There and back again.. coming round full circle

 I returned this weekend to the land of my conception, the land of my birth, the land of my blood, to celebrate my roots and recognize those that have come before.


My beginnings lie to the North where the sleeping giant, Mt. Shasta, looms topless.

My beginnings lie with mountain men, loggers and hunters/trappers. Country folk through n' through.

 I come from strong hearty rural stock. How rural? Etna currently has a population of 775 and is an hour from the nearest "Real" hospital. Which explains why I was born across state lines. And why my parents later moved to Eureka. The nearest town of consequence, Yreka, is a half hour away and, well, to put the size of that place in perspective.. the police station and library are one in the same.

Anyway.. my great aunt on my fathers side, the last of her WWII generation siblings, was laid to rest this weekend and being that grandpa's ashes had not yet been placed next to grandmas it seemed a convenient and practical time to see to him at peace as well. That event was fraught with a little unexpected excitement. An elder cousin passed out in a manner that appeared to be a heart attack and had no measurable pulse on three different occasions while family attempted revival. Unresponsive female at the cemetery.. the paramedics thought the call was a bit of a joke at first.  But it wasn't funny and an ambulance from urgent care in Yreka was soon on its way. My cousin was released within the hour as they could find nothing wrong with her. Crazy eh? 

In the meantime, mom, Will and I arrived (our first girls road trip) and joined up with the remainder of the family and enjoyed a meal at Etna's finest dining establishment as determined by cousin Jeffs Yelping. Although a little driving around sightseeing might have proven it to be just about the only dining establishment in Etna. I have to admit that the food was far better than the fish tasting waffles and stale croissant sandwich that we experienced at eh purple plum in Yreka. Ick.

The Etna Brewing company was on the street where I spent my infancy. 

It was on the street my then 8 year old cousin fell off his bike riding down the hill to see me. Funny he remembers.. I don't!  Anyway the next generation of cousins now have their own memories of that street.  

At the grown up table, mom reconnected with family long separated by distance, divorce and death. The trip was a treat for her.

Other cousins were there that I didn't hit with the flash as I spent my time digesting rapid discussions of local attractions and other bits of family gossip. It was a fine feast. After all was consumed, we split up and all began our various journey's hotel/home ward. Before leaving, however, Willow, Mom and I made one final stop.

This now dry riverbed was once my fathers favorite place to fish and it was here that we released the last of his ashes. (The majority are in a veterans cemetery near Redding). He will be swimming with the fishies through the land he loved when the rains come. As it should be.

The ride home was uneventful .. except for all the animals I killed. There was a bird, a squirrel and a lizard. At least I avoided the 4 deer that ran out in front of me each at a different time. I think I counted over 100 deer total. It was a pleasant trip drive all told. 10 hours each way. over three mountain ranges and back, under the lingering light of the summer solstice.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IheODRwalEw&feature=kp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQe3DKDQRRs

finding a moments pause

           Where have you been?

Who me?

            Yes you!

Well I have not been sitting in front of a computer monitor, I can assure you of that!

           

            Well obviously. If you had, I would not be asking where you been.

True Dat. Appointments, limited data stream and the constant need to entertain or line up entertainment for the children has kept me busy of one sort or another. That is not to say it has all been work. I have also been sleeping in late and lounging round with books.  With June gloom here most days are dreary and cold and my inclination is to stay curled up as much and as long as possible.  

Anyway, I am not dead. 

Do you know who is dead? My grandpa... but then he has been for a year and a half now.  Weird topic change I know but that turn of events has been on my mind all week as I got word on Monday that there will be a service for him and my Great Aunt (I know she has been gone a while herself) this weekend in Etna as their ashes finally get laid to rest beside my grandmothers. Rev your engines...Looks like the girls (Mom,will and i) will soon be putting some miles on the chub tub. Whirlwind weekend ahead. Should be ... interesting. 

Bass lessons have halted this week. My teacher is camping. But before he left he loaded me up with homework. Wants me to polish up the songs I have been working on, learn "come together" and for a midterm Im to write my own 3 minute long piece.  Egads. When he said step it up.. he meant it. 

Our own camping trip looms near. Really looking forward to long and leisurely days (a brief period of which will be shared with T. and her family. :D) 

As much as I would like to stay and keep talking at you... chores and such clamor for my attention. Many things to do before I hit the road.

Busy but doing well.. thanks!

The first week of school off has not been much of a vacation. At least not yet. During the rush of the last few weeks, the normal stuff got shifted and put off so there was much to do in the way of catch up. Having moved through the majority of that, I/we have been faced with the big question of what to do about school next year for Connor. This has required a concerted effort, appointment and research. And after much deliberation, much discussion and much assessing, Connor has chosen to not return to the classroom next year and has accepted the challenge of independent study.  Yep. homeschooling again. This time, however, we are not going with a online based program but we are working with a school district and he will meet with a teacher weekly and other students for group study on a regular basis. It will hopefully give him the best of both worlds. He did fair in the classroom this year but was constantly irritated and frustrated by inattentive, disruptive and impolite or pestering classmates. To the point of angry tears on too many days. His little nervous system is soooo very sensitive that it doesn't take much to throw him off. And so we adjust our sails.

Hows the house hunting going? That seems to be a question many people are wondering. So on that score.. We are currently going through a full financial audit with the underwriter before we actually start. The reasons for this are two fold. First off, after the foreclosure, just to verify that other than needing an FHA loan, we have no issues. And secondly, to determine if we have the liquidity in our retirement and such to cover a down payment. Anyway, by the middle of the next week we should be ready to start looking. Preliminary searches of the MLS do not look good however. There are very few houses listing and those that are out there get snatched fast. And I am anxious to get started. And so under some  perceived pressure I begin to panic. But I stop and remind myself that it will all work out in its right time. This is out of my control and I put it in the hands of what I call the Universe and mom calls God. In the meantime Ill let you know when we are actually looking and ready to jump.

Now its bass lessons (we have moved on to smashing pumpkins.. triplets are like skipping and the strokes... to learn to pick)  haircuts, necessities shopping and preparations for a movie marathon Willow is hosting for a bunch of her classmates over the weekend.  Dinner with Gregs secretary and meeting her new serious bow. Out for my friends birthday. Next week I should be able to stop and turn more of my attention homeward. Get out in the yard and the sun. I hope some of the june gloom blows away!

Cousin Jeff phoned out of the blue and we met up for lunch yesterday with his daughter Anna and then we toured Gregs plant. It was lovely.

Malificent.. fantastic movie. Anansi Boys.. Neil Gaiman is a mighty story teller.

And I am off..

smiles and hugs

Break on through to the other side

Summary and pics for the last few weeks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r0y4UAYmXg

For summer fun, I have charged the kids with making their own movie. More to come on that later.

For graduation willow now has a phone. I got rid of mine.. well .. downgraded to make it possible. We are now talk and text only. But then that is all we need.  

Time now to recharge the old battery, do some camping,  find  a house,  move,  get the kids set for school and find a job. Summer will be over before you know it and Life just keeps going.

And with that I am going to sit for an hour and do nothing but play a game... because maybe now finally I can.