Memorial Day

Memorial Day has always been a day we visited cemeteries and placed flowers in remembrance on headstones of those we loved.  Isn’t this something everyone does?   We usually try to make a trip to the cemeteries we visit before Memorial Day to avoid the biggest part of the traffic jams.  Those little one lane roads are packed bumper to bumper all weekend long.   

Terry and I purchased flags for the graves of my father and three uncles who served during WWII.  We also purchased flowers for my aunt and my mother.  We sure miss them all!  

Lee and Sabrina had been bragging about a new pizza place they had visited in Longview.  They wanted us to go.  Now normally I’ll take pictures of fabulous looking food before we eat it.  This time I forgot about it until after we had finished eating.  So, all I have for a picture is the mess we left at the table.

Last year when we were in the area we took Sabrina over to Powell’s New and Used Bookstore in Portland.  She was so impressed with the size of this place that she wanted to take Lee back.  I was excited at the thought of another trip to Powell’s.  However, it didn’t turn out as I figured.  Sabrina drove and our visit was ONLY about a half an hour!!

Powell’s Bookstore isn't just a bookstore.  It is HUGE and I do mean huge!!  It has 68,000 square feet filled with books on shelves that are so high you need a ladder to climb to the top.    Powell’s is the largest independent new and used bookstore in the world!  I couldn’t believe we were only there a half an hour!!  I didn’t throw a temper tantrum that I had to leave.  Well, maybe I threw a little one.

We also took a little drive out to County Line Park just to make sure it wasn’t overflowing and there would be room for us.  We’ve drug several of you with us when you’ve visited this area.  The park sits right on the Columbia River.  The large ships use this river to travel from the Pacific Ocean to the ports in Longview, Vancouver and Portland.

The park is rarely full even though the rate is just $10 a night.  There aren't activities to pull families so normally you don't even have kids except on the weekend with their parents while they fish.  Other than that, it's a pretty quite place.  We like it.

The Portland Rose Festival festivities will soon get underway.  It’s a perfect time to be at this park.  The Coast Guard, U.S. and Canadian Navy ships travel into Portland for the event.  If you’re at this park, you’ll have a front row seat as they travel through. 

This large freighter was just passing through while we visited.  On June 8th it will be non-stop traffic as the Navy passes in front of the park!  You can monitor their exact location by following the ships on the internet via the “real-time” marine website.