Year with Blake Scott Logistics & Visit to the Coast ~

 This morning, Butch was completing a dispatch - delivering a load of cardboard bales to McKinely Paper Company in Port Angeles, WA.  There, he was to pick up a loaded trailer going to AZ.  Upon arrival, he was told no trailer was loaded & would not be, until after the upcoming holiday.  Butch checked each Jacko trailer there, all were empty. 

Looking NW across the Salish Sea toward Hurricane Ridge~

Mid-morning Butch sent the photo above!  I'm so jealous!  Since he had nowhere to go & traffic was going past where he was parked, he decided check out where those cars were headed.  He ended up on Ediz Hook!  He parked Traveler & decided to enjoy the magnificent day on the coast!

Very choppy water!

Butch has completed his first year with Blake Scott Logistics, LLC.  Last June, Butch left CFI & we made the trip to TX to pick up his things from Big Red.  A few days later, Butch flew to Salt Lake City to pick up his first Freightliner.  He returned home to outfit Ranger on the 10th.

6-10-2022 Ranger's first time home~

Three days later - with the truck thoroughly cleaned & supplied - he & Nika were on the road.  At that time, Blake Scott was hauling trailers for D&D Transportation Services, Inc. out of Gooding, ID.  It worked out great for us, since there were dispatches delivering cheese to Carthage, MO.  Those dispatches usually allowed enough time - Butch could come home to spend a night on his way down & back west.

August, 2022 - Inside the "Caves"~

As the year progressed, D&D lost the contract to haul cheese.  We'd been spoiled - Butch stopping by home so often - was so nice.  Especially, after months of being gone for weeks at a time while driving for CFI.  

8-6-2022 Blue at home~

August, Butch was driving Blue, his second Freightliner.  Blue ended up in the shop mid-month.  Butch drove Rebel, a truck going to a dedicated route, during the two week wait for repairs.  With Blue back on the road - November first - Butch reached 100,000 miles.  Later in the month though - Blue was again in the shop.

It was great to have Butch home for several days over Thanksgiving.  He had enough time for us to get in a bike ride & catch up.  On the first of December he flew to Shreveport, Louisiana to recover Rebel. Butch continued to drive Rebel, while waiting on a "new to him" truck to arrive in Salt Lake.  He also picked up a brand new trailer from D&D.  The first & only one he had to date.

12-2-22 Rebel in Louisana~

Late December, Butch returned to Salt Lake to swap trucks yet again & picked up a newly purchased Freightliner.  This truck was in excellent condition & would be his - hopefully long term.  One of his first dispatches took him to WA state, where he managed a short visit with our youngest daughter & three Grandkids!  

12-18-2022 Josie, Butch, Ben & Skyla~

By year's end Butch brought Traveler home for the first time.

12-26-2023 Traveler at home~

January of this year, during another dispatch to UT, there was time for the new company logo to be installed on Traveler!  By Butch's first anniversary with the company, he had a "real" license plate & a prepass.

5-1-2023 Mason & Courtney

In May, Butch had yet another dispatch to Kent, WA.  Daughter Courtney & Grandson Mason made the long, harrowing drive through miles of traffic to meet with Papa for dinner.  There's never a complaint when the dispatch goes up to the NW - even with the traffic!

April 30th, 2023 Traveler!

Mid-June - Blake Scott made a change.  The company drivers would now be hauling trailers for Jacko Logistics'.  Butch dropped off his last D&D trailer on June 15th, in Gooding, ID.  He bobtailed to Vancouver, WA & picked up his first Jacko trailer.  Jacko operates in 11 western states & we're yet to see how far east Butch will be dispatched.

Up until now, dispatching has been much improved.  As of this morning, it looks like Butch will still be waiting for a load after he completes his 34-hour reset today.  A beautiful place for a reset, but a shame he's so close to family, yet unable to visit if the delay stretches into several days...  

To date, Butch has driven just over 179,000 miles, 137,000 of those with Blake Scott.  It's almost funny how WA state tries to lure Butch to return.  Our youngest daughter & her family have moved back from Astoria OR to Camano Is.  Our oldest & her family are still in Duvall & now Butch is hauling trailers for a Vancouver based company!

