Meeting Ann's Friends and Seeing Old Friends too.

Monday started out without fanfare or plans.  Then Ann called to say she was changing her Hale Center Theater tickets from Wednesday to Monday.  Since Wednesday's Hale Theater with dinner before always requires me to pay someone to come in for an hour at work, I jumped on it.  We met Ann and her friend Liz for dinner.

During dinner we got talking about various things, and Liz mentioned a missionary from, and serving in the Philippians, who is struggling financially.  Since we've been looking for a missionary to help that way, we struck a deal then and there.  I am excited to get to know Trisha.

I hadn't had high expectations for seeing Sister Act, because I had not enjoyed the play at Tuacan a couple of years ago.  But with the close seating at the Hale, and the energy of the play, I LOVED it, more than I can say.  This young woman played the lead and was just stunning.  So much fun.  After intermission we moved down to available seats on the front row by Ann and Liz, and I felt like I was part of the dance scenes.  Dramatic immersion, at its best. I just love the set up of this small theater, and will be sad when they move to a larger one.

Dad had not seen anyone he knew at the theater, which was plain old weird.  He ALWAYS sees someone he knows.  So I wasn't surprised when afterwards, we ran into a former Finnish missionary in the parking lot.  They are the Youngs and live in a neighboring ward to ours Orem.  At least that's who Scott said he is ...

But I have my doubts.

This cute older actress played one of the nuns and was so energetic, hilarious and coordinated, it was inspiring.

When the sun came up the next morning it found me on Salem Pond, with Ann and yet another friend.  Janey, who is best friends with Liz who I had met the night before.  It was fun to get to know her.

Here I am with Janey. The pond was as beautiful as ever.

Its the absolutely most wonderful way to spend the early hours of the day.  We meet at 8.

Later Dad and I headed up to Salt Lake to watch Van for a bit, and stopped in Orem to drop off aluminum cans for Zach.  We took it as a photo op as well, with the good vibes girl. 

I dropped Dad off at Van's school so he could walk him home (We don't have a car seat and its a half a mile walk).  I then went and did some junking, mainly DI, but I did drop into The Village Vintage, there in Sugar House where Jenn Reed has been selling, as well as others I know, some of whom are now in The Grove Vintage.  I love this cute hanging Halloween decor piece, (I am always a sucker for anthropomorphic moons), I just didn't love it $85 worth. Next I went to a used bookstore next door, where I found a perfect book for Brady for their Christmas basket.  Score!!

Here is Dad on his was home with Van ... The next day on their walk home, Van would have an interesting question for his Papa.  He said, "How do I get some more brothers and sisters for my family?"

That night we watched Breakfast at Tiffany's.  It had been a while for me and Dad had never seen it.  Lots of people love it, lots of people not so much ... I actually liked it better than I remember liking it before.  I did love how kind she was to the older man to whom she had been married in her young teens.  It really made me like her character.  The kick is that I have a phone in the shop for sale that is almost identical to this one, she had in her apartment.  By the way, if your interested, I know where you can find a cut away claw foot bath tub, like the one she has for her couch.  

Wednesday I walked with Carolyn at the cemetery.  She had loaded her car with packets for young children in the hospital that her WeCan group had made.  I've missed meeting with them, it just seems that life gets so crazy sometimes. BTW its maybe interesting to note that I met Carolyn through Ann over twenty years ago.

It was our Nell's birthday that day.  We sure enjoy her in our family.  This of course, is the collage that Dad posts on line, and wants to have saved.  Happy birthday Nell.  We are thick with October birthdays in this family.

At work that day I enjoyed seeing this mannequin head.  Her hair is actually curled newpapers.  I think she's charming.  I thought about bringing her home, but thought that might be pushing my luck.

Here is Van on the playground on Wednesday, when his Papa came again to walk home with him and watch him until his Mom and sister got home.  Dad has really enjoyed the one on one with this dinosaur loving kid.

With no Thursday pictures to add, I thought I'd add this one instead.  It was fun to pick them off  Charley's insta page.  Britt found the skull while junking with me, so its fun to see how perfect it is as a prop.

That day was our Brady man's birthday too.  Again, an amazing individual who we joyfully call our son.

On Friday Dad and I met up with Ann and Matt, and their neighbors Melinda and Mike.  It was fun to get to know them too.

Here are the Walters, he's a retired CPA.

We went up Hobble Creek Canyon to the Wardsworth trail. 

It was fun to see deer Melinda doing some clowning around.

The colors were amazing, and here we see Dad with a rock he chose for our memory wall.  

As we finished up there were a couple of gals on horses.  I thought Darby would enjoy the trail ride pic.

After doing a few chores at home, Dad and I headed to Salem pond for his first time.  It was very warm for October, almost 80 and very comfortable.

Terry Kew, my local bird expert tells me these guys are Cormorants.  Ann and I have enjoyed watching this family for the last couple of months.

Saturday dawned early ... Dad was off on his fourth run for the week, and I headed out to West Mountain to the March home, this is Saundra Marsh, for the annual quilt house tour and breakfast as part of Payson annual quilt show, at 7:30.

