November 1, 2011
A new calling
"I shall be telling this with a sigh. Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference."
"I shall be telling this with a sigh. Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference."
People have been known to do some unusual things in preparation for a high school reunion. Crazy diets, plastic surgery, and showing up in new sports cars are just a few. But David Blair, 47, took it a step further. Or more like several miles. As in, about 2,581 of them. Blair, a health and fitness teacher at Skyridge Middle School, rode from Everett, Wash., to Washington, D.C. in a "big reunion ride," to celebrate his 30th high school reunion. "I'd never been to one and thought it would be a fun way to show up," he said. "Oddly enough, the reunion organizers ended up having it in October so I missed it, But I still did the ride."
Leaves crunching under your feet. The cool, crisp smell in the air. Shorter days with the promise of cold nights.
Every recovering drug, alcohol or food addict has hit a "rock bottom." It is the place where they finally decide enough is enough, and it is time to take control of their lives.
Carol Englund of Washougal has lost 52 pounds in the past year. Below is the 47-year-old woman's story in a question-and-answer format.
It's that time of year again. Now that fall has officially made its entrance, pumpkins have come right along with it. Area pumpkin patches are open now through Halloween, and most offer a lot more than just a place to pick out a gourd or two. Many include hay rides, apple cider, corn mazes, petting zoos, local produce and crafts. Jeff Walton, owner of Walton Farms, is looking forward to his sixth year of hosting a pumpkin patch.
They may have put away their racing gear years ago, but last Saturday, members of the Twisters Motorcycle Club relived their glory days at a reunion. "Motorcycles create a bond," organizer Bob Meredith said. "I believe it is a closer bond than any other type of racing." This theory certainly seemed to prove true, as bikers from several states made the trek to Meredith's Fern Prairie home to attend the event. Laughter, tall tales, food and of course, motorcycles, were a big topic of conversation at the reunion for the more than 30 club members and their wives, the "Twisters Sisters."
From Grateful Dead themed "hippie vans" to a 1938 Ford Roadster, the Braggers Rights Classic Car Show Cruise-In had a little something for everyone. Take George Boeckel, for example. The Milwaukie, Ore., resident enjoyed showing his 1970 Pontiac Judge and chatting with onlookers at the same time. "This was a 15-year project," he said. "It began when my son wanted to get a car and bought a 1972 Pontiac LeMans." Boeckel went to a dragstrip in Central Oregon with his son, and never has been the same since. He and wife, Terry, have spent many hours of their free time in the last 15 years restoring the "Judge" to mint condition and attending several car shows along the way.
More than 115 cars, trucks and motorcycles were entered into the car show. The event raised $3,020 for the Camas-Washougal Community Chest, along with approximately 50 pounds of canned goods for the Inter-faith Treasure House.
Usually after school is back in session, people are thinking about football, pumpkins, brisk weather and wintering their gardens. But with the hottest weather of the year hitting Camas and Washougal, many are still in full summer mode. During the last week, the Northwest has welcomed several 90-plus degree days, for the first time since last summer. Ironically, right before the heat wave began Labor Day weekend, weather forecasters had argued that perhaps the Northwest wouldn't see temperatures more than 90 degrees until 2012.
