On our way.... again....

We are now arrived at Seaside, Oregon.  We arrived a bit ago after driving up the coast.  Yes, we did get out of the house.  Yes, we were late leaving... I was closer to the etl (estimated time of leaving) than Keith tho'.  He said noon, I said lucky if we got gone by 1... We pulled out of Fred Meyers parking lot at 1:45.  We had to stop and get dry ice for the 2 coolers and 1 box of frozen stuff going up to the kids' house.  We still left stuff for CLint and Sallie to find a place for!!!  Tim is set up with his wireless and cable, and all is good to go!

We had a lovely drive up.. at least before it got to dark to do anything but drive.  I was hoping that we would stay in Netwport (since I was figuring in a later etl I thought that it would be about dark when arriving there) but Keith decided on Seaside.  In all we did have a beautiful drive.  So many miles by the ocean!  It is just breathtaking, awe inspiring, and great to ponder the depths and breadths of it all.  The water was acting a little angry with huge waves breaking and some mist rising in spots.  Keith was going to take some pictures - but we found that, among other things, I forgot to charge the camera battery.

So, on thru all the little coastal towns, Yachats, Depoe Bay, the Western Coast part of the Lewis and Clark Trail (so now we have been at both ends and most of the middle of it),  Tillamook (where they make S'te's favorite cheese!) and lots of others, we went.  I commented on everything as I drove, Keith either commented back or snored (LOL). 

So along about Lincoln City, I asked Keith if he got the box of applesauce and the soup pot off of the side of the BBQ when he got the box of apples out of the deck shed.  Guess what!!  We drove off and left the the whole dozen jars of applesauce that I made!!  What a total bummer!  and I think (I'm not sure yet) that I also didn't pick up my bag of make up off of the dresser....  It doesn't seem to matter how early I start , or how hard I try..  I cannot seem to get it together when it comes time to leave - I ALWAYS find something that I've forgotten... HOWEVER... I did bring the chargers for both the camcorder and camera!!!

So all is well, we are a little over 1/2 way to the Elmores, the batteries are charging, and House is starting.. so enough for now!

Oh, the pictures are all compliments of Wikipedia.  It is a very interesting site.  It has all sorts of good things in it.

Climate hopping

Well, we made it back to Coos County with no incidents, issues, or extraordinary stories.  We stayed at Olde Towne for the rest of the week while finishing up the dental work and soaking up the sunshine.  I was a little saddened by not getting to catch up with Daria and Ty while we were there - buy I understand that they are very busy being busy... LOL :->

So.. we got back and were blessed with many, many apples.  I have been peeling, slicing, coring and making applesauce for days and days LOL.  It turned out to be very good applesauce too.  Tim had picked some apples as well as the ones I got from Clint and Sallie, so I gave him several jars of the non-sugar stuff.  Keith likes applesauce with no cinnimon and I like it with lots of it.  So I made some of each.  I also put up about a dozen jars to take up north with me.

We are heading out on our journey in just a few days.  It is so, so difficult to pack for.... a week in Bremerton, where it is most definately winter (I've been watching S'te's FB since she doesn't post on her blog anymore {hint hint}) and we need winter clothes.  But from there we start on our trip East via the Panama Canal, where we definately won't need winter clothes!  So I have to pack the limited supply of summer clothes (not many here at all!) and take them with me - which means I won't have any here at all when we get back - unless I pay for shipping stuff back to us (I'm for sure not paying $50 per suitcase to fly it back)!!! LOL  But then again - we are thinking of driving out this next trip (maybe) unless we fly into Seattle and get a vehicle and then go to the wedding - which means I'd have the same issue when we get back...

Or do I just dump the whole works and just buy new... LOL... I know Keith would just absolutely love that idea!  We did bonus on a little shopping spree that I did go on last weekend!  I got Oregon (OSU and UofO) sweatshirts for about 1/3 of thier normal price!!!  I got 2 whole bags of things for about the price of 1 item... I am really estatic about it too!!  I got the UofO things (of coarse) and Keith got a mixture - Ducky sweatpants with a Beaver sweatshirt.  So he is a Dukver!!! LOL or a Beaky...  So we have what we are taking and we are taking what we have.  And we are totally blessed to have it to take... :->

I am so excited to be headed back up to see my babies too!  It will be a very long stretch between visits after this one.  Clear 'til summer!!  Doesn't hardly seem right!  They will be all grown up by then :-< 

So, now that I've typed it all out - I know now what to pack - and I only have 2 suitcases - and Keith has convinced me that shipping some of the jams and jellies isn't a good idea - So, we'll just have to save it all until we come back to the Great Northwest!!  :-)

Taxi Rides :-)

I guess I need to start out explaining that the Mexican government seems to be very serious on the subject of the safety issues that have been in the US newspapers over the last however long.  We caught the Red Bus ~ as usual ~ to come from the parking lot across the border.  It has never taken over a few minutes to get from the parking lot to Revelolution bus station.  On Friday it was over an hour between travel.  The driver said the Mexican Border Patrol ~ very much in evidence~ was looking for firearms (etc) being smuggled in from the US so they were doing spot checks.  One of the busses ahead of us had to completely un pack and all the luggage was searched.  So, meanwhile, we sat in line to cross.  They are really serious.... and I can't say it's a bad thing either.  These gang wars have decimated much of the livelihoods of many, many hard working Mexican people.  Even Dra. Ruth has noticed a large decline of her American patients. 