I met Lavern and Julie there.  We had talked about it out at Mosida in the summer, telling sister Smith how Lavern and I go every year, (when I'm not on a mission) and she said she'd like to join us.  I got on line that day and bought the tickets.  It was so fun for all of us, as we are all seamstresses to one degree or another, with me being the least of all.

Giant cinnamon rolls were part of our lovely breakfast.

This quilt belongs to Saundra, but many other quilts were made by other quilters in Payson.

I thought this one was charming, as I love the cabbage rose panels. There was even one there made by Nina's sister Lanae Brinkerhoff.  I later saw her at the donated fabric sale they do at Peteetneet afterwards.  

Dave and Bri were kind enough to send me these pics they took up at Cascade Springs that day.  I thought they were lovely.  Such a cute family, we just love them all.

Dad went to to a Finnish Reunion with our mission president, Ilka Aura, and Paula Aura while I was at the quilt breakfast that morning.  They were hiking up to Bridal Vale Falls, and Dad said there were 30 who joined in the fun.  I felt bad to miss it, but the quilt breakfast comes but once a year, and there were other activities throughout the day. 

In fact they joined again, with others too, at the Farmer's Market at Pioneer Square for lunch.  I thought that was a charming idea.  The house above with the skeletons playing croquet in the yard was across the street.  Talk about adorable.

Here are the Paulas.  You may recall that it was Sister Aura's Pescatarian ways, that lead us into our new life style four and a half years ago. She is in her late fifties and has eaten this way her whole life.  Doesn't she look amazing?

Here's a few missionaries gathered together.

More missionaries and we happened to run into the man on the far right.  Do your recall the American Opera singer that we met in Finland? Adam Walton is the nephew of Tom Walton who lived in our ward in Orem.  His Dad's name is Gary Walton with whom Dad served on the High Council when we were first in Orem.  Well, this man is Adam's father-in-law, the father of Adam's first wife and mother of his first two children.  After her death Adam moved with the kids to Finland, then met a member gal on line who is from Romania.  They married and now have a third child.  They are just amazing, and we loved them, especially when Adam sang at various times for church activities.  Anyway, a fun meeting.

Here's Dad with Elder Sysco, one of our favorite missionaries.  He made us goodies whenever we came to inspect his apartment, so what's not to like.  Here he is with his wife and baby.

His favorite companion was Ian Haws, who is shown here with his wife Hannah nee Kokkola, another of our missionaries on the left and Kaitlyn Kunzler is on his right.

and here I am with Chase Kimball (or Handsome Kimball as he was known on the mission), 

Tyler Davis, who was one of the four missionaries that was followed as a missionary to make a documentary about Finnish missionaries. And of course Phillip Sysco.

We then ran to Salt Lake for a hot minute to attend Diane Dowdle's craft boutique.  She is married to a Finnish missionary, and we met them again at the reunion last week.  She told me about her boutique and I thought it sounded fun.  She is wearing a towel set to be used while cooking to wipe your hands.  I was attracted by the red and white polkadots, but then thought it would make a practical and easy on apron.  Yep, I'm now the proud owner, there were also other cool things that needed to come home with me as well.

I was so glad that I went back to the reunion for a bit, for though most has left, we got to see Anthony Lakotos, whose little sister our Kai once dated, and Andrew Hale, who Dad had seen on the hike in the morning, but whom I had not seen.  He was always my hero in the office when I discombobulated my computer, and my affection for him is unending.

After we got home, I had Dad climb up in the garage and retrieve the bag of plastic pumpkins I made the wreath in the round window with a few years back, and I cut slits in the bottom to facilitate impaling them on the fence spikes.  Yes, I did.  I'm now on the hunt for three more to finish off the fence.

We then went to dinner with the Kews, like for the last time.  Its an era come to an end and time to find another couple to hang out with on the south end of our lives.  Terry had been going through items she does not wish to be  part of their Maryland story, some she has given me, some I have sold for her.  This classy French hat is one she will likely receive the money for eventually.    I thought it rather looked like the hats on the wooden carved German nutcrackers, what do you think?

Today at church I subbed for Aubrey's husband who was sick.  It such a great class.  I have actually taught the class for her before.  The lesson was on fasting and two of the eight year olds in the class had experience with fasting, and were pretty dang knowledgeable about its workings and purpose.  

How cute are they searching the scriptures, and Isaiah, no less.  The cutie on the end was baptized yesterday.

After church Dad asked me if I wanted to see a picture that would make me cry.  He was right, in fact I am tearing up now as I write this.  On our first mission I me Limae, who goes by Mae.  She was a new convert then.  Her husband did not join the church, but would sometimes come with her.  We had them over for dinner on that first mission, and when we left I pawned off some of the furniture we had bought while there on them, as we were closing our apartment.

We didn't see her too often on our second mission because we were in different wards, but she did have us come to dinner once, and her husband was still firmly against joining.  Mae is so amazing that I felt bad that her husband had not interest.  His name is Kai, so of course we always felt that connection.  Anyway, you can imagine our joy at this picture.  

We hope you have all been enjoying these beautiful fall days, and hope that you get to have wonderful reunions every now and again, as Dad has taught me the great joy of reunions.