Chapter 83 - The Things We Do

I've been busy.

Seems there's been a lot going on as I begin my 70th year. Sometimes I feel like I'm too busy. Sometimes.

In this Chapter there's a football game, Cub doings, walks around Salem and then a potpourri of the past with a little present thrown in. And, while busy, it was fun. And upbeat!! Always upbeat.

Let's start then with the football game. It was the first home game for the Taft Tigers. They were coming off a horrible away game loss. So they were smarting from that and anxious to redeem themselves to their fans and the home crowd.

And I was ready for some FOOTBALL!! Some Friday Night Football.

Hahaha, I got the sweatshirt the first year we were here. It's long become passe but it's still functional and almost like new. It says on it, "Tigers Bleed Orange and Black." Not exactly a cheery slogan but, what the hey, it's the team colors and who cares it is out-of-date.

I was ready!!

And here come your Home Town Taft High School Tigers!!

Yayyyyyyyy!!!

I think my team my senior year of high school was larger in numbers than this one. They are thin on the bench. But, as we'll see, they're large in heart!!

It was a great evening for some football. The Cheer Squad was out and doing their thing. Carol and I sat on the other side of the stadium away from the band. They're good but, c'mon, they're LOUD. 

Here we are!! When I got my Taft High Sweatshirt, Carol got hers, too. She got the one I wanted but it wasn't in my size, extra-fat. Hers is cooler and still relevant. 

Goooooooooooo, Tigers!!

A shot of the high school in the background. Set up against an Open Space Park, there's nothing but woods behind the school. And, y'know, for a small school they have a really nice football stadium. Where we were sitting, on the home team side, it's covered and the snack bar is located in the center. Unfortunately, and I don't know why, they didn't put any locker rooms under the stands and so when half-time comes the home team has to run all the way back to the school to their locker room. The visiting team gets to go into the parking lot behind the fence.

And the visiting team bleachers? Can you see them, there, on the right? The little white box? Yeah, not so much over there. So their fans end up sitting in our bleachers. 

Taft was playing Sutherlin which is about 155 miles down the road from Taft. Quite a drive for the team to take to get here and, honestly, quite a drive for the fans, too. A long drive.

But the Sutherlin Bulldogs were ready to play. So let's go!!

It was an interesting game. Taft's defense won the game in my opinion help along by a lot of turn-overs by the Sutherlin Bulldogs.

The Taft offense reminded me an awful lot of the Aggies of New Mexico State. They were pretty much manhandled by the Bulldogs. The poor quarterback was rushed on nearly every throw. Oh, and the Taft QB was the leading rusher for the Tigers. Draws and keepers were the only things that got any yardage. He was rushed so much he rarely had the time to get set and throw so the majority of the time the balls were either over or under thrown.

The Taft QB had a long night.

Sutherlin got on the board first and got their PAT. SHS 7 - THS 0.

Then fumbles and turn overs and Taft scored. SHS 7 - THS 7.

And I was surprised because it seemed the Bulldog D was handling Taft easily.

In a lull of the action on the field I got a couple of random shots of the skies over LCO. Dramatic, eh?

It was a beautiful evening; a good cap to a beautiful day.

Now I was having a good time and Carol and I were doing cheers from back in our day. Every time I made a cheer this little irritation would turn around and look at me.

Finally I took his picture and told him I was gonna put him in my blog and say unkind things about him, the little $@&#$!.

He was unfazed by my threats and continued to turn and stare.

Turnovers kept the Tigers in the game. Seriously, I told Carol and anybody, including that little nose drip sitting in front of me, that I thought the Bulldogs would win. They just needed to keep the ball long enough to get it down field.

At halftime, the Cheer Squad came down and entertained us.

And then the game was back on. Both teams played hard and I felt the Sutherlin team had the upper hand but, somehow, they managed to lose.

They scored again but missed the PAT. SHS 13 - THS 7

Then the Tigers got another break, another turn over and they scored and then they MADE their PAT so the score was now: SHS 13 - THS 14.

For the Fourth Quarter, SHS tried and failed to get it across into the end zone.

