Dear Gerald, I loved the pictures. It looks fun and like it was a cold day. I froze iin S.F. every time that I went up there except once when I was in nursing school in San Jose. I can't seem to pull up the Quiz so I'll get Anne to help me. I'll get her to pull up Danny's pictures too. Tom has a computor and would like to be invited to Blogger. I had new brakes put on the car today. $149.00. That's the first money that I've spent on it rather than oil changes. Tom's Email address is tetontom@wyoming.com. I didnt think it would go through, but it did. Love to all, Grandma

Dear Katie & Danny, Anne told me that you had called today and that you would like to go to DelMar in September. Yes the Condo is mine in September and yes you can go. Just tell me the
dates, I don't think that Danny has ever been there so that would be nice for you. The weather is usually lovely in September

I enjoyed Danny's blogg re: Ohio. I'd like to read it in its entirety. Hope all is well & that Danny is enjoying law school.

Much love, Grandma

Way to go Val!!

I just loved picturing Ed run around frantic. That was well planned and fun to hear\read about. I was laughing out loud. Love you guys. Alison

Great Gag Valerie!

Somehow the only one that looked a little shocked when Jerry announced after scriptures this morning that I was expecting another little one was Joe. After a lapse of 5 seconds or so Liz said, "yea, right." Dave said, "nice try, April Fool's." So, I guess we've used up all our mean little tricks, but I never get tired of thinking of a big fat lie/joke...all in the name of a holiday. Yes, this is one of my favorite days of the year and always has been.

My love to you dear ones. I am looking forward to conference and family time. I will miss the Nydeggers. mom

Dear all,

Lisa Zimmerman had a baby boy today. As far as I know all is well. Hope all is well with you.
Alan arrived at the big 21 today. Love to all, grandma

Dear Katie & Danny,
Kelly and I really enjoyed seeing the pictures from San Francisco. The boys have really grown alot. In one of the pictures Isaac looked so much like your brother, Eddie. Glad that you had a nice time and returned home safe. I hope you have many more birthdays to celebrate, Danny. Kelly says Hi. Well, I'm off to bed to study my R.S. lesson for tomorrow. Mary Anne and Bob are in DelMar landscaping the back patio. Mary enjoys hard physical labor. I wish you could see my back yard right now. She has it looking beautiful---Many flowes in bloom. Kiss the boys.
Much love, Gramdma

Happy birthday Danny. You're Mr. Holiday! St. Patricks, and now this! Is there no end to the excitement?!?

Happy Birthday Danny! I hope it's the best one yet.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANNY! We love you and appreciate so much the sweetnesss that you bring to our family. All day long we will be thinking of you and your little family...wishing for an extra special day.

Dear Laurel,

I hope you had a wonderful 22nd birthday. I've been thinking about you all day. I have your present, just slow in getting it mailed. I started with a viscious migraine Thurday nite and didn't feel better until Sunday night. So I will get it mailed.

Tell your Mom that the condo is mine in July and September. So if your family wants to come and stay awhile I would be happy for you all to enjoy it. Mary and her boyfriend are going down to fix up the patios this coming week end. Anne and Alan were down there last week end weeding. There were even weeds growing out of the drains that the water drains out of the roof in.

I hope that you have many more happy birthdays and that we can get together this summer. I love you.....Always, Grandma

Dear Sam,

I did have that Radette. Dan Hirschi was visiting with a girl friend, yes, she was nice and pretty cute too. Ruth has one of those irons. That cheese was $l5. a pound. They cooked the cheese plain and then with a special kind of bacon. It was very good, but not good enough for me to buy that special iron. We had the potatoes too. Dan must have had that in Switzerland. Jim found the irons searching onf the computor. He and Johanna each bought one. Cost them $250. each. I really appreciate your research. The ones that I have found only make two at a time, but I think they are larger. The picture of the bratzalies looks the same as ours do.

