Roadtrip #2: A Visit to the Mile High City

Our second road trip of Summer 2009 began with the reunion of Ririe High School's Class of 1959! Of course, Dad/Ed couldn't believe he actually knew any of these old people . . . and even when they introduced themselves, he still couldn't believe he was their same age. Ririe, Idaho looks a little more prosperous than it has in prior visits. The reunion was held on Ririe Pride Day, so there was a parade, booths and a very impressive car show happening at the same time. The old log gymnasium where Dad played basketball has been renovated, but his high school was torn down in 2003 and replaced with a nice, new building. On our way to the reunion, we stopped in Pocatello to visit his grandparents home and their gravesite; in Idaho Falls to visit his parents gravesite and in Shelley, Idaho where his brother Robert is buried (we were shocked to realize Bob passed away 25 years ago!!!)

The second leg of our journey involved a drive through Idaho and Wyoming (a whole lot of green nothing!) Thank goodness the wireless connection to my laptop works just about anywhere - even when we are barreling down the I-80 freeway toward Denver.

Idaho in five words or less: grain elevators and spud cellars, golf course quality green grass, beautiful rivers and friendly people.

Wyoming in five words or less: wide open prairie land, big cities which are actually teensy, tiny (Rock Springs [18,000 population], Laramie - the home of the University of Wyoming "Cowboys" [28,000], and Cheyenne [55,000]) . . . and entire communities made up of double wides and modulars!

We finally found our way to David and Jan'L's house in Denver where we enjoyed 3-4 days of chit chat and play with the boys. Miniature golf was a fun way to wile away a hot July day. Kole got a hole-in-one at the first hole of Buccaneer Bay. Dad was a bit miffed that it took him 68 years and Kole did it at age 7! Kyle struggled a little with the whole concept of how the club was supposed to work, but had a fun time just the same. Kaler particularly enjoyed the "do-overs" which "real" golfers in our party informed us are called "mulligans." During my three days of (boring) Medicare training, Grandpa took the boys fishing. They didn't catch anything, but had a fun time together. And, Grandma and the boys joined forces to make a big batch of Grandpa's waffle mix! There was flour and sugar everywhere which stressed David and Grandpa out, but we were "making memories," and the next morning the boys enjoyed their waffles all the more, because they had "a hand at making them." David did not take any time off from work while we were there because his family had plans to travel to Lake Powell for four days on the Jones' new houseboat.

As we were getting ready to leave, all three boys got into our car declaring loudly and in unison that they wanted to go with Grandma!!! All three gave us big hugs while begging Grandma to come with them to the lake (I'm not sure how pleased Ron and Clarelynn would have been to have us show up unannounced). A few minutes after we drove away, Taisley called to report we had 89 tomatoes and 4 watermelons in our garden . . . and, to ask, "when are you coming home?"

We looked forward to getting home to see what Kendi got for her birthday (she turned 13 on July 19) and to enjoy the bounteous harvest of our garden. We leave on August 6 for our 3rd and final roadtrip . . . this time to Seattle and Alaska. Stay tuned!

Rotarian of the Year Award

I was caught completely off guard in my Rotary Club meeting today, when during the installation of new officers for 2009-2010, my name was announced as the 2009 Rotarian of the Year followed by a spontaneous standing ovation from my fellow Rotarians. The award is "in sincere appreciation and recognition of distinguished service, loyalty and devotion to the ideals of Rotary." I’m guessing the recognition is mostly because I have spent a great deal of time cleaning up the records and bringing them current . . . and because they like to blog (see http://www.stgeorgerotaryclub.blogspot.com)./ Anyway - and for whatever reason it was given - I am humbled since there are some truly remarkable people in my club who do truly remarkable service in the community, the state and in the world!

Roadtrip #1 - To San Francisco and Beyond

The first of three long distance roadtrips we have scheduled this summer (a total of one full month out of town during June, July and August) took us from St. George to San Francisco and home again - nearly 2500 miles roundtrip!

