Dear Kids,
Sharon and Seth’s baby was born early this morning, about 1:00 am. So he’s a Valentine’s Boy. It will be easy to remember his birthday! Funny thing is, it was 11:00 pm Utah time, the night before, when he came. So if he’d been born in Utah, his birthday would be the 13th. And it probably wouldn’t have taken so long. It’s the university hospital here, so things are, well, different. They had agreed to start Sharon’s labor yesterday, and when she and Seth checked in, the doctor agreed she was ready to go, but he left for surgery without writing the order for pitocin. So they sat and sat. For hours. Nobody could do anything without that order. About nine in the evening, they finally got Sharon going, and things went fast after that. Too fast for her epidural to work. (Been there. Like some of you.) But it all turned out great. Little Matthew G. Thacker weighted 9 lbs. 8 oz, and according to Sharon, he doesn’t look anything like Charlie. I’m here at their house, and Seth just came home. He and Charlie and I are going back to the hospital later on to see the baby. It will be very good for Charlie, who has been very confused. Last night he was saying, “Mommy needs to feed the baby.” I told him Mommy had to wait until the baby was born, and he couldn’t figure it out. This morning I told him the baby was born now, and he still looked puzzled. So he’ll have to see for himself.
Thursday, Feb. 15: First off, if you want to see pictures of Matthew, check out the slideshow on Sharon and Seth's Blog: http://thackersinmichigan.blogspot.com/
I didn’t get a chance to finish my letter yesterday. Seth came home and picked us up, and we went back to the hospital to see baby Matthew. And Sharon. They both looked great. I’ll say this about Matthew: good thing he isn’t a girl. There’s nothing dainty about him. Sort of like Benjamin, when he was born. All boy. His feet are gigantic–maybe a size 2 already. And he’s 22" long. But he’s very placid, and doesn’t cry much.
Meanwhile, it’s COLD here in Michingan. There’s lots of snow. Too bad we don’t have it in Utah. When my plane was coming in Tuesday night, I looked down at the interstate, and I could see it was mostly snow-covered, with cars off the road. Sharon’s friend Mandy picked me up at the airport, and we saw lots more slide-offs on our way home, and a few real smash-ups. I was glad to get here safely, and I’m content to sit here and not go anywhere. Besides, it’s only 6° this morning. And I’m having lots of fun with Charlie. Right now he’s watching “Trucks and Big Machines.”
Last Monday, back at home, the big news was seeing Allen on the front page of the Tribune, standing in front of his cop car, with dark glasses on, looking very tough. I had seen the article online that morning, but the online picture wasn't very big. But later on in the day, Donna and Bevan and I were walking through Walmart, when we spotted the Tribune on a newspaper rack. You couldn’t miss Allen! I bought a copy of the paper, and I was sure to tell the check-out lady that that was my son, on the front page. The article was about how unaffordable housing is for cops in some communities. So of course they chose Allen for the picture, because he’s so tough looking. Or maybe because he’s officer of the year. (By the way, the ceremony is February 27th, not March 27th.) And how is it that Ackerson men are turning up in the news? First it was Dad on the front page of the Deseret news, back in December, and then in January it was Tom and his kids on the front page of the Summit County Fitness Center guide. And now Allen. So John, you’re next. Or Paul. You’ve gotta keep it going.
By the way, does anyone want to get on a cell phone plan with Paul? I wish we could fit one more person on our plan, but there are four already. It’s really the cheapest way to go. And I recommend T-Mobile, so we can call each other free. Let me know, or let Paul know, OK?
I’m going to upload this letter now, if I can. I won’t be mailing it, because it wouldn’t get to you until next week.
Lots of love, Mom
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Missy just called and said that Allen is receiving a MAJOR AWARD! It’s a pretty big deal, because he’s been chosen officer of the year in Centerville. There’s a ceremony on March 27, when they’ll present it to him. Missy said it might be just a plaque, but maybe it’s even better–maybe money? Who knows. Dad and I will be on hand, for sure. I’ll let you know where and when, in a later letter, if other family members can come. Missy also said they’re planning to do an Easter picnic at their house again this year. Yay! I think Easter Saturday is April 7th.
Sharon and Seth’s baby is due in six days, and Sharon says that they couldn’t have chosen a worse time, if they’d thrown darts at a board. It’s below zero every day, with a wind chill taking it down to the minus 20's or so, and their car won’t start. Besides that, Seth has a big project (or is it a presentation) due. But of course they’ll be happy to have the baby here, safe and healthy, no matter what else is going on. I’m flying to Michigan next Tuesday, and I’ll be staying a week, so in my next letter I’ll be able to report on the baby, and if things are still cold in Michigan.
