GEOJACKSON IN ACTION

I had been saving some remote geocaches located in the Umatilla National Forest for a long time. In preparation for Jackson’s visit a couple of weeks ago I spent quite a bit of time placing strategic waypoints on a map along with the geocaches to help and find the caches and not get lost. There is a labyrinth of forest roads in the Blue Mountains where the caches are located.

Saturday morning bright and early we embarked with the 4 wheeler loaded on the trailer. A short distance west of Anatone we parked the truck and hopped on the 4 wheeler. I had built a seat and grab handles for Jackson and we both had our crash helmets (not that we’d be likely to need them except for wind protection).

Our first cache was Big Butte Lookout and although we could get close we tried 3 or 4 roads before hitting the right one. The coords were off which we knew from previous comments but it wasn’t too long before Jack snagged it.

Next was Rattlesnake Overlook. We found the site easily enough but finding the cache was another matter. After almost an hour of searching we gave up and started to leave. On the way out we reread the hints and thought we’d try some more. After another 15 minutes of fruitless searching (all on a cliff of sorts) we gave up again when suddenly Jack found it. It was in a hole under a rock where I had previously looked but missed it because it was so dark in the little cave and so bright out.

By the time our day ended 10 geocaches were logged and over 60 miles were on the 4 wheeler. We also saw lots of wildlife including one big bull elk up close and personal. We didn’t get back to the house until after 7:00 pm. It was one fantastic day of geocaching and adventure.

M/W

EMERSON'S BIG BROTHER JACK

Jack is here now. Mike and I drove to the Spokane airport yesterday to get him. At the Frontier counter we were advised that just one of us could check through security and meet Jack at the gate. Mike went. “Airports aren’t as much fun as they used to be,” I thought to myself.

So, of course, on the ride back to the Valley, I picked Jack’s brain about stuff. It’s a grandmother’s prerogative – you know – to get the inside scoop, as it were. “When will Kelly and the baby be home?” I asked. “Wednesday,” said Jack.

“How long will Kelly be off work?” “Three months, I think,” replied Jack. “Of course,” he went on, “she’s working now. She has a laptop and she’s working from her hospital bed.”

Silently my thinker was running rampant: Wow! What a woman! And knowing Kelly, who appears to be a bundle of energy anyway, I could just see her showing up at the hospital, in labor, carrying her little bag of personal things – and her laptop. “I’m Kelly Warnock and I’m in labor,” she announces at the desk. “Just a minute, please. There’s a problem I have to solve at the office. . . . Okay – Now! Where were we? Oh, yes – thank you for waiting.” And there she is, after having had a C-section, propping her laptop on her stomach to work from her hospital bed. That must hurt! What dedication! Aloud I said, “Really?!” – “No!” said Jack. “I’m kidding you.” He had me going!

I have worried about Jack’s visiting at this particular time. I was afraid the baby would be born while he was here and he would be disappointed. He doesn’t seem to mind, though. The baby was in the warmer when he saw her at the hospital. His room at his dad’s house is right next to the baby’s. He thinks she might wake him up with her crying. “Waaaaah,” he mimics. “I bet you’ll get used to that,” I told him. Besides, it won’t go on forever.

Big sister Annie is also away from home this week attending a softball tournament in Utah. Apparently she was able to stay home through Sunday so that she, too, could see the baby before she left. Annie is due home about the same time as Jack – next Sunday.

Jack is going into the fifth grade. He is currently reading the last book in the Harry Potter series. He arrived with enough electronic gizmos to keep him entertained if need be. “So,” he asks me as he looks over my laptop, “where does your MP3 player go?” My MP3 player?

We bought a pizza on our way through Clarkston for a “carbo-load” feast. Of course, I carbo-loaded, too. Then Jack and I read over the blog while Nellie sat on his lap with her head on his shoulder. “She’s hugging me!” observed Jack. Yes, Nellie likes to hug. “Don’t you need a comma there?” he asked. Then he moved over to sit by Grandpa Mike and watch a few episodes of The Office. We were getting ready for bed by 9:00.

Jack was cheerful and excited when Grandpa awakened him at 5:00 this morning. The three of them – Mike, Jack, and Nellie – were off by 5:30. They plan a 6-mile hike from Pittsburgh Landing to Kirkwood Ranch where they will camp. From there they will make a 1.5-mile hike to Suicide Point.