After a 2-day Medicare training in Salt Lake City (while Dad golfed), we traveled to Reno/Carson City, NV where we spent the night with my childhood friend Jan Peterson Free Gardner and her husband Ron. While there, we enjoyed a day exploring the beauty of Lake Tahoe where we snapped dozens of photographs - to meet Dad’s self-proclaimed quota of 100 photos a day - and had lunch before getting back on the freeway heading toward Sonoma and two days with Kris, Zachary and Erin.

Kris was scheduled to get home at 5:30 p.m. so we tried to time our arrival to coincide with hers. We pulled into her driveway at exactly the same moment. It was her last day working as the office manager for a local gastroenterologist (she is going back to the mortgage industry). After Kris and I got home from our pedicure appointments, we headed to Santa Cruz and the famous boardwalk (which I had never heard of, but which was fun, fun, fun!!!). We walked on the beach, ate corn dogs and ice cream cones, and rode roller coasters, the ferris wheel and other rides until the park closed at 10 p.m. then we settled in for the night at a truly grungy motel. (Eeeeewwww and ick!!!). On our way back to Kris’, we realized we were in peril of getting caught in the traffic coming out of the Nascar race . . . only a few miles from Kris’ home. We hurried our goodbyes and just barely made it past the track as thousands of Nascar enthusiasts came from every direction.

The next stop on our trip was San Francisco where we had arranged to use a week of our timeshare at the Best Western Carriage House hotel - a few short blocks from Fisherman’s Wharf, Ghiradelli Square and within walking distance of the Moscone Center where California Governor Arnold Swartzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver spoke, along with Nancy Pelosi, Matthew McConaughey and First Lady Michelle Obama at the opening session of the National Conference on Service (while Ed golfed!). There were more than 5000 non-profit program managers and volunteers trying to get into the session. Everywhere we looked there were hundreds of policemen, and big trucks identified as the bomb squad and every media outlet in the United States.

At the close of the conference in San Francisco, we accepted an invitation to dinner from Troy, his wife (the other) Linda Sappington and their two beautiful little girls - 5-year-old Thalia and 3-year-old Isela at their home in San Leandro, less than 20 miles from our hotel room. Linda and her mother spent the afternoon creating a delicious Mexican dinner complete with bar-be-qued steaks (Troy was at the grill), homemade salsa and a huge bowl of guacamole. Troy and Linda are renting a nice big apartment which they have, over three years, turned into a lovely home. They have painted the rooms to match the symbols of Linda’s Mexican heritage. Troy has built a beautiful redwood deck off the dining room and has plans for improving the landscaping, but the most impressive improvement to their home is the creation of a theater room, complete with a popcorn machine, a hot dog cooker and a huge screen. Oh, and did I mention all the "Star Wars" memorabilia, including a lifesize Darth Vadar and one of those red faced "enemy warriors." He is so enamored with this blockbuster series he even has a personalized license plate which identifies him as a fan. Troy lost his job this year when Mervyn’s declared bankruptcy and was out of work for nearly five months until he was hired by Ross Stores (yes, Kaytee . . . one of your favorite places to shop) where he now works as a senior purchasing agent.

On Wednesday afternoon we found Charlene anticipating our arrival at her new modular home in Coarsegold, California. She took occupancy in January, but was called to jury duty (the case involved a mass murderer and the death penalty) soon after she moved in, so is still trying to get settled. She and Tiffany (who lives about 10 miles away) are painting the rooms, redoing the kitchen cabinets and in every way, turning it into Charlene’s dream home. She notes this is the first time in her life she has ever lived alone and she is finding it to be a delightful experience.

That evening, we enjoyed pizza and salad at Tiffany and Bob’s house - which they share with their 3 sons Ben (aka "Beano" who has a delightful personality not unlike his father); Josh, who is a typical 10-year old and his twin brother Phillip who has far surpassed what doctors predicted would be the limits of his abilities. Bob currently works in Human Resources for the Fresno School District.

