Dear Kids,
It snows, and it blows away. And it snows again. And blows away again. This is shaping up like last year. But it’s OK. We won’t have to shovel much. And if we want to play in the snow, the cabin is only 5 minutes away.
Things are shaping up nicely for Thanksgiving. Dad and I bought our turkey at Winco last Wednesday, where it was 57 cents a pound, if you spend $50 on other groceries. That’s easy these days. Let’s see . . . a 10-pound chub of hamburger for $30. Three bricks of cheese, $20 more. You’re there. I bought lard for the pie crusts, and pumpkin, and bread for the stuffing. It’s all pretty easy, after so many years of doing Thanksgiving.
John is getting ready to lay some tile in his basement, so Dad and I went there on Friday to take our wet saw and dish out advice. We were astounded that all the rooms are sheetrocked. I think it happened in just a couple of days, because John hired people to do it. How’s that? You can hire people? We’ve been following Tom’s basement project for several months now, and we admired his great sheetrocking job, and I was all excited to do our own basement. I still am, but maybe we’re getting too old to hoist up sheetrock. It’s been more than 30 years since I did any of that.
Three weeks till the Messiah. I’ve been trying to learn the "Amen" chorus, since we didn’t do it last year. It’s impossible. Handel should have quit while he was ahead.
I’m doing sharing time in Primary today, the one about forgiveness where you tie a bag of rocks to somebody’s ankle and have them walk around like that. It’s supposed to represent carrying grudges. Luckily we have plenty of rocks, and I gathered up some outside yesterday morning before it started snowing. I have two small bags, so I can use two kids for that. It makes me wonder why any of us carry around our bags of rocks. Maybe I’ll try to drop some of mine, now that we’re celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I love you all! Mom
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Dear Kids,
Dad and I always eat our meals upstairs, at the library table, where we can look out at the field across the street, and down into the Provo River valley. Right now there’s a little bit of snow and a lot of brown dirt and trees. A deer just ran by, all by herself. She must have been looking for the herd. A couple of nights ago they were all out there, 15 or so, when Dad and I got home from Salt Lake. One of our neighbors is absolutely obsessed with deer, and he’s always out driving around at night, looking for them, shining his headlights on them when he sees them. There was a big buck one night, just standing out there, letting everybody admire him. Mostly it’s the silly little does, though.
Thanksgiving is practically upon us, so it’s time to look ahead to Christmas. Here’s what we have on the docket so far:
1. Dec. 13 and 14, a Saturday and Sunday night, Dad and Tom and I will be in the Messiah in Heber. Saturday night it’s held in the Timpanogos Valley Theater, and last year there were refreshments afterwards. Sunday night it’s in Tom’s church, and we might have an after-party somewhere, if any of you want to come.
2. Monday, December 22, tentatively, is the cousins’ gift party at Nora’s house. More details will be forthcoming.
3. Wednesday, the 24th, Sharon and Seth will be hosting a Christmas Eve supper at our house. Afterwards we’ll hike Memorial Hill in Midway, and then have hot chocolate at Donna’s house. She might even make cinnamon rolls.
4. Christmas Day . . . I don’t have a plan yet. Does anybody want to host a Christmas Dinner that other people can go in on? If no one else wants to, I will, here at our house.
5. Friday, December 26, will be the sledding party at the cabin. I’ll probably make sloppy jo’s, and you can bring your leftover Christmas goodies and whatever else you want people to eat up.
So that’s the schedule so far. It will all be lots of fun.
Last night Dad and I went with John and Heather to watch Julie in "The King and I" at Wasatch High. Julie was a servant girl, so she just stood there, except for the scene where they’re all down praying to Buddah. It was a very good production. After all the years of watching you kids in musicals, we’re now excited to watch all the grandkids. (We already saw Ellie in "Sussical," a couple of years back.) Life gets better and better!
Love, Mom
Dad and I always eat our meals upstairs, at the library table, where we can look out at the field across the street, and down into the Provo River valley. Right now there’s a little bit of snow and a lot of brown dirt and trees. A deer just ran by, all by herself. She must have been looking for the herd. A couple of nights ago they were all out there, 15 or so, when Dad and I got home from Salt Lake. One of our neighbors is absolutely obsessed with deer, and he’s always out driving around at night, looking for them, shining his headlights on them when he sees them. There was a big buck one night, just standing out there, letting everybody admire him. Mostly it’s the silly little does, though.
Thanksgiving is practically upon us, so it’s time to look ahead to Christmas. Here’s what we have on the docket so far:
1. Dec. 13 and 14, a Saturday and Sunday night, Dad and Tom and I will be in the Messiah in Heber. Saturday night it’s held in the Timpanogos Valley Theater, and last year there were refreshments afterwards. Sunday night it’s in Tom’s church, and we might have an after-party somewhere, if any of you want to come.
