A quiet Christmas....

It's true that the magic and mystery of the season is strongest in the hearts of children. The excitement and anticipation are less tangible without the children in the house, dancing around a Christmas tree soon to be surrounded by gifts.

So we're thinking about the years we were embraced by the warmth of family and traditions and are now sharing our holidays with friends, old and new.  There are many gifts to be found in change: the gift for us here is a deeper appreciation for beauty of Christmas and how it opens us to gratitude.

We send along our wishes for a beautiful holiday filled with God's Peace and Joy, and a Happy and Hopeful New Year.

We've just returned to Portland after two and a half weeks in Maryland and Virginia to celebrate Thanksgiving, birthdays, family and friendship.  Thank you to all who's hospitality made this such a lovely visit: quiet relaxing days at my mom's house (Molly Baker also known as Gigi to her greatgranddaughters) in Southern Maryland, my sister Marilyn Baker in Laurel, Maryland, my daughter Blaire (also called Liz) and her husband James in Richmond, Virginia, with their daughters Eva and Mimi, and our friends in Fredericksburg, the Hansons, the Craigs, the Semieas, and Matareses.

Looking back on our Summer

Celebrating our 20th Anniversary on July 6, 2011.

Enjoying micro-brews at the Pelican Pub in Lincoln City, OR

The day I returned from my visit to Virginia and Maryland, Michael's sister Sandra and her family arrived in Portland.  They (Sandra, Chris and 3 year old Lucinda) had been driving west from Chicago for several days for a three-month long sojourn in Portland.  They were able to rent a house just two blocks away making it easy to get together for meals, planning area sight-seeing trips, and just having fun!

Michael, Lulu and Chris at the Tillamook Cheese Factory.

In July, our Virginia friends, Jim & Margaret Matarese and their daughter Amelia arrived for a four-day visit. We posed for our group picture at Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge.

Lucinda 3, Mimi 5, Siena 4 and Eva 7 1/2

In Mid- August, Blaire (Liz) and her girls, Eva and Mimi arrived for their five-week visit (James was able to fly out for five days in late August).  Having them here in Oregon was a delightful experience!  We had four great days at the beach and followed that up with Eva and Mimi's first camping trip!  Many of our plans included their cousin Siena (4) who lives in Tigard, Oregon, with her folks Mike and Cheryl.

Weenie Roasting on the Beach!

Peg, Blaire & Cheryl with Sienna, Mimi & Eva at our campsite river in the Mt. Hood Nat'l Forest.

Mimi and Grandpa

Eva & Grandma at Oaks Park

Our perfect Oregon Summer is over.  Now we've we're back to the projects around our old house, working on the yard, canning local produce and keeping our neighborhood restaurants and brew pubs in business.  We're seeing a lot more rain now but the rain is a big part of living here, and after our spectacular summer, we welcome the wet stuff!

Where have I been?? The "May Report"

I've been asked this by more than a few folks so I'm getting my act together to bring you up to date...at least for one month!

It sometimes feels like all we do is work on the house, but we have been having fun in the meantime, too.
In May, I made a trip back to Virginia and Maryland to get my "Eva & Mimi" fix!  We hadn't been gone that long but it felt like it.  Catching up with my mom Molly, sister Marilyn, daughter and son-in-law Blaire & James, and a few friends was downright therapeutic!

Lunch with long-time friend Fr. Peter at Five-Guys.

Mimi, Auntie Marilyn and Eva in Richmond.

James & Blaire on the girls' recital day.

Friends Jim & Margaret and Ed & Vickie with Eva and Mimi at the river near my mom's home in Maryland.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

The last month has been a busy one!  Work on house and garden continues: Sunny days (rare) we work outside; Rainy days (mostly) we work inside.  The pace has been slower than expected since catching up with old friends and participating in new endeavors has happily intervened.

Most outside work consists of cleaning out years of over-grown ivy.  We created rock garden below in the early 90's.  The rocks were completely concealed by the time we returned.  The same goes for the front lawn, almost obliterated by spreading woody ivy.  Removing it completely will be a long-term project.

Peg's birthday started with a morning walk (naturally!) and a visit at our neighborhood coffee house Tabor Space.

Our cherry trees are starting to bloom; a little more sun and these two trees will be clouds of white.

Along with weekly private cello lesson's, Peg's joined the Saturday morning Tabor Grass classes where amateur and accomplished musicians gather to learn, teach and jam for three hours.

Our first month!

I guess the first thing I should do is change the name of our blog!  We are no longer "bound" but are getting settled in, unpacking, cleaning, repairing, redecorating and making sure we have some fun, too!

None the worse for wear and tear, the old "Gnattie Estates" still looks pretty good after almost 15 years!

Our beautiful old birch trees are getting very old and fragile.  One of the trees in the front of the house broke in half during a storm last year and now we fear they are becoming a danger.  They are being removed; the City is so appreciative they are replacing them with several new trees at no cost.  

