Saturday, March 25, 2006

Soggy Saturday

My sunny California get-away, beaten into oblivion by financial realities, has morphed into a gray, rainy Oregon coast wash-out. It was too late to cancel the husband’s time off by the time we figured out there was no money to realize the California dreamin’. The always-available alternate plan—hopping in the truck and taking the trailer to some quiet, woodsy destination in one of Oregon’s many and varied state parks—also was sabotaged by sad reality. The truck is at the "diesel fuel injection" doctor, even now probably being diagnosed with an ailment that can be cured to the tune of, oh, about $2k. If we’re lucky.

I suppose it was just as well that the camping option was denied us. Who would have wanted to spend four wet, weepy days trapped in an 8’ x 16’ shoebox with a damp dog, a cribbage board, and several bottles of cheap wine. Instead, we have dragged the damp dog and cheap wine into what could have been a wonderful little cedar shingled cottage on the lake…could have been, that is, if the sky had not spent 75% of the time opening up to dump buckets of Oregon sunshine upon us. We’ve been treated to a few snatches of sunshine and tempered breezes…just enough to make us really understand how miserable it has been the rest of the time. Sigh! Not at all what I had in mind when I first hatched the idea of this little get-away back in January…

We’ve been trying to make the best of our mostly soggy time… Had a great dinner at a new restaurant on Thursday night, and haunted some of the gift and antique shops along Highway 101 between here (Florence) and Waldport, about thirty miles up the coast. One junk shop proprietor had bought out the contents of a gift shop, which included several boxes of glass Christmas ornaments that my sister and I had a great time picking through. Such sparklies never fail to lighten y mood, and I left the store with nearly a dozen of them carefully packed in a box that also struck my fancy….

In another store, I happened upon something that cried out the name of someone out there in journal land…it made its way into my bag and will be sent out to its new owner on Monday morning…

Well, I suppose I had better rouse myself to get up, get a shower, get breakfast, and get on with the business of the next-to-last day of our soggy vacation. I’ve whined enough for one day…

7 comments:

  1. Well, yesterday's Oregon coast "sunshine" is now Springfield "sunshine." Went straight from fog to sog. So, I'm home with three semi bored cats. Kitty tv in slow motion due to rain. There is one fluffed up snow bird out in the dogwood, I suppose if he was too miserable he'd head for the big rhodie on the corner. It's a good place to hang when it gets damp. Maybe you'll get a break later in the day.If the Scotch Broom is starting to bloom maybe you'll find a fairy to go with it.

    Jackie

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  2. Too bad about the rain...but shopping was good, rain or shine, wasn't it?  Jae

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  3. Whining is good for you in small doses!  Sorry about the weather but know you are enjoying yourselves anyway.  

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  4. Sorry about your soggy vacation ... Isn't that always the way ? ... but I'm glad you managed a meal at a good restaurant, and got in some shopping.  Sounds like you weren't far from where my brother lives ( Seal Rock ) ... I'm hoping to get up that way soon.  Tina

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  5. I'm sorry your quest for some sun didn't work out, but you did find silver lining in those clouds.  Whining is allowed!  Your Florence sounds beautiful to me.  Florence, Arizona is mainly known as the home of our major max security prison.  It does have a stately grand dame of a courthouse and the drive from here to there is an antidote to anything that ails me.  Wouldn't it be interesting to visit every Florence in the world? (I say that knowing that at least the Oregon one & that one where Michelangelo hung out would be worthwhile.)  I do hope the truck repair bill isn't that much, especially since you want that espresso machine!  *debbi*

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  6. I'm sorry your quest for some sun didn't work out, but you did find silver lining in those clouds.  Whining is allowed!  Your Florence sounds beautiful to me.  Florence, Arizona is mainly known as the home of our major max security prison.  It does have a stately grand dame of a courthouse and the drive from here to there is an antidote to anything that ails me.  Wouldn't it be interesting to visit every Florence in the world? (I say that knowing that at least the Oregon one & that one where Michelangelo hung out would be worthwhile.)  I do hope the truck repair bill isn't that much, especially since you want that espresso machine!  *debbi*

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  7. P.S. sorry for the duplication--hit save once & got error msg so hit it one more time...

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