GimletBlog

Editor’s note:  The Gimlet’s friend mentioned in the story below recently celebrated an Eagle Court of Honor for his own Thing One (congratulations!), and while searching for pictures for his ceremony, these photos were found.  And no, they haven’t been run through some fancy Photoshop filter or iPhone app:  these photographs are genuinely old.

Back in the summer of 1984, I was an 18 year-old who had finished one year of college (one quarter at USU and one semester at UNM), and was waiting to go on an LDS mission.  My friend and his parents let me stay at his home while I worked at the same Shell gas station I had worked at during high school.  I remember taking all my earnings, buying ten white shirts, and having very little money left after that.  I also remember my father reading my mission call to me over the phone from our new home in Albuquerque to me while I was at my grandparents’ condo in Thousand Oaks, CA.

I also remember my grandfather being convinced that my cousin and I were going to do something risky and get ourselves killed just before we went on our missions.  My cousin planned to go on a white water rafting trip, but that is another story.  As for me, my friend and I went to Idaho to have my uncle guide us on a climb of the Finger of Fate, which Mountain Project.com describes as a “ridiculously cool looking granite spire in the Hell Roaring Lake area” of the Sawtooth mountain range.  The previous summer, the three of us had successfully summited the Grand Teton.

My memories of the climb are mixture of vague and unbelievably clear.   I vaguely remember the drive to the trail head in my father’s 1981 VW Scirocco (which was soon replaced with a 1984 Scirocco after I left on my mission)  I do not remember how close this was to my August 9, 1984 report date to the MTC.    I remember the trail and the beautiful peak we were going to climb.

Most vivid though is the memory of my uncle not being able to make the last move on the climb to get to the top of the peak.  He is not a big man and his arms were not long enough to reach.

Then I remember my attempt.

I got to the peak and put my arm across the top.  The cliff on the other side was about 1000 feet.  I imagined myself pulling myself over the entire peak and going over the other side.  With that thought, I realized I physically could not force myself to make the move.  At that point I realized in spite of all my dreaming and working toward becoming a great alpinist, I did not have the drive or recklessness to put my life on the line any farther.

I remember my arm across the rock and the look across the top of the peak, but I could not quite get there.  My friend couldn’t make it, either.

We climbed down the mountain without summiting and you can tell from our expressions on this last photo that we were disappointed.

At that time, I might have believed that I was done with mountains, but mountains weren’t done with me.  After my mission (nicknamed “The Mountaintop Mission“), I returned to Idaho, and with my uncle, I climbed the Middle and South Tetons.  Later I summited law school, but in retrospect I often wonder if I should have kept up with mountains of granite, ice and snow.  Now, to steal a thought from Timothy Egan, I live in a city where (on a clear day) I can look around me and see three national parks at one time:  Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic.

Links for fellow armchair mountaineers:

• Overview of the Finger of Fate from Summitpost.org
• Topo map of the Finger and related hikes from Mountain Zone.com
• Idaho: A climbing guide
• All Fourteen 8,000ers by Reinhold Messner on Amazon.com

Related posts:

A steady stream of out-of-town family members arrived throughout the week to attend Bopa’s memorial service last Thursday, and several are staying through the weekend.  Saturday we took Grandma and Grandpa Gimlet to Ebey’s Landing National Historial Reserve on Whidbey Island.  Grandma Gimlet had never ridden on a ferry before, so we had to remedy that.  Then, as we drove across the island, we were surprised to see about ten bald eagles circling, then landing, in a field.

The day began a little overcast, but by the time we arrived at the beach, the sun was out, and warm enough to temper the ocean breeze.

Thing One has a reputation for being a polar bear, but even Thing Two didn’t need to wear a jacket as he ran up and down the shoreline, throwing rocks in the water.

The GrandGimlets also found plenty of interesting rocks and a nearly complete crab shell.

The last time we went to Ebey’s Landing, Thing Two was very fearful of the waves, but today he wasn’t scared and was able to relax and have fun.

Has it really been almost two years ago since our last visit?  Next time we won’t stay away so long.

Related posts:

Part the Third: In which, mayhem and mystery having been sufficiently discussed, muslin is all that remains.   Fans of Mrs. Allen may say we saved the best for last.

As eager as we are to get to the ball, (you knew this was coming) that is getting ahead of the story just a little.  First, we would be remiss if we failed to show off the stunning display of costume and fashion in the Milsom Street Emporium, all designed and executed by Susan Pasco.   Everything was so beautiful.

It was such a treat to examine gowns, hats, and other accessories up close and marvel at the care and detail that went into making them.

This richly embroidered Georgian gown was my favorite:

Many thanks to Susan for generously sharing her collection with the AGM attendees!

(more…)

Related posts:

Part the Second: In which Team Tilney Explains It All, including the mystery guest mentioned in Part the First.  Mojo, voodoo, mist and magic abound!

Friday morning Team Tilney met in the hotel ballroom, instructed our Extraordinary Gentlemen to bar the doors, and rehearsed in earnest with our mysterious guest panelist:  a local Portland actor we hired to play Henry Tilney.    During a brainstorming session, the idea was tossed around to have a “real” Henry join our panel.  Team member Lynn Marie got in touch with her Portland theater contacts, and in short order we had our Henry on board and familiarizing himself with our presentation.

As he would be sitting in the audience prior to his introduction, Maggie warned him that as a young man in costume at the AGM, he would be an unusual sight and the other attendees would be drawn to him. (“They will come up and pet you.”) But despite this, and despite overhearing at least one very shocking assessment of his charms, what followed after the presentation was a surprise even to Team Tilney.  But that is getting ahead of the story just a little.

(more…)

Related posts:

Part the First: In which our heroine has a most distressing adventure, but all ends happily, if wearily.

