Dear Kids,
          McGettigans just left for home, but we had a great time while they were here. We had lunch yesterday afternoon at Hi Mountain Drug (best burgers in Utah) and then we stopped in to Food Town for a few groceries. Then we packed up our stuff for the rodeo and drove over to the park. There was country music blaring really loudly, and the usual t-shirt vendors, and the usual rodeo-type people in the stands, except that we know more of them now. I sat next to Jana because I wanted to hear her comments. She took lots of pictures and videos with her phone. There isn’t a crazier rodeo anywhere, including wild cow milking and saddled cow riding, along with the usual buckin’ broncos. We enjoyed it immensely, except that the wind kicked up and the metal seats were cold. Kara and I finally walked home about 9:00, because we were freezing, although it wasn’t so cold once we got out of the stands. Dad and Jana and Glenn came home later. Next year we’ll definitely bring blankets to put on the benches and wrap up in. McGettigans want to make the Frontier Days Rodeo an annual tradition, and we’re up for that! This morning they came to church with us, and later we had dinner and sat around talking, while Jana played our piano. We didn’t want them to leave, but they had to get back to the real world. Luckily Dad and I live outside of reality.
          At church, we thought we might run into Paul and the Riebens, because they’re over at the cabin having a family reunion. They were misled by lds.org, though, and came to an earlier ward. Paul says they’ve had fun hiking (the beaver pond and rocky point), going to the Polar King for ice cream, and hanging out in general.

I wrote about our chess club retreat last weekend. One of the men who couldn’t come (Ross Oseguera) died last Friday morning. Luckily we didn’t find out until we came back. What a downer! He died peacefully in his sleep. That’s three fatalities for our chess club! What can I say to people? "Join our chess club and die!" Maybe it just comes with getting old, but I don’t like it.
          BTW: we just heard that Dennis Nordfelt passed away. So sad!
          Otherwise, everything here is great. Don’t forget: Sunday dinner here next Sunday afternoon at 4:30, or thereabouts.
          Lots of love, Mom

Dear Kids,
          We’ve had a ton of rain here! The ground is sinking in places around our house where it wasn’t tamped down well enough. You’d have thought it would have happened last winter, but I guess we didn’t have enough snow. I didn’t even figure that the ground hadn’t settled yet when we built the window wells. Unfortunately, one of them is now tipping away from the house. If it gets any worse, we’ll probably have to tear it out and build another one there. Dad says he’s willing to do the demolition. Needless to say, I’m very discouraged.
          Otherwise, things are going very well here. We had our chess club retreat Friday night at the cabin, and people came from three different senior chess clubs. (Sandy, West Valley, and Heber) We had a double elimination tournament, which worked out really well because we had exactly eight people playing. Originally we were short one person, because a lady with back trouble wasn’t able to come, but I talked Donna and Bevan into coming, and Bevan made up the extra person. It was fun having Dallin and Anna running around, and they entertained us all. Besides that, there was good food and lots of good chess. I tied for second place. The man who won is no way the best player among us, but that’s how things worked out. Nobody really cared. We were all having fun, which doesn’t always happen during our weekly chess club get-togethers.
          Charles and Julie Allen were camping nearby Friday night, up the canyon from Oakley. They were in a tent, and the rain absolutely pounded it, but they stayed dry. Yesterday afternoon, on their way home, they stopped to visit us at our house. Their kids played with little people in the play room, while we talked. They’ve just barely gotten into camping, and they were wondering about the best places to go. Maybe some of you can give them suggestions. Where can you just walk in, without making a reservation? Their phone number is 801 319 8271.
          I’ll be fixing Sunday dinner in two weeks, on September 7th. We’ll probably eat around 4:30. Let me know if you can come. Any requests for the menu? There are lots of things I haven’t fixed in so long, I’ve probably forgotten about them. Dave Michelson used to come if I was making meat loaf. That was so long ago! Do I even know how to make meat loaf any more?
          Life is good! I love you all! Mom

