February Fun in the Sun

Two days off from work for Esther and I on President's Day gave us the opportunity for a getaway to the Oregon Coast.  The weather was amazing!  We would be happy for these conditions in the summer; sunny and in the high sixties.  We spent one night in Seaside and one in Newport.  Seaside on Sunday was a clamor of activities with the beach and streets packed with families.  Our favorite part was the promenade walk.  Our hotel was on the canal, but our fourth floor balcony had a great view of the town, ocean and surrounding hills.  A leisurely morning drive down the coast with an open sun roof and a picnic lunch at Depoe Bay brought us to our Newport Nye Beach Hotel.  We enjoyed some more walking on the beach and the streets of Nye Beach and the Deco District.  The view from the cliffside hotel absorbed the last rays of a fabulous February? day.  On our way home we stopped at the Woodburn Outlet mall and each found some much needed clothes.

It's Official

Calvin and Sassa got officially engaged last weekend.  Calvin has been in Japan for the last month visiting friends and spending time with Sassa.  He was able to spend some quality time with her family as well. Calvin and Sassa are planning an August wedding in Washington.  Several of Sassa's extended family members will be making the trip.  Sassa will continue teaching in Japan until August and Calvin will return next month to work again at Nintendo.  We are very excited to welcome Sassa into the Bulthuis clan.  We are also very happy to know that Calvin will have such a special lifetime companion.

Christmas 2014

Our Christmas festivities began with our children converging on Southworth.  Bjorn and Jenny came down Monday night and joined Calvin who came after the Messiah.  The working newlyweds joined us Christmas Eve in time for dinner.  After a delicious meal of ham and scallop potatoes, we enjoyed an evening of gift exchanging.  The girls did well until the end of the evening when Ruby had a little meltdown.  On Christmas Day we packed into two vehicles and drove to Cle Elem to join the Eides for a celebration.  The cabin was cozy, but the men were kicked out so that the women could have a 'Woodland Tea"  The men enjoyed a hike in Roslyn and a trip to Suncadia and a tour of the house under construction.  Oyster Stew and Clam Chowder were followed by a gift exchange.  The next morning it was the customary sausage balls and peppermint jello.  Some of the party took a walk near the cabin before we all went to Suncadia to view the lodge and house as well as appetizers at the winery.  In the evening, Markus, Steph, Calvin, Esther and I drove to Lynden to pick up Ellen from Doug and Pam's.  Saturday we brought Calvin to the Vancouver airport for his trip to Japan.  We spent the day enjoying the sights of Vancouver.  Ellen and Steph had not been in Canada for a long time.  Fortunately, the filtered sunshine allowed us to enjoy Stanley Park, Granville Island and Canada Place waterfront before dinner at the Spaghetti Factory.  Sunday we headed back to Southworth, stopping to watch the Seahawks game at Steph and Markus as well as meeting the Bishops in Tacoma to see Rebecca and Olivia.  We had a leisure New Years week.   Bjorn, Jenny and the girls joined us for New Years celebrations on their way back from Oregon.

Bulthuises at Benaroya

I need a Messiah fix every few years, so it was off to Benaroya Hall and the Seattle Symphony with our children yesterday.  I seem to forget how long the full performance takes (2 1/2 hours).   With the exception of some of the less familiar solos of Part 2, I enjoyed the entire concert.  I appreciated the choir and the orchestra more than the soloists.  After the concert, we went to an Indian restaurant near Pikes Place Market for some excellent food and conversation.  We rounded the evening off watching the Seahawks trounce the Cardinals to secure a playoff berth.

Cold Turkey

Well, the turkey wasn't cold, but the northeast wind was brutal.  Actually, Thanksgiving day in Greenwood was stormy and wet.  It wasn't until Friday night that the cold hit.  We did have a warm time of family togetherness as Markus, Steph and Calvin joined us in converging on Bjorn and Jenny and the girls.  In addition, Steph's brother Nick spent the weekend with us.  Thanksgiving Dinner and a Seahawks game was shared with the Mike Eide family.  The food was superb as always and the Seahawks victory over the 49ers was whipped cream on the pie.  Friday included a trip to the local tree farm, sanding and refinishing the dining table, and visiting with Doug and Nancy while the younger ones went to the movies.  Saturday saw some more table refinishing and a trip to a cold expensive pizza parlor.  A late night trip home set us up for a relaxing Sunday in Southworth before it was back to work.

