Turkey Day

T Day… Rebooted…

Its Thanksgiving, a national holiday (so designated by ) frequently known as “T-Day” for both Thanksgiving, and Turkey, the traditional dish served at our holiday feast… 

Thanksgiving is a day rooted in tradition… National traditions, Family traditions, personal traditions… traditions concerning food… about watching football on TV… gatherings…

This year, our Thanksgiving is a bit unconventional… in place of turkey, we have a pork roast, butterflied, then rolled with a stuffing made of onions, celery, carrots, and mushrooms…  at least it’s a stuffed roast… 

The sides are more conventional… roasted butternut squash (a close approximation for sweet potatoes, with no mini marshmallows in sight), oven roasted brussel sprouts… we live in brussel spout country… we like them… Tina’s dad liked them… they are our green of choice, at least today… Red cabbage… cooked Danish style, per a family recipe from Tina’s family… There is bread dressing… dressing (aka bread stuffing cooked outside the bird) made of San Francisco sour-dough bread, celery, onions, oysters, with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme… (apologies to Simon & Garfunkel),commonly known as stuffing, but in this case not stuffed in a bird, or a leg of lamb… (as Alton Brown says, “stuffing is evil”… It dries the meat… it makes for a bad turkey, if we were having turkey… which we are not…)

The now American Holiday has origins in an early colonial American harvest festival… (the harvest in New England occurs well before the late-November date of the holiday, but details are unimportant and sometimes unwelcome) dating to the Mayflower, and “Pilgrims” religious zealots fleeing England for the freedom of the new land, Plymouth Massachusetts arriving in 1620, where most, unprepared for the new land, and unfamiliar with how to grow corn, squash and such, with limited hunting skills, mostly starved at first… Half died the first year.  A good harvest in 1621 (or so) resulted in a “Thanksgiving” and the rest is history…

For us, some 392 years later… We held our personal Thanksgiving… There was shrimp cocktail over cream cheese earlier… a kind of late lunch… served with champagne… between then and dinner there was wine (white) and beer… with dinner there was more wine, now red… Then the birdless meal…

About 9:00 (in the PM) we piled into the car to drive over to the local Target… to see if anyone would show up at their Turkey Day early Black Friday… to our horror, the line extended around the store, to the side of the store, behind the store… the parking lot was gridlocked…

Why?

We retreated home… we were in need of nothing that couldn’t wait until another, less sacred day…

Christmas, the dreadded Christmas

Christmas has arrived... at least at Patterson House... or is arriving... in about 13 hours...

We are a house museum... a grand Victorian farm house.. and now, it is Christmas... When history is subjugated in favor of glitter and tinsel... and Christmas...

Christmas comes the first weekend of December at Ardenwood Farm, home of Patterson house... So, today, about 3:45, the last tour ended, and we started Christmas... hauling trees (artificial) and garland and ladders... We need ladders... ladders are important... ladders give access to 12' ceilings... where we hand garland and decorations...

If you haven't figured it out... I run Patterson House...

Volunteers decorate... I need to take care of my volunteers...

This means soup... bread... butter...Turkey vegetable soup made from the carcase of the turkey used to feed the volunteers last week... Last week as we worked towards Christmas it meant Turkey, dressing (3 kinds) and gravy... A celebration of the end of the season.

Tomorrow, we start to decorate... There are 19 rooms to be decorated... some by one, some by many...  most have decorated before, some haven't... some need help... (more this year... the elevator may not be working... things need to be carried upstairs)

I may run the place, but I am not really in control... The volunteers will do what ever they want... I can only steer... Sometimes with success, other times without...

Laughton Wainwright II said it best...

Suddenly it's Christmas, right after Halloweeen.
Forget about Thanksgiving;
It's just a buffet in between.
There's lights and tinsel in the windows;
They're stocking up the shelves;
Santa's slaving at the North Pole
In his sweatshop full of elves.

There's got to be a build-up
To the day that Christ was born:
The halls are decked with pumpkins
And the ears of Indian corn.
Dragging through the falling leaves
In a one-horse open sleigh,
Suddenly it's Christmas,
Seven weeks before the day.

CHORUS:
Suddenly it's Christmas,
The longest holiday.
When they say "Season's Greetings"
They mean just what they say:
It's a season, it's a marathon,
Retail eternity.
It's not over till it's over
And you throw away the tree.
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/l/loudon_wainwright_iii/suddenly_its_christmas.html ]
Outside it's positively balmy,
In the air nary a nip;
Suddenly it's Christmas,
Unbuttoned and unzipped.
Yes, they're working overtime,
Santa's little runts;
Christmas comes but once a year
And goes on for two months.