Dear Kids,
          That wonderful family reunion is just a memory now, but I keep imagining I’m back in that beautiful campground waiting for the next meal. Thanks, Donna and Bevan, for all your planning and preparation. We all had a great time. When it was over I was glad to get home to my projects, but it was nice having such a pleasant break. 
          Did I already write that I ordered a sand digger for the playground we’re making? There are ordinary backyard sand diggers in the $50 price range, and then there are the professional playground sand diggers that you cement into the ground. We won’t talk cost here, but I ordered the professional one. Also, I had debated whether to use wood chips on the ground, with some sand around the digger, or to put sand everywhere. When I saw all the little kids at the reunion playing in the horseshoe pit, and having so much fun with that little bit of sand, I could see what I needed to do. Donna says you can get whole truckloads of washed sand from the topsoil people. I wondered how to get the dirt and rocks out of the playground area, since we’ve had such poor luck with excavating people, but I have a great new friend, Doneen, who owns her own tractor. Not only that, but she knows how to use it! When we were giving away rocks last week (a whole ‘nother story) she came with her tractor and took them all. She said we could hire her to do any leveling or excavating we needed. So she’s been excavating our playground, and moving the dirt to the low areas in our yard. She could put Mike Leavitt out of business if she wanted to, but her regular job is teaching kindergarten in Park City. What a wonderful world!
          I don’t have any other news. Dad and I will be having a chess club retreat this Friday night at our cabin. There are people from both our chess clubs coming. You can’t find such nutty and wonderful company anywhere! Francis Frontier Days, including the rodeo, is Labor Day weekend. McGettigans are coming for that. Jana has a great rodeo heritage, and we’ll have a lot of fun. The Riebens have reserved the cabin for the same weekend, and I hope they have a good time. Our poor cabin hasn’t had its usual attention and maintenance, but Dad and I have finally eliminated all the mice (I think) who took up residence there. Oreo could have had a field day, but we used bait instead. It worked.
          Lots of love, Mom

Dear Kids,
          Dad and I had a lot of fun helping Paul and Stefanie move to St. George. Dad drove the rental truck, I drove our van, Paul and Stefanie came in Paul’s car, and Stefanie’s parents and aunt came in their car. Dad and I haven’t been down that stretch of I-15 for several years, and it was nice to be going somewhere. Of course it was hot, but not as bad as it could have been. Paul and Stefanie’s house is less than a block from the temple, and it’s very roomy! There’s a big living room-dining area, a master bedroom, a guest room, and a large family room–plenty of room for guests, it seems to me. I’m sure a lot of us will be planning to drop in on them, especially in the winter.  Paul started his new job last Monday, and he said he likes it fine. Stefanie has employment opportunities, if she wants them. I’m sure they’ll be happy there.
          We’re looking forward to the family reunion starting on Thursday. Dad and I won’t be doing the Timp hike or the cave, but we’ll be at the campground Thursday night, and from then on we won’t miss a single thing. Thanks in advance to Donna and Bevan for planning everything!
          The 24th of July parade here was a very big event. I had no idea. Our "float" was an old farm wagon pulled by a tractor, but most of the other wards had big metal trailers pulled by very large, very shiny trucks. A couple of them were pulled by horses, which were the last of the floats. Then came all the kids on bikes, and then all the kids in pony carts.  Last came the kids riding their own horses.   We went two blocks down Main Street, and then we turned around and came back. Dad and I wore cowboy clothes and we walked behind the Spanish Branch’s float, because we had two boys on bikes who wanted to stay with their own group. (All the kids on bikes had to have "walkers" with them.) We waved at people on the side of the road. We knew lots of them.
          Later in the day we drove up to Wolf Creek pass where there’s a campground, and a sheep road going along the top of the mountains for several miles. It’s a beautiful hike. You’re on top of the world! I want all of us to do that next 4th of July. Put it on your calendars!
          Oreo hardly ever eats his cat food now. Yesterday morning he was chasing a baby squirrel through our yard. He doesn’t bring us mice any more–he just eats them. He’s very lean. I think we should all be eating bunnies, baby squirrels, and mice.
          Lots of love, Mom