2. Monday, December 22, tentatively, is the cousins’ gift party at Nora’s house. More details will be forthcoming.
3. Wednesday, the 24th, Sharon and Seth will be hosting a Christmas Eve supper at our house. Afterwards we’ll hike Memorial Hill in Midway, and then have hot chocolate at Donna’s house. She might even make cinnamon rolls.
4. Christmas Day . . . I don’t have a plan yet. Does anybody want to host a Christmas Dinner that other people can go in on? If no one else wants to, I will, here at our house.
5. Friday, December 26, will be the sledding party at the cabin. I’ll probably make sloppy jo’s, and you can bring your leftover Christmas goodies and whatever else you want people to eat up.
So that’s the schedule so far. It will all be lots of fun.
Last night Dad and I went with John and Heather to watch Julie in "The King and I" at Wasatch High. Julie was a servant girl, so she just stood there, except for the scene where they’re all down praying to Buddah. It was a very good production. After all the years of watching you kids in musicals, we’re now excited to watch all the grandkids. (We already saw Ellie in "Sussical," a couple of years back.) Life gets better and better!
Love, Mom
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Dear Kids,
We’re still having nice weather here! Friday afternoon Dad and I drove down to Rock Cliff, the nature preserve where Nora did her triathalon in 2008. The nature center was closed, but what I really wanted was to find the trail that we’d seen so often from the highway. It’s there, and it has a name: the Jordanelle Perimeter Trail. It takes off from the parking lot and goes for 13 miles around the reservoir, ending over at Keatley. Dad and I set off hiking, and we were the only people on the trail. The sun was warm and the sky was blue and the water was sparkly. What are the chances you can do a hike like that in this area, almost the middle of November! We only went about two and a half miles, because it was late in the afternoon and we hadn’t brought any water. But next time we plan to go farther. By the way, it would make a nice family home evening hike for anybody in the area. On our way back, we finally ran into somebody, and it was Phares Gines, from our ward. Dad wondered what were the chances of running into a ward member there, and I said probably 100%, especially since we were still in our ward boundaries.
We’re still working on our playground, way longer than we expected to. On Monday we put together our swing set, the one from the back yard of our house on Stillwater. Then Dad put together the airplane teeter-totter. (Like the one John has.) It matches our swing set! Dad assembled it on the driveway, and then we managed to carry it out to the playground and set it down there. I wish we could keep going, and put down our railroad ties and install the sand digger, but we’re supposed to have snow on Monday, and much colder temperatures after that. So our long pleasant fall weather is finally going to end.
Last night Dad and I went to a baptism in the Spanish branch. It was sort of a last-minute thing, but very nice, anyway. It was a man, his wife, and their 8-year-old son. After the baptism I had to give a little speech welcoming the boy to primary. Then of course there was food! Lots of it! They don’t do it at home, like we do, but there in the Church. It’s lots of fun.
Two and a half weeks till Thanksgiving! If I haven’t called you yet, I will. Or you can call me.
Lots of love, Mom
We’re still having nice weather here! Friday afternoon Dad and I drove down to Rock Cliff, the nature preserve where Nora did her triathalon in 2008. The nature center was closed, but what I really wanted was to find the trail that we’d seen so often from the highway. It’s there, and it has a name: the Jordanelle Perimeter Trail. It takes off from the parking lot and goes for 13 miles around the reservoir, ending over at Keatley. Dad and I set off hiking, and we were the only people on the trail. The sun was warm and the sky was blue and the water was sparkly. What are the chances you can do a hike like that in this area, almost the middle of November! We only went about two and a half miles, because it was late in the afternoon and we hadn’t brought any water. But next time we plan to go farther. By the way, it would make a nice family home evening hike for anybody in the area. On our way back, we finally ran into somebody, and it was Phares Gines, from our ward. Dad wondered what were the chances of running into a ward member there, and I said probably 100%, especially since we were still in our ward boundaries.
We’re still working on our playground, way longer than we expected to. On Monday we put together our swing set, the one from the back yard of our house on Stillwater. Then Dad put together the airplane teeter-totter. (Like the one John has.) It matches our swing set! Dad assembled it on the driveway, and then we managed to carry it out to the playground and set it down there. I wish we could keep going, and put down our railroad ties and install the sand digger, but we’re supposed to have snow on Monday, and much colder temperatures after that. So our long pleasant fall weather is finally going to end.
