Chris Loehmer Kincaid's Blog, page 63
October 21, 2020
Scenery, Adventure and a Waterfalls – blog post #2 from the family vacation
I can’t believe that here it is nearly the end of October and I haven’t finished blogging about our family vacation the end of last month. Actually, I’ve barely begun blogging about it.
Sunday, our second full day at the cabin, we started the day with breakfast of scrambled eggs and fried venison sausage, followed by a family photo shoot before Hubby headed home, as he had to work the next day. (The only retired one in the family and he had to work. Go figure.)
Shortly after his departure, we packed up our lunches and headed out for the day.
First stop was Corrigan’s Outlook, a mere 5.28 miles from the cabin.
The views from the top were absolutely breath-taking.
Another opportunity for a family photo shoot. The dogs were not cooperating though.
To make it even better, we kept hearing coyotes howling in the valley below. Oh, so very cool. Unfortunately, none of our dogs seemed to pay them any mind. I tried videoing the howling, but all I could hear on the video was the wind blowing. I did capture these guys flying by though.
Next, we headed to Foster Falls. The trail head on the east side of the Potato River is adjacent to a small campsite, and when we pulled in, there were three campers camped there with two unfriendly looking dogs. We decided it looked too busy, that those dogs would not get on well with ours, and with some disappointment decided to drive the twelve miles to get to the other side.
As we pulled out of the parking lot road and back onto the road heading away from the river, I looked behind us and saw a pickup with a small camper on it. I couldn’t figure out where it had come from as the road ended at the river just beyond them. I made the mistake of mentioning it to the kids.
They were like, I bet he crossed the river. So, my son and son-in-law jumped out of my son’s Toyota Four-Runner and went to talk to the driver of the camper.
Yup, the driver said he had traversed the river in his truck and if he crossed with no problem, surely, we would be able to as well.
My son spun around his vehicle and headed to the end of the road, where it disappears into the Potato River to reemerge on the other side.
I do wish I would have videoed it instead of just shooting pictures. That first splash into the river, when the water flew up all the way over the windshield and our lives all flashed before our eyes as my daughter and I screamed and the boys hooted. Crazy. Absolutely crazy! You’d think we were all 22 years old and driving a beat-up Chevy truck, instead of my son’s two-year-old 4-wheel drive
The only loss was the front license plate, which no one realized until the next day, even though I clearly had taken a picture of it.
It was a short walk from there to Foster Falls.
Hubby and I had been to Foster Falls while camping in June, but that was from the other side. I couldn’t imagine him ever fording the river, no matter what he was driving. Even though it was late summer, the water flow was as much as it had been in the spring. (If you want pictures for comparison, click on this link.) 
It was a beautiful day and many more waterfalls were to come, but you’ll have to come back next week to read about that.
October 18, 2020
No Title, No Picture
When I sat down to write this, and I first found this verse, it crossed my mind to just leave it at that. I don’t really have to write here every Sunday morning, do I? Isn’t it enough to just share a Bible verse? I’m sure I’ve mentioned it before that God’s words are way better than mine any time. There is such a hodge-podge of thoughts running through my head. Such as, that I should have started with a different verse, one of those that are about being tired and placing your burdens on the Lord and finding rest and all those which I have told you about in the past. I just liked the image of being held up by God’s righteous right hand.
Coz I really need that.
Not only the sorrow over my mother-in-law’s death or the stress of supporting my husband in settling her estate or the head-spinning exhaustion from working to clear out her house. True story - I did wake up the other morning so dizzy that I was walking around like a drunken sailor.
Just add on top of that the pandemic and how badly we all just want to hug again. And I read the reports, both via the news and social media. I see the numbers of COVID cases growing and then I see the names of people I personally know and have cared for.
It’s been cold and rainy here all week. We try to keep up our spirits, saying, “well, at least it’s not snowing.” Really? Coz it was snowing like crazy here yesterday morning and on the way to town we saw the first winter car-in-the-ditch.
