Portland or Bust!

Happy Thursday to you all!  It's been a week already since I last posted and that's hard to believe.  This summer is just flying by.  Most of my time has been spent at the lake this past week.  I went out last Thursday evening and came in on Saturday for a "Grandma Shower" the ladies at the church gave me for our daughter.  They watched her grow up and wanted to send gifts with me and thought it would be fun to have a party at the same time.  It was wonderful.  Hopefully I'll get some pictures to show you later.  I know lots were taken but I didn't have my camera.  Then hubby and I went back to the lake until Sunday morning when we came home for church.  In the afternoon it was back to the lake and I just came home this morning.  It is truly a paradise on earth for me.  I get lots of Bible study, reading and knitting accomplished along with lots of walks.  Chloe didn't want to come home this morning.  She hid in the trailer when she realized I was putting things in the car!  Here are a few pictures to show you why I feel as I do.

The first two pictures are the swimming beach for the public.  The resident's beach is a little further down and located in a cove that is private.  It also has a dock to dive from and is where hubby and I go to swim in the evening.  We usually have it all to ourselves.  I took these about 7:00 a.m. so they look deserted, but come about 10:00 the place is filled to overflowing with people who come out from town just to swim and picnic.  It's nice having a separate beach, I don't feel so underdressed around a lot of people that way.  I find that since I've begun to cover my head, my feeling about my clothing are beginning to change as well.

 These two are taken just a bit further down the beach from the swim area.  Beautiful isn't it and only 27 miles from our front door!

Tomorrow my best friend Jenny and I are leaving bright and early in the morning for Portland.  It's our daughters baby shower tomorrow night at her church.  It will be a quick trip because Jenny and I are helping to host a lunch at the church after services Sunday morning.  So six hours drive on Friday and then six again on Saturday.  However, we've made this drive together before and it never seems like six hours!  We talk the entire trip and it goes FAST!

I put some laundry in the washer and headed up to church when I got home this morning.  There I defrosted the freezer in the kitchen, (what person in their right mind bought a freezer that doesn't defrost itself?)  I also drained the baptistry, scrubbed it out and refilled it.  I need to get more hot tub chemicals for it soon.  I got the car washed, filled it with gas for our trip, stopped at the grocery store and Costco and now I'm home.  I've paid bills, picked green beans and blanched them.  They are currently in the freezer on baking sheets.  All I have to do now is transfer them to ziplock bags when they're frozen solid.  They taste so good in the middle of winter.  No salt added and as fresh as the day they were picked!  I should have enough for about 8-10, two cup bags with this batch.

I still need to get the ironing done and then sweep the floor and get things ready for Bible study tonight.  Busy, busy.  That's what I get for being lazy all week.  I cram everything into one day so I can play the rest of th e week! :-)

I did finish my shawl but forgot to take a picture of it.  I'll try to remember that next week.  I'm now working on a baby blanket from a pattern my daughter gave to me.  She makes them for gifts a lot.  I think this one will go to one of the girls at church that is expecting her first little girl.  She has two boys and is excited to be having a girl this time.  Please pray for her husband as he is currently in Afghanistan.

Well, I better get busy with my afternoon.  I hope this note finds you all happy, healthy and enjoying the summer.  I almost forgot, if any of you are praying people, we have a rather severe fire happening in central Washington.  The last I heard over 80 houses have been burned and lots of outbuildings.  I know any prayers you care to say will be very appreciated.

Blessings,

Betsy