CARMEN LEE--LIFE IS NOT A VACATION, IT IS A JOURNEY

Day 70, "Every picture has a story"

The year was 2014 and Terry and I were on our BIG 14,000 mile camping trip.  We had been lucky enough to secure a campsite in Denali National Park for 3 night.  The second day we were there we put some lunch in the car and headed over to the visitor's center with no real plan in mind.  When we arrived we found out that there were openings on a 65 mile round trip into the center of the park so we grabbed it.  It was a spectacular trip as things turned out.  We saw huge elk, a Dall Sheep, caribou and much more BUT the real deal was this picture.  About half way into the trip we came upon a grizzly bear along the road.  I quickly snapped on my 300m lens and clicked away.  I do not think I would ever want to come close to that paw!

I woke up in the dark cold room and could hear Mom downstairs in the kitchen.  A dull light came into the room through the frost covered windows and made the tips of the nails in the ceiling look like tiny laser bulbs.  I thought, that would make a gorgeous Christmas tree but it is not really very nice in my bedroom!  As I lay in bed thinking about the day I blew tiny buffs of air into the cold cold room and thought to myself "do I really want to get out of bed or just lay here under the goose down comforter all day".  Then it dawned on me, it was Christmas Eve Day.  We would open presents tonight but really they looked pretty sparse this year.  Dad had actually said there may not be ANY as we had snow upon snow upon snow and then more.  Dad finally got to town yesterday but I was not sure if he picked up any gifts.  I did know that as of 3 days ago it looked like we may not see ANYBODY until spring as the roads were almost impossible to find let alone be open.  BUT yes, I had to get up and get downstairs to see what Mom was doing and there were those cows in the barn needing hay and needing to be milked.  I should have timed myself as getting out of bed and dressed in a bedroom that was well below freezing was a challenge but one that I almost enjoyed.  In a flash I was dressed minus my shoes and on my way downstairs.  Of course as I hurried past the gun cabinet I had to reach out and break off a piece of hard lefse that Mom always stacked in the hall.  Downstairs I could see that Mom had finished the dishes that were left from the night before and she had the milk pails ready for me.  I did not even have to think about Dad milking as he still was fast asleep in the bedroom, which did have heat!  Mom promised me breakfast of venison, pancakes with chokecherry jelly and milk when I finished with the cows and the milk was separated in the entry way.  I pulled on 2 pair of socks as the one pair had holes in which the second pair covered.  Shoes went on, overshoes went on and I was ready.  Mom always made me wear a hat but I refused to pull the earlappers down.  I felt that gave me SOME feeling of independence!  I reached up and took the kerosene lantern off the nail and struck the farmers match on the rough side of the washing machine to light the lantern.  I was off to milk the cows.  It had snowed a bit over night so the path I had made yesterday was half covered.  Part of my entertainment yesterday had been to go out to the barn and back several times shuffling my feet so I made an open path for the dog who spent much of the winter in the barn.  Back in the 50s, on the farm, there was NO such thing as an indoor dog!  Even though the sun was not up yet the new snow was shiny and bright as it seemed to twinkle as I walked.  Upon opening the barn door Tiny, our dog, jumped for joy and wanted a proper greeting from me.  After a few minutes of meet and greet I hung up the lantern and milk pails so I could open the hay barn door and get some hay for the cows.  With the cows munching hay and the cats patiently waiting for a squirt of milk I settled in to milk the 5 cows.  First there was Lumpy.  She got her name as she had this lump on the right side of her face.  I felt sorry for her but she did seem to be OK.  She was the easiest cow to milk but she also gave the least milk.  I decided to use the milking stool that Dad always used when he milked which was not all that often.  It was simply a piece of wood about a foot tall with a cross board to sit on.  At one time I wondered if Dad liked that because he had to balance as he sat and that was good practice.  I did not milk a cow like Dad.  He had the slip and slide down method while I had the grab and squeeze method.  I have no idea what was best but I do think in a contest Dad would have won but maybe just because he had more experience!!  After a dog dish full of milk and the cat dish full of milk I came to the last cow.  I had, at this point, one pail about full and I always left Big Brown to the end.  Why?  Well she liked to kick and more than once she had kicked the milk pail over so I always started milking her with an empty pail.  This morning I decided to be extra careful so I put the kickers on her.  There were simply two cuffs connected by a chain.  One cuff was put on a leg and then the chain was stretched over to the other leg and that cuff was  put on.  She could then move her legs a bit but I did not have to worry about her kicking the milk pail over.  She was not naughty but just a bit restless.  Regardless I finished milking here and was ready to go back to the house but wait, Tiny wanted a bit more milk and those darn cats always wanted more.  With the lantern and a milk pail in one hand and the second milk pail in the other I headed to the house, now in bright sunlight and blinding light off the new fallen snow.  Inside the entry way I hurried to pour the milk in the separator and get things done as I was getting hungry for that venison patty, maybe 2 on Christmas Eve Day!, and Mom's delicious pancakes with that homemade syrup.  I so enjoyed that syrup I sometimes thought it was a waste to use it on pancakes.  

I knew what the rest of the day was going to be like.  I would have to go sledding down the hill near the out house and then maybe I could get Mom to draw a fancy picture on the blackboard and I could cover the chalk with kernels of corn.  Of course that had to be on the floor but I would want Mom to have it near the cookstove where the floor was warm.  There were no special gifts this year, that I knew.  I did know that there would probably be a new card game or a new puzzle which was always fun.  I thought maybe there would be a new plastic gun that shot ping pong balls but I really did not see any package that looked like that.  Perhaps the highlight would be our short trip to Grandma and Grandpa's after we had supper.  I just hoped that we would not stay too late as IF we did I would most likely fall asleep on their bed and the would have to get into a cold car to travel home.  As I finished my breakfast I wondered if Christmas Eve Day would live up to the excitement that I felt waiting for it.  For a young country boy who was used to making fun out of not much it did live up to expectations.  

I have 2 matches of tennis lined up this morning.  I usually do not like to play twice but our pro wanted someone to hit with him as he gave a lesson to a couple from Germany.  I have NO idea why he asked me but I was happy to say yes.  At 10:30 I will play with 3 of the guys who will be on my winter team.  

Other than tennis it is read a book as it is due soon and then Terry and I will have a bit to eat this evening before we go to 7:00 church.  A Christmas Eve that is very different than the 50's or the 60's or early family time.  BUT life moves on so now it is kind of low key but I am looking forward to spending it with Terry and having a nice quiet time.  I may even get up on Christmas Day and forsake my routine of FP with cream.  On Christmas Day it may be time for a change and a little of that Irish Cream in the FP just to make the day more special.  As for today, my FP is history and it was so good.  It may be time to get dressed for tennis and go over early.