Will Rogers Follies

I haven't posted, I haven't done much of anything for 2 months now except go to work and work on the play I am directing, "Will Roger's Follies, a life in Review" - to say that it has consumed my life is but s mere exaggeration. I eat, drink, sleep, dream, work, sew, order props, with the scenes, the music and dances of this production running through my head. I can't complain - as I volunteered to do this. About 15 years ago, Mark and I saw this production at the Capitol Theater. I just fell in love with it at the time and have always wanted to do it here. Oddly, for being a Broadway Musical that won 6 Tony Awards for best musical, best choreography, best costumes and on and on. Not very many people have ever seen or heard of it. Will Rogers was an icon in American history. The only person to ever speak at both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions in the same year. Here was an individual who was a down to earth, common man who never got past the 5th grade. Yet he wrote a newspaper colum, had a weekly radio show, movie star, vaudville star. He touched shoulders with Presidents, kings, religious leaders, as well as the common folk. In his simple, every day way he is known for a host of amazing quotes:

"Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there!"

"A fool and his money are soon elected."

"All I know is what I read in the papers, and that's an alibi for my ignorance!"

"Be thankful we're not getting all the government we pay for!"

"Buy land, because they ain't making any more of it!"

"Don't let yesterday use up too much of today."

"I never met a man I didn't like!"

"Everybody is ignorant, just on different subjects."

"Get someone else to blow your horn and the sound will go twice as far."

"I have a scheme for stopping war - No nation is allowed to enter into one until they have the last one paid off."

The play will be great and I will be glad I did it - but I won't take on a musical ever, ever, again that involves so many people, so much time, so much everything! But I love it!

Conversations from a Hospital

Jordan's room is about where you see the man on the left!

Not that I have been trying to evesdrop. . .but when you end up in waiting rooms, hospital rooms, and cafeterias you suddenly become a captive audience. . .wanting to or not. I have found these conversations most interesting. Sadly enough, most of these conversations are not happy ones. Maybe it is just because we're in a hospital and people are a bit more stressed being here. I've just been shocked that most of these talks I hear are not on a positive, building up nature. Its made me think. . .are the topics of my conversations ones which are of an edifying nature, joyous, uplifting and heart warming? Probably not! Here are some swatches of these conversations:

(Four elderly adults - all Hospital Volunteers (that's inspiring however!) - eating their lunch). Yea, I'm too old to be doing this any more, but you have to have some reason to get up in the morning, get yourself dressed and go out into the world. If I didn't have to do this, I'd never leave the house!

Then the conversation turned to their married children and the various stages of divorce/custody battles they were all in - who their children's lawyers are and was it worth their children switching to another lawyer ending in the comment: I just don't know why they both can't act like adults.

(A "couple" - unsure if they are married or not, obviously well to do). Woman: No, I do not want your father here. This is my son's day, my time with my son - you should respect me and my time and what is important to me! Man: My father is what is important to me, if he wants to be here he will be here and you will be respectful of me and my father. (They both spoke Italian as well - maybe this was some cultural thing, I don't know) So his father came in, she was solicitous to him, they all went in to talk with the doc after the son's surgery, all went up to his room, everybody "looked" and "acted" happy.

(An elderly German man, very heavy set whose wife was having surgery accompanied by his two very impatient daughters) These were repeated conversations over 2 1/2 hours of the daughters telling the dad he didn't know what he felt, he didn't know what was going on, he didn't know what his wife was going through, he wouldn't be making any decisions - and "of course we love you." These were more than loud, more than enough!

(Young man in his late 20's. My first impression of him was, he must be a doctor. He was waiting for his wife to have a relatively minor procedure for which she would need to stay over night. I believe she had a pacemaker or something similar implanted. He was in the waiting room for all of about 1 hour. The cardiologist came and they spoke in medical terms for awhile, things went well, she'll be released in the morning, she will be in recovery for just a bit and he could go to her room and wait. He left and returned about 1/2 hour later and began to behave in a very "greater than thou, I'm a doctor sort of way. (I guess I've seen too much of that in my life time!) He yelled and screamed and demanded to see his wife. He was politely told she was still in recovery and he was not allowed to go in there. I AM A PHYSICIAN, I UNDERSTAND HIPPA, I WORK IN A HOSPITAL, I WANT TO SEE MY WIFE. When he was calmly told to go back to her room and wait, she would be there shortly, he went berserk through his brief case, pounded on the elevator doors. . . .maybe its what we all feel once in awhile, just don't vocalize quite like that.

