A Wonderful Thanksgiving

Well, due to my slackardly blogging recently, things are way out of order. So, with your complete understanding I will post on my most recent happenings. First Thanksgiving, then our annual Christmas tree cutting adventure.

Kim and I have been really looking forward to turkey day this year. Maggie and Lucy were heading home after nearly a whole semester away at college. Initially we were looking at a pretty small gathering with just the four of us. But it's just not the same without a bunch of folks, so we started a Thanksgiving invitational telethon! We immediately thought of Uncle Frank and Auntie Lucille. However, it looked like they may not be able to make it. Then we called several friends to see what they were up to. Well we got a big thumbs up from Wendy Selvaggio and her two girls Brooke and Sophia still at home, and her oldest daughter Sasha, one of Maggie's best friends who is living and working in Truckee now.

We went ahead and purchased a fresh turkey from Costco (22.5 lbs) and figured leftovers were not a problem. We traditionally cook the turkey in our good old Weber Kettle barbecue. This year I decided to cook it as slowly as possible, and add wood chips to the coals for smokey flavoring. So I was gearing up for something a little different. Scary, but exciting too.

So, a few days before the big event Frank and Lucy confirmed. Yay!! Now it was starting to feel like a real Thanksgiving, with lots of family around. Wendy wanted to watch the Dolphins play the Cowboys, and I thought "Wow, football and family on turkey day? It doesn't get any better than this!" Turned out Frank is a big Dolphin fan too so after the Macey's Parade, we would tune in the game!

On Tuesday, my little Lucy arrived in her pretty red Mustang. What a great moment. That's a hug I will remember. So nice to have her back here in the house! We visited and I kept puttering to get the house ready. Kim was at school subbing and had the same great reunion when she got home later that evening.

So, on Wednesday I worked the Turkey over for an hour or so. I oiled it up (extra virgin olive oil of course), spiced it with salt, pepper, and some Cajun Spices, then injected about a half cup of Yoshida's Gourmet Marinade into the bird. Into the 'fridge to set for 24 hours.

Maggie made it home while Kim was still in Reno at a Doctor's appointment, so after another couple of memorable hugs, we set to plotting. Lucy suggested we set Kim up for a scare, and as she drove into the driveway with a load of groceries for the feast, Moe had a brainstorm. "Distract her, and I will sneak out into the car after she brings the first couple of bags in!" We all immediately agreed. So, Lucy and I greeted her outside, and we all grabbed some bags. "OK", I said "No stopping until we have the whole car unloaded!" This, to ensure that she would return promptly after Maggie had climbed into the car.

Margeaux, Lucy, Auntie Lucy, Uncle Frank, Me, and Kim

I lagged behind as Kim headed for the Kitchen door with arms full of groceries, gave Maggie, who was peaking around the other side of the house, the hi sign, then followed with my bags into the kitchen. Kim obediently headed back to the car for more as Lucy and I followed. Around to the rear hatch of the VW she went, talking the entire way. She opened the hatch, looked in and saw Maggie sprawled motionless among the remaining sacks of grub. It took a half second for it to register, then suddenly she threw her hand to her mouth, and shouted "Oh! Oh!", as she leaped at least a foot into the air and landed about three feet back away from the car. It was the "perfect surprise", and Moe, Lu and I laughed so hard it hurt. Kim quickly turned from fearful to joyous as she realized who was in the trunk. A Thanksgiving moment to remember!

Wendy and Sophie crack up at a joke.

Well, it turned out to be a great family event. I cooked the turkey for 5 hours with lots of smoke, and it came out more moist and flavorful than ever before. Lucy and Lucy made the mashed potatoes and yams; Maggie cooked up some delicious stuffing, and baked a pumpkin pie; Kim made the gravy, asparagus, and jello salad; while Wendy spread out the appetizers! The game was great, food delicious, and the company was fabulous. All in all it was one of our best Thanksgivings.

Brown is beautiful!

Sasha and Margeaux

Three beautiful girls!

The two Lucys do the mashed potatoe!

Setting for 10

Nice looking plate!

Rice Krispy Treat Turkey Place favors

Next, our Christmas tree cutting trip!

That's All!

I Got it at GETS!

OK, I know I am way behind on my blogging. I was hoping to outlast Maggie, but alas I didn't. On November 6th Kim and I traveled to Palm Springs to attend the Governor Elect Training Seminar (GETS) that is put on for all the District Governors Elect (DGEs) in the Western United States. This includes Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, part of Idaho, a little of BC Canada, and of course Hawaii! This geographic area is called Zone 25/26, and is presided over by one of 17 Rotary International Directors (RIDs). My RID is a man from California named Ken Boyd.

Our GETS training started on Monday, and went through Thursday. Then the Zone 25/26 Institute began in the same venue, and continued through Sunday Morning. The Institute is a conference for all of the Past District Governors (PDGs), current District Governors (DGs), DGEs, and District Governor Nominees (DGNs), and a few special invited guests. Whew! Lots of acronyms in Rotary as you can see.

So it was a very full week for Kim and I, and our 23 classmates (the other DGEs). Our class has christened themselves the "Visionaries". This is a long standing tradition, that each new class undertakes. Our logo is kinda cool, based on the Star Trek pin that doubled as a communicator for Captain Kirk!

One of my classmates designed the logo.
Pretty cool don't you think?

I like the name, as it suggests looking into the future, and imagining great outcomes for our endeavors. It gives me lots of ideas for helping the Club Presidents look ahead and plan their year. Certainly one essential quality of successful leadership.

