Oregon - Washington Road Trip

NORTHBOUND

Day 1

The kids and I left Monday the 23rd for Washington; Mick would fly up and meet us at Sea-Tac a week later. Our first stop was just outside of Grants Pass at this little museum, focusing on Oregon's historic Applegate Trail and the trials early settlers faced as they forged an alternative route to the Oregon Trail.

And of course we had to make our favorite stop at Wildlife Safari to see who was out. This is our first visit where both rhinos were up close and personal.

The hippo was fully out. Usually we just see his mouth sticking up out of the water.

I call this Still Life with Hippo Butt.

First ride ever on a camel.

Dane hooks Teddy up with one of his kind.

GREAT WOLF SURPRISE
Day 2

After an overnight in Albany and a stop at my writer pal Ellen's in Portland, I told the kids we were meeting my friend Michelle and two of her kids at Great Wolf Lodge. They'd barely even heard of the place, but I'd heard enough friends report that it was a super fun family outing that I jumped at the chance for a spiffy little staycation.

Here's Dane with Kyle, who reminds me SO much of his dad, Brian, who was one of my good pals through junior high, high school, and college.

Here's Aubrey with Jessica, who's a fun little combination of Michelle and Brian. I'm not sure where all the pictures went that Michelle and I took of ourselves in our bathing suits. We took scads of them, of course.

Days 5-12

A BUNCH OF STUFF THAT HAPPENED,
BUT I COULDN'T FIND MY CAMERA
(which was in the towel and goggle bag)

As soon as we left Great Wolf Lodge, we went to my parents house in Puyallup for two nights, where we played trap ball and watched sports and cartoons on TV.

After that, we went to Mick's parents' home in University Place. I dropped the kids off early and drove to Seattle to see my cousin Dani and my grad school pal Robyn, and spend movie night at my best pal Karen's. The next day, I met up with my college roomies ("The Garden Girls") for an impromptu night at Chara's in Seattle. We couldn't believe all six of us -- Maureen and Shelby from Bellingham, Chara in Seattle, and Michael and Jenny from Olympia) could clear our schedules on the spur of the moment to sit around and catch up for a twelve-hour overnight party.


On Sunday, Karen and I saw the interesting movie Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and then I met up with the kids in University Place.

Aubrey had a raging earache there that night, so I took her in to a clinic in the morning - to discover she had an inner and and outer ear infection. Solution? Antibiotics and ear drops for four days.

And no water.

Which I forgot.

But it's okay, because my girl got to WAKEBOARD when we went out with the Lanes - which never would have happened had I remembered!

Here's Dane with Cole, getting jazzed to try wakeboarding on a choppy but sunny Friday night.

Receiving exceptional coaching from Dad (aka Jeffy).

And encouragement from the Lane kids!

Aubs is ready to give it a go now.

And she's up, too!

Cheryl and Kai huddled up on the boat.
That's Dane behind them.

And Aubrey.
Blue but not blue on blue.

Oh! And somewhere in this week, Karen and I took the kids to an M's game. (And I can't believe I didn't get a shot with Karen in it!)


Am realizing as I post this that I don't have a full family picture and I don't have any pictures of Mick! The next post will have to remedy that - especially because we also spent time in Bellingham with the Camandona-Beans and the Friesens for a big 43rd birthday dinner for Mick, and had a blast.

Wait. Here's one. Mick and Dave after a motorcycle ride. (Mick borrowed our friend Andrew's.) Mick's big huge amazing purchase this decade is going to be his own dirt bike. Coming this Fall.

Yes, those are star pants. 'Nuff said.

PHEW!

I sent my application packet off today to the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI) for the Work-In-Progress Grant. The application required a complete Application Form, my Career Background, a list of How I'd Spend The Money, the First 2500 Words of my Young Adult novel, and a Synopsis.

The total packet could only be 15 pages -- mine was 13 -- and I had to submit 7 perfect packets. The deadline is Monday, so I over-nighted it via UPS this morning.

The winners will be announced in September, so I can forget about the contest for now, but keep working on the project.

There are 4 prize categories:
-General (a catch-all)
-Contemporary (takes place in last 10 years)
-Nonfiction
-Multi-cultural/Minority (tells story from that perspective)

I submitted under that last one.

There will be a $2k grant winner for each of those categories, as well as $500 runners-up awards. After those have been selected, an additional "Unpublished Writer" category will open up, and the remaining applications will be considered under that category to win those same awards.

It was a long haul to manage the odds and ends, but I'm glad I did it. I feel more committed now than ever to the project, and like I have some serious work behind me -- and plenty in front of me, too, of course.

This fulfills one of my goals for this year: to apply for a grant. I think I'll apply for another one through the Oregon Humanities, which is due June 26. The writing sample then is the first 25 pages.

Note: I was reminded again how much I value my community of writers. Jennie emailed/phoned/came over to brainstorm and advise on various sections, Karen offered her understanding as a fellow artist, Maya from my Marin writing group helped me keep my head on straight by weighing in on which 2500 words to send, and my friend Ellen (Notbohm) gave feedback at various stages along the way. This sounds like an acceptance speech. It's not -- at least not in the sense that I've won anything, but maybe it is -- in the sense that I've accepted much-needed help from these smart friends.