Another Birthday on the 3rd

Jenna loves to make people happy.  She likes giving little gifts for birthdays.  Before the year started she asked us if we could take her and one of her friends to the roller skating rink for his birthday.  I have taken Jenna roller skating a few times during her lifetime.  It has always taken her longer to get her shoes off and skates on or vice-versa than the time she spends going around the rink.  She has never mastered the roller skate however.  I, on the other hand, spent many hours on roller skates in the past.  I am no longer confident about stepping on wheels.

 Yesterday we took her and her friend up to the Big City of Roseburg and purchased passes for each of them.  Her friend had gone around the rink a few times without her.  She struggled, but did eventually get better at it – or so it appeared.  She didn’t seem to notice that she had gotten better as she still felt unsteady on her feet.  Her friend was sweet with her as he assisted her.  She fell quite a few times but claimed she’d been having fun.  I admire her persistence.

New Year’s Eve and 2020

         I had always believed that New Year’s Day was for taking down the Christmas decorations and putting them away as that is the day my mom had always done that.  I had tried carrying it over to the family I am with right now.  Sometimes it works, but not always.  Roland always seems anxious to take it down right after Christmas.

         

          We did not wait until New Year’s for the outside decorations but removed the lights and ornaments, electric cords and so forth from the yard.  We started at 10:00 Tuesday morning before the fog had completely lifted.  Roland announced that it was going to rain.  He was right.  It poured.  I can’t remember what time it started pouring, but it was still light outside.  I don’t think the pouring stopped until after midnight.

          Roland wanted to play Monopoly and asked if I would like to be banker, but I really didn’t.  So he was banker and the rules were very different than they had been the last time we played.  Every time (both last time and this time) Jenna tries to play fair, it ends up biting her.  I don’t think it was so much the game itself, but making future comparisons of things that will take place in her life.  She is not ready (not willing) to grow up.  She was crying while I was thinking – “That’s tradition.”  Ever since I was a child I remember New Year's Eve somebody was always either physically sick or emotionally stressed – sometimes both.  But I’ve never seen it with this family – except for many Thanksgivings Jenna has been sick, but not since we’ve lived in Oregon – at least I don’t think.  She’s such a trooper.

          The youth had scheduled a dance that she had planned on going to until the day before.  She said she’d much rather stay home and play games with us.  After her meltdown, I figured she wouldn’t have gone to the dance anyway and wondered if she would want to play games.  But Jenna does bounce back and radiates a very positive attitude.

          We had three guests come over for light snacks and games.  Rita was the first to show.  We started to play the game Imagine-If having taken three turns each when Mary and Kassy arrived.  We stopped our game of Imagine-If and moved onto another so that Mary and Kassy could join us even though Mary said we didn’t have to. 

          She started preparing some food they had brought with them and Kassy sat at the table, arms crossed and expression that told me she had been dragged to the “party” against her will and would rather die than engage in any kind of celebration. We started game number two without Kassy but Mary did join in after a while.  We played “Hear Me Out” which Mary didn’t seem to fully understand as she would read the player's answers and make comments so that there was no secret about who wrote each answer.  When there was a tie, we asked Kassy to be the tie-breaker.

We did manage to get a smile and more participation from Kassy when Jenna and Rita took a break and started doing “the fork in the garbage disposal” dance.  All six of us played a round of Uno. Mary was tired and groggy and finally took a nap on our couch. I think we may have played another game of Uno without her and then Kassy decided she no longer wanted to play.  We put her on the other couch and gave her the remote control.  The rest of us continued to play “Catch Phrase” and pitted Roland and Rita against Jenna and me.  We laughed so hard.  After a while, we traded partners and quit keeping score.

After midnight Jenna went with Roland who took Rita home.  He said to just leave Mary and Kassy on the couch and they could sleep there, but Kassy was insistent that Mary wake up as they had other things on their agenda.  The wee hours of New Year’s Day in Myrtle Creek?  What was her hurry to get out of our house?  Perhaps she needed to get home to her dog.  I’ll bet that’s what it was.

They left shortly after Jenna and Roland returned.  We went to bed and took the indoor decorations down at 10:00 in the morning.  I thought we’d play games but went back to our boring routine of each of us just doing our own thing.  It was a quiet and boring day overall.

