Happy New Year!

Here comes 2018.

For a nod to the old, the traditional, we have standing plans to gather with the McCords and the usual suspects - which includes two other families mas-y-menos their "kids".  We all just call this event, New Years at the Blue House.

The McCords have plans to sell their house, 2-story bunkhouse, barn and pasture and move back to the Dallas area in the coming year.  So Donna says. "Y'all, this is the last one - everyone do their darndest to get here this time!"

The Blue House
New Years Tradition at the McCord's
East Texas Estate

We had 18 answer the call, which included Inga and Sean winning the prize for 'furthest traveled' as they flew into Dallas from Portland on December 30.

It was everyone up and at 'em come morning of the 31st for our 104 mile journey to the Blue House where everyone was waiting to meet Sean.

Inga contemplates a pink
Girl Power Princess Sword in the Fireworks Warehouse

Part of the traditional New Year's Eve hoopla is to ignite our own pyrotechnics in the dirt drive off of the front porch as midnight approaches.  This spectacle is mainly the boys - but plenty of girls join in the thrill of making things explode, pop, boom and burst.  Sean was particularly pumped to throw his punk into the action, as he had never had an opportunity to feel the rush of launching exploding great balls of fire into the night; it isn't his fault he was raised in western Oregon where good, clean fun is outlawed.  There you are free to light up and inhale cannabis until you're as high as a bottle rocket, but you can't light up a bottle rocket while sober. We stopped 2/3 of the way out to the McCords to select some appealing pyro toys at one of the several warehouses opened for just such an occasion.

Racks and racks of explosive entertainment to choose from -
What do we need and what do we want?

Check out.
Check it all out.

Sean joined right in with all the good ol' boys and lit his share of artillery shells, roman candles, flaming fountains and fire crackers in proper celebratory fashion.

The Sunesons signed up to serve dinner to the gathering crowd on New Years Eve.  This year we decided to serve roast beef, buttered asparagus, pineapple + fruit salad with Italian bread.  Cheese cake for dessert.  It goes without saying that their was plenty of wine flowing at dinner too, including a few bottles imported from the Willamette Valley by Inga (who knows the vintner).

Fried Filipino Pork Rolls
are made fresh for a tasty mid-day appetizer

Donna's kitchen where snacks and meals seem constantly in preparation,  is one center of activity.  Once the snacks are finished, they rolled out of the kitchen to the other activity centers and served to those playing board games around the big dinner table and to those who are working feverishly to complete this year's jigsaw puzzle.

Plentiful snacks are to be had at the bar
on the periphery of the kitchen

Intense board game - who is the assassin? Who is the double agent?

The games is cleared off the dining table (briefly)
to make room for lunch

Brenda and Sue do there puzzling work
over cocktails and chatting now that all of  the
edge pieces are in place.

While dinner prep starts before all of the dirty dishes are even clean, the parlor activities begin anew, puzzles and board games.

The roast beef is in the oven and 18 people are working up an appetite.

Donna sets the "Kids Table" for
Dinner and Drinks

Done with lunch. Let the games resume!

Dinner dishes now cleared and cleaned.  It is time to move outside to ignite the night sky with our own fireworks display.

We add some color to the last night of 2017

This year we have to bundle up extra warm (and maybe that still wasn't enough) as it was around freezing with some tiny ice pellets falling into our smoke and tracers this year.

After the noise and smoke coming with much sound and fury, we retire to the warm indoors and get ready for the replay of the TV Times Square Ball-Drop Count Down... 5-4-3-2-1!  

Happy New Year!

James works on popping the top of a bottle of bubbly

Well, that year is over.  Let's all unwind and get ready for bed.

Inga and  Sean
Retire to the sofa after a long 2017 and a day of
Blue House Activities

A bright New Year's Day.  Pogo and I go for a walk down the hill to the pasture to see what 2018 looks like.  We'll be back before lunch to make sure we eat our greens for new year prosperity and our black-eyed peas for good luck.  A Texas tradition.

Pogo and I investigate the spring-fed stock pond
in the lower pasture

New Years Day
The sky is a bright blue
The air is crisp
and I hope it is a fruitful year for all of us!