We had a little snow on our third day here but since then we've had only rain.....and rain......and rain.   Guess we're in Oregon.

We thought our yellow kitchen would look good in blue.  Gloria Carmody, our long-time friend and neighbor, stands with me as we decide that blue's not good. The new color has been tested and will be premiered soon!

While shopping for a new sofa in NW Portland, we took in one of our favorite haunts: Escape from New York Pizza.  We've never been to NY, but this place sure makes you feel like you're there!

More food fun at "Good Food Carts" about 10 blocks from our house on Belmont.  The Korean barbecue was delish!

Therese and I reunited to make music again after several years.  We've been playing some kind of instruments together for over thirty years.  (Naturally, she's a LOT better on the fiddle than I am on the cello!)

Cara Pelzer, me, and Lisa Pelzer after a wonderful (rainy) afternoon shopping and eating on Hawthorne Boulevard. Lisa and I have been like sisters since the late 1980's.  Her daughter, Cara, was born the year we left Portland. 


We're working away at getting our old house a fresh new look.  Ironically, that's what Michael and I were doing when we left!

We're here!

A view of Mt. Hood from the west hills. 

Mt. Tabor is the hill below.

We arrived in Portland yesterday afternoon, van-weary and exhausted, but thrilled to be here.  We slept in our empty old house on some air mattresses, watching the lights of the city twinkle in our window.  We woke this morning to a beautiful sunrise, had our coffee and a walk up Mount Tabor.  Our old neighborhood has undergone some change, but in many ways, it feels just like it did when we left almost 15 years ago.


Our furniture arrives tomorrow and the process of making this "our home" again will begin in earnest.  Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement as we traversed this beautiful country over the past 10 days and 4,045 miles.  It's been great but we're glad it's over.


To the family and friends we've left behind: we miss and love you so much.  Please know that you have a lovely room, great food and beverages, and all the hospitality we can offer whenever you want to come and visit.


Love, 


Peg and Michael

Chico, CA

It seemed like one of our longest days of driving yesterday, but I think it was really our anticipation of reaching our final destination.  At the end of the day we drove almost 30 miles off I-5 so we could stay at the Courtyard Marriott in Chico.  I'm so glad we did: our room was spacious, comfortable and very quiet.  Just what we needed!


When I write again, we will be home in Portland.

Laguna Beach, CA with Laura and Bob

We drove out of Palm Desert this morning into eastern suburbs of Los Angeles and we realized why so many people want to live here: it's stunningly beautiful!  We are staying with our friends Laura and Bob Dickson; Laura treated us to a drive north on the Pacific Coastal Highway; tomorrow we'll be on the PCH again headed south.  Had a wonderful dinner at "Big Fish and Ice Cold Beer".

Indio, California

It was a long day in the van: 10 hours on the road and 635 miles on the odometer.  As I watched mile after mile of cactus and mountains go by,  I realized how good it is that we chose to drive and to drive the route that we're on.  This is one awesomely beautiful country.  Next stop: Irvine, California.

Las Cruces, NM

We logged 585 miles today: easy with beautifully straight desert  highways, an 80 mile an hour speed limit, and perfect weather - 85 degrees and sunny!

The new twig on the family tree

We left San Antonio this morning with some of Aunt Dee Dee's ancestors: her grandparents, the Henze's and great grandparents, the Reibers.

Happy Valentine's Day in San Antonio, Texas

We arrived at my Aunt Dee Dee's house on Sunday afternoon and had a great dinner with my cousins and uncle.  I was also able to get more information on the family tree!

Today Dee Dee took us into town for great mexican food at Casa Rio on the "River Walk", followed by a river boat cruise on the San Antonio River. We visited the Alamo and the Market Square, then wrapped up the afternoon with our second round of Margueritas - Yum!

Absolutely great weather makes us wish we could stay a little longer, but we head out tomorrow morning for El Paso, a full day's driving at over 600 miles.  See you then!

Cajun Country

We put on another 586 miles to reach LaFayette, LA.  After going to Mass at an old church (St. Peter's) we went for what was reported to be the best place for cajun food in the area: Prejean's.  The reports are true!  The fried green tomatoes, seafood-stuffed eggplant and grilled catfish were sublime.

Tomorrow's destination:  San Antonio, TX!

Atlanta - DONE!

We logged over 600 miles today and made it to our hotel by 6pm.  Great weather, good highways and traffic (until we reached Atlanta's beltway - think 495 at rush hour!).

Tomorrow's challenge: to New Orleans and beyond.

Friday's Itinerary

We're packed to the gills and heading out around 8am tomorrow!   Target:  ATLANTA !

Let's Get Warm !

It has just been too cold in Maryland in January!  We got away from the snow and ice for a week on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's "Liberty of the Seas" with ports of call in Belize City, Costa Maya and Cozumel.  

I loved our little island off the coast of Belize: Goff's Caye.  Great snorkeling for Michael and lovely sand and sea for me.

We're shaking our booties on the Promenade!