Christmas carols in December
And November, too;
It's no wonder we're depressed
When the whole thing is through.
Finally it's January;
Let's sing "Auld Lang Syne";
But here comes another heartache,
Shaped like a Valentine.

Suddenly it's Christmas,
The longest holiday.
The season is upon us;
A pox, it won't go away.
It's a season, it's a marathon,
Retail eternity.
It's not over till it's over
And you throw away the tree.

No, it's not over till it's over
And you throw away the tree;
It's still not over till it's over
And you throw away the tree.

Once we close... December 16th this year I don't want anything to do with Christmas... I don't care about trees, lights, cards and such... I do care about Xmas dinner... but not about the other stuff... but need to ...

While taking down and putting away Christmas at Patterson House...  It is a bit weird... maybe surreal...

Can I just go hide in a far away place?  Please?

Klinger, the Jeep and tales of a winch, and a bumper and stuff…

Klinger, the Jeep and tales of a winch, and a bumper and stuff…

About two months ago I bought a new car, a vehicle... a Jeep...

Specifically, a Jeep Wrangler, sport, unlimited... In English, a traditional Jeep, with 4 doors... and a winch...

Within a week, I visited 4 wheel parts, and bought a trailer hitch... The first sticker had found its place on the window... Equipment was loaded... A shovel, an axe (a Navy damage control axe from the recently decommissioned Kitty Hawk) a jump box, a compressor, a tire repair kit... Ropes, bungee cords... And a machete...

Almost immediately it was named, Klinger... Klinger (my Klinger) was built in Toledo Ohio... The fictional home of fictional Sargent Klinger of MASH... aka Jamie Farr... A friend suggested pearls... The lovely Tina found some pearl Marti Gras beads... She be Klinger....

This is likely a statement car... A middle age crisis car... Instead of a blond (wench) it came with a winch... (eventually) With some hundred feet or so of stainless steel cable... not quite blond... But, when received, the winch was not found... It was ordered... To arrive soon...

It (the winch,) arrived at the dealership a week or so later... Too late for installation before Klinger's first road trip...

That trip, across the Sierra, to Carson, then, across Nevada via Hwy 50 to Ely... While there, I explored a couple of BLM roads... Around the Ruth pit... In search of the Ward charcoal kilns... Dirt roads, but not quite "off road". Home was a fast run down Hwy 6 through Tonapah, over Montgomery Pass down into Owens Valley, then right at Benton Springs... Along the south side of Mono Lake, over Tioga Pass, via Yosemite, and home... A wonderful road trip… away from the highway, the Interstate, a few unpaved roads, but nothing that tested Klinger's off road skills...

Upon return, T and I flew to Vancouver Canada… off on a cruise…  While we were gone, Steph, aka the daughter, took Klinger in to the shop… to install the winch…  There were issues… the winch could not be mounted on the factory bumper… a new bumper was needed… at a significant cost… or maybe a winch plate, or not…

There was a second trip… this to Carson, to Virginia… dirt roads, mine roads… nothing challenging…

It now started to get complicated… It was no one’s fault… but it was complicated… In so many ways…

We, I, the dealer (sales person, service department, etc…) all thought that a winch was just not that complicated… bolt on the bumper, go… It had a Mopar part number… it is covered under the warranty… It was listed on the sales contract…  It was not… (on the jeep, or uncomplicated)

In some way, not yet fully understood, Jeep changed the (front) bumper on the 2012 Wrangler… and as a result, you cannot bolt a winch to it…  A different solution is needed…. I suggested a winch plate… which was thought to be compatible, but wasn’t, but maybe the 3^rd party manufacturer could make it compatible (at an increased cost) but eventually decided not to…

At this point, to make all more interesting, Abby, my sales person, left the dealership... (we are still friends on Face book…)

Now working with salespersons we haven’t met… and sales managers… potential costs are rising… Folks are in damage control mode… I have a sales contract that says my Jeep has a winch… a winch that I think should be installed on the front bumper, which instead is sitting on the floor of the parts department at my Jeeps service department…

Calls are made… calls are returned, or not… calls are made… details are uncertain… I chose a bumper from 4 wheel parts that can support a winch… and is less expensive than the one the dealer chose ($1,800 vs $399) they have a relationship with 4 wheel parts… they could have considered their parts but didn’t).  By the 5^th call I may have been angry, spoken loudly, and made demands…