Tyson, Mandy and their three kids - adorable 4-year old Kylee and IDENTICAL 2-year-old twins Brennan and Bryce (or is it Bryce and Brennan - even their grandmother can’t tell them apart) drove the 40 miles from their home in Fresno to join us for dinner and conversation. Tyson works as a sheet metal fabricator where his talent is well compensated!

And, while we were in the neighborhood, we spent a morning at the spectacular Yosemite National Park before heading home to St. George.

In the middle of the first of our three road trips, we also followed the news of our family and the world:

Grandma Henion placed a call to us indicating she was having plumbing problems. She had called in a professional who determined "the sky was falling" and gave her a bid of $4300 to fix the toilet, replace all the pipes and the water heater! A few phone calls to her bishop and to her home teacher found a reputable plumber willing to make the immediate repairs. Michael will go down to Corona as soon as he returns from his High Adventure Scout trip and replace everything needing replacing!

While we were on the highway, Allysa and Josh welcomed Daxton Emery Beaumont into the world on Wednesday, June 24. Born at 10:35 p.m., this adorable little Josh-lookalike weighed in at 6 lbs. 15 oz. and is 20 inches long. Mother, baby and Grandma Stacy are doing fine!

The most exciting news we got this week was contained in a text message from Kaytee who reported the maximum security Nevada State Prison FINALLY called Josh. He starts as a prison guard on July 6th - one of about 400 employees overseeing more than 1100 incarcerated bad boys! My heart is breaking to think they will soon be living in Ely, Nevada (Kaytee hasn’t ever been there) . . . and taking our precious Adyn with them. I know it is best for them - Josh has been out of work for a year - but its hard for Stacy, Ed and me to get our arms around the fact they are moving away from St. George.

And finally, legend has it that there are usually 3 famous deaths at a time. On Wednesday, June 24, as Allysa went into labor with Daxton, 86-year-old Ed McMahon, Johnny Carson’s famous sidekick on the Tonight Show succumbed to causes incident to age. When Daxton was only a few hours old, Farrah Fawcett - famous for her mane of curly blond hair and as one of TV's "Charlie’s Angels" - died on the morning of Thursday, June 25 from cancer at the age of 62. That same afternoon, TV and radio stations all over the world, as well as the internet, went crazy with the news of the death of Michael Jackson from what is believed to have been a massive heart attack at age 50.

You Have the Right Not to Remain Silent!

A week or so ago, Kaytee sent me an e-mail which queried, "if you saw me in the backseat of a police car, what would you think I had been arrested for?" Here are the answers I received when I forwarded that e-mail to members of my family:

My brother Larry thought I might be arrested for "protesting at a pro-choice rally" particularly if it has anything to do with late term abortions!!!

Kelly thought, perhaps, "political activism"

David and Jan'L who, it appears know me pretty well, thought maybe "too many speeding tickets"

Kendi and Taisley often think Grandma really should be arrested for "violating child labor laws"

Whitney did not even hesitate to say "speeding . . . ya, definitely speeding" (although she was quick to point out she couldn't imagine ANY reason why her grandmother would be behind bars

Kaytee thought "road rage" would be an appropriate charge because she remembers, as a small child, her mother calling other (stupid) drivers "dipsticks"

Michael couldn't come up with anything but suggested perhaps I might have been "detained for a fundraising event on behalf of the PD"

Ed thought I should be given a life sentence for "excessive blogging"

Tara couldn't think of anything either, but laughed when I suggested "breaking and entering" for all the times I have just shown up at their house while traveling to the Wasatch Front or "stealing my laptop to check e-mails" because I always want to check in after coming off the highway.