I think I will be more careful of my conversations in public.

. . . thanks dad

(This story is told in behalf of Mark, the fly fisherman!) On a beautiful day, with fly pole and rio grande king in hand, Johnson Creek called.

He fished and expert fly fisherman that he is . . . . some 36 or so could not outsmart him!

While fishing up the creek through the brush, the willows and the trees. . .

hanging over the creek are wild raspberries!

With berries in hand

He looks to heaven and smiles . . .thanks dad!

. . .and now the rest of the story. When a young man Mark, Frank and Grandpa went fishing the wee Mammoth. One would start fishing while the other 2 walked up stream. Each would leave a "flag" on the bush where they started. As you fished up to the "flag" you would take it and walk on up the creek past the other two fishermen. This way you did not fish through an area which had already been fished. Mark and Frank kept passing each other, but they didn't see Grandpa. After awhile, they decided they'd better go back and see what happened to "dad." They walked for awhile and came around the bend. There sat Grandpa, a smile on his face, and eating wild raspberries!

. . . Part of a legacy. . .

Sunday we had an amazing Sacrament Meeting talk. A local sister spoke about the history of the "South Chapel." It was moving, inspiring, informative and everyone in attendance left feeling they were "part of the legacy." Recently, a man from out of town asked this sister the significance of the South Chapel. She replied, "It is the heart of our community." Not until her talk was finished, did I realize how really true this statement is. In 1904, the impossible and unlikely happened; 14 individuals moved to the top of "White Mesa" to a dry, desolate, waterless, barren spot of land. They were doomed; as "there would never be enough water to support a community." It was named Grayson and the "Grayson Branch of the Bluff Ward" was born. They convened in a tent just north of the current location of the South Chapel. Just a few years later with 96 members it became the Grayson Ward. The South Chapel was constructed through the tremendous faith and sacrifice of early Grayson/Blanding members. It was always an act of faith on the part of these very humble and poor (as to things of the world) people to provide the means necessary to do build/remodel what is the South Chapel. The current edifice consists of 3 phases; the original part which was the chapel, balcony and cry rooms (which had folding wooden doors which opened for over flow) and stairs down to the "lower part." The lower part was a big room, a rec room of sorts. This is where "Jr. Sacrament Meeting" was held. Yes, Blanding did it's own thing and under the direction of their Bishop, they had sacrament meeting in the lower part for the children and "regular" sacrament meeting upstairs for the adults. (In later years "Salt Lake" made it know that children needed to sit by their parents and learn to be reverent in Sacrament Meeting. In later years there was a kitchen, a few classrooms, a baptismal font added. (Prior to that the baptismal font was a cement font in the furnace room). The last addition was the gym we now know. Some interesting facts: Except for the gymnasium; all the materials and workmanship of the South Chapel were "home grown." The bricks were mixed, formed and dried in a kiln from local materials by local people - wow! The original rafters were being debated by the building committee of the church which ultimately settled on using 2 x 4's. One of the local brothers objected and said that 2 x 10's were needed, alas the building committee prevailed and the winter after completion, the roof began to sag. The local brethren then went up into the attic and one by one shored up the rafters attaching 2 x 8's to every 2 x 4. When the addition of the kitchen and baptismal font and classrooms was done, the church required $2,500 up front from the Blanding Ward in order for the Church to agree to let them begin. There was no money and the Bishop went to the building committee and said, "Our members are too poor to contribute this kind of money but I promise, if you will allow us to go ahead with construction without this money, there will be money left over." Against policy, they allowed the building to begin. The Church paid for 80% of the project and the local ward paid for 20%. When the project was finished, the church found that the Blanding Ward had contributed too much to the total project and refunded them . . . .$2,500. This building really became the center of the community. The "lower part" because the first local theater and they played silent movies for the Blanding members. With the advent of "talkies" the ward purchased a projector and movies for some "good family entertainment" and the movies were moved upstairs to the chapel . . . .yes the chapel! The projector was in the balcony and the pews provided plenty of seating. This remained the community theater until after World War II when a local returning soldier suggested buying the equipment from the Church and opening what is now known as the San Juan Theater! When the need arose for a high school, the South Chapel and its classrooms fit the bill and San Juan High School was born. Basketball games took place in the "lower part." Opposing teams disliked playing in Blanding as they couldn't "arch" their shots or make long passes due to the low ceiling! There was a bell tower and the bell rang on the hour and half hour as well as 15 minutes prior to church meetings and other events. Then some of the surprise information for me and that was there was "the Blanding Ward" until the early 1950's when 1200 + members wouldn't fit any more and the North and South Wards were created. There were these two wards until the late 1960's. The South Chapel was the ONLY chapel in Blanding until 1 year before we moved to the area - I had no idea! The 4th Ward was created and the North Chapel was built in 1976. Here I supposed it had been around forever when we came on the scene! So I feel part of the legacy of that building. It has provided a place of worship for our family for some 27 years. Love, sacrifice, faith and testimony are part of this building and have been demonstrated to me and my family.

