Eugene life is great!
Obviously we aren’t keeping this blog up to date.
Current web presence:
John Hartman on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/john.hartman.969
http://softwareunderstanding.com/
http://softwareunderstanding.com/sally-blog/ – started fall 2012
I feel like my kids when they would get new diaries and write a whole lot at first and then they would say, “Sorry I haven’t written…!”
Well, I think that we were so glad to settle down in Eugene that we really haven’t wanted/needed to travel again. We did travel to the Redwoods to join Mary, Ray and their adorable new puppy, Lola!
I’m sure that Lola is huge now–but I don’t have any recent pictures (Mary?)
Then we stayed local for the rest of the year. Spring is lovely and summer is glorious. We had vistors!
Mary and Chiana came through in May…
Becky and Colleen in June….
And Lyn in July…
We went to Corvallis for DaVinci Days and we went to the coast–great sand dunes!
Lyn got to eat ice cream at the FAMOUS Price Puckler’s where a certain presidential candidate stopped on his last trip here…hint…he’s the guy who won!
John and I climbed Mt. Pisgah for the Summer Solstice–lovely!
Summer is really fun here–we had the Olympic Trials for Track and Field at Historic Hayward Field in July. We biked over and stayed all day. I had no idea that I would like it so much. the Oregon fans are great–their excitement rubs off on everyone.
We have farmer’s market on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. It’s a real event; crafts, food, music…come and get your tie-dyes here!
Next was the Oregon Country Fair
http://www.oregoncountryfair.org/calendar.php
where people dress like fairies and walk on stilts and ….some woman have “wardrobe malfunctions”–naked breasts!!! painted actually! and quite lovely–at least the young ones are. John said that I was paying more attention than he was( oh, sure!)
Then come September, it’s the Eugene Celebration–it starts with a parade. My doctor told me not to miss this one–it was quite fun. The Slug Queen was chosen the night before and that was a hoot!
We went for a couple of ski/snowshoeing events. John has been to Mt. Bachelor and Hoo-Doo. I went to Willamette Pass for snowshoeing with a group from church and one from the city. Very laid back group!
and we saw a bald eagle–wow! Now we are signed-up to see the bald eagles who live on Skinner Butte just north of town.
Business is picking up and spring is here! As a local columnist said it just gets better and better from now until Halloween!
Okay–responding to pressure of not having written anything for 9 months–here goes. Wow! has it been 9 mos.? What have we been doing/ enjoying our new home, that’s what!
We did travel to the Redwood Forest but no Gulfstream waters–just the Paciifc waters.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all!
You Gotta Love the Irish:
Paddy was driving down the street in a
sweat because he had an important meeting and couldn’t find a parking place.
Looking up to heaven he said, “Lord take pity on me. If you find me a
parking place I will go to Mass every Sunday for the rest of me life and
give up me Irish Whiskey!”
Miraculously, a parking place appeared.
Paddy looked up again and said, “Never mind, I found one.”
Our local newspaper published a good recipe for soda bread and I made it. John loved it!
Here is the recipe–it makes 2 loaves, but can easily be halved. Or you can make one and give one away!
Raisin Soda Bread:
2 cups of whole wheat flour
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup quick oats
1 1/2 T. baking soda
1 1/2 T. salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups buttermilk
3 T. molasses
2 cups golden raisinsPreheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the flour oats, baking soda, salt and sugar, then use a wooden spoon to mix. Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the milk and molasses into the well. Mix until combined. Add the raisins, then use your hands to knead the dough (in the bowl or on lightly floured counter) several times to work in the raisins.
On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough in two, then shape each half into a round. Transfer the rounds to a baking sheet. Cut a large “X” in the top of each loaf.
Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for another 40-45 minutes. The loaves should be lightly browned.
Remove from baking sheet and cool.
Enjoy!
I didn’t have any molasses so a call to Carol’s baker’s hotline advised me to use maple syrup and it was really good!
Last Wednesday, I showed up to walk with a group of women who walk with the Eugene Running Co. Store. I was waiting outside the store with another woman and I casually looked around at the merchandise displayed outside the store and what did I see???
Are you ready for this????
A tee-shirt that says, you guessed it…”Not all who wander (to Eugene) are lost” !!!
I went crazy–”that’s our saying, that’s our blog….etc.” The other person thought I was nuts! But I figured that it was a sign….what do you think???