DeeBee and I need to let the readers of his Blog know why his entries stopped so suddenly last year. Sadly, our partner, friend, lover and wife Geri was felled by a heart attack and passed away while we were in Canyonville. Her actual date of death was August 30, when life support systems were removed. Her sons David and Gary and my son Michael were with us to help us through this ordeal.
We don't know if DeeBee will ever resume the Blog.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Day 8- Canyonville, OR
Everybody was just a little draggy this
morning; even Don arose about an hour later than usual. Seems as
though yesterday's festivities took a toll on these old bodies. At
least I got up before Geri, though that's not saying much. Don took
me out for a very pleasant walk, not too long, not too short. Then
they took the truck down to the Creekside Restaurant, near the
entrance to the RV Park, to meet a bunch of the Yokums for breakfast.
They returned a little before noon, and reported that they had a
splendid time with their breakfast group, particularly enjoying some
stories from Carl, Brenda's husband.
The remainder of the day was pretty
much a dud, a little busywork around the rig, some computer
maintenance, and a lot of napping for me. Dinner didn't happen
hardly at all, as they had apparently stuffed themselves at
breakfast; I got a couple of leftover containers to lick, hardly
worth mentioning. When Don asked me what I wanted to put in the blog
today, my first response was “Fuggidaboutit!” But I realized
that we had to post something, so we put this together.
Hope tomorrow is more interesting.
Have a good evening.
Breakfast at Creekside
Day 7- Canyonville, OR
An exciting and fun day for all of us!
We hurried through our regular morning routine, and took the truck
into downtown Canyonville, found a parking spot, and walked down to
Main Street to find a place to view the Pioneer Days Parade. We got
a place on the sidewalk next to a very nice older lady who took an
immediate liking to me, and talked with me and gave me pets
throughout the parade. And a wonderful parade it was! There were
fire engines, antique cars, high school marching groups, and horses.
The fire engines were kind of loud, but it didn't bother me. I was
really impressed by the horses, they are so big and strong! Strong
enough to carry people on their backs! I've got a great deal of
admiration for them. There was a young Goldie and his Yellow Lab
buddy across the street who got a little upset by the horses and
actually barked at them. Bad form, in my book. Bad training. He
was also scarfing up the candies that the Parade marchers threw for
kids on the route, wrappers and all. He'll be sorry tonight.
When the parade was over, we hurried
back to the rig to load up stuff for the reunion. Into the truck
went the grill, folding chairs and food. Then a short ride over to
Carmen and Leonard's house, where the reunion was being held this
year. By the time we got there, most of the crowd had arrived and
was eating already, so Don had to scramble to set up his grill and
start the hot dogs, as he does every year. We were welcomed by
Cousins Carmen, Joyce, Susie, Janice, Brenda, Kerry and Dottie June,
as well as Aunt Dorothy. There appeared to be lots of good food for
the humans in attendance; unfortunately, Geri was of the opinion that
I might be inclined to go on a begging tour through the tables, so I
was unceremoniously shackled some distance away from the dining area.
When everyone was done eating, Don intervened on my behalf and got
me freed to go and mingle with the crowd. I felt like grumbling over
the unfairness of my confinement, as there were two other dogs freely
roaming the area while the humans were feasting, Carmen's Chester and
a cute little Pommy puppy from across the street. But I held my
tongue and made my rounds to introduce myself to everyone. I have to
say, I was well received by all present, and got many compliments
over my decorous behavior and good humor.
The crowd soon broke up into
conversation groups; I saw that Don and Aunt Dorothy were looking at
a gallery of old photos of bygone Yokums that Brenda and her husband
Carl had compiled and loaded onto his laptop computer. Don told me
there were some shots of his Father when he was very young! Cousin
Jan, from Portland, exhibited some consternation when her son Rob
informed her that their car wouldn't start; they were planning to
drive down to Ashland after the reunion to attend a performance.
Fortunately, they were able to get their car hauled up to Roseburg,
where they had a rental car waiting for them.