This year the Things had several must-attend activities scheduled at the same time that Your Humble Narrator absolutely had to be in Portland, so Team Gimlet divided and conquered:  I rode the train down to Portland Thursday afternoon, and when the evening’s events were done, The Gimlet loaded up the barouche and drove south, arriving in Portland at 1:30 in the morning.  After the stress and bustle of preparations, the train ride was relaxed and scenic, and had I but known it, Laurel Ann of Austenprose was riding the same train!  We did not discover this until we were introduced in the hotel lobby.  But that is getting ahead of the story just a little.

A Northanger Abbey-inspired journey would not be complete without a Gothic kidnapping of the incompetent heroine, and so it happened that when I found the MAX light rail station, I very stupidly got on the wrong train, which promptly whisked me away from downtown Portland and over the Willamette River.  However, rather than scream or faint (although the inclination was there, as I watched downtown disappear into the distance at an alarming speed), I managed to ask a Local Young Person for directions, and she very kindly helped this Befuddled Older Person to the correct MAX station.

I was then hopeful that the return trip would be uneventful, but I had forgotten about the possibility of banditti, another popular Gothic motif.  After a conversation with a potentially aggressive panhandler, and the concern that I might miss my stop again, I decided that a walk was in order.  Happily my chosen point of disembarkation was not too far from my final destination, and soon I was within the welcoming walls of the hotel and met by old friends and online acquaintances (who feel like old friends even if this was our first face-to-face meeting).

The first of many visits to the Milsom Street Emporium was in order, and not because the rigors of the journey demanded retail therapy.  Rather, the Antique Fashionista and her husband (also known as Aunt M and Uncle C) had secured a booth in the Emporium and I wanted to meet up and find out how the day had been for them.  The Antique Fashionista was hard at work, as she would be for the next three days, stepping away from her booth only when it was absolutely necessary.  The Fashionista Dogsbody had already been sent on several errands to procure nourishment and art supplies (an excellent shop just happened to be close by).  Team Fashionista was fatigued from travel and their labors, but were happy to report that sales were brisk, even at this early pre-AGM stage.

I was a member of a group of ladies called Team Tilney, which would be presenting a panel discussion Friday morning, before the official opening of the AGM.  We had planned to rehearse our presentation Thursday afternoon, but all of us, including our top secret mysterious guest panelist, arrived late for one reason or another.  When we finally assembled, we had less than an hour to work, but the first run-through went well.  After rehearsal we adjourned for a much needed dinner at the Heathman Restaurant.    The food was exquisite (the desserts were especially heavenly) and the conversation delightful.  Even when jet-lagged and travel-worn, Janeites are the best sort of company.  My evening was far from over as I had to wait up for The Gimlet to arrive, and when he finally did, we were both glad to get a few hours’ sleep before the big day.

Next:  Mystery

Visit the Gimlet Gallery to see more photos from the AGM.

Related posts:

The 2010 AGM is almost here!  JASNA’s annual meeting will be held in Portland, Oregon over Halloween weekend.  The theme is “Jane Austen and the Abbey:  Mystery, Mayhem, and Muslin in Portland”.   I’m looking forward to a reunion with fellow Gothic Gotham fangirl Kelley and my partner in mayhem and muslin from the Vancouver AGM, Maggie.  Aunt M, the Antique Fashionista, will have a booth at the Milsom Street Emporium where people can watch her working on her beautiful watercolors, then purchase one to take home as a souvenir.  Meanwhile, The Gimlet has plans to sample the local donut scene and see if it lives up to the hype.

Of course there has to be a new dress for the Bal Masque, and Tamara has graciously agreed to design another amazing creation.  No pictures to share yet, but think crushed red velvet, black lace, and especially think Gothic.  Wretched Mathildas and Emily St. Auberts, all of whom swoon at the drop of a hat, would surely swoon for such a gown.

It promises to be a weekend of great fun.  We hope to see you there!

Related posts:

Thing One’s troop arrived at the Jamboree on Monday, and after setting up camp they have been exploring all the activities, exhibits, and other fun the Jamboree has to offer.  Before the Jamboree, the scouts enjoyed four days around Washington, D.C., touring several monuments and historic sites.  Again, many thanks to the scoutmasters, troop historian, and webmaster of Troop 749 for sharing their photos and stories.

• Official Jamboree web site
• Thing One’s troop blog, updated daily with photos

On their first day in DC, the troop had tickets to go to the top of the Washington Monument and toured the Capitol Building and National Archives.  With an attorney as scoutmaster, a troop photo at the Supreme Court was in order.  A special Marine Barracks parade that evening was a grand end to the day.

(more…)

Related posts:

Thing One’s jamboree troop is posting daily journal entries and photos on their web site!  We’re enjoying the opportunity to follow along with Thing One and learn about what he’s seeing and doing.  The troop’s webmaster granted permission for us to share some of the troop photos on GimletBlog.  View a larger image by clicking on it.  We hope you’ll visit the troop’s web site too and read the great stories that go along with the pictures.

On Tuesday the troop had the opportunity to visit LDS Church historic sites around Palmyra, New York.  They toured the Joseph Smith farm, the Sacred Grove and Hill Cumorah, and the grounds of the Palmyra Temple.  They also visited the E.B. Grandin Press, where the Book of Mormon was first published, and the Peter Whitmer farm, where Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon from the plates and the LDS Church was organized on April 6, 1830.  These photos were taken just before a special devotional in the Sacred Grove, and later at the Palmyra Temple.

The troop also visited a Civil War battlefield site, and took pictures of the patrols.  Looks like this cannon needs a little Blue Steel, courtesy of Thing One.

All this, and we’re not even at the National Jamboree yet.  More adventures to come!

Related posts: