Yippee!

My credit union has my tax refund already.  Mike won't have his for another week and he completed his about a week before I did mine.  I think the difference is that I paid for my costs out of a credit card and he is having his costs deducted from his refund.

Smile as Big as the Moon

This recent show by Hallmark was so touching.  It is the story of a teacher of a Special Ed group who gets permission and money to take them to Space Camp and spends seven months preparing them to be able to handle it.  Up until that time only advanced students were expected to handle the technical difficulty of it.  I really admire teachers who can inspire and lead.   This was a true story and quite remarkable.

It was also very touching and the acting of the students was superb.  It reminded me of one of the few Special Ed students I had in second grade.  At that time they did not separate them in Montana.  He called me "Sandra" because that is what he got out of Miss Anderson.   He was the one who dumped water on the new wooden floor to help me clean.  The janior was not happy.

Then there was the little boy I had in kindergarten who told incoherent stories with his colored scraps of paper on the flannel board juist as he saw the other children do.  To the children's credit, they took my lead, and patiently listened to him and clapped for his performance.

Both of those little boys were extremely affectionate and sweet.  They were not yet old enough to be treated cruelly by the other students or understand how different they were.  They were just full of love.

Bruce and I Communicate

It was a warm sunny day and Bruce wanted to lay down in the middle of the road because there was lots of sun there.

I enticed him over to the bottom of the steps where there was plenty of sun.  However the walk was peppered with cat litter (used on the ice before it melted so I wouldn't slip).  I knew it was uncomfortable to lay on so I grabbed the rug off the nearby freezer and put it down.

Always wanting to please, he lay down on it for me and reassured me as I took his picture he was doing what I wanted.

However when I looked out again he had moved off the rug but he saw I was looking at hin.

He quickly moved back on the rug  as if he was trying to please me.

He tries so hard to please but sometimes when he does not want to come in he looks the other way, as if to say.

"I don't want to c ome in yet."

When we walk, he expects me to put the leash on him like I do Bandido.  But he really wants to run free and he does.  I couldn't keep up with him even if I tried.  But he is quite respectful and always comes back and lets me pick up the leash again for a few minutes and then he is off again on his own adventure  before coming back to the driveway just as we turn in. 

His favorite thing right now is chasing the deer away every morning from the backyard.  He gets so excited, he can hardly wait until I open the door and let him run.

Old picture found...50s or 60s? Homemade...

I used to make most of my clothes
and this was the kind of dress I
wore to teach kindergarten or to
church or anywhere. I didn't wear
jeans as I recall anyplace but
I know  I had capris in several
colors (which I also made). I loved
the prints  like this with the
rick rack trim. 

 But I am not really sure if this was
 before babies or after??? I just
 recognize the homemade dress.

Wonder if that spot under my chin
was on the picture or me???

Good Eating.

Now this is what I call good eating. Walmart sells these huge butternut squash for 91 cents most days. I cook them like mashed potatoes (after cutting off the skin). Mike won't eat squash so I can get about eight or more side dishes out of it. Of course, I put butter with it. Butter is a natural food and I am not giving it up for any man made artificial stuff, ever. Anyway, delicious eating. I should try and make the soup some day.

What is the Matter with Aunt Jane?

HBO had free service this weekend and I watched the documentary "What is the matter with Aunt Jane?"  or something like that.

A family had gone camping for the weekend and taken their three nieces with them.  The father and dog drove the truck and the mother with two children and the three nieces was in the borrowed van.

The father and mother said goodbye to each other after cleaning out the camper and each getting into their truck and van.  On the way home one of the older girls called her parents and told them something was wrong with Aunt Jane.  She was in pain and could not see well and was driving erratic.  They later found her cell phone on a cement ledge on the side of the road.  And they had a video of her going into a store, looking for a pain pill the store did not have.  It was later determined she could have had an abscessed tooth she had not had treated.  The mother had a $100,000 job and was amazingly organized.  She evidently did all the organizing for the family and treated the father like another child,

In her own personal family her mother had left them when the girl was 9 years old and she had taken over the responsibility for that family also.  In other words she was a highly responsible person who was known to smoke marijuana on occasion when she wanted to sleep and having an occasional drink.

Bottom line she was reported as driving at a high speed with intense concentration as she whizzed by other vehicles on the highway and eventually she was driving like this in the wrong direction going south on a north bound lane and drove head on into one vehicle causing a crash that killed eight people including herself, one of her children and the three nieces.  Her alcohol level was reported at .19 with traces of something from marijuana.  Her relatives could not believe she would drink and drive and she was cold sober when they left around 9 in the morning, the crash was early afternoon after the father had already arrived home much earlier.

The family, of course, wanted to understand what had happened and felt the tests must be wrong.  They wanted to clear her name.   They spent over $30,000 to an investigative firm.  It was all for naught.  No conclusions, no understanding what happened, no disproving the tests were wrong.

The relatives who had lost all three of their daughters feel their life is over.  The five year old son who lived could not give any explanation for what happened.  The children on one phone call were heard to be crying in the background but the relatives had received about three other phone calls earlier just saying they were running late and then the one call from the daughter in which she said something was wrong with Aunt Jane.

They surmised the pain in her tooth was so bad she may have smoked a marijuana at some point and she drank from the vodka bottle in the car and since she didn't usually do both at the same time she had a bad reaction.  But there is not proof.

I think the only thing to be gained from this story is to not let your children ever be driven by anyone else.  If there is an accident, it will be almost impossible to ever forgive that person.

