Dear Kids,
      It was so hot and windy yesterday, when I got home from visiting in Orem our power was out and it was 88 degrees in the hallway. So I cancelled my piano lessons (couldn’t turn on the piano downstairs, too hot upstairs) and hung out in the basement until the power came back on. This morning, the temperature had dropped 40 degrees, and I had a very nice bike ride. So what is it, summer or an early fall?
      The family reunion last weekend was wonderful! Thanks to all of you for all you did. It was definately the best birthday party I ever had. Thanks for all the presents and gift cards. Donna and Bevan gave us tickets to the Deer Valley concert that night, where the Utah Symphony was playing the 1812 Overture, complete with black powder cannons. We had to wait through a long series of songs and jokes by a woman with an electric harp, and we got an eyefull of the crazy wine-and-cheesers, but when the overture finally started, it was terrific. We were standing at the top of the hill and we could see the cannons firing. For Dad, that’s unbeatable classical music.
      Paul has hit his 180! For those of you who don’t know the significance, it’s the number of installs he has to do in a summer to get all his rent reimbursed. In fact, he was just doing #180 last night when we called him, with questions about his textbooks we’re selling. Paul is also psyched about the drive home in a couple of weeks. We’re anxious to see him. Oh, by the way, he is becoming famous for baking Ninomo bars. It’s a brownie mix they sell in Canada, and they sound like Monopoly Bars, but easier to make. He baked them for a linger longer, and they were gone almost immediately. He says he’s bringing home about ten boxes of the mix, if he can get them. Let’s see, what will he say at the border? “I have ten boxes of Ninomo mix.” I guess they’ve heard everything.
      I won’t be cooking Sunday dinner again until the second Sunday in September, the 13th. Life has been too hectic. Too much fun. I’m trying to finish the book of ancestor stories on Grandma Allen’s side, and get back in shape for the Great Utah Ride, and plant grass in the back yard, and finish the agriculture shed at the cabin, and get my piano students back on track. It’s all fun.
      Lots of love, Mom