More From the Shed

                Richard had decided to buy me a 12 X 12 scrapbook with extra pages as I had enjoyed scrapbooking. This purchase was made at the time when we still lived in West Valley.  8 ½ by 11 always seemed more practical for me though I had made up four or five 12 X 12 scrapbook albums when I was single.  After I had married I had made a couple of pathetic attempts of scrapbooking in order to preserve the memories of my new instant family – but I had given that up after Jaime was born.  I didn’t have the room I needed.

         Before we had even moved to West Valley Richard had given me a CD set to download to the computer. The program allowed me create scrapbook pages on the computer. No longer would I have to spread out photos and lay them out for placement and seek for stickers or die cuts to go with whatever themes.  I could see benefits for both. The pages I print from the computer don’t have raised borders or the third dimension sometimes offered by a hand created scrapbook. 

         I kept all my scrapbooking supplies in the event that I ever returned to pre-computer.  When Richard presented me with the 12X12 I decided to go through some accumulated photos (such as our trip to Disneyland) and create pages.  I asked Jaime to assist.  She made one page.  That was her contribution.  She does not love scrapbooking.  Not her thing.   

  I had started four or five pages.  STARTED.  I had placed pictures on the12X12.  I don’t know what year I had tackled that feat – if it was the year before my mom was put into assisted living, the year before we moved here or when.  Apparently I had packed up my scrapbook pages and supplies and even the new scrapbook album which Richard had purchased.  I didn't even realize that I had had it when we lived in West Valley but the receipt indicates that is where we lived. It sat in our Oregon shed(s) – eight years it lay untouched.  Honestly I had forgotten that they existed – until quite recently when Jaime and I were finally able to tackle both sheds and reorganize and dispose.

I had the 12X12 scrapbook in the yardsale.  It remained untouched.  Then I decided I would put some of the photos (particularly the cut ones – see here) in a scrapbook and send it to Ryan.  After I printed his name off the computer and inserted it along with his photo I found alphabetized stickers in the front cover – where they will remain because I don’t know how to get them out.  There are instructions for inserting the extra pages.  Evidently the spine needs to be broken and reset.  What the hey??!!! 

Anyway I have decided to get rid of the extra papers, stickers, die cuts, stencils and whatever else I happened to collect.  I took a picture of some samples and posted them on facebook.  I had a taker within five minutes.  Excited about the claim.

Letters From Rexburg: More Discoveries

                Among the photos that Jai and I have gone though were several letters that evidently had come from my mom’s house. I have many memories from my past.  I remember a lot of details. I have mostly positive memories but there are a few that aren’t so pleasant.  For the most part I have succeeded at blocking out the bad memories. I thought I had been pretty good about keeping the pleasant ones but am learning it is only for up until a certain age – or so it seems. 

I attended Ricks College from September 1981 to the end of April 1982. (Keep in mind that this is back in the day before personal computers, emails and social media.  Our communication was written correspondence and telephone calls – NOT cell phones, but phones that used dials and curly cords) 

  It appears I had written to my family at least three times a week.  I have few memories of my college days.  The letters haven’t changed that at all. I’m quite annoyed at how often I repeat myself.  I recognize some of the names I provide but certainly not all of them.  There were more discovery moments than actual memories.  Nothing scan worthy – though I have scanned a few things as I am impressed with my handwriting and print looking nicer then than it does now.  Evidently I had taken my typewriter with me.  Don’t remember that at all. 

I made mention of a certain speaker who spoke at a devotional. That did trigger a memory having the opportunity to attend Devotionals each week. We also had the opportunity of purchasing two devotionals on cassette tape available in the book store. On September 15, 1981 I informed my dad about a speaker named M. Russell Ballard. I found it was interesting that I had mentioned that as M. Russell Ballard was not yet an apostle of the church.  He was set apart just over four years later.  I did mention the very last devotional on one of my posts (here).

 For the most part I was more fascinated by the stationary itself than the contents.  I was also impressed that some of the stickers were still intact while others had fallen off.  After 40+ years I would have thought all the stickers would have lost their adhesive.  Apparently not. 

Among my discoveries I read that I had considered staying at the college and attending summer semester.  I don’t know what happened there.  I needed two credits to finish my freshman year. I had been looking into summer theatre (which was NOT my major; interestingly enough it is Jaime’s.)  Evidently there didn’t seem to be enough choice in classes that I wanted to commit myself.  That is what the letter said anyway.  I’m sure there was more to it – but alas I do not have the details nor do I remember that consideration.