Happy New Year to each and everyone!  Enjoy the journey.

Half-A-Holiday Visit

A bit of holiday cheer comes at us from text messages and a final old-fashioned voice on the cell phone: Inga will definitely make plans to return to Texas for a few days after Christmas and stay through New Year's Day so as to attend the traditional 4-family, multi-day and night gathering at the McCord's east Texas estate (know simply as "The Blue House") outside the Texas rural crossroads signed as Montalba.  Will her boyfriend Sean come? - yet to be determined, based on work schedules of course.  After a few days and working to make the pieces fall into place, Sean arranges to get a few days off over New Years.  Inga and Sean book a late flight for December 30 to arrive at Dallas' Love Field at 11 PM.

Inga come bearing bottles
for New Years at the Blue House.
Wine courtesy of Angel Vine - Vineyard owned
by one of Inga's college roomates 

Having raised the family here from start to finish, and racked up almost 30 years in the same place myself, I find it interesting to observe when our grown kids return to the place of their formative years with their sweethearts, I enjoy seeing what eating, entertainment venues and sights they choose to share with those with whom they have a close bond of affection.  A litmus test of sorts as to what we parents did to make a favorable impression on the kids. Last time (the first time) Inga brought Sean to town, Inga chose to bring Sean to a What-A-Burger (Texas homegrown burger chain), a Texas Rangers baseball game and a few other local sights.  This time, for Sean's second visit, Inga requested that we go to eat at Cafe Brazil; a coffee shop and casual artistic diner with original art hung generously around the two dining rooms with a Texas-flair menu specializing in breakfast, but with plenty of other toothsome items served 24 hours a day.  A perfect selection for a late night arrival into town.  Come down to Texas Sean and we'll fill your belly with some good Cafe Brazil fixin's.  Inga says she has been "talking up Cafe Brazil to Sean for awhile" - now comes the proof.

I think we can say that everyone enjoyed what was set before them late that night toward the end of the year.

A late Christmas Gift - save the shipping since
we'll be in town a few days after Christmas anyway

The four of us overnighted here in Garland, but the main event is to get out 104 miles southeast of the Suneson place to Anderson County and our traditional Blue House New Years cooking-eating-snacking-visiting-cooking-puzzling-snacking-pyrotechnic boomapaloooza-drinking-gaming-snacking and eating celebration.  Same as it ever was, except the once young kids now have jobs girlfriends and boyfriends and don't arrive in a van with their parents, nor do they like to do what their parents tell them to do; like I said, same as it ever was.

Sean takes a seat after flying in from Portland
for New Years at the Blue House
with Inga & Parents

Donna McCord says that they have intentions to put the Blue House on the market and move back to the Dallas area in 2018.  So everyone please come and make this New Year's at the Blue House extra crowded and extra special!  Inga heard and answered the call and was pleased to bring Sean along to get a taste of some of her pleasant childhood memories with some close family friends.

We'll need to get up early(ish), especially for those still on Pacific Time, and get out to East Texas, since we're in charge of cooking tonight's dinner; roast beef, asparagus and crusty Italian bread for 17!

Christmas Morning 2017

We slept in on Christmas morning.  In part because of Sue's work at First Presbyterian and all of the Christmas activity she had to conduct as Director of Christian Education.  Christmas Eve on a Sunday is a lot of work for those who work at church.

Once we were up, it was cold enough to have a fire in the fireplace, not always the case in Texas.  With cheery flames dancing below the stockings hung from the mantle, we warmed our toes by the flames and unwrapped our gifts.  Taking calls from our kids out in Portland and in New York.

We'll share our fireside Christmas with you.

Christmas Morning Fireside
The stockings were all hung with care,
in hopes that St. would soon be there...

Popsicle Toes
About to dig into her stocking stuffed with little goodies

Mark's Christmas Cracker is a Pirate Theme
A One-Eyed Buccaneer wish ya a Merry Christmas Mattie! 

Bring out the Christmas Gifts!