Jana McGettigan had surgery again last Friday, and this time they took her lymph nodes. She said that out of 18, only one had cancer, so hopefully her chemotherapy won’t be so severe. She’ll start the chemo in a couple of weeks, and it will last several months. Glen says the kids can pretty well take care of themselves, but I hope she’ll let me take them off her hands now and then.
Dad and I went snowboarding last Friday night, and the main thing we learned is that you simply don’t go to a resort that hasn’t had snow for a month. (Unless maybe it’s Deer Valley, where they groom like crazy.) We went to Wolf Mountain, and it was solid ice with maybe an inch of man-made snow on the top. All we did was fall down. I felt sorry for the kids who were having lessons, first-timers who didn’t know any better. I wanted to shout at them, “Go home! It isn’t supposed to be like this.” But, of course, I didn’t. After an hour or so of minor falls, Dad took one really hard fall on his shoulder, so we quit. Will we get another chance, this year? It feels like spring outside, but who knows?
Monica’s wedding plans are getting better and better. She wants to have “things to do” in the cabin yard, like badminton, horseshoes, and croquet. I said, “Oh, yeah, old guys like horseshoes, don’t they? Does Neil’s father do horseshoes?” She said, “Neil does horseshoes.”
Ok, so much the better. He’ll know how to set up the posts. We’ll have to get out the cowboy golf, too, that Vanessa and Trent made. Monica wants to be sure people have lots to do. Her idea for a wedding cake is a cupcake tree, which is very trendy now. She says it will be less work for me, too. I already know where to get the stand.
If you happen to go by Grandma and Grandpa Allen’s house, they have books out on their dining room table that anybody can take. They’re downsizing. I took a few. I also got lots of the cabin decor out of their family room in the basement. Bonnie said for me to take it, so of course I did. I’m using most of it at the cabin.
Life is good! Love, Mom
Sharon and Seth’s baby is due in six days, and Sharon says that they couldn’t have chosen a worse time, if they’d thrown darts at a board. It’s below zero every day, with a wind chill taking it down to the minus 20's or so, and their car won’t start. Besides that, Seth has a big project (or is it a presentation) due. But of course they’ll be happy to have the baby here, safe and healthy, no matter what else is going on. I’m flying to Michigan next Tuesday, and I’ll be staying a week, so in my next letter I’ll be able to report on the baby, and if things are still cold in Michigan.
Jana McGettigan had surgery again last Friday, and this time they took her lymph nodes. She said that out of 18, only one had cancer, so hopefully her chemotherapy won’t be so severe. She’ll start the chemo in a couple of weeks, and it will last several months. Glen says the kids can pretty well take care of themselves, but I hope she’ll let me take them off her hands now and then.
Dad and I went snowboarding last Friday night, and the main thing we learned is that you simply don’t go to a resort that hasn’t had snow for a month. (Unless maybe it’s Deer Valley, where they groom like crazy.) We went to Wolf Mountain, and it was solid ice with maybe an inch of man-made snow on the top. All we did was fall down. I felt sorry for the kids who were having lessons, first-timers who didn’t know any better. I wanted to shout at them, “Go home! It isn’t supposed to be like this.” But, of course, I didn’t. After an hour or so of minor falls, Dad took one really hard fall on his shoulder, so we quit. Will we get another chance, this year? It feels like spring outside, but who knows?
Monica’s wedding plans are getting better and better. She wants to have “things to do” in the cabin yard, like badminton, horseshoes, and croquet. I said, “Oh, yeah, old guys like horseshoes, don’t they? Does Neil’s father do horseshoes?” She said, “Neil does horseshoes.”
Ok, so much the better. He’ll know how to set up the posts. We’ll have to get out the cowboy golf, too, that Vanessa and Trent made. Monica wants to be sure people have lots to do. Her idea for a wedding cake is a cupcake tree, which is very trendy now. She says it will be less work for me, too. I already know where to get the stand.
If you happen to go by Grandma and Grandpa Allen’s house, they have books out on their dining room table that anybody can take. They’re downsizing. I took a few. I also got lots of the cabin decor out of their family room in the basement. Bonnie said for me to take it, so of course I did. I’m using most of it at the cabin.
Life is good! Love, Mom
Dear Kids,
Missy just called and said that Allen is receiving a MAJOR AWARD! It’s a pretty big deal, because he’s been chosen officer of the year in Centerville. There’s a ceremony on March 27, when they’ll present it to him. Missy said it might be just a plaque, but maybe it’s even better–maybe money? Who knows. Dad and I will be on hand, for sure. I’ll let you know where and when, in a later letter, if other family members can come. Missy also said they’re planning to do an Easter picnic at their house again this year. Yay! I think Easter Saturday is April 7th.