More Nostalgia and Photos

          I have created so many scrapbook pages – some by hand, probably more on the computer.  It’s not the same.  And I do like the tangible die cuts and stickers and perks of hand scrapbooking as opposed to the computer. The computer also has perks such as changing sizes to make it fit – though not as polished.  Especially over the years as the photos start to fade.

Throwing away photos has always been hard for me but does seem necessary. I had packed away three small boxes of photos with the intent of sitting down with Jai to scrapbook though she has seldom been interested.  She enjoys talking about photos and strolling down memory lane – for a time at least.  I had cut shapes on some of the photos but did not have them in order.   

Did not work out to my expectations however.  I think in the last 8 years I may have just added photos and never looked at them until yesterday. Many of the photos I had scanned but seems like I may have missed others.  Thus I have some work cut out for me as there are some photos she would like to save.  Others I have thrown away – which was hard but necessary.

I did set aside some photos to send to Tony and his family as I’m certain that my grandkids will get a kick out of seeing them.  Neither Biff nor Randy have that nostalgia built in though I think Biff would like to try.  He was the only one who held onto his baby book and does enjoy looking at pictures.  He has many years of building up items and needs to let go.  He may hang onto whatever I give him though it will get neglected and end up in the trash at some point during his life anyway. 

Currently I have sorted piles  - one to send to Tony, one to scan. It will take time.  We haven’t even finished the first box and we still have two more to tackle. More to come. ;)

Don't Give Me My Own Space - I'll Work In Yours

 

          There was a time when Jaime was three and her sister Pamprin was visiting.  Pamprin laid out a coloring book so that she could color one page while Jaime colored the other – only Jaime wanted to color the same page as Pamprin.  It didn’t even matter which page.  When Pamprin switched sides or found new pictures, Jaime wanted to color the very same picture that her big sister was coloring. Pamprin reluctantly shared her space.  I think it made Jaime feel closer to her.

          I was reminded of that memory this morning while working on a puzzle that Richard and I had started.  We had already rolled it up and put it away for another time.  My daughter-in-law, Claire asked if I would like to continue.  And so I set it up.  She started one side of the puzzle and I another.  After a while she abandoned her side and came to help me with the areas I had been working on.  I don't know that it had the same results on either of us that it had on Jaime and Pamprin.

A Time When Things Lasted

         I’ve been searching through flash drives in search for some misplaced memory pages I had designed for Jaime.  During my search I have come across scads of photos in which I see different pieces of furniture in the background.

Steven on the lap of my grandpa Ralph

        This couch for instance was reupholstered three different times.  This is how it looked as I was growing up.  The second makeover had similar flowers but in green and orange.  The final also had a green/orange theme but with birds.  It was my least favorite of the three.

same couch in background - the final makeover

        The painting above was removed when mom went into assisted living.  I heard that my niece had taken the couch.

        There is this photo which my brother had posted to his wall and wrote memories about each of the items on the knickknack shelf which remained in the house for over 40 years and still in the same condition – well, with an added feature.  Seems like a combination lock was fastened to the woodwork and remained there as no one knew the combination so that it could be removed.

Keith with Steven one Halloween; me several years earlier

        There are other memories I have as well and will share when I am more focused.

Pictures at the Start of Traveling

          As it has been over 50 days since our journey begin I don’t recall all the details.  Jaime took these pictures on the way to Modesto – or at our lodging.  We past lots of olive groves.

8 out of 34: Not quite 25%

 

I found the above photo on facebook with the caption that the most one might have seen in person from the above list is five.  I have been to eight.  Below I have posted memories and links to those places I have visited.

 

from this post

Statue of Liberty – never been, but I have read countless books on the history of the statue and Ellis Island.

Grand Canyon – went with my family when I was 12 or 13.  I don’t remember a whole lot from that trip.  But I do remember driving to the North Rim with my mom, sister and Grandma.  Some highlights are found in this post. 

Walt Disney World – honestly don’t have the desire.  I’m content with Anaheim’s original Disneyland

Zions – continues with same trip found on this post 

Space Needle – my first time was in June 1982 (see this post) It was probably seven years later when I met up with a friend in Seattle and had gone there with her 

Hollywood Sign – I’m sure I had seen it on one of the many California trips I had taken with my family – I just don’t remember.  Jaime was hoping to see it when we went down there for Labor Day weekend.  Richard and I were even in Hollywood!  But no sign.