Last night Dad and I went to a baptism in the Spanish branch. It was sort of a last-minute thing, but very nice, anyway. It was a man, his wife, and their 8-year-old son. After the baptism I had to give a little speech welcoming the boy to primary. Then of course there was food! Lots of it! They don’t do it at home, like we do, but there in the Church. It’s lots of fun.
Two and a half weeks till Thanksgiving! If I haven’t called you yet, I will. Or you can call me.
Lots of love, Mom
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Dear Kids,
Winter keeps knocking at the door, but it hasn’t crept in yet. My phone tells me that it’s supposed to start snowing at 9am MDT, but there’s no MDT anywhere, because we went off daylight saving time at 2 am. So maybe winter is locked in the twilight zone, like MDT. We’ll find out at 9 am.
Since we bought our Sienna almost four years ago, we’ve been annoyed by its constant honking. Every time you turn off the engine, it honks. When you lock the door, another honk. When you unlock it, another honk. If you look at it wrong, the burglar alarm goes off, and there’s no end to the honking. We finally decided we’d had enough, and we took it to the Toyota dealer to deal with it. A special automotive security system had been installed "aftermarket," and for a price, they were willing to take it out. We agreed, gladly. They pulled out a box that had innumerable wires dangling from it, and they charged us $120.00. It was worth every penny. Dad kept the box. If any of you want it for your Siennas, you’re welcome to it.
I learned something interesting driving home from Food Town yesterday. How do you haul away a dead cow? (I’m sure Seth knows this.) You scoop up the cow with the bucket of your tractor, and then you drive it over to your pickup and dump it in. I don’t know where you take it from there. I’ll have to ask Seth. I’m sure there are places where they take dead cows.
Three and a half weeks until Thanksgiving! Everybody who wants to come to the cabin is welcome. I’ll probably call each of you and find out your plans when the time gets closer, and make food assignments. I know for sure that I’ll be making the turkey, dressing, and pumpkin pies.
I hope you’re all doin’ great and lovin’ it! Mom
Winter keeps knocking at the door, but it hasn’t crept in yet. My phone tells me that it’s supposed to start snowing at 9am MDT, but there’s no MDT anywhere, because we went off daylight saving time at 2 am. So maybe winter is locked in the twilight zone, like MDT. We’ll find out at 9 am.
Since we bought our Sienna almost four years ago, we’ve been annoyed by its constant honking. Every time you turn off the engine, it honks. When you lock the door, another honk. When you unlock it, another honk. If you look at it wrong, the burglar alarm goes off, and there’s no end to the honking. We finally decided we’d had enough, and we took it to the Toyota dealer to deal with it. A special automotive security system had been installed "aftermarket," and for a price, they were willing to take it out. We agreed, gladly. They pulled out a box that had innumerable wires dangling from it, and they charged us $120.00. It was worth every penny. Dad kept the box. If any of you want it for your Siennas, you’re welcome to it.
I learned something interesting driving home from Food Town yesterday. How do you haul away a dead cow? (I’m sure Seth knows this.) You scoop up the cow with the bucket of your tractor, and then you drive it over to your pickup and dump it in. I don’t know where you take it from there. I’ll have to ask Seth. I’m sure there are places where they take dead cows.
Three and a half weeks until Thanksgiving! Everybody who wants to come to the cabin is welcome. I’ll probably call each of you and find out your plans when the time gets closer, and make food assignments. I know for sure that I’ll be making the turkey, dressing, and pumpkin pies.
I hope you’re all doin’ great and lovin’ it! Mom
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Dear Kids,
I’ve been craving licorice taffy, which is impossible to find. I know, because I’ve been looking at all the candy displays now that Halloween is getting close. You’d think that candy corn flavored taffy would do it, since it’s fall, but it’s the licorice flavor that I crave. In desperation I went on Amazon, and of course they have it! I had lots of choices, and I bought a three pound bag for $15.00. Sure, that’s pricey, but I paid with points! And the fed ex guy brought it to our door two days later! On the Amazon home page there were some funny comments from people devoted to Amazon Prime. One man wrote, "As soon as Amazon prime offers ramen noodles, I’ll never have to leave my house again. Oh, wait . . . !"
We’ve had yet another week of nice weather here. I’m still working in the yard, raking up rocks for next year. Dad and I have made two trips to A&K Railroad Supply on Redwood Road for railroad ties, which we’re going to put around the edge of the playground. Since we’re not ready to put them down yet, we stacked them on boards to keep them out of the mud. They average 100 pounds each, so it was no easy job. I asked Dad why two 67-year-old people would do such a project, and he said we don’t act our age. Dad has been spending lots of time at the cabin, working on the Yerf Dog. I think it’s finally ready to roll.
