Grandkids in SW New Mexico

Meet Allen's daughter Katherine and her kids (l-r) Breana, Ashley, and Gabriel sitting on top of the couch. Arnold the dad took the photo for us. We had fun visiting, putting together paper airplanes and sailing them, also making friendship bracelets.

New Mexico scenery

Coming out of the cool mountains of Arizona into New Mexico there is a gradually changing of the flora. There has been a lot of monsoon rains so everything is very green and the grasses are growing tall. We love the cooler temperatures and rain...had almost forgotten what it feels like since we live in the high desert year round.

We are now in SW corner of New Mexico which is more barren with lots of yucca plants. Will be seeing lots of grandkids as my husband has three in this area and I have one grand son in NE New Mexico. Hope to get some photos of the grands to show next post. We have twenty-one grand children all together living throughout the western states.

Time Travelers

We left Utah MST Daylight saving's time into Arizona which doesn't do daylight saving's time so they are an hour earlier than Utah but the Navajo reservations does do daylight saving's time. That meant we were on the same time as Utah until we got out of the reservation. Interesting. Then this morning after sleeping in a hotel the alarm went off at 5 am thoughtfully left on by the last tenant. So in the dark I'm hitting at the clock radio and finally hit the snooze button, 10 minutes later it goes off again so now I get up and unplug the beast. I now have a new routinue in hotel rooms-make sure the alarm is off. We are on vacation...

Crossing the stateline

From Utah's vermillion cliffs across the Colorado River on the Navajo Bridge to Arizona then south across the Indian reservation through Flagstaff and into the cool mountains of Northern Arizona near Springerville. It was 67 degrees when we finished our dinner tonight and 97 degrees back home in Southern Utah. Having fun!

Vacation time again

Well, most of my computer files are now backed up on a thumb drive and on my laptop's hard drive plus online so think I'm covered for now. Many files can't be opened but with a little more effort such as updating several of my software programs, I will be able to open them in the future and print off copies. Oh no, more paper files to organize in my office, but that's the nature of life. Interesting that our brains are similar to our hard drives, needing paper backups such as notes, lists etc to keep us on track. I've learned a lot from this experience as I always do everytime my computer and I do this interesting little dance together. 

Now it's time for a little break or vacation as the weather is hitting the 100+ degree temperatures here. We're off to Northern Arizona then New Mexico to visit family and grandkids. Hopefully it will be a little cooler there as the monsoon rains have come to those areas. Will blog as I go. Then when we return I will be ready to work again on my computer challenges.

Outdated Memories

I've spent the entire day copying what I wanted to save from my 31 ZIP files (100MB each) which are no longer supported on my new computers to a backup program online. Planned obsolesces is what I would call it. Why can I no longer open files made in Appleworks with my current word processing program Word?…BECAUSE. So I have to make the decision to try to copy some files like past journals, and poems. Hopefully one day I can get my old computer fixed so I can read these files and print them out or convert them to .txt files. Also newer computers have DVD backups not ZIP Drives.

Lesson to be learned, ALWAYS print out your poems, journal writings, etc if you really want to save them because a computer file or even a CD with a generic .txt file may not open. It’s been an interesting day as I’m re-learning patience and gratitude and also how to let go of the past…on to the future. As they say-you can't take it with you.

It's a Baby Blog!

Just born-a new blog, feel like I'm its grandmother as it is one of my students from the Creative Writing and Blogging class I taught last week. Linda, a neighbor and friend of mine, who is so enthusiastic about life and trying new things, is the author. Check it out! I love to teach and it's so exciting to see one of your students actually apply something you've taught them in their life. That's the pay or reward for teaching!

What was the last thing you taught directly or indirectly to another person?

Article #15 Automobiles and other Inventions

When automobiles were invented, a whole new world was opened. Now my mom and others her age could get away from home for exciting adventures. They could go to the popular open-air dances held throughout the Utah countryside during the summer. Everyone came––moms, dads and their teens, to enjoy dancing to the popular tunes of the day played by a live orchestra. Many a couple met and courted at those dances, including my parents and grandparents. (Photo of my dad Stanley with his dad's new car. My mom's elementary school in Silver City, which is now a ghost town, is in the background. Time about 1935.)

