Rie took her annual trip to Morro Bay to get away from the most challenging months of Alaska winter.
Gone most of January, February and March, she rented a house nearby her older brother Piet's home.
In the past Rie would use her time in Morro Bay to paint and would return home with her portfolio bulging
with original works of art. It was always exciting to see what she had created. Some of the pieces were from
Alaska sketches and some from scenes she saw there. Now Rie takes daily walks which are all but impossible in
Juneau with the ice and snow. She also visits family and friends, reads her New Yorker and Time magazines,
watches Seinfeld and enjoys the bakery and beach, both a few blocks away. Rie is also working on her memoirs,
hand writing them as the mood strikes.
Other times she may go with friends to a nearby town. Once Rie and friend John stopped by the famous California
landmark, the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. They saw a big crowd outside the opulent and lavish hotel and decided
to see what all the fuss was about. As they entered the main hall they noticed a long line which they stood in, not
wanting to appear out of place. Eventually Rie asked the person in front of them what was going on. He replied dryly
that this was a receiving line for a wedding. Rie and John stayed in line, met the bride and groom who didn't seem to
think anything was wrong or at least pretended so. Afterwards they sat down and enjoyed a marvelous lunch and went home.
I guess this sort of thing happens when an artist quits painting.
Matthew, my five year old son, and I went to Morro Bay and picked up Rie around the end of March and we
traveled back to Juneau together. Rie said "It's always great to get out of town and great to get back."