KLICKITAT YESTERDAY

What a birthday for me!   I left my friend, Linda's, in Camas, WA, with my grandkids.  I went to Vancouver, WA, and met with 3 sisters, my daughter and her husband, and we mixed all around into 3 cars and we all drove on the Oregon side of the Columbia River interstate following each other to Multnomah Falls.  We climbed all over the place and just had a wonderful time there. 

We then went to Klickitat, WA., crossing the bridge in The Dalles, OR.  One of my sisters, Betty, hadn't been there since we left originally 50 years ago, and she would have been about 9 years old.  

 

Amazingly, when I thought we'd just be driving by the Klickitat River swimming "pool", so the family would see where I "lived" ... my sisters too young to swim in this place back then ...  my grandkids jumped out of our cars and started swimming.  Dyllon, who is pushing 16, swam across in swimming trunks and shoes.  WHY?  Because he was going to climb up the cliffs/rocks and jump off.  My granddaughters, who will be 16 this week, also swam across and did some jumping.  This really caught our attention, because it's not the easiest, safest place swimming and jumping can take place.  In fact, at one point, Dyllon started climbing up higher and higher, and all his aunts with our big mouths were hollering "NO!!!  Come down to 'green'!"  He  responded wisely, stepped back down that few feet before he jumped in again.

I sure understood.  When I would be swimming across the river those many years ago, early 1960s, I would start a number of feet further up the river, swim aiming up the current, and that would have me floating down to reach the rock area without floating beyond them, which could be a problem, believe me. 

It was so much fun watching the kids play.  The younger ones just played on our side of the river. 

While all this was going on, I was standing next to an elderly man.  Found out he had been there for many years.  When I mentioned our family, he said he worked with and knew my dad.  He knew my mom.  And Susie's parents.  Was so impressed wth them.  And all the other people I knew back than and brought up.  John and I suddenly became good friends! We exchanged addresses. I'll be sending notes to him. He's 80. I was able to share the Lord with him a bit.   And I left one of Dave's CDs with him.  [John's great-grandson was playing there and he is from K.C., MO.  Who'd a thunk that?  Omaha and K.C. at KLICKITAT, 1700-ish miles away, at the same time?]

It was a true blessing.  We had photos taken of us standing there.  When I get home, you'll see more of this.  I took this photo about 3 years ago when driving through town to show it to Dyllon when taking him out to my mom's 90th birthday party in Tacoma, and posted it, so, even with all the computer issues was able to copy it here for you to understand the joy of the day.

 [Now, just FYI, my ER situation re: what was determined as bladder infection, just as my birthday hit at midnight -- how strange is that? -- I'm doing a bit better now.  I still have pain in my leg where they gave me the shot and some pain in my abdominal area, but not nearly as bad as when in Seattle at the Waterfront and Space Needle.  I'll be posting about that time at the Seattle event.  FUN in some ways, FRIGHTENING in others, b/c of me.  But the ferry from Bremerton and those other scenes just kept me grinning, even when I was in such pain.  Many of you prayed for me; greatly appreciated!]