Sutherlin’s Emergency Manager Brandan McGarr talks at Timber Valley Tues., Jan. 11 at 10 a.m. in the Clubhouse

Posted on January 4, 2022 by Julianne G Crane

Sutherlin’s Emergency Manager Brandan McGarr will give an overview of the City’s Emergency Management Department.

McGarr will speak on Tuesday, Jan. 11, at 10 a.m. in the Clubhouse.  This special presentation to Timber Valley’s Emergency Preparedness Committee is open to all of the Park’s members and visitors. (Masks required.)

McGarr became a firefighter in 2004 and was hired as the City’s Fire Department’s Battalion Chief in 2018. Then on Nov. 1, 2021, he was promoted to Division Chief. He also serves as the Fire Department’s Training Officer and Fire Prevention Coordinator.

While in high school, McGarr became interested in the fire department and it is said he could be found at the local fire station almost every day.

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Twenty Four Carrot Christmas

Posted on December 21, 2021 by webadmin

One of our best RV experiences was volunteering in a membership park in Lake Havasu Arizona. We got to run parties, help with entertainment, and do a lot of really fun stuff. Our involvement with this has resulted in many long lasting friendships. Thanks to our many CRA friends for helping us, and me, get through
the last couple of years.

One day we got a call from friends from before we retired. Sandy and Jem were neighbors in Ct. “ We are in Phoenix. How about we come to see you over Christmas? “ Well great!!!

A bit of background. Sandy and Jem were from the UK. As was Rita. Because of her eyesight problem, Rita had especially acute hearing. Which was fortunate because, for some reason, I couldn’t understand a word Sandy said. My ears just couldn’t process her voice. Whenever we ran into each other, I had to get Rita to interpret.

So they arrive in Havasu, check into their motel, and come to the park. Rita and I were obligated to work Christmas Day, but we devised a special treat for Christmas Eve. We took them to Oatman, Az. Oatman is a tourist trap. But the most humane tourist trap ever.

Years ago the miners, who worked in the area, brought in burros to carry the material out of the mines. Eventually, the mines played out and the miners moved on. The burros stayed. After a while, some merchants decided to create a town. They quickly realized what a draw the burros would be, so they started feeding them. Pretty soon, at ten am, two dozen or so burros came into town from their homes in the desert. They were greeted by a growing number of tourists willing to feed them carrots. And watch staged gunfights and buy souvenirs of the occasion. Each animal was named and provided veterinary service if needed. When one died, the merchants grieved. When one was born, a celebration.

Driving Jem and Sandy towards town, we noticed the trees and cacti were all decorated with tin cans and other detritus of the desert. We made sure we arrived well before the magical ten am hour so they could have the full experience. We parked just outside of town and told our guests we had a special present for them and handed them each a ten pound bag of carrots. Their look of bewilderment coincided with the arrival of the burros. I can still see the look on their faces as they re-gifted their Christmas present. One carrot at a time.

We all have that one special holiday memory. Jem and Sandy are back in the UK and we have unfortunately lost touch. I know this for sure, though. At some time before the end of the season, they will think about their twenty four carrot Christmas gift that they kept for just a few moments. A very happy few moments.

So, no matter what happened during the past year. No matter how many lumps of coal in your stocking. No matter how many times you had to get back up, reach back and find that special holiday memory, milk it for all it’s worth, and have the best time you possibly can. But, don’t shoot your eye out.
—
Fred Prout

 

Posted in Featured, General Interest, Humor | Tagged | 8 Comments

Grief

Posted on December 14, 2021 by webadmin

It seems like the whole world resonates with the sound and feel of
grieving. It has been nearly two years since the beginning of the “great
pandemic” and we are still losing loved ones at an alarming rate. Add to
that the number of people dieing of old age and other illnesses. Sometimes
it seems like our flags are in a perpetual state of half mast. We live in a new
world of partial or full isolation and our grief seems insurmountable. How
do we move forward in a world that no longer holds the ones we held dear?
Grief. The dictionary defines grief as the response to the loss of
someone or some living thing that has died, to which a bond was formed.
Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, grief
also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, cultural, spiritual and
philosophical dimensions. Grief is like a fingerprint – no two people grieve
the same or for the same length of time.

Grief counselors and psychologists state that there are seven stages of
grief: shock or disbelief, denial, bargaining, guilt, anger, depression, and
acceptance/hope. Again no two people are the same. You may be moving
forward only to wake up one day to find you have regressed to an earlier
stage. That is normal! Death of a spouse is one of the hardest to deal with
and when that spouse is a soulmate it is devastating. Professionals have
documented and attest that soulmates are legitimate. When a soulmate dies
it is like a part of you has been ripped away and the grieving process may be
long lasting. When you lose your spouse you have to learn how to live as a
single instead of a half. Not only are you grieving the loss of your mate, you
are now faced with a new social and financial standing. Where do you fit in
in the new scheme of things?

You will find that some people are very understanding and
compassionate while other who may have moved on sooner, think you
should just suck it up and move on too. Ignore them! You will move on at
your own rate. There are no rights and wrongs. Talk to friends, join a
support group or write your feelings down. There are books and internet
blogs with good information and support. You are not alone. Eventually
you will accept and find your place in your new world. You will never stop
missing your loved one but you will learn to focus more on the beautiful
memories the two of you made together.

