"...baby, it's cold outside...."

When I took the dog out this morning, there was freezing rain....ice coated on the car and the windows! What?!! And it was so cold! When I told friends in Phoenix that we were moving to Oregon, I usually got questions asking how cold it gets in the winter and statements about all the rain. My answer to the cold question was usually that it wouldn't get too cold and yes I know it rains a lot...that's why it's so beautiful. I was NOT expecting freezing rain. The weather forecast says it'll warm up just enough so we won't have to deal with it for awhile...that makes me happy.

The chicken coop is nearly finished. Because it's been so cold, Craig had to wait to paint. Tomorrow he's putting up the trim around the window and door and the corner pieces. Then, he's going to teach me how to caulk. I'll post a picture of the coop when it's finished.

Good grief!

I can hardly believe this is the 50th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas! 50 years! First it was the 60th anniversary of the green bean casserole and now this....I'm beginning to feel a little old. As these events arrive at milestone-type anniversaries, I'm less that eager to admit that I watched the first showing on tv. I used to proudly state that I was there for the first time. Now I shy away from owning up to it at all. I step away from groups talking about how looooong something's been on tv. It's all quite disturbing.

It's pretty cold here. When I got up and let Bear out this morning, it was 24 degrees out....brrrr! When the temps are so low, I feel like making soup and baking. Yesterday I made con chowder to have for lunch the next few days. This morning I made little apple "pies" out of crescent roll dough. Tomorrow is BigTable at church, so the apple "pies" will go there for that...I'll leave a few home for Craig. I put apples in the crockpot last night when I went to bed to make applesauce. It smelled really good when I got up. I think what I really like is the way it makes our little house smell...makes it very cozy.

Thanksgiving here was very nice. Not like it used to be, but nice. We've met a young couple with 2 small kids and they've only been here 2 weeks. We met at church. We had heard that they were pretty homesick, so we decided to take them out for T'giving dinner. It was very nice to get to know them.  I reminded me that when I was growing up, my parents would invite anyone over for T'giving or Christmas that didn't have anywhere to go. We had two ping pong tables and most years both those tables were full. It was a good way to grow up. I learned that sharing with others is really the best way to go. Thanks, Mom and Dad.

A Birthday Celebration

This week is the 60th birthday of (drum roll please)....the Green Bean Casserole! Yes, it's 60 years old. I heard a story on NPR about it. I have to admit that I've probably only made it once or twice...it's not a favorite nor a comfort food for our family. But the reporter said that it will most likely be on 30 million Thanksgiving tables in America on Thurs. That's amazing to me. We'll be going out to a restaurant with a new young family at church for Thanksgiving. There will probably be green bean casserole offered. I'll probably pass on it.

I was at the laundromat today...I was sick yesterday when I normally would've gone. There was a homeless man in there again doing his laundry...when I saw him last week, he was doing some repairs on his sleeping bag. Today he was making repairs on his outerwear. He has a little sewing kit with several items in it. He seems pretty well prepared to do any mending he'll have. I wonder who taught him how to mend. Maybe he just taught himself out of necessity.

JFK

Yesterday was the anniversary of the day President John F. Kennedy was killed. I remember that day. I was in the 7th grade at Hyde Park Jr. High in Las Vegas, Nev. We had an intercom system in the school to get announcements every morning. The principal got on the intercom and in a very shaky manner told us that the president had been shot. She was obviously very upset but trying to hide it from us. It was a strange thing to process as a child. At that point in my young life, I hadn't known anyone that died...so the thought of the president being shot and maybe dying was unimaginable. I honestly did not know how to process it. As soon as parents could be called, they dismissed everyone from school. I think that the leadership thought the parents should tell the kids the news of the president's death. 

I grew up in a very conservative family, so my family didn't care too much for this president. So, while there was a little discussion about the day's events, there was nothing talked about to help me understand...which I really wanted to. What I didn't realize at the time was that my parents didn't know what to say to help me. They were as "thrown" by this event as I was...as everyone was, whether Democrat or Republican. It's hard to explain what goes on in a crazy person's.

I have a cold. Unfortunately, when I get a cold, Craig doesn't get much sleep. That's because I snore...I can't help it. He has described it as the sound of a rhino in heat. That seems a little harsh. Hopefully, he'll be able to get some sleep soon.

