There Was a Breach and I Was In the Bathroom

I have been so busy since I hit the state of Washington that I haven't had time to stop to write. I have however, had ample opportunity to decide what to write about. I've been staying with my Cousin Liz, her husband, Russ, and their little boy, Evan, since I arrived. I've found time to take not one, but two trips to Canada during this time, have gone camping on Shaw Island, played on the beach (without going in the water), and met a whole host of amazing people.

On Friday last week, Liz, Evan, and I, took a ferry with my aunt and uncle (and Raymond's posse from grade school) to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. I've never been on a ferry before except for the smaller sized ferries/boats that take people to and from the train station and mainland in Venice. Like any good traveler, I was doing my best to pack light and removed all unnecessary items from my day pack. Among the items removed: a deck of cards, the book I'm currently reading, and my journal. I did take enough "warm weather wear" along for the trip but it soon came to my attention that on a three hour one-way ferry ride, cards and a book actually come in pretty handy. Most of the passengers were veterans and had all the essential items to stay off boredom. I will be much more prepared the next time.

If you've never been to Victoria, you really should go. I decided it would be a great place to live. Except for one rather important feature: the weather. Now, I'm visiting during summer and it was most definitely a beautiful day but it still never got above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. With the postcard type flower baskets that hang from lampposts and awnings it's hard to imagine this place is anything but sunny and beautiful all year round. That isn't the case though and for the majority of the year, I'm quite sure I wouldn't be able to feel my fingers or toes.

While there, we visited Butchart Gardens. I'm sure it takes a small army to keep that place looking immaculate and colorful. And for people like me, who love flowers but generally don't have a clue which one I'm looking at, they have a handy brochure, complete with a picture of the plant, flower, or tree, its scientific name, its common name, its blooming season, and a whole host of other information. It's always nice when beauty and education are intermingled.

On the ferry ride home, our skipper noticed several whale watching boats converging off the coast of one of the many San Juan Islands. It didn't take long and we spotted one, then two, then three, then holy smokes! four, and finally a fifth...whale! Yahoo! As I was watching, patiently waiting to get a really good glimpse and picture of one, I could hear the Captain in the background saying "This is J Pod. They are foraging for food." I was quite amazed that our Captain was also apparently a marine biologist but I suppose anything is possible. It was amazing to see such large creatures though. We hung around for 15-20 minutes while they swam down the coast.

Then, almost as quickly as he had decided to stop, he decided we should head back to Bellingham. Once the boat turned around and started making its way south, I decided that it was time for me to head to the head. (For you non-sailing types, that means the bathroom.) As soon as I returned, all I could hear was "Did you see that breach?", "Can you believe that breach?", "Wow! There were three of them. I can't believe we got so lucky!" Oh! That's just great! I head to the john and the whales decide to put on a little acrobatic display. Just great! My luck! I come thousands of miles, and get the opportunity of a lifetime and I blow it. Oh well. If that's the only thing in life I miss because I am in the bathroom I suppose I'm a lucky girl. It does still stink though.

Today is my last day hanging out in Bellingham. Liz and I were planning to hike a trail at Mt. Baker but we kind of go with the flow. And the flow has gone this way...the babysitter (my aunt) had to skip town to fly to New York to be with my grandfather. He collapsed two days ago while walking back to his dorm room from the cafeteria. Yes, I did just say dorm room. He was accepted at Seton Hall to audit a United Nations course. And, it also appears that the beautiful weather that has been hanging around since I arrived has decided to take a hiatus and has left us with cool weather and cloudy skies. So, what to do with our spare time? We're going to take a bike ride to the market. It's also given me the opportunity to catch up on my blog and has given me some smiles as I relive my adventure thus far.

Tomorrow morning, I'm riding with my Uncle Raymond to Seattle, where I will spend the day in the downtown area before leaving on an evening flight to Denver. My journey is almost over but I still have a few more days before I reenter my "real" life. I haven't written much, well, really at all, about the journey I've been on from an internal, spiritual, and self-discovery perspective. This trip has been good for me. I've learned a lot about myself though and gotten closer to God. I don't have the universe and my role in it figured out just yet but that's okay because it will happen. I have faith.

Must love Dogs...and Cats

If you know me at all, then you know that I'm what most people call a "dog person". What you may not know is that I secretly like cats. We always had a ton of kittens running around when I was a kid. I'm not sure what happened to them...most of them mysteriously disappeared. I do remember however, scrubbing in on several tail bobbing surgeries. Living at Martin Manor can be hazardous to your health if you're of the feline persuasion.

