Now that all of my stuff had been delivered (more than a month after it had been picked up), I began unpacking in earnest. Not only did I want to make my house look more presentable and less like a storage shed, Christmas was coming and so was my friend Nedra. I had to get busy.
Christmas lights:
Having just gotten back from a wonderful weekend in the Christmasy faux-Bavarian village of Leavenworth, I was really in the Christmas spirit. While I didn't have the time to decorate my house, I was delighted to learn there was an amazing light display on the island not too far away. Erich, who was still here visiting, and I went to check it out and it was awesome. Truly.
Both sides of the street were totally decorated. I believe it is the work of one family. It was so fantastic, I took my mother back a few days later and also took Nedra when she finally came to town. It was ho-ho-ho magical.
Mom picked up these rope lights for me that I planned to wrap around my deck railings, but they got lost in the sea of boxes. (They've since been found and will be put out next year.) I had one of those light projector things. Mine is a cheap-o and didn't work very well. I was just too busy to decorate properly, since I had just moved in. The things I was most happy about were finding the wooden Santa and giant candy cane that my grandfather had made in either the 1950s or 60s. It was nice to have those up in my new place.
Vye had asked if I had gotten a tree. I had found my little purple Christmas tree. But that was all I had planned on having for the year.
Christmas cards and gifts:
Wow! Christmas cards flooded the mailbox this year. I know it is hard to see here, but my mantle was just too small for them all. The cards were stacked three or four deep and were on top of each other. I still received more, some even more than a week after the holiday. (The last one arrived January 4th.) Of course, I mailed out more than 150 cards myself. I realize no one sends cards any more. I wasn't expecting such a response, but... Ho! Ho! Ho!
While I did receive Christmas chocolates from my friends Christa and Jenny and a big (HUGE) box of goodies from my friend Dina, I also received a few other boxed of chocolates anonymously. I have no idea who sent them.
All I know is that they all mysteriously, um... disappeared. (Yeah, that's what happened. Uh huh.) Oh my stars!
This pocket knife also arrived early in the holiday mail season with no note or anything to clue me in as to who sent it. It was only after Christmas that I learned it was from my former co-worker Mike.
This nifty ELF-themed mug also showed up without any note or way to determine who had sent it. And it was broken. Waaaagh!
So many things came--wow! Thank you all. I got a custom coffee mug from Shookie, long johns from Robin & Skye. Melaney sent a flannel shirt. Janet sent a nifty vintage tiki flyer. John sent me a Visa gift card (for way too much money)! But there was one last gift that again I have no idea who sent it. It was a giant bag of underwear! Ha! (I just found out this was sent by former co-worker Jerry and his family. Hee hee!)
Nedra arrives:
On December 23rd, my friend Nedra arrived. Nedra is my oldest friend--or, I should say, she is the friend I've known the longest. I met her when I was a junior (and she was a freshman) in high school in the fall of 1981. We became fast friends and have been part of each others' lives since. Nedra lives in Los Angeles now and this would make the third Christmas in a row we'd get to spend together.
Meds:
One of the things that I have had to struggle with during the move is getting my medications in place. I thought I had them all lined up to be filled via mail order and I thought I'd had everything filled before I moved. But that apparently was not the case. UGH! About a week before Christmas, I ran out of one of my blood pressure medications. Swell. I went to the bag of meds that had just been refilled and...there was not a bottle there. My mom actually had a bottle of the same medication and dosage that I was taking---so I had that to last me a few days. I was calling CVS--both the mail order place and my old pharmacy. My pharmacy couldn't send them as I was too far away. The mail order place couldn't send them because the pharmacy had taken possession of the prescription and I had to fight to get it relinquished back to the mail order place.
In the mean time, I was trying to call my cardiologist's office and get them to send a prescription to a pharmacy here on the island--since we do not have a CVS. I explained the situation and was assured they'd handle things...only to find they were NOT handled. I had to call the cardiologist's office 4 or 5 times altogether. Even though I told them I wanted the prescription sent to a pharmacy here, I think they just sent it to my pharmacy in California. One of my doctor's assistants left a voice mail stating that my doctor was no longer with the practice and I'd have to find another doctor because they couldn't prescribe for me any more. Hello? I had just been to the office in October and had been told they would help until I got established elsewhere with a cardiologist. That takes time. I don't even meet my new primary doctor until later this month and he will be the one referring me to a cardiologist. Geez.
On my last call to the cardiologist's office, I got someone who was intelligent and understood what I needed. She not only got my prescription sent in, she wrote it to last for an entire year---so there won't be any more hassles until I get started with a new doctor.
On Christmas Eve I was finally able to go and pick up my pills...and the line was huge.
