Kah-Nee-Ta

We drove to Kah-Nee-Ta for the day. It gave us a chance to read from the books, an activity that has fallen by the wayside as the number of our streaming services have increased.

It was a good day for Kah-Nee-Ta as it was gray and rainy in Portland, but sun-sun-sunny on the other side of the mountain.

At the turnoff, there was a sign that we were on open range, and indeed, three horses were hanging out in the road. Matt took this picture.

We checked in, grabbed lockers in our respective dressing rooms (lockers were spendy, and also my locker rental kiosk charged me twice) and explored the various water offerings. We made brief visits to the children’s spa and walked through the children’s play area (there were no children playing at the time.) We checked out all three wellness pools, from the nicely warm to the very hot.

We then rested a bit, before trying out the lazy river. This was my first lazy river. It was super fun. We both had pool noodles, and when we stepped into the “river” (actually a pool about 4.5 feet deep with an inner pool that was not part of the river), the current pushed us around in an undulating circular path. It was quite relaxing and fun.

The middle pool had both a volleyball and a basketball net, so we played some ball. We also ate lunch (it was fine, but also I didn’t choose the Indian Taco option, which was probably really good) and then soaked/rested/lazy rivered again before taking a walk.

We played miniature golf, and checked out the lodging and teepees., then went back for one more soak before showing and heading back. I took this self portrait outside the entrance.

And then Matt joined me so we could do a time photo. (Such a classic timer photo!)

On the way back there were more horses.

Overall, this was a good trip. Because lodging is rather spendy, I think this trip would be a great to stop when coming back from Bend. It would break up the drive nicely.

When we visited, there were not many people, but I’m not sure how things go in the summer. There is an option to rent a cabana, or various permutations of deck chairs. We did not opt for that. The free chairs are not padded, but they were nice, and there were a ton of them.

On the way home we stopped at DQ for dinner and a Blizzzard.

Staycation 2024: Portland Spirit

We’re having a small summer vacation, as opposed to our extravagant Disneyland trip in March. Our first stop: The Portland Spirit, the boat that runs regular cruises on the Willamette River

After having our picture taken while boarding (regulation, according to them, but also so they could try to sell us the photo for $15) we climbed to the third deck and grabbed chairs near the railings.

We opted for the Happy Hour Cruise which was the shortest in duration and had no food included. It was a good choice.

While you cruise, there is guided narration. Here we pull away from the dock.

Here is the Tilikum Crossing Bridge, the South Waterfront, and the OHSU Tram.

Looking back at the Sellwood Bridge.

We turned around and came back a little earlier than I thought we would, but I guess that’s what you get when opt for the least expensive cruise that is shortest in length. Back at the dock, Matt could touch the dock as we pulled up to it.

One last self portrait.

And one last look at the Hawthorne Bridge.

Unemployment Task Done

Back in May, I tackled the second task on my unemployment to-do list: painting the front of the house.

Something went wrong with the previous paint job, and the paint bubbled on the right side of the door. This was fine (I mean, not really, but it looked fine) until pressure washing peeled off the paint on some lower bubbles, leaving the cement siding exposed.

Matt had previously had the paint matched, and in May I sanded things down. Sometime in July, I borrowed my neighbor’s extension ladder and used Krud Kutter in lieu of pressure washing to clean the surface. That undid my sanding efforts.

And now, in September, I have sanded again and painted! I’m pleased with the results. I didn’t paint all the way up, and used the porch shelter as a demarcation point. But the colors look fine and point where the paint changes is blocked by the bush on one side and the upper porch on the other.

Most all of the bubbles flattened out and while you can see the outline, they blend pretty well.

This is one exception, but we will put back the mailbox and it will cover that right up. You can also see where the wood has rotted. It was very spongy when I did the initial work in May.

Rather than try to replace the wood, I’m thinking of this as a stop-gap measure. the house is up for repainting in the next few years, and the painters replace the boards that need it when they paint.

7611: Slide Quality

While scanning slides, I find it interesting to note that the slides my grandfather purchased (probably at the giftshops of national parks etc.) have mostly degraded and turned a red color. It’s very apparent when I hold them up to look at them, and somewhat less apparent in the slide viewer.

Whereas the slides my grandfather created still look great.

Tests Available at Walgreens

Standing in a very long line at Walgreens, I was surprised to see the variety of tests available for purchase without a prescription including food sensitivity, cholesterol, Vitamin D, Cocaine and other drug tests.

There’s even a paternity one. I’m wondering if these tests are available for purchase in drugstores in countries with comprehensive healthcare, or if this is another feature of the “greatest healthcare system in the world.”

7611: Slides

I’ve been going through the slides at 7611 and scanning ones with people. Most of the slides were from my grandfather’s photographic efforts. He did love a landscape. And he usually captured people from far, far away. Pictures of indoor parties center the people a good 20 feet away giving a clear view of the full table, people’s backs, and off in the background, people’s faces. “Walk closer, grandpa!” I mutter to myself as I’m sorting.

The love of landscape and very far away people is expertly captured in this picture from New Hampshire in the 70s. Who are those people? I will have to zoom in to find out. But look at that tree in full fall color!

Iron-On Labels

I suspect these were from the one time I went to camp. It was Pine Creek Ranch, which apparently isn’t a Girl Scout camp any longer. Camp Pittinger is still a thing. But there was one other one that also isn’t there any longer…Wait! It was Ta-Man-a-Wis and is now called TAM (Not surprising).

[more googling] Ah! They sold Pine Creek Ranch and proceeds went to a new building that opened in 2018. Pine Creek Ranch was last used in 2008.

Anyhow, labels. From Bell of Maine!