Hasn’t the weather been great? Never fails, the kids go back to

school and the sun comes out!

I am glad Kate Russell has furniture again. We are one of

those remodelers she wrote about who have been remodeling for decades. Not

the same stuff, you understand, but new projects all the time.

Our problem is that we never quite finish Project A before we

begin Project B, so we live in a perpetual state of half-finished. The

bathrooms and kitchen are done, except for some moldings. I am going to paint the

living room when the Mountain Man goes hunting this year, but all of

the paneling won’t be up.

I guess neither one of us is a detail finisher. I much prefer tearing

out walls to drywall sanding. It is a lot more fun to take a crowbar to

things. Really, it is! And you get rid of so much stress that way. No one who

can name a wall after some one that has bugged them, and then tear it to

bits, will ever need Prozac.

Story Times started again this week at the North Bend Library. It

is pretty much the same Tuesday morning-Wednesday evening schedule.

You can pick up a flyer at the library.

Also at the library, there is a regular Tuesday afternoon ESL Talk

Time. A bilingual teacher holds session to help Hispanic patrons learn more

English. They have a good group and seem to have a good time at these

sessions. More information is available at the library. You can call (425)

888-0556, or stop in for a brochure.

There are a lot of kids walking the roads when they get out of school.

So please drive carefully around the Valley. They are not always

watching where they are going.

One of my friends at work spoke of “putting her garden to bed.”

Isn’t that a lovely phrase? She is a wonderful gardener who has kept us in

flowers all summer. So if you have enjoyed our beautiful flowers at the library,

you have Mary Kramer to thank.

The Mountain Man and I have been fishing again. Down to the

Columbia for salmon and sturgeon. We had pretty good weather. My dad

went with us this trip. It was the first trip he has taken since my mother was

taken ill six years ago. He has been gone overnight a couple of times, but

never more than that. The family is glad that he is finally getting out a bit.

When your partner of almost 59 years gets ill, it can be very hard on

a person. And it has been harder for Daddy, I think, because Mom is

alive but not really here for us. She seems to know who we are, but that’s

about all. It is worse than a death because there is no closure. I’m sure there

are others out there who know how we feel.

And it is very hard not to feel guilty when we enjoy ourselves without

her. She and I would always take one day off when we went down to the

river every year. We would go pick blueberries and have lunch at the Ark

in Nahcotta. It was good to spend time alone with Mom. I miss that.

Thought for the week: “Take time to listen and talk about the voices

of the earth, and wonder what they mean the majestic voice of thunder,

the winds, the sound of surf or flowing streams.”

Rachel Carson

Please submit items for

North Bend Nuggets to

Pat Simpson at P.O. Box 857,

North Bend, WA 98045,

or by e-mail to patsimps@hotmail.com,

or drop them by the library.