Has anyone gotten any good news this year? I mean really good news that wasn’t taken down a notch because there was something bad giggling in the background?
The end of last year, as I was writing my year-end blog posts, I kept tallying up the bad things that had happened and kept wishing for the new year to begin. I have to stop myself from wishing that this year. Coz, holy cow, if 2021 is worse???
All I can say, to myself and to you, is to not be afraid, not to despair. Fall into the strong arms of Jesus. Talk about a hug! Can you just imagine that? I know that I do.
Lord, Jesus, thank You for carrying the weight of our burdens, thank You for offering a sheltering place to rest, thank You for always being our help in times of trouble. Amen.
October 14, 2020
Good-bye, Trinky
As you know, if you’ve read Dino’s last two posts, or if you know my family, you know that my mother-in-law passed away last Friday night. Today is her funeral, when we say good-bye. But, I always think of it as only saying good-bye to her body. Her soul and spirit live on, and as Dino wrote on Sunday, we will be together again one day.
Kathleen Marie Kincaid passed away on Friday October 9th at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rhinelander, WI. Kathleen, known as “Trink” to her friends and family, was a wonderful and loving wife, mother, sister and grandmother who enjoyed her family above all things. Trink spent her time walking, baking, reading and being with her family. She had a strong faith, read her Bible daily and was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Crandon.
She was born on May 27th 1934 in Monico, WI to Frieda and John Collier. Trink was the fourth child of nine. She graduated Salutatorian of her class at Three Lakes High School in 1952 and went on to marry Lloyd H. Kincaid of Crandon, WI in Iron Mountain, MI that same year.
She is survived by three children; Dave (Lora), Jim (Chris) and John (Betsy), eleven grandchildren; Jim, Brian, Brenda, Amber (Jake), Nick, Jacob (Anna), Ann (Joe), Ross (Carley), Val (Kaine), Andi (Brian) and Ben (Luci), four great grandchildren; Payton, Ella, Luke and Klay, siblings; Bill (Pat), Joyce, Louise, Lois (Larry), Suzzie and Linda (Ed) and many nieces and nephews.
She was proceeded in death by her parents, husband, Lloyd (Retired State Senator) brothers, Gerald and Rusty, sister-in-law, Shirley, brothers-in-law, Buck and Chuck, daughter-in-law, Teresa and grandchildren, Angela, Brent and Wendy.
A walk by visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. A private family service will follow at 12:00 p.m. with Pastor Samuel Pappenfuss officiating. Burial to follow at Crandon Lakeside Cemetery.
Many years ago with her husband Lloyd 
With her sons and their wives 
She loved Christmas 
Loved to dance too
Her first plane ride 
Still loving Christmas 
With her sons 
Her 80th birthday party 
Both my moms. Now they are together in heaven. October 11, 2020
Don't be Sad
It is the same with you. Now you are sad, but I will see you again and you will be happy, and no one will take away your joy. (John 16:22, New Century Version)
Look who’s back? Yes, it’s me, Dino.
So, I was goofing around on Mom’s computer on this place called Bible Gateway and I found these words. I guess people call them Bible verses.
Anyway, it made me think of Mom. And that for a couple mornings in a row, she puts on certain clothes and then she leaves me for the whole entire day. I am so sad the whole day, until suddenly, she comes home again and I am so happy.
Well, we are all sad right now because Dad’s mom died the other day. Everyone misses her, like they won’t ever see her again. But I hope, that if they read those words above, they know that just like when Mom comes home at the end of the day, someday they will see Grandma again too. I think that will be in a place called heaven.
(Mom will be back to blogging as soon as she can. In the meantime, be happy and imagine what life will be like someday for everyone in that place called heaven. It sounds pretty great.)
(Oh, and the picture is from last summer when Mom and Dad took me camping and I was so happy. And then we got to stop and see Grandma too. What a great day that was!)
