Now what do I write about? We have settled back into our house and the amazing Innsitters, Mark and Shannon, have gone back to Portland. Everyone was sad, but they have promised to return.

My masters suggested that I write about how wonderful the Blue Heron B&B is, and how wonderful Orcas Island is, how wonderful the low season rates are now... blah, blah, blah. Anyone's advice who laughs at a miniature cat running around the room is suspect. Yes, Alabama, the rescued kitten from the storm drain at the Alabama Visitor's Center, went nuts when she got in the house. Even though she is restricted (ha! ha! I get to go everywhere!) to the back rooms, it was a zillion times larger than her space in the RV. At first she was all scared, then she raced around and up the couch and under the bed. Good grief!
Well, I guess I could mention a couple of festivals happening here on Orcas. The Shakespeare Festival is Mar. 19-22. I like this one. I get to walk around Eastsound and see all the folks in costume talking like it is in the days of Shakespeare. Very fun!
The Bird and Wildlife Festival is a new event, so I'm not sure what's happening. I copied some stuff off the Chamber website and that's the best place to get information. I bet when Alabama gets older, she will terrorize birds and wildlife. You should see what she does to a water bottle!!

3rd Annual Shakespeare Festival is coming!
Once again, Orcas Island becomes ‘Shakespeare Island’ as our festival resumes this March. Live theater, street performers, and a parade are only part of it! Seattle Shakespeare Company performs Othello, and Professors Ayanna Thompson tackles ‘Othello in the 21st Century.’ Check out the Chamber Page for more details.
Orcas Island Bird & Wildlife Festival in April
Mark your calendars for April 10 -12, 2014 for the inaugural Bird & Wildlife Festival! We kick it all off with a dinner featuring author & naturalist Thor Hanson, and follow it up with two days of walks, hikes, talks, parades, and loads of Orcas Wildlife! Stay tuned!

RV Adventure  Days 91-92
LAST DAY!
The plan is to be on the late ferry tonight back to Orcas Island! We are in an RV Park in Toutle River, Washington, and the snow is melting fast. The Beast has done a good job and it was great to have all the repairs done, I guess. The cost really cut into my dog bone budget!

We can't wait to see all of our friends and our big old 100 year house and start meeting new friends in our B&B business. As Pet Host, I have had a nice long break, but it's time for me to get back to work. Little Alabama doesn't even know yet how cool the island is. When she is older, she will be quite busy with mice, little snakes, and all kinds of birds. She will soon realize that we live in paradise on Orcas Island!

RV Adventure Day 90
After church in Cottage Grove, we headed north again. It was foggy, but the freeway was pretty empty.

By the time we reached Salem, it was getting very snowy and I was getting more excited by the minute. I was mentally willing my masters to stop so I could play in the snow. Lo and behold, they did! We are in Woodburn in the snow and I am one happy puppy!

On the other hand, little squirt Alabama was all scared and started shaking with the cold. What a baby she is!

The snow is soooo beautiful. Tomorrow we will try to go a little farther between predicted freezing rains.

Good grief! Maybe we should have tried this trip in the spring!

RV Adventure Days 87-89
We are stuck in beautiful Oregon, unable to get home! We are about  40 miles from Eugene where the snow and ice begin. Since we don't have chains and my masters don't want to drive the Beast over bad roads, here we sit.

Today, Saturday, we went to an historic town called Oakland (still Oregon). My masters' friends on Orcas Island lived there for over 30 years and we got to hear about all the history of this unique town from the late 1880's. We met their friend, Bill Stearns, whose family has been running the hardware store since 1887. We also meet two other folks who remembered Marlyn and Don. It was really a fun afternoon, even though it rained like cats and dogs. By the way, where did that dumb expression ever come from?

My masters went to the Museum in Oakland and said it was one of the best they had seen. They even met the mayor of this town of about 850 people. They had lunch at Tolly's which is a beautiful restaurant and then we drove around looking at the houses. 

This house is for sale for only $264,000. Want to live in Oakland, Oregon?

RV Adventure Days 85-86

I forgot to tell you what happened Monday. We got a late start after getting some repairs done on the RV. Someone at Jiffy Lube took too sharp a turn after the oil change and damaged a corner of the RV. No worries, though, because my masters found a great shop named Sonrise.The owner is on the Board of Directors for Teen Challenge which my masters thought was pretty cool. Anyway, we got as far as San Bernardino and stayed at my Mrs. Master's house. It was nice because I got to come in and lay around and watch TV.

The next day we drove all the way to Fresno. There were some interesting rocks along the way and there was a park there called "Mormon Rocks".

On Tuesday, when we got to Sacramento, my masters took me for a walk around awesome "Old Sacramento". My Mrs. Master was happy when she found a new purse for only $20. I didn't mean to chew off the zippers on her old purse but it was right there by my face and I guess I was bored.

Tonight, we drove all the way to Weed which is near Mt. Shasta. We are trying to outrace a snow storm that is supposed to start tomorrow. We are staying at a very quiet place called "Friendly RV Park". It's actually for sale. I bet it's not as much work as our B&B!

RV Adventure Days 75-84

Whoa! I bet you wondered what happened to me and my blog! Well, we reached California and have stayed in the North San Diego area for almost a week. My masters visited so many friends that I lost track. 

It was amazing how many places and restaurants they went to! 

We stayed at San Elijo State Park in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. One night my Mrs. Master's nephew and his family came down from Apple Valley and we had an awesome campfire and BBQ! They brought their crazy dog, Riley, who literally ran circles around me. He's a young pup who doesn't realize that I was just like that when I was his age (well, maybe not THAT crazy!)

 

Tonight we are staying in San Bernardino with my Mrs. Master's sister and tomorrow we start our journey north to Orcas Island. We will be stopping in Portland for another visit with friends and then HOME!

RV Adventure Days 73-74

My masters did a lot of visiting on Thursday. First, they were treated to a wonderful Polish dinner of stuffed cabbage rolls at their friend's house in Chandler, Arizona. I got to be in the dining area, but was not allowed to beg or get any food slipped to me and, boy! did it smell good! I AM part Polish, you know, with a name like Pulaski Kulminski!
Then they went to Goodyear, Arizona, and stayed with my Mrs. Master's teaching buddy from about 10 years ago. The family: mom, dad, grandmother, and two very talented teenage girls that entertained them,were very nice to us! One of the girls even came into the RV to see the little squirt, Alabama.
During the day, my masters toured San Xavier Mission, drove through the Saguaro National Park, and took a tour of Old Tucson Studios where they made a bunch of movies. You should look up the history of Old Tucson and see all the movies that have been made here with famous actors like John Wayne and Ronald Reagan.

San Xavier Mission

 My master had his first ever burrito made with Fry Bread and said it was very good.

 The Saguaro National Park

 Old Tucson Studios is a movie set for Westerns made as far back as 1939

On Friday, we walked around Scotsdale, Arizona. Its seems like a very ritzy place to me. 

This afternoon, we made it to my home state, CALIFORNIA! I was born in Big Bear Lake and grew up in San Diego. I was a golf course dog on the La Costa Golf Course before I became an island dog on Orcas Island. I don't know if there is going to be much to say in the next week. We will be staying in the Palm Springs area again with my Mrs. Master's family and then on to San Diego where they are meeting up with all kinds of people. Very boring for me! The most I can hope for is some beach time. We will be staying at the San Elijo State Park in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. I'll post some pictures next week when we get our site. Maybe I can get some cool sunset shots!