Thursday, December 12, 2024

Merry Christmas from the Rembolds!

May we all take the love of this 'piece'
to spread peace in our world this
coming year!


 

December 5, 2024


CHRISTMAS GREETINGS!


There is snow in the mountains and we are heading up to cut our tree tomorrow. The outside is lit up and Ginger is finishing up the inside of the house with an array of snowmen and 100+ nativity scenes! Christmas is coming!!


We went to Salem for Thanksgiving with Jed. It was a busy week with a Trans-

A summer project was installing
a retaining wall in the backyard!
Siberian Orchestra show, buying a new car, a family visit in West Linn, and an evening visit with Luke. Jed is very involved with
Thanksgiving get-together!

Willamette’s School of Digital Science teaching undergrad and grad courses along with serving on a number of committees. He is an associate clinical professor and enjoying it. His outlet remains volleyball, playing in two leagues plus helping occasionally with the college girl’s team. He was in Mexico to film the solar eclipse with a group from the college this spring. Home-ownership in north Salem is filling the rest of his time!

Luke and Kady at
Havasupai Falls

Luke and Kady are still in Albuquerque, NM. Kady is in her third year of 
teaching, Kindergarten this year. Luke’s Young Adult Volunteer program had to cease mostly due to reduced support from the national church. He still has a part-time youth director post with the Presbytery of Santa Fe. Meanwhile he is as busy as he wants giving tennis lessons and clinics at the local club. They have a great cadre of friends and make frequent trips to Seattle for
Luke, Kady, and Jack enjoy a Taiwan trail!

nephew fixes. They have our old tent trailer and have used it from the Grand Canyon area to the San Juan m
ountains. Jed joined them for the Havasupai Falls adventure in Arizona in June. Over Spring Break they traveled with a friend to Taiwan to visit our former exchange student, Jack! (Just in time to be in Taipei for the major earthquake that hit in March!)

A wonderful surprise visit!


Speaking of Jack, we enjoyed a surprise November visit from Jack here in Baker City! Jack was in the states for a couple month working on a condo fix in Denver and decided he needed to see Rick and Ginger before flying back to Taiwan! What a fun few days, albeit short! Our dog Spur thought Jack was a great playmate!


A final hiking venture prior to knee surgery -
we summit Quarry Peak in the Elkhorns


Our year took a twist when a nasty flu bug at the end of December put Rick’s heart in A-Flutter. So the knee replacement scheduled for early January was rescheduled for October! An ablation in April successfully fixed the flutter, so hiking and projects around the house filled the summer. The knee surgery went well and rehab
progresses. He should be discharged from PT the end of the year!

Celebrating Ginger's 70th at Wallowa Lake





Ginger continues her church work, teaches art classes, and lives in her garden spring, summer, and early fall. (Which results in plenty of time spent canning, drying, and freezing the fruits of her labors!) Plus the jigsaw puzzle table is in constant use! We only did one Habitat build this year up in Kalispell, but did make a quickie trip up in May to be present for a retirement party and dedication of the new CAV campground at the ReStore there.

We look forward to having everyone home for Christmas, with the fun, food, and games that entails. We thank God every day for the many blessings we enjoy including the never-ending sunrises and sunsets that fill our skies and mountains!

Best wishes for the holidays and the coming year to you and yours!


15844 High Country Lane                                         Ginger: 541-656-9622

Baker City, OR 97814                                                   Rick:  503-560-3269

elkhornrandg@gmail.com

One of the MANY photos Ginger takes on her early morning walks!





Saturday, November 30, 2024

THANKSGIVING 2024

 HAPPY TURKEY TIME! 

Friday, November 22:

Baker City to Salem 

      We originally intended to head over to Salem tomorrow, but the weather window looked better for today, so... pack up and hit the road!  We probably gave Jed a start as he has a full day planned and intended to CLEAN tomorrow morning before we arrived!  Ah well!

      We are driving over in the Prius this year with the intention to visit Wilsonville Toyota and hopefully trade in the Prius for a new RAV4 Hybrid.  Fingers crossed!  So, with the recent snows in the Cascade, we will take the interstate! 

      It is wet at times, but overall a fairly smooth drive, especially over Meacham.  The first rain came after I started driving in Stanfield.  Not bad, but Rick hit some more rain in the gorge and Portland. The gorge was beautiful with some many trees still golden colored.  And Multnomah Falls had PLENTY of water!  Once we neared Portland traffic picked up and it took us 2 hours to go from Troutdale to Jed's in Salem.  I-5 around Wilsonville was a mess!  

      Jed had given me the code to get into the house, as we don't expect him home until after 8 at the earliest!  And...yes, it is in a rather bachelor pad chaotic mess!  I cleaned up the kitchen, did dishes, and in general we did the best we could!  Got settled into the guest room!  But first?  Two lap walk of the loop just west of Jed's house - time to stretch the legs after the drive. 

      Jed home around 8:45 and we enjoyed some visit time before I took a phone call surprise from nephew Thom up in Alaska!  That was fun! 

      In bed to get a good sleep in prep for Saturday's appointment in Wilsonville!

Multnomah Falls

A quick picture of the golden trees in the gorge

SATURDAY, November 23

CAR BUYING DAY!!

      It is a rather lazy, laid back morning.  Jed is 'on vacation' so he doesn't arise until 10:30.  In the meantime we read, putter, etc.  Our appointment with the car dealership is around 3, so a good visit with Jed before we leave.  I have brought some frozen squash soup for dinner, so get it cooking in the crock pot. 