2020 - In Review~

Our fourth year in Iowa, January started out mild & beautiful.

Butch's first project of the new year, was to remove the sheetrock off the largest wall in our living room.  He added framing & insulation before installing new paneling, travertine tile & an electric fireplace.  The room looks so much nicer with a feature wall.  

New Years Sunrise~

The snow & cold came mid-month. By the end of January, I made the first of two-trips to Washington.  February in the Pacific NW, usually boasts a week or two of good weather. This year though, was very wet with rain almost every day. The Snoqualmie Valley was completely flooded & Duvall's water treatment plant was maxed out.

2-3-20 Riding at Bracken~

The weather did cooperate enough, I managed to get in some fine rides on Farah.  When I'm with her, it seems like just yesterday, rather than month's, since we've been together.  Our first ride, was at the Bracken Tree farm. The woods, ferns & moss seem so lush to me now!

2-9-2020 West Coast of Whidbey Is.  Ft. Ebey~

One weekend, David was golfing, so Courtney, Mason, Cassidy & I took the Mukilteo Ferry to Whidbey Island.  We shopped, enjoyed fresh seafood for lunch & combed the beach at Ft. Ebey. The rain held off until late in the afternoon, giving us enough time to hunt for agates & wish rocks. We left with full buckets!

2-10-2020 At the Monument~

On my 69th birthday, I was riding Farah! We trailered to the Victoria track of the tree farm, to meet-up with our old riding buddies Charlotte & Fancy. Afterward, Linda met us too. Our little group celebrated my birthday, with dinner in Arlington.  The visit was too short, as usual.  I missed getting to see our youngest daughter's family in Oregon.

3-1-2020 Butch feeding the chipper~

Arriving home to Iowa sunshine, was wonderful.  Late winter was mild & dry.  The end of the month, Butch rented a chipper.  We spent the weekend chipping all the dried stacks of invasive Honeysuckle & Autumn Olive.  The work resulted in enough mulch to cover the ground along the edge of the woods & part of one trail.

4-1-2020 Sunny on the Wabash Trace~

April first, I decided it was time to get back on my bike!  We are so lucky to have the Wabash Trace close.  My first ride was from Agriland to Silver City, eight miles.  A misunderstanding & no cell service turned my ride into a round-trip of eighteen miles!  A stiff wind didn't make it any easier!  With only three gears on Sunny (An Electra 3i) & balloon tires, the ride was longer than I'd planned!

4-15-2020 My new bike!  Speedy~

Butch suggested we go bike shopping!  Speedy is my new Electra 7d, an updated version of Sunny.  (It's a shame these bikes are no longer made in the USA.  The company was sold to Trek.)  Seven gears, smaller profile tires & lighter weight.  We added fenders & I bought a few needed accessories.  Speedy & I were on the trail two or three times a week.  My longest ride, was a round-trip of 24-miles, from Malvern to Imogene.

5-9-2020 City Sign

In May,  with funding provided by the Glenwood Garden Club, Butch took on the task of removing all the weeds & old overgrown plantings from around the city sign.  We planted new rug junipers - for a  low growing ground cover & applied fresh mulch.  Red day lilies will add summer color.

6-23-2020 Trail Signs~

June, I finished painting the trail signs for the woods.  Butch planted the posts & the trails now have names.  Thanks to several friends, especially Clara, I planted many, many starts of ferns, hosta's & sedums.  With such a dry year, watering was non-stop.  I lost almost half of the P.J.M Rhododendron's I'd planted in the spring.  The moles continually dug under them, leaving the roots bare of soil.

7-19-2020 Badlands~

Mid-July, after our visit with family in Sheridan, WY, we drove through Badlands National Park.  An opportunity to fly in a Helicopter is one we never pass up.  Since the pilot's wife was hiking & no one was waiting - we enjoyed an extended flight to find her! 

