Sunday Salon, August 14, 2016

The doorway to marriage, at a lovely outdoor wedding on Falls Creek of the daughter of our long time friends.

Weather: Lovely. Blue skies and mild temperatures in the 70s.

Subaru is loaded. Destination: New York

New York or Bust: Carly and Don left for their cross country trip today, Washington State to New York State. Carly is moving to New York for graduate school. They pieced together a jigsaw puzzle of boxes and bags to pack all her things in the car yesterday. Only one left behind are one big suitcase which I will take with me when I fly to meet them later this week and two big boxes to I need to pop in the mail. Rita and Dan joined us for the farewell breakfast this morning before they took off somewhere around 9:30. First day's goal: Missoula, Montana, a stop over to visit family friends.

65th Wedding Anniversary: This past weekend we celebrated my parents 65th wedding anniversary with a full day of events. We started the celebration during the church service where several grandchildren sang the anthem, a grandson played the guitar during communion, which mom and dad served together. During the coffee fellowship hour we hosted a reception and held a small program. Finally, after we left the church, we congregated at my sister's house for a family BBQ and party. It was such a wonderful day to honor our parents.

Grandkids sing during service

Mom and Dad prepare to serve communion

Cutting the cake, 65 years after cutting the wedding cake together

A photo of what love looks like.

Family Reunion: After the anniversary celebration the family reunion started with a raft trip down the McKenzie River.  Don't we all look great? The water is very cold and the day was cool. It was lovely, but we were all cold by the end of it. After we dried off we all raced to the Oregon Coast for a few days of fun and relaxation.

Ready for the raft trip down the McKenzie River. This photo was taken before we were cold and wet.

The dock in Florence, Oregon. Decorated seals were everyhwere.

Sunset over the Pacific, view from our room

My nephew and his girlfriend at Heceta Head Beach

Heceta Head Lighthouse

Dan, Rita, and Carly ready for some fun on the dunes.

Books read in August:

• Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton...magical creatures with extraordinary powers make this book a wonderful and exciting YA addition. Print.
• The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald...a cute, light story about the power of books and friends. A book club selection. Audio.
• My Name is Not Friday by Jon Walter...a look at slavery, up close and personal. Audio.

Currently reading:

• Draw the Line by Laurent Linn...LGBTQ-themed, part graphic novel. Print. 57%
• Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen...no progress on this book for weeks. Print. 26%
• Essential Maps for the Lost by Deb Caletti...with three starred reviews I decided I should listen to this book. Just started it. Audio. 

What I plan to take with me to New York (for reading on the plane mostly):

• Arcadia by Lauren Groff...a book club selection. Hopefully the e-book version from the library will be available by then.
• The Memory Book by Lara Avery...this is the Mock Printz selection on Goodreads for August. Print.
• American Girls by Alison Umminger...(Possibly. Is it crazy to take three books when I likely will have very little time to read once I get to New York?)

Prayer concern: Praying for my brother. He is seeking additional, and hopefully curative treatments, for melanoma.

A little rant about the Olympics: I am sort of obsessed with the Olympics. It happens to me every two years (winter and summer) but it always bothers me that two things happen with the media coverage of the games here in the US. 1. The networks are only likely to show up what is happening IF some American is doing well, otherwise we have no idea what is happening.  2. For some reason the prime time coverage does not start until 8 PM and continues until 12 PM. Who wants to stay up that late? Gr.r.r.