The many faces of the lovely Miss Ella! (at least some of them!)

Our sweet Ella is 15 today!  Can you believe it?  She loves to dance and sing!

 

And she likes to sew!

 

She still loves a Grandpa Bob story too.

 

She gets prettier and smarter and more talented every year - and is still the lovely girl we've always known!

Have a great day - and a great year ahead!!

Friday Night at the Movies - Stay-at-home style!

It was "stay-at-home" night at the old homestead - and after the Dodger game we "took in a flick!"  This was a pretty good film - well done for the most part.  Sometimes it "dragged" and you weren't quite sure what was going on , but for the most part it was tense and suspenseful.

Once again I am convinced that war is awful and futile - but that doesn't seem to change much!

The Best Days!

Melanie Wilkes, in Gone With the Wind, says that the best days are the days when babies are born.  And they are.  But the best days are also when people you love and care about get married.  Or when you accomplish a difficult task.  Or when you find serendipity.   Or when you get to hang out with old friends who add a special dimension to your life and memories.

Today was just such a day.  Susan was in town for the GHHS reunion - that none of us but Susan attended!  But she gave us a good report.  And really there were only one or two guys from our class who even attended - Susan's husband was in the Spring class - we were the winter class - so we were pleased just to have an excuse to gather once more for food and great conversation!

Ever since the 20 year reunion - when Carol and I re-connected - I have enjoyed the frequent get togethers we have enjoyed.  When someone from out of state is in town, we gather - so the group changes often, but the purpose is there and spirit of friendship and camaraderie doesn't change.

I cannot say enough good things about the joy and satisfaction that comes from knowing that a group of people in this world - who have known you for a lot of years - is as happy as you are to join for a time, to break bread together, and to share love and experiences!

Now that is what makes "the best days!"

 

The good spirit of the day continued with a birthday dinner and celebration for Marjorie.  It was fun to find myself included with "the Golden Girls."  I feel like I've reached a milestone!!

 

Of course the grandchildren and the dogs added their own element of activity to the occasion.

 

Miss Isla is growing up all too quickly it seems!

 

And the crowd gathered to sing and celebrate Marjorie's special day.

 

Now we are waiting for Baby Boy Terrill to join us so we can celebrate some more!

Stay tuned!

Where do these ideas come from anyway??

In my time, I have seen lots of crafty Mormon fads come and go - starting with resin grapes I think!!  When I lived in Utah, I was especially prone to indulge in the latest craft to make.  This habit was aided and abetted by Homemaking nights held monthly in most wards.

Some of them have become family heirlooms - think of Phoebe's cloth Pumpkin Trick or Treat bag, or the jeweled Christmas tree, or the batting snowman and snowlady - which I actually got rid of one year.

Well, once there was a fad called make yourself a robe/dressing gown/dress/beach coverup  made from three towels - one for the front, one for the back and one for the bodice.  I think Roseann introduced the fad into our family.

I will say this, it was comfortable - and it washed up nicely!

"We'll remember always, graduation day . . ."

I graduated from high school 50 years ago - and attended a 20 year reunion 30 years ago.  It was not an entirely satisfactory event - Joy had come from SLC for the event, and it just didn't live up to the hype.  The best thing about it was re-connecting with my school chum Carol - and now we've stayed connected for the last 30 years.

So I was conflicted about attending the 50th reunion - ultimately decided not to go - but on Sunday I am having lunch here at my house with 5 of my high school chums.

It will definitely be a satisfactory event - we get together often now - beats an expensive night at a hotel dinner!

Home, Sweet, Home!

Many years ago - when we still lived in Salt Lake City in fact - I got the addresses of all the houses my dad had lived in as a boy growing up.  I went around and took photos and made my dad a photo cube with all the pictures.  The photo cube is still at my mom's house!!

I'm not sure I could do the same for our homes.  I could tell you where they were, but I don't even remember the addresses of all of them.  So when Dad and I saw this in the pile of slides, we were both tickled - maybe as pink as the shutters!!

The address was 525 South 10th East.  Next door was a large condo complex where many general authorities lived.  For all I know, general authorities may live there still!  We moved in when Bonny was about 8 or 9 months old.  Our cat Amado disappeared, was returned, and disappeared again from this house.

Harry was born when we lived here.  Leslie and David came in the summertime and spent a couple of weeks with us.  We finally admitted that we were through with school and began attending a regular ward.  I did a lot of canning here, taught myself to crochet, and sewed up a storm.

Harry had a room for studying in - he also did some "art" there as he fiddled around with making wood blocks for printing our own Christmas cards.  I converted the front closet into a sewing nook.  I got to know Janice Rowley - who lived behind our back yard - and her friend Elizabeth - who came out to meet me because she kept hearing me call "Elizabeth" when I was calling our cat!

This is where we acquired "The Bus From Chicago" at the local grocery store!!  And where our neighbor Kay introduced us to "The Carrot Seed."

Lots of good memories to be found at 5th South and 10th East!!

A snapshot of motherhood

Funny how photos and other features can evoke completely a time and a place.  I am in the rocker - in my nightgown - and I am holding the very young infant Noah.  Hannah is standing by me with a bib around her neck - not sure if she's just eaten or if she wants to eat.  She was 21 months when Noah was born, so she's a youngster.

I was an "old" mother - 42 when Noah was born.  I'd been through 5 other infants - and Bonny was almost 17, so I had a lot of  help.  But I do remember feeling sometimes like maybe this was for younger women!!

I remember feeding Noah one night - it was close to midnight - and he'd just fallen asleep - and Bonny came in from a date or a stake dance or something.  Of course I wanted to hear her report.  I also wanted to go to sleep.

