Colin G Looney MARINE 9/19/08 Semper Fi!!

Gayland, Kara, Lucas, Poppy (Gayland's father-in-law) and Ray (Grandpa) with Colin

Ty's daughter Mikayla (Colin's Niece) Showing her support!

Colin and Elissa

Colin and me

Nana turns 70...a rock'in party

Nana threw herself a "rock" party for her 70th birthday on August 29th. Everyone brought her a rock of some kind. I am really not sure what she is going to do with all of them, but knowing Nana, it'll be cool. The party was attended by about 70 people..I didn't count.Mom's younger sister Doris, and her son Kevin came in from California as well as Dad's brother Frank and his daughter Lisa. Lisa brought a few of her kids with her as well. I didn't get nearly enough pictures as I was busy with the food, but I got a few good shots of various attendees..the elderly..the young. Kay Henkel (Ginger's mother in law). Rob, Karen and Brenna were there (baby due in November!)Frank came with me too and helped with the food and the visiting. A great time was had by all.

The Colors Orange

Elissa is loving her post college free time...so much so that

 she decided to add a few pets to her schedule. First came Ziggy. Chosen at the humane society because we felt he could withstand the great and grumpy

 and quite stuck up Blue Cat. He sure can! He is either very brave or very stupid..you pick, but he IS a character and will not give up on the possibility that Blue will someday look upon him with favor...but he's gentle enough for children. It's fun having a playful friendly kitten in the house.

Then Elissa started thinking about riding again..so she started looking for a horse. Along came Chase. 1/2 Hanoverian, 1/2 Arab. Just turned 3 in June. Guess who gets to break him? He's also "orange" that's chestnut in horse color lingo. Also an intrepid curiosity seeking, playful guy. Prima is supremely happy to have a friend. 

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!