:: Scuff Productions ::

Chet DID return from the hospital yesterday, with new awareness of the “tender” condition of his post-surgery body. Saying, “No, I understand my big drinking days are over!” …………….he settled into taking pills, eating a bit, and adjusting to post-surgery behavior…………. with THAT working well, so far, RODGER ESCAPED while he had the chance!

He spent the night in Ripon with Aunt Paula……….so I’m sure they had a fine time together………. “shopping” . . . . (oh, oh!!), eating, laughing . . . something Rodger needed!

This morning he departs via/ US 101 up the coast and will probably stay in Ashland, OR or environs this evening.

ME? I pick up our friend Bill H. at the airport this pm….and we’ll sit and torture Mac until Rodg gets in tomorrow mid-day or so. Perhaps Bill and I will have to make a batch of jam ………..or tour somewhere close by. He’ll have lots of tales to tell as a long-time resident of Manhattan WHO, just moved into the Greenwich Village……..

Looking forward to seeing Bill, AND………..getting Rodger back home!

Rodger’s Dad Chet had a partial hip replacement and although he had an odd time coming out of anasthesia, made it okay and was determined to git himself out of that damn hospital. Rodger had to go round up the required list of items Chet would have to have before his release. He and Paula ALSO had to CLEAN the double wide for 2 days in an exhausting effort. We’ll leave some of the details out about what that involved……SOME of that’s worth excellent gossip.

So, with little sleep, Rodger & Joyce brought Chet home Saturday afternoon . . . ….. HE fell coming into the place, but managed to do it w/o injury, and perhaps that’s okay… taught him he DOES have to slow down. So, it appeared that things were coming to a fine finish….. Joyce would stay and take care of him (along with a few appts with a home-health nurse).

Not so. He developed severe gastrointestinal issues somewhere between trying to take all the pills and getting some food down…..NONE of that stayed down. He was admitted very late last night back into the hospital. Tests await……. At least they’ll be able to rehydrate him with an IV, and get the meds adjusted.

This complicates when Rodger will be able to come home …………. as he’d like to do. I’m feeling somewhat sorry I’m not in CA helping Rodger out, I know he’s exhausted.

At least I’ve been busy……… I DID finish getting the first round of Oregano picked, dried, and finally into the kitchen to be cleaned (It had been hanging to dry for a week when all this happened):

There WERE a few stems left afterward:

All of that became this:

And why does that matter? At least half of that will go into making Tomatillo Salsa in late August …………. hopefully……………

Finally, we’re on BART as far it goes….out to Antioch . . . Nice countryside. (As it may exist so close to SF). . . CHET & sweetheart Joyce picked us up, and we’re on the way to that renegade Bethel Island !! We enjoyed lunch together on the way, and later that evening enjoyed some time out at Chet’s favorite hangout, where, like “Cheers”….everyone called out he & Joyce’s name. We enjoyed some really fine food, and stayed up talking.

Aunt Paula & Karen picked us up the next day, and we were soon on our way to RIPON, a fairly small valley community just north of Modesto and south of Manteca just off Highway 99. That doesn’t stop it from claiming to be the “Almond Blossom Capital of the World!” and as such has hosted the Almond Blossom Festival every spring for years …..the last weekend of February.

OF ALL the Hi Spots they could have chosen to show ME, the anti-war, anti-hunter, anti-gun guy, I was astounded to be escorted into a one of a huge chain of real outdoors, camping, hunting, fishing, clothing, rifles, gun safes, EVERYTHING MADE in the world that can be coated in CAMOUFLAGE, stores called Bass Pro Shop in Manteca. They are ALL over the south, and beginning to grow out here. On two levels, it was huge. I remain speechless. When I consider how little wild game is even LEFT alive on the planet, how little natural habitat is left, and that a LARGE chunk of hunters/fishermen do it on “reserved” private ranches, I realized I was very out of touch. I’m not passing judgement here, just observing……….. It WAS an experience to see this.

On we went! We had a full evening, beginning with a cocktail and appetizers at the Ripon Road House….

Friday came and went like a blink. Paula was more busy than _____ (Fill in the blank)…….all getting ready for Saturday. We were fueled by one of the most gigantic breakfasts I’ve ever seen at the tiny town of Salida’s “Country Kitchen”: ONE Chicken Fried Steak breakfast is served on 3 plates…the steak itself is prepared on site, and is about 8″x12″ in size…it could feed 4. Oh well, it is an experience everyone should have ONCE in their life. Might Good!

