Scooter Saga

We left for Maui right after New Years (1/3/2020) and returned to Portland 2/20/2020.  Almost seven weeks!  It wasn't seeming as long as it used to before we made friends there.  Kai Makani was truly starting to feel like a second home (only warmer) .  In addition to having visit from mainland friends, Earl and I were having a grandchild visit for the first time completely on her own*.  The airlines consider passengers 14 and over "independent travelers"—yay! Too close to whales In addition to the tropical flora there, Maui also has amazing wildlife.  We have white egrets in our complex.  They're less obtrusive than the Pooping Pigeons (that we can see anyway).   But we also saw a rare, endangered monk seal basking in the sun.  Local  conservationists  were quick to tape off a wide area to keep nosy tourists at bay.  Snorkelers, divers, and swimmers  usually see plenty of turtles and fish.  The humpback wh...

I was scooting in downtown Lake Oswego, waiting to cross the street. Art Martin "Hello Tammy", a fellow pedestrian said.  I was used to being recognized, but it's usually as the anonymous lady on the scooter.  I'm pretty hard to miss, but I rarely hear my name.  Looking up (it's always up) , I recognized Art, even though it had been awhile since we spoke.  Even longer since he had rescued me*– 2011 to be precise.  I had naively referred to him then as "elderly" and worried about what my folly would cost him.  He goodnaturedly reminds me of that frequently.  Now here he was, nearly 10 years later, out for his daily walk, healthy, and unchanged by the years.  That'll teach me...There was only 13 years between us. Old friends Art invited me to join he and another friend from my early scooting years.  I met John Burns and his wife Audrey in 2011 as well**.  He and Audrey had moved to an Assisted Living facility and I lost cont...

I started thinking about Christmas around September and settled on a Monte Carlo theme even before there was a reunion in Las Vegas.  The more I thought about it, the more fun it sounded,  I had thought our Mardi Gras Christmas was the biggest doo–dah, but no–oo*.  Retirement allows for time to indulge our inner 'Martha Stewart'.  We never would have done this in our working days.   I'm very good about coming up with ideas that someone else has to implement. That usually falls to Earl.   Mediterranean food?  He can do that Décor?  Pam can do that The Tree?  Jill can do that The Christmas Village?  The granddaughters can do that Gaming table layout? Earl can do that Moving the furniture? Earl and JJ can do that  Hire party help? I can do that.  Jeez, I needed to do something. The first issue that came up was, of course, the Christmas tree**.  "How about something smaller?", Earl said. Nope,...