October 9, 2020
Message from Dino
Hi, it’s me, Dino. It has been a long time since I talked with you all. Something came up last night and Mom wasn’t able to write the blog post that she wanted to. So I told her not to worry that I would love to say hi to everyone today.
Mom wanted to write today some more about the upcoming election. She has so much to say about it. Her and Dad talk about it all the time. Sometimes they disagree, but they never fight about it. They say that the people in government running our country should do the same thing. It’s okay to disagree, but it’s not okay to fight.
Mom and Dad are feeling pretty good. They haven’t been sick. They don’t have COVID. I thought I should mention that because I don’t want you to worry.
I guess a lot of people in our town do have COVID. Mom and Dad talk about that a lot too. They are worried about it. They don’t think they will get it, but they are sad that so many people are and that it has changed how we do everything. It has been a bad year.
The good thing is that Mom and Dad got those kittens two months ago. They keep Mom and Dad busy. But they still make time for me.
I am getting older and can’t do some of the things I used to do. Sometimes I can’t make it up the stairs. But Mom always helps me. She does get frustrated with me sometimes though because I just want to be with her all the time. So I follow her down the stairs and then can’t get back up on my own.
I also have to admit that I am very hard of hearing. I will be outside just staring off into the woods pretending I am able to run around like I used to. I turn around and Mom is standing on the deck trying to get my attention. And I think she has been calling me but I couldn’t hear her.
That is about all I know today. I hope you all have a good day and a good weekend.
Love, Dino.
October 7, 2020
Exploring Ashland - blog post #1 from the family vacation
I couldn’t decide how I should start or end my journal of our family vacation to the cabin. If I should bore you first with pictures of my kids and grandpuppies or just jump right into the sites. I opted to bore you a little first each post.
My daughter with her number 1 child, Buddy. 
And with Bleu, the number 2. On our way to the cabin Friday. When I was a kid, my only memory of Ashland, Wisconsin, was our annual smelt-fishing trip. One Friday night in the spring, Dad would load Mom, my sister Pat and me into the pickup camper and we’d head north. I was little and it was dark out and I was never quite sure what happened out there on the Great Lake of Superior. Except that when we got home the next afternoon, we would be tied to the kitchen sink for hours cleaning those itty-bitty fishes.
But Ashland is an interesting, historic city. I wish I had time today to share some of that history, but instead, all I have is the interesting.
Our first full day of family vacation last week, we all drove up to the Ashland, the 45 minutes from the cabin where we were staying. And though it rained off and on all day, we made the most of it.
The murals throughout the town are fascinating.
Even the trash cans are cool.
And there’s a good share of charming old buildings.
The greatest find, however, was the murals along the Ed Griffiths Pedestrian Pass under Hwys 2 and 13, at Howard Person Plaza. Totally unexpected.
I think before I go to Ashland again, I’m going to have to do some more research so that I’m better prepared to see all it has to offer.
October 4, 2020
Two are Better than One
Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively. If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls, it's just too bad, because there is no one to help him. If it is cold, two can sleep together and stay warm, but how can you keep warm by yourself. Two people can resist an attack that would defeat one person alone. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12a, Good News Translation)
I was originally going to write about marriage today, as this is my 23rd wedding anniversary. But when I was searching for Bible verses with the word “marriage” in them, nothing sounded appropriate for Hubby and me.
So, I thought I would write about the seasons, the changing of the seasons, the leaves turning brilliant colors before they fall to the ground to wither away, but that after the cold, harsh winter, new life will return. You know? That whole thing.
Of course, any Bible search of the word season will lead back to the book of Ecclesiastes, which I am so familiar with thanks to my first trip to Kenya and the first book I wrote. “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.”
Reading further along in Ecclesiastes, I came upon the verses above. What a striking reminder that we do better when we are not alone in life, whether it’s a spouse or a best friend. Or if you are as blessed as I am to have those two be in the same person.
Heavenly Father, I cannot express how truly thankful I am that You have sent my husband into my life, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, for the rest of our lives. Amen.
