The year 2010

As I come to the end of this year, I pause to remember important times of these past months. The winter seemed to go on and on. Cold and Snow. Spring was slow and many fruit blossoms froze. I found 3 apples on my tree which surprised me as I thought there were none. I planted a peach tree in the garden area. Michael Durant has been so good to come with his tractor and till my garden and spread fertilizer which made things do much better.I planted gladiolas and zinnias with the cosmos which come every year and are so beautiful. The deer like the glads as soon as they bud. Tomatoes did nothing. Potatoes were great. Cabbages were gigantic. Spring and summer kind of combined. It was never too hot and we had alot of rain off and on. That was great.

I spent a week in Mesa Arizona with Patty and Walter Powell and got to stay one night with Dillon's family and go to church with them. They took me for a ride Sunday to a Ghost Town where we witnessed a hanging, a shootout and got to look at the old buildings as they were years ago. I really enjoyed my visit. Walter spent alot of time telling me stories of old Rangely days and people. I never knew he was such a talker. He and Bob always visited while I and Patty talked, so didn't really know Walter.

The Wardell Reunion was at Connie and Nile's again on Memorial weekend. I wasn't feeling at all well so came home early. Moana was in charge and did a great job. Gay worked with her to make a Wardell Book for us and any who wanted to buy one. It is wonderful.

By Sunday I was really sick. Carl Ray and Dave gave me a blessing and I took some Milk of Magnesia which cleaned me out pretty good. I was feeling better, but Wanda insisted on taking me to the emergency because she was going out of town with Gay and Wendy (I think...anyway, they were all going to be gone) They sent me to Dr. Hughs and he had a bunch of tests done and I still don't know why...it didn't seem to tell why I got sick. If I wasn't better Dr Hughs wanted a stomach probe. I got better. Later he had me come in and take blood etc which made him think I needed a whole colostomy..uper and lower. It showed some ulsers so gave me pills. Then in August, we were getting together for our Video nite of Gangsters when my groin began to hurt really sharply till I couldn't walk. Dr White had started coming to my painting class and set me up for Xrays the next day. It didn't show anything so he had me take shots in my knee and then my hip which got me through Education week. Then he had me get a CT scan which showed a fractured pelvas. He thought it could hear it'self if I would go on a walker etc. I thought it was getting better so didn't use the walker as much as a cane. I had wanted a Dr Woodward for my basic doctor and finally got an appointment with him and he had me get another CTscan. It looked kind of bad and then Dr Hughes called me in because in one of the tests it showed a bacteria in my stomach. But when he realized the time I was having with my hip, he got all excited and called Dr Woodard, Dr Young the surgen, and Dr Perry the radiologist. They all but Perry thought I should have surgery as soon as possible. Dr Perry and Dr White still believe it could heal and should give it some more time. I do not want surgery so have decided to turn to the Lord instead of the arm of flesh. I have asked family and friends to remember me next fast Sunday. I pray that my faith will be enough to warrent the healing that I need. May the Lord's will be done.
So..all in all...this year has been a challenge healthwise. I miss Gay, as she has gone to Alaska. But am so blessed with my family, friends and neighbors. Everyone is so good to me. I feel so undeserving. I still try each day to become a better person.
Christmas has been different. The only one I have ever spent alone. Wendy went to Provo to her family. Wanda and CR to thiers. Bishop Jones has been here checking on me a couple of times. I just felt like I should stay in one place and try to heal. Hope it works. I am doing alot of positive thinking.

One Beautiful Lady...

