Grandma Theresa made an "Agent P" aka Perry the Platypus costume for Colin this year:
Its a fleece body suit, a felt tail, and a thrift store fedora. We sort of cheated on the feet since we already have a relatively clean pair of orange crocs. He got recognized everywhere, probably because he can also make the trademark "low clucking sound."
Last week many of my Mom's friends and family members gathered together to celebrate her retirement. She told us many times that did NOT want a retirement party. She almost got her wish, but our collective desire to subject her to a surprise party was just overwhelming.
We picked the time and place, sent out the invitations, and then spent many weeks wondering how we'd actually pull off the surprise. It all revolved around having Mom be in town on Sunday and have a reason to stop by the church. She insisted on going to Spokane to visit Marilyn, despite our numerous white lies providing reasons that she needed to stay in town. Finally her pal Kati from Boise came to our rescue by coming up and giving Mom a reason to stay in town.
We'd decided long ago that Mom needs a new computer. She planned on buying one upon retirement, but we asked her friends and family to chip in so we could give her a nice retirement present. I was worried the old one (now at least 6 years old) wouldn't make it. A few weeks before the party Mom called me to say that it was becoming really noisy so she'd turned it off, but when she turned it back on it was dangerously quiet. Son-in-law John went over and gave it a good cleaning, hoping to extend its life for another few weeks. But I was even more worried when, just a week before the party, Mom called from the Apple store ready to make a purchase. Since her new computer was already at my house, I had to tell another white lie that it was not a good time to buy an Apple computer because they were about to come out with new models.
I'm extremely proud of my Mom as a Career Woman. She's worked for many years and, from what I can tell, always been wonderful at her job. When I was but a baby she worked in "data processing" at an Oregon school district. I believe for many years she played the role of stay-at-home Mom. But when we moved to Washington she began taking college courses at LCSC and WSU. She worked as an accountant in a business with my Dad and then at a nursing home. Eventually she became administrator of that and facility and to a number of others in places such as Spokane, Grangeville, Emmet, and Lewiston.
We're looking forward to spending more time with Grandma in her retirement!
Saturday Colin and I spent a couple of hours at the Palouse Harvest Festival located at the University of Idaho Plant Science Farm. They had hay rides, horse rides, live music, a jumpy slide and a jumpy house, a pumpkin patch, various games of skill, and even a cookie decorating table.
Colin went on the jumpy slide about oh....only 10 times. I think he enjoyed the hay ride and the games too, even if they were way too easy!
Today I drove to my Aunt and Uncle's farm to borrow some wheat seed. On the way I passed this building, which looks like it must have been a one-room school house long ago:
The faded sign above the door says this is "Aspendale."
I asked Connie about it and she remembers that it was a community hall where she and other farm families met monthly for a number of years. She also told me about a man from the area, now 80 years old, who recalled attending school there.
The Internet was reluctant to give up any secrets that it knows about a school at or named Aspendale. It seems to think that Aspendale, ID is a real town, but it shows the location about 20 miles west of here. Perhaps the best clue I found was at the end of this history of Genesee, where it mentions that a number of rural school districts, including Aspendale, where combined to create the Joint Genesee district in 1947. I also found this article in a 1953 issue of The Genesee News interesting, if not relevant.
Also interesting that the searching gives many hits for "Aspendale Wildlife Habitat Area" and "Aspendale Community Hall Idaho."
On my way back I noticed this sign and couldn't resist it:
