Weekend Retreat

There exists one place, special to my heart, a modern Sharngri-La of sorts called Sunriver. Located just 15 minutes from Bend, Oregon, Sunriver is the perfect combination of the outdoors and civilization. I have been quite blessed to be able to frequent this small euphoric sanctuary, as my Grandpa, "papa" to me, owns a house there. He bought the house as an investment, one to rent to the many tourists that flock to Sunriver, but whenever it's not occupied our family is free to head up there.

This weekend was special as my mom's side of the family, all 11 of us and 6 dogs, gathered to celebrate Papa's 71st birthday. Ironically enough we all live in the Medford/Jacksonville area, but felt it necessary to drive the 3 hours to Sunriver to spend time together. I am not going to complain in the least. My family arrived at 8pm Friday night, to the familiar fresh air, and aroma of nature that I remember so well. After settling in, we congregated in the main room to talk, eat an assortment of cheese and fruits, and watch playoff baseball. Let me tell you, getting to sleep at 10:45 on a Friday night might seem crazy at home, but in Sunriver it is normal, and welcomed.

After waking at 8:00 and enjoying the jacuzzi with my dad, we headed to the Sunriver Coffee Co., in the Sunriver Mall for a morning Latte and Hot Cocoa. A meal was being prepared by my aunt at the house, but we decided to get drinks because we could. We got home in time to enjoy pumpkin pancakes, and homemade syrup (my aunt loves to cook if you couldn't tell). It was glorious. We headed into town for an unsuccessful day of shopping, but did get the chance to enjoy lunch at one of my favorite stores, Wild Oats Market. They have a wide selection of organic and natural foods, as well as an extensive deli. I split a slice of cheese pizza and some spicy tuna sushi with my sister Kelly. For dessert we enjoyed a triple layered mousse, again delicious. I love going to Bend, particularly for shops such as Wild Oats, because no stores in Medford can begin to compare to their uniqueness and selection.

When we got back to the house, I went for a nice bike ride with my dad, and took in the lovely views of Mt. Bachelor, the three Sisters, and the golf course. This gave me a great opportunity to get out of the house, and talk with my dad; not just another talk about the weather, the playoffs, or school, but a real discussion about life. It was special, as I haven't had the chance to spend this type of quality time with my family since the school year began. I returned to Jacksonville today, refreshed after a weekend retreat to Sunriver.