December 2 2009: I know, it's almost Christmas, and I'm just finally getting around to posting Thanksgiving... Nope, as usual life got me off schedule which, I guess, is what keeps me on my toes....no wonder my feet hurt so much.Anyway, the flower has nothing to do with Thanksgiving. But I see it everyday walking Andi down to the bus stop. It is the last flower the whole way. I felt that since it was doing such a good job at hanging around then this hana (flower) deserved some official recognition.
Now, off to Thanksgiving...well, sort of. This was the day before Thanksgiving. But Thursday looked pretty much the same, so no surprise. Never mind the old appliance in the foreground. I'm wondering how much longer that'll be there. It's been there ever since I started walking that route (back when the snows thawed and we realized there really was a road there)So a green Thanksgiving dawned upon us. Andi was really hoping for snow, but then I think she hopes for snow year round sometimes....that'll change after we get snowed in for a few days.
We went to the house of Martin's for the meal. That's where Jolie lives....so, it was the Martin's plus the Ahola's (oddly, that's "Aloha" backwards.....a good Finnish name I've been assured) who are Milt and Carol. Carol is my walking buddy....so I behaved as I didn't want her to feel compelled to make us go for an evening walk. Plus our geo-graphical bachelor Kevin. (His wife and child are off traveling, but will be home soon)
Andi was rather excited. She kept calling this her "first REAL Thanksgiving" I guess all her T-days have been rather transient. Last year we were in the midst of moving. The year before Shane was on duty, so I cheated and just slow cooked a chicken. One year we ate on the ship...the first year we moved to Virginia, and hadn't gotten myself together yet. So, in a way this is her FIRST stable Thanksgiving. (complete with turkey and mashed potatoes)
Below: Andi, Jolie and Ethan getting ready to dig in! Though in the end, I think they mostly ate pie....I know it became a staple for breakfast and lunch over the weekend for Andi
The grownups get settled. What? You can't see Bree and I? How odd....neither one of us wanted to sit for pictures.....on the left are Shane and Garrett, on the right Milt and Carol...Kevin is there, just behind Carol....I think he must show up better in the pictures Bree took.
So, Thanksgiving ended. Friday I did something I never do.....I put up the Christmas tree!!!!! Good heavens! the things I do for my child! We had to go buy a new tree this year (if I'm renting...it's a fake tree, I don't want to burn down a house I can't pay for) Anyway...in Virginia I dutifully sold the tree we had thinking we wouldn't have room for a large tree....silly me. Ended up getting one slightly bigger....and pre-lit.
I quickly lost control of the box it came in....Andi commandeered it for a boat and used it all weekend. It's finally out in the garage....though it may be a bit worse for the wear. It did look like a great box to imagine in....wished it could've been mine
Oh no, not horses again! We finally got out on Saturday. Shane, Andi and I went to the horseland thing that Andi and I had gone to last week with friends. But, we didn't go to the museum last time, so did that on Saturday. 
A drawing depicting a fair. From about 1834.
A horse mask. I don't think the horses wear these....
Ahhh, who knew horses were a religion....no, just the dedication to them.
Ok, a rather gruesome shrine. It is a "stable monkey". As shown below they are apparently the guardian's of horses. I did not know this.
http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/monkey-india-china-p2.html in case you want the whole overview of monkeys in Buddhism... about three quarters of a way down the page there is a blurb about the stable monkeys.
anyway, back to our adventure.
I'm not real sure that the monkey is providing any comfort to the horse in this drawing....
Below: Some miniatures found in a display case. They had figurines from all over the world. The different cultural depictions were some what intriguing. I do like horses.....I just don't really care to ride them.....unless they are old...
Andi found a cozy fire to get warmed up....not really it was fake as it all gets. It didn't even put out any heat. I guess it's the thought that counts.
Now, that's the kind of horse ride I could deal with! Calm, slow, and simulated.
We took time to feed the ponies, though bad weather was starting to move in. Since this place is located in the foothills, we decided to hasten our trip along...but first Shane had something to do.
