Real Thanksgiving Decorations!

OK, here's the whole story! I got home last night from marimba practice (which is still lots of fun, for anyone who wants to know!) and as I pulled into the driveway I noticed that the dining room light was on. Curious.... I know Dad does not routinely walk through that room, and if he did, he'd turn the light OFF, not on, so I figured there was something I needed to see in the dining room. Sure enough, Sir Steven the Galant had gone to the cool store next to his office and gotten me some REAL Thanksgiving decorations! Now I don't have to look like a heathen who promotes Halloween over Thanksgiving! And these particular decorations are really... NICE. Voila! Mr. and Mrs. Pilgrim. Looking good on the table!
Not to be left out of the feast, is Mr. and Mrs. Native American. Don't forget to notice the turkey at his feet - remember, I know what one sounds like choking on toilet paper in the middle of the night now!

Tag, I'm it!

Lindsay said I've been tagged, so I need to tell 6 things about myself that you might not know. That's the easy part - then I have to 'tag' 6 other people to do the same thing. Trouble is, do I know 6 other people with a blog????

Well, I have come to the conclusion that I talk too much, because I can't think of 6 things you don't know about me, so I'll go for stuff I think might make for a little interesting reading:
1. Last weekend I went to 'little Philmont' with Steve and we got locked out of our cabin in our flannel jammies for 20 minutes while making a 5:45 AM bathroom run. I also now know what a wild turkey strangling on toilet paper at 2AM sounds like. (It would make a great sound effect for a haunted house!)
2. Before I die I would like to learn French well enough that I would be able to call myself fluent. I've been in love with the sound of French since I was a little kid and heard Maurice Chevalier speak English with an accent. (I thought he WAS speaking French - turns out it's not that easy...)
3. I've always been a little afraid of public humiliation, but that didn't stop me from trying new things, and now I play the marimba with Coeurimba. It's really fun, and my secret desire is to be assigned to play lead on one of the numbers we play - I think I'm getting close to that goal.
4. Not only have I learned to play golf rather recently, but I am actually learning to enjoy the game and not feel stupid when I make a bad shot. I have learned that if I decide I'm only interested in having fun when I play that I usually get a lower score! Go figure!
5. I am so intent on doing things that are different from the ordinary that sometimes things don't turn out the way I planned. Luckily I have not screwed up any of the grandchildren's birthday presents yet! (at least not that I've heard...!)
6. I actually enjoy substitute teaching! It's sort of 'teaching lite'. I get to show up and do some stuff that is usually fun and then I don't have to worry about grades or discipline problems or other stuff like that. And if I don't want to work, I just say so and they can't assign me to work that day - and they won't fire me for not being available! What a job!
Now I'm supposed to tag 6 people - but I'm not sure I know 6 people with blogs! OK, Sandy, Suzie, Tawnie, Brad (that's only 4...) Can I tag the other 2 later? Amy! I know Amy, and she has a blog! Now I only need one more....

Astoria, Oregon and surrounding delights!

The Cannery Pier Hotel was the coolest place I think I've ever stayed! The views were spectacular - as you can see - all the rooms face the Columbia river! And the staff were friendly and quite helpful.
The layout of the rooms was unique. The focal point was always the view.


Notice the binoculars provided at the windowsill.
Our transportation to dinner was provided by the hotel staff (our driver's name was Dave) in the hotel's very own restored automobile! We really felt like celebrities tooling around the town in this little gem!
And nobody was more thrilled to have their picture taken than the trolly driver. Everyone we met was so pleasant! We took a trolly ride on the waterfront on my birthday (after climbing to the column!!!) and we found out that it was our drivers birthday, too! He and his wife met as volunteer trolly drivers, so they were married aboard a trolly! Too Cute!

On the road to Tilamook, Oregon. Spectacular scenery, and LOTS of wild blackberries.
Who can go to the Tillamook Cheese factory and NOT get a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch??? Then we toured the Cape Mears lighthouse, and came back for dessert - a two scooper of fresh Tillamook icecream! YUMMY!
This is the Cape Mears lighthouse. It is really an interesting piece of engineering and art all rolled into one. What an amazing piece of history. We climbed up inside and listened to the story of the lighthouse by a volunteer guide while standing up where the light is! Cool, huh!
This beautiful shoreline is what the lighthouse was protecting the sailing vessels from. The lighthouse is behind me from where this picture was taken.
This is the 'octopus' tree. Named because of it's unusual shape. It stands a few hundred feet inland from the Cape Mears lighthouse. We had to go hike up and take a picture!

The Astoria Column is one of the outstanding tourist attractions in the town. It was built to commemorate Lewis and Clark's epic journey that ended here on the western-most edge of Oregon. The mural depicting scenes from that time winds around the column.
After climbing the 164 steps to the top of the column, you can see out for about 100 miles on a clear day. As you can see, the day we climbed up it was overcast, but we could still see for quite an amazing distance!
We hiked up this trail 1 1/2 miles to the column, then climbed the 164 circular steps to the top, then had to hike back 1 1/2 miles to the car through this lush, dense forrested area. Lots of beauty all around us! What a great way to spend a day turning 53! After all that climbing and hiking I felt just fine about having dessert with candles in it for dinner!

And last, but not least, a trip to IKEA!

Well, we didn't remember to take a picture of the IKEA store, but this is better! We got almost a new room out of our trip! New curtains and matching bedding! Cute, huh?
See how tastefully the comforter cover compliments the bolster pillow and the accent pillows? And the bolster pillow is the same fabric as the curtains!
And how about that cool shag rug under the coffee table??? Are we uptown now, or what!!! Lookin' good in the 'hood!