Sharon and Seth’s baby is due in six days, and Sharon says that they couldn’t have chosen a worse time, if they’d thrown darts at a board. It’s below zero every day, with a wind chill taking it down to the minus 20's or so, and their car won’t start. Besides that, Seth has a big project (or is it a presentation) due. But of course they’ll be happy to have the baby here, safe and healthy, no matter what else is going on. I’m flying to Michigan next Tuesday, and I’ll be staying a week, so in my next letter I’ll be able to report on the baby, and if things are still cold in Michigan.
Jana McGettigan had surgery again last Friday, and this time they took her lymph nodes. She said that out of 18, only one had cancer, so hopefully her chemotherapy won’t be so severe. She’ll start the chemo in a couple of weeks, and it will last several months. Glen says the kids can pretty well take care of themselves, but I hope she’ll let me take them off her hands now and then.
Dad and I went snowboarding last Friday night, and the main thing we learned is that you simply don’t go to a resort that hasn’t had snow for a month. (Unless maybe it’s Deer Valley, where they groom like crazy.) We went to Wolf Mountain, and it was solid ice with maybe an inch of man-made snow on the top. All we did was fall down. I felt sorry for the kids who were having lessons, first-timers who didn’t know any better. I wanted to shout at them, “Go home! It isn’t supposed to be like this.” But, of course, I didn’t. After an hour or so of minor falls, Dad took one really hard fall on his shoulder, so we quit. Will we get another chance, this year? It feels like spring outside, but who knows?
Monica’s wedding plans are getting better and better. She wants to have “things to do” in the cabin yard, like badminton, horseshoes, and croquet. I said, “Oh, yeah, old guys like horseshoes, don’t they? Does Neil’s father do horseshoes?” She said, “Neil does horseshoes.”
Ok, so much the better. He’ll know how to set up the posts. We’ll have to get out the cowboy golf, too, that Vanessa and Trent made. Monica wants to be sure people have lots to do. Her idea for a wedding cake is a cupcake tree, which is very trendy now. She says it will be less work for me, too. I already know where to get the stand.
If you happen to go by Grandma and Grandpa Allen’s house, they have books out on their dining room table that anybody can take. They’re downsizing. I took a few. I also got lots of the cabin decor out of their family room in the basement. Bonnie said for me to take it, so of course I did. I’m using most of it at the cabin.
Life is good! Love, Mom
Missy just called and said that Allen is receiving a MAJOR AWARD! It’s a pretty big deal, because he’s been chosen officer of the year in Centerville. There’s a ceremony on March 27, when they’ll present it to him. Missy said it might be just a plaque, but maybe it’s even better–maybe money? Who knows. Dad and I will be on hand, for sure. I’ll let you know where and when, in a later letter, if other family members can come. Missy also said they’re planning to do an Easter picnic at their house again this year. Yay! I think Easter Saturday is April 7th.
Sharon and Seth’s baby is due in six days, and Sharon says that they couldn’t have chosen a worse time, if they’d thrown darts at a board. It’s below zero every day, with a wind chill taking it down to the minus 20's or so, and their car won’t start. Besides that, Seth has a big project (or is it a presentation) due. But of course they’ll be happy to have the baby here, safe and healthy, no matter what else is going on. I’m flying to Michigan next Tuesday, and I’ll be staying a week, so in my next letter I’ll be able to report on the baby, and if things are still cold in Michigan.
Jana McGettigan had surgery again last Friday, and this time they took her lymph nodes. She said that out of 18, only one had cancer, so hopefully her chemotherapy won’t be so severe. She’ll start the chemo in a couple of weeks, and it will last several months. Glen says the kids can pretty well take care of themselves, but I hope she’ll let me take them off her hands now and then.
Dad and I went snowboarding last Friday night, and the main thing we learned is that you simply don’t go to a resort that hasn’t had snow for a month. (Unless maybe it’s Deer Valley, where they groom like crazy.) We went to Wolf Mountain, and it was solid ice with maybe an inch of man-made snow on the top. All we did was fall down. I felt sorry for the kids who were having lessons, first-timers who didn’t know any better. I wanted to shout at them, “Go home! It isn’t supposed to be like this.” But, of course, I didn’t. After an hour or so of minor falls, Dad took one really hard fall on his shoulder, so we quit. Will we get another chance, this year? It feels like spring outside, but who knows?
Monica’s wedding plans are getting better and better. She wants to have “things to do” in the cabin yard, like badminton, horseshoes, and croquet. I said, “Oh, yeah, old guys like horseshoes, don’t they? Does Neil’s father do horseshoes?” She said, “Neil does horseshoes.”
