Books, Movies and Trivia

It was a slow week on this end of the county, so I've added some borrowed events to fill the blog. This gent came into the Antique Mall on Monday.  I have an entire booth dedicated to books, sort of like a small bookstore.  He works for the church in the Missionary Department and wanted this 1940's missionary handbook for a shelf sitter and offered me $10 for a book I had priced at $17. I usually don't discount that deeply, but I know church employees receive a modest pay check so I was good with that, but wanted a picture of him with the book as an additional requirement for the discount.  Richard took this and texted it to me. I hope it makes you smile too.

Eva is still enjoying her time and opportunity to snuggle cute littles in the DR.

As you see.

On Tuesday I went to the Utah Developmental Center in American Fork to visit Alisa, your cousin Todd's daughter.  We went to lunch in this on Campus Facility, and I got to meet many of the workers and fellow residents.

After our fun visit, I headed north to go to my favorite DI, the one in Sugar House.  I spent $3.50 on two items.  Not my best shopping day there.  Then I headed out to Erda to pick up some more copper to sell at the antique mall for Joyce.  We also had a nice visit, and I was able to hear the nuts and bolts of her last trip to the emergency room at St. Marks, this time by ambulance, earlier in the week. When she was having her dialysis done, they thought she seemed too unbalanced and concluded she had had a stroke.  Jolynn called me when it happened, wanting me to call Bruce, as she didn't have his number. Clark was out walking, when Jolyn got the call, and he continued to the hospital, where Bruce met him a few minutes later, and they were able to give her a blessing.  After a scan that showed nothing, Clark took her home again. 

At work on Wednesday I put out all the things I had priced on the previous Saturday and Monday.  I took out my Valentines display and replaced it with these Easter items. 

It snowed all day, and was very, very slow.  Our sales were a third to a half of our normal weekday sales.  But some people were having fun that day, namely Penny with her snow baby.

My friend Sherri who is an adult, but just as much a kid at heart, built this snowman that day too.

Thursday was another workday for me, and a shift at the temple, as always for Dad.  We met up for dinner at home and watched another Midsomers Murder episode.

On Friday early, we went to the snowy temple, I was hoping you would be able to see the rather thick snow fall in the picture, but I guess not.

Funny story, as we were leaving through the baptistry entrance in the back a gal in yoga pants and a sweatshirt was headed in.  Figuring she was probably there to clean, or something, I joked with her that her clothing wasn't appropriate.  Then she said, "Oh I called ahead and told them that I am pregnant and really needed to use the bathroom. They said it would be OK" Then I felt bad that she had thought I was questioning her right to be there, like a Karen.  So, I waited until she came out so I could apologize. Then I got the rest of the story.  Once a week she brings her two boys to the temple to do baptisms for the dead, since she goes to the gym before taking them, she is dressed in gym garb, but really needed a rest room, and didn't dare leave, as her boys might get done and come out.  Anyway, I love all the good that goes on in the world, it gives me great hope.

After the temple I worked on pricing for a couple of hours, including the copper I had picked up at Joyce's. Then I took it all to The Grove, where I noticed that this bust, that used to be mine, and which I had tried to sell for years and years, was now in another dealer's booth.  I had finally taken it to Treasures and marked it $35, a very low price for one this size, and evidently another dealer at the Grove bought it there and marked it up to about the price I had not been able to sell it for at The Grove ... Welcome back pretty girl.

I also had some fun putting together this composite picture of Eva.  The first one looked good, it just didn't look like Eva, so I chose a different picture for the face and they were able to include it for a better likeness.  Not sure why the monkey needed to trade sides, but playing with this ap is fun for me.

On Friday night I headed over to the Salem Library for their 'Pub Book Trivia'

 activity, they had some fun soft beers, like root beer, berry beer and butter beer, as well as light snacks.  Here is one of the questions, that for the life of me I can never figure out.  Number two is the Life of Pi, which I could only get after one of the others was able to share the basic plot.  The third book I knew I knew, but had no idea what it was.  It was The Invention of Hugo Cabret, an all-pictures book that led to the making of the movie Hugo, which I actually saw first and loved.  Anyway, I priced a book that day called, The Hugo Movie Companion THAT VERY DAY! duh

