Girl's Week.

It was another week of fun and memorable activities with people we love. It started with a girl's date for me with Tina, who is one of my ministering sisters.  We spent a couple of hours junking then had lunch at our favorite buffet, though she skipped the sushi. 

That afternoon Dad and I went to the Business Card Size Art show at the J. Kirk Richards' studio in Provo with the Kews.  This piece is one that Trevor and Janell bought on opening night, two weeks before.

We loved the show.  There were so many different mediums used that it was fascinating.

Here are some water colors. There were woven collages, metal work, sculpture, tiny quilts, prints, painting on enamel, and just about anything you could think of.  One that was too tough to photograph was a series of continuous scenes from the wizard of oz,  eight or ten little paintings, it was so charming a group that I was sad that only a couple had sold, meaning they will never be together again.

The oils are always my favorite.  Here you see Trevor and Nell's purchase on the far right, Steve and Terry got the one in the middle here, by the same artist.

This beauty is also an oil and has the distinction of being our purchase. 

We went to dinner at La Dulce Vita.  Here Steve shows his fun phone case.  Perfect for a camera aficionado. 

We love this place, even though the unthinkable happened.  They were out of tiramisu. 

We got to watch the sun looking reddish through the California fires smoke, we've not been enjoying lately.

But Tuesday dawned clear and started with the most beautiful hike to date, this one was with Ann, Kathy and Bonnie up a trail in Hobble Creek Canyon, above the camp grounds that Ann's son found, as he works as a trail groomer for the National Parks Service.  I plan to take Dad up there to hike it together soon.  Autumn is supposed to be a stellar time for this hike. 

A happy rock left behind by a previous sojourner.  

We crossed back and forth over Hobble Creek several times.

Afterward Ann and I stopped at Abigail's Bakery and loaded up on Sour Dough bread.  We found out that they sell their 'day old' for half price.   I walked out with four loaves, Jewish Rye, Home Style, Jalapeno Cheese, and Herb.  The Jalapeno Cheese is my fav, and Dad loves the Rye, which I also like very much, as its very like Finnish Rye. 

Then we spent a half hour at DI before heading to lunch at Zupas, where I found some great choices that fit my eating plan.  I expect to go there more often, and in fact have two lunch dates next week at Zupas.  Oh Man!

That afternoon was my friend from book club, Suzanne's, big fairy party.  She used to host it for the Provo Library, before a new director wanted to change direction.  With all the costumes and traditions they'd invested in, she decided to share the fun with her neighborhood.  She's been doing it for more than ten years, and has invited me before, but this year on our Shakespearean Festival trip she really sold me. So here are my fairies as we arrive.  There were close to a hundred in attendance.

There were fairy ring dances, and story telling.

Wand decorating.

Meeting up with another Book Club friend,

Fairy feasting on tiny delectables. 

Face painting.

and a play ground.

A tiny fairy garden in the boarders to find.

and practicing flying too, though this was more of a self directed activity, unless one's sister helped out.

 The fairy queen, and fairy princess over saw the festival, and granted wishes, sprinkling magic fairy dust (the same substance I sweep up after craft group) to make the wish come true.  

It really was a magical evening, and we plan to go next year too.

Tired and happy fairies ready to head home, chattering about their next fairy party, and suggesting it could be in two weeks, perhaps.  I was so touched by their enthusiasm, that my friend Tina and I are now planning a fairy party for our grand daughters on the 10th of September, not quite two weeks hence, but close.

On Wednesday Dad posted this picture on line for Ashley's 44th birthday, how is that possible?

The first of our grandkids also headed back to school that day.

Also that day I headed into work.  We had a beautiful young woman come in who was dressed in a full on 50's ensemble.  The funny thing is that everything she bought was also from that period.  The little cook book is entitled. 100 Recipes to make from Leftovers ... ummm, then there was a ice crusher, and my 50's popcorn popper that I have had for sale for at least 5 years.

Here she is.

Dad posted this picture on Thursday morning, as a memorial to Ben on the third anniversary of his death.  I thought of him on and off all day.  It's amazing to me how time softens the blow, and I am very grateful for that. I can think of him now and happily celebrate what a wonderful person he is,without thoughts of self-incrimination. 

It was lamb day at the cemetery when Tina and I walked.  Her husband is buried here in the Payson Cemetery where we walk. 

This cute 50's retro couple came in the next day, but were wearing very modern masks with their retro.

We also had a couple from Idaho who came in and spent 800 on rusty junk and filled their truck.  They are school teachers, and travel and shop in the summer then do markets on the weekends in the winter, so they can afford to teach school. 

Then these two came to visit, that was fun, as we prepared for our girl's trip in Park City which would start that evening.

And here they are with a favorite brother up in Park City, as Trevor brought Nell up to join the fun.  I had three daughters, a granddaughter and all four daughters-in-law.

Here are a few of us around the table as Brittany Mitko and I play a game of scrabble.  She lead for the entire game, until I ended up with more tiles left and got to play two unanswered turns ...

