Family Gathering

Happy Saturday morning. Here’s my earnest wish that Thanksgiving was a delightful gathering for everyone. We gathered here yesterday and it was wonderful. Thursday, Marcia stayed at home, and I did a 5k through the city center. For our get together, the Ongoleas with their vast collection of grills did the ‘bird’ (Adrianne ended up using the oven). Marcia did her sought-after baked beans, Cathy deserts and vegetarian protein. See, all bases were covered. And, yes, we live in the mid-west so therefore a green bean casserole did make it to the table. Add to the eats a few sit-in-a-circle games with much laughter – how good can it get?

And this past week really would not be Thanksgiving Week with the cast of WKRP in Cincinnati making it special – for the 46th year since the time everyone started talking about it, Turkey’s Away!

The whole family knows me. Therefore, I guaranteed that no politics would be discussed.

In the meantime, the people who manage the ‘Limber-Lost’ camp a couple of kilometers north of our “Northern Comfort” cabin showed people riding around on snow mobiles. It does prove that Jason and I timed the closing of the cabin perfectly.

What comes around – When Covid 19 first spread I became quite vocal that based on what I knew and what I learned was that there was no way I would subject my body to the primarily untested mRNA-based vaccines by Moderna and Pfizer. I believed we were being hoodwinked and made ‘lab-rats’. So decided that I’d take the older technology vaccine offered by J&J.

At the time all other input was were excluded and censored, Thousands of scientists too had their input censored, similar to what we were being subjected to. This included the idiotic lockdowns.

Now, it’s come full circle. The CDC has been ‘punched in the nose’ and Stanford senior scientist, Professor of Health Policy, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya will head up the N.I.H. under the new administration. I am THRILLED.

5k – Thanksgiving morning our town held its 115th Turkey Trot, both 10k & 5k (I did the 5k). Over 11,000 participants from 46 states and 5 nations joined in the fun. All was made even more enjoyable with an after-race party at the FC Cincinnati soccer Stadium.

Thoroughly pleased I placed 1st in my (geezer) age bracket with a 49.17 time. Bottom line, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

Monday evening will be special – During my walks I listen to any of number of podcasts. In my top five are discussions/interviews held by a Dr. Jordan Peterson. Peterson is a tenured clinical professor of psychology at the University of Toronto who also conducted research at Harvard University.

Monday, he’ll be in the ‘Nati and I snagged a ticket to the event (in case you wonder, yes, I did ask Marcia to come along and received that “you got to be kidding?” slant-eye look).

“In We Who Wrestle with God, Dr. Peterson guides us through the ancient, foundational stories of the Western world. In riveting detail, he analyzes the Biblical accounts of rebellion, sacrifice, suffering, and triumph that stabilize, inspire, and unite us culturally and psychologically. Adam and Eve and the eternal fall of mankind; the resentful and ultimately murderous war of Cain and Abel; the cataclysmic flood of Noah; the spectacular collapse of the Tower of Babel; Abraham’s terrible adventure; and the epic of Moses and the Israelites. What could such stories possibly mean? What force wrote and assembled them over the long centuries? How did they bring our spirits and the world together, and point us in the same direction?”

I am both enthused and excited.

Quote – “To learn is to die voluntarily and be born again, in great ways and small.” and this “Don’t be a slave to stupid rules.” ~ Jordan Peterson

Closing – Since I started the Rambling with a mention of walking, let me close likewise. Earlier in the week I came upon this scene. I have no idea why the cop was standing by the driver’s window – we can only guess. Maybe he was getting a warning. Maybe he was getting a ticket. Maybe he was being asked for an autograph for being amazingly clever. I should have stopped and asked but didn’t.

This week we lost our neighbor up north, Bob Baxter. Many an evening was spent next to a campfire. Bob spent 30 years as a Forest Ranger and always had some insight to pass along on those evenings. In fact, it was Bob who taught me how to skin a bear (then he donated the hide to an Amish family to serve as a seat cover for their kids on the cold winter buggy rides to school). We all did enjoy a spectacular Bear roast dinner after that event. RIP Bob, it was a good ride I should say, paddle.

Life is AMAZING!

Slán agus beannacht (Irish for: Goodbye and blessings to you all)

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

The Secret Service uses code names, prominent folk, Presidents, and First Ladies. The following First Lady names are all the correct code names, except for one. Good luck pinpointing that false one.

1) Jackie Kennedy: Lace
2) Edith Wilson: Grandma
3) Mamie Eisenhower: Springtime
4) Lady Bird Johnson: Velvet
5) Pat Nixon: Starlight
6) Betty Ford: Pinafore
7) Eleanor Roosevelt: Rover
8) Hilary Clinton: Evergreen
9) Michelle Obama: Renaissance
10) Melania Trump: Muse