December - Winter storms and family gatherings

After mild weather all fall we were shocked to have very unseasonably cold winter storms most of the month. We used the wood stove some but decided it was easier to let the furnace keep the house warm using the thermostat. Usually Hansville is spared from much snow, but not this year!

Hansville / Vancouver...

As it came time to head south for the holidays we realized that weather related travel problems were a real possibility. We kept watching the weather systems and took our best shot which got us to Vancouver just before another big snowfall and record low temperatures. We were anticipating Kari, Charles, Travis and Wren coming from Alaska when we learned the Portland airport was closed. They were able to get a flight to Seattle and rented a car to drive south. Most of the family was able to get to Eugene for the traditional family gathering but we missed seeing Kate, Kurt, Jean, Michael and Denise who were homebound by the snow.

Great Grandma, Wren, Cecilia and Travis

Travis, Wren and Pancakes.

November - Road trips

Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park

During a beautiful fall day we traveled the 60 miles from Hansville to Port Angeles and enjoyed a nice picnic looking towards Victoria, BC. That afternoon we drove up to Hurricane Ridge to look over the Olympic Mountains. While there we could hear a herd of elk bugling but we never were able to spot them. It was a wonderful day and so close to home. Later in the month we started our road trip by going down the west side of the Hood Canal. We stopped at a rest area and chuckled at the huge sign proclaiming NO HUNTING! Then we were shocked to see a whole herd of elk in the rest area. Of course we stopped in Vancouver to visit with Brett, Kasey and Cecilia as well as Roy and Suzanne before going on to Eugene for my treatment and to help with projects at Ray’s Mom. Then we traveled on south to Modesto, California to visit with Nancy’s sister, Jan and family.

Diane Barr and Ed Hiramoto in Las Vegas

Jo Hiramoto feeding us well...

Our mini road trip then took us to Las Vegas and we enjoyed staying with Jo and Ed Hiramoto. Of course we were able to meet Kitti Schmitz but an added treat was seeing Diane Barr who drove up from Phoenix to make it a mini-DoDDS reunion of Mannheim people. After a wonderful four days it was time to reverse our trip. We enjoyed great weather the whole trip and while in Modesto we took advantage of the weather and fall colors to have niece Tara take some pictures. In Eugene we had a very nice family Thanksgiving dinner with Mom, Gary, Anne and Emily. Of course we again stopped in Vancouver to see Brett, Kasey and Cecilia as well as Roy and Suzanne. We returned to Hansville and got busy doing yard work and started planning for a busy December.

October - New adventures and visitors

Roy Suzanne and Pepper visit Hansville

Roy and Suzanne came up for a visit and we enjoyed exploring the town of Poulsbo which has a rich Norwegian history. It was a rather cool weekend but we enjoyed walking the docks as well as exploring the nearby historic downtown. We also explored some of Bainbridge Island and discovered the unique Central Market grocery store that features products from all around the world. Roy loved the meat and cheese area and made selections to create Reuben sandwiches which we enjoyed with sauerkraut.

Ted and Rosalie in Eugene

Of course my leukemia treatments continue and that means a trip to Eugene about once a month. During our time in Eugene this month we were able to take a fall walk to see the color with good friends Ted and Rosalie Hulbert. We also located a nice Honda Civic that will make a nice economical travel car for us. We continue to try and get our mail and accounts moved to Hansville. We are enjoying Hansville and learning more about the community as we get settled. Recently we were out along the Hood Canal not far from our house when we observed a Trident submarine being escorted towards the Bangor Submarine base. Now we know that they come in regularly and we look for them.

Carol and Lou at Hansville.

A couple of weeks later we were visited by old friends, Carol and Lou Brewer and had fun showing them around. Lou particularly wanted to find a seafood restaurant and have oysters. We heard that a good friend, Kitti Schmitz, was going to be in Las Vegas for a convention and our first thought was, darn we will miss her, then we realized “we are retired” so why not go. We started to make changes to our schedule and contacting people to make plans for a road trip.

September - Moving to Hansville...

Our older but trusty 1984 Toyota Van, sometimes referred to as the Silver Bullet, made several trips between Eugene and Hansville, a six hour drive. Brett and Kasey moved out of Hansville with the help of her parents and then we met the U-Haul truck and family in Vancouver to help them move in.

Then Nancy and I headed north on a Sunday late in September, to prepare for our big shipment to be delivered on Tuesday. For two days we were busy making sure all was ready for the delivery. We were shocked Tuesday morning when a huge 18 wheel semi arrived with our stuff. It was too big to get in the driveway so the six movers had to use hand trucks to get from the street to the house. They worked until after 8 PM but left us with beds set up and furniture in place, but lots of boxes of stuff that needed to be unpacked! Nancy and I keep busy unpacking and thinking about how we accumulated so much stuff! In the first couple of years after we were married we could put all we owned in a car and moved across country; now it takes a semi truck!…

August - Traveling, sorting and moving...

Overwhelmed...

With another trip to California and so many tasks to complete, like setting dates for the remaining shipment to be delivered we continued to be busy. We also were helping brother Roy and his wife Suzanne start moving to their new house. That involved lots of painting and remodeling. Brett and Kasey located a house to rent in Vancouver, Washington just across the river from Portland. As they started to get ready for their move Nancy and I traveled to Hansville to help get them prepare. We enjoyed watching Cecilia so repairs and projects could be worked on in preparation for us moving into the house next month.

Time for relaxing with family and DoDDS friends...