Friday night meant fabulous pizza from Pizza Plus while Rodger, I, and cousin Mickey watched Olympics all tired out…… while Paula still toiled away preparing for Saturday’s gathering.

Saturday! NO time to waste, the parade began at 11:00, so it was a very hectic day. The parade route is about 200′ from Paula’s door, easy access. And it IS just what you think a small town parade would be except it gathers enough steam from the area to run about 2 hours. That means LOTS of horses, bands, churches, beauty queens, old cars, yes, but it’s really done very well.

Yep, queens of every kind…..and fashion:

Some of the horse groups were magnificent, some trained…this one a serious performance master:

After the parade, the family gathered for Paula’s fabulous feast, and in time, the annual photo:

Unfortunately, as the years have passed, there are fewer and fewer family members to join up……….. maybe that’s why it seems, every year, to a bit more “special”.

TOO soon, we were on an airplane enroute home……………

An anniversary date passed on Monday, the 17th for Rodger and I. He’s in California throwing a bash for his Dad’s 80th birthday and seeing old friends, and I was up here with the brother. We had a trip to Europe in June to celebrate this day, but still, while in California last week, Mr. R had these sent home from Ca:

Who would have known this could even happen? We’ve tried to make it official a few times, the state married us, the state annulled us.

A Lawyer set up a Trust to protect us from perhaps a relative I know would have considered coming after any inheritance I would have left for Rodger………. because that person believes me (as a gay man) less worthy than he to even HAVE an estate……..a NOT rare event in this country.

We’ve only lived in 2 homes in 20 years and shared family deaths, marriages, births, friends who remain, and those who’ve moved on. My mother loved Rodger as her own and bravely said near the end of her own life that she had finally come to the conclusion that, “The Mormon Church is wrong in their stance on homosexuality. I believe God simply hasn’t given us the full truth about the subject because He intends for us to love everyone the same….. and it’s OUR job here to prove to Him we can.”

We simply met unexpectedly at a “bar”, felt a spark of shared interest, and moved in together within weeks. That was despite the fact that my opening completely idiotic line as he came near me that night to put something in the jukebox was, “So, what kind of shi* are you going to play?” He responded, “I don’t play shi*!” As Janice Joplin came on, I realized, we both loved the same music. It was very foolish for us to join up not knowing each at all. We never looked back, never regretted it, and have given each other all our life can offer.

I am MOST grateful to this man for sharing his life with me:

THEN:

NOW:

I consider myself lucky, and if an agnostic may say, my life has been much better for having lived with Rodger.

He’ll be 48 next Monday………….. He should have the best birthday ever.

This is the REASON California spring travel is required for rodger every February:

**The Morgans at Ripon Almond Blossom Festival 2008**
Aunt Paula is the loving “magnet” for this event and spends weeks planning and preparing for it every year. This is a woman who loves everyone……….and shows it in how she thoughtfully provides for everything each individual person seems to need to enjoy themselves. Sorry we missed it, Paula.

We did not go this year……………….. Saving money for a possible trip to Italy later this year IF our MONEY still circulates in the United States by then, and if other countries even will exchange U.S. dollars for Euros by then. I am reminded of times we laughed when we were younger that it would take hundreds of Lira to make one dollar……….not so funny now.

Sometimes if we have been lucky, as was described earlier this year, we would get to spend a night or two in the notorious labs, kitchens, and rooms of the Bruce/Kevin home in SF where Bruce would always be seen at some point creating something delicious:

This was the first year Rodger’s sister Cheryl was not be there ……………………………. life changes slowly slowly you think, and then a year marker like this festival comes back around, and you realize it was going to be a little different this time. If it was a little tough to find Rodger in the picture at the top, he’s standing at the far left behind Cheryl who’s holding onto Dad Chet……………

Last year was a classic Ripon Almond Blossom Festival (headed up by Ripon Chamber of Commerce President Elden “Redd” Nutt) celebration at Paula’s.

We all joined up with Paula in Ripon where we were provided lunch at the always interesting Barnwood. For the first time since we’d visited yearly, however, the heavily mustached gay AND Greek owner failed to entertain us. We had a good time. Then we began work with Paula preparing for her expected family gathering……….. The evening brought another always expected Ripon treat, a pizza from Pizza Plus on Main Street…. If you ever pass by Ripon on US 99 traveling through that California Central Valley, be SURE and stop off to enjoy one of these fabulous creations.

