Thanksgiving 2008

Thanksgiving Day: Cal & family arrived about noon and we had a lovely, traditional dinner and a very pleasant evening. We played games and Holly fixed my hair – my favorite game. Cal & Joan returned to Appleton in the evening; the grandkids stay the weekend with us.

Black Friday: Grma did some Black Friday shopping in the morning while Grpa fed and entertained the kids. Grpa left for the hunting cabin at noon and after lunch the kids and I went to the library and checked out books and movies; to the toy store to make a wish list for Santa; to McDonald’s to check out the new playground (it is a new building) and to the Dollar store so Holly & Caleb could each pick out one toy. This was all very fun for Grma & the kids; when we got back home Caleb played with his gift (two little footballs – very good choice) and I helped Holly put together her little craft item. Then Caleb fell asleep watching his dinosaur DVD and Holly also fell asleep. Grma watched her Netflix movie “The Sundowners”; good movie and very relaxing. Kids woke up about 7P and we played games/watched TV until 11P.

Saturday: Cal & Joan arrived in time for the Panzer Thanksgiving but it was canceled due to flu & colds in the families. So intead we had turkey leftovers and watched a movie.

Sunday: Dale called while I was making bacon & eggs breakfast for Cal & family; he was just packing up at the hunting cabin to head home. I had him on speaker so we all sang Happy Birthday to him. When we got back from 9:30A Mass at St. Mary’s Dale was home and had already showered. Cal, Dale, Caleb played catch with Caleb’s little footballs in the backyard while I made dinner. Then I made lefse with Holly as lefse turner; she did a wonderful job. Meanwhile Dale & Cal watched the Packers lose. Cal & family left after the Packer game. Diane panicked as she realized Christmas was right around the corner and she hadn't even started getting ready (except for making lefse).

By the end of the WI deer hunt Nov 22-30, Dale and Cal and Travis and Paul had four deer - all does. Dale got 40#s of meat from his doe. They really enjoyed gathering at their new hunting cabin on Pauls' farm north of Menomonie. The first weekend they were joined by Joe and Norman who came from MN and did not hunt. Sounds like they had a good time with lots of card playing when they weren't hunting. Cal was the phtographer so he isnt in the photos.

Cal & Family come to Visit

Cal & family came to visit this past weekend. Holly & Caleb were excited to see Grandpa for the first time in 11 weeks (they saw Grandma the previous weekend when Grandpa was in Minnesota). Right away Holly asked if she could fix my hair; of course I love that game and agreed immediately. We decided to take a photo of the result; Cal says I look like Cindy Lou Who" from Whoville.

Cal set up his computer in my office and was able to get some work done – including using his frequent flyer miles to book his family’s flights for the cruise/wedding next October. We spent the evening playing games and visiting and enjoying a roast beef dinner. We began watching Wizard of Oz; halfway through Caleb talked Cal into going downstairs to play pool. Caleb loves to shoot pool and I predict that it won’t be long before he gives Grandpa serious competition.

It was a very cold weekend but that didn’t stop Caleb from wanting to go outside and play; he just couldn’t talk any of us into going out with him. While watching the Packers/Bears game on Sunday Grandpa suggested that Caleb go outside and run around the perimeter of the house and Grandpa would watch (from inside). Caleb accepted the challenge and later so did Holly. The kids also played outside at St. Vincent’s playground after Mass while we adults sat in the car and visited.

In the afternoon Dale & Cal went to a shooting range to “sight in” their hunting guns; they had to wait in line even though they went during the Packer game. All the Wisconsin hunters are getting ready for the big deer hunt which starts this coming weekend (Nov 22). Cal & Dale will join Paul and Travis on Paul’s property north of Menomonie for the hunt. This farm is where they have hunted together for more than ten years but Paul rents out the farm and so in the past they have set up camp at a different property and driven to the site every day. This year they have remodeled an old granary into a hunting cabin and will enjoy the luxury of being very close to their deer stands and able to come back to the cabin for a hot lunch instead of packing sandwiches.