8-3-2020 Todd & Butch, planting the island~

August, was summertime hot.  Butch volunteered to help dig up a island, in the middle of the parking area, at Glenwood Lake Park.  With monetary donations from Sugar Makery & plants from Hillsdale Lily Gardens, the island will be a show stopper next year.

9-20-2020  Late afternoon~

September, I flew to Washington for the second time.  I needed to move Farah yet again.  This time, to what I hope will be her forever home.  The first week, we stayed with friends & enjoyed some quality, if smoky riding.  Thankfully, I had Farah settled in with her new owner, before the ride that resulted in my injury.

9-22-2020 "Bridge" & leg~

I had a total dislike of this bridge for many years & always refused to ride across it.  This day, I didn't recognize where we were.  When I did, wasn't smart enough to turn back.  Instead, I decided to dismount & lead Farah across.  The result of  that decision - sent me to Skagit Valley Hospital with a shattered tibial plateau.  

10-01-2020 At daughter Courtney's~

What was to be a two-week visit - was extended by six additional weeks. I'm so Very Thankful for our daughter Courtney, son-in-law David & grandkids Mason & Cassidy!  They took excellent care of me during my convalescence.   I was so happy when daughter Jentry brought Skyla & Josie up to see me!  How they could grow so fast - in such a short amount of time - is a mystery!  The Doctor's cleared me to fly home, after my six-week checkup.  By then, I'd missed our 37th Anniversary :-(

11-18-2020 New Owls~

The first week of November, I flew home!  After weeks of rainy WA weather, the sunshine & warmer than normal temperatures were welcome.  I sat out on the back deck with Nika most afternoons.  Thanksgiving was a quiet one, just the two of us, at home.

The remainder of my year has revolved around physical therapy, exercising at home & the YMCA.  At eleven-weeks, I no longer had to use the walker.   My goal remains to be riding my bike by spring!

12-25-2020 Christmas gift from daughter Jentry~

2020 is a year most of us would like to forget.  So much sadness, so many who have lost loved ones.  Seniors suffering in isolation from their families & many kids unable to attend school.  The list goes on...

The virus has made us appreciate all the more - the many things we've always taken for granted.

Together - we pray for the success of the vaccine.  Just in my lifetime, other vaccines eradicated measles, small pox & polio to name a few.  Praying - this one will be as successful!

Past year - 2019~

Happy New Year! 2021~

Visit to Molbacks~

What trip story would be complete without showing a few photos of Moblacks Garden & Home store.  Molbacks sold recently & no longer grows the acres of poinsettias' that they used to be famous for.  It was always such an amazing sight to walk in & see all the colorful plants under the roofs of so many greenhouses.

Entering~

Now the poinsettias' are gone, but the rooms full of decorated trees, vast variety of ornaments & gifts are there for holiday shopping.  There's a small café, surrounded by lush greenery, a waterfall & small pond.

Rose golds~

Butch, Dave, & Mason headed for the Woodinville Whiskey Company for lunch, while Courtney, Cassidy & I shopped till we dropped!  (Yes, I'm mailing a small box home.)

Galvanized is "in"!

It's so much fun to walk around & get fresh ideas for seasonal decorating!  

One of my favorites~

There weren't as many displays as we remembered & we really missed walking down the aisles of colorful blooming poinsettias...  After many years, no longer a family run business.

Grammy & Cassidy - who's taller now?  :-)

Looking up at these two Grand-kids is something I'll have to get used to!

So pretty~

The red poinsettia tree was in it's usual place for photos, but in years past there was a white tree too, that was spectacular.

Mason & Grammy!

I asked Mason to sit next to me - if he'd been standing - I'd look really small :-)

Spring like display ~

The guys came back looking for us - we could have stayed longer, but it was already dark & we wanted to get home.  Plenty of cooking, wrapping etc. to be done!

Grammy & Papa with Mason & Cassidy~

Mason had a great idea, a stop for ice cream!  Only Mason would want ice cream on a cold night!  We found C.C. Espresso open & they had my favorite - peppermint!

Downtown Duvall~

Perfect holiday day~  Tis the Season!