Billlinda's World

It’s over! Clean up that mess in your yard!

2010-11-01T16:09:00.001-07:00

Okay, I will be the first to admit that I am a Halloween Grinch. I truly fail to understand how it became a Hallmark occasion. I mean, really—Halloween cards? The other day I actually heard Martha Stewart—the queen of all that is uber tasteful (I thought)--gushing about how it’s her favorite holiday. Seriously???!!!

Let me list some of the things I hate about Halloween:

Candy corn, skulls and/or skeletons, fake blood, Halloween movies, spook alleys inside churches (more on that in a minute), smashed pumpkins along with other forms of random vandalism, fifteen year olds in hoodies and skinny jeans who pound on your door and demand candy, and night-time-only inflatables that look like giant used condoms scattered all over the yard come day light.

I am not completely without a heart. There are things I like about Halloween:

Jack o’ lanterns, pumpkin patches, corn mazes and little trick or treaters wearing charming, creative costumes.

I will confess that I came late to the costume party. My own children will attest to that. Their costumes were contrived at the last minute from things we had around the house; sheets, garbage bags, toilet paper, etc. Of course my grandchildren cannot be forced to endure such humiliation, and so a tradition was born twelve years ago…

This year I made all or parts of thirteen costumes. Here are the pics along with news updates from each family:

The Reed family went to Disneyland earlier in the month and stayed for the special trick or treating event. Appropriately enough, they were all dressed in Toy Story costumes; Carl and Heather found their Potato Head costumes online along with Will’s Buzz Lightyear. I made Jessie for Aubrey and Woody for Spencer. As it turned out, it was good they did their celebrating early. Aubrey had her end of the year 4-H awards banquet Saturday night (she got first place for the season in Western and third place for the season in English) and Spencer got sick so they missed trunk or treat at the church. Spencer has had several bad throat infections this year and is seeing the ENT doc tomorrow to schedule a tonsillectomy.

As you can see, the Clement kids won their campaign against doing a costume theme this year. Jake really wanted to be Nacho Libre for his last year of trick or treating and Riley and Brooke wanted something they could wear make-up with. So they are 80s punk divas and Morgan is an adorable bunny. Their ward featured a Book Mormon spook alley at their party Saturday night. I hardly know where to begin…

Next weekend Jake is flying to Dallas for the Psoriasis Walk. Because of her pregnancy and limitations that the dr. has placed on her, Liza won’t be able to go with him. Jake will be representing the family and accepting kudos for their team’s fundraising efforts. Liza and Jeremy organized a raffle, raising over $1,500 plus the online donations they received. We are very proud of their charitable efforts.

The White girls also opted out of a theme this year. Ellie wanted to be a fairy, but not just any fairy—the Tooth Fairy. Liv wanted to be a “pretty” cowgirl and Abby wasn’t fussy. Their Halloween was very representative of Texas…apparently. They visited the pumpkin patch and corn maze and were surprised to find that the maze was in the shape of George Strait, a favorite resident of San Antonio.

If that isn’t Texas-y enough for you, their ward party featured an activity where children colored pictures of deer, hung them up on a sheet and shot them with BB guns. To quote Emily, “Nothing says Texas like a two year old with a gun!” That very two year old will actually be three tomorrow. Happy Birthday, Ellie!

Speaking of birthdays, Alvie and Ezzie celebrated their birthdays last week with a sports-themed party. It’s nothing but celebrations at the Taylor house as Ashton will turn seven in two weeks.

What do a Ninja, a skunk and a penguin have in common? Well, if you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you.

We are all praying for Sean’s dad, Terry Taylor, who has been hospitalized for several weeks now and continues to struggle. We look forward to seeing him, and all the Taylors, at Thanksgiving and pray he is well enough to enjoy the holidays.

Clare is teaching art at Independence High School and Simi’s care is in the very capable hands of Grammy Sandrini and I. We both agree that the monkey costume suits her.

I hope everyone had a splendid Halloween!

A grab bag of stuff

2010-10-11T14:03:00.001-07:00

Well, obviously I am back from San Antonio. In the two weeks since we returned I cleaned my downstairs carpets, planned a fabulous joint Mutual activity, finished the final two of thirteen Halloween costumes, babysat Simi and the Reed boys and read a good book. Obviously, some of these activities are more interesting than others, so we'll just hit the high points...

As always, San Antonio is a great place to visit. Bill went to attend the Emerson Global User's Exchange and I went to party. He stayed downtown, on the river walk, where his meetings and activities were held. I stayed with Emily, Eric and the girls. This made sense until I heard how Liv explained the arrangements to her kindergarten teacher who we met at Beefy's Backyard BBQ. Introductions being made, the teacher commented, "Yes, Liv told me that her Grandma and Papa were visiting from California and that her Grandma was staying at her house and her Papa was sleeping at a hotel." It's not as sad as it sounds. We let him visit a couple of days.

A short pictorial of our trip...

We ate at a very good restaurant, "La Gloria," at the end of the new river walk annex which winds past the art museum and the newly gentrified Pearl Brewery. Lots of fun statuary and colorful, hanging fish which glow at night. Also, a bat flight every evening. What more could you want?

After a beautiful evening walk, Bill took the water taxi back to his hotel and we returned to the 'burbs.

The ever fabulous Mi Tierra restaurant and bakery. There is always kind of a food theme which runs through any gathering of Reeds.

What trip to SA would be complete without a visit to Fort Sam Houston to salute our men in uniform and feed the deer?

Perhaps the most fun was at the "Kindy 500," an annual event at Johnson Ranch Elementary School where all of the kindergartners parade in homemade vehicles. Emily and I were quite proud of Liv's Pet Rescue truck until we saw the military jet and biplane. Let me tell you...there were some parents who really had their egos laid out on the line. And I thought science fairs were bad!

Moving on to Halloween costumes...

This year I did all or parts of 13 costumes. They were, in no particular order, a ninja, a skunk, a penguin, Woody and Jessie from Toy Story, two eighties punk rockers, Nacho Libre, a bunny, a monkey, a fifties girl, a cow girl and the tooth fairy. I am looking forward to getting photos of the big night...that's my payoff!

While in SA I finished reading "The House at Riverton," by Kate Morton. This was the book she wrote just before "The Forgotten Garden" which many of us have loved, loved loved! Riverton was an entertaining read. To paraphrase Karrie Bunting, if I had read it first I would have said it was a great book. But...having already read Forgotten Garden, I will have to call it very good. Morton just keeps getting better. She is a genius at leaving little crumbs of secrets for us to follow and unravel.

Since returning home, I have read "The Book Thief," by Maurice Zusak. I know that most people read this book two or three years ago when it was first published, but I hate to be on the cutting edge of anything. I have complex feelings about this book. It is referred to by many critics as an "important" book. Personally, I felt like it became a little bogged down by self-importance. BUT...I enjoyed it and would recommend it. Especially the last 100 pages which became quite emotional for me in places. Again to paraphrase--this time Emily White--I suspect that I would find Zusak to be irritating in person. I read an interview with him where he was asked to comment on his multitude of unique descriptive phrases. He responded that it is his goal to leave at least one little jewel of a description on every page. I felt like he brushed right up against making the words more important than the story at times. BUT...when he pays attention to the story... it is an interesting, satisfying and truly original read.

In my "to read" pile on my bedside table I have "Portobello," by Ruth Rendell, "Belong to Me," by Marisa de los Santos (recommended by Emily and ordered that day on half.com. She never steers me wrong.), "Busy Body," by M.C. Beaton and "Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop," a collection of short stories by well-known authors. I'll let you know if any of them pan out...

Saddle up!

2010-09-24T09:46:00.001-07:00

It's fall in Kern County and that means it's fair time. For three days Aubrey has been out at the fair participating in the equestrian events and keeping her horse, Ziggy, looking and feeling his very best. Assisted by her "crew" she and Ziggy have done us all proud! Aubrey placed in every event she entered and won highest total points for the English events. Which means that she was awarded a very impressive silver belt buckle. Carl and Heather deserve mention for their unflagging support. Heather brings food for everyone in the horse area and supervises the important details--arranging Ziggy's forelock before they compete, cleaning the dust off of Aubrey's boots after she saddles up and making sure Aubrey's many ribbons are well-displayed. Carl rubs corn starch into Ziggy's white patches to make them really gleam, polishes the silver on his saddle, and makes sure he stays well-fed. Just a few of the many chores involved in showing a horse and competing.

Of course, the champion is Aubrey who is a first class rider and all-around horse woman. She really knows her stuff!

In addition to her other accomplishments, Aubrey is also a TV star! She and her friend, Cara, the highest total point winner in Western, were featured in a fair segment on the channel 17 news last night.

