Rembolds on the Road: THANKSGIVING 2023

THANKSGIVING TRIP TO SALEM!

November 21-27

TUESDAY, November 21

Baker City to Salem via Central Oregon

355 miles

We are up and on our way shortly before 7am – loaded with the old loveseat, shelfing boards, and the Elkhorn print bound for Jed’s new house. Rick has his toolkit ready for a variety of home improvement chores!

The weather is perfect for a drive mid state! We aren’t meeting Tom in Prineville on the way over, but will do so on the way home next Monday. Rick drives to Dayville, I drive to Bandit Rest Stop near Occhoco Summit, and Rick drives us to Salem. We stop in Prineville at the Subway for an early lunch sandwich.

The mountains of the Casacades show in all their glory today! The sun is bright, the snow glistening. I snap a number of pictures, hoping one or two will come out! Jefferson, the Sisters, 3 Fingered Jack, Mt Washington (I don’t think I got that one – wrong side of road!) Basically a smooth trip, so smooth we arrive at Jed’s ahead of schedule! I kidded Jed about the hotel service not even making the beds, but he assured me we arrived early and the sheets were still in the dryer! I made the beds while he and Rick worked!

After moving the loveseat into the living room, Rick and Jed go right to work on TV installation on the wall, figuring out the antennae and what they need to install, etc. I unload food and make a grocery list for tomorrow. Pizzaburgers on the menu for tonight, plus cut up carrots and apples! Jed is excited to find his Magic Cookie tin was full again!

We visit around the table and Jed and I play a few games before Rick and I crash for the night. Oh. The new TV stand that Jed got has an electric fireplace underneath – nice ambiance! He has also purchased an area rug for living room – all coming together nicely!

Rick and Jed work on the TV entertainment fireplace install!

Mittens and the office set up.

Three Fingered Jack on trip over

Mt. Jefferson from Redmond area

Love seat all wrapped up for the trip.

WEDNESDAY, November 22

TURKEY DAY PREP and HOUSE CHORES!

I basically spend the day in the kitchen! Make pumpkin soup for dinner, bake two loaves of artisan bread, pumpkin pie, apple pie, and seafoam salad for Thursday. By days’ end I have Jed’s oven figured out, his fancy can opener solved, and only sent him back to the grocery store once!

Jed and Rick made a hardware run for cables for antennae, plus the main grocery run. Installed the antennae and then Jed put together the entry furniture that arrived by Fed Ex this morning. (Hurray!)

We were just chilling in the living room and I was commenting on a few hunger pains around 5pm. As I was starting to get things out for our pumpkin soup dinner, I turned around and found Luke around the corner of the kitchen. I must admit my first words were, “What the hell?” He was the LAST person I expected to see! Just the day before he had said he was prolly going to Uncle Rand’s for Thanksgiving. Surprise!! Oh, what a surprise! He and Kady had flown up to Seattle area, had great visits with her sibs and kids, borrowed Kady’s mom’s car (who had flown to Alaska) to drive down to spend Turkey Day with us. Jed has known since early October they were planning this! The boy can keep a secret!

So...after dinner the games really come out! Jed blows up his double mattress air bed which JUST fits in the empty space of the office (once you pull out the office chair!) Cozy but a place for them to sleep.

What a day!

What a wonderful surprise to find these two walk through the door!

I was glad I made plenty of squash soup!

TV Antennae installed!

Entry way furniture assembled and put to use.

Two pies ready for Thanksgiving.

Two loaves of bread ready for dinner!

THANKSGIVING DAY, November 23

I can’t recall the last thanksgiving that we were all present. One or the other of our sons has been gone...often in New Mexico spending the day with Rick’s brother Randy. I feel so blessed.

A slow arising...the turkey doesn’t even need to go into the oven until 10. And I have put the sweet potatoes in the crock pot early. We head out on a walk around the neighborhood (Kady in search of some coffee – fancy kind!) Jed is just getting up when we leave, so a good chance to visit with just Luke and Kady.

Turkey in the oven at 10:30 (and still gets done early!) and assignments made for the rest of the meal! Jed preps the mashed potatoes, Luke makes stuffing, Kady the green beans. Cans of cranberry opened, premade rolls (I brought them over) to warm in oven. Rick cuts the turkey and we sit down to eat around 1:30! (Fortunately with the warning just had as to visitors, he had purchased two more chairs for his high level table so he can now seat 6!)

Rick holds down the football viewing while we pull out the first round of games prior to pie and treats Luke and Kady brought later. Jed just keeps going to his closet and I echo my mother with her words “I don’t remember how to play this one!” But while I can’t remember WHAT we played, I do know I won the first two! (And that was my last victory for the week!)

