The Borrego Boyz ride again today, the equivalent of my Portland Leadership luncheons. Several guys from my new Florida neighborhood have been getting together once a month and today is the day. We’ll drive together to a restaurant and solve some of the world, community, and block issues. My wife does a similar thing every morning at the Dog Park while Tally plays with her furry friends. She’s also planning to join her girlfriends for a golf cart tour to judge the Christmas lights. We will also visit the Ringling Museum in Sarasota in a few days to see their Christmas displays as we try to get in the spirit without snow. 

I certainly don’t miss the snow but it was usually a childhood reminder that Christmas would be here soon after the first flakes would fall. Having lived in Austin and Portland for the past 13 years with only an occasional dusting of snow, we’re well past wishing for a “White Christmas.” I’d much rather have a warm, sunny Christmas that will be celebrated this year at Disneyworld. My son and his family will join us for gift unwrapping here at the house after we’re done with two days of cavorting with “The Mouse.” We’ve been to Disney many times with them over the past few years, but will wait another year or so before taking the youngest granddaughter. They also have many other family obligations during the holidays. 

As a history note, “89ers” is a term that’s “applied specifically to persons who participated in the Land Run of April 22, 1889, into the Unassigned Lands.” It’s also the nickname for several sports franchises, including the former Oklahoma City minor league baseball squad and Maine’s AAA Hockey team. The Indigenous populations were pushed from their homelands to various reservations and designated lands throughout the nation, paving the way for the Land Run, that began first in Oklahoma. It’s another ugly wart on American history connected with genocide and greed.

The 89ers Song Lyrics:

“And we stand here together
Together forever
And I might say hello
Everybody singing woooaooh
Hear the song
About your boy
About the 89ers boy
He does so many things
And we don’t know what it brings
But he always tries so hard”