I feel like I did pretty well posting dashes last year, but my bi-weekly word rarely ever came out as I had intended.  They aren’t on the agenda for this year.  I figure most of what I have posted has been dash worthy – just not numbered as such.  My goal for this year is to allow Roland the pleasure of savoring his shopping and to not complain about the wait.

The Day (and Night) Before New Year's Eve

          Roland had tweaked a recipe found in this book:

           The reason being is because we did not have all the required ingredients, but it was good.  A little dry.  The next day I decided I would go to the store and purchase some queso to add to it as Roland made enough for 12 people and we didn’t have that many eating.

           I was just going to go to Ray’s or Dollar General and come right back.  But Roland asked could I pick up this and that and oh, how about some shrimp . . .?  I wasn’t planning on going to Roseburg.  Dollar General doesn’t have shrimp and I doubt Rip Off Rays would have it either.  And if they did . . . really?  Was I willing to max my debit card for the assortment of items?

          Jenna had just barely cleared the table for a day of playing games which turned into another day of grocery shopping.  Well, hey, as long as it became a part of the agenda why not just do something different and go visit the Winco in Grants Pass instead of two different stores in Roseburg (as Costco would not have all the items or maybe we just wanted a sample rather than 90 pounds of whatever). 

         

          On our way to Grants Pass, I received a text from a friend who had wanted to take us to the coast to see the lights at Shore Acres (here) 

This is where we entered to walk around

I think this is the first attraction we saw after the above

this exhibit (or one similar) was just before the gift shop

the lake was gorgeous with reflections of lights and trees

there are rooms to view in the house;
they also served cookies and hot cider

we ate our cookies and cider in the pavillian

          It was almost 12:00 when I received the call and she wanted to leave at 3:00.  I am married to a shopaholic who savors opportunities to pick up merchandise and ponder with real intent  - weighing all reasons (well, most, as money rarely ever seem to be a factor for decision making) to purchase said item.  Roland enjoys shopping.  He relishes the opportunity.  I have made it no secret that I don’t enjoy shopping for anything.  My goal is to get in and get out.  None of this “savor-the-shopping-moment”.  Blah.

Thus on Monday when we were in Grants Pass, I thought I had added reason to hurry our shopping along – growing impatient with Roland's desire to milk every minute on each product as he read each label of different items he'd come across.  I had set a time limit for us to be back on the road so that we would arrive home before Carolyn showed up.  I had deprived him of basking in something that he truly loves.  I need to stop with the unpleasant attitude and be grateful for his enthusiasm and willingness.

With all the correct ingredients, Roland started another batch which he put into the oven just before Carolyn showed.  She had hoped to take all of us, but Roland really didn’t want to spend that much time driving to the coast – which turned out to be longer than either Carolyn or I had anticipated. 

We thought that if we went early enough we could get to the facility and park the car. We didn’t know we’d have to wait in a line of cars for 20 – 40 minutes.  Oh, but it was so beautiful. 

  

Lights created movement of a hummingbird fluttering its wings, frogs, seals, and dolphins jumping into the water.  It was a fun experience.

Other Gifts

          Shortly after we moved to Oregon, Jenna and I had gone to a second hand store in search for some game cards – or puzzle cards – something that we could cover to create our own version of.  We ended up purchasing a child’s alphabet learning game including four boards and 28 cards. 

this is not the exact game we had purchased, but one similar

We covered the backs of the cards with clip art pictures we had printed off the computer. 

shows a small piece of the board that we made

 We didn’t have a use for the boards but continued to hang onto them until earlier this month.  We decided that we would send them to our youngest granddaughter for Christmas and spent a family home evening painting letters so place on the boards.           

          For our oldest granddaughter I had purchase a bead kit which reminded me a lot of one that my mom had given to Jenna one year. 

Jenna really enjoyed making different necklaces and I thought Ester might enjoy them also.  I hope that she enjoys it as much as Jenna did. (see here)         

          For our youngest grandson we purchased a counting book – not that he is counting yet.  He turned one the 4^th day of October this year. 

Their family has purchased gifts for us each year.  There were nine items in the box they sent this year.  Two cookie mixes, a cupcake mix and two presents for each of us. 

          I already mentioned Jenna’s Encore here.  The kids gave her a container of what appeared to be leftover Halloween candy.  Rochelle always picks out a book for me – a mystery that she enjoyed and would like to share.  There was a lap blanket from the kids which looked like a candy cane pattern to me.  Jenna calls it my toothpaste blanket.