Everyone was having a good time getting
reacquainted and up to date on what was going on in their lives. I
was having a wonderful time, working my way from group to group and
getting great quantities of petting and adulation. Chester warmed up
to me, and even attempted to achieve greater degrees of intimacy,
which I actively discouraged. As I worked the crowd, I noticed that
Aunt Dorothy and Don had gotten into a spirited conversation over who
was her favorite Nephew; Dorothy had to admit that the lately
departed Cousin Ronnie had been her favorite, because he needed her
more. Don was apparently none too pleased with this information,
even threatening her with revocation of her Favorite Aunt status. I
thought I might have to remind him that she is now his only Aunt, but
he caught himself in time and withdrew the threat. Shortly after,
Aunt Dorothy was informing the group that she had even changed Don's
diapers when he was a baby; she then switched gears and told the
story of when she got her first dog, name of Chico, who had a tail
that she thought was too long and unsightly. She described how she
was so offended by his tail that she armed herself with a cleaver and
abruptly removed it in a single chop. Geri was listening to the tale
of the tail; when it ended, she asked if Don's parents had known
about her experience in tail surgery when they allowed her to change
Don's diaper. Lots of whooping and shrieking!
It was a most enjoyable afternoon for
everyone, and they all promised to return next year for more fun and
food. We were among the last to leave, and when we got back to the
rig we all collapsed into varying states of exhaustion. I think I
was the tiredest, as I hadn't had a single moment of nap time all
afternoon. Don went to work on the blog, prodding me with questions
about my observations of the day, and keeping me awake! When I
couldn't keep it up any longer, he had to cease production, which is
why the blog is late today. Sorry, but sometimes sleep comes first!
Sayonara!
The Parade Begins!
This Year's Reigning Royalty
A Little Parade Music
A Ship in the Parade!
Biker Clown
Beautiful Horse!
Aunt Dorothy
Cousin Jan, A Shady Character
Geri Enjoying a LadyLike Portion
Yokums Reuniting
Jan's Car Going for a Ride
Me, Joyce, Don & Aunt Dottie
Friday, August 24, 2012
Day 6- Canyonville, OR
Off to a really slow start this morning; I did get up shortly after Don, but went right back to bed after my breakfast, and didn't arise again until Geri did, some time after eight. Don was still busily noodling on the computer, and didn't even start to get ready for our morning excursion until almost ten! We did get a nice walk eventually, plenty of beautiful grass to roll in, and Don was pleased to see that my poop had solidified nicely. You might say that I was very relieved, also.
After lunch, we piled into the truck and headed north to Roseburg, where the local WalMart is situated. Don found a parking place with some shade for my comfort, and they entered the gates of the Peoples' Emporium. Don returned to the truck in about a half hour, apparently having been overwhelmed by the shopping experience. Geri, a more resolute shopper, was left to soldier on to complete the acquisition of our needed items. So, Don and I got to spend some quality time together until I got tired of it and abandoned him to chew on my pet stick that I keep in the truck. When Geri finally appeared with her bags of acquisitions, we tooled down the road to the Mini Pet Mart, which I was not allowed to enter. They soon returned with a big carton, from which emerged what I recognized to be a ramp, which they hope will ease my access to the truck and our new vehicle at home. They set up the ramp on the tailgate of the truck, and invited me to come on down, which I was pleased to do. When they then invited me to reload into the truck, I suspected that I could use the opportunity to ask for a reward of some type; I was correct, Geri came up with some nice treats to dangle in front of me at the top of the ramp, and I was more than pleased to go charging up it. Looks like I have a new ramp.
We then headed over to Winston to visit with Don's favorite Auntie, Dorothy, who is always very nice to me. When we got there, I wanted to immediately visit with her pet goat, Wendell, with whom I had established a good rapport on previous visits. I was sorry to hear that Wendell had gone to live with his new owners on their farm, and I wouldn't be visiting with him. Oh, well, goats come and go. Anyway, we had a nice visit with Aunt Dottie, and she paid me some endearing compliments. Our visit ended, and we returned to Seven Feathers for my dinner and continued medication. Geri and Don were then off to the Pioneer Days Celebration in Canyonville, where they were hoping that the Ladies Library Guild would be offering their blackberry cobbler again. They came back a little over an hour later, disappointed that the Guild had failed them again; they hadn't shown up last time they were here, either. Don had scored a decent corndog, and picked up a little chunk of fudge for dessert. Geri had done a job on some leftover pizza before they left, so she wasn't hurting. But I could see that they were sorely upset over the lack of blackberries and ice cream. I tried to brighten their mood with some toy tricks, but they weren't buying it. So, a little TV and off to bed. Tomorrow's the big reunion, always a winner in terms of food and fun, plus the big Pioneer Days Parade beforehand. I'll have lots to report tomorrow, and Don promises a lot of pics to make up for the last couple of days. See ya then!