If you didn’t own a car, there was always someone willing to give you a ride. You could also hitch hike as it was much safer in those days. Trains, if your town had one, also offered cheap transportation. Many an adventurous youth liked to ride the rails by jumping on a train as it slowed down or stopped in town, then hide out so they didn’t need to pay the fare. 

With a train line, more fresh goods could come faster to the rural towns. Home delivery of milk was popular in rural areas. The local milkman would come very early in the morning and pick up the washed empty milk bottles you had put out on the front doorstep along with a list of dairy products you wanted that day. The list in the beginning was quite short and probably only included milk, cream, or butter. There were no plastic gallon jugs or waxed paper containers for milk. All milk came in glass bottles that were quart sized and plugged at the top with a paper lid or stopper. The world was starting to be filled with many modern day conveniences (or so Grandma thought.)

My grandma taught herself to drive her son Norman’s old model A car which he left at home while away one day. She was quite adventurous and in no time at all had taught herself now to start the car, back it up, and safely navigate through the sagebrush. She loved to drive. Of course, she didn’t tell her son about her escapades as he was very particular about his car. 

I remember Grandma talking about a favorite evening activity which consisted of the family sitting on their front porch and watching cars drive in and out of Silver City. Everyone tried to figure out whose car was coming home, where they were going or had been. Life was much slower in those days. (Photo of me in my pioneer costume sitting on our 1944 Hudson car in Eureka, Utah. Taken about 1947.)

Pioneer Day Parade

Busy day-left early about 8 am to travel to New Harmony-a small town nearby where we used to live for the annual Pioneer Day's parade. Had a fun time visiting old friends and riding in the DUP-Daughters of Utah Pioneers' float-see above photo. I started this group six years ago when we moved to New Harmony as they didn't have one. We had a wonderful camp of about 24 women who participated in keeping alive the memories of their pioneer ancestry through different activities such as-lessons, field trips, service projects and social events. A fun group of women and it was good to see them again. The actual parade took about 45 minutes to get organized then it was over about 15 minutes later. Seems there were more in the parade than spectators. Then the church had a BBQ with hamburgers and a program. Fun day.

Blog Award

Well, how fun-someone named Teresa (who has written a blog entitled the The Write Way since 2004) gave me an award. Check out her blog for great ideas for writing. Don't know why she came to my blog but it sounds like she is an expert. The award is for:

Letters from Lin This blog offers an array of writings, thoughts, poems, and opinions. Lin teaches a creative writing and blog class in which she shares a picture on her site. Lin likes to connect with others.

I'm suppose to pick five other bloggers so I'll do that as I find out students of mine that have started new blogs. They need to contact me first then I'll put their link here. Thanks Teresa!

Pause Button

Don't you think it's interesting with technology that often to fix something you turn it off or unplug it. Had some problems with our router for our wireless WIFI Internet and the solution was turn the router off for a few minutes then turn it back on. Then we had problems with our TV reception as the digital channels were going on and off including the New Age music we listen to daily. We called the tech support and they said...turn it off for 20 seconds then back on. Sometimes this relates to our computers too when we have to restart them just to clear their heads or they lock up on us. 

Could we also say the same for ourselves? We need to know our pause button so we can gain better control of us-our reactions and behavior at times. My pause button is just to stop when I feel stressed, then to write down my thoughts-somehow that process clears my head and slows down the racing thoughts and emotions which can take control of me. Listening to music, walking or praying also helps. Try it sometime. 

What is your pause button?

Creative writing helps

Check out these links for help with clustering words for creative writing. Just type in any word and see all the other words it finds for you to use.

http://www.visuwords.com/search.php

http://www.lexipedia.com/

Thanks Cristel for telling me about these fun websites.

Pioneers are Coming

It's soon Pioneer day in Utah. July 24th, 1847 is when they came into the Salt Lake area led by Brigham Young. Many of my Mormon Pioneers were driven out of Nauvoo Illinois by mobs then to Winter Quarters, Nebraska and then across the plains 1000 miles to the Great Basin of Utah because of religious persecution. Some of them came in covered wagons drawn by oxen, a few pushed handcarts. They were searching for freedom of religious expression. Compiling their histories has brought me closer to them as I’ve developed a love for them because of their many sacrifices to come to Utah. (Check out the link above-it has a pioneer trail map, histories and diaries.)

