Turkeys in the Mouse House

It all began this past weekend...... I KNEW it would happen. I could predict it. Even though he is a wonderful guy, I could count on him doing this.... and he did. Let me explain. Mark and I made up a HUGE grocery list for this holiday as we will be hosting our 3 children for 4-5 days. I envisioned filling the car with BAGS of food etc. from several grocery stores (several because I STILL haven't found the perfect one). And then Mark disappeared while I was cleaning up breakfast. And when I looked for him..... he was in the driveway with THE BIKES out and his trailer attached to his and he wanted me (the slug) to RIDE AROUND TOWN to get groceries. When I started to protest, he said that we could carry everything in his handy dandy trailer. After all, isn't that why he got it? Now remember, I have only been riding about 20 minutes at a time (try 2 times) as training. So a marathon shopping expedition in traffic following a trailer overflowing with bags for MILES was not my idea of fun. I suggested a compromise.... we would go to the Farmers' Market and ONE grocery (the closest!) by bike and then the rest by car. Mark was crestfallen but he saw that determined gleam in my eye and realized that half a loaf was better than none. So off we went. And it was chilly and my nose was running and I didn't have Kleenex (I hadn't figured out the purse thing for bike riding yet) and Mark kept shouting things out to me which I couldn't hear..... but we made it. I suppose I should tell you that the Farmers' Market is 2.5 blocks away.... well, I never said I was an athlete! Buying local produce like persimmons and fresh shitake mushrooms and the absolute MOST sweetest grapes in the world is really fun. And the grocery store was just a few blocks more. So I bit the bullet and didn't complain.... at least not so Mark could hear. After getting home and emptying that cute little trailer, we jumped in the car and finished up the list - having to go to 2 more stores. Rather time consuming. So now we have more food than this little house can hold. And I have cleaned every nook and cranny - 2 hours instead of 1. And the kids will sleep in the master closet and under the desk in the office. At least in NoCal, the weather allows you to spend lots of time outside. Which will be good. We will huddle around our raised firepit (in the driveway of course) while we take turns running into the house to use the tiny bathroom. When we are all inside..... well, we will see. I'll fill you in nest week. But at least we will be together and well fed. Happy Thanksgiving.

Thar's gold in them thar hills

Mark had to go to Grass Valley on business so I got to tag along. Grass Valley is in the Sierras northeast of Sacramento. The three hour drive took us over the "brown mountains" and through another valley toward the BIG mountains. As we passed through the brown mountains, the sun was just coming up and the sky was all pink with miles of tiny white lights twinkling in long rows..... Oh wait...... those are headlights on the MILES AND MILES of cars creeping in to work. Now remember, it is just o'early o'clock with the sun barely up. And I am CERTAINLY barely awake (scary thought as I am driving) and here are 3-4 lanes of bumper-to-bumper cars creeping along for HOURS trying to get to a job they can sit at for 8-9 hours so they can CREEP back for HOURS to a box in the suburbs.... as you can see, I was a bit negative about it all. Luckily we were headed in a direction no one wanted to go at 6am. Grass Valley is a bit "old West-ish" as it was settled mainly during the famous California Gold Rush (1848-ish for you non history types). While Mark went to work, I set off for the Empire Mine State Park to see more, go to www.parks.ca.gov and look for Grass Valley and Empire Mines). Now, in researching what to do in Grass Valley, this seemed like the most promising. But when I went on the web-site, there were big red notices that alot of the buildings were closed as the evil governor (Arnold-I'll-Be-Back) had cut the budget WAY back. But I figured that it would be interesting anyway. And it was. The mine has been closed since 1956/57. In its heyday, it went over 11,000 feet below ground and produced (over its lifetime) 6 million ounces of gold. The mine's main shaft is on an incline of 30%. To get to work, miners would sit on what looked like a toboggan on wheels. They would keep their heads down and elbows in as they hurtled 600 ft/MINUTE to the bottom of the FIRST shaft. That ride took 30 minutes. Then they walked 1 mile UNDERGROUND to another shaft to drop the rest of the way. Work went on 24 hours/day 6 days/week. The ore cars were pulled by mules who spent their WHOLE LIVES underground. They were stabled and fed underground and very well cared for. The yard area outside the main shaft (which you can see into) was full of old motors and parts from the mine.... a bit like a cemetery full of head stones. After being a good historically trained person and reading EVERY SINGLE sign/plaque/diagram in ALL the shops and buildings, I went on to the house built by the mine's owner. It was built of stone scraps from the mine and very beautiful. The grounds were spectacular with fountains and reflection pools and rose gardens and gravel paths.... you get the idea. And it was a gorgeous day - blue, blue sky, sparkling crisp air, sun sun and more sun, red and gold leaves.... like a great New England fall day. And it was peaceful and quiet with interesting bird calls... and I thought was a marvelous place to wander in a long gown and to have tea by the reflection pool and to read in the shade.... and then I remembered all I had read about the mine (which is visible from the house - like right next door TOTALLY). It had the LOUDEST whistle in Grass Valley and blew AT LEAST 10 times before 3:30pm. AND the stampers (BIG - I mean REALLY big) machines that crushed the rock when it came out of the mine ran 24 hours and could be heard CLEARLY in town 3 miles away. And the winches pulling the men in and out, ore in and out, supplies (remember the hungry mules?) in and out running 24/6. And the traffic in and out of the mine property.... and forget the idyllic times by the reflection pool! But at least I could enjoy the space today with none of that. The park staff were planting cyclamen. Apparently, they LOVE the cold of this type of winter and make beautiful dark burgundy or white flowers with deep green foliage. I received a spectacular one as a house warming present and had put it out in the morning and gently brought it in at night (so the poor little thing's toes wouldn't freeze). If the cyclamen in Grass Valley can survive the colder nights there, then mine is out PERMANENTLY. And it still is happily blooming. Anyway, after 2 hours of mining, I decided to look for ghost towns..... well...... there aren't any around here. Just a cute little town called Rough and Ready. It did have a cemetery. So being the ghoul that I am (I do enjoy cemetery art), I wound my way up to the gate, parked and explored. It looked like the earliest grave was 1856 (a newbie compared to New England). And something different from the New England headstones - here they list all the places the person lived. For example: born in Virginia, moved to Missouri and then came here to California. There were even 2 amateurly carved headstones of people from Maine. The saddest grave was of a young man killed in Iraq. Even in this small mountain village tucked into these beautiful quiet hills, the events of the world can be seen. Mark and I stayed in the oldest hotel in town - we know it to be true not only by the historic plaque on the building, but because the windows were single paned, no heat except an electric plug-in heater and a clawfoot tub with a funky shower curtain that let water spray all over the bathroom door and floor. When I pointed this out to Mark in my most Virgo-like way, he reminded me that there was a Holiday Inn just down the way if I was so unhappy..... I shut up and enjoyed the adventure. Sometimes you just have to be an UN-Virgo. When you are north of home, it just makes perfect sense to drive OUT OF YOUR WAY to go to Napa for a bit of tasting. And who can taste and not purchase.....? Not Mark. And we have room in that spacious new wine cellar/refrigerator/furniture. So we came home with a few bottles..... well..... maybe more than a few. And I am surprised to admit, it felt good to be back in the Mouse House.