Choices - what happens when we choose to have kids!

(By the way, I'm certainly glad I "chose" to have all of our children!!  Wouldn't trade any of it!)

It's all about the headgear!!

Love this shot of my mom and dad at her CSUN graduation in 1988.  I don't recall ever seeing my dad in that hat - he usually just wore baseball caps.

A fashion side of which I was not aware!!

Agnes Marietta Busath

My mother says this photo of Agnes Busath was taken before she was married - probably a high school photo.

For all my growing up years, I was always told there were no photos of my father's mother.  The truth was, there were photos, but my dad didn't have any of them - and apparently he didn't ask for any.  Not sure why.  The rather slapdash way that photos were handled in my family probably has something to do with it.  Photos didn't seem to be important to him.

Since then, photos of her keep popping up all over the place.

And I'm trying to handle them carefully!!

What you find when you go looking!!

Went out to my mom's today - we went to church and then came  home for some of my Chicken Enchiladas - a fave of my mom's.  Mary was there too, so we had a nice visit.

 

We went hunting for an old family photo of my dad and his three brothers and two half siblings - it hung on the wall in my folks' bedroom for many years, but no one knows where it is now.

In the process of going through a very large box of photos, I found this gem - my mom with Lyn as a baby.  You can certainly see that Hannah resembles my mom, can't you??

 

This is a shot of my dad - he's the tall one - and my Uncle Byron is in the middle - Uncle Ted on the end.  There really are a lot of random photos of them.  I wonder who took them all?

I need to go out to Claremont and visit my Uncle Byron - he is the last link on these!!

Once again I admonish you all to label all photos!!!

Temple Square

The year Harry graduated from BYU - 1969 - Frances and family came up for the occasion.  One day we went to Temple Square.  And Harry must have brought along his camera!!

The dress is the second dress I ever made.  It came out pretty well - and I wore it lots.

A-line dresses were all the rage.  Back when I could safely wear an a-line!!

Jackie Kennedy and I loved them!

9/11

It's been 12 years since 9/11.  Like many others, I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I found out what happened.  Harry was listening to the radio and suddenly ran back to the T.V. room and turned on the television.  

When he called to me to come see, I was getting ready for school.  At first I thought he was having me see previews for a movie - but I couldn't figure out how such a movie appealed to him!

What I notice now is how the kids I teach only have a vague idea about 9/11.  None of them remembers it - they were all babies.  As I grow older,  I notice how certain anniversaries seem to be familiar to fewer and fewer people.

We truly need to never forget 9/11 - or November 22, 1963, or Pearl Harbor, or D-Day, or Hiroshima, or even the Boston Marathon Bombing.

We all need to keep the memories alive, so that the sacrifices will be truly appreciated and acknowledged - always!

St. George Days!

Last week's weather elicited more than one mention of St. George!!  Somehow a summer vacation at a condo complex with pools and a/c makes 110 plus weather a no-brainer!!

At least it's cooler this week!

This photo is from 1987.

The All-Inclusive Birthday Celebration!!

This week was Helen's 98th birthday, Eve's 11th birthday, and Harry F.'s 41st birthday.  So a little party was in order!!

 

Mom, Donna, Helen, Marjorie, and Noah joined us for Sunday dinner and some celebrating. Delicious beef stew, green salad, fruit with a special whipped accompaniment, and rolls preceded the cake and ice cream.  (Harry must still be a kid at heart, I would say!!)

 

Eve and Helen, birthday buddies discussing their shared event.

 

Dawn recording the event.

 

Everyone was in fine form, and a wonderful time was had by all!!

Happy Day to Harry F!!

The vast collection of digitized slides we got recently certainly had a plethora of backpacking shots - many of which included Harry - and Dad.

 

There were lots of Buttermilk Biscuit tee shirts in evidence - and UCLA shirts too.  Ditto for KCRW.

 

Dad says Harry was a good fisherman.

 

And he was certainly tow-headed!

 

A fan of the engineer hats too.

 

The landscape looks barren to me,  but Dad and Harry thinks it's paradise!

 

They were some great years - and great adventures too.

 

The obligatory basketball shot - Harry says he was about 2 inches off the ground!!

Happy day to Harry - his days are not spent backpacking or playing basketball anymore - but he is certainly gainfully occupied as a wonderful husband, dad, counselor, son, and friend!!

Have a great day - and wonderful year ahead!!

A Birthday Mix!!

September 4th is a red-letter day - it's Eve's 11th birthday - here she is a few years ago - I took a photo today and thought I'd post it - but it's hiding somewhere.  I thought I had that snag taken care of - but occasionally the photos bury themselves in the oddest places!!  When I find them, I will post about our very fun Grandma's Birthday Sleepover this weekend!!

Until then - happy day to Eve!!

 

And of course it's Helen's 98th birthday!!  Talk about a red-letter day!!  I posted this because it's one of the few shots I have of her alone.  A great lady - one who continues to amaze us all!!

Happy day to your Helen - and many more!!

 

And every shot I have of Andrew seems to include Noah - and it's Andrew's 26ht birthday day today!!  Happy day to Andrew too!!

As Sheriff John used to say, "Put another candle on the birthday cake, a birthday wish I'm gonna make,  so put another candle on the birthday cake, I'm another year old today!"

Happy September 4th to a trio of great folks!!

Happy Birthday Bill!

I don't seem to have any photos just of Bill, so this will have to do - if you can't tell, he's the one in the striped sweater!!

Today is Bill's birthday - and many years he has celebrated on Labor Day!

Today was one of those days!!

Have a great year ahead too!