A stack of mystery and fun anticipation

Yum.  A jar of Marionberry jam form Oregon

Swedish Gummies - advertised as better than orange peanuts

Bird-feeder Gourd-Head

US Grant - A nice book to go with my recent readings of
Andrew Jackson and Alexander Hamilton biographies

What's so amusing?

Thai Cooking made fun and easy

We were in the middle of eating our Christmas candies and sweets, talking to the kids on the phone and peeling of the wrapping paper when the doorbell rings.

It is Tahir, our Muslim neighbor; "Merry Christmas" I say to him as he offers me a plate of hot-off-the-griddle crepes just made by his mother.  Kubra has sent her oldest son over to our door as she has just made us Christmas breakfast.  So sweet.

Tahir delivers Christmas Morning Crepes
from next door
We are often the recipients of his
Mother's great cooking & baking 

We loaded the hot crepes with our Christmas jams and had a merry ol' time this Christmas Day.  

Sang the angels upon visiting the shepherds to bring news of great joy that will be for all people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 

Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to men on whom

His favor rests.

Book of Luke 2:14

Christmas Tide Rolls In

Advent Sunset

I managed to get all of my remaining working Christmas light strings (some of these go back to the 1970's) strung out along the hedge next to our front windows and the remaining strands wrapped around one of the two large ash trees in the front
yard by the First Sunday of Advent.

A few of the old 1970's Christmas lights
wrapped around the frontyard ash tree

The Interior of the house got a later start and a minor Christmas Season decorating treatment just before Christmas Eve and the hoped-for arrival of St. Nick himself.

 Our 'whispering pine' came home from the traditional Kadee Christmas Tree Farm and was placed in its spiffy new tree stand.  Getting it to fit and sit upright is a balancing act.  After several iterations, we had her straight and proper, moved the stand into the dining room corner - a new location for our tree, made possible by our new kitchen and the subsequent furniture rearrangement that placed the hutch formerly in the dinning room, into our remodeled kitchen.

We now had room to place the shiny and bedazzling Christmas gifts under the boughs of the decorated tree.

Now the house is all fancy and decorated for Christmas.  Let us celebrate with a good meal and a bottle of wine.

Merry Christmas.

Whispering Pines, "Take Me Home Tonight"

 Doesn't it just always seem that the holidays get here really quick?
And those holiday things that I should get done, or even want to get done, I am quickly behind.  How does this keep happening?

It was only days until Christmas when we noticed we did not have a Christmas Tree in the house.  I hope I never go for a plastic Christmas Tree, seems like a mockery of the holiday magic to me, kind of like a plastic Jesus on the dashboard of my car.  But if we wanted to keep Suneson Family Tradition alive, that means a drive into rural East Texas' Hunt County to Kadee Farms to select and cut a live tree.

It was Saturday.  Christmas Eve would be upon us in a week.  It is now or never, do you really want Suneson Family Tradition to DIE from mere lack of effort?  The answer is no.  Well then, get your twinkle toes into the SUV and let's go fell us a Christmas Tree!

Sue with hack saw at the ready - Ponders, which tree is the right tree?

The walk among the Virginia Pines is part of the pondering process, part of the tradition.  
     How about this one?  
     "Maybe", is the appropriate response.  
     Let's keep looking thought.  So we do.  

We walk, we ponder.  Perhaps it would be appropriate to get a 'ponder'-osa pine for our Christmas tree?

    How about this one?
    Maybe.
    Well maybe not.  It has a forked top, a bit off-center and I think it looks kind of wan.
    So, what I hear you saying is that this is the 'wan' tree for us?
    I wish I didn't have to hear that.

We walk. We ponder.  Sometimes we pun.

I think we need to go back to that one we liked over by the big tree.  I think I need to see that one again.

This  beauty has just whispered, "Take me home tonight, I'm all yours"

    Is this the one?
    Yes.  I hear this one whispering, "Take me home tonight".
    Are you accustom to having trees talk to you?
    I said "whisper", not "talk".  And yes, in my day, I quickly became accustom to well-shaped beauties whispering to me, "take me home tonight".  So for your information, I am accustom to hearing these 'pining' breathless pleas.
    I wish I didn't have to hear that.
    Too late Ethyl, you can't unhear.