Congratulations, Aubrey!!!

Update***Carl just told me that today, in the final event, Aubrey took first place in halter! Way to go, cowgirl!

They're listening

2010-09-15T21:41:00.001-07:00

I witnessed a tragedy a few days ago. I was standing in line (a very long line) at Ross. I was behind a young mother and her little boy who looked to be about 3. He was getting antsy (as was I) and starting to fidget around a little with the stuff piled up near the check out in hopes of inspiring a last minute impulse purchase. He was bothering no one except his mother who was probably at the end of a very short, tightly-wound rope. When jerking his arm nearly out of its socket didn't achieve her desired result she resorted to hissing at him, "I'm so sick of you! I wish I could give you away!"

Her words and tone made me sick to my stomach. But what followed broke my heart. The boy threw his arms around his mother's legs and began sobbing, "I'll miss you, Mommy! Please don't! I'll miss you! Please, Mommy, no!" Over and over and over. People in line were horrified. The mother was lucky there were no millstones handy.

Looking around nervously at the people staring daggers at her she tried to pry him off her leg and assure him that she was just kidding. He couldn't hear her over his own hysterical sobs. The damage was done.

Please, Mothers...don't say things you can't unsay. Your children are listening and they believe everything you tell them.

This is Simi whose mother would never say anything mean to her. She is just a reminder of how precious our little ones are.

Anne Perry

2010-08-28T20:21:00.001-07:00

As usual, I have a lot of introductory comments before I get to today's topic...

Let me start by saying that I am not generally a huge fan of historical fiction. But the fact that Anne Perry is likely the most well-represented author on my shelves is in direct contradiction to that statement. So... let me rephrase. I am not a huge fan of historical fiction which is set any earlier than the mid 1800s.

That said, I HAD to read Anne Perry's newest book, "The Sheen on the Silk." After all, I've read all of her other 48 books--it would be weird not to! "Silk" is a story of intrigue and vengeance set in 13th century Byzantium. It's a world where religion has more to do with politics than with worship and where no one is what they seem.

Perry is a genius at describing a time and place so that it feels like you are an eyewitness to unfolding events. Sadly, I think that skill is working against her in "The Sheen on the Silk." I am six chapters into it and it is feeling like a school assignment. Through Perry's gorgeous prose I am learning A LOT about the history, culture, geography, weather, fashions and social habits of Constantinople in 1273. The plot, though, Anne...the plot is moving like a sleepy donkey.

I will finish the book. Not to would be like giving up on an old friend after a single afternoon of irrational behavior. Maybe the plot will pick up after she runs out of things to describe. I'll let you know...though it may take a while.

These were my thoughts last night as I soaked and read in the hot tub. Which, naturally, led me to thinking about Anne Perry herself; best-selling mystery writer, LDS scholar and murderess.

Nope--not a misprint.

I was already a huge fan when, about thirty years ago, I found out that at the age of fifteen, Anne Perry (whose name at the time was Juliet Hulme), conspired with her best friend to kill the friend's mother. The case was made into a movie in the late 1990s entitled, "Heavenly Creatures," with Kate Winslet playing Juliet. Discovering this about a woman I had enormous admiration for led me to reconsider some of my long-held attitudes on crime, punishment, and redemption. Juliet's family, originally from England, were living in New Zealand at the time. Too young to be eligible for the death penalty, they were tried in 1954, found guilty, and sentenced to serve a five year term. The girls never saw each other again, Juliet's family returned to England, and she changed her name to Anne Perry. In 1968, at the age of thirty, Anne was baptized a member of the Church. In 1979 she published her first book, "The Cater Street Hangman."

Anne Perry is (not surprisingly) reluctant to bring up her criminal past. When questioned, though, she speaks frankly of her journey through repentance to forgiveness and redemption. She would not accept baptism until she travelled to Salt Lake City, met with one of the general authorities and received his assurance that she could be forgiven and found worthy of baptism. She has never married. In one interview she described her lack of a spouse and children as a "self-imposed" punishment. She lives in the Scottish Highlands, has served as a Relief Society president, and regularly writes a column for the online LDS publication, Meridian Magazine. To enjoy a sample of her beautiful writing and gospel insights, see her column of August 23, 2010:

http://www.meridianmagazine.com/personal-voice/article/6100?ac=1

Despite my earlier criticism of "The Sheen on the Silk, there should be no doubt that I am a fan. Anne Perry is at her best when writing traditional mysteries. She is one of the world's top-grossing mystery writers and has more books currently in print than any other living author. In fact, not one of her books has ever gone out of print. Below is a list of her four series with my brief description of each. While each features a stand-alone mystery, it is best to read them in order to follow the evolution in the personal lives of the lead characters.

Featuring Thomas and Charlotte Pitt. The "coziest" of her series--The couple meets in the first book when Thomas is called in to solve a scandalous crime in Charlotte's family. Set in the late 1800s, he is a policeman and she is the daughter of an upper class family (a scandal in and of itself):

The Cater Street Hangman (1979)

Callander Square (1980)

Paragon Walk (1981)

Resurrection Row (1981)

Rutland Place (1983)

Bluegate Fields (1984)

Death in the Devil's Acre (1985)

Cardington Crescent (1987)

Silence in Hanover Close (1988)

Bethlehem Road (1990)

Highgate Rise (1991)

Belgrave Square (1992)

Farrier's Lane (1993)

The Hyde Park Headsman (1994)

Traitors Gate (1995)

Pentecost Alley (1996)

Ashworth Hall (1997)

Brunswick Gardens (1998)

Bedford Square (1999)

Half Moon Street (1998)

The Whitechapel Conspiracy (2001)

Southampton Row (2002)

Seven Dials (2003)

Long Spoon Lane (2005)

Buckingham Palace Gardens (2008)

The William Monk series. Monk is a darker character--when we meet him he has amnesia following an accident and the first mystery is his own identity. This series is set about 35 years before the Pitt series. In later books Monk teams up with Hester Latterly, an outspoken nurse and veteran of the Crimean War:

The Face of a Stranger (1990)

A Dangerous Mourning (1991)

Defend and Betray (1992)

A Sudden, Fearful Death (1993)

The Sins of the Wolf (1994)

Cain His Brother (1995)

Weighed in the Balance (1996)

The Silent Cry (1997)

A Breach of Promise (1997)

The Twisted Root (1999)

Slaves of Obsession (2000)

Funeral in Blue (2001)

Death of a Stranger (2002)

The Shifting Tide (2004)

The Dark Assassin (2006)

Execution Dock (2009)

The World War I series, featuring the Reavely brothers. An absolutely riveting and harrowing description of life (and mysteries) in the trenches:

No Graves As Yet

Shoulder the Sky

Angels in the Gloom

At some Disputed Barricade

We Shall Not Sleep

The Christmas series. These are short novellas which come out each Christmas and feature some of the supporting characters from the Monk and Pitt series. They do not have to be read in order:

A Christmas Journey

A Christmas Visitor

A Christmas Guest

A Christmas Secret

A Christmas Beginning

A Christmas Grace

A Christmas Promise

The Perry books combine beautiful writing with insightful commentary. If you live nearby, you are welcome to borrow from my Perry stash!

Words with friends

2010-08-12T17:01:00.001-07:00

I am completely obsessed with the app "Words With Friends" for the iPhone. It combines many of my favorite things in one neat, little package...games, words, semi-anonymity. The most games I have ever had going at one time was six, but I believe I am capable of juggling several more while still being a reasonably functional person. The other day, Bill and I were doing a pass and play game at Chili's while waiting for our guiltless grill classic sirloins and the waitress said, "I love that game! I was playing 15 games at one time the other day!" See? I'm sure I could handle more. If you want to play, leave a comment and we can arrange to swap user names.

On an entirely different note...perhaps it is time for a weight loss update. It has been a year now since we decided to stop living to eat and start eating to live. I have lost 90 lbs. and Bill has lost (drum roll, please) 120 lbs. We feel great and look forward to slowly losing more as we continue to eat healthier (and less).

I love tasty, convenient food, and who doesn't? Here is a dish I made this week. It couldn't be easier. When divided into four servings, it is 320 calories a serving. Let's call it...

Fiesta Chicken Bowl

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can whole corn, drained

2 cans original Ro-Tell tomatoes with green chilies

Dump it all in the crock pot and cook it on high until the chicken is done and you're ready to eat. Or on low until the chicken is done and you're ready to eat. Don't you love crock pots? Just before serving, stir in 1 Cup brown rice, cooked. I use the kind from Costco that cooks in the microwave for 90 seconds. Delicious!

