Garden Marvel

this is from our garden. The tomato, not the frog. Please note that it is a conjoined twin tomato.

Yesterday is the first day of the rest of my life.

I decided to face the music (and not dance) but return to WW again. The last time I went was in June and the time before that was in March. So, in order to get in the swing of things, I took Otto and Daisy for a walk. By myself. Alone. Solo. I decided to park by the Capitol and walk down the switch backs to Memory Grove. I was going to simply walk along the road until I got to the end and then go back down the canyon road to my car. Sound good.

Well, there wasn't anyone around so when I got to the bridge that crosses the creek over to the off-leash trail, I decided to go over there and let the dogs run free. They ran along the creek having a great time. I, on the other hand, had bitten off more than I could chew. First, I had to carry a bag of dog crap forever. The up side to that is if anyone accosts me, I can hit them with a a bag of poop. A formidable weapon. Second, apparently there isn't really a trail north of the bridge. There was one at one time, but it was washed out. I got past one really treacherous spot and walked for 100 yards and got to another place that I couldn't get past. I decided to go back and then for some reason was unable to cross over the last spot I had crossed. Meanwhile Otto and Daisy were having a fabulous time.

So, I called the dogs back. Put them on their leashes, slid down the hill on my butt, forded the stream and climbed the hill on the other side. Now I was wet and muddy. My new jeans that were too big could now not be returned. I finally got back to my car and I still hadn't been to WW.

I made a list of all the things that were good about my weight loss. Some of them have returned since I have gained some weight back. This is my motivation for change.

1. Not short of breath
2. Plantar faciaitis gone
3. I don’t pee when I sneeze
4. Balance and dizziness is better.
5. Only need 1 pillow to sleep
6. Snoring is improved
7. Can tie my shoes on top of my foot, not the side.
8. Smaller clothes
9. Cuter shoes
10. Stamina greater when shopping or going to museum
11. Don’t struggle with airplane seatbelt
12. Can put on my socks while standing up
13. Can put on panty hose in Temple locker room stall.

I tried to sneak in and just weigh in a not see anyone, but my old leader was there and she invited to stay for the meeting. This is a good thing. I have only gained back 27 of the 50 lbs that I lost (only is a relative term) and they aren't going to make me give back my tokens. I promptly went to Taco Time for lunch (hadn't had breakfast) and couldn't really eat much the rest of the day to stay in my points range.

I made it through Monday only using 2 of my 35 extra points. Today, I walked the dogs. We stayed on the road. I've had a WW breakfast. I am determined to follow the rules. I had my 2 tsps of healthy oil. I will need 3 dairy and 5 fruits and vegetables.

I really want to use all 26 points for Halloween Candy.

I'll report more later.

And the consolation prize goes to . . .

. . . Monument Valley and Grand Staircase-Escalante. If you manage to get to the bottom of this post, the reward is pictures!!

You may know that Bob and I cancelled our trip to China. Apparently, when we scheduled Bob’s lectures at Hunan University in Changsha, it coincided with the Glorious 60th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Therefore, students have to participate in the festivities and Bob would be lecturing to an empty hall. So, we didn’t feel that we could justify the expense and the time off to go if there were no lectures to give (on the American Judicial System - by the way - though I’m not sure they really care how our system works, since they seem to have one of their own). And Sarah has to have her pacey changed. It was just too much trouble to change my frequent flier ticket to come home early – the only one available was 1 day early. And to cancel my ticket and get a regular ticket where I could sit in the middle of the steerage section (with or without the chickens and the goats) for 15 hours for $2K+ just didn’t seem worth it. Anyway, Rachel still went and has sent us back some fabulous pictures. She told me last night, if we ever go, maybe she’ll come along again. We are expecting souvenirs, and it better happen since I gave her money to spend.
So, I wanted to go somewhere. I read about Highway 12 in the AAA magazine and decided that we would do a quick little jaunt to Southern Utah. Home of the John Wayne Western, sand, hoo- doos, national parks, etc. One particular high point is that there are many places where cell phones do not work. We could travel along without any interruptions from the office. I was not really prepared for the majesty that exists in the state of Utah. You might say that it is actually "life changing". Now ‘life changing" is Sarah’s description for something fabulous. It can be a really great bacon-cheeseburger, the Boyz to Men Reunion concert at the Utah State Fair or truly something life changing in the traditional sense of the expression. Now judge for yourselves and tell me that this isn’t life changing.
PS - the other consolation prize is that I get to gorge myself of the food of the God’s – white bread, a teeny bit of mayo, home-grown vine-ripe tomatoes, salt and pepper all wrapped up in a fabulous (Life Changing!!) sandwich. All my tomatoes have ripened and I would have missed them had we been in China.

