La Familia Di Salvo

Baby Frankie

2011-09-29T11:08:00.000-04:00

This announcement is a little late, but here we are (I'm short on time, so you get the newspaper version):

Frank Joseph Di Salvo II

Carmelo and Andrea Di Salvo of Heppner, Ore. announce the birth of a son, Frank Joseph. Frank was born at Good Shepherd Hospital in Hermiston, Ore. at 3:06 p.m. on Sunday, August 21, 2011. He weighed eight pounds and was 21 and a quarter inches long.

Frank joins older sister, Moira, age three. Grandparents are Frank and Pam Di Salvo of Cheektowaga, NY; Lucille Di Salvo of Buffalo, NY; and Dexter and Corinne Miles of Heppner.

Welcome, baby boy!

Pregnancy Update -- Week 24

2011-04-30T20:27:00.000-04:00

Little Frankie and I had a checkup yesterday. We don't have much to report, but that's good! Everything looks EXCELLENT!

The doctor briefly went over the ultrasound results from several weeks ago, but there was nothing much to say. There's still only one baby in there (whew!). He's in the 70th percentile for growth, which is nice and big, but not too big.

His heart-rate is good and my blood pressure is great. And, yes, he's kicking up a storm. Yup, everything looks good.

Our next appointment is May 26th. We'll keep you posted.

Pregnancy Update -- Ultrasound #2

2011-04-07T20:57:00.000-04:00

Here's the profile view of Baby Di Salvo #2...or, as we're calling him/her, "Baby Jr."

We had our second ultrasound today. I was there by myself since Carmelo had to work. They made me arrive with a full bladder--a quart of water an hour before the appointment--so the ultrasound itself was pretty uncomfortable. Aside from that, "Baby Jr." didn't make it easy for the tech to take measurements. He/she was all over the place, performing flips that would make an acrobat proud. I think we have one that can keep up with Moira!

Wait, he/she? Does that mean we don't know yet? Nah, we're yanking your chain. In the words of the ultrasound tech, "I see an extra digit...between his legs." All that movement may have made measurements difficult, but it left no doubt about his gender.

Yes, introducing Frank Joseph Di Salvo II. Hello, world!

Pregnancy Update -- Week 20

2011-03-30T20:16:00.003-04:00

Another OB checkup today. Everything is normal. Normal equals good, so we're happy. I was a little concerned that I couldn't tell right away whether the doctor was a man or a woman (no first name given as a hint). A man with a high-pitched voice and ponytail? Or a woman with a severe five O'clock shadow? I eventually decided on woman. Regardless, the doctor was nice, knowledgeable and thorough. Man or woman, can't ask for more than that.

Listening to the heartbeat had echoes of Moira; the baby moved around so much, the doctor had a hard time finding the heartbeat. (*groan* Not another one! Maybe they'll keep each other busy.)

And, for those who are still anxious to know the gender:

Ultrasound #2 next week!

We'll keep you posted.

Pregnancy Update -- Ultrasound #1

2011-03-10T12:19:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, the Di Salvos had our first ultrasound for Baby Di Salvo #2. We made it a family affair with not only myself but also Carmelo and Moira present for our first sight of our newest addition.

Those who are anxious to know the gender will be disappointed. (When Carmelo asked if we were having a boy or girl, the doctor said, "Yes." ) The doctor says we'll be able to tell gender better at 22 weeks.

For our part, we are thrilled that we have an apparently healthy baby that's the right size and has all his/her major parts. The measurements set the age at 17 weeks and 3 days...three days further along than other estimates, but close enough. So, we're keeping the August 18 due date.

The two snapshots we received are below. They're not as good as the original--they got a little grainy during the scan--but you can see the head to the right, the spine at the top, and part of a leg toward the bottom.

These pictures don't show everything we saw...we caught a glimpse of both arms and both legs, the kidneys and the bladder. We also got to see the little heart pumping away and the head and stomach moving in and out as the baby breathed the amniotic fluid to help develop its lungs.

All in all, everything looked great. Dr. Watt was please, and also complimented Baby #1, Moira, on her knowledge of the alphabet song.

Stay tuned for more info in about three weeks!

Pregnancy Update

2011-02-05T14:12:00.001-05:00

Yes, the word is official...we are expecting!

Carmelo and I had an appointment with Dr. Gary Trupp in Hermiston on Wednesday. It was an uncomfortable appointment in all the usual ways, with blood being drawn and...well, ladies, need I say more?

His prognosis is that I definitely "have the disease" and that I am "disgustingly normal." Both were good news! Carmelo got to feel the baby bump with Dr. Trupp's guidance, and we both heard the heartbeat, quiet but strong.

Otherwise, all is pretty much as we thought. We're just finishing up our 12th week, which means we only have one more week in our first trimester. Wow! It's amazing to think we're already entering the second trimester...time has flown despite nausea and insomnia. The baby's size, position and heartrate are right for this stage. Dr. Trupp only adjusted my due date by 3 days...we now have a Baby Di Salvo ETA of August 18th.

We'll tell more when we have more to tell. For now, let the party keep on rollin'!

Christmas Letter 2010

2010-12-22T12:38:00.004-05:00

Some of you have already gotten this Christmas letter. Others can expect it in your mailboxes some day soon. For everyone who didn't make the postage-cost cut (sorry!), here's what the Di Salvo family has been up to in 2010.

Dear Friends & Family

As we enter the season of Advent this year, we find ourselves able to identify with this season of expectancy. The Di Salvo Family feels big things coming! For now, though we continue to endure our own season of waiting.

We’re still staying with Andrea’s parents in what has become a loooong period of transition. Things continue to look up, though. Carmelo recently received a raise and a promotion to closing manager at his job at Heppner Family Foods. We still make gelato and sell it locally; business is growing, and we sold our thousandth pint a couple of months ago. We also wrote and self-published a book at the beginning of the year. Creative Marriage Proposals is available on Lulu.com and Amazon Kindle (hint hint).

Carmelo continues to teach part time for the University of Phoenix in the Portland area. This usually involves a 12-hour commitment once a week for five weeks…an eight-hour round trip for four hours of class time. He loves the teaching, though, and wouldn’t give it up despite the time and distance. He has also applied as a substitute teacher in Morrow County, but we’re still waiting for results on that.

The really big family news is that Carmelo has discerned a call to the ministry. With the encouragement and financial support of Faith Lutheran in Pendleton and Trinity Lutheran in Hermiston, he has already enrolled for the January term at the Institute of Lutheran Theology in South Dakota. Since the entire program is online, though, we can continue to live and work in Oregon rather than uprooting again. Praise God for His blessings!

Andrea continues to be a full-time mom and part-time freelancer. Irons in the fire include a novel, a couple of picture books, several articles and stories, and potty training. Progress is frustratingly slow at times, but she does have a short story being published this month in The Storyteller magazine. Yay! (We’ll get back to you on the potty training.) She is also involved in a lot of church activities like bell choir, small group apprenticeship and running for church council.

Moira, of course, is the light of our lives. She also keeps us busy, busy, busy! At two and a half years, she’s talking more, moving nonstop and into everything. She does slow down long enough to watch her favorite cartoons, Caillou and Angelina Ballerina. She loves to sing and dance, and is pretty good at both for a two-year-old! Other than that, she’s not into “girly” things…she likes trucks, trains and rough-housing. That’s perfectly fine with Daddy!

We hope this update didn’t run too long…so much news to cram into one page! We pray blessings on you and your family this year. May the light of the world shine on you this Christmas and for many Christmases to come.

Love,
Carmelo, Andrea, Moira and Shadow Cat

Seminary Update

2010-11-24T11:57:00.003-05:00

We've hinted at Carmelo's entry into seminary, but I don't think we've given a lot of details. The two churches in our church family, Faith Lutheran in Pendleton and Trinity in Hermiston, are teaming up to help defray the cost. Thanks to the generosity of several members, the church has already received enough to allow Carmelo to start classes at the Institute of Lutheran Theology in January. ILT itself is located in South Dakota but, because the entire program is online, we will be able to stay here rather than uprooting and trying to find housing and work in a new state.

Below is a letter our pastor put in our church's November newsletter. It's a moving letter, and does a great job of filling in some of the details.

An Opportunity of a Lifetime – An Opportunity to Give Thanks

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church and Faith Lutheran Church have an opportunity that may come along only once in a lifetime. In fact, in all my fifty-six years of life I have never belonged to a congregation that has been blessed by such an opportunity. This opportunity coincides wonderfully with our mission of being intentional and effective disciple making congregations. This opportunity in our midst gives us the chance of working to fulfill the Great Commission to go into all the world making disciples, teaching them to obey/observe all that the Lord Jesus has commanded, and baptizing people. ―What is this opportunity? you ask. Well I am glad you asked.

We have the distinct opportunity and privilege of raising up one of our own members to be a called and ordained minister of Word and Sacrament. We have the unbelievable blessing to see one of our members heed God‘s call on his life and become a pastor. This person is Carmelo Di Salvo.

God brought Carmelo to us a few years ago along with his wife, Andrea, and their daughter, Moira. We knew they were faithful Christians and a blessing to know. But no one had any idea of how God was going to work in their lives. There was no way of knowing that God would be reshaping and strengthening Trinity for our mission. No one had any idea that God would form a new congregation of faithful people in Pendleton to be named Faith Lutheran Church. No one could have dreamed of these events. And yet, God has been active and moving in our midst working all things together for good for those who love (choose) him and are called according to his purpose.

And what might that purpose of God be? ANSWER: Making disciples. What better way to make disciples than to call one to be a pastor who will then be making other disciples. And that is what God is doing in the life of Carmelo Di Salvo. It is interesting to me that Di Salvo means "of salvation" or something like that. In any event, Carmelo and I have been discussing and discerning this call since mid 2009. Now it is time for him to enroll in a seminary education. Now it is time for us to support him in that seminary education. This is a great opportunity for us.

Faith Lutheran Church has already granted $5,000 to be placed in a fund to be administered by the Extended Ministry Fund of TELC. These five thousand dollars represent half of the first year cost for tuition, books and miscellaneous items. Carmelo‘s education is expected to last four years including an internship here at TELC and FLC. Thus the total cost will be approximately $40,000 over these four years. My seminary education cost well over $100,000. But today we have the internet and distance learning. The cost of seminary education is thereby dramatically reduced. How fortunate we are.

Now it is TELC‘s turn to give thanks to God for all God‘s blessings since 1941. For almost seventy years God has provided faithful pastors to preach the Word and administer the sacraments to the people of TELC. Now it is our turn to raise up a pastor who can extend that ministry whether it be in our midst or somewhere else. Now is our opportunity to give thanks to God for all God‘s good gifts to us and support our candidate for the ordained ministry.

As a result, your TELC Church Council decided to devote our Advent Dinner on December 12th as a fund raiser event for this purpose. I know there are many individuals and families who will step up to the plate and make sure this four year seminary education becomes a reality. Some may only be able to contribute a little. Equally some will be able to offer a lot. Some individuals or families could fund the entire amount. But what counts is that all of us together are able to contribute a total of $5,000 for 2011 and for each of the three following years. So you are invited to make an offering to be received at our December 12th Advent Dinner. You may bring it in person or you may contribute it beforehand. I trust God will provide through you and me!

