Rembolds on the Road: December 2023

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

It’s a beautiful sunny day, but the snow is supposed to start this evening. The 10’ tree is all decorated and the 100 plus nativities are all in glorious display. The woodstove is hot and the mountains in view, for awhile yet. It’s Christmas time!

A windy spot outside Las Cruces

It has been a productive and safe year for us. After a late March jaunt to New Mexico to spend time with Luke and Kady at a BnB in Las Cruces with the requisite hikes and exploring that always involves, in April we made our spring trip to Kalispell to work on the three Habitat homes in progress. We came home after thosetwo weeks, but left the trailer at the Kalispell Restore. Rick then drove back up two weeks later, picked up the trailer, and drove 110 miles west to Troy, MT. They are a very small affiliate that was building a home for a single mom and her two kids. They h ad two two-week builds, with a week break in-between. Rick worked on the first framing walls and getting the trusses up. He and a good friend then camped on the shore of Lake Kooscanusa for the off week. Meanwhile, Jed and Luke met Ginger in Hermiston, OR and drove up to Troy together. The boys worked with us for three days on the second build before having to leave. We rented them a cabin and they were a huge help moving OSB to the roof and getting it weathered in. We finished that build with Rick helping the homeowner start the siding. To finish this story, when we were back up in Kalispell in October, we drove to Troy and got a tour of the finished house from the homeowners and kids. What a blessinng!

Rick at work on the miter saw

We had time for a little exploring up in Montana!

Ginger and fellow CAVs just hanging out on the roof top!

Official CAVs with their safety helmets!

Summer found us at home: Ginger tending her vegetable garden, and Rick constructing a new driveway island and moving gravel around the driveway plus planting a few trees for a windbreak. We enjoyed a wonderful week long visit from Ginger’s Sacramento sister and family. As mentioned, we were back in Kalispell in October helping to finish the three homes and setting footer boards for the fourth house. The home dedications took place in early December for the three homes!

One view of the garden abundance come August!

Rick moved alot of dirt and gravel for our now planted island!

Otherwise, with processing the abundance of garden produce, other outdoor projects, church, and doctor appointments we have kept busy! Rick is getting a new right knee in January, so we’ll be tied up with that for awhile.

Jed is still teaching at the Willamette University School of Digital Science. The school has provided the job security that allowed him to buy a house this summer! We spent a week in Salem helping with projects. He also hosted us for Thanksgiving and a TSO concert in Portland.

Jed celebrates a new home!!

Luke and Kady are busy in Albuquerque. Luke is working to take the Young Adult Volunteer program from church sponsored to an independent entity. He does not have young adults this year in order to stabilize a program that has been dying. Huge job! Kady is teaching a K/First class this year. She has finished her teaching program as well as fitting in a couple trips to WA to visit family. She and Luke took one of those trips at Thanksgiving and surprised us with a two day visit at Jed’s. What a great present!

Luke and Kady take opportunities to explore the SW treasures.

We continue to relish our home, property, view, and neighbors. We volunteer with the Backpack program and deliver Meals on Wheels on Thursdays. We love time with our ‘adopted’ grandkids here in town. We are blessed!

We are excited to have both boys home for the holidays and family time together. Our best wishes go out to all of you for a safe, healthy, and happy new year. May the newborn Christ be alive in each of us as we strive to bring peace and hope to our hurting world.