[rDay 894]
Whereupon we learn that Arlene’s house was once Janet’s childhood home, Christy guides us on a tour of the amazing historic hilltop residence, Jeff and Christy recall and relive 50s radio comedy programs, Ivi proffers her newly-baked nectarine cake, Tsuneko and Arlene brew tea, and hilarity and good cheer abound…
[rday 895]
On Tuesday, we convey Ivi to her departing return flight to Seattle from Walla Walla Regional Airport. (The fiasco of the arriving trip, a couple of days earlier, will be documented later in an forthcoming, humiliating post.)
Coming and going, the forest-fire-fueled smoke created a foglike atmosphere of varying intensity along the route over I-84, Hwy 125 and Hwy 11/12. (Don’t ask how I, as the solo occupant and driver, managed these in-motion views.)
Returning to La Grande and its only moderately smoky skies, we drop by the Tuesday Farmers Market …
Today Dennis sends along this documentation of the entourage on the Venice Boardwalk. From left to right (hope I can get this right, or at least close, as I haven’t seen Gabe’s three daughters since they were really, really young): brother Dennis, sister Jan, Kat, Tess, niece Gabrielle, Joey, SIL Laura, dog of unknown name. Taken near where I used to live. Unidentified photographer.
Ryan and his Honda mini-van come down from Seattle to help Nik evacuate his Foley Building apartment, and they are off by mid-afternoon.
UPDATE 8/21/17:
That’s the report delivered by my brother, accompanied by this photograph. Yes, another family reunion, missed. From left to right: Laura (SIL), Steve (BIL), Jan (Sis), Dennis (Bro).
And another one appeared shortly thereafter in my inbox:
Up early to get Ivi to the WaWaWA (Walla Walla, WAshington) airport for her return to Seattle. Ivi drives to facilitate the cherished, obscure and more or less meaningless traditional practice of windshield photography. Then a little more windshield photography, one-handed while driving, on the run back as well as some errands to be run around town. Lots of miscellany.
Ivi and I walk around downtown and the neighborhood, visiting Jax Dog Cafe, Looking Glass Books, MarketPlace and more.
Ivi’s here, so we decide to take a day (Monday) with a relatively low probability of tourist congestion. Wallowa Lake is the destination, and the whole family — including His Barkness, Prince Charles — set off early and secure a prime spot for viewing and picniking and swimming at the non-commercial end of the lake. The water was clear, the mountains (the “Alps of Oregon“) were still there and the heat (90 plus) could be readily offset by the icemelt-fed waters.
WALLOWA LAKE
JOSEPH
After a session of tubing and swimming, Nik elects to join Dad in a quick tour of nearby Joseph, a small town known for its bronze foundries, art galleries and eateries. Life-size and larger sculptures appear at every corner, and alongside businesses and government offices.
IWETEMLAYKIN
The Wallowa Lake area is Nez Perce territory, so we take a fairly short but hot hike to one of the tribe’s sacred sites, known as Iwetemlaykin.
This morning, an hour-and-a-half drive to the Walla Walla airport to pickup our guest from Seattle for the next few days!
And a few incidental views at the airport and on the way home:
