The trip down & 2 pics

I thought that I’d think about my trip on the way home.

I did… but I realized that thought wasn’t necessary in this case; feelings were, and I feel I did the right thing this week by going to see people I haven’t seen in decades.  I feel Good.

It’s not a matter of "thought", although I think I did the right thing here, it’s a matter of feelings, and I feel good.

I take good pictures, and printed out 15 8×10’s and took them with me, and in Big Bear, I went to the Dollar Store and bought 10 frames for them.  Not as many people came to the lunch on New Year’s Day as were there for Christmas (30 were there, and my brother DID go to the Christmas Brunch as I hoped he would), so everyone got a choice of their favorite, and my cousin took the rest of the framed shots to give to other family members.

I did forget this:  I meant to write on the backs of the pics and note where and when they’d been taken.  I have about half a dozen 8×10’s here, and seeing how they looked in frames, I think I’ll go get some more frames and put ’em up here.  I take good pictures – might as well see ’em on a wall, right?

***

Multnomah Falls, summer and winter; Crater Lake, the Oregon Coast – the best of my Oregon shots

My cousin gave me a gift beyond value.

She gave me copies and originals of photos taken when I was young.  She gave me my parent’s wedding album  I have had just one Zeroxed wedding picture of my parents.  Just ONE, for all these years, I’ve had just that one poor copy of a black and white picture.  I have had none of me or my brother before we were teenagers and I took them at bording school.  Now I have several pictures of me and him in younger years.

I’ll scan them and get them up later, but really, this is a priceless gift.

Of course I took my camera with me on this trip. I didn’t take a lot of pictures on the way down – the light wasn’t good for pictures and I had other things on my mind, but on the way back, especially yesterday, I took roadtrip pics of driving up I-5 in Oregon – look for slideshows later.  We took some group pics; me and everyone else, and I’ll get those up later too.

My Aunt, my cousin, and her husband and 2 kids, who each are holding the pictures I gave them, an icy Multnomah Falls from three weeks ago, and Paulina Falls in Central Oregon, where I went in August.

I’m vain enough to think I haven’t changed much in these 46 years… but aware enough to realize that, well, maybe I did, a little.  Seeing my brother after 19 years was…. incredible.  He’s 45 now, but in my mind’s eye, he always stayed the same, 24, as the last time I saw him here.  His bright red hair is … not red anymore.  He surfs a lot, and so his hair, with age and salt water, is mostly white.

omg

Got some frost here and there on me, yeah, but, wow.  Getting past the visuals and into the feelings, it was good to see him, and everyone else again.  I have a family again.

Since I work for a public school district, of course I have summers mostly off… and it will be lots warmer, more people will be around, and plans can be made in advance that won’t depend on no snow to happen.  In other words, I will be making a trip this summer to the LA area.

I’ll save up for the cruise control.  My car will be prettier then too, and since we drove down in Jhni’s 4×4, I didn’t get to show off my beloved Cali-Blue, but I will next time.  It hasn’t been washed for weeks now because of the snow here and the driving I did this week, and boy, does my car look like it was rode hard and put away wet.  Poor Cali.  She’ll be pretty again.

Summing it up. it was a good trip.  The car got good mileage even at 75 mph and above (umm, yeah.  Above.  Got ‘er up past 80 mph a time or two, but cruised mostly at 75 and below)  I felt good vibes from my cousin and my aunt and my cousin’s family.  I got to see my long-lost brother.

This was, unquestionably, The Best Winter Holiday Season I’ve EVER had.

*****