a day at the Oregon Coast

One day this past summer (2008) I drove down to visit my family, and needed to be at Newport for an appointment (yes, I was delusional about a creative manager job at the News-Times, but that's another story) and Linda called me to tell me to "stay there!" Her brother in law & assorted family were having a BBQ at the coast, just south of Newport and that I should tag along. So I did. We drove down the coast a few miles and wound up at a park I've forever passed, but never stopped at until that day. Mike and his wife and a whole herd of children were there. Needless to say, I was not long for that BBQ, but I stayed a few minutes. Witnessed my sister being bitten in the face by the meanest Chihuahua I've ever crossed paths with (it's all the kids, I'm sure). Saw my nephew Tony make a complete fool of himself – ah, but what else is a teenage boy to do when there are girls around? :) Didn't get a snap of that though, unfortunately. Was defending sister from the rabid Chi.

I watched them all get wet and splash around for awhile on this somewhat soggy Oregon Coast day, then the guilt of leaving Mom at home by herself (without so much as a note to her from me) got to me, so I headed back home. It was a welcome relief. I'm just not made to be around kids. Dogs, yes. Cats, sometimes. Horses, yes. But kids? No. Of course, there are some kids (Evan) who I don't seem to be bothered by. Attribute that to stellar child-rearing skills by his parents? Or just that Squishy will always be Squishy? Who knows.

Anyway, pics are of my niece Katie (she'll love me for this one) and my sister Linda (who will also love me for placing her pic on my blog! HAHA!).