Happy is . . . .

This may seem like a weird post, however happiness has been on our minds a great deal as of late. I have asked myself questions such as "What does it mean to be happy?" "How do we know if we are happy?" "Is happiness a 'learned' thing or does it just happen?" "What things make you happy?" "Is 'happiness' necessary to mortality?" (Not to be confused with joy) I consider myself a happy person - just not sure how I arrived at that point or stay at that point. Its food for thought!

LIFE - - - - IS

Life is. . . New Grandbabies! New Grandbabies being blessed!

Cupcakes!!!!

Grandbabies Birthday Parties!!!

First Birthdays!

More First Birthdays!

2nd Birthdays!!!!

More Birthday Partieis!

More Cupcakes!

A few UPS!

A few DOWNS!

Life is. . . good!

My Mom

My Mother's Senior Picture

With Mother's Day on the horizon, I couldn't help but take a moment to tell everyone about "my mom." The older I get (wait let's change that to the more mature I become) the more I realize what a remarkable woman my mother was and how extraordinarily lucky I am to have such an amazing woman for my mother. My mom was the youngest of 7 children (her brother just older than she was died as an infant), born and raised in the wilds of Nevada. She spent her growing up years in Ely and was a youngster during the depression, and a teenager during World War II. Both of these experiences as well as being raised LDS in the gambling, ranching, mining community she did, served to shape her character. A shy, rather reserved individual, she mustered up the courage to leave Ely at the ripe old age of 18, get on a bus with her bag and move to Salt Lake City, where she secured herself employment with an attorney in the Boston Building. She found herself roommates and lodging and started out life there. Her boss was a taskmaster, demanding, particular, and requiring perfection of his employees. (Wouldn't my mom have loved a lap top, Microsoft Word with spell check!) She spoke of the long tedious hours of typing, and re-typing and not making any mistakes; of longer than long days, over-time without over-time pay and of the sheer joy of my dad telling her boss, "My wife doesn't need to work, I will support my family, Anna is finished." My mom married quite young, just 19. She was the perfect wife and mother. She had her hands full with four babies in 4 years! She mopped her kitchen floor EVERY Saturday night, the last thing, after everyone had gone to bed. . .oh and did I forget to say that it was done on her hands and knees, because mops just "pushed the dirt around." My mom didn't learn to drive until she in her late 40's, yet she always managed to take us to church, fulfill church responsibilities, participate in the Republican party, be a faithful visiting teacher, a member of the VFW Women's Auxillary and more. She was an excellent housekeeper, a wonderful cook, she was thrifty, smart, her home canned food was beautiful, her flower gardens had no weeds. She supported my dad in his work responsibilities by attending social events,at the army base even though it was outside of her comfort zone. She opened her home to her mother and father in law as my grandpa had lung cancer. She cared for her mother-in-law for nearly 10 years. She was a widow at the young age of 52. She was a temple worker, she served a mission ie a proselyting mission in her 60's having both older sisters and younger sisters as companions, she was a beautiful quilter. She instilled in me the desire to "quilt" for my loved ones and carry on the tradition of baby quilts. She was a devoted faithful friend. She loved her children and was proud of her children. She was a beautiful grandmother. She was patient, kind, diligent. She NEVER spoke ill of anyone. She also died young. She taught me so much of what I know. The greatest compliment I could give my mother is that she had an undying testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and bore that testimony to her children and grandchildren in word and example; and I was lucky enough to be born her daughter. My mother is an example of the influence of a faithful woman on future generations!

Too Much!