      I can honestly say since I writing this AFTER returning to Baker I don't remember WHAT we did that morning!  I think I took another walk around the block and saw a neighbor putting up his Christmas lights!  

     I did call Liz early afternoon to see if it would be possible to stop and pay them a visit Sunday afternoon BEFORE the concert, as we have tickets to the evening show this time.  She thinks that will work out! 

     Car purchase is successful, but a long process.  Wilsonville advertises NO BULL pricing, which is good.  We did get a fair price on the Prius ($20,000), and a RAV4 SE Hybrid (without a moon roof and other fancier options we didn't need!) was available.  A test drive for both of us, and then the deliberations.  Mostly it took forever for us to TURN DOWN the accessory package and the extended service contract.  They really push to get you to take that (for an extra $3100!).  We'll take our chances - yes, there is alot of electronics on these cars now that can go wrong.  We have faith in Toyota!  Then wait to have the car washed, etc.  All in all is was nearly 8pm when we got back to Salem and HUNGRY!!  Quickly sat down to our soup and homemade bread and salad!

I snap a picture of the Prius as it awaits 'evaluation' for trade in value. A goodbye shot?

It was too dark to get a picture of the RAV, so this is Sunday morning parked in Jed's driveway.  A pretty metallic gray in color.

SUNDAY, November 24

Trans Siberian Orchestra (and Simmons visit!)

      Another quiet morning.  I took another walk at some point, and began work looking ahead to December devotion prep, etc.  

      Left for West Linn around 1:15 and enjoyed a soup/bread meal with Liz, Dave, Gretchen and Shawn.  Tucker and Doug were working, and Tyler was at a birthday party!  But a nice time around the table visiting.  Wish I had taken more pictures!  Did get a quick one of Gretchen hugging her cousin Jed before they had to leave.  We stayed and talked for another hour and then left at 5 for the concert.  

Gretchen and Jed

     Then we head on up to Moda Center for the concert!  Sure glad Jed is driving and somewhat familiar with where he wants to park, etc.  But the afternoon concert is still dispersing while the evening crowd arriving, so it is a little hectic.  We did locate a free spot (no charge on Sundays!) not TOO far away for Rick to walk (closer than last years parking spot!)

     Into the center and find our seats without problem.  We are a little lower down this time and not quite so far off to the side.  Good seats (nice job Jed!)  Time to grab a coffee and restroom break before the show starts!  

The stage curtain prior to the show

Our crew all ready to rock and roll! 

The story is the LOST CHRISTMAS and I think it is a story we haven't heard in concert before.  It meant I missed my favorite song, but new songs were heard!  As usual, not a show for one susceptible to eye problems (it would drive Liz crazy!)  So many flickering lights, but so awesome!  

      So glad again that Jed was driving as we left the Moda center in the rain and the freeways were wet and slick heading back down to Salem.  A late night, but a great day! 






MONDAY, November 25

???

     I'm not sure what we did Monday!  I think Rick and I went to the grocery store and Ace to pick up some things needed for home chores and meals!  I didn't take ANY pictures!  Jed was in his office for a bit of the afternoon conducting interviews of potential instructors for next year. I cooked butternut squash for dinner, and we had teriyaki tuna as well.  I walked around the neighborhood!  


TUESDAY, November 26

PIE BAKING and more! 

     Rick worked today in the bathroom removing the old metal framework for a glass door that had shattered before Jed bought the house.  It was unsightly and unnecessary since a cloth shower curtain is now in place.  Plus he and Jed tackled the electric outlet problems in the kitchen - 2 plugs were unusable due to a faulty GFI plug.  A trip to Ace (and another visit to Safeway for me!) and they managed to get it fixed! 

     In the meantime, I baked two pumpkin pies and an apple pie.  I had forgotten to put the two crust packages I pre-made in Baker into the ice chest, so part of the shopping earlier was to buy some crusts!  I had a mix (just add water!) for the apple pie and it was horrible to roll out.  I managed to get a bottom crust, and then just crumbled the top with the dough.  It worked...sorta!  

     Jed's japanese maple tree, which was so beautiful this summer, has lost all its leaves, but the carpet of dark red below it was pretty!  (Rick later raked them up!)

     Dinner tonight was eating some of Jed's 2023 Christmas ham still in his freezer! 

Just for the record...this is Jed's office 'station'.  He also spent time last Saturday while we were car buying putting together a whole new server unit which takes up his closet space!  I am in love with his colorful keyboard! 

The two 'electricians' at work with the GFI plug in kitchen.

Red leafy carpet under the maple tree, plus a good looking car in the driveway!

Rick scraping the caulk off the shower stall after removing the metal frame. 

Rick found a station on Jed's TV that had a LARGE fireplace with cool Christmas music. 

Two pumpkin pies done.  I forgot to take a picture of the apple! 

WEDNESDAY, November 27

A Visit from Luke!






Saturday, November 9, 2024

November Patchwork of Prayers and Blessings

  NOVEMBER PATCHWORK OF PRAYERS & BLESSINGS

      It seems like life is a patchwork of ups and downs, filled with blessings of love and abundance, pain and worry, and daily bits and pieces sewn together with stitches of God throughout.  For my daily devotion time this year, I hope to patch my days together with reflection and prayer and hopefully a photo or two!!  

     And now we come to November...the month of gratitude and thanksgiving!  So it is only natural to delve into the scripture for passages relating to giving thanks and praise to the Almighty!  May it be a month of gratitude for ALL the MANY blessings that surround us on a daily basis...from family and friends to shelter and warmth and food in abundance!