Watching Trains and Taking Pictures

            Jenna had taken an art class last week. We’ve been taking TRAX of course.  It’s funny about that form of transportation.  Streetcars could be seen in downtown Salt Lake back in the late 30s.  I don’t know when the city decided to rip all the rail lines out.  So many changes have taken place through the years.

For over half a century the streetcars and rails had been done away with in downtown Salt Lake. The garage that had been used to house the trolleys has since been turned into a shopping center.

Meanwhile the rails have been re-dotting the Salt Lake map for the last two decades. Some existed from when the Union Pacific was built (I think) but most have been added by Utah Transit Authority.

The Union Pacific Building gradually changed from cargo trains to Amtrax.  (I remember having gone to it a few times to meet my grandma) The building  is now the entrance to Gateway Mall.  

For the most part we had come home as soon as class was over, but on Thursday we had gone out to see my sister and her kids.  Roland works late on Thursdays and so I am never in a hurry to go home. 

Jenna and I had been reading a book and had neared the end.  I asked her if we could finish up at the library and turn the book in.  On our way to the train Jenna felt the need to play in the water and I felt the need to take pictures. 

Jenna took this picture of me in front of two dead trains.  That really is the end of the line – though the tracks are a couple of yards from where the train station is located.  Trains don’t generally go that far.  In fact, I hadn’t ever seen trains behind the sign until the past year or so.

            Trains had pulled into the station announcing, “End of the Line – as far as we go” and then would remain stopped for 15 minutes – which was kind of nice.  But now the train stays four minutes max before it pulls out again – which I think would make it more convenient for UTA – but as a passenger I think I preferred the 15 minute stopover.  But I do think it is less costly for UTA to just leave and not stop for 15 minutes.  But that is just a guess on my part.

            I have seen up to three cars on a blue line train (the first UTA train line that was created) but it has always been just two on the green line.  I have never seen three nor have I seen just only one – until shortly after the above picture was taken.

            Jenna was playing in the fountains and drenching herself while I watched the train cars pulling in and out of the station. I noticed a single car on the opposite side of where we usually catch it.  I thought since there was only one car that it would be pulled into the spot behind where I stood (where the dead trains were parked).

            A two car train pulled in – or perhaps there were three. I hadn’t counted.  I had told Jenna that the train was coming. Just then Roland called and offered to come get us – which thrilled Jenna to no end as it gave her more time to play in the water.  She should have been a mermaid.  

Because Roland said that he would come and meet us, we had no reason to walk to the train. I was surprised to see the longer of the two trains (the one we would have walked toward) pull around and head to where the dead trains were.  I heard a voice announce that the green line train would be departing and watched passengers board the single car before it departed out onto the street. 

            “How weird,” I thought. I’ve never seen a single car with passengers.  But than again, I don’t generally ride nor watch the trains that late.

            The two or three car train that had gone toward the dead trains was heading back to the station – this time with five cars attached.  I’ve never seen five cars attached to a UTA train – ever.  I tried to get a picture, but could not manage all five cars in just one frame.  

            Jenna had moved herself from the fountain stairs to the mechanical river – which was actually closer to the library where Roland said he would meet us.  The final dead car pulled out around about 8:00 or so.  We should have been home already.  I have never hung around Fairbourne that late and don’t know if it’s a regular routine or if I was seeing something out of the ordinary.  I know the trains run later than 8:00.  Perhaps as it was getting later, only single cars were needed and that the rest had been returned to the train yard or the garage.

 

            Perhaps on Monday we will collect Jenna’s cousins and take them to Fairbourne to play in the fountain for a while.  I will have to tell Kayla to put their swim wear on beneath their clothes so that they are somewhat dry for the return home.  That is generally when Gary goes to sleep.  And sometimes Anna, too.

Who Would Have Thunk?

 

          

            My shed is in disarray and I know that I have shorts in there somewhere.  I don’t know where.  I’ve been searching for a nice day in which to organize and dejunk (there are tons of items that really should be trashed)

            I need a time that’s not too hot and not too cold.  Mornings are good – if I can find the ambition.  It usually takes me longer to wake up and by the time I get dressed and think of it, it is time for Jenna and I to leave.

            She’s taking an art class downtown.  I’m always so hot between bus stops and the train.  The bus has been running late due to construction.  (Utah roads are ALWAYS under construction during the months that aren't winter) It should still come within twenty minutes, I would think, regardless.  But there have been 30-40 minute delays.  That is a long time in the cold or the heat.

  The A/C has been on full blast every night for two weeks for two weeks before Fathers’ Day. Last night I had the heater on.  What’s up with that?