Off to a really slow start this morning; I did get up shortly after Don, but went right back to bed after my breakfast, and didn't arise again until Geri did, some time after eight. Don was still busily noodling on the computer, and didn't even start to get ready for our morning excursion until almost ten! We did get a nice walk eventually, plenty of beautiful grass to roll in, and Don was pleased to see that my poop had solidified nicely. You might say that I was very relieved, also.
After lunch, we piled into the truck and headed north to Roseburg, where the local WalMart is situated. Don found a parking place with some shade for my comfort, and they entered the gates of the Peoples' Emporium. Don returned to the truck in about a half hour, apparently having been overwhelmed by the shopping experience. Geri, a more resolute shopper, was left to soldier on to complete the acquisition of our needed items. So, Don and I got to spend some quality time together until I got tired of it and abandoned him to chew on my pet stick that I keep in the truck. When Geri finally appeared with her bags of acquisitions, we tooled down the road to the Mini Pet Mart, which I was not allowed to enter. They soon returned with a big carton, from which emerged what I recognized to be a ramp, which they hope will ease my access to the truck and our new vehicle at home. They set up the ramp on the tailgate of the truck, and invited me to come on down, which I was pleased to do. When they then invited me to reload into the truck, I suspected that I could use the opportunity to ask for a reward of some type; I was correct, Geri came up with some nice treats to dangle in front of me at the top of the ramp, and I was more than pleased to go charging up it. Looks like I have a new ramp.
We then headed over to Winston to visit with Don's favorite Auntie, Dorothy, who is always very nice to me. When we got there, I wanted to immediately visit with her pet goat, Wendell, with whom I had established a good rapport on previous visits. I was sorry to hear that Wendell had gone to live with his new owners on their farm, and I wouldn't be visiting with him. Oh, well, goats come and go. Anyway, we had a nice visit with Aunt Dottie, and she paid me some endearing compliments. Our visit ended, and we returned to Seven Feathers for my dinner and continued medication. Geri and Don were then off to the Pioneer Days Celebration in Canyonville, where they were hoping that the Ladies Library Guild would be offering their blackberry cobbler again. They came back a little over an hour later, disappointed that the Guild had failed them again; they hadn't shown up last time they were here, either. Don had scored a decent corndog, and picked up a little chunk of fudge for dessert. Geri had done a job on some leftover pizza before they left, so she wasn't hurting. But I could see that they were sorely upset over the lack of blackberries and ice cream. I tried to brighten their mood with some toy tricks, but they weren't buying it. So, a little TV and off to bed. Tomorrow's the big reunion, always a winner in terms of food and fun, plus the big Pioneer Days Parade beforehand. I'll have lots to report tomorrow, and Don promises a lot of pics to make up for the last couple of days. See ya then!
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Day 5- Canyonville, OR
I haven't really complained about it, but my internals haven't been functioning up to par for several days now. Geri has a medical term for it, something like "dye aria", but I just call it loose poop. This happened once before when we were on the east coast several years ago, and they got me some medicine that corrected the problem pretty quickly. So, it was decided this morning that I should go to visit the local Vet and get something to fix me up. It turned out to be a pleasant experience, everyone was very nice to me, and the lady Vet was quite gentle and appreciative of my good nature. What's more, the scale said that I had lost five pounds! So we collected my medicines and headed south on hiway 5 to investigate a place that Geri and Don have noticed every time we've come here, a restaurant maybe a dozen miles out of town called "Heaven on Earth" that claimed to be famous for their cinnamon rolls. They found a place in the shade of a tree to park, so as to ensure my comfort, and disappeared into the restaurant. They came out maybe a half hour later, and told me that if my internals were working better, they would have gotten me a cinnamon roll. They said they were the biggest, tastiest cinnamon rolls they had ever eaten, and that the place was loaded with displays of cakes, pies, rolls and other baked goods that all looked wonderful. I think we may be visiting this place again.