Winning the game. She was such a good sport to play with me.

The girls went out and bought us lots of goodies ... these Macrons were the prettiest, I think.

Cam was everyone's little doll.

We sat around waiting for our door dash order, which was put in around 7, by 11:30, after the restaurant was closed, Door Dash finally allowed us to cancel it.  We'd eaten enough of our junk, and some healthy stuff by then that we surrendered. Here they are playing a fun super hero game, that Becca won. Nell said that if Penny had been there, no one would have been allowed to purchase Hulk or She-Hulk except herself.  That made us all laugh.

First thing the next morning, seven of us loaded up in Briahnna's van to head up to the Homestead's hot spring crater for yoga on paddle boards. (Nell stayed back, and watched Cam)

Becca was behind me, so since I wasn't doing anything, the instructor missed taking pictures of her doing the moves, to avoid getting 'lazy me' just sitting on the board.

Our group had the entire session, and we all enjoyed it.  In 1995 a tunnel was blasted though the side so that the springs could be used, as they are in a cone shaped mound, that forms a domed ceiling with a fairly narrow hole in the middle top.

Then we were off to the salon for pedicures,

Except for Darby who recently lost her large toenail when Horse Dallas stepped on her toe a few months back.  She got a manicure.

Brittany had order shirts for us for our girls weekend.

Briahnna's pedi color matched a fabulous car in the parking lot.  I am sure Davin would appreciate that too.

Then we were off to main street for some star gazing, and a wonderful lunch at a restaurant owned by a movie star.

Two Britts and a Baby.

The guy in the white shirt and striped pants behind these Perkins girls is ...

This actor, who some of the girls recognized.

Then we spent an hour strolling the art galleries that line main street in Park City. One of us mistook this cultural activity for nap time.

This one was Nell's favorite.

and this one was mine.

I loved the old ski lift chair turned park bench.

We'd had such a full day, that hot tubbing back at the condo seemed like the thing to do.  I put my camera away before the rest of us joined these partiers.

Meanwhile, Dad, not one to sit home while I was away having fun, went to a play that two of our former Sister Missionaries were starring in.  Here he is with them and other former Finnish Missionaries who came to support them. Left to right: Denise Jamsa, Dad, Marion Pack, Maren Ostlund, Izzy Zentner, Zach Jones, Brenn Parker, and Keeley Watts

The next morning he took Eleanor and Eva to Penny's soccer game,

To allow Trevor and some friends to receive and work the cement to extend their patio.

Then after Dad picked me up from the girls retreat, he finished up the tiling around Darby's shower that he had been working on all week.

Picking me up early from the retreat allowed me to go shopping and find a dress so I could go to two receptions, that Dad had not mentioned to me.  Dang failed communications lines, we just learn to roll with it. and I really like the outfit I found too.

Here we are with Ben Martin, one of our missionaries from our first mission, with his bride.  Again, as an Assistant to the President, because we were often in the office too, we knew him better than we often know missionaries.  Their reception, which we hit early, was in Centerville.

Then we rushed to Mapleton to catch the end of one of his removed cousin's weddings.

  Ben, our missionary met his wife when he was introduced to her by his friend who had been her companion on her mission.  Warren had gone to high school with his wife, but had not dated.  Later a common friend suggested they write to each other when they were both serving their respective missions.  

Dad is shown here with several female cousins of various degrees.  Numbers one and three are his first cousins once removed, while, the other two, daughters of a sister to the first two, are his second cousins.  He visited with at least ten different cousins, he was definitely in his element.

Then this morning we headed north to Kaysville for the homecoming of Grace Gheen another of our missionaries.  She is friends with Callie Marchant nee Larsen (Now married and as you see with a baby) who is my brother Doug's granddaughter.  So this is Callie, her baby and husband, Josh, and Charles Johnson, whose homecoming we attend last week.  Charles, Callie and Grace were all members of the same friend group in high school.  Its fun to have a connection to them all.

Here we all are after the meeting.

Doug and Shirley invited us to lunch afterward, and the meal was absolutely perfect.  We had bacon and tomato sandwiches with egg and avocado.  Of course we passed on the bacon, but ate the rest and it made an amazing sandwich.  Someone should tell Bruce about it.  I expect I will on occasion eat such a sandwich again. After all we are only mostly vegan ... and eggs are included in vegetarian cuisine, right? Thank you Doug and Shirley.

 

They also invited my friend Arlene, who is Shirley's sister and we had a lot of fun talking and sharing experiences.  I went to high school with Arlene and Shirley and even had classes with them, but didn't really get to know them until after Doug and Shirley met at stake youth activates and married.  Then Arlene and I carpooled to the U and became great friends.

A good time was had by all.

So that was our week of fun, lots of it girly stuff, but Dad still managed to go to his Presidency meeting, work at the temple, and at Darby's house, attend his Barbershop practice, go to a play with lots of missionary friends, and help out with some granddaughters as well.  So I don't think he minded my girl stuff too much.