Mood: Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
The Return of the Return of the Native
Finally, with the knowledge that I would not be arranging the shipping of my belongings to the East Coast. It was on to other things of import to Soul, if not Material.
I believe it was that Thursday that the theater group I had enjoyed acting with for many years held their first rehearsal for their Hallowe’en show, and as my buddy Randy, the fellow I was staying with while visiting, was in the show, I attended with him, along with supplying the mulling spices and apple cider for hot cider (the temps were in the mid- to mid-50s in the end of September); this was something I had introduced to these Hallowe’en rehearsals almost twenty years before.
It was also another opportunity to surprise the heck out of people I had not seen in five years, too! 😉 During the introductions, I was sitting apart, just enjoying the nostalgia and reminiscing when the director and very good and dear friend Shane asked me to introduce myself, giving very kind words regarding my past association with the company. I thought it only fitting to introduce myself, after my name, as the Ghoest of Hallowe’en Shows Past. 👻 🎃
As a cap to it all, I was invited to read the stage directions during the read-through; all in all a spectacular ‘reunion’.
Earlier that day I had driven out to Girdwood, south of Anchorage which is a large ski community in the winter months, but had two very special places to eat, both of which were mentioned in my pervious blog and with pictures: The Bake Shop and The Double Musky. I wished to purchase their sweet rolls at The Bake Shop and bring them back to the East Coast with me, a favorite of the whole family not tasted in years. I had actually called from North Carolina and got some shipped for my parents anniversary a few years back, but wished to bring enough back for all of us.
Unfortunately, I arrived too late and they were closed. This was a drive that took me along the Turnagain Arm which has some spectacular views, and I did my best to get pictures, but as it tends be be, it was very windy on the drive, so the pics didn’t turn out great, but really couldn’t do justice to the majesty or colors, but here are a few:
There were a few that had my finger in them as I was literally trying to hold the iPad steady enough to get a non-blurred shot! Yep, it was that windy!
The following day was Friday and there were other things that prevented me from getting back out to Girdwood early enough to get to the Bake Shop. We did make it back there that night for dinner at The Double Musky, however! Earlier in the day, I was thinking ahead to the next day, Saturday, the day I would be flying out, and knew things might get a bit too damn busy to make it out The Bake Shop and so I called to make sure I could still have them shipped. I spoke with the owner who remembered me for years before when I had them shipped, and she said she was coming into Anchorage close to Noon the next day (Saturday)and could bring them if that made things easier! Yes, it did! And it did!!
Had one or two other places to stop to get things to bring back with me, but after successes in all but for the shipping of my belongings, it was time to return home.
It was not a great trip back.
A stop with a good 2 hour+ layover in Seattle turned into a seven hour layover as the flight to Chicago was delayed, and that meant missing my connecting flight home to Charlotte, North Carolina. With a bad knee and in growing discomfort having to spend from 11pm to approximately 6am in the airport trying to sleep, on the off-chance an earlier flight could somehow be arranged, I at least got an aisle seat on the flight to Chicago. Then it was a middle seat to Charlotte, which was not fun, but only 90 minutes or so, arriving Sunday night. And then an hour’s drive home, taking a total of fourteen hours of travel.
In the end, even that last day of travel, it was all worth it.
Giving Thanks Where Thanks Is Due
I haven't got a great big yacht
To sail from shore to shore
Still I've got plenty to be thankful for
No private car, no caviar
No carpet on my floor
Still I've got plenty to be thankful for
Ears to hear with
Arms to hug with
Lips to kiss with
Someone to adore
My needs are small, I buy 'em all
At the five and ten cent store
Oh, I've got plenty to be thankful for
Ears to hear with
Arms to hug with
Lips to kiss with
Someone to adore
My needs are small, I buy 'em all
At the five and ten cent store
Oh, I've got plenty to be thankful for!
“Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl, as with a little help beside, served the Company almost a week, at which time amongst other Recreations, we exercised our Arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deer, which they brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governor, and upon the Captain and others.”