Las Vegas – many times.  As a kid the strip wasn’t near the size it is today.  There wasn’t a choice to bypass the town on the freeway.  I relate a story of leaving Corey in LV in this post    Most recent visit was from this post 

 Yellowstone – several times as a youth.  Only a few times as an adult (here) 

Golden Gate Bridge – I was a passenger in the car that took the Oakland Bridge more than Golden Gate, but I believe I had crossed the Golden Gate at some point during my many visits to San Francisco.

Niagara Falls – actually my most recent adventure from this list (here)

 Alcatraz - I'd gone to the island prison only one time; I had gone with a group of theatre students who were completing at Berkley.  1979 probably

my dad in the San Francisco Apt.

 This is quite a long post but does have some amazing pictures of San Francisco (at least in my opinion) written from my brothers point of view, but many of my memories are the same. 

CBQ#412

 If you could talk with only one person for the rest of your life, who would it be and why?

I would pick my brother, Steven, though I am certain I would not be his first choice.  Steven is not only knowledgeable in a wide variety of subjects, but we share so many of the same memories and feelings and values.  I miss him on so many levels.  I miss talking with him on a daily basis.  I miss his insight that was more instantaneous in person than now.  I miss his ability to understand me when it feels like nobody else does (husband included).  He’s my youngest brother and has been there for me for most of my adult life.  (We did have a falling out for a couple of years – but we’re good now)

https://lattice.com/library/how-to-create-a-culture-that-encourages-communicati

Talking with only one person would be hard however.  I would miss Jaime's voice and singing.  I would miss other friends as well.  I am happy that I don't have to make that decision for real.

Two Years

        Yesterday, while checking out my facebook memories, I was reminded that one of my nephews had been scheduled for baptism two years ago.  I thought it was strange that it would be two weeks into the month instead of at the beginning – but for whatever reason it was changed.  Gary’s baptism had been moved to the 7th and my oldest granddaughter were both baptized at the same time but in different wards.  I posted that it must have been changed due to revelation as that was the last baptism to be held for quite a while in 2020 due to the pandemic.

        My sister left a comment about the craziness of it all and I asked if she had read our brother’s post about his mention of a cat they call “Milagro” and about his late mother-in-law who had gone into the hospital with COVID.  Yesterday he posted many of the details about the next six to eight weeks – the devastation felt, the passing, the funeral.  He mentioned the memories both positive and negative and used the real names of his husband’s family. 

        2021 went by rather quickly – at least I thought it did.  But 2020 was soooo looongg as each month felt like a year.  Each month introduced a new set of problems.  Steven left facebook for a while.  He and his spouse went to Australia before the voting results.  I told him that he should just stay in Australia.  But they returned before Christmas – before a new wave of COVID invaded Australia.  Trump was still in office – never having been much of a president.

        COVID might be over, but we still have a new set of problems.  A possible World War III – thank you so much for that Vladimir Adolf Putin.  I thought it would be Trump that would have sent us in that same direction that you have chosen to go.  Did you guys learn nothing about history?  Why hurt the citizens – not just in Ukraine but your own country as well.  At least COVID was something that we were all fighting together.

Pieces of Memories

      When it first came out I remember being interested in seeing the TV series “This is Us” but did not start watching it until this year for whatever reason.  Normally I don’t enjoy constant flashbacks but have been intrigued with this series about three siblings who have become adults.  We see pieces of memories as they enter the world and grow up.  We see their parents struggles as well as their own.  It’s been interesting to watch as their characters are developed based on these memories that the audience members see only glimpses of. Each episode provides a recap of what memories were provided from previous episodes. 

The first episode starts off with four different cast members reacting to birthday celebrations.  The first story shows a pregnant woman holding a cupcake while her husband (Jack, the birthday boy) waits for her on the bed.  Her water breaks and they rush to the hospital where the woman is expected to give birth to triplets.  Their names will be Kevin, Kate, and Kyle. Each child is shown as an adult also celebrating his/her birthday except for Kyle who was a stillborn. In the nursery are three babies – Kevin, Kate and an infant that had been abandoned at a firehouse but brought to the hospital and in need of parents.  Jack makes a connection and the third baby is brought home along with Kevin and Kate.

At first they call the baby Kyle but eventually change in name to Randall.  We learn why in a later episode. Although the three of them were raised in Pittsburg, Kevin and Kate have moved to Los Angeles.  Kevin has an acting gig with a show called “The Manny”.  Kate attends weight loss meetings.  Only Randall remains on the east coast near to his mom.  Jack is deceased.

I have looked at this series with admiration thinking how each of us has memories we share with those we grew up with as well as memories that set us apart from those we grew up with.  For example, I have created memories in Oregon that I can share with my sibs, but they will never be their memories.  I can share past memories with my sibs that neither Roland nor Jenna will ever have a first account of.  The memories will come in bits and pieces that connect us together though we are still sorting through bits and pieces and do not have the entire picture linked together.

I love how my niece captured this with her words in her first blog post which she has now made private.  Fortunately I still have some of her posts.  In her introduction, she said:  

“My hope is that bits and pieces will seep into this blog slowly over time until my life experiences culminate into something that looks like a finished puzzle.”  (Ellen/Whitney)

Looking forward to seeing the picture unveiled and meanwhile trying to enjoy the journey of fitting the pieces together.

Old People in the Attic

As I was busying myself with posting my pictures to facebook, I was notified to view my memories.  It’s funny how so many of my memory posts have triggered thoughts for things that are happening this year.  On June 19^th it was the memory of four different albums I had posted from a trip we had taken back to Salt Lake in 2017.  We were staying at the house where we had once lived.  By then Randy and Carrie had moved in and made the house their own.  We were staying with them three years ago.

no family members currently reside or have anything to do with this house

A year and a half later we went for Christmas.  By then Randy and Carrie had moved to Eagle Mountain to a house larger than I thought was necessary.  I don’t guess they were planning on moving again so soon. 

Randy had wanted us to stay with them, but it wasn’t a practical location for all of the family to meet – not that the hotel was.  That was probably more inconvenient for everybody, but just as neutral of a location, I think.  Plus we were tired.  Randy’s house would have added at least another hour.

And this year we went to stay with Randy again – only it was in New York instead of Utah.  He’d been given this opportunity to become a safety inspector and had interviewed for and accepted the position in Lockport – about 30 minutes outside Buffalo and 20 minutes from the Canadian border (or was it the other way around?)

Not quite the house they had purchased in Draper, Utah.  Lockport is a very old town with housing created during the turn of the 20^th century – thus the home they are currently residing is over 100 years old.  When we drove up to it I was reminded of the McCallister house in “Home Alone” 

Randy led us up 32 stairs from the bottom floor to the attic.  After being cramped in a plane and car (as the car seat had not been removed and Jenna and I were squished in the back which really wasn’t any less roomy than flying from Seattle to Detroit) my body felt like it had climbed over 100 stairs to get to the attic where they store the family members who come to visit – except for Jenna who was given a choice between the attic or the basement.  I don’t think I had visited their dungeon basement until our third day there. 

The basement was definitely cooler but the attic was only hot the night we arrived (well, half of it.  Randy had cooled off the room with the two beds – which was nice.  He said it normally doesn’t get that hot – which it didn’t.  I like the summer temperature.  I would not want to live there during winter however).  I was cold only one night during our stay.  I think Jenna could have used another blanket.

On our first day there Randy took us over to the Locks District and gave us a tour of the Erie Canal.  There is a little history at this site.

Randy apologized that we weren’t able to do boat tours or the zip line or that the jack hammer tearing up the stairs was so loud.  The pandemic wasn’t his fault.  As I mentioned before, New York had just started phase one.  Of course places were going to be closed.  But it was okay.  Randy was quite informative and we were able to get a huge number of pictures without other tourists around. 

I have ridden on boat when a lock was used (see here) but would have liked Roland and Jenna to experience it as well. Or just even see it in action.  It really is quite fascinating.

 

 

 

How Much Salt?

          I remember my dad always salting his food when I was younger.  At times it seemed he was over-salting. 

          I remember one time he had asked for some popcorn.  Patrick and I put some in a bowl and added what we believed to be a generous amount of salt.  When we went into his room to see how he liked the popcorn, he said it could use more salt.  Patrick and I both dropped our mouths in disbelief.  So his next batch got an almost equal salt/popcorn ratio.  He said it was perfect.  Are you kidding me?  If I ever used salt on anything, it definitely NEEDED it.  I hate the taste of salt.

          Now that I am older – even older than my dad – I find myself using salt more and more as I believe all my food is bland – and maybe it is.  Or maybe my lack of smell is finally catching up with my taste buds and I salt in order to taste.  How wicked!

Dental Tools and Novocain

          I went to the dentist yesterday so that he could fill/replace my tooth.  I was loaded up on Novocain – I think it affected my mental state.  I remember going to another dentist many years ago.  He was my very first dentist when I lived in Midvale.  He would ask patients if they wanted gas to help them relax or the walkman and maybe something else.  I wanted it all.

How the right side of my mouth felt each time I tried to eat

          I don’t know why when my mouth is getting worked on, I somehow feel so relaxed in the dentist chair.  I’m really not.  I could sense my body tension as I sat in the dentist chair yesterday, but in my mind, I thought I was relaxed.  Somehow my mind detaches from my physical body when I am in the dentist chair.

          They had given me sunglasses to block out the glare.  I had also closed my eyes and went back in a time when I had gone to the dentist in Midvale and also when I was loaded up on epidural the time I gave birth to Jenna.  They kept telling me on telling me to push.  In my mind I was pushing.  Apparently I wasn’t making any physical effort.

          My mouth was open wide.  It felt like I had nine different instruments in my mouth in addition to gloved human fingers. They had invited another person to assist.  Are you kidding me?  How many hands can I fit into my mouth?  The one called to assist was operating another machine and was never directly in my mouth.  Even if I had had my eyes open and there’d been a mirror, I don’t think I would have been able to see as the doctor hands would have been in the way.

This is sort of how it felt - but no tie around my head.  It felt like gauze on the inside of my mouth

          One instrument felt cold against my mouth – as though it had just been removed from the freezer.  One assistant held my tongue – my overly long tongue which has pushed my teeth out and most likely undone three years worth of braces torture and expense.  What a waste.  What a shame.

https://www.nowlaugh.com/6-reasons-dentists-are-evil

          My face itched.  I tried scratching but my face was so numb I wasn’t even feeling it.  I drove myself home and tried to enjoy the turkey dinner that Roland had prepared.  Just when I thought my taste buds were coming back from the D3 problem I mentioned here, the Novocain has set me back again. I could not taste what I was eating and therefore didn’t finish.

          I will be staying away from crunchy stuff for a while so as not to upset my tooth.  The Novocain has since worn off my face – though I suspect I may still have some in my mouth as things still don’t feel back to normal for me.  Roland starts his vacation today.  The work assignment I had set up for today fell through.  Just as well.

Dash TV#384 Yellowstone Park

                I would guess that I have been to Yellowstone Park at least 15 times.  I have mentioned it in ten posts and posted at least five pictures of my family over the years.  Yellowstone always feels brand new as it changes.  For the most part we found lodging in West Yellowstone and would just drive the west entrance to the park each day.  But there were at least four times we got lodging inside the park.

          I couldn’t find any photos when it was just me and Patrick.  Kayla would have been a baby when this one was taken in 1976

This one is of me with Kayla probably 1978 or 1979

Corey and Kayla in 1982

My missionary farewell was in August and my grandma was in town from San Francisco.  We took both of my grandmas to Yellowstone park in 1984.  We stayed at Old Faithful Inn which we had never done before.

 I left for the mission training center two days after we returned.

  

Patrick and I were both on our missions when this photo was taken in 1985

 I can’t seem to find any still pictures of our adventures in 1988.  Patrick and Sunny were newlyweds.  We had a joint cabin with mom, dad, and Corey on one side.  Kayla and I had to share a room with the love birds.  It was gross.

We saw more of the park that trip than we usually see during one trip.  Corey had played Teddy in “Arsenic and Old Lace” and was really into Theodore Roosevelt at the time and so we had to make seeing the Teddy Roosevelt Arches part of our agenda.

Corey filmed everything.  So we do have documentation.  It was the first or second week in July.  It was great that we were able to see so much of the park and that Corey was able to capture most of it on film – for the day after we returned home we learned about the fires changing the appearance of so much of what we saw – including Old Faithful Inn and I think the arches (here)

This is the last time I was at Yellowstone Park 1998 – it was just my mom, her mom and I that went.  

That was a really great trip also.  We would drive to a destination and mom would say, “Do you want to walk that trail?”

Sometimes we would get out of the car.  Sometimes we would just decide to enjoy the view from the car.  I don’t recall grandma going on any trails with us, though this photo indicates differently.

We saw a lot of animals as it was the end of May.  We saw the most animals on my birthday and had lunch at Trapper’s Inn.  It was the best chicken Malibu that I had ever tasted!  It was a great birthday.