I remember one time when I was driving some of my grandchildren at night and I wondered why I was being trusted on the freeway at my age with such precious cargo.  Not a good thing.  Mike recalls his mother entrusting them being driven with a young relative.  He observed that you think you are going to be so protective of your children and yet, it is such a relief when someone offers to take them for awhile that you let them go.  I am not sure but in the long wrong, I would say in this uncertain world, do not let other people drive your children anywhere, anytime, anyplace. 

As for the cars that were hit and four people died, this is the unfortunate chance you take when you drive our freeways.  Better start every trip with a prayer.  I have had some close calls.

And just yesterday 10 people killed in Florida because of poor visibility on the freeways.  As I drive the freeways in the Los Angles areas I always imagine what could happen if just one person makes a mistake...it is a miracle we survive the freeways at all.  But we can never be too alert or too careful as we travel up and down the world byways.  And...don't let anyone drive your children.

Time Flies

So over a week has passed and I have not written in my blog.  What's up?  One thing bad I did is to reorganize my pictures and now several pictures in my blogs are in a different location on my computer and I have to go back and retrieve them so they will show in my blogs again.  Why do I always forget that that will happen????   I did get a lot more pictures scanned though.  With my printer I bought this last year, scanning is very easy...

I did turn 79 and had several reports that I look great for my age--that is very uplifting but, of course, I know I could look better if I would change a few bad habits and employ a few new ones.  Nuff said. 

But I did have a great birthday this year.   Lots of calls and gifts.  On Sunday I stayed home because of a lot of congestion, later in the week I ventured to the Doctor and found I really do have a sinus infection and antibiotics do work!!!  Who knew.  Jean and Ron stopped by after church and brought me beautiful purple tulips from Maryanne.  I hope I can make them grow in one of my pots next year.

Mike made a cheesecake for my birthday and we had the same problem as before with leakage from even a different pan in the oven.  We MUST buy a new cheesecake pan!!!

I made a gluten free pizza crust and Mike took it to work at Buffalo Chips and brought me home a gourmet pizza with Stuffed Mushroom and one side and Jalapenos on the other.  That lasted me for three days.  Excellent!!!

I also made a gluten free sponge cake which was perfect with lemon frosting.

Besides going to the Dr this week I also have watched several British miniseries.  I love them! 
Finished "The Grand" about hotel life at the turn of the century.  Excellent!  "Bleak House" by Charles Dickens which was also great.  And a real winner in only three episodes "The Politician's Wife"  What a study in revenge, loved it.  I also finished listening to the Nicolas Sparks book "The Best of Me".

I read the reviews on "The Best of Me" and many people had complaints about it being too cliche but I loved it.  So many situations I could relate to the characters and/or the moments and I cried and cried.  He is the ultimate romantic writer and I like that he leaves a lot to the imagination and I am ok with his delving into paranormal, I believe in that.  Anyway it was a very poignant, sad, and moving book, I thought.

Finally, I have another new gluten free pancake recipe.  Maria gave me this book that is over 10 years old but it has the best recipes all made with cornstarch and potato starch so they are a few more calories, I suppose, but light as air and delicious!!!

And yes, I experimented again, and yummy fresh white bread and licorice cause me tremendous stomach upset so I must stick with my gluten free diet and licorice is not gluten free, for sure.  If only I had known that when I was living at the Marriott in 2008...

Lastly, it has been fun to watch Bruce enjoy the snow.  He likes to plow through it and make tunnels, roll in it, eat it and just sit in it.  He likes me to take him walking so he can run as fast as he wants up one bank and down another (I let him fly with the leash tagging after him) but he always come back eventually.  I can only hope he doesn't get picked up by the Security Guard before Matt comes to get him.  He was meant to roam free, but he does condescend to let me walk him on the leash from time to time and he is very careful to not go too fast as we go down the steps together.  He is a very smart dog.  Bandido could care less but he does still run from time to time.  Most of the time, though, he just eats and sleeps.  He is getting very rolley polley as he likes to eat his food and then walk over to Bruce's and eat his food as well.  It will be good for Bandido when Bruce finally leaves.  Maybe then I can clean all the lose hair and footprints off the floor, too.  Dogs are messy in the winter...and summer...and fall...and spring.

Happy Birthday to Me!

I have already had such a wonderful birthday and it is not even my birthday yet.  Linda made a birthday viedeo of my children and grandchildren talking to me and included lots of pictures, many of which I have never seen, and lovely music to accompany it all.  It is just so special, I am sure I will play it many times!

I also received neat presents.  What a great 79th birthday.  What a wonderful family I have.

Heritage Halls Being Demolished

I was just a sophmore but in a picture here with some pretty important senior girls. Not sure why they asked me except that I was available that summer. Fun summer, working at the Dairy Queen, working as a telephone receptionist, working in Testing of new students and moving into these new units at the end of summer (as well as taking classes).

In the summer of 1953 I was doing Summer School at BYU to make up for the quarter I stayed home and organized Dad's office at Anderson's Store. I also trained my friend Lorraine to run the office.

The Family Living Units (as they were called then) were being built and I was able to move into the first one. Our Unit #19 became the model that was always displayed to dignitaries. We had a wonderful system of showing it off at it's best and were able to meet some very important people.

I have wonderful memories of those units. They were not named until a year or so later to Heritage Halls and names were important Latter-day Saint women. At that time only girls lived in the units. Now some of them are designated for men also. I believe the first one to be demolished and rebuilt is the one I was living in.

And why are they being demolished????  

This was put out by BYU yesterday:

Four of the Heritage Halls, which have been home to thousands of students since 1956 — were turned into a pile of rubble Wednesday. (actually it was 1953, I was there!)

