Diving Back into Life as We know it.

I loved this picture of Dad and two other past bishops that we met at church last Sunday in Hollywood, Florida, but somehow left it out of last week's blog, so here it is. 

And here is the explanation for our 24 hour hour travel day .... we had gotten up at the hotel in Florida at 3:30 A.M. in order to catch the shuttle at 4:30 A.M., to get on our flight at 7:00 A.M.  We were there with bells on, so to speak, but they had oversold the flight, and were busy buying back seats from customers at $1,000 each.  Unfortunately, that meant we boarded at 7:30, about the time the last flight flew out, ahead of storm Debby. As you can see the storm effected the entire eastern seaboard, with the exception of the very southern tip of Florida.

The airport itself was not affect either, but our flight path went north west to Dallas, taking us into the storm area.  That means we sat on the plane until 10, unable to fly out.  The plane came back in and we got off, as the interior was getting uncomfortably hot.  Once off the plan the pilot applied to take the flight route shown, perhaps dipping more into the Caribbean that I have shown.  With the new flight plan okayed, we got back on the plane and flew out around noon.  With the additional hour in time change we arrive in Dallas about 2 PM. 

Unfortunately, we had just missed our first replacement flight, which our luggage somehow made, but Replacement flight wasn't until 9 P.M. 

Emily had been texting me about the house they were close to signing on, and I thought since we had time, if Emily was willing maybe we could see it.  She was so flexible, and dropped everything, so that we not only got to see the house, we also go to go to dinner with the whole family.  

Becca, who was to be our uber home from the airport was taxed with picking us up at Midnight. (The plane took off at 10, instead of 9) Bless her heart.  It was fun though, to get to ride with Emily and then Becca on the same day ... sort of (It was after midnight for Becca's ride) and we got home at 1:30 AM Utah time, so that when you add in the two hours of time zones we actually up it for 24 hours.  Sorry, TMI, but remember this is my journal.

Here are Emily and the kids on the Staircase of the 1910 house.

And here we all are on the covered porch that runs across the front of the house, and down one side as well. 

Here we are having Mexican food with the Talleys.  Sam was telling us all about his new job as superintendent, and how he had hired a principle to replace himself.  Then he looked up and saw the new principal across the room. 

She and her husband came over, and Sam shared the coincidence. 

While leaving, Sam ran into a couple that he went to Highschool with, whom he hadn't seen since those days.  What a small world it is when you live in a small town.  We loved our visit and were so grateful for the happy accident. 

Benny came along to the airport to drop us off.  He's sooo cute. 

Now for some closure.  You may recall that we met a man who does a TV show in the Utah market while on the cruise.  He and Robin talked and realized they lived across town from each other growing up and had gone to Junior High together.  He sent pictures from his yearbook, this is them, kitty corner, in 7th grade.

And they are on opposite ends of this row in 8th grade.  Johnson and Jessup.

Bright and early on Tuesday I headed to my friend Shirley's for a crafting day with Kimi. Shirley always puts together a cute table.

By the time we were done a couple of hours later it wasn't quite so tidy.

Here I am with my little pumpkin man ...

And with the girls, theirs in progress. 

They conceived the idea to make them when I on my trip and waited until I came home so I could play.  How nice are these girls.

And while I was having fun, Scott took the time to stop by and see Ben's name on the Donor Monument at the SLC library.

When he posted the picture, Becca reposted the video from Ben's funeral.

That was, as always, bitter and sweet.

That night we had BLTs to celebrate the ripe tomatoes we came home to.  The garden was horribly overgrown when we got back, the beautiful domestic morning glory had finished off the zucchini plants, but oh what beautiful tomatoes, including the two volunteer plants that Ashley gave us from her garden that came up as orange heirloom cherry tomatoes.  Yummy, they went into Dad's famous salsa, along with several plump red tomatoes today. 

We loved these pictures of Van and Cam in India that Spencer posted on the family page. 

Such cute kids ....

And Spencer gets Indian food every day!  Luckeeee.

When we got home we had several packages, including the second cherry painting above the settee here.  We bought the first one at the Cottonwood Country Club art sale, and the artist painted the second one to be paired here.  I just love them. 

Thursday was Brittany and Mike's 16th wedding anniversary.  It's always easy to remember, since they got married on 8.8.8.

On Thursday I brought in the Halloween goodies that Shriley gave me to fuel Trevor and Nell's charity.  She sent several boxes home from our crafting date on Tuesday. By the time I had put it all out two things had already sold, and two more sold by Saturday, when I stopped by the store.  