Brentwood Ward Reunites

Our few short years in the Brentwood Ward (1967 - 1971) were filled with faith, fun and friendships and on Saturday, May 23 at the beautiful Provo home of former Brentwoodite Lance Turner, more than 40 years peeled away as we stood face-to-face with many of our post-college friends.
Former Salt Lake County Commissioner Tom and Junko (Grace) Shimizu (who served on the Relief Society General Board many years ago) organized the affair with a committee including Ilse DuBois. There were many we didn't know (even a couple from St. George currently serving a mission in Salt Lake), but those familiar faces in attendance included Tom and Junko, Steve and Ilse DuBois, Brian and Diane Breese, Bob and June Page, Gary and Collette Delgado, Bill Jacobsen and his brother and sister-in-law Soren and Susie Jacobsen; Bob and Jim Holiday and their sister Charlene Whitehead and her daughter Deanna. We also saw (but honestly didn’t remember) Marilyn Blackett, who says she used to babysit our kids. Those we had hoped to see, but who were unable to attend (because of distance or other obligations) included Lonnie and Marian Fawcett, Steve and Darlene Bradbury, Jack and Gail Reese and Joan Holiday!

It was fun to see everyone again and to know that "the more part of them are in the path of their duty and do walk circumspectly before God and do observe to keep his commandments." In the few short hours we spent together, we heard of their successes and challenges in the past four decades and relived the good times we shared.

Many remembered the story of the Sunday morning when Mitzi (our little black puppy) was run over and killed by our neighbor. We had a good laugh remembering Bishop Doug Cusworth's (now deceased) reaction when - after ending Priesthood meeting to come to our aid - he found out it was our dog, not our daughter, who had been killed.

The only thing I regret is that we didn’t bring our snapshots of the famous Brentwood Ward roadshow "How To Succeed in the Roadshow Business without Breaking Up the Ward." I've made a mental note to remember to bring those pictures in five years when Junko plans to do this all again!!!

Vacationing in Park City

Michael, Tara and The Small One came to our timeshare condo in Park City last night to visit, swim and go to dinner. It was fun to see them, fun to visit and fun to swim, but the "go to dinner" part . . . not so much! We selected a steak house across the street from our condo which was highly recommended by hotel staff and others familiar with Park City. When we saw the prices listed on the menu, Michael, Tara and I all voted to find another restaurant, but Dad overruled us because he didn't want to offend anyone.

Long-story-short . . . we ordered and ate our very good food. Then the 3-figure check came!!! With a gulp, I pulled out my VISA and paid, but not happily.

LESSON LEARNED: Always check the menu BEFORE you sit down OR don't let Ed have a vote!

Musings on Mothers' Day

Sunday, May 10, 2009 was a lovely day, filled with conversations with everyone of my six precious children - either face-to-face or by phone. There were flowers and everyone chipped in to buy me a digital camera . . . which I love, love, love! Jan Peterson Free Gardner was here with her husband Ron. They are talking about moving to St. George spent a few days looking around. Besides gifts and conversations, Mothers’ Day is also a time to reflect about the "good stuff" and I don’t need to go too far to find it:

Last week, after getting a pedicure, I spent the night in Pleasant Grove with Michael and Tara. When Lilly first saw me, she ran over, wrapped her tiny arms around my knees, then looking down, she said in her teeny, tiny voice, "Grandma, pitty toes!"

Whitney sent me a text message after her finals at the University of Utah, "I have now completed my freshman year!!!!" When I asked if she was having any fun in the process, she responded, "I wish I had more. I need to find a way to fix that!" Our beautiful Whitney is strong, focused and a genuinely good person. Her grandmother is very proud of her efforts to get an education and to make a difference in the world.

Kaytee makes me smile! She takes dozens of pictures of Adyn every day, as if she might miss a single minute of her life. Kaytee is a sweet little momma and Adyn’s developing personality reflects her mother’s gentle hand. It has been a difficult year for Kaytee and Josh, but they seem to be weathering the storm, though it appears the solution to their financial situation may mean a move to Ely, Nevada.

Kelly continues to amaze me with her hard work and drive to succeed in all aspects of her life. She is simultaneously working fulltime at Hill Air Force Base while also working fulltime toward a college degree and while also working fulltime to bring 10,000 Patriot Guard Riders to Ogden in June for a national "gathering of the guard!" Whew! Yep, she makes me proud . . . and tired!

Most of you have probably already heard about Kris’ "new" job. It seems her boss - "the doctor" - has been paying an independent contractor for payroll, bookkeeping and a whole lot of other services, until she decided to drop him as a client, in part because she thought Kris could do it. After stalling for several days, he gave Kris what he considered a substantial raise until Kris convinced him his substantial raise wasn’t nearly substantial enough! Don’t you just love strong, capable women? So does he, apparently!

