Mary it is so good to hear from you. Welcome to the family site! I look forward to all that Sunday brings and feel blessed to belong to such a wonderful family. The boys are back from the trek...none worse for the wear and I dare say blessed for their participation. Dave was under the weather yesterday but he seems to be well enough to be the youth speaker today in Sacrament meeting. Liz had another Violet upset yesterday and tried to make Ed a part of it but lucky for him he was busy downtown going to school. I'll let her bring you up to speed on that account. Ali and Doug will be returning from Jackson Hole today and I will be interested to hear how their trip went.
Today I share the sentiments of the pioneer season, 'and should be die before our journey's through, happy day all is well. We then are free from toil and sorrow too, with the just we shall dwell' my love to you all...mom

What Mary didn't say in her message below is how much of a help she was to my mother after her surgery. Loie said Mary always knew just what to do to make her feel better. So....she's inherited that compassionate streak from her mother. Welcome to our family site, Mary. We'll look forward to hearing from you regularly. Heaven knows you have stories to tell!

Dear Family, It's really neat being able to receive these little tid-bits from all of your busy lives,I really appreciate my brother setting this up for Gram and I. I feel like I belong again.
It's a beautiful day here. I just came in from digging in the dirt and I feel like I've just had a great work-out! Only alot more enjoyable! Although I have to say I think I'd like to be your client just fine Melissa. I can hear your voice right now urging me on! You'll be extremely busy once the word gets out I'm sure. Alan came over last night and helped me get started with figureing this all out...this is a whole new world for this 'ol girl! Fortunately I've always liked to type! And I already found some guy in Maryland that belongs to A.A. that has been sending me stuff.
My life is 100% different than it was at this time last year. My mother,Bishop,Stake President,& A.A. sponsor have all been of immence support and encouragement. And with them, and a little willingness from me I'll be celebrating 1 yr. of sobriety in just a few days. Spiritually I feel as though I've traveled a much greater distance in time than just 1 year. Amazed at my Heavenly Fathers love for me doesn't even come close to describing how I have felt this past year. Being worthy to wear my garments again and partake of the Sacrament is a gift. Having the missionaires teach my sweet Kelly the discussions was a special time for us both. Everyone else is fine and I'm sure will be over to update you all themselves.
My mother is recovering slowly but well. That whole thing was a much bigger deal than I had anticipated, of course thats par- for- the- course for me....avoid reality at all cost! In my own defence I will say that our Home Teacher gave her such a great blessing,Iwent to the hospital fearless!
Her being so terribly sick and having all thoes complications,{none of which we'd anticipated or discussed}was very unsetteling. Mom and I both thought of you and your mother Cristie during that ordeal. I know we have a deeper understanding of and for your feelings. As of today though shes recooperating nicely. Carp will be nice for her and she is so glad that Valerie and Ed have decided to make the trip. It will be nice seeing all your faces again.
My love to you all, Mary.

Hey, Im on! Just trying to figure out the set up's. Take care. I will be back later|

Melissa, thanks for a good chuckle. I could relate to the ow, ow, ow, stuff...even though I hate to admit it has been way too long. You are inspiring!

What have I gotten myself into? My new personal training job has been a very intimidating step for me. I certainly don’t look like the typical trainer. This was most profoundly confirmed to me when I attended a training meeting (Monday) for the new trainers at Bally’s.

First, I wasn’t prepared. I wore comfortable clothing because I was told that I was going to walk through the equipment and make sure we knew how to use it correctly. Little did I know, that they were going to observe our training abilities and then take us through a circuit training session. I learned very quickly, that when trainers train other trainers, the goal is to make them want to puke their guts out from working out so hard. I have never, ever been so sore in my life! Our house reeks of Ben gay these days. And today was the first day I could go up or down the stairs without wincing and saying “ow, ow, ow, ow, owwww!”. And sitting on the toilet? If I could have held it for four days I would have.

My greatest fear going into this was that I’d be laughed at for even wanting to do it since I’m still fairly out of shape, and completely inexperienced. So when I walked into the room with all of the others (and took one look at their tan, 0% fat, muscular bodies), I thought about just walking out the door.

I have been amazed at the support that these people have given me. The training managers really seem to view me as competent enough to learn, and they are very willing to teach me and let me go for it. I hear things like, “just go for it, you can’t fail”. “You’re going to be great” etc. Trainers seem to be good motivators in every aspect.
This is a great opportunity for me to develop some confidence. I can’t wait to actually start getting some clients to work with. I think it will be so much fun to get to know people and help them reach their fitness goals.

That's enough rambling for now, have a great day everyone!