Stand back.  I'll make the cut then.  And within a few seconds she was down on the ground and ready to be carried back to our home.

And with a few swift strokes, she fell into my arms

 

Triumphant Lumber Jill

Suneson Tradition mandates a stop for Texas BBQ on the way home.  So with the scent of a pine, pitched in the back of the SUV, we pull into the gravel parking lot of Big Daddy's BBQ.  It is a two-meat plate for me with ribs and sliced brisket.  

As we lick the lingering sauce from our lips, Sue say, "Now - it's Christmas."

A Suneson Tradition secured for another Christmas Season.

Party, Party, Party

Before we three left home to celebrate Thanksgiving and my 60th birthday with the family of Grant's steady girlfriend, the Gauls; I had a visit from the 11 year old Tahir from next door.  Tahir had been sent over by his mother to make sure I was to be home on Saturday after Thanksgiving, "because we have a special party for you Mark!"  I am charmed.

Tahir and his family moved from Turkey and rented the house next door in 2016.  I noticed Tahir and his younger brother Fatih, riding bikes up and down the sidewalk while I was doing yardwork and struck up a friendship with them.  Inviting the boys to visit our tortoises (Tahir exclaimed, "I Love these Ninja Turtles!").  I had given the boys a good theatrical and dramatically scary American Halloween for the past two years and I have often been surprised by baked treats being delivered to my door by one or both of the boys from their mother, Kubra (she is a fantastically wonderful cook).  In the spirit of the season, I delivered a couple of colorfully wrapped Christmas presents to each of the boys in 2016, and made a point of giving them birthday presents in October and November this year.  The young brothers are appropriately fluent in English, their father Mehmet is pretty good with his English, while Kubra speaks little English.  The boys do most of the translating, but the intentions came across unmistakably clear: Mark, you are our good neighbor and friend, please come to our house at 7 on Saturday for your special party."  I said, I am delighted to enjoy such a treat, may I bring my son Grant with me along with my wife?  It was agreed, they would host us 3 Sunesons for a Turkish feast and and birthday party.

Mehmet, Kubra, Tahir and Fatih welcomed us in to their house (after instructing us to please remove our shoes before entering).  I was directed to a seat of honor on a low table stocked with treats and exotic tastes and surrounded by walls hung with party paraphernalia.   Once again I am charmed.  I made introduction of my family and we were seated and told that in Turkey, close neighbors are also to be considered as family, we were welcomed as such.

My Birthday Cake
Baked by Kubra and served along with Turkish Pastries, Stuffed Breads, Nuts, Fruit, Tea
and the meal was finished with a small cup of Turkish Coffee

We talked of families, those back in Turkey and of ours as well, and they wanted to know about New York City from Grant.  Kubra (through translation) wished to know how Americans brew their tea and coffee [Turks apparently use a 2-chambered tea kettle with loose tea leaves. Americans, we said often opt for a cup in the microwave and a teabag].  The grand treatment continued as I was given a gift of a dress shirt, while my wife received an ultra soft throw blanket and Grant was given long-sleeve knit shirt.  Kubra has studied fashion design, Mehmet, was a pharmacist in Turkey, but took a position in America with a Turkish partner who runs an auto parts supply and rental car business.  "It's the 'American Dream'", Mehmet said with a smile.

Birthday Diner Party with our Turkish Neighbors.
(L to R) Kubra, Sue, Mark, Tahir, Mehmet and Fatih (photo by Grant)

For our part, we offered to be of any assistance we could in translating American culture if they needed such, and Sue offered to work with Kubra on her English skills on Fridays - but so far the two had not gotten together.  Kubra expressed an interest through her husband in perhaps opening a Turkish restaurant or bake shop, a move we would be supportive of, advising her not to make her food "too American", as we counseled her that her customers would want something authentic and out of the ordinary.  She was not sure Turkish food would appeal; based on the samples of her cooking that I've tasted, I am sure that it would be a hit.

We left the home of our neighbors in good cheer and returned to our own unadorned dining room to a low-key wind-down of my birthday celebration by opening a couple of gifts from my family.