Ok, so much the better. He’ll know how to set up the posts. We’ll have to get out the cowboy golf, too, that Vanessa and Trent made. Monica wants to be sure people have lots to do. Her idea for a wedding cake is a cupcake tree, which is very trendy now. She says it will be less work for me, too. I already know where to get the stand.
If you happen to go by Grandma and Grandpa Allen’s house, they have books out on their dining room table that anybody can take. They’re downsizing. I took a few. I also got lots of the cabin decor out of their family room in the basement. Bonnie said for me to take it, so of course I did. I’m using most of it at the cabin.
Life is good! Love, Mom
Thursday, February 1, 2007
The big news this week was the very speedy arrival of Aubrey Michelle Ackerson on Friday morning at 9:15. She weighted 7 lbs. 10 oz, and of course she’s very cute. She has quite a bit of hair, straight and sort of blondish brown, but of course that can change. I spent Friday at John’s house taking care of the older kids, while John was at the hospital with Heather. I had lots of fun. Lots of trips in the minivan, taking Julie to school and Jacob to preschool, where I got it wrong, you know, like in Mr. Mom–north to drop off, south to pick up. I was going the wrong direction, and Jacob’s teacher had to come out and explain that I was “doing it wrong.” So when I came to pick him up, I was careful to line up in the right direction with the rest of the minivans and SUV’s. Then, later on, we went and picked up Julie at her school. When we got home, I had Julie show me all the books she’s made, and her journals that she’s illustrated. She says she’s going to make a book about her whole life, with lots of pictures, like the green book I made about you kids. Go, Julie!
I’m writing my weekly letter at Grandma and Grandpa’s again, because our computer is still down. After a week in the repair shop, it came back to us, and they said that the motherboard Dad bought last month is supposedly defective. So Dad took it out and sent it back to the company. I went to Sams Club and bought a laptop (my second one–the one I bought last week was defective, and I took it back.) All I want is to be able to sit down at a computer and do my work every day! Is that asking too much?
Tom and Kim have moved their stuff from their rental house in Price to a storage unit. They’ve moved their selves to the Bentley’s house, and they’re still looking for a place to buy in Heber. If they don’t find a house by the end of May, Kim and the kids will move to the cabin with Tom. I don’t even want to count how many moves they will have made in the last couple of years, or how many more times they might have to load up their stuff. Let’s all hope they get settled soon.
I’ve been having lots of fun working at the cabin lately. ( I’m doing more there, because I’m not going snowboarding these days–not enough snow.) One thing I’ve always needed to do was cut a hole in the ceiling over the wood-burning stove, up into the moose bedroom. The pioneers used to do that–you can see it in really old homes. Well, it’s a great idea! So I cut this hole, quite big (at least big enough for a kid to fall through), and I put a grate on it. And laid a box fan over that. So now, if you build a big hot fire in the stove, and go upstairs and turn on the fan, it pulls a blast of hot air into the bedroom. Last night it warmed up from 64° to 70° in an hour! Lots better than those little space heaters!
I can’t think of any more news. Oh, Jimmy Simko’s finally getting married. June 9th. Who would’ve thought?
Lots of love, Mom
I’m writing my weekly letter at Grandma and Grandpa’s again, because our computer is still down. After a week in the repair shop, it came back to us, and they said that the motherboard Dad bought last month is supposedly defective. So Dad took it out and sent it back to the company. I went to Sams Club and bought a laptop (my second one–the one I bought last week was defective, and I took it back.) All I want is to be able to sit down at a computer and do my work every day! Is that asking too much?
Tom and Kim have moved their stuff from their rental house in Price to a storage unit. They’ve moved their selves to the Bentley’s house, and they’re still looking for a place to buy in Heber. If they don’t find a house by the end of May, Kim and the kids will move to the cabin with Tom. I don’t even want to count how many moves they will have made in the last couple of years, or how many more times they might have to load up their stuff. Let’s all hope they get settled soon.
I’ve been having lots of fun working at the cabin lately. ( I’m doing more there, because I’m not going snowboarding these days–not enough snow.) One thing I’ve always needed to do was cut a hole in the ceiling over the wood-burning stove, up into the moose bedroom. The pioneers used to do that–you can see it in really old homes. Well, it’s a great idea! So I cut this hole, quite big (at least big enough for a kid to fall through), and I put a grate on it. And laid a box fan over that. So now, if you build a big hot fire in the stove, and go upstairs and turn on the fan, it pulls a blast of hot air into the bedroom. Last night it warmed up from 64° to 70° in an hour! Lots better than those little space heaters!
