Some things that baffle me about Oregon

Just some odd or unusual things 
we discovered the past week in Oregon.

1. I'd always heard the best berries come from Oregon. 
McKenna served us some beautiful ones so one evening after leaving their apartment, 
we decided to go buy some for ourselves. Upon entering Whole Foods this is what we saw:
 Nope, not buying California berries in Oregon.



Also, while on the subject of Whole Foods, 
look what they had right outside the front door...Their very own garden:




2. We never saw even ONE umbrella the entire time we were in Oregon. 
Not one. 
Even though it was raining at least 50% of the time we were there. 
We did however see this in the lobby of our hotel:




3. One morning while getting my breakfast in the hotel 
one of the workers came up to me and handed me these:

I said to her, "No you must have me mixed up with someone else." 
She said, "No I don't. These are for you. I want you to have them." 
So not knowing what else to do, I smiled and thanked her. 
Then as I was walking back to our room I remembered I just had my socks on, no shoes. 
So I'm wondering ...was this her nice way of telling me the hotel required me to wear shoes?? 
If so, why would they care? Aren't socks easier on carpeting anyway?


4. At one of the grocery stores we visited, 
look what I found on the counter in their public bathroom.

 They were obviously there for the taking.
Sorry to say this, 
but where I come from they would have all been swooped into someone's purse

5. We totally LOVED how it is against the law to pump your own gas in Oregon. 
 
A very friendly vested man would come to our car door and Dennis would say, "Fill er up." 
Just like in the 1970s...or was that the 60s? 
This only happens in  Oregon and New Jersey.
Why can't it be against the law to pump our own gas in California!


6. At church on Sunday we had a few people tell us that Grant looks just like Grandpa Dennis! 
One teenage girl said something like, "I never knew who Grant looked like. 
But now that I see his Grandpa, I can tell where he got his looks." 
I didn't correct anyone...I just agreed with them all, that they do look alike.


7. At the hotel breakfast look what they do to their fruit!

Not sure why they wrap it all up like that, but I kind of like it.


8. And this was the most baffling of all. 
We stopped at a grocery store in Medford, Oregon on our way home yesterday. 
Right inside the store is this:

The sign says you can leave your 2-5 year old with the "attendant" while you shop. 
Can you imagine the problems this could create?
I wouldn't leave my child with a stranger even if they paid me to shop there. Crazy!


Take a look at what Dennis surprised me with.
We had just left Aunt Wanda's and I just so happened to have my camera on....

She put the music in me

We are still on the road, 
but my sister just sent me a video I wanted to pass along.

It's a tribute by a woman about her mother who passed away last year...
with lots of home movie clips and this sweet captivating song.




"...And she built my house on a rock. And she lived all that she taught..."


McKenna's avocado basil pasta

McKenna has been treating us like royalty.
Okay, here's one of her dishes she made for us a few nights ago.

While this was her beautiful table the evening of this Pasta recipe....
I forgot to take a picture of the actual dish. 
But if you look around you can see some of it on the plates. :)

 I asked if she put fresh basil on it and I was surprised to learn this is the basil she used:
With this stuff around there's no reason to even bother with the fresh stuff.
Try her recipe, you'll love it
Just go here!


"The New Chick Upstairs"...or Day 4

What an exciting experience for me yesterday seeing my Aunt Wanda.
Grant seemed quite happy about it too!

I have a memory of going to see her in Walla Walla, Washington 
when I was about 6. And I have seen very little of her since then. 
She was married to my Dad's oldest brother, Irving, who passed away about 8 years ago.

 Here's Aunt Wanda back in the 1960s with Uncle Irving and my cousins, Pat and Paula


 

With all the Rozier cousins on that same day....Richard is front left and I'm right next to him.
 See cousin Pat right in the middle?

We also got to see her today! Along with her husband Bill. with Aunt Wanda in the middle.

We all enjoyed a very yummy lunch in this elegant dining area of Aunt Wanda's residence
where McKenna was called 'My Lady' by the waitress.


The next 4 pictures I love for 2 main reasons. 
They show Aunt Wanda's sweet and happy personality. 
She really is so fun to be with.
And they also show that Grant is finally bonding with me 
because notice who he's looking at!



Thank you, Yolanda, for giving me all the info 
I needed to find Aunt Wanda, Pat and Bill.
Without her help, I would never had known they even lived in Oregon!

