A neighbor dog did trigger a howl-in partway through the program but chipping squirrels brought the family right back to the video.
So if you want to be entertained watching your fur family entertained, check out this PBS program.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
BrownStone Family Fun
I found the perfect total BrownStone family (even Jake the cat) entertainment...
Everyone was glued to the TV and followed every jump. If they tried to ignore it, even a deep sleep was aroused by the squirrel vocalizations. Life of Wolf videos have never created such attentive rapture.
A neighbor dog did trigger a howl-in partway through the program but chipping squirrels brought the family right back to the video.
So if you want to be entertained watching your fur family entertained, check out this PBS program.
A neighbor dog did trigger a howl-in partway through the program but chipping squirrels brought the family right back to the video.
So if you want to be entertained watching your fur family entertained, check out this PBS program.
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Pupdates
September 2018
BrownStone Cascade Mt. Loowit (Tule Loowit). Tule has moved away and is greatly missed around here.
BrownStone CNK Century Wind (Ullr)
Always ready for a new adventure.
October 2018
BrownStone Cascade Mt Mazama (Bramble) with BrownStone Iditarod Takotna (Muku) running in thewoods of BC
12/13/2003 - 10/26/2018
November 2018
BrownStone Ali
Sunday, November 25, 2018
Thanksgiving
Holiday milestones without Dave are enveloping. Seeing him everywhere but not being able to touch him is emotionally crushing at the same time sharing traditions and being embraced by family and friends allows me to know there is a way forward without leaving him totally behind. He is there with me, pushing me to the forefront where I was always in his shadow.
This would have been the 41st family Thanksgiving we celebrated with Dave's family. Traditions that started when he was a young boy have evolved but continue: there was always the family weekend at a shared beach house; turkey could not be eaten until the sandcastles were being devoured by the sea; the competition of games on the beach and coffee table; the gross excess of food being devoured by the extended family. After another stormy year, with icy wind blowing sand and rain horizontal across the beach, forcing all competition inside and then a massive clean-up effort to make sure the rented house was free of sand and dirt, it was decided that a warm, dry, destination was called for. The annual gathering moved to Palm Springs. The games, long walks and excess of food remained. Sandcastles morphed into Frisbee on the 18th hole and splashing in the pool. The doors and windows could be flung open. Instead of over crowded couches in a damp, sandy living room, all could sprawl out on lounge chairs while renewing summer tans. As great nieces and nephews grew in number the family gathering returned to Eugene. Board games resumed with a new generation of competitors each with their own sets of rules, much as their parents did at their age. Adult competition changed from sandcastles, to turkey and fixings recipes. Father and sons each have to outdo each other with a whole turkey cooked in a different way. Along with the three turkeys are the three types of stuffing; three sweet potato dishes and; deserts too numerous to count. The rumored score cards did not materialize but winning praise was sought by all the chefs - John wins again.
Dave is with me as I type. I can see clearly him reveling in the jet rides to California just as he reveled speeding along the winding roads to the coast with expectations of sibling competition, food and comradely. I can see him coated with sand and sea foam, trying to walk off a huge meal against the blinding winds just as easily as I see him in a food coma on a lounge chair by the pool. These images will never disappear.
Thanksgiving is the most important holiday of the year for my sister. With five daughters, the traditions are quite deep and often baffling. The turkey can't be eaten until the jigsaw puzzle is complete. Destruction of the carefully created gingerbread houses is the celebratory finale. Until the past three years, I have spent Thanksgiving with Dave's family so was new to the traditions but quickly insimulated. Last year Dave slept on the couch as the holiday chaos swirled about him. He had missed the previous year but wanted one last time with my family. The trip exhausted him but he felt the warmth of the love around him.
Linda and Chuck started a new tradition this year: "Giving" bags. We made 170 bags to give to those less fortunate than us. Each bag included, a wash cloth, bottle of water, pair of socks, chocolate milk and energy bars. Each family went home with a huge box of these bags to hand out.
Now the gingerbread house destruction - it seems that when the girls were little, someone snuck downstairs in the middle of the night and destroyed her competition for the best gingerbread house. Upon finding it in the morning, revenge was taken. It appears that destruction of you competitors creation is a highlight of the day. I was quite shocked when I first encountered my beautifully created gingerbread house, smashed to sticky crumbs before my eyes. But just as the sea destroying painstakingly built sandcastles, for some reason carnage is integral to both Brown family Thanksgiving gatherings.
An assortment of gingerbread works of art:
First mine which I was immensely proud of my creativeness...
but then I was declared a "cheater" because I used a store-bought Santa and Reindeer. Everyone else created with the myriad of sweets and pretzels on the table.