Taft lucked out and won by a point. I was amazed. Some pretty piss-poor coaching on the part of the Sutherlin Coaches. I know what I'd be working on with that team next week. Penalties and HOLDING ONTO THE DAMN BALL!!

But, YAY!! Taft Tigers!!

I am particularly proud of my association with the Cub Pack. I feel that Carol and I have made this all possible. I know it's a bit of a stretch to make a claim like that but, mostly, it's true. We were there when they couldn't get a committee together (and you have to have the committee to get chartered and continue to survive) and we stayed there the first cubmaster and then to the new one. 

And we facilitated its growth. We didn't get out and lead the Cubs but we were there, in the background, doing some small things and supporting the parents as they learned how to work this whole Cub Scouting thing.

And now? The Pack is vibrant and growing...and active as hell.

Like this Saturday at Regatta Park where the Cubs worked on swimming and lifesaving skills...and then got some adventure out on the lake with the Sea Scouts!!

And, honestly, none of this would have happened this way if not for Carol and I. And our being there when they needed support.

And this is a Pack that does things. I take no credit for that...it's all the Cubmaster and the other Akelas now. But we still support and encourage and advise and take pictures.

You do what you're capable of. You do what you can.

Like this banner. Both banners were put together by Carol and I and we made them happen. And they're great for unity, for bringing us together and letting others know who we are and what we're about.

Yup. We did that.

These two little guys aren't even Lions yet but they're learning something even if they're not aware of it. They taught the Cubs how to throw a plastic bottle partially filled with water out towards someone in trouble so they could safely be pulled to shore.

These guys, without knowing it, are learning, through play, how to save someone. This experience is etched in their memories now and someday, I hope that day never comes, someone may need help and they'll have an intuitive idea of how to help them.

Other Cubs in the background are doing swim tests.

One of the requirements for Bears is to jump into the water and then swim 25 feet. 

Beautiful day, eh!?! I hadn't realized until Carol and I just stopped by a couple weeks ago that there was a swimming beach there at Regatta Park. I had thought it was just for fishing and boat launching. Go figure.

Into the water!! Later on Mike broke out his rod and reels and a couple Cubs did some fishing, too.

Quites a splash but when you hit water swimming you can kick up a bit of water.

This little Cub needed a lot of encouragement. And the Pack swam along with him to keep him going.

His Mom, the Assistant Cubmaster, celebrates his accomplishment. Carol, there in the chair, is the official finish line. See, we serve who also sit and wait.

Another achievement achieved!! 

The Sea Scouts showed up with a small catamaran and volunteered to take the Cubs out on the lake for a ride.

Hahaha, what an adventure!! And a great tool for recruiting Sea Scouts for the future. Evidently they have several craft in their Sea Scout Unit.

In ya go!!

It was a great day and one of the families brought their grill and a bunch of hot dogs and chips for everyone. Out of the blue the Dad showed up with the grill, a tent and the food.

Pack 47 is a huge success. And Carol and I are integral parts of  that success.

Zing!!

Out of the blue I got a text from Mary that she was visiting Lexi and would be stopping in Salem on her way back. She had several more boxes of my stuff that she wanted to drop off so I quickly agreed to meet her early Sunday morning to pick them up.

I had thought we'd go to breakfast and then she could make an early start but they were serving biscuits and gravy at her motel and she decided to eat there. So I got my boxes and then let her get on with her travels.

It being a nice morning and my having intended to, someday, come to the State Capitol and do a walk-around, I thought why not do it now. I was there. I now had the time. And so I drove on over near the Capitol Park and got myself a couple of pictures.

The first thing I saw was this Sunday morning scene.

And it was peaceful and quiet and...calm. Quite unlike what it must be like on Monday.

Still, I appreciate the fact that this State with all its natural wonders reflects that with this quiet place in the Capitol Park.

I've seen a couple of State Capitols and, by far, Oregon's is the .... dullest. Blandest. Uninspired. Whatever, it is just ... nothing.

Like this architecture. Straight lines and boxes. It's not terrible but it doesn't move you or inspire you or, even more important, impress you. It's just dull.

And that's the State Capitol in a nutshell as far as being impressive. It isn't. It's just there.

