On Saturday May 23 Maggie, Virginia, and I took a trip by way of Chinook Pass. We began the trip around 11 and stopped for lunch at Whistlin' Jacks. Maggie and I both had Alaskan Whitefish which I liked. I am not much of a fish person but it was good.
The day could not have been prettier and Mt. Ranier was in all of its glory. We stopped several times for pictures. On the other side of the pass one of the first things we encountered was a town along a river that looked like it was set up for fishing and boating. The road was shaded by beautiful trees. A little later we went through Enumclaw. What impressed me there was the flowers were outstanding and there were lot's of Rhododendrons in various hues. We headed over to Tacoma where we visited a Catholic bookstore and a two story Borders Bookstore. I am a book-a-holic ... I think I need a 12 step program for that. I picked up several CDs, June and July Magnificats, and at Borders several books, one on desert hikes in Washington and one on Roadside geology of Washington. As you know if you have read any of my earlier blogs, I truly love what God has created. Later we had a rather uninspired supper at a DQ. Then we headed back to Yakima by way of 18 (I think) up to I-90 then toward Ellensburg where we caught I-82 down to Yakima. One of the sights I really love is that of the Yakima Valley as we come down to it. It was night and the lights are really lovely. And you think of all the people there that you are praying for.
The next morning was "Ascension Thursday Sunday". Drives me a little nutty. I went to the 11AM Mass ... great music ... then took a drive down to Goldendale. I truly love the terrain on the trip.
Then came Memorial Day. I went to the Memorial Day Mass over at the Catholic Cemetary and helped Maggie clean up the Memorial Marker for she and Leo.
Tuesday it was back to work. In the afternoon I had chills and fever. I left work sometime around 3. I had to cancel my spiritual direction for that evening.
I stayed home for 2 days and went back to work on Friday. It was a blessing because a friend who helps me out sometimes came over and put together 4 bookshelves for my home office area.
Saturday after watching Jan's dog Joshua compete at a dog show I called up St. John's Monastery and my 300 knot prayer rope was finished. So another trip down toward Goldendale. I stopped at the Monastery and got the prayer rope, a second 100 knot one, and several books. I felt I did not have enough gasoline to make it back to Yakima so I went on down to Goldendale. I tanked up and then took an excursion. I went by way of the Bickleton Hwy across to I-82. At one point you go down into what I believe is a canyon at the bottom of which is Rock Creek and there is a dirt road kind of paralleling the creek. Sometime I want to explore there but not until I have the right kind of vehicle. Most of the trip was on a plateau with lot's of agriculture going on.
Sunday I was back to being sick with a lot of trouble breathing. Monday and Tuesday more of the same. On Tuesday evening I did meet with Sr. Alice for spiritual direction and formally closed out my participation in the SEEL Retreat. Now I am back to work and have had several really productive days.