Yesterday was just one of those very choice life experiences 
visiting with family I had seen so little in my life 

We discussed all kinds of family topics and here are a few things I learned:

*Just as we pronounce our last name Rozier as Rose-ear, 
they pronounce their last name as Roe-zure
*Pat has a son, Eric, who has similar characteristics as McKay
*Irving LOVED to play golf. Maybe that is where Richard got that trait.
*Irving was very good in math!
He was also good at handling money, very frugal with it.
He use to play the stock market every day, and was his own investor. 
*Pat and Bill have 2 little grandchildren: Willa and Harry
*Pat and Bill's daughter Kate just graduated from law school last week in St Louis
*Her sister Paula has 6 grandchildren.
*Irving was very interested intellectually in his surroundings. 
When they traveled he would often disappear as he'd go exploring new places on his own.
*How Wanda and Irving met: 
Wanda was a secretary at the manufacturing company 
where Irving worked, making tanks for the war.
She said when he heard about "the new chick upstairs" he wanted to meet her.
They went to a New Year's dance and were wed by April
and were married over 60 years!


I took some video of Aunt Wanda but I can't process those till I get home.

But for those who are interested...
I want to end this post with several very older pictures from the Rozier past.

The 3 brothers
Gene, Irving and my Dad
 1931




The 3 brothers again, about 1951
Gene, Irving, my Dad


1925 but my Dad was not born til 1930
His Dad Romeo, Irving tall in the back, June, Leonie, Ann





Grandpa Romeo with Irving and June 1923





I don't know the year exactly here but this is my Grandpa Romeo holding his first born, Irving.
The other man is Romeo's brother Clint.




My Mom and Dad are the couple to the far left. All Dad's siblings with their spouses.
In San Francisco about 1951



Same day, about 1951
My Mom first woman on the left, Aunt Wanda right next to her.


Don't you just love Wanda's hat?!
She will be 90 this summer and she says they're having a "big bash!"

Day 3 of Oregon



Even though I may not get math...


The highlight of yesterday was seeing where McKay works 
as an actuary in downtown Portland.


McKenna points in the direction  of where his office is.
Not the French restaurant with the scalloped ivy, 


Then she calls McKay to tell him we've arrived


I think this is the first time I've actually seen a revolving door. 
I asked Dennis what was the point in them besides looking good in a movie
He thought they help keep the rain out since the door is always revolving and never open?



We were greeted by the door man. 
He was friendly as is everyone else we've met.
What is it about Oregonians and their friendliness?
(Well except for the worker at Sweet Tomatoes who wouldn't let me choose a table before we stood in line.)

The greenery just outside his office is incredible!




Once we got to the 9th floor I started whispering for some reason.
It was so quiet and I didn't want to disturb the math workers.
Maybe I was thinking that if I were ever doing a math problem I would need total quiet
(but it still wouldn't help.) 
I understand now that poem Khalil Gabran I memorized by back in high school...
"Your children are not your children. 
They come through you but not from you..."...or something like that.



Next to his cubicle is another BYU graduate.
Amazingly there are 10 BYU grads in his office.



And you'll never guess what they use this room for...
McKay along with a few other actuaries, play board games here during lunch.
It's like a little club thing they have going on.


These 2 can hardly take their eyes off their little man.




Right across from his office is this amazing waterfall


Then on our way back to the car, very near to McKay's office is this Day Care center.
It has windows all around so anyone can see in.
I count my blessings that Grant does not attend here.
(The children were in an adjoining room playing. We could see them too from the window.)
But I must say, it does look clean!




Today we have a date to see my Aunt Wanda, who is almost 90.
She lives in a retirement community in Lake Oswego 
and I have not seen her in years and years.

Day 2 of our Oregon trip

We had no idea there was a temple in Medford 
until my brother Richard texted us about it. 
So before leaving that town we found it. 
Right across the street from a barn!
We could hear the roosters and chickens. It was the best. 
Then directly across the street was this gorgeous sacred place.

And look what street it just so happens to be on!


Then we made it the 5 hours to Tigard. 
Most all the way in the rain. 
I won't even put an exclamation mark after that 
because I'm learning rain is just the way of life around here. 
And the odd thing is I have yet to see any one with an umbrella. 
They all seem to take it in stride and just wear hoodies.

And look who we got to see!

Little Grant has grown and changed so much since Christmas,

He is definitely the center of their world.


McKenna does not like fish but she made salmon for us because she knows I love it.
Is that not the sweetest!
I've been blessed with such angel daughters in law.
The flavor was so good and the fish perfectly cooked.
I'm hoping to get her recipe.

She served it with yummy mashed potatoes, made with soy milk, again, because of me.
And fresh green beans.

And this very gorgeous display of berries.
I felt like this plate said, "Welcome to Oregon!"
Seriously the best we've tasted.


It was so fun sitting with them at their table.
I had longed for this moment


And we turned around and this is the view from their window!


McKay has invited us to see where he works, so we will be leaving to do that soon!

Look what happened last night

  Just a little pre-graduating gathering for our DIL Amy.... Not everyday a Mom of 7 and a Grandma of 7, graduates from college. It was not ...