Pies, CoolWhip, ice cream, cheese and crackers all evening as we play together! And a later night to bed for me!

Note: Not sure why all the photographs are uploading in end of the day to beginning order, but so be it!

Post dinner game outside!

Our Thanksgiving Day portrait!

A classy gravy boat!

Jed's mashed potatoes

Luke eyeing the meal?

Our turkey!

Cooks in the kitchen!

High class napkins!

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24

Luke and Kady need to take off around 1 today – driving back up to SeaTac airport to leave the car for when her mom flies back and then to board their 7pm flight back to ABQ. So while Jed is still sleeping, we get in a few rounds of 3 person Cribbage and then Bargain Quest with Jed later morning.

It finally cleared and got cold in Salem! There is frost on the roofs and lawn! The sun is shining! And Luke, looking south, finds he might land in snow this evening! (He does.)

After our goodbyes Rick and Jed get busy! Our first stop is Home Depot to pick up materials for shelves and other projects. I go as well to ‘help’ pick out our Christmas gift to each other: a flame thrower! It will come in use before long as we attempt to burn our Russian thistle piles!

Afternoon outside while clear, but cold, and they install the antennae for the TV, fix the gutter that didn’t slope, and tear down a section of fence that was falling over (the neighbors had already rebuilt the other side!) Leftovers were put out for dinner and then Jed and I played games the rest of the evening!

The only picture I took today???
Installing the antennae!

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25

Mostly a day for Rick and Jed to finish up house chores – they get the shelves installed in garage, Jed gets his speakers mounted in living room. Last effort of the day for them was a trip to the dump/recycle center to clear out all the cardboard, metal junk, etc accumulated in Jed’s garage. Important to do while we had the truck here!

I make turkey soup for Jed to eat next week, baked another pumpkin pie, and then turnovers with jam from the rest of the pie crust dough. My highlight for the day was a solo adventure to the Lancaster Mall area – JoAnn’s, Walmart and DollarTree. The latter only because it was next door to JoAnns and meant I wouldn’t have to stop at the grocery store.

Lots of exciting football games on today, I finished reading a second book and played some solitaire with a deck of cards found in the game closet! More pizzaburgers or turkey sandwiches for dinner and cleaned out most of the side dish leftovers.

Finished shelves in the garage (made from a deconstructed church pew!)

Another pumpkin pie!

Turkey soup!

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26

T-S-O CONCERT!

Well….the holiday season descended and it is now two months later as I finish up this journal entry! It might be brief!!

A busy morning as Rick and I needed to hit WinCo this trip! While Jed was sleeping, we drove out and found the north side WinCo and spent a RECORD amount (over $300!!) But I should be well supplied for the holiday season as we are taking home 70 pounds of flour plus!!

We grab a bite to eat and then take off for Portland around 1. The concert starts at 3. We wanted to allow plenty of time. This is at the new MODA center and we haven’t been there before (at least I hadn’t!) Views of the Cascades are many as the mountains are clad in white and the skies are clear.

We find a parking spot (free on Sundays!) and walk about 10 blocks to the center. It took us awhile to find our seats, but finally a helpful usher guides us to the hard to find section. We are on the left side of the stage, but overall in a good spot.

Ah…,nothing like TSO to entertain. Lights, music, a story line, and lots of movement. It didn’t end until nearly 5:30. Worth the trip and worth the money (our tickets were about $100 each when you figure in the ridiculous Ticketmaster fees.

Back down the east side of the river to cross over into West Linn and dinner with Liz and family. Doug had to work, but we enjoyed Gretchen’s family! Liz had made a huge pot of soup and a variety of breads. I took up a loaf as well. A short but good visit

Home to Jed’s around 8:30 to pack things up and clean up for an early departure (by 8am anyway!)

My sis and I

Simmons/Walker crew

Singing from inside a glass globe!

Selfie at the concert!

Crossing the bridge into Portland

Mt Hood!

Downtown Portland

MONDAY, November 27

Salem to Baker City

355 miles

Another drive across the middle of the state (which is actually about 10 miles further than taking I-5, but oh, you avoid Portland chaos AND we have a lunch date with Tom in Prineville!)

But...another beautiful day! A bit foggy in the valley with patches of fog as we head up highway 22, but fairly clear skies over the top. I took a number of pictures.

We met Tom at The Sandwich Factory after gassing up the truck. A great visit and we exchange some jars of jam for some empty canning jars that Tom will no longer use. He later told me he got the better end of that deal!

We are home around 5:30 – still light. I drove my usual stretch from Prineville to the rest area near John Day. A great Thanksgiving adventure!