I anticipate that some may say, ―Pastor, Christmas time is not the best time to have a fund raiser. But I would counter by saying that this is all in God‘s timing and we have no control over that. Besides, what better way is there to give thanks for the birth of our Savior than by providing for the education of one who has been called to go into the world proclaiming the good news and the forgiveness of sin. I encourage you to be generous and come celebrate with us as we watch God continue to move and act in our very midst.

Finally, during his four year seminary education Carmelo will need to continue providing for his family. His current employment times and locations will make this seminary education difficult at best. So we are asking you to pray that God will provide employment that is accommodating to his seminary education needs. I speak from first hand experience when I tell you that a four year seminary education presents a great many challenges. So please pray that God will guide Carmelo, his wife and daughter during this entire period and process.

I never imagined that I as a pastor would have such a privilege and a blessing to be given the opportunity to work with and support a seminarian. But God is good. All the time! And here, today, we share in this opportunity of a lifetime, an opportunity to give thanks. May God bless each of us as we consider this moment in the history of our congregations and lives of faith together.

Peace & Grace to you,
Pastor Rodney

As we embark on this new phase in our life, we ask for prayer from all our faithful friends...prayer for housing closer to the church (or continued patience on the part of Andrea's parents!), for appropriate employment that will provide for the family and accommodate with a flexible schedule, and for discernment in all the decisions we will have to make in the course of this journey. That said, God will provide!

Snowstorm 2010

2010-11-23T13:01:00.005-05:00

We thought our fun with snow was over when it all melted yesterday evening, but we were wrong! While we were glued to the DWTS finals, it started snowing again, and snowing...and snowing... At last measure, we had five inches, and it's still coming down. Moira, of course, is in seventh heaven. Andrea is pretty happy with it, too, especially with the chance to take some snow pics. Here are a few:

Snazzy thought walking on the fence would save his paws from the snow...too bad the fence was covered in snow!

Snow-covered sagebrush.

A view from the corner of the barn.

A hawk sits above the snow and watches for prey.

The long view of that same hawk's tree.

Hopefully this won't be the last of the snow for 2010. Some may complain about driving in it, but we savor the bright festal garb God places on the earth during the winter. What an awesome Creator, to have thought of something like this. Yes, let it snow!

November Doings

2010-11-22T11:41:00.004-05:00

We've had a busy but not particularly newsworthy November here in the Di Salvo family. We should have more news soon regarding Carmelo's entry into seminary. For now, here are some random pics from our month so far.

Carmelo and Moira took some time to play with Moira's favorite stuffed animals.

Yesterday (November 21), the TELC bell choir performed during the church service. Andrea is playing the bass bells at the right.

At least Jim (far right) is smiling! Brandon and Andrea have to concentrate.

After a long day, it was time for Carmelo and Moira to take a nap. A pillow and pillowcase make a perfect sleeping bag for a 2-year-old!

We woke this morning to snow covered ground. We remember how snow used to stimulate us when were were little; we seemed to have the energy to stay out all day and all night playing in it. Now it seems to inspire a good book and cup of hot chocolate by a picture window!

Moira is still young enough to be energized by the white. Even though there isn't more than a couple of inches of snow on the ground, she's thrilled. She pulled on her boots and dragged Carmelo outside as soon as possible, while Andrea took pictures from the safety of the porch.

Saturday Outing

2010-10-18T10:51:00.008-04:00

The day after Tyler and Katie's wedding, several of us took the MAX to Portland's Saturday Market as a special birthday outing for Carson. It was 14-year-old Carson's first trip to the Market...a whole new experience in culture! Moira was a handful after a short night's sleep, which didn't leave much room for my camera. Still, we got a few--very few--pictures to commemorate the trip.

Here we are on MAX (Portland's light rail system). Moira's first trip on a train! She actually ended up being more blase about it than we expected, but the beginning was exciting. Look at that grin!

At the market, a group of transients set up a "smile zone" (yes, should've taken a picture of their cardboard sign) and turned their dog loose on the memorial fountain. No one minded, especially since the dog--Levi--provided one more piece of free entertainment in the Bohemian setting. He loved chasing that water!

Moira made me walk away from the market toward the Maritime museum, which gave us an excellent view of the Burnside Bridge...just one of 8 bridges in Downtown Portland.

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Driving to Portland

2010-10-17T20:03:00.002-04:00

Moira and I made the trip to Portland by ourselves on Friday, since Carmelo had to work. Here our some random shots of the three-hour trip:

Mt. Hood dead ahead! (Taken while driving at dangerous interstate speeds. Don't attempt this at home, kids.)

Moira and I stopped at a rest stop where, ironically, I'd never stopped before. It turned out to overlook Memaloose Island, which has a lot of historical significance. Named "Sepulcher Island" by Lewis and Clark, it used to be the site of Indian burials. See the info placard below.

Forget burial canoes...Moira wanted to strike a pretty pose on a nearby rock wall. Yes, she's cute!

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Tyler & Katie's Wedding

2010-10-17T19:39:00.006-04:00

Friday we went to Portland to attend the wedding of my 21-year-old nephew, Tyler, and his now- wife, Katie. I didn't get many good pictures, unfortunately, but it was a touching ceremony and fun reception. Katie was, as always, beautiful in body and spirit.

The occasion was in many ways bittersweet as I watched the wedding of a little boy I'd watched grow up...the baby who was born in Germany on Dad's 50th birthday, the infant I'd seen smeared with blue frosting at his first birthday, the two-year-old toddler to whom I gave horsey-back rides. It was also the first time I'd been in Abundant Life Church since the funeral of Tyler's mom and my sister, Michele. Tyler and Katie did have a picture of Michele by the guest book as a beautiful reminder of the person who should have been there but couldn't be.

The cutting of the cake, right before things got messy.

Oops, we missed it...someone had cake on their face!

Tyler's sister, Theresa, made a lovely bridesmaid.

The happy couple headed to the limo just after ten.

The must have been surprised to see the bride's sister in the limo, all set to tag along...just kidding!

Tyler and Katie Riehl
October 15, 2010

In Memory of Michele Noel Riehl
December 24, 1967 - February 27, 2009

Hardman

2010-09-04T21:56:00.003-04:00

On the way back from Kimberly, we stopped at Hardman so Carmelo could take some pictures. Hardman is a ghost town on Highway 207 in Morrow county with a small population and a lot of old, abandoned buildings...as you can see.

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Kimberly Orchard

2010-09-04T21:43:00.002-04:00

A few shots of Kimberly Orchard and the surrounding countryside.

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Picking Peaches At Kimberly

2010-09-04T21:07:00.003-04:00

The three of us drove down to Kimberly Orchard to pick peaches yesterday. It was a scenic drive through sagebrush canyons and pine forests and down into John Day country. The orchard itself lies right along the John Day River, and the scenery was nearly as good as the peaches. About an hour of picking saw us carting off 120 pounds of peaches and a box of tomatoes. Not bad for a morning outing. Now for the canning!

Carmelo had more help than he probably needed. "Daddy, you missed one."

"This ladder looks too heavy for you, Daddy; let me help you."

"I've got all the peaches up here!"

"Wait, when did I climb so high?! Get me down!"

Buckets and buckets of peaches!

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Buffalo, The Buffalo Zoo

2010-08-23T19:57:00.004-04:00

We went to the zoo on our second day in town. It was hot, hot, hot...but very fun.

We took lots of animal pictures, but this one took the "creepy" award. I think that gorilla had our number.

Despite all the cool animals at the zoo, Moira's favorite stop was the fountain. She tried to climb in, but ended up having to be content with some splashing.

We took a break from looking at animals to let Carmelo and Moira dig for dinosaur bones...under supervision, of course!

If it wasn't hot enough outside, the new Rainforest building had a very realistic environment.

It was another hot, sticky day in Buffalo. By the time we got to our last stop, the giraffe enclosure, Moira was hot, thirsty and cranky. "Can we go now?"

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Buffalo, The Marina

2010-08-23T19:37:00.003-04:00

We've spent a lot of posts showing pics of our trips to from Buffalo, but now we're finally getting to Buffalo itself. Our first full day in the city, Mama Di Salvo took us to the Buffalo Marina. The heat and humidity were intense, and even we desert rats thought we might melt before we finally stopped for a cool drink!

A lighthouse.

The Miss Buffalo

Moira overlooking the U.S.S Sullivans.

Carmelo and Mama Di Salvo looking at an info placard.

Moira loved looking at the water. From having been born on the Atlantic coast, she's become quite the water-deprived desert rat. Who knew there was so much water in the world?

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A Tour of Our Trip in Rest Stops

2010-08-18T19:09:00.005-04:00

We've posted a few shots of actual attractions we were able to see on our trip to Buffalo, but most of our sightseeing involved handy rest areas along the way. From Washington to Ohio, our scenic routes usually took us through the parking lots of state-maintained rest stops!

We did some playing with our new panorama maker and produced this lovely, if somewhat distorted, view of south-central Montana.

Our first stop, three hours into our trip, was at a rest stop near Sprague, WA. Moira had no idea of the torture that was ahead of her, and was already stir-crazy. Puddles from a recent thunderstorm provided and excellent--if messy--outlet for her energy.

Rest area #2 was in the general area--give or take a hundred miles--of Butte, MT. Still on Day #1, so Moira was still more or less happy.

Day #2 saw us have lunch at a rest stop somewhere in SD. (Sorry, we'd really stopped paying attention by that point.) Moira and Carmelo enjoyed a stroll through a nearby hay field. I have to assume the farmer wouldn't have minded, even if he knew.

South Dakota again, but this time a lunch stop on Day 2 of our trip back. I think this was right before Moira spilled her pop all over the seat.

These cement tee-pee poles graced most of the rest areas in South Dakota. Like the state itself, they were both beautiful and large, and quite unwilling to be captured adequately on film.

South Dakota Side Trip, Wall Drug

2010-08-16T17:22:00.003-04:00

We actually went to Wall Drug before Mt. Rushmore, but it seems only fitting to continue the backward nature of these posts.

For those who don't know, the drug store in Wall, SD was founded in 1931 and has since morphed into a 76,000 square foot tourist attraction, with billboards announcing its presence for hundreds of miles in every direction. We were aware of the billboards and, so, also aware of the free ice water and 5 cent cups of coffee. We were not, however, prepared for the size of the place, the massive number of other tourists or the logjam of Sturgis-bound Harleys in the streets.

We dearly wanted to give the place a thorough look-see, but our resident toddler had a meltdown in the soda parlor. So, after a quick (very quick) dish of ice cream, some souvenirs and a few pictures, we moved on toward Mt. Rushmore.

This shot above has nothing to do with Wall; it's a small tourist town right next to Mt. Rushmore. It may be kind of cheezy, but we took this picture out our back window because there were so darn many bikes.

Here's Moira enjoying her pre-tantrum dish of ice cream at Wall. No, she didn't throw a fit because she hit the bottom of the dish (she lives in a world where ice cream never actually runs out, after all). Rather, she insisted on running loose in crowd of hundreds, possibly thousands, of strangers. Carmelo and I didn't like the idea. Hence, the meltdown.