            Monday was cold when we left the house.  She wanted to walk up to TRAX to start out with – forget the bus.  I can’t believe June in halfway over and we were wearing sweatshirts.  Underneath I was dressed in pink and green.  I must have looked like rainbow sherbet.

            I don’t know what possessed me to wear such nice clothes when I’d be near paint.  Fortunately I was able to keep my clothes clean and dressed down yesterday and today.

            Yesterday was overcast.  I took my umbrella.  It was cold.  It was wet.  God watered my lawn.  I truly appreciate that.  The water pressure in my neighborhood is very poor – even more so than last year.  Watering my lawn would take four hours or so – and it’s NOT because I have a big yard.  The pressure is so low that the water has to be moved by hand in order to water the entire lawn.

            I had left Highness outside.  He didn’t appear to take shelter.  We dried him off and moved him near the fireplace and provided some heat for him.  Poor dog has got a cold.

            The sun is shining now.  The forecast said it would be cold still.  Summer officially starts next week and we’ve had early November chills to deal with.  I just don’t get Mother Nature.  Is she angry?

Ugly Ties for Fathers' Day

     A wish for my

 dad and husband

 on   Fathers’   Day

 Here’s to all those  

     ties  -   my dad

     always wanted

         something

           practical

       like  socks.  I

 thought giving socks

 as  a  gift  was  very

boring!  Even ties were

boring.  And yet I managed

to  give  him  at  least  one

  every year.  When Jenna

   and I were looking for a

    gift to give to Roland,

    I had suggested socks.

        Jenna thought that

        would be boring.  I

         laughed.  It’s what

            he  needs  but  I

             definitely under-

               stood.  We did

                  not get a tie.

                     Happy

                      Fathers’ 

                         Day!

Two Hours is Too Long

On the day that my oldest nephew was married

Jenna and I had lunch and played in the park

with my youngest niece and her brother

who used to be the youngest

but another brother will be born

I’m guessing in July. 

Kayla’s due date is August 2^nd

but she looks like

she’s ready to pop

any minute.

We both believe that B.J. is on his side.

Kayla says he moves around

much more than the other two

Anna and Garrett (we call him Gary)

are replicas of their mother

at least they LOOK like Kayla

I bet their brother looks like Bill

and has Bill’s personality.

Hence my nickname for him –

B.J. = Bill Junior

Today we could not meet in the park for lunch. 

This afternoon

Jenna and I took a bus out to their house

and took them back to the same bus stop

and rode to the next TRAX station

where we boarded the train

Gary was especially awed

by this new sensation.

We took the train back to

where Jenna and I had started out. 

The kids played in the fountain

while we waited

for the bus to come.

We boarded the bus that took us

back to their house.

We had completed a wide circle.

Too wide.  They were tired.

I should have taken pictures

of them sleeping

on the bus.

Next time we will have to

choose another route

and spend only an hour

and a half on the wonder

of UTA –

perhaps just bus and

Fairbourne station

and not do the train.

I think all three

would rather play

in the water than to

ride the train again.

Spending Time With My Nephew and Niece

I have mentioned in earlier posts that my sister, Kayla, is expecting her third child.  Her eldest, Anna, will be four in the first week of July.  Garrett turned two in February and B.J. will be born in August. As a result, Jenna and I have been going out to assist at least a few hours each day.  

This past Wednesday and Thursday we had made arrangements to meet the kids at the park nearest Jenna’s school.  There is a park closer to where they live, but the bus doesn’t go by the park, and I don’t particularly wish to cross the street with the two children in order to get to the park.  So Bill has dropped them off at the other park.  We can make the return trip on the bus without crossing the street.

So on Wednesday, Bill stood in line with them to get their lunch and then he took off.  After Jenna, Anna and Gary played for a while, we got on the bus to take my niece and nephew back to their mom.  The kids were delighted with being able to ride the bus. 

We made our first transfer at the college.  There are two buses that we can transfer to and so will take whichever one comes first.  We waited for only two or three minutes.  With our last transfer we did not have to wait at all.  A ski bus is used for that particular route – though it makes me wonder what bus is used during the ski season?

The front seats are designated for wheel chairs (should said passengers come aboard).  I told Anna to continue to the back of the bus and climb the stairs.  Jenna taught Anna to flirt with the passenger seated across from them.  Gary fell asleep.  I was so beat by the time we got to Kayla’s.  Jenna and I waited for an hour and a half before we got back on the bus.