Dear Kids,
          I’m wearing cowboy boots to church today, in honor of Pioneer Day. I don’t know how it will go over in the Spanish branch. It was always OK in our regular ward, because there are so many cowboys and farmers. The boots will also help me advertise the children’s parade on Thursday. Our "float" is a hay wagon being pulled by a tractor. I asked the kids to dress like cowboys or pioneers, so that should be easy. Our primary meets together with Kamas 1st ward, and their float has a "beach party" theme. Those kids are supposed to wear bright colors and sun glasses. How does that go with Pioneer Day? Some of the Kamas 1st kids want to cross over and be cowboys. I don’t blame them.
          This week, our "River Bluffs" rock was delivered by Delta Stone. It looks really cool. The delivery guy helped us set it in place (it weighs 1700 pounds), and after that we brought out the two metal deer that Oreo hates so much. He hoped we would throw them over the edge of the hill, but we anchored them by the stone with deep stakes and metal cables. I think they’re secure enough. The neighbors have been very interested. Some of them have actually stopped in their vehicles to look at the deer. They’re very life-like. But not enough to fool the real deer, who cross our property without giving them a second glance.
          Dad and I are looking forward to helping Paul and Stefanie move next weekend. We’re going to Logan Friday morning to help them load the truck, and we’ll be staying overnight at the Riebens.’ Saturday morning we’ll all leave early for the drive to St. George. We’ll probably get there in the early afternoon, help them unload, and stay over that night. Sunday morning we’ll drive home. It sounds like a lot of fun to me. Dad and I haven’t been south for a long time. Paul is looking forward to his new job. Last week I wrote that it wasn’t exactly the kind of work he wanted, but he says that it is. 
          Donna has sent out the info for the family reunion, and it sounds like we’ll have a great time. There’s no stoppin’ the fun!
          Lots of love, Mom

Dear Kids,
          We really enjoyed Paige’s baptism yesterday! It was a beautiful day, and so many of our family (and James’s family) were there! We also enjoyed the after party: ice cream sundaes! I wanted to hike up the hill across from Nora’s house, but it was pretty hot, and besides, Dad and I needed to make stops at Walmart and Home Depot on our way home. And we wanted to get back to working on our yard while there was still some daylight left. We have trenches dug in the front yard, and tomorrow Donna is coming to show us how we should install the sprinkler pipe and heads. It’s all different from the way I’ve done it before! Hopefully, having the advice of a professional will give us a very professional-looking yard, but I’m estimating at least two years, and maybe three, before we’re done.
          Most of you have probably heard that Paul has taken a job in St. George. It’s not exactly the kind of work he wanted, but hey, it’s a job! They didn’t string him along, like other firms have done. They actually offered him a job, and he accepted. He and Stefanie are moving on July 25th, and Dad has been enlisted to drive the big moving truck. Naturally he’s excited about that. I’m going along in our Sienna, to help haul things, and to bring Dad back home. It should be lots of fun.
          I’m still enjoying the Spanish branch, but here’s something you don’t experience every day: I was asked to be a visiting teacher, and I talked to my new partner about it. She said she was glad to have me, because her former partner is in jail. I had already heard something about that–a fiasco involving car insurance fraud. They were buying old cars, insuring them from four or five different companies, crashing them, and collecting all the money. The husband, Diego, was the mastermind, but evidently his wife was in on it, too. She used to teach Gospel Doctrine, besides being a visiting teacher, and I really enjoyed her lessons. How does that work?
          We hope you’re all enjoying summer, which is going by way too fast!
           Lots of love, Mom

Dear Kids,
          Most of you probably heard the sad news that Miss Strassburg passed away. Sharon called me on the morning of the 4th of July and said she had just died that morning. There was a facebook page that said she was really sick, and anybody who wanted to send her a note or a letter needed to do it right away. I’m hardly ever online so I didn’t know about that. She had such a great impact for good on all you kids! Even when she was talking about leaving Westlake, she said she wouldn’t go until all the Ackerson kids had moved on. I’m glad you all had the chance to know her.
          Paige’s baptism is next Saturday, July 12, at 2:20 pm at Nora and James’s church, 2050 North Main in Centerville. There will be an after-party at the house. It will be a great occasion! I always look forward to these events, and going to your homes afterwards to visit and look around your neighborhoods, and (at Nora’s house) hike up the hill. Our neighborhood is still so desolate, that it gives me hope to see other places that have grass and trees and flowers.
          We’ve been working really hard in our yard, but you can’t see much change. Hopefully our River Bluffs stone will be delivered this week. We have two metal deer to set next to it (as if there weren’t already enough deer in the area) and I’ll soon be digging trenches for sprinkler pipe. Eventually we’ll have grass and flowers, but it’s very discouraging right now.
          My senior citizen piano class in Heber filled up so fast that I’ve added a second class the hour before. There are already two people signed up for it. It’s funny that Heber valley, for all its small population, has so many people that are devoted to music. Donna says there are seven piano teachers in her ward. And there are lots of people who always wanted to play the piano, but never had the chance for lessons. So it’s a great place to teach seniors.
          As you can see, we’re doin’ great and lovin’ it. We hope you are, too! Love, Mom