I'm post-Oregon rally stewarding and vacay and I already need to leave again. I must figure out how to make some extra moolah so I can go on a couple of long weekends again.

I sherpa'd the good camera out there and WOW! was that a good choice. Imagine seeing one mountain out of your windshield and the reflection of another in your rear view mirror. Thank you rally family for the opportunities you have given me. This marks 20 years of rally (I started young). They are a family. It is amazing how months pass and it seems like it was just yesterday that I was with them.

Marshmallow clouds hung over the Columbia River and

the rivers on the scenic byway with their waterfalls were totally mist-ifying. The rally provided a room in Hood River with a balcony overlooking the Columbia literally feet away. A quick run to the local brewery resulted in a relaxing evening preparing a presentation on the laptop for EMS Week while enjoying the sun and breeze off the water. A salad medley of locally grown hazelnuts and pears mixed with spinach, goat cheese, and lightly smoked chicken was scrumptious with the local brew. A non-hockey town, I was able to get text messages and updates from home on the Wings (thanks guys!). Now that's living, eh!

A quick trip to Bonneville Dam made me reminisce about Grandpa and the hydros.

I took pics of the gushing water and beautiful grounds, plus I walked over bridges. Grandpa would've been proud of me as he used to have to carry me over them when I was little.

Absolutely gorgeous days during the rally produced a Rudolph nose...and that was a good thing. The sun really brings lightness to a soul.

The Jacksons are doing very well and their hospitality extended to me is cherished. I met Gunner, a mostly black lab into a Golden family. He has his work cut out for him. The little buggers had dug and ate through their underground fence so they could flee with the wind. Fixed them and the fence, that is. Their new home and its kitchen with ooo-la-la maple cabinets....I could do a bit of cooking there! I made baked brie the night before I left and I do believe they think I'm a crazy foodie. Krista turned 12! I still have the pics of Austin and her with Monza as a puppy before he was flighted to me. Time - it goes so fast...

Elk. Austin called in an elk and she was oh so close. The night before there were elk on one side of us and black tails on the other. Sweet. That's a memory.

Carol helped me find dresses to wear to weddings I have to attend this summer. She also convinced me of a jacket and Swiss eyeglasses with changeable temples. Carol, you are such an enabler!

Traveling alone always poses a challenge or two. One was how to get all of my luggage and a case of wine on the plane. I mailed home 13 pounds of clothing and decided to take a chance and hope for curbside luggage check-in at the airport. YES! PDX has it and so my wine arrived on the beltway along with my perfectly weighted bag. Then the question for Mom, why is there so much smoke in the air? Arrived at home to hear my radio going ballistic. Off to a forest fire...I am...back home.