Here's a shot of Main Street, Wall, taken from in front of Wall Drug. Did we mention the bikes?

Ditto.

I don't know how Carmelo managed to capture a shot of the drug store front nearly devoid of people, but there it is...or part of it. The main store had four separate entrances besides attractions in the back.
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South Dakota Side Trip, Mt. Rushmore

2010-08-16T10:51:00.003-04:00

Okay, there were a couple of reasons we ended up in a shady motel in the middle of the Crow Nation on the last night of our return trip from Buffalo, and they only partly had to do with getting as far as possible that day. In fact, we were trying to get as far as possible after stopping to see a couple of national landmarks.

Our drive to Buffalo was so rushed, we breezed right past the exits for things like the site of Custer's Last Stand, The entire city of Chicago, Mt. Rushmore, Wall Drug, the Petrified Garden and the Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead site. On the way back, we decided to sacrifice some travel time to stop at two places that were reasonably close to the interstate: Wall Drug and Mt. Rushmore. Was it worth it? Oh, yes, so worth it!

At first, we were annoyed to be held back by a film crew at Mt. Rushmore. Then we realized we had a chance to snap some shots of the stars of Orange County Choppers. They were probably there because of the bikers' gathering in nearby Sturgis, SD. As far back as Ohio, the streets and parking lots wherever we stopped were clogged with motorbikes of all descriptions.

Mt. Rushmore was everything we expected, including a majestic, flag-line portico leading up to the viewing area.

The four presidents represent the birth, growth, preservation and development of the United States.

As always, we've got to stick our mugs in the picture.

Lincoln (preservation) and Teddy Roosevelt (development), up close and personal.

Home Again

2010-08-14T10:33:00.003-04:00

Okay, we weren't as good about updating our blog during our trip as we intended to be. Along with the "busy" excuse goes the "lack of internet connection" excuse. Here's a brief overview of our trip:

Day 1: Heppner to Billings, MT
Day 2: Billings to Blue Earth, MN
Day 3: Blue Earth to Buffalo, NY

Days 4-11, Buffalo Madness

Day 12: Buffalo to La Crosse, WI
Day 13: La Crosse to the junction of 212 and I-90, somewhere in the Crow Nation in MT
Day 14: Crow Nation to Heppner

Lots happened, and we'll post pictures here over the next several days. For now, we'll work backward and start with our hotel the day before yesterday. Oh, yes, so worth a blog post.

On the way to Buffalo, we took the 212 cutoff from the Battle of the Little Bighorn site to Belle Fourche. On the way back, we opted to stay on 90 through Wyoming, since it was getting late and we thought we would have a better chance of finding a decent hotel on the interstate. Out first mistake.

When we pulled into Sheridan, WY, it was just after 10 PM. Most hotels were filled. The one that was still open and had vacancies wanted 90 bucks for a dinky room and "breakfast buffet." We thought there had to be something else down the road, so opted to keep going and find a more reasonable hotel. Our second mistake.

We crossed the Montana line and entered the Crow Nation, which put us into a No Man's Land as far as Motel 6 or Super 8 went. As it neared midnight, the lines and reflectors started blurring. Since Carmelo was in no better shape to drive, I knew we had to stop. I pulled off at the junction with highway 212 (and isn't that ironic?) where I at least new there was a gas station with a well-lit parking lot. Our third mistake?

There was, indeed, a motel. That is, if you can really grace that establishment with that name. Carmelo went in and took a look at the room before taking it. His words to me when he came back were, "It's not pretty, but it has a bed." It was only the next morning that he admitted to having been "horrified."

Yes, we've included pictures. They don't really do justice to the fact that I was afraid to take off my shoes (or that Carmelo did, and stepped in gum inside the room), that the sheets were clean but badly stained, or that there were building-shaking trains every 30 minutes all night. We were tired enough, though, that our five hours in that room included four hours of sound and blissful sleep.

Moira was exhausted, and didn't care what state the sheets were in.

The bathroom had no door, only a plastic curtain over the opening. The shower was a tiled number reminiscent of old locker rooms or African hostels, only not as clean or well-maintained. The boxy thing to the left was apparently the heater, but we refrained from lighting the pilot light.

This speaks for itself. You can't see, though, the window on the opposite wall, which had a torn screen repaired with duct tape.

Carmelo only wanted a towel. Apparently, that was too much for the towel rack.

In the early morning light, I went outside to see exactly how close that train was. Yup, there it is, about 50 feet behind our bathroom. Oh, and that car (on blocks) and miscellaneous garbage was the view right outside our room.

This is the only horror story from our trip, and we survived with a tale to tell. Look forward to a happier post next time!

On the Road

2010-08-01T23:43:00.003-04:00

Greetings from Blue Earth, Minnesota!

This is the night of day two of our trek to drive from Heppner to Buffalo in three days (pictures to come). Day one didn't go quite as we planned, thanks to road construction in Idaho and Western Montana. We only made it to Billings, which put us more than a hundred miles behind in our start today. We also forgot to factor time zones into our plans, which means we weren't quite prepared for the loss of two hours over the course of two days. And, never underestimate the delaying power of a toddler with an upset stomach. Still, we made it from Billings, Montana to here in a little more than twelve hours of driving.

Because of the speed of this trip, we've decided we'll list "Things we would have seen if we'd had time" instead of "Things we saw." That list would include:

The site of the Battle of the Little Bighorn
Mt. Rushmore
The Wall drug store
A petrified garden
The Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead site
Some good friends whom we would have loved to have gone out of our way to see

As it is, our bodies right now are telling us it's only nine O'clock, but our neighbors on Central Time probably don't appreciate the hyper toddler in room 111!

It is, though, nearly eleven local time, and five AM will come all too soon. Good night until our next internet connection.

Farmers Market

2010-07-30T20:58:00.005-04:00

It's the night before we leave for Buffalo, and there are many things I should be doing besides posting to this blog. It was an exciting day at the farmers market, though.

The day wasn't exciting in terms of sales--far from it--but our white chocolate lavender did go over well. I got a visit from Moira and Grandma, who brought a small lunch to share. Moira helped man the table for a few minutes while Grandma Miles did some shopping.

Yes, this is our farmers market stand in all it's glory (that's the city library in the background). As you can see, things are hoppin'!

The highlight of my day, or possibly of my month, was having Marie Struthers bring her spinning wheel and teach me to spin wool into yarn. I found it both easier and more challenging than it looks. When I'd spent an hour or so practicing between customers, she spun the thread into a Navajo ply and gave it to me to keep. Every spinner, she said, is supposed to keep her first spinning forever.

It wasn't much, just enough to fit in my hand. It also looked pretty rustic but, hey, people pay big bucks for chunky yarn in specialty shops! I don't know when I'll have another chance to try my hand at it, but I certainly hope I do...soon.

Preston's Beach Birthday Party

2010-07-17T22:52:00.004-04:00

My nephew and godson, Preston, had his 16th birthday party at McNary Beach on the Columbia River last week. Our Independence Day baby has grown into a young man!

Here's Preston blowing out the candles on his birthday...pie? Well, they get to pick their own birthday meals, so I guess it's what he wanted!

Preston and Carson look like they're plotting a way to get their sisters in the water. Everyone stayed dry though (for the moment).

Carson helps his dad, Roger, prepare the boat for another go on the water.

The view east up the river.

West, toward McNary Dam and the setting sun.

...

Roof Repairs

2010-06-29T09:53:00.004-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, our lives were thrown into chaos by the re-shingling of the roof. Work was disrupted, naps didn't happen and concentration was nil. The work, though, was a fascination for Baby M. She perched on the trailer, safely out of the way but with a great view of the work!

Rainbows & Thunderstorms

2010-06-11T19:46:00.002-04:00

Not every storm brings a rainbow, but those we've had recently have. We've had more than our usual share of rain--frustrating for Moira and Mommy, but great for the crops--and several days of thunderstorms recently. We've been graced with quite a few rainbows, as well. Last time we spotted that archway of light, Grandpa Miles took Moira out to show her. She may have called it a "circle," but she was obviously in awe. We're just glad she didn't take off after it!

Moira and Grandpa Miles...looking the wrong direction.

Just the rainbow.

Moira: "If I climb high enough, can I touch it?" I used to think so!

Weather Pics

2010-05-20T00:09:00.002-04:00

No news in this post...just more of my photographic attempts. We've had a lot of thunderstorms over the last few days, and I loved the way the clouds formed and moved overhead. This is a shot from our front step looking north.

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Melo & Moira

2010-04-06T15:45:00.002-04:00

Moira always wants to stick close to Carmelo and I when we're working. Yesterday, she climbed up beside Carmelo while he was correcting papers and bargained for some of his attention.

Ah, at last...some lap time with Daddy!

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Video: Moira, Missy & the Kittens

2010-03-26T10:59:00.001-04:00

This video is already on Facebook but, for those of you not on FB, I thought it was cute enough to post again here. This is our life...Moira and a bunch of crazy cats!

Enjoy!

St. Patrick's Weekend: Dog Trials

2010-03-15T20:21:00.002-04:00

One of the most charming traditions of Heppner's Wee Bit O' Ireland celebration is the sheepdog trials. People from all over the Northwest, and even Canada, gather to pit their dogs against each other in this contest of skill and concentration. According to one participant from California, they come for the sheep...if their dogs can work these wild, range-raised yearlings, they can work sheep anywhere!

Here's a local dog running a fresh herd of sheep out to the trailer, where contest participants (dogs) will "lift" four at a time and run them through the course, directed by voice commands from their owners.

As usual, we got more pictures of Moira than of the action at hand. "Puppy!"

She didn't want to wear her hat, but notice that the sun is in her eyes without it! "I can't see the puppies!"

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New Poll on Moira's Blog

2010-03-13T12:53:00.001-05:00

We've posted a poll about Moira's birthday cake on Moira's blog. Mommy, Daddy and Moira are having trouble deciding what cool shape to make Moira's cake this year, and we need a little help choosing. Check it out and vote at http://moiradisalvo.blogspot.com!

Carmelo's 43rd

2010-03-06T20:58:00.002-05:00

Carmelo's 43rd birthday is tomorrow, March 7th. Because he has to work, we celebrated yesterday. His request was for spaghetti and meatballs and chocolate cake, so we did our best to create a real Italian feast...linguine in meat sauce with eggs, meatballs and braciole; bread with olive oil; Caesar salad; all finished off with a homemade chocolate cake and freshly churned spumoni gelato. Yeah, it was all about the food. Mmmm....!

Doesn't the table look festive?

Moira seemed to enjoy the meat sauce as much as her daddy did...at least, if her face is any indication!

Chocolate cake with red, white and green candles (if you don't get it, I'm not explaining it to you).

Mmmm...I can still taste that gelato!

Carmelo and Moira finished it all off with a little exercise to burn off all those calories.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HONEY!

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Our Book

2010-03-02T10:23:00.003-05:00

Our book is finally here!

