7/18/07

I have been meaning to update this blog for quite some time now but would you believe it, our air card developed a major problem and we have been unable to connect for about a week or so. Now that we have convinced Verizon to send us another one, we are reduced to driving 26 miles to Cle Elum to the Radio Shack/coffee place where they have a WiFi connection. Good – that means I can download some of the pictures I have been wanting to put here for you.

The big news is that last Friday we had a major freak wind storm go through our campground. A camper came running down to get us yelling about trees landing on campers and injuries. We hustled down there and found that at least 8 huge hemlock trees fell over in Thetis Loop, which had only been open for 2 weeks. One tree landed directly on a tent trailer, one on a tent, and one on a car. (see pictures below) There were 4 trees down on the loop road which prevented anyone from evacuating. Thank goodness there were no injuries because we could not have managed to get an ambulance in there until Marvin cut up 2 of the smaller trees, and then the fire department arrived with their huge chain saws and cut up the larger ones. Everyone was very upset about all the danger and quite a few people left the other loops as well. We had no trees down in our 2 loops, but the Gale Creek Loop had 2 trees down (on the road, of course), and Box Canyon had one down. Right after the wind did all this, a thunderstorm hit too, so we were working in the pouring rain. The entire campground was closed down until things settled down, at about 2 in the afternoon. The amazing thing is that because this happened on a Friday, the entire campground was full of campers again by 6 PM!

Things have been very busy for us because we have full campsites every weekend now, the day use areas are very busy every weekend too, and we have lots more campers during the week too. We continue to have many visitors. Sunday, Elaine’s friend Linda Lightfoot, whom she has known since kindergarten, and her partner, Greta, drove out and brought us a delicious dinner. Monday Handlebar Jim and Yolanda, from the Boomers, arrived. Jeanne and Rodger, from Park Sierra, will be here Friday. Another Boomer called us a few minutes ago and the call was cut off, but I suppose they will be coming soon too. Our close friends, Mike & Marilyn, Joe & Carla, and Pat & Linda will all be arriving Aug. 5. Next week we are going to visit Kathy & Sally at their place in Coeur D’Alene, ID and then Aug. 13 they are going to visit us. It is great to see everyone!

Yesterday Frank (our friend who is the host at Gale Creek Loop), joined us and we drove to all the other Thousand Trails campgrounds in the Cle Elum area to see them. Then we drove to Wenatchee where we got haircuts and did some shopping. It was good to get away from the campground for a while.

The blueberries and huckleberries are getting ripe all over the campground, so now we need to find time to pick some of them. It was lucky that the weather was so good while my twin, Marsha was visiting us because now we are having another rainy week. At least it is warmer than it was during rainy June, and we do have periods of sun. We are doing well and will try to do another update as soon as our new air card arrives.

I can’t find some of the pictures I wanted to download for you, such as the ones of me and my twin, and also some of my granddaughter, so I will download those next time. Please see the damage pictures below.