She is such a great crafter and collector. 

That night we went to Salt Lake to go to Clay's wedding reception.  On the left is Hannah, Clay's her friend is a cousin to the groom, these two who dance with the same program just found out they are cousins by marriage, Clay and Lily's marriage.

Here she is with her cousin, Matt's daughter. 

Here are Natalie, Jon, me, Dad, Clay and Lily, who met on their missions.

Natalie made the groom and groomsmen's boutonnieres, this one is Clay's, I thought it was perfect. 

Here is Jon with his father of the groom boutonniere.

And here I am with Jon's older brothers, Phil and Ryan.  Between them is Phil's oldest son, who is restoring the piano he was buying when I was at DI a few months ago.

And coincidentally, the next day I saw this young gal ready to buy this grand piano, sans legs at the same DI for $700, she said that replacement legs are not hard to come by.  

Back at the wedding reception is Matt, with his fiance', Brianna to the left and his daughter to the right.  The only brother I did not get a picture of was Jared, who I saw and talked to, dang.

The next morning, on Friday, I met up with Joyce to celebrate her birthday four days late.  My 24 hours without sleep, was her real birthday.  We met at the Sugarhouse DI for some junking, then we headed to the Dee's Family Restaurant.  This painting is fun, because it is of the sign that they used to have at their fast food (like McDonald's) stores, where Joyce and I both worked in our college days, though they were different stores.  I worked at the one on 7th, just south of fourth south, west of the U Campus.

Joyce bought lots of funny games and toys and made a basket to take to Bruce, who has been in the hospital and rehab for the better part of a month.  I wanted to go with her on the visit, but with my lack of a voice indicating that I might have a bug, I didn't want to make him sicker. He's in a rehab place now and is just weak. (His hit his head on the apricot tree and fell in the back yard ... not sure what lead to what.)

Junking that day, I found this book that Emily had recommended to me for a buck ...

And this still cello wrapped game that we had played with the Moes and Heuers on the cruise.  It's sort of a version of the three by three face down card game we've played called golf. 

And here are the morning glory in the garden, in this box they are climbing up a sunflower, that made me laugh. 

This is last year's tomato box, and they are climbing up the raised sprinkler.  The herb bed is over-grown with out-of-control mint, but that's not pretty, so no picture. 

On Saturday I went to Pleasant Grove to reset my booth there and pick up checks for June and July. I also got some shopping done in Orem on the way home at Winco. 

 Dad was busy in SLC at a Barbershop coaching session that lasted 6 hours.

That night Dad and I went to see The Scarlet Pimpernel.  We'd driven by the Draper Community Theater when we went to Clay's reception and saw that it was playing.

"They seek him here, they seek him there, those Frenchies seek him everwhere, is he in Heaven or is he in (Hell) that  demmed illusive Pimpernel. It was a spoof on the story, and it was rather fun.

I loved this little song and dance to advertise their concessions at intermission. 

And today is Ashley's birthday.  It's hard to believe that she is 47.  Oh my.

At home after church, I started in on making Tamales and got out the huge onion I bought the day before at Winco.  In the end it will fill four recipe requirements for a single red onion. 

Then a couple of folks who work with Dad at the temple came by.  Sister Boyce makes quilts for veterans.  So that is two weeks in a row that he had been honored for his service. 

Steve Wells,, who came with her brought along his hobby restoration car from 1928.  The spokes in the wheels are wood.  How crazy is that?

Here he is with Dad with the correct plates. He bought the set of plates on Ebay for $300.

Saying Hi.

Interesting dashboard. 

And here I am, back to making those tamales.  Yikes these things take forever. 

Now Dad has gone off to the concert in the park, while I stay home and watch a Monk episode on my own while I do the blog ... yep, that's the way of things around here.

They played "Utah Man" and before they started they asked Utah Graduates to stand ... of course Dad stood and was amused to be the only one who did so. 

I hope you all had a great week, and we'd like to thank many of you for contributing to our lives.

Emily for picking us up at the airport in Texas and entertaining us for those 5 hours.

Becca for picking us up at the airport in the middle of the night and driving us all the way to Payson.

Eleanor for making arrangements to do my polka dot toenails tomorrow. (My old ones came off when I was snorkeling.)

Davin and Bri, et al, for coming to mow our lawn, (and weeding, and vine pulling, etc) because I guess Dad is not as strong as he thought he would be when we got home from our travels.

And last but not least to Ashley for the lovely heirloom tomatoes we are enjoying.