Christmas Eve:
Erich's family had a tradition, all during his growing up years, of going out for Chinese food on Christmas Eve. We went to China City in Freeland for dinner. There's another, closer location in Oak Harbor, but the Freeland location is much nicer. It was a delightful evening. Mom even decided to go with us. That almost never happens.
Christmas:
Christmas morning was c-o-l-d, but sunny. I was pleased. Despite moving, unpacking, etc. I was actually ready for Christmas on time. All of my 150+ cards had been filled out and sent. Presents had been wrapped and mailed or placed under the tree. My house wasn't free of moving clutter, but it looked a lot better than it had. With friends here, I was actually going to be able to enjoy the holiday.
Snow in Coupeville and lunch at Toby's:
The next day, the world was white. Mom tried, but could not get her car going to back out. She couldn't even get into her car. The doors were frozen shut. 
A simple white Christmas had given way to a regular winter wonderland.
From my bedroom window that morning, I watched a pair of deer wander the snowy streets.
It was literally freezing outside. Nedra spent the morning making her unicorn head pillow -- a gag gift Erich had gotten her.
Eventually, curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to see how Coupeville looked in the snow. So with my cane firmly in hand, I set off to check things out.
The church down the street from me owns it, I think, but no one ever uses it. I checked it out and was delighted to see my house from there.
Coup's Village, a shopping center, looked almost surreal to me seeing it covered in snow.
This cool farm looked straight out of New England...not an island in the Pacific Northwest.
This house also looked rather Currier & Ives. I almost expected to see a horse-drawn sleigh come round the bend any moment.
Even Mom's house looked festively frosty.
But then I got the call from Erich and Nedra. They were heading back down the trail. It was time to head to the cemetery.
I parked at the entrance to the cemetery and trailhead. There is a vista point there that looks out on the Ebey Prairie.
Since I had to wait, I decided to drive through the cemetery a little bit and get some more pictures.
I know it is no big deal, but it was just so weird seeing the cemetery covered in snow as well.
I wondered how much snow the old blockhouse in the cemetery (one of four on the island) has seen over the years.
Years ago, I lucked out and got to take an historical tour of the cemetery when I had been up to the island visiting. The town is very big on its history.
That day though, I couldn't remember a thing about it. All I could think was that for a place called Sunnyside, it certainly didn't seem very warm or inviting. Brr.
And then I spotted Nedra...
Once Nedra and Erich piled into the car, we headed off to Langley, about 30 minutes away.
I'd never been there at Christmas time before. I really liked the Christmas decorations near and on the statue of the boy looking out to the sound with his dog. The snow made it perfect.
We got into Langley kind of late in the day. Nedra and Erich were wanting to eat, so the first thing we did was head to the Bistro above the Star Store (which was closed -- and a major disappointment as we all wanted to visit it.)
We had fun up there. We had cocktails (Mine, whatever it was, utilized a Krampus liqueur), French onion soup, mussels and other yumminess.
Even though the town was illuminated, there were not many shops open and the town was mostly deserted.
I'd been to Langley lots of times, so it was no big deal to me. But this was Nedra's first visit. I was disappointed for her.
I stopped by the glass sculpture garden that is part of a gallery next door.
I'd seen it before, but never illuminated. The snow created an interesting accent to it all.
One shop we did get into is one of Erich's favorites, Music for the Eyes. It's a shop that carries wares (carpets, jewelry, clothes, etc.) that have been crafted in other parts of the world. There is some amazing stuff in there.
Back home, the houses out the back window looked Hallmark card Christmas-y perfect.
Nedra was suitably impressed with the views and the bridge at the pass.
She and Erich decided to walk the bridge. There are actually two spans. There is a small, island that acts as a bridge between the two and is where Island County meets Skagit County.
I had intended to meet them on the little island after they set off. But there had been no place to pull off on the south-bound side. So I continued on to the far side of the bridge.
The road was clear, but not the narrow walking path. It was filled with slushy snow.
It was a quick stop--but Nedra seemed to have enjoyed it.
There are two sides of Callen's. Unfortunately we got seated in the side that had live entertainment. They were okay--but LOUD. We couldn't really enjoy our conversation. Erich and Nedra enjoyed their meals. Mine was okay.
Back at my place, we decided to play games until midnight. Nedra made an hors d'oeuvre plate. We invited my mom and Pam from downstairs. Both declined. We also invited my brother and nephew.
...To my utter surprise, they came. They arrived about 11. This was the first time I had seen my brother since arriving November 6th. (And he lives just a block and a half away!)
Ronnie and Nedra are the same age...and were in the same year of high school when she and I met. That had been in the fall of 1981...40 years ago! (WHERE did the time go?)
