Gary-Summer: November 2024

Saturday, November 30, 2024

November 30, 2024 - Salem

Title: November 30, 2024 - Salem
Hike Info : Description

Hike Info:

Type: At Andrea&Lawrence’s Home

Description:

I woke up and it was still dark. But I need to make a bathroom run. I see Davie's light on, so I know he is up. He will be leaving this morning. Turns out it is about 6. I helped him move his stuff out to the car and say goodbye to him. He leaves about 6:30. I am glad he came to join us.

I try to go back to sleep and eventually am successful as when I awake it is after 8:30. Everybody else is up. Well, Sherri gets up at the same time as I do. I think having the whole gang here is wearing on Andrea as she is turning over cooking duties to Lawrence, Sherri and I. I am frying bacon while Lawreence and Sherri work on pancakes. It seems like things are acceptable to all.

I think we are all a bit tired, or maybe wanting a reprieve from the pace of the last few days. We all either put together jigsaw puzzles, read, talked or laid down for much of the day. We did manage to go for a short walk around the State Hospital close by. It was good to stretch our legs.

We then went to Jason's house. Andrea, Steven, Lawrence and Rachel played with the kids. Sherri and I talked with Sue. Sherri was much more consistent at that than I was. I kept nodding off and eventually went for a 20 minute sleep.

After being there for a couple of hours--the sun decided it too needed some rest--we said our good byes. Then went back to Andrea and Lawrence’s house. Dinner was everyone for themselves-as if we did not have enough leftovers.

After letting our stomachs settle down, we decided to play a rip-roaring game of Costco Monopoly. After about three hours of playing, the game ended because of a time limit we had set, with me being on the verge of bankruptcy. A literal saved by the bell. Sherri was the big winner. We figured out that we stretched the rules a bit. By the way, Costco Monopoly is very similar to the original with tables instead of houses and properties for the various Costco locations.

Our cut off time was 9:45. I got to bed about 10:15, read for a bit and fell asleep with Sherri coming in close behind.

Friday, November 29, 2024

November 29, 2024 - Salem

Gary, Andrea, and David cutting tree

Title: November 29, 2024 - Salem
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's

Hike Info:

Type: After Thanksgiving

Description:

The morning is rather slow. I am part of the slowness. I was well after 7:30 before I got up. Lawrence and Andrea are creating pancakes for our breakfast. Sounds like a continuation of yesterday’s feast. Andrea turns over the pancake making to Sherri and Lawrence no longer has split duties as I try the bacon. All in all, pretty tasty.

David and Lawrence

Then it is more puzzle playing. Also reading and relaxing in general relaxing.

Why do we need to relax? Some of us are going to cut a Christmas Tree. First, we stop by an Ace Hardware store where we debate for a while about a stand for the tree. Some employees took pity on us and noted that there is a 50% off on one item if we spent more than $30. Lawrence picked up a stand and I bought a tree skirt for them.

Taking home the tree

Then it is off to pick out a tree. It is a bit west of Salem and definitely not on any major road. You need to know about it to go to it. The name is Eola Christmas Trees. A young lady comes out and gives us some information about the layout. I think I surprised her a bit by saying how wonderful today is. That seems to be an unusual greeting. She explains there are four families which are selling the trees. We go up a hill and spot several trees before settling on a 6 ½ foot tree. It has a nice shape. It gets tied to the roof of the Highlander and we go to get checked out. The lady is now a cashier and notes we are her favorite customers. I suspect she says this to many people.

The Wreath at Home

We get back to Andrea and Lawrence’s home. The place is set up for the tree and it is put up. Then the decorations go up and it looks like it belongs in this house. Very attractive. After the tree is up, there is not much group activity, even though we do tend to clump into groups and enjoy the time together.

And that is how it is until dinner happens. There was not really a sit-down dinner, but we all eventually migrated into the kitchen, picked up a plate and figured out where to sit and enjoy the leftovers from the last couple of days.

Andrea has made arrangements with Jason to go to the Salem Christmas Parade. The parade is put on by the Salem Chamber of Commerce. We will try to find Jason’s group when we get there. We found a place to park in the Marion Parkade-a parking garage. Then walked three blocks to the parade. A pretty good crowd.

We spend a few minutes trying to figure out where the Jason brood are. Andrea suggested getting some hot chocolate at Archive Coffee and Grill. This warms up most of us-it is cool. In the meantime, Andrea and Jason have been communicating. They are several blocks over. We make our way there.

We get to the right intersection, but the wrong side of the street. We watched several floats go by before mustering up the courage to cross between parade participants. Some of our group hesitated and were slow in crossing. But the parade was not held up because of us. We find Sue, Jason, Lisen, and the kids. Together we watch the last third of the parade.