Eventually, I delivered Klinger to the dealership… was handed the keys to a 2012 used Dodge, and left… The next day I called for an update… (this was the day of the Giants World Series Parade….Go Giants….) and was told that Klinger was done, winch installed... they had called (the home phone… not the cell that we had been using) I picked up Klinger… paid for a bumper, (at their cost, less than I would have paid) but not for installation… We both had lines in the sand… Nether came away happy… but both came away ok…

Saturday… I needed to pick up some artifacts, donated to the railroad museum… I drove to Ardenwood, Picked up the railroad’s trailer… unloaded the Halloween stuff occupying the deck… And headed east to the Sierras, to West Point, and the stuff, Craig wanted us to have…  Craig was a long time member… He was short… very short… like one of Snow White’s dwarfs… tolling in the mines… Craig was much more than that, a historian, a reader, a miner, with an explosive permit…  but the stereotype can provide an image… A short man with incredible  presence.

I met Martha, Craig’s sister at the mine… off Hwy 88 above Jackson, off Hwy 88, on Hwy 26 to West Point… a narrow road on a steep slope above the north fork of Mokolome River… Here for the first time, Klinger got to show off.. 

The mine is one the side of a steep slope… The “stuff” was spread among buildings along a narrow dirt road… His cabin way in…  I walk the route first, then drove in… the road was nearly too narrow for the trailer… I shifted into 4w low… crawled out to Craig’s cabin… once there, I unhitched the trailer, and found, that due to mud and slope I couldn’t maneuver the trailer…

 there was a small area to turn around just beyond the cabin… to small to turn jeep and trailer together… so I unhitched the trailer, and tried to move it by hand… normally easy enough, but this was dirt, bordering on mud, and sloped away from the way I needed to move the trailer… The trailer wanted to head down the slope… way down the slope… This could become a crisis… It wasn’t… I blocked the trailer wheels, turned the jeep around, and used the winch to drag the trailer around…  I almost looked like I knew what I was doing…

I loaded up… lot of stuff,  A Graham Foundry (Newark) SP caboose stove, a portable forge, hand tools, square bolts, including a ton of square lag screws… all good stuff…

Martha (Craig’s sister) and I walked about the property… Then home… downhill, 4 wheel, low, down to Hwy 88, then high range two wheel drive… home, drop the trailer at Ardenwood… In the dark… Then home… winch redeemed… useful…   The lovely T had thought the winch an expensive toy… I hoped never to use it (using it generally means you did something stupid) but, now, 4 days after installation I found it helpful (either that or I was stupid and got myself in trouble)

Headed Home…. and travel gremlins… or… Stuck in San Diego, again…

At least its not Lodi…

The cruise is over… we were just beginning to find our rhythm… get up, eat, sit and read, eat (maybe even drink),  sit and read, upstairs to the Crow’s nest for drinks… if lucky we might see a whale or dolphin… then downstairs, nap, then up for dinner (with wine) and walk about a bit before bed… 

It has been an exciting morning… starting aboard the ship, being awakened by noise about 5:00 am… I looked out the window… we have not yet docked, but are in the channel…. Why are they vacuuming the passageway this early?  I roll over and try to go back to sleep…

Sometime after 6:00… more noise (really ongoing noise)…  now at dock… I surrender and decide to get up… foot on floor, splash…  or was it squish… the floor is wet…  the floor is flooded…  We are on a ship… this cannot  be a good… the water is supposed to be outside, underneath… never underfoot

Tina calls the purser’s desk…  They are not surprised, and ask if any water was coming from the ceiling… (it wasn’t)… I stick my head out into the passageway… they are working 5 cabins down… likely the origin point…  The water extends from the outside wall the length of the bed… the other end of the cabin is dry… I shower, pack stuff… Tina showers… uses the blow dryer to dry her purse…  We lose some receipts and museum brochures to the flood…

We abandon our cabin… heading upstairs for breakfast, carrying everything…  

Breakfast was good… our disembarkation number is called… we walk off into the line for customs… In line we encounter the people who formerly occupied the cabin 5 doors down…  They awoke to water running down the wall, lights coming on randomly (shorting from water) and lots of water in their cabin… things floating lots of water….  It was a hot water line in the ceiling that failed… clean hot water… not brown smelly water or salty water… if you have to have water it is the best kind of water… 

They were moved to a different cabin for their last hours on board, surprising a cabin stewart who was concerned that he had not checked that cabin, not cleaned that cabin, not turned down beds in that cabin, or supplied towel animals or little chocolates for the voyage…  

Back in line… for customs…  The gentleman from Customs and Border Patrol was satisfied with our papers… clearing that line, we reclaim our bag, walk by several dogs… outside… to a waiting taxi and are at the airport in minutes…

Find the Virgin America (Best Damn Airline in America!) counter, and ask if there is room on the earlier flight…  Tina (the Virgin counter staff, not the lovely Tina standing next to me) says yes, and gets us checked in on the 10:30 flight...