~William Bradford
“Thanksgiving Proclamation
[New York, 3 October 1789]
By the President of the United States of America. a Proclamation.
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor—and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be—That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation—for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war—for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed—for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted—for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions—to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually—to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed—to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord—To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New-York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
Go: Washington”
1864
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
It has pleased Almighty God to prolong our national life another year, defending us with His guardian care against unfriendly designs from abroad and vouchsafing to us in His mercy many and signal victories over the enemy, who is of our own household. It has also pleased our Heavenly Father to favor as well our citizens in their homes as our soldiers in their camps and our sailors on the rivers and seas with unusual health. He has largely augmented our free population by emancipation and by immigration, while He has opened to us new sources of wealth and has crowned the labor of our workingmen in every department of industry with abundant rewards. Moreover, He has been pleased to animate and inspire our minds and hearts with fortitude, courage, and resolution sufficient for the great trial of civil war into which we have been brought by our adherence as a nation to the cause of freedom and humanity, and to afford to us reasonable hopes of an ultimate and happy deliverance from all our dangers and afflictions:
Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, do hereby appoint and set apart the last Thursday in November next as a day which I desire to be observed by all my fellow-citizens, wherever they may then be, as a day of thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God, the beneficent Creator and Ruler of the Universe. And I do further recommend to my fellow-citizens aforesaid that on that occasion they do reverently humble themselves in the dust and from thence offer up penitent and fervent prayers and supplications to the Great Disposer of Events for a return of the inestimable blessings of peace, union, and harmony throughout the land which it has pleased Him to assign as a dwelling place for ourselves and for our posterity throughout all generations.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, this 20th day of October, A.D. 1864, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-ninth.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
By the President:
WILLIAM H. SEWARD,
Secretary of State .
The only two written accounts of the first ‘thanksgiving’ feast seem to show a congeniality amongst the peoples. As an aside, I find it compelling that almost 200 years later when Lewis and Clark made their trek to find a passage to the West Coast, most of the tribes they came across were at least friendly enough to establish decent relations. This is by no means to suggest that genocide was not to be forthcoming, just that the first contacts seem to have begun as non-combative if not friendly. But this is a digression.
The one thing that connects all of these accounts and proclamations is a thankfulness for the bounties of ‘life’; having great stocks of food for the coming winter after the hardships of travel; having survived wars for Freedom, first of a country, and then of a people and a reunified nation. Al of these are also deeply rooted in religions, but certainly under an Almighty God.
These are the origins of the day. What has historically transpired afterwards is still a matter of record and does not paint Human Nature in a good light, but every history of every nation never does.
Myself, I choose to be truly thankful for my life and the bounties therein. I choose to do this on a regular basis, not just on the Day, but as it had been a family tradition for almost 60 years of my life and as I am thankful for those times and memories, and as I still have the opportunity to celebrate it with my 84 year old parents, I will remain thankful, and deeply, gratefully so!
As I have, at least until recently with the wonderful non-recession we are having in the US, been fortunate enough to be charitable and with the resurgence of disdain for the Day of Thanksgiving, I offer a link to a site for those who wish to show monetary support rather than simply lip-service to the Wampanoag peoples/tribe:
https://mashpeewampanoagtribe-nsn.gov/donations
Write On, Baby!
Finally, a quick update on my writing; there was a good month’s pause during and after the trip to Alaska, as much in Life became quite hectic at that point and there was either no time or no energy to do so. I was also reaching the last of scenes/chapters I had written years ago, knowing where the story was headed, and I was feeling a little weird about it. Those bits needed revision, as much had happened that was not expected in the rest of the story up to then, but also understanding, no matter that there may yet be 50+ pages left to write, that I was actually near the end of the book was strangely sad.
At any rate, writing has restarted, I will be adding one more Part to the five that already comprise it…
That’s it from this brain for now! Be well and I bid you Peace!
