Halloween at Washington State History Museum

It seems to me it’s been party, party, party lately. And not exactly ‘in the usual manner.’ In fact, the one real party on our calendar – a Halloween Party at Kuzzin Kris’s – was cancelled due to serious remodeling necessities. Nevertheless, we seem to have entered the rainy season by attending all sorts of celebrations.

First was a Celebration of Life for our 97-year-old cousin Oliver Jeffords. That was last week in Olympia and involved a lovely church service followed by not one, but two receptions! It was one of those times when we got to eat dessert first – cake and coffee and piano music in the ’Gathering Place’ (read Church Hall) and then a really serious dinner at the home of ‘the younger generation,’ cousins Cheryl, Virg, and Cuzzin Ralph.

Food at Cheryl and Virg’s

The following day was, in fact, October 31^st and we celebrated by attending the Shoalwater Tribe’s exhibit “People of the Adze” at the History Museum in Tacoma. Ironically, the only indicator all day long that it was Halloween was the Museum Receptionist who was in a colorful, if unidentifiable, costume in a Hats-On-To-The-Season sort of mode.

We kept on partying all week long – a small dinner (in spite of construction) at Kris’s, our usual Friday Night Get-Together and then, yesterday, two parties back-to-back. The first was a ‘Housewarming/End of Summer/We Finally Sold the House party at Fred and Vicki Carter’s. Of course, it involved a glorious spread of food and, in a way, music when Fred took us back to his sound studio and showed us where he is working on his new CD.

Drumming after Dinner

From there we zipped into Ilwaco to the annual Chinook Nation Fall Dinner featuring elk stew, salmon chowder, steamer clams, fry bread and… apple pie for dessert! And, of course, music – welcome songs and paddle songs and even a love song – all in Chinook Wawa and all accompanied by drums.

Every celebration was unique, yet every celebration was about friendship and fellowship and featured good food and good music! And now that we are thoroughly in a party mode… bring on the holidays!