Thanksgiving As It Was

This is Couch. Couch was originally called Thing 1. When he was an inside cat Thing 1 took to laying on top of the couch like a rug, thus the name change. He likes the outdoors now and greet me every morning at the front door with a series of meows. Just one of many morning rituals.

Two things have been occupying my mind lately as I try to stall.

I haven't skied in years, but lately it's been on my mind. Especially telemark skiing. Graceful, not that I am when I try, but just offbeat enough for my tastes. I've done it on lift assisted runs and in the semi-backcountry. I've been looking at the equipment and it sure doesn't look like the skis and boots I used. If fact it looks like the downhill/alpine gear I left behind when I took up cross country skiing. Oh, well. Que Sera, Sera.



The other thought is our lovely Corolla. I have come to like the simple efficiently of this car. It has been through multiple drivers before we six have driven it. The back windows don't go up or down. The front windows do move, but it means taking off the interior door panels and disengaging the cable spool that holds the window glass up and manually letting the window down. Or spin the spool to hold the window up. Quite an operation,though I can do it in about 10 minutes by now.

My thoughts are to strip the car of extraneous things like the back seats and carpets and make it into a lean, mean urban do almost everything machine. Dirt from the nursery, no problem. Fire wood hauler, bring it on. Another object to embarrass my children, you betcha.


Thanksgiving was good. We battled through some sicknesses. Maureen did a yeoman's job and prepared a fine dinner. Her mother was over along with sister, brother and attached family. Good times were had by the fire.

This was after a Tuesday night at Betty's of 3/5ths of the Napa Derrs and the arrival of Wilson from the Great Rainy North. With delays and layovers, Wils' trip from Eugene took 21 hours. Whoa, baby. Modern living.




Happy thoughts go out to Brad and Laurel and their engagement. Oh what times to live and have someone special to share life with.


The last thoughts go to Sam and his special test the next three weeks. Vaya con Dios.

Random Thoughts on a Rainy Day

It is sunny at this precise moment, but has been raining off and on for the last two days. What better time than to delve into the twisting spiral of the human species.

I am finished with water polo for this year except for the awards banquet. What a evening of tasty morsels and political intrigue that will be. It was a very good season, especially in light of the place I was when I left water polo six years ago. I've seen one game in those six years and didn't miss it a bit. Redemption can hit you when you least expect it.

With water polo off the plate, soccer steps up. Yesterday was Annie's first games, the official's jamboree. Annie is "trying" another new position, and though she is good at it, she hasn't warmed to it fully yet. I was reminded that Central California needs to join the rest of Cali and play high school soccer in a warmer time of the year.

I met an online friend of Maureen's, Frankie, who is another preparedness follower. Maureen dropped off some apples for Frankie and her family and talked while I watched Annie's first game. After I arrived I realized these two could talk for hours about many subjects. Frankie's husband came home and showed off a really nice old Powell bamboo fly rod. Reminded me that I'd like to start fishing, and really fish for food. Wouldn't homemade fish tacos made with freshly caught trout sound good? Another subject for another time. Maureen and Frankie talked for a bit more then they were off to duties and we were back to soccer.

My teaching schedule is changing again. This will be the fourth time this year and probably the classes will change again in January. The school has been trying to find a replacement for an English teacher that resigned. The fall back answer was to have me go back to being an English teacher. One of the classes I have taught for years and even with the new 6 period day it won't be much different than what I've done in the past. The second class, 9th grade university prep will be a new gig. Smart freshman as opposed to smart-aleck freshmen. This should be a hoot.

Baseball will be starting soon. We have some field maintenance and rearranging to do. All needs to be completed and ready for practice in January. And all should make coaching easier and more efficient.

Sam showed us a website years ago, Zen Habits, and from there the mnmlist blog. Over the years the two sites have been interesting reads in the move to simplicity. Hopefully the paring away will continue.

I'll leave you with a long talk on TED by Tim Jackson. Goes with the last paragraph, at least by my thoughts. The teaser thought is this: "A story about us; people being persuaded to spend money we don't have, on things we don't need, to create impressions that won't last, on people we don't care about."

I guess the spiral is moving us downward. Oh that we learn to climb.

Thank You & God Bless. . .

To those who have served and are serving. From the poetry of "At the Eleventh hour, of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month" to what was being described, has any thought ever produced more tears?

A BIG "Thank You!" to our family that have served; in the Navy Lt. Commander Thomas Derr;

USMC, Captain Michael Derr and Lance Corporal Daniel Kellogg;

Army Sgt. Max Garver and PFC Sam Garver.

Semper Fi!, Hooah!, and Way to go!.

Surprise, Surprise!

Last night Maureen and I went out so to speak. The baseball boosters hosted a fund raising dinner and I learned I travel in different circles than others. The planner was predicting $20,000 which I was silently unsure of happening. We/He did better. The final amount isn't in yet.

The money is going to fund a freshman baseball program, if allowed, and field updates. The players will have a nice place to go to work.

A good night was had by many and especially the Monarch baseball program.

The other purpose was to recognize people that have been special to the EUHS baseball program. Long-time statistician Chuck Knox, player and coach Jesus Banuelos, were recognized for their years of service with entry to the initial class of the Diamond Club.

Two special to me and many were Ray Strable and Brad Mills who were honored and had their jersey number retired, a first for the baseball program.