So, on with my story..... On Friday after our visit with Dra. Ruth Rubio, our Dentista, neither of us felt up to negotiating the bus route to get to Rosarito Beach ~ So Dra. Ruth was kind enough to go downstairs with us ~ and negotiate a ride in a Taxi for us.  Our drivers name was Leon and he very graciously took us from 3rd Avineda in Tijuana to the Rosarito Beach Hotel.  He didn't speak much English but we did have a few funnies even with the language barrier.

The road between the two cities is all torn up.  Lots of construction going on - and detours like you'd never believe.  Little gravel driveway, through a small parking lot, and a LOT of rough road.  And very little in the way of shocks... LOL  Through all of this we saw many Policia - they are very much in full view and very obvious.  Only once did I see a Policia with a machine gun in the middle of the street glancing at cars as they went on both sides of him.  He nodded our way - and we went on by.

So we got there - all in 1 piece ~ safe and sound ~ even if my mouth was starting to throb a bit from my 3 extractions ~ it was a good trip.  So we asked Leon if he would come back to Rosarito Beach Hotel and pick us up on Monday (today) at 9 am so we could come back to Tijuana to see Dra. Ruth and she could complete this portion of our dental work.

We went out front of the Hotel to wait for Leon ~ having already discussed what we would do if he didn't return on the off chance that we would still be waiting for  him.   Another driver came and offered to bring us to Dra. Ruth's but I didn't want to leave before 9 am agreed time - so the other driver waited....

Imagine my surprise when another driver (same company as the waiting one) showed up with a note (in English) telling us that he was sent by Leon to take us to the Dentista for the same negotiated price that was agreed on Friday!  Our new driver didn't speak a word of English and we had only a small stunted conversation that probably didn't make any more sense to him than it did to me (after all my spanish is over 40 years old!).  He stopped and asked directions only once - and I could see the 'school bus' that I have used for a landmark for the last 10 years!  So I'm saying '2 more blocks' and he isn't understanding.  But we made it there. 

Dra. Ruth has finished my temporary crown on my partial and Keith is having a temporary crown to cover the broken tooth that Dra. Ruth did a root canal and repair on Friday.

So I guess the point of my story is that ~ even tho' Leon probably will never see or hear from us again ~ he stood by his word ~ and didn't leave us stranded.  Thank you Leon~~

November 1

In the lobby is an alter for Michael Jackson.  When we arrived - I was really curious about the alter and found this out.....

El Día de los Muertos is being 'celebrated' (for lack of a better word) today and this is what it was for.

This morning it looks as though the wind (it has really been windy!) has decided to lay down so I think we are going to try out the jacuzzi again - and do a walk on the beach...  It is such a beautiful beach!

Halloween in Mexico

Halloween itself does not seem to be a bit deal here.  Some of the staff here wore face paing and we saw 1 little guy with a pumpkin costume on during the evening but that is all.

We arrived in Rosarito Beach on Friday afternoon via a really nice taxi driver that brought us from Tijuana.  I had visited my own wonderful dentista - Dr. Ruth - she had to extract (do destruction - in her terms :) ) 3 teeth - so I wasn't really up for taking the bus down.  As always - the staff here at the Rosarito Beach Hotel are wonderful, nice, polite, and helpful.  We have visited here several times before - and have always really enjoyed ourselves - so - we looked forward to another great time.

We have now tried all 3 of their 'room' styles.  Oceanfront, garden view, and suite.  This trip we are in their 1 bedroom suite!  and it is complete with a well appointed kitchenette!  Many int the US could take a real lesson here.  We have a full size coffepot, blender, toaster, MATCHING dishes, dish soap and towels, salt - pepper - coffee - and drinking water - all right here all easily found.  The room also has the usual small fridge and microwave.  We have a great ocean view - right over the lower beachfront studios roof.  Makes for a really sweet place to sit in the sun and enjoy the morning coffee! The sunset was really beautiful out over the Pacific Ocean.

Unfortunately is has been a bit on the windy side for the last couple of days so the pools and hot tubs were not anything I wanted to brave - but Keith did go for a soak and was all smiles when he reported back to me that it 'was wonderful'!!

There was entertainment last night with dinner.  Our server, Manuel, kept us in peanuts, tacos, and chips (with guacomole!) while we divided out attentions between the big screen showing the World Series and the entertainment!  I thoroughly enjoyed watching Efrain Precsado and his great quartet of Our bartender Manuel kept in peanuts, tacos, and shrimp coctail while we divided out attentions between the dancers and the big screen tv showing the World Series!dancers.  The costumes and the verve of the dancers showed that they were enjoying themselves also!  http://www.flickr.com/photos/dianeb/sets/72157622584744251/show/
The pictures aren't even close to doing justice to these dancers - but I loved watching them!