The past week I have been surrounded by cat lovers. My Cousin Holly, her soon to be husband, Chad, and his son Alex, are all very attached to Stella. A very attractive, dark haired beauty who accepted me into her domain by grooming my hair on several occasions. My Uncle Lee and Aunt Minerva are the saviors of wayward cats in Seaside, a town along the California coast. I'm not sure how many there are; I think perhaps six in total, not counting the neighbor's cat who comes around every day to say hello. They sport names like Charlie, Chow, and James Bond, just to name a few.

As I was cruising through the house yesterday afternoon something on the fridge caught my eye. Yes, I did see the word "dog"...in a cat house. How strange! Reading further, I understood why this document had been given permanent residence status in the Scheffel household. And yes, even though I am a dog person, it pretty much does sum up what I'm sure is a dog's view of life and it obviously accurately reflects all the cats I've encountered in my short life...with the exception of Kitty, my mom and dad's cute little gray and white fuzzball who has decided that life with dogs isn't so bad afterall.

As you read on I'm sure you'll understand why I just couldn't help but share it with you...

Excerpts from a Dog's Diary...(probably Bones and Copper's)

8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!

9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!

9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!

10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!

12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!

1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!

3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!

5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing!

7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!

8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!

11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

Excerpts from a Cat's Diary...

Day 983 of my captivity.

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today, I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a "good little hunter" I am. Bastards!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the evening. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of "allergies." I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow...but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe...for now.

If I knew who to give credit to for the above excerpts, I would definitely congratulate them on a job well done. I'm quite sure this is how dogs and cats view their lives.

Hunger is a Sign of Weakness

It's been 16 days since I first stepped foot in the sunny state of California and true to that old saying, "all good things must come to an end". On Wednesday, I will head to San Jose to hop on a plane that will take me to Seattle, Washington, then on to Bellingham, were my Cousin Liz (with little Evan in tow, I hope) will be anxiously awaiting my arrival.

You might be wondering what I've been up to for the past week. I traded in my long nights of fast living in Southern California for a more subdued Northern California lifestyle. My friend Sheri and her two year old, Kylin, and I had a wonderful, relaxing, and sometimes too exciting time. I got to treat myself to a pedicure and a wonderful massage while in their company and worked in the long awaited "Sex in the City" movie. It was nice to slow down for awhile. And, I think I might have made a lasting impression on Kylin as she's still talking about me choking. Just suffice it to say that if you ever need to know the secret to getting red wine out of white carpet, Sheri and I know the trick.

After that, I was on to my Cousin Holly's house where I perfected my video gaming skills, made friends with Stella, a very pretty and lovey, although highly independent black cat, and schooled Holly, Chad, and Alex on the fine art of rafting.

On Saturday, eighteen of us went down the American River near Sacramento with the following gear: two rafts, four paddles, eight bright orange life jackets, three coolers of various size (containing tasty beverages), and three very large water guns. It was similar to floating down the Illinois River (for those of you from Oklahoma) but with much colder water. Chad was convinced he wasn't going to even get wet and tried to wear a pair of "regular" shorts before Holly told him he was going to wear his swimsuit. It didn't take me long to call him out on it when I saw him floating in the water courtesy of his orange life preserver. I think he may have had more fun than all of us.

The bus ride home was also one of those things to write home about...an entire bus load of people singing Journey's "Can't Stop Believing" and a solo performance of Vanilla's Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" by one of our groupies made for a memorable experience. If you're not smiling right now, I suppose you just had to be there.

Currently, I am in Seaside, California, which is right next to Monterey. It's a lot cooler here...highs in the 80's compared to 100 plus in Sacramento. My Uncle Lee keeps saying "Isn't there anything that you want to do while you're here?" Although I really did put them on my list because I just really enjoy spending time with them, we have fit in a lot of fun in two and half days. Yesterday, we rode bikes down to the wharf and continued on around the bay. The weather has been perfect and getting out and about was refreshing.

As we were heading out this morning to go kayaking in Elkhorn Slough, Lee was chastising Minerva and me for wanting to stop to buy some snacks. I've been out in a kayak before with no food. It's not fun. Lee's idea of a snack? Two suckers with bubblegum centers. According to him, hunger is a sign of weakness. Well, I'm as weak as they get I suppose 'cause I'm not skipping a meal for any reason. Minerva is kind though and she did share her twinkie...twinkies contain lots of protein I've been told. I inhaled my twix and a granola bar before we even headed out. What was anyone to expect? It was lunchtime.