Here we are, we called ourselves the Lit Wits, for the night.  Ann, who is our fearless leader was with her daughter Rachel who was having her baby daughter.  The baby was born at 6:50, and the trivia activity started at 7, she called and begged Suzanne to come, who had not done it before.  Of course, last time we came in in last place, by five points.  This time we came in last place, by five points.  I am so disappointed in myself there was a Dr Suess Q, and I have read his bio, and actually remembered the info (A list of his pseudonyms) after they gave the answers. I did however win 2 of the 3 pop questions posed for individuals, one was guessing correctly how many, was the most Caldecott Book Awards ever given to the same artist.  The other one was the year that the first Newberry Award was awarded.  Since Ann and I bonded over reading and collecting Newberry Award books, I knew.  It was 1922, AND because I knew the name of the book (The Story of Mankind) I also got to choose a book. Sorry TMI

On Saturday I finished reading this book written by my cousin Debbie, the artist's, daughter.  She joined three other women in a writing group.  This is one of 12 books, that are based on a magic version of stories based on characters in Austen's novels, 3 of which were written by Becca. (from whom, by the way I got the idea to name our Becca) I was pleasantly surprised at how well written it is, and I plan to read her other two. 

That night we got together with the Perrys to see Solo Mio, an Angel Studios movie at the theater in Payson.  They were actually divided into a different ward, in our last border shake up, so it was fun to get to hang out again.

Today was kind of low key.  I taught Primary, and dad went to another ward's Ward Conference meetings.  He got done in time to play the video for my lesson, which I very much appreciated.

After church, while I was working on the blog, Cheryl Phillips, the Stake President's wife, came by to give me a rubber bracelet that she had had made for her Sunday School class, that says "Walk with me" a reference of interacting with others, you come to love, in supporting and encouraging each other to keep on the path that leads to life with God and Jesus, in the eternities.  I really love the concept, and I think that is what a well-functioning LDS ward family can do. 

I was her secretary in Young Women's between our missions and really learned to love and appreciate this woman.  It's funny, really, that now Dad is her husband's secretary in his calling.  The amazing thing to me, about this, is that they are both born and bred Paysonites, who, in my experience tend to be clicky and non-accepting of those from outside.  Obviously these two rise above that standard, and we just love them.

So, we hope your week had a few bright moments, as did ours.  We love you and pray for you often.

Celebrating Life and Love!

So, our week started with the great battle of Pikachu and the Dinosaur. I'm pretty sure that Pikachu won, he was definitely more energetic.

We babysat Parks while his Dad went in for a job interview and were rewarded with a nice lunch.

Which then resulted in Mimi fiddling with pictures, for kicks and giggles. 

On Tuesday I worked, having traded away my Thursday.  Dad came by afterwards and we headed to the Ruth to see Fiddler on the Roof.  These three Barbershoppers were there at the same time, but had come to see, not surprisingly, Forever Plaid, the play about a Barbershop Quartet.  I thought it would be fun to have them sing but since there were 3 basses and a baritone, so it didn't work out.

Here are Dad and me.  We have season tickets with just the Heuers this year, and they have gone to Florida for NASCAR racing and Disney World and seeing rockets being launched.  So much fun. 

But Eva was also having fun with a Monkey sitting on her head, though she doesn't look too happy about it.

But she looks pretty happy here.

I worked again on Wednesday.  This gal came in with her colored bead necklace, and when I complimented it, she gave me one.  How nice is she?

After work we met up with Dave and Adi at Chili's in Spanish.

That was a lot of fun.

On Thursday Dad was off to the temple, while I worked on cleaning up in the library and shelving books, before putting away some accumulated craft items in my room of requirement.  I will be doing more in there during the coming weeks. It's gotten to a ridiculous degree of disorganization.

We got the sad news that day that Andy's youngest brother Brian passed away Thursday morning.   It's so hard when someone so young passes, but we know he had been in so much pain as he dealt with his cancer, we have to be grateful that he is beyond that.

On Friday my cousin Debbie came and picked me up on her way to Marysvale, which is two hours south of here. A couple of years ago Dad and I went to Marysvale to stay at the Inn that LaVern and Ron Crumps' daughter Julie owns.  I had no idea at that time that I had a first cousin buried there. Here my artist cousin takes pictures in the Big Rock Candy Mountain area.  We were both fascinated with the multiple-colored stone.