Katie, those pearls were a personal wedding gift to you. I gave Alison and Laurel a piece of jewelery also. Sara and Lisa are both expecting this month. Lisa is having a boy and I can't remember what Sara is expecting. Sara has been feeling louzy most of her pregnancy. Strep throat, ear ache etc.

Sam you have a real gift for writing. Maybe you should take it up seriously. Your Dad does also and so does Cristie. When Mary was at Dixie her English teacher told her that she had potential also

Your Grandfather is really slipping. He complains of shortness of breath and chest pain. He responds very slowly. I don't know if he's overmedicated or if he' s slowly fading away.

I hope Jenny is making a good recovery and not in alot of pain. Got to get to bed. Love to all
Grandma

Here is a link where imported irons may be purchased:

http://www.shopswiss.com/bratzeli.html

For a real treat, buy one of these:

http://www.shopswiss.com/raclette.html

I only ate bratzelis once on my whole mission, and I spent plenty of time looking for them. It seems to be a Swiss tradition that is dying out. In antique shops I used to see old irons that were heated by coals. I didn't see any new irons, and the only Swiss company (Jura) that used to make the irons no longer makes them. Mom and dad have a Jura iron.

Raclette (second link) is a truly wonderful thing. Though none of you will likely run out and buy an iron, it would be a fun thing to try. Raclette is both the name of a cheese, and the name of a dish. When prepared on the streets, a wheel of raclette is sliced in half. The cut side of the wheel is melted next to a red-hot iron until the exposed surface begins to crisp and the layer below is melted. The street merchant selling the raclette will then scrape the melted layer of cheese on a plate of boiled red potatoes, ham, carrots, and other meats and vegetables. The plate is not complete until paprika is sprinkled atop the cheese, and two sweet pickles added to the side. With the home version, raclette is melted in little dishes, and the meat is grilled on top of the iron. If you want to try raclette in Switzerland, make sure to visit in the fall. The leaves begin blowing through cobblestone alleys, carrying the scent of roasted chestnuts and the coming winter. The Swiss call it the Foehn, and some of the older ones with glassy eyes will tell you how strange things happen when the Foehn begins to blow. There is nothing like this in the new world. Even at twenty-one, I knew this as I dreamt beneath a 730 year old roof.

S

Dear Sam, I loved your post, but don't shoot that dog. I am not aware of any previous problems with the heeler. Do they have a leash law in Salt Lake? If so jut call and complain and they will do something about it. Our neighbors were frequently called into court for Spot's escapes. He could climb over their 6 foot fence and impregnated many of the neighbor dog. There is still evidence of his genes in the neighborhood. As for your new calling you'll be able to do a great job. Some of the callings that we think we would like the least turn out to be a great experience. Heavenly Father always gives us what we need to do a good job. Unfortunately it isn't always comfortable to stretch to the occasion.

Mary Anne is still happy with her dental jobs and lucky that they are both close by. She's quite in love. I don't completely approve of him, but when did she or anyone else ever care about that?Anne is doing well at her job. It is really telemarketing. It's right up her alley. She can charm the spots off a snake.

Gerald is fading. He's been terribly confused, but still in the same place of confusion day after day. Yesterday he was completely straight. He had to sob when he thought about Wally Ord being dead. Maxine is dying also. It will only be days. Katie did I ever get you a bratzalie Iron? If not do you want one? Yes, Eddie I'm still working on yours. I Love reading the blogs from your all. Hope all is well with every one. Tell Laurel I love her. Love, Grandma

I have been too busy to blog much, or even think about things to write. Unfortunately, there is really not a whole lot of news to report. There is a relatively minor update in the saga with the heeler next door. He has come over to our place looking for trouble a total of three times. You know about the first time. The second time, I threatened to kill him. The third time (two days ago), he threatened to kill Henry. I started to research dog-killing laws, and discovered that it’s impossible to murder a dog. One message board I read said the following: “You can shoot dogs all day because they’re legally considered property… You can’t murder property.” I read a few other cases where unruly dogs were either the recipients of bullets or nasty shocks, and Utah’s dog statute gives any citizen the right to dispatch an aggressive dog.

