Christmas in Texas

Here is the latest from Texas!  After trying everything I knew along with Ashley's suggestions at Thanksgiving time,  I finally tried the "cut and paste" technique and with persistence,  I get these photos! and even though the new format Google has given everyone, photo work is still complicated and will not let me size or position them as in the past.  But I'm glad to get these few Christmas photos from Roly and Candy's Christmas in Corsicana, Texas!   If you look close,  Holly and Blake illustrate the left over flu bug that almost postponed Christmas in Texas!  Everyone there got the flu except Alice and someone else beyond my memory!  They managed to rally around Christmas morning with energy enough to open presents and smile once in a while!  We all remember 5 years ago when the same flu bug hit most of us in Ashland.  But glad both these Christmases are now a memory with presents remaining that remind us how nice it is to have family surrounding us when we need them! (Note: Picasso by Google will not let you enlarge these photos! What you see is what you get - sorry!)

A Town the Boys Built

Lori's son & our grandson, Adam decided early last evening to make
himself a Gingerbread House.  He called a friend and they looked over
the task ahead and decided it would take too long to bake and wait for
all the gingerbread for construction.  So Lori sprinkled some Christmas magic dust on their heads and they started dreaming.  Graham Crackers was the solution! and one house was not enough.  So Adam and his friend called all the elves they knew and the crew of 8 began to plan their house. . .then another house,  then a skyscraper, an airport, a church, a hospital,  a casino, a river, roads, cars and even a poor part of town.  If you look close you will find all these places plus many more ingenious touches these Elves created last night until about 3 am this Christmas Sunday morning!  What a delightful village and all eatable!  I wanted to drive down the streets and taste some gumdrops, M & M's, sprinkles, nuts and jelly beans!  If you look close,  Adam still has his eyes open but barely!  When you build a town,  you either live in it, eat it, move it or tear it down!  I wonder . . .what its future will be?

Snow in Ashland

One inch of snow today and all the schools closed! Since we save all the snow for the higher elevations,  it disturbs everyone when it lingers!

All these years in Ashland,  I have never purchased boots!  But, last year, we all spent Christmas at Lake Tahoe in Nevada. . .so I broke down and purchased winter boots, with zippers and heavy linings which required two pair of double thick socks to fit my narrow feet! (reminiscent of shoe store days in Wakarusa, Indiana)  I went to Tahoe prepared!!  And last year and odd thing happened - no snow at Tahoe!  The mountains were bare!!!  Only artificial snow for skiing!  So, I didn't get to wear my new $40 boots!  This morning,  I was delighted to see the snow and rushed to put my new boots on to be sure they still fit my narrow feet!  And as you can see, my brand new boots are great with my Oregon Shovel!  The push broom is all we have to remove this enormous snow fall.  I have refused to purchase any snow removal equipment and seldom have to drag out this broom.  And yes,  there is still snow on the ground this evening! but most has melted on the roads at our elevation.  But if you coming to visit from California,  you'd better have chains for your car or fly in between storms!  Just maybe,  we'll have some snow left for Christmas!

Thanksgiving in Texas

 Our 10 day adventure in Texas over Thanksgiving was delightful.  As you can see,  the weather stayed between 60 and 80 degrees most of the time. Even the beautiful Passion Flower reminded us of the Creator's touch!   Roly and Candy live on a reservoir about 15 miles outside Corsidana, Texas.  Their lake is down 5 feet.  If rain waits too long,  their boat will be dry docked!!! Fortunately,  we toured the lake several times and were aboard to pull in the 40 pound blue catfish which was released back into the lake!  Joe,  Holly's husband had his hands full for the above photo!  Soon after we arrived,  Ashley, Zack and our new great grand daughter, Alice, arrived for the week-end!  She was an immediate hit!!  This was our first touch with Alice!!! Our babies are special! and Alice delights all of us! After everyone returned home but us,  Roly's bought their 10 foot tree and I helped  him wrap nearly 2000 lights around the Fraser Pine.  Just before we left,  all the lights danced to the tune of our child memories!  Christmas trees touch the tender spot in us all and each year we add to those wonderful child memories that we share together with family & friends!
This is in process and will be continued!!!