Long Needed Kitchen Lights

Ever since purchasing this house ten years ago we have put up with the annoying buzz of the florescent  lights in our kitchen.  Our procrastination for not doing anything about it was our future plans to remodel the kitchen and living room. (A project which continually gets put off because of $$)  We decided that we couldn't stand it any longer and purchased some track lighting.  I pulled all the florescent lights and false celling out, did a little sheetrock repair and hung the new lights.  We are enjoying the quiet of soundless lighting even though the kitchen is not as bright.

Windy Wetlands

This Veterans Day Esther and I took advantage of the sunny weather by taking a drive and a hike.  We wanted to catch some roads and places that were not too familiar to us.   We started by taking the backroads to Steilacoom and Dupont, then down to the Nisqually Delta to the National Wildlife refuge.  Though passing the area constantly on I-5, we have never stopped to visit.  We took the four mile round trip walk to the end of the trail and back.  The trail includes a mile long elevated boardwalk above the muddy tidelands.  The wind was strong and freezing.  We were a little underdressed, but we gritted it out.  After our hike, we took a drive through the towns of Yelm, Rainier and Tenino before heading for Olympia and a dinner at the Oyster House.

Back to School

This fall I dusted off my student hat and enrolled in a class at The School for Teaching English as a Second Language.  The school is under the umbrella of SPU, but is located in North Seattle near the North Seattle Community College.  I joined eleven other students in a class about teaching grammar to English Language learners.  This was my first class of four in my attempt to complete the requirements for a certificate in Teaching ESL.  I'm not sure where this will take me, but I decided to start the process and see where it leads.  The class met for three hours on Thursday nights, which made for Thursday marathons: rushing from school to catch a ferry and driving through Seattle evening rush hour to catch a 5:30 class which went until 9:00.  The hour drive home brought me back at 10pm.  I enjoyed the class and I am starting to get a feel for what teaching ESL is all about.

September Catch Up

     Lest the month pass without record, I must present a telling of some highlights.  We had the chance to see Ingvar and Swanhil two times while they were visiting from Norway.  Once was at Dan and Jan Eide's where several of the extended Eide family were in attendance.  The next weekend we had them over to Southworth with George and Kirsten.  We enjoyed both visits and really appreciated our time with Ingvar and Swanhil.  They are such a nice couple and it is interesting to hear of the Norwegian Eide history.
     We also took an annual anniversary getaway.  Because the weather was so great on the west side, we held off on reservations and at the last minute stumbled on a great little place in the community of Dungenness by Sequim.   It is an old homestead barn that has been converted to a bed and breakfast.  We arrived early afternoon and had the place to ourselves.  The property sets on a bluff overlooking the Dungenness spit and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  Esther spent a little time shopping and I poked around the marina.  Dinner was at the Dockside Grill and breakfast at the 'inn' was very good.  An advantage to being so close to home was that we made it home for the Seahawk/Bronco game.

Labor Day weekend in Cle Elem

Rather than our usual trip up north to the Cain Lake cabin for the Labor Day weekend, we joined John and Mike at their newly rented cabin near Cle Elum.  Eide Homes started building a house in Suncadia with the hopes of building more, so John and Mike needed a home away from home.  They were fortunate to stumble on a furnished cabin with lots of character.  The cabin has a lot of wood surfaces; walls, ceiling and floor are all wood in addition to log furniture.  The 'old folks' spent Saturday and Sunday enjoying  the cozy cabin and exploring the CleElum and Rosalyn surroundings.  I think Marti and Kay will be joining their husbands on weekends, rather than the other way around.