There were 12 gingerbread structures. Each was hastily flattened - many before I could get pictures of them.
The best part of gingerbread house demolition...
I am blessed to be enveloped by two families where shared love, competition and unique traditions continue as family members die and new generations join the fold.
This would have been the 41st family Thanksgiving we celebrated with Dave's family. Traditions that started when he was a young boy have evolved but continue: there was always the family weekend at a shared beach house; turkey could not be eaten until the sandcastles were being devoured by the sea; the competition of games on the beach and coffee table; the gross excess of food being devoured by the extended family. After another stormy year, with icy wind blowing sand and rain horizontal across the beach, forcing all competition inside and then a massive clean-up effort to make sure the rented house was free of sand and dirt, it was decided that a warm, dry, destination was called for. The annual gathering moved to Palm Springs. The games, long walks and excess of food remained. Sandcastles morphed into Frisbee on the 18th hole and splashing in the pool. The doors and windows could be flung open. Instead of over crowded couches in a damp, sandy living room, all could sprawl out on lounge chairs while renewing summer tans. As great nieces and nephews grew in number the family gathering returned to Eugene. Board games resumed with a new generation of competitors each with their own sets of rules, much as their parents did at their age. Adult competition changed from sandcastles, to turkey and fixings recipes. Father and sons each have to outdo each other with a whole turkey cooked in a different way. Along with the three turkeys are the three types of stuffing; three sweet potato dishes and; deserts too numerous to count. The rumored score cards did not materialize but winning praise was sought by all the chefs - John wins again.
Linda and Chuck started a new tradition this year: "Giving" bags. We made 170 bags to give to those less fortunate than us. Each bag included, a wash cloth, bottle of water, pair of socks, chocolate milk and energy bars. Each family went home with a huge box of these bags to hand out.
An assortment of gingerbread works of art:
First mine which I was immensely proud of my creativeness...
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Exploding Toilets & Pupdates
Exploding toilets mean I have water again and a very unhappy cat who happened to be sitting on the tank top when I flushed. Even with his weight, the tank top did jump up. (In case you were wondering, when the pump continues to pump without water in the cistern, it pumps air until it stops. When it is re-primed and pumps water again, the air is rather forcefully pushed through the water-pipe system.)
Still no heat however not all is bad. All my years of accumulating outdoor clothing is rather providential. I just layer as needed. And now that the winter rains have finally started, I can light a fire in the evenings. During the day I am waiting for the heat pump fix-it guys to come. Should they show up, heat from a wood stove would foul up the thermostat and their measurements.
Enough of my woes.
I am months behind on my BrownStone Pupdates and have unfortunately forgotten events and stories associated with most of these these pictures.
BrownStone CNK Century Mt Washington (Remy) at 10 months old
Remy with housemate Desert Sol Nukka
Rain Mountain Rudy (Trask's son)
BrownStone CNK Century Kate MT (Tika) at 10 months old
BrownStone Cascade Mt. Loowit (Tule Loowit) at 4 years old
BrownStone CNK Century Wind (Ullr) at 10 months old with his very active family.
BrownStone Iditarod Takotna (Muku) enjoying raspberries at 8 years old
BrownStone CNK Century Arthur (Toolik) enjoying his last days in Alaska
Bramble
Muku
BrownStone CNK Century Kate MT (Tika) the escape artist.
Tika with Kima
August 2018
BrownStone Nala at 15 years
BrownStone CNK Century Kate MT (Tika)
BrownStone Cascade Mt. Loowit (Tule Loowit)
BrownStone CNK Century Wind (Ullr)
Three soaking-wet dogs and Jake the cat, each with muddy paws, are vying for my lap and attention to let me know it is time to remove myself from the computer; close the outside kennel gate and; spend some quality furkid-love time.
Still no heat however not all is bad. All my years of accumulating outdoor clothing is rather providential. I just layer as needed. And now that the winter rains have finally started, I can light a fire in the evenings. During the day I am waiting for the heat pump fix-it guys to come. Should they show up, heat from a wood stove would foul up the thermostat and their measurements.
Enough of my woes.
I am months behind on my BrownStone Pupdates and have unfortunately forgotten events and stories associated with most of these these pictures.
May 2018
BrownStone Ali at 14 years old
June 2018
BrownStone CNK Century Treadwell (Cedar) at work
July 2018
BrownStone Cascade Mt Mazama (Bramble) with BrownStone Iditarod Takotna (Muku) visiting the Oregon dunes from their home in B.C.
August 2018
BrownStone CNK Century Kate MT (Tika)
BrownStone CNK Century Wind (Ullr)
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