November 30, 2011

November 30, 2011

Brent woke me early so I could see the kids off to school.  I still had packing to do, but I was cold so I got back in bed to get warm.  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!  The fact that I went back to sleep was secondary.

When I was awake and ready to go, Brent and I went to “Awful Waffle” for a late breakfast.  A biscuit and gravy was more than I could eat, but it tasted really good.

It is always hard to say goodbye.  I had a really good visit.  I will miss Brent, Coleson, and Sara a lot.  And even Willie, Brent’s huge Golden Retriever has a big place in my heart.  He’s a very talented dog.  He does a wonderful impersonation of a speed bump.  I told him to keep practicing!

Brent says that Willie is a Dent Maker.  Not only has he dented the trash can by wagging his tail, but he leaves a dent when in the bedspread when he takes a nap on Brent’s bed.  Now do you believe how really talented he is?

I saw something from the plane window that I had never seen before.  There was a winding river with sand bars all along.  It looked like a fancy ribbon, making its way across the land.  That was an interesting “gift wrapping” for this part of the earth.

Because of the strong winds it was a very rough landing coming into Oakland.  It was good to see “old what’s his name” waiting  to help me with my luggage. I’ve missed the old guy.

We went to In-N-Out for a late supper before driving back to Walnut Creek.  As much as I enjoyed being with Brent and his band of hooligans, it was really good to get home to the MH.

November 29, 2011

November 29, 2011

Warmer weather this morning and a “blue sky day” which was a special treat for me.  Its my last day in “Sippi.”  Tomorrow I sprout wings and fly home.

I hope Bill picks me up at the airport in Oakland.  You may have heard that some years ago, before the cell phone era, he left me at a fuel stop.  He was out on the Interstate before he discovered that I wasn’t in the back of the van sleeping.  Of course, it was several miles before he could turn around.  I was sitting on a curb waiting.  Its a great story and I don’t let him forget it!

Brent and I had a good day.  We talked about his time in the Air Force, especially when he was in Iceland.  There were things that I hadn’t ever told him and some that he had forgotten.  It was nice to have a time to chat.  Just like all of our children, he’s special!

After Sara and Coleson finished homework, we went to Amy and Mike’s to tell them goodbye.  Heather, who lives next door, was there, too.  It is great to know Brent’s friends!  They are nice, very caring people.

Coleson chose our dinner place, Logan’s Roadhouse.  Their food is good, especially the hot rolls.  When we got back home we watched a movie, Hoodwinked Too.  It was a good ending for our last evening together for awhile.  Sniff, sniff!

November 28, 2011

November 28, 2011

It was colder this morning (35°) than yesterday and some light rain fell intermittently.  What I really wanted to see were snowflakes.  No such luck!  The only flake I saw was when I looked in the mirror.  Yikes!

Brent and I went to lunch before doing a bit of shopping and a couple of errands.  The cold weather kept us from staying out very long.

We spent the rest of the day doing chores around the house.  I also checked, periodically, to see if there was any snow falling.  Not yet!  (Insert sigh here.)

November 27, 2011

November 27, 2011

We woke up to cold and damp.  Br-r-r-r!  It was 45° and spitting rain.   After a very good brunch, prepared by our resident chef, Brent, we decided we would do something a little unusual for November 27th.

We opened Christmas presents!!!!  I’m here now and won’t be here on December 25th.  So today was it!  Of course, the kids were all for it.  They love presents!  Who doesn’t?

This afternoon we went to visit Paul and Debbie Henderson.  Bill and I met them at a Brandon campground when Brent moved to the area.  We’ve remained friends and enjoy seeing them when we are here.  Besides that, they appreciate our “insanity.”

Brent and I decided this was a good evening to stay inside and watch football.  The Denver Broncos won in OT.  Yea!  That’s the only outcome that I know, and in pro football its the only one that matters to most of our family.  Brent is the “turncoat.”

November 26, 2011

November 26, 2011

I wasn’t feeling well this morning so when the “tribe” went to breakfast at the Waffle House (aka Awful Waffle) I stayed home.  I spent most of the day being very lazy.

Lori, JP, and Natalia went to the airport at 2:00.  We had a good time while they were here.  Short though it was, it was great to have them for those few days.

Brent and I watched the Oregon/Oregon State football game (aka as the Civil War).  Oregon did a good job of beating OSU.  There was much cheering going on in this household.

After dinner we played Phase 10.  Brent won!  Guess who lost?  

November 25, 2011

November 25, 2011

BLACK FRIDAY!  The Dane girls didn’t hit the stores until about 7:30, so we weren’t typical Black Friday shoppers, but it was about all we could handle.  We shopped a variety of places, all of us making purchases.  

At 12:00, we met the boys at Cock-of-the-Walk, our favorite place for fried catfish, fried pickles, and hush puppies.  With very happy

tummies, we decided to go to Vicksburg to visit the Vicksburg National Military Park.

Our first stop in Vicksburg was downtown on the Mississippi River.  They have built a wall to keep back the water during flood season.  Murals depicting scenes of Vicksburg history are painted on the sections of the wall.

Brent’s carload of “tourists” wanted to go to the Coca Cola Museum before going to the military park.  Lori, Natalia, and I wanted to visit the Vicksburg National Cemetery in the park.  We went on ahead, but for some strange reason (lack of cash at the entrance booth?????) the Coca Cola Museum visit was not to happen today.  Brent’s group came on to the park, and after driving past many historical markers they made their way to the display of the USS Cairo Gunboat.  Lori’s carload drove through the cemetery, but didn’t find places to park and walk around.

The map showed a city cemetery south of the park.  It had a large section where Confederate soldiers were buried.  Natalia was able to navigate, via her iPhone, to the cemetery.  We drove around, taking a few pictures, before parking and walking among the markers.

I had my iPhone set on geocaching and noticed there was a cache 220 feet from where we parked the car.  Off I went in search of the container.  I located it in a hollow tree stump about 4 feet tall.  I had to use the flashlight app my iPhone to see down inside the stump.  As I was checking it out, I had visions of another stump that I looked in nearly three years ago.  This time I wasn’t covered by a swarm of killer bees, but I couldn’t reach far enough down to grab the container.  Lori came to the rescue.  On the second try she was able to reach the “prize,” all the time muttering about the things she had to do for me! After I signed the log book, I didn’t need help replacing the cache.  I just “hucked” it in the stump and left.

By the time we left the cemetery it was nearly dark.  We met Brent’s crew at a convenience store where we got water, etc. for the trip back to Brandon.

We were all really tired so after eating leftovers for supper, Lori took a couple of tired kids back to their hotel and those of us left behind didn’t accomplish a whole lot for the rest of the evening.

November 24, 2011

November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving! 

You know that my family and I have many, many things to be thankful for.  Actually, they are much too numerous to list here.  We count our blessings on a daily basis.  And when we see someone who is less fortunate than we have been, for whatever reason, we do a “blessings check.”

Today, however, when my personal guru, JP, was able to get my MAC on the Internet via Brent’s router, I added something new to my thankful list.  I have had to use a PC to send my blog for the last week.  I promise, a PC and I are not a good combo.  So, thanks, JP, and thanks, Coleson, for generously sharing your much maligned PC with me for the last week.

And speaking of Coleson, Happy Birthday!  Thirteen years ago you were born into our family, and already you are a teenager.  Yikes!  Oh, how the years have flown by!

We went to a pot luck Thanksgiving dinner at Amy and Mike’s. There were five families with three generations each.  It was quite a gathering with food for at least twice that many people.  It was truly a feast.

We ended the day singing “Happy Birthday” to Coleson.