A ride on the roller slide! Shane barely fit...he said he was just about to big for it, but he had a great time anyway. I think he wants one put in on our "fantasty our land our house" property.
We went to the house of Martin's for the meal. That's where Jolie lives....so, it was the Martin's plus the Ahola's (oddly, that's "Aloha" backwards.....a good Finnish name I've been assured) who are Milt and Carol. Carol is my walking buddy....so I behaved as I didn't want her to feel compelled to make us go for an evening walk. Plus our geo-graphical bachelor Kevin. (His wife and child are off traveling, but will be home soon)
Anyway, Bree (Jolie's mom) did great at decorating.....my contribution was to "ooooohhh, and ahhhhh" at the appropriate moments....it was hard work. But it was great of them to open up their house and host the festivities.
Above is the grown-ups table and below the kids table.
Andi was rather excited. She kept calling this her "first REAL Thanksgiving" I guess all her T-days have been rather transient. Last year we were in the midst of moving. The year before Shane was on duty, so I cheated and just slow cooked a chicken. One year we ate on the ship...the first year we moved to Virginia, and hadn't gotten myself together yet. So, in a way this is her FIRST stable Thanksgiving. (complete with turkey and mashed potatoes)
Below: Andi, Jolie and Ethan getting ready to dig in! Though in the end, I think they mostly ate pie....I know it became a staple for breakfast and lunch over the weekend for Andi
The grownups get settled. What? You can't see Bree and I? How odd....neither one of us wanted to sit for pictures.....on the left are Shane and Garrett, on the right Milt and Carol...Kevin is there, just behind Carol....I think he must show up better in the pictures Bree took.
So, Thanksgiving ended. Friday I did something I never do.....I put up the Christmas tree!!!!! Good heavens! the things I do for my child! We had to go buy a new tree this year (if I'm renting...it's a fake tree, I don't want to burn down a house I can't pay for) Anyway...in Virginia I dutifully sold the tree we had thinking we wouldn't have room for a large tree....silly me. Ended up getting one slightly bigger....and pre-lit.
I quickly lost control of the box it came in....Andi commandeered it for a boat and used it all weekend. It's finally out in the garage....though it may be a bit worse for the wear. It did look like a great box to imagine in....wished it could've been mine
Oh no, not horses again! We finally got out on Saturday. Shane, Andi and I went to the horseland thing that Andi and I had gone to last week with friends. But, we didn't go to the museum last time, so did that on Saturday. It is really a nice museum. It cost all of 300 Yen a piece for Shane and I...so about 6$, and Andi was free. (I have noticed that at a lot of museum's here the elementary age kids are free) Anyway, a lot of history in there. Some things were labeled in English and their dates, so that you could get an idea of age.
There were writings...documentations of horses and their appraisals going back to the 1400's. It was pretty impressive the amount of detail....couldn't read a word of it, but a lot of detail.
A drawing depicting a fair. From about 1834.
A horse mask. I don't think the horses wear these....
Ahhh, who knew horses were a religion....no, just the dedication to them.
Ok, a rather gruesome shrine. It is a "stable monkey". As shown below they are apparently the guardian's of horses. I did not know this.
|
|
http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/monkey-india-china-p2.html in case you want the whole overview of monkeys in Buddhism... about three quarters of a way down the page there is a blurb about the stable monkeys.
anyway, back to our adventure.
I'm not real sure that the monkey is providing any comfort to the horse in this drawing....Below: Some miniatures found in a display case. They had figurines from all over the world. The different cultural depictions were some what intriguing. I do like horses.....I just don't really care to ride them.....unless they are old...
Andi found a cozy fire to get warmed up....not really it was fake as it all gets. It didn't even put out any heat. I guess it's the thought that counts.
Now, that's the kind of horse ride I could deal with! Calm, slow, and simulated.
We took time to feed the ponies, though bad weather was starting to move in. Since this place is located in the foothills, we decided to hasten our trip along...but first Shane had something to do.
A ride on the roller slide! Shane barely fit...he said he was just about to big for it, but he had a great time anyway. I think he wants one put in on our "fantasty our land our house" property.