Carmelo and Andrea self-published a book Creative Marriage Proposals: How to Pop the Question...with Panache! through lulu.com. It's currently available on lulu.com under the category Sex & Relationships (the only category that fit!). After a few minor tweaks, we hope to have it available on Amazon.com, also.

We intended it as an e-book, but we ended up listing it as a paprback with an option for people to download it for a lower price. If you really want it for the information and not as a family keepsake, that's the way to go...we get just as much revenue, and it costs you less.

Enough rambling. Check it out here!

ISBN-13: 978-0-557-34713-1
ID #8429324

Budding Entrepreneurs

2010-02-10T23:31:00.007-05:00

Although it can be hard work sometimes supplying gelato to two stores, we love when customers compliment our product.

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Weekend Retreat and Stonehenge

2010-02-09T12:03:00.002-05:00

Last Friday, I (Andrea) escaped to a weekend women's retreat in Molalla. The retreat was conducted by the church my friend, Laurel, attends, so I knew no one but her. A difficult place to be for a severe introvert like me! The women were lovely, though. By the time I left, I wished I lived closer so I could see them more often. As for what happened here while I was gone, I don't want to know! After seeing that Moira almost had an eye taken out by an apple tree on Friday, I consider ignorance of any other close calls to be sheer bliss.

The retreat itself was long on fun but short on writing and pictures. On the way home, though, I did stop at the Stonehenge across the river from Biggs. As you can see below, I let my attempts at artistry get the better of me!

Stonehenge, in Maryhill, WA, has been sitting on that hill for 80 years, since before my parents were born. I had thought, from time to time, that it was strange to build a replica of Stonehenge overlooking the Columbia River, but this was the first time I ever stopped to look at it. I'm glad I did.

I never realized the Washington Stonehenge is a war memorial in memory of the Klickitat County soldiers who died in WWI. The builder, Sam Hill, was a Quaker pacifist who visited the English Stonehenge in 1918. When told that the site had been used for human sacrifices (which may or may not be true), he said, "...the flower of humanity is still being sacrificed to the god of war." He returned home and started construction on the cement, full-scale replica that same year. It was completed in 1930.

A view of Stonehenge from across the parking lot--or should I say "car park"?--unfortunately, with cars in the way!

Yes, my artistic side coming out again. I warned you!

This is as good as it gets without a wide-angle lens, folks!

The view east from between two of the outer stones.

The Hwy. 97 bridge across the river to Biggs.

Monday, Monday

2010-02-01T11:39:00.002-05:00

This post will involve some rambling. I'm never at my best on Monday mornings, and this one is especially cheerful so far.

The good news is that our gelato business seems to be expanding. Carmelo convinced his boss at Heppner Family Foods to carry our gelato, so we spent the weekend fulfilling an order for 12 pints each of those American favorites, chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. Really, people could be more original. We're actually charging a profit margin for this client, though, so we may see a little more in the way of income. Cross your fingers!

Then it starts. I vaguely remember Carmelo chuckling as he kissed me goodbye this morning on his way to churn gelato...something about Moira having taken off her diaper in her crib.

Well, yes she did. When she cried to be picked up this morning, there was a special urgency to the sound. I soon found out why. Her diaper was off, her blankets and sheet were wet, and she had urine on her nightgown and herself. Lovely!

I put her in the tub and asked my mom to watch her while I stripped the crib. (Fortunately she's old enough that she doesn't need constant supervision, only frequent checking.) From upstairs, I heard a commotion and frantic crying. Oh no! I thought. She's fallen! She's tried to climb out of the tub and fallen and cracked her head open! I'm such a horrible mother!

Once downstairs, I found Mom holding Moira, who was wrapped in a towel and still crying as if her life was ending. No sign of a split-open head. Turns out, my mother walked in to check on her and found both Moira and Missy (the cat) in the tub. Whether the cat fell or was pulled, we don't know; neither one is talking. Missy, of course, was scrambling to get out. In the process, she sliced one of Moira's feet with a claw. Between the scary commotion and the scratch, Moira surely thought she'd been had.

That was all about an hour ago. Moira finished her bath, and both Missy and Moira are now dry. Mom and I put salve on Moira's foot, and she seems no worse for wear. I'm exhausted....and my day has only started!

How will we survive this week?

January 2010 Update

2010-01-26T13:31:00.002-05:00

It’s embarrassing to look over this blog and realize how much time passes between posts. Of course, we have other blogs to give friends and family some idea of where we are, but news of our life as a family has been distressingly absent. Today, though, with the snow falling outside—okay, sleet, but it’s still white—it’s easier to take a breath and let you know what’s been going on in our lives.

We are still living with my parents. Good sides and down sides but, overall, I thank God daily that we aren’t on the streets or living out of our car! I wish I could say I see an end in sight, but I’m sure things will work out. You never know what’s around the bend. 2010 is the year! Thankfully, Mom and Dad have been nothing but generous and patient.

Carmelo is working at Heppner Family Foods. It doesn’t pay well, and he’s by no means a manager, but his employers show a lot of trust in him. Whatever we do, we’re to do to the glory of God, right? Carmelo certainly fulfills that charge, putting his all into a job most people with his education would look down on. Moira and I are proud of him for doing what it takes to support his family. He’s still picking up classes part-time at the U. of Phoenix. His next class starts in the middle of February. He’s also working gangbusters on his Army chaplaincy application, calling pastors for endorsements and contacting seminaries regarding the necessary M.Div.

I, Andrea (in case you hadn’t figured that out), have been working on expanding my freelance career. Excuses are done; now there are only solutions! So far, I’ve made 2010 a much more productive year (month?) than the end of 2009 was. I only hope I can keep up this momentum. Carmelo and I are co-authoring a book, which we intend to release as an e-book. Topic is classified until release, but look for it within the month. I’m also making progress on my current client’s book and working harder to bring in extra business. January has been a month of surprises, as I’ve been contacted by four people (old clients and new potential clients) regarding availability and pricing. God is good.

Moira is 20 months old and growing at an unbelievable rate. (For pictures, of course, you can see her blog.) It’s difficult to wrap our minds around the fact that she’ll be two in four months. Since she started her “Terrible Twos” a year early—kicked off with a tantrum at Sears the day after her birthday—we’re hoping it won’t be too much of a shock. She seems to have more words every day. Her most recent is “purple.” I was very excited; then I realized she thinks “purple” is the word for “plate.” Well, we’re getting there.

On a down note, our congregation seems to be imploding following the ELCA’s disastrous August decision. It places a lot of stress on everyone. Pray to God that we make it through intact and are able to recover, stronger and more faithful than ever.

Our gelato business hasn’t fizzled, but it has dwindled considerably as the winter months hit us. Despite the light load, both of our Nemox paddles broke. This leaves us trying to churn with broken paddles as the company takes its sweet time fulfilling the warranty.

Shadow is in heat, and therefore consigned to the sun porch for the duration. Every time this happens, I think, “I should really get her spayed.” Then the noisy period is over, and I think, “Maybe next year.” Will I never learn?

I’ve filled quite a space with these ramblings, so I’d better go and get on with my day. See you in six months!

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12 Days of Christmas

2009-12-02T10:57:00.003-05:00

Okay, we're barely into December! Still, last night we looked around the living room and were inspired to write our own version of the 12 Days of Christmas. Beware the mayhem!

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

12 cows a'roaming,
11 coyotes howling,
10 days more shopping,
9 dozen cookies,
8 Christmas pageants,
7 scattered dollies,
6 loads of laundry,
5 candles bright,
4 sleepyheads,
3 bristling cats,
2 aching feet
And a toddler in her crib!

Hope you enjoyed a peek into our Christmas season. Happy Advent!

Our New Gelato Machine

2009-10-21T13:27:00.004-04:00

Our new Nemox gelato machine arrived a couple of weeks ago (finally!). As with any product, it doesn't meet all the lavish expectations that the manufacturer heaped on it. It is, however, a vast improvement over using the ancient ice-cream attachment with my parents' Kitchen Aid. Clean up is a tad bit harder, but it's so nice to simply dump the custard in without worrying about ice and salt. It's made it a breeze to test our new holiday gelato flavors that we intend to showcase at upcoming craft bazaars. We love Nemox!!

On other fronts, Carmelo was sick last week, and Moira and I have succumbed this week. Fortunately, it seems to be just a cold...no flu, and certainly no H1N1. Praise God! We've been fortunate, since 70 students were out with the flu from Heppner H.S. just last week. It's hard to keep up with Moira when sickness hits--it hardly slows her down, but I get completely wiped out--but otherwise, I'm trying to view it as a chance to do quiet work (sewing) that I'm been putting off.

Carmelo has a bit of a break with U. of P., without a class until the end of December. He's still working through Army red tape, though, and we're at an encouraging stage with Carmelo's WordMarker, with a rough prototype in hand and ready to look at sales and mass production. If we haven't mentioned this before, it's because we've been keeping this patent-pending project under our hats. For that same reason, that's all I'll say about that.

I'm still doing freelance work online. My steady client, Dr. Horton, has given me a shot at editing a novel. I'm super excited, as this will be my first time working with a full-length work of fiction. I'm hoping it will give me the impetus to carry through with one of my dozens of novel ideas. So hard to get a nebulous idea into fnished form! Still, if a hypnotist can do it, surely I can.

That's about it for now. I'm about to jump over to Moira's blog, so check there for some cute pics of our angel!

End-of-Summer Update

2009-09-27T19:58:00.007-04:00

Okay, no apologies this time. It's been two months since our last update. It is what it is, I'm afraid. So, here's where we are:

We're still living with my parents. It can be stressful at times, having four adults under one roof, but it comes with many blessings...and lack of a mortgage is the least of them. I enjoy having lots of quality time with my family--a true blessing after 8 years on the east coast--and it's great to have a country environment for Moira. What can be better for a 16-month-old than to wander through an orchard and pick up ripe apples, pears and plums at will? We all delight in fresh corn, tomatoes, squash and raspberries. She also loves chasing the many cats and hanging out with Grandpa while he works on his new motorhome.

Carmelo is still teaching part-time with the University of Phoenix, but has also picked up a full-time at a local grocery store. he is capable of so much more than stocking shelves and working a cash register, but Moira and I are proud of him for his commitment to provide for us in any way possible. He's also still looking into more teaching jobs and pursuing his application to the Army chaplaincy.

I continue with my freelance writing and editing. I also try to work on "personal" writing projects in my spare time. I'll let you all know if you need to look for anything on bookshelves any time soon!

Carmelo and I are still pursuing the Great Gelato Experiment. We developed a little bit of a following at the Heppner Farmer's Market, where the Di Salvo's Italian Ice Cream was a big hit. We make it at the local pizzaria, where the owners let us use their space free of charge...such a blessing! We also sell it to them by the pint, and it has a growing following...they sold five pints of vanilla all at the same time to a local deputy. they regularly buy (and sell) 16-20 pints a week, so people must like it. We also purchased a small but professional-grade gelato machine that finally arrived Friday. Now we just have to figure out the next step in our world gelato domination.

That's it in a nutshell. Thanks to those who have kept us in your prayers; please keep the prayers coming!

Our gelato setup at Howe's About Pizza

A pot of our famous chocolate gelato in the works.