We clear security… (shoes off, belts off, computer out of bag… nothing in pockets… stand with hands over head…) and find our gate… call the daughter…. And… our flight is delayed…  at least an hour… 

A bit later the Virgin staff comes, to staff the counter… answering questions… (it's fog… in San Francisco)  Then, one of the staff does something I have never seen before… after making announcements, he walks around the gate area asking if anyone has any questions…  It was proactive, friendly, informal approach…  It was some of the best customer service I have ever seen… His name was Markos… I think he may be cabin staff on our plane (he is wearing a black shirt… gate staff wear red)…  I love Virgin…

With luck, the fog is clearing and we will be off soon…

Aboard M.V. Statendam

We flew into Vancouver early, cleared immigration and customs, walked across the street and took the Canada line, one of the local subway lines... It delivered us two blocks away, cost $7.50 each ( a taxi would have been about $30.00 for two)

We checked our bag at the pier, saw guest still disembarking, so walked around for a bit, saw the steam clock, and had a bite to eat at the Rogue Kitchen & Wet Bar...  

 We returned to the pier about 12:15 or so, got in line... Security was a bit backed up, but once passed, it took about 10 minutes to collect our documents and walk on the ship.  Our room was ready... But the suitcase not yet in evidence...

We explored, changed our dinner seating (to late seating) found a couple of books in the library, and returned to the room where our luggage was waiting.  We unpacked, then napped while waiting for the lifeboat drill...

Immediately after the boat drill we headed up to the crows nest, got the center table, ordered drinks, read and watched the sail away...

Monday morning... When we (I) awake, the ship is docked in Victoria.   I get up, shower, and go up to the Lido for coffee and croissant.  Tina will sleep in a bit.

It is 7:00 as I reach the Lido.... 132 stairs separate deck 4 where our room is, and deck xx where the Lido is... Below, the dock is bustling with activity... Tour buses, mini vans (for smaller tours) taxis, all awaiting us, the ships passengers... After a busy summer tourist season, ship calls are starting to end, as the ships flee south for the winter.  Our port call will be brief... 7:00 to 12:30, sailing away at 1:00.  Tina and I have been here before, and have small plans... Walk off, take the shuttle to the inner harbor, visit the BC Museum, bu some chocolate, gifts for those left behind, then return, probably by noon...

Back aboard... We have spent time over a leisurely lunch...  Ashore we visited the British Columbia Museum... We bought chocolate...

The museum was one of the best I have ever visited.  One floor dedicated to dinosaurs... A temporary exhibit... About how dino's worked... how bones fit together, how they walked… New ideas about how they lived... Fossils mixed in with computer models, touchable artifacts...

Upstairs, it was all about man, both the First Nation peoples, and the Europeans... Transitions, new industries, daily life... Artifact rich, with exhibits to tour, hidden exhibits, within larger exhibits... All done well...  

Within one exhibit, a sign…

“Selected Collections

Museum Collections bring together objects for study,

comparison and exhibition.  They allow us to reflect

changes in our lives.

We collect objects to learn about place, use, attitudes

and relationships with the world around us.   How we

interpret an object can change over time – we can look

at even the simplest of objects from many perspectives.”

The sign was spectacular… not for the idea, the idea of why we collect, and how we interpret is basic museum science; instead, it is a sign that the staff has respect for the visitor… even to the point that the visitor might have their own interpretation…  an interpretation different than that presented, equally valid…  I love great museums…

Outside we found a military band posing for photos on the steps of the legislative building... with a garden gnome... Such are the surprises one discovers when traveling...

Now, back aboard... Sailing the Strait of Juan de Fuca, headed for the north Pacific... A pod of Orcas playing off the port side... Fog slowly closing in... We are beginning to feel the swells of the open ocean, but are still a couple of hours away from clearing the strait...

We are sitting in the Crows Nest, a bar, forward, up high with a great view ahead... Music is playing... Edelweiss, Dorris Day singing Que Sera Sera... Now Santana, yes Carlos Santana...  Visibility now down below a quarter mile... The fog horn is sounding...  Fog closes in, obscuring all... The sea strangely calm, when it can be seen... For a moment there is a bright spot off to port... Sun... Peaking under the fog... Then, it is gone... Fog horns again...  But who cares, it's happy hour...