Getting Older Every Day

Here it is Fall again. We've hardly had a summer. We are having a beautiful Indian Summer. Warm and Sunny. Nights are cooler. About six weeks ago I started having pain in my groin. It got worse and worse. Dr. James White had just started coming to my painting class, so he observed my pain and said I might have a fractured hip or pelves. I got Xrays the next day and it didn't show a fracture so they put a cortizone shot in my hip the week before Ed Week. It didn't take until Monday afternoon in Provo...our first day there. I had a great week till Friday afternoon when the pain returned. My knee was bothering me alot too, so they gave me a shot in the knee. That was supposed to tell if it or my hip was the real problem. The hip was the problem, so a CT was called for which showed a fracture in the hip in the part that makes a cup for the ball to fit in. So...I am broken. However, Dr White says that it should heal if I stay on a walker for three months and take care for six. I hope that is so, but it is so hard to do anything much with a walker. But I am trying. Getting old certainly is not for sissys. Sometimes I am a sissy.

August, 2010

Wow! What a full calendar! I went to the Ward campout the last of July and that was fun. I took Wendy's big tent and the usual stuff, cot, food, etc. and didn't need much as I ate with Rich's the first night and Miles's for Saturday breakfast. Gay went with me to set up the tent on Thursday and then went home. Glenda Rich and two g kids helped. I had to go back Friday to work in the temple and then back to the Mountain (Iron Springs) for the dinner and then I was responsible for the campfire program. I got five men to act out "The Book of Mormon by Dr Suess" It was good. Gay and Wendy came to help me again then went home. I did ok except going to the bathroom in the night and losing Shay. I went around softly calling, "Shaaay, Shaaay" and finally turned around to go back to the tent and there he was following me. Next time I will get me a portaPotty.

Matt and Melinda's wedding is Aug. 6th. Family Camp is next weekend and then Ed Week is the next.

We had our Gangster Video night Aug 3rd. It was a fun one. Gay had Niles & Connie bring one of his restored cars for pictures. It is a red and black Modle T. I went as a flapper girl. Gay wore a black and white checered suit etc, Wendy and Wanda wore dark suits too and they really looked the part of gangsters. We watched "Blue Eyes" (I think) while we ate calzones, pasta-potatoes, salad and crembroule (???) What ever - it was sooo good. But I got pains in my left groin so bad I could hardly walk. Next morning was worse, but I uses CR's crutches and had art class. Dr James White came to paint that night and told me I better get Xrays. So he called the Rx in to the hospital next morning and Gay took me down. I borrowed a walker from Doris Burton which helped a little, but had excruciating pain whenever I put my weight on it or lifted it. We were afraid it would be a fractured pelvis or hip, but Dr White called that night and said I wasn't broken but I have a really bad case of artheritis. So I was not able to go to the wedding. I am here alone, just laying around. Not what I like doing. Dr said to take a bunch of Motrin, but it wouldn't kick in for about 3 days. I don't think I will be camping but hopefully will be able to go to Ed Week. Oh well, such is life these days!

60th Class Reunion - Hall Reunion

What a wonderful time!! July 6th, Tuesdsy was dinner at Casa Rio's where we all met to start it off. The food service was pretty bad. They put two large platters on a long table - one of fruit and the other lettuce salad. Then we were served a plat with one large baked potatoe and two big slices of roast beef. That was it! no veggie, no parsley....just a bare plate. We had already eaten the green salad and fruit. It was pretty crowded too, but that was okay. I had made 10 centerpieces for the tables. Lowell Caldwell was the MC. Dewey Paulson was head of it this year with Lorain (who was not able to help), Marvin Richardson, Arden Robbins, Joy Horton and I were on the committee. I am always over the picnic part. We used to have it up to the Orchard in Dry Fork but now it is in my back yard. Which took place the next day after a bus trip around the valley with Dewey as our guide. He did a good job.

Richard Jean Michle came the Friday before while I was gone with Wendy and Gay to the Hall Reunion in Kaysville, UT that weekend. More about that later. We got home on Sunday and Jean showed up and I let him sleep in the camper trailer. He was very happy to not be in the same house with two women and 'all those pillows'. He got teary eyed thinking of Bob and camping with us in the years past. So that worked out really well. The electric cord was too long to give him lights, so he used my big camp flashlight and was happy. He said he had never slept so well. It was fun to have him here. He always finds something to fix when he comes. This time he replaced the fausets in the bathroom that were leaking. He spent most of the day Monday fixing it...going back and forth to town for something else he needed. We ate at JB's one night and Chinese the next and then went to the movie..Eclipse. It was fun to have him.

