My birthday Week

Been a busy week; at least busier than I usually am.  Drove down to 7 Cedars on my birthday and had lunch with Joanne Gilles, Linda Pederson, and Lew Morello. Unfortunately, I didn't check the picture that I had the waitress take and it came out too blurry to use.  I won about $33 and then Mary Gaboury called and said she got to my house a few hours earlier than I expected so I took off for home.

We hung out around the house for the rest of the day and night, visiting and catching up on news. We don't get together as much as we used to since her and Dave move to Yuma for the winter. She'll be leaving next week.  We decided to drive into Port Townsend and look around for a bit. Visited the cemetery as I wanted to take a bunch of photos of the Lashua tombstones for a relative who was researching ancestry.  I found several along with this one of H.J. Carroll, which made Mary and I chuckle.

The Lashuas were related to Joyce Cozad, who had been in my class in the early grades before her family moved away.  I always wondered what happened to her and was pleased to find out.  I didn't realize that another classmate of mine (Mike Logue) was a cousin and I could have asked him. Anyhow, here's a picture of Joyce in the third grade. She's in the brownie uniform, 3rd row on the left.

Joyce's nephew (and later her sister) shared stories about her life and some photos.  I'll always regret that I didn't pursue looking her up sooner. Her nephew wrote:

Joyce's mother, Alice Lashua, and her dad, Floyd Cozad, had three kids: Joyce, Floyd "Bud", and Janet. After Floyd passed away, Alice married Walter Johnson, my grandfather. The family moved to the tri-cities area. Alice and Walt had two kids, Cathy and John. The family then moved to Albany, OR. Joyce graduated high school in Albany and then married her sweetheart, Don McMahon. They had two kids, Roy and Rod. They moved around Oregon until they got a divorce when Roy and Rod were in high school. Joyce settled down in Hillsboro, OR and worked at print shop and then a medical device manufacturer. She had four grandkids. She indulged in quilting and would go on quilt expeditions with my mother. When she retired, she moved to La Pine to be closer to her kids and grandkids. She passed away a year ago February from ALS.

I grew up in Portland, so I spent a fair amount of time with her. We used to call her AJ (Aunt Joyce, for short). She had a knack for spritz cookies--something about warm hands and feeling the dough--and so we would do an annual Christmas cookie lollapalooza. 

Isn't that just the greatest thumbnail history of an aunt?  I loved it. Her sister sent me this photo taken in 1981.

Mary and I drove out to Marrowstone Island to visit her sister, Teresa, and I made a quick run down to East Beach which is a stone's throw from Teresa's home.  I also stopped by my brother's ex-wife's place so I could drop off a pie I had promised him for clearing away the brush I accumulated last time I visited Laurel Grove Cemetery.  I should have made him a pie from scratch but I like Marie Callendar's berry pies and Kris said she would bake it for me.  Here are photos I took while on the island.

 East Beach picnic area where we went often as kids

 Teresa's view is out of this world!

Sisters saying goodbye as we get ready to head back to Port Angeles

 I LOVED Teresa's collection of beach glass. She collected it for years walking on the shore below her house.

This orchid growing in her living room also caught my eye.

Before we headed out to Nordland, we had lunch at Subway in PT.  Thank you Ann and Katy for the gift card. It's always an extra treat to get a free lunch!  We also visited the bead store and Mary bought me a 'flying pig' to hang in my window. I bought a hummingbird and some cute little beads I decided to hang from my car mirror.

One of my Facebook pals, Lois Venarchick, at her popular bead shop. I met Lois back in 1977 when she was married to Lew Morello and they were living in Washington DC.

Got a few pictures this a.m. from Catie that she took of her boyfriend, Brandon.  I had asked her about his pets and I guess I got their names wrong in a previous post.  He has two lizards (one is a bearded dragon) and their names are Spike and Cthulhu. Pronounced KA-THU-LOO.  He also has a cat named Ladybug.  Must make for an interesting living arrangement as Catie has a cat of her own (Cleo), she's into arts and crafts (especially beading) and their apartment is only one bedroom.  Oh well, I suppose it's cozy.

Jake made a fast friend of Brandon last time they were at Andy & Mary's house.

Here are some pictures I saw in my hometown paper, the Leader recently. I love aerial shots.

                                       Port Townsend during the Wooden Boat Festival

                                                              Chimacum valley

                                                           Hood Canal Bridge

                                                                        Quilcene

                                                                 Port Townsend Schools

Here's me and Mary hanging out in the living room on her first night.

And here's a shot of Mary and Andy's new living room rug. I just love it!

Well, I guess that about rounds it up for now. I've got to go to a Jack in the box website and take a survey so I can get two free tacos on my next drive thru.  Priorities you know. I drove through yesterday after I picked up reprints at Walgreens and brought home one of their chicken salads.  Was big enough that I can have the second half for supper tonight along with leftover enchiladas that Jenni made for my birthday.  I do appreciate not having to cook.

Intend to settle in at the sewing machine for the next few days and work on quilting projects.  Am listening to Alaska by James Michenor (on audio tape) and enjoying it a lot.