Day after Thanksgiving visit

We stopped in Portland to visit with Dad and Mom. Hal and Evie were there too. After a meal of leftovers- Dad snapped a photo. 

Thanksgiving Dinner

Deep Fried Turkey

We finally used the turkey fryer that Madison gifted me last Christmas. It gets dark early!

This was the BEST turkey we have ever had!

Blue Scorcher Bakery and Cafe

Our trip into Astoria included a stop at The Blue Scorcher. Fantastic Bread! They have converted an old building- next door a brewery is going in.

This cafe/bakery is a co-op...with lots of vegetarian goodies and strong organic coffee. The best part is the multitude of current magazines you can look at while you relax.

I understand they also have wi-fi.
Aura made a friend - the Newfoundland waiting outside.

Today is a Nansen Holiday

It is tradition to declare a James Bond Opening Day a National Holiday and go to the movies!

We will be seeing Casino Royale in Long Beach at The Neptune Theater. I am packing martinis and treats. 

Hurricane strength winds and rain

We are digging out from under the storm and flooding last week. The wind gusts measured 105 mph.

The north end of the Peninsula was without power for a few days. We only lost internet for a day. Everything is fine here at our place- but we have lots of yard cleanup to do.

In the middle of all this- we moved Aura home. She will be here until her next great adventure begins.

Post Election Words

Ronald Reagan's words still have meaning

"Bitter as it is to accept the results of the November election, we should have
reason for some optimism. For many years now we have preached "the gospel," in
opposition to the philosophy of so-called liberalism which was, in truth, a call
to collectivism.

Now, it is possible we have been persuasive to a greater
degree than we had ever realized. Few, if any, Democratic Party candidates in
the last election ran as liberals. Listening to them I had the eerie feeling we
were hearing reruns of Goldwater speeches. I even thought I heard a few of my
own.

Bureaucracy was assailed and fiscal responsibility hailed. Even George
McGovern donned sackcloth and ashes and did penance for the good people of South
Dakota.

Our task is to make them see that what we represent is identical to
their own hopes and dreams of what America can and should be. If there are
questions as to whether the principles of conservatism hold up in practice, we
have the answers to them. Where conservative principles have been tried, they
have worked.

Make no mistake, the leadership of the Democratic party is
still out of step with the majority of Americans.

Our people are in a time of discontent. Our vital energy supplies are threatened by possibly the most powerful cartel in human history. Our traditional allies in Western Europe are experiencing political and economic instability bordering on chaos.

Can we live with ourselves if we, as a nation, betray our friends and ignore our
pledged word? And, if we do, who would ever trust us again? To consider
committing such an act so contrary to our deepest ideals is symptomatic of the
erosion of standards and values. And this adds to our discontent.

We did not seek world leadership; it was thrust upon us. It has been our destiny almost from the first moment this land was settled. If we fail to keep our rendezvous
with destiny or, as John Winthrop said in 1630, "Deal falsely with our God," we
shall be made "a story and byword throughout the world."

Americans are hungry to feel once again a sense of mission and greatness.
I don 't know about you, but I am impatient with those Republicans who after the last election rushed into print saying, "We must broaden the base of our party"-when what they meant was to fuzz up and blur even more the differences between ourselves and our opponents.

It was a feeling that there was not a sufficient difference now between the parties that kept a majority of the voters away from the polls. When have we ever advocated a closed-door policy? Who has ever been barred from
participating?

Our people look for a cause to believe in. Is it a third party
we need, or is it a new and revitalized second party, raising a banner of no
pale pastels, but bold colors which make it unmistakably clear where we stand on
all of the issues troubling the people?

Let us show that we stand for fiscal integrity and sound money and above all for an end to deficit spending, with ultimate retirement of the national debt.
Let us also include a permanent limit on the percentage of the people's earnings government can take without their consent.

Let our banner proclaim a genuine tax reform that will begin
by simplifying the income tax so that workers can compute their obligation
without having to employ legal help.

Let our banner proclaim our belief in a free market as the greatest provider for the people.

Let us also call for an end to the nit-picking, the harassment and over-regulation of business and industry which restricts expansion and our ability to compete in world
markets.

Let us explore ways to ward off socialism, not by increasing
government's coercive power, but by increasing participation by the people in
the ownership of our industrial machine.

Our banner must recognize the responsibility of government to protect the law-abiding, holding those who commit misdeeds personally accountable.
And we must make it plain to international adventurers that our love of peace stops short of "peace at any price."

We will maintain whatever level of strength is necessary to preserve
our free way of life.

A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency, or simply to swell its numbers."

Mike McGavick at the Morck Hotel in Aberdeen

Chester Trabucco- the owner of the Hotel Elliott in Astoria- is restoring the old Morck Hotel in Aberdeen. He graciously opened the site for a Victory Tour ralley on Thursday.

I drove up to help staff. Dino introduced Mike and our local Leg District candidates- Tim Sutinen and Keath Huff were also there.

(It was nice that Chester recognized me and asked where Madison was. It was also nice that Sue Pattillo, from Raymond, came for the event... it was pouring rain outside and a construction zone inside.)

Trick or Treat

The Bageant family stopped by on Halloween.