So, I went to the gun store.
Gun store guy (Chuck): “Can I help you sir?”
Sam: “What load would you recommend for killing dogs?”
Chuck: “Has it really come to this?”
Sam: “I’m afraid so. What should I get?”
Chuck: “Well, that depends. Do you want to kill him on the first shot, or do you want to kill him with seven or eight shots?”
Sam: “Doesn’t matter. I want him dead.”
Chuck: “Well, I’d get the Glock model 22 in .40 S&W with hydroshock bullets. You’ll stop the dog in one shot (Chuck makes popping noise), and you’ll have extra rounds for the owner if he gets a little too upset, if you know what I mean.”
Sam: “Hmmm. But the dog’ll be gone, right.”
Chuck: Points finger like gun and makes popping noise again.

In all honesty, I took a few liberties with the conversation above, but it’s not all a lie. I’m going to leave it at that, and I’m not going to mention the heeler next door again. No, he’s not already dead.

On a note of eternal importance, they made me the Young Men President in our ward. This was a real shocker for everyone, especially me. I know our bishop pretty well, and I thought I had said and done enough to be considered a loose cannon. Everyone should know how much fun a loose cannon is. I made one once and nearly killed Brad Pack. We laughed for days. Anyhow, people are calling me now wondering what to do about this, and wondering if I can get the Young Men to do that, and I don’t ever have the answer. Last Sunday, I told someone to check with the Bishop, as he was the “real” president anyway. I have a lot of growing to do. Responsibility and growing are a lot alike. It’s stimulating to talk about, but it’s not that enjoyable, and it usually hurts.

Well, I’m off to scout camp tonight. Laugh it up.

S

*** This blog is dedicated to Grandma Lois ***

Dear Ones,

Great news Danny. I feel so proud of you. We've had some wonderful rain this week and I've really enjoyed it. Wally Ord died a week ago tonight. I was able to be wiith him some of his last hours and was grateful to say that the hospice nurses allowed him to die comfortably. His daughter Cheryl was with him. What a dear girl. His funeral was as nice as Jean Driggs'. Maxine propably won't last much longer. That cancer has been eating at her for years. She stayed alive to care for Wally. They are going to sell her house and move her to Pleasant Grove with Cheryl. We've got termites swarming in the house. I guess the rain drove them in. I'll have to do something about that!

Anne got a job this week. Not from the internet, Gerald, but from the newspaper. It's close and on my way to work. They raised her $2.00 an hour already since she started. Something in the food business. That ought to be right up her alley.

I'm trying to get Ruth & Dick & Dean to go on an Alaskan cruise with me this August. They all would like to go so I think that I may be successful. I haven't cashed in that CD yet.

Alan is going to be 21 next month and he is pretty excited about it. Jaimie's folks are giving them a trip to Hawaii. Her 21st birthday is today

I pray Laurel is safe , that you have all escaped the flu bug, and that all is well. No Blogs from Sam lately. I really enjoy his correspondence. Love to all, Grandma

Congratulations Danny! I love to get great news...especially on this snowy Utah day.
Katie I can really identify with your winter blues. I used to think if I could just make it through January and February all would be well with the world once more. Chin up dear girl and know you are loved.

Dear Ones,
Katie, Sara Zimmerman feels exactly the same way as you do about Michigan. She can't imagine who ever settled it why they ever did. We've had another lovely day here today--in the low 70's. The kids at school were pretty excited about Valentines Day. Anne & Kelly made some pretty heart cookies for me and fixed up cute Valentine bags for me to take to them and my teachers.