A virtual grab bag

2010-08-08T20:50:00.001-07:00

I confess that in recent weeks my interest in blogging has declined in direct proportion to my love of iPhoning. But, seeking to maintain a healthy balance in all areas of my life, (and finding it difficult to text EVERYTHING that's on my mind), I will attempt to periodically update my blog with my latest thoughts and photos. (Re-reading that last line makes me cringe a bit. It pre-supposes that there is an audience for my thoughts. Oh, well...)

We have just concluded a wonderful visit from Sarah and the boys. It was very generous of Sean to share his family with us. I felt the pain of their separation most acutely when Sean called Sarah on Thursday night to ask her how old the sloppy joe filling in the fridge was. She cautioned him that it was WAY too far past the "use by" date and encouraged him to throw it out without delay. He told her that he felt like it would be safe if he brought it to a boil before eating it. I knew then that it was time for Sarah to go home.

For Newton, the boys provided an invigorating interlude in what is normally the quiet, predictable routine of a middle-aged dog. He loved the chasing and rough and tumble play with Ashton, and he followed Ezra around faithfully, waiting for the scraps of food which inevitably came his way. Alvie both intrigued and frightened him. But isn't that the reaction most of us have towards two year olds? It's the unpredictability...Like when (at midnight) he came down the hallway (after we thought he was sound asleep) dragging two sleeping bags, saying, "Alvie's making a tent." Good times...

Moving on to another topic, I have to say that I am so jealous of Emily's book club! I have received some great reading recommendation from Emily through them. They have excellent taste! The latest is "The Thirteenth Tale," a first time novel by Diane Setterfield.

I don't usually review books that I haven't finished reading, but this one is going to be an exception. I have only read the first four chapters and I can hardly put it down. This is a book for people who not only love reading, but who also love books; who surround themselves with books. Who love the feel of a book in their hands, the turn of each page like opening a little present. I am a lover of books. I have bookshelves (filled with books) in every room of my house but the kitchen and bathrooms. I have resisted the suggestion that I would enjoy owning a Kindle, not because I disapprove of the concept, but because holding a book is part and parcel of the pleasure of reading for me. For me, the physicality of paper and print shortens the distance between writer and reader in a way that electronics can't. When I see a book, opened and left face down next to a bed or an easy chair, it speaks volumes to me about quality of life.

I would have bought "The Thirteenth Tale" for the first chapter alone. I am so glad that there are many more chapters to go...

Why we love Bakersfield

2010-07-14T20:24:00.001-07:00

Since the first Earth Day in 1970, progressives have wondered how to communicate their enthusiasm for sustainable energy to a sometimes less than interested audience...especially in certain right-leaning corners of the country. Like Bakersfield...

Bland Solar and Air, a local business, may well have found the answer with their “Buy Solar. Get a Gun.” campaign:

You gotta love redneck hippies!

Summer vacation times three

2010-07-10T15:40:00.001-07:00

I'm finally home after more than three weeks of intense "relaxation." It was quite a whirlwind, but I enjoyed every minute. I have a couple of hundred photos, but I promise to share only enough to leave you wanting more.

Vacation #1...San Antonio...June 19-June 28

Things I love about San Antonio; birthday shopping with my two favorite nine year olds, deer, Jason's Deli, Red Mango frozen yogurt, watching The Blog Fairy work, swimming with Abby, Liv, Ellie and Riley (who was visiting with Liza from Amarillo), picnics, the village of Gruene, Landis Park, seeing "Toy Story 3", and being gifted an iPhone!

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Abby and I flew back to Bakersfield together on the 28th. It was a little tricky getting out of the San Antonio airport. Crazy rain and lightening grounded all planes for more than three hours, so that by the time we finally arrived home it was 3:00 a.m. Abby was a real trooper during our stay at the airport, which was so over-crowded there were no available seats. All she asked for was a square of carpet and her DS.

Vacation #2...Anaheim...June 29-July 1

For this leg we were four; Bill and I, Abby and Aubrey. We stayed at a Marriott near Disneyland and arrived on Tuesday in time to swim and enjoy Walt's fireworks from our hotel room. Wednesday we spent fourteen hours at Disneyland and the lines were short enough that we did everything we wanted to, including Bill's favorite...the train. Abby went on all the wild rides, many for the first time, and thoroughly loved them! Aubrey was a perfect older cousin and even shared her hoodie while watching "Fantasmic!"

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I confess that I did a bad thing while I was in line for the Matterhorn. No, I didn't take cuts...that would be inexcusable... I pretended to be taking a picture of the distant background while actually zooming in on a fellow ride patron. I think you'll agree that it was worth it:

We returned to Bakersfield Thursday afternoon where the party continued for Abby and Aubrey with more swimming and a sleepover at Aubrey's house. Friday morning we picked them up for the final leg of our vacation extravaganza and added two other passengers; Clare and Simi.

Vacation #3...St. George...July 2-July 6

Who knew that rodeos were so much fun??? Saturday night we attended the Gunlock Rodeo, an annual Fourth of July affair which, over three days, earns enough money to keep the tiny hamlet of Gunlock afloat for the rest of the year. Sean's brother, Tod, arranged for Aubrey to have a horse so that she could ride in the parade. She also took part in the Chicken Chase and Abby did the Boot Race. We had a blast!!!

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One of the highlights of the evening was when we discovered that Alvie (age 2) had figured out how to walk up by himself to the snack bar window (where his grandma and aunt were working), shout out the color of snow cone he wanted, and have it magically appear. I think he had five. Mostly "Greem!"

The rodeo was just the beginning of our St. George fun. We also swam, had a water balloon fight, ate and gamed at Pirate Island, played rock band, visited with great Grandma and Grandpa, and toured the temple visitor's center.

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We had a wonderful three weeks. We came home inspired, renewed, relaxed and refreshed, and isn't that the whole point of vacations?

It's good to be The Blog Fairy's mother!

2010-06-26T21:10:00.000-07:00

I am currently here in San Antonio, visiting The Blog Fairy (and her little fairies and the big...guy). Tonight she visited my blog, waved her magic wand, and moved me to the top of her 14-week waiting queue. Don't you love it????

We are having a wonderful visit. Liza and Riley were also here all week and it was so nice to spend time with Riley while her mom attended a work conference. I will be flying home on Monday...with Abby. We will leave for Anaheim on Tuesday and St. George on Friday. There will be lots of photos to post when I return.

Warning! Proud Grandmother Ahead!

2010-06-17T15:38:00.001-07:00

Jake has another ball to juggle these days--junior lobbyist. As the national "face of psoriasis," Jake is helping to launch a legislative campaign entitled "A Fair Shake For Psoriasis" to increase public awareness of the disease, increase funding for research and get more drugs approved for treatment. This morning he visited the Amarillo office of Congressman Mac Thornberry, (who is tied up in session in Washington D.C.), met with his staff, and gave them the information they need to assist in the cause. He invited Rep. Thornberry to co-sponsor the legislation and posed for this photo op with the congressman's constituency liaison person. The National Psoriasis Foundation is launching a new web site for kids which will be featured in the next issue of their magazine, with Jake as the cover story. Liza is on the planning committee for the National Psoriasis group and is busy preparing for the June, 2011 conference slated for Washington D.C. Liza and Jake are scheduled to address the congressional committee considering the new bill at that time. We are very proud of Jake. Through his attitude and example he has turned a problem into a real blessing for himself and many others.

Random musings on today's youth

2010-06-16T16:07:00.001-07:00

I was standing in line at Ross today which has copied, as its customer service model, the waiting line for the Haunted Mansion (without the fast pass option). I was amusing myself by inventorying tattoos. Tattoos were on my mind because of this breaking item in today's news...

Miley Cyrus has a new tattoo. In her right ear. It is the word, "Love." Apparently, it is a tribute to her current boyfriend.

Well, at least she kept it generic.

Miley is not alone in her search for new places and new ink with which to express herself. Summer in Bakersfield is a good time to go tattoo-hunting. From where I was standing I could see the following; a 14-15 year old with three hearts across the back of her neck, with a knife piercing the middle heart...a young man in a tank top with a tribute to a deceased individual on his chest, complete with photo and vital stats...a woman who looked to be about 80, but who was probably in her 40s (as my dad would say, "ridden hard and put away wet") with a dagger tattoo piercing the side of her neck, complete with blue-green blood dripping down below her neckline...a young mother with full-color photos of her children tattooed on her calves...and, my favorite, an otherwise attractive young woman with a large spider web on her chest, a spider crawling down her cleavage, and the words "Black Widow" across her collar bone.

While repeating to myself the admonition found in John: “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24), I had an encounter of an entirely different kind.