Nancy and Bertha - Mckenzie Pass / Susie and Jane in Bend, Oregon

July - Shipments and Celebrations.

Shipments arrive...

We were still working to organize all of the items transported to Eugene from California when the first shipment arrived. It was the storage shipment that contained items we had not seen in nearly 20 years. As we sorted through the boxes we sometimes did not recognize the items and sometimes wondered why we kept many things. Much was donated but some items, like Kari and Brett’s toys were set aside for them to examine.

Celebrating Cecilia's first birthday...

We also had a summer family gathering on the coast to celebrate Cecilia’s first birthday. Many trips were made to Hansville to deliver some items not needed in Eugene. We continued to look for the right car, but the economic conditions have made good used cars difficult to locate. We also located a doctor at the Willamette Valley Cancer Center and set it up with him to continue the maintenance therapy that had begun in Germany last year.

June - Farewell Germany, Hello Oregon

Farewell Germany

Annetta and Eileen / Edith and Jim Fitzgerald

We have a very nice suite at the hotel and enjoy a complimentary breakfast each morning. We are busy with last minute tasks like clearing post, selling our car, confirming travel arrangements and of course attending retirement gatherings. At our farewell gathering we were truly touched by the number of friends attending as well as all the thoughtful comments, cards and gifts we received. We thank all those who helped make it possible but especially long time friends Susan and Jerry Sigerseth who coordinated the gathering.

Farewell gathering

Dining with friends / Relaxing with friends

Our last couple of days in Germany were spent relaxing with Doug and Karen Deike at their home, and then they delivered us to the Frankfurt airport for our departure to Oregon.

Hello Oregon

In Eugene we were able to apply for our Social Security and start other retirement paperwork before rushing north to Portland to participate in Tarah Farman and Michael Yurchenko’s wedding.

The wedding / Tarah and Michael / Four Brothers

It was at a lovely old inn with a wonderful view of the Columbia River below. On their wedding day we found temperatures over 100 degrees and everybody was trying to stay cool. We quickly returned to Eugene to continue with tasks to complete our move back to the states and get settled. Part of that process involved a trip with my brother Roy to California with his van and a trailer to sort and retrieve items in Nancy’s mom’s estate. We were so busy we had little time for recreation.

Just arrived from California!

May - Moving days were busy days!

Moving days were busy days!

Every thing gets packed!

Friends Neil and Judith help.

Everything is packed and sealed shipping crates.

Jobs for everybody.

With three shipment pack-out dates scheduled for this month, the reality of our big move is pressuring us. The first shipment is to Eugene, Oregon and should be about 2500 lbs. Next is the shipment to Hansville, Washington that is estimated to be nearly 12,000 lbs. and last an air freight shipment that cannot be over 600 lbs. We are worried that we may be overweight as there are about 2500 lbs in storage that also count towards our 18,000 lbs limit. After the last of the shipments were packed and weighed we are very close to the limit but seem to have escaped being overweight.

After the pack-outs we had some time to relas with friends...

Susan and Gerry - Karen and Doug - Martha, June, Bessie, Gloria, Nancy Ray and Judith...

On May 20 we moved to the Central Hotel and started living out of our suitcases. We will not again see the items shipped until late in the summer. We sold one car and now use our remaining car and a bicycle to get around.

Relaxing with Doug and Karen / View from our hotel balcony

April - Spring Break visitors...

During spring break we were happy to have Ray’s mom come for a visit. While she was in country we got serious about how to split our household goods shipments between Eugene, Oregon and Hansville, Washington. Lots of measurements were made as well as decisions of where furniture might fit. That did not stop us from traveling to some of our favorite places and enjoying some of our favorite foods. Of course we visited the Peace Bell near Garmisch. The huge bell overlooks the Inn Valley of Austria from Germany. We also spend time in France, Holland and Belgium. Later in the month our niece Tarah Farman was able to spend a few days with us on her way to Russia to meet her soon to be in-laws and other relatives. She was a lot of help sorting and getting ready for the scheduled pack-outs that are coming up fast.

March - Brett, Kasey and Cecilia visit

We are thrilled that Brett, Kasey and 8-month-old Cecilia were able to come for a visit. Of course we visited some favorite places in Germany with them. Easter decorations were abundant as seen here in Lindenfels, Germany. They also took a trip to Spain, investigating Celtic ruins. Since we are going to be renting their place in Washington state there were lots of decisions on furniture shipments discussed. Brett and Kasey had just accepted jobs in Portland, Oregon and will be moving there during the summer.

February - Lots of decisions

Nancy and I are kept busy planning and sorting for our move. Of course normal work at school continues and preparations for guests are also in the works. There are lots of decisions to be made, like when to sell and ship cars, what furniture needs to be shipped and where. Of course decisions on what needs to be sold, donated or given away to keep under our weight allowance also become issues to be discussed. Bill Schmitz detailed and prepared our little Geo Metro for sale. We miss that little 3 cylinder hummer.

January - Retirement announced

We knew it would be a cold day when we decided to retire and so we picked January to officially announce our retirement date for June of 2008. That means it is time to start working on last minute trips, sorting and getting ready to leave Germany. Pictured here are a couple of our favorite places to visit, Switzerland and the Berschesgaden area of Germany. With a retirement date set the end of school, pressures are double the normal stress. We have to complete the school year as well as pack out, clear post, clear DoDDS and prepare to move. In the States it is normal for a retiree to work the last day and go home to start retirement. In DoDDS retirement means moving out of your house, leaving the community and starting all over somewhere else.