Septembe 5, 2009. I am home all day so I wash the car despite rain clouds, put up sumer clothing despite 86 degree temperatures, cut out the drying lilies despite the green in their leaves and now I am watching Beauty and the Beast. Pretty good for a Sat. matinee and the next one is Sleeping Beauty. Tuesday I get a new lens in my right eye. I knew I was losing my sight but until I had my eyes tested, I didn't know how little I could really see. What's that top line?? that big, humongous line?? It just seems like a sheer curtain between me and my eye. I am glad Sheila hasn't run to Buffalo yet, but then Colleen would be here for me or maybe I could even ask Kay to spend the day at the Eye Institute. We all know how Gina is tied up all the time. There is one drawback. I just prophesied (that's a drawback in itself!) that Rachel would have her baby on Sept 8, the very same day! Thanks for tuning in!

I'm only worth 1/2 day in the high temp summer days! My 30 min walk now takes 45 minutes and although I felt great this morning and did just that, I went shopping for a printer/scanner so I could do something besides simply print and I wouldn't have to bother other people to do it! Before you can install it, you have to read a book, identify all the parts the instructions talk about, call yourself a new name (really???) and whimper a lot. Then maybe you can do it or maybe you have to ask for help to get the help you bought the printer/scanner FOR! Good thing I had Kay for a driver and advisor! Good thing I had Anna in #A to pack it in for me. So now I am happily a lot poorer and still don't have a scanner. No wonder I have lines on my face. They say the lines on your face tell a story. My story is written in hieroglyphics. I could get a face lift, but it would take a hoist and tackle. Imagine heavy equipment working on your face! We went to Laura's graduation and she was salutatorian! We went to the VIP evening for Deseret News Marathon people. Really nice and people said such wonderful things about Bob and I agree 100%. He is fun and he is kind and he knows his stuff. Also ran into a client of his who is looking to further his racing career and Scott Bringhurst, too! And guess who else was there? Kay and Samuel, me and Laura. She was super. Got through the lesson on adversity and now know a whole lot more about adversity. Glad it's over! Mom and g-mom unto the fourth generation. See ya later!

Home alone

I thought since Bob & Samuel were gone, Kay was gone, etc., I would stay home and post a blog. It's been about a year. Something must have occurred in that length of time! I've lost a sister-in-law and gained 2 g-grandchildren in the last little while and feel quite beleagured as though I had died and given birth twice myself--and not twins either! I haven't come to the end of my rope--if I do, I'll tie a knot in it and hang on for dear life. I noticed the other day in the Draper Temple, that the white temple books of scripture that the pages are gilded in silver and I remembered, too, that every cloud has a silver lining. The Economy has done a number on some in the family but trials and tribulations are often for our growth or for someone's growth who is watching us. The morality of the world and of our country bothers me as much or more. Liars, I scream at the TV, then subside into some semblance of repentance and take another look at my own character and soul growth! My family means a lot to me--it started when I was 18 months old and left at Grandma Caines' house for 1-1/2 yrs. I learned so much about love from her and from my bachelor uncle Dick and the brother that was married and had no children, Bob Caines. They were simply adoring but it didn't take long for Mom to teach me the real life and no more "happy valley" stuff for this 3 yr old. Wel, I'm regressing, but I knew from them how important family is and the various trials and experiences I lived through in the Family with "Nine Lives" taught me how much my parents cared about us, too. Hope this isn't boring, as I have no scanner to show you a small child and an old woman. Hip, hip hooray, no scanner to bore us either, eh?

My week off (and on)

Hi, I felt burned out on reading church films of records made in the 1850's and 60' so I convinced myself I needed to take some time off. There was so much I wanted to do. I weeded the little garden and actually walked again, but sort of bent over! By the end of the first day, I figured I could put myself in the hospital in no time! It was something when I climbed up on a chair (feat in itself), took down the sheers, removed all their hardware, washed them, got them dried without wrinkles in them, and then wrinkled 'em putting them back up. Other than having more hooks than eyes, I managed that without falling, washed windows and blinds, and had more aches and pains everyday, but didn't land in the hospital like I usualy do when I vary from the Big Routine.

The twins and I took Kay to Mueller Park on the Wasatch Forest. Wow, what a wonderful thing it turned out to be! A picnic??? pink box lunches tied with pink net. The pink net ended up on Kay's head (tied like a flapper's) and on Sheila's tied like Snow White, around my neck (hubba, hubba like the 50's) and around Colleen's like a graduate's colors. The little stream gurgled and murmured soothing little bubbles, the birds were a whisper of a song in the treetops, the horizon was rough with occasional pines showing and some shape of mountains topped with a very blue sky. It was wonderful walking in the open and simply enjoying the peace. Of course, I hadn't seen The Good, the Bad and the Grizzly movie yet!