That can sum up life for most of us I'm afraid. Perhaps it is also the curse of modern day life. There is just too much. We watch too much TV, eat too much junk food, stress ourselves too much, stay up much too late, sleep too much, sit too much, gossip too much, waste too much time, work too much, play too much, own too many clothes, have too much debt, . . . .and the beat goes on. My goal is to figure out how to take the "too much" out of my life. If you know the secrets of balanced living, share the wealth!

Life in the empty nest - plus one!

The Empty Nest is NOT empty anymore!

March 9th our last missionary came home!

Even in the pictures there is a glow! Missionaries have that glow.
Don't ever lose it!


This was the quickest off the plane, get the luggage and on our way we've every had.

The newly returned missionary gets to hold the newest nephew in the family!

They both are georgous!!!!

Now what? Who knows? The best is yet to come!!

Hudson - Oh Baby!

He's cute, adorable, beautiful 7 lbs 3 oz and 18 1/2 inches of absolute wonderfulness! Do I sound like a proud grandma? I AM! He arrived on March 2 at 5:51 p.m. He also has a bit of jaundice!

Hudson Cole is his name. His dad and mom think he is mighty special! So do I!

"Promtings"

Today our lesson for RS was Elder Boyd K. Packer's talk from Oct. Conference, 'Prayer and Promptings' He is such an inspiring individual. He has such a gentle, plain way of providing us the gospel teachings. He has always been assigned the "sensitive" subjects to preach on and I have always been amazed at what a wonderful job he does. Our teacher asked us to think about our most recent prayer that was answered or our most recent prompting. Wow - so here is mine. After a very, long, long day yesterday I was exhausted. I didn't necessarily get up as early as I could or should have this morning as my poor body is just worn out right now. Dad was going to a ward conference and I was running a bit late. I grabbed my shoes from my bedroom and the prompting came to me, "Ere you left your room this morning - did you think to pray?" I was running late, but thought again and knelt down and said my prayers. As I sat in RS opening the hymn book for the opening hymn; "Ere You Left Your Room," I smiled. I so hate to sing that song and feel guilty that I had not said my morning prayers. Grateful for the sweet, gentle, prompting to take the time even when I am running late, to say my prayers.

"It's nice to have a friend waiting.. . . "

Clara Olsen:

"You mean, you want to be buried with me? . . . well, I suppose it could be arranged."

Gertrude:

Well, I've always trusted old!" people, but I didn't trust you when you were 40 Clara

Last week was EOTS (Edge of the Seaters Theater Company) Valentines dinner theater. We really wanted it to be nice this year. Great food, good solid plays etc. We decided that doing 2 1 act plays may be easier to pull off than a full length play. In some ways that was true, in others it was NOT. Lynette and I did one of the plays, "Save Me a Place at Forest Lawn" it is the story of two octogenarians, best friends for over 40 years who while at lunch discuss life, the unknown fears of death, heaven and hell, and their personal relationship. Well, it was fun, nerve wracking and challenging. Yes, it was easier to pull off a 2 man one act, but the fear involved of only 2 of you being on stage and everyone knows whose line it is next was a intense for me. I was Clara Olsen, bossy, determined, always right (of course), know it all to Lynette's Gertrude, shy reserved, unassuming, yet the true example of loving and forgiving. At the end of the play, Gertrude asks Clara for a favor, "Take me with you Clara," "Where?" "To your mausoleum." "Well, it hasn't been built yet." "I know, let's make the plans together, let's arrange it all. It would make me so happy to know that when it's time, there will be room for me, that you'll be waiting." Clara is somewhat taken back, sums up the situation and the debt she owes her lifelong friend and decides there is no reason the two can't be buried together in her mausoleum. The last line of the play comes from Gertrude who has asked Clara to wait at the table for her while she goes to the bathroom prior to leaving. Clara assures her she will wait. "Oh, Clara, its so nice to know you have a friend, waiting." And it is! We had fun, learned some lessons of life, did a good performance, had wonderful meals and I'm glad I made the time.

Welcome To My World

So is my house - - - -



S0 is my world - - -

S0 is my life!!!

You Say It's Your Birthday!

