Kris and the Sonoma Fires

Pictures on the left (top and bottom) are of Erin's high school!

On October 8, 2017 the area in and around Sonoma, CA caught fire.  Over the next few days and weeks, more than 56,556 acres burned.  Approximately 12,000 structures were damaged or completely destroyed, including 5130 homes and 4000 commercial buildings.  Also part of these grim statistics were the loss of 3200 cars, 111 boats and the death of 23 residents.  Total expense for what is being called “the costliest fire in California history" (to date), is $2.79 billion. 

As Kris’ family, we watched and worried as she reported she had loaded her car to capacity expecting to be evacuated at any minute since she could see the fast-moving flames from the balcony of her apartment.  Erin attended her first homecoming dance on the Saturday night before the fire began, but on Monday morning woke to find her school (Cardinal Newman High School) had burned to the ground as well as her elementary school.   Many of their friends lost homes, cars, loved ones … and livelihoods in these catastrophic weeks, but Kris, Erin, Tylre, Jaeson and Memo were all remembered in our prayers and are safe and sound, although Stacy and I wanted to jump in the car and take them a care package and an arm around their shoulders. 

Local leaders say, "Sonoma's recovery is going to be marathon, not a sprint!"  The only "silver lining" in this terrible experience is Kris - a mortgage loan processor - certainly has job security for the foreseeable future ... and we are so happy and relieved to know she and her family are safe.

Another Award for My Shelf

Another year, another award! 

Once again, I was totally and completely taken by surprise when my name was called at the “30 Years of Women in Rotary” luncheon in Lindon on Saturday, October 7. 

I had just “chastized” my club president because he – and the other presidents of the 5 Rotary clubs in Washington County - had not submitted a name for recognition from among the outstanding women in our community. He responded, “oh, dear, I guess I forgot.”

Turns out, I was the designated recipient as “Southern Utah Rotary’s Woman of the Year” selected unanimously by my club and apparently the leadership of the other 4 clubs as well. 

Bev Christy, our current District Governor – only the second female to serve in this capacity -  was named “Utah Rotary Woman of the Year.”  I am humbled.  Rotary is certainly an important part of my life.

Lovells Come to Visit

This year the first week of October, 2017 included the Church’s 187th Semi-annual Genral Conference; preparations for the St. George Marathon, assembling 11,000 welcome bags for senior athletes from all 50 states and 34 foreign countries participating in the Huntsman World Senior Games … and a visit in St. George from Granny (Minetta) and her son Sherlock Lovell from Georgetown, Guyana, South America.

On Friday, they literally flew into the waiting arms of Selwin and Simeon who picked them up from their “red eye” flight into McCarren Airport in Las Vegas.

On Saturday, we gathered all the Lovell’s, Brianna’s family, along with Ed and I for a “mystery trip” to Silver Reef where we saw a gunfight between the Marshall and a bank robber, toured the museum where the Smithsonian display “How They Worked” was drawing a crowd, and experienced a walk deep into a “pretend” mine (in the basement of the museum).

On Sunday, we got together to listen to a conference session then enjoy an American dinner in the backyard including hamburgers and Dutch oven potatoes, then visited Stacy’s family (Tasiley had been injured in her cheer practice and was in a lot of pain).

On Monday, we drove them up to Zion, stopping briefly at the little Western village for pictures. In our spectacular national park, it took a minute, but eventually Sherlock exclaimed “wow!” and “amazing” and took his share of photos while Granny was in quiet awe of the scenery. Then Selwin and Bri took them to the Temple Visitor Center for FHE.

On Tuesday, I was heavily involved in setting up for the HWSG’s welcome bag assembly assignment, so was unable to spend much time with Granny and Sherlock.

On Wednesday, the longest and most grueling day of assembling welcome bags, Sherlock and Granny came to help. He walked the tables stuffing bags and she had a sitdown job. In the evening, we went on another “mystery trip” to the new Family Search Discovery Center. Fun, fun, fun.

Thursday the welcome bags were completed in just a little over an hour so I picked them up for an afternoon visit to our beautiful Snow Canyon State Park (again lots of pictures to take home to Guyana); a stop at Tuacahn Outdoor Amphitheater; and, without even having to convince them, we went for a tour of Brigham Young’s Winter Home.

They flew back to Neward, NJ on Friday, but called before they left so say thank you. It was a delightful visit and we hope to see them again one day.