Pioneers, what constitutes a pioneer, some-one who does something first? The dictionary says "as a noun-a person or group that is the first to do something or that is a forerunner in creating or developing something new; somebody who goes into previously uncharted or unclaimed territory with the purpose of exploring it and possible colonizing or settling it/as a verb-to experiment with or develop something new."

Are you a pioneer in your family? Tell us what you've done in a comment or tell us about a pioneer in your family. I was the first in my immediate family to graduate from college, now all my sons have graduated or are in college.

Blogging Class

Hey, I made ten new friends today after teaching a Creative Writing and Blogging class at my Community Center for our computer club. They were so enthusiastic and fun to teach. I hope some of them will make a comment here and leave the url address of their new blog so we can all visit and see their creative efforts. Nothing like teaching a class of "mature students" motivated to learn to make your day, though I did still take my afternoon nap to refresh myself.

What class have you taken lately or want to take to enrich your life?

Check this out

You've got to see this video on Susi Q's blog about the honey bees. It's funny, entertaining and thought provoking. Something else in our world that we take for granted. These guys are great dancers too-you'll be amazed. Check it out now. Tell Susi my blogging mentor I sent you...

Recipe for JOY

Serendipity is taking life as it comes
Rejoicing in the fun surprises
That happen, ignoring the irritations
Common to daily life. If given lemons,
Make lemonade and share it

Why doesn’t that always work?
Perhaps we take ourselves too seriously?
Remember those stressful situations
That years later we laughed at
So hard that tears came to our eyes?


Attitude is what it’s all about
An optimistic outlook brings hope,
Which with a little bit of purpose
Stirred in, helps us know why
We are here and Who is in charge

Dealing with disappointments

Why is something a disappointment?
Because we have different expectations
Than what happens to us?
Maybe it’s like the Grimm’s fairy tale
Where the Golden Goose became what
Everyone wanted because it laid golden eggs


What if all our expectations were met
Would we then be bored with life?
Running around stuck to a golden goose
Without challenges or opportunities
To grow and develop, selfish to the core
Would we just be greedy children?

Blogging benefits

I was thinking this morning after reading my favorite blogs now up to about 20, what is it that makes blogging so fun? This is what I came up with. It's an easy way to make friends and interact on your time schedule without making an appointment or taking the time to call a friend. It has the added advantage of photos, slides and music to magnify the effect of the words written but most of all it's the COMMENTS. Those readers who take the time to register with Google blogger and make a comment on your blog really add so much.

I have several friends and cousins who tell me they read my blogs but don't comment for some reason or other. I sure miss interacting with them and knowing what they are thinking about what I'm blogging. So please register or be "anonymous" and comment. Have been able to convince several of my friends to make their own blogs and now we are commenting back and forth.

Here's some exceptional blogs you need to look at and make some comments on. Caryn my BFF who is now blogging almost daily-congrats to her, she's full of wisdom and wonderful poetry that just flows out of her, then there is Mary another BFF who is a talented poetress and got me going with writing when I took "An Artist's Way" class from her. Susi Q is another BFF who got me started with blogging and always has some wise insight into normal everyday events like "moving." So check them out sometime and tell them I suggested your visit.

Article #14 Spring Cleaning and Other Duties

(Photo of me with all my living grandparents in 1962, this history is about my paternal grandma standing on my left.)

Every spring, my grandmother would do a major spring cleaning. I do mean major, because her home was heated with coal. After a year of cooking and heating, her walls were dingy. She couldn’t wait to wash down those walls, repaint them, take down the dirty curtains and put up fresh starched ones. Of course the windows needed washing, the floors scrubbing, and the stovepipe taken down, cleaned and shined. It was very labor intensive. I’m sure Grandpa winced at the thought of all that work when the temperatures started to warm but he knew keeping Grandma happy was very important. She was the heart of the home. Without her, nothing happened: no laundry, no ironing, no cooking, no canning, no sewing or mending, no disciplining of the children (as Grandpa was gone all day working on the railroad.) 

How did she do it all? She worked non-stop 24/7. Just getting the fruit bottled during the summer and fall was exhausting work in a hot kitchen. There was always more fruit maturing. Much of it she got free from her own trees, neighbor’s trees or wild fruit trees. Her most memorable recipe was Pottawatame plum and chokecherry jelly. It was exceptional. Her canned fruit was a work of art with its carefully peeled pears artfully placed in the bottle with a slice of orange in the bottom. Her pantry had to be filled during the warm days to prepare for the long winter when fresh fruit was unavailable. 

I loved eating her bottled peaches, cherries and pears. She also made fresh homemade bread and delicious fluffy rolls that were legendary. Visiting her, one was sure to put on some pounds as she delighted in seeing you finish off her rolls with melted butter and great homemade jam. In those days, everything was made at home. Grandma even made her own house dresses and aprons on her treadle sewing machine, an amazing machine that didn’t need electricity. You used your feet to push the treadle up and down to move the machine needle up and down to make stitches.

She made all my baby clothes, cute little slips, and dresses with special hand embroidery. I was her first grandchild when she was only forty-four. She had me call her “Auntie” rather than Grandma, so that she wouldn’t feel old. That’s how I got an extra aunt who was really my grandmother.

Any one miss me?

I missed you and reading your blogs and posting a new blog this morning. My internet service was out from yesterday afternoon till today. Seems there is always some challenge to make your life interesting. My laptop computer works fine now but with no internet connection all I could do was write which isn't a bad choice. So I worked on some more articles to sell. It was fun to come home today after being a docent at the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum locally and find 32 emails waiting-most of which were comments on my blog. I love it! Thanks to my many new and old friends. Now to check out and comment on your blogs. I will be teaching another class next Monday on blogging and creative writing.

To my husband Allen

I love your dry humor
It surprises me when I least expect
Lifts me and returns me
From faraway cares
To the present moment
Seen from another viewpoint


Seriousness drains oft times
As stress builds in our lives
Laughing together releases us
To feel complete within as
Joy returns and renews
Both soul and earthly body

Dear Author

Last night I received a fat letter from my church's magazine department. Two months ago I sent in two articles on blogging, and making family history websites. My first thought was that they were returning my articles and saying "no thank you." Then I remembered I had sent them in as attachments to an email. 

Curiously I opened the envelope and found the salutation..."Dear Author." Thinking they had made some mistake I read further and found out they wanted to buy my article "Calling All Genealogists." Then I knew they had made a mistake because I couldn't remember any article I'd written with that title but they were offering me $100 for 800 words (which Caryn reminds me is not $1.25/word but more like .125 cents/word.) At any rate, they wanted to buy something from me. Well, I looked on my computer and luckily had backed up my submission. I had written an article called "Calling All Geneal-ogists" about making webpages. See my family history website at http://www.geocities.com/famhistory1867.

To quote the letter: "We are pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been accepted for possible publication in the 'Ensign'. We ask you to sign the enclosed form...to protect your rights as the creator of the work, as well as our rights as the purchaser...we are buying the right to use your work, but ...you retain the copyright. You certify that the work is your own and that you have the right to sell it to us. We state that we may edit and translate your work, that we may use it more than once and in a variety of formats, and that we have the right of first publication." 

Now here's something to add to my "Joy Journal." Whoppee!

Writer's WORDSHOP

Today’s lesson was on Yin-Yang, expressing the creative tensions that are part of life. This poem came out of our lesson’s discussion and needed to be expressed.

HATE/FORGIVENESS

It’s so easy to hate and hold lasting grievances
When we are deeply hurt, but that only doubles
The pain of the original offense as we hurt ourselves
Every time we express anger. How difficult to change
Rejection into forgiveness, to look past the harmful act,
See the hurting person who furled the insult at us,
Brought our world to a stop by their labels or misbehavior
Unjustly and unlovingly thrown in our pathway

We don’t have to accept their judgments of us
Only God can judge us or them, we are here to love,
Support and help each other on our journeys
The shield of self defense only says that we acknowledge
There is validity in their criticisms, defending ourselves
When we need not, drains our energies, better to say…
“Forgive them. Father, for they know not what they do”
As our Savior exclaimed, while hanging on the cross

Joy Journal

If you’re like most of us who use our journals when we are feeling tense and upset to work out the feelings in our minds and hearts, let me suggest a “gratitude journal” to balance out your life. I have file cabinets of old journals that helped me survive life’s challenges and work through problems but little that I wrote when I was filled with happiness. So I bought a small journal that will fit in my purse and has lines on the pages to make writing legibly easier. I plan to write daily something brief that I’ve learned or felt that was positive and uplifting to share with others-maybe on my blog or just to have around to remind me to look at the world through rose colored glasses more often. (I do keep a journal on my computer but my latest computer crash has shown how quickly that can disappear if not backed up. Thus the need for a physical tangible journal to pass on to my family of my positive feelings about my life.)

The glass is “half full” if you perceive it as such or “half empty” if that is your frame of mind. I feel more serene and fulfilled at this point of my life that I have before. Maybe because I am trying to get rid of expectations of others’ behaviors toward me and just accept them unconditionally. We are all lacking as family members and friends in our relationships but when I see others through judgmental eyes it’s difficult to appreciate them fully. This is how I perceive God and His son looking at each of us with “love and appreciation” for our uniqueness. Just having gratitude for whatever comes our way and not being so greedy for more, gives us a certain peace and joy that is as my friend Caryn says…“delicious.”

Do you keep a gratitude journal?

Fun Birthday

Well, what a great way to start off another new year...we actually had a little rain storm here in the desert and the temperature cooled to 97 degrees. Spent my birthday mostly at home. My husband cooked me breakfast then I continue to enjoy having my laptop back, haven't gotten to the new mini yet as it's easier just to focus on one new baby at a time. The other is in its box sleeping. 

Went to dinner at Outback restaurant locally and then off to Zion's Park one hour's drive away for a wonderful concert by a very talented duo Tingstad & Rumbel on guitar and woodwinds. Soothing music for the majestic outdoor venue. 

I won a free CD of their music in a drawing and it was the same CD I bought at intermission so I'm sending it to my BFF Caryn who after a long absence of almost a month is again blogging. She has commented on many of your blogs so you know her insightful, deep yet humorous style that always gives you something to think about. I got her started blogging so I'm happy she is continuing, read her blog. She always comments on my blogs at least once, sometimes twice-what a friend. Thanks to all you who took time to send me birthday greetings...I appreciate your friendships.

Here's another poem I wrote for my birthday time:

AGING

Old age has a way of sneaking
Up on us while we are busy
Doing other things like living

Our children soon empty the nest,
Then marry and have little ones

Before we know it our babies
Are middle-aged responsible adults
And we are grandparents ready
To retire and check out of life

How come life goes by so fast
While we are making other plans?

“I’d like to loose twenty-five pounds,
Take a computer class or two,
See the world and go on a cruise”

But all we ever get done
Is the day to day living--laundry,
Shopping, meals prepared, dishes
Washed and house cleaned while
The important things lay undone

Or maybe more essential tasks
Take priority, such as family needs
Raising, nurturing and teaching
Keeping a loving home in order

Isn’t that why we are here?

It's My Birthday!

"Well today’s my b-day
And I’m thirty-nine
That’s my story and
I’m sticking with it."
My mom was always
Thirty-nine every b-day
Which was funny
When I was a teenager

I really don’t want to be
Thirty nine again unless
I knew what I know now
Looking back and
Wondering what could
Have been-if only,
Regrets go no where
So I’ll look at growth
That came instead

Divorcing at thirty-five,
Now a single parent
Raising three young sons
Became a new teacher
Of elementary students
Remarriage-begin over
Another son to nurture
Four sons-my life's work

Five grandchildren now
A marvelous blessing
With promises of more
Posterity to come
A full life with lots
Of challenges to
Overcome and
Lessons to learn
From as I progress
In my daily journey

PS My son Daniel above on the left is now 39! Baby Jeff is now 25.

Article #13-During War Times

Being born during World War II, I only remember what others told me about those days. The world was in chaos. Fears were great that the Axis powers couldn’t be stopped. America was brought into the war by an event that ranks right up there with 9/11. It was December 7, 1941 when Pearl Harbor in Hawaii was suddenly attacked. Thinking it was just a practice air raid, locals were shocked by the loud explosions and fires that followed the bombing of our Pacific fleet. Thousands of US soldiers were killed. Many of our naval ships were sunk with men trapped inside. 