Roland stayed home yesterday.  I braved it and drove the car.  Bill arrived at the park earlier than expected.  He decided that he would eat lunch with his children.  After transferring his car seats to my car, he got in line with the three kids and purchased himself a lunch as well. 

He thought his two children would be very disappointed that we were not taking the bus, but they didn’t seem to notice.  None of us seemed to be hungry and didn’t eat as much – except for Bill who wolfed down two hot dogs and juice and left to go to work.

Jenna and the other two played in the sand before Anna started wandering and started acting tired.  I took them all back to Kayla’s house and told Kayla that we wouldn’t be able to do lunch today, but that maybe I could collect them and we could ride the bus and train just to give them an adventure.

Baking Soda is Fantastic!

I have actually used baking soda as a cleaner, a medicine, a laundry booster, and perhaps a third of the suggestions listed here and here but my absolute favorite miracle (which I did not see listed) is that in addition to grease spots and stubborn stains, it also works on scorch marks and burns.

In the past, when I have burned a pot beyond recognition (usually my fire is too high) I have just thrown it away.  But the other day, I was boiling some water on high.  I excused myself to visit the bathroom and just forgot to come back.  I wish I would have done before and after pictures.  It was so truly amazing that I was able to save a pan that had been on the expensive side.

I was steaming corn – which by the way turned out really succulent and tasted great – when I realized that I had forgotten to turn it down.  The bottom of my pan glowed red along with the burner.  I thought that the fire had burnt a hole through the pan and that I would have to throw it away.  Baking soda to the rescue!

                                                                               actually did not look quite this bad

I thought I had filled to the burn mark.  But apparently not.  The pan was hot!  Even the plastic handles were hot (but fortunately not melted) and I took it outside and left it until late yesterday morning. 

Strange thing though, I poured vinegar on it to watch it bubble.  But it made the baking soda harden.  And it was hot to the touch.  Never had that happen. But I found I could use the hardened baking soda like a wonder eraser.  And then I scoured out what I could from the sides.

Okay, it’s not in factory new condition, but at least it’s useable.  And I am happy that my pan and colander have been saved!  Thanks to the miracles of baking soda.  Thank you Google for giving me that suggestion!

Loaded Paintbrushes and the Rest of the Story

After we had purchased the house

Roland put the boys to work

painting the trim red.

That was seven years ago.

Time to paint again.

Randy needs money

and Roland puts all three boys to work

and says he’ll pay them 100 dollars each

as soon as the work is done.

The instructions are fairly simple: 

Everything that is red needs to be painted over in green,

everything that’s white needs to be repainted white.

Biff was the first to show.

He works graveyard and comes

straight from his job

though two weeks ago

I think he went to the gym before coming here

Roland had to work that day

and so I had told Tony that he could be in charge

I didn’t want Randy to be in charge

because most of the time

he doesn’t even know what he’s doing

as he has managed to disappear

each time Roland taught the boys a trade

Randy appears to be genuine about helping

or at least that was the case two weeks ago

But he loaded the paintbrush

so that it dripped onto the cement below.

I know that’s not how Roland taught him

but listening has never been his greatest skill.

I am so grateful that he hadn’t tried painting Jenna’s room

Otherwise she’d have blue splotches all over her floor

not to mention we would have run out of paint

before all of the walls were finished

We put Randy in charge of moving the lawn.

All three boys showed up the week before last.

When Tony and Biff both took off

Randy continued to work

and may have finished

except for we ran out of green

Of course none of us were here last week

as Jenna had her 5K.  

That was the first morning

since Tony’s been married

that I remember him showing up on time.

Roland wants the job done ASAP

It’s taking too long.

He hired some other people to finish the job.

They didn’t finish.

They said they’ll be back on Monday.

Roland wants the job done NOW

so yesterday  Biff and Tony showed up

(Randy is out of town)

More got done.

It isn’t finished though.

There is more red trim to paint green

Jenna’s old room needed painting as well

After Biff and Tony left for the day

Roland recruited me to help him paint

We put a light beige over the pink

in Jenna’s old room.

The wall came out a light tan.

I like the color.

After the room looked finished

(though there are still a lot of flaws)

Roland took the bed apart 

and leaned it against the wall.

He then drilled a hole into the floor

and went under the house

to change the cable.

There was a time in my life

when I had gone spelunking

with a large group

and actually had fun

exploring the cave

underground

It wasn’t until just before our exit

that I became freaked

at the very idea of the closure

and the "what if"s.

I have not been underground since.

Roland’s not at all fazed by the crawl space

but I am definitely having problems about it.