Friday…. We just worked, played, worked, played, carnivaled, saw funnel cakes, etc. Oh MY! How many corn dogs out of the fryer………..can be consumed? There was always a LINE here and for funnel cakes. Whew!

Saturday – The Ripon “Almond Festival began under cold, windy, cloudy, sometimes drippy skies. The 2 hour parade, the arts & crafts at the Community Center, the BIG BUFFET at Paula’s House, and hours of dining and visiting and wandering the Festival grounds.

Of course, one of the highlights is often one of fabulous Karen’s FAMOUS Cheese Ball:

THAT is the finest cheeseball I’ve ever eaten……… The recipe can be had on request.

It seems some of the family shots look similar over the years, and EVERY year, EACH gathering has had memorable highlights like this in 2004:

or even further back in 2002 or 2003, not sure:

or 2005, the crowd was smaller:

So. It doesn’t take a long look to see things change

Of course there will always be the artist types, you know, like Bruce and Jennifer, who would not be as loved as they are if they weren’t such artists:

Sometimes just preparing FOR the big group shot was fun for some and not so much for others;

Paula loves her family………and they love her. Rodger remember riding the streets of Modesto on summer nights as a kid when Paula dragged those “American Graffitti” Avenues in her convertible. They’re still close:

I’m lucky to have know this family.

ALL of the big festival day is always enjoyed by all up to the end. It was strange not to join them this year, and more strange knowing the family dynamic is changing. Somehow it’s odd when these things happen to realize the Planet continues to hum along without seeming to notice. We, however, do miss Cheryl.

THAT is how Christmas week began here. 2 feet of snow on the level ground and a few drifts at 3 feet deep. The high temperatures for the day stayed about 20 degrees and if the gorge breezes came up that hill, it felt like 0. As THIS city truly came to a silent halt…………… we kept busy getting ready for the Christmas Eve gathering here. Portland cannot handle snow downtown that sticks around. Shopping almost stopped, only workers that could get there by mass transit showed up, otherwise stores stayed closed.

Cousins Nancy & Bruce left Seattle Tuesday instead of Wednesday since MORE snow was in the forecast and NO trains were running between there and here, while I-5 was BARELY open. They arrived Tuesday afternoon, and the four of us had a truly wonderful hermit good time all working together for the party.

MAC was in the kitchen with a smile waiting for a crumb to drop:

I didn’t know if he was cuter here in the kitchen now, or back in the fall where the landscape matches his coat:

OR, maybe in the new snow, trying to figure out the molecular composition of that crazy white stuff:

I should give him a chance to show off his snowball prowess:

He CAN be deceivingly “cute”……..and with frozen ground, even cuter since not a scant molecule of mud followed him back into the house after a snow romp.

Well, anyway, by mid-afternoon Christmas Eve! Somehow things were coming together, after all, ONLY folks who could “walk” to this house would be coming…………….

Here’s how things looked for friends walking over for a snack, a drink, and a song………..could it BE any more inviting at Christmas?

I’m not sure a little party could go any more wonderfully than this (except we missed Nancy G, cousin Nancy M and family a LOT) They were frozen in at Lake Oswego………they fared worse than the entire area: 1/2 of rain frozen into ice on the snow. Trees were damaged and down, power out, etc…….

Well, our brave friends ate LOTS of good food, sandwiches, dips, cookies galore (many of those came from Seattle….home-made), drinks, enjoyed a warm fire, sang ’round the Christmas tree…………………and the LAST guests left at 2:00 in the morning. Yes, we were up a bit late on Christmas Day………….. Nancy and Bruce stayed with us until Friday morning when we all enjoyed one more feast: Rodger’s Yeast Pancakes for breakfast with neighbor Dave. We sadly said goodbye to my cousins……hoping they make this a tradition………Christmas with us.

What a Christmas to remember. The weather began to warm Dec 26, and by Saturday we were free to join Baird, Karen, Peter, Jeannie, Joy at the Artist Rep Performance of “Holidazed” written by local author Marc Acito……… Peter & Jeannie surprised us by getting Marc to sign his book “How I Got Into College” for us…………. that was a fun night. Marc and long-time partner Floyd live in Portland.

As I look out today: it’s 45, weather’s back to normal, two towels are back in the garage to capture MUD from Mac’s feet, and the snow is gone except where the drifts were. Sad it is, but the city at least is alive once again. NOW we await NEW YEAR’S EVE with a NEW President soon to be sworn in. Hope is alive here.