Dear Family: I just heard from Doug in Jackson Hole. He was wondering if Ali and he should make the trip to Yellowstone tomorrow. I told him it was a definite must. To be 60 miles away and miss such a spectacular creation would be regretable. Anyway, he was concerned that Ali might get car-sick so we'll have to wait and see what they were up to. They will be back on Sunday and the trip should be rejuvinating for the both of them.
Mark August 16th on your calendars for a family photo at 11 in the morning. I asked that Dave be the photographer hoping that we will be pleased with the results. It's a Saturday morning, and we should all be sporting a healthy glow after having been to the beach.
I am so delighted to hear the Ed and Valerie can get away and come to Carp. Just so you know, Magic Mountain is a definite...no maybe about it:)
The boys are off on Trek and I can't help but think about them and what they may be doing. I am hoping that they are going to be helpful and positive. I can hardly stand it when teenagers act like pampered babies!
I love this time of day! The shadows are getting long and the whole world that I can see has a rosy glow. What a blessing to be able to see. I love you all. mom

My quick trip to Los Angeles was nice. Got some work done, enjoyed the sunny, mild weather (June Gloom was gone), and really enjoyed being with my family. I got my Mother and Mary's computer installed and running. Now we'll see what they do with it. I understand some of you have already started receiving e-mail, which is a positive sign. My mothers address is "LoieatDelMar@aol.com." Mary's is "Crittersaver03@aol.com." I'm sure they'd both love to hear from you.

My mother looks good and says she is feeling better every day. I'm so happy the surgery went well. I hope her energy will be at a reasonable level by the time we get to Carp.

My Dad is about the same. When I got to the nursing home, he was in a room with about 50 other old folks listening to a guy play the piano and sing. Before I walked in, I stood and watched him for awhile. I thought that to the workers there, and anyone else who might be passing by, he looks like just one of the other old men, but I was looking at my father. He didn't seem to be enjoying the music. Just looking down, and occasionally rocking in his wheelchair.

Val, I'm thrilled that you and Ed will be joining us at Carp. I'll make sure and bring the horshoe set. And yes, a Dodger game and maybe Magic Mountain are on the agenda!

I love summer (actually very late spring, soon to be summer) mornings. I've been doing my training rides in the mornings, and being on a bicycle at 6AM has it's advantages. I like the feel of getting a head start on the day, of seeing other cyclists, runners, and walkers out enjoying the awakening day. I catch a lot of smells as I ride through neighborhoods. Bacon frying, fragrant flowers opening up their day's petals, canyon winds carrying fresh mountain scents into the valley.

There are also hazards, but they are common to any time of day. This morning, beginning my rapid descent from Wasatch Blvd. on 45th South, a lamebrain almost pulled out right in front of me. If he'd continued, it would have been curtains. Drivers in a hurry to get to work are sometimes rude and impatient. But overall, my morning rides have been a great way to start the day. I'm noticing a slight improvement in my strength up hills which is encouraging. My plan is to keep up a riding routine even after Ragbrai.

Your mom and I went to John Goodfellow's wedding dinner last night. It was a nice affair at the Grand Hotel. This was my first venture into the hotel, and I was impressed with it's beauty. I really liked the wood paneling in the lobby area. After dinner, family members from both sides spoke. Several mentions were made of Gary, of how much he would have enjoyed being there, and how proud he would be of John. It was sad to see how broken up John became at just about every comment made of his dad.

I sat next to Gary's father. What a congenial old fellow! He's 81 yrs old, and still active and relatively healthy. His wife sat on the other side of him, and it was a treat to see how sweetly they treated each other. He told me he's having a very difficult time coming to terms with his son's death. He said he told Gary repeatedly a couple of years before his death to see a doctor and get treated for his jaundice, but Gary was too stubborn to do anything about it. Then after Gary's death, when he learned it was due to alcohol poisoning and severe cirrhosis, he was stunned. He'd never seen Gary drink much alcohol, let alone be intoxicated regularly enough over many years to bring on cirrhosis. I felt very sorry for him, for the whole family, celebrating without a son, husband, dad, who should have been there.

I hooted and howled as I pictured a sight that too was mine not so very long ago.

Sleep tight…

It’s another Friday night with my descendants. Could I possibly be any grumpier? My entire posterity is screaming and splashing in one bathtub, and Child Services would be here in an instant if they were aware of this example of mayhem and neglect.

As you probably know, Melissa is off book clubbing in Heber tonight. As ornery as I am, I’m glad she gets the chance to venture into the world of fresh air and nature. Regardless of how the weather turns out, it will be a whole different nature than she’s used to around here, though far less vivid.