Mr. and Mrs. Markus and Stephanie Bulthuis

It's been a week since the wonderful wedding, and we are still basking in the warm shadow that it has caste on our summer.  The wedding weekend was filled with activities.  The rehearsal dinner was Thursday night at Lombardi's in Everett.  A highlight for me was Jenny and Ted's top ten warnings.  We rented a large house in Muklteo Friday through Monday nights.  We were able to fit Bulthuis' and Eides together which helped when Marti put the reception dinner together.  The wedding was spectacular and Swans Trail Farm turned out to be a great venue.  Markus and Steph planned a great ceremony complete with communion led by brother Bjorn.  Marti's Indian menu was a hit, and the toasting and dancing capped the joyous occasion.  That night we had twenty-five people sleeping on the rented premises and Monday brunch was close to fifty.  The newlyweds joined us for the occasion and spent most the day with us.  The weekend was definitely the highlight of the summer.  It's all down hill from now.  Esther begins work the middle of this weekend and I need to finish several summer projects.

An Olympic Adventure

While we have been anticipating the coming wedding, we have also been enjoying the week with Calvin and Sassa.  Sassa arrived from Japan last weekend and Calvin took the week off from work.  On Tuesday, we did an Olympic Peninsula circumnavigation.  We started the day with a quick stop in Sequim to see the lavendar; then we went to Hurricane Ridge and took a short hike.  After a lunch in Port Angeles it was off to Forks and the Ho Rainforest and a hike through the mossy giants.  Then it was off to Ruby Beach to enjoy the Pacific.  At that point it was a toss up for the return trip, so we went south through Aberdeen and stopped for supper.  It was a real pleasure to share the experience with Sassa and see the Northwest beauty through her eyes.

Mad Hatter Shower

     It was a busy weekend in Southworth.  The Bulthuis, Bishop, Eide and Rubesh clans converged on our home to enjoy Steph’s Wedding Shower for the women and a boating adventure for the men.  The women had an Alice in Wonderland Mad Hat Tea Party, complete with crazy prompts and unique delicacies.  The men got in the kayaks and canoes, and because of the heavy wind headed for Harper Launch and Park rather than Blake Island; which would have presented an impossible challenge on return to Southworth.  The short route provided enough excitement and helped work up an appetite for a BBQ back home.  Most folks left Saturday evening, but a few stayed over Sunday to help make 400 samosas (Indian appetizers) for the upcoming wedding.

Remembering Mom

Our goodbye to Mom was a slow ten year process that culminated in her passing away last week.  Shortly after my dad passed away in 2004 Mom started to show signs of dementia.  She moved from her apartment to Meadow Green to Silverado Memory Care facility.  We had a good week as a family remembering and honoring Mom.  We even had the opportunity to go to Mt. Baker together and spend some time in Mom's favorite setting.  The graveside ceremony and memorial service at Bethel Church went well, followed by some extended family time at Aaron and Jen's.  The following link made by Aaron and Sue was played at the memorial service.  http://youtu.be/cJyhmtpWdXo

Mechanic and Mountains

"Let's wait for that repair until I get back from vacation," I suggested.
"Where are you going?" my mechanic inquired.
"Just some exploring in Idaho, to places we have never been in the south central area."
"You should go to Stanley.  It's the greatest place at the base of the Sawtooths.  We go there a lot to snowmobile."
Little did we know that this lead would pay off with so much enjoyment for Esther and I.  We headed out at the beginning of the week, traveling across the northern swath of Washington on Highway 20: North Cascades Highway, Winthrop, Republic, Kettle Falls.  Then we started dropping down the length of Idaho: Sandpoint, Coeur D Alene, Moscow and the surprising tourist trap of McCall.  We had been reading about Stanley for most of the trip and anticipated it as the highlight of the week.  It did not disappoint; in fact it exceeded our expectations.  We stayed two nights, which as you know is an exception for this rambling couple.  We were fortunate to find accommodations given the week of the Fourth.  The best way to describe Stanley Valley is the Teton Valley without the crowds.  The majestic Sawtooth peaks dominate the horizon.  The scenic Salmon River meanders through green meadows.  Redfish Lake is similar to Jenny Lake in the Tetons and Lake Louise in Banff.  The highlight of our time was an eleven mile hike up to Alpine and Sawtooth Lakes.  The Sawtooth peaks towered over the pristine mountain lakes.  The 'popular' trail had a few other hikers, but we felt alone in the vast wilderness. Stanley and the Sawtooths definitely earned a place Bulthuis vacation lore.