Last January I had surgery for trigger finger on the third finger of my right hand, and now the fourth finger is giving me trouble. It rolls up, and when I try to unroll it, it jerks back. I have an appointment with the same doctor who did my third finger. I wish he could do something about my thumb, which has arthritis at the base of it, but he said he it’s not bad enough yet. Still, I have to open bottles with my left hand, and it’s hard to put clips in my hair. I wish I could have a whole new hand, with no problems. Maybe a transplant. Maybe from a concert pianist who died suddenly in a car wreck. Maybe my piano playing would improve, too. Just thinking.
Life is good! I hope you all have a fun Halloween this week. Love, Mom
I’ve been craving licorice taffy, which is impossible to find. I know, because I’ve been looking at all the candy displays now that Halloween is getting close. You’d think that candy corn flavored taffy would do it, since it’s fall, but it’s the licorice flavor that I crave. In desperation I went on Amazon, and of course they have it! I had lots of choices, and I bought a three pound bag for $15.00. Sure, that’s pricey, but I paid with points! And the fed ex guy brought it to our door two days later! On the Amazon home page there were some funny comments from people devoted to Amazon Prime. One man wrote, "As soon as Amazon prime offers ramen noodles, I’ll never have to leave my house again. Oh, wait . . . !"
We’ve had yet another week of nice weather here. I’m still working in the yard, raking up rocks for next year. Dad and I have made two trips to A&K Railroad Supply on Redwood Road for railroad ties, which we’re going to put around the edge of the playground. Since we’re not ready to put them down yet, we stacked them on boards to keep them out of the mud. They average 100 pounds each, so it was no easy job. I asked Dad why two 67-year-old people would do such a project, and he said we don’t act our age. Dad has been spending lots of time at the cabin, working on the Yerf Dog. I think it’s finally ready to roll.
Last January I had surgery for trigger finger on the third finger of my right hand, and now the fourth finger is giving me trouble. It rolls up, and when I try to unroll it, it jerks back. I have an appointment with the same doctor who did my third finger. I wish he could do something about my thumb, which has arthritis at the base of it, but he said he it’s not bad enough yet. Still, I have to open bottles with my left hand, and it’s hard to put clips in my hair. I wish I could have a whole new hand, with no problems. Maybe a transplant. Maybe from a concert pianist who died suddenly in a car wreck. Maybe my piano playing would improve, too. Just thinking.
Life is good! I hope you all have a fun Halloween this week. Love, Mom
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Dear Kids,
You know you live in Kamas Valley when . . . the high priests are asked to help load hay for one of their own who just had knee surgery. This was last Monday. Dad and several others went to pick up some hay that Jack Johnson had bought. They loaded it onto a flatbed trailer to take back to his barn. Dad said the hay bales only weighed about fifty pounds, and nobody seemed to have any problems tossing them, not even the man Dad rode with, who walks with a cane. Farrell Knight, who’s in his late eighties, had the easiest time of all. They stay tough, living here.
I’ve been working hard to finish my dry creek bed before winter, and now it’s finally done! There are lots of rocks left over, and I’m giving them to our friend, Doneen, the lady with the tractor. She and her dog came yesterday and loaded quite a few, but there are lots more. I’m sure the sweat-equity people working up the street would be glad to have them. They are doing absolutely horrendous landscaping with rocks in their yards. The copy-cat dry steam beds aren’t too bad, but in one spot, there’s a whole berm of rocks. Just a pile. Just like ours, before I started using them. I wouldn’t have known they did it on purpose, but I saw several people "working" on it together. One of the houses is a ghastly green with pink stucco. You’ve gotta’ love the government getting into projects.
Yesterday morning Donna came by with her kids to use my sewing machine. Donna’s dining room curtains had shrunk, and she had to let out the hem and add ribbon to make them longer. The kids watched Baby Mozart. It’s funny to see Dallin sitting on the couch, his legs stretched out in front of him, watching TV, just like a real kid. Donna was alone with the kids because Bevan had gone on the deer hunt with his dad. They took three days worth of food. I guess Beverly Hawkins was entertaining herself, too, because Dad and I saw her at the Hale Center Theater in Orem with a girlfriend. Dad and I had discount tickets from the senior center in Heber, and they were doing "Damn Yankees," so we couldn’t miss that. It was a great production.
I was thinking of doing Sunday dinner on November 2nd, but that’s the first practice night for the Heber Messiah, and there would definitely be a time squeeze. By the way, it would sure be fun if any of you were to come and sing with us (Tom, Dad, and myself). Last year I loved having Nora sit next to me. Anybody up for it?