A mom-type approached the line and spoke to someone standing behind me. "We'll wait for you over by the door." I heard a teenage voice reply, "Yes, Ma'am. Thank you, Ma'am." My head was so full of dark thoughts regarding the future of America that I nearly gave myself whiplash, whirling around to cast my peepers on this well-spoken youth. I was not alone. Two other people had also heard and taken note. In synch we all began praising the young woman for being so polite. (We were all old people.) She modestly explained that her "Mama and Daddy" had taught their family to show respect to all adults by using "Sir and Ma'am" and behaving courteously. Well done, Mom and Dad.

Some of my Beehives, and many of the other youth I come into contact with, are of the belief that their public language, behavior and appearance should be immune from public scrutiny because "it isn't nice to judge other people." Certainly, we aren't meant to step on God's toes by attempting to measure what's in another's heart, but we DO make daily assessments about people based on very limited information. Knowing nothing about this young lady except the few words I heard her speak, I formed a favorable impression of her. I don't know whether she had any tattoos or not...but it doesn't matter.

So many books...

2010-06-11T00:04:00.001-07:00

I have fallen in love with Alan Bradley. No...my bishop doesn't need to know. It's a completely one-sided love affair. Bradley gives wings to the notion that life begins at fifty. Or, in his case, 69. That's how old he was when he wrote his first book, the award-winning, "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie." Now his second book has been published and it might be even better. The title is, "The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag." I LOVED THESE BOOKS! They feature a most beguiling heroine; eleven year old Flavia de Luce, a dangerously brilliant child with a special interest in chemistry and poisons. She lives in a crumbling old mansion near Bishop's Lacey, England, in the early 1950s. Her mother died when she was a baby and her father's primary interest is stamps. She also lives with her two evil older sisters, a housekeeper and a devoted man of all work who forgets things. These books are funny, quirky, sophisticated, vastly entertaining and intelligently written. I highly recommend them:

I also recommend another book that I recently finished, "Bone by Bone," by Carol O'Connell. This is her first book since she concluded the "Mallory" series (which I loved), and it is a stand alone. It is a gritty, psychological mystery with an intriguing premise; a fifteen year old disappears into the woods one day and is never seen again. Now, twenty years later, his bones are returning home one by one. His older brother, a former Army CID officer, has returned home very much damaged by his brother's disappearance, determined to find out what happened to him. The theme of this book is how we are shaped by the events of our lives. It is an interesting read (I couldn't put it down), but not particularly a cheery one.

Happy reading!

They're giving them their own show on TLC..."Little People Having Trauma in the ER Plus One"

2010-06-08T12:21:00.001-07:00

If the "Tiny Tim" photo of Brooke (scroll down to May 21) tugged at your heart, this one will surely break it. Yes, the Clements (specifically, Riley) had another encounter of the painful kind with their neighbor's trampoline. Apparently, some older children suggested that it would be interesting if she were to close her eyes and walk backwards. The result was a broken radius, right where it connects to her wrist. It was badly misaligned requiring that she be sedated in order to reduce the fracture. For a while, the thought of surgery was bandied about but, fortunately, the reduction worked satisfactorily and she will get her super cool hard cast on Thursday. A good result after a long night of prayers.

But wait...I can DOUBLE your Clement medical news!!!!

Making sure they take full advantage of their monthly insurance premiums, the Clements have exciting (and much happier) medical news. ***The following is for the three people on the planet who are not Facebook fans of Liza's:

They are expecting #5 on January 15th!!!!! And no, it wasn't a surprise and yes, they (and all of us) are VERY happy about it. Even Riley (who wanted another girl) has come around to thinking that a boy would be lots of fun...bookend boys! Of course, whatever this baby is, we know three things; it will be gorgeous, it will be greatly loved, and it will never be allowed on a trampoline.

Congratulations!!!

I will get to the Tahoe trip, but first some thoughts on obedience and colonoscopies

2010-06-07T00:00:00.001-07:00

Sometimes my mind works in circuitous paths. Try to keep up...

When I had my follow-up visit with the rather strange, foreign doctor who did my colonoscopy earlier this year (add that to your list of things to look forward to as you age) he complimented me on how clean my colon was. (I told you he was strange.) He observed that I must have drunk the entire gallon of stuff that one is directed to drink in preparation for the procedure. (You don't even want to know what happens almost immediately after you drink it.) I replied that, of course, I drank it all. ..my instructions SAID to drink it all. He gave me a pitying look and said, "But no one actually does."

Is there such a thing as being TOO obedient?

I asked myself that question as I walked into the 70s themed party at the Tahoe conference on Friday night. The invitation said to dress 70s style. Worrying about what to wear became my personal nightmare for weeks. I finally put together an outfit that was kind of "Zelda, Queen of the Gypsies Attends Woodstock." In truth, it was not far off my usual style. I walked into the ballroom, full of about 300 people, and immediately realized that I was one of maybe four in costume. Here is the conversation that I had with more than one fellow guest:

Other Person..."Wow, you dressed up! That's great!"

Me..."The invitation said we were supposed to..."

Other Person..."Yeah, but I just ignored it. You're so obedient!"

Sigh...

Oh well, I believe I redeemed myself the following night. I can count on one hand the number of special occasions when I have really felt like I nailed it sartorially. (The 70s party is not on the list.) I think I looked pretty darn good at the Gala Dinner Dance (cocktail attire, please). Here is a picture to help you wipe from your memories the image of me as the Gypsy Queen:

So my two dress-up occasions cancelled each other out. Apart from worrying about what to wear (me, not Bill), we had a great time. On Friday, the weather cancelled our plans for a catamaran tour of the lake because it was raining and the clouds hung so low that the lake became virtually invisible. So we drove over the mountain to Reno, thirty miles away, to find a watch battery for Bill and have lunch. Here is what the drive over looked like:

It doesn't look much like June, does it? But, in a way that was nothing short of miraculous, the weather became our friend overnight and the next two days were glorious. The temperature went from 48 degrees on Friday to the low 70s with hardly a cloud in sight:

We stayed in Incline Village (North Lake Tahoe), at the Hyatt, which was very nice in a woodsy-owl sort of way. I thought you might enjoy a retrospective of the decor and the scenery outside our windows:

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In case you are wondering what Bill wore to the 70s party, I refer you to the two photos of him above. He wore exactly what he wore in the 70s...and the 80s...and the 90s...and last week...

A Minute to Win It

2010-06-01T09:44:00.001-07:00

Last night, for our monthly Family Home Evening with the Reeds and Rossettos, we hosted a "Minute to Win It" tournament. If you aren't familiar with the game show, you can go here, to their web site, to check it out: http://www.nbc.com/minute-to-win-it/

It's kind of like the old show "Beat the Clock," with a series of wacky stunts that have to be completed in under a minute. It was really fun (a little warm) and Spencer came off victorious, achieving the coveted "gold star on the nose" award.

Our events were; Noodling Around, Face the Cookie, Stick the Landing, Wet Ball, Penny Hose, On the Nose, and Suck it Up. Here is a sample of the fun:

And, finally, Will had his own agenda for the evening:

Wish you had all been here!

Clement clan update

2010-05-21T16:38:00.001-07:00

Let's start off by taking a moment to admire Morgan's smile. Isn't it the best? Love the piggies, too! Liza also sent me these photos from last week's orchestra/choir concert:

Apparently, the young man sitting next to Jake told him that he looked like "James Bond" in his suit. I have to agree--Jake really knows how to rock the clothes! Riley was very excited about winning the cross-stitched cat pillow and has requested lessons in how to "make pictures on fabric." Your wish is my command, Riley. When we are all in San Antonio next month we will do some stitching!

And, finally, here is a photo of Brooke looking very "Tiny Timmish." We are all relieved that she has recovered well from her broken ankle and no longer needs the crutches:

And, in conclusion, a "consumer beware" tale from Liza. It seems that last week her van started making a bad noise. She stopped in after school (with all the kids) at a national brake-repair chain that begins with the letter "M" and asked them to check out the noise while they waited. They obliged, and told her that her front and rear brakes were shot, her rotors were shot and she needed new hoses to fix a leak in her brake fluid. Grand total? $585.00! She wisely called Jeremy and asked his opinion. He told her to come home, do not pass go, and they would get a second opinion from a repair shop near Jeremy's work where he has done business before. The guy at "M" really tried to scare her--told her the brakes could suddenly stop working while she was driving home and that he would never let HIS wife drive a car in that condition. Somehow, they made it safely home and took the car in for the second opinion. The new guys ran every check they could think of and found no leaks and no problems with the rotors. Their estimate? $160.00! And...when they picked the van up, they actually only charged them $138.00!!!!! The van is running perfectly and they have new car repair bffs.

We have a winner!

