Sunday, June 26, 2016

Dear Kids,
          What a week of events! It started with Sharon’s birthday party at Nora’s park on Tuesday night. Thanks to Sharon for being born on the longest day of the year! And practically everybody who could come was there! Eight of our nine families! And lots of Sharon’s friends, besides. Thanks to everybody who helped plan it!
          Nora had been telling me about a cat she had seen in the ads, there in Centerville. When she sent me a video, I was captivated. This cat is quick and skinny, with enormous eyes. A tabby, sort of, but if you google "Bengal cat," you’ll see pictures of what she’s like. While the party was going on, I went to get her, and I brought her back to the park in a carrier. Her name is Tina. She’s very high strung, and yowls a lot. She isn’t very street wise, and hisses at our carved bears. She was trying to fight with the plaster calico cat, whacking its face with her paw. What will she do when she meets up with Xena? We’ve been keeping her in the basement storage room, till she calms down, but I plan to move her to the garage today or tomorrow. She’ll have to face real life at last.
            The morning after the party, Sharon’s family came to spend a few days with us. They were the first visitors to stay in our now-finished basement! Everything seemed to go OK, but I can see I have a few more details to work out. The kids played a lot on our playground (mostly in the small amount of sand we still have) and we had a lot of fun. They’ve left now for Oregon, with the Thackers.
          Last night Dad and I watched Adelaide perform in "Into the Woods" at the Spotlight Theater in Centerville. She was one of the wicked stepsisters, and the highlight of the production was when the stepmother cut off her toes so the slipper would fit. Everybody screamed. It was great.
           A week from tomorrow is the 4th of July. Let me know if you want to come on our hike up at Wolf Creek pass. Either morning or afternoon would be OK. I might call each of you to find out. And the family reunion’s coming up a week from Thursday. Paul is sending out details.
           Life is good! Love, Mom

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Dear Kids,
          Happy Fathers Day, all you sons-and-sons in law of mine! I’m proud of what you’re doing. The world needs good Dads.
          Going to church is fun again, because I’m the new Primary chorister! I wasn’t really called . . . I asked to do it. I was so bored, sitting through three hours of meetings, that when I heard the current chorister was moving, I told the Primary president that I would love to take her job. I said I absolutely love Primary music, which is true. And you never get bored in Primary. The kids have to sit still, but you don’t. It’s up and down, in and out, all the time. I’m still the Relief Society pianist, but that’s just across the hall, and I can go back and forth. I also play the organ in sacrament meeting once or twice a month, but that doesn’t conflict, either. So I’m loving church again. 
         There used to be an air compressor at the cabin–does anybody know where it is? We probably loaned it out. Anyway, if you happen to have it, let me know, OK?
         I made friends with the horses who live behind us by buying a 25 lb. bag of carrots at Winco and an orange tote from Dollar Tree. Every morning when I go out to work in the yard, I take my tote of carrots. At first they weren’t very interested in me, but now they come trotting over. They even push each others’ heads aside when I hold out the carrots. 25 pounds seemed like a lot of carrots, but it doesn’t last very long when you have such good friends over the fence.  
          The 4th of July is coming up just before our family reunion, and if anybody wants to do a short hike that day, they can come up to the top of Wolf Creek pass with us. You walk out along a dirt road, and you can see down on both sides. The wildflowers should be at their best about then. Let me know if you want to come!
          Lots of love, Mom

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Dear Kids,
          Dad and I tried to get a cat from the Humane Society in Salt Lake. Their web site said they had 170 cats and kittens up for adoption, so we went and looked over all the felines, and I found one that I sort of liked. We had to fill out "adoption papers," and then be interviewed. We didn’t pass the interview, though, because we didn’t agree to keep the cat totally inside! Huh? They said they want these cats to be part of a "household." I said that our garage cats were always part of our household, but that didn’t fly with them. Imagine keeping a cat totally in, where he can’t hunt or explore or have any fun! We stomped out. I’d still like to find a good cat, or a couple of kittens, to keep Xena company. But it won’t be at the humane society.
          Next Sunday is Father’s Day, and I’m getting Dad a Samsung Galaxy tablet. Does anybody want to go in on it? Let me know. He’s been using his Nook for five years now, but it’s mainly a "reader," not so good for surfing the web in church, or doing Gospel Library or LDS tools. I’ve had a Samsung for more than a year now, and I really like it. So do thousands of people on Amazon. So, let me know if you want to go in on it. 
          Sharon and her family will be arriving in Las Vegas a week from today, and then they’ll drive here to Utah. Tuesday, the 21st, is Sharon’s birthday, (the longest day of the year!) and Nora has planned a party for her in the park across from their house. It’s at 6:00 pm, I think. You can call Nora for more details, and for a food assignment, if you want to help out. 
          Our latest building project has been Dad ripping out our back porch. I needed to excavate underneath, so that part of the foundation can be plastered, along with the rest. (Every project is always connected to an underlying project, always bigger.) So we don’t have a back porch any more, but we’ll rig up planks or something when we have company.
          We’re looking forward to all the excitement coming up!
          Lots of love, Mom



Sunday, June 5, 2016

Dear Kids,
          I’m sorry I didn’t come over to the barbecue at the cabin on Memorial Day–I really meant to. But I finally had a chance to totally finish the playground, and it was the first day in several weeks when the wind wasn’t blowing too hard, and it wasn’t raining. I was making a little fence of logs around the sand digger, to keep the sand separate from the bark. And it was going so well I couldn’t pull myself away. And I actually finished it! Now the sand digger has its own little area of sand, and the rest of the playground is covered in bark, which is a lot more practical. It doesn’t blow away like the sand did. And get tracked into the house. Of course some of the bark will get tossed into the sand by little hands, and vice versa, but overall it will be lots better.
            Sharon’s family will be here two weeks from today. We’re really excited to see them all. Sharon pointed out that they haven’t been here in the summer for a long time–it must have been three years ago, because our house was being built. Now they’ll actually be able to play in our yard! And sleep in our basement!
           Our Ackerson family reunion is coming up soon–July 7-9. (Or maybe it will run into Sunday, the 10th.) I’m sure Paul will be sending out the agenda pretty soon. It will be at Mantua campground. We’ll have our usual good time.
           I’ve been moving things from our garage into the basement, and I’m unpacking boxes that have been stored for more than three years. Naturally, if you’ve totally forgotten that you own something, you don’t need it very much. So I’ve been hauling lots of things to the DI. But maybe I should give you kids dibbs on some of them. Like the leather-working tools; it seems like they would be good for scouts or cubs or webelos. Or my huge set of wedding cake pans–I have every possible shape and size. I know I’ll never make wedding cakes again, but it’s the world’s best collection! Or the tiered cake stand that we used for cupcakes at Monica’s wedding. Other things will come to light, and I’ll post them in my letters as they show up. Anyone outside our family who reads my blog is welcome to them, as well. ]
          Life is great when you have such good stuff to give away. It means you have everything you need.
          Lots of love, Mom