Looking Forward

Our Thanksgiving was very quiet and unstressful this year. We had our feast on Sunday with me Holly, Deana, Kelly, Delaney, and Austin. It was really pleasant and the food was great. Then on Thanksgiving day I made some "Santa Fe Soup" and sweet potato biscuits with the potatos left over from Sunday. That soup is unbelievably easy (it came from the wife of a boy scout leader who camps a lot) and it is delicious. The recipe is on the recipe section of this blog.

I'm preparing for my South America trip. We (I'm travelling with Ann) fly to Santiago, Chile on Sunday December 7 and sail to Punta Arena, Chile, Ushuaia, Argentina then around Cape Horn. We will visit the Falkland Islands, Montevideo, Uruguay and Buenos Aires, Argentina then end up in Rio De Janerio, Brazil and fly home from there on December 23. I'll complete three of my "100 things" list; sail around Cape Horn, see the Southern Cross and see Sugarloaf Mountain. We'll also get to see the tango done by Argentinan dancers. I'm looking forward to being away from work for two weeks - burn out takes its toll!

Holly and Deana and I will be spending Christmas alone this year. Kelly and Delaney and Austin are going to Texas for 2 weeks. Holly, Deana and I go to Utah in January for Lexie's birthday. I was looking at the pictures of her (Lexie) on Megan's blog. She and Austin looks so much alike! Just look - It's amazing.

THANKSGIVING

The Gatlin's, part of the Wood's, and part of the Stephanson's will be celebrating Thanksgiving on Sunday, November 23. As is typical of every holiday Holly has to work and Deana will probably go to her Other Grandma's for dinner. What's new is Kelly and Delaney and Austin are thinking about going to Texas for Thanksgiving. I'm spoiled enough to insist on having the family (those who are here) together for a celebration even if it is on the wrong day. Give us a call. We'll all be here I hope.

HISTORY

I have been glued to the presidential campaign for weeks and then was glued to the election results. It doesn't make any difference who I voted for. I was strongly moved, start to finish, by the excitement and emotion of Obama's win. When McCain gave his consession speach I was moved by his eloquence and sincerity and the effort he was making toward reunification. Obama's acceptance speech was wonderful and fitting for such an historical event. This election is, by far, the most important election of my lifetime.

When Obama talked about the 106 year old woman who voted I cried. Just imagine, she is a witness of 103 years of United States history. She saw New Mexico and Arizona admitted, live the horror of WWI and WWII, experienced prohibition, and the ratification of the 19th amendment allowing women to vote. She heard about Lindbergh crossing the Atlantic non-stop, the market crash of 1929 occurred, and Native Americans were granted citizenship while retaining their status in the tribe. She was told Japan attacked Pearl Harbor then the US A-bombed Japan. She heard about Blacks boycotting buses in Alabama and the Supreme Court ordered school desegregation. We were involved in a war with Korea. Alaska and Hawaii were admitted, the civil rights movement began, John F. Kennedy was assassinated. There were angry demonstrations against the Vietnam War and the Hippie movement came and went. Man landed on the moon. Watergate happened and Nixon resigned as President. There was the Moral Majority, Star Wars, personal computers, CDs, VCRs, and cable TV was common. And, of course there was the Web and animals were cloned. Amazing!

For the first time in a long long time there seems to be hope for our nation and a willingness to embrace diversity. It feels like a democracy. It feels like a United country. I am no longer afraid to take my US Flag cane with me when I travel outside the US. And I no longer say I'm embarassed to say I'm an American.... there is hope.

Deana's Homecoming and Halloween

Deana went to the homecoming dance for her High School Friday night (Halloween). She looked so pretty. Brian, "he's just a friend", was adorable too. I guess he must be 15 because he doesn't drive - his father brought him to pick up Deana. When she got home I asked her if she had a good time. Her response, "It was awesome"

It took Holly and Kelly, Deana's sister, about an hour and a half to curl her hair.
I'm so proud of her. She knows how to have a good time, laugh with her friends and family, and maintain her good attitude (usually!)

GENERATION Y

In its January 22, 2008 edition, the Quebec City, Canada, newspaper,
Le Soleil, had a topic about generations by age group.

Generations are grouped as follows:

The Silent generation, people born before 1945.
The Baby Boomers, people born between 1945 and 1961.
Generation X, people born between 1962 and 1976.
Generation Y, people born between 1977 and 1989.
Why do we call the last one generation Y. I did not know, but
A caricaturist explains it eloquently below...Learned something new!

SOME WHERE OVER THE RAINBOW IS ANOTHER RAINBOW

Holly sent me this shot of a double rainbow over the space shuttle launch site. We see them quite often here but this is really impressive. You can just barely see the second rainbow.

Trip to South America and Christmas

I am planning to count off a couple of the 100 things to do before I die list in December. I'm going to South America and cruising throug the straight of Magellan and around the southern most tip of South America (Cape Horn), thats a picture of the cape above. From what I've read I also should be able to see the Southern Cross along the way. This photo reminds me of our relative insignificance in the universe.


We fly to Valparaiso, Chile from Orlando. The stops are Punta Arenas, Chile; Tierra Del Fuego Argentina; Cape Horn; Pt. Stanley Falkland Islands; Montevideo, Uruguay;Buenos Aires, Argentina and Rio De Janeiro Brazil.

I'm so looking forward to the trip! I leave on the 7th of December and don't return until the 23rd. I will miss most of the Christmas preparations (the part of Christmas I enjoy the most) but I think this trip is worth it.