The Curtis Clan - Fall 2014
Fall Equinox to Winter Solstice
Randy’s fall at work started out with him snagging some hand-me-down wood furniture from a library makeover to replace the glaring white Formica surfaces of the past twenty years. The wood provided a warm, comforting upgrade to his work space and was a happy perk.
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Wood furniture classing up Randy's cubical
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On the home front Bethany convinced him to replace the oven which hadn’t operated properly in a couple years, despite a service call to repair it. It wasn’t exactly a 13th Anniversary present but it was ordered and arrived coincidently close. The whole clan was happy to bake again with confidence (and have frozen pizza).
The first Saturday of fall, there was in town cousin evening as George, Henry and Joe came over with the two eldest staying the night (Joe wasn’t sleeping through the night yet at the time). The impromptu dance party after dinner was particularly fun.
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Cousin sleepover in the basement
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Camping A-Go-Go
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Curti at the Pulltite sign
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The first weekend in October, we went on our annual fall camping trip, returning again to the Ozark National Waterway Pulltite campground for the third year. We occupied Group Camp site #1 along with the usual suspects: Uncle Charlie and Jo Ann Stocker; our Columbia friends Anthony, Alex and Amanda Holmes, Elisabeth King, Pat Parker, Maggie, Annie and Mickey Rollo, Carol and Bill Aszman, and Scott McMahon.
| Acquiring the new Curtis tent-Mahal in July |
Curtis tent complex at Pulltite |
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Bethany and Randy upgraded to a 12 by 12 foot tent-Mahal courtesy a moving sale from their former neighbors the Burks. A bit decadent but it was nice to be able to stand up to change clothes and have plenty of space for all our gear. We could have readily included Jane and Cate but we were all were happier with them staying separately in the twenty year-old Jansport 3-person tent (which was a chaotic mess of clothes and gear on the inside).
In the evenings, we enjoyed the spirit of the communal hollow log campfires (Beneficent and Pyroific Order of Hollow Logs [BPOHL]) courtesy of Bill Asman as always. Evening hikes in the moonlight sans flashlight were also memorable.
| Jane bundled up to go to the tent |
Randy in awe of the BPOHL camp fire |
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Friday night got unseasonably cold with temperatures in the 30s but we were warm and cuddly on our inflatable mattress with the hefty big green Korean blanket on top.
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Jane, Bethany & Cate around the campfire
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Randy and the girls once again floated 10 miles on the Current River from Acker’s Ferry back down to the Pulltite Campground with Jane in a kayak and Randy and Cate taking the family’s green Coleman canoe, William Henry Harrison (because it’s an Old Tippe-Canoe).
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The Curtis Jolly Floatmen prepare to launch
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It was a good day on the Current River with Cate doing her first mile or so solo kayaking. More importantly no one got wet on a day when the temperatures didn’t get above the mid-50s and the adults were concerned how quickly things could become really unpleasant if one of the canoes overturned (almost an expectation during the heat of the summer just for the fun of it). The dry bags and kayak cubbies were stuffed with dry clothes and towels. Randy and Anthony floated the ¾ mile from pull out to the camp site, getting to visit the Pulltite Spring on the opposite of the river for the first time.
| Jane the seasoned kayaker |
Cate tackling her first mile in a kayak |
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This was WHH’s last trip on the Current River, as Randy finally came around to sense that the $10 savings from the hauling fees to transport the canoe up river ($30) as opposed to $40 for rental fee, didn’t come close to justifying the effort required to take the canoe out of storage, latch it to the top of the van for the 2 ½ hour ride there with multiple stops to eliminate the strap hum when the canoe wasn’t positioned just right on the roof (middle cross bar along side of the front roof rack bar) and return it all back again. With the loss in gas mileage, there may actually be no $ savings and only hassle. This also didn’t include the portage hassle from the pull-out to the campsite of ¾ mile, which had no natural sand bar or bank anywhere close by. If Randy hadn’t made this decision, Bethany would probably have chosen to ride down with someone else in the future.
