Hal and Diane
My friends Hal and Diane Buttrell are looking for a “situation.” Not a situation in the sense of “a state of affairs” And not a situation in the sense of a “condition.” More of a “situation” in terms of a place to live. The place that they have been staying for some months is about to be sold and they need a “situation” — perhaps a house-sitting situation, or perhaps a rental if that “situation” is right. Meanwhile, they have a piece of undeveloped property for sale and…
It reminds me of something my grandmother wrote in a letter to her son Willard during the Great Depression. In those years following ‘the Crash of ‘29’ there weren’t many bright spots in Oysterville. And there certainly wasn’t any money. As my grandmother Helen Espy wrote to her son Willard: We are far from in need, but are not exactly enjoying ourselves… We are doing a lot of old time bartering these days and it works fine. We have traded oysters for apples, cabbages, rutabagas etc. and now have exchanged some old lumber for potatoes.
I don’t know if it’s harder to find a house to live in than it is to find food for the table, but it sounds a lot more difficult to me. Especially right now with the tight housing market. Diane is always hopeful and Hal (often a man of few words) is always supportive of her efforts..
Oysterville Science Academy Students in Lab Coats
Even with the spectre of “homelessness” hanging overhead, they have been busy (and, so far, successful) in trying to revive the Methodist Church in Ocean Park. And Diane continues to breathe life into the Oysterville Science Academy — a project that she began in 2015 with only her enthusiasm and a dream for a better learning experience for kids. Now the Academy has a Board of Directors (“a working Board,” Diane emphasizes), involves the Ocean Beach School District, and is poised to begin a new phase next summer for Academy graduates.
Hal, who suffers from Congestive Heart Failure (and sometimes sports a portable oxygen tank) still keeps an eye on their property, discouraging the gorse and other noxious weeds that might want to settle in if unchallenged and hoping that just the right buyers will come along to share his enthusiasm for the location and its possibilities.
Meanwhile, between now and April, they are hopeful that someone “out there” will have need of two energetic, responsible adults to match up to a house that needs their particular brand of TLC. Perhaps there’s “a situation” that could be of mutual benefit. Diane says to contact her at edianebuttrell@gmail.com if you have helpful information.
I wondered if dear Marian and her handsome husband, Jim, ever got to eat anything at all. There was a steady stream of well-wishers at the table — sometimes a whole line-up. Marian, gracious as always, didn’t seem to worry about her pancakes and sausage getting cold. She held firmly to each well-wisher’s hand and smiled and smiled.
t took just a few seconds before I did a double take! Barbara Bate had handed me a flyer about a Community Awareness Dinner but it wasn’t until I took note of the face and saw the words “Featuring speaker Mario Rodriguez” that I yelled, “Hooray!”
Ryan’s funeral is this afternoon. We won’t be there, except in spirit — once again our hearts overruled by the risks involved from dreaded Covid. We are sorrier than can be imagined.
Dusk was just around the corner yesterday afternoon when Christmas arrived on our south porch! At first we heard the gate open and then a bit of foot scuffling and then… sleigh bells! The carolers had arrived and for the next quarter hour or so we were wreathed in smiles and immersed in songs and good tidings! It was even cold enough to feel like Christmas — only the snow was missing. But it was the sound of sleigh bells that caused my heart to soar. I’ve never ridden in a sleigh or even seen or heard one except in films. Yet the sound is at once nostalgic and full of promise and says “Christmas” like no other!
We had no steaming cups of hot buttered rum to offer — only red and green M&M’s — festive, perhaps, but not so warming. Even though it wasn’t icy and snowy, I wished we could have provided them a bit of hot, wet Christmas cheer. Maybe next year… if they are inspired again and we can keep our place on their list. Meanwhile… Let The Season Begin!
yesterday delivering their traditional Christmas wreaths. Once again, because of the configuration of our porch and doors, they brought us three. Three gorgeous wreaths to get our Holiday Season up and running!
Christmas wreaths are also connected with the pagan holiday of Yule, marking the winter solstice, which was celebrated by ancient Germanic and Scandinavian peoples. This 12-day festival, which was also called midwinter, was held to honor the returning of the sun and the seasonal cycle. The wreaths used during Yule were meant to symbolize nature and the promise of spring.