Recently we visited the Pearl Harbor Memorial, it’s built over the sunken battleship Arizona. It was sobering to recall what had taken place there. My aunt Ethel was living in Pearl Harbor during that time with her husband and family. She remembers the terror that was widespread as their island was suddenly no longer a quiet tropical paradise but in the middle of an attack by Japan. Soon afterwards, America joined the allies in World War II.

Young men enlisted or were drafted into the service to fight in Europe and in the Pacific Theatre fronts. Fathers, uncles, brothers, sons and many young women served our country. Some men were deferred from military service because they were needed at home. My father was one of those. He worked as a dispatcher for the railroad in Milford moving troops and supplies to both coasts to be shipped overseas. His younger brother Weston (see photo of him holding me) was drafted and served in the South Pacific. 

Over six million Americans lost their lives in preserving the freedoms that we enjoy today. Families would place a flag with a blue star in their window if they had a family member fighting in the war. If that person was killed in action then the blue star was replaced by a gold star. 

My grandma volunteered for Red Cross service making bandages and other supplies for the troops, writing letters to our military personnel and consoling those who’d lost sons or husbands in the war. She hoped her son wouldn’t be one of the dead or injured returning home. Rationing of gas, food and other needed supplies became a way of life. Americans were encouraged to buy war bonds to support the war which lasted for five years. Everyone prayed for peace and an end to all wars.

They Arrived!

Talk about being overwhelmed, the tech called and said I could pickup my laptop then the door bell rang and it was Fed Ex delivering my new Mac Mini. Just like getting twins arriving the same day. Well I unwrapped the mini then took off to pick up the laptop. Now I have them both to play with. Starting with the laptop first and trying to reinstall all my missing files most saved but some lost forever. What a drastic way to cleanup your desktop!!

Weblog Award

I received this award from a niece Dawn Mercedes with the instructions to pass it on to seven other blogs that I find deserving.


The Rules for This award:
1. The winner can put the logo on her/his blog.
2. Link the person your received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 others blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs you've nominated.

So here are my nominations. Check them out and see why I chose them:

1. Musings by Kay-a lovely travelog of moving back to Hawaii by one of the sweetest people I've met online, a friend to many new people that I've also met through blogging see list below #2-7
2. At the Starting Gate by Leona in Texas, an excellent writer who shares stories of her family and tips for writing
3. Rambling Woods by Michelle in New York, beautiful nature photos
4. Country Road by Carla in Tennessee, fun wildlife and cat photos
5. Linda's Letters by Linda in Washington state, great sea and garden photos from Seattle and Whidby Island
6. Writing in Faith by Sandra from Connecticut- great photos and inspirational thoughts
7. Teacher Says by Jo in Utah some interesting thoughts and observations on life and education by a retired teacher

Starting Over

Well, today I get my repaired laptop back
With a new hard drive, like a brand new baby
Limited in its abilities and prior experiences
Ready to react as I install all my software
Hopefully correctly, if not it will be another
Learning experience. I miss the opportunity
To track my expenses with Quicken,
Surf the Internet, send and receive emails
Organize my writings and print them off
Wish me luck as I become a new mother
Of a newly reborn laptop awaiting me

Meltdown Rewards

There's always a bright lining to any storm cloud and mine came this afternoon when my sweet husband suggested we update my desktop computer since it's failing. (Perhaps he's tired of me using his computer?)They haven't even started fixing my laptop. So we ordered a new Mac Mini CPU to hook to my existing monitor, keyboard and mouse. It will arrive in two more days and is my birthday (July 12th) present from my hubby who strives to keep me happy.

Now I will have three computers-my old dying one to be repaired that runs my scanner and zip drives, my ailing laptop, and a new Mini which measures 6.5 inches square by 2 inches high, and has the latest Mac operating system Leopard, lots of memory, and a super CD/DVD burner player. I can hardly wait!