Most of your are probably too young to remember this song. It was a Beatles song which says; "You say it's your birthday. It's my birthday too--yeah. (Interestingly enough, I share this birthday a fellow employee, a girl I grew up with, whose name happened to be Debra as well - now that doesn't happen every day - and Oprah - albeit - I'm about 2 1/2 hours older than she is!) They say it's your birthday. We're gonna have a good time. (I have had a very good time today!) I'm glad it's your birthday. Happy birthday to you. Yes we're going to a party party. (No, I don't think we're going to party, party, party - but work on the house!) Yes we're going to a party party. Yes we're going to a party party. I would like you to dance--Birthday. Take a cha-cha-cha-chance-Birthday. (I did something better than dance for my birthday - I did something nice for someone else) I would like you to dance--Birthday Dance. You say it's your birthday. Well it's my birthday too--yeah. You say it's your birthday. We're gonna have a good time. I'm glad it's your birthday. Happy birthday to you! (It has been a good time, a good day, a good life and if its your birthday too - well - Happy birthday to you!)

A New 4 Letter Word in Blanding!

SNOW

I assume the pictures speak louder than words.

We have had about 60 inches of snow this winter!

It snowed Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Do you suppose it will snow tomorrow?

As we have fasted and prayed for this - we ARE grateful

BUT

My back is NOT!

What Have I Been Up To?

January always seems to be a very busy month for me - this one is no exception. Here is what I have been up to:
1. School Board - January is Utah State School Boards Association Annual Convention in SLC - takes a Thursday, Friday and Saturday of regular life! (Got to have lunch with Jackie at the Grand America and have to die for Bread pudding with rum sauce!). Ground breaking for Tsebiinidzigai Elementary School (Dare you to say that one!) in Monument Valley, Utah. It was a day which brought three first: my first Navajo Blessing of the Ground Ceremony - very impressive. my first Navajo Blessing (After the Blessing of the ground, all the "dignitaries" on the stand were asked to line up to the left of the Medicine Man and we were each blessed. It was a very humble experience. my first time to pick up hitch-hikers. On the way home from Monument Valley, I picked up two you bundled up back pack carrying hitch-hikers. They were two young people from France and Germany. We had a very interesting, information sharing trip from Mexican Hat to Blanding. Today was our monthly school board meeting.

2. Work - We have implented an electronic medical record program for use in our clinics. I have spent HUNDREDS of hours learning and working on this. I will spend THOUSANDS more until I have it down pat and can help the clinics take part of all the features. Everyone we talked to before purchasing the product said, "You will hate going to work every day for the next 6 - 9 months - and then one morning you will say, I can't believe we didn't do this years ago." - I am living for that day. I'm certainly in the "hate" part now! I'm trying to work less, as I'm only part time - but I've nearly been working full time without full time benefits for the past year.

3. Home - Is there a room in my house that is normal? NO!!!!! Is there a bed in my house that can be slept in besides my own? NO!!!!!!! Are there enough hours in the day to spend working on the house? NO!!!!!!! We have been sheet rocking, mudding - I think if I go back one year I said I would never do that again, do I have a good memory? NO!!!!!! We are wiring, knocking out parts of walls and on and on and on. Somewhere in all this you try to do the everyday things like cook, sort of clean house, laundry etc.

4. Snow Removal - that has become our part time job this winter. Today I see Snow as the prime example of "opposition in all things." It is the needed, desired, beautiful, fun for recreation item for which we fast and pray and give thanks - yet it is trying, miserable, frustrating, dangerous, exhausting stuff which we have had more of this year than any years since I have lived here! And the forecast? "Winter storm warning for 6:30 a.m. tomorrow until 6:30 pm the day after tomorrow! We truly are lucky! My back just doesn't know it!

5. Quilting - two babies on the way mean two baby quilts in the making. One is 2/3 finished, the other is "still in the bag" (literally! I have the fabric purchased and it is "still in the bag"). I love to quilt and have to limit myself to quilting only 1 hour a day.

6. Theater - So, I just don't have anything to do so I'll be in a play! Do I need my head examiend? Of course! Dinner theater is coming up for Valentines and EOTS so I said I would be in one of the one act plays. I should probably start memorizing my lines!

7. Church - Tuesdays is our temple night - our night of escape from the demands of the world. Our night to relax, enjoy, absorb, contemplate, serve, learn and love. Its really a great night for us. Being the "Provident Living Specialist" puts me in the hot seat to find a "hot deal" each month for the ward - not always easy down here! Got any ideas? Send them my way!

So, that should catch up on my life since my last blog! I think I'm tired now and will go to bed!