MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

I just want to wish everyone the merriest of Christmases.

From my family to yours ...

Time to be Grateful

Thanksgiving day is almost here.  It has been a year of trials and tribulations for many but, at the end of the day, it is time to be thankful for the things that are right with the world.  I am thankful that all of my family is healthy and that they will be home in a few days ... all of them, under one roof.  Woo Hoo!

These two lovelies are my daugther, Amanda, and my daughter-in-law, Sabreena.  They will, I'm sure, be my kitchen helpers.

These two handsome, young men are my son-in law, Damola, and my son, Blair.  They are usually in for the heavy lifting, watching football and eating.  Well, that's probably standard in most households.

This is my stepson, Chris.  He'll be on the same wavelength as the rest of the guys.  Easiest going guy on the planet ... I think.

This is his daughter, our granddaughter, Grace Anne.  She is twelve and she is smart and lovely in every way.  She is a definite old soul who surprises us frequently with her insight.

And last but, far from least, is our other lovely daughter-in-law, Elizabeth.  (She wouldn't have been last but, I'm hopeless at manipulating photos on my computer.)  Elizabeth will also be pitching in with the ladies but, this woman loves the cleanup more ... go figure.  She's a lifesaver and one of the nicest human beings on the planet.

So, these are our kids.  Decent, hardworking people all.  We love them and are oh so excited to get our 'wagons in a circle' again.  In fact, we are grateful that they still want to come home for the family feast as they all live either out of town or out of state.  And, at the end of the day, all I really need is this bunch to have a very gratitude-filled day.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU AND YOURS

When the Worst Happens

The big news this past week has been Hurricane Sandy which hit the east coast with a vengeance.  It is disturbing that so much of our national attention returned to business as usual so quickly.  There was more concern over Halloween costumes and the election getting back on track than the fact that there are so many people living in devastation.  But, that's a whole other post.  The thing that I continue to think about is this ... Is there really ever a way to be totally prepared for huge disasters?

We live in a time wherein we can be forewarned by days of impending storms.  We are told to stock up on nonperishable food items, water, batteries, etc.  However, a whole lot of people do not do it because they don't really believe it can happen to them.  I heard so many people joking about stocking up on wine and having parties.  Really?  I've been without power during a snowstorm and for an entire week thereafter.  We were fine.  We were prepared.  We had the things we needed to take care of ourselves.  So, if people ignore the basics of preparedness, they are simply being foolish.  This is, of course, all within the parameters of the 'best case' scenario such as being out of power for a short time, or stuck at home for a few days.

So, what happens when there is such widespread damage as in this current disaster ... or Hurricane Katrina?  Well, no amount of stocking up will work if your home is destroyed.  Why don't we have more answers for the hundreds of people that end up homeless?  We should ... in a nation as blessed as ours ... don't you think?  Why do we not get our military into these areas sooner.  These young soldiers are the sons and daughters of the folks who are suffering ... maybe not in reality but, certainly in spirit.  They are there to serve ... let them.  If governors of states so severely affected have to declare martial law, then they should.  They need to stop people who are adding to the problems rather than helping, they need to help people who have no one, they need to prioritize the emergency relief.

People are mostly good during crises ... they step up.  But, first we need to know how we can best help ourselves, we need to buck up and endure so that those who need the most help get it first.  This is all part of the preparedness mindset.  If huge storms continue to happen, it means loss of power, maybe loss of shelter.  What will you do in the various scenarios?  Do you have an alternate method of staying warm and dry?  Do you have someplace to go?  Will you heed the warnings and not put your children in harm's way?  If you don't receive the blunt end of the disaster, could you step up and help those who did?  We, as a nation, need to become more self reliant while simultaneously starting to think about how we can best serve our communities in times of need.

So, while we are praying for the people affected by this terrible storm, we should also be learning some key lessons about how we could be better prepared to help ourselves and help our community should we ever experience anything as terrible.

Beach Time Oregon Style

Well, the annual BFF get away has come and gone.  This year my friends and I decided to go to the Oregon Coast instead of to our ranch.  I was feeling the need for change ... not to mention the need for cooler temperatures.  So, we rented a lovely house in Depoe Bay, Oregon and headed out.  This photo is the view back toward some of the homes in the town from our rental.

We were lucky enough to get some of the better Fall weather that the coast has to offer.  It was mostly sunny with the exception of one day where a fog bank rolled in mid day.  It was windy, which is typical for the Oregon coast but the early mornings and the evenings were calm and lovely.  The path up the hill from our rental took us to some rocky bluffs with spectacular ocean views.  We climbed all over those rocks.  Not bad for 'old broads.'

My friend, Eleanor, has always been a bit of a daredevil so, of course, she had to go all the way to the edge.  I think it may be a metaphor for the way she has lived her life.

The above picture looks calm enough right?  So, I took myself on over to where she was and looked down.  Good lord!  This is what was directly below us.  Not for the faint of heart.  I hightailed myself back to safer ground right after taking this picture.  The coastline of Oregon is both spectacular and rugged.

Safely back at our rental house, this is the view we had from our balcony while sharing appetizers and wine.  We raised a glass to the various folks walking the path up to the rocks.

We spent one entire day in the Nye Beach area of Newport ... a short fifteen mile drive south of Depoe Bay.  This is the public beach access directly below the cutest little street of shops and restaurants and very near the original old hotel for the area.

Here are my two besties ... trying to look relaxed while the wind was whipping and it had gotten cold.

