College Road Trip

Thursday, August 22nd began our trip from the San Fernando Valley in So. Cal to Prescott Arizona. This is where Stoneridge kid will be attending Yavapai J.C. for the next 2 years. He is studying computer science so that he can be a video game designer.

The explorer was loaded up with his belongings and we took the 7 hour drive to Arizona. We spent the night in the local Motel 6 so that we would be there early on Friday, which was move in day.
After we did the preliminary checking in, getting his photo I.D. and purchasing his books, it was time to move in! Their "RA" or room adviser had decorated their dorm room to welcome all of the students. The basket ball team and a student Christian group were available to help everyone unload their cars, so we got unpacked in a jiffy. Then the fun part: Unpacking. The parents left for their orientation meeting at 3-5pm. We were all treated to dinner on campus at 5-6pm. The kids had their orientation from 6-7:30pm. After their meeting we treked down to Walmart for a big shop.
By 10pm we were finished. It was wall-to-wall bags as we left the boys to finish getting everything put away.

They had settled in, meeting their neighbors and making new friends. I left the next morning after a tearful good-bye. I'm very happy with the school and how Stoneridge kid is doing. He is loving being on his own and agreed to call once a week.

Cousin Update

Last Tuesday Stoneridge Cousin had complications with the spider bite. He developed a staph infection and has been hospitalized in Newport, WA ever since. (Newport is a town about 11 miles north of us.)

Today, Stoneridge guy is driving him to a Spokane hospital to have a stint inserted so that he can I.V.'s hooked up easily. He will be needing an antibiotic drip twice daily and the stint will make this an easy task. He will immediately return to Newport for a surgery this afternoon, the nature of which I don't know.

Keep checking for another update

If there weren't any ups and downs, the ride wouldn't be any fun!

181 Stewart Dr. Construction Status:

My last update has been quite a while ago. We have had a couple of weeks down time since we thought we were completed with the excavation. I am now living the words that Stoneridge Guy has been repeating for over a year. "There are going to be alot of surprises."

Let's go back a couple of weeks. Cousin Rob was due to arrive August 2nd. What we got instead was a message on our answering machine informing us that he was in the hospital in Oregon due to a spider bite. He was finally released and arrived here in Stoneridge the following Saturday very swollen and in pain. He has been staying with us in the condo with his 2 labs.


His first visit to our construction site brought the beginning of the bad news. It turns our we were NOT ready to start building the forms for the foundation. In his terms, "the lot was grubbed and a hole dug". To make things worse the county inspector informed us that our silt fence was not properly installed either.

So move forward to August 15th. Here comes the heavy equipment and the guys start to fix all of the issues created by the excavator. The first project was getting water hooked up, which should have been done along time ago by you know who. Stoneridge Guy dug a 5 foot hole to no avail. We had to dig a much larger hole using the back ho to get down to the 6 feet to be able to add the pipe.

Stoneridge Guy trying to find the main water pipe.

Cousin Rob operating the back hoe

Cousin Rob operating the bull dozer

So the plan now is that this week they will be re-excavating the lot. Hopefully, next week we can start building forms for the foundation. In order to complete all of this by Friday, when the equipment goes back, Stoneridge Guy will be learning how to operate the bull dozer! No Joke!

I fly down to So. Cal today to get our Stoneridge kid moved into his dorm room in Prescott, Arizona this weekend. Be patient for the next installment of our on going drama,
"As the Ground Churns"

It's Hot

With the temperatures reaching 103 degrees today, I feel like we never left So. California. We never thought that we would be wishing for cooler temperatures. So far during our 2 months here in Blanchard, the weather here has been wonderful.

Go out and enjoy your Sunday!

A Golf Milestone

Lately, I've been struggling to score under 100. My average has been in the 102-105 range. The first week here I did manage to shoot a 93, 95 and 98. Unfortunately, I reverted back up above 100. Until today, when I shot 86. I just can't believe it so I had to tell everyone. I don't expect to do this regularly... yet. This is golf and it's the reason I love it so much. One day you shoot 105 and the next an 86. What a wonderfully frustrating game!

Meet Thelma

Ever since I have taken up this game called golf, I have always admired Annika Sorenstam. In my humble opinion, she has the smoothest swing on the tour. And until fairly recently, she was usually the longest hitter to boot. So naturally I try to emulate her. If I ever win Lotto, I'm going to go to the Annika Academy in Florida for some lessons from her.


This year she announced that she would be retiring at the end of the season. Last week she played in her last LPGA major tournament. She finished with a bang hitting all 18 greens, shooting a 68 and a birdie on the 18th hole as her adoring crowd cheered her on. I watched sadly knowing that there won't me many more opportunities to see her play.

Now that I have lived here at Stoneridge for over a month I've had the opportunity to play with many of the ladies in the club. I've enjoyed playing with all of them, but there is one that I especially love to play with.


Meet Thelma. She is 80 years young and today I had the pleasure to be beaten by her. We've been cart partners twice now and both times she amazes me with her spunk and vigor. She can still hit a solid drive, get out of trouble in the fairway, chips & pitches like the pros and one-putts with regularity.

I'll let you in on a secret. I want to be like her when I grow up.
Keep it up Thelma!

Don't Blink

With a population of 1,123 Blanchard, Idaho is far from being a big town. Based on what I've seen most of those 1,123 probably live in Stoneridge. But you can now see for yourself.