2010-05-21T09:04:00.001-07:00

Congrats to Liza, who won the drawing for the "Stackable Cats" pillow. You never know when boredom will lead me to create another oddity, so stay tuned...and check back later today for a photo update on the Clement clan (and a consumer warning!).

Whimsy, anyone?

2010-05-17T15:19:00.001-07:00

I thought this was funny when I saw it. It's a Japanese cross stitch pattern and we all know how whimsical the Japanese are. So I stitched it up and turned it into a 14"
square pillow. And now it needs a home. Leave me a comment if you would like it for yourself or for someone else. I will draw a name on Friday.

Just call me Casper

2010-05-16T19:15:00.001-07:00

Aubrey celebrated a significant birthday on Monday of this past week. She turned twelve and is now an official Young Woman! Having worked with the Beehives for more than two years, I was able to give her the following advice for fitting in; she needs to learn the lyrics to all of Taylor Swift's songs, fall madly in love with Justin Bieber and become addicted to "Glee."

To mark the big day, the Reeds (and Aubrey's best friend, Katie) spent a magical two days at "The Happiest Place on Earth." Here are a few snaps of the occasion:

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As if that cake needed any frosting, Aubrey participated in a horse show yesterday and won first place overall for Western and second place overall for English. Here are her complete states (quoting Carl, because it's all Greek to me):

"Aubrey was in 8 events and got 3 firsts, one second, two thirds and two fifths. In addition she won high point in western events and reserve high point in English events." In addition to fancy ribbons, she also won prizes; a feed bucket, a hook for hanging tack and ear clippers. For the horse, not her. Here are a few snaps of Aubrey and Ziggy in action:

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Way to go, Aubrey!!!

Since I am the designated disseminator of family news, a congrats also goes to young Ezra who just this week grew his first two teeth AND learned to sit up by himself. (Look carefully to spot the tiny new teeth:

Good job, buddy!

I'm feeling sentimental

2010-05-10T16:58:00.001-07:00

I love old people. Especially now that I am one. I love to see happy old people. I love to see old people who have been through the wringer and still have the capacity to get a kick out of life. Here are links to two videos that will brighten your day (and maybe your whole future if you take proper note).

http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/realityrocks/354090/move-over-subo-heres-nubo-is-janey-cutler-the-new-susan-boyle/

http://www.fark.com/cgi/vidplayer.pl?IDLink=4365716

Thanks to Laura for giving me the heads up on the second video.

Enjoy!

You're all heroes to me

2010-05-08T16:56:00.001-07:00

I'm so proud to be a mom. It's like being a member of the coolest club ever. Think about it...

Moms are brave, doing things everyday that make grown men gag.

Moms are strong, performing heroic feats on four hours of sleep and a handful of half-eaten chicken nuggets.

Moms are versatile, with the ability to remove beans from tiny nasal cavities while friending their teenage children on Facebook.

Mothers make the budgets, schedules and appliances work. They mend torn jeans and broken hearts. Mothers make the world go 'round.

A special super hero shout out to my favorite moms who make me proud every single day:

And, finally, thank you to my mother who taught me how to do it:

Happy Mother's Day

Ghost blogging

2010-05-07T14:09:00.001-07:00

Since Clare and Sarah are notoriously unreliable bloggers, and since I just live to serve others, I wanted to update everyone on the two newest family members; Simone (Simi) and Ezra:

Do you suppose this is how Paris Hilton and

Kevin Harvick got started?

Seriously, could they be any cuter?

Celebrate!

2010-05-04T13:10:00.001-07:00

Heads up, everyone...tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo! Haven't made your celebratory plans yet? I am happy to share the suggestion that Bill received as a work-related email from the water quality folks:

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo With Grease Free Sewers!
WEF's popular Fat-Free Sewers brochure and bill stuffer are available in a bilingual Spanish and English version. Combine this with the It's a Toilet, Not a Trashcan bilingual bill stuffer for your outreach efforts to Spanish-speaking constituents.

Enjoy your outreach efforts!

Not so much shy as just weird

2010-04-25T18:29:00.001-07:00

I have been invited to the annual meeting of the California Independent Petroleum Association. The meeting will be held June 3-6 at the Incline Village (Lake Tahoe) Hyatt Regency. Spouses and partners are invited because this is a networking event. I suppose the assumption is that wives are a social asset. This, however, is not true in my case. I am not socially adept. I will be attending under a false premise. That's right--I'm socially awkward.

I have social-gathering phobias which include (but are not limited to) the following:

1. Opening my mouth to speak and sounding like Kermit the frog because I need to clear my throat from long periods of disuse.

2. Not knowing what to do with my hands.

3. Forgetting to put on clothes before I leave for the party. (I actually have this dream a lot.)

4. Remembering to put on clothes, but they are completely wrong. (See below)

5. Blurting to my table mate, "Would you like to see photos of my grandkids?" with a big, crazy grin on my face.

6. Being mistaken for a member of the catering staff.

7. Starting to tell a witty anecdote and forgetting how it ends.

And the list goes on...

I am particularly worried this time about the dress code, a copy of which I have already received. Friday night the event is a 70s party. We have been asked to dress accordingly. My friend, Google, found this picture for me to use as a guide:

This should be a comfortable assignment for me. I graduated from high school in the early 70s. I attended college in the 70s. I don't remember ever dressing like this picture. Mostly, I remember a lot of thick polyester and high-waisted pants. I don't really think it's a look that deserves a comeback.

The next problem is even worse because it finds me in completely unfamiliar territory. I am supposed to wear a "cocktail dress" to Saturday night's gala. What the h*** is a "cocktail dress???" (Diet Coke capris, anyone?) Again, my buddy, Google, came to the rescue:

I am pretty sure I don't own anything that qualifies.

The tightwad in me would really like to address both problems with one solution. Here I am in 1974, wearing my best dress. Now, if I could only find out which landfill it ended up in...

What do you think? Have I found my look for Tahoe?

How to get what you really want

2010-04-21T14:26:00.001-07:00

In recent years it has occurred to me that the best way to get what you want is to ask for it. Case in point; For most of our married life, buying gifts for me has been a struggle for Bill. It isn't that he doesn't like to buy me things...he just hates to shop...and he has bad ideas (razor blades?). Enter the world wide web and the solution to his shopping phobia. For the past few years, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, I have emailed him a list of things I would enjoy receiving. I include links to them (usually on Amazon) and give him a budget. Problem solved. This makes Bill very happy because he gets to choose something he knows I really want and he doesn't have to go inside a store.

This year, for my birthday, I decided to extend this same gift of happiness to my children. I sent them an email telling them that what I really wanted this year was a new fireplace screen thing. We have done updates throughout the house and the old shiny brass one just wasn't cutting it anymore. Here is what we had: (Try to look past the goofballs standing in front of it.)

I sent all the kids a link to the kind I wanted and suggested that they elect someone to coordinate the purchase, shipping and installation (I am, after all, a world-class control freak.) It worked!!! Here is my new fireplace screen thing which I received early in a little birthday celebration/installation party this week:

I LOVE my birthday gift!!! It makes me VERY happy, and I appreciate everyone going along with my plan. Now--didn't that work out beautifully?

Thank you, everyone!

I heart losing weight!

2010-04-16T15:16:00.001-07:00

Time for a weight loss update...

Between August 1 and today, Bill has lost 95 lbs. and I have lost 70 lbs. A few observations:

1. Our bed and my shoes (strangely) are getting roomier.

2. You CAN live happily without hamburgers, fries and Taco Bell.

3. There is a lot of tasty (and healthy) food out there. Case in point:

Last night I made the BEST dinner, if I do say so myself. Keep in mind that I only cook food that is fast and easy to prepare. There is no danger of me being whisked away to join the next cast of "Top Chef." Here is what we had with the calorie count:

Chicken-mango-jalapeno sausages from Costco--90 calories each and FABULOULY delicious!

Roasted sweet potato*--80 calories each for half a large sweet potato

Spring greens with low fat balsamic dressing--36 calories

So, even with three sausages, the total is under 400 calories! Just to put it in perspective...an Ultimate Cheeseburger from Jack in the Box has 1010 calories...without the fries!!!! And we won't even talk about the fat grams. Sweet potatoes (if you avoid all the butter and brown sugar) are wonderfully nutritious. I love to eat them this way:

*Peel a large sweet potato and cut into even-sized chunks. Place in a large zip lock bag with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and seasoning (I used Pappy's). Shake to coat evenly. Place on a baking sheet which has been sprayed with Pam and bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, until tender.

