HOLIDAY WEEKEND

Swung by a local bookstore and picked up a couple Mary Renault’s Greek history novels. Looks like I’ll have to do a little on-line shopping to get the series in the right order. She ended with Alexander the Great, but that’s what they had on the shelves. What I’ve read is excellent, and I’m looking forward to reading them in the order the history takes place. Sometimes I think I’ve learned more history reading well written and researched novels than I have reading history books. At least had more fun.

 

Spent part of the weekend going up to the cemetery near Portland where dad is. And my great grandparents, grandparents on his side and a few assorted cousins. If it had been clear we probably could have seen Mt. Hood through the trees. After we were done doing the flower thing, we got out our lunch and were going to hang out in the car for a bit before heading home.

 

We’d noticed a couple going along the family line and noticed they’d stopped at headstone near dad. We talked for a bit, turned out it was cousin and his wife. Hadn’t seen the man for a good thirty years. If we’re lucky his sister will call one of these days and I can pick her brains about some of the family history. When they put up great grand dad’s marker they forgot to put in his middle name or initial. It’s surprising how many John Heaton’s there are who had wives with the initial H. And I don’t know if Hortense was her first or middle name. Anyway, we had a chance to catch up a little.

 

We stopped at a nursery that specializes in roses on the way back. It’s just outside the little town of St. Paul, Oregon. Fell in love with the miniature roses. You can have a whole garden in an eight by ten patch. And we did leave with three plants. Three Stella D’Oro day lilies that is. LOL The roses will have to come later. We’d been planning to add the nice little yellow day lily to the mix and were surprised to find such nice plants at a rose nursery of all places. They do have beautiful roses planted there though. And they sell what are called “bare root” roses not grafted hybrids. Takes a little longer to get the size plant you wantbut it’s worth the wait. Even some of the miniatures have all the scent you’d want and some of the old fashioned English climbers and ramblers, marvelous. And they sell online. http://www.heirloomroses.com/ Checking out the link is worth it just to look at all the pictures. They have some great ramblers, but we don't have room for anythng that big.

Other than that, caught up on the laundry, did some baking, harassed the cats, enjoyed the sunshine today, and the extra day off. I’ll have to try to pack at least four days work into three because we’re heading out on Friday for nephew number three’s graduation. He’s giving the valedictorian speech. Maybe we’ll actually get to here him string more than a half dozen words together at a time. Either that or it’s going to be a really short speech. This young man gives a whole new meaning to the word, laconic. J

 

It’ll be a fast trip for me. Over on Friday, drive back on Sunday. Mom may or may not be staying for rest of the week. Chris is starting summer term at Corvallis in June. She might be able to hitch a ride with him. We’ll figure something out, we always do.