So he was in the crawl space and I was

over the hole that he drilled.

He could hear me. 

I could not hear him enough to

understand what he was saying to me

so I sent Jenna to stand over the crawlspace

and translate what Roland saying.

She hung upside down as she watched him.

The cables were too short and he and Jenna went to the store

to pick up a longer cable.

I tried to take a nap while they were gone

but my body was so sore that

I couldn’t relax.

I’ve never been eighty.

I’ve seen some 80 year olds who are quite healthy

and move like they’re twenty.

But I’ve seen more who seem hunched over

and have trouble walking

as though they are experiencing a shooting pain

with every step.

That is how I feel –

like the misshapen 80 year old

and every part of me hurts

even went I’m not moving

I couldn’t sleep

and so I turned on the television

to see if that might help

I flipped around until I landed on the BYU station

announcement is made that

“Granite Flats first episode is coming up next”

I hadn’t ever seen it. 

I started watching it although

I figured Roland and Jenna would return

before the program ended

and I still would not see it.

The doorbell rang

and I got up to answer the door.

Roland and Jenna were standing there with several packages

half of which were food

I helped them unload their bags.

When I returned to the other room,

the TV had been turned off

Roland returned to the crawl space

and we threaded the cable through.

He then moved in the computer from one room

We hooked up and moved the desk

from the bedroom

Hard work

Both of us were tired.

Both of us were sore.

My mind was the only thing NOT sore

as it kept of thinking of things

I wanted to post.

I’m still sore.

When I got out of bed this morning,

I walked slower

and less gracefully than

Frankenstein’s Monster.

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness – Don’t ya Know?

I think I must post about cleaning the church at least once every four months.  I don’t mind cleaning the church building.  I really don’t.  There have just been some weeks in which I have been appalled over the tremendous amount of litter that is left behind. How can people be so careless and not take any consideration that they are in God’s house?

         Today I put myself in charge of vacuuming the chapel – which is what Bro. McDobb had done every Saturday morning in which our ward had been assigned to clean the building.  Roland joked that he wouldn’t have been surprised to find him there this morning – even though he moved out of our ward over two weeks ago.

         Programs had been left on several pews.  I get it.  I’m sure I am guilty of that as well – though I have tried to make a conscience effort to check the pew before I leave.  Usually I’m making certain that Jenna hasn’t left a mess on the floor or in the pew.

         I couldn’t explain any of the torn paper on the floor or candy wrappers and lollipop sticks.  Come on!  This is the chapel, not a picnic area!  Many children were given treats for whatever reason.  The snacks provided seemed to produce a tremendous amount of crumbs – not just where the congregation sits.  Bro. Drake, who came to assist me in the chapel, said they were behind the pulpit as well.  He and another brother joked about the bishop eating crackers and then moved on to believing perhaps a primary program had been involved.

         Ladies and Gentlemen – last Sunday was FAST SUNDAY – therefore there should have been NO FOOD distributed.  So either none of the members (of the last ward which meets in the building) fasted last week – or else it was broken during Sacrament meeting.  Or (here’s the most logical explanation) the first ward that meets in the building (and had been assigned to clean the building last month) failed at cleaning the building AGAIN.

         Bro. Drake had the stupid upright that was designed to glide be moved between the pews.  I had a cool canister that actually reminded me of the one that Wilma Flintstone used – only without the attitude.  But I probably had enough attitude for both of us.

 

         Brother Drake said that someone had put something that looked like sawdust upon all of the folding chairs set up in one of the class rooms.  I remember cleaning up a similar mess in the scout/storage room.  Only two small glitters to behold and not the obscene amount that I have had to deal with before.

         I had wanted to go to the garden before the church.  There is a lot more shade at 7:00 a.m. than at 9:00.  I had forgotten to bring hats.  Roland and I have decided to just do the community garden this year.  Roland is busy with other things and I don’t want to make the time to try and do a home garden on my own.  I get enough sun just in waiting for the bus. The community garden will be enough this year, thank you very much.

         It has been well over ten hours since I started this post.  I’ve actually experienced a lot more wearing out.  I’ll have to save it for another post.  I am pooped. 

People Come and People Go and Life Goes On

         
 I think I may have mentioned it in an earlier post that I grew up in a more established neighborhood.   Not a lot in the way of comings and goings – not that I can remember.

          The first person I remember moving out of our ward was a girl named Diane.  I don’t know under what circumstances she moved.  I didn’t take it into consideration that there had been other people in the house who had moved with her.  It actually wasn’t a very big house.  Perhaps they needed more room. 

