What's Up, Chick?

Hello, Friends!

I realize that I haven't been on here and just written a journal entry for so long.  I have been busy doing forest posts, blog maintenance and meme's, but no Chatty Kathy posts.  That is what this one is going to be.


New Phone:

So, what has been new around this joint?  Well, I was talked into getting a smart phone, for one thing.  (Yes, I have the GPS feature turned off for when/if I take a picture from it so you can't track me down.)  It was proposed to me like this, from my best friend husband:  "Either you get one, or I will."  Of course, I had to pick me.

Do I love my new phone?  Yes and no.  It is too hard for me, but I am trying.  The thing is, if I stumble across something that it does that I like (and there are so many of those), I can't seem to figure out how to make it do the same thing again.  The first two days I didn't know how to answer it.  I had to call people back, lol!  You see, I have to slide things now instead of clicking on them.  Speaking of sliding, I no longer have a hard keyboard, and that is very hard for me to get used to.  I have had my share of frustration over the past week with my new baby.  I mainly just wish my 53-year-old eyes and short-term memory were better, and that is really not the phone's fault.

Here is the phone that I got.  Due to the fact that we are still in contact with a provider other than AT&T or Verizon, an I-Phone wasn't an option.  This phone seems to be their answer to an I-Phone though.  I do like that this phone is flat, and that it has a full 4" screen.  When I am doing the dishes, it fits well on my shoulder without slipping away ... an important feature for me!  (I know, I am easy to please, trying to celebrate the joy in all things small or big.)  Also, it was free to us, so that part is super good too.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

New Books:
Early last summer, we were up The McKenzie, and stopped in Harbick's Country Store.  While waiting in line to use the restroom, I spotted their book rack.  Having a bit of extra money in my pocket, I treated myself to four of William L. Sullivan's books.  I knew of him, a writer just a few years older than myself who lives in Eugene with his wife Janelle.  I brought the books home and put them with my research books thinking that someday they would be of help when I got down to working on my "Early Oregon Series" blogs.  Turns out I called that one right on.  I began reading them this week, and to me, they are fascinating and are filling in a bunch of empty spots in my knowledge of Oregon.  


I have a couple of Bill's hiking books, but these are the ones that I bought that fateful day:

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Listening for Coyote, which I am currently reading, he hikes alone 1361 miles through the wilderness of Oregon in his own plotted out "New Oregon Trail."  This book is so fascinating to me, and Bill's style of writing is very engaging.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

This book, Oregon Favorites: Trails and Tales is brand new, the copyright is 2011.  It is full of color photos about places to go and see and a bit about each suggestion.  NICE!  I can't wait to sit down and read through it.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

I read part of Hiking Oregon's History first.  It answers so many of my questions and has a lot of interesting bits of history, including info on road building over the passes that connected the different regions of Oregon.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Cabin Fever is the story of Bill and Janelle building a log cabin by hand in a roadless part of the Oregon Wilderness by the coast.  Their family spends most of the summer there each year.  I look forward to reading this book very much. 

Needless to say, this is enough to keep me busy for awhile.  If you would like to know more about William L. Sullivan and his books, here is the link to his website: Oregon Hiking.com


New Cat:

Well, what else?  I think that we may have another stray cat about to join the family.  This one is totally healthy, and she is pretty hungry.  Cary doesn't know about her for sure yet, but I've already named her Peggy. Like the customer service guy on the Visa commercial.  Maybe she'll come inside sometime and enjoy it; Mange never has gotten the hang of being indoors. 

I'm off to get my snow tires on this morning and do payroll, so I'd better get going.  Oh, do you like my new look?  I hope so, I do.  Have a wonderful day, and I'll be back tomorrow with Book Blurb Friday. 

God bless,


Kathy M.

At Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy, if you miss a day, you miss a lot!  All material on this post is copyrighted and not for use without my permission ...Please click here to go to my home page and see what is happening in Mayberry today.