I can’t think of any more news. Oh, Jimmy Simko’s finally getting married. June 9th. Who would’ve thought?
Lots of love, Mom
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Last week my life was on hold because we didn’t have a car. But that turned out fine. All the Windstar needed was to have some hose reconnected, and maybe a gaket replaced. Something simple. It was a cheap repair. The mechanic said the car itself is in good shape to go many more miles. Yay! And just as I was driving it home, coming down 40th West, there was a flock of little kids crossing the street at the next intersection. It looked like Miss Nora’s preschool. It was! I remembered that they were doing their annual fieldtrip to Arctic Circle, and they had just gotten off the bus. So I joined them. I held Paige (that sober child!) and watched the kids have fun in the playland. So everything turned out fine that day.
But now my life is on hold because of our so Dad bought a new motherboard and installed it and figured out how to get everything running again. We used it for maybe a week, and it died again. So now it’s in a repair shop. It will probably be cheaper to buy a whole new system. That’s what we should have done 14 months ago, but instead, we had one of Dad’s friends “build” us a custom system, using what we already had. Big mistake. And meanwhile, without a computer, what can I do? Right now I’m at Grandma and Grandpa’s, typing this. (They seem to be doing great, by the way.)
Tom stayed at our house for a couple of days while he went to a conference up by the U. He says that he and Kim and the kids are on the cover of the little booklet put out by the fitness center in Kamas. Tom remembers, they were swimming in the pool, and a guy took their picture. I want to see it!
Donna got Blizzac tires for her car, and now it chugs right up the hill to the cabin, no matter how icy it is. And with her weekly commute from the cabin to Logan and back again, it’s only a matter of time before she’s driving through a canyon in a blizzard. The tires will pay for themselves from the accident she doesn’t have.
Vanessa has joined a quilting club, going all out with the most obsessive of hobbies. But what do you do in the winter? With a houseful of kids? She’s still running, too, of course. She’s going to be in a triathalon next summer. The Spudman. Debbie Berg was going to do it with her, but she didn’t apply in time.
Friday night Dad and I went snowboarding with a young couple in our ward, the Davises, both of them first-timers. I guess the guy thought he was going to hop on the board and zip down the hill, and it wasn’t that easy for him. He couldn’t even get up. So I sat in the snow with him, trying to coach him. I felt terrible for him. Meanwhile, Dad came zipping by us, smirking at the poor guy. And his wife came zipping by, too. Later they took us to dinner at Applebees. The next Sunday in Church, he said it wasn’t as bad as all that. Maybe he’ll try it again. I gave him a map of Wolf Mountain, in Ogden Valley. Maybe we’ll go there.
Yesterday I made my first trip to the cabin in 2 weeks. Everything looked fine, thanks to Donna, Bevan, and Tom. I did little odd jobs, and then I started working on the inside of the front entryway. Bevan came home while I was still working, and started fixing himself a dinner of onions, chili, and hot dogs–totally “guy” food. He hauls lots of firewood, too.
Well, that’s it for this week. I love you all! Mom
But now my life is on hold because of our so Dad bought a new motherboard and installed it and figured out how to get everything running again. We used it for maybe a week, and it died again. So now it’s in a repair shop. It will probably be cheaper to buy a whole new system. That’s what we should have done 14 months ago, but instead, we had one of Dad’s friends “build” us a custom system, using what we already had. Big mistake. And meanwhile, without a computer, what can I do? Right now I’m at Grandma and Grandpa’s, typing this. (They seem to be doing great, by the way.)
Tom stayed at our house for a couple of days while he went to a conference up by the U. He says that he and Kim and the kids are on the cover of the little booklet put out by the fitness center in Kamas. Tom remembers, they were swimming in the pool, and a guy took their picture. I want to see it!
Donna got Blizzac tires for her car, and now it chugs right up the hill to the cabin, no matter how icy it is. And with her weekly commute from the cabin to Logan and back again, it’s only a matter of time before she’s driving through a canyon in a blizzard. The tires will pay for themselves from the accident she doesn’t have.
Vanessa has joined a quilting club, going all out with the most obsessive of hobbies. But what do you do in the winter? With a houseful of kids? She’s still running, too, of course. She’s going to be in a triathalon next summer. The Spudman. Debbie Berg was going to do it with her, but she didn’t apply in time.
