Dear Kids,

We had a heck of a snowstorm on Wednesday, a total blizzard.  It was the afternoon of our DUP (Daughters of the Utah Pioneers) meeting, and I wondered if it might be cancelled.  You know, old ladies don’t like to drive in snowstorms.  But I guess I was thinking of old ladies in Salt Lake.  Kamas Valley is totally different, I realized when I got there.  The room was full of ladies, and they had all driven to the meeting, or carpooled.  The oldest lady is 93, and some of the others are pushing that age.  I’m constantly amazed by this place.  And now I know how totally gutsy the old ladies are.

Scout has been banished to the outside, and he can only come in for a few minutes at a time, if Dad or I are supervising him.  That’s because he started doing bad things in one corner of the basement.  (Not to mention the basement bathroom.  I mentioned that one before.) Well, he had gotten too big for the enclosed litter box, so we got rid of it and let kitties out whenever they wanted to go.  But Scout found a better place, he thought, down in the big TV room.  I had wondered why it smelled so bad there.  I found evidence of his carelessness on the wall and the molding, and of course it was down in the carpet.  I cleaned up as best I could, but you can never really get rid of the smell, even though I spray the area almost every day with Febreze.  And now Scout is an outside fellow.  I know it’s dangerous for him, and I’ve always believed that cats have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but now, for Scout,  it’s pursuit by predators.  Sorry, boy.

Don’t forget that next Sunday, the 25th, is Super Sunday at John’s house.  4 pm, be there or be square.  Bring whatever pot luck item you like.

Friday afternoon Dad helped Bevan, Donna, and John cut down the dead aspens in front of John’s house.  It helps, having a professional lumberjack in the family!  Dad said Bevan got the trees to fall exactly where he wanted them.  The neighbors probably wondered where John found his crew.  Dad had a great time helping out.  By Friday night all the limbs were in 2 pickup trucks ready for the dump.

Yesterday Dad and I had a great hike along the Jordanelle Perimeter Trail.  We only went out about a mile, to the first lookout, and back, and it was pretty brisk. (OK, it was cold!) But I wanted to test how my hip is doing, and it did fine.  Of course I used my trekking poles.  Next time we’ll go to the 2-mile mark.  I need to work up to 5 miles each way so Al and I can hike out to the point, like we did a few years ago.  Maybe some of you will want to come with us?

Everything is possible in this family!  I love you all!  Mom