Then I was leaning on Sheila's red car and noticed it was dusty. I had washed my car the day before and I said brightly, "I just washed this car yesterday and look at it!" There was a startled silence and I realized what I had said. Kay mumbled to herself sort of, "I didn't know you washed Sheila's cars now!" Well, we had a good laugh over that though I felt pretty foolish.

The week is almost over and I'm surviving. Rachel, Kathy Hyde is taking good care of my hair and she is a very sweet lady. Of course, I miss you though and the atmosphere at the Brickyard Plaza.

crazy--for loving you

Well, anyway, I read the Shawmoments this morning and wanted desperately to comment and couldn't find on their blog where comments are accepted! Comments to you: Toronto one week and dental school the next. Rachel, I have never seen you so happy and Doug isn't hurting either unless his acrobatics did him in. Very interesting and creative to the utmost. I am not working next week, so I awoke with a ton of energy and by 9:30 a.m. had managed to hurt my back, nearly fall off a chair, left the vacuuming while I made phone calls and recuperated. Decided my sheers in the livingroom are filthy, but I will take care of them Monday (take them down anyway) and put them back up Tuesday. Can't do both in one day!

I guess Hailey comes home today and that they are ready for her. Little Natalie Pace fell out of the Moving Truck this week and got a concussion, unconscious, falling asleep when you try to keep her awake and the whole nine yards.

My calendar is still like the scripture: my cup runneth over. A friend of mine and I went to Zinn Bistro last week and took the sisters to Marie Callendar's for pie and was sort of worried that I had spent so much; the next day I found a $20 bill when I was out walking!

My cousin wants original pictures of the Harry and Jane Ashwill family and he is a perfectionist, so undaunted I am half way there for him. Might have to check Sheila's list of images for the rest. This is my work and my story!

Observances

Driving home from the COB today about 12:30, it seemed to me every driver was a woman with her hair blown back (they all looked like the hood ornament on a 50's pontiac!) I figure the women are out doing all those miserable little chores, taking up their lunch hour, managing a job and a home and their men-- their courageous husbands--are much too wise to spend their lunchtime arguing with bill collectors, etc. In the 50's Pontiac had a hood ornament that looked like a flying woman with her hair blown back. I got a chuckle out of it, but I would have been happier if I could have drawn it.

I'm concerned that there has been a rash of single engine plane wrecks and wonder if it has something to do with the price of gas. Have plane owners/pilots found a way to get greater mileage out of their cessna's? and somehow the gas causes the engines to fail? is this possible? In two weeks, two plane crashes in Utah, two planes collided in Wyoming skies, a huge SPAINAIR plane crashed on takeoff. It seems to fit the gasoline/economic crises we are in right now. Ali can testify a plane wreck is soul shocking!

I had a thought the other night watching Lawrence Welk's champagne music. When the dancer dies, does the rhythm cease? When the singer dies, does the song die, too?! Well, I can't keep my feet still when the music starts even now. I love your blogs and the wonderful pictures of my great looking family. Trevor and Whitney are getting their new home liveable; Lexi is moved into her dorm; Bri and Brad are very comfortable in Mapleton and Makaela started school today. Isaac Wood can read his Cambodian scriptural verse within 3 seconds now! Little Hailey Madsen is still in the Hospital, but she is stronger everyday, according to her grandma, Sheila!

I got this horrible shock on Tuesday 8/19 when I saw my face in raw sunlight! AyYai, should I end it all!!!

matriarchal notes

Thursday, July 24th! No temple going today. Thursday is my day. Floats are parading through the streets of SL, people are clustered along the sidewalks, temperature at 82 degrees. not too bad for a marathon, etc. Picked up a few remarks from Bob Wood on the Mormon Times racing team and even caught a few runners on CH 2 this morning. Parading Tongans and Samoans are loud and full of strong body language. One thing on my mind today is also something I heard yesterday and that is that Mayor Becket is up for an evaluation--he's been in 6 months and what are they going to evaluate? Maybe he washes windows for career women or is planning to send a large quota of Mormons to the Moon! Sheila, Laura and I are going to Saratoga Springs to the Sessions' luau today. We're looking forward to it I walked my 30 minute walk that now takes 45 minutes! Took a bottle of cold orange juice to Judy Evans who has had both knees operated on, washed, ironed and took on the holiday. My neighborn hosed down the entryway and filled my walking shoes with water. We do-gooders DO GOOD!!