This is, unfortunately, the most attractive thing there. And when I say 'there' I am referring to the architecture, not the grounds or the Capitol Park which are lovely.

Nope, this guy, called the "Oregon Pioneer" or, a bit more tongue-in-cheek, the "Gold Man", is the most impressive thing about the Oregon Capitol. And he looks out-of-place as you'll see when you can view the State Capitol Building in its entirety.

We'll get there in just a minute. For now let's enjoy the Park, shall we. I'm liking these tree-lined walks.

Oh, why put it off. It's there and we have to acknowledge it. 

There it is. Plain as all get-out. I mean, it looks like a mausoleum at a fancy cemetery. It's dull, dull, dull.

And the day I was there they were doing work around the dome and on the immediate grounds around the Capitol. But there was a beautiful blue sky, right!?!

Now, let's take a look at the Capitol from a picture I took way back in 2007. Ready? OK...

Here it is. Doesn't look much different, eh? Except for the fountains. I didn't notice any fountains when I crossed the street to get to the Capitol Building. But, as I mentioned, there is a lot of work going on around the structure. Maybe it was temporarily covered. Or it's gone.

And so for the few ornamentations that adorn this 'crypt' let's begin with this which appears over the main entrance. You can tell its age from the style of writing and the other decorations. It was built between 1936 - 1938. A little Art Deco here.

By way of contrast, here's the second of the three buildings that have housed the Capitol. The one above is the current and final one.

The one below was the second Capitol Building and I'm sure you'll agree with me that this one actually LOOKS like a Capitol Building. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by fire in 1935.

And, of course, they would have a beaver on their wall. Makes sense, right!?! This fellow appears above the window on the right hand side, as you face it, of the main door.

Oh, and from the beaver to the noble "Gold Man". Naturally he's holding an axe in one hand while the other holds an end to a tarp. Yep, he's going to erect a shelter of some kind according to the artist. 

The "Gold Man" is 22 feet tall. His head alone measures 6 feet, 10 inches in circumference. It weighed so much the work to put it up on top of the Capitol was delayed several days until they found a crane big enough to hoist the 8.5 (short) ton statue. Oh, and he's facing north but looking west in case you were interested. I wasn't.

This sculpture sets at ground level to the right of the main door. It's called the, "Covered Wagon". On the reverse it has a map of the Oregon Trail.

And this one sets on the other side. This depicts Sacajawea guiding Lewis & Clark, "This way, dumb ass!!" On the reverse of this sculpture is a map of their expedition's route.

I wonder why L&C couldn't afford to have two horses. Strange, but, it fits in with the rest of the decor of this Capitol Building. 

I understand the beaver but I have no earthly idea why they felt the seal was important enough to include here. I mean, out of all the animals you might think of when you conjure up Oregon, the seal isn't one of the ones that pops into my mind.

How about you? What would you have put here? I'm thinking a deer or a moose or, even, a gull. But, there it is. A seal. Arf, arf.

Me, being Artsy-Fartsy and, as usual, missing the mark.

But I saw something there. I just wasn't able to put it down. I bracketed by using exposure compensation but the lighter it got the worse it looked. It was great light and rimmed the tree while lighting the bench. But I missed the mark here.

But I tried.

OK, I specifically searched out this statue to get this specific shot. Working from my faulty memory I did find this statue, "The Traveling Preacher." 

You see, when I visited here in 2007, I got this same shot...and that was with a FILM camera and so you gotta know I thought this shot, this angle, this subject was worth the money I would be spending on it. I, evidently, thought this was film-worthy. 

So I got this shot, again. Now, for fun, let's compare it to the one I got, oh, so long ago.

Hmmmmm, not quite the same although very close. Mind you, I just now found this old picture and so when I shot the one above, I was shooting from my memory. I like this one better, don't you? The sky is rendered better in this picture. 

Yeah, this one is better. And only 11 years apart.

Remember the tree with the bench? Here it is from the other side. There are some beautiful trees growing on the Capitol grounds. Plus, on this one, I used a flash. Minimal effect but still, it makes a slight difference.