"Mud, mud, glorious mud....." (John Lithgow)

Have I mentioned that it rains a lot here? Oh, I'm sure I must have. Because of that, there's a LOT of mud. We have a shoe brush-y thing to try to clean off our shoes before going into the house. It gets a lot of it off the shoes, but not all. When we would go tent camping with the boys when they were little, it always took me a couple of days to used to the dirt...on them and in the tent. But then we'd go on about our vacation and having fun and the dirt wasn't a big deal. I'm kind of that way about the floor in our house. Little doggie footprints and pine needles all over. The floor ends up getting vacuumed and washed twice a week. But an hr. or 2 after cleaning it, it's dirty again. It's really not a big deal to me. I know people for whom this would be a major problem and they would fuss and fuss about it. Nope...this is country life and it comes with the territory.

Dead man walking

I'll admit it...I stole the title from my hubby. We were driving to church a couple of Sundays ago and saw this new addition to a field...it wasn't there the previous week. He looked at me and said, "dead man walking". The turkeys are destined for Thanksgiving tables. When I took this picture today, they looked considerably larger than when we first spotted them. They probably won't be out there when we drive by a week from Sun.

This is the time of year when food banks asking for and receiving extra food to feed people less fortunate. There is a term that is being used here in one of the ads on tv...."children that are food deprived". I wonder why they have chosen to use this term instead of "hungry". Personally, I don't find it any more effective in getting me to feel badly for those kiddos. It seems like a politically correct term...which I'm growing less and less fond of as time goes by. Don't you think we should just say what we mean? I do.

"People may forget what you said or did, but they won't forget how you made them feel"

I'm not sure exactly who said this...I've known it for a really long time. I even have a small, framed stitchery on the kitchen wall with this saying. It's so true. I think it's important to do things (or say things) in a way that leaves people feeling good...or at least, not feeling bad. I've been left feeling bad and it's not nice. It's not hard to do and say things nicely. I guess that's the Golden Rule, isn't it. 

I went to Joann Fabrics this afternoon...I really like that store. Sadly, tho', it takes about 35 min. to get there. There isn't one at our end of Eugene, so I have to head east.  (Most of the stores I used to shop at are on that east end of Eugene. That's so sad.) I'm making valances for some of the widows. Craig has done so much to make a lot of the living  space very homey. This will be my contribution.

I saw this on the Today show...pretty cute.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX_kKA6gXCg

...back in the saddle again....

I know it's been a few days since I posted anything...I didn't think I'd probably be posting every day. So, here goes the last few days on Baker Rd....

I enjoy working with kids and have missed not doing so since we left Pathway. This past Sun. I helped with the kids in church...th.ey were assembling the Christmas boxes that will be sent to Samaritan's purse and then on to needy children in third world countries. It was fun to interact with the kids and watch as they prepared these gifts for those children. When they can work me into the schedule, I'll work with the kids, teaching and doing crafts.

Mon. is laundry day. Because we have no washer and dryer, I head for the laundromat. Sometimes I'm in there by myself, sometimes there are one or two others. No one talks...we're just getting this chore done. Yesterday, I met a woman who has recently moved into the area. Her newly retired military hubby is now a police officer in Roseburg and they are living in their travel trailer next to his grandma's house. Without giving all the details, this is a heartbreaking situation for this woman. Grandma does not like her (and that's putting it mildly) and she is a very likable person. Anyhow, we talked for the 40 min. that it took for clothes to dry. It was nice to have someone to talk to. I think she misses the military life...the common bond she had with other military wives. And her hubby is gone all day with a 1 1/2 hr commute to and from work. Mostly, she's lonely. So we decided to do our laundry together next week. By the way...she had never been in a laundromat before.

Today I've been to the gym for a low impact/aerobic class then came home and baked cookies...I know...but they're for Craig and they're gluten free. It's pretty gloomy out today...rainy and will get windy later. (Perfect baking weather). Bear does not like rain. He's gotten used to light rain, but real rain...not so much. He'd rather stay in the house and do his business there....no no no...bad dog!

We'll go to Lowe's to get some supplies for the chicken coop and then probably out to eat...nothing fancy...either Carl's Jr. or pizza. We have a really good pizza place with very good (not gluten free) pizza. And it's pretty inexpensive.

There are a lot of homeless people here. There is a tent "camp" on the west end of Eugene that we drive by...many tents with those homeless folks. There's been some discussion about the legality of their presence there. Today I heard a reort that said it'll probably be alright for them to be there, but it gets light late here and dark early..and it's cold. So now the discussion is letting them be there dusk to dawn. That seems like a good idea if it's going to be okay for them to be there 8pm to 6 am now. As long as they are otherwise law abiding, I say let them stay.