After Santa and the fire trucks went by, the parade officially ended. But all were invited to follow the engines to the Christmas tree lightning on top of a building. Before the lightning, we need to sing Christmas songs and then some more songs. Finally Santa gets lifted up on a fire engine’s ladder and lights the tree.

The crowd breaks up, but the kids get a picture with the Christmas elf. Then we start back to our cars. Jason's group goes one way and the rest of us go back to Andrea and Lawrence’s house. There Sherri realizes we have not taken a family picture yet. We get together around the fresh cut tree and get a suitable picture.

Time for bed by now and sleep we do.

Extra Photo's

Dogs and Rachel at rest

Lawrence making sure the tree does not run away

Tree carried by David and Lawrence

Bringing down the tree

Tree at home

David with the prize tree

Rachel and Friday

Family waiting for tree lightning

Marion County Fire Department

Korra, Steven, Sherri, David, Andrea, Rachel, Friday

Thursday, November 28, 2024

November 28, 2024 - Salem, Thanksgiving Day

Title: November 28, 2024 - Salem, Thanksgiving Day

Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's

Hike Info:

Type:Thanksgiving Activities

Description:

Corn Man Lawrence

Today is Thanksgiving Day. Which means the two F’s-Food and Family. I got up a bit before 7. David was already out for a walk. The rest of the clan, the record, is: Andrea, Lawrence, Steven,Rachel, Sherri, Gary, Friday and Korra.

Anyway, the reason why we are all up is that we will be taking part in the Salem Run’occopia. All humans in our group, except for David, will be participating in this, but at different lengths and different methods. Andrea, Lawrence, Steven and Rachel will be running-at least most of the way. Sherri and I are walkers. Poor Korra and Friday were not invited.

The Event People

The longer runs start first around 9:15. Sherri, Steven and I wait around in the cold for the other two runs to start. Steven starts off running. Sherri and I walk together about 50 yards, but I feel I need to pick up the pace. Off I go at a little faster pace. Later on Sherri told me she really was not feeling energetic at the start, but picked up later on.

Going towards Minto-Brown

I have brought along a GPS and see that I am doing a reasonable 3.5mph pace. The route goes along the Willamette River, leading us out of Riverfront Park. The way is around the Giant Globe and over the Peter Courtney Minto Island Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge. This has us going about a third of a mile in a wildlife refuge area. Then we entered Minto-Brown Island Park. We have walked the first part before, it is about where we would stop. Instead at a junction, we take a right which takes me around a large field and back close to the River. There is a water station, but I have my own bottle and I go on. Now it is time to start the return trip. This takes us along an embankment and back to the original trail. By this time, my legs are feeling a bit leaden.

Andrea Finish

As I get close to the Finish line, Rachel joins me and my legs do not feel as heavy. I come under the Finish Line at an hour and 12 minutes at an average of 3.4 mph. The official results has me at an 18:55 pace-I am happy with this. I am glad I downgraded my event to 6K instead of 10k. I would have been a lot slower. My leg and hip did not feel bad.

Rachel helping her Dad finish

But did Sherri come in? Yes! She remembered what I have preached: it does not matter how badly you have done throughout a time, when you come in, come in strong. She came in right at my pace and 21:50 pace over all. I think we all are happy.

Back to the car we go and back to the house. We rested for a while. At least for those of us who do not have turkey making responsibilities. David and I make a trip over to Jason’s house to pick up some tables. This rest time is a couple of hours, until the Thanksgiving Festivities start.

Cooks

That is when Sue, Jason, his fiance Lisen, and kids come by and the chaos starts. The chaos is the result of the combination of four active kids, two active dogs, nine mostly sluggish adults and Thanksgiving dinner preparation. That is the recipe, if you ever want to recreate it. That is also the time of love coming together as a family. And I? I just try not to add to the chaos and enjoy the energy.

Desert

Chief Wizard

Dinner is turkey and potatoes and stuffing, and string beans and onion, and a whole bunch of other stuff. Topped off with dessert of pies and cheesecakes and good stuff. We are all content, celebrating a year passed and times years ago when the gatherings were larger and the people seemed older. It is a time of remembrance.

And then there are the games. Lawrence plays wizards with the children in the basement. I am not sure who is the biggest child. And then there is a pseudo card game with adults and just plain old talking.

Several hours later and much fun under the bridge, Jason’s group left. We help clean things up. And then it is back to jigsaw puzzles until bedtime. As the poem said, not a creature stirred, not even a mouse-I guess that is for Christmas-we are practicing.