Walking around, I came upon this. Just another government building, I thought. But this one had a bit more character than the others. So much so that I stopped and took this picture. While somewhat plain, there was, still, some attempt to make it more pleasing to the eye. Some attempt at adding some beauty to it. And I think they were successful.

After this shot, I walked across the street and alongside that building. Just amblin' along going wherever my nose was leading me. And as I was walking by this building I heard...no, that couldn't be right!?! But I heard...no!! Not possible!! Still, I heard a baby crying from within. On a Sunday. A baby crying? in a government building?

I picked up my pace and rounded the corner and saw...

...that it wasn't a government building at all! It was an apartment house!! No wonder it wasn't so dull as all the others. No wonder it had some character in its design. No wonder there was a baby inside, crying.

And I immediately liked this building all the more for having some design in the Capitol area.

I crossed the street and centered myself for this shot.

Hahaha, I really LIKE this building. I like the symmetry, of course. But there is small touches that make it more than just a box.

It sang, just a little, to me.

And because I could, I got this shot of the clear blue sky lined against the monotone of the building with the green trees intruding themselves into the composition.

Coolio!!

One of my favorite shots of the day.

This fountain was donated by a former Governor and is a tribute to water. However, at this particular moment the fountain was turned off. No water.

Still I thought I did a good job of composing this shot. I likes it. 

I liked it so much I moved to my right and framed this shot using the roses set along the sides of the fountain to set off the "Gold Man". I used the zoom. If you look at the picture above, you can see the rose bushes on the immediate right side of the fountain. 

I stood on the same line as the above picture and then zoomed in, that's why "Gold Man" appears closer, using the roses to help frame the shot.

And I think it worked. 

This is all leading to something I feel I've learned about myself which I'll discuss later. Just keep these pictures in mind until then, 'Kay!?!

I was about done. I'd walked around the Capitol Park and was feeling ready to go but...there were those flowers. 

Hahaha, I did it. I got a couple of them.

Not great but they're adequate. And it was fun shooting them.

But I need to get a bit more serious about this. I need to carry the monopod or the tripod. Yeah, I can keep doing the point and shoot thing but, if I am heading in a direction then I might as well pick up some things that will help me along in my journey, right?

But I do like me some backlit flowers.

Another thing I've wanted to do in Salem was to walk around a bit in the downtown area. The old part of the city. Having done with the Capitol and its grounds, I drove the short distance to the downtown and found a convenient parking place.

Conveniently, it was across the street from the Reed Opera House. The doors to this grad edifice first opened on September 27, 1870. It had a 1,500 seat theater on the second and third floors with a grand hotel on the first floor.

The first performance in the theater that night was, "Frances Carroll." And, remember, when the curtains opened, the stage was lit with gas lights as Edison had not yet invented the electric light bulb yet.

In it's first three decades it hosted numerous shows, revues and vaudevilles. Among the notables that have graced the stage are Samuel Clemens, also known as Mark Twain, Susan B. Anthony, Thomas Nast and John Phillip Sousa. 

Unfortunately the theater failed and from 1901 to 1975 the building was used for different department stores and retail outlets. Finally, the current owner renovated the building restoring many of the unique and distinct features of the original building. They have even brought the theater back to the second floor of the building.

Amazing.

And then, just a door or two south of the Opera House is this beauty. Now someone has spend some time and money restoring this building.

Isn't that something!?! Nicely done with the color scheme. I wonder what they use the second floor for in this building. Apartments would be cool.

Right across the street is this, the ONLY high-rise in Salem.  While it is the only high-rise it is also only the third tallest structure in the city, outdone by the Capitol Dome and the First United Methodist Church. Finished in 1927 it began as the home of the First National Bank. 

Eleven stories high, when it first opened there were many that said it was unattractive and an eyesore while others exclaimed over its beauty and elegance calling it a monument. Decorated with gargoyles, it's known for its clean lines and symmetry. 

While it has been renovated and modernized, the fifth floor remains unchanged as a historical treasure with its original mahogany doors.

A detail of the gargoyles which ring the building. Each one different, unique.