After donning our wetsuits and life jackets that we were told to not take off under any circumstances, I finally got to see my mom's favorite animal, otters, up close and personal. (And no, I didn't get within 50 feet, just in case some federal agent is reading this thing...'cause it's illegal...and I never break the law.) We saw lots of wildlife that you don't normally see in Oklahoma, unless you're at the zoo. Besides otters, we saw harbor seals, pelicans, egrets, Great Blue Herons, Surf Scoter, Redbreasted Merganser, Bufflehead, Widgeon, Gadwall, and Shoveler ducks. Okay, maybe I didn't see all of them but the brochure I picked up said you could see them. :o)

There is one part of the brochure I found quite amusing, especially since I did make it back to dry land. It was the section on "Wind". Unlike, all the other sections, this one is, in its entirety, in bold. "Strong afternoon wind, typically out of the north-west at 10 - 20 knots, will blow up the slough and can be difficult to paddle against. Plan your trip to take advantage of wind and currents." They weren't lying. If you stopped for even a little sip of non-salted water, you were going to do the old one step forward, two steps back routine. We looked at it as great exercise and Lee decided that his sore arms and abs would go along well with his bottom that is already sore from biking the other day.

We finished our day with a wonderful meal at Phil's Fish Market and Restaurant which is located near the docks. Talk about yummy...fire roasted artichoke, hot crab with butter...I was in heaven. So, now, even though it's only 7:00 in the evening, I'm going to pretend I'm on Oklahoma time and turn in for the night. We have a Vietnamese market trip scheduled for the morning then it's back to the airport.

I'd Heard About It But Now I've Seen It...Massive Foreclosures

Living in rural Oklahoma can leave you a little isolated at times. Isolated from pop culture, from city life, and the reality of a tumbling housing market. I've spent the last few weeks in California and although I'd heard about entire neighborhoods being foreclosed on, you can't quite fathom it until you actually see all the for sale signs with your own two eyes.

My cousin, Holly, and my friend, Sheri, both live near Sacramento. Today, I went for a run through the park and through some of the adjoining neighborhoods; quiet neighborhoods, with cute stucco and rock homes. The sad reality is that as I ran through one addition, where the houses are so close together that you have to share a communal mailbox, I counted over a dozen homes with either "For Sale" or "Bank Owned" signs on them, or houses that were in the process of being foreclosed on with key locks on the front doors and signs in the windows, saying "Do not trespass".

Just in the block around Holly's house, I counted 10 homes that have been foreclosed. That's 10 families who couldn't make their mortgage payments. And the sad thing is that it doesn't stop there. How many banks have been affected, how many mortgage-backed securities that little old ladies have in their investment portfolios have been affected? And, and an even better question, who's at fault? The more-than-likely uneducated borrower, the banker who should have known the borrower couldn't afford the house, the mortgage broker who was interested in the bonus, the underwriter who should have seen the red flags in the file, the appraiser who wanted to make the bank happy? I don't know who is to blame and more than likely it's everyone's fault individually and collectively and now everyone is paying the price.

Right now, even if you knew you had a problem and you needed to do something to fix it, you couldn't sell your house because the market is so depressed. Holly said that where she lives was just a rice field not even 10 years ago. In that short time, shopping centers have popped up, commercial buildings, housing additions, all with open space available and for sale signs posted everywhere. What a difficult time to be in the real estate market. Unless that is if you're a buyer with a lot of cash and time enough to wait out the downturn.

So, although I'm still having great fun hanging out with family and friends, this portion of the trip has been a reality check. Anyone who thinks that things are all peachy, well, you're just flat wrong. If you live in Pryor, Oklahoma, I can see where you'd think things are wonderful, what with Gatorade and Google moving to town but sometimes you have to look beyond your front porch because we all live in the same big world. And what is happening in Sacramento or Chicago or New York City is bound to affect you.

The Things You'll See at Venice Beach

If you're like me, you've heard a million and a half stories about the strange things you'll see at Venice Beach. Well, all I can say is, the weren't telling any lies. I saw some pretty unusual characters in Vegas but these guys take the cake. At one point, I saw a kid, probably in his early 20's, walking around in only a pair of tighty-whities and tennis shoes and the even more confusing was that he was carrying around a spare pair in his hand. (I didn't ask.) Like I said, there are some strange cats there.

This is also the place where I realized that there is absolutely NO reason that come next February when I'm back from South America why I can't find a job. I remember having a conversation with my dad where I said that I wanted to be unemployed on my birthday that's coming up in September. His next question was "Does that mean you're unemployable?" Oh, I'm definitely employable alright, although surprisingly enough I think there are some people who might not hire me because of the way I look.


