KAREN AND JOEYS GREAT ADVENTURE IN PARADISE......

Well, at about 5 am this morning, our baby boy and girl headed back to their City life and back to the Grindstone. Joey for his last semester at college in Long Beach, and Karen back to her Federal Agent job in San Jose. It was the first time we had the fun of really being able to visit with Joey and Karen together in a really long time, and the last time was in Vegas...and if you know me, in "Vegas" I don't 'visit' much of anything but the one armed bandits.

Even in the middle of the chaos of moving and remodeling, we were able to do quite a bit during their visit. Went to the casino in Lincoln City and in Florence during their stay and both Karen and Joey prefer 'cards' as their poison. None of us set the world on fire, but it was a lot of fun trying.

Joey has seen the Oregon Coast area several times, but for Karen, it was a whole new world...so as we meandered up the Coast, she saw the Devil's punchbowl, Whale Cove, Depoe Bay and Allens favorite beach in Lincoln City. We drove to Nye Beach, South Beach, Waldport, Yachats and finally ate dinner in a 57' chevy greasy spoon restaurant in Florence. Otherwise, we tried to have different 'cuisine' selections from local restaurants every night.

Karen got to ride the 'Bayfront' road with Allen on the Motorcycle and Joe got the 'quick ride' back...so we got a little 'motorcycle mania' in there for them. Karen knows now that we live in the middle of a 'postcard' as she remarked again and again on the beauty of the Oregon Coast.

One day, Joe and Karen spent almost a whole day in our plentiful "Used Book Stores"..."English Major" Joey is collecting books now, so it was truly an adventure for him..and they both loved the character of the owners who were always so helpful and friendly to them. We did a lot of talking about the State of America, and one of the sad things we noted is the loss of so many 'Mom and Pop' business as they are replaced with national franchises.

I shared with them that almost all the restaurants here were family owned operations and it made for a lot of diversity and real friendliness plus top notch service. Local Artists and Craftspeople abound here because property and living here is still affordable...and of course, the breath taking beauty of the place provides an excellent resource for inspiration. These little shops and botiques and galleries are what make a 'community' special and different from any other community on earth. This is what I love about my home here, and what City Folk are learning to really appreciate as the cost of living continues to rise in their locations.

But, I think the 'greatest' thrill the duo had was riding the Quads. Neither one of them has ever ridden before, so it was cute to observe those first tenuous drives around the ranch...then with each turn of the 'track', they went a little faster and like everyone else, had smiles plastered on their faces while eating dust the whole time. Finally, they took the Quads off road and up the mountain on our land to the end of one of the trails and were by then making the turns and blowing dust, and trying to jump some jumps just like 'pros'. They had a chance to ride our 'horses' a few times and looked forward to riding more.

In the meantime, Joe and Karen helped Papa move some of his bedroom furniture over to the new house, along with most of the furniture in the family room, including Fayes monster TV.

He was 'goofing around' while carrying a mattress with Karen on the pushing end, and somehow kinked his back really good. That was the end of the Quad riding plans...but incentive enough to get into the Jacuzzi spa for a spell. Strange how he could pick up and carry that heavy television, and then with something very easy to move...throw his back out.

Of course we talked about Joe's upcoming wedding plans, and the room mates back home who have been Joe's friends since he was a little pup so we know them all...and college and religion and all of the things you'd want to know each other's thoughts on after a long absence from one another. It was really interesting to talk to Karen about her job some as she is in the same game as my oldest son, David...national security...without breaking any rules of confidentiality, of course.

Karen's daughter, Elizabeth, is 16 now as Karen became a Mom at 19 just like I did. We talked about the good, bad and ugly of being a young parent and that is probably why I went into the diatribe I did on the last post about David's birthday so inspired.

Joe is ready to leave the 'poor starving college student' years behind (although he wouldn't trade them for anything...) and graduate and start making money and be able to have a home and as much food as he wants. He took 22 units or so for the last few semesters, so couldn't work as much as he did before...so he cut back on eating a lot.

Trying to make a buck stretch to infinity is getting old for him, but he still plans on going for his Masters along with working full time, and I have every confidence that he can do it if he wants to. He's close to a 3.6 GPA...and it is a lot higher than that if just the past couple of years was all that was considered. He has to live with the 'goof off' grades he earned when he first started college and gave it minimum effort. Joe has really done all the 'heavy lifting' to put himself through college...and is coming out with only $7,000. in student loans...a fact I am very happy about so he doesn't start his new life and new marriage too 'strapped down'...Nicole's student loans are about triple Joe's, but as a graduate of Biola University...she did amazingly well too.

Joe said he's become the 'coupon king' and shops on double days and the whole bit...I know they sought out 'free entertainment' regularly and pinched pennies until they bled. Higher education isn't cheap, and living away from home on his own meant work and school took up most of his waking hours. To Joe's credit...he's graduating a few years before his roommates will...due to his determination to get through it as soon as he possibly could and get on with his life.

Four days goes by like a lightening flash during a North Pacific storm...and all too soon it was time to say good bye for a little season. Joey is 'stoked' that his sisters and brother are going to be together for Christmas at the new log home...and all he could say about the home was how 'amazing' it was, and how amazing Christmas is going to be celebrated there. He can't wait, and neither can I really. Joe bragged on his brother David, and sisters Wendy and Lindsay to Karen several times during the visit for different things, and that made this Mammies heart feel good.

Wendy, the most adept gourmet cook in the family, had a nice barbeque dinner for all of us plus a few friends...and of course, that was a yummy experience. Joe teased Emily, but both Karen and Joe thought she was just adorable...which by the way...she is. We were so busy 'doing' we often forget the camera to preserve the moments...but hey, ya can't think of everything, right?

...and, back to that 'amazing Christmas' Joey was talking about, I can visualize it now. We'll gather the grandkids up and search on our own land for the 'perfect' Christmas Tree...then chop it down and carry it home for decorating. Allen found ALL of my old decorations and they are all in one place now...so if they choose a tree 10 feet high, it won't make a dent in that new log home...or in the decorations I have gathered up over the years!

Of course the 'feast' will be complete the old fashioned way we did for years...and I might be used to the home by then... and able to find everything needed to spread out the long table...and gather around our children and grandchildren to thank God for the Blessed life He has given to us all. I can't think of any 'dream come true' better than this one. Hopefully Karen, her Dad and his wife and her daughter Elizabeth can share in the celebration with us, as there is a place already reserved for them all at our table. We'll also be welcoming Jim and Lindsay's new baby to his 'first Christmas' on earth with all of us there. How cool is that?

Whenever our kids have to say good-bye to us and head back to their very busy and active lives, I am always sort of bummed out for a day or two. So today I haven't accomplished 'squat' in either house...and pushed a few papers around my desk while thinking about our adventures past and those to come.

Tomorrow I will snap out of it...and get something accomplished to move us forward on our goals to get this house sold and us moved...but for today, I'm just a slug...sort of feeling a little lonely for my brood to all be together again in one place...but in the twinkle of an eye...they'll be here for Christmas...and then on to the wedding of the baby boy Joe, and hopefully...those of us not going on the 'honeymoon' ...will be able to bring in the New Year together too.

THAT would be awesome...wouldn't it?

Do I hear an 'Amen' to that?