| Cate sporting smiles in the cave from the front of WHH |
Uncle Charlie and Anthony (enjoying the pleasures of a rented canoe) |
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The following week, Jane and Cate attended their first meet-the-author, book signing at the Ethical Survey courtesy of Left Bank Books and a national Fierce Reads tour. The girls both laughed often and were completely engaged as the four strong-willed women authors discussed their books and enchanted them with the possibility of writing too. They ended up buying three books and getting them signed with their allowance money:
• Marissa Meyer: Cinder
• Jessica Brody: 52 Reasons to Hate My Father
• Gennifer Albin: Crewel
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Author Meet & Greet and book signing
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Jane channeling her inner Jane-son Pollick at an Old Webster art gathering (She got extra points from her English teacher for seeing his daughters' band perform)
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In mid-October 14, 2014, Jane attended Camp Wyman with her sixth grade Vega Class (40 years after her Dad went though with less amenities). Cate enjoyed being the only child for the week, getting to go to House of India and shopping with her folks on Tuesday; Celebrating Nana’s 76 Birthday with her and Ruby Tuesday take out the next day and Pointers’ pizzas on the third night. A very happy, yet exhausted Jane came back on Friday further convinced she loved camp life.
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Cate helping her Nana celebrate her 76th Birthday
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On Sunday, October 19, we joined a few other school families in what is probably considered by the coastal elites, a quintessential mid-western fall cliche by going to the Great Godfrey Corm Maze. There was a Groupon, so it was practically free…. The maze had a Harry Potter theme to the maze but it really didn’t matter as while walking through it, we never got to visualize it from above. In regards to getting lost and disoriented, there was some topography and trees on the edges to provide landmarks, so we were never scared of losing our way. At night with no moon it might be a different experience that is best left to the teens and 20-somethings to experience. The Groupon also included free hayrides and barrel rides around the Godfrey municipal park but we passed on the 15 minute wait as we did on the 40+ minute wait for the also included zip lining of a ~5-10 foot drop over ~70 feet a death-defying 5 feet off the ground (sarcasm). This will be chalked up to a once in a lifetime experience because we don’t see needing to do it again.
| Enjoying the Great Godfrey Corn Maze |
Beautiful day to wander in a corn maze |
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Who needs a beach with sand when there's a corn bin?
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"What fools these mortals be" Bethany and Randy enjoying the midfall moonlight at the Rep's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream
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Trunk or Treat
On Friday, 24 October we attended out third (and final) WGCS Trunk or Treat dressing up as M&Ms. Our costumes hit the right balance of family school spirit mixed with the right amount of low effort.
| The Curtis clan dressed as their favorite candy |
Randy and Bethany at Trunk or Treat (using the empty candy bags to decorate the family truckster |
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Another Fall Float Trip
On the last Sunday of October, Randy decided to Carpe Diem a beautiful and warm fall day to justify keeping the family’s green Coleman canoe, William Henry Harrison by taking (dragging) the girls on a 6 hour Meramec River Float from Times Beach at river mile 161 to Greentree Park in Kirkwood at mile 173.5. We saw over 50 turtles, sang lots of camp songs and had Krispy Kremes Doughnuts for dinner but the biggest smiles were for when the girls saw the Margarita color Sidekick letting us know we were done (taking out at Castlewood at mile 169 would have been perfect). Their biggest complaint - they rather be reading. Hard to argue against that one.
| Jane Randy & Cate get ready to leave the former Times Beach |
Jane and Cate enjoying the Meramec River (despite their best efforts otherwise) |
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Halloween
This year both girls decided to be archers for Halloween: Jane as Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games and Cate as Robin Hood. After some coercion, Cate allowed her sister to use her bow that she bought and we made Cate her own bow out of wood to give it more of a Sherwood Forest look. Cate’s joke this year was in theme and particularly chagrined the Republicans in the neighborhood: Knock, Knock. Who’s there? Robin. Robin Who? Robbing the rich to give to the poor. James wasn’t in theme but was pretty good too: Why can’t Cinderella play soccer? Because she keeps running away from the Ball.
