Some surprises aren't really all that surprising!!

Jere and I had a very interesting courtship to say the least. We got engaged in December of 1971. Shortly after he left for the Phillipines with the Marine Corps. Although we had planned to get married immediately when he got home, 13 months later, by February of '72 the plan had changed and the wedding date was no longer certain. At that point I decided that I should start dating again and ended the engagement. When he returned from his duty in the Phillipines we resumed dating and after a while got engaged again. This engagement lasted for several months until Jere announced to me that he was going to buy a motorcycle and ride across the country. Tearfully the engagement was again broken off. One evening I went with my family home evening brother up to campus to study, just as friends and just to study. I guess it didn't look like that to Jere though because he was waiting for me when I got back to my apartment and shortly after that we were engaged again. I remember calling my parents to tell them it was on again and being surprised that they were rather ho hum about it. Kind of, "Right, let us know when you are really serious." Well, this time we were and married on May 1, 1974.

Fast forward: Chris asked Morgan Frazer to go to the annual 4th of July Mormon Choral concert. They dated during the summer and then went their separate ways. Periodically they would reconnect and then again part ways. So when Chris told us he was dating Morgan this fall we were rather ho hum about it. Chris tried to prepare me first when he told me that things were going really well with Morgan. Oh sure I thought. And then when he added that he thought he would ask her to marry him, you go boy I thought!! So when I found out that he had actually asked her I was just a little surprised. I guess I just didn't believe that he would really follow through this time. Well, follow through he did and now we are excitedly anticipating a March 21, 2009 wedding in the Salt Lake Temple. Someone told me once, "you know, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!" Go figure!!

Boston Harbor

I made a list of everything I wanted to see and do while we were in Boston. And by the end of the trip I was able to check everything off the list. Some of the things though were by surprise or accident. I had given up on Mike's Bakery but then we were walking the Freedom Trail and there was Mike's Bakery, right on our way. Delicious surprise I might add. The final unaccomplished item on my list was Boston Harbor and I had given up on that since we had to leave on Saturday night and it appeared that we just wouldn't have enough time. Oh well, I thought. We spent the day on Saturday walking the Freedom Trail, visiting historical sites, and finally eating pizza at a hole in the wall that Jere frequents whenever he is there. (I might add that the wait staff consisted of little old men, probably friends of the owner, looking like they had gotten up from watching tv in their shorts and t shirts and had just headed right off to work. I noticed one of them polishing the silverware with his t shirt before putting it on a table, and my water tasted faintly like rootbeer, maybe, probably the glass wasn't clean in the first place!!)

After dinner we headed to the airport, in plenty of time I might add. We turned in the rental car and rode the bus to the terminal. Funny thing, neither of our tickets seemed to be working. And when the ticket agent checked them she informed us that we had missed the flight by several, three, hours. She was very kind, booked us on a flight the next morning, got us a distressed rate at the airport Hilton, and sent us on our way. The Hilton was beautiful and can you believe it, overlooked Boston Harbor. In fact our room had windows that looked right out on the harbor. So I took night pictures. When we got up the next morning fog had blanketed the city. We watched it settle and then lift and then settle and then lift, absolutely beautiful!! I did think about the Boston Tea Party and imagined what the environmentalists would say and do if it were to occur today!!

Visiting New Hampshire

We drove up to Milford, New Hampshire where dad spent some of his growing up years. It was a fun little town, quite charming. We stopped at the town square and ate at the same diner that was there when dad lived there. We saw the house where he lived and walked across the street and into the woods to the "BIG ROCK" where he and his buddies used to play. Also saw the church where he had his first communion and went inside, it was beautiful. It's always interesting to step into the world of someone else. Sometimes it's hard to remember that there was a time when dad and I weren't together. And fun to try to visualize a little energetic boy running around, playing hard, and growing up!

More Boston Photos

I find that if I don't finish my comments when they are fresh it's just too hard to do it later. But some more Boston pictures. The Old South Church in the upper left corner, a huge crack was discovered in the wall of the church just when we were there. Mike's Pastry was recommended to us by many people. It was wonderful!! I just thought the Massachusetts State House was beautiful, lower left corner. And Boston wouldn't be complete without a visit to see Paul Reverek and the Old North Church, lower right corner. There are too many more photos to blog. It was a great trip and I'd love to go back!!

