Year-end 2013

Experienced the typical accelerated but very enjoyable year-end pace again in 2013.   Choral Union Christmas concert participation was Poulenc's Gloria - which we ended up liking quite a bit; Virgil and Laurel attended.  Most of the crew went to Las Vegas for a couple days shortly before Christmas - trip was planned around a Marquette basketball game up there - they ran into more excitement than planned.  But at least we got to see SOC out of it.  PJ started a neat new position at Mayo in mid-December. K here on extended vacation; EP here on vacation - extra nice to have everyone around.   Christmas Eve dinner at Rokerij was quite delightful, as was Christmas dinner at the Reghabis.  PJr and Nedda doing some remodeling so temporarily homeless.

Steady swirl of enjoyable events, and not finished yet.

It was a great year overall for us, with the notable downside being the loss of too many really important people. On to 2014.

Candy cane reindeer decorations per POC; detailed gingerbread houses L-R by PJ, N, K;
extra-detailed toy soldiers L-R by PJr and EP; salmon dinner prepared for the decorators
 that eve (12/26/13) by  CPG.  One of many fun nights.

Iowa trip (November 8-14, 2013)

As noted here, our annual November visit up to Iowa was quite a bit different than in recent years.  Car wreck #1 didn't seem to be too serious (except from the Oldsmobile's perspective), but car wreck #2 was a different story - my mom was bounced around a bit but miraculously pretty much intact, while my dad took a direct shot and ended up with some injuries.  Notwithstanding some marvelous work by a surgeon in Mason City, we rather expected that he would be rehabbing in the Algona hospital throughout our entire visit.  (Though we had heard some reports that he had been seen dancing in the halls, spending copious amounts of time visiting other patients, and sundry other activities inconsistent with what one might expect from an 84-year-old wrecker of multiple cars (and breaker of multiple bones).)

Even buying coffee is a bit of a friendly negotiation . . . with Therese in St. Paul.  (Successful outcome.)

Anyway, we arrived in MSP without incident on November 8; met with Therese for a fine lunch and even (finally) got a tour of her and Mark's new home - pretty easy to see why they selected it, and like it so much.  Then TMG, PJ and I drove directly to Algona hospital - one look at EMG and we could see he indeed was well on the road to recovery.  (And we quickly learned that the rumors about dancing and visiting were true, if understated.)  Cecilia was there (as part of a relay of sibling-helpers that continues to this day).  Chatted up the patient a bit; dinner at Emerald's (had a quorum for a blue-guy club meeting but deferred calling the meeting to order in Carol's absence); then to St. Joe.

Humboldt - enjoying broasted chicken - and pie - with my Mom.  Nice.

Saturday 11/9:  went to funeral for David McKibben in Livermore, followed by church basement lunch.  Had a chance to chat with quite a few folks there (Kathy, Mary Lou, John Gales, Theresa & Dale, etc.), it was quite nice.  Cecilia and Therese back to Twin Cities (after stopping at hospital); Grandma napped a bit; PJ shopped for groceries and started dinner; then in mid-afternoon up to hospital to spend time with the patient.  Late dinner in St. Joe.

Much enjoy the view of the farm up the hill . . . plus, we got to see some snow.

Sunday 11/10:  went to Mass in Humboldt followed by "broasted chicken" dinner in the school gymnasium (quite good!); another nap session, then to hospital, back for late supper.

Carpet = stretched!!  And it only took 11 years!

Monday 11/11:  weather changing - saw some snow.  Long-awaited carpet-stretching process actually happened! Tim Altman and "Bulldog" did nice work.  Handled various other tasks around the house.  Lunch at a little Chinese place in downtown Algona - actually pretty tasty - then attended what had been billed as a "care conference" with EMG's care team.  It was short (and there was no conferring):  they told us there was no way to justify keeping him in the hospital any more, he would be discharged first thing Tuesday.  So that was a pleasant surprise.  Both he and HSG had physical therapy, during which time PJ and I ran some errands around Algona.  Really cold during this time.  Eventually back to St. Joe for late supper and more tasks.