Home from our ten-week Northeast Trip

We have been home for a week from our ten-week Northeast Tour – at least I have been home a week. We got home Wednesday, November 05 at 10A (52 hours after leaving College Park, MD) and by 4P we had the RV unpacked, cleaned, winterized and in storage. Dale left two days later to join the MN deer hunting relatives; he went first to Paul’s and the two of them drove to Perham. (They do not hunt - just hang out and play poker, etc.) During that trip a deer rifle bullet hit our Saturn; they think it happened while they were driving home. It missed where Paul was sitting – but barely. As you can see in the first photo the bullet hit only a few inches behind the passenger seat. The second photo shows the small entry hole on the outside of the car.

While Dale was gone I drove over to visit Cal & family (no photos). I enjoyed playing lots of games with Holly & Caleb. I am impressed with how well Caleb (first grade) can now read. Had a great visit and brought home the mail that had been fwdd/collecting at Cal’s.

Since getting home I have been doing laundry/bedding and organizing and email – and lots of online reading. It is one of the at home luxuries I enjoy getting back to – good internet access. Another luxury is watching TV and movies.

On the road Internet access was intermittent and usually coincided with fun site-seeing or visiting; it was easy to get out of the email habit. And of course I got very few emails so it reinforced my conclusion that everyone else is also too busy for email. Now that I am home I really do not have any good excuse for not keeping in touch and updating my blog except there isn’t much to talk about except the weather. And at home the weather doesn’t matter.

So I am looking forward to and planning future fun. My main project this week has been Tom’s wedding cruise. Yes, Tom is getting married October 2009 to Kathleen Bledsoe – whose family we met this trip in Quebec City, Quebec. They live in Quebec and we spent a wonderful week there in September. Tom and Kathleen got engaged last Valentine’s Day (’08) and their wedding will be on a Freedom of the Seas Cruise Ship.

Next I have to start thinking about the holidays.

Annapolis, USNA and Deadmens Hollow

Our last day before heading home. We began the day by having breakfast with Dale’s cousin, Randi Anderson who lives in College Park very near to Cherry Hill Park, the campground we are at. This was a first meeting for Dale and Randi (& me) and it was very fun to get acquainted in person after we had exchanged so many emails and photos.

Next Dale/Di drove 26 miles to Annapolis, MD. Annapolis is like going back to the 18th century with colonial era buildings on every street – more surviving 18th century bldgs than any other US city. And the streets themselves are interesting since many of the streets and sidewalks are red brick instead of pavement. And the streets run at all angles – many “city blocks” are triangle in shape. Annapolis is the capitol of Maryland. The Maryland state house is the oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use; the only state capitol to have been a US capitol and features the largest wooden dome in the country built without nails. Geo Washington resigned his commission as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army here and in 1783-1784 the US Congress met and ratified the Treaty of Paris which formally ended the revolutionary war.

Of course Annapolis is most well known for the United States Naval Academy which was also fun to tour. 1200 new midshipmen arrive each July (from every state). We saw lots of them in full uniform on campus and in town (maybe because it was Sunday.)

Back to Cherry Hill where Deckers had Elk Stew ready for supper – yum! It was sad to think it was our last evening together. We played one hand of Hand/Foot before departing for the 7PM Deadmens Hollow Concert in Fairfax at the Jewish Community Center. You can find out more about them at http://www.deadmenshollow.com/ It was an evening of great bluegrass and folk music and a perfect way to celebrate our last evening together.

Another day in D.C.

We took the Metro first to Brookland-CUA (Catholic University of America). Construction/repairs affected us between Beltsville and College Park – only one track. Northbound train had to wait for us to crossover just south of College Park.

By 11:30A we had arrived at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception which was begun in 1920 and had a solemn dedication Nov 20, 1959. (made a basilica 1990). Our arrival timing was very providential; we stayed for the 12 Noon All Saints Day Mass celebrated by apostolic nuncio to the USA, Archbishop Pietro Sambic. Then back on the Metro to Arlington Cemetery. We witnessed several wreath laying ceremonies at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Then it was time to hurry back to the Metro and get back in time to meet Paula & Linda for dinner. They joined us for cocktails in the campground and then we all climbed into their SUV and went to dinner at Oz Chophouse in Fulton, MD (where they live.)