One of the teachers that has a complete class full of very disturbed children and many aids to assist him every day celebrates the holidays with a pot luck lunch. He is Hispanic and good looking and sounds exactly like Anthony Banderos. He made a big crock pot of chicken and veggies, and there were wonderful fresh green beans, a large green salad with every kind of veggie, Mexican food, delicious cheese cake, cupcakes, cookies and cold drinks. I think it's quite special of him to do this. None of the other teachers do anything like it. I get invited so Anne made that spagetti caserole that I made at the beach 2 years ago. They really liked it.

Anne has gone to the All Star game at the Staples Center, and Mary is off with Bob and
Jim and family are headed up to visit Johanna and kids. I liked living alone and didn't mind being alone, but now when everyone is off having fun I feel sorry for myself sometimes. It's dumb because I'm too tired to go anywhere anyhow.

It was great seeing you, Son. I truly love your quick visits. Sorry if I thrilled you too much with my driving. Everyday I pray that I won't hurt someone or myself.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY, AND I HOPE YOUR BIRTHDAY WAS THE GREATEST, LIZZIE,

Love always, Mom

I just received a letter from my grandmother. She usually writes one to the family each month. For those of you who don't know, my grandparents have been serving in the Missionary Training Center for the past year or so, and loving it.

My grandmother wrote of a story she heard at an MTC devotional the other night. I liked it and so I thought I'd share it:

"Elder Stone told about a talk President Hinckley had given to the general Authorities in the Temple. He said they had recently found a box of letters which included a letter he had written to his father when he was a returned missionary and working for the church. Elder Stone said he was probably at that time the one-man Missionary Department and the one-man Temple Department and Public Relations and Media or something else. Anyway, he had his acceptance letter to go to UCLA for his PhD and was excited to go. He went in to tell Elder Stephen L. Richards that he would be leaving his employment and Elder Richards said, 'Gordon, we just need you too much, please don't go.' [President Hinckley] was telling his father about his decision in a letter, and that his heart was pretty heavy about it, but that he had chosen to stay. He wrote to his dad, 'I wonder if I'll ever amount to anything.' Then president Hinckley said to the authorities, with his wonderful humor, 'I never got my PhD, but I've received 9 honorary doctorates from different universities, I've been all over the world, we have a wonderful family and a nice home, I even have a chauffeur to drive my car.' His message was 'Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.' Our decision will be different ones, and our outcomes different, but the promise is the same for all of us."

...from my journal today.

Got up earlier this morning than I needed to because I wanted to make sure I got here on time. My little routine when I come to the Bay Area is to stay at a downtown San Francisco hotel where I can enjoy the city the night before my meeting, and then take the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) from downtown in the morning to my meeting in Berkeley with the state. I like public transport. I'm less insulated from the city, feel more a part of it. And...I like to study the interesting characters.

I'm now in the McDonalds in downtown Berkeley. My meeting this morning is earlier than usual so I allowed myself extra time and got here too early.

Speaking of characters...downtown Berkeley must be headquarters. This McDonalds is always loaded with a bevy of freaks. One even works here, cleaning the tables and mopping the floors. I've seen her before and she's here this morning, using her spray bottle filled with cleaning liquid very liberally, eager to have any kind of conversation with the sane or insane customers, and if nobody is communicative, she has loud, colorful conversations with herself. I've seen other, mostly deranged customers yell at her for spraying them along with the table. I'll tell you, that can develop quickly into very spirited dialogue!

This morning I'm listening to a woman who looks like she's in her late fifties to early sixties tell a fellow seated behind me of an encounter she had with the cops last night. She peppers her description of the event with coarse profanity. I think she must be homeless because she refers to another guy who got beat up last night and then says "Wouldn't it be terrible to be educated and homeless?"

I wonder if, long after Cristie and I are gone, this is how Laurel might end up. From reading her journals, she is certainly capable of carrying on such diatribes as the one I've just listened to. And she seems to seek out friends similar to many who surround me here this morning.

But, I'd better go. The cleaning lady is working her way to my table and I'm not in the mood to be misted.