When we got back to the rig, Geri and I decided it was time for a nap, while Don felt the need to do some exterior cleaning. I really think that he wanted to be outside in case the guy from the Windsor next door showed up, so he could talk to him about his rig. Actually, that's what happened; I think it made Don's day. When we finished our naps, Geri and I were treated to a description of all the features of the Windsor, the details of its purchase, performance data, place of residence . . . and on, and on, and on. We were kind of surprised that he hadn't found a way to trade our own beloved rig off for the Windsor.
To shut Don up with the Windsor talk, Geri agreed to accompany him to the Canyonville Museum to see the new exhibits that they had obtained since our last visit several years ago. I stayed home and continued my therapeutic napping. When they returned, Geri told me that they were the only visitors that had been there that day, but Don had made up for their lack of business by purchasing most of the historical books and periodicals that they had for sale there. She told me that he was surprised when he found a photograph of his Ggg-Grandmother on the wall there, and the curator on duty was pleased to be able to put a name to the photo, who they only knew as an early pioneer woman in the area.
They shuttled over to the casino after making my dinner for me, hoping to visit the seafood buffet that is a Thursday special there. When they got back home a few hours later, they told me that the wait for the buffet was over an hour, so they settled for some shrimp in the Cow Creek Restaurant. They had some unprofitable experiences with the money laundering machines in the casino, and returned home fairly early.
Tomorrow we go shopping in Roseburg, I hear. Might be exciting! I'll be sure to keep you up to date. G'Nite, friends!
I haven't really complained about it, but my internals haven't been functioning up to par for several days now. Geri has a medical term for it, something like "dye aria", but I just call it loose poop. This happened once before when we were on the east coast several years ago, and they got me some medicine that corrected the problem pretty quickly. So, it was decided this morning that I should go to visit the local Vet and get something to fix me up. It turned out to be a pleasant experience, everyone was very nice to me, and the lady Vet was quite gentle and appreciative of my good nature. What's more, the scale said that I had lost five pounds! So we collected my medicines and headed south on hiway 5 to investigate a place that Geri and Don have noticed every time we've come here, a restaurant maybe a dozen miles out of town called "Heaven on Earth" that claimed to be famous for their cinnamon rolls. They found a place in the shade of a tree to park, so as to ensure my comfort, and disappeared into the restaurant. They came out maybe a half hour later, and told me that if my internals were working better, they would have gotten me a cinnamon roll. They said they were the biggest, tastiest cinnamon rolls they had ever eaten, and that the place was loaded with displays of cakes, pies, rolls and other baked goods that all looked wonderful. I think we may be visiting this place again.
When we got back to the rig, Geri and I decided it was time for a nap, while Don felt the need to do some exterior cleaning. I really think that he wanted to be outside in case the guy from the Windsor next door showed up, so he could talk to him about his rig. Actually, that's what happened; I think it made Don's day. When we finished our naps, Geri and I were treated to a description of all the features of the Windsor, the details of its purchase, performance data, place of residence . . . and on, and on, and on. We were kind of surprised that he hadn't found a way to trade our own beloved rig off for the Windsor.
To shut Don up with the Windsor talk, Geri agreed to accompany him to the Canyonville Museum to see the new exhibits that they had obtained since our last visit several years ago. I stayed home and continued my therapeutic napping. When they returned, Geri told me that they were the only visitors that had been there that day, but Don had made up for their lack of business by purchasing most of the historical books and periodicals that they had for sale there. She told me that he was surprised when he found a photograph of his Ggg-Grandmother on the wall there, and the curator on duty was pleased to be able to put a name to the photo, who they only knew as an early pioneer woman in the area.
They shuttled over to the casino after making my dinner for me, hoping to visit the seafood buffet that is a Thursday special there. When they got back home a few hours later, they told me that the wait for the buffet was over an hour, so they settled for some shrimp in the Cow Creek Restaurant. They had some unprofitable experiences with the money laundering machines in the casino, and returned home fairly early.
