Two Birthdays and More Black Paint

 Here goes another week and this one starts off with witches ... yep, I started planning my witch's party.  I used this picture for my online invitation.  Dad meanwhile was finishing up the last bit of the last pillar to support the antique gate in the side yard.

That afternoon we headed north to see Sleeping Beauty on her birthday.  She'd been to Build a Bear for her birthday, and it must have been hard work, because we couldn't wake her up to give her presents.

 Prince Charming, however kept us entertained.

Her Mom later sent us this picture of her with part of her present.  How cute is this?

After our visit we headed to Home Depot, and bought mostly paint for various projects we had coming up. 

Then we picked up Hannah to go and see a Story Teller at the Provo Library.

 It was a first for Hannah, but we are old hands, having attended the Festival last month.

And here Dad and Hannah stand by a statue of Abraham O. Smoot for whom the library is named.  Just so we can mention, once more that Thomas Benjamin Clark, my Great Grandfather, saved his life.

On Tuesday Dad was hard at it once more, this time painting the gate.

I painted a couple of projects, and started getting out my Halloween decor.

That night we watched some of the footage of our WWII mini series, which we are enjoying a lot.

 On my walk with Ginny on Wednesday morning, I hauled this 1950's stool out of a garbage can.  I took it right to work and put $20 on it in the yard, I don't think it will last long.

 Bill and Melanie McBee came into the mall that day, looking for props for the wedding of one of their daughters.  The fun thing is that they were one of the couples who got married the year Dad was managing the Orem  store and had 8 temple marriages.  They called dad the Bishop of Macey's in those days.  Now he's a oral surgeon, and their second oldest child is getting married.  Its been a long time since we came to Orem in 1991.  Crazy.

I got off work a bit early so we could head to Salt Lake City for Jeff's birthday party.  Paint night, in a bar of all things.  We all had fun and now I can say I've done it.

 On Thursday a large glass case I had sold was to be called for, so I had brought in the antique pie safe that had been our TV cabinet before Finland.  So in shuffling the contents of my locked cases, I found these two pairs of circa 1920's glasses.  The ones Dad is wearing are bifocals, but not his prescription.  Mine are just readers, and work great for me.  How silly will I look wearing these.  They are super comfy and light weight, I forget I'm wearing them.

Dad had done his Temple shift, before going grocery shopping and bringing me my phone that I had left home.

 That night I went off to book club in Elk Ridge, and got to hear everyone's evacuation stories, as well as their miracle stories about how the fire was managed by the Lord.  How one of homeowners got a call that their house would be burning in the next hour, the fireman knew her and didn't want her to see her house burning on the news without knowing.  But then the flame stopped, and later petered out.  The fire had rushed down the hill covering several miles in less than an hour, the experienced wild land fire fighters, expected the city to be gone in another hour, but the fire stopped dead a half a mile from the closest house, and stayed there for three days.  

The winds were high, all around the general area, but directly over the fire threatening the houses, it was calm. Two Sundays in a row when people were fasting and praying for rain to stop the fire, it rained lightly, when there was no forecast of any chance of rain. We heard that even stakes outside of Utah were praying for Elk Ridge and its fire situation. 

 On Friday, Dad pulled off the aluminum window and frame work on the stairs window, revealing more wonderful woodwork.  He used tubes and tubes and tubes of caulking to fill in dried out wood work, and spaces between the old window and the stone.  He's sealing it off, so we won't be opening that window again, but then, we have rarely opened it. 

 I headed off to Book Club, this time my neophite ward book club.  This is our leader, Catherine Schulzke.  She's a great reader, and its been fun to get her perspective on books.

That night we attended a wedding reception and then a fiftieth wedding anniversary.  This is Naomi Dickens, shown on the right, and my old friend and walking partner Julie Johansen, who I haven't seen since before our mission.

 On Saturday I was up early and headed north with Carolyn the leader of our We Can group, and we attended the decorating workshop at PCMC.

Afterward we had time to kill before I dropped Carolyn off at the Temple for a family sealing, so we went to lunch and did some shopping, including this Halloween Shop.

 meanwhile Dad was a home babysitting sweet Van.  Spencer and Brittney had gone to the temple.  

 They did some serous bonding, for a couple of hours, then the four of them went out to lunch.  

That afternoon he got the woodwork on the stairs window painted up.

 After hitting a couple of DIs I met up with Barb and her sister Donelle at Cubby's in Lehi.

 Then we met up with Robin, Teri and Trina at Thanksgiving point to see, 'Crazy Rich Asians', which I actually liked, and found interesting.

 Then, when Dad was at Trevor's watching the BYU game, and I was at the movie, our Grandson Scott was at a school dance with this young lady, who happened to be the daughter of a couple who once worked with Trevor and Macey's, how fun is that?

 Here is Brittney, Bear and Van at Trevor and Nell's house, as they, and Spencer had also watched the BYU game.  I picked up dad and then we headed home.

On Sunday we had a quiet morning, then attended church.  After church we picked all the tomatoes in the garden and Dad ...

made up some delicious pico, a lot of it.  It is amazing to me how fast we can go through it, but at least its healthy, right?  and nothing tastes better than home grown tomatoes ... I rue the day we run out.

As for our mourning, it was a good week.  We talked about Ben with Hannah some, and she seems to be doing pretty well too.  I still run into people who have just learned about Ben, or who I haven't seen since they heard. People are so kind, and always assure me that they are praying for us, which we can still feel.

Aunt JoLyn called and talked for a while this week.  Having lost a son herself, she speaks with such empathy, I have become aware of just how many have suffered the loss of a child.  Who am I to think I am above such sorrows, its part of life, my own mother and mother-in-law had to deal with it.  I have two siblings who have dealt with it ... I know I too will come through.

Darby's horse is much better, and will be leaving the animal hospital soon.  I was touched by the fact that she feels like Ben had something to do with pulling strings to help him get well.  Its interesting to think that way, like he's an extra advocate for us.  Of course you all know that I believe I have a Brother there who is my advocate and I am very grateful for that knowledge.