't. Unless you plan on going overseas, there really is no good reason to have it.

We are actually thinking about going to see Winter 2010 Olympic Games. They will be held in Canada, and that is practically a driving distance for us!

Well, after over an hour spent at the Post Office, with every one's pictures taken, all the paperwork filled out and signed, we were finally done! Like I told Tim, I am glad we don't have to this for another 10 years (five for the kids)!

In preparation for the Sunday check in at the Gales Creek Camp, I tried to do everything I needed (or wanted) to do over this weekend, on Saturday.

First thing in the morning was my "long run". I really need to keep increasing my long distance every week, if I want to be able to finish Portland Marathon in October. Last time I checked, it's in nine weeks, and by my calculations, I might be able to get as far as 20 miles by then, if I keep increasing my weekends' run distance.

Last weekend was my Tour de Cure ride, so I skipped the run, plus temperatures have been so high, I actually couldn't make myself run all week long. Not a good training plan!

This Saturday's distance was 13 miles... I was pretty exhausted and dehydrated, despite the water stops on my run. Not sure if that was the reason, but I ended my day with a horrible headache, and no over-the-counter medicine would make it go away. :-(

After the run Larissa, Jon and I went blueberry picking. I was worried that it's almost at the end of a berry season, and if I didn't get some this weekend, there might not be much to pick in a week.

We took bets on how many pounds we picked. Larissa won. She was right on target too (little stinker!)! Nine pounds exactly!

While I was berry picking (that's right, kids lost desire to actually pick as soon as we got there, at it was very very hot!) Larissa was working hard on taking pictures and making her "TV shows". Ever since we got that digital picture/HD video camera kids have been a lot more creative. No problem, let kids be kids!

Quick stop at the Kroger's Farm for the freshly roasted corn on the comb and some fresh veggies and we were all done!

On the way home we decided to look for "aqua socks" (a.k.a water shoes, creek shoes...) because it was on the list for the camp supplies, and Larissa outgrew hers from last year. I never expected to have THIS much trouble getting such a simple item! We started at Target, moved on to Payless Shoe source, the ROSS, then some "Big 5" sporting store... No luck! I can't believe it. We will continue looking on Sunday. My head hurts too much today!

Just as we settled for a late night of watching TV and eating snacks, our cat got into his typical "excited" stance in front of a sliding back door. We thought it was the neighbor's cat coming to pay him a visit again (late, but possible)...

Boy, was I wrong! It was actually a raccoon family, a Mom and a baby, standing right in front of me! I grabbed my camera, but I wasn't brave enough to open the screen door for a better shot. Mainly because raccoon didn't seem to be scared of me at all! They came right up to the fan I had sitting out, and even when I tried to "shush" them away, they didn't care. So, first it's a skunk, now raccoon family?.. I like nature less and less...

I did however feel a little more compassionate to the uninvited couple when we realized that Mom had a missing front paw, right below the elbow! I think she was letting her little one explore and just followed wherever he went. At one point, after I made an extra loud noise, she made an almost human gesture of wrapping her intact front paw around her baby's body, trying to protect him... or may be to hold him back from coming closer to us.

At that point cat was freaked out, kids were freaked out, and to be honest, I was too.

They did come back at least one more time that night. For all I know, they have been coming up our back pattio many times before, but this the first time I saw them..

Sunday is here and I am right back into a planning & packing mode. Big breakfast for the family, then on the "water shoes" search we go! Fred Meyer's, KOHL's, then Marshall's. Still, no luck!!! I give up and get Larissa some white sandals. I told her she is welcome to walk in water in these... I no longer care... My headache is almost, but not completely, gone...

Shortly after getting back home, we all get loaded in the truck and drive to Gales Creek camp. I am extra excited, because I have a "First In Line" certificate for Larissa's camp check in / registration, that I bought at the fund raiser in spring. This special privilege allows us to skip the (number holding) line and get checked right in!!! I bet we saved at least an hour of sitting in the heat, waiting for our number to be called.

Looks like Larissa will be ok. The question is, will I?.. My baby is away... Waaaa!!

We head back home... apparently, to watch Charlie Brown Christmas (twice), then Indiana Jones... Thanks Jon!