It’s gonna be a short post. One’s entire future can stay penned in a single bathtub for only so long.

…don’t let the bedbugs bite!

S

I enjoyed the post, Sam. It is literature!

Several weeks ago, Melissa and I sat in the family room on a Sunday afternoon and had a discussion about our babysitters. For those of you that were present, you will recall that Melissa claimed that she picked up one babysitter, and drove another home. The explanation was simple. For their own convenience, they had switched while we were gone. The only problem with the whole idea was that I did not remember things the way Melissa did. I remembered Melissa picking Kyla up, and dropping Kyla off that night. As far as my memory had served, there had been no switch.

I was only slightly disturbed that my memory had been false. I had been both preoccupied and tired that night, and it was certainly possible that I was wrong. After all, she was willing to bet a million dollars, and we all know what a hefty sum that is. I was definitely ready to let it go.

Melissa was not. Fearing that she was truly losing her marbles, the question plagued her whenever she thought about it. After all, she had initiated two very different, detailed conversations designated for two very different people. There was one little piece of evidence that did not add up for her. How does someone get from Spanish Fork to 2320 South in twenty minutes? You’ll have to ask her for the details on that one.

Well, we had Kyla (and only Kyla) over to tend last weekend. We could have probably called Lizzy to tend, but we needed Kyla to set a few things straight. It turns out that Kyla was here the entire time on the night in question. Kyla softened it a bit, saying things like: “I’m pretty sure I was here the whole time, sister Carter” and “Sometimes people get our names mixed up.”

I would have been no more surprised if I had made the goof. I would like to casually point out that not a single person believed my version of the story that day. The jury opted to swallow a tale of switching babysitters and a journey from Spanish Fork just to take care of our relentless children. People really love a good story.

During the discussion, mom pointed out how unreliable eyewitnesses can be. That is the real lesson to be learned. No, Melissa is no less sane than any of us. As humans, most of us try to take comfort in what we know, when we really know far less than we suppose. History is colorfully painted with exquisite disasters and unforgettable misadventures fueled by misconceptions. Poor Gorge Custer could have probably told you all about misconception if he’d lived through his. As a side note, Comanche, one of Custer’s horses, was the only survivor of Little Big Horn. They found him “hiding” in a thicket with seven arrows sticking out of him. Exquisite disasters. . .

Sam

Speaking of "Lord of the Rings", a lady here at my meeting in San Francisco has a voice that reminds me of Gollum's. When I leaned over to a couple of friends my age to tell them, they didn't know what I was talking about. They've never seen or read "Lord of the Rings!"

Grandma Lois came through her surgery just fine. She had a small area of her small intestine that was inflamed, which they removed. Everything else checked out just fine. They planned for a two hour surgery, but finished up in about an hour.

Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes, via my cell phone, e-mail, and of course the blog! I'd rather be home with family of course, but you all have been so thoughtful, it's warmed my heart (as if it needed warming in this Arizona heat!).

We're staying at a brand new Marriott resort here out of Scottsdale called Desert Ridge. They've tried hard to blend it with the surrounding landscape which is nice. I took a walk tonight at sunset in the botanical garden. It is filled with native desert plants and even has small speakers along the walkway with relaxing, new age music softly playing. It was peaceful. The Saguaro cactus is native to the Sonoran Desert and was featured along my walk. It's the tall cactus that sometimes has arms. 20-30 feet tall is about average for an adult. They grow about an inch a year! To me, it has a mystical, almost spiritual quality to it. Learn more at: "www.desertusa.com/july96/du_saguaro.html".

I contemplated my many blessings as I walked, you all being right at the top of my list.

I love you and miss you all. I can already taste the cheesecake.

Happy Birthday to you! Hope you are having a wonderful birthday. Make sure you get some free cake (and a song) somewhere. I'm sure ready to party-hearty tomorrow!

I hope everyone has a fantastic day. It sure is a beautiful time of year.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETHEART!

Last night I finished "Crow Lake", by Mary Lawson. I highly recommend the book to all. A wonderful, lyrical story of tragedy and loss, and finally, self discovery. I also enjoyed how the author used nature and a sense of place to tell her story. This is Lawson's first book and it's a wonderful debut. Get it and read it. I've given my copy to your mom.

Thank you for your fasting and prayers for Laurel. She and I had a nice chat last night after everyone left and I was impressed with how much she wants to change. She needs affirmation from all of us all of the time.

So, today is the first day of June and I can hardly recall where the last month went. Ed thanks for picking up Laurel and helping with her dumb bell ideas. I need all of the support I can get. How would you like to feel lost, sad and tired? Well, I plan to change all of that today...I really need a Sunday. I love you all. me