What to do? Joan’s Dad in Hospital.

Thursday.  We got the call Thursday morning that Joan’s father, Dick Osterholt, had gone into septic shock (sepsis) at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.  None of us knew what it was, so we looked it up: blood poisoning.  (As Natalie said, emphatically when she heard it:  “That’s one of the top 10 things you NEVER want to get!”  In Hope, ID, we were 8 hours away, at least a lot closer than needing to get an airplane.  But, what to do?  We were committed to support Clayton on Saturday morning and then spend the day with him, waiting for the awards ceremony.  We really felt it was important since Natalie gets all the limelight and this was a chance for him to shine too.
   But then, how bad was her father?  The people/relatives in Oak Harbor said it was BAD.  David, Joan’s brother, was in Mississippi where he works as a [computer] contractor. His wife, Linda, was in Seattle, and talking to Joan on the phone, while on top of a ladder, painting.  She said, “I am coming down this ladder and getting into the car and driving to Oak to Harbor to access the situation!"
  When she called back, she said he was much better in good spirits and greeting her with a smile and “How are you?”  “How are YOU?” she asked, “Oh, I’m fine!”
     We decided we could wait until we got back from the Ellensburg musical activity.  We continued packing Thursday and planned to leave Idaho on Friday.

Waiting  to play

Friday.  Linda returned to Oak Harbor to visit Dick.  She called: “The doctor says, if there are relatives around, they need to come.”  The blood poisoning had been working long enough to damage organs, particularly the heart.  She called David to come home.  We decided that we would leave for Oak Harbor as soon as Clayton played Saturday morning.

Saturday.   We talked with Andy and Clayton and they were fine with us leaving right away; Andy said it would actually be better since the awards ceremony would be awkward no matter what.  Because Clayton was just a ninth grader and competing against even seniors, and also an older classmate who had won 2^nd last year, it would  be awkward if he won.  It would be awkward also if he got second, especially if the classmate didn’t.  And it would be awkward for him, after waiting all day, if he didn’t win at all.  All that to say, it was fine to go.
    There were 22 tubas competing and we could hear them playing from the hall:  they were so good.  We went in to hear Clayton play; he was good too, but as a freshman? Against 22 older players at a state competition?
   We left right away, stopping at the Renton condo to get clothes to spend the night at the Whidbey Navy Station in Oak Harbor.  Joan’s brother was stuck at the Dallas airport and couldn’t get out.
  When we arrived, everyone was there (stepbrother Dennis and stepsister Darlene and spouses.  They live in Oak Harbor and have continued to visit and care for Dick as they did when their mother Betty was alive.)  Linda was there too.  He was looking fine and in good spirits.  We stayed two nights and enjoyed visiting with everyone as he got better and better.
      We got a text from Calyton, 3 words:  "I WONNNNNNNNN!"  We could hardly believe it, but it was true.  We listened to the tape again that we had taken of his playing and heard how good it really it was.
      We spent two nights in Oak Harbor,  then returned to Renton to continue tasks, as Joan's dad was better. We planned to return the next day.

We Need To Take A Vacation: Pend Orielle Shores Resort in Hope, ID

What?  A vacation from a vacation?  Well, as you know, we really are not “on vacation” when we are somewhere.  We’re just “living somewhere else” and hopefully where it is warm!
       There is always a reason why we are in a particular place, it seems, and is not always our choice, (believe it or not, we do not have complete Freedom of Choice) as we coordinate with people and events. 
    However, we had planned to be in the Seattle area for an extended stay (3 months this spring) and hoped to be able to go places more last minute to use the expiring bonus weeks.  But we got involved with activities and enjoying staying in one place for a while (renting our son’s vacation condo).  We also needed to be there until April 15^th to  take care of IRS taxes, as we do Joan’s mother’s, Ron’s mother’s, ours and this time, we helped our son here too, with his.
      We had planned to be in Ellensburg, WA on April 27^th in order to see grandson Clayton, compete in the state music festival with his tuba that Saturday.  His parents (our son) had to rush back to Seattle for a concert that night, so could not stay for the awards ceremony at 5 p.m. , in case he won.  We said we’d be there and could stay and bring him back.
    Then, our friends, Nancy and Stu, from Toronto, but who “live” next door to us in St Augustine in January, were planning to be in Sand Point, ID to visit their son from BC the week of April 20^th at Pend Oreille Shores Resort, Hope, ID.   What perfect timing?  If we could get a unit there too… and we did:  from Platinum Interchange, and one of our bonus weeks.
  It was a wonderful week.  The drive over was beautiful too. 

This looks like what we saw inTexas!

The bridge at Vantage.  Anyone who thinks Washington is green, take a look at Eatern Washignton!

An unusual sunset; we also got brilliant ones...every night - almost!

 Pend Oreille Shores Resort:  We had a lakefront unit so we had a full view of the lake and the sunsets were gorgeous.  It is a smaller older resort but which has been kept up beautifully. 
We had free access to the Athletic Club with a large swimming pool and two hot tubs, fitness room, saunas, and nice locker rooms.  

We loved watching the baby geese, and saw that the parents take turn with other families "baby-sitting" each other's goslings!

This osprey was on its nest on top of a bridge, and there was another one on the other end of the bridge!  How big are their territories?

     We really enjoyed the time together with our friends.  They headed back to Toronto (to do their taxes, which aren’t due until the 30^th in Canada!) and we left for Ellensburg Friday.

   By then, we heard that Joan’s dad had gone to the hospital on Thursday.