Wonderful pictures in no particular order:


Desert critters

Hoo-doos of Red Canyon

Hoo-doos of Red Canyon, part 2

Gorge of the Grand Staircase - in geological ages, the formations of the Grand Canyon, Zions Canyon and Bryce canyon stair step up so what is old in one canyon, is new in the next - hence the name staircase. Thank goodness Bill Clinton protected this. Pictures do not do it justice.

This whole area is open range. We met Bossy, here, and many of her friends.

Fall is at its peak on Highway 12

The view from our motel room in Torrey.

Mexican Hat, Utah. No dancing going on.

Valley of the Gods as seen from the most awesome, white-knuckle, hair-pin turn road I have ever been on!!

Monument Valley

Monument Valley

Monument Valley -- can't you just seen John Wayne and Paul Newman come galluping over the rise.

More Monument Valley

Children: be forewarned. I am already planning a McKay/Lewis trip to follow in the footsteps of our pioneer ancestors in this glorious country.

It's Only Fair

The Utah State Fair has finally arrived!! I look forward to it every year and try to go at least once and if I am lucky I go twice or thrice. It's been raining like crazy the last couple of days so we finally decided to brave it last night. It was about 8 pm when we got there, but because of the early rain, there was hardly anyone around. That meant we could get dinner and not have any trouble finding a place to sit. So, dinner is one of my favorite things about the fair. I eat food I never get any other time. This time, I got:

Philly Cheese steak from Moochies.

Then, we went to my favorite place: The Home Arts.

Then, We had to go see the famous Butter Cow, sculpted by my old Friend from Ohio, Debbie McPhie Brown. I must be attempted to be Emily Dickinson. All My Nouns are capitalized.

The real picture is in my phone, I just can't figure out how to get it out, so this is from the Utah Dairy Council's website -- it is last year's cow. This year features a cow in a tutu, Kathleen's personal favorite:

And finally, to top off a perfect evening!!

I just strolled along the midway, stumbling down memory lane, remembering the good times had by all. Maybe Saturday, I'll go see the pigs.

Pioneer Women Sang as They Walked, and Canned, and Gardened, and Made Pies, etc.

I just finished reading The Undaunted, by Gerald Lund. Now, just for clarification sake, I generally do not read LDS historical fiction. It's not that I am a snob (maybe I am), but that there is generally too much fiction and not enough history. I picked this one up because it was about the Hole-in-the-Rock expedition, or San Juan Mission, in 1880/81, where about 250 Latter Day Saint settlers were called to start a colony in the San Jaun Valley is south eastern Utah/South Western Colorado area. The only reason I am interested in this is because the President of the San Juan Mission, and leader of the Expedition, was Silas S. Smith, my great-grandfather.

It was a pretty good book. There was way too much story about these fictional folks and where they came from and what they said and how they felt, etc. However, the description of the climb through this rugged terrain and the sacrifices these people made and the exertion and pain and triumphs and blessings that came from following the call of a prophet made it worth the reading. I highly recommend it.

So, lately, I have gotten back to my Pioneer woman roots. I love stories of frontier women. Ever since I was in Jr. high. I love Willa Cather (My Antonia, etc.). A Latern in Her Hand and Mrs. Mike (about Canada) were some of my favorite high school reads. Letters from a Woman Homesteader is a book I couldn't put down (and it is real). I even loved The Revolt of Sarah Perkins (this was a dumb story about a plain-looking mousy New England woman who goes to the west to teach school and ends up saving the town from Indians, marrying the handsome rancher, and becoming beautiful in her own way -- I didn't say it was great literature, but when you're 14, it is the best!!)

So far this year, I have planted, canned, frozen, picked, and made pies!! I asked Bob to see if he could find a few apricots at the fruit stand in Brigham City so I could make a small batch of jam. He came home with a half-bushel. I made 4 batches of apricot jam, 2 batches of apricot syrup, 2 pies, and the pureed the last 8 cups and froze it for future jam. I also made 3 batches of raspberry jam, froze 15 pounds of beans, have a big pile of zucchini waiting to be made into bread, more tomatoes in Huntsville that I know what to do with. I've also learned several ways to cook turnips. If I could only figure out what to do with all those beets.