And a closer look at the top of the building. The color scheme used for the front of this building is new and wasn't like this when the structure was build in '27.

I thought this an interesting detail of another gargoyle. They have the solid ring of them which you saw before and then, set at intervals on a different level there is a different set of gargoyles. And, yeah, this is a color picture...which looks like a B&W.

From the side. Clean and stately.

See, these buildings have more going for them then those blank monstrosities they built for the State Government. Which is a shame but, hey, it's Oregon and out here they all march to the beat of their own drummer.

Remember that colorful building. Here it is from catty-corner across the street. You can see the Reed Opera House to the right in this picture. 

What a cool building and how creative was the person who chose the colors for this store.

You won't see something this nice in a modern building. 

Nope.

Part of the third floor of the Reed Opera House.

And then I saw this. How cool is that, eh? 

The "Electric Apartments".

And here is the whole building. I've always thought it would be a great adventure to be able to live in a different downtown area for a year and explore it with my camera. To find out the intimate details of a urban area and capture them.

Ah, yeah, that would be cool. A year here in this city and then on to a new adventure in a different city with its own unique and wonderful history to discover.

I found that I had parked in front of the local J.C. Penny. Not a great building but one that is familiar and therefore comfortable. I wish all the Penny stores well...those and Sears. I'd hate, no, I hate seeing these old friends slowly pass away. Like K-Mart. 

Hahaha, K-Mart was a big part of my life as a young man. Now they're passing on. Not a pleasant thought.

OK, on the road back to LCO. I've been up and down Oregon 22 a lot. Recently I've gotten an itch to stop at this place. From 22 it appears to be an abandoned schoolhouse. Or maybe even a church. Regardless, I wanted to stop and explore it a bit.

I finally remembered it in time to slow down enough to safely turn onto the road that lead to the other side of this building. Once I got over there, I pulled over so I could take a gander and found that it might not be abandoned.

There was a fence along the road so i didn't try to get any closer. Well, the fence and the rather large dog roaming around the yard who let me know he was there with his barking. But you can see the trampoline here in the foreground and to the side, in the deep shade on the left, there was a rather nice swing set. 

Wow, I wondered, were these left over from school days or did someone, some family, live there.

A detail of the front door. From this side it looks like a school. But the front could have been a church entrance. 

I didn't get any pictures because there was a woman out in the yard on the other side but it appeared to have a deck with lawn chairs and a table on it. Underneath the deck was parking and there was a car underneath it and one nearby in the yard. Plus, y'know, the dog.

So I was left thinking this was a home. I googled it and looking down at it from above there is just this building and then the rather large garage/barn/storage shed on the other side. If it is a house now how cool is that!?!

Hahaha, I would LOVE to see the inside and see what they've done because the outside is looking a little rough.

Alright. Now to the heartbreak. Last year was such a wonderful year for Aggie Football. They had a winning season and won a Bowl game. It was magical. 

And I allowed myself to get my hopes up for the new season. I mean, the Aggies were on National Television, ESPN2. I thought, hoped, felt that with the great season last year the Aggies were ready to come back...maybe not be a Powerhouse but stop being a doormat for everyone.

The first game of the season was against Wyoming. I know they're a good school with a solid program but I thought the Aggies had a chance...at least to play a competitive game.

Nope.

It was ass-kickin' time and the Cowboys of Wyoming did a number on the hapless (again) Aggies of New Mexico State. The Aggies got ONE first down in the First Half...and that in the final seconds of the Half. 

In the end the Aggies lost, 29-7. Then they went out for their second game against Minnesota 48-10. Next they played the team they beat in the Bowl Game last year, Utah State. They were pissed and the Aggies got beat up by them, 60-13.

Hence the cartoon below.

Next up are the Lobos of UNM. The I-25 Battle. We'll lose, I'm sure.

One of the parents sent these pictures to me. It's from the Pack's trip to the Tillamook National Forest Center. It's rare for me to get pictures taken and so I decided to put them in here.

Listening to the Ranger explaining...something.

Hahaha, see me? Hard at work doing what I'm expected to do. In the upper left I'm taking a picture of the Pack. That's what I do.

