Keeping Up with the Family: Rain & Rainbows

Dear Family, Friends, and Assorted Others:

I got a quick, fun little email from my Aunt Becky yesterday. At the end of it, she said something like, “Drop me a line and catch me up.” I started typing a quick paragraph and next thing I knew, I couldn’t stop typing. I got to the end of one paragraph and kept going… and going… and going. I didn’t realize I had so much stuff stored up.

I realize it’s been more than a few weeks since I’ve shared an installment of Keeping Up with the Family. It’s not so much that nothing’s been going on. But it’s just been the normal stuff of life, for the most part. I’ve been settling in and just living in the day-to-day. I get up at 6:45, stumble through the routine and into the car, and face down Portland traffic. When I arrive to the office, I beeline to the coffee pot, which the ladies in HR keep blissfully full in the morning.

Ah… Coffee… I love it more every single day… Also, you know you work with medical folks when the coffee kiosk at work has an x-ray of a person drinking coffee up on the wall as “art.”

After a cup, I finally manage to peel my eyes open and make it through another day. Then, I come home and heat up soup and spend the evening snuggled into my pillow nest.

The big news ‘round these parts is that the rainy season has begun. I’m really grateful that we had a sunny, pleasant summer. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful autumn. I’ve seen more colorful leaves this fall than I think I ever have in my life. But now, the rain has begun and has, with the wind, begun to strip the pretty leaves from the trees. I decided that I had to get out and take some walks—even if it meant getting damp—and capture it on film. (Well, on a memory card, anyway.)

I know I’ll have complaints (from Vicky and Barbara C., among others!) if I don’t give a Twilight update. And so I’m pleased to say that we had the “soft opening” (private, invitation-only pre-opening party) at Twilight Pizza Bistro Tuesday night. Can you believe that I didn’t manage to take a single picture?! And really, I think the reason was that I was so overwhelmed. It was pretty emotional to walk into the “completed” restaurant and see it full of happy guests. Especially since on my very first day in Vancouver, Morgan had taken me to see it and it was just a concrete slab with metal framing. And now it’s gorgeous, warm, and inviting. It’s perfect!

Something else that caused me to forget to take pictures that night was that so many of my favorite people were all in one place. I was so excited about seeing friends and visiting with them that it was all I could do to make myself sit down and eat. (I had arancini, Twilight salad, baked mac & cheese, and a slice of pumpkin cheesecake that was so good it was practically a religious experience!!) After I made myself sit down and eat, I floated from table to table, chatting, laughing, and hugging people. Tonight, as I sit here typing, they are closing at the end of their first night of official business. I can’t wait for them to get home and tell me how it went!

I’m writing a “family and friends” post and that, of course, makes me think about my family and friends…. My “framily.” This past month or two, we’ve had a tough go of it, haven’t we? In the space of three weeks, I got three “dreaded” calls from North Carolina, which ended up in news of two dear family members who are battling illness. Oh, let’s just call it what it is: CANCER. In the midst of dealing with that onslaught of tears, two of my dearest framily members out here had painful losses in their own families. And let me just tell you—it was every bit as devastating and heart-wrenching watching my friends hurt over their losses as if I was going through my own losses. Yes, folks, it’s the rainy season. I’m just thankful that I have people close enough to me to hold up the umbrella. And that I have a dear God to send the rainbows.

Yes, I’m thankful for you all…

And that’s what’s been going on here.

What’s going on where you are?

(All of the pictures above were taken on my lunch-time walks at work.)

About Sarah Salter

Comments

  1. Barbara Capps says:

    Yeah always the food.. LOL.. Maybe one day I will get to taste it.. I love rain. Wish I was there to see your Autumn. And I KNOW you aren’t awake at 6:45… Neither am I.. I miss you a lot, but I am glad that you are happy… Oh I will be praying for the family members too.. Love you Sista Sarah.. Take Care.

    B

  2. Uncle Lee says:

    It is always great to hear (yes, when I read your words I hear your voice) from you Sarah. I like the wall art at the coffee room, lol. You sound very happy! Are you looking for a place of your own, or is your current set up with your friends so good you can’t leave, lol? And, I’ll play your Dad for a moment, are you saving money from your great job? Last question (dang, I sound like another of your uncles…but anyway, lol) do you have plans to come to NC over the holidays or is anyone coming out there? If anyone is coming out, let them know I am retired and would be willing to come along as an escort, sharing expenses of hotel, taxi, etc. Anyway, we miss you and love you.

    As for the Brady Family, we are all fine. You saw the pictures from the family visit to see Uncle Jesse and Aunt Emma. It was a fun day. Ashley and Rachel are coming to Burgaw today for the weekend. Juan-Lee has been working very hard getting the house ready, lol. Rachel has not made any plans for her wedding….may be a long engagement, lol. Her fiance’ Justin is relocating to a new store (high performance motorcycles) in Raleigh later this month. He had been commuting to the store in Smithfield, so this is a great move for him.

    Thanksgiving will be here soon. Don’t know the full plans, but the Bradys will be in either Cary or Durham! Magic remains a loyal pet and exercise partner for me. That is pretty much all our news. Oh, we did put a bench on the waterfront at the Little House, and we bought a microwave oven for the kitchen there. All is good, God is good! Love ya, Uncle Lee

  3. Sarah Salter says:

    Uncle Lee, most of your answers are in the emails I sent to Aunt Becky this week. LOL! But for the others… I’m staying here for the holidays. I don’t have enough time off over Thanksgiving to come then. And it’s really expensive to come at Christmas. Plus the fact that I don’t want to spend my whole holiday in airports. I’m probably looking at about March for a trip back to NC. And nobody there has started making plans to come this way yet. 🙂

    Enjoy having the bunch together this weekend! I know that’s all too rare.

    Whenever I get back to NC to visit, I will surely go down to the Little House! If I’m going to go 3000 miles, I can’t miss that! I’ll be excited to see what’s been done down there. Thanks for all you and Aunt Becky do!

    Love you, too! (PS – I’ll forward you the string of emails that Aunt B and I shared this week so you get ALL of your answers.)

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