October 2, 2020
Two Sides of the Coin - countdown 4 weeks
I didn’t watch the presidential debate earlier this week. Did anybody? Or for those of you who did, did it change the way you see your candidate? Or were you totally on the fence who to vote for and this debate pointed you in one direction or the other? I had a futile wish that maybe, following the debate, the leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties would say to their partners, “holy cow, we need to scramble and somehow get another candidate on the ballot.” Which of course is too late. The ballots have already been printed, I think. I can’t figure out the whole absentee voting issue, but I think many people will actually be voting well before election day. I think that is just another political ruse to get (or lose) votes. But that's a whole separate issue.
I could continue that rant, but I really need to focus, to say what I mean to say, what my heart and head have been asking me to share for the past many months.
First, back to questions I posed last week. Why do we have political parties? And why only two?
The answer to the second question, in our current political atmosphere, seems pretty clear. There are only two sides to any coin. Our cars’ blinkers only have one to turn right or left. Just as each human has a right side and a left side.
So, we have two political parties, one way over there and the other way over there. But can you see a whole lot of stuff in the middle? The substance of a coin is the metal in its middle. When you are driving your car straight ahead, you don’t turn on your blinker (and doesn’t it make you crazy when the person ahead of you leaves their blinker on after turning a corner?).
And our human body’s most important parts are in its middle. A person can do pretty good without their right or left arms and legs. Take away the digestive tract, the heart, the brain, you don’t have a fully functioning person any more.
So, here are these two political parties – the Democrats and the Republicans. I think there are a lot of American citizens who lean towards one or the other, but they see some value in what the opposite party stands for. But these people still retain their whole bodies, their hearts, their heads, and both their right and left arms and legs.
Unfortunately, it appears to me that the leaders of each of the parties and their strongest followers have given up their right or left arms and legs, even the right or left halves of their brains. Okay, let me be honest – I think some of them have lost their complete minds, but again I digress.
I don’t know. Does that sound just too simplistic? Am I totally missing something here? Because I can’t just help believing with my whole being, my right and left sides as well as my head, my heart and my digestive tract, that there should be this thing call moderation.
Example 1: This country was created by immigrants from all around the world, we were once known as the Melting Pot of nationalities. So how can we close our borders and say that no one gets to move here anymore. People should still be able to immigrate here from their native country, but they have to follow the rules, get a job, accept our principles, learn our language, assimilate to the American way while retaining their own culture. But not being given a single free handout.
Example 2: Then there’s the second amendment. Each and every law-abiding citizen has the right to carry a gun. Nobody is going to take that right away from us. Right? Well, we’ll see. But in the meantime, if you are a convicted felon, I think you just lost that right. And nobody in the free world needs to be carrying around, or have access to, assault weapons of any kind. Yes, all those school shootings fill me with sorrow, but remember, guns (or any weapons) do not kill, people kill and unfortunately, kids kill. Let’s answer that problem instead of seeing an inanimate object as the enemy.
Example 3: And last, the issue of abortion. Talk about an issue which causes me sorrow. But the bottom line, without me totally spilling my guts all over my keyboard, is that our government cannot reverse Roe vs Wade. There will be just as many babies killed, but it will be done unsafely, at a much greater risk to the mom’s health and well-being. It should not be restricted to use only in cases of rape or incest (which makes me shake my head – is incest ever not a case of rape?) or when the life of the mother is at risk. But, come on, women. If you haven’t decided by half-way into your pregnancy if you want to “get rid of it”, then I just want to cry for you and for that precious little one you are carrying. In my opinion, the only restriction there should be on abortion is that it needs to occur prior to twenty weeks. I don’t know why the pro-choicers think that’s so difficult. If that baby has a chance to live outside the womb, I think that as a civilized society we have a responsibility to at least try. And then try even harder to make sure these women – all women – have safer birth control options. (I so did not want that discussion to turn into a tirade. I’m so sorry.)
