I'm actually going

to bed right now.  It is the first time, in probably 2 weeks, that I've gone to bed before 1 a.m.  I need to get into a better routine that includes going to bed earlier, getting up earlier, eating better, exercising, and spending my time on the most important things. 

Nothing new there, I've been saying that for the last 40 years or so. 

We went out

out to dinner last night (and he showered, too).

Gary is

On a two day hunger and shower strike until he gets his 2014 income tax done.

Stocking

The Candy Shoppe.  Still a work in progress.

An easy

and enjoyable Thanksgiving with wonderful people.

The funeral,

and everything surrounding it, was beautiful.   So many friends had worked together to make it meaningful.  At the funeral itself, the grandma, Mom, Dad, and five year old brother all spoke.  The overall message was they they felt honored to have been able to have had her in their lives and had learned so much from her.   They looked at the-glass-half-full instead of half-empty, and that knew they would see her again in her perfect form.  

In addition to the funeral, they planned a "Birthday Celebration" for right after the funeral.  As a friend asked me at the funeral, "Who would have thought that Natalie's wedding decorations could be recycled to decorate at a funeral?"   I didn't do the decorating, but some women in the ward came and got a bunch of the decorations and made it truly beautiful.

 One of her friends had taken pictures of the family both before and after her death.

  
 


Ladies preparing the sack lunches and refreshments for the celebration.

 

 

 

If you want to

put life in perspective, attend a baby's funeral and spend the afternoon in the emergency room.  

Through a series of communications, that came through the neighborhood grapevine (an-out-of state daughter calling to see if someone could check on her Mom),  Megan (another neighbor) and I ended up taking her Mom to ER.  It was fortunate that the grapevine was in place, as she ended up being hospitalized for number of issues that were working together to make her very sick.   By the time she was admitted and had an IV, she was doing much better and they were doing more tests.

While in the ER we saw some very ill and hurting people.  Some were alone and visibly frightened, some were with family who were trying to comfort them, some were brought in by policemen, and one man had come in because he was suicidal. 

I think that through hardships there is also the great blessing of empathy and increased humanity.  We had just left the funeral of baby Annalee, and were already feeling the tugs to our heartstrings.  

I'll post about that tomorrow, as it was truly inspiring and beautiful.

Gary feels vindicated.

As we were talking with the Arizona girls about food, it came up that they loved "Milk Toast."   They prepare and eat it exactly like Gary does;  homemade bread, sliced thick, toasted, buttered, drowned in hot milk, and then seasoned with salt and pepper.

Gary has tried to convert our girls and grandchildren to this delicacy, even to the point of offering 20 dollars for them to try it.  No luck.

I made bread the next morning so they could have it for breakfast. 

Gary feels validated and vindicated now.  He is thrilled to know that the Ashton tradition is being carried on, at least in his sister (Margie's) branch of the family. 

  

8 dozen

Breadsticks, 12 dozen cookies, 7 dozen cupcakes, and 3 Hallmark movies later, I'm through baking for awhile.  

Not looking

Good for Timpview tonight.    3 minutes left with East ahead 49 to 14.  But the view is still beautiful.  

We have some

Cute visitors from Arizona for a few days.

One of my

favorite pictures of Dad.

Bittersweet

I got a phone call this morning that little Annalee, the baby born with serious medical issues, is close to dying.  I went to see her this afternoon.  Such a bittersweet time.  Her Dad is flying home from Taiwan andI hopefully he can make it in time.  Thanks to technology Becky was talking on the phone with him and filming her as they talked.

I told Becky to tell Annalee to say hello to my Annalee when she gets there and that maybe they will be friends.

She was born in April and this picture is of her a month ago.   Becky always dresses her so beautifully.

Trent, Gary

And Aria on a home improvement project.

Sometimes making the

smallest change makes such a difference.   Yes, I'm talking tidying up.

In my laundry room I've had a little garbage can on the floor next to the dryer to put the lint and dryer sheets in.   The problem was, it was so small and short, that I usually missed the garbage can and it would end up on the floor.  Well, as I've been tidying up and cleaning out, I got rid of the garbage can and put a basket at waist level to put the lint and dryer sheets in.

Yes, I am "feeling the love" and "getting rid of, not just rearranging."

My girls

are going to be so proud of me!  I'm working really hard and long at cleaning out.

Here we are

Overlooking Salt Lake mountains and valleys.  It looks like we'll be back again next week.

Veterans Day

Here is an excerpt from part of Gary's history.

"My most powerful Green River recollections have to do with the beginnings of World War II, and the vibrant activity at the railroad yard following Pearl Harbor.  I would lie on the floor in front of our radio listening to newscasters speaking in somber tones about casualty reports in the Pacific, knowing that my Uncle Arnold, a marine, was there.  My Father’s nephew, Capt. Tom Anderson, visited us with Raylene, his beautiful young bride (and my first crush) shortly before he was killed piloting a bomber over Germany.  Yet, in a little-boy fashion, I envied the young men who were old enough to fight in that war and much of my earliest fantasy centered on imagined heroic actions in the field of battle."