I don't really know my nephew all that well as he's lived up here since he was very young. He's 18 now. But I am proud of him. He seems very bright. It is his senior year of high school, but he has no classes. Instead, he is taking all college classes online. He'll graduate with his high school classmates in June, but that's all he really has to do with the high school actually.
Since I hadn't seen them for Christmas, we exchanged our presents that night. One of the things they got me was A NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS-themed card game. It was for ages 6+, but hello? It was so complicated and so convoluted that none of us could figure out how to play it. Ha!
But it was a nice ending to 2021. Ron and Brawn were only here a short while, but we all had a nice time.
I know the size and scope of this photo is impossible to make out, but I was astounded to see Ebey's Prairie covered in snow along with the bluffs I used to walk on my visits here (back when I could do walks).
We were soon arriving at Port Townsend.
We wanted to get breakfast when we arrived in town. I knew of a few places, but Nedra had found a place called the Blue Moose Cafe while searching online, so we thought we'd try it. It was in the middle of a shipyard, but it turned out to be great.
The place was kind of funky and eclectic, but the menu looked decent, it was full of diners (We were lucky to get a table!), and they make their own brand of coffee.
I don't recall what Nedra had, but I opted for their special Monte Cristo sandwich (without ham-yuck!). Ooooo. This place ain't Denny's.
Because the roads were icy, we didn't get to visit Fort Worden or much of the "Uptown" (as in, on top of the hill) section of the city. We went to the old "Downtown" section (at the base of the hill along the sound), walked around and visited some shops. There is a small park with stairs to the "uptown" portion of Port Townsend. In the center is this fountain that was completely frozen over.
At midnight that night, I got my Fake Jan Day video for the year posted. Erich and Nedra had helped me with it -- and I so appreciated their help.
Mom had been hoping the sun would melt the snow and she'd be able to get her car out. She tried several times, but she just could not get it to back up the small hill of my drive way. So, for the second night, we had another roommate.
Langley:
December 27th dawned sunny, but still below freezing. Mom was determined to get herself and her truck out of the driveway and home. She was finally able to get into her truck and get it going to warm it up. My car was also warming up.
Mom managed to get her truck backed up the hill of my driveway and get on home. Hooray.
Nedra and Erich had gone on a walk to the bluffs. The plan was for me to pick them up at the trailhead near the cemetery on the hill and head into Langley. Before that, though, I hoped to get some more shots of snow-covered things on the outskirts of town.
The wooden snowmen at the town border seemed to fit right in.
Sunnyside Cemetery is on the hillside of the west (?) side of town.
Shirley:
Since the fierce storm that knocked the power out not long after I arrived here, Shirley has been sleeping in her box with this heating mechanism hanging over her. When the temperatures started heading south here, I moved the heat unit down to ensure her warmth. However, I think I made her too warm as I found her one day with most of her body outside of the box.
I raised the heating doodad back up to where it had been before. I expected to find her back inside the box a few days later. Instead, I found her almost all of the way out. Is she waking up? She is still asleep, but I left a water bowl out for her just in case. I later noticed that she looked as if she was trying to navigate herself back into the box backwards, but her butt end hit the side. I don't think that, in her somnambulistic state, she can figure out that she needs to readjust.
Deception Pass:
On the last day of 2021, Nedra decided she wanted to check out Deception Pass. The sky was sunny, although there was still snow. Her days were limited. Why not go? Deception Pass is where there is a land bridge connecting Whidbey Island to Fidalgo Island (where you can catch another bridge that connects to the mainland). It's the only way off of the island that does not require a ferry. We stopped for gas on the way. $3.219? I am constantly blown away by the gas prices here. We are definitely not in California any more.
When we got home, I took a picture that just might be my Christmas card next year. (Act surprised if it is.)
New Year's Eve:
We didn't really have plans New Year's Eve. For dinner, we wanted to go someplace special or nice. But where do you go on an island? We ended up at Callen's, which is a pretty decent place near the Port Townsend ferry terminal.
New Year's Day in Port Townsend:
New Year's Day promised to be cold--but without rain or much wind. We were running out of time for Nedra's visit, so she and I took the car and caught the ferry to Port Townsend for the day.
We caught our ferry back and rejoined Erich for dinner.
Into 2022 and Nedra leaves:
The snow finally started melting on the 2nd, which was also Fake Jan Day. All three of us--Nedra, Erich, and myself--had enjoyed the beauty of the snow, but I hated driving in it. UGH!
I ran into my brother at Safeway in Oak Harbor on the 3rd. It was only the second time I'd seen him since arriving. Although I had been bugging him about getting his COVID booster shot and he kept saying he would...I finally just made an appointment for him.
