feeling sad- fire in the smokies

 

 

The Smoky mountains are on fire

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article117500393.html

http://abcn.ws/2fZPRjC

 

We were in these mountains back in 2008.  These are some pictures from our visit.

The aquarium is in danger- they have a generator that will give them 24 hours of power, but if the fire reaches it, all the animals will die. 

Looking across Cades Cove- this is on the other side of the mountain, but per the website this area is threatened too.

all these historic buildings from the 1700/1800s that are all wood- could be gone. 

the restaurant where we ate, near Dollywood are all gone- pretty much everything in this area is gone at this point

Downtown Gatlinburg is destroyed.

All of this area- the overlook we are on, the mountains behind have been burned in the fire

this area is gone

this is one of the pictures that came up today- 2 bear cubs trying to cross the road to escape the fire.  There was nothing on the site that talked about the momma bear- I wonder if she has died in the fire.

 

I was planning on taking Rocket back here in the spring just for a long weekend.  Now I wonder if hotels and such will be open.  the land will be black and burned out, I know it will grow back eventually.  Rocket might be able to take his kids one day and see the same scenery. 

 

Adding to my sadness was the events at OSU yesterday.  A crazy person (used generically, because why would someone want to kill another person), ran his car into a group of students at the campus and then got out of the car and started stabbing students with a butcher knife.  The man was shot by campus police and died at the scene.  So many of my friends have kids at OSU and my news feed in Facebook was awash with scared parents and people praying for safety.  I am overwhelmed right now. 

 

I think I might have to take a break from FB and the internet while we are on Christmas break.  I can not take the sadness anymore.

 

thanks,

Deb 

November just zoomed on by us

well, it is almost December.  The Holidays have started and before I know it will be time for Falco to leave us.   Let's see what we have been doing.   I took the boys to see "Fantastic Beasts and where to find them".  We all enjoyed it.  I think we are going to need to see it again to catch all the nuances, but it was a good movie for the family.

On the 21st, my sister's mother in law made us a wonderful dinner.  Falco was in heaven. Sausage, Sauer kraut, mashed potatoes and Spetzle. It was all good.  It reminded him of meals at home and reminded me, my mom, and my sister of meals we had when we were growing up.  Ahh, the German heritage (in our cases, not Falco's case).

Then on the 22nd, we went to the Cross Country banquet.  The team sits on one side of the room- this is Falco as we stood in line for the buffet, and parents sit on the other side of the room.   It was a good night, just long.  It also started our Thanksgiving weekend (on a Tuesday).  Falco was recognized for being on the team, that picture is below.

I also took the boys to the symphony to hear and see "Peter and the Wolf".  I think they liked it, I know I did.

the cake at the banquet.

Falco getting his award.  He will have a DVD of the season too.  He had a great time with these kids.  His coaches said they will miss him and wish he was going to be with them for the next 2 years.

Wednesday is always pie making day.  I started alone since the boys slept until 11 am!!!! But by the time I was working on the apple pie crust and preparing to start the pumpkin pie, they were both helping.

Rocket did the design on the pumpkin pie- mini pumpkins and owls.  I like it.  Falco liked the apple pie better, but Rocket and I like the pumpkin pie the best.

Normally we would go see the Zoo lights on Wednesday night, but it was raining.  So one tradition was scratched for this holiday and I am looking for a night to squeeze it in before the Christmas holiday hits and everyone else wants to go to the zoo.

Thanksgiving morning I had to get the boys to the tree lot for tree sale set up at 8:30 am.  The boys were not too happy about not sleeping in.  I keep telling them they can go back to bed when they get home, but I guess that is too much like being a little kid and needing a nap.    The boy scout troop they are with sells Christmas trees to offset the cost of the activities they do.  The tree sale covers all their cost except food costs for campouts, so everyone has to participate.  Since the boys were working in the morning, that meant I could focus making sure the house was ready for the family.  I picked the boys up at 11 and we picked up Mam.  At home we watched the end of the Macy's parade and then started the football marathon

this is the gang- from the right: Mam, my brother Dave, Uncle Darrell, Rocket, Falco, Jason, Jason's intended (they are waiting for the engagement) Sarah, and Auntie Lulu.  We ate later then we usually do since Sarah had Thanksgiving with her family in the early afternoon.  She just bought a house and we are supposed to have Thanksgiving with her next year or maybe it is Christmas???  I forget, but she and Jason will remind me.  They are such a cute couple.