More of the residence halls will soon be coming down and replaced with new buildings that will give students more electrical capacity and space.

"Today's students come with much more equipment than students have in the past," said university spokeswoman Carrie Jenkins.

Some of the bedrooms have only a single electrical outlet. Students often have to use extension cables and extended power strips to accommodate computers, cell phones, iPads and entertainment systems.

Jenkins says the new buildings will have plenty of outlets, as well as other updates to better suit student needs, such as more closet space. The new housing will have a living area and the kitchens are big, allowing the students to come together to socialize. Ten of the 24 Heritage buildings will be taken down by March.  All the stuctures will be replaced as resources become available.

So the kids today have more clothes and more toys...of course.

Heritage Hall Roommates and Friends

Having a birthday party for Louray from Arizona in Heritage Hall 1 #19. She was a first class ice skater. On the right front row is Colleen,who I came San Diego with, and Gerry, who lived in San Diego. Just above Gerry on the right is JoAnne, she followed us to San Diego.


In the upper picture is our roommate Marta, who also followed us to San Diego, and Gerry. Colleen and I were the only seniors and the rest were younger.

Colleen and I traveled to San Diego after my first year of teaching in Billings, MT ( and last breakup with Harry) and her first year of teaching in Port Angeles, WA. The following year Marta and JoAnne came to San Diego and lived with us.


Colleen, Marta, and JoAnne all met their mates in San Diego in the young adult crowd we were involved with. I was going with Bill, a nonmember. I broke up with him in the summer of 59 and then met Richard on Labor Day. He had just graduated from BYU after 10 years. We married in October.

Richard was dating one of the Law girls downstairs in our Heritage Hall.  I never met him.  He then went in the Navy and served a mission before finishing at BYU.

Last Year at Heritage Hall #1

I was doing my Student Teaching in American Fork.

I graduated in the spring and went to Montana to teach my first year.

Good News--I Can Do This!

Harvard Medical School psychologist Alice Domar, PhD says that the old guidelines for good health did not consider the whole picture.

Old Rule-8 glasses of water a day
New Rule-Eat your water--fruits, vegetables, beans, cooked whole grains, etc.  They deliver nutrients and antioxidants as well!

Old Rule-Nine servings of fruits and vegetables
New Rule-Fill half your plate with produce

Old Rule-Avoid red meat
New Rule-Beef in moderation can be healthy

Old Rule-BMI between 18.5 and 24.9
New Rule-Eat healthy, exercise, and let your weight settle naturally

Snow

It is finally coming down and Bruce wants to keep going outside, so it is out and in, out and in.

It is quite lovely just to watch but I am sure that is not going to be enough for Bruce.  In keeping with the peace of new snow I decided I am only going to write positive thoughts this year--my sister reminded me, as she should, I do too much unnecessary thinking ( which tend to lead toward the negative).

When the snow stops falling, I will take the boys for a walk.  I do love to walk in the snow--just not have it falling on my head.  It is not too cold.

Cold...

LACC Bulletin this morning:

Sunday and Monday nights (Jan. 15 and 16), the temperature dropped to 5 degrees or less in many areas. With no snow on the ground or on roofs, some water pipes have frozen and broken. If a leak is noticed by a neighbor or staff, your water will be turned off at the street and you will be notified.

So far, so good.  Mike washed the car but remembered to unscrew the hose when he was finished.

Freedom

I like Demi Moore's definition of freedom: "Letting go of the outcome. Truly being in the moment. Not reflecting on the past. Not projecting into the future. That's freedom. Not caring more about what other people think than what you think."

Last night I watched a disturbing movie "Hearts of War".  It was evidently written in Germany as "The Poet" but name changed for the US.  It appeared to have had a lot cut from the film so was difficult to follow.   It was a very sad story from WW II.  It did have a happy ending (sort of).  At least the lovers were reunited and escaped.
One good saying in the movie, "If love beckons, follow..."

Marjorie and Lunch

Marjorie drove down to Corning to help celebrate her mother's 104th birthday.  She had six at her party and was even interviewed and photographed for the local paper.  They gave her two pages of news, pictures and even a picture from her high school days.  Marjorie's grandparents had owned the local theater and her mother had lived there a good part of her life.

Marjorie drove up to visit before returning to Vancouver, WA.  On Monday Jean and Maryanne met up for lunch at Mi Casita and we had a fun talk.

Unfortunately we should have met for breakfast so Marjorie could have made it home in one day.  She stopped at Eugene and the next day had to drive through pelting rain and sleet storm.   They are having snow now.  We still have none.

We really enjoyed seeing Marjorie and I wish I had taken her picture.  She is so tiny.  She eats very well and has lots of energy and she just turned 81!!!

Eyes and Blood Pressure Problems

Well, I am licensed to drive for a few years more.  Miraculously I only missed one on the test though they do not show which one it was.  That is not very nice.

However, they gave me a scare.  My right eye alone could not read one letter in any of the lines.  I had my eyes tested and new glasses just two years ago I think.  She finally oked my vision with both eyes but was considering requiring a vision test and new glasses before issuing the license.

Another thing, I guess I cannot eat or drink grapefruit.  I had an episode while Marjorie was here on Sunday.  I just did not feel well enough to get up and do anything,  She fixed her own salad for supper.  It had happened before during the last week and I really thought I was having congestive heart failure or something.  It was the first time she came to visit that I didn't have the house tip top clean.  I was just too tired to care.