Fascinating Headstones

I was really interested in the carvings on the headstones. Some of them are coates of arms but many were rather macbre pictures of skulls, or skeletons, or what looked to me like angry angels or an angry God with and hour glass out of time. I know that death was not a very sweet experience for them. Although it was so common that I don't think people were very surprised by it either. I'll have to do more study about the engravings on th headstones but I just thought they were so interesting. Please note the one with the two angels, one awake and the other asleep. And of course the spelling was very different, I didn't include much but a little. (Click on the collage and it should enlarge so you can see it better.)

Boston's Mother Goose

First I thought the dates were most interesting and then the name, Mary Goose, caught my attention. But when I read in the guide book I found out a little more about Mary Goose.

Boston Visit - 1st Installment

We had a great time in Boston!! As you probably know I love visiting cemeteries and there were two very close to our hotel. It is so interesting to see death dates all the way back to the mid 1700s. The first cemetery is the Granary Burial Ground. Lots of headstones and very close together. I wondered if the people below liked being so close to their neighbors! Notice also the podium, rather convenient for preaching a funeral sermon. This cemetery was especially interesting because it is the burial place of John Lathrop who is one of our rather notable ancestors. There are many famous people who are also descendents of John Lathrop, including Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, George and Mitt Romney, and Joseph Smith. I looked a little for his headstone but I could have spent days reading each one trying to find him so I gave up. His name is the last one on the brass placque on the main gate.

As you can read on this monument, John Hancock is one of the notable people buried here.

As well as the Franklin family, Benjamin, his wife, some of his children and his parents.

Branson Thanksgiving - Oh the Joy!!

It's hard to believe that going to Branson could create such joy in the hearts of parents and children and yet here it is, proof positive. Although if you look closely you will notice that one of the joyful participants seems to be a little more concerned about landing his jump safely than about the fun day ahead!!

Branson Thanksgiving

We went to see The Six. A group of six, no way, brothers who sing acapella. You'd swear they had instruments backing them up but they make all of those sounds with their voices. It was pretty amazing!! And even funny, Jere was nearly on the floor at one point!! Marc is an amazing photographer. I've been working and working and working with my camera and he takes it and starts pushing buttons, which is what he is always telling me to do, and ends up with some very artsy photos. At least he is willing to teach me what he just seems to be able to figure out on his own. So the black and whites are samples of his skill and talent and ability, I call it skilentility!!

The Pink Mini Van

Oh My!!! Now that's one pink car!! And notice the pink accent strip at the bottom. Makes you wonder about the folks who drive it!!

Thanksgiving Pirate Golf

After our great Italian Thanksgiving dinner, a first for us, we headed out for a quick game of mini golf at a Pirate themed golf course. I guess you can't really see much of the pirate theme but it was. We also found some interesting wild life, a walking stick. He was slowly, v e r y s l o w l y, walking down the sidewalk and fearing for his life Jere gave him a ride to safety. Pretty big fellow!! Notice Marc's glow in the dark shoes and Jere's special golf glasses, intended to aid in the finesse of the game!!

The tallest man!!

At first glance you may be wondering why I was taking a picture of a lady racing a wheelchaired woman out of the way. Well, I just didn't have enough time to wait. You see, this really tall man walked by and I scrambled to get his picture. So if you look past the running wheelchair pusher you'll see a very tall man just on the edge of the cement walkway. He must have been well over 7 feet. WOW!!

Branson Thanksgiving

We had to hit the Branson Landing. It's just next to the lake and is a fun place to shop. Can't believe we actually went there on BLACK FRIDAY!! It was busy but not too bad. And yes, that is Jere getting ready to head into the Bass Pro Shop, he doesn't fish! He left with a couple of pairs of pants though. Just as we were leaving the fire and fountain show started. No, that's not a series of bonfires, it's the fire and fountain show. Pretty spectacular!

Thanksgiving with the boys

After spending time in Branson we headed back to Arkansas. After a sumptuous Thanksgiving feast, although it was on Saturday not Thursday we headed out to see "The Lights on the Square." Second year in a row, I guess this is a tradition. They were beautiful and the weather wasn't too bad as you can tell. How about that Razorback done up in Christmas lights!! And sitting on a stone wall can be pretty cold. Check out the photo with Marc, Sean, and Eden and then guess who is feeling it the most. The darkest picture is a little hard to see but it's Marc sliding on the sidewalk. There was just a light mist and it was slick enough for him to slide nearly half the length of the block.

Beautiful way to end Thanksgiving!!

GRRRRRRR!!!!!!!