Long Beach Biking

This past weekend we joined Tim and Karen deLacy for couple of nights in Long Beach.  We took our bicycles and planned to enjoy the 8.5 mile bike trail that winds through the grassy dunes along the beach.  We were quite skeptical about the weather but hoped for the best.  We were fortunate to get a window between rain showers.  We made one way on the trail before eating our lunch under a shelter during a downpour.  Then it cleared up just long enough for us to return to the car.  We enjoyed the cozy cabin and were entertained by Maxer's (deLacy's dog) silly antics.  We ended the weekend by jetting up to Lynden to see my mom as she has taken a turn for the worse.

Summer Begins

My summer began with special guests in Southworth.  A good friend of Jenny's got married last weekend on the westside of the Sound so Jenny spent the week helping her friend and entertaining out of town guests.   Our house became part of the hosting and Ada and Ruby got to spend a lot of time with Papa as Farmor was still working hard at school.  Bjorn came down midweek as well and spent time with out of town college friends.  The girls and I made trips to the beach, to local parks and out for a canoe ride.  I was grateful for the nice weather.  The week ended with a trip to Cain Lake with Markus. Steph and Nick to test some Wedding dishes that Marti had made.

Camp Colman

The school year ended with a bang.   I accompanied my sixth graders to three days of outdoor education at Camp Colman.  It was the first year in many that we took the sixth grade to camp.  It turned out well and I am sure it is the start of a new tradition.  We weren't sure about scheduling it the last week of school, but it turned out to be a nice closure to their elementary school experience.  The camp staff led the students through classes as a varied as squid dissection to a vertical playpen (climbing challenge)  I was fortunate enough to sleep in command central and leave the boys cabins to the parent chaperones.  Camp Colman is a great facility on Case Inlet with a private lagoon for boating and swimming.  The week ended with a celebration (graduation).  Another school year in the books.

A Week With Granddaughters

     This long neglected blog will finally get a new post.  Several factors have contributed to a gradual lack of activity.  For one thing, life has been fairly routine in Southworth the last couple of months.  In addition, I have found that the presence of Facebook has slowly taken away my sense of purpose in maintaining a personal website.  And my last excuse is that my blog host site (blogger) no longer cooperates with my photo website (Flickr) making it more difficult to post pictures with my entries.  But despite these feeble reasons, I will plod on for personal journalling purposes.
     Well the last week has been anything but routine as we took care of Ada and Ruby for the entire week.  Jenny was in Georgia visiting her sister and Bjorn had work all week.  Esther and I decided to each use our two personal days for the year which neither one of us had conveniently spent.  We alternated days and covered the short week.  Fortunately, the week was somewhat pleasant weather wise and many hours were spent playing on the beach, going to parks and hanging out in the yard.  Ada and Ruby got to meet our small group and go to an elder's and wives potluck as well.  We enjoyed our time with our granddaughters very much.

Full Circle

Ironically, we end our mission sojourn at the first mission we visited several years ago.  Sonoma is a favorite destination for us.  The surrounding countryside and the historic town square next to the mission seem to draw us in.  Several years ago we visited the Solano mission and first caught the ambition to visit all 21 of them.  So it is fitting that we should end here.  It was also the last of the Spanish missions to be built.  We stayed at a favorite motel that has very nice garden grounds and a nice facility.  The past few days we have driven through windy winery laden roads and enjoyed shopping and strolling in Healdsburg, Windsor, Geyserville, Calistoga and Sonoma.  Oddly, we don't stop at the wineries, though we do enjoy driving through the vineyard laden hills.  Our final days of Spring break will find us enjoying some time with Ellen in Sacramento.