40 and Diamonds...

It has happened. That thing that most women dread. I turned 40 yesterday. It really wasn't so bad. I don't feel like my life is half over, only just begun. I'm 40 and I already have grandbabies times two. I'm finally kicking to the curb the eight to five job and striking off on another life path. Our children are growing up, the older ones starting families of their own. We just bought an incredible new house with a million dollar view. We still can't believe we live here sometimes. I sometimes have a feeling that someone's going to pop into our living room and say "Just kidding, back to your tiny little cottage you go." Anyway, lives very good. My 40's are going to be incredible.

Riff and I took a little journey down the coast to celebrate for a few days. We started out Sunday morning from Astoria in a light fall drizzle and ended our day in Newport in a full blown autumn storm. We checked into the Hallmark in Newport right on the beach and slept with our sliding door open so we could hear the pounding of the stormy surf on the beach. Monday morning we woke to the sun trying to peek her head out of the clouds and by the time we finished our breakfast of oysters and eggs, she was shining brightly. What a gorgeous day. Tuesday morning brought a light drizzle again with gray overcast skies. I have pictures here of only the rainy gray days for you. In true Murphy's law fashion, my camera worked just fine Sunday until evening when the batteries needed charging. I had remembered to bring my charger, so plugged them in and went to bed. For some reason, the charge did not take. I think it was the electrical socket. We stopped and bought another set of rechargables as I needed them anyway, popped them into the camera and...nothing. Of course, they weren't charged either. So believe me when I say that we missed some incredibly gorgeous pictures on Monday. Yaquina Bay Lighthouse was in splendid form as was the blue of the ocean. Ah well, such is life. Here is a quick peek at our rainy day travels:

My wonderful and charming husband gave me diamonds for this milestone birthday. What a great present and so unexpected. I love it. So beautiful. No only if I can keep my clumsy hands from breaking the chain...This is a terrible picture but turned out the best of them all. I was trying to take it in the mirror, so you certainly can understand my difficulty. LOL! Anyway, this necklace really is beautiful. Take my word for it ~


This is something that I've wanted to see since we moved here - The waves crashing up the craggy rocks at Depoe Bay onto Highway 101. This was just a small storm, but they did manage to spray up onto the sidewalk, so I just can't imagine the power and fierceness of a real winter storm. We plan on staying at the Inn at Arch Cape during a storm one of these winters real soon to "storm watch".


Cape Meares lighthouse. It was so stormy ~ windy and rainy ~ that we couldn't hear each other talk up in the top of the lighthouse. I loved it! I have made it my mission to climb to the top of every lighthouse that I can possibly find. I have a long way to go....


Ah, the marina. Beautiful.


My breakfast from The Coffee House in Newport down on the bay front. A caramel apple turnover with a butter rum latte, made with soy of course. Riff loves the fried oysters and eggs at this place. One of our very favorite Newport spots.


A Yarn For All Seasons in Newport. Riff indulged my need to stop at every yarn shop and quilt shop that I could possibly find. Not a groan or word of complaint was uttered from his lips, though at times you could almost hear his beer siren getting ready to wail.


A beautiful covered bridge outside of a tiny little place called Wren. Incredibly gorgeous farm and vineyard country. I was raised a farm girl. It's imprinted on my soul. I will always be a farm girl in my heart.


An adorable farm stand that I just had to stop at for a few pumpkins for my front porch.


This is the Grand Lodge in Forest Grove where we stopped for dinner on the way home. I dined on whiskey glazed salmon with garlic mashed potatoes and blackberry-peach crisp to wrap it all up. The skies opened up with a drenching fall rain while we were happily enjoying dinner. Riff jokingly made the comment that we would have to sit it out until the rain stopped. I guess we'll make it home sometime next July...