I got back from our camping vacation to the Oregon Coast a few days ago (Monday). We aborted our trip because there was an “atmosperic river” hitting the West Coast, and the level of wind and rain that was anticipated made camping with a five-year-old and an infant rather not fun. The last night be camped out (at Beachside State Park south of Waldsport, Oregon), the rain came down hard and it was quite windy. As the weather reports predicted even worse weather the following days, we just left. I went back home immediately while the rest of the family came back a couple of days later. They took a slower route back along the Columbia River and through Western Washington.

I would like to point out that I found out about the “atmospheric river” when I got home; the weather reports merely predicted rain, wind, and more rain and wind.

I got up early with the Bonasaurus and amused her until the rest of the family woke up. We had pancakes and veggioe strips for breakfast; made from a huge bag of just-add-water mix that we had gotton from Costco. I then got her down for an early nap (she did get up wicked early after all), but she refused to be put down and I was forced to hold her in her dark bedroom for and hour plus.

During that time, AC picked up Amanda and the Kai and they went to Goodwill. Lonan got some sort of robot toy, and I think Amanda got some other things.

After they came back, we all relaxed at home until everyone decided to go to some sand pit place in Georgetown and entertain the kiddies. I gather the place is used mainly for indoor beach volleyball games, but in betwen those people just come and bring their kids. Our kids had a good time. Or least that was what I was told.

Back home I cleaned up. Other than the usual house chores, I had been trying to clean up and put away all of our camping gear. When I had gotten home, I put everything out in the backyard to clean and to dry out and it had rained for a lot of our camping trip. Every had dried out by yesterday, but I was fooled by the sunny weather, and left home to pick up our car tabs and check out the townhouse attic (for access to the HVAC system as I need to clean out the ductwork). A crazy thunderstorm came in fast and soaked everything before I could make it back home. And it has been raining since then, so all the camping stuff has remained wet.

The next week or so is supposed to be sunny, hot, and rain-free, so I should be able to put everything away by tomorrow evening.

I also kept an eye on Brulee. This morning there was a lot of noise coming from the henhouse, and when I went to let the chickens out, I witnessed Comet completely beating up Brulee. She had blood all over her neck feathers and it looked like a bit of her comb was missing. Bad chickens! It is behaviour like this that makes it a lot easier to contemplate culling them in time. Anyways, I kicked Rock and Comet out of the henshouse and left Brulee inside where she would not be bothered and could heal up in peace.

I went to Seward Park to run. It was ok, but I am in noticably worse shape than I was a couple of months ago.

After the run, I got gas for the auto and went to the mother-in-laws as they returned there after the sand pit experience for the Bon’s second nap. I played the Star Wars Lego Xbox game with the Kai. After a while (and a Ross trip by Amanda and Lonan that resulted in a bedside clock and cutting boards), we went back home.

I made pesto and rotinni with garlic bread. It was all good. I was also going to make kale salad with our non-thinned out plants in the garden, put after picking some, the leaves proved to be tougher than expected (mainly because they were growing straight up since I had not gotten around to thinning them again), so I just cut everything up and marinated it with olive oil and lemon juice and stuck it in the fridge for tomorrow.

BK came over and picked up Lonan as he is spending the night at her place.

I removed Brulee from the henhouse and put her in a kitty carrier for the evening so that the other two chickens would torment her. She is in the downstairs bathroom at the moment. I am sure she is totally stressed out, but at least this way her comb and neck will heal up. Tomorrow (and probably longer) I will keep them seaprated again. The blood drives the chickens bonkers

The Bon is asleep. Amanda is asleep on the couch. I have finished writing my daily stuff. Maybe I’ll play a video game before calling it a night.