This guy can't be held down.  Showing photos of car wrecks and neck stitchery while 
reluctantly doing his un-desired physical therapy.  The PT is enthralled, or something..

Tuesday:  early to hospital to pick up the now-discharged patient; headed directly to Mason City for follow-up appointment with the surgeon; Steve joined for this.  Then a session with the lawyer, which took a while but went well enough.  Late lunch at Culver's; swung by the wrecked Cadillac to get some tools that had been left behind in the trunk.  Oops - trunk had been left open, significant rain followed by a hard freeze in the meantime - so here I am, chipping away trying to free up a few tools and some jumper cables from rock-ice in the trunk.  Interesting, and somewhat chilling, experience.  We then did a comprehensive drive-through of the scene of the wreck in Ventura, Iowa.  Then picked up prescription (to be lightly used) and cane (destined to be unused) in Algona.  Then - finally - back to St. Joe.  PJ put together another fine, late supper.  A not-restful night, but all in all things went fine.

Admiring the surgeon's handiwork.  A neck full of metal, successfully placed.  (So far as we can tell.)

Wednesday:  not really recalling much detail of the early part of the day here; dealt with phone calls, visitors, home health visit, etc.  PJ took Grandma to Algona to get her hair fixed in afternoon, also to pick up groceries; then she started cooking.  Dick Erpelding picked up EMG and me to go to Jimmy Hilbert wake - got to see quite a few folks there and to hear  KC rosary, haven't heard that in quite awhile.  Dick took them home, while PJ and I swung over to visit Caroline at her new place.  It is quite lovely, a good choice, we had such a nice visit.  But no card games, and quite a few memories of our much-missed fourth - such a loss.  Back to St. Joe for a late supper and another not-restful night.

PJ with Caroline at her new place.

Thursday:  breakfast, various tasks, the morning flew by, Dolores showed up to continue the relay, then we headed to MSP and back to Phoenix.

It was good to have an opportunity to help out, and good to see the progress.  Still a ways to go, but this could (and by all rights probably should) have been much, much worse.

Mayhem on Iowa roads

Just back from a trip to Iowa - scheduled back in early October, but the recent roadway wreckage in which EMG has been a central figure certainly altered the tenor of our visit.

The two vehicles below were totaled within a period of about 72 hours; EMG behind the wheel both times; and not found at fault either time.  Created lots of scrap metal to be sure.


Top wreck occurred north of Algona - EMG enroute to Burt for tire repair by the estimable Arnie Berte.

Bottom wreck occurred west of Clear Lake - returning home from a great-granddaughter baptism.

Mom and Dad have a lot to deal with, but seem to be coming along fine.  With fine assists from my siblings, to be sure.

Will shortly put up a few notes from our trip.

A day with Dad (almost 45 years ago)

Thinking quite a bit about my parents these days following their recent car accident.  Particularly my Dad, who at the moment remains in the hospital for a bit longer notwithstanding good (surprisingly good, I think) overall recovery progress.

Last evening I randomly ran across this diary entry from December 27, 1968.  What a fine day this must have been!

 Observations:

1.  One-on-one time with a parent was a rare treat for any of us, just given the numbers.  Even better - this was on a day where it wasn't possible to work.  So Dad and I were essentially just hanging out, killing time, while Mom did errands.

2.  Dad was still in his 30s - just a week short of his 40th birthday.  He was the father of eight - thus far.  I was a 12-year-old seventh-grader.

3.  "Busher (sic) Bros" was the Minneapolis Moline implement dealer in Algona where Dad shopped for corn shellers and corn sheller parts.  "Free!" coffee and donuts for us (while Mom had to do the grocery-shopping work).

4.  Next up for Mom:  getting her hair done up.  Probably by "Odell" - wife of Jiggs Kollasch - Jiggs operated a tiny gas station and grocery store (probably already closed down by late '68) right along highway 169, and Odell used some of the space for her "salon."  (Hairdressing was in preparation for a big weekend ahead, which my diary indicates included Francis Bormann's wedding on the following day.)