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The Curtises are prepared to Trick or Treat
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It was chilly 42 degrees for Trick or Treating this year and Randy put on his long Johns to pass out candy while Bethany escorted the girls around the neighborhood (yes the girls still WANT us to go with them but for how much longer?). Maybe it was the colder temperatures or maybe it was because we didn’t barricade off Tuxedo between Cornelia and Mildred but there was a clear reduction in the number of trick-or-treaters this year. It allowed the neighbors (Britt and Lisa Liss) time to chat after the initial slug of kids came through between six and 7 o’clock.
| Robin Hood and Katniss Everdean |
Our Little Bad Wolf Pepper as Little Red Ridding Hood |
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This year marked the first with Randy happily passing the task of blowing the leaves off the roof to Cate who revels in having a reason to go on the roof, much like her dad 40 years earlier.
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Cate blowing leaves off the roof
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The first Saturday in November saw Cate and Jane joining together to serve mass at Holy Redeemer for the first time. They were rather tepid to the idea however their mother, who was denied the chance to be an altar server in the 1970s and 1980s because she was a girl, really would have none of their slacker disinterest. We sang a few verses of Sister Suffragette from Mary Poppins to help convince them of the nobility of them asserting their rights within the Catholic Church to be altar servers and they acquiesced.
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Jane and Cate after finishing their first time serving mass
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Pat Joyce Jazz Concert at Manor Grove for Nancy’ Birthday
On Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11, a bunch of Nancy’s friends (Bev Ford, Judy, Stephie, Gloria, ) that had previously gathered every Monday at the Columbia City Saloon to hear Pat Joyce play the piano, arranged for him to come to Manor Grove and perform a concert in honor of Nancy’s 76th birthday. The concert was it surprise and she was overjoyed by her friends’ thoughtful gift. That started out playing the old Sinatra hit “Nancy with the Laughing Face” in honor of the guest of honor. After that her friends all took turns singing along with Pat are various songs from Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter and others of the American songbook. It’s safe to say that the hour plus concert was the happiest time she sat in the last year and a half.
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The Columbia City Saloon gang and Pat Joyce
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| Nancy witht the Laughing Face |
Nancy and Randy |
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This fall during one of the regular Sage family CiCi pizzas nights, it was questioned why we only had brunch when the Indy or Colorado Sages came into town and why couldn’t we have brunch at other times too? And so was created the Townie Brunch idea which was celebrated in October and then again in November as it was such a hit. Both times people upped their normal culinary efforts and overall variety to include waffles and smoked salmon/lox for the bagels, while continuing with the demanded favorites of cheesy potatoes. Randy suggested alternate names of Second Breakfast or Elevensies but the Hobbit reference was perhaps too nerdy to catch on.
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Townie Sage Brunch
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Wizarding World of Harry Potter (or Bust)
For the third time, Marriott Vacation Club’s tried to entice us to join them with a bargain rate of $200 for four nights and five days at one of their resorts with the only requirement being that we sit through their 90 minute sales pitch. We said no to them twice before after similar deals, three times if you count the Hilton presentation in Vegas, but figured out what the heck. We picked Orlando as our destination for the days before Thanksgiving so the girls could get there oft expressed desire of going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios with minimal disruption of their school work without hitting the park peak times.
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Randy was already in Jacksonville, Florida as part of a work training class. Bethany got the girls out of school at lunch on Friday before making long road trip to Florida, stopping in Dalton Georgia the first night. Although they got a good start in the morning at about eight, they did not arrive in Jacksonville to about 4:15. Randy had spent the day working in a hotel room. After getting everyone settled in to the residence Inn, we made a trip to the Mellow Mushroom, our favorite pizza chain outside of St. Louis and a non-pretentious treat. The adults shared 1/2 Kosmic Karma and 1/2 Thai Dye pizza and some large beers. Sleep came easily that night for most of us as home improvement played on HGTV.
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At Mellow Mushroom (we need one here in St. Louis)
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The next day we got up and made the quick, couple-hour drive from Jacksonville to Orlando and checked into our Marriott Vacation hotel. It was only slightly bigger than a regular hotel room but it sported a refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher, which was all we needed. After getting the bags moved in, we headed off to the Universal through Orlando theme Park land for our first day at the parks.
