Virginia Bruce

Web Year 1997

the links lead to photos and sometimes more info...

1997 began with anticipation of my trip along "La Ruta Maya" in Yucatán and Chiapas, Mexico. This trip was made possible (in part) by gifts for my 50th birthday (9-13-96) from Mom and Dad and Geoff and my kids. Thanks all! In spite of several incidents of bad luck, I had a great time. The tour began in Cancún where I met up with my group -- ten intrepid travelers and our Fearless Leader Francis. A bus trip to Chíchen Itza, then to Mérida. A day trip to Uxmal. Then we flew to Chiapas, home of the Zapatistas. Two days in San Cristóbal de las Casas, then to Palenque in the jungle. Another bus to Laguna Bacalar, in Quintana Roo. From there, we traveled up the Yúcatan coast to Tulum, and then to a laid-back beach resort town, Playa del Carmen, for snorkeling on the reef. The trip lasted two weeks, not long enough. I plan to go back one day for a longer stay.

Back to real life in Portland working at Color Technology attempting to develop internet commerce capability. Websites for a few smaller clients, plus final touches on the CTI site.

On February 21 I started getting antsy with the bad weather, so I went camping alone in the Oregon High Desert -- found a neat spot called Skull Hollow and climbed up to Grey Butte. Only problem was that I had a new stove which didn't work with my old tank, so I had to build a little fire to keep warm in the freezing temperatures. Tracked the full moon as it moved across my back window (slept in the car, brrr). But it was very refreshing, and Taffy loved it.

Down to Internet World in LA in March. In keeping with the theme, I booked my whole trip on the web -- found and reserved a bed & breakfast out in Marina del Rey, rented my car, bought my airline tickets, paid for the conference, and even got a map which got me from the beach to the convention center without hitting a lot of traffic. Did my thing at the convention for 3 days and then took a little hike in Topanga State Park, which had just been acquired when I left LA in '76.

Went to the World Famous Oregon Country Fair in Veneta with Laura and James in July-- a few acres covered with hippies, food, music, and stuff to buy. Had a great time this year, didn't try to camp or anything, just down for the day.

Back on my own -- laid off from CTI in August. Set up a home office with a new UMAX Power Macintosh clone and a scanner. Glad to be working from home again. Pepper and Taffy like seeing more of me too. And I still seem to be able to get plenty of work. Updated the Langlitz Leathers site, among others.

On August 10, my good friends Tom and Lily got married and I helped by making the invitiations and videotaping the wedding. A week or so later there was a thank-you party at my place for everyone who helped out, taking advantage of the weather and my pool and hot tub. I can get eight in there at once!

Late August, to Boise, Idaho for a Forest Nursery Conference. I've been working for years for the Western Nursery Specialist of the US Forest Service, and he asked me to speak to this group about the internet. Had a succesful time after a nerve-wracking experience with a PC laptop.

My old friend Jim Long called to see if I wanted to join his group on the Brew Bus, which takes a happy group to a number of Portland's famous brewery-pubs, for an education in brewing and a bunch of beer sampling as well. The last tour of the season was happening right on my b-day, so I took advantage of it and had a great time.

Health problems were bugging me this year, including my bad back, and then a succession of bronchitis, pneumonia and a kind of temporary asthma, culminating in sinus surgery in September. I'm glad to say I'm feeling much better, but it took longer to recover than I expected.

It was a great fall for mushrooms and I found a productive spot up in the coast range for chanterelles. Took a a few friends back a couple of weeks later, and between us we got about 30 lbs.

Megan spent Thanksgiving with her friend Jessica and her parents in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. James, Dad and Mom and I muddled along here in Portland.

My Dad suffered a very small stroke a couple of days before Christmas -- he's fine now -- so Geoff (ex) went down to Woodburn, about 40 miles south of Portland, to pick him and Mom up and bring them to my place for Christmas dinner. What a star! Geoff's three-year-old son Gregory joined us for Christmas this year. He's a doll and he and my kids are quite attached to each other.

I'm going to try and find my folks a place closer to me to live, I don't like them being so far away. Dad's 82, and Mom's 85, both still quite healthy although Mom's not able to do much at all because of the stroke she had back in '76. I'd like them to be easier to visit, and so that I can help them more.

Megan hasn't seen too much of Gregory lately since she moved in with me full time in November. I'm still adjusting to that, but it's going to be good for both of us. She's finishing up high school at the nearby campus of Portland Community College, through their High School Completion program -- she's taking regular college classes and getting credit for them and completing her high school requirements at the same time. She finds it much less boring!

Hope '98 is a good year for all of you. And I hope you had fun seeing what '97 was like for me!