          Roland received a Three Stooges video which he had never seen before.  The kids gave him a book for creating Scrabble words.

          In addition to the Batman and Superman in his sock, Jenna had picked out four more characters.  I wrapped each of them individually.  Roland was surprised but seemed to see a message that we view him as stressed – which was not the case.  We had purchased them to go with the many other super heros he has collected. 

          In my sock was this cute Snoopy ornament which will hang above my desk when Christmas is over.

          I’ve been toting my insulated bag to both school and church

but had picked out this purse to carry with me – even though I’m really not much of a purse person. 

 I like it for the many pockets that it has.  That is what Jenna wrapped for me from her.

Jenna also brought me “card holders” to attach to my hat as I am always losing them.

           Roland got me Murder with Collard Greens and Hot Sauce and a book collection called The Land of Stories. 

 It really was a simple Christmas.  Jenna received a bell for a bicycle that Roland had purchased for her

After I started my initial Christmas post, I realized that we had not opened the gift from the couple in our ward and retrieved it from its “hidden” place and we opened this bear candle and angel statue. 

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Different Variations of Frightful

"Oh, the weather outside is frightful . . . “

My sister recently posted this picture on her facebook page.

retrieved from facebook

My comment was that even though we live further up north than she does, the residents in Douglas County are more inclined to be like the first picture than the second.

I DON’T miss snow.  I don’t miss driving in it.  I don’t miss waiting in the cold snowbanks and blizzards.  I don’t miss the horrible traffic.  I don’t miss this:

retrieved from KSL NOVEMBER 27, 2019 AT 5:14 AM

 Retrieved from Salt Lake Tribune
 NOVEMBER 27, 2019 

retrieved from NBC news December 8, 2019

 The weather was quite beautiful on Christmas morning

and continued into the next day.  Jenna put on her Elf costume and we went to Millsite park ao she could pass out candy canes.

I had to take another picture after we returned home so that the socks could be seen (as they were hidden by the shoes)

Friday’s weather was “stay in your pajamas and stay inside and read a book” type weather.  Nothing as frightful as the first four pictures of snow.  The skies were overcast and everything was wet by rain. 

The last two mornings have given us lingering fog which has cleared about 10:30 or so. It rained quite a bit yesterday.

Oh, Holy Night

I always associate this song with my dad as I remember him singing it each year. 

I would like to share this rendition which combines the voice of Kenneth Cope with the art work of Liz Lemon Swindle:

Wooden Houses

         Monopoly is still not my favorite game, but it is one of the few that Roland will agree to play with us.  However the rules vary quite drastically depending on whether he or Jenna are banker.  One of the last times we played, each of us had monopolies but Roland was banker hoarding houses and we were not allowed to buy hotels until we slowly built up and then traded in.  When Jenna’s banker, hotels can be purchased without having to first build up a housing empire.  There aren’t enough houses – at least there weren’t.

          Roland found some extra houses at good will and purchased what appears to be vintage pieces.  Not original 1936 pieces but a remake done in 1947. 

We decided to incorporate the extra housing in with our game pieces that were made this century. We played a came the day after Christmas.

The hotel sizes are different and the house colors range in an assortment of greens.

          The color variation for the money is not as obvious between the 20s and 50s as they are today

          And the game pieces were not the cool shapes that they are today,  Wooden pawns and tiny dice.

          The instructions had been creased and torn.  When we taped it back together Roland asked if that wouldn’t ruin its value.  Jenna and I threw puzzled glances at him thinking the creases and tears had probably already disvalued the game.  Also the fact that there was no board included.

          Jenna found a misshaped hotel and thought it funny and purposely used the edge/corner to stand the hotel as she thought it was funny.

          The game came with a booklet to advertise other Parker Brothers games (this one in Salem, Massachusetts – though they also had locations in New York, Chicago and London.  The monopoly game sold for 3.50  A game called Camelot sold for 1.50 and 2. 00 or with a large board and ivoried pieces for 5.00.  Sorry sold for 2.00 and a game called Pollyanna (which suspiciously looks like Parcheesi) sold for 2.00 also.