5.   "Me and Dad went to Alfred Reding" during the hairdressing session - A.R. lived less than a mile to the west and was a corn-shelling and trucking customer.  Dad did a fair amount of collection work over the holidays - belated payment for work typically performed months earlier.  Alfred Reding was a great talker (and a great guy) - sometimes the theorizing got overwhelming, but I characterize this day's interaction as "good talk."  My mood probably was enhanced by "candy and bottle of pop."  (Plus I was favorably inclined towards Mr. Reding because he paid me the first dollar I ever earned in my life - had previously given me $2 for helping scoop soybeans out of his overhead bins.)

6.  I claim we almost slipped off the road traveling back to Jiggs's place, which seems unlikely.  But upon returning safely to the store-salon, Dad and I killed time playing ping-pong - I wonder how that went?  Don't remember ever playing ping-pong with him, but there it is in red and white.

7.  Reference to "red and black paints for Model A" - my godfather (Romie) had given me two metal model cars for Christmas, and I was working to make those (and, obviously, needed paint).  Only time we ever worked with not-plastic model cars, these were quite neat.

I started keeping a diary as a child solely to imitate my Dad, who always maintained one.  (Which is one reason I use - and so like - the Montaigne quote atop this website.)  I maintain the diary habit via this website.  If there's a point to all this mundane scribbling, I realize that it's primarily limited to my own benefit and/or amusement - such as jogging memories for me from a wondrous day-with-Dad that I would not otherwise recall.  

So I plan to keep scribbling.

Lockett's Meadow 2013 (with Sedona side trip)

PJ and I traveled up to Flagstaff on Friday, October 11 - via Jerome, where we had lunch, and then up through Sedona and Highway 89A.  Which was quite lovely.  Wandered Flagstaff a bit, stopped by Lumberyard, eventually dinner at Tinderbox.

(Per usual, click any photo to enlarge all.)

Working our way back from Inner Basin.

Saturday was hiking day - couldn't have turned out nicer.  NOC, POC, CPG and PJr joined us (after our Macy's breakfast).  A bit later in the season than our typical timing, but still a nice amount of color.  Perfect weather - plenty warm - which made the remnants of the snowstorm from earlier in the week all the more interesting to look at.  We continue to much like the rerouted hike (due to fire a few years back) (and first encountered last year).

Switchback section (heading down).

Late lunch at Diablo Burger downtown; cleaned up at hotel; resumed wandering Flagstaff; drinks and cheese plate at a wine bar; then another round and a not-fine Five Crowns game (with Washington Street hooligans dominating the medal stand) at a congenial spot where we also got a kick out of live music and some flirted with a Dutch tourist; late supper at Criollo; nightcap at Lumberyard.

Pano from Inner Basin.

Our fellow travelers went back to Phoenix on Sunday after a fine brunch at Criollo (among other treats, PJr and I had a "Brass Monkey" in honor of EMG).  PJ and I spent less time outdoors on this day (partly because the wind kicked up during the daytime hours) - eventually to lunch at Cuvee 928; wandered town a bit; watched some World Series; tasters at Mother Road brewery (marked for return); back to hotel; late dinner at Criollo.

Inner Basin.  Painted Desert (barely) visible in the distance.

Monday:  had the touted breakfast at Martane's - an ungodly amount of wonderful food - their green chile pork rules (Hatch chiles in season doesn't hurt).  Worked our way back down 89A and hiked the Brins Mesa trail (trailhead ridiculously convenient to downtown Sedona) - we took a little different ending route than last time and much liked a 360-degree viewpoint.  Late lunch at Oak Creek brewery, and worked our way back to Phoenix.

Inner Basin.

Sometimes hard to believe the two incredible hiking experiences - completely different in terrain and weather conditions - are only about 40 miles apart.

Delightful.

Looking back at Lockett's Meadow as we drive back to Flagstaff.

Mother Road brewery - like.

Dinner at Criollo.

At Brins Mesa trail - turn-around point.

PJ at our turn-around point on Brins Mesa Trail.

Found this friend.

 

Aspens along Lockett's Meadow trail.

Intrepid-ness on the trail.

N and C try to reprise a cute picture from their younger days.

Happy vandals.

Gloating Five Crowns hooligans on medal stand.