Jeremy and I were having that discussion over lunch, as I was saying that I had an irresponsible haircut and that if someone came in for an interview looking like me then I'd have a hard time hiring them. (Okay, so maybe I am a bit of a traditionalist after all.) But, in this case, I saw some places that wouldn't hire me because I don't look wild enough. I don't have any piercings (besides my ears in the normal place), I don't have any tattoos, and, well, I don't know what else people do to their bodies beyond that, and I probably don't want to think about it anyway. But Regina, Nicolette, and I looked completely out of place on the boardwalk that day.

My friends Jason and Shellee from back home were texting me (okay, so maybe I am just a little hip after all) and told me not to forget to take a gander at the bodybuilders. Holy heck! Even if you have no interest in going to Venice Beach, you've got to go just to see that. It's quite entertaining. My favorite is a guy who looked like a cross between Michael Jackson and Fabio. I also was amazed to see grown men actually painting on a tan. Yep! Complete with paint brush! They were having a contest that day and the three of us (along with a crowd of ooglers) got to witness first hand how these guys prep for the stage. Did I happen to mention it was entertaining? And the price of admission...free! An entertainment value as Robert would say!

Of course, there are the typical scenes. People playing pick up games of basketball, people rollerblading and riding bikes up and down the beach, sailboats tacking back and forth just off the beach, and the street performers and vendors. Now those are an interesting group of people. I saw everything from break dancers, to mimes, to gospel singers, to Bohemian type gypsy dancers who looked like they had never enjoyed a warm bath, to people who would do psalm readings. That's right! You can even find someone who will pray with you on the boardwalk. I listened to an old man who could whistle like different little animals, looked at paintings that grown people were displaying that looked like the artist was actually a one year old (I did see a few paintings that actually looked pretty nice just to give someone some credit). You can get your name on a piece of paper drawn in wild letters, see a two headed snake and a bald rat at the freak show, get your portrait done in fifteen minutes for fifteen dollars, and buy any kind of designer sunglasses under the sun for only $5. Wow! Isn't America great?!?

I didn't see any tap dancers though and from what I can tell, it looks like if you get up early enough in the morning you can chalk off your own portion of property and do your own thing. I don't even think I'd have to be that good because I think some people will pay to get you to quit doing whatever it is you're doing, especially if you're loud enough. It might be possible to get the sewing machine guy I saw to stitch me up a cute little outfit, I can get all wild looking with some temporary henna tattoos, and with those cool $5 shades, it won't be long and I should be back in the black. Regina did bring up the possibility of needing a permit but I'm thinking there are enough people there to keep the code enforcement officer busy long enough that if I keep moving around, I should be alright. So, should worse come to worst, and I really do mean WORST. Then you can find me doing a little tap dance routine (similar to those Fred Astaire used to do in the movies) on the boardwalk at Venice Beach. Don't forget your spare change!

Things That Go Bump In the Night

My mom used to tell me that nothing good happens after midnight. And while she probably has a good point, there are some things that aren't that bad that do happen. I do remember being 16 at the time when she said that, although even when I was older, she was still calling trying to locate me if she thought it was too late and I still wasn't home. Here are a few of the things that have happened in the wee hours of the morning which I'm sure would drive my mom crazy if she knew...

This past weekend, I've been living up life near Los Angeles, where even on a non-holiday weekend things seem to travel at warp speed. Regina introduced me to the single LA way of life on Thursday night with a trip to a dueling piano bar called "Howl at the Moon" located near Universal Studios. They didn't exactly have a dance floor but they did have everything else you need: music, lights, and a pretty decent stage. You can tell from the pictures that I wasn't the only one with that idea. The place was packed and we had a great time dancing the night away.

The next evening, we watched fireworks like most Americans and hatched plans to go to Pismo Beach to go "quading". Now, in Oklahoman, that translates to 4-wheeling. I actually have been there before with my mom's family when I was 15 or 16. The Oceano Dunes is basically an enormous sandpit right next to the ocean. I was excited about going, that is until I figured out that we were scheduled to leave at 2:00 in the morning. Ugh! My mom says I'm supposed to be asleep, so that's what I tried to do in one of the most pimped out Ford F450's on the planet. Our driver, Alex, was a trooper and did a fine job of staying between the lines on our 3 1/2 hour road trip. He did require that the windows were down though and the music was thumping. I'm quite convinced that his stereo system could revive a dead person, especially if they were in my seat...the sub woofer was directly behind me.

We pulled in around 9:00 am and after taking a nap we headed out for some riding. It's hard to imagine anything that can be nerve-racking can be that much fun. You all know me; I will pretty much try anything. And this is one of those things that is exciting and exhilarating. You also have to be paying attention because at any moment there could be someone going 90 to nothing on the other side of the dune headed your way. Fortunately, you get a little heads up from the flags that everyone is required to have on either their bike or 4-wheeler. The wind shapes the dunes and when you can't see where you're headed your first urge is to slow down but if you do, I can
guarantee you that you're gonna end up standing ankle deep in sand, trying to lift up the back end of your 4-wheeler so you can roll down the "hill". Not too much fun but you can bet that if you're out there long enough, it'll happen to you.