ALL I didn’t get to do was………something I’d hoped to do for little Rosie & Taron, the kids who were here…. BUILD my traditional holiday “Marble Tower” from the little wooden bricks I acquired as a little kid with some of the paper route money…………..it’s a hollow little thing and marbles are put into the tower from the top……..they roll down sloped walls………. Maybe I can get it done for New year’s Eve?

Oh WHAT a great thing to NOT have to grow up completely.

I knew for a while my oldest brother at 71 and his Evangelical wife were going to vote for John McCain. I only have 3 brothers. My one sister passed away 35 years ago. Here was that little Mormon family in 1956, of course it’s obvious who the oldest brother is:

I have not talked with my Mormon brother for 7 years and only sparingly talk with the other two. We’re not a close family. I do think our leaving the only connection we had: Mormonism may be part of that. We’re all very different people.

But this oldest brother has known about Rodger and I for 20 years. He has been to our home more than once. He claims he loves Rodger equally as me. He’s been supportive of our relationship.

HOW could he vote for Proposition 8? How can he ask for discrimination and intolerance and prejudice toward his own brother?

Probably the same way he and hundreds of thousands of others did: 1) He is over 70 and NOT likely to change. 2) He’s in a marriage with conservative religious requirements. 3) He does NOT have a computer, hence, no knowledge of the vast wealth of information there. 4) He listens to FOX NEWS quite a bit.

There you have it. Being blinded by Fundamentalist Religion, and listening to a TV Medium that continually spews Propaganda and lies.

I will not change my relationship with this man, but: it will change how I interact and respond to his phone calls and thoughts.

I had NO idea he could place a check mark in a box that would limit my civil rights after 62 years of being his brother.
I really hadn’t seen this coming.

So I’m sending him information including this old list from 2004:
Here. Let’s write this down in a form so the “simple” people and even some Pentecostals can understand what they’re saying:
= = = = = = = =

10 Reasons Why Gay Marriage is Wrong

01) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.

02) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

03) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

04) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn’t changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can’t marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

05) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britany Spears’ 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

06) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn’t be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren’t full yet, and the world needs more children.

07) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

08) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That’s why we have only one religion in America.

09) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That’s why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven’t adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.

By the way, this is causing splits in MANY families. I know of 4 families in my own little circle that this attack by the Mormon Church (& others) is causing strife for.

While we were gone, the entire bush of these gorgeous Lilies were blooming, and are now about faded out:

I was somehow moved to get this post started about our trip by my home-made lunch today. I thought of BigAss Belle’s writeup on her blog about fresh picked sweet corn written Aug 5……….. . That was MY lunch today…..picked Bodacious Sweet Corn….the only difference was I peeled that beautiful yellow corn OFF the cob, poured it into lightly sizzling butter / soft onions, sauteed about 6-7 minutes, then poured in about 1/2 cup of cream…….another light sizzle for 5 minutes, and voila! FRESH Creamed Corn. This is another planet away from the canned crap. With it, I ate some fresh season maximumly ripe canteloupe, and my just-picked baby crooknecks dipped in an egg batter, shaken in some flour/seasoning, and fried! Yup, my family’s southern roots were showing. The CORN reminded me of being in California…………and our meal in Alameda.

Here’s how our second day rolled out, TWO stops, TWO favorite homes to visit………………both in the lovely foggy cool Bay Area.

We awoke at the cooled down Vacaville Hotel early enough to get OUT before the heat returned and we’re settled quickly into the always packed I-80 inbound to SF commute. However, for the first time, in a pickup, we qualified as two for the Car-Pool Lane! Hurray! That ALSO meant, we learned for the first time, NO TOLLS on the Bridges! Since they’re getting high, that was most cool.

We arrived where we really wanted to be, at Bruce & Kevin’s Place about 10:00 and had a fabulous 4-5 hour visit with them. Bruce is now home from the hospital, struggling to get the physical therapy back on track, while Kevin is trying to Heal one broken arm that just happened last week, Aaargh!:

ONE of the great things was ordering FABULOUS San Francisco Chinese Food delivered! We had an exotic taste-rich Lunch, THANKS, KEVIN for helping that happen! I had loved my little Toasted Tamari Pumpkin Seed snacks so much I brought a few, knowing Bruce liked them but was now finding cooking a little more troubling since he’s not yet walking again.