 

 

The day after Thanksgiving, we took Falco "Black Friday" shopping.  Since most of the stores open on Thanksgiving evening, there were no lines of people wrapped around the buildings, but Rocket was the first in the building.  We shopped for less than an hour and then came home to rest.  So we got up at 5 am (UGHHHH) and then we came home by 7 am.  The boys had to be back the tree lot by 9 am to unload the trees and set them up.  They were done by 11 am and we just lounged around the house for the rest of the day.  We did watch a movie, but we did nothing more exciting than that. EXCEPT- we put up the outside lights and write Christmas cards (more on that below)

 

Saturday, the boys got to sleep in again- again until almost 11 am.  We had a light lunch and then started watching the OSU (Ohio State University) vs Michigan football game.  this is THE rivalry of the year.  I was rooting for Michigan, Falco took OSU and then Rocket changed between the 2 teams.  We had to leave before the game was over to go work the tree sale from 2-6 pm.  Half the parents there were cheering for OSU and half were cheering for Michigan.  We ended up tuning the radio to the game and it was an intense game.  OSU won- dang it all. But we had a good time.

Our shift ended at 6 pm and I bought our tree.  Rocket stayed to work (AKA hang out) with one his friends and Falco and I took the tree home to get it set up.  Falco is a great help. Rocket got home about 9 pm and he was exhausted

 

Chilling with the snowmen and Nativity

Me and my silly, handsome, awesome boys

Rocket using the saw to trim trees.

Our first set of Christmas cards. I still have to get cards out to my coworkers.

Me at the tree sale.

Post election catch up

Working backward, from most recent pictures.  Sunday and Monday, we had the Super Moon in the sky.  the moon is the closest it is has been to the earth in 70+ years, so the moon looks 15% bigger.   My iPhone takes horrid pictures at night, but this is what I saw on Monday night.

Saturday night, we went to the hockey game.  Each month, Rocket has to volunteer at scouts for highway clean up.  They go out and pick up trash along the highway.  They get paid for this and the money offsets the costs for camping and supplies.  A big corporation donated box seats to the troop, so all the boys who have volunteered through October had their names put in a hat.  6 boys' names were picked and they each got 2 tickets.  Rocket was one of the boys picked.  He took Falco (with some prompting from mom) and I bought my own ticket.  The boys were up high in one of the suites- they had nice couches, etc (no food) to sit on and watch the game.  I was down below them, but I could see them on the suite's balcony.

 

Here they are dancing to the YMCA song.

My seats were great.  I was less than 15 rows from the ice (very cold) and I could see both goals.  I am in the corner, so one goal was right in front of me.  this was one of the games during intermission.  I really want to do this.  you are in a bubble and you walk or run across the ice and slam into another player.  Usually both fall down, but it looked like so much fun.  I was laughing so hard during this game.

here are the boys in the suite. 

this is when the home team was announced.  I could feel the heat from the flames, I was that close.

right before the team came out.  Our team ended up loosing 3-4 in overtime, blowing a 3 point lead they took into the second period.  It was fun though.  I would definitely go to another hockey game.

Me with the ice behind me- this is warm ups.

Saturday afternoon, Mam and I attend a baby shower for my niece K and her partner T.  T is in white, K is in blue.  They are having twins, due in January.  This was the family baby shower, me and mam from our side and about 8 others from Uncle Darrell's side of the family.

We got to make onsies for them- Mam's is on top and mine is below.  I think on of the twins (H1 and H2) is going to be a gymnast.  that is what I was going for with my onsie.

the cute cake K's other grandma made. 

Last weekend, Flaco got to go backpacking with the older boys in the scout troop.  They left on Friday and came home Sunday after hiking about 15 miles (9 KM) over the weekend.  Falco did not take his phone to take pictures, but the pictures below are from one of the dad's on the hike.

Pretty Fall trees.  The troop had to carry in all their food and water as they were in the back country, so for this one, the troop leaders only wanted the older boys.  Rocket's age group will go on the summer hike in Michigan where they will be on an island (about 5 miles wide and 2 miles long) for a night or 2. That will be easier for the younger boys to do, so they recommended we not send the younger boys on the longer hike this time.

The sunset over the river while on the hike

Tuesday was voting day. 

I took the boys with me, they got to see my ballot and then we stayed up until 2 am hoping the outcome would change.  I did not vote for DT, I did vote for HC because I did not want DT to win.  I would have voted for an independent if DT was not in the race.  I am so upset with the outcome of the election.  I spent Wednesday pretty much in tears all day.  I actually looked at job openings in company outside of the US.  I can not believe this country voted in a man who speaks hatred like DT.  I fear for Rocket in the next 4 years.  I have friends whose children were adopted and those kids are already being bullied since the election.  Rocket says nothing is being said at his school or at least to him, but I will be watching and listening.  I fear for Falco, but I know he is going home soon so he likely will not experience anything though he has told me about some heated discussions in his government class where he is the only one speaking moderation.  I don't think we will host again until the next election cycle (2020).  there is too much racial tension here in my city, for various reasons, and I don't want a student exposed to the evil side of the US.  I have calmed down since last Wednesday, but I am watching and listening.  I have had to unfriend a few people on Facebook.  They were rude and hateful to the current president and it got worse after the election and then they started with taunts and boasting and that was all I could take. 