But last night I read that if you have grapefruit while on blood pressure medicine it can cause you to have an overdose and cause your blood pressure to drop to potentially dangerous levels.  I will give the grapefruit away and if I feel fine all week, I will know that was the problem!!!  Evidently the grapefruit allows too much of the drug to enter the bloodstream because it interferes with the body's ability to metabolize certain calcium channel blockers (whatever that means).

Mystery in the Neighborhood

Last night Bruce had a barking frenzy at something across the street.  Since he doesn't bark at the deer, squirrels, rabbits, and raccoons, what could have caused the rancor???

Then this morning on our walk we discovered frozen water all over the roadway from about six houses up the road.  When we arrived at where the frozen water had originated we saw red sheets or blankets hanging out one of the front windows and it was obvious the water had run down their driveway.  It is a house that appears to have a two or more guys living there with their trucks.  Their trucks were parked in a weird way.  Then as we were walking back here comes the Peninsula Fire Trucks. 

They beeped in front of the house and then three or more fireman got out.  So what happened while I was sleeping and are they inspecting now?  There was no evidence of fire on the outside of the home.  Of course, there was not much evidence when there was a fire next door either.  Most of the damage had been done to the attic and interior.  With so few neighbors living here right now, I may never solve the mystery.

No snow yet!!!!

Amy Graduates from BYU as a Nurse!

 

 

So Proud of you, Amy!

Family Night in San Diego

Here is a great pix from another Family Night I missed with Linda, Maria and Jimmy's family!!!  What a beautiful family, thanks for thinking of me.

War Horse

Today I saw "War Horse" with Maryanne and really enjoyed it.  The love between man and his horse (or pet) can be so pure.  It is a joy to see.

I liked the line "Some days are just best forgotten".  It really hit home with me as I have been working on my journals and I keep finding letters that have never been sent and memos that no one else has read. The purpose of them was to help me remember exactly how a certain situation was--in business or with family or relatives.  But I keep wondering if it is best to destroy them entirely.  Probably so, some things are just best forgotten.

New Arrangement for 2012

I called Carole to tell her I had actually moved the furniture around.  It is something she seems compelled to do all the time.  I rarely do.

However since I brought the doll house and worktable back upstairs this winter, we needed more openness to our seating so, voila.  I intend to shingle the doll house roof.  I cannot find the Seven Dwarf furniture I made when I was in San Diego two years ago,  did I put them away with all my dolls????

Bruce has his favorite spot, it is one couch or the other, whichever one does not have a computer or a blanket taking up his space.  It was hard for Mitch to leave him, hope they can be reunited soon.  Mike had him do the Bird trick.  He is a very smart dog.

Yesterday the message from our George Albert Smith lesson (which I taught and didn't plan well enough to finish) was "Live What You Believe" and "Do Your Best" -- and the message from Nephi in Sunday School was to "Trust in the Lord and be obedient".  Both good messages to start the New Year.  It was a good day at Church, good friendship and loving spirit amongst all.

Yellowstone Bridge at Glendive

When I lived in Glendive, this was the only bridge to drive west. It was very narrow and I can still visually remember being so nervous as Berta Mae was driving across it. She is one of these people who looks around to the back when she talks. The large picnics we had in high school were on the west side of the bridge in a park so we all had to drive across it. I know there was some drinking at these parties but don't know that anyone ever had trouble getting back across the bridge. The drinking was never something that enticed me at all. In the winter the Yellowstone River would freeze and in the spring when the ice broke the west side of Glendive would often flood. It was a very large and dangerous river and we never attempted to play in it. However, the next generation did.

Brenner's

Glendive Brenner's Drug Store has very special memories. They had a wonderful soda fountain and I was able to work there for a few months until they found out I was only 15. Anyway it was a gathering place. My favorite fountain drink was the lime phosphate with marshmallow topping. I also liked the black and white sundae which was a double sided dish with chocolate ice cream with marshmallow topping and a vanilla scoop with chocolate topping. This is where I had my first banana split. We also bought our cinnamon sticks here. They were toothpicks soaked in cinnamon oil and we would suck on them. They tasted like the Hot Tamales of today.

Methodist Church

When I was in grade school I attended the Methodist Church  in Glendive with my friend Myrna.   This was just a couple blocks from Andersons Store.  Myrna's aunt Mrs. Potter was our Sunday School Teacher.  The Church had beautiful stained windows and I particularly remember the one of Christ standing by the door with no knob on it, indicating we had to open the door and let him in.  In the basement we attended Youth Fellowship meetings and in high school my favorite was attending the Sunrise Services at Easter (where were they?) and then coming back to the basement for the wonderful  breakfast of Hot Cross Buns, scrambled eggs and sausage or bacon? and good orange juice.  In the summer during junior high I went to Church Camp with them in Livingston, Montana.  We traveled back and forth in a large open truck with very high sides. Seems kind of dangerous to me now.

Congregational Church

When we moved to Glendive, Montana in 1934 my parents found a church they wanted us to attend.  This is as I remember it.  We would attend Christmas Eve and Sunday meetings on the main floor and they had nice wooden benches.  My Dad sang in the choir.  In the basement they would have Bible School in the summer and I liked the activities very much.  It is the Congregational Church and we could walk there from our house on the South Side.

Anderson's Store in Glendive, Montana

I like this picture taken in Glendive several years after I went to college.  This is Main Street and there is my Dad's store.  Lots of memories here.

Rescue

I am just finishing Anita Shreve's newest book "Rescue".  It is very poignant to me as I just had a friend tell me about her daughter and then her granddaughter becoming alcoholics.

The thing that is interesting about the book is that the daughter who supposedly became an alcoholic in high school had not  been living with her alcoholic mother after the age of 2 so--she could not have learned the behavior from her mother and her father was not a drinker.
 
