Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

We have had some big changes at Al's office. First Sheryl let Al know that she was looking for a job closer to home. She lives in Aurora and driving to Salem twice a week just wasn't cost effective for her. Al made some calls to agents in the Canby area and Sheryl was offered a job just a few minutes from home. We will really miss her loyalty and availability and her sweet personality. She also provided all of us with the most amazing jams and home grown vegees every summer. We're happy & we're sad.

Several weeks later, Patti resigned as she is going back into nursing. It's been 11 years since she worked in that field so her learning curve is going to be huge. But she is so smart that she won't have any trouble. So, if you have a heart attack, be sure to do it on a day when Patti is working. She will take awesome care of you and you'll be back on your feet in no time. We will definately miss Patti's energy and enthusiasm. Our loss is Salem Hospital's gain.

The sweet part of all these good-byes is that both ladies are doing what they need to do. God provided both Sheryl & Patti with just the right opportunities! Al has hired a delightful young woman to join our team. She will work three days a week and fill in when anyone is on vacation. Sara is fully licensed and State Farm trained so she will be able to slide right into our office. I'm excited to meet her.

The picture is of our farewell dinner celebration at Amedaus here in Salem. This is a lovely fine dining restaurant with absolutely delicious food. If you ever eat there, save room for the creme brulee cake. O MY GOODNESS!

Old Town Sacramento

Pony Express Rider

AJ and his bucket o crabs

A live steam train runs through Old Town

A water taxi ride down the river

A lesson on muzzle loader rifles

Olympic Fever

As it was threatening rain in San Francisco this morning, we decided to go to Old Sacramento for the day. It was warm & wonderful & interesting. We started with lunch at Joe's Crab shack and then spent a couple of hours wandering through town. We saw where the first Pony Express rider started off on his way to St Louis. We saw a replica of the Nina, one of the ships that came to America with Christopher Columbus. We saw a demonstration on muzzle loader rifles...they make a really loud noise when they're fired. And we saw lots of crazy boaters as we rode our water taxi up & down the river. As our last day here in Davis draws to a close, we are hunkered down watching the Olympics and cheering for the USA.

Jelly Beans & Wine

The Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield California

Does Al's head look like jelly bean to you?

The gorgeous Sonoma Valley

Takin' a break after dinner

Yesterday we went touring. First stop, the Jelly Belly Factory. Did you know that this one factory produces 1.2 million jelly beans a day? Who eats these things anyway? And who knew how popular this tour would be. We had to wait in line for 45 minutes before we got our official paper hats and started what turned out to be a very interesting tour. If you're ever in the bay area, this is a fun stop...and they give out free samples:-)

After dealing with sugar headaches, sugar nausea and sugar hyperactivity, we headed to Napa Sonoma for some wine tasting. However, God was watching over us and all the wineries were closed. We did see some beautiful vineyards though and the village of Sonoma is darling. We ate dinner at a fun Mexican restaurant and did some window shopping then headed back to Davis (with one extended stop for the three that ate too much everything and had severe diarrhea that looked remarkably like Jelly Bellies).

Once back at the "ranch" we settled in for an evening of Olympic Opening Ceremonies. We feel sorry for London in 2012 trying to top the Chinese torch lighting. Yikes! Who volunteers for that duty?

Today we've lazed around all morning and may or may not go to Old Sacremento this afternoon. We'll see.

California Here We Come

JJ lives like a king in Redding

In & Out Burger

Bistro 33 in Davis

Tired and satiated diners headed home

Today we're half way through our annual DeBacker summer vacation. On Wednesday we headed to Redding for an over night stay then yesterday finished our jouney to Davis. JJ's Aunt & Uncle turned their lovely home over to us while they are enjoying the rainy Oregon Coast at the Tokala family reunion. Last night we enjoyed touring the village of Davis and the UC Davis campus. We then had a great dinner at Bistro 33, a very popular spot in town. Because the wait for outdoor seating was an hour and a half, and it was already 8:00, we opted to eat inside. As usual, we enjoyed wonderful food and lively conversation. Today we are going to go to the Jelly Belly Factory and then do some touring of wine country. I'll keep you posted.

