(Insert Explicit Word(s) Here) Deer!

As I sit in front of the keyboard this morning, I am listening to a woodpecker up on our roof. It's hammering away at something up there, and it's starting to get a little annoying. Too bad I left my pellet gun in Nebraska, I could use it about now. Thinking of which, I could use that pellet gun to 'thump' the deer around here and spook them off, maybe give them a sign I don't want them around at the same time. Last night those *@#! deer ate our flowers! I don't mind them eating the grass, that's fine, but get the h.e. double hockey sticks outta my flower garden! It took some work to get those flowers looking good, and now it chewed down to the ground... My blood pressure is rising as I think about it. Not to mention this morning as I watched the dogs run around in the backyard they tipped over my bird bath. Auh! Is it that hard to avoid running into a bird bath in a 500 square foot backyard? There are times when I remember why I don't want animals, especially when the owners let them run a muck in the backyard and front yard! The poop piles in the backyard are expected and we have learned to pay attention to them, but now they are all over in the front yard too, and I'm not used to watching my step in the front yard. And don't think that the deer and dogs are the only problem I have on my list. Over the weekend I planted some maple tree seeds in a flower pot to see if I could get them to grow. I left the flowerpot outside and wouldn't you know it, the darn cat dug up all the dirt and threw it out of the pot! I replanted what I could, but I suspect the seeds may have dried out overnight while they were exposed to the air. I'll just take a deep breath and count to ten every time I see that cat, otherwise it might catch the business end of my Reebok wearing foot, and then I might get in trouble. Although, I would feel a whole lot better about being in trouble. *deep breath*

I think the complaint department has taken enough information for the day so I will move on and speak of other matters. We opted out of Pub Quiz last night. turns out there were 4 other members of the 'team' who were sick as well and were staying home to recover from ailments so we stayed home as well. I parked myself on the couch for the evening and watched American Idol. If you saw the show last night then I think you will join me in a sigh of relief that we could all listen last night without too much agony. I will have to set the recorder tonight to see who is voted off the show, I plan to be playing ultimate tonight.

Yesterday I was doing some research on our trip. I got to thinking about the ghost town we will be visiting - Bodie, California. I realized the town was at 8,000 feet of elevation and there was a good chance of having several feet of snow on the ground. The town is actually a state park, so I sent an e-mail off to the park and received a quick reply stating the town was open and there is no snow on the ground, however the threat of snow over the next few days is possible, but I see temperatures are expected to be around the 50's - 60's through Sunday so I don't expect to see much snow at all.

Our drive from Fort Bragg, California to North Bend, Oregon will be a little over 350 miles. Before heading out from North Bend we are going to spend some time around the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and see the ship wreck of the New Carissa. The ship was a Japanese oil tanker than ran aground and broke apart in 1999. Part of the ship was hauled out to sea and sank, but part of it still sits on the beach. We are going to camp at the dunes and hopefully we won't be fighting any weather overnight, it would be nice to camp out next to the ocean and just listen to the waves crash in all night, it sure beats the barking dogs we put up with around here!

From North Bend we will take 101 up the Oregon Coast to Lincoln City and then leave the ocean views and head inland to Salem to catch Interstate 5 through Portland. We will cross into Washington and then drive on the north side of of the Columbia river on Washington State Highway 14. We drove the Oregon side of the Columbia River last year and decided that the Washington drive would be nice as well. We will be driving into Richland, Washington that evening. That drive won't be so bad, it will be in the neighborhood of 450 miles.

Yesterday, cousin Bri clued me in on some news I have been neglecting. With all the trip planning and spring excitement I've missed out on a few family related events. My newest cousin, Kaleb, showed up a few weeks ago, March 5 I believe. That's not a bad birthday, my mom's birthday is March 4 so not a bad time to arrive. Congrats to the happy parents who now enjoy the presence of two little boys - a sure recipe for disaster! I would know, I have a brother.

At the other end of life we have to bid farewell to family as well. I didn't personally know my great-aunt, but anyone who lives to the age of 109 years is worth knowing about. What is more impressive is that at 109 years she was only beginning to have mental troubles - I know 25 year olds who can't remember what they had for breakfast, so anyone who is still 'with it' after all those years is impressive to say the least. My great-grandfather, her brother, is the last of the siblings living - he just turned 104 and still can tell you his high school football team roster.

Finally, Rex the Wonderdog has gone on to other hunting opportunities. Rex belonged to Laura's dad, he was the fourth child of the family so-to-speak. After 13 years he was still hunting and enjoying a good walk, but age caught up with him and tumors and such have a way of wearing down the body faster than normal. Rex kept me company in the basement over the Christmas break when I was building walls by myself, even though he was just sitting in the corner and chewing on a stick.

That's a long blog today without many pictures. I plan to make up for the lack of pictures after our trip, and hopefully I can keep the camera close at hand the entire time to snap a bunch of pictures. I've got some final plans to make and a few more things to pack today; so away I go to tackle a few more tasks before we leave. Until again

-=Nolan=-