Back to the picnic. Lisa Reynolds catered the lunch and it was sooo good! It made up for the night before. Too bad not everyone came to the picnic that was there the night before. I had tables and chairs out on the lawn in the shade and everyone seemed to really enjoy the day. Nobody hurried to leave. There were still people visiting about 4pm. I had each one of the classmates give a minute sharing thier lives with everyone. Lathair was the timer. When the minute was up he would wave his hand up. Not everyone paid attention but it was good. Lowell Caldwell volunteered to head it in three years. He's such a good man.


HALL REUNION

Wendy, Gay and I went to Kaysville July 2nd & 3rd for the Hall Reunion. Glade and Cicile and Mark something were in charge. We got there a little late..like 7pm and had a hard time finding the address. We saw these people at a church pavilion as we first got where we thought we should be except the address said 9th west. The girls just knew that was the wrong place (even though there was a 9th on the building) because 9th always means 900. So we went all over trying to find it on 900 west. The finally agreed after talking to a wonman on the street to go back and sure enough that was our group. We didn't know many there but got aquainted and really enjoyed ourselves. When the meeting to decide who would do the next reunion in two years, Gay and Wendy volunteered me! That automatically made them the committee. So we will be having the next one here in Vernal. I was surprised that they wanted to come back here...but so glad. The girls also said we would do the Wardell one next year too. Anyway, it has been a very busy summer... and a different year. The winter never ended till May and so far it has been a moderate summer..some rain...wind...I do think the Latter Days are here.

Trip to Mesa AZ March 10 to 17

Last Christmas, Patty Powell called and said I should go down to Mesa, AZ to visit. They have a house there where they go every winter. So - I decided to just do it. I surprised everyone, including myself. Wendy helped me by getting the best tickets on line. It was $249 for round trip. I left SLC on March 10 and returned March 17. Wendy took me to Orem. Richard took me to the airport Wednesday morning. I flew to Las Angeles then to the Phonix airport where Patty and Walter picked me up. Wendy got me a new cell phone so I was able to call Patty when I got there and it worked out fine. I waited mayby 5 minutes. Thier neighbor, Jim, drove thier car.

It was beautiful weather and they treated me so special. I was given a beautiful room with a bathroom attatched. Thier house is really nice and comfortable with a fenced back yard. There is a swing on the patio that I enjoyed every morning. They said I took naps, but I said I was just resting my eyes from the bright sunshine. They have two orange trees, a lemon and grapefruit trees back there too. The Oranges were gone, but the Lemon tree had fruit as big as the grapefruits. Unbelievable! It was a really relaxed easy time. They just visit and whatever one wants to do. It was really different to be around people who are not involved in church stuff -- meetings etc. like we are. It was pretty nice. We went to the Farmers Market, Grocery store, Antique store.... Grace Hayes lives there in an assisted living place that we visited. She was so happy to see me. She used to paint in my class in Rangely. It was a really beautiful place to live. Costs $1500 a month!! Saturday morning we went to an Art Show and that was fun. We especially liked it because none of the work was better than ours. (except on portrait of a little child. It was so precious)

I called Dillon and Valerie and he came and got me Saturday with Sydney and London. I stayed the night and went to church with them. Sydney kept me going. She is a bundle of energy. They took me to a Ghost Town where we watched a hanging and a shootout on the street. It is really an interesting place. The desert is beautiful. There are so many kinds of Cacti and everything is green this time of year. It was so good to be in thier home. They are a great little family. They took me back to Powell's Sunday afternoon and came to the patio where everyone was. Pam, Patty's daughter and her daughter Corey and two kids came the day after I got there and so they had a full house. I still got to keep the bedroom I felt kindof guilty, but Patty said I got there first.