I think I always had that same type of idealistic images of war and the soldiers fighting them.   I still have the same pride and admiration for the soldiers, but what I didn't realize until reaching adulthood is just how horrific war really is.  I don't know how any soldiers come home without PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) because of what they see, hear, and experience.   

I just went into Family Search and in my cousin Tomas Levar Anderson, who died in the war, this is the information entered.  My brother, Tom, was named after him.  

Pilot 2nd/Lt. Thomas L. Anderson KIA Hometown: Utah Squadron: 577th BS 392th Bomb Group Service # O-747165 Awards: Awards: Purple Heart Target:BRUNSWICK CASUALTIES NOT LISTED IN MACR Date Lost: 8-Apr-44 Serial Number: #42-73505 Aircraft Model B-24J Aircraft Letter: S Aircraft Name: FAIRY BELLE Location:Bizewell Farm, Sidestrand, Norfolk England Cause: "100% materiel failure." 5KIA 5INJ

The Report of Aircraft Accident contains this sequence of events based on statements made by engineer S/Sgt Charles T. Cook and right waist gunner Cpl George T. Shikenjanski: "After having reached a point three or four miles beyond the Enemy coast the oil pressure of No. 1 engine fell to a very low level and oil was noticed to be leaking from the engine. The prop was feathered with difficulty. Almost immediately the oil pressure on No. 2 engine dropped very low and efforts to feather the prop failed. During this short period the plane turned back toward land, the bombs were jettisoned into the English Channel and all excess weight including the guns were thrown overboard. The men in the waist took up 'Ditching positions' and the plane crashed just after reaching the coast at approximately 1320 hours at Bizewell Farm, Sidestrand, Norfolk. Shortly after crashing the plane caught fire and burned. 2/Lt Leland, S/Sgt Cook, T/Sgt Marshall, Cpl Shikenjanski, and Sgt Sullivan were all injured in the crash."

Here is a photo of Tom and Raylene I found as I have been going through pictures.  You can't see the inscription, but it says "Merry Christmas Charlet and Golden from Tom and Raylene 1943."

I can see why she was Gary's first crush

I give thanks to those who have sacrificed so much for our freedoms.  

Casseroles

The other day I did a mass making of casseroles.  3 different kind and 6 of each. Thankfully Sadie was here to help.

Coupons

  I gave them to Gary in high school almost 45 years ago.  I would say the expiration has long since expired.  No more brownies, winning at games, potato chips, watching TV or forgiveness for being late (of which there were 4 coupons for).

As I'm organizing

Family history papers and pictures, there are many that I want to share.  A lot in fact.   But that will be later.

After visiting 2 different Primary programs today, I was reminded of how wonderful children are. Not that I really need a reminder, but there is nothing sweeter than children's trust and spontaneous love.  

It brings tears of gratitude to my eyes and a little bit of sorrow, too.  I wish we could be more a part of the every day lives of our grand children.   But that is me being selfish.  They are happy and healthy and we share a great love. So all is good. 

Today

I had a baby shower, a funeral, and a wedding.  

And in between I'm trying to figure out where the D drive on my computer went. I'm ready to use the simplifying process from the "Magic of Tidying Up" by getting rid of all of my technology.  

Somehow, though, I think it would be something I would later regret.    

I'm not pretending

to be a printer repair woman, or anything.  But after a great deal of frustration with both our printers (one left 2 streaks down the copy and the other one kept giving me Error 5010 after it had copied just one page).  After researching solutions to both, with no luck, I went in a less conventional direction.

I took the advice given in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding."  You spray Windex on the internal workings, sometimes 3 or 4 times, and then wipe them down.  I didn't have a lot to lose, since neither were doing what I needed them to do with scanning and printing.

As of right now, the problems are solved, and they are both working great!

I'm keeping my (ink covered) fingers crossed that they will turn on in the morning.

Looking through

pictures on my computer, I ran into this one.

Mom kept this picture on her mirror after Dad died.  It was taken at Charlene's house, but I'm not sure of the year.  

I love this picture, and I can see why Mom kept it where she could see it everyday. A woman Richard dated for awhile once told him how lucky Mom was to have a man who loved her so much.   So true.

I have

a problem.

He's decided he really likes his new "Man Cave" 

(aka my craft room)

I am really enjoying

going through things with Gary and in the meantime trying to organize family history papers I have.  I'm really getting bogged down with the paper and what to keep.

For instance, I have about 8 of the Ensign Magazines that featured a picture of Dad and his home teaching companion on the front.  Do I just keep one and make sure it is backed up digitally?   Or do I keep all of them in case grand kids or nieces or nephews want some?

Inquiring minds want to know what the minimalists would do?

I went out

To pick the last of the tomatoes and zucchini to make my favorite pasta dish. It is amazing that on November 1 the geraniums look like this.