Tomorrow we go shopping in Roseburg, I hear. Might be exciting! I'll be sure to keep you up to date. G'Nite, friends!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Day 4- Canyonville, OR
Those of you who were betting on our being in Medford tonight; sorry, losers! Geri herself cancelled the Medford shopstop, in return for the promise of a day's shopping in Roseburg. Don told me that she was thinking of having to spend a night or two in a relatively crummy RV Park in the Medford area, rather than in the beautiful 7 Feathers RV Resort here in Canyonville. In fact, she likes it here so much that she signed us up for a week! That's fine with me, and with Don, too. I love the walking areas here, and all the people are always so nice to me. I've got some lovely grass on our site, great for rolling.
For those of you new to my blog, and those not-so-new but suffering from long-term memory loss, let me give you a little history about our association with this place. Back in the year 1852, (I can't calculate how long ago this was in dog years) Don's Ggg-GrandFather and his family settled here after a long and difficult trip over the Oregon Trail. His Father was born here, along with his aunts and uncles, of which only one is left. Every year, the Yokums hold a family reunion here during the last weekend in August, which also coincides with the big annual celebration of Canyonville Pioneer Days. So we get to watch the parade, attend some of the Pioneer Day events, and they partake of some of the food delicacies that are offered in Pioneer Park during the weekend. And, of course, the Yokum Reunion also features lots of food brought by the attendees. So, it's a really big event, and one that I always enjoy thoroughly, 'cause I get a lot of attention from the Yokum crowd and many of them slip me bites of really wonderful food! We missed out on the last reunion due to some damages to our rig which had to be repaired. We'll be making up for it this year!
Our transit up from Redding was made without difficulty, I got to see a lot of mountains and forests, in addition to Lake Shasta. We arrived at 7 Feathers a little after one PM, and got assigned a very nice spot with great TV satellite reception. A Monaco Windsor pulled in next door just a few minutes later, making this a classy neighborhood! Don has always coveted the Windsors, and it strangely makes him feel very warm to be parked next to one. There's a Windsor in Ventura near the park where we sometimes walk, and Don frequently bewails the fact that it's hardly ever used, and seems to be just a driveway ornament.
Can't think of anything more to report, so I'll sign off for now! Caio!
Those of you who were betting on our being in Medford tonight; sorry, losers! Geri herself cancelled the Medford shopstop, in return for the promise of a day's shopping in Roseburg. Don told me that she was thinking of having to spend a night or two in a relatively crummy RV Park in the Medford area, rather than in the beautiful 7 Feathers RV Resort here in Canyonville. In fact, she likes it here so much that she signed us up for a week! That's fine with me, and with Don, too. I love the walking areas here, and all the people are always so nice to me. I've got some lovely grass on our site, great for rolling.
For those of you new to my blog, and those not-so-new but suffering from long-term memory loss, let me give you a little history about our association with this place. Back in the year 1852, (I can't calculate how long ago this was in dog years) Don's Ggg-GrandFather and his family settled here after a long and difficult trip over the Oregon Trail. His Father was born here, along with his aunts and uncles, of which only one is left. Every year, the Yokums hold a family reunion here during the last weekend in August, which also coincides with the big annual celebration of Canyonville Pioneer Days. So we get to watch the parade, attend some of the Pioneer Day events, and they partake of some of the food delicacies that are offered in Pioneer Park during the weekend. And, of course, the Yokum Reunion also features lots of food brought by the attendees. So, it's a really big event, and one that I always enjoy thoroughly, 'cause I get a lot of attention from the Yokum crowd and many of them slip me bites of really wonderful food! We missed out on the last reunion due to some damages to our rig which had to be repaired. We'll be making up for it this year!
Our transit up from Redding was made without difficulty, I got to see a lot of mountains and forests, in addition to Lake Shasta. We arrived at 7 Feathers a little after one PM, and got assigned a very nice spot with great TV satellite reception. A Monaco Windsor pulled in next door just a few minutes later, making this a classy neighborhood! Don has always coveted the Windsors, and it strangely makes him feel very warm to be parked next to one. There's a Windsor in Ventura near the park where we sometimes walk, and Don frequently bewails the fact that it's hardly ever used, and seems to be just a driveway ornament.
