A Tale:

from Topeka, Kansas, to Whidbey Island, WA.

1965-2013

In 1965, John, Nancy and baby Annette Stumbo moved into a house on Pembroke Lane in Topeka, Kansas.  Their next door neighbors were the Guilds--Mom Joanne, Dad Fred, and their three daughters, Jenny, Leslie and Nanette. While living there, both families grew. The Stumbos added Laurie Beth and Paul.  The Guilds added another daughter, Lisa, who was born on the same day in the same hospital as Paul. Annette, Nanette and Laurie Beth, all pre-schoolers, formed a delightful neighborhood friendship, often supervised by older sister Leslie.  Jenny was old enough to babysit for the Stumbos and often did.  

In 1969 the Hildyards--Hobart, Virginia, and children Brent, Wendy and Wes--moved in across the street for a brief time.  The Hildyards and Stumbos, already friends, becamer closer friends.  

(Got the picture?  Stumbos and Guilds are right next door to each other and the Hildyards are directly across the street.)

Fast forward 43 years.  Everyone has moved away from Topeka.  The Stumbos are divorced.  Nancy remarried but is widowed and lives alone in Texas.  Hobart and Virginia retired to Whidbey Island in '92, but Virginia died, so Hobart is also alone.  Hobart and Nancy get in touch, become an "item" and decide to spend winters in Texas and summers on Whidbey Island.  

(No, I haven't forgotten the Guilds.  Okay, we are brought up to the present, so I'm going to switch to first person.)

I had been on Facebook for a few years and one of my "friends" was Leslie Guild, who lived on Whidbey Island at the time!  

Leslie

When Leslie found out I was going to be living here with Hobart, she wrote to say, "If your kids ever come to visit and need a place to stay, they can use Jenny's house on Whidbey Island."  Jenny is a lawyer in Seattle. (In fact, ALL of the Guilds ended up in Washington State, in and around Seattle.) Her house on Whidbey Island is a second home and family retreat.  And it is FABULOUS--beautiful home with a huge yard and dozens of trees on a bluff with a gorgeous view of Penn Cove!  Heaven! 

 The view 

The yard

 Jenny's house sits on the bluff behind Laurie's family

 Jenny's house and Paul's family

Last summer Leslie wrote to me that some of the Guild family were going to be at Jenny's house for the weekend and suggested I drop by to surprise everyone.  So I did!  I discovered that Jenny's house is less than five minutes from Hobart's house and it is fabulous!  Hobart was thrilled to learn who owned that house which is very well known around Coupeville and Oak Harbor because of its gorgeous setting and the huge eagle nest in one of the trees. The locals have wondered who owned the house.  Now we know!  Our former Topeka, Kansas, neighbor!  

 Eagle and its nest in Jenny's tree.

So there on that summer evening we had a gathering of the Topeka Pembroke Lane neighbors--two Hildyards--Hobart and his son Brent, who was visiting us at the time, one Stumbo--me--and four Guilds--Jenny, Leslie, Fred and Joanne!  

 Jenny and Leslie
Fred and Joanne

The Guild sisters--Jenny, Lisa, Leslie, Nanette

Hobart and I have been blessed to be back in touch with wonderful people from our Kansas pasts right here on Whidbey Island, and our kids have loved staying at Jenny's!  

Family Vacations on Whidbey Island

Summer 2013

Stumbos

The Stumbos came in June.  They explored much of the island and had daily adventures as well as time playing in the yard at Jenny's house and lounging in the hammocks.  They played on the beaches, explored Fort Casey, crossed Deception Pass and crawled beneath the bridge, took the ferry to Port Townsend twice, and went kayaking.  Every day was a different adventure.

Georgia found a crab

Paul and LouAnn imitated crabs

The Stumbos went to church Sunday at the Coupeville United Methodist church.  Here they are with our minister, Jin Ming

Jack practiced speaking Chinese with our Chinese minister, Jin Ming

Hobart joined in a game of ladder ball.

They enjoyed the sun and beach,

 and time to visit,

and just hang out.  

One night we just sat around and laughed. 

Everything was funny.

Paul read Deep Thoughts to us and we laughed until we were breathless.

 We rode the ferry.

No fair standing on your tip toes, Hobart!  

To Port Towsend

 where we had tea and scones,

and ice cream at the counter of an old fashioned ice cream parlor, 

and took pictures in the nut.  

They went kayaking--Ellis and LouAnn. 

Jack was old enough to solo.  

Some people worked harder than others--Georgia and Paul.  

They relaxed in the hammocks,

watched eagles,

ate ice cream on the Coupeville wharf,

and posed for pictures.

The week was over and it was time to load the car,

 say goodbye, 

and head back home to Fort Worth.  
Thank you, Jenny!



July
McPike/English Vacation

In July Laurie and family arrived on Whidbey Island in a bus that holds fourteen people, or in this case, eight people, one dog, luggage for three weeks, electronics for entertainment and boxes of snacks. They took the long way from Fort Worth to Washington State, via the Grand Canyon and other scenic sights, including detours.  They finally arrived at Jenny's House, five days after leaving Fort Worth. 

A remarkable family arriving in a Remarkable bus! 

They unpacked the bus, ran to WalMart for Oak Harbor sweat shirts and warm clothing (I TOLD them it would be cool/cold!) and fell into bed.  Some, who shall remain nameless, slept until 1:00 PM the next day, and spent the day on the porch in their pajamas.

Sadie Lou got to come along!  

Immediately I figured it out.  Unlike the Stumbos, who were always looking for the next adventure, these eight were looking for down time--peace and quiet in a beautiful spot with a relaxed atmosphere.  They found it at Jenny's House.  The kids played in the yard or walked a block down to the beach, played games, and soaked up the pleasure of a no-pressure world.  Everyone was happy and content.  Ahhhh......

Patrick broke his collar bone just before they left on vacation. It didn't stop him!  

Building a driftwood fort

Kayden's the littlest, and the fastest.

Hi, Kinser! 

However, by Saturday everyone was ready for a trip to the Coupeville Farmers' Market.  We immediately bought salmon from Pam, the salmon lady, who peddles her bike from Port Townsend, via ferry, to Coupeville to sell the freshest, best salmon EVER.  She explained to the kids how they caught it and immediately froze it within an hour of the catch. 

 Learning how salmon is caught from Pam.

 Jon bought a big one and cooked it that night.  Delicious!  

Of course we also bought kettle corn--the BEST!

And books...

One day we took a ferry ride to Port Towsend to shop. 

 Kinser's first ferry ride

Boy, did we SHOP!  

 Wow!  Look at these purses!  

 Daughter and Daddy

 Window shopping in Port Townsend

 Check out our new hats and sunglasses!

The clerk in this store was ecstatic by the time we got through here.  She was so happy, she was discounting our purchases as we threw them onto the ever-growing stacks of duffle bags and purses.  It took all nine of us to carry or wheel the stuff we bought in this store back to the ferry.  

We ate lunch at a darling old hotel and later had ice cream in an old fashioned 50's ice cream parlor. 

 Chris and Kinser

 Patrick and Emily

Momo/Mom and Laurie

Kinser

Kelson

Kayden

Chris, Momo and Laurie Beth

The next day, it was back to the beach for a little time in the water and some further progress on the driftwood fort.

Riding a log.  That water is COLD!  

One beautiful evening, we had dinner on Hobart's deck.  

Jon admires Hobart's wonderful view.

Jon and Chris on Hobart's deck

 Emily, Chris, Patrick, Kayden

Corn on the cob and iced tea.  It must be summer!  

Christopher was our official photographer for the week, until I took over for the family pictures.  Chris got some wonderful shots with Grampa Jim's fabulous camera.  

Chris, our family photographer, and Emily

and a few of his photos

Chris got some spectacular bald eagle photos.

This was taken from Jenny's yard.  

Cute, happy Patrick

The last day, we took time for family photos at Jenny's House and on the beach below the house, where the boys spent so much time. 

 Laurie staged the shots, I took the formal photos, 

 and Hobart took the candid ones.

Some were more serious......

...than others! 

Serious......

...not so serious!  

Another week ended.  It was time to pack up the bus, clean up the house, have a final ice cream cone in Coupeville and head out of town.  

Goodbye to the Crazy Eight.  

The End

Artificial Insemination

Even though I live in Texas, a state with probably a billion head of cattle, it wasn't until I came to Whidbey Island in Washington State that I learned how to artificially inseminate a cow. 

First you need some cows.... 

....and you need a team.

 Bob, David, Analee, and Doug

  Our team consisted of Doug (Hobart's dentist), David (Doug and Hobart's friend and Hobart's fellow retired United Methodist minister), Bob (the veterinarian), and Analee (Doug's 83-year-old mother).  Doug-the-Dentist was the head of the team because he's the one who owns the cows.  David was the chute opener, closer, and cow-head clamper.  Analee was the herder and corral gate opener and closer.  Bob was the inseminator.

 David, friend and retired minister

Doug, the dentist and cattle owner

 Bob, the vet

Analee, Doug's 83-year old mother

While Bob explains to Hobart what he is going to do...