Perhaps the nicest thing about the resort hotel was being able to buy discounted tickets to both Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventurers Parks. The tickets we got were for two days plus 5 bonus days, which was far more than we needed but it certainly took the urgency of making sure we got our money’s worth out of the two days we paid for. It seemed to be the best deal around, though at $750 for four adult tickets (10 and over are adults) and I don’t think anyone would classify it as a “steal”. Going to the Universal Parks in Orlando was a first time for all of us.
| Outside the park at the Universal globe |
Goofing around on Hagrid's motorcyle |
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Although the were many cool and interesting attractions the front part of the park, we were on a mission to visit the relatively newly opened (4month old) Diagon Alley of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which was at the opposite end from the entrance. As in the books, it was nothing but shops for the most part but it was truly magical and exceptionally well done. The girls were beside themselves with excitement. Cate and Jane were chosen for the Ollivanders Wand demonstration where the” wands to choose the wizards” and could be up purchased for the theme park price of $45. Pricey yes however when the wands were waived properly in certain locations it would cause a variety of interesting things to happen such as causing fountains to stop or things to move around in a display window. Having sold a Nook to her father that she won in a library reading contest over the summer, Jane was feeling flush with cash and decided to purchase the wand that chose her (what a racket). Cate had to satisfy herself with the occasional opportunity to borrow her sister’s wand to try it herself.
| Jane and Cate outside Olivanders |
Jane using her interactive wand |
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Having got a good feel for the item for sale at Diagon Alley, we decided to go take the Hogwarts Express “train” from Kings Crossing Station to ride to Hogsmeade which was the other part of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter located in the adjacent Islands of Adventure Park. As with most things at Universal that weren’t for sale, the train ride was another ride/show in of itself that we enjoyed a number of times or the course of our trip.
| Jane and Cate in Kings Cross Station |
BJC in the Hogwarts Express train compartment |
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The only food deal at the park was buying a refillable soda mug that we shared and getting the popcorn bin that had refills for a $1.38. We brought both to the parks on each of the following days. The popcorn bin massively cut down on any whining from the varying hunger points of the family during the day.
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With the Hogwarts Express train in Hogsmeade
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Although we didn’t feel the urgency of being at the parks all day, we did end up closing the park down at eight as we scurried through the attractions of Seuss Landing (aimed at a younger audience but still loads of fun).
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Jane and Cate enjoy the Seuss Blue Fish ride
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The next morning, Monday, we got up early to take advantage of the other special about the resort tickets which allowed us to get in the parks an hour before the general public. The special tickets can’t have been too rare because it was still pretty crowded but not near the summer crowds from what we could tell. We made a bee line for the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride that takes place within the Hogwarts castle. It was a 45 minute wait but it was a treat once inside with all the visuals and movie props. Universal made the waiting more pleasurable than any other theme park we’ve been too, particularly Simpsonland which aired clips from the show. The food as the Krustyburger was better than expected (though 6-Flags sets the bar really low), in particular waffle and chicken sandwich for Bethany and a basket of claims for me.
| Ice cream in Diagon Alley |
Butterbeer and Pumpkin Soda in Hogsmeade |
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We had brought extra clothes to change into after riding the splash rides but put it off until near the end of the day when it got dark. By that time it was kind of chilly and there wasn’t any lines for the splash rides and Randy and the girls were able to ride the Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges (tub ride), Dudley Do-Right Ripsaw Falls (log ride) and the Jurassic Park River Adventure multiple times each without any wait time at all. It was great but we were very glad to have our dry clothes afterwards. Once again, we closed the park down and were fairly exhausted by the time we made it to Denny’s for dinner at 9.
| Wet and Happy Bilge Rats |
Riding the logs of Ripsaw Falls again |
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On Day 3, it rained, A LOT! We started out by stopping by the Wal-Mart on route in a down pour to buy Randy a rain jacket (the women all had their raincoats in the car). Bethany’s cell phone sounded off a tornado warning when we pull into the lot, which gave us the willies while, stuck in a minivan in an open parking lot with inches of water pooling on the asphalt. The rain let up mostly but it was a grey drizzly day but that kept away the crowds and we were able to enjoy most the rides with minimal wait times. We decided to stay as dry as possible and skipped the splash rides.
| Another picture with the Hogwarts Express |
Randy and Bethany at Hogmeades |
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The overcast skies also made for better mode lighting of Hogsmede at night as opposed to the daylight of the following day.