           Jenna and I laughed as Roland started mortgaging properties in order to buy others – NONE of which gave him a monopoly.  We kept landing on community chest, chance, taxes, and our own properties but rarely our own.  Jenna and I had both purchased hotels for the monopolies we had – but as no one was landing on properties except for the owner, we failed to purchase more because what would be the point.

          We played for two hours and declared Roland the winner just so we could stop.  We played some other games yesterday.  Jenna and I really enjoy playing games.

Roland’s Favorite Gift

Whenever Roland has been approached by Jenna or the boys for whatever occasion (Christmas, birthday) they ask what he wants and he has always answered a homemade card – which Jenna did when she was younger.  But it seems a bit hopeless to make a card for someone who makes cards like these:

 

Christmas 2016

Christmas 2018

Christmas 2019

2019

I had looked for something to give Roland for Christmas and when I started wrapping other presents I realized that I might not have a gift to have for him on Christmas and quickly wrote this poem:

He thought it was great.  I was more surprised by his reaction than I was pleased as I had felt somewhat ashamed of not spending as much time on it as he believes I did.  I am happy that he liked it – or likes it rather.  He shared it with his mom over the phone.  She also thought it wonderful.  Okay.  Cool.  I seemed to have succeeded without really trying.  How awesome is that.

Because a single sheet of paper does not carry a lot in weight, I included a puzzle which was already in our possession.  I did it to add weight, but Roland didn’t remember having it and thought it was a part of the gift and we put it together Christmas afternoon.

Christmas Morning 2019

Each year that we’ve been here we have mailed four packages to Salt Lake -  one for each of my boys and one for my sister and her family.  This year we mailed only one package.  We sent out gift cards to each of my sons and presents to the children of my middle son – not to play favorites among grandchildren, but I knew we’d be receiving a package from them and so wanted to make a gift exchange to the only son that it seems to matter. 

The first gift under our tree was one from some ward members we had had over for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago.  The gift was moved when the carpet was cleaned and we forgot to return it.  We had three small gifts under our tree, presents from my sister and her family.  Jenna guessed what they were – but did not know all of the details that awaited on the inside.  Randy’s gift to Jenna arrived unwrapped, but I took it out of the box and put it in a decorative Christmas tin and put a tag to Jenna from Randy, Carrie and Devin.  Gradually other gifts appeared.  This is how it looked on Christmas Eve before Roland and I finally went to bed:

Roland creates cards and sends them out each year.  He sends cards out the last three months of the year focusing on Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.  Each year it seems we receive more Christmas cards than we did the year before.  This is what our two doors looked like last night before we went to bed:

And here is the way the fireplace looked last night before Jenna went to bed:

I had purchased some stocking stuffers for Jenna when Roland and I had gone to Eugene (here)

We ended up purchasing another sock to fit all of Jenna’s loot.  So this is what she woke up to on Christmas morning:

Our tradition is to open our stockings first.  This year we opened our socks one at a time – starting with Jenna. I thought she would be more excited over the silicone straws than she appeared to be.  She did express pleasure for the flamingo and pineapple ice cubes.  Her favorite item that she retrieved was a plastic dinosaur that Roland had bought for her.

In Roland’s socks were the first two “stress” super heroes:  Batman and Superman.

I was surprised by the amount of items that my stocking contained – including two pairs of socks.  I selected the warmer of the two and put them on my feet.

My sister’s gift from her family to ours was a pair of socks for each of us.  Minons for Jenna, an almost “cat-in-the-hat ‘thing’” socks for me, and superman socks with capes attached for Roland:

Roland and Jenna put their socks on right away. Jenna continued passing out gifts and we continued opening them up one at a time. 

We had each recived a hat for Christmas – all “wrapped” the same way.  Each in a tin can.  Roland’s to Jenna, Jenna’s from Randy and although Jenna had picked out the hat I was wearing, it had been marked from Santa.

Though Jenna wasn’t wearing her hat until the final few pictures. The last two gifts beneath the tree were for her.  Tony has always managed to sent give Jenna her absolute favorite gift of the season.  Last year it was a lap blanket featuring a tiger. 

The year before it was the first six seasons of Psych (see here) 

She opened the gift from Tony first.  She screamed in delight at discovering the game “Encore” which she has asked for each year since we have lived in Tri City. 

The last gift was from her brother, Randy and his family.  It was a Pokémon hat.  So now she has a Pokémon to wear in summer and one for winter:

 Jenna's top three gifts this Christmas: