Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
April 29, 2021
By Pat Edwards
Spring Greetings!
Connie Suing of the Crow Grange has asked me to announce their upcoming Mother’s Day breakfast with this message:
“Enjoy a Mother’s Day breakfast Sunday morning, May 9th from 8:00 to 11 a.m. at the Crow Grange, 85994 Territorial Hwy, for a suggested donation of $5 each. Our menu includes pancakes or biscuits and gravy, eggs, sausage, fruit, coffee and juice. We plan to provide take-out but, depending on our county’s Covid-19 status, we hope dining-in will be available by that time. Please check our Facebook page for updates.”
Like everyone else, our big family has been getting antsy and longing for a family gathering where we could safely reconnect. Our solution was to reserve two beach homes in Depoe Bay for 3 nights last weekend. Jim and I, as well as our adult offspring and their spouses, have all been fully vaccinated, so we opted to stay in a beautiful home that sits right on a sandy beach. I dubbed it the “Old Folks’ Home.”
The other house was not as nice, but it was large enough to accommodate the families of 3 of our adult grandchildren which included 7 of our great-grandchildren. All of the younger adults very carefully prepared for our mini-vacation by avoiding exposure to Covid… wearing masks and social distancing. During the times we all got together, most were usually outdoors, walking on the beach, flying kites, exploring nearby tidepools, picking up interesting stones and shells, and sitting in the hot tub. Despite occasional rain, very little time was spent indoors by the younger set, except to eat dinner. The cousins merrily led their mothers, fathers, aunts and uncles on chases through the sand and played together with abandon while GiGi and Papa watched through the big picture windows of the house.
The first full day that we were there, we all signed up to tour the wonderful Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport as a 6th birthday celebration for our oldest great-grandaughter, Harper Lorane Furlong. Jim drove a scooter while the rest of us took charge of one of the 7 great-grands who ranged between the ages of 8 months and 6 years as we made our way through the exhibits of colorful and interesting kinds of fish and marine life. The kids and adults alike were mesmerized by the jellyfish tank, and the bright orange starfish, beautiful sea anemones and sea urchins that swayed gently with the water currents in each exhibit.
Walking through the huge Passages of the Deep tunnel and being surrounded by ocean fish, including sharks, swimming beside, above and below us was surreal. We were able to view them all through clear walls, floors and ceilings and strangely, we felt part of our surroundings. Upon exiting the tunnel, we encountered a pool with wonderful sea otters lazily floating on their backs next to the windows where we could easily view each whisker. We visited the harbor seal and sea lion exhibits, the sea bird aviary and, finally, we ended up at the gift shop to treat the littles to a small stuffed animal of their choice.
Each day we spent on the coast etched into Jim and me how very blessed we are to be able to claim each of these amazing people as family. It was a time we needed to be together—to reconnect. They are our world.
My wish is that each and every mom, dad, grandpa and grandma will be able to reconnect with their own families as we did very soon, in their own ways. For great-grandparents, each day and week away from our family is a huge loss to not only us, but to the littles ones who might never get to bond with our generation and those who love them so very much.
All Things Lorane 