So, I've been sitting here for way too long, I won't even say that it's been at least 2 hours, trying to make a great collage for Christmas cards this year. First I selected the photos I wanted, made a collage and they were in a weird order. Start over (because I can't figure out how to change this even after reading about how to change this!!). Select the photos, make the collage, still in a weird order and I discover that unfortunately I've left someone out. Start over. Find a photo of the missing person. Spend a lot of time adding and deleting to make sure they are in just right the order. Whooppee, SUCCESS! Now I want to order the photos for my Christmas cards. Go to the site of my choice, get all the way to order my prints only to discover that they have cut off both sides in order to make them photo size. I try enlarging to 5 x 7s and then 8 x 10s (as if anyone wants our family photo in that size!) but it doesn't work. So I just try to print a copy thinking that I can do a cute letter and include a color copy, same problem, faces are cut in half. FRUSTRATION IS GROWING, GROWING, GROWING. I decide to try another site for prints, maybe someone local can print just one little picture and I can go in and pick it up to check. And then I discover a million other photos that have somehow ended up in my cart. Delete, delete, delete, this is taking way too long, goodbye other site. Try another site. Well, well, well, this one seems to be working. Yes, just one image, yes, it looks right, yes let me go to order my prints. NONONONONONONONONO - half faces again. HELP - I'm going for a walk with the viscious little dog in the photo only he's happy and it's my teeth that are showing and that growl you hear, yep, it's coming from me!!

Sunday

10 Memories of Sundays past:

1. Walking to Church - it was so close

2. Wanting to be a "door keeper" in Sunday School

3. Fabulous dinners with homemade rolls - mmmmmmmm. And the incredible smell in the house!!

4. Having the same dress, different color as one of my best friends

5. Playing the piano before going to church while the sun was streaming in through the front door

6. Watching the big boys, Deacons, pass the sacrament. I must have been really young!!

7. Making babies and a cradle out of my mom's "hankie"

8. Going to Sacrament meeting in the evening. The windows were open to allow the evening breeze to cool the chapel and we could hear the night sounds from outside. Lovely!!

9. The day the organist marched, MARCHED, down to the row where her noisy daughter was sitting, grabbing her by the ear, and marched, MARCHED, her back up to sit in the choir seats.

10. And weirdly, after walking home from Church sitting with my feet, which had developed blisters which had broken and then bled, in a sink full of cool water. I could not get my socks off until I had done this. I don't remember any pain though, just annoying!

10 Things I love about Sunday:

1. A day of rest, I don't have to go to the store or do yard work or do laundry or do anything work related! And I don't have to feel guilty because it is a commandment!

2. Spiritual rejuvination, so needed!!

3. Being with friends and sometimes even family - lovely!!

4. A fabulous dinner and since I love to cook I never mind fixing it!

5. Singing hymns except when the organist plays them tooooooooo slow.

6. The quiet and solitude - it wasn't always this way though. Little children have a way of changing quiet and solitude and teenagers are even more proficient at it!

7. The weather almost always seems to be beautiful.

8. Thinking about things that are most important.

9. The opportunity to help others.

10. Phone calls to family, catching up.

Disclaimer: The photo is of the Salt Lake Temple.

Will anyone know I was here?

As I was walking Mr. Bear today I couldn't help but notice that he is very intent on leaving his mark on the world. In fact, sometimes I have a hard time encouraging him to move along. There are just so many spots to "address." And it made me wonder if I have left my own mark on the world. Oh certainly not in the way that Mr. Bear does it!! That wouldn't do at all. But I do wonder from time to time if people will come along after me and know that I was there, that somehow I made a difference.

People are Strange!!

The other day I was in Hobby Lobby, I like it because among other reasons they play hymns as background music - nothing like buying scrapbooking supplies to "How Great Thou Art" played on the steel drums : - anyway, I walked past a very pretty woman. It was her eyes that really caught my attention but as I thought about her eyes I suddenly realized that she also had hot pink hair!! It could have been a wig (or not) but it was definitely HOT PINK!!

I resisted the urge to turn around for a second look. I have done that before and have either gotten a comment such as, "What are you looking at?" or rolled eyes or some sort of negative response. So I just kept walking. But I was thinking about the fact that some people wear the strangest things, or choose very unusual hair styles or colors, or put earrings in places that make you want to clean them up a bit (ie. the nose ring) or have tatoos that - well, just really, really catch your attention! And then when you give that particular item your attention they act like you are the rudest person in the world or worse than that they challenge you for noticing - as if you could help but notice!! And the thing that is even stranger, they act as though they are the most normal looking person you would even run across.