If you know someone who is grieving, be kind, listen to them no
matter how many times they need to talk. Your support can make a
difference. Your caring will be greatly appreciated
Ruby Bonham 12-10-2021

Posted in Creative Work, Featured, General Interest | Tagged | 7 Comments

Free Tax Advice

Posted on December 10, 2021 by webadmin

To put things in context, the following took place shortly before my recent re-connection surgery. For those of you who are interested, it went well and things are working out ok . And often. And after six months, I can face the correct wall.
Hey, that’s a big deal.

Well, it was inevitable. after many long, long months of masking, avoiding, hiding out, staying away… a friend came by our dinner table and asked if he could join us. Since I’ve known him and his wife for a long time, and knew they had both been vaccinated, I said sure. My table mates concurred. The next night, his wife called. You got it. He got sick the next morning and tested positive.

S#@t !

So the next morning I went to get tested. Too soon, they said. Come back Friday. Even though I had no symptoms and had been self-testing daily (more later, keep reading) I wanted to make sure that I didn’t carry the bug to possibly pass on. I am a nice person after all.

Two more days of self isolation and I went back for the test. A very expensive test. Well, the test was free, but the facility is right in front of Costco. I mean, you are already there, so, you might as well go in and look around, right? Thankfully, the test was negative, so, back to being a real person again.

Oh, the free tax advice. All the literature I read about Covid-19 says you may lose your sense of taste and smell. I read the two most reliable taste testers are bacon
and twelve year old single malt scotch. Since I don’t want to cook, I chose the latter. Because of the seriousness of the situation, I tested daily. Actually, several times a day. I mean this is important stuff, right?

Now, being a conscientious taxpayer, I called the IRS.I explained my situation and asked if the testing material was tax deductible. Unfortunately, the agent explained that in order to be considered tax deductible, the testing material had to be less than 1 week old. Therefore, my forty dollar bottle would not qualify.

Since it appears that frequent testing will be necessary, I am considering setting up a “Go Fund Me “. If anyone knows how to do it, please let me know.
—
Fred Prout

Posted in Creative Work, Featured, General Interest, Humor | Tagged | 3 Comments

A Tree Grows in Timber Valley!

Posted on November 30, 2021 by webadmin

A great time was had by all – thanks to everyone who participated in decorating the Clubhouse!

Posted in Events, General Interest, Life at Timber Valley | 3 Comments

A Ticket To Ride II

Posted on November 24, 2021 by webadmin

by Fred Prout

The train slows and stops. I get off, along with a few other passengers. The ones with which I have had the strongest connections. A smaller train sits waiting to take us in a different direction. We board. We are met by several others with whom we share the same strong connection.

Some of the other connections were tangential. Souls we have interacted with in no meaningful way. These are so strong that we must have been very important to each other. Many times. We seem to be part of each other.

There is a collective realization that we have all come from life. The new train is bringing us to a new life. I now understand that the ticket is within us. Everything we have ever done is stamped on the ticket. Some do better, some worse. Some are just…gone.

We realize that because of our new direction, we are privy to an awareness we never had before. We realize this is a way of understanding “ You need t to do better to get better “. We realize that we will lose this awareness when we reach our next stop. We know we will be important to each other forever.

The train slows …

Posted in Creative Work, General Interest | Tagged | 6 Comments

There’s Gonna Be Some Changes Made

Posted on November 12, 2021 by webadmin

by Jackie Deal

Yeah, I’ve already started some of those changes. I’ve moved the kitty’s litter box! What? you ask. Why? Well, it’s like this: I have arthritis in both hips! Bending over, reaching around the foot of the bed to clean the litter box is a —rhymes with witch!

Now, cats don’t like changes (so I’m told) especially to their litter boxes. Think about it: you rush into the bathroom and there’s no toilet! How would you feel? Continue reading →

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A Ticket to Ride

Posted on November 10, 2021 by webadmin

by Fred Prout

You find yourself riding on a train. No ticket in hand. But that’s okay, because no one asks where you are going. Which is a good thing. Because you are not sure yourself. Periodically the train pulls into a station. People get off. Other people get on. Continue reading →

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HOW – A Sequel

Posted on November 4, 2021 by webadmin

by Ruby Bonham

After exploring the Whys, I got to thinking about Fred’s Why Nots. Which brought me to HOW. How do we cope with all the Whys.

Each of the whys is an event in our lives that has already happened and cannot be changed. We have no control over the past but we do have control over how we react to it. People react in different ways: anger, revenge, shock, and destructive behavior are just a few. We do not seem to cope very well when our lives and the lives of our loved ones spin out of our control. Continue reading →

Posted in General Interest | Tagged | 6 Comments

The Perfect Stick

Posted on November 2, 2021 by webadmin

Gunnar the Pupper
by Fred Prout

For some of you, this may be another in a long line of dog/ cat/ bunny/ parakeet etc. stories. For many of you, it may be an allegory. Please let me know if it works.

For those of you who never met Gunnar, he was an eighty pound rescue dog of Collie/ Golden Retriever parentage. Although he loved us both, it was obvious he was Rita’s dog. He seemed to sense that he could help her. And help he did. Continue reading →

Posted in General Interest | Tagged | 6 Comments