We went down for our cousin Beki Knott's burial.  Beki had lived in Corona California for many years.  Dad and I even stopped there once on our way home from one of our family trips to California. Her Dad, Erling, is my Aunt LaRee's middle child, so we are first cousins.  He married Jesse, who grew up in Marysvale, and was, in the end, buried there.

Their whole family is together again, since Erling and Jesse, and their son were already there.  Beki passed away last month, and my Cousin Mike (Debbie's brother) was in charge of seeing to her burial there.  Beki had her funeral in Covina at the ward there in California.  Mike dedicated the grave as he and his wife live about an hour and a half south of Marysvale. I met Deana last year after Debbie and Mike's Dad, Charles, passed away.  They had a family farewell service at one of Mike's children's homes in Herriman.

Here is Mike, his wife Deana, Debbie and me.

We all went to a place for lunch while they buried her.  It was decorated in Steam Punk, which was surprising, but a lot of fun for me.

Can you see the steam punk decor behind us here?

The pizza was very good.

Then it was back to the cemetery to place flowers.

On the way home Debbie and I stopped in Richfield to visit the DI there, and I found this sweet little Dutch girl who wanted to come home with me.  How perfect is she here with our Danish dishes? She was made in Pasadena, which like Covina is a suburb of LA. So, she's the perfect souvenir from my weekend.  And since I'm headed to Pasadena this weekend to attend the Pasadena City College Flea Market, I might even find some of her sisters while I'm there. Well, one can always hope.

And while I was galivanting around central Utah, Dad was doing his thing in Utah and Salt Lake Counties, delivering singing Valentines with a quartet from his Barbershop Chorus. Here they are with our Ashley.

Here they are singing to Janell's Grandma George.

Darby at her offices.

They sang to Becca at the Capitol Rotunda where she was attending a Real Estate related convention.

A friend took a video, so I got some screen shots from that.

Here they are at a Payson school singing to our Stake President's wife, Cheryl.

Here's our Hannah feeling the love. In all I think Dad and his quartet did like 15 singing Valentines from Payson to the State Capitol in SLC.

Here's his Finnish Happy Valentine's Day Meme.

I've decided to make a Cousin Quest Alphabet Book, so I have started working on the illustrations.

I screen shotted Johnny from a video of him picking up baby Jesus from the floor and putting him back in the nativity scene.  This is what ChatGPT did for me.  Sam titled the video, "I got you Baby Jesus."

Not sure this is what Eleanor what's to be remembered for in the grandkids book.

But Eva might like a little Monkeying around to be her memory, after all she does live in Monkey Town.

This one of Adi with her new cat Diesel, her alternate princess role might be nice though.

Our Saturday or should I say Valentines Day was very low key.  I priced some things to get into the antique stores next week, actually pricing all my back log, of which I am kinda proud.  Dad went to the store for a vegan pizza for dinner, as neither of us was in the mood to fight the crowds at a restaurant on Valentines.  Then we watched the "Love Actually Style" movie, Valentines Day, which we both enjoy. He also bought me sugar-free chocolates.

Today we went to church and found out that we are now members of the Arrowhead 2nd ward.  We had a High Councilman from our ward who spoke and gave a wonderful talk. He shared a recent quote from our Prophet who first quoted President Nelson, "It will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting and constant influence of the Holy Ghost." then President Oaks added "You live in a season where the adversary has become so effective at disguising truth that if don't have the Holy Ghost, you will be deceived."

After church we got home, and I sent the pictures for the blog to Dad's phone so he could set them up to be used on the computer for the blog ... then he headed to Bountiful to meet at his Mission Mom's home for planning the Finnish Missionary Reunion in conjunction with General Conference on April 3rd.  He was gone for five hours.  We ended up snacking for dinner while we watched Follow Him.

And in other news, Darby heard that her offer on this house in Meridian was accepted.  She is five miles west of Brittany and Mike, so that will be good.  Her partner Dallas bought a house in Boise, as he got a job with Micron there.  Fortunately, Darby's company has an office in Boise and she was able to transfer there.  We will all be sad to not see her as often, and I know that grandkids will be very sad not to see her.  Yep, she is the FUN Aunt.

So that was our week, we hope you all made wonderful memories as well.