The training was very intense. We were working from about 8:00 each morning until around 9:00 each night with a few "after hours/off the clock" sessions thrown in as well. The strongest focus of the course was in public speaking and leadership. Our instructors were excellent. We began Monday by giving a short two minute speech (see my post about decisions) to our class as we were coached and video taped. Then we got to watch the tape, and get feedback from the class. After this we were required to deliver the "speech" in front of a meal session. Next we practiced in front of the camera doing a new member induction, then awarding a Paul Harris Fellow. This is an award for making significant contributions to The Rotary Foundation.

Later we were asked to do impromptu inductions and awards in front of various meal events. You never knew when you would be asked to speak. They got the drop on me good. We were off site and relaxing at dinner in a restaurant called Sammy G's there in Palm Springs. I figured it was safe to have a glass of wine or two since "they wouldn't call on us here in a public restaurant, after cocktails".....NOT!

Luckily I was sipping my wine carefully, probably because it was $7.50 a glass, rather than out of a sense of caution. After all, I wasn't driving. Sure enough, the group leader got up front and after a few remarks about how things were going it went something like this: "And now to induct a new member into the Rotary Club of Sammy G's, from District 5190, District Governor Elect Sam "Woody" Wilbanks!

Showtime! Well, I was lucky to have a few moments to think about what I would say. The room went silent, and I got their attention. Then, quite intentionally, I said "Well, I was hoping to speak on the Floatary Roundation, but I suppose an induction will work!" The whole place broke up, you should have heard them laugh! It was a moment or two before they settled down enough for me to "induct" my new member. My presentation went off well and without a hitch. I cannot tell you how many folks came up and complimented me on my thick tongued humor! My classmates kept joking about it for the rest of our stay there.

I have to say that my slurred butchering of the Rotary Foundation was not an original idea. I "borrowed" it from my good friend in Rotary Gail "Virus" Ellingwood, who after a few Cosmos opened one of our club 's charter night celebrations with a rousing (and unintentional) "Welcome to the Lohtery Club of Royalton!"

Well, I am going to have to save the rest of the GETS/Institute saga for my next post. Got lots of Rotary work (not to mention house work) to get done before turkey day. I will have a few more pictures next time.

That's All!

Bringin' In The Wood!

Well, I am sorry there will be no pictures for this post. But that's life I guess, I just couldn't bring myself to spend a minute to get the camera during this trial, er event. Wind probably would have blown it out of my hand anyway!

Last Thursday we awoke to a breezy day. Sun was out, and there was a storm predicted to be upon us. I thought that the weather man had missed the call a tad, which he had, and then wondered if I could get the cord and a half of split dried firewood from the end of my drive into the woodshed before I had to leave for my Rotary meeting. Kim and I had split this wood three weeks previous. (That's another story) I had thought about moving it under cover, but with our schedule, it didn't look like it would be possible before the storm hit. Now with the delayed arrival of the predicted snow, perhaps we had a chance. We decided to go for it!

When I walked outside I was amazed at the velocity of the wind! It was howling out of the South, bending over our trees, and stripping them of their remaining dried leaves. The sky was full of dust from hay fields freshly plowed in preparation for some precipitation, but none was in sight. No clouds, only screaming wind! I nervously eyed our trampoline, as a few years ago it had made a short flight across the yard, ricocheting off the corner of the house and landing down wind in our field in many pieces. We were lucky it hadn't hit me ( I was trying to tie down the hot tub cover at the time) or gone through one of our glass patio doors or windows. I decided to get a rope and secure the tramp before heading for the wood pile.

Kim and I then hooked up the flatbed trailer as the wind ripped dust and gravel up off the drive and into our faces. It was pretty chilly, and I was wearing a knit cap to keep my ears warm. The wind kept trying to pluck it off my head. We backed the trailer up to the windward side of the pile of wood, and started tossing pieces on. According to my guess, the wind was blowing about 40 mph and gusting to 50 mph occasionally. It was actually hard to stand and walk. Some pieces of wood were actually blown back towards us as we tossed them at the trailer. I finally go the hang of tossing the wood with just enough force that the wind would slow it down just enough so it would land gently on the rest of the pieces accumulating on the flatbed.

I squinted hard to minimize the exposure of my eyeballs to the wind, constantly blinking the dust to the corners  of my eyes. It was miserable. My ears filled with dust and grit. I finally got a pair of firefighting goggles for Kim to wear, as she could not keep her glasses on her face the wind was so strong.

We got about half the wood loaded, and turned the trailer around and backed it in next to the woodshed. It was a little calmer in the shelter of the house and the shed, but still miserable. Back we went for the second and final load. No let up in the wind as it continued to howl.

I noticed quite a bit of smoke coming over the ridge to our Southwest. There had been some prescribed burning going on over there the previous week, and it looked like the wind had blown some new life into it. I was a little worried, as the smoke was building, blowing our direction, and with the strength of the wind where I was there would be no stopping a fire.

It turned out that the fire was about 50 acres, and I think the wind was not quite as strong as I was experiencing. The Forest Service managed to pick it up by evening, and that night we did get about 4 inches of new snow. However, it is always a bummer when a prescribed fire turns into a wildfire! Bad PR! At least it wasn't Sierraville District. The Plumas had been the one doing the burning. Really not their fault, as this wind was not predicted.

So, back to the wood. We got the last sticks loaded and moved the trailer to the shed once again. We decided that we had to finish this job as we were now totally committed. So, we stacked all the wood, and with around 1/4 cord that was left over from last year, we measured nearly two cords stacked. I have probably 3 cords cut and waiting to be split, back out at the end of the driveway (under 4 inches of snow), so I should be looking good here in a bit. The wood splitter is reserved for the week after our Rotary Training in Palm Springs. Hopefully we'll have the woodshed filled before Thanksgiving. I am sure Maggie and Lucy are hoping for that too!

That's All!!