The Great Gelato Experiment

2009-08-01T10:48:00.005-04:00

I don’t know where time goes! Our promise to keep up with this blog is now almost three weeks behind. Everybody join in the mantra: we’ve…been…busy!

Many of you know that we always have an abundance of projects and hair-brained schemes in the works. Right now, our focus is on the Great Gelato Experiment. In the absence of steady work for Carmelo, we’re dipping our feet into the waters of entrepreneurship and seeing a gelato business will fly in this area. (We’re marketing it as Di Salvo’s Italian Ice Cream, since we’re not sure how many local farmers will know what gelato is!)

Stage one was making sheep’s milk gelato for Terry’s picnic last week. I guess we probably haven’t talked about Terry…she’s a woman who moved out west (originally from Wisconsin) to raise and milk sheep. She milks her sheep and a couple of Dad’s barns, so we’ve gotten to know her pretty well. Many mornings, Carmelo goes up to help her and her business partner, Doug, milk.

Back to the gelato. Stage two was preparing gelato and selling it at the Farmer’s Market in Heppner. We couldn’t believe the hoops we had to jump through for this! We’re now both licensed food handlers, and we have a 30-day temporary restaurant license. We also had to use a licensed kitchen, so we rented out the local senior center’s kitchen yesterday. That’s where all our trouble started.

Everything went well until we put the gelato into the deep freeze we’d prepared for it. When we went back to pull more ice for the ice-cream maker, we realized our nicely-frozen chocolate was turning into chocolate soup. We got management and managed to move our stock into a small freezer that salvaged most of it…but not in time to take it to the Farmer’s Market yesterday.
I’d made cookies to complement the gelato, so we did sell several of those. Not a promising start to our gelato business. Live and learn, I guess. Next week is the Morrow county fair, with a whole new set of challenges.

On the plus side, our friend Dean Antonucci, wants to use our gelato in his local catering business. (Dean is also from Buffalo; who knew!) He’s also gotten us into the local pizzeria kitchen for free, and they might put our gelato on their menu. That’s exciting!

It may be just as well that our gelato never made it out to the Farmer’s Market yesterday. I’m not sure even the cooler we had prepared would have helped it survive the 101 degree temperature. Those of you on the West Coast are experiencing the same heat wave we are. It’s par for the course in Morrow County this time of year, but I know our friends in Portland and Seattle aren’t used to triple digits. Stay cool, guys…my brother mentioned something about 109 here today.

Amanda's Wedding

2009-07-09T22:08:00.003-04:00

Wow! I looked at our computer today and realized that this blog has fallen way behind! The pictures below are from my neice, Amanda's, wedding on May 2nd.

In our defense, we have been busy. Though Carmelo is still looking for a full-time position, he's been plugging away teaching part-time for the University of Phoenix. With one class under his belt, he's also scheduled to teach on on-campus class in Tigard in August and another Flex-Net class in September. We're hoping for great things to come! Meanwhile, I've been busy rebuilding my freelance presence on the Internet. I now have some steady writing gigs. It makes me happy to be back at work, but writing and Moira certainly keep my hands full! Between us, though, we'll try to be more consistent in the future.

Even though Amanda was the one getting married, her cousin--Moira--frequently stole the show.

Peek-a-boo!

Carmelo and Moira survey the wedding trappings from the gazebo.

It was a short ceremony...always a good thing in Moira's book. "No more sitting still!"

We may have been wallflowers, but at least we were colorful!

Buffalo: Finally!

2009-04-18T11:30:00.006-04:00

I can't believe it's been so long since we updated this blog, but here are some pictures--waaayyy late--of our trip to Buffalo in late March/early April.

We spent the night in Portland before our early flight to Buffalo. Poor Moira had a bad cold, so she wasn't her usual cheery self.

Moira had fun riding her new horse at Grandma Di Salvo's

Moira was the big star when we spent the evening with Michael, Sara and Mom Di Salvo.

Another new toy...a stroller for Moira to push around!

A quiet moment with Moira and Grandma D.

Moira and her second-cousins-once-removed. "Who are these people?"

We had fun seeing Carmelo's old stomping grounds at Buff State.

St. Anthony's of Padua in downtown Buffalo, where Carmelo was baptized.

Carmelo and Moira at the top of the Buffalo City Hall.

Moira enjoyed playing in the lobby of the Sears portrait studio.

Carmelo and Moira with Carmelo's friend, Tony.

Michael and Sara at the airport...we felt like rock stars with the entourage that followed us to the security checkpoint!

A fully healed Moira had a great time on the plane ride from Buffalo to Portland.

None of us were that thrilled with our midnight arrival on the West Coast...or with waiting for the hotel shuttle. We weren't able to stay in the hotel that night, since Carmelo had to be in Heppner for a job the next morning. At least Moira slept in the car...Mommy and Daddy didn't get to bed until 5 AM!

Welcome back to Oregon, Di Salvo family!

St. Patrick's Day -- Motocross Races

2009-03-21T13:31:00.004-04:00

On Saint Patrick's Day, we also went to the motocross races in Heppner to watch Michele's son, Tyler, who had come to race. Even without knowing anything about the sport, it was obvious to us that he was the best rider out there! He won 4 out of 6 races, and came from behind to finish second in the other two. On this day, especially, I knew he was riding for his mom. Michele was always proud of him whether he won or lost, but that day, she would have been glowing with pride!

The energy drink was sponsoring the races, but Tyler rode like a rockstar!

Go #81!!!!

Sometimes it seemed like the riders were only hitting the high points in the track. Wait, I think they were!

It was curves like this that got Ty in trouble on the two races he didn't win...

After the races, we went to the St. Patrick's Catholic parish hall for a ham dinner and pie. Moira wasn't impressed by dinner, but boy did she like the chocolate cream pie!

Yummy chocolate pie!

Michele's husband, Rick, and their daughter, Theresa.

Ty and his girlfriend, Katie.

St. Patrick's Day -- The Great Green Parade

2009-03-15T17:54:00.006-04:00

Yesterday we attended the St. Patrick's Day festivities in Heppner, starting with the classic car Cruz In and the Great Green Parade.

If you don't want to get pinched in Heppner, you need to wear green, so most of us were decked out in the greenest clothes we could find (Moira and I, especially, weren't taking any chances.)

In case our outfits weren't green enough, we took turns wearing our funny green hat that Carmelo bought in Murray's Drug Store. Moira showed it off to the best advantage. Carmelo and I both decided this photo op would be the only time we would ever wear that hat. Period.

You won't find a finer St. Pat's parade in Eastern Oregon...but the term "Great Green Parade" may have been a bit over the top.

Carmelo tells me you probably wouldn't see one of these in a parade in Buffalo:

Probably not a float like this from the Catholic parish, either!

Carmelo's 42nd Birthday

2009-03-14T22:41:00.002-04:00

Carmelo's 42nd birthday was a week ago. Mom and I let him choose the meal, so we had--what else--rigatoni and meatballs, wings and German Chocolate cake. The sauce and meatballs may not have been made with the proper Italian touch, but I think he enjoyed it anyway. You can tell Moira enjoyed it, just from the sauce on her face!

"Mmmmm....nothing like German chocolate cake!"

Family Play Time

2009-03-03T23:35:00.002-05:00

On Wednesday, before we realized how severe Michele's condition was, we built a fort out of a card table and a pair of Snuggies and had some family play time.

Michele's Final Days

2009-02-28T16:10:00.002-05:00

Some of you may not know, but a month ago my sister, Michele, had open-heart surgery to replace a faulty valve. All seemed to go well, and she was nicely on the mend, or so we thought until a couple of weeks ago.

At that point, she went into the emergency room with nausea and vomiting. It turned out to be an inflamed gall bladder. The next day, the doctors removed her gall bladder. Again, though the operation made us nervous, all seemed to go well.

Then, Tuesday, everything fell apart. Michele again experienced nausea, and passed out as her son, Tyler, was helping her up the stairs at their house. They called the ambulance. Just as the ambulance got her to the emergency room at Providence Hospital in Portland, her heart stopped. They were able to resuscitate her, but it took 30 minutes before the doctors were able to get her heart to keep beating. She was taken to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU). There they discovered she had fluid in her chest cavity. They drained the fluid, packed her in ice and put her in a medically-induced coma, but the damage was probably already done. From that point on, she never woke up again. On Wednesday, my parents went down to Portland to be with her.

I’m a little hazy on the details—so much happened I have trouble keeping it all straight—but it seems the fluid around her heart was what stopped her heart and deprived her body of oxygen. At some point, whether when her heart stopped or later, that lack of oxygen caused her to have a stroke. The stroke, in turn, caused swelling on her brain. The added pressure on the brain caused a series of strokes on both sides of her brain, which did irreparable damage. At that point, Michele was considered brain-dead. Thursday night, Carmelo and I got the call telling us Michele was not expected to last the night. I called my brother Craig, and all of us drove down together. We arrived around two Friday morning, to find Michele being kept alive purely by machines.

After a couple hours sleep, the entire family met with the doctors, who told us there was no hope of “meaningful” recovery. Her brain was dead, and her body couldn’t even breathe on its own. After some discussion, her husband, Rick, made the tough but unanimously supported decision to have her taken off life support.

Michele was an organ donor, so they kept the respiration going for that purpose. However, with all the family present, they declared the time of death as 9:25 A.M. on Friday, February 27, 2009. There was nothing else for us to do, so we all came back to Heppner yesterday afternoon. As far as we know, she has probably donated her organs by now and been moved to the funeral home. We haven’t yet heard from Rick as to when the funeral will be. Understandably, he was not in a place to talk about funeral plans yesterday.

It’s difficult to understand how this could have happened, or why. The urge is there to feel anger, but there’s no one to honestly be angry with. We know God could have, at any time, provided a miracle. He chose not to, so we have to believe that, despite our feelings, it was time for Michele to go.

She left behind her husband, Rick, her kids, Tyler and Theresa, and many other family members who will miss her.

Michele was 41.

Michele

2009-02-27T20:12:00.003-05:00

It's been a couple of weeks since we posted anything here, but a lot has happened. I don't feel up to writing much, but I'll let everyone know that this morning at 9:25 my sister, Michele, was pronounced dead at Providence Hospital in Portland. We'll miss her.

Michele (r) and her daughter, Theresa (l).

Is It Possible To Have More Snow Shots?

2009-02-14T22:48:00.002-05:00

All right...can we have any more snow shots? We admit it; we love snow. It (the snow) may be all gone now, but Carmelo and I stopped for a photo op on the way home from town one day while the world was still clean and white.

Sunset over Fuller Canyon Lane.

The mountains on the horizon are Mt. Hood (left) and Mt. Adams (right).

A shot to the south-east.

The Blue Mountains reflecting the sunset to the west.

Carmelo took this artistic close-up of the snow-covered fence with Mt. Hood framed by the sunset in the background. Gorgeous!

Fun in the Snow

2009-01-26T22:55:00.004-05:00

It's been a snowier-than-usual winter for Eastern Oregon, and the Di Salvo family is taking advantage of it!

Tippy loves the snow...and looks so cute with snow on his nose!