Oregon trip notes #4: the rest of our trip

Final post from our 2013 Oregon adventures (a bunch of photos):

PJ exploring reproduction of Ft. Clatsop - Lewis & Clark expedition wintered here.  Interesting in its own right, particularly interesting to us after having visited Monticello earlier this year.

Fort Stevens - coastal defenses for WWII - Japanese ships actually lobbed some shells here - I think one of the first bombardments in mainland U.S. since maybe the War of 1812?  Interesting indeed, though no need to spend a ton of time here . . . 

Goonies house - Astoria, Oregon.  I heard (from POC) that they filmed a movie here.

PJ admiring Ramona Falls.

Sandy River scenery - on Ramona Falls hike.

Panorama from Timberline Lodge (one of our favorite spots).

Mirror Lake, with Mt. Hood in background.

Full Sail tasters, surprisingly good.  Hood River, Oregon.

Hair of the Dog tasters, unsurprisingly good.  Portland.

Tasting at Fort George Brewery, Astoria, Oregon.

Cascade Brewery - sour beers here were a delight.  Portland.

Oregon trip notes #3: Sunday in Astoria (visiting "Astoria Column") (September 8, 2013)

One last Astoria (Oregon) note -

Farmers' Market - downtown Astoria

We had a marvelous Sunday wandering around town.  After a fine breakfast at the Cannery Pier, we wandered over to the farmers' market in downtown Astoria - every bit as interesting as last year.

Working our way up the Astoria hills.

Astoria Column (circa 1926)

Then we stroll around town, eventually working our way up into the hills overlooking the city (and the Columbia River).  Visited the quite-unusual Astoria Column - financed in large part by a descendant of John Jacob Astor himself - atop a tall (by Astoria standards) hill, with circular staircase (reminiscent of being inside Statue of Liberty) going up another 125 feet.  Gorgeous weather, phenomenal 360-degree views.

Quick stop at the Ft. George Brewery - where they are doing fine work.  Then lunch back at the restaurant right by our hotel.

View of Astoria (and the bridge by our hotel) from atop the Column.

The delightful Ft. George brewery.  Yet another Oregon brewing triumph.

 15-second clip looking over Astoria and onto the Columbia River from atop the Column:

Oregon trip notes #2: ship-spotting, Astoria-style (September 7-9, 2013)

As discussed last year (and also here), PJ and I enjoy all sorts of things about Astoria and environs.  Part of this is the Cannery Pier Hotel - exceedingly well designed, built right out onto the Columbia River, sitting just downstream from the Megler Bridge (which stretches north across to Washington); evocative of the canneries formerly operating in the area, etc.

Looking down toward Cannery Pier Hotel and Megler Bridge on a late-afternoon walk 
up into some actually-charming Astoria neighborhoods.

Our room - literally in the Columbia River.  Looking north toward Washington, with 
north sector of Megler Bridge visible through window at right.

The design of the Megler Bridge forces the "big" ships to veer toward the Oregon side of the river - meaning they sweep right by our hotel room's patio.  And this is impressive - it certainly captures our imagination as we watch these boats head out toward the expanses of the Pacific Ocean, or up the Columbia River.

Here's a clip of one of the ships that swept by - the Astra Perseus - it sails under the bridge and then west; note the tiny tug that enters the scene.



It hadn't occurred to me that lots of information was available online about these big ships (maybe about small ships also, who knows).  For example, clicking this link takes you to a page of information about the Astra Perseus (turns out it is quite new:  built in 2012); click the map and it will show you the last reported position.  Appears that the Astra Perseus swung north from Astoria and visited Vancouver before heading toward Japan.  Cool!

Screenshot of Astra Perseus position on September 30 (doing something or other in Japan).

And there were plenty of other ships passing by the hotel (boat in photo below, for example, can be tracked via this link).  And a bunch of birds, swooping around and making their bird-noises (as they do in the above video clip).  For a landlubber like me, this is pretty fascinating.

"Celestial Wing" - loaded with Hondas presumably coming from Japan - eastbound somewhere up the Columbia.