We also took in the casino one evening which is in Lincoln City, about twelve miles north of Depoe Bay and we enjoyed great seafood at some local places but, the main event was the catching up time.  We laughed until we cried and one particular incident we refer to as the 'it was all good until the cops showed up' incident.  Sounds risky, huh?  Actually, some sheriff's deputy patrolling the neighborhood at 4 a.m. decided it would be thoughtful to pound on our door to let me know my parking lights were on.  I guess he didn't think that it might be rather scary for us ... not to mention totally interrupting a great night's sleep.  Ah well, we survived.

The long and the short of it is this ... there is nothing like time with lifelong friends.  We try to be consistent with our get togethers as we do not live in the same towns and life gets in the way a lot.  But, we know that you can never take the time you have with friends and loved ones for granted so we plan these yearly trips and we always, always have a blast.  Here's to this year and to next year.

Is It Fall?

Well, this summer really flew on by ... not that the summer-like weather is done.  It is 90 something outside here in western Oregon at the moment.  But, it is September.  The kids are back in school, football has started and,  people are doing their fall projects and decorating.  The craft store is abuzz I tell you.  I am on that bandwagon myself ... more or less.  I have put some fall decorations up but, I draw the line at Halloween-specific just yet.  I'm staying with the harvest motif until October.

I have been scurrying to finish a lot of summer projects that need good weather to work in.  I'm starting to feel the pressure that some things may not get done this year ... again.  Oh well, let it go.  I have accomplished quite a bit, pictures have been taken and when the final tweaks have been made, I'll do some project posts.  Still, when it is this hot outside, its hard to find the energy bursts needed for some things.  I do know that I'm tired of watering ... and dust.  I am definitely tired of dust.  Living in a farm belt, I can't keep ahead of it.  A nice little soaking rain to lay it all down would be nice.  Then, we could get back to our Indian Summer.

I cannot believe that a week of September is already gone.  I have a lot left on my summer 'to do' list.  I want to make a road trip or two before the snow flies ... important because I don't drive the mountain passes here in Oregon when the snow is on.  I do have a beach trip planned for late September with my lifelong best friends.  We do love our gal weekends.  Now that my daughter lives out of state, I also want to head her way for a little visit.  Another friend is talking November for a trip.  And, there are college football home games to attend, which pretty much knocks a hole in any weekend.

Labor Day weekend was spent with part of the family at our ranch in southern Oregon with a little side trip to beautiful Crater Lake.  It was not our first time there, of course, but it never ceases to take ones breath away.

Then it was back to the ranch for some quiet pursuits, relaxing, fishing, reading, wining and dining.  The sunset was spectacular followed by an astounding 'blue' moon.

So, summer has gone and it is fall ... isn't it?  But, there is still some beautiful weather to enjoy, projects to be done, and fun to be had.  Hope you all are having a wonderful end of summer transition.

Hard Stuff

There are a million cliches out there on coping, pain, etc.  "What doesn't kill you makes you strong," etc., etc., etc.   Whatever!  There are days that just falling over and dying would be preferable.

In case you couldn't guess, I'm feeling down, bummed out, ticked off, and just plain overwhelmed.  Lately, it seems like every time I turn around that either myself or someone I love gets sucker-punched by life.  If it isn't the economy, its the relationship fallout from said economic problems or just plain nasty health issues.  Every story seems worse than the next and there are just no easy answers.

The worst for me is that my own daughter is going through some health issues.  In my brain I keep thinking that we will find answers and that it will all work out fine ... eventually.  But my heart is screaming ... why, why her?  She doesn't deserve this (like anybody ever really does but, still).  And, I don't have any answers ... and, I can't fix it ... and, I can't sleep .... and, I can't stop worrying.  I just want my child to be happy.  Is that too much to ask?

In fact, is it too much to ask for the 'powers that be' in this country and the world to stop being political and start really doing something to turn things around so that people can get on with their live?  Is it too much to ask that doctors have the compassion to realize that what may not seem like a big deal is actually some family's life on hold because they can't make an appointment for six weeks?  Is it too much to ask that people care about their fellow citizens and stop inflicting all of the needless little hurts to try and deal with their own pain?  Apparently it must be.  Apparently at the end of the day we have forgotten what humanity is all about ... well, except for pinning all of those cliches on Pinterest and Facebook.

I do know this, one really finds out who their friends are when life is going badly.  They show up for you and I'm lucky in that respect.  That is a huge blessing in my life.  I really appreciate those people and try to give back as good as I get.  And that brings me to one final Pinterest cliche ... but a good one

Be kind, for everyone is fighting their own battle.

Friday Confessions - Slow Down

Well, I am going to try this again ... linking up with Mamarazzi for Friday Confessional.  I'm quite frequently not that successful at it and I accept that about myself.  So, here goes:

I confess:

• I'm feeling a little cheated that summer just got here in my neck of the woods.  I mean, most people are full throttle with their outdoor activities.  I am way behind.

• I took a look at my 'salad garden' and, people, there is one tiny, lone tomato on one bush and a teeny green pepper on another.  That's it.  Meanwhile, I see all of these fabulous posts of people with their bounty of veggies.  Well, I do have nice lettuce but, sheesh!

• I look at the calendar and realize that maybe I'm not going to have time to finish all of my dreamed of projects and go on a road trip or two.  Something is going to have to give ... maybe.  I guess I had better get busy.

• I have a tendency to think that I must 'make hay while the sun shines' which is not the most conducive state of mind for summer relaxation.  So, I am trying to slow down and smell the roses which, by the way, are one thing in the Pacific Northwest that are simply glorious and abundant right now.  We do get some pretty fabulous flowers for our April, May and June showers.

Well, that's pretty much it.  Feeling like summer showed up late and is in a big, old hurry.  Guess I'll go outside for awhile ... and just smile.  Now, go on over and link up with Mamarazzi yourself.