...Doug is picking out a cow.

His mother...

...and David...

...help herd it out of the pen and into the chute.

Then David, with Doug's help, clamps the cow into place. 

There now.  The cow is ready.  I think Doug is telling her to relax--it will be over soon.  

Now Doug has decisions to make....I think concerning which bull sperm to use.  There's a lot of scientific information to consider, but I wasn't listening very carefully.  I was too busy taking pictures.

Then the serious part!  If I had really thought about it, I might have gone back to the car.  But I bravely stood my ground and watched.

First Bob-the-Vet puts on this long glove that covers his whole arm.  (Big clue as to what is coming!)  

He then steps into the chute behind the cow and his arm disappears into the cow!  I'm not sure what happens in the next few minutes, but it involves a long tube instrument and some gentle protest mooing from the cow.    

(Hobart took this picture.  He was trying to reserve some dignity for the poor cow...but you get the idea.) 

So one down, and dozens more to go.  We chatted with the team and then left to go have lunch. 

Lunch?.........MEATLOAF!  

Home

Thirteen years ago Jim and I bought this house.  We immediately added a studio and workshop, installed plantation shutters and had the driveway and sidewalks coated.  We moved in, painted some walls and gradually turned a house into our home.  We loved the back view which looked onto the fifth fairway of the Nutcracker golf course.  Often there were deer wandering through our yard and occasionally a goose or two. 

Every once in a while wild turkeys would make a brief appearance and we'd whip out our cameras. One day a doe left her baby in our yard while she went off to eat.  He was there all day, patiently waiting until dusk when his mother came to get him. There are no street lights in Pecan Plantation which makes star gazing easy.  There are few hills which is perfect for bike riding.  We had enough bedrooms and space to accommodate kids and grandkids and friends. Jim played golf twice a week and I spent hours in the studio sewing, dyeing fabric and making art quilts. We enjoyed our home and continued to improve it, adding granite countertops and enclosing our patio to make a delightful sunroom.  

After Jim got cancer and died in 2011, I transformed our home for two into a home for me.  I replaced the beige carpet with hardwood floors, bought new furniture for the bedroom and office, and painted the walls bright colors--lime green office, coral living room, soft purple bedroom, and an eggplant front door.  Laurie Beth's family bought me a puppy so I wouldn't be lonely and Sadie Lou and I settled into our home, both of us adjusting to a new kind of life.

The phone rang in early March of 2012 and my life changed.  Enter Hobart.   I spent the summer on Whidbey Island with him and he spent the winter with me here in Texas.  Almost immediately we realized this home in Pecan Plantation is wrong for us.  All of my family and friends and all our interests are in Fort Worth.  We found a church home in Fort Worth--First United Methodist and wanted to be closer to take advantage of all it had to offer.  We grew tired of the 45 minute drive into the city, so I put the house on the market and we started looking for a home in Fort Worth.

Hobart and I at our new church Easter Sunday

Thursday we will fly back to Whidbey Island for the summer.  I suspect my house will sell while we are gone.  I've spent several months sorting and throwing and giving away the things that I no longer need or want.  The house looks good but seems empty.  The garage is cluttered with boxes from the attic that are waiting for me to go through. I will.....maybe tomorrow.  We've made our last trip to the recycling center and eaten, or thrown away, most of the food in the refrigerator.  And now it's time to say goodbye to my house. ( I notice that somewhere in the writing of this, I have switched from calling it "my home" to calling it "my house".) 

Sadie Lou is at Laurie's for the summer.  She is happy there and they love having her.  Hobart and I will do a lot of traveling this summer and I don't want to have to board her. 

Sadie Lou and Kinser

So now I am saying goodbye to my house, my home. It's going to be a good move and I'm excited to find and create a new home for us, but then I look out at the cart path where Sadie Lou and I took our walks every evening at dusk. She would run ahead of me, sticking close by except occasionally when she would dash off to chase a deer or a goose or greet another dog out for a walk.  I'll take my last bike ride tomorrow, down Equestrian past the horses and then into the air park, parallel to the runway, passing the house that has a Kansas Jayhawk on its front porch.  On our way to the airport Wednesday, we'll drive out the front gate for the last time and wave at my favorite little guard--the one with the round belly and the suspenders, who always buys lottery tickets at the filling station down the road.   

So many memories and yet it's time to leave Granbury and seek a new adventure in a new place with a new love.  My eyes well up with tears occasionally as I prepare to leave my home, but my decision to move is right.  And always I know--life is good.