Vashon Island

  This past week-end our Ten Friends group has been staying at a beach house on Vashon Island.  I learned that the pronunciation is Vashon (like fashion ).  Any other pronunciation and you sound like a tourist.  It's a big island.  It feels like San Juan Island.  Rural, lots and lots of vegetation.  Everything grows here.
    Real estate is outrageously expensive.  Houses at a million dollars are common.  The one we stayed at is around $1.5M.   A nice house and a great view.  The Sound was like a giant lake.  But $1.5 M ?  I don't know.  
   I must admit that the family homes that they are putting up just east of here are hovering at $.5 M  so maybe it's a valid price.

Maserati SUV

Evidently one of my neighbors has a large expense account.  Check out the Mazerati SUV.

 Really !! 

Who buys a Mazerati SUV ??!!??    And White??!!

Mt Hood Fluffy

This was my view of Mt Hood Sunday morning.  Cool, huh?

Starlight Parade

The highlight of the summer in Portland is the Rose Festival  There are plenty of activities during this annual festival.  The Grand Floral Parade is next Saturday.  It is second only to the Pasadena Rose Parade in size.  The second largest event is the Starlight Parade which is held one week earlier, but at night.  The mood is fun.  Lights on vehicles,  Lights on people. Lights on musical instruments.  Lots of fun.  Our watching spot was one floor up in a building on the parade route.  Great views of the festivities.

Four of eight Delorean autos in the parade.

Cleveland High School. My granddaughter was in the 

Minnesota farewell

 We are home in Canby.  First a couple of more comments on Minnesota.  The most prominent feature that somehow I forgot to mention.  Lakes.  Minnesota is known for its license plates that state; "Land of 10,000 Lakes".   I believe the actual number is more like 15,000.  They are everywhere.  The local towns reflect the abundance.  Lake Crystal, Eagle Lake, Minnesota Lake to name a few.  Nearly every town is on or near a lake.  Randa's sister lives in Fairmont which has 5 lakes in its city limits.  Lots of lakes.   We enjoyed our time in Minnesota.  The weather warmed up considerably hitting the 90's which helped me remember why we moved away besides the rust.

    Our trip back home took 4 days, 3 nights.  1600 miles. First night at Chris's RV park in Spearfish, SD.  Very nice, lots of grass.  Second night at Spring Creek RV just outside of Big Timber, MT.  The trailer was parked within 10 feet of the Boulder River.  We enjoyed a glass of wine and crackers while the river rushed by.  Night three was spent in Sprague, WA about 30 miles sw of Spokane.   A sad site in a dying town but it was the last night on the road so we didn't care.
     Arrived in Canby on Thursday about 2:30 pm and spent the next several hours unloading the trailer.  Friday I took the rig to an RV shop.  When we getting ready to load up in spearfish the big slide would not lift up and retract.  It only went in when the manager of the camp and I lifted the slide while Randa pushed the power button.  We were happy to get it in and decided to leave it in for the duration of our trip.  I did discover that loading up is faster when one slide is already retracted.
     It is good to be home, but there was and still is, quite a bit of work to do to catch up on the "honey do's".  We are enjoying them.