Kind of reminds me of when PJ and I just sit around watching the trains go by at La Posada in Winslow, Arizona.  Thoroughly entertaining.

Hanjin container shipping, heading out to the Pacific.  Are the containers empty (how
much US exported stuff onboard)?

End o' season

As previously noted, we've much enjoyed having POC, NOC and CPG living downtown (a mere block from Chase Field).  They were nice enough to invite us downtown for the final game of the Diamondbacks season on Sunday, September 29.

Top of 9th on last day of season (the record-breaking inning!)

After watching the last moments of a stirring come-from-behind win by the erstwhile hapless Cardinals at their townhouse, we wandered over to watch some baseball.  And saw another stirring come-from-behind win, one which allowed the Dbacks to finish the season 81-81 (for the second year in a row).

If it's in the newspaper, it must be true:  "Innings record."

Something interesting:  the team has had a ridiculous amount of extra-inning baseball this year, including an 18-inning marathon on August 24 in Philadelphia attended by Charlie and Mark Gales (who, not shockingly, stuck around for the whole game).  All those extra innings paid off:  the team set a world record for most innings played in a single season.

After the game:  walked back to the townhouse for bags, drinks/snacks, a fine dinner, plenty of yakking.  Involving various interesting folk associated with the team, all of whom seemed grateful that the daily grind was over for a few months.  Fun night.

Footnote:  our hero POC was somewhat featured on the TV broadcast from Philadelphia the day after the 18-inning marathon (August 25), per below (at beginning of clip we think he is looking down to send text message(s), not just managing sleep-deprivation (which would have been the rational thing to do)):

Oregon trip notes #1 - South Jetty (September 9, 2013)

Our September 2012 trip to Oregon (eight overnights spread across three cities:  Astoria, Welches (Mt. Hood) and Portland) was so delightful that we repeated it in September 2013.  We repeated many of the same activities, and added a few more.  Liked trip #2 even better, so this will stay in our travel rotation.

Showing South Jetty in relation to Astoria.  Man-made seawall (visible if click-photo-to enlarge) heads  straight west from South Jetty and divides the Columbia River from the Pacific (an effort to control, somewhat, the uncontrollable).

I gave quite a bit of description on our 2012 Oregon activities (three posts, available here) so won't repeat (much).  Will (mostly) point out a few new things we saw in random posts from time to time.

Looking straight west along the seawall (see above map, left side) out to the Pacific Ocean.  

Exhibit 1 is "South Jetty" - a few miles west/northwest of Astoria.  (Not to be confused with a similarly-named location much farther south along the Oregon coast (that one's near the town of Newport.  Never been there.)

Anyway:  last year we learned about the power and danger of the collision of the Pacific Ocean and the massive Columbia River - the fatal "Bar" littered with shipwrecks.  But in 2012 we didn't make it out to the South Jetty from Astoria.

Checking out the wreck of the Peter Iredale (sank in early 20th century, remnants
still on the Pacific beach, a few miles south of South Jetty).

This year:  we did.  And the place definitely captured our imagination, bigtime.  Until reading this book, I hadn't known that "Finisterre" had a deeper meaning than a tony Scottsdale neighborhood - though the Latin translation should have been obvious - this was the "end of the land" at western Portugal.  Until last year, I hadn't known that "Land's End" was anything other than a clothing company - then I learned that it is the western extremity of England.  So when one goes to the "South Jetty" - the western end of Oregon, where the Columbia crashes into the Pacific - all this resonates as you observe the wild seas and skies.  Not hard to imagine how the ancients conjured up a great unknown populated with nothing but monsters out there.

It was a sunny, placid day in Astoria (typical for September even if the area is rainy much of the year).  A few miles away at South Jetty:  rainy, windy, squally, menacing.

"Wreck of the Peter Iredale" - per photo above - is interesting and unusual.  Especially if you consider the back story (from which below photo is taken).

Wreck of the Peter Iredale, 107 years ago.

OK, you had to be there, but PJ's video (below) gives something of a feel for the setting (she starts out looking west along the seawall, then swings south, then back out along the seawall out to the Pacific (Columbia River is on the right side of the seawall).

Finisterre!