I think rolling around in the snow made both Tippy and I feel younger!

Ah, the exhilaration!

With temperature in the teens, Carmelo and Moira were bundled up against the cold. Moira was so stiff with clothes, she couldn't even move!

Here we are, ready for Moira's first-ever ride on a sled.

After that, it was Carmelo's turn with Moira on the sled.

There they go! They almost went in the creek, but some fast steering on Carmelo's part avoided a freezing wet disaster.

After that, we went to the car for a trip to town. They were so cute, I just had to snap another picture.

And, we finish where we started, with Tippy enjoying the snow!

A Quiet Walk

2009-01-22T19:58:00.004-05:00

Today Carmelo is at his first training session with University of Phoenix, so I left Moira with Grandpa Miles and took a walk by myself. It was a foggy day, with less than a quarter-mile visibility. The landscape was once again covered with frost, an island of white in a sea of fog. It was a 3-mile walk through an introvert's paradise...complete solitude, with the only noises the crunch, crunch of frost underfoot and the panting of my canine companions.

Don't worry; I doubt the cows are as cold as they look.

Self Portrait of a Solitary Walker.

Every surface was covered with frost, making even the mundane beautiful.

Ice-covered barbed wire stretched for mile upon mile in fantastic formations.

A weed caught in a fence? Or the abominable snowman?

Craig's dog, Duke, who's staying with us while the family is in Hawaii. Even his goofy personality is tempered by the atmosphere.

Tippy's normally feral look is highlighted by the exercise and cold.

Dad's pond, a mile above the house, was iced-over.

Tippy looks like a ghost dog on the far bank.

At around 30 degrees, even a small waterfall was icing over.

Artistic Expressions

2009-01-18T16:37:00.004-05:00

Seeing God's artistry expressed in the frost inspired me to try to capture a little of it through some photographic atristry of my own. Not anywhere near the level of the Divine, but not bad for an amateur (in my opinion)!

Frosty Walk

2009-01-18T16:32:00.003-05:00

After building our hay fort, we took a walk in the frosty outdoors. Still no snow, but it's a real winter wonderland, covered with heavy crystals of icy frost.

Fun in the Barn

2009-01-18T16:22:00.002-05:00

Carmelo never had the privilege of building a hay fort as a child, so today he and I went into the barn and rearranged a few of Dad's bales.

I'm not being beheaded; it only looks that way because of the camera angle.

Carmelo: King of the Hay!

This is my "Country Girl" pose.

Doesn't he look like a hard-workin' farm boy?

Harry the Duck Strikes Again

2009-01-17T22:33:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since we've seen Harry the Duck, who's been with me since I was a training manager at Red Line Events. Recently, he made an appearance, terrorizing babies and animals throughout the living room!

Okay, maybe terror is the wrong word. "It's funny looking, but not all that interesting," says Moira.

Missy's response? "Get that thing out of my face!"

Update on the Job Situation

2009-01-17T22:28:00.003-05:00

We're thrilled--THRILLED--to say that Carmelo had a second interview, which was a 15-minute teaching demonstration, with University of Phoenix on Thursday.

It went great, and they've invited him to continue on with the training process. While the training is considered part of the hiring process, once a candidate is in training it's really a done deal. Needless to say, we're excited! It's part-time, but we're hopeful that, now that he's dipped his toes in the academic pool, it will open many more doors.

What a great start to 2009!

Jack Frost Visits Eastern Oregon

2009-01-17T15:19:00.002-05:00

No snow this week, but the temperature has dropped, covering the country with fog and frost. Personally, we think it's kind of pretty!

Third Christmas

2009-01-13T21:03:00.004-05:00

The last box to come was from Grandpa Di Salvo and Grandma Pam. There were some nice coats for the two of us, and lots of goodies for Moira! (To see more pics of Moira and her presents, visit her blog.)

"No mushy stuff, Mom...I want to open my presents!"

Hmmm...Where to start?

Moira got a cute little monkey toy. It looks just like her!

She also got a penguin teether. That's good; hopefully she'll chew on her parents less!

There will be a time when Moira plays with dolls, but for now a baby doll is simply another thing to chew.

Our Second Christmas

2009-01-13T20:48:00.004-05:00

When we got our box of presents froom Grandma Di Salvo, there were lots of really cool gifts...

The festive "2009" glasses that Grandma sent were a little too big for Moira's face.

Andrea felt like Elton John, but...

... Carmelo looked like him! (Just kidding. Don't tickle me for that, Melo!)

For those who know Carmelo's political views, this gift from his brother, Michael, is self-explanatory.

On the other hand, this outfit for Moira cheered him up immensely. Go Sabres!

New Year Update

2009-01-12T00:55:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year!

Okay, maybe we're a week late with that, but we've been busy. Family in Buffalo already knows we didn't make it. That's right; we didn't make it to Buffalo...again! An hour before we were to take off from PDX, we were informed our already-delayed flight to Chicago was canceled due to fog. Fed up, we left the airport and called to get our ticket refunded. The four-hour drive back to my parents house -- on icy roads -- was a joy. Sense the sarcasm?

We've kept ourselves busy since then, though. Carmelo had a job interview with University of Phoenix in Tigard last Thursday, and we're excited that they've asked him to come back this week and do a 15-minute teaching demonstration. It sounds promising. Though it's only part-time, it's definitely a step in the right direction, and will hopefully open doors to other teaching positions if he gets it. Meanwhile, he's still pursuing the possibility of becoming an Army chaplain.

Andrea has been keeping herself busy with sewing projects and starting on next Christmas' gift. That's right, Andrea is starting to make Christmas presents in January, and is quite proud of herself. Along with her mom, she's also committed to exercising and drinking lots of water. So far, nothing has been done about her Facebook addiction.

Moira is going great blazes, crawling, pulling herself up and, occasionally, forgetting that she doesn't yet stand on her own. (Boom! Down on her bottom!) She got so many cute outfits for Christmas, we don't think there's a better-dressed girl on the West Coast, if not in the whole U.S.

We have pictures on our camera waiting to be uploaded, so we'll try to get around to posting those soon. Till then, HAPPY 2009!

To Buffalo (Maybe?)

2008-12-26T17:25:00.003-05:00

The weather at the beginning of the week may have been inconvenient, but it did end up giving us a magical white Christmas, complete with deer and pheasants coming into the yard to forage for food.

Mom set out some wheat for both birds and beasts, but Tippy usually chased away the birds; the deer had more luck! Now, it's the day after Christmas, and we're back in PDX waiting for a delayed flight. At least it's delayed, not cancelled! We drove down last night, and the weather was much better for driving than it was on Monday. I-84 was open, so it only took us 4 hours to get from my parents' house to our hotel. We stayed at a hotel an exit up from the airport so we could leave our car there and take a shuttle to PDX. Cheaper than parking at the airport, and we felt better about it. We got here plenty early for our 2:15 flight, only to find it's been delayed till 4:35. We've gotten mixed signals about our flight from Chicago to Buffalo. We were first told that Midway is closing tonight and that we will have to spend the night in Chicago. Then, we were told that's wrong; our flight is scheduled to depart Midway on time. Of course, we're hoping for the latter. Only time will tell. Right now we still have two hours before our flight even leaves for Chicago!

Moira has passed the time playing and watching the planes go by. She loves to people-watch, so it's been a good time for her ... a little exhausting for Carmelo and I!

On a lighter parting note, you know you're in Oregon when the Horizon plane bears the colors and logo of the U of O Ducks!

Hopefully, our next post will be from Buffalo ... finally!

Buffalo...or Bust?

2008-12-23T10:51:00.002-05:00

Well, our trip to Buffalo, scheduled for yesterday, was a bust. Portland is experiencing its worst December snowstorm in 40 years, and almost everything ground to a halt over the weekend and into Monday.

We drove to Michele's house Sunday. I-84 was closed through the Gorge because of snow and high winds, so we had to take SRs 35 and 26 around Mt. Hood to get to Damascus. (Even the trains weren't running through the Cascades, so Amtrack wasn't an option.) Chains were required over the mountains, so we had to stop in the dark and snow to figure out how to put those on. Fun! (As a "historical" note, I've carried those chains in my trunk for 10 years, and this is the first time I've ever used them.) All told, a trip that normally takes 3-1/2 hours took around 7 hours.

The fun wasn't over. Even though our flight didn't leave until 2:15, we left for the airport around 9 AM. You can watch the news to know that the lines at PDX were CRAZY! The Southwest line, made up mostly of people whose flights had already been cancelled, wrapped clear around to the security checkpoint. We were in line 30 to 45 minutes before they told us all flights before 3 PM had been cancelled. We had the option of waiting in line to reschedule or calling the 800 number. With Moira getting antsy, and knowing we could be in line for several hours before even getting to the counter, we opted to leave the airport and call. Michele had to turn around and pick us back up, though, so we still didn't get out of the airport until close to noon. I'm glad we didn't stay, though; the lines today are even longer, and some people ended up spending the night in line!

We drove back to my parents' house last night (another 7 hours, since I-84 was still closed from Troutdale to Hood River). Today some flights are coming and going from PDX, and we have managed to reschedule our departure for the day after Christmas. I-84 opened this morning. Right now we're crossing our fingers that the weather will hold and flights will be on schedule by Friday.

Even though the snow made for a lot of inconvenience, it sure was beautiful. This is the view of Rick and Michele's back yard in Damascus.

Moira and Carmelo were excited and ready to take off for our Christmas adventure yesterday morning ... The decorated deer head lent an air of festivity to the occasion!

Early Christmas in Oregon

2008-12-21T00:26:00.003-05:00

Since we're scheduled to fly to Buffalo on Monday and spend Christmas and New Year's Eve there, we had a miniature Christmas celebration with my parents today. We opened stockings in the morning, had a small but complete turkey dinner in the afternoon, and exchanged presents in the evening.

Moira had her stocking, but wasn't quite sure what to do with it ... "You made a mistake; this sock is too big for me, Mommy."

She eventually emptied her stocking, but ignored her new socks and ended up with my kazoo in one hand and Carmelo's tangerine in the other. (For those asking, "Why a kazoo?", I have no idea!)

"Is there another kazoo in this box?"

Moira seemed to have a very literal taste for things in other people's stockings. Here, she's feasting on Carmelo's still-unpeeled tangerine.

"Let's see," says Moira, "how do I get into this thing." As you can see on her blog, she ended up using her teeth ... er... tooth.

Even with the stacking toy unwrapped at her feet, Moira preferred the wrapping paper. Also, the sound of the wooden circles clicking together seemed to frighten her. She's not scared of anything, but runs away from wooden donuts!

With all the nice toys Moira got, she still preferred to hold (and chew on) the kazoo from my stocking.

As usual, Moira was more interested in eating the wrapping paper than in unwrapping her gift. It was just as well, since the little Fisher Price phone ended up scaring her! We had no idea we were picking such terrifying gifts.

I did my best to avoid the camera, but Carmelo finally got a picture of me holding one of the nice sweaters he got me for Christmas.

Winter Hits Hard in Oregon

2008-12-21T00:08:00.002-05:00

The past week saw winter hit--and hit hard--at my parents' house here in Eastern Oregon. Last weekend we got 8 or 9 inches of snow, and temperatures dropped to well below freezing.

