April 5: Lincoln City, Newport

            We left Tillamook and went through Lincoln Center before we arrived at Newport where we had lunch.  It had been overcast the entire day.  Newport was wet.  I had changed from my sandy shoes into some beach sandals that I have used as slippers.  My feet were cold.  

I enjoyed listening to the barking seals.  My camera had run out of battery and I’d taken the last picture at the ocean.  Every picture after that was taken with my cell phone.

            In addition to the seals, I took these pictures of the tsunami debris and warnings 

I found this one on the Internet - what it looked like before the written history above

On our return to McMinnville, Beth pointed out Depoe Bay.

Graham showed us where the hospital and community college were.  We also passed Evergreen Aviation but did not stop to see if it was even open.  (I would have thought more places would have been closed on Easter)

April 5: Tillamook, Pacific City

            After we left the cheese plant, we went to the Blue Heron Cheese Company for more tasting and petting zoo.  Roland purchased some pet food to feed to the goats – one greedy goat in particular

every goat for himself - this was the greedy one I think in every picture

            After leaving Tillamook, Beth directed us to the Pelican Pub parking in Pacific City so that we could see the ocean – and feel the ocean – and the sand. 

            Jenna had taken her shoes off, but I had not.  And the tide pushed over my sneakers and my clean shoes were no longer.

shoes looked and felt worse than shows

Touring the Coast on Easter Sunday

             On Sunday we met Beth and Graham for a light breakfast.  Plans were to drive the coast.  Beth took us on the scenic tour – which really was pretty.  Unfortunately my stomach was not impressed, and we had to stop the car and rotate seats before we got to Tillamook.

            Once we arrived at the Tillamook Cheese plant, we were able to take a self-guided tour and sample the cheese before purchasing ice cream.  The Cheese company had offered an Easter Egg hunt on Saturday.  That could be one of the reasons that Sunday was so slow.  It was great for us as we didn't have to wait in lines.

April 4, Sampling Oregon

        Beth and Graham had us over for breakfast on Saturday morning before we went to the beading class.  Beth greeted each of us with published material.  Two books for me, two books for Jenna and a flyer print out for the upcoming community theatre for Roland – hoping he might addition for Oklahoma.  Beth taught Jenna how to do Sudoku puzzles and then Jenna taught me. 

        Beth had made some outstanding biscuits and Graham was taking orders for omelets.  I’ve never had an eight egg omelet before.  I don’t know how many eggs were actually used.  But that is what it looked like.  We were definitely fed well.

        After the beading class, we toured downtown McMinnville and were invited to sample various vinegars, jellies, syrups, and spreads.  We had sampled Amish butter just the night before.  We were introduced to the marionberry.  I think they look like small pinecones.

            Both Graham and Beth had told us that we could cross the street whenever as pedestrians have the right of way and not all crossways are marked with lights.  The average Oregonian driver will stop and even smile at the person crossing – at least in McMinnville.  I quite enjoyed the friendliness.

            Beth parked her car in the parking lot of the church that they attend and we all piled in the rental to look at a few upcoming rentals and then we took a drive to Willamette Valley.  We did more sample tasting at Red Ridge Farms and enjoyed different olive oils, more jams and vinegars.  

            I forget the name of the place where we ended up eating.  It tasted like home cooked food.  They gave us a LOT of food.  Had we known it was going to be that big, Roland and I would have just split something.  Even the “kids” meal was too big for Jenna.  She didn’t like the homemade chips that came with her sandwich.  I could have made a meal on those chips alone.  They were delicious.   
 

            Our initial plan was to spend each night in a different city just to see if one city influenced my breathing better than another.  But we ended up spending our first three nights in McMinnville – which was more than satisfactory to Jenna who took every opportunity she had to go into the water.  She also enjoyed the complimentary breakfast each morning

Move Out of the Way!

I have heard that Utah has the widest streets in the nation.  Neighborhood streets are only two lanes – generally.  Still most seem big enough for cars to get by other cars that may be parked on the side of the road. 

Our main streets consist of 6 – 8 lanes – perhaps not for the entire road, but at some points.  I’ve gotten used to really wide roads.  As a pedestrian, I find I have only a few seconds to cross before the light changes.  It’s not like that all over the city – but enough to me that it feels that way.

Roland and I noticed the streets in Oregon were quite narrow in comparison.  We had a strange encounter at Fort Grove because of it.

Fort Grove is very pretty, almost story book looking, very secluded though.  Not a lot of shopping convenience.  I don’t know how far the firehouse is, but apparently they have access to one.

As we were driving around and looking at houses, Roland saw the fire truck behind us.  When we see that in Utah, our reaction is to pull over and let anything with a siren pass us.  Even with neighborhood streets, or the not-as-wide streets downtown.  There’s still enough room to pull over and pass.

Aside from Portland, I didn’t see much in the way of being able to pull over in order for any emergency vehicle to pass.  Certainly not in Forest Grove.  If we had pulled over, the fire truck would not have been able to pass.  The streets were too narrow.  I felt in the way as we continued to move and try to get out of its path.  It didn’t matter if we turned or went straight, it seemed to follow us – and there was nothing we could do but continue moving in a neighborhood that we weren’t even familiar with.

The two pictures don't  show the true narrowness of what was felt

 

Jenna's Birthday on April 3

             Before we had even packed, Roland and I stopped by the store for some gift ideas.  Jenna had recently told us that having footie pajama would be cool.  The first ones that I saw were bright pink with rubber ducks.  Jenna has always had a thing for rubber ducks but as I looked around, I saw something else that looked more like something that she would pick. We chose what she calls a “cheetah print” because she is somehow in love with animal print – first cheetah and then zebra.  