AAARGH! He said mine were burnt like Toast! He only learned to cook them from reading our page last year and had never tasted them before cooking them. Yep, just like the gourmet chef he is, he proved our version burned! Luckily, he had some seeds left, so taught me how to correctly cook ‘em without burning the pumpkin taste completely away. THANKS, BRUCE !!!

We finally left, knowing in a few minutes, we’d be caught up in rush-hour traffic. Our plan was to stay the night just over the bay in beautiful Alameda, CA…..where all real wealthy 1900-1920 San Franciscans built fabulous “summer” homes since the fog left Alameda alone. David and Serafina, and Mac pals Abby & Glenda we’re awaiting us for that evening. Abby is one most gorgeous young and loving dog:

Those few hours passed too quickly also, and not without Serafina preparing one absolutely fine Summer Meal. I had to write it down since I want to re-create it up here before fall arrives. If you are seeing one fine warm summer evening coming up, get this prepared:

Halibut & Prawns – Grilled just right by David !
Pineapple Salsa – THIS was the perfect offset for the fish
Tomato Salad – Take your garden tomatoes, with chopped basil, a few shallots, and drizzle a tad of olive oil on them.
Fresh Corn – NOT Boiled…. sauteed in butter after getting shaved off the cob.
Mushrooms – IN the skillet…….. yum.
Lime Dill Mayo – with Baby Artichokes. (I have JUST learned you can microwave these).
= = =
Dessert? Neighbor Mariko had made a fresh peach/nectarine Galette! She IS a pastry chef!

Oh man, I almost forgot…..a few hours earlier, we DID get to the incredible, one-of-a-kind, legendary, Alameda icon, Tucker’s Ice Cream. Tucker’s “claims” their ice cream is the world’s best because it’s “Supercreamed.” Hm. IF one EVER happens to pass through Alameda, or even as close as Oakland, your life would be doubly improved if you made this a REQUIRED stop EVERY time you’re near. For today’s huge double Ice Cream Cone, this week’s special flavorl just happened to be, along with August, PEACH COBBLER………no doubt the best flavored Ice Cream I’ve tasted in my life. I believe my companions Rodger, Serafina, and David would agree.

Obviously, that was taken before ALL the goodies were on the table. This was an incredibly fun evening, and fortunate to be with friends. “Twas to be the last evening before getting onto business out on that Sacramento River Delta, Bethel Island.

But going to bed in Alameda, you know you’re not in Oregon when sunset highlights THESE trees:
.

I really can’t write anything today, our day to drive to CA and help move Rodger’s Dad out of his condo has been moved up to Wednesday morning……..I do not look forward to that long and Gas costly drive, but it will be nice to get it over with and get Chet set in a simpler place on a ground floor level. At 78, he’s getting a little fragile to be climbing those steep stairs. We will be bringing back lots of family treasures for Rodger to sort through when he gets time. This will be a rather traumatic weekend I’m sure for all involved……….It’s Chet’s birthday Friday, so we’ll try help him turn 79 as robustly as we can.

So I gotta get busy packing, cleaning, watering, mowing, cleaning……. The busiest time in the garden is just beginning, and hot temps forecast while we’re gone. I hope things survive… we’ll have an overhead sprinkler set and friend Karen has kindly agreed to let it run a couple of times. When we get back, there will be tomatillos ready to can. The garden has exploded!

BUT. dearest cousins Nancy Minor and Nancy Purvine made it here Friday AND Saturday for us to revive Grandma Ray’s Pickling Days! It worked fabulously, and we had a GREAT time. (SUNDAY, after they’d gone, Rodger and I spent another five hours making our Apricot jam.).

It’s a GOOD thing I didn’t take any pics DURING this project, this kitchen was a mess. But the FIRST day, we were pretty proud to have a case each for Nancy and Nancy (the other two Nancy’ (Rodger and I), remember, had our pickling done the prior weekend):

Yes, we grew up together. We’re not identical cousins though, can you pick me out here? How come they look SO young and beautiful while I look a little worn:

By Saturday afternoon, they had TWO cases each to take home:

Rodger finally agreed to a pic…..he did a lot of work with us:

These batches were a mix of dried red chili pickles, Serrano Pickles and a few Hanabero’s !!!! I am as lucky as anyone can be having fabulous smart fun beautiful cousins like these two !!!!

Ah. Now, I don’t know when I’ll get to write a little diary entry again………………….. may be a few days.