May 7 to 13th.  Auburn.  We arrived at Auburn Gold Country RV park on May 7th, just in time for Mothers day.  So after we got parked, and it is a beautiful site,2 overarching trees to keep our site in shade all day and either side we have 6 ft hedges, and I have to add it is wide enough to park the truck next to the Lake House.
Isn’t this a beautiful spot.  On Mothers day we head down to our favorite Nursery in Loomis, High Hands Nursery and got a gorgeous hanging ball of calibrachoa, all in red and yellow to hang outside moms favorite window.  Then we had over to Raleys to get the ingredients for a Santa Maria Style bar-b-q….without the beans, but Raleys has run out for Tri-tip..so we took a rain check and went back to Auburn and found our steak at Safeway.  Capt Dan got the Traeger out and started it smoking and 4 hrs later we were going to mom’s for dinner.  Now mind you carrying a tray with a freshly grilled steak on you lap is slightly hazardous, all I ended up with was warm meat juice soaking my right pants leg.  The sad part is that was meat juice that should have been soaked up with french bread.  Mom was glad to see us, I think she was sitting at the table with her stick knife none hand ready to go.  We had a great visit and enjoyed all the food right up to the fresh cherry pie that we brought in from Ikeda.  We left mom with enough for a full 2nd meal and headed back to the Lake House.  We only have a 3 mile drive.  When I was getting my pants off Butter was right next to me licking my leg, I’d forgotten about the meat juice, her nose knew right where it was.

Monday we find a local RV shop and see about a new shower water handle, we have been showering at the park showers for 2 weeks now and Capt Dan has a good idea this is a simple fix.  We got the part and some barrel washers (cause these should always be replaced when you work on the plumbing)  A couple of tools, and a reminder to me that (“see I need tools”) about 30 minutes with no swearing and we have a shower with no water leaking down the wall.  Capt Dan is my hero. A nice relaxing day. We checked in on mom, and find she finished her leftovers for lunch, ( guess that tri-tip was a hit!) 

Tuesday is Daniel and Aiden day,  nothing better then a visit from a 2 yr old. 



Aiden wears all three of us out in about an hour,  heck he even wears Butter out.  I want a bottle of that energy.  We take them out to Strings for dinner and just had fun.


Wednesday was RBC  (Roseville Brewing Company)  Before we head down the hill we go over to Tasty Burger, call mom and ask how she likes her burger.  We get 3 to go and join mom for her first tasty burger, and she now knows, its the best burger in Auburn, maybe all northern California.  Then head down the hill to catch up with Glenn and Gwen at their favorite haunt.  Oh and look, its half price night…NICE  I try a grapefruit IPA that is the best summer brew I’v had in a long time, then I try another.  Ethan (1 of G&G.s boys) shows up to join in the visit and that just adds to the fun.  We make plans to go wine tasting in the morning and when they close the pub down we head over to Cafe Delicious, yummy Chili Rellenos!

Thursday Wine tasting in the Shenandoah Valley above Plymouth.  This is a favorite place for Glenn and Gwen and as we approach Plymouth they pull in to a little Deli to order up sandwiches for lunch.  Then off to Sobon Winery.  We are the only guests there and get a great one-on-one tasting with Lone,  lots of laughs and talk of 5th wheels and other rvs and we are loading up a split case between us.   Yeah I know we don’t really need any more wine, but then what does need have to do with anything.  We also get a nice chilled Rose and 4 glasses so we can go out to the picnic area and enjoy the breeze blowing up the valley, and the sandwiches we purchased earlier.  A quick stop at Storey Vineyard and while tasting I get the phone call I have been waiting for.  The house in Tigard is done.  the sale is recorded and the funds are transferred.  I no longer own property in Oregon.  Now I feel like celebrating!  Great time




Friday down to the confluence and a nice drive in the country.  It has been a very long time since I was actually down to the point where the North Fork and the Middle Fork of the American River come together.  We were hoping to find someplace that Butter could get into the water.  Well this wasn’t the place, first of all the rivers are running way to fast for Butter swimming.  The rangers that I talked to let me know there really wasn’t any place for dog swimming.  We started to head for Coloma and katunk!  the “home stone’ had come loose in the bed of the truck.   So we find a place to pull over and decide to head back home and think it is time to make a run to Stockton and start shedding some of the 500plus lbs we had brought down to California.  So back to the park and Butter pouting!  that dog knows how to really pout.