GG's Journey: Beer Jug Bash-2015-and the end of Winter in AJ-Beginning of Summer-2015

It happened! The deck was completed in time! Well, enough to hold 25 people yesterday, anyway! The 2nd annual Beer Jug Bash was a success and much catching up was done with just a few stories told by the infamous story teller: Jack Gannon. The swiss brats were delicious and the nachos supreme were tasty, along with just about every delightful dish you could imagine shared by the guests. The weather cooperated with a warm 93 degrees, which made the sunset spectacular and put an extra sparkle on the blossoming ocotillo and prickly pear cacti and palavarti trees.

After cleaning up the remains of the bash, Jack and I loaded the kayaks on the trailer and headed back toward Spokane. We planned a slight side trip to the OR coast to meet Kyle and Jill and families. It was a great trip and the stop at the ocean topped it off perfectly. It was an amazing two days with two of my most favorite things: the ocean and grandkids! Nothing can top that. Nothing.

So….here we are, back in the Pacific Northwest---and moved for the second time in 6 months! Our lease was up at Shelley Lake, and after much research and thoughtful "back and forth", (buy a bigger camper trailer to live in here, rent another appt. and then move out every 6 months to head South, live in Jill's guest room---N.O.T., etc…) My sweet husband, aka: TCLK (I know…it looks like TALK…and we all KNOW how much he likes to do THAT! But this acronym stands for The CraigsList King), came up the deal of a lifetime in his regular, nightly ritual of scrolling through CL. We are now the proud owners of a 'brand-used' 1982 home in the Cascade Manufactured Home 55+ Community! We absolutely LOVE it-9 minutes from Jill and Ryan and kids; 7 minutes from Kyle, Kelli and sweet baby Kiah, and still just 5 hours from Curtis, Jen and kids! Heated pool, great fitness center, jacuzzi, sauna, and new community center with a piano! We spent at least a month (as soon as we got the trailer unloaded when we returned from AZ) sorting, throwing, donating, packing and managed to downsize and simplify our lives to the point of comfortably squeezing 1600 sq feet and 39+ years of "stuff" into our sweet little 924 sq foot home. We somehow managed to say farewell to ( should say "I") many things from our past that really don't have any meaning or value and were simply taking up too much space. It has been very cleansing, bitter/sweet and freeing for me. To step back and really look at one's things and realize that they are just that; things, is very liberating-especially when those things can be gifted to others in need.

Even though it's been a very, very busy and hectic 6 months; we've managed to have fun, too. Some of you may know that I have reconnected with a friend from Glendive days; Wanda Morrison Wanda shares my inexplainable, obsessive passion for kayaking! And, thanks to Cathy Lobdell (another friend from G-dive days), for triggering the reunion! Wanda and I kayaked in AZ and are planning as many trips as we can in this lake infested area throughout this Summer! I am thrilled, but not nearly as happy as Jack-since his passion is NOT kayaking…and he basically goes with me because I'm ONE of his passions! hee hee. Actually, most of you also know that his #1 passion is NOT his wife, but rather: Golf, with hunting in close second place. So, Wanda….he owes you B.I.G. time!

Fish Lake about 20 minutes from our house.

As we gratefully sit in our cool, tiny home, Hoopfest is going strong just 10 minutes from us-praying for the 27,000 competitors, 7,000 teams from 42 states and 3 other countries, and thousands of spectators as they stand in this nasty, unusual, 104 degree heat on pavement and cement! The most heat I'm taking in today will be venturing out to save my garden beds and tower garden from expiring! Three zucchini ready to harvest in about 2 days, and lots and lots of organic garden lettuce and greens! Yummmm…I LOVE gardening! Of course, the growing season here is nothing like it is in my sister's backyard! The joy and peace from tending it is the same, however. I just read the other day that people who garden/dig in the dirt/plant seeds/harvest live longer and with much more serenity.