Where it all began... Dear "Scrunch", I was wondering, will you marry me? Love, "Free"

Saturday, January 19th, 2008... Rockaway, Oregon.

Yesterday, it rained again, so we did a little more shopping and then we went to a movie. We had dinner at "Pier 101" at the recommendation of the locals and it did not disappoint us. They had some of the best seafood that we have had in a long time... I think it rivals "Ship Inn" in Astoria.

During the night, neither one of us felt too good... we decided it was the popcorn we ate at the theater.

Today, we had to head home, but we took our time!

After spending a couple hours in an Antique Mall (we bought a "Pixie Kitchen" placemat), we decided we would try to straighten out the warp in the space-time continuum that moved the Pacific Sands Resort... we traveled to Rockaway Beach to see if Camp Magruder was still there...

It not only was there, it was virtually unchanged and very well taken care of, we were pleased to discover! This is where Deb and I basically met and fell in love... we were outdoor school counselors for Oak Grove Elementary in the Fall of our Senior year (September 1973).

I was the counselor for some boys that were from broken homes (rare in those days). They were supposed to write a letter home to get into the mess hall for dinner. They did not want to write home... So I told them if they would write home, I would write to "Scrunch" (Deb's camp name). The boys immediately started taunting me saying, "you're in love... you're going to get married"... I said that is not a bad idea and together we crafted a proposal letter... At dinner, we were first to the mess hall before Scrunch's cabin... I handed the letter to her as she entered the mess hall... all of her little girls were giggling as they realized what was happening.

The boys and I sat with bated breath as we waited for her to open the letter... I figured I had just made the biggest blunder of my life but there was a small possibility it just might work (I had never even been on a date with her!)

She opened the letter... I don't even remember breathing... she read it... I waited for her reaction... she folded the letter as all of the girls and all of the boys waited for her answer... what happened next was one of the most magical moments of my life... she sent the cutest wink and a smile my way that said "Yes" all over it!

The rest is history, as they say... One year to the day, I proposed again for real (actually, I was dead serious the first time) and we were married on January 11th, 1975. Every one of those kids came to our wedding too! Here we are 33 years later...

The trip was not without its bumps... but I could not have found a more fantastic, amazing, sweet, beautiful, loving, did I say amazing, wife and best friend!

These are the very doors through which the girls from from Pines and the boys from Herron Cabin passed on that special day!

I don't know if it has any connection, but there is a new building here since we were here... called Edwards Lodge.... Hmmm.

To finish off this leg of our journey, we ate dinner at Camp 18... one of our favorite spots... it doesn't get any better than this!

Well, it is time for another pit stop... I think we will be travelling to Utah again soon for our Grand-daughter's birthday... if Deb ever gets through all of the Ward Conferences!

Scotty and Deb.