Indiana Michigan Trip

Traveling to Indiana and Michigan this summer seems like a long time ago and as you can see,  I've inserted other important Freed clan events in between.  We started our journey by having a brief memorial for my sister, Joan and Bud at the cemetery in Osceola, Indiana.  Al Beutler, a long time friend, led us with memories and inspiration.  Larry & Jane stayed with  us overnight in Wakarusa for a grand visit! After a 1949 class reunion the next day,  we visited numerous folks in the Wakarusa, Elkhart area including a wonderful Freed gathering with Tammy, Rick, Kim and Tom.   Then on to Michigan for a week of non-stop gatherings! Do you recognize Scott and Rose,  Judy and Doug, Gary & Linda and Mark's kids?  Jim and Wanda still occupy the old home farm!  Everywhere you look, great memories jump out and grab you!  Everyone is doing ok with reasonable aging miseries.  We were not surprised to find a warm welcome with lot's of great food and conversations.  It's always a blessing to renew family ties. Even though age is creeping up on all of us,  we are thankful for strength to make this trip and hope we have the stamina to make another one soon!

Lori's BIG Move

1065 Hillview Dr.    Ashland, OR  97520
is Lori's new address!
And she has all her stuff at this new
address. . .what a relief!
But as you can see, the work continues re-arranging and Salvation Army trips. You can see her dining area and back porch. We were glad to have Dan, Sheila, Jana and Brady join in the fun of moving!  And would you believe,  the owner allows Lori's 2 dogs and cat,  the legal limit for any resident of Ashland!  The collie's are extremely quiet perhaps they know they are now renters!  In the midst of all the stuff we uncovered some treasures. The middle photo with all the boxes,  front left,  is my mother's green lazy boy chair!  all the way from Wakarusa, Indiana!  The trunk photos were also hers and you will remember it contained all the Halloween costumes you could imagine from an elephant suit for two to a Sadie Hawkins outfit, the mother of Lit'l Abner in the comics.  This trunk must have come from the old country brought to North America on the Mayflower or some later vessel perhaps early 1800's.  It's a classic trunk with lift out drawer.  The high chair treasure is not as old but has lots of memories.  My folks,  Joy and Edgar Freed,  bought this for us when Dan was born.  It was the latest in high chairs made by the Kroll Manufacturing co. It was not only well built, but it was a convertible!  With one simple adjustment,  the bottom flipped and it became a toddlers desk which worked for all our kids!  Imagine,  Dan,  Roly, Lori and Jana as toddlers eating their baby food in this chair!!  It was then loaned out for their kids and we have lost count of those who lived in this high chair since!  As you will note,  the blue original plastic is tattered and torn so the last user made a cover to keep it's beauty!  There are many wonderful memories in this chair and after all these 60 years,  it still looks pretty great and all the parts work including the removable tray!  Our treasures often get pushed aside and forgotten. . .at least for awhile.  But these memories are forever a part of us embedded deep within our soul.  Sometimes it takes a move to uncover those memories that made us who we are today!  We have a great family and we salute Lori who has made a tough move with courage and dignity!
PS.  Wait till Adam and Amanda see their new rooms!!!

Dan's BIG One

In the middle of Lori's move,  the family gathered in Ashland to help lug lots of stuff to her new home about 1/2 mile from Tolman Creek.  Jana and son Brady joined in the fun along with Dan and Sheila.  In the middle of all the cleaning and carrying,  Dan managed to have his BIG 60th BIRTHDAY!  Of course,  Mom made his favorite cake,  a moist yellow cake with meringue and cool whip topping topped with fresh strawberries!  If you enlarge the photo you'll notice 6 candles!  You could imagine what 60 would look like. We probably would  have had to call the fire department with all of Lori's stuff surrounding us!  The girls came up with 60 positive characteristics that Dan has contributed to all of us over the years!  Dan even got a drum roll as he blew out all 6 ty candles!!!  Sixty years is a long time from Brady's view but not so long from my view and we're all glad to celebrate this milestone in Dan's journey on God's great earth!!!