Sunday, November 24, 2019

Happy Thanksgiving!

Nothing real major this past week other than a Thanksgiving wish for my friends, visitors and family.
Last weekend we were up in Superior Wisconsin for Peg's Aunt Betty's funeral.  A sad event but good day for the family to gather.

Deer hunting time again here in SE Minnesota, our local district has a week on, a week off and now the 2nd week-long shotgun slug season is underway. John, our local farmer, is hoping to recoup some of the forage he loses all year long via the venison.  We heard some very nearby booms last night....

It's taken too long but now there's a bike up on the lift getting some attention, more on that as it develops, To Be Posted Here.  As far as the blog goes, a few posts are in their early Draft stages; the Black Hills and Wyoming are priorities.  I'm suffering from more planned ideas than I have available time to compose and publish but the UP side is that I'm not bored nor anticipate anything remotely close to that in the foreseeable future.

Speaking of UP, Hanna has given us tickets for next Sunday's Minnesota Orchestra performance....a favorite, I loved this movie and it will be fun watching AND listening in a new way.  A Thanksgiving meal will follow, hosted by our daughters.  Even better, my must-see each Christmas movie will be seen in much the same way later in December.  Star Wars and Harry Potter both previously performed as part of the Movies and Music Season.


Peg listened to and then shared a story with me last weekend from the Center For American War Letter Project from Chapman University.  As you might very well imagine, I have something to contribute.  From what I can tell, every letter that dad wrote AND received while in the South Pacific is here in a box.  Once I'm convinced that everything is gathered in one place, both stacks of letters will be contributed.

More sorting, lots of disposal and a few items of interest are being saved.....the process continues, fun treasures found and memories refreshed.

Backpacking one weekend northern Minnesota, a discovery....


My postcard to mom and dad from Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland.  My printing, half a millimeter tall.....

"...sat around a foggy fire last night with a couple of other bikers, Cairo....IL..laughing about the cold wet weather...Young hitchhiking couple from QUE asked me for help getting their campfire going, determined that I take their bottle of wine....we shared a glass.....Young Craig next door, maybe 12, fascinated with me and the bike....went back to his folks then returned, they want to know where your wife is....Raining again.....the Illinois biker is yelling over here from his campsite.....tomorrow we're going to Florida...."   July 28, 1979


Christmas time '80 we flew to London, spent a few days, then took the train up to Holyhead, ferried to Dublin and met Brendan there.  Over Christmas week, we circled Ireland, then ferried back to Liverpool, rented the Ford Cortina and left for the Lake District and Scotland.  We didn't quite make it, bad wintery weather turned us south and west to Wales where we were stranded for 3 days in the blizzard and missed our flight home.  Making matters worse, my plane ticket fell out of my jacket while shoveling our car out, making adventure we didn't really need.

We stayed in Piccadilly Circus ....


Que time in the Theater District, we saw numerous plays.


Trinity College, Dublin....


Brendan's Uncle Tommy and I discussing Irish dairying....


My turn driving the Cortina.....


From the Kincade Hotel, Llandrindod Wells, County Powys, Wales....some long but fun days stranded with the other hotel guests.  Finally we left, illegally on roads officially closed.




From our place in the valley, hope and trust that everyone stopping by finds their Thanksgiving to be a special day for peace, calm and gratitude.

6 comments:

  1. to you and yours... best wishes on the holidays

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  2. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours Coop!

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    1. Thank you Dom, a lot for us all to be thankful for. The best to you, Martha and family!

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  3. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

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    1. Thanks much Richard, hope you and Bridget have a most wonderful day!

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