But the one that I will never forget, I mean it caught my attention in a way that nothing every has, was a man in WalMart. He was pretty chubby, okay he was way big in the stomach area. And he had his shirt pulled up to just under his arms exposing his rotund belly and nearly his entire chest. I guess it must have been a very hot day although the store had great air conditioning. I couldn't help but check him out twice as I tried my best to figure out if he just didn't notice that his shirt was pulled up to his arm pits or if he actually intended to expose himself, and I mean EXPOSE himself. And all I can say is it was a very very very very ugly sight, shocking, disgusting, gross, unbelievable, etc. etc, etc. And the really sad thing was his wife was shopping with him and acting as if this was the most normal thing in the world!!

SLEEPY TIME

I almost forgot to write today but now it's 11:20 and I'm so tired so it's bedtime for me. But I will just say a couple of things first, I am so thankful for my blessings and especially for my Heavenly Father who blesses me with answers when I need them the most. Answers that I would never have thought of on my own but at this moment seem to be exactly the right thing to do.

"The Lord is my light, then why should I fear?
By day and by night, His presence is near.
He is my Redeemer, from sorrow and sin.
This blessed assurance His Spirit doth bring."

the RED purse

When I was little I really didn't have a favorite color. Whenever anyone would ask me I'd think and think and would usually end up saying that I liked all colors. I'm not sure why, maybe I just didn't want any of the colors to feel left out. Then one day, and it was only a few years ago so I've had a long time to think this over, I KNEW which color I liked the very best. I'm not sure what made me decide. Maybe it was a boiled wool jacket that I bought. Or it could have been when I BOLDLY painted my kitchen (I should add, thanks to my daughter and her wonderful bathroom of the same color). It could have been the coat that I saw at Wal Mart and loved so much. I have received so many compliments on it that I won't EVER get rid of it. Possibly it was when I went to a junk sale and bought three huge enamel ware cups with lids, MY FAVORITE COLOR AGAIN. Well whatever it was I knew which color was the best in the whole world. I loved it because it went with every holiday. And I loved it because it made me happy and warm and comfortable. I loved it because it was spicy and delicious. I loved it because it was bold and when I wore it I felt powerful and in charge. Now I would be the first to agree that too much of one color is a very bad thing so I've tried to limit it to just wonderful accents. There are times though that I probably go a little, or maybe a lot, overboard but ------------ as one of my sons would say, "that's okay!!"

So now the dilemma has been to find a new purse. I had a garage sale and my favorite purse found it's way onto a woman's arm. It rode around with her as she checked out all of my wares and as I looked at her I thought she looked very smart. I almost decided to tell her, "No sale, that purse has to stay with me!" But in the end I understood that it was time that my purse and I had to part company. (Let me tell you though, it was a steal! I should have charged twice the price. And I just hope that purse is as happy with her as I am sure it was with me!)

So fall has come and the purse I had been using just didn't work anymore. I looked high and low for something wonderful. And what I found was just not wonderful enough. I had my check list: 1. it had to be a deal (expensive looking or actually but cheap), 2. it had to impress me as being fabulous, 3. it had to be roomy but not too large, 4. it had to look like genuine whatever it was, and 4. well, it would be best if it was my color but I was willing to consider other contenders, I seriously considered a yellow purse, looked for silver, and although I don't like purple I thought about that too! I looked at several stores several times in a row and found nothing, NOTHING. So the other day I was returning my most recent disappointment and decided to stop in at TJ Maxx just in case, although I had been there many times and they just didn't have anything, I mean nothing at all that even tempted me to test drive it on my arm. But, low and behold, to my absolute astonishment, there it was. Just hanging there looking at me. It tipped it's handles and winked a little. I walked over, took it off it's hook, and placed it on my arm and I felt just like Cinderella with the glass slipper. It fit. IT FIT!! I walked over to the mirror and checked out the total picture and man oh man it was good. And that was that. I marched right up to the check out and checked out. And we've been very happy ever since!

the post script - in a restaurant today a woman said to me, "Where did you get that purse?" "Oh I found it just the other day at TJ Maxx!" "Did they have any more?" "Well, yes, as a matter of fact they did. However, the TJ Maxx I was shopping at is in Arkansas (at that moment I was in Oklahoma City)." "Oh," she laughed a little sadly, "well, who is the designer, I might be able to find it on the internet." Now that is a sign to me that I have done the right thing!

I love fall

Fall is my favorite season. The days are warm but gently warm and the nights are crisp. The trees gradually change from deep green to yellow and orange and red and brown. And they are so beautiful. There is just something soft and golden about these autumn days. They are warm and comfortable and leave me feeling relaxed as though everything is just about to turn in for the night. A gradual and gentle drifting off to sleep.