          When I was in Young Women’s, I can remember a family moving into that same house. They must have had five at the time and Grace was pregnant with number six.  I remember being called upon to babysit. I think all of the young women received a turn at one time or another – until the two oldest were old enough to watch the other four on their own.

          Eventually they outgrew the house and moved – but only across the street.  That was the most fantastic move ever!  They never left our ward (church boundary)! Well, each of their children left at some point after they got married.  But at least two of them also bought houses in the ward and currently live in the same ward where their parents live.

          There were some people we were actually happy to see move out – like the hellions across the street or the dysfunctional psychiatric messes that lived near the field (which is now part of I-215) and others we hoped would never leave.

          When Roland and I got married, we moved into a rather transient area.  One of our bishops had compared our ward boundaries to a great big apartment building.  There were always homes for sale on every street (still are, I would imagine).  There were names of members who may have lived in the ward at one time but had long since moved away but their records continued to return to our ward clerk.  I bet that must be a frustrating job!

          My theory was that no matter how much I loved the house itself, I couldn’t or wouldn’t make a purchase without first checking out the ward we’d attend.  The church was just across the street from the house we’d been looking at – actually three houses – all within the same ward boundaries – although we weren’t aware of it at the time. I had been told by at least three ward members that we had been prayed to move into that ward. 

          I was teaching primary and one of the cute little girls in my class said, “Sister, please don’t ever move.  I want you to stay here forever” I don’t know if she mentioned it to her parents as well.
         
          Many of the homes in that particular area were starter homes – originally designed as military housing for soldiers who would move on.  They weren’t meant to be permanent.  They weren’t designed for families of more than four.  So when Wendy became pregnant with her forth child, they looked for another home and my primary girl moved away from the ward long before I did.

          I think it worked out well for her as she loves horses and had the opportunity of riding her neighbor’s horse that lived just behind the house they had purchased.  She’s graduated high school now.  I can’t believe it’s been that long.

          Roland’s original plan was to live in Kearns for five years and move to a house that we didn’t have to just settle for because of finances.  We were there eight years before we lost the house to an unkind economy and forced to move to something even smaller and start over. But again, we felt continued blessings and were aware of our needing to be in the current ward we are in.

          So our family has been new move-ins twice now.  In Kearns the ward got to know the boys.  Over here they know Roland and Jenna.  And we have seen a ton of people come and go.

          Shortly after we had moved to the ward, Roland was called as a counselor to the Elders’ Quorum.  When the Elders’ Quorum president moved, we were not surprised to receive a call from the Stake President – figuring Roland would be called to take place as the new EQ President.  We were surprised to learn that it had nothing to do with the Elders’ Quorum.  He served as a counselor to the High Priest Group leader and then the High Priest Group Leader moved.

          Through it all was George McDobb – who said he had lived in the ward for ten years.  I don’t know if he helped clean the building all ten years, but I know he’s done the last five.  He has always come early and put himself in charge of cleaning the chapel.  I don’t think he missed a single week when our ward was in charge.  Now he’s gotten himself married and has moved out of the ward.  I will miss him tremendously, but I am happy for him.  And I will be happy to take my turn in the chapel because that’s what I liked to do when we lived in Kearns.

          It always seems harder on the youth when friends move.  Jenna’s best friend last year was named Annette.  Annette moved during the summer – she thinks to Ohio or Idaho.  I left several messages for her mom to leave an address so that they might be able to correspond.  We even mailed a letter to their old address with instructions to forward to the new address – but still have not heard back. 

          Today she told me the girl she’s hung out the most this year is moving to California.  How fortunate I feel to have taken pictures of the two of them on Saturday.  They were the only two from their school to run in the Girls on the Run 5K.  I did get her grandma’s email so perhaps we’ll have better luck.  I hope so anyway. At least when Jenna's friend, Lillian, moved, her mom continued to keep her at the same school.

          People come.  People go.  People may stay put and the boundaries may change.  There was a member from my last ward that said she had lived in the same house for over 30 years and had been a member of two stakes and eight different wards while living in that same house.  That was hard for her.  But I think I would enjoy the diversity.  It’s never happened with me personally, so I don’t know.

          My sister Kayla lives in the same stake, but a different ward than when I left.  I’m told that there are many who are inactive in that particular ward – which is odd because when I lived there, it appeared there was more activity in that ward than in our ward.  Again, the comings and goings have made an imprint or left a hole.

          I hope that I am always able to leave imprints and a positive influence and that I am missed – but not so much that it leaves a hole.  We need to share our talents and learn from one another and be able to move on.