We also found the track. You talk about exciting! (The video is at the end of the blog.) There are some peeps with some h-o-t quads and bikes and they are all riding fast. It kind of reminded me of watching the old-school drag racing you saw in the movie, Grease. It was a good day of riding accompanied by some nap time. The only thing that would have made it any better is if it hadn't been so cold. I had layer upon layer on and was still freezing. That evening, we lit a fire, roasted weenies, and made smores. It was a great end to an exciting and fun-filled day.

There are a few other things that I've learned while I've been in Southern California...

1. I've learned that there's a reason why they have spittoons in tasting rooms.

2. I've learned more about snakes than I ever wanted to know from Amy's children who are all into reptiles. (I also had the pleasure of sleeping in the same room as Slithie, a corn snake, while staying with Amy. Yahoo!)

3. I figured out why people have children. There are some amazingly sweet and touching moments that offset those temper tantrums, screams, and arguing. (This was my first experience with small children for any length of time...it was an eye-opener. My friend Amy is an excellent mom.)

4. I have discovered that God gave all of us talents and if those people at Venice Beach can find a job either singing, dancing, or trying to paint, or whatever it is they do, then something tells me I have a chance when my journey is comes to an end. If nothing else, maybe I can tap dance on the boardwalk at Venice Beach. I always enjoyed tap dancing. :)

On my journey, I've already experienced an incredible amount of amazing things and activities. I've gone from experiencing nature in some really remote and fascinating places to living it up in the big town, complete with sparkly lights, lots of commotion, and unusual people. I've gotten to hang out with friends I haven't seen in years and true to form, I've made some more.

Next up is Sacramento, which is where I'll head tomorrow afternoon. I'll be spending a few days with my friend, Sheri, who I met in Costa Rica over six years ago. Someone is going to have to warn people that I'm hard to shake...

Top Ten Causes of Death at Bryce Canyon

This is straight from The Hoodoo - The guide that the National Park Service puts out for Bryce Canyon National Park.

10. Unsafe Driving - Auto vs. Animal. Watch for Wildlife!

9. Climbing/Sliding Down Cliffs - I don't know about you but a picture says a thousand words...does that LOOK safe to you?

8. Feeding Animals - As cute as this little guy looks, he'd steal your sandwich in a heartbeat. Don't let the furry tail and big brown eyes fool you.

7. Ignoring Extreme Weather - According to the literature, it's possible for the difference between the high and low to be up to 50 degrees. And I thought Oklahoma weather was fickle.

6. Dehydration - It's amazing you can be out hiking and never really sweat...it's that dry. So, stick to the rulebook whether you think you need it or not...1 liter every 1-2 hours. Just for the record, water is heavy.

5. Leaving the Trail - Even though this was some of the easier terrain we hiked, it was more slippery than at Zion. The article says to "stay away from cliff edges". Well, duh!

4. Over-exertion - It says to turn back before you become tired. Well, I'm telling you, if you're headed up this path and you get tired, you better just sit down 'cause you don't want to turn back at this point. The park ranger even said this was the easy way out.

3., 2., & Number 1 Cause of Death at Bryce Canyon...Bad Choice of Footwear - You may not be the coolest kiddie on the mountain but believe me, it's safer to wear those hiking shoes. I was just about to stop reading the article and then something caught my eye. It says, "Hiking without hiking boots is like SCUBA diving with out an air tank." That's exactly the same thing my brother Tom says about sleeping without a Cpap machine when you have sleep apnea. Wow...I wonder who borrowed that line from whom???

As you can see, we had a great time at Bryce. We went on the 3 mile hike on the Queen's Garden and Navajo Loop trail. Along the way, I talked to a father of four who said he had been there 10 years ago when his first daughter was one. He said he pushed her around the canyon in an off-road type stroller. There is no way! If you have small children wait until they can walk under their own power for at least 10 miles before you take them, unless you like being a pack mule.

I know I said I'd do a post about Pine Creek but I've decided to wait for the video and just post it. Ben thinks one of his friends can splice all the clips together and since we have video of almost the entire canyon that probably is the way to go.

Right now, I'm in Ventura, California. The last two days I've spent with Amy and her three children, Abygail (6), Benjamin (4), and Elijah (3). We've had a blast doing Origami, playing Candy Land, splashing around at a water park, and hiking up to a waterfall.