On a side note: One of the medics explained the situation about alcohol in marriage.  He said you start out your married life with romantic dinners with wine and like it so well you continue.  And then one of you eventually has a problem with alcohol and becomes alcoholic. This is the problem with having that first drink.  You never know who will be able to take it or leave it and who cannot leave it alone.  In the book, Webster discovered his wife was drinking whiskey while nursing her baby. 

Although the daughter does not see the mother again till she is 17, she knows from age 12 what her mother was.  The question remains, did the daughter drink because of a physical dependence because of her genes or did she believe in her mind that she had no other option than to be "just like her mother".   In either case she would have to totally stop drinking to overcome the problem.

The following is from the A.D.A.M Medical Encyclopedia:

Alcohol dependence; Alcohol abuse; Problem drinking; Drinking problem

Last reviewed: March 20, 2011.

Alcoholism (alcohol dependence) and alcohol abuse are two different forms of problem drinking.

• Alcoholism is when you have signs of physical addiction to alcohol and continues to drink, despite problems with physical health, mental health, and social, family, or job responsibilities. Alcohol may control your life and relationships.
• Alcohol abuse is when your drinking leads to problems, but not physical addiction.

There is no known cause of alcohol abuse or alcoholism. Research suggests that certain genes may increase the risk of alcoholism, but which genes and how they work are not known.

How much you drink can influence your chances of becoming dependent. Those at risk for developing alcoholism include:

• Men who have 15 or more drinks a week
• Women who have 12 or more drinks a week
• Anyone who has five or more drinks per occasion at least once a week

One drink is defined as a 12-ounce bottle of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a 1 1/2-ounce shot of liquor.
You have an increased risk for alcohol abuse and dependence if you have a parent with alcoholism.
You may also be more likely to abuse alcohol or become dependent if you:

• Are a young adult under peer pressure
• Have depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, or schizophrenia
• Have easy access to alcohol
• Have low self-esteem
• Have problems with relationships
• Live a stressful lifestyle
• Live in a culture alcohol use is more common and accepted

Alcohol abuse is rising. Around 1 out of 6 people in the United States have a drinking problem.
.................................
One of the men observed in Sunday School Class that the reason we should not become addicted to anything is that the addiction numbs our ability to recognize and receive spiritual truths. 

A Night Out

I actually had a bit of a social life this week.  One of the new members of the branch invited the ladies to a dinner and game playing at their cabin being constructed in Mineral.

It turned out to be a very enjoyable evening, interesting talk on the way over and back and fun to see a beautiful cabin with the lovely Christmas decorations still up.  The cabin is A frame with a very high ceiling and there was an amazingly  tall Christmas tree all the way to the rafters.

We were served mahi mahi, which was so delicious, and even homemade Key Lime pie which was wonderful, too!  Games were dominoes and a block balancing game.

We should do this more often--only two of use were widows though--maybe not so easy for the others to get away.  Right now there is no snow so very easy to travel anywhere.

Happy Birthday Dad!

This is the way I remember my Dad looking a lot when I was in high school. Casually dressed. He was always slim and did not ever seem to have a weight problem!!! He never went bald but always had a little curl in his hair. Quite a good looking man. You can't see it here but he generally had a smile on his face for everyone. Did he raise his voice, a few times, not much. He loved my Mom alot and us, too, and it showed. He died when Jimmy was a baby, so he did not get to enjoy his grandchildren very long. Happy Birthday, Dad!

20 Seconds of Courage

I really liked that new mantra to live by from the movie "We Bought a Zoo".  We just need 20 Seconds of Courage to often change our life.  I like that.



I have been so impressed with what I have read about George Albert Smith, the eighth president of the Church.  It was in 1947 when I was visiting in Utah and I was walking with my Aunt to go into the Tabernacle for the Centennial Celebration of the Pioneers entering Utah.  For some reason we were walking alone, was some of my family already inside or was I alone with my aunt??  I am not sure but I remember we were hurrying because it was late.  However, my aunt steered me over to an old man who was shaking the hand of a little girl with her mother.  It was President George Albert Smith on his way in to the north entrance. But he took the time to shake my hand as well.  No one else was around.  From what I have been reading this is the kind of person he was, a very kind and loving man who always had time for others.



It was interesting that in 1951 after President Smith died I was also in the right place at the right time.  I was a freshman at BYU and President David O. McKay had come to be with V P Harry Truman as he spoke to us at the football stadium.  I was in a center bench near the front and as soon as it was over I was able to be one of the first to go stand by Pres. McKay and although I did not shake his hand, I was able to touch his arm.  I remember I was thrilled as I had heard so much about him from my Mom.  He was very available to us all.  It was always amusing to me that none of the students were interested in V P Truman who left the stadium in a limousine with his Secret Service men  surrounding him.  I was not aware of any protection around Pres Mc Kay but there may have been some, however he was quickly surrounded by students.

My mother had been a friend of his daughters and had told us stories about his family.  The story I visualized most was him walking my Mom and his daughter to a church dance.  I think my Mom patterned her child raising techniques after Emma Riggs McKay, who wrote about how to raise your children peacefully, and my Mom never did speak to us in a loud voice in all the years I remember.  My sisters say the same thing and we all marvel at it.

Then in the 70's when I was Stake Primary President and we were to go to General Primary Conference we had prepared a birthday card for President Spencer W. Kimball.  It was very large and signed by all the children in the stake.  President Naylor, who had grown up in the same town as President Kimball, said he would try and get us an appointment so we could personally give it to him.  He did and we did and he shook each of our hands and looked us directly in the eye and talked a second or so to each of us.  It was very emotional, he had such a spirit about him.