Meanwhile, life is good. I love you all! Mom
You know you live in Kamas Valley when . . . the high priests are asked to help load hay for one of their own who just had knee surgery. This was last Monday. Dad and several others went to pick up some hay that Jack Johnson had bought. They loaded it onto a flatbed trailer to take back to his barn. Dad said the hay bales only weighed about fifty pounds, and nobody seemed to have any problems tossing them, not even the man Dad rode with, who walks with a cane. Farrell Knight, who’s in his late eighties, had the easiest time of all. They stay tough, living here.
I’ve been working hard to finish my dry creek bed before winter, and now it’s finally done! There are lots of rocks left over, and I’m giving them to our friend, Doneen, the lady with the tractor. She and her dog came yesterday and loaded quite a few, but there are lots more. I’m sure the sweat-equity people working up the street would be glad to have them. They are doing absolutely horrendous landscaping with rocks in their yards. The copy-cat dry steam beds aren’t too bad, but in one spot, there’s a whole berm of rocks. Just a pile. Just like ours, before I started using them. I wouldn’t have known they did it on purpose, but I saw several people "working" on it together. One of the houses is a ghastly green with pink stucco. You’ve gotta’ love the government getting into projects.
Yesterday morning Donna came by with her kids to use my sewing machine. Donna’s dining room curtains had shrunk, and she had to let out the hem and add ribbon to make them longer. The kids watched Baby Mozart. It’s funny to see Dallin sitting on the couch, his legs stretched out in front of him, watching TV, just like a real kid. Donna was alone with the kids because Bevan had gone on the deer hunt with his dad. They took three days worth of food. I guess Beverly Hawkins was entertaining herself, too, because Dad and I saw her at the Hale Center Theater in Orem with a girlfriend. Dad and I had discount tickets from the senior center in Heber, and they were doing "Damn Yankees," so we couldn’t miss that. It was a great production.
I was thinking of doing Sunday dinner on November 2nd, but that’s the first practice night for the Heber Messiah, and there would definitely be a time squeeze. By the way, it would sure be fun if any of you were to come and sing with us (Tom, Dad, and myself). Last year I loved having Nora sit next to me. Anybody up for it?
Meanwhile, life is good. I love you all! Mom
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Dear Kids,
More rain! Supposedly it’s just for today. We’ve gotten used to the big clear sky these last few days, and it’s been really nice. There isn’t a better month than October! Nora says there’s something about the light. I would add the blue sky and the yellow and red trees and the huge white clouds. Dad and I have been making the most of these good days. Dad has been painting the cabin with stain, and I’ve nearly finished my dry creek bed. People are still stopping by to comment on my work. One man said he’d never seen anybody sort through a pile of rocks so carefully. I said that’s why it’s taking me so long.
Meanwhile, Oreo is having a territorial dispute with a black cat. When we were the only people out here, he had all the fields to himself, but now there’s competition. They’re especially competing for Hilltop Road, and crossing rights. That worries me a lot, because there’s a lot more traffic down the road now. Yesterday a car barely missed Oreo, and honked at him. He looked at the car very disdainfully and sauntered away. I hope his luck holds out.
We enjoyed seeing so many of you on conference weekend! Let’s see, the next cabin event is . . . Thanksgiving! It’s more than six weeks away, but it will be here before we know it. So will winter. I’m almost looking forward to it. I think we’re tired of working in the yard.
I really don’t have any news, but I hope you’re all doin’ great and lovin’ it!
Mom
More rain! Supposedly it’s just for today. We’ve gotten used to the big clear sky these last few days, and it’s been really nice. There isn’t a better month than October! Nora says there’s something about the light. I would add the blue sky and the yellow and red trees and the huge white clouds. Dad and I have been making the most of these good days. Dad has been painting the cabin with stain, and I’ve nearly finished my dry creek bed. People are still stopping by to comment on my work. One man said he’d never seen anybody sort through a pile of rocks so carefully. I said that’s why it’s taking me so long.
Meanwhile, Oreo is having a territorial dispute with a black cat. When we were the only people out here, he had all the fields to himself, but now there’s competition. They’re especially competing for Hilltop Road, and crossing rights. That worries me a lot, because there’s a lot more traffic down the road now. Yesterday a car barely missed Oreo, and honked at him. He looked at the car very disdainfully and sauntered away. I hope his luck holds out.
We enjoyed seeing so many of you on conference weekend! Let’s see, the next cabin event is . . . Thanksgiving! It’s more than six weeks away, but it will be here before we know it. So will winter. I’m almost looking forward to it. I think we’re tired of working in the yard.
I really don’t have any news, but I hope you’re all doin’ great and lovin’ it!
Mom
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