Anyway, call me a wimp if you like, call me someone who can’t stand up for their beliefs. Try to start an argument with me, but I won’t bite. I think that as elected representatives of the American people, Congress and the president are obligated to find a middle ground on all of the issues, stop their petty bickering, and serve the men, women and children of this country.
(I bet you can’t wait to see what discussion I get into here next Friday!)
After I finished writing this, I ran across this quote by Jerry Garcia: “Choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil.” Hmm?
September 27, 2020
Disappointment and Travel Plans
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5, Revised Standard Version)
Shortly before the pandemic, a friend and I made plans to go to Cambodia this fall. As in the end of September, as in I should be in Cambodia right now. I’ve wanted to go to Cambodia since I was in sixth grade. I know, it’s maybe not high on too many people’s bucket lists, but I can’t help who I am and what I’m fascinated with.
As you certainly realized, I did not go to Cambodia. I have not been on a plane or out of the country since coming home from Kenya eleven and a half months ago. Am I disappointed? Of course. Am I devastated? No, of course not. I will continue to hope to get there some day.
In the meantime, I turned that disappointment into a family trip to a cabin up north. The cabin and our surroundings are beautiful, the fall foliage is at its peak. Am I going to enjoy the color on the trees? Of course. Am I going to witness maximum color? No, of course not, because the forecast is overcast with little chance of sun all week. We had rain off and, on all day, yesterday. And our first night here, we had a tornado warning!
But just because things don’t seem to be perfect, doesn’t mean they aren’t. I’ll still have these six days with my son, daughter and son-in-law and their dogs, sharing adventures and laughs and love.
Thank You, Lord, for giving me this vacation, a chance to spend time with my family and enjoy the wonders of the world, if not around the world but within the world where I live. Amen.
September 25, 2020
How Our Government Was Set Up - Countdown 5 Weeks
Here’s one of my posts where I dredge up what I learned in high school civics class. Yes, I verified things on the internet, but I surprisingly retained the gist of the matter.
When our Founding Fathers began building the foundations of our government one of the things they wanted to be sure of was that there would be a system of checks and balances so that we never fell into the clutches of a dictatorship. Or worse.
The three branches of government in the US are, of course, the Legislative, the Executive and the Judicial. The Legislative Branch is Congress, made up of the House of Representatives and Senate. Their duty is to make the laws. The Executive Branch is the president, vice president, Cabinet, and most of the federal agencies. They are tasked with enforcing the laws. The Judicial Branch, or the Supreme Court, interprets the laws. Or that’s how it was all set up.
When I think of the two branches that are not the Supreme Court, I usually don’t see them dealing so much with the laws. Sometimes, honestly, I’m not sure what they are doing most of the time. Arguing, it seems like, if you follow the media. But I digress.
Of course, as you know, the American people elect the president and the members of Congress. Each state has only two representatives in the Senate, but the members of the House from each state is based on the population of each state. Sort of another system of checks and balances, a way to ensure each state has a reasonably equal voice in Congress.
No matter what all these people are doing, or how they got there, none of them is supposed to have ultimate power. For example, both houses of Congress must vote to enact laws, the president can veto those laws, and the Supreme Court can rule laws unconstitutional. Congress can override presidential vetoes and can also impeach and remove the president or a member of the Supreme Court.
Here’s the example on everyone’s mind right now. As you all know, one of our long-term Supreme Court justices passed away last week. The president has the duty to nominate her replacement, but that replacement needs to be approved by the Senate. In these days, where all that seems to matter in Washington is what political party you belong to – well – hard telling what will happen. It just makes me question if those checks and balances that our Founding Fathers instituted really work out so well anymore.
Which brings up the bigger question. Why do we have political parties? And why basically only two? George Washington hadn’t belonged to any political party and he had hoped they wouldn’t be formed, fearing they would only breed conflict and stagnation. Wow! What a smart man.
I don’t know. This is where my thought process hits a snag or where all the fuses in my brain burn out. I guess I will have to save this for next time – my thoughts on what our two political parties stand for. And a whole lot of controversy.