Patty and Pam took me to the airport about 5am and left me to my own vices. I made it through okay. It went through Denver this time. Gay met me in the Salt Lake airport. We went to their hotel for a little rest. She met Duane coming from Maryland that night. Then we had lunch at the Joseph Smith Building and then to the Family History Building where Gay found a little information she needed. We then went to Jonathon's and met Wendy. He and Meghan have a nice appartment with Matt. We ate at Panda Express,(I think) and then I and Wendy left for home. Got home about midnight. I was really tired. It was a good trip. I am so glad I went.

February 3, 2010

Today is my brother, Morgan's, birthday. Yesterday Virginia passed over to him and thier son, Gary Dodds Hall. He was killed in the Viatnaum war. Virginia has been living in the BeeHive House here in Vernal for most of a year. The last few months have been hard for her. She existed on fluids only for the past two weeks. I have been singing to both Houses, but only a few times where Virginia lived. She has been in pain for a long time and it was hard to visit with her very long at a time. While she was still in her home, I tried to interest her in going to church, but she and her sister, Lois, didn't seem interested. So many people think that if they believe in God and live good honest lives, that is enough. Something must have touched Virginia, though. Gayla told me that the night before she died, that she was questioning why she couldn't go...."Was it because she hadn't joined the church?" I am sure not, but she will be glad to accept it now. Layne and Landon had Morgan baptised and endowed and we had him sealed to our parents. At the baptism, Layne told me that the sister attending heard voices exclaiming things like "Good job..." She looked around and there was nobode there. We know that Morgan and others were there extited to have our family complete.

The funeral is Saturday at the Mortuary. I am to sing. Will add more later.

The Last of 2009 & First of the New Year 2010

It has been a busy few weeks. Jonathon's wedding, Thanksgiving at Wanda's, our Wardell party. Christmas busyness... My favorite times are always when the family gets together. I LOVE my family! They are all so great. Our family party was especially wonderful for me because all my kids were here together. But, these 'kids' are not very young any more...so guess what that makes me? Landon and Joshua, Megan and Mr and Mrs Jonathon were the only grandkids. Everyone did a part on the program and it was quite hillarious. Pam had Layne, Landon, Temi and Barry read Dr. Suess's version of the Book of Mormon. Barry told how the Angel got to the top of the Christmas Tree. (I think I didn't really get what I was supposed to from that story) Wanda read a story dresses as a cute elf person. Wendy told about the meaning of Twelve Days of Christmas and Jonathon and Meghan shared a cute story. The final touch was Gay and Duane impersonating Julia Childs demonstrating an artichoc/spinach dip. Gay did the talking - Duane's hands did the mixing as though they belonged to Gay. It was awesome. Joshua really got a kick out of that, especially when Gay's nose itched and Duane's hands had to scratch it with cream cheese hands. The food was great as usual and much to much. Gay and Wanda made really good soups and there were lots of finger foods.

Christmas it's self was more quiet. Gay went to Brandi's and took Chrystal. Wendy went to Jonathon's new apartment. Gabe and Parker, and Justin, April and Tegan came home for Christmas day and Candic's family came next day. I think I have never seen so many presents and toys. We are all a bit spoiled, I'm afraid. There was just too much.

We have gotten a few pretty good snow storms. There was probably 14 or 15 inches in the back yard. Then the cold closed in and doesn't want to leave. I keep hoping for a January thaw, but so far it just gets colder. How greatful for warm houses with central heat, running water that doesn't freeze (so far) and wood for my little fireplace that makes it seem so comfortable and cheery.

I am hoping that I will be able to follow through with my resolution to learn the new family history program and actually DO some temple work. All I seem to ever acomplish so far is to up date stuff. Gay is helping me so maybe...?

It is a pretty scary time for our country. Our new President Obama promised changes and has really filled that promise. The economy is terrible. Everything is a mess. He is spending us into a terrible depression. People are out of work..We can count on higher taxes...socialism is taking over...Where will it end? Not good. We can only pray that the Lord will somehow rescue us.