Friday, the 13th...BWAHAHAHAHAH!

I know, I know....that was yesterday. But, I want to tell you why Fri., the 13th is important to me.

I've never really put any stock in Fri., the 13th being an unlucky day. Norman and UnaJean never did either. They got married on a Fri., the 13th in April many, many years ago. They've actually always treated the 13th as a special day. Any time of year there's a Fri. the 13th, they celebrate. I'm not sure what UnaJean did for Norman to celebrate...though she has always done special things for him. But, I've seen some of the beautiful Royal Dalton figurines he has gotten her to commemorate that special  over the years. He knows how much she loves beautiful china things to put in her lighted china cabinet. He loves to make his "Sweetie" happy. Sometimes he calls her his Supervisor. Norman and UnaJean are my in-laws. I love them very much. They have always treated me as a daughter, not as a daughter-in-law. Mother has taught me so many things and has loved me and let me know that she's glad I'm married to her son. I've known women whose MIL's have been horrible to them which makes me extra thankful for mine. She has been a great example for me as to the way I should treat my sons wives.

And Dad is such a sweetheart. He has been a good example to his sons as to the way they should treat their wives. That's just one of the ways he has blessed me. 

The first time I met Craig's folks was just days after they learned that their daughter, son-in-law and unborn grandchild had been lost in a plane accident. You could say that it was the worst possible time for that sort of meeting. They had planned to have a reception for me in their home so I could meet the family and many friends they have. They went ahead with that reception. They welcomed me in the most loving way and never made me feel like I was in the way. I heard them on the phone comforting people that had called to comfort them. I had so much admiration for the way they dealt with their grief...they were amazing.

So, that's my story about Fri., the 13th....and my two favorite lovebirds.

Look! It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's .....Llama!

The drive between Baker Road and Eugene is interesting...to me anyhow. It starts with passing our neighbor's place across the road. They have Arabian horses and they're beautiful. Early in the day they are usually in the pasture that's by the road. They romp and play and it's fun to watch. Another place further on the route is a place that has a couple of geese, a big steer, goats and an alpaca. That alpaca is out in one part of the large yard or another, rain or shine. (I love the pouffy hairdo he has on the top of his head!). Oh yes...there are also peacocks. Along the way there's usually someone on a bicycle towing a small trailer containing all their worldly possessions or maybe their laundry (having just come from the laundromat). We drive by a large reservoir and can usually see egrets standing in the water. Beyond that is a Norwegian Fjord Horse ranch. They're a sort of stocky workhorse. Next to this ranch is another and the only thing I see there is one  solitary   lonely.......llama. He's usually laying down and appears to be watching the traffic go by. (I think llamas are comical critters). Another mile or two down the road we come to Lowe's and we don't usually get any further than that. Maybe I'm easily entertained, but I think it's fun to see these "different" things.

We're working on our chicken coop...actually, Craig is working on it and I get called in to help a bit. I convinced my hubby to put in a faux dutch door...he knows I want it to be cute and he likes to make me happy. I like to do things to make him happy, too. We have fun together and that's good. That makes life so much better.

That's it from Baker Road today.

The first of many

This is my first official blog entry. I am in no way the writer my hubby is over on
Vagabond Thoughts. But, I think I may have a few things to share.

This is a picture of the drive into our property. I love this drive...it feels like I'm entering a different world. It's beautiful and green; there will be flowers in the Spring and it will be even prettier then.

We're settling in. We've been here exactly 1 month today and much has been happening. Craig has added base boards and window trim in the living room and hallway...what a huge difference that makes! Shades and blinds have gone up on most of the windows and the wood burning stove was inspected and is fired up and warming our home now. Craig blew all the old pine needles and "stuff" off the roof of the mobile home to check for and fix any leaks. It rains here a lot and we haven't had any leaks since he did that. He has the fixed the foundation on our little cabin down by the creek and begun the demo on the inside. And we've begun construction on the chicken coop (the guillenero). We'll get some chicks in the Spring and we want to be ready for them.

Most importantly, we've found the church we're going call home. Emmaus Life is small and meets in a community center and the people we've talked to are really nice. Now it's time to find how we can best serve there.

We've joined a gym...it's in Veneta and is surprising nice for the size of the town. People there are also very nice. I'm going to Zumba twice a week and a low impact (pretty good cardio) class twice a week also. They are small classes and I'm beginning to get to know the ladies in those classes.

Well, that's it for my first blog post. I don't know that I'll do this every day, but maybe...that depends on what goes on in my day.