This kind of bragging is the most annoying thing in the world if you need to lose a few pounds and aren't ready. Believe me...I know! Believe me, also, that nothing in the world will work if you aren't ready. It took me 50+ years of eating whatever I wanted before I realized that I didn't want to eat that way anymore. Losing weight is a highly individual decision that no one has the right to second-guess. I am just so grateful that Bill and I got on the same page at the same time. It has actually made this project both easy and fun.

Books!

2010-04-12T17:50:00.001-07:00

Surely, reading is one of the most underrated and undervalued of all pastimes. When I consider which of my senses I would prefer to lose (if I had to choose), vision would be my very last choice. A world without books would be a poor and pitiful place for me. I am continually fascinated by books...that so much can be conveyed through the simple medium of paper and ink. I love surrounding myself with books...each represents a little treasure. When I have lots of books waiting to be read (or re-read) I feel very rich indeed. This morning Liza called to say "thank you" for recommending a book and to tell me how much she is enjoying it. When that happens, I know just how the missionaries feel when they find a "golden contact." So... in the spirit of missionary work...here is what I have been reading lately:

You know I love me some Maeve Binchy. For me, her books fall into two categories--the great (The Glass Lake, Copper Beech, Circle of Friends, Tara Road...) and the very good (nearly everything else). "Heart and "Soul" is very good. Maeve balances several story lines in such a way that I had no trouble keeping them and all the characters straight. She draws her characters so well that I found myself thinking about them even when not reading. Interesting stories, happy endings, and likeable characters..a satisfying Irish escape.

M.C. Beaton writes two mystery series; the Hamish Macbeth series and the Agatha Raisin series. Both feature somewhat flawed (but interesting) lead characters. "Death of a Valentine" features Hamish Macbeth, a lazy, commitment-phobic constable in a small village in the Scottish Highlands. I have read all of Beaton's books and find them funny in a dry, sarcastic way which appeals to me. These are fun, quick reads where the good guys always win.

This is a first novel by Anna Dean which I took a chance on and loved! A Victorian era mystery, it is written from the point of view of a witty and plain-spoken spinster lady who is sent to console her broken-hearted niece. The subtitle is, "The Observations of Miss Dido Kent," leading me to believe (and hope) that it is the first in a series. The mystery was intriguing, the characters were interesting, and it manages to avoid the traps of costume/period pieces by never becoming overly sweet or romantic.

This is a second book by author Kate Morton, making me very much want to read her first effort. THIS IS A WONDERFUL BOOK!!!! In fact, this was the book that Liza called me about this morning. I cannot take the credit for discovering this gem--it was recommended to me by Emily who never steers me wrong. The book weaves three different stories from three different time periods while solving a mystery--how did a three year old child end up on a ship from England to Australia all by herself and who is she? It starts a little slow, but hang in there. The final two-thirds of the book will leave you glued to the pages, unable to think about anything else.

Another period piece (we seem to be on a roll here), this one taking place during Edwardian England, just prior to WWI. Very reminiscent of Anne Perry's William Monk series. The author, Marjorie Eccles, has written nearly two dozen books, but this one is a stand-alone--not part of a series. It is set against a backdrop of cultural changes as women are fighting for the right to vote and gaining more independence to go about and do as they wish. I am nearly finished reading it and like it well enough to look for more Eccles books.

And here is what is sitting on my nightstand, in my waiting- to- be- read queue:

"The Help," by Kathryn Stockett. Another recommendation from Emily. She spoke so highly of it that I ordered it on half.com immediately after speaking to her.

"This Body of Death," by Elizabeth George. George is one of my favorite authors. I can't tell you how excited I am when she writes a new book. Her lead character is Thomas Lynley, a British aristocrat who renounced his title to join Scotland Yard where he has risen through the ranks. These are very contemporary books featuring an England very unlike our romantic assumptions. The most wrenching book I have ever read was George's "What Came Before Her Shot Her." The Lynley series has been made into several movies for the BBC which you might enjoy adding to your Netflix queue. If you read the books (which I recommend highly) you need to do so in order.

"A River in the Sky," by Elizabeth Peters. Peters writes more than one series and also writes under the name of Barbara Michaels. This is the latest from her Victorian era series about Egyptologist and mystery-solver Amelia Peabody, her dashing husband, Emerson and their son, Ramses. Lots of interesting stuff about Egypt and archaeology and written in a swashbuckling vein not unlike Indiana Jones. These books must be read in order.

"The Black Cat," by Martha Grimes. Grimes has written a very diverse body of work. She is an American, but writes the Richard Jury series, all based in England. This book is from that series. She has also written some of my favorite non-mysteries (well, they are mysteries but only tangentially), set in the U.S.; "The End of the Pier," "Hotel Paradise," "Cold Flat Junction," and "Belle Ruin." These are wonderful books which I frequently loan out to others. They should be read in the order listed.

Wow! I didn't intend to do a post today. I planned on doing yard work, but it has been raining off and on. And now I've tied everyone up with a long and wordy post. Shut down the computer and go read a book!

We've got a winner!

2010-04-09T11:07:00.001-07:00

Carl (whether he wants it or not) is the winner of the house bumper sticker. I think it will look lovely in his office. Wherever he decided to put it, he should follow Bill's advice:

"It's quite a commitment, word-wise. I think he needs to have a chair for people to sit on while they read it and maybe a way to mark their place in case they need to take a bathroom break mid-way."

Ha Ha...very funny!

Giveaway

2010-04-05T17:28:00.001-07:00

So...I have finished my latest house bumper sticker. The problem is that I am pretty much out of wall space, so I am offering this to anyone who, like me, is inspired by this quote from Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin. It is done in cross stitch and framed in a black, 8 x 10 inch frame which can either sit on a tabletop or be hung on the wall. The colors are orange, turquoise and black with a little bit of yellow. If you would like it for yourself or to give to someone else (perhaps a Miami Dolphin fan?) just leave a comment and let me know. I will draw a winner on Thursday, at 10:00 pm (my time).

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T19:31:00.001-07:00

I hope everyone has had a wonderful Easter. We enjoyed watching conference and had a lovely meal with the Forsyth clan. The Whites took a drive to enjoy the wildflowers in the countryside around San Antonio and took some gorgeous pictures that I wanted to share:

This morning President Monson reminded us that the two most important words are, "Thank you." In the spirit of his remarks, I am full of gratitude tonight for a wonderful family, kind friends, a beautiful world, inspired Church leaders and, most of all, for the love of my Savior.

HAPPY EASTER!

Date night

2010-04-02T14:03:00.001-07:00

Bill and I enjoyed an excellent evening out last night. True, it featured elements of "old people-ness." No, we didn't get the "early bird special" at Hometown Buffet, but we DID enjoy the new cranberry and chicken salad at Carl's Jr. which, if you take advantage of their current special, comes with a free Coke Zero. And we DID make full use of the senior citizen discount at the movie theater. And, yes, we DID see a Disney movie, but once you introduce Tim Burton and Johnny Depp into the mix all resemblance between our date night and a short bus excursion from Shady Acres retirement home is swiftly put to rest.

We saw Disney's "Alice in Wonderland."

Not that one...this one:

Alice is all grown up now and about to become engaged to an aristocratic dweeb with no chin and digestive issues. In panic, she runs away and falls down the rabbit hole, only eventually realizing that she has done this all before. This Wonderland (actually "Underland"--Alice misunderstood on her first visit) is not a cheery, colorful place. No one sings OR dances. It is dark, witty, interesting and macabre. I am a little out of touch with what scares kids these days, but I don't think I would take anyone under eight to this version. Over eight, I would take them more than once and they would love it! Johnny Depp creates a Mad Hatter who is as complex and individual a character as any you have met. My only complaint is that the last fifteen minutes let the rest of the film down a little. It's a bit too pat, a bit too quick to tie everything up in a tidy package of "What Alice learned and how her life will now be better." A little like when an athletic team is WAY ahead and puts in the second string at the very end of the game. Maybe Tim Burton gave his assistant the director's chair on the last day of shooting and told him to wind everything up while he went for coffee.

I judge all movies by this simple criteria: "Would I pay to own the DVD?" And in the case of this new "Alice in Wonderland," I would answer yes.

Looking for a second opinion here...

2010-03-26T14:57:00.001-07:00

As I have mentioned before, I am addicted to checking the furniture section on craigslist. I don't really need anything--I'm mostly just window shopping (although I did buy a great floor lamp this week for a paltry $10 from a guy who is going into the army). Today I stumbled onto this collection of occasional tables. Now, you tell me...

Is this not the creepiest furniture you have ever seen?