Friday night Dad and I went snowboarding with a young couple in our ward, the Davises, both of them first-timers. I guess the guy thought he was going to hop on the board and zip down the hill, and it wasn’t that easy for him. He couldn’t even get up. So I sat in the snow with him, trying to coach him. I felt terrible for him. Meanwhile, Dad came zipping by us, smirking at the poor guy. And his wife came zipping by, too. Later they took us to dinner at Applebees. The next Sunday in Church, he said it wasn’t as bad as all that. Maybe he’ll try it again. I gave him a map of Wolf Mountain, in Ogden Valley. Maybe we’ll go there.
Yesterday I made my first trip to the cabin in 2 weeks. Everything looked fine, thanks to Donna, Bevan, and Tom. I did little odd jobs, and then I started working on the inside of the front entryway. Bevan came home while I was still working, and started fixing himself a dinner of onions, chili, and hot dogs–totally “guy” food. He hauls lots of firewood, too.
Well, that’s it for this week. I love you all! Mom
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Dear Kids,
I’m stuck at home without a car, it’s so cold outside (maybe below zero again–who knows) and I’ve got the January blahs. But things always change. They don’t always get better, but they always change.
The car? Our nice Windstar, with so many thousands of miles of fun on it, may be on its last legs (or wheels). Right now it has a hole in the radiator, and it’s leaking antifreeze. It’s up at Bill and Randy’s, being evaluated. If the repairs are too much, we’ll say goodbye to it and look for another minivan. Probably a Toyota or a Honda. We’re open to suggestions. John faxed us some info about car reliability, but I haven’t read over it yet.
And Donna’s new car: two days after she bought it, she was out in the middle of nowhere (near Henefer, on I-84) when the muffler fell off. She pulled over, and luckily, two good Samaritans stopped behind her and helped her rig it up so she could at least drive it back to the dealer. First they tried to say they weren’t responsible, but eventually they put on an entire new exhaust system (charged her just $100) and everybody was satisfied. I hope that car goes many thousands of miles with no more trouble!
Meanwhile, it’s so cold, who can stand it? Last Thursday night Nora and I were going to drive to Pocatello to go snowboarding with Vanessa on Friday, and we were so excited, but Nora’s kids were sick, and it was snowing. So we cancelled. Which was good, because Friday morning, it was 8 below in Pocatello, with a wind chill taking it down to -21. Who knows how cold it would have been up on the mountain! We’re hoping to reschedule. When it’s warmer. Above zero would be nice.
Monica says people are even complaining about the cold in Tucson! In the daytime, it only gets up to 50, and it’s down around 30 at night! Poor babies. Ramona is still exploring her new territory. There are neighbor cats she looks at through the window. Monica’s doing great, too. Her daytime job is going so well (she even got raise!) that she’s quitting her nighttime restaurant job. What a normal life, only working 40 hours a week, instead of 60! She’s busy with wedding plans, too. She’s seeing a dressmaker this week about making her wedding dress. She wants something in between the skanky spaghetti-strap look, and the totally covered Celestial Elegance look. She promises her dress will be modest and classy.
I just had our piano tuned yesterday, for the second time in a month. The first time, I answered a flyer that was left at our door. I called, and the guy said he could come that very day. I should have been suspicious. He arrived with his box of tools, and got to work on the piano. I could see right away that he wasn’t sure what he was doing, but it was three days before Christmas, and he looked like he really needed the money. (He looked like he might have been living at the homeless shelter.) So I let him finish, and paid him in cash (didn’t want him to have our checking account number.) The piano sounded awful, so I had to call our regular tuner, the Steinway guy (he works on high-end pianos, like Marla’s) and he was able to get it sounding good again. It cost a lot, for both tunings, so hopefully I learned a valuable lesson. Or at least, I played Sub-for-Santa for a guy down on his luck.
Whenever I talk to Allen, I bring up the plan for the bike trip to Wendover. He thinks we need to do a shorter ride, first. (I think he wants me to see my limitations.)(Like the penguin trying to fly, in the despair poster.) So we’ve been talking about a bike trip to Antelope Island, riding across the causeway first, and then maybe around the island, if that’s where the road goes. Has anybody been there? Does anybody want to come along? It will probably be a Saturday in early spring, when the weather warms up. Let me know if you’re interested. I wish I could hop on my bike right now and go to the library. Too bad it’s so cold. Maybe Bill or Randy will call and say they fixed the Windstar, and it didn’t cost very much. I can dream.
Lots of love, Mom
I’m stuck at home without a car, it’s so cold outside (maybe below zero again–who knows) and I’ve got the January blahs. But things always change. They don’t always get better, but they always change.
The car? Our nice Windstar, with so many thousands of miles of fun on it, may be on its last legs (or wheels). Right now it has a hole in the radiator, and it’s leaking antifreeze. It’s up at Bill and Randy’s, being evaluated. If the repairs are too much, we’ll say goodbye to it and look for another minivan. Probably a Toyota or a Honda. We’re open to suggestions. John faxed us some info about car reliability, but I haven’t read over it yet.