It is probably not the best response from me, but in real life I would have walked away from them, so why is different that I walk away from them on FB?

 

In any case, it is going to be long time before I can relax and not fear for my boy.  He hits 2 of the groups that the president elect targeted in his election campaign and no matter how much he says it was not his intent, there are his followers who did and do mean it and they don't care if who they go after.

Basketball practice- thanks to running with Falco, Rocket (in blue) is running much better and a little faster.  he is not the last one walking the circuit.  He is middle of the pack and he passes people.  I am so happy.  Thanks FALCO.

 

Well, that's all for today- Rocket is sick and I have to get him to the doctor's office soon.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb

Halloween Week fun

On Friday, 28Oct, Rocket's school had the announcement of the walkathon numbers at the end of the Halloween party.  Rocket is old enough that his grades no longer wear Halloween costumes, they sit and cheer on the younger kids.

  This is Rocket with his buddies, K (played basketball with him last year) in the orange shirt, Rocket in dark blue shirt, E (ducking down- also in orange shirt), T in purple and A in light blue.  These boys are awesome.

 

the kids in Rocket's school raised $30,391.32 so far from the walkathon.  we have some checks still coming in and it should put us over $31,000.00 for this year.

On Saturday, I took the boys apple picking.  the place was about 90 minutes away- so an adventure through the Ohio country side.  We tool Rocket's friend, P and his exchange student from France, M.  M is only here for 2 weeks, like Falco's class will do in September 2017. I think the boys had a good time

Here is the view from the top of the hill in the orchard.  In the far distance, you can see the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.  If you know your US geography, these are the mountains that run along the Eastern side of the country- from Maine to Georgia.  Ohio is on the western side of the mountains.  They don't get taller until you get closer to the West Virginia/Pennsylvia border, which is about 4 hours from us. But if you remember the weekend away in 2014 when Yutaro was with us, you will recall when we were further into the foothills at Hocking Hills.  That was in October 2014 if you want to go look back at that post.

The boys at the top of the hill

We picked Fuji (red), golden delicious (yellow) and Granny smith (green) apples.  I have processed half of them into apple sauce and I have 5 bags in the freezer.  I still one more bushel to process into Apple pie filling, but I should have that done sometime this week.  Each batch takes about 3 hours to make or 6 hours on low heat.  So with work and other things I am averaging 2 batches a day.

The boys- M, Rocket, Falco, and P.

The orchard we went to. it is very new- about 3 years they have been selling their apples.  Rocket and I are going to have to go next year earlier in the season as they have about 10 varieties of apples that ripen at different times from Sep- Nov.

On the way home, we stopped in downtown so M could see the riverfront, then go buy some presents for his family as he leaves this week.  I keep telling Falco to start buying presents for his family, but he is resisting.  I think it might be making him sad that he is going home in just over 10 weeks!!!  Therefore, he is ignoring the time crunch he is going to be under eventually.  I keep telling him, I don't go near the shopping malls or stores at Christmas time.  I think he does not believe me.  There are too many crowds and people are so rude, it is just too overwhelming to me after working in retail for 16 years (from high school, through college, and then into my early career).  I really hate shopping at Christmas time.

While we were downtown, I bought the boys hot dogs and drinks from a street cart vendor.  That was a cool experience.  this guy was set up right near the fountain, he was super nice.

Enjoying the sun and the fountain during lunch.

Saturday night, we had hot dogs and s'mores in our backyard.  Falco built a great fire and we had a nice evening sitting outside and just being together.  Falco is always fixing his hair before I take pictures.

Halloween night- my Superhero boys- Falco as "Captain Austrian America" and Rocket as Black Panther.  Pablo was the "ruffaree"

they love each other!!

Pretend fighting, which turned to.....

Falco actually being hit.  Rocket said that Falco moved and so it was his fault that he got hit!!!  HAHAHA, Falco was not buying that reasoning and I was dying because it sounds like something I told my sister all the time when we were actually fighting with each other.

dying laughing

Mam came over to hand out candy and we took off to trick or treat.

 

Pablo was so excited to go.  He was so good, no barking at people and no begging for candy.  He was a good doggie boy.

one of our neighbors and the boys.  While we were walking around, Falco said "merry Christmas" to someone and they ended up in a brief discussion that ended with Falco declaring "this is great, they give you CANDY".  I think Falco really likes this holiday a lot.

they boys trading candy after we got home.  We were out for 1.5 hours (Halloween trick or treating hours are 6-8 pm).  Rocket wanted to end after an hour, but we convinced him to keep going.  We walked part of our neighborhood that we have not been in since Rocket was 4 years old. I think Pablo and I will be walking there more frequently.

Falco's haul of candy.  WOW!

 

that's all for this week.  Falco is out this weekend  hiking with the boy scouts.  Rocket is too young to go, but I think Falco will really enjoy it.   Rocket and I have some fun stuff planned with friends and so everyone will be happy.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb