ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH SILKEN

 POST # 699

Here we go again.  Another "conversation" with Silken.  What have you got to say today, furball?

S:Silken

TTW:The Thoughtful Wanderer

S: Aren't you ever going to get out of bed Paul?

TTW: Hey, I've been awake for a half hour already, and I'm doing some reading.  Do you mind?

S: I do mind, because today is the first day of summer. Wouldn't you like to see the sunrise? I just had a look, and the sun is just about to rise over the horizon, so you must come now or you'll miss it.

TTW:  Okay, okay.  You win.  Let's both get up and go see the sunrise.

TTW:  WOW!!! Thanks for coming to get me, Silken.  That was great timing on your part, and I am very grateful that you came into my room to let me know.

S:  No problem Paul.  It's my job to keep you informed on anything around here that may be of interest to you.  So, you're welcome.

TTW:  Now it's my turn to show you something, Silken.  Last month, when I was still in Washington, there was a blue moon, which is the second full moon, in the same calendar month.  I managed to get a photo of it early the following morning.  Have a look.

S:  That's magnificent Paul.  I don't think that I have ever seen a blue moon before, or if I did, I wouldn't have known that fact, because I don't use a calendar.  All I really need to know on a daily basis, is when my food is going to arrive.  

TTW: I'm glad you mentioned food, Silken, because the other day, I cooked up my very first tofu dish, and if I don't mind saying so, it was delicious.  Here are a couple of more photos for you to look at.  The first one is from the recipe page online, and the second photo is the actual dish that I cooked up.  Not a bad comparison eh?

S:  It looks even better than the recipe photo.  I was wondering what you were doing the other day, with all those pots and pans, and spices and other things.  I guess all of your work was worth it.

TTW:  It certainly was Silken.  In fact, that dish was so tasty, I have decided to try another one this evening.  I can't wait.

S:  Good luck with that Paul.  But make sure that you don't get so distracted making it, that you forget to feed me.

TTW:  We had this conversation just last week, so just relax.  You're my number one priority when I'm here, and I'll make sure that my tofu dish won't conflict with me feeding you your dinner tonight.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

A "CONVERSATION" WITH SILKEN

 POST # 698

A recent "conversation" with Silken.

Silken: S

The Thoughtful Wanderer: TTW

The look upon Silken's face says it all, so here is our "conversation".

S: You did what?

TTW: I know, I know, I can barely believe it myself, Silken.

S:  After all these years of being a faithful Luddite, and now this?  I'm struggling to accept this new fact.

TTW:  Well, you had better get used to it my friend.  It is now officially a part of my life.

S:  But you had to do it here, under my watch?  Why now?

TTW:  Life moves on Silken.  I weighed up all of the pros and cons before making my decision, so now I am sticking with it.  This is the new me.

S:  This decision must have cost you a lot?

TTW:  Actually, it was a gift, which certainly helped me to decide to have it.

S:  Okay, so what do you call this new thing that you received as a gift?

TTW:  It's called an iPhone.

S:  It looks pretty fancy to me. It must be very modern indeed.

TTW:  Actually it's not at all, Silken.  This is version #6 of this gadget, and I think they are already up to #17, so modern, certainly does not describe what I have.

S:  And what on earth do you need it for anyway?

TTW:  Well I still like to think that I don't really need it, but it will come in handy if anyone needs to call me from time to time.  And I can also receive and send text messages with it, so that might be an extra help as well.

S:  What the hell is a text message?

TTW:  Don't worry about it Silken.  It's nothing that you will ever have to deal with for the rest of your life.  Besides, even if you understood what a text message was, you don't have an iPhone to use, and even if you had one, you probably wouldn't use it, as you spend the vast majority of your time sleeping.

S:  I guess you're right.  But back to my original comment about being a Luddite.  Don't you think that this is going to tarnish your reputation now that you've become so "modern"?

TTW:  It is what it is, and I doubt that many people will even take notice of the "new" me.

S:  Okay then.  As long as you are happy with your decision, then so am I.  Now, would you mind if I now went back to sleep?  This conversation has worn me out, and I need to rest up, so that I have enough energy to eat my dinner tonight.  You do remember that you have to feed me in a couple of hours, right?

TTW:  Relax.  Yes, don't worry, I'll have your dinner ready and waiting at the appropriate time.

S:  Thanks Paul.  Wake me when dinner is ready.

TTW: You can count on it Silken.

And here is one more photo of Silken, just prior to nap time, and still wondering why I now have an iPhone 6.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

BEND AND BACK

 POST # 697

On June 4th, we headed off on a road trip to Bend, Oregon. Mary's granddaughter was graduating from high school, and Mary wanted to be there to participate in the event.

With the car loaded up, and with Dora-dog happily settled in the back seat, we headed off on our adventure.  It was just before 11 am when we were finally on our way.  Thankfully the weather cooperated with a mostly overcast day, which makes it comfortable to drive, without the sun glaring through the windows.

Getting through the Seattle area wasn't too bad, and the traffic flowed smoothly, as we continued on our journey southward to Oregon.

Once we had crossed the border, it wasn't long before we arrived in the town of Sandy.  And for us, Sandy is famous for the fabulous bakery located there.  It was a perfect spot to take a break, and have a snack, before getting back on the road.

From Sandy, it's about another hour or so to Mount Hood, which is a magnificent mountain to look at as we drove on by.

As we continued on our journey, the desert landscape begins to take over, and the air is much dryer than it is on the coast.  We arrived at our air b&b location around 8 pm, settled in, and called it a day. The location is a quiet one near the river, and quiet is always a bonus as far as I am concerned.

  

Since arriving, we've had time to get out for some nice walks along the river in a few different locations. The first of the two photos below, is only about a five minute walk from where we are staying, which gives the reader an idea of what the landscape is like that surrounds us.  

Dora-dog has been happy to get the opportunity to splash around in the river from time to time, which she is very grateful for having had the opportunity to do so.

We depart this morning, June 7th, to head back to Shelter Bay, and then I am heading back to Canada the following day.  I'll wait to post this entry until we get back, just in case there is anything else that I want to add with regards to the return journey.

And here are two more photos before this post comes to an end.  Dora-dog by the river on our evening walk last night, and relaxing back at the air b&b after the walk.

And finally, the return journey was uneventful, and we arrived back in Shelter Bay around 6:30 pm.

Here is a photo taken near a place called Warm Springs.  Very interesting landscape in this part of Oregon.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer