More Gray's Lake ...

We have been visiting Gray's lake frequently this year and really enjoy how peaceful and tranquil it is there. Last time we visited we walked all around the lake, which we haven't done before. At least, I walked and pushed Mom in her wheelchair while she took photos. So we got to see the lake from every angle. And I got some needed exercise. These two photos show the reflection of images in the water, which I find quite picturesque.






The other two photos are of me in the nook of a very large tree on the north side of the lake. You can see the bridge in the background. We like to go on the bridge at night when it is lit up with the lights shining through the colored glass panels that line the walkway. The next time we go at night I want to come back to this tree to see the entire bridge span lit up.



As you can see from the photos, we were there on a gray and gloomy day. It was cold enough to have to wear a coat, but not so cold that we couldn't enjoy being outside. Now we can't wait for spring so we can go back out on the water in the pedal boats again.

Appliances

We have some old appliances. We purchased a washer/dryer set in 1984 when we bought our first home and a refrigerator in 1989 when we bought our second home. Both have been through a lot of wear and tear in raising five children, and both have seen better days. The dryer works on the low temperature setting, but sometimes has not shut off at the end of the cycle on high temperature. And the refrigerator has recently developed problems with the door sticking, along with some broken plastic parts on the inside of the doors.

Shortly after I started thinking about replacing the refrigerator, a fellow employee posted an offer for a free refrigerator on our electronic bulletin at work. I happened to see it minutes after the posting and was the first to respond, so we have inherited a newer (nine years old) and roomier refrigerator. Our next door neighbor, Steve, helped me bring it home in his truck and move it into the house. He even took our old refrigerator to use in his shop, so I didn't have to worry about disposing of the old one.

A couple of days later I saw on the same bulletin board an advertisement for a dryer for $75. Our old dryer is working and didn't really need to be replaced, but I had been keeping an eye out for a good deal. A couple of years ago we happened across a newer clothes washer a guy was giving away, so took it. Since that time our washer and dryer have been different colors ... a white washer and bisque dryer. I hoped at some time to find a white dryer so they would match a little better. The advertised dryer was the right color and only five years old, so we went to look at it. When the guy saw we were interested, and because he is a friend, he reduced the price to $50. We immediately snatched it up! So we picked up a refrigerator and a clothes dryer for a total of $5o. What a blessing for us! We did not want to be spending more money right now to upgrade our appliances. I suppose these will be the Christmas presents Mom and I give to each other (she gets the fridge, I get the dryer!)

I have learned that, with patience, good deals and blessings abound. We are grateful for the blessings we receive and continually express our gratitude for the many ways, big and small, that God blesses us.

Thanksgiving 2006

This is our first Thanksgiving alone, now that the nest is empty. (By the way, I was at Goodwill yesterday and saw a t-shirt that said, "The nest isn't empty until all their stuff is out of the basement!") We are having a scaled-down Thanksgiving and will plan on snacking on leftovers all weekend.

I decided to try something old, something new, something borrowed, and something true. The "something old" is my infamous three-bean salad, which is actually a four-bean salad by the time I am through adding onion, green pepper, seasoning, and garbanzo beans (chickpeas). I have made three-bean salad every year and am always the only one who eats it. I'll try to talk Mom into taking a taste, but something tells me I will be enjoying it alone again this year.

The "something new" is frog eye salad. I've never made this before, but liked it a lot when I tasted it earlier. I had a recipe from Grandma O that looked really good. But I didn't realize I wasn't supposed to use the entire box of pasta, so wound up with enough frog eye salad to feed the ward. I hope mine turns out to be edible, or a lot of frogs are hopping around blind for nothing.

The "something borrowed" is deviled eggs, borrowing Lindsey's famous recipe. My first attempt was a mini-disaster. I guess I boiled the eggs too long or didn't cool them adequately before shaking them in the pan to crack the shells before peeling them. Or maybe I shook the pan a little too hard or too long. Anyway, when I lifted the lid, all I saw was yellow mush. It looked like the eggs had been through a blender! My second attempt was much better and my eggs look almost as good as Lindsey's.

The "something true" is my potato salad. This isn't really a traditional Thanksgiving salad, but potato salad happens to be one dish I make that is pretty tasty and usually turns out well. So why mess with success? I think it turned out okay again this time, but really need Laura and Jenny Liu here for taste testing. And now you see why we will be snacking on leftovers for the rest of the week.

I missed having everyone here, each person making his or her favorite dish and trying to find enough room in the kitchen and refrigerator to prepare and store the food. It was a lot more orderly, but not nearly as much fun, making the dishes by myself.

I am very, very thankful for the gospel and for each member of my family. My heart and prayers are with you on this holiday and I look forward to visiting with you in Utah for Christmas.

I went to the animal fair ...

When Mom and I went to the Blank Park Zoo recently, she took a lot of photos (surprise!), including a couple of me visiting the prairie dogs. Remember the glassed in enclosure you enter by crawling through a tunnel on your hands and knees -- like the prairie dogs -- and then stand up in right in the middle of the burrows?


Here you can see me making friends with a couple of the little critters ... and getting really friendly with one who seemed to want a kiss!

Emptying the Nest

I realized in looking through some old photos that I never shared our final moments with Lindsey as we dropped her off at her apartment in Rexburg when we took her out to school in July.


As you can see, Mom and I are really looking forward to the "empty nest" years and Lindsey is excited about school.

A walk at Gray's Lake

With the change back to standard time, it gets dark in the evening much quicker now. The other night we went to walk at Gray's Lake, which is rapidly becoming a favorite place for us to visit. We arrived around dusk and soon found ourselves walking in the dark. This gave Mom the chance to take some unusual pictures of the colored lights on the bridge walkway and of some spider webs built under the walkway lights where the flying insects congregate.

A mosiac of light patterns on the bridge

A hungry spider anticipating dinner

Catching fluff, but no dinner

Southern Living

A few more notes from our recent visit to Arkansas ...


I've included some more of Mom's photos. You can see the scenic, peaceful setting for the cemetery. I can remember going with my grandfather to water the arid cemetery in Utah where everything was brown and dry. In Arkansas, the cemetery is pretty and green.

Mom wanted her Dad to wear a cowboy hat again, so loaned him hers long enough to take this picture.

See the new friend I made at Grandma Parker's house? This dog barked and barked at me when we arrived, but finally decided I was harmless and snuggled up next to me.

I added one more photo showing more of the church building in Fort Smith.

And here is a good photo of Mom and her sisters ... the Pennington girls!

More on Nauvoo

I mentioned how much we enjoyed our recent visit to Nauvoo. As many times as we have been there, we were able to visit some places we had not previously seen. Here are a few of the photos Mom took (she has tons more).

I really like the way the temple is lit up at night.





And here is a good picture of Mom. The angle of the setting sun makes the color of the temple stone look darker than it really is.




We really enjoyed going down to the river as the sun was setting. Remember back in February of 1996 when we went to the re-enactment of the beginning of the Pioneer exodus? We were so cold I thought we were going to lose our toes and fingers. I still don't know how the Pioneers survived. Fortunately, we could enjoy the beauty of the sunset without worrying about our lives and well being.

Reminiscing

When we went to Arkansas to visit Mom's family, we had the opportunity to visit the church building we attended in 1975. We first met on the way to church, so the building has fond memories for both of us. Now the building is used as a Montessori school. We don't know what it looks like inside; it was closed for the weekend when we were there.

We enjoyed our visit with relatives. As usual, Grandma Parker put on a feast. Here she is with one of the three pies she baked.

Here I am working for my supper, raking the yard to clear the debris left by a fierce thunderstorm.

Nauvoo

Mom and I spent an enjoyable weekend in Nauvoo attending a marriage seminar and being tourists in Old Nauvoo. Besides attending the very interesting and useful seminar, Mom took photos of everything that moved and some things that didn't. I, on the other hand, made good use of the jacuzzi in our hotel room and ate fudge. After Mom sorts through her pictures, I will see if she will let me post some. In the meantime, here I am having just finished carving a replica Sunstone with my car keys and fingernail clippers while waiting for Mom to take photos.

Unexpected phone call

Last week I was at work when my phone rang. But when I answered the call, no one spoke. I could hear some background noise, so thought I had a bad connection. I hung up and a moment later the phone rang again. Same noise, but still no voice. This time I quickly jotted down the number that appeared in my display.

I called back and was surprised when Emily answered. I realized that the number I had not recognized was Ben and Emily's cell phone number. Emily said she had not called me, but that Autumn had been pretending to make calls with their cell phone.

I asked to speak to Autumn and told her how excited I was that she had called me at work. "Poopa," she said, "I was pushing the numbers."

I wish I had thought earlier about getting Autumn her own cell phone so she can call me. Now I know what I will ask Santa to bring her for Christmas!

Healing Fields

Last month a "Healing Fields" memorial exhibit in honor of the victims of the September 11 attacks was held in West Des Moines. Nearly 3,000 flags -- one of each person who lost his or her life -- were exhibited on the grounds of a local company. Each flag had a yellow ribbon attached listing the name of one of these individuals and where they were that day. The flags were sold to raise funds. Mom and I purchased four flags and took one with us to Arkansas recently to present to Wayne and Lana in honor of his service in Iraq. Here are some of the photos Mom took, including one of her with the bagpiper who played "Amazing Grace" in remembrance of those who died.

Getting Started

I've got this new-fangled blog and want to figure out how to post to it like some of my kids are doing. Can you teach an old dog new tricks, I wonder? We'll see.

Now that our nest is empty, I dug through the box of old piano lesson books and found the most basic ones to try to teach myself how to play. It is slow going, I confess, but I pretend the stickers in the books are for me and this keeps me going. Here I am mastering some of the more difficult pieces on the first five pages of the book!