Riggs Road 4th of July Celebration

Riggs Rd. has long had a tradition of a parade followed by a picnic on the 4th of July. Its a casual affair on our little mile long street. The neighbors deck out their tractors, riding lawn mowers, wagons, bicycles and golf carts with streamers, balloons and anything else they can think of. My neighbor Laurie and I always give our horses a bath and decorate them with flags, ribbons and whatever else I find at the dollar store. This year Skidboot and Prima got to lead the parade...everyone else had to dodge the badooger piles:) Pictures anyone?

Some Pics of Prima

I've also been riding again. Prima has been a bit lame lately..but she was doing nicely yesterday & Elissa took these pictures of her. If you keep looking..there's a sneak preview of these cute men at the bottom.

Colin Exits High School to San Diego..Boot Camp!

Just four short and speedy weeks after Elissa both graduated from College AND made a return trip to Austria AND started her new life as employee slash at PerloMcCormack Pacific, it was not only time for Colin to graduate from Aloha High School, but also time to send him off to the Marine Corp in San Diego for boot camp.

I on the other hand, went to sunny Florida June 9-12 for a work seminar. Colin graciously gave me permission to go to Florida and miss his actual graduation as long as I agreed not to miss boot camp graduation in September. Colin did have a wonderful party at his dad's house on June 7th and there were so many people there that I was able to catch up with.. it was fun!. I then boarded a plane at 0 dark thirty on June 8th and headed to Daytona Beach. My first trip to the east side of America. It was a great trip although I spent most of it inside listening to lectures and taking notes. In the evenings I did manage a few long walks on the warm and muggy beach and a few dips in the very warm Atlantic ocean. I'd like to go back..to relax!

Meanwhile Colin graduated in a ceremony at the University of Portland with Gayland & Patty, Elissa and Ray & Maxine present. The last one out of the nest. He's a tall brave handsome sweet boy..and I was all together about him leaving until I was in church on Sunday and our elderly friend Millie..with whom Colin had a close friendship..she's a GREAT lady..anyway, she said a long prayer for him & Elissa and I went all blubbery.

Sunday, June 22nd, Elissa and I and Hana (just a "friend") took Colin to his recruiters office with just a t-shirt, his wallet and $20.00. No phone, no computer, no 'nutt'in. We'll see him again in September I guess..if he survives.

Meanwhile I am desperately trying to refi the house and get out from under leftover coffee shop debt. What a trial..what a learning process...what a pain in the butt. I have however, been dating a very cool man, yes, an actual man. We're both so old and jaded that we've been having each other's (well..mostly on my end) most trusted experts "vet" the other..trying to make sure we're not once again kissing a frog. One never knows, but it's kinda cool so far.

Little Lucas Looney, meanwhile, has been battling asthma. This resulted in an overnight hospital stay while I was in Florida and now daily asthma treatments. Poor little pumpkin. His wonderful mommy and daddy, Ty and Kara celebrated their 5th (WOW) anniversary on June 14th, and my parents, Robin and Homer Humelbaugh celebrated their 50th anniversary in May. We all gathered for dinner at Ginger's house. It was uproarious fun!



Colin's address for the summer is:
REC LOONEY, COLIN G
2nd BN G Co. PLT
35051 Midway Ave.
San Diego, CA 92140

When Montana says Goodbye to Elissa

When the mountains begin to look like stars do, on a very, very dark and clear night, with edges so sharp and vivid that you feel you could reach up and pluck them out of the sky, or perhaps when there's such a glorious full, full moon that you can't breath looking at the vastness of it, you know you're in Montana. It shouts rugged grandeur from every pine covered steep crag, and the air is so dry and populace so sparse you can breath in a whole lung full of air without sharing a molecule of it with anything but the white tail deer. I love Montana.

Missoula, Montana sits in a valley ringed by mountains such as these. A true old brick college town that hums with youthful and mostly liberal, earthy energy. The cars are dirty, the streets are wide, the houses cozy, and historic Old West buildings and churches populate the old downtown next to the Clark Fork River.

Such is the place, at the University of Montana at Missoula where Elissa has spent the last four years, with the exception of this year's Austria adventure Jan. thru May, and such is the place where last weekend(May 10th) she graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration wearing a silver tassel for graduating "with honors" and gold cord for graduating "with high honors" a maroon cord for graduating as a University Scholar with the Davidson Honor's College, and, last but not least a HUGE presidential medal for being selected as an outstanding senior for her work at the University Center..which included not one, but two campus wide swing dances (including marketing) AND she and her group won $1000.00 for their 3rd place undergraduate placing for their "Fitted4" business plan (thanks to Aunt Ginger for the prototype camo pants) in which they also won the best "elevator pitch" award and made it into the top 15 business plans for the WHOLE COMPETITION. Gayland and I and Ray and Maxine watched the final four presentations, and personally, we think she should'a been in the final four!!! No bias here!




We stayed in a great house about 10 miles up I-93 at the edge of an Indian Reservation. Horrible red carpets, but comfortable just the same, with a view of those glorious mountains and edged by a huge pasture full of pregnant and newly delivered mares(mule babies) (I liked this part, don't know about the others). Friday morning we attended the awards ceremony for the Outstandin senior recognition awards, which was followed by a reception at the Davidson Honors College, where the Dean said to Gayland, "you know some kids earn this title and some don't, but yours does". Saturday, we slogged through the long graduation ceremony (times two..geez! the torture, the aching buns!) followed by a barbeque at the ranch attended by Lissa's friend Kelly (fellow graduate) and her family. Sunday, Lissa & I cleaned and packed her apartment, and Gayland and fam. arrived at 1:30 to pack it up into the cars. Wagon's Ho! We were off like a herd of hungry Oregonian's to Mackensie River Pizza., and barreled home, Gayland style, first thing Monday morning. Whew!

By the way, should you ever visit the Cougar Ranch..owed by a wonderful French woman named Helene, you will enjoy the world's BEST french cooking for breakfast!

Camelia's....

Camelias bloom and fade early in spring bringing glossy green leaves and intricate pink blossoms in abundance, then drop to the ground and quickly fade to brown. Next year's contribution to next year's blooms.


Meanwhile, being a clever girl with a socket set and a $12.50 new rototiller belt, I fixed (within 3 different tries at the belt configuration as I can't download the manual & can't find the original)the rototiller is FIXED and the garden is tilled! with only a slight sunburn to show for it.

Meanwhile out on the track..and down in Stayton

Colin has had a very successful track season so far, and last Saturday (while the sun was remarkably OUT and burned my arms!) He had a PR of 170"5". GO COLIN

Later that day...ran down to Stayton in the new ride and celebrated many birthdays with Rob & Karen(BIG news due in 9 months!), Alex, Ginger and David and Mom and Dad (50 years May 24th 2008!) We had a great if not overly boistrous dinner. Mom gave me a bracelet that reads," Isn't it great what clever girls can do...P.Pan) Love it!

What a great weekend! (except for the rototiller breaking)

Spring in Heather's Yard

My back,, shoulders and feet planted all the flow

ers and trees in my yard. This makes Springtime extra special,

because I see the reward of all those hours (and dollars). I gave up on the garden rototilling yesterday..when the drive train belt broke (what a PAIN!) and took flower pictures instead!