And Donna’s new car: two days after she bought it, she was out in the middle of nowhere (near Henefer, on I-84) when the muffler fell off. She pulled over, and luckily, two good Samaritans stopped behind her and helped her rig it up so she could at least drive it back to the dealer. First they tried to say they weren’t responsible, but eventually they put on an entire new exhaust system (charged her just $100) and everybody was satisfied. I hope that car goes many thousands of miles with no more trouble!
Meanwhile, it’s so cold, who can stand it? Last Thursday night Nora and I were going to drive to Pocatello to go snowboarding with Vanessa on Friday, and we were so excited, but Nora’s kids were sick, and it was snowing. So we cancelled. Which was good, because Friday morning, it was 8 below in Pocatello, with a wind chill taking it down to -21. Who knows how cold it would have been up on the mountain! We’re hoping to reschedule. When it’s warmer. Above zero would be nice.
Monica says people are even complaining about the cold in Tucson! In the daytime, it only gets up to 50, and it’s down around 30 at night! Poor babies. Ramona is still exploring her new territory. There are neighbor cats she looks at through the window. Monica’s doing great, too. Her daytime job is going so well (she even got raise!) that she’s quitting her nighttime restaurant job. What a normal life, only working 40 hours a week, instead of 60! She’s busy with wedding plans, too. She’s seeing a dressmaker this week about making her wedding dress. She wants something in between the skanky spaghetti-strap look, and the totally covered Celestial Elegance look. She promises her dress will be modest and classy.
I just had our piano tuned yesterday, for the second time in a month. The first time, I answered a flyer that was left at our door. I called, and the guy said he could come that very day. I should have been suspicious. He arrived with his box of tools, and got to work on the piano. I could see right away that he wasn’t sure what he was doing, but it was three days before Christmas, and he looked like he really needed the money. (He looked like he might have been living at the homeless shelter.) So I let him finish, and paid him in cash (didn’t want him to have our checking account number.) The piano sounded awful, so I had to call our regular tuner, the Steinway guy (he works on high-end pianos, like Marla’s) and he was able to get it sounding good again. It cost a lot, for both tunings, so hopefully I learned a valuable lesson. Or at least, I played Sub-for-Santa for a guy down on his luck.
Whenever I talk to Allen, I bring up the plan for the bike trip to Wendover. He thinks we need to do a shorter ride, first. (I think he wants me to see my limitations.)(Like the penguin trying to fly, in the despair poster.) So we’ve been talking about a bike trip to Antelope Island, riding across the causeway first, and then maybe around the island, if that’s where the road goes. Has anybody been there? Does anybody want to come along? It will probably be a Saturday in early spring, when the weather warms up. Let me know if you’re interested. I wish I could hop on my bike right now and go to the library. Too bad it’s so cold. Maybe Bill or Randy will call and say they fixed the Windstar, and it didn’t cost very much. I can dream.
Lots of love, Mom
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Dear Kids
Yay, it’s snowing again! Just like last time I wrote. Which was the last time it snowed. But I’m hoping this storm moves out fast, because Nora and I want to drive to Pocatello tonight, and go snowboarding tomorrow with Vanessa. But Nora says she won’t drive there with three kids, if it’s still snowing. She wondered, is she getting old, or what? If it were just herself, she said, nothing would stop her, but she doesn’t want to risk it with her kids.
Last Friday Paul and I went snowboarding at Wolf Mountain, in Ogden Valley, and had a great time. They’d just had their first big snow of the year, and they hadn’t even groomed the trails on their mountain, but the bunny hill was enough terrain for me. I did try one run down the real mountain, in the deep snow, and fell down about 20 times. Paul did it over and over again. We both had lots of fun.
Now Paul’s back at school, back to the grind. We drove him to Price Sunday night, where we had dinner with Tom and Kim and their family. Little Ali is putting on weight, and looking cute. Emma and Bentley were all over the place. Like always. Bentley was riding Paul like a horse. Tom and Kim are packing up their stuff, because they have to be out of their house in March. Kim and the kids are moving in with the Bentleys. It should be wild.
Donna, too, is back to the grind. She took off for Logan Tuesday in her new car (a 98 Honda Civic, looks black to me, but she says it’s green), ready for her new life as a vagabond. She spent her first night in the Landscape Architecture Studio, on the couch, in her sleeping bag. She said it was plenty comfortable. They have a big-screen TV with a DVD player, a refrigerator, a freezer, and a microwave. When she called me the next morning, she was on her way to the gym, to shower. Of course she only has to do that for 2 days, and then she’ll drive back to the cabin. And then do it again next week. Remember when Monica was a vagabond, her last semester at USU? You kids are so adventurous! When I was a college student, I never even dared sleep over in the library.
