Now, for the rest of the story......

I had to be secretive in my last couple of blog posts, because TLE and I were planning to surprise my mother by driving the VW up to Spokane, WA for a few days.  We were able to swap out a couple of days with Paul and Nina so we would have enough days to make the round trip and spend an adequate amount of time with my mother, as well as my sister and her family.  It's been over a year since I last saw her and my sister, and I felt it was important to make the drive, so we left directly after the end of our "top" shift Wednesday and began our overnight drive to Spokane.  The total drive is around 640 miles, and there might have been a day a couple of decades ago when I would have driven it straight through, but those days are long gone.  Instead we chose a point about half way to aim for......Hood River, OR....right on the banks of the majestic Columbia River....as our overnight stop.

Gone, also, are the days when I would do all the driving......TLE and I switched off every 70,or 80 miles making the 6 hour drive a 'piece of cake'.   We arrived at our hotel just as the sun was setting, and were in our room just after 7 pm getting dressed for dinner. We picked the Best Western Plus Hood River Inn for two reasons.....it is right on the Columbia River, and has two on site restaurants......we chose the Cebu Lounge for dinner since we weren't that hungry, and just wanted salads.  Of course, for me, I was also looking for a good craft beer, and I was not disappointed......I got a Chocolate Pumpkin Porter (seasonal) by Oakshire Brewery (Eugene, OR) and it was simply exquisite.

We were finished eating and back in our room by 8......of course the gorgeous full moon was in evidence just coming up over the Columbia as we walked back to our room.

We watched a little TV to wind down and were asleep by 10 pm.......we were up by 6, and in the Riverside Restaurant eating breakfast a little after 7 am.  A full breakfast is included in the room charge, as well as the view.....in this case the sun rising over the Columbia River.

  Sunrise over the Columbia

We were on our way east by 8 am, and soon we merged from I-84 to I-82 into Kennewick, WA where we eventually picked up US HWY 395 north.....

 Crossing the Columbia River in Kennewick, WA

Thursday's drive was totally uneventful......just the way we like it......and we arrived at my sister's home just before 1 pm.......the whole point of the aforementioned secrecy was to surprise my mother.....I mean totally surprise her, and we did.  I called her from my sister's home to let her know she would be receiving a 'package' today via FedEx, so she needed to be home all afternoon.  Of course, who doesn't like a surprise package, so she readily agreed to be home.  TLE and I arrived at her apartment door just before 3 pm......TLE held the camera while I knocked on the door.....she didn't look through the 'peep hole' because she was expecting FedEx.....and the surprise was complete!

The surprise!

What doesn't show up in the picture is the FedEx envelope I had worn on my head like a hat, but all the subterfuge was well worth the result.  We sat and talked until 4 then left my mother to take a nap, with a promise to return to pick her up for dinner around 6.  In the interim TLE and I got haircuts at the local Supercuts, and then visited TJ's which is in the same shopping complex.....ironically, the only TJ's in this area is just a couple of miles from my sister's home.

We were back to my mother's apartment just before 6 and headed for our favorite hangout when we are in town.....MacKenzie River Pizza Co., for some appetizers and beer.  We talked for another 2 hours and then took Mom back home.  Friday I'll pick up my mother again, andwe'll head over to another favorite haunt....Rockwood Bakery for an early lunch, and some of their wonderful coffee.

Moon over Spokane

My brother-in-law and sister were sitting on the deck on the back of their home enjoying the balmy night air waiting for that full moon to reappear over the top of their home when we arrived so we sat outside with them talking, and sipping some single malt scotch when the moon finally arrived!

I love it when a plan comes together!  Thanks for stopping by!