And there I am probably looking for another angle to get a shot as this Ranger Guide, we had three, talked about the wildlife in this forest.

And this is my shot but I particularly liked it. 

I didn't feel like negotiating all those loose rocks so I stayed along the side of the river bank and then yelled at everyone to turn, smile and wave. And, hey!! Some did.

Like I said, I particularly like this shot.

I recently joined a group called, "MCRD, San Diego Alumi" and it's all about our long-ago glory days that all began here on this grinder at this base.

And so I've been on a small trip down Memory Lane. Visiting some places that will live forever in my memory; that are an integral part of the man I've become. Like MCRD, San Diego.

I enlisted in June, '66. They were trying to put as many men into boots as they could so everything was speeded up. Boot Camp, usually 12 weeks long, was shortened to just 8 weeks when I arrived. (Thank Goodness). And we got the abbreviated initiation into the Corps. Spent a lot of time on that Grinder.

As you look at the picture the Base HQ is at the bottom while the large building at the top center of the Grinder (the large parade field) was the Post Theater. There are two sets of quonset huts along the right hand side of the Grinder separated by the Mess Hall in between them. My platoon, Platoon 2051, were in the huts about three rows up, towards the Theater, from the Mess. And I ate every meal while there in that Mess. The only change was the two weeks we spent up at Edson Range snapping in and then qualifying with the M-14. 

When we had our duty week, we were the lowest performing platoon in the Series and so we got Mess Duty. As the Platoon Guide, I had to stand, at attention, at the front entrance with a clipboard so the Drill Instructors could sign their platoons into the Mess, check the schedule, etc. Plus, I was a convenient foil for the Drills to yell at, berate and generally harass just for the hell of it. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, I stood that crap for seven days.

To the right of the huts and the Mess was the P.T. Field, the obstacle course, the sand pits. And to the right of them was the San Diego Airport. 

I don't know where these huts were but they're representative of what we lived in. When the Drill was feeling rowdy he'd pile us all in one hut so he could have all our attention without any outside interference.

I made sure I got a top rack by one of the windows. I could look out and see the lights above the harbor and the planes as they took off and landed at the airport.

I had this picture but somewhere along the road it got lost. With this Alumni Group I found the Museum at MCRD would reproduce your Boot Camp Platoon Picture for a small fee and so I got this.

There we are. The Valley Platoon, Platoon 2051. Sgt Lopez, S/Sgt Laughlin, Sgt DeAvery. We started June 29, 1966 and graduated August 30, 1966. We got a four-hour Base Liberty and then back to the huts were we packed and were ready to ship up to Pendleton the next day for ITR.

Things moved fast in those days. We were building up to the peak number of troops in Vietnam in 1968, the year I was there. In that year, the number of troops peaked at 549,500.

But that was in the future. Right now I had just graduated and was showing off with my family. My Dad, Mom, Grandma and sister came down for my graduation. That's a smile of relief mingled with a little bit of pride at having made it.

Now, back to the present. I am sure some folks laugh at me for always having a camera with me wherever I go but it makes memories and, sometimes, makes things better.

Jan's, the woman in the blue blouse, first words to me when we came to relieve them at the Raffle at the State Fair was, "Oh, you're the one who always has the camera." with a laugh. But I got the only pictures of the Club at the Fair and, yeah, they used them in the Newsletter. But I still don't get attribution.

And I sent these pictures in with the writing, too. I get sore that no matter how many times we've invited the members of the Club to visit a Pack Meeting no one had ever shown up. So when One guy, Jim Sage, showed up I made a deal of it and then sent the pictures to the yokel that runs the Newsletter. He used the pictures I'd taken PLUS the caption, too. My comments were a little pointed but I am pretty sure they went completely over everyone's head. In other words, I missed my mark.

But, hey, once again they've used my pictures to make the Newsletter a little better than just the same ol type.

And that's it, for now.

A busy week and it doesn't appear to be ending soon.

But, OK. It makes me get out of the shed. Lately if I don't have a reason to, I don't even change out of my PJs. Like today. 

Well, I'm tired and don't feel like doing anything. Plus it's cheaper to stay here.

Hooah!!!