On Tuesday, my parents watched Moira so Carmelo and I could go to a movie. The nearest theater is in Hermiston, about 45 miles away. It really wasn't good weather for the drive. The roads were icy and the temperature dropped below 0 (not a typo; below zero), to -9 at one point. It was good to get out, though. It was only the second time we'd been out on a "date" since Moira was born.

Thursday a gale kicked up and blew the snow into drifts that closed the road in some places. We then got more snow on top of that. All told, we've probably gotten more than a foot of snow this week. I'm actually not complaining. Both Carmelo and I love snow, especially after being in Virginia Beach so long. We're driving to Portland tomorrow to catch our plane to Buffalo on Monday, though, so the weather is making us a little nervous about the drive through the Columbia Gorge.

This is the view of the driveway from our window. This was the first snowfall.

A view of the front yard and the hills from the living room window.

Dad's dog, Tippy, wasn't sure what to make of the snow at first. it wasn't long, though, before he was playing and bounding through it just like any excited little kid.

Visit to the Zoo

2008-12-17T20:37:00.002-05:00

Before leaving the Portland area to come back and stay with my parents, we had a girls day out at the zoo. Michele, Theresa, Moira and I spent hours (on a very cold day) gawking at all the wildlife, including the camera-shy baby elephant. Moira was more interested in people-watching than in watching the animals, but the grown-ups had fun. Actually, I was so excited, Michele probably felt like she had a couple of teenagers with her instead of just one!

The first stop on the tour was the great Rocky Mountain Goat.

It was exciting to be in a small aviary with a couple of majestic bald eagles.

On the other hand, we were glad to have thick glass between us and the very large polar bear.

One of the highlights of the day was going through the lorikeet enclosure, where dozens of the colorful birds flew and hopped all around us. Noisy!

This picture can't express the size of the sea lions!

This didn't turn out to be a very good picture of the sea otter, but I thought it was a pretty cool picture of Theresa.

Thanksgiving '08

2008-12-11T09:47:00.003-05:00

We took a drive along the old Columbia River Highway on our way to visit my family for Thanksgiving. It's a lovely drive, full of scenery, but not made for anyone who is in a hurry!

At Crown Point, we got an awesome view of the river, but the wind was so strong, we felt as if it was going to blow us right off the bluff. Carmelo tried to get a picture as I fought the wind to get into my fleece, but I managed to get it on before he got the camera to work.

This is the view looking east through the Columbia Gorge from Crown Point. The road in the lower right is I-84.

A beautiful old building on Crown Point. You can't tell from here, but many of the windows were stained glass. We didn't go inside because we didn't want to take Moira out in the wind.

A woman offered to take our picture, but the wind was so cold and strong, she said she wasn't going to get out of her car to do it! We took her up on her offer anyway.

Once we left Crown Point, it wasn't as windy. There are lots of waterfalls along the highway. They were beautiful, but I don't know if Moira appreciated being dragged out of the car for each and every one.

This is the bottom of Horsetail Falls.

The whole fall wouldn't fit in the frame!

Tillamook & Rockaway Beach

2008-11-19T21:39:00.002-05:00

Last Saturday the Di Salvo family took advantage of a rare sunny day and took off to the coast. We managed to completely miss I-405, which left us lost in downtown Portland for a little while, but we eventually found Hwy 26 toward Beaverton, Hillsboro and beyond. We then took Hwy 6 to Tillamook to check out the Tillamook Factory and the heart of Oregon's dairy country.

The air in Tillamook smells like a dairy farm, but you forget about that when you enter the facoty and see and smell the cheese and ice cream and fudge...a dairy lover's dream! We took the self-guided tour of the cheese factory, then introduced Carmelo to the magic of Tillamook ice cream (bubblegum for him, blueberry cheesecake for me). We also did a little Christmas shopping, but that's all I'll say about that! For some pictures of the factory trip, check out Moira's Crib.

After Tillamook, it was off to Hwy 101 and up to Rockaway Beach for some lunch. After lunch we took a walk on the beach. It was Carmelo's first time to the Oregon coast, and Moira's very first view of the Pacific. Do you think she'll remember?

We took a lot of pictures of Rockaway Beach's landmark, the Twin Rocks.

For some reason, Andrea wasn't able to get away with not getting her picture taken. She's not wearing any shoes because, of the three of us, she was the only one who braved wading in the ice-cold Pacific waters.

A nice picture of the Twin Rocks with the sun starting to set behind them.

A picture of a church in Rockaway Beach, taken from the beach...no special meaning; we just thought it looked cool.

At the Saturday Market

2008-11-09T21:04:00.002-05:00

Yesterday we met some friends at the Saturday Market in downtown Portland. For those not familiar with Portland, it's an outdoor market with a Bohemian atmosphere. It's a lot of fun to browse the local goods and people-watch. It was also good to catch up with my friend, Jessica, and Carmelo's friend, Greg, and his family.

Michele and Theresa were with us, and the four (four and half?) of us grabbed lunch at Kells Irish Pub.

Doesn't Michele look cute in the hat she bought at the Market?

Jessica was one of my best friends in college and my Maid of Honor in our wedding. It was great to see her after...well, way too long!

Carmelo served as Moira's packhorse. She could barely wiggle in her carrier, but she sure enjoyed taking in the sights and sounds!

Portland at Last!

2008-10-30T14:29:00.002-04:00

Greetings from Portland!

Postings may be few and far between for a while, because we're having Internet issues at my sister's house. I'm actually writing this post from a Barnes & Noble at the Clackamas Town Center. We're paying for the time, so if this seems rushed, that's why!

Our house finally closed last Thursday...which was the best possible birthday present for me! (Yes, I'm an old woman of 31 now.) We celebrated Thursday night by going out to dinner at the restaurant where my niece, Julie, works as a server. Good food! And, of course, homemade angel food cake at the house for desert.

Saturday we went with my parents to a fall festival at Hot Lake Springs, where David Manuel now has his foundry and museum. As owners of a limited edition Manuel sculpture, my parents are now on their VIP list.

Monday we drove down to Portland--stopping at Cousins' restaurant in The Dalles for lunch--and are now at my sister's house in Damascus. Carmelo is meeting with a friend's pastor about a job this afternoon, so we have high hopes for that.

Other than that, here are some more pics:

A larger-than-life sculpture on David Manuel's property at Hot Lake Springs.

This is an old trading post dating back to before the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Pretty cool!

The day at HLS was a little much for Moira, who conked out in the middle of the tour.

this is the artist, David Manuel, talking about the creation of the piece my parents bought, "Too Young to Die."

While Andrea opened her birthday gift, Moira was much more interested in the wrapping paper!

Closing? Maybe Today?

2008-10-21T09:30:00.005-04:00

Closing has been delayed by first one thing, then another. Right now we're in limbo because the buyer's settlement service changed their name and hasn't gotten the new name registered in Virginia...and they can't do business until they do. At this point, Carmelo and I feel that it's far past being ridiculous. Since we're basically broke as well as homeless, we've been waiting for the closing before moving on to stay with my sister, Michele, in Damascus (near Portland). The bright spot for me is that it gives me more time with my parents in Heppner. Still, the delay is frustrating! Our last word from our realtor is that closing may happen today. Keep your fingers crossed!

Carmelo and Moira are kicking back in Grandpa and Grandma Miles' living room. It's a nice time of rest after being on the road.
As I think I mentioned before, Shadow has come out from under the bed and out of her shell. She seems to want to rule the roost, alternately flirting and fighting with my parents' cats. She certainly loves stealing their canned at food, which she rarely gets from me!

And...More Pics from the Road

2008-10-13T22:01:00.004-04:00

Moira enjoyed having her own bed in Lexington, Nebraska.
When we were in Evanston, she took no prisoners as she grabbed Daddy's face and went for his nose.
The cat finally came out from under Andrea's seat, but she still wasn't impressed with the accomodations.
Carmelo took on diaper duty at a Flying J in Utah.
Utah had some pretty scenery!Carmelo led the way across southern Idaho as the snow clouds started moving in.
There are Flying Js in every state, so we could always count on a place to stop for a meal and a cup of coffee...like this one we stopped at in Idaho.
Moira wasn't impressed with her first experience with snow when we stopped at this rest stop just before Boise. Fortunately for our progress, the snow was wet, and didn't accumulate on the roads.

It was a beautiful clear day as we came down Cabbage Hill and into Pendleton, OR, about an hour from Heppner. Those black specks are hot air balloons in the air over the Wild Horse Casino and Resort outside of Pendleton.

We're Here!

2008-10-13T21:31:00.003-04:00

We're in Oregon!

We didn't mean to drop off the face of the planet, but things have been crazy since we arrived. After spending the night in Evanston, we drove through northeastern Utah and southern Idaho. We hit snow between Twin Falls and Boise, and then hit Boise at rush hour Friday night. That slowed us down enough that, though we made it across the Oregon line before nightfall, we had to stop for the night in Baker City.

The Super 8 in Baker was out of regular rooms, so they gave us a deal on a room with a jacuzzi. All three of us enjoyed that, but it was especially fun for Moira. She was a little freaked when we first brought her in with us, but soon she was splashing around as if she'd been doing it all five months of her life.

The next day Moira got us up before dawn, so it was an easy matter to drive the last few hours and make it to my parents' house before 10 am. That evening we attended my nephew, Carson's, birthday party. The next day we relaxed and hung around the house while my parents went to church. Sunday was a great day for me, as I took two three hour naps and still managed to go to bed early and sleep. I guess the trip took even more out of me than I thought!

Today we went to Pasco, WA and returned the Penske truck and hitch. Since my parents had other errands to run, that was almost a full day trip.

On another note, we were worried about the cat's reaction to a strange house and strange cats. Apparently, we needn't have worried! Shadow has been busy exploring the house and stalking the other cats. It's a change in personality we never expected to see; I guess Oregon agrees with her.

That's about it for now. To end this post, here are some more pictures we took during our trip:

A brief stop to make sure Moira gets enough to eat.
We stopped at this BP station in Nebraska. It was in the middle of nowhere between Lincoln and Grand Island. While filling up, Carmelo met a man who spoke several languages and was a teacher at a local college.
The Nebraska landscape.
Carmelo and Moira at a filling station in Nebraska.

Hello from Wyoming

2008-10-10T00:39:00.004-04:00

Today we pushed through and made it further than we ever thought we would, all the way from Lexington, NE to Evanston, WY. Here, we're just a stone's throw from Utah, and probably only one more day away from my parents' house.

We actually didn't push through on purpose. We missed our chance to exit for Rock Springs/Green River. After that there was only one expensive motel between us and Evanston, so here we are in the Comfort Inn at Exit 3. It ended up being pretty late when we pulled in...9:30 (which feels like 11:30 for us!). That's why I'm ending this post now so I can go to bed!

Okay, first some more pictures:

We stopped to change a diaper and have dinner at a Flying J somewhere in Missouri.
I let the cat out of her crate, and she finally ventured out, only to end up hiding under my seat all day. She still doesn't look happy about the car ride.
Moira had a bath in the motel in Boonesville. She loved splashing in that tub!
"Can I go back in the bath?"