I have also started a fall garden patch. We built 2 4x4 boxes and Bob put them on wheels and I put it on the deck on top of the garage. I already have things growing. I just don't remember what they are. So, could be beans, could be radishes, could be spinach. Only time will tell.

Now, if you'll excuse me, Otto and I have to go plow the North 40.

My Own Personal Hades

I was going to call this post "go to Hell" but thought I might offend my following of 2-3 people who actually read this blog.

I thought about this because Sarah called me one day and said when we go to Hell we are going to be required to move. She had been moving her office all day (it was about 10 pm!!) and felt that was surely what Eternal damnation was going to be. Perhaps that would be an appropriate punishment, for we are all so wrapped up in our wordly possessions that we might have to pack them, move them, unpack them and then start all over again throughout the eternities.

Those of you who have read Dante's Divine Comedy (most specifically the Inferno) are familiar with the levels of Hell and the punishments that are so specific to the type of sin or sinner. For those of us who are not so well-read, perhaps we have read The Dante Club, a very nice mystery with the Inferno as a framework for the story. This is kind of like admitting that I only read the comics in the newspaper. Bob said I shouldn't say that publically; people might think I am shallow. It's OK. I am shallow. Anyway, I haven't read Dante, but I have read The Dante Club. I think that is close enough.

So, my Eternal punishment will be entertaining. Not entertaining as in people watch and laugh, but as in I have to throw parties. Kathleen said, "Mom, for a person who doesn't like to do this, you do a good job." It is just tiring for me. I have to have a clean house, and I always cook something that I have never made before. I just keep my fingers crossed and hope it turns out ok. Bob always has a few extra jobs to throw in also. This time, he brought more plants home to fill up some empty spots in the yard. Now he did help, but it's very funny. He said how his dad would be so proud of him for getting into gardening, and my response was "what, for standing over me watching me plant?" Anyway, the yard looks better than it has ever looked and I really do just want to show it off, so, we Entertain!!

I'm not sure how this actually fits any particular sin I may have committed (maybe pride in my yard, house, cooking skills, ), but it certainly is punishment. This past summer, I have had to host Youth Conference at the Huntsville house for our ward, get the Huntsville house ready for the Capitol Hill 2nd ward Youth Conference, have a housefull of family members over (that was actually not punishment -- it was a treat -- but still a lot of people); we hosted 12 Chinese clients, with translators, office staff, etc., had the Stake Mutual swimming party, and Bob's tennis group. I'm not sure I used all my commas and semicolons correctly, but I am sure you were able to follow the line of progression in my march toward the river Styx.

Give me room, lots of room.

When my sister Fran moved out of our parent's home, her room quickly became a sewing room. When it appeared that I was no longer going to move back to Seattle (i.e. a job, then husband, then baby), my room became an office, complete with drafting table, typewriter, etc. After sister Kathleen went off on a mission, and then moved to Phoenix (Mesa, Chandler), her room became storage/guest room. This is the natural order of things.

Times change. When Rachel moved away to college, she told me in no uncertain terms: "don't take over my room." She said this, while in the same breath she would say: "don't ask me, I don't live here." So as the big kids moved out, I strived (strove?) to keep their rooms in the same general condition that they left it in. Generally unmade beds and dirty clothes on the floor. Now they have their own places so I am pretty sure they really don't live here anymore except for an occasional holiday, or house sitting, or illness.

But now I only have one child at home, size-wise she doesn't take up much space. But to see all of her stuff spill over into the rest of the house, you would think that a half dozen very messy young children still live here. Kathleen has stuff in literally every room in the house. She does her homework in the dining room, at the kitchen, at the bar in the family room. She uses the upstairs bathroom for getting ready at the sink, but bathes and uses the other facilities down stairs. She sleeps in her room, or Rob's room if hers has to much stuff on the floor or the bed. If it is really hot, she sleeps in Sarah's or Rachel's room. Everybody's stuff is dropped on the kitchen counter, so I really can't say what is hers and what is Bob's. Often she is working at the computer in Bob's office. My sewing room is no longer my own, and when I come home from work, I find her sitting on my bed, watching the TV shows I recorded on my DVR.

I don't know what planets are out of alignment, but the whole natural order of things is upside down.