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Rooftops of Hogsmeade
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On the Hogmeades bridge the last day
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Our last day was Wednesday, November 26, and we slept in for the morning and did not rush to the park having seen most of what we wanted to by that point. We sat through the couple hour sales pitch for the Vacation Club (i.e. time shares), saying no once again, which was particularly easy at this location with the horrible drinking water in Orlando (the tap water reeks of sulphur and it is unpleasant to even take a shower in the stinky Orlando water). At Universal, we spent a half a day visiting our favorite attractions one last time and making final purchases (the girls wiping out their lawn mowing and allowance savings). After picking up some pickled eggs and Yuengling beer at Sam’s and the Publix we called it a day, and went back to the hotel to pack up our gear and treasures.
| Jane taking her parents for a taxi-bike tour |
Bethany posing with a Lard Lad doughnut as big as your head (we shared) |
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We spent Thanksgiving Thursday, driving 10 hours. The highlights were finding Moon Pies and boiled peanuts at the Stuckey's in Pelham, TN while getting gas and .having a great breakfast for dinner at a Waffle House in Murphysboro, TN.
| Backseat View |
Thanksgiving Selfie |
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We go home early enough on Friday to allow Randy to help Van smoke a turkey for the annual Sage-giving meal that night at Gramy and Gral’s. On Saturday, the runners in the Sage tribe joined Uncle Barry in the annual Alton 10K run for the first time. A group of the non-runners joined them for celebratory beers afterwards at Fast Eddie’s. That evening was Sage pizza night and on Sunday morning we had brunch after Christ the King mass, as has become the tradition.
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Sages Post-10k run at Fast Eddie's
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December
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During the first weekend in December Bethany took the train with friends Maria and Elisabeth for a girl’s weekend trip to Chicago. The lodging for the trip was one of theirs gift to the other two for birthdays last year and was one of the nicer gifts in recent memory. The friends had great fun eating at various restaurants and doing some minor Christmas shopping before heading home on Sunday.
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Maria, Bethany and Elisabeth on train to Chicago
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| Kitchen Dog pile with kids |
Dogs Snoozing together (a more common sighting with the cold weather) |
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Cate at her last WGCS choral concert
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Bright and early on the mid-December Sunday, Bethany and Randy arose to participate in walking the 5k in the Hot Chocolate Run, joining Elisabeth and Rosemary (who ran the 15k). It was 20 degrees warmer than average that day (in the 40s at the start) and it made for a very pleasant outing (the chocolate didn’t hurt either).
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After the Hot Chocolate 15K run / 5K walk
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| Bethany picking out the ornaments |
Bethany and the girls trimming our tree |
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Movies - At home we watched Jurassic Park, Poltergeist, Teenage Mutant Teenage Turtles (1990) and Men In Black. We made it to the Wehrenberg Theatres Cans Food Festival for a free (with can good donation) screening of Big Hero 6 with the girls and Emma. At the Hi-Pointe, we saw By the Light of the Silvery Moon, To Catch a Thief and our annual family viewing of White Christmas on the last full day of fall.
| The girls in a '57 Chevy at Ronnies for the Cans Food Festival |
Jane and Cate with White Christmas poster at Hi Pointe |
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Great Townie Christmas Caper of 2014
That afternoon, Bethany, her brother Van and sister Rosemary bought a Christmas tree on super clearance and suck into their parents’ home to decorate it before Amy and Alvan got back from a 2 week cruise. Being gone for that long they didn’t want the fire hazard of a live tree needing water nor did they feel they had enough time to put up a tree when they got back. Their kids felt otherwise and Amy and Alvan had a very happy surprise when the got home on the solstice.
| Townie Christmas Caper |
Townie Tree Topping |
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