Rembolds on the Road: December 2012

Greetings from Baker City! A week ago we drove to the mountains, cut our Christmas tree, and snow-shoed a couple miles. A day later, we worked much of the day decorating the house. What’s different about these ordinary December tasks? It was a Monday and Tuesday! We are both now retired! Hurray!

We felt we wanted to mix traveling and volunteering during the fall and spring of our retirement (Those times when school schedules prevented it previously!) In preparation, we bought a small 17' self-contained trailer last winter and broke it in with a couple short treks over the spring and summer. On August 9^th we pulled out of Baker City and headed to Pagosa Springs, CO. There we participated in a two week Habitat for Humanity build. Along with 11 others in the RV Care-a-Vanner Program, we worked to fix up three homes in the community. What a great sense of satisfaction and joy! We then explored the area for two more weeks: hiking parts of the Continental Divide trail, camping at 11,600 feet and reaching the 14,048’ summit of Handies Peak, reveling in wildflowers and aspen trees the whole time! A two-week visit in September with Mom R, Jed, and brother Randy’s family included the Albuquerque Balloon Festival.

Las Cruces Habitat Crew:
Rick is in yellow, Ginger in front in purple tie dye

Then we traveled through Alamogordo and the White Sands under a full moon to Las Cruces. We worked the first week of a Habitat build there, framing, sheathing, and decking a home for a mom and her two kids. The second week we sheet-rocked a different home. It is amazing what 15-20 people can accomplish while having fun!
On the drive home, we were awed once again by God’s creation at both rims of the Grand Canyon (LOVED the North rim!), Zion, and Bryce National Parks. We arrived home on October 22, having thoroughly enjoyed the experience of fall travel. The aspen trees were incredible! Ginger keeps a blog on our trips (same as this one!) complete with tons of pictures. If you are interested, click on Archives for 2012 and then scroll through the August, September, and October entries!

Thanksgiving was spent with Mom Mac in Bandon, OR on the coast. We are now HOME for about three months (Whew!). But….we are signed up for another Habitat build in Hobbs, NM in the spring and ponder a visit to work with home repair in Tucson, AZ as well. We are having fun!!

Both boys will be home for Christmas. Jed arrived yesterday from New Mexico, where he has been busy filming the moon, analyzing data, and hoping to finish his doctoral thesis in time to graduate in May. He hopes to teach at a small college. Luke is in Newport, OR, working at the community rec center, subbing as a teacher’s aide, and helping with the church youth group. He is also visiting seminaries with an eye one or two years down the road.

Ginger had a tremendous experience earlier in the year representing Eastern Oregon Presbytery in Pittsburgh, PA, at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA. Probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend the biannual gathering as a voting delegate. A special treat was Luke's attendance as well, serving as an intern for the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship.

Ginger gave a sermon in November about counting your blessings. Ours are too many to count! We are blessed with health, family, and friends old and new. The holiday season seems to always provide a pause so we can reflect on God’s grace.

We wish you and yours a merry and blessed Christmas season. Please keep in touch! (We might be visiting the east coast next fall!)

Rick and Ginger Rembold

Jed and Luke

1704 Broadway Street
Baker City, OR 97814
elkhornrandg@gmail.com
rgrembold@q.com