Can't think of anything more to report, so I'll sign off for now! Caio!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Day 3- Redding, CA
Well, as you can see from our current location, we made it out of Gilroy OK! Altogether, a fairly painless day. Geri and I both slept in, perhaps lulled in continuing sleep by the sonorous vibrations of the generator, which is really very quiet. Don was up at his usual time, doing the rounds of his news sources on the web. At least that's what he claims. I have no way of verifying this. Anyway, Geri got her fresh coffee, I got my breakfast, and Don got ready for our morning walk.
We drove through Gilroy to a huge park in the hills above the town, and Don let me out to wander wherever I felt like going. There were big open, grassy fields, lots of tables and benches, and cooking areas with massive barbeque pits. Don finally told me that this was the park where they hold the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival, which is attended by thousands of people from all over. He said that they had attended the Festival one year, long before I became a family member, and had a wonderful time eating everything that was immersed in garlic. He said they even had garlic ice cream! They would like to do it again, but, since dogs aren't allowed in the Festival, they'd rather do things that I can be a part of. Now, if that isn't Puppy Love, I don't know what is!
When we got back to the RV Shop, we learned that the new transfer switch had been delivered, and they were ready to install it! A couple of hours later, the unit was in place, wired, and tested to everyone's satisfaction. Geri made a startling discovery that our supposedly top of the line Alpine radio, which had been a conveyor of nothing but crackling, hissing interference noises since day one, was now receiving perfectly! Needless to say, everyone was thrilled with the results, and we hit the road happily. The remainder of the day was uneventful, with the only grumbling heard was from Don, when he was charged twenty bucks to cross the Benicia-Martinez Bridge. He said something about when he was watching it being built, he never thought that he would have to buy it.
We're in an RV Park that we've stayed in before and like a lot, except that it's always hot when we're here. Apparently it was too hot for Don to cook, as a pizza showed up shortly after we got here. They both said that it was very good, though it didn't result in a lot of residue on the plates for me; a little bite of crust was all that was left. Don't get me wrong, not complaining; nobody is likely to call the SPCA to report me as a dog being starved.
Tomorrow we head northward again, and Geri is making noises like she'd enjoy stopping in Medford for some shopping; we'll see how that plays. Hope your day was as good as ours! Nitey Night!
Well, as you can see from our current location, we made it out of Gilroy OK! Altogether, a fairly painless day. Geri and I both slept in, perhaps lulled in continuing sleep by the sonorous vibrations of the generator, which is really very quiet. Don was up at his usual time, doing the rounds of his news sources on the web. At least that's what he claims. I have no way of verifying this. Anyway, Geri got her fresh coffee, I got my breakfast, and Don got ready for our morning walk.
We drove through Gilroy to a huge park in the hills above the town, and Don let me out to wander wherever I felt like going. There were big open, grassy fields, lots of tables and benches, and cooking areas with massive barbeque pits. Don finally told me that this was the park where they hold the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival, which is attended by thousands of people from all over. He said that they had attended the Festival one year, long before I became a family member, and had a wonderful time eating everything that was immersed in garlic. He said they even had garlic ice cream! They would like to do it again, but, since dogs aren't allowed in the Festival, they'd rather do things that I can be a part of. Now, if that isn't Puppy Love, I don't know what is!
When we got back to the RV Shop, we learned that the new transfer switch had been delivered, and they were ready to install it! A couple of hours later, the unit was in place, wired, and tested to everyone's satisfaction. Geri made a startling discovery that our supposedly top of the line Alpine radio, which had been a conveyor of nothing but crackling, hissing interference noises since day one, was now receiving perfectly! Needless to say, everyone was thrilled with the results, and we hit the road happily. The remainder of the day was uneventful, with the only grumbling heard was from Don, when he was charged twenty bucks to cross the Benicia-Martinez Bridge. He said something about when he was watching it being built, he never thought that he would have to buy it.
We're in an RV Park that we've stayed in before and like a lot, except that it's always hot when we're here. Apparently it was too hot for Don to cook, as a pizza showed up shortly after we got here. They both said that it was very good, though it didn't result in a lot of residue on the plates for me; a little bite of crust was all that was left. Don't get me wrong, not complaining; nobody is likely to call the SPCA to report me as a dog being starved.
Tomorrow we head northward again, and Geri is making noises like she'd enjoy stopping in Medford for some shopping; we'll see how that plays. Hope your day was as good as ours! Nitey Night!
I smell garlic!
RV Operating Room
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