Still More Pictures from the Road

2008-10-09T08:41:00.002-04:00

Another shot of Kentucky.
Now in Evansville, IN, waiting for the alternator to be fixed.
"Evansville is here."
The St. Louis Arch. Now we're getting somewhere!
Being on the road wasn't the time to get this picture, but I did it anyway...and almost missed the exit for I-70!

More Pictures from the Road

2008-10-09T08:32:00.003-04:00

Heading toward West Virginia.
There it is...we're out of Virginia!
In Beckley, Moira seems to enjoy her first experience in a motel.
"I'm so hungry, I could eat my toes."
Finally in Kentucky, we take a break to feed Moira and change her diaper. She needed both!

The Cornhusker State

2008-10-08T22:39:00.002-04:00

Yes, our trip across the US will finally come to an end...I think. In the meantime, we started this morning from Missouri and entered Nebraska late morning. Instead of going around Omaha, we planned on going through Lincoln where my cousin Lisa and her family live. Unfortunately scheduling conflicts prevented us from meeting up. However, we did find my cousin's house and met her son TJ. He must have thought we were taking crazy pills because he arrived home and found three delirious, tired travelers (who obviously needed showers) standing on the front porch looking for his mom. From there we proceeded on.

I forgot how big Nebraska is. I thoroughly enjoyed having the window of the moving truck down as I was driving across the long highway and listening to Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity this afternoon as I got to see some of the most beautiful part of the country. We spent the rest of the day driving, refueling, driving, refueling,and driving some more only to end up at a manure smelling Super 8 Motel outside Lexington NE. I should not have been surprised to find the biggest selection of beef jerky I've ever seen at a nearby convenient store. So here we are about to turn in to get as much rest as possible before the baby cries and the sun rises...See you tomorrow!!

Pictures from the Road

2008-10-08T08:29:00.003-04:00

Time to catch you up with our pictures from the road!

Our monster Penske truck...they didn't have the 22' size we wanted, so Carmelo is driving a 26' truck and towing the car.
First stop: lunch while still in Virginia.
Moira the navigator: "I think we should take I-70..."
Shadow is anything but happy with this road trip. It took two days for her to be comfortable enough to come out of her crate.
Andrea leads the way through Virginia.

The Show Me State

2008-10-07T22:01:00.002-04:00

Today was a pretty long day! It started like the last couple of days where we had our breakfast, jumped in our vehicles and started on the road. Unfortunately, before we actually got on the road, the moving truck's panel indicator let me know there was a transmission problem. So after a few hours we found out that the alternator was bad. Before long we were on the way to the crazy St. Louis, MO traffic. We were very grateful to get out safely.

About dinner time we were glad to end up at The Flying J, a truck stop that has been like a second home to us while on the road. We finally decided to stop for the evening after the cat decided she wanted attention. Andrea will tell you it's a little hard to drive at night when the cat jumps on your lap and then runs across the head rest. So after finally finding a parking spot for the circus wagons I'm driving, we are now settled down for a much needed rest in Missouri. See you tomorrow...

In the Hoosier State

2008-10-06T21:36:00.002-04:00

Well, I'm writing tonight from near Evansville, Indiana. Day two, and this is as far as we've gotten. At least we're in another time zone...at last!

Driving through West Virginia was murder in terms of gas, time and tolls. I was leading the way in the Subaru, with Carmelo following in the truck. With the big truck pulling the Mustang, it was hard going on the hills. There were times we slowed to 30 MPH uphill, with our hazard lights flashing away. I guess we made pretty good time, considering. The West Virginia Turnpike hit us with not one, but two tolls. WV is beautiful, especially this time of year, but I was glad to get through. Kentucky was easier going, except for some hairy moments in Louisville. Once we got to Indiana, the roads were wide open, with little traffic. Our last fuel stop was outside of Santa Claus, IN. I mention that only because I think the name is funny.

We've learned through trial and error exactly where the truck and trailer will fit. Tonight, I came into the motel parking lot to scope it out before giving the green light to Carmelo. Yes, it's that difficult. (There were some bad moments in small gas stations yesterday before we got it figured out. One involved a man from White Sulphur Springs, WV helping Carmelo back up and directing traffic around him. Not pretty!)

It's an understatement to say that Moira is tired of her car seat. She doesn't seem to mind the motel rooms, though. Right now, she's fast asleep in our king bed. I think she likes getting to sleep with Mommy and Daddy instead of in her bassinet.

It's late and I'm tired, so I'm going to wrap this up. Maybe I can persuade Carmelo to add a little more later!

On the Road

2008-10-06T07:35:00.002-04:00

Hello from Beckley, WV!

I don't have time for more than a quick update, but since this motel has wireless, I thought I'd let you all know we are on the road and have safely made it this far. Closing is still delayed until at least tomorrow, but we borrowed gas money from my parents and gave our lawyer power of attorney to sign for us. We're on the road! Travelling is tough on the baby, which is one reason we've only made it this far, but she's recovered well. Right now she on the motel bed, eating her toes...

Uh-oh, we're getting a late start again. Gotta go!

Delay in Closing

2008-10-01T17:36:00.002-04:00

Well, it's October 1, and we're not exactly where we thought we would be. Closing was supposed to take place yesterday, so we got our Penske truck Monday. We almost had our condo cleared out when we got a call from our realtor.

Oh no!

Thanks to the Wall Street mishaps that have taken place recently, especially Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, the buyer's lender is requiring three comparable prices before closing. Susan, our realtor, assures us it will be easy, but it means a delay as the assessor finds the three prices. Our original plan had been to be on the road to Oregon first thing tomorrow, but right now we're sitting on our hands waiting for closing instead. We also have a 26' Penske truck sitting in our driveway, with the clock ticking away.

Of course, we had arranged to have our utilities shut off when we expected to be out of our place. We managed to catch the water and have it turned back on, but the electricity has been off since yesterday. Because of that, we've been staying with our friends, Eric and Christa, since last night. Ironically, they're having trouble with their plumbing, so their water is shut off. So, our house has water but no power, and Eric and Christa have power but no water...things this week just haven't been easy!

That's all the news for now. We hope to have better news soon!

Another Working Day

2008-09-27T21:35:00.009-04:00

You got to see the Chesapeake Bay and fishing pier, now check out the people who make the LFH one of the best seafood restaurants in Virginia Beach!

Lynhaven Fish House

2008-09-27T21:19:00.004-04:00

Back in early July, I was fortunate enough to get a serving job at Lynhaven Fish House. I already knew it was a great restaurant because a few years ago I took Andrea there for dinner. Because I had previous experience I got the job easily. I am proud to say that this was my last job in Virginia Beach before we left the area. What I liked so much about LFH was the incredible, food, the beautiful location off the Chesapeake Bay, but mostly the friendships I made. I cannot fully put into words the appreciation I have for Chris Kyrus, the owner, for giving the job that saved us financially, the management team, and certainly the kitchen and other wait staff. I feel really blessed to have one of the best summers in my 18 years in Virginia Beach. Check out some of these pictures...

Getting Rid of the Couch

2008-09-27T08:00:00.002-04:00

We had some furniture to get rid of before the move. Most of it went to the Salvation Army, but they wouldn't take the couch because of torn upholstery. We're not allowed to put furniture curbside for trash collection, so I took things into my own hands.
Moira was fascinated by the sight of Mommy tearing apart the couch using only a hammer. I did have to watch to make sure she didn't roll close enough to eat the stuffing. I know it looked good!

Carmelo came home from work and was shocked to find that this was all that was left of the couch. He was nice enough to take over demolition at this point. I think we both found it therapeutic!

10 Days Till Closing

2008-09-19T13:40:00.002-04:00

Ten days till closing, and things are really moving. The termite inspection is done and... no termites. I'm pretty sure we would have noticed! We had a brief scare when research into our title found a lien against the property. It turned out to be a simple case of paperwork that hadn't been filed after a traffic court hearing in 2001. The paperwork is now filed and all is well.

On the down side, I have a cold. There's never a good time to be sick, but this does seem to be an especially bad time. With the sniffles and sore throat, I have very interest in planning and packing. Fortunately, Carmelo had yesterday off, so I was able to get a lot more rest than I would have otherwise. Between that and massive quantities of Vitamin C and Zinc, I hope to be myself within a day or so.

I'm pleased to announce we've successfully completed the first stage of Operation Travelin' Cat. For those who don't know what that is, we've been trying to make the transition as smooth as possible for Shadow. We put her cat carrier (which she hasn't seen since she was a kitten) in the bedroom and baited it with treats in an effort to get her comfortable with it. Today, I saw her curled up inside it, taking a nap. So, Stage I, complete! I don't think we'll have time enough, though, for Stage II: Car Acclimation. Shadow may get a cold turkey intro to life as a traveling cat.

Finally, Carmelo has a phone interview with Lacrosse Footwear this evening. It sounds promising. There's quite a bit riding on this interview, but we have high hopes for the results.

Still in Closing

2008-09-11T19:48:00.002-04:00

Just a quick update:

We had our home inspection on Tuesday. It took two hours! The buyer only asked for one minor repair, though, so we can live with how long it took. The assessment was today. The last step, the termite inspection, is on the 17th. Then we just wait to sign the papers on the 30th. Meanwhile, we're looking at rental trucks, packing boxes, and taking care of any and all loose ends. We're sure to forget something, but we're doing our best. It's been a while since either Carmelo or I moved from state to state. For Moira, of course, this is a first-time adventure!

Tropical Storm Hannah and Moving Updates

2008-09-06T14:38:00.004-04:00

Thursday, Carmelo and I moved everything out of our attic space and into our storage compartment. There was some precarious climbing involved on my part, but it was kind of fun, and its a relief to know that there are no boxes hiding to surprise us later. Now the major task is to pack up what's in the house right now. It shouldn't be too bad, however; we've been living with the bare bones for a couple of months now.

The home inspection was supposed to take place today, but that's been put off until Tuesday thanks to T.S. Hannah. (Those of you who have lived in VB know that things get called off even for a drizzle, so that was no surprise.) Fortunately for us, that was the only inconvenience we suffered. Hannah is now to the north of us, and the only effects we felt were some heavy rain and a few strong wind gusts...not enough to do any damage in our neighborhood. The only flooding we experienced was in Moira's diaper, but Carmelo managed to deal with that before the levee broke!

Carmelo took this video from our porch. The storm got a little worse than this, but not by much.

Welcome!

2008-09-04T09:53:00.000-04:00

With all the changes happening in our lives right now, we've decided Moira isn't the only one who needs a blog. So, welcome to our Di Salvo family blog, where we'll try to keep everyone updated on the sale of the house, the move, and other events as they come up.

For those who don't know, our condo is now under contract. Our closing date is September 30, and that's when we have to have the space vacated. It's an exciting time, but pretty scary at the same time. There's so much to do!

Right now, our plan is to move to Arizona and stay with Aunt Rhody in Queen's Creek, AZ until we get settled. We'll see what happens, though...we've already discovered that sometimes God changes our plans at the last minute!