These sweet, little deer have come foraging through my "green recycling" program. I'm sure they must be siblings, but the one on the right is so much smaller. Where is their mama? They've come by a couple of times and she is never with them. I'm guessing she was hit by a car or that she was a victim of one of the early morning hunters I occasionally hear around here. (And where do they legally hunt? I can't think of any areas around here that are not occupied or open to the public.) Poor things.
After the 1st, Nedra's days here were winding down. She originally had plans to visit friends in Vancouver, Canada for New Year's, but they came down with COVID. The same thing happened with a friend in Seattle. Scary. Nedra got her booster here a few days before New Year's Eve...in preparation for her Canadian excursion. Even though she didn't get to go, she's glad she got the shot.
Nedra wanted a shot of she and I together. This is it...
Nedra has been a big bundle of energy. I hope she's had a good time, despite the snow and the cancelation of some of her plans.
For her last night here, we went to the Thai place, Mai Thai. It was pretty good...but they still have not figured out the concept of "family-style dining" and we had to ask for extra plates and bowls, etc.
But we had a swell time, I'm glad she came (and I'm NOT sorry that her Canada plans were canceled. We got to have her all to ourselves.)
After Nedra's departure, the rains came again and the hurricane-like gale winds. It was definitely stay-at-home weather. Instead of going through more of my boxes, which I will be doing soon enough, I decided to start putting some of the thousands (literally) of vintage movie posters I have into the hundreds (literally) of frames -- so I can decorate my house (and terrorize future guests)!
While packing to move, I had found a little disposable camera with film in it that needed developing. Everyone warned me not to bother, that it was a waste of time. I'm inclined to agree---now that I got the film back. The pictures appear to be from a mini-baby shower my parents threw for my brother and his ex...about 18 1/2 years ago! The images have darkened with heat and age (from years of being in my garage) and are hard to make out. They're nothing we couldn't have lived without seeing. Except my nephew might want to see them someday. Or not.
With the snow behind us and the deer being looked after, Erich was concerned about the birds. So, Mom got us some suet for the birds and we bought a seed feeder. To paraphrase the movie FIELD OF DREAMS: If you put it out there, they will come... And they are. Hooray!
On his second-to-the-last day (It was a Sunday. They were closed Monday.), Erich and I went all of the way down to Clinton to try this Chinese food place we had first noticed a sign for during our visit to the island in early October. The place has apparently been there for decades, but my mom (who has been here at least 15 years), brother, and nephew all seemed oblivious to the place. Neither Erich or I had ever noticed it on any previous visits over the years either. All we knew about Hong Kong Gardens was that it had a view...and served cocktails!
Apparently we were not the only ones oblivious to the place. While there were a half dozen or so patrons in the bar, the restaurant was completely empty, except for two small children (apparently part of the family that owns the place) who were playing inside.
The kids directed us to the bar, where an adult then reseated us in the dining room for dinner. Our drink orders were taken, but then the oldest kid (who wasn't very old at all) decided to help out and came over to take out order. Erich asked the poor kid several questions, which he didn't know the answer to. Finally, as his little brother came over to help, we gave him our orders.
The drinks came. I had a Mai Tai (It was serviceable, but not fantastic.) Erich had a Tom Collins. And then the waitress brought out this big platter of fried rice. We had ordered these combination dinners. Fried rice was included in the meal, but this much? I spoke up to clarify the order. Away went the platter of fried rice... We heard some raised voices in the kitchen momentarily, but before long our combo plates emerged.
On his last day, we went to lunch at the Front Street Grill.
And then it was time for Erich to leave. We got to the shuttle pick-up spot a little early, but the shuttle was right behind us. It was supposed to leave at 5:15 but it was gone by 5:11 or 5:12.
And then Erich was gone---and I was alone. With both Erich and Nedra gone, it is weird in the house. I miss them. It's not even missing being with them, but just their presence as well.
So what am I going to do now? Well, I was supposed to be doing a Zoom-type writing class, where people log on together and write for two hours--just to make sure they get some writing in. I had all sorts of problems getting the program installed the night before. Then, this morning, I couldn't log into the meeting. I kept getting error messages inside of error messages inside of error messages, on into infinity it seemed. UGH! I'll just have to try again next week.
Thanks for visiting the blog.
CHEERS!
Skip to the conclusion of the moving saga HERE: https://monsterago-go.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-great-northwest-move-part-6.html
Comments
How nice of you to visit the blog. (And it was a long, dull, chatty one at that. Snore...) I'm sure you've had your fair share of white Christmases growing up in Massachusetts and you don't have to worry about the Brr-factor in Florida. CHEERS!