Jenna and Roland had gone to the pool while I had the opportunity of taking a hot bath.  (Roland is so good to me – knowing I have been wanting a bath in a large tub for some time – at that point neither one of us were aware of the hot tub located next to the pool)  Jenna was still in her wet swim suit when I got out of the tub.

I told her that she could open her first gift that first night.  I was thinking those would be the pajamas she would wear most of the vacation.  And so she stood in her wet bathing suit waiting for Roland (who had gone to get something to eat, unaware that Beth had invited us for dinner – even though we hadn’t really planned on showing up until the next day) to return before she opened her gift.

We had gotten a woman’s extra small because they looked like they ran big (pajamas almost always do) and they did fit – but not comfortably enough to sleep in.  And so we returned it to the bag to take home and exchange – hopefully.

Jenna turned eleven on Friday.  She was actually quite pleasant for someone who had absolutely no say in having to be in Oregon on her birthday.  And what we had planned was not all that exciting either as Beth had given us the names of a few surrounding towns that we might want to look at.

We enjoyed a continental breakfast.  Roland made waffles for Jenna, himself and me.  We drove to Forest Grove, Dayton, Lafayette and surrounding areas.  We did find a manufactured home for sale in Lafayette – a price we could afford.  But we learned it needs a new roof.  It is in a park verses its own land.  Roland would rather have our own land – but I’m okay with a structured community – at least I think I am.

We had stopped somewhere to get Jenna a drawing pad.  Roland also let her pick out a toy which she could have for her birthday.  She chose a stuffed frog marked “Hoppy Easter”.  She received texts from both Tony and her dentist to wish her happy birthday.

After four we went to meet Beth and Graham for dinner.  He made macaroni and cheese (Jenna’s favorite) asparagus (which she tried and ate one of) and chicken.  I forgot what fancy name he gave it.  It was good.  The whole meal was really wonderful – and filling.

Beth had made a cake earlier that day – a gluten free cake.  It was in a large stemmed bowl with eleven candles.  It was really good.  We lit the candles twice as I hadn’t taken my camera out until after she blew the candles out the first time.  I only got five pictures.

Jenna shared her wish as she was certain it wouldn’t come true.  She wished she had gotten a pool toy instead of her frog.  After she had excused herself from the table, Beth found a rubber duck that she could use.  So her wish came true after all.

Before we left, Beth taught us how to play Labyrinth – which may not be in production anymore.  I know I have never heard of it.  Jenna, Roland and I played with Beth.  Jenna ended up skunking everybody.  Beth offered to let us take the game for the night, but I knew Jenna would want to go swimming again.  I knew that I’d be too tired to do both.

The next morning Beth took us to a bead store so that we could make some jewelry in honor of Jenna’s birthday.  Both Jenna and Beth chose to make bracelets but I decided that I would rather have a necklace.  

necklace by LaTiesha, bracelet by Jenna

April 2, First Day in Oregon

            It's now been a week since we flew out of Salt Lake City.  After we landed we went to find our luggage.  Portland is a nice airport.  Portland must have been a connecting stop for most passengers as there weren’t many people standing at the carousel to claim luggage, nor were there many pieces coming out.

            Every time I wait for luggage, I think of one time when I had gone to the San Francisco airport and stood behind a crowd of people surrounding the luggage carousel but in no way could get near enough to collect my luggage.

            As I saw one piece make its way around I loudly asked, “Could someone toss me that light blue bag?” 

            I soon realized that I had made a wrong word choice as my blue piece of luggage seemed to be hurled towards me.  I was grateful that no one was hurt. 

            I had to show my luggage tags to someone before I could leave the airport.  That was such a foreign concept to me.  At Salt Lake International, the individual who takes the luggage is responsible for checking his or her own.  We didn’t have to show our luggage tags to anyone in Portland either.

            My grandma had always marked her luggage with yarn pom-poms.  I had added ribbons to each of our luggage to make it easier to find.  All four pieces arrived safely.  We took our luggage downstairs to the rental car area and got a really nice 2015 Toyota Camry.  Both Roland and I really liked it.  

            From Portland we headed to Salem and started looking at houses and calling on apartments.  We looked at places between Salem and Albany and between Albany and McMinnville.  I called Beth after we got into McMinnville. 

            Kayla had called me to ask about some mail and to ask how things were in Oregon.  At that point we were stopped at a local diner and Roland was writing down addresses from the church.  I told Kayla what we were doing.  As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized I hadn’t told her that we had considered moving to Oregon.  I had dropped a bomb on my sister, and I felt very bad about the way I had just blurted it out instead of allowing her to get used to the idea. At that point I think we had only told two people – Corey, for financial reasons, and a sister in our ward that recently moved to Salt Lake from Newport, Oregon.

            It was actually a while before I made the opportunity to call her back and apologize because if it had been the other way around, I would have been bawling my eyes out.  And Kayla had cried for a bit.  Corey had returned her call just after I had dropped the bomb and she was crying when she talked to him.  But by the time I returned her phone call, she was genuinely happy for me and had convinced herself (or maybe just me) that it was/is a good thing that I am doing.

            When we arrived in McMinnville, I called Beth and we went to her house to visit for just a few minutes. Beth had offered us room, but Roland did not want to impose.  Besides Beth has a cat – and our reasons for coming to Oregon was to see if I could breathe better – and would I be able to tell with a cat around. Also the inn we checked into had an indoor pool – the highlight of children’s expectations of what all traveling must include.  So there would be swimming involved which made for a great birthday.