St. George in the Springtime

2010-03-21T20:35:00.001-07:00

We returned last night from a wonderful week in St. George. Bill actually only got to spend a partial weekend on each end of the visit since he had meetings in Las Vegas, but I was not without a whole host of excellent companions! I spent Monday helping Sarah to put the finishing touches on their new home. Monday night, we were joined by Liza and her four kids who drove up from Amarillo with my sister-in-law, Laura Swenson, to spend their spring break with us. We stayed at my parents' home with a couple of kids each night bunking at the Taylor's. The weather was gorgeous, and the company was even better! Here are the highlights, with accompanying slide shows to illustrate:

Monday night we all ate dinner at Pirate Island, a theme restaurant in St. George with lots of arcade games. Towards the end of the evening, Alvie got his pants soaking wet but, in true pirate fashion, he bravely mustered on.

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Tuesday we took a picnic to Cottonwood Cove park, near Mom and Dad's house. It is the coolest park ever! Grandma and Grandpa went with us and we had a grand day.

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Tuesday afternoon, we drove over to the temple, walked around the grounds, and enjoyed the newly-remodeled visitor's center. It is VERY nice!

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On Wednesday, we drove to Zion's National Park and took a drive through the "great big long tunnel", bought souvenirs at the lodge and hiked the Emerald Pool Trail near the Court of the Patriarchs. We saw deer, mountain sheep, and cougar paw prints. I have a couple of blisters to prove that I did the hike, but it was well worth it! Note to self...next time, pack tennis shoes!

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On Thursday, we went out to Gunlock, to Sean's parents' house, where we jumped on the trampoline, rode the four-wheeler, and enjoyed the eight new Great Dane puppies.

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Okay...who's joining us next year?

Surprise!!!

2010-03-04T14:02:00.001-08:00

Well, the results are in and it's been confirmed--we do have the best kids in the world! This past Sunday was Bill's 60th birthday. It was also Simi's blessing day. We planned to celebrate the birthday on Saturday with a lovely family breakfast at the Pedal Car Cafe, kindly hosted by the young Reeds. There was Carl, Heather, Spencer, Aubrey, Will, Bill, me, Clare, Chris and Simi. The group also included Sarah, Sean, Ashton, Alvie and Ezra who had driven into town the night before. We had not even ordered our food when in walked Liza and Emily! Bill and I were both so shocked! What a wonderful surprise and what a generous and loving birthday gift. What I can't believe is that everyone knew and kept the secret for several weeks. Clare was the only one with sense enough to take a picture of the big moment:

This was just the start of a wonderful visit. The next day, on Sunday, we all attended Chris and Clare's ward to participate in Simi's blessing. She was a little vocal during the actual blessing, but she looked like a princess:

Following church, Clare and Chris hosted all the Reeds and Rossettos at a nice reception at their house where we ate, visited and took pictures. Sunday night we ate again and played games at our house. Liza, Sean and Ashton had to leave Monday to get back to work and school and Emily, Sarah and the two little boys left this morning. The house is strangely quiet, but filled with wonderful memories. Here are a few:

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Are they not all fabulous???

Thank you, Carl and Heather for hosting the reveal and picking them up at the airport. Thank you, Eric and Jeremy, for supporting and babysitting. Thank you Emily and Liza for giving us the surprise of a lifetime. Thank you, Sarah and Sean for dropping everything to drive to Bakersfield. And thank you, Chris and Clare, for postponing Simi's blessing (you little liars!) so that we could have a double celebration. We love you all more than you can imagine!

"Dill"icious salmon chowder!

2010-02-23T10:40:00.001-08:00

We have not discontinued our Saturday soup-making tradition, but I assumed that people were getting bored with the recipes and I stopped posting them. I have since had two requests for this recipe, so I will go ahead...

This would be a great way to use up leftover cooked fish. It was a nice Spring-tasting soup which turned out to be about 250 calories per serving. Six servings.

Salmon-Dill Chowder

1. Sauté 2 chopped onions, 12 button mushrooms, 2 Yukon gold potatoes, chopped, sliced, 2 cloves minced garlic and 1 bell pepper, chopped, in 1 Tbsp. olive oil until the onions are limp.

2. Add 1 bunch of fresh dill, chopped, and 3 cans of reduced fat chicken broth. Salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are soft. Blend until smooth.

3. Add 1 additional Yukon Gold potato, chopped, cooked fish which has been "chunked" with a fork(we used 2 salmon fillets), and a half package of frozen peas. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are done. Don't overcook--you want the peas to have a nice, fresh pop to them.

This was not the prettiest soup we have ever made--the dill gives it kind of a greenish tint, but it was delish!

This past Saturday we made a huge pot of cowboy stew. Let me assure you that no cowboys were injured in the process. This is a recipe that we have made for years, but I have tweaked it to reduce the calories. It made 12 servings, each 200 calories.

As with many soups, it is even better the next day (and the next) as the flavors really come together.

Cowboy Stew

1. Brown 2 lbs. lean ground beef (or ground turkey). Drain, to remove the fat, then rinse with hot water. This does a good job of reducing the fat in ground beef, but isn't necessary if you are using turkey.

2. In a large stock pot, sauté 3 chopped onions and 2 minced garlic cloves in 1 Tbsp. olive oil until the onions are limp. Add two cans of Rotelle tomatoes with peppers, 4 cans of diced tomatoes, 2 quarts of hot water and 3 heaping Tbsp. beef soup base. Add hot sauce (we like Tapatio) to taste. Add salt and pepper and blend until smooth.

3. Add to the soup base the hamburger, 1 can whole kernel corn (with liquid), 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained, 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained, and four Yukon gold potatoes, diced. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about thirty minutes.

This can be as spicy as you want, but don't fear the heat--Aubrey loved it and asked for it two days in a row! So it has been kid-tasted and kid-approved!

Creativity

2010-02-13T12:14:00.001-08:00

I am happiest when I have a project (or three) in the works. My parents were apparently very successful at convincing me that idle hands are the devil's workshop because I actually feel sinful when I sit and do nothing. Provident people keep their 72 hour kits handy so that in an emergency they can grab them as they flee for their lives. I also keep a series of "kits" handy so that I can grab one quickly in an emergency:

From left to right, they contain my cut-work tablecloth project, my crewel embroidery supplies, my crocheting and my cross stitch. Sewing and smocking projects are kept elsewhere in my lair. My current "while watching TV" project is a cross stitch sampler. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it when it's finished, but it's a quote from Elder Wirthlin that I found very inspiring:

Does everybody know about "Stitchpoint?" You can choose your font, enter your text, and it will automatically graph it for you. Very handy when making bumper stickers for the house! Here is the link:

http://www.stitchpoint.com/eng/tool/alph/_alphabet_generator.php?gclid=CNOI9__04JECFQY8YQodfi7CXg

Without being on Facebook, Twitter or MySpace I am still able to waste a considerable amount of time goofing around on the computer. My addiction (besides the furniture section on craigslist) is craft tutorials. For about a year now I have been building a file of things I want to do someday, based on my internet treasure hunts. Interestingly, many of my favorites come from Australia. Here is a pictorial of some of my favorites. It's not all just idle dreaming--you will recognize some of them as completed projects:

If you see anything you like, leave a comment and I will happily give you the link to the tutorial. Or, if any of my grandchildren see anything they like, they can just ask for it.

I have a theory about zucchini

2010-02-06T22:14:00.001-08:00

I don't think anyone really likes zucchini. I think anyone who says they do is just showing off. If people really enjoyed the taste of zucchini there wouldn't be so many ways to disguise it; breaded and fried zucchini, zucchini bread or (gag!) zucchini jam. My mother once sweated over a batch of the latter and forever after tried to convince us that it tasted just like pineapple. It didn't.

Somehow, a bunch of baby zucchini ended up in the produce drawer of my refrigerator. (Someone was probably showing off at Trader Joe's.) I waited quite a while, hoping they would go bad. But even without Debbie Meyer's Green Bags, they stayed pretty fresh and today my German guilt got the better of me. Enter Bill and Linda's Soup Recipe #4...

Tomato Zucchini Soup

In a small frying pan, heat one tablespoon of olive oil and sauté one onion, chopped, and one teaspoon minced garlic until the onions begin to soften. Pour the onions and garlic into a deep saucepan and add the following; two cans of diced tomatoes (I like Hunt's brand with Italian seasoning), two cans of chicken broth, two cubed Yukon gold potatoes (skins on), a bunch of fresh basil, chopped, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until potatoes are soft.

While the tomato mixture simmers, reheat your small frying pan and add the following (without adding oil); one small can of whole corn, drained, and four baby zucchini, chopped small (about the size of corn kernels). Stir frequently while the veggies pan-roast and brown a little. Turn off the heat before they burn!

When the potatoes are cooked, blend the tomato mixture until smooth. (Or leave it a little chunky if you prefer.) Add the corn and zucchini and simmer together for another ten minutes. Makes six servings, 130 calories per serving.