Since it’s January, I’ve been hit with the remodeling bug. I’m getting new carpet for the living room (it’s the fourth incarnation, since we moved in,) and right now, I’m painting the walls. I bought brown paint, but I couldn’t quite do it. I hate dark colors. So I kept diluting the paint with white, until it ended up sort of beige. I really liked the old color better, but I need a change. Dad said he didn’t understand that. Why didn’t I just keep the old color? But then he caught on–his favorite bus run is Ogden, but after a few months, he always wants something new.
Dad’s major preoccupation these days is the computer. It’s been down for weeks. He bought a new motherboard, and installed it, but can’t find the magic commands to get it up and running. I’m still using the laptop.
New baby announcements: Adrien Webb, in August. Amy Anson, too. Bonnie filled me in, when I called her yesterday. She said they’re looking forward to Amy’s baby, since all the other grandchildren born recently have been out of town. She wants a baby to hold and play with..
Jana McGettigan had surgery for breast cancer last Friday. She first had the cancer six years ago, and she had surgery then, too. But this time she’s also going to have the radiation and chemo. She’ll be pretty sick for about six months, and then hopefully have a normal life. I’ve gotta admire her guts. Of course, her kids are young, and they need her. Glen, too. Maybe you can remember her in your prayers.
Life is good. I love you all! Mom
Yay, it’s snowing again! Just like last time I wrote. Which was the last time it snowed. But I’m hoping this storm moves out fast, because Nora and I want to drive to Pocatello tonight, and go snowboarding tomorrow with Vanessa. But Nora says she won’t drive there with three kids, if it’s still snowing. She wondered, is she getting old, or what? If it were just herself, she said, nothing would stop her, but she doesn’t want to risk it with her kids.
Last Friday Paul and I went snowboarding at Wolf Mountain, in Ogden Valley, and had a great time. They’d just had their first big snow of the year, and they hadn’t even groomed the trails on their mountain, but the bunny hill was enough terrain for me. I did try one run down the real mountain, in the deep snow, and fell down about 20 times. Paul did it over and over again. We both had lots of fun.
Now Paul’s back at school, back to the grind. We drove him to Price Sunday night, where we had dinner with Tom and Kim and their family. Little Ali is putting on weight, and looking cute. Emma and Bentley were all over the place. Like always. Bentley was riding Paul like a horse. Tom and Kim are packing up their stuff, because they have to be out of their house in March. Kim and the kids are moving in with the Bentleys. It should be wild.
Donna, too, is back to the grind. She took off for Logan Tuesday in her new car (a 98 Honda Civic, looks black to me, but she says it’s green), ready for her new life as a vagabond. She spent her first night in the Landscape Architecture Studio, on the couch, in her sleeping bag. She said it was plenty comfortable. They have a big-screen TV with a DVD player, a refrigerator, a freezer, and a microwave. When she called me the next morning, she was on her way to the gym, to shower. Of course she only has to do that for 2 days, and then she’ll drive back to the cabin. And then do it again next week. Remember when Monica was a vagabond, her last semester at USU? You kids are so adventurous! When I was a college student, I never even dared sleep over in the library.
Since it’s January, I’ve been hit with the remodeling bug. I’m getting new carpet for the living room (it’s the fourth incarnation, since we moved in,) and right now, I’m painting the walls. I bought brown paint, but I couldn’t quite do it. I hate dark colors. So I kept diluting the paint with white, until it ended up sort of beige. I really liked the old color better, but I need a change. Dad said he didn’t understand that. Why didn’t I just keep the old color? But then he caught on–his favorite bus run is Ogden, but after a few months, he always wants something new.
Dad’s major preoccupation these days is the computer. It’s been down for weeks. He bought a new motherboard, and installed it, but can’t find the magic commands to get it up and running. I’m still using the laptop.
New baby announcements: Adrien Webb, in August. Amy Anson, too. Bonnie filled me in, when I called her yesterday. She said they’re looking forward to Amy’s baby, since all the other grandchildren born recently have been out of town. She wants a baby to hold and play with..
Jana McGettigan had surgery for breast cancer last Friday. She first had the cancer six years ago, and she had surgery then, too. But this time she’s also going to have the radiation and chemo. She’ll be pretty sick for about six months, and then hopefully have a normal life. I’ve gotta admire her guts. Of course, her kids are young, and they need her. Glen, too. Maybe you can remember her in your prayers.
Life is good. I love you all! Mom
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