Time off was kind of nice, other than getting home late and then having to get up early the next morning. Sunday we (me, the wife, our son, and Bonita) drove over the mountains with Mother's ashes. Our original intent was to take them up to Stormy Mountain and disperse them probably no more than an hour up the mountain. She wanted her ashes scattered on Stormy Mountain and I figured on is a relative term and all things being equal she's been damned lucky I didn't flush her down the toilet.

A few days earlier my son called my uncle and advised him of our plan. Well, I guess Mother's brother had a hissy fit over my intent to casually dispose of the ashes. So, he called my cousin, who called my son to inform him he was going to take the ashes to the top of Stormy Mountain and scattered them properly and anyone who wanted could join him.

Well, I couldn't because I only had three days off. So we took the ashes to my uncle and aunt for safekeeping until next Sunday when my son and cousin will venture forth to scatter Mother where she wants. She'll have a perfect view of where she grew up, if you believe in that sort of thing.

I haven't been to Lake Chelan for a long time and, of course, it's not what I remembered. For one thing, most of the apple trees are gone. Small farms just can't make it in today's economy, so there's a lot of empty land sitting around waiting for something to happen. Some of the orchards have been turned into wineries, which seems to be the next big thing since I see them in practically every State in the Union. Drive down any interstate and chances are there'll be an exit to some kind of "Winery Route." Cheese and crackers anyone?

My uncle and aunt are doing fairly well, considering they are in their mid-eighties. My uncle is the last of three and my aunt has one brother and two sisters left out of ten or twelve siblings (I know there were six girls, but never heard how many boys showed up. And, no, they weren't Catholic. They were the other German religion.)

All in all, it was a nice day and my son was able to get the ashes out of the house.