Blog Backlog #1

I am so far behind in my blogging that I have posted 3 "catch-up" editions. Uploading pictures is always an adventure for me so I played it safe and did 3 seperate postings.

Last night, Jim & Paula Newman, Jana & JJ, Dad and Al & I went to Albany to picnic and enjoy one of our favorite bands, Tower of Power. It was a glorious evening on the river, in a beautiful park with great company and fantastic music. We may have to wait for summer to show up in Oregon, but it's definately worth it.

Blog Backlog #2

On Wednesday, Sarak and I took a long walk through Willamette Mission Park. It was Sarah's first time to pick & eat fresh blackberries. As she is a very cautious eater, it took her awhile to get berry from hand to mouth but once she tasted the drippy dark sweeteness, she was hooked. After eating a boatload of berries, we walked to the equestrian area of the park and as luck would have it, we ran into a friend preparing her horse for a trail ride through the park. Big girl - me and little girl - Sarah loved feeding Rico carrots and petting him as he was saddled up. We also watched as other riders cooled their horses down by spraying them with a hose. Sarah was delighted to see that horseys take baths too.

Blog Backlog # 3

The 3 Lazy Amigos

Randall Warkentin, Sheryl, Brenda & Patti

Sheryl & Simon's beautiful backyard

Last Sunday we had a team Debacker potluck picnic at Sheryl & Simon Carillo's gorgeous cottage in Aurora. All of Al's employees and their spouses showed up in the cool of the afternoon for a lovely day of food and fellowship. Sheryl is a fantastic cook and served up great BBQ and unbelievable desserts including a chocolate fountain. The rest of us brought wine, salads, cheesy potatoes, fresh fruit and deviled eggs. It was a feast for the eyes and the stomach!

Old Friends. Not necessarily OLD friends

On Saturday, Dad, Marek, Suzie, Al & I headed over to Spirit Mountain Casino to meet Bill & Bobbie Grebe for lunch. They are staying at the coast for 2 weeks so we met in the middle and checked out the new buffet. We have known the Grebes for over 40 years...they were neighbors when we moved to California in 1965. It was great to catch up with all their news. Bill & Bobbie have the kind of retirement we all hope to enjoy. They have traveled all over the world, built thier dream house, have healthy happy kids & grandkids and make a point of staying connected to the people they care about. I love being with friends that no matter how long you go between visits, you pick up right where you left off. It was a lovely day!

Hellgate is Heaven

Last Saturday, Al & I met Don & Cheri Suklis at 5:30 a.m. for a trip to Grants Pass. Starbucks in hand, we headed south on I-5 toward Hellgate Canyon and a 4 hour jetboat excursion. We boarded out boat and began our sight-seeing jouney down river. Along the way we saw a bald eagle, nesting osprey, turkey vultures, many Great Blue Heron and Canada Geese that like the weather so much that they've stopped migrating back to Canada. The scenery was lovely and the canyon itself, amzing. This is the place where the movie "The River Wild" was filmed. I think Meryl Streep & Kevin Bacon were in it. Anyway, after we toured the canyon, we were let off the boat at the OK Corral. This beautiful lodge was the location of our Champagne Brunch. Excellent food and drink in a really pretty setting. After brunch we boarded our boat for the trip upstream and that's when the excitement began. These boats travel at 55 mph, draft only 6" of water and are remarkably maneuverable. We did 360 turns, wake jumping and boat drenching stops. It was so much fun! We laughed ourselves silly and have vowed to go again soon. If you're in the Grants Pass area and have the time, indulge yourself with a fun adventure.

Happy 4th of July Weekend

Bocce Ball, a car show in the park, The Garlinger boys, a carousel ride, and a picnic @Dad's. Hope your weekend was wonderful!