One other experience I had was when we were preparing the meal the Saturday night before Stake Conference.  President Naylor would have a special dinner for the visiting General Authorities and the Stake Presidency and High Council and their wives.  The Stake auxillaries would take turns preparing the meals.  This was before Howard Hunter was the Prophet and President but he was an Apostle and he took the time to come into the kitchen and personally address each one of us.  Here again, such a kind and spiritual man.  I remember speaking directly to him and shaking his hand.



Another General Authority I conversed with was when Richard was in the Stake High Council and we were to attend the Saturday night dinner.  For some reason Richard could not be there and the wife of the visiting General Authority S. Dilworth Young was not there either so President Naylor asked me to sit by him.  I think President Naylor knew I could carry on a conversation with him or maybe he felt sorry for me being alone.   Elder Young was very kindly and talkative.  He had two pills he had to take and he said one was for him and one was for Huldah, his wife.  I later read a story about his wife in the Ensign.  She had been a single woman all her life and then after his first wife died she married him.  He was an older man, born five years before my mother and he died a few years later in 1981.

Anyway, I do not know why '20 Seconds of Courage' made me think of those experiences but in all cases if I had hesitated to act or speak up I would not have had the opportunity to meet and/or talk with these exemplary men.

Craig's Graduation Pictures!

 

Craig graduated from BYU in April 2011 but I didn't have his graduation pictures at that time so I will publish them in the 2012 book!  Congrats again, Craig.

Keira Tries Walking on the Beach

The Mantras I Live By

I have had some mantras I try to follow faithfully.  "Do What You Have To Do When It Has To Be Done" has been with me since Sister Holladay proclaimed it in a First Ward Sunday School Class in San Diego in 56 or 57.

"Never Assume" is something I imbued in all of my loan processors and loan officers when I was heading Choice Mortgage in the loan brokerage business.  I find it is also a truism in Suduko, something I have been doing for about the past five years.

A newer one that is so important is "Always Hold On When Going Down Stairs".  This means I cannot carry anything with two hands and go down stairs.  This has been in my life since I slipped on the stairs two years ago and dislocated my shoulder.

"Step Carefully" and "Eat Slowly" are new ones I am adding.  If I don't pay attention and trip I can fall so easily.  And if I don't pay attention to what and how I am eating I can suddenly have something lodged in my throat and it is very painful to release.

Growing Old is an interesting time which those who die young never get to experience.  You need a sense of humor and a great appreciation for what it is like to be a toddler.

Hardy Family at Park City

What a beautiful picture of Jacob, Camber, James, Kelsi, Lea, Jimmy and Camber's Dad Greg.

Martin Hardy Family at Park City

Wish I could name them all.  I know Susan Sutehall is in the purple on the left.  Nice looking family!

More Pulsipher Christmas 2012

What a beautiful family amongst the beautiful colors.

Just Do the Best You Can

Today I put all the Christmas things in their containers and Michael will help put them on the shelves when he returns.  He is in Sacramento for the night and I will clean good tomorrow and then get on with something more interesting.
I talked a long time to Marjorie yesterday and she is going through what I was going through.  Reason tells you that you should not feel so depressed but you just can't reason yourself out of it.  I ran across this quote in The Ensign today and thought it makes so much sense in light of my experience the other day.  "Just do your best every day" (and don't dwell on the negative) I might add.  This was the quote from Elder Russell Ballard.

“Not long ago, one of my children said, ‘Dad, sometimes I wonder if I will ever make it.’  The answer I gave to her is the same as I would give to you.  If you have had similar feelings,  Just do the very best you can each day.  Do the basic things and, before you realize it, your life will be full of spiritual understandiong that will confirm to you that your Heavenly father loves you.  When a person knows this, then life will be full of purpose and meaning, making balance easier to maintain.”

 

Christmas Day, Part 2, Lake Almanor, 2011



I had made some of Ray Collins Swedish Meatballs and decided to cook them in the Chili Sauce, Grape Jelly as Carole and Jane told me about. 

 Michael bought some really spicy Chili Sauce for me and WOW did it make them good.  That is a wonderful meatball recipe.  I also made some of Michael's quiche with some ham leftover from the Branch party.  

Michael planned to make some Ramaki when Mitch, Melissa, 

and Sean  came from their Dad's house.

But he did have his Cheesecake ready.  We were just not sure how it would be after the pan had leaked so much liquid.  Actually it looked a little strange but was still delicious. 

 Michael also unwrapped his three presents from Mark, Barry, and his grandparents and he liked the shirts and hats and money.

I watched "The Nutcracker" all afternoon as performed by the New York Ballet and it was superb.  I think I enjoyed it more than I ever had before.  Camber and the boys and Kelsi called so I enjoyed talking to them.  Linda sent pictures of the children in the hats and scarves I knitted for them.


The gate closed at 5 so Melissa called and I went down to let her and Sean in.  But Mitch had gone home to get some things and did not have a phone!!! 

 Melissa went back to the gate a half hour later and waited and waited and finally came back.  A little bit later Mitch and Bruce came through the back door.  They had left the car outside the gate and taken the shortcut but it was so dark they had a very hard time.  When there is no moon shining it is almost impossible  to see without a flashlight on the Peninsula. 





Anyway Michael made his treat even though it burned a little and they ate our goodies and then hurried home, except for Mitch who stayed the night and played games with Mike.  Note to myself: Never put burned bacon items with sugary sauce on a paper towel.