Birth party continues in our Dining Room
with the opening of a couple of gifts from my family

What a great cosmic alignment.  With Thanksgiving and 3 birthday parties celebrated to the fullest - time to get ready for Christmas and New Years!

The fun may slow down, but it never ceases around here.  Celebrate good times, good family good neighbors and enjoy the journey.

Thanks-Birth-Giving-Day Cosmic Alignment

Sometimes the stars, moon, sun, calendar, events and people just seem to fall into a wonderful alignment. It could be my lucky day.

If you get those three cherry symbols to line up on your slot machine in the casino - it's called a JACKPOT!

If you get your birthday, Thanksgiving, family, friends and neighbors to fall into a wonderful alignment as I did this past November 23rd - it's called a Thanks-Birth-Giving-Day Cosmic Party Feast Alignment. It was my lucky day! 

On our fridge we always have a picture calendar hanging on the freezer door. Yeah, we have calendar apps on our phones too, but as an old curmudgeon, I like to have the month laid out before me as I open the fridge door to grab a pitcher of OJ.  Besides, phone apps are not for "old people", and as I glance at the November calendar on the fridge I am reminded that I am getting to be an "old people", I'll be 60 on Thursday the 23rd.  And hey, that is also Thanksgiving Day, 2017.  What a coincidence.  How should I handle this upcoming, two-fisted day of food, fun, feting, feasting, family and friends and otherwise fine folks?  Sounds like it could be an alliterative f'in good time, eh?

Anticipation for the  events on the 23rd kept increasing as we got word from son Grant that he would arrange to fly out of New York on Wednesday night and arrive back in Dallas at 5 til midnight.  He'd just started a job as a feature writer for Wall Street 24/7 on October 1, and had no vacation to spend until 6 months on the job, so for him it would be in at the last minute of Wednesday 11/22, Thanksgiving and then quickly back to NY City on Saturday.  The question remained, what takes precedence, Thanksgiving or birthday?  It's my birthday, so I get to decide.

Grant flies home to Garland for Thanskgiving
Then up early on Thursday for the drive to be with
Kaileen and her family near Houston

The precedence problem was not much of a problem; as I see it, what is better than inviting fine folks to your party? Why, being invite to their party of course!  Such was the cosmic alignment of the coming day, Grant's best girl was also flying in from New York to Houston for Thanksgiving with her family, and we were all invited to come on down to share the holiday with them.  I decided to make Thanksgiving the big event and my birthday a lesser hurrah.  Sue baked a couple of pies, pecan and pumpkin, which slept in the backseat along with Grant as we left Garland earlyish morning on Thursday for Thanksgiving with Kaileen and her family north of Houston.  We had done this 3 1/2 hour trip a couple years back and had a fine time with Kaileen's family, including her brother, two grandmothers and a grandfather there. We would stay over Thanksgiving night with them, working off the tryptophan and serotonin stupor, before returning north on Friday.   

Oh Goodie!
It is a Thanks-Birth-Giving-Day Celebration
Pies in the Gaul's kitchen are ready for post-feat serving

Glenda prepared a sumptuous meal for all of us.  The dinner bell was rung in the late afternoon as we gathered to give thanks and then tuck in to the wonderful spread before us, turkey, ham and all of the fixin's with a glass (or two) of wine all around - saving a smidgen of room for Sue's pie desserts.

After the meal has settled a bit, we adjourned to the pool deck where we played a few games of corn-hole, tossing beanbags onto sloped boards and trying to drop our bag through the hole across the patio.  I did not win at corn-hole, even though it was my birthday. 

We stepped out into the mild Houston sunshine and walked along the canals, fountains and sculptures installed in the planned community of The Woodlands, where our hosts, the Gauls, live.  It was a very good afternoon.  After the sun retired, we put sweaters and sweatshirts on, filled our glasses with a Chardonnay and gathered around the patio fire pit for conversation.  To me this was a perfect start to my sixtieth decade; good to have had a good meal, gotten a few jesting age-themed cards, settled in around an open flame with a glass of wine and enjoy everyone there, and especially delighted to see Grant and Kaileen happy together and comfortable amongst their elders.

God bless us everyone! And a joyous Thanks-Birth-Giving-Day to me!