Change and Computers

Resisting change has got to be
A sign of old age or something
Just when I'm feeling comfortable
With my new laptop and its programs
It dies, so I return to my old desktop

Now it's not cooperating, won't print
Won't save typing except in emails
My husband suggests replacing it
But then my old scanner and zip disks
Won't work, I think there is a conspiracy

Going on with built-in longevity controls
That expire often just to keep computer
Techs and stores in business not to mention
All the updates you MUST have just to
Keep computing, it's exhausting work

Rest and Routines

Why is it we tire so easily
Then feel useless, unmotivated
Are we programmed to produce
Or feel worthless, yet the body ages
And seeks more rest, short naps
Expand into hours, routines are zapped
Until we can recharge
Our limited batteries

Still recovering from our fun vacation
And trying to be back into the groove
Of writing and living creatively
While my old computer tries to stop me

Vacation from our Vacation

(Photo of Mt.Timpanogos from Heber, Utah)


Why is it so exciting to head home after a vacation
Just the possibility of being there, sleeping once again
In a comfortable bed that you know, with your own pillow
Not having to adjust to others-like hotel neighbors or family
By being quiet or being annoyed by their late or early noises

So, why don't we all just stay at home and save our money
Because ­we need a break, a vacation, a change of pace
To appreciate what we have and compare a new place
With our normal everyday life we have made at home
Then we can relax and put our photos into our scrapbook
And remember our wonderful vacation until we travel again

Article #12-Old Fashioned Parades

The Fourth of July started early in our rural mining town in Eureka, Utah, with a sunrise surprise when four sticks of dynamite were exploded at a nearby mine. That got everyone's attention. Children's races began along the parade route on Main Street early in the morning. A variety of races were run: three legged, gunnysack, wheelbarrow, etc. for different age groups. The prizes were money--a dime for the winner, nickels for the runnerups and pennies for all who ran. I loved participating whether I won or not.

Next came the parade. A grand marshal and beauty queens on homemade floats started the parade and of course a color guard carrying the U.S. flag. Interspersed would be the local high school bands, veterans marching in their old uniforms, vintage cars, horses with beautiful saddles, antique carriages and fun clowns. Most of the town's children if they had a bike or scooter decorated it with red, white and blue crepe paper streamers and rode proudly in the parade.

Later in the day, there was a community picnic with a well attended softball game for local rival teams. Additional entertainment followed with a band concert and an evening dance at the Elks Pavilion. At dark, a simple fireworks show provided by families consisted of loud firecrackers and handheld sparklers with a bucket of water to douse them. A full day of activities and taking pride in being an American.

Another important parade day throughout Utah was and is Pioneer Day. I remember July 24th, 1947--the centennial celebration of the Mormon pioneers arrival in the Salt Lake valley. Flatbed wagons magically changed into covered wagons with the addition of a muslin cover stretched over some hoops. I pulled a small covered wagon in my pioneer costume made from my mom's kitchen curtains. Other children and adults dressed in old fashioned clothing rode wagons or pushed handcarts. Horseback riders were also part of the parade along with historical themed floats. Horse races and an exciting rodeo ended the day followed by more family provided fireworks.

When the Pioneer Day sesquicentennial came along in in 1997, I had learned more about my Mormon ancestors. After joining the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, I began to collect family histories and photos. My ancestors had come to Utah for many different reasons: some for religious freedom and others stopped here on their way to the Gold Rush in California. Because they all settled in Utah, married and raised families, I have a great heritage to emulate and honor.

Solving Problems

Well, at least you can say that life always presents you with interesting problems to solve. Driving home we were in Missoula, Montana when our Subaru's front car wheel starting making extreme screaming sounds. We stopped immediately to see what was happening. Then not seeing anything wrong we tried to call AAA American Automobile Association but they put us on hold over 15 minutes while we are sitting by the side of the freeway wondering if Missoula was going to be our unplanned destination for the next day or so. Well, finally a person came on the phone and said "I'll have to transfer you, this is the California AAA." So after a shorter wait for the Montana AAA, a tow truck was on its way. Come to find out the very experienced driver knew at once what the problem was, we had a rock stuck in our wheel from the chip sealing they were doing on the freeway. He had us back up our car then drive forward a couple of times and like magic, the problem was solved without any towing back to town or auto repairs. What a relief, which brings me to my topic today of solving problems. How do we do it? Here's some ideas or suggestions.

1. Don't panic or let your emotions rule, push the pause button.
2. Think, analyze the situation-can you fix it or do you need outside help? (A little prayer never hurts.)
3. If not fixable by yourself, call in others with more expertise.
4. Be patient, learn from the experience.

I am now having that opportunity of #4-relearning to use my old computer which won't for some reason allow me to add photos or clipart to my blog but I'll try to add some with my husband's computer later.

Tell me about a problem you had and how you solved it.