Here we are into 2025. How quickly time flies. The past few months have been a time of gatherings and these gatherings were bright spots in an otherwise dim and confusing year where the world we were familiar was under attack and draining away. The world continues to change in beautiful and often tragic ways but one thing remains the same; it is the circles of family and friends in our lives that bring us light and hope. This entry is a random presentations of a number of recent gatherings in my world.
Schools are great community gathering places. Sports and other activities bring people together. Teagan has taken up cheerleading so I jjoin the crowd from time to time to watch her cheer.
Trout Lake school sponsored a community Harvest Festival. Teagan and her friend Lupa set up a table selling sweets and used clothing. I attend and had a great time visiting with people I knew.
The girls had a blast and felt their efforts well rewarded.
Latah’s birthday is in November and we had a small family dinner in her honor. Our little girl is now a teenager.
After Latah’s birthday but before Thanksgiving I took the train to North Dakota to spend time with my siblings. I had a wonderful time playing cards and just hanging out with them. One day Donna and I joined a group of people at the assisted living place where Deb and Rex were leading the rosary. Later Donna and I had lunch with my cousin Marilyn.
I host Thanksgiving this year. Jason’s gang joined us as did grandpa Dennis. Fifty years ago I make turkey place matts that have been used only about ten times. They got lots of use this year as The Lindseths stayed with us for a few days. We busied ourselves around the house as the weather was not pleasant to do much outside.
Before I knew it Advent arrived. Early in December Teagan, Latah, and I attend the church Christmas dinner which is alway a large gathering.
At the church dinner Teagan and Latah helped the little kids get into their pageant costumes. Lots of angels and sheep.
The most celebrated gathering in my life is Christmas and one of the most beloved symbols of Christmas is the tree.
My family celebrated Christmas at Pebble Creek this year with Jason and Jeannette as our great hosts. Jeannette’s family joined us as did Dennis. Taylor became very ill with the flu and missed Christmas completely this year. He is still is not well but is showing signs of improvement. I stayed on at Pebble Creek until Saturday and had a wonderful time in spite of the fact power went out Christmas evening and returned on Saturday just before I left for home. The Lindseths do not let a little thing like, ‘no power,‘ dampen the festivities.
The beer stein Jason is holding was a white elephant gift he gave me 30 years ago and the time had come for me to return his lovely stein back to him.
On Thursday night I went line dancing with Sophie. Having given blood a couple days prior, after stumbling through one dance, I decided to remain a spectator. I very much enjoyed the music and meeting some of Sophie’s friends. On Friday night Sophie was house sitting for people who have a small managerie of animals whom Sophie was responsible to care for. While the rest of the family spent the night in the dark Sophie and I enjoyed watching TV in a beautiful mansion on the hill. One day we all went to watch Sophie’s riding lesson at the stable where she works.
Jason does have a generator that he turns on periodically during power outages to keep the freezers cold and to enjoy watching TV for a bit. We had a great time.
