A Christmas Together

Christmas was wonderful. For the first time in several Christmas seasons, we were able to gather together the whole clan for at least a few days. We enjoyed being together and doing some of our traditional things, and some new ones. But the most important thing....we were together. Is this what Heaven will be like?

Fiction Switch

I just finished two books, both of which I highly recommend. The first - a nice, short book by Ray Bradbury entitled Fahrenheit 451. You may be familiar with it through the movie (1966) of the same name. I enjoyed both the movie and the book. It has inspired me to switch over to fiction for a time, for a change of pace. As a great lover of books and libraries, the book resonated with me (the frequency of the book matched some inner-miniarms frequency). The author's point in writing the book is open to various interpretations.....to illustrate the evil of the suppression of opposing views through censorship, for example. Bradbury himself has stated that the novel is not about censorship, but "a story about how television destroys interest in reading literature". Interestingly enough, the wife of the main character in the book is constantly found with some type of music player in her ear, oblivious to what is going on around her....isolated from the reality of her existence. Ipods and cell phones anyone? This book was first published in 1953! The second - the Memoirs of U.S. Grant, a much more daunting read. Did I like the book? My thoughts are in line with this quote from Random House regarding the book: "Among the autobiographies of great military figures, Ulysses S. Grant's is certainly one of the finest, and it is arguably the most notable literary achievement of any American president: a lucid, compelling, and brutally honest chronicle of triumph and failure. From his frontier boyhood, to his heroics in battle, to the grinding poverty from which the Civil War ironically "rescued" him, these memoirs are a mesmerizing, deeply moving account of a brilliant man, told with great courage as he reflects on the fortunes that shaped his life and his character. Written under excruciating circumstances (as Grant was dying of throat cancer), encouraged and edited from its very inception by Mark Twain, it is a triumph of the art of autobiography." For anyone with an interest in the Civil War, this is a must read.
 

The Applets

KR has been taking guitar lessons for almost a year and practicing with a singing group since last summer. I listen to them "jam" every Sunday night. They had their coming out of sorts at the Church Christmas Party. I am trying to convince them they need an agent\manager.

Football Overdose

In early December, one of our local teams, including a boy in our Church congregation, played for the State Championship in their division. Jon, Will, and I headed down to the Tacoma Dome for a day of football and had a great time. All of the divisions in the State have their championship games in the Dome over a two-day period. Maybe we will turn it into an annual trek. To make it even better, they won with a great comeback in a very exciting game. Go Bulldogs!

Southern Hospitality and Home Cookin'

KR and I decided to combine a Thanksgiving trip to Utah with the redo of a postponed (because of Hurricane Ike) jaunt down to see Matt & Megan in Houston. We were excited to see their new house and see how they have settled into Texas living. We flew into Nashville and rented a car, then did a slow loop through Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, then back to Nashville through Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. As you can see, I don't like to sit still for long...Matt and Megan have a wonderful home in a suburb of Houston, and find their neighbors, lifestyle, and friends delightful. It was very satisfying for us to see them move on to this new stage of their lives in such a positive way. And we saw some cool places too! If you ever get a chance to go to Nashville, the Grand Ole Opry is a must. For a rundown of the pics: 1) KR in a field on some random Civil War battlefield, 2) the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama, 3) the Cool Cotton Chick, 4) Museum of Naval Aviation, Pensacola,  5) we visited and had some BBQ with Taylor Kenck, a missionary from Wenatchee (in Mobile), 6) Matt & Megan in front of their new home in Houston, 7) the Mississippi at Natchez, 8) we drove nearly 400 miles along the Natchez Parkway into Tennessee, 9) birthplace of Elvis - Tupelo, Mississippi, 10) birthplace of Helen Keller, 11) Ryman Auditorium - Little Jimmy Dickens, 12) Stones River Civil War Battlefield, 13) KR at the Hermitage - home of Andrew Jackson, 14-15) KR at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville to see the Rockette's Christmas Program. (November 19-29)

  

 

The HiLine

In the process of carrying out some family business in early November, I drove the Montana HiLine (so named for the old Great Northern rail line that follows the Milk and Missouri Rivers across the top of Montana). It is a LONG way up to that Montana\North Dakota border! I did get some beautiful, clear wintry days for driving. I returned down through the Western Dakotas, Wyoming, and stopped to see KT in Rexburg. By the way, you do not see many Toyota Tundra trucks up there - they buy American. Enjoy a few pictures of the HiLine: 1-2) the Missouri River near Fort Benton, 3) marker for tepee of Chief Joseph at Bear Paw Surrender Battlefield, 4) Fort Union NHS, at the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers - site straddles the North Dakota-Montana border, 5) bridge over the Little Missouri - stomping grounds of my favorite president, 6) Devil's Tower - movie or no movie, it is an eerie place. (November 6-15)

 

 

 

 

RIP

Two of my favorite authors passed on to the great literature class in the sky. I will miss their books. I read everything they ever published.

Michael Crichton 1942-2008

Tony Hillerman 1925-2008

Seeking Warmth

Late Fall in Wenatchee is always exciting, as all of the outside creatures are looking for someplace to park themselves for the coming winter. This year was no exception. We had some workmen over to check our water softener, and they casually mentioned the black widow spider by the little box where the water pipes enter the house. It was small one, perhaps recently hatched. We found Mama and her nest further back along the pipes. We called pest control within the hour. Eeekkk. Then I was downstairs in my office working and noticed movement on the carpet out of the corner of my eye. It was a tiny baby mouse. I threw the pillow on the sofa and stunned it, then carefully loaded it into a plastic bag. Four mice later, using various traps and sticky pads - I think we got the whole family.

Seattle For Halloween

Emmett was excited to get away with us and visit his cousins in Seattle (it also gave Mark & Laurel a chance to come up for air with the twins). We enjoyed some rousing soccer games, watched the kids bond, and tried to take some pictures of Noah when he would cooperate. He did find the giant earthworm worthy of his attention. Ella was a ghost, Will a Star Wars something or other, Noah an astronaut, and Emmett was Peter Pan. (October 24-25)