Stacy sent me a text message on Mothers’ Day from her work at Dixie Regional Medical Center. "I know I don’t tell you enough . . . but I appreciate all you do for me and my girls. I absolutely could not do this without you! Thank you for the example you are to me . . ." I have watched Stacy’s efforts to make something more of her life. She has struggled through her first semester of college trying to stay focused. She has made some painful decisions about some of the men in her life and is striving to be good mother to her three daughters. In addition to everything else going on in her life, she has been spending nights with Allysa and Josh helping them paint the baby's room.

David, who "doesn’t get into the ‘gift’ thing" says Jan’L, nevertheless gathered his three small sons together on Mothers’ Day to fix their momma breakfast-in-bed. Kaytee later reported her big, strong, handsome oldest brother called to wish her a happy FIRST Mothers’ Day! She was so touched he had taken the time to do that!

And, finally Michael . . . my strong, faithful, resiliant and hardworking second son - with whom I shared this Mothers' Day in celebration of his 33rd birthday! No one has ever questioned how difficult this past year has been for Michael and Tara, but together they just keep putting one foot in front of the other and despite all odds, are managing to get through these tough economic times! I have also been so impressed with his dedication to the boys in his scout troop - 11 of 12 in his ward - who believe him to be the world’s best scoutmaster! Unlike most scoutmasters who spend an hour or two each week on planning for activities, Michael spends 10-15 hours every week organizing, planning, blogging and working hard to keep his boys active because he believes scouting is not about merit badges or camping trips . . . but is about building leaders out of teenaged boys!

So, in case you didn't quite get the message . . . here it is! You all make me very, very proud to be your mother and grandmother!　

She's a Blast from our Past

The doorbell rang on Saturday afternoon and there stood Meretta Adams Barnes, our friend for more than 30 years - and the kids' babysitter during the years I worked at the hospital - now living in Houston, Texas. While visiting Quincy (and Sunnie), Lance (still unmarried) and Andrew (a Las Vegas cop), in St. George, she also enjoyed a visit from Tiffany and her children. Meretta reports she is happy in her second marriage to Scott; and, enjoying retirement because it affords her the opportunity to travel with her husband on his business trips. She is also enjoying Scott's children and grandchildren, as well as having Camille and her family nearby in Houston. Shown here with oldest son, Quincy . . . not Nolan, who he eerily resembles, Meretta is slim and trim, blond and still has her robust happy laugh! She says "hi" to all the Sappington clan!

Meet Sophie

Stacy came home from work the other night to ask if we were interested in getting another dog "papered and free to a good home!" Seems a friend of a friend of hers is going through an ugly divorce and the husband is being a putz about the dog! The lady in question sent photos by e-mail and suggested we could take the dog over the weekend to see if things would work out. We agreed and a few days later during dinner, the doorbell rang. When we opened the door we were shocked to be standing face-to-face with a friend we have known for many, many years! She was probably more shocked than we, considering all the "horror stories" she had shared about her "idiot husband!" We've had the dog for a couple of days and she seems to be settling in with Stacy and the kids. I worry a little bit, because for all of her 7 pounds Sophie is pretty darned protective, particularly of Stacy.

Let's Hear It for America

Usually a 1st grade musical program is about as much fun as . . . . . . . (you fill in the blank) but last week, the four 1st grade classes at Bloomington Elementary School WOW-ed their parents, grandparents and classmates with the most creative and high energy show most of us have ever seen on any stage! This 40-minute "Salute to America" brought down the house and left everyone humming, tapping their toes and grinning from ear-to-ear! We’ve been hearing Taisley singing the songs for the past month, but did not realize how outstanding she and her 75+ classmates would sound and how cute the show would be with props. This was another of those times when we wished Jan’L had been there with her video camera! Kudos to the amazing teacher who went "above and beyond" to put this delightful show together!!!