It was a good holiday.  Melissa brought three presents from Crystal, Mark's wife,  though supposedly the peanut brittle was suggested by Mitch.  Anyway more chocolates and good hot chocolate for us.

Christmas Day, 2011

Christmas Day I awoke early and fed Bandido and sent him outside and then because I stayed up so late I went back to bed for another hour of sleep.  Oops, I awoke at 9:20.  Ordinarily if I did that I would say it is too hard to get myself together and be late for Church when it is only an hour anyway.

But I really wanted to go so I quickly dressed and made myself up (hair and make up looked not too good as I saw later in Melissa's pictures).  But I am so glad I hurried and only missed part of the first song.  Jane Brown's son and Kaylene, home from BYU, did some beautiful musical numbers.  Kaylene gave me a big hug after and is so happy to be at BYU.  She and I had talked on the same Sunday this past year and talked afterward a long time about going to BYU.  She looked more beautiful than ever.  Her sister is looking so beautiful, too, but I think when Kaylene is home Kristin takes a back seat and lets Kaylene get all the glory.

Anyway Ron Martin gave a good message and then BP Goolsby gave A Christmas Story.  It was about how life is like a puzzle and sometimes there is a missing piece and then when we find it, it fills and completes our life.  He told about the death of his second son at four months and how it hurt them and their marriage and the struggle they had and they decided to adopt because Darcy had diabetes and pregnancy was so hard on her.  The next year they unexcpectedly had the opportunity to get Josie a year before they thought they would be allowed.  She is part black but as soon as Darcy held her, she said This is our Josie!  And she has been such a blessing in their  life.  Darcy died when Josie was in Jr High and she was so strong through it all.  John said he asked her how she did it and she said,  "I don't know, Dad, I just do it."  She is a beautiful girl who married this past year.  

I found out his son Jesse writes and so I went on line and read a couple of his short stories and he is quite a writer.  He is writing a novel.  He is not active in the Church but has certainly done well in his education and is working at the pentagon now.  He has a lovely wife and two childdren.  Josie married in the Oakland Temple.  John is married to a nonmember but he said he felt Darcy picked her out for him.  She is such a lovely lady and is always a wonderful hostess to the Branch when we go to their home for parties but she does not come to Church for anything.  What a complicated life Bro Goolsby must have to maintain the balance.

2011 Pix

Pulsipher Christmas

Christmas Eve 2011

Christmas Eve started out with Mike and I making a cheesecake.  This is Mike's thing but he was leaving soon for Susanville to spend the Eve with his Dad and other siblings, so I did the crust.  I noticed that the flat bottom on the spring form pan didn't lay as flat as usual and I pushed it down as best I could but didn't think much more about it.  After it had been cooking for about a half hour the smoke alarm went off and smoke was pouring from the oven.  I couldn't imagine what this liquid was on the bottom of the oven because I had made cookies earlier and hadn't noticed anything.  Anyway, bottom line, I had to keep cleaning the oven and turning the oven off and on.   (Michael had left by now  and it was for me to finish!!)  I guess it was seepage from the cheesecake but it was clear and tasted like nothing.  We will see today whether it even completely cooked, whether it is too dry or what.  Oh, yes, and it did crack horribly on the top.  This is a no, no, for a good cheesecake. 

Then Lea called and asked if I had seen the movies of them skiing at Deer Valley and I then watched four movies of them skiing.  When I talked to Kelsi she said her Mom was teaching her to ski and she was just whizzing down it looked like.  And Jimmy went whizzing past her.  This was their first time skiing ever.  Yesterday they did the bottom of the hill for learning.  Kelsi said you just make your skis like a slice of pizza and go down.  No Fear, that girl!!  Lea looked good in her white jacket and Camber was on the sidelines skiing down looking lovely in a white ski outfit.

What did I eat, my favorites, I cooked a butternut squash and mashed it up well with lots of butter, had salami and cheese on a roll, and summer sausage and cheese on Ritz crackers with diet root beer and finished it off with peppermint ice cream, homemade ginger cookies and cinnamon bears.  Yes, the diet starts on Monday.

I watched "It's a Wonderful Life" which I hadn't seen in years and forgetting I had it on Roku I watched the longer version with all the commercials and that lasted until past midnight with stopping for phone calls from Maria and Linda and looking at both my Christmas books (from 1961 to 2010) and reading all the cards I had sent over the years.  Some of them were some pretty good poetry and some were pretty messy but it certainly gave me a time capsule of my life.  It was a pretty good life according to the Christmas cards.

Three observations:

1-In a Christmas card I had had the children draw Christmas pictures on and reprinted when Jimmy was 3, Maria 6, Linda 7 and John 9, John had drawn a little balloon over Baby Jesus with a line down to him as if this is what He was thinking about and in the balloon  was a drawing of the Crucifixion!!!!!  I wonder if I really noticed that before and asked him about it.  Amazing how children's minds work.   Linda had a very neat drawing of the Nativity scene and she said she remembered being very disappointed because she thought they were going to be printed in "The Children's Friend"!!!  Maria had a Santa Claus and Jimmy had something that looked like the manger.  Interestingly I just read that the manger would not have been wooden as has always been depicted, but it would have been made of stone.  In fact it said Joseph was not a carpenter but a stone mason!!!

2-In our 1981 card there was a picture of Meagan when she was around 1 year old and she had a big smile and showed her teeth which looked so much like Keira's Christmas picture.  Meagan had a little more hair but other than that, very similar.

