Back in the USA

March through July, 2012

Be here now; Four months freeing myself of Zulu’s salt; The Illinois River; Mt. Rainier National Park; The wedding; Time to leave.

Be here now

Be here now. That is what I decided the resolve is for my blog block dilemma. It has been so long since I posted anything that I do not know whether to go forward or backward.

So I will start with right now, then look to the past and gather up threads to post,  and  finally  move forward abreast with Zulu as she finds her compass course in the greatest ocean of the world.

Four months freeing myself of Zulu’s salt

I spent 4 months freeing myself of Zulu salt to visit my sweet family in USA. It was time to be with my children, who I so miss. So I bid farewell to life-long friends in The Land of the Long White Cloud to journey north.

Russ would bring Zulu from NZ to Fiji with Sepp, a German crewman and friend. They had a good trip, however ran short of water because of a leak. Hearty egg, sausage, and potato breakfasts—Bavarian style--and plenty of wine made up for it. Who needs water?

As for me, I swam in the Hawaiian ocean with my daughters and in the lakes and rivers of southern Oregon where I stayed with Sarah for three months! She put so much heart into furnishing my room with a view: adding beautiful framed photographs of South Africa and our family highlights.

Always there were vases of roses, perfumed candles, my favourite moisturizing creams, and Chanel No. 5 gift wrapped on my pillow. And last, but not least she treated me to membership for yoga. Namaste.

I appreciated the 12-hour night shifts she worked as a nurse in the hospital Emergency Room in Medford—her first year after graduating.  How she does it I don’t know!

I attended the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland and took in 4 plays! Oh how marvelous Shakespeare’s language is—so colourful, so descriptive, so thought provoking. Romeo and Juliet, Henry the V, Troilus and Cressida, and something wildly different—The Party Goers portraying the ‘60s protest movements.

The Illinois River

Welcome to ‘our’ spot on the Illinois River! It’s hot and we drive up Hwy 5 to Grants Pass and turn left. The ‘floatie’ is blown up and in the back seat of the car, sticking out the window to a degree when it gets sucked out and flies away!! We rescued it, but decided it was more trouble than it was worth. The essence of our cool day follows in picture format.






Down to the Illinois River, which is an offshoot of the wild Rogue River in Southern Oregon. Sarah and I are cold water people—little beavers! Russ reads himself into snooze land. I catch a Blue Jay. Letting go of the river is hard to do.

Seattle and surrounds

 I visited Ian in the Great Northwest so happy to see him grow in all ways. It is his time to find direction in the hard hit economic concrete jungles of wet Seattle. My wish is that he finds blue skies and happiness.  He has resilience and it will pull him through.

He works for a Boeing subcontractor in the manufacture of airplane parts and has been promoted to a 2nd-level tech position with an internship on the horizon.

 What little I saw of him will last for a long, long time. Along with meeting life’s challenges he brings laughter with quick wit and humor. I miss him big time!

We took a walkabout at McChord’s Air Museum in Heritage Hill: Convair F-102A Delta Daggers and 106A Delta Dart, North American F-86D Sabre, McDonnell-Douglas F-15A Eagle were some of the fighter/interceptor planes we saw.




Ian and I visit planes at Heritage Hill, McChord. If only he had taken my offer up for flying lessons in his teens! With his lightening-speed reflexes he would have made an excellent pilot. “Why didn’t I do that?” He said!

Mt. Rainier National Park

Vanessa flew in from Hawaii for a 2nd visit and to be in her cousin’s wedding. She is my dream girl. She is studying for a Master’s Degree in community mental health counseling.  She lightens the somewhat heavy subject with surfing reef breaks and teaching yoga.

“Mom I just want you to know I’m living an alternative lifestyle, so accept me as I am.” I smile hearing her say this. Of course I will!

Russ had flown in from Fiji also to attend a wedding. As a brief side trip he, Vanessa, and I travelled the highways and byways to touch the snow and wildflowers of ubiquitous Mt. Rainier. Its far reaching presence is ever present in a bold, but silent way. The national park is our gift of nature at its best.

Enjoying the grandeur of the lodge at the base of the mountain; hiking to Snow Lake, which we never did reach; being in the Grove of the Patriarchs with the giant old growth forest was moving to say the least and so much more: trees reaching up to 300 ft high and 40 to 50 ft in diameter!

 I was moved so much that I tripped and splashed out on the path belly first clinging to my Nikon. The last time I did that was in Alaska with black bears all around me!

Leaving this kind of nature’s essence is like the pull of the moon. It alters your sense.






   
Mt. Rainier National Park: silhouettes, Paradise Lodge nestled at the base of the sugar snow mountain, Washington Lilies and Lupins, Ness with her Daddy O. Ever curious, looking and seeing: a water fall a box canyon, a bird, and an icey rivulet cutting a zig zag pattern against the snow. Good times with my sweet ‘alternative life style’ girl.






We are moved to silence by these first growth giants in the Grove of the Patriarchs: Douglas firs, Western Hemlocks, Western and Red Cedars that grow up to 300 ft with a 40-to-50 ft diameter!  The fallen trees make us ache, but they in turn are the source for new growth. The suspension bridge carries one person at a time and the snow melt Ohanapecosh River runs through it all.

The wedding

 Again, Russ surprised his family to attend his niece, Leah’s wedding. We appreciate his family’s hospitality with summer dinners in their gardens.  And feast on sweet and tart scented berries, peaches, apricots, plums—all the temperate fruits, with cherries my gold. Sweet corn, ripe tomatoes, Walla Walla onions, fresh herbs, salmon! Nirvana.

Witnessing the Big Step in someone’s life brings happiness. His sister Bev, Mother of the bride, was ecstatic her oldest brother made it.  She looked exquisite in a silver dress and shoes with a string of pearls. She was proud and strong giving Leah away in lieu of her late husband Dale who, as they put it, was polishing stars in heaven but whose spirit was with them that day. 

Here is a small glimpse into our family as attendees. Reason to be together at last after so long an absence.


   
Russ’ sister Bev and Leah: Mother and bride. Sarah and Vanessa were 2 or 6 bridesmaids. Ian stands proud between his two beautiful sisters. Our family is all together at last: Ian, Sarah, Marilyn, Russ, Vanessa. Sarah and her soul mate, Dannel. 

Time to leave
 
It is time for me to leave after this whirlwind visit. Russ is already on his way back to Zulu via a different route than I.

I’m stuck in Portland! Fog in San Francisco! Miss my connection. Stay up all night at San Francisco airport. Fly to Honolulu instead of Sydney. Then what?? Christmas Island? Indian Ocean? No Kirimati in the Pacific!