Tag Archives: Holidays

Thanksgiving 2015

This year we loaded up with MIL Nana and Brother Bob and headed off to western Oklahoma for Thanksgiving.

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We got there Wednesday afternoon and the it was warm if a little windy so Logan, Brother Bob (way back there) and I found a nature trail to stretch our legs a little bit.

A little bit later and we started a pre-celebration. Thanksgiving is not something you want to get into without warming up to it.

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Among other things we celebrated Nana’s birthday. She likes bling, and among other things she got a blingy cap to add to her collection.

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She even had a crown on her cake.

Thanksgiving 2015 Collage

We had a great time with the family and met one or two new members, played a game or two and ate a lot of food. And then we booked it Thursday right after dinner to beat an ice storm bearing down on us from Colorado. You know people are too worried about Syrian immigrants coming into the US. I say bring them on, put them to work, we could use hard working people here. What  I want is for Colorado to keep all their winter weather at home. Is that asking too much?

How was your Thanksgiving??

Thanksgiving on the Run

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Thanksgiving morning my brother Bob, up from Corpus Christi, and I ran in a food run on the Arkansas River Trails. Bob has been running pretty steadily since the big running boom of the 80’s. Me, I’m a poser.

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It was the Von Franken Family Food Run. There is no entry fee. They just ask you to bring a sack of non-perishable food items. No tee shirt, no medals, and of course no timing and no closed course but it sure is popular and fun.

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I think they filled the truck before the event was over.

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There were some dogs out there ready to be rescued. We are full up with our three mutts. I tried to get brother Bob to get a dog but he didn’t want one.

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There was lots of selfie action going on. I love to take pictures of people taking pictures. Don’t ask my why.

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Here is some more selfie action going on.

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I mentioned that this was a low budget, low pressure, run. Well, I didn’t hear a gun to signal the start but Bob said, “Look they are running.”  So off we went. It took a while for the starting group to unpack. There were all sorts of runners, walkers, waddlers, dogs, baby strollers on the course but we just ran around them and others ran around me.

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Bob gradually pulled away and I was going on at an easy pace. My legs were a little sore so I just loped along enjoying the view. We still have lots of fall color up in the trees. I just love it.

And then I got to wondering just how long was this race. I told Bob that it was about three miles but we just ran and ran and the turnaround wasn’t until 2.7 miles. I caught up with him there. And then he took off again while I stopped and got a drink at the water fountain cuz in this low budget wonderful race there are no water stops with no huge mess of water cups left over by the runner. I was surprised the water fountains were still running this late in the year.

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There was a family playing football on the rugby field What a way to spend Thanksgiving morning right? I mean if you don’t feel like running. And anyway I caught up with Bob just before the finish line. We grabbed a cup of coffee and went home to get cleaned up.

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We had Thanksgiving over at Nana’s house. I had smoked a couple of turkey’s on Wednesday plus we had all the usual trimmings. It was wonderful. Afterwards Bob and I watched the Dallas Cowboys lose to the Philadelphia Eagles. You can tell that Bob made friends with Nana’s Fiona. Bob should have got one of those rescue dogs is what I think.

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I suck at inside Turkey Day photographs. Here is Heather and her mother Nana working in the kitchen.

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And here is Heather and Nana working over my son Logan in a cutthroat game of Farkel during the game. They are way past the old let the kid win phase. He can hold his own in Farkel even against his cutthroat Mom and Grandmother.

So, I had a great Thanksgiving. How was yours?

Our World – Dia De Los Muertos

Saturday was a busy, busy day for the family. Heather went with her Mother to western Oklahoma to visit family. Logan has a lot of stuff going on and so he and I stayed home. So I took him to his horseback riding class, then to his Improv comedy workshop, and then to his rehearsal (Have I told you that he auditioned for and got a part in a Christmas play coming up.)

Anyways while he was at rehearsal I ventured to the Brady District north of downtown and took in the Day of the Dead celebration at Living Arts of Tulsa. I had always wanted to go and now I had my chance.

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The first thing I saw were the murals. For something celebrating the dead they sure are alive. I love the big bright colors. The holiday is known as Dia De Los Muertos and originates in Mexico.

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They are macabre in a friendly kind of way.

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I really don’t get the symbolism.

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This is my favorite.

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There were two stages and lots of performances.  I saw  Ballet Folklorico Tonatiuh performing some amazing dances.

The video is only 12 seconds long. These young ladies are spectacular. It brought back some great memories of Ballet Folklorico de Mexico which I got to see during a two week stay in Mexico City when I was in high school.

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As good as the murals and the performing arts were, the most fascinating thing at the show for me were the Altars or Ofrendas made to departed loved ones. The Day of the Dead is the day that the dead reunite with the living. The altars are set up in honor of the dead, not to worship them. Lots of good information here. The altar above is for Robin Williams.

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This one is for the women who were convicted and executed for witchcraft at the Salem witch trials.

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This one was set up in honor of dog. Note the treats and personal items and photographs. The candles are to help guide the spirit to the Altar.

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Their were altars that were very personal. Note the fresh fruit and snacks which is common. The marigolds are common also.

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Note the beverages which were favorites of the departed and the bread, Pan de Muerto. The dead do not eat or drink the beverages. Instead they absorb the aroma and extract the essence of the food or drink.

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A suicide support group had put together an altar.

I loved the whole concept of once a year reuniting in spirit with the loved ones. I found the whole thing to be a celebration of life and an affirmation of a belief in the afterlife, rather than a macabre fascination with death.  It got me thinking, I think I might have to specify what I want on my Ofrenda. Pictures of Heather, Logan, and I on the beach would be a must. And my GPS receiver and an ammo box for geocaching, one of my many participant ribbons for my running, a sunrise photograph and one of my cheap film cameras for  photography. . Oh, yeah a Fat Tire Beer, and a Snicker’s Bar.  And a Breaking Bad DVD, along with one of Chinatown (the best movie ever made. I’m not even going to discuss it!) And don’t forget a Metallica CD, or Five Finger Death Punch.  I could go on and on.

What about you, what would your Offrenda have on it?

Our World Tuesday