3-After my 1997 card telling about the death of Richard at Thanksgiving time 1996 there was a beautiful letter from Sherry expressing her gratitude for living with us so long and everything Richard had done for her and expressed some  beautiful sentiments about him.   It was sad thinking they have both passed away.  In the 2004 card I didn't specifically address the death of John except as a byline, it was as if I thought everyone already knew about it.  I thought that was strange.

The Christmas cards also helped me to get straight in my mind when I had traveled where with SBA,  I do get those trips and years confused in my mind.

All in all,  it was not a lonely Christmas Eve sitting by the fire but it passed almost too quickly, just as my life passed too quickly as I viewed it through my Christmas cards and pictures.

Christmas in San Diego

Pulsipher Christmas Morning, 2011

Fun unwrapping presents in Las Vegas at Kristi's house on Christmas morning.

Fuqua Family Christmas 2011



My sister Carole's Family Christmas in Billings, Montana and Stephanie's in Livingston, Montana

Sunlight

 Today as I opened the blinds to let the sunshine in my dining room window, I was reminded that in the year 2000 I had gone to a man's house to pick up my census supplies so I could work for the 2000 Census (this was before my SBA job).  I loved the way the sun shined into his dining room window and I wished I could have that.

At the time the lot next to me was vacant and covered with very tall and thickly growing pine trees.   I could not even get reception from any of the TV companies. 

In 2005 the trees were mostly all cut down to make way for a new home.  Voila, sunshine in my dining room!!!

More Blessings

James gave me extra money for Christmas, how wonderful.

With the extra money I may be able to pay most of my HOA, that will be a big relief, I have been so worried about that!!!  Some people think it is silly to live in the club and have that cost but for security alone, I think it is well worth it.  It is a shame I do not use all the facilities and social aspects but...  It is nice I can walk across the streeet at high noon in my leopard  flannel pajamas to the postbox and not have to worry about anyone seeing me!

It has been so cold, I am so glad I discovered how wonderful it is to wear my long ski underwear every day and night.  Yesterday I made Linda a box from London pix.  It will be a delayed Christmas gift.  If only I had the boxes and calendars I could make Meagan and Camber one, too.  I used the box of the Vera Wang perfume Linda gave me and found the London calendar at Walmart.  Since we took a trip to London together it seemed appropriate.  I like the way it looks.

Michael and I are trying to decide what to have for Christmas afternoon snacking.  I have the meatballs and he is doing his favorite appetizers and making cheesecake and we still have the summer sausage and cheese.  I wonder about Meliss and Mitch???

A Wondrous Thing Happened to Me (Christmas Letter to my Children) 2011

Dear Linda and Gary, Maria and Johnny, James and Camber,


Saturday morning a wondrous thing happened to me. I had been feeling so dark, so discouraged, so hopeless and I just couldn't pull myself out of it.  It had gone on for months.  I had been seeking answers from the Lord and they were not coming. Friday night I pleaded again and cried for help.


Saturday morning the answer came. It was like I was getting patient instruction from a loving parent. It was:


"Janet, do you remember when ....and I did this for you... and do you remember this...and this... and He went through all the things I knew but was refusing in my dark mind to remember. All the many times the Lord has answered my prayers, has forgiven me, has carried me when I couldn't handle it all, has actually saved me from my myself and directed me down another path, all the many mini-miracles and tender mercies and all the loving people in my life, all the blessings, lifesaving experiences and learning experiences, and actual miracles.


The way I had been feeling was that I had had too much steeped on me and it wasn't fair and why didn't the Lord love me when I had tried my best to do what was required of me and why this and why that and my complaints went on and on.   I couldn't see where I was going from here, there was no joy in my life, I had nothing to show for all my work and struggle.  I was a failure and unloved.


And after the Lord instructed me it was like a great weight was lifted from me and He reminded me that everything was going to be all right and I should have peace and love and faith in my mind and heart instead of fear and doubt and discouragement. He reminded me that He had always been there and He would always be there. That we all have different experiences and what is really important and what doesn't matter and I should recognize the difference, I shouldn't be confused and doubt, I knew better. He was there always and all was well, He assured me He knew I was doing my best and I had done well. (I was also made aware of when I had failed to be my best but the pain from those experiences was lifted).


It was like a panorama of all my blessings of which my children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren are my greatest blessing now and I should just love and enjoy them and all the experiences of life that are still available to me. My home and the blessings of it are one. He reminded me of the many people in my life who had taught me, helped me, showed me the way and how blessed I was to have had them in my life. Richard as the father to my children and a faithful, loving, companion was one of my greatest blessings and I should not minimize that. The many experiences I had were for my instruction and not a curse in my life.


It all happened so fast, was I awake or still in sleep? I am not sure. I just know I was feeling joy and peace when it was over and it seemed I had so many things to do and I was excited to get on with my life and I felt such a strong knowledge of the Lord and the atonement and the plan of salvation and I was so grateful to have the gospel in my life and all it had brought to me. And all those bad feelings I had had for certain experiences were gone. I should have written it all down immediately. But what I have now is the feeling of peace and faith in my Savior and a desire to have more gratitude and a greater appreciation for each of you in my life. The fear I had been carrying for the future is gone. 

I am so thankful to have each of you helping me to endure to the end.  Each of you seems to have a different gift to give…  I know that life is good and we have much happiness in the simplest experiences we share. All is well. I will do the best I can and I know the Lord will make up the rest (probably through you). I love you all. I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives.

Thank you all for being so patient with me.  Merry Christmas 2011.

Christmas Party in Rancho Santa Fe I Missed

White Elephant and Tacky Christmas Sweater Party at Hardy Home 2011

Amy Graduates from BYU