While enjoying our lovely soup tonight, Bill commented that it tasted just like V8 juice. So, there you go!

A fiesta in my mouth!

2010-01-30T21:17:00.001-08:00

We have had a full weekend. Yesterday afternoon we drove down to the temple to do sealings, then stayed the night in L.A. Arriving back in Bakersfield this afternoon, we headed over to the Beale Library to complete our volunteer hours in the Local History Department. (Did you know that Kern County has had an active Camellia Society since the 1940s?) After the library, we did a little produce shopping in preparation for our weekend soup-making efforts.

As regarding our most recent recipe let me just say... in all humility...Fabulous!!!

Chicken Chili Lime Soup (6 servings, 160 calories per serving)

Sauté the following in one Tbsp. olive oil; one chopped onion, one chopped green bell pepper, and eight small tomatillos. When the vegetables have begun to soften, add three cans of chicken broth, two cans of Ro-Tel tomatoes with lime and cilantro and three-fourths of a bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for thirty minutes. Blend until smooth with a hand blender or in batches in a regular blender. Return to pot on stove. Add the remaining chopped cilantro, 1 Cup of cooked brown rice and one can of chunk white chicken meat (the size that comes in a six pack at Costco). Shred the chicken chunks with a fork before adding. Simmer an additional fifteen minutes and serve with fresh lime wedges. Your mouth and tummy will thank me!

***This is fairly spicy. All Ro-Tel products have chilies in the tomatoes, but there is a mild version you can use if you don't like this much heat. But I loved it and I'm usually a bland food kind of gal.

Me and Bill making soup

2010-01-26T12:52:00.001-08:00

Bill and I (perhaps in a dress rehearsal for our retirement years) have taken up a new hobby; we make soup. We shop the produce section together, discuss flavor profiles, and invent new recipes for soup. (Is that the "Twilight Zone" theme song I hear?) I can understand your surprise...a year ago, if you sent Bill into the kitchen to fetch something you had to equip him with a map and a GPS. Now he casually throws out terms like "sweating the onions" and "caramelizing the squash." So far, we have invented two soups, both under 200 calories for a large bowl, and we have been working on the recipe for our next endeavor; we want to try and duplicate the new chicken, lime and chili soup at Chili's. We are very pleased with our efforts thus far and want to share our results:

Zesty Butternut Squash Soup

First, we sautéed (in one Tbsp. olive oil) the following: one half onion, chopped, one bell pepper, chopped, and two cloves of garlic, minced. Once the onions had started to soften, we added four Cups of peeled and diced butternut squash and let that caramelize a little. We added two small Yukon gold potatoes (quartered) which we had oven-roasted the day before. We then added two cans of low sodium chicken broth, one can of diced tomatoes and one half Cup of salsa. We seasoned with lots of ground pepper, a little salt and chopped cilantro. We brought it to a boil, then lowered the heat and simmered for forty-five minutes. Finally, we used our immersion blender (Love it!!) to blend it until smooth and creamy. (Six large servings) Delicious AND nutritious!

Our second recipe was born out of a need to use up some leftover pork tenderloin. I think we liked the leftovers better than the original meal!

Warm and Wonderful Pork Stew

Again, we started with one Tbsp. olive oil and sautéed one whole onion, chopped, one bell pepper, chopped and two tsp. minced garlic. We added two small Yukon gold potatoes (quartered) which we had previously oven-roasted. When the onions were starting to soften we added two cans of chicken broth and one can of Original Rotelle tomatoes with green chilies. We simmered this for about fifteen minutes, then blended until smooth with the immersion blender. We then added two gala apples, chopped, but not peeled and about two cups of cooked pork tenderloin, cubed. We seasoned everything with salt, pepper, curry powder and nutmeg. We simmered for another thirty minutes, then added one half a head of green cabbage, chopped, and cooked for ten more minutes. (Six large servings) This is the perfect meal for a chilly winter evening. Very filling and satisfying!

We really like using the immersion blender. It gives the illusion of a cream-based soup without adding calories and turns a soup into a stew without the need to thicken with flour or butter. Plus, I admit that I eat like a four year old. I like the flavors of tomatoes, onions, peppers and chilies but I don't like to see them. Yes, I actually pick them out of my food. With the hand blender, I can make all the yucky stuff disappear and still enjoy the flavor and nutritional benefits.

Bon appétit!

Save these pictures for August

2010-01-24T21:35:00.001-08:00

Carl, Spencer and Aubrey went to the cabin on Saturday to play in the snow. It looks like they had a lot of fun!!! (This is one of many differences between old people and young people--It actually just looks cold to me...)

They enjoyed the snow so much they took some home for Heather and Will to enjoy!

Well done, Jake!!!

2010-01-24T21:15:00.001-08:00

The list of things that Jake can do well just gets longer and longer. He can solve a Rubik's cube in record time...he can juggle and do magic...and (drum roll, please) he is a pinewood derby champion!!!! Yesterday, he took first place from among 35 cars AND set a new track record! He and Jeremy discovered some pretty cool tricks for making their car lighter and faster. And his timing is good, too, since this was his last pinewood derby. (Jake leaves cub scouts in May when he turns eleven.) A well-deserved recognition for lots of hard work. Congratulations, Jake!

Is it just me or is Jake suddenly looking A LOT older???

Check out Jake's cheerleading squad:

It isn't easy to take a picture of yourself in a mirror

2010-01-18T14:09:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, while getting ready for church, I took a good look in the mirror and realized that I am developing "puppet face." "Puppet face" is when the creases that run from your nose to the corner of your mouth start spreading past the corner of your mouth, all the way to your chin. Like a windshield crack that spreads a little more each time you hit a bump. I think I must be hitting a lot of bumps lately. "Puppet face" is the natural result of a fifty-six year long battle between elasticity and gravity. Gravity, it appears, is gaining the upper hand.

I am in good company:

Living with Adrian Monk

2010-01-16T18:30:00.001-08:00

Most of you know that I am (was) a big fan of the USA network show, "Monk." I was sad to see it end, but it lives on in memory...Actually, it lives on in real life, too. You see, in many ways, I am married to Adrian Monk. Okay, he goes by "Bill Reed," but he's the same guy.

Need proof? I'm sure many of you remember the great shaving soap adventure. Here is the link to refresh your memory:

http://billlindasworld.blogspot.com/2007/10/crisis-averted.html

Or, if you need photographic evidence of Bill's special "Monkness":

http://billlindasworld.blogspot.com/2007/11/crisis-averted-part-2.html

Not long ago, I caught Bill trying to throw away a perfectly good shirt. Why, you ask? Because he had an uneven number of solid and stripes. Unlike Sharona and Natalie, though, I'm not paid to put up with his nonsense. The shirt stayed.

But there's news...Bill is evolving! He has switched from ankle-high black athletic socks to regular black athletic socks! Of course, he wouldn't commit to the changeover until he had "auditioned" the new socks for a day, but he's now fully onboard with the change. (Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?) Wait! There's more! Last Sunday, he wore a different tie for the first time in eight years. Yes...you read that right... he has worn the same tie every Sunday (and various dress-up days in between) for eight years. It wasn't that I wouldn't let him change ties, and it certainly wasn't that his tie was so fabulous-looking that no one in their right mind would replace it. Oh, no...it was because although it was getting exceedingly ratty-looking, it was the only tie we could find that fit his very rigid "tie rules."

Prior to last Sunday, these were the rules:

Ties must be solid black.
Ties must not exceed 2 inches in width.
Ties must be made of "non-shiny", "non-slippery", matte-finished fabric.

The first two rules were easy. Waiters and Blues Brothers impersonators also follow those rules. Number three was the tricky one--there aren't many ties on the market made of burlap.

So, what changed? He discovered hand lotion!!!

The reason for rule #3 was that he refused to wear any of the hand lotion that I bought for him over the years and his hands, being very rough, snagged on slippery ties. But then one crazy day he tried some of the hotel lotion that the Marriott kindly provides. He LIKED it! He said that unlike every other lotion in the known world, it wasn't "greasy." What was this wondrous elixir? Orange-Ginger lotion from Bath and Body Works. After a trip to the mall to stock up, he now keeps that exact lotion in every bathroom, in his car and at both of his offices. And, thus, he was able to wear an all black, not too wide, somewhat slippery new tie on Sunday.

I am leading up to today's adventure.

Earlier this month we registered for the Disney "Give a Day, Get a Day" program. When you go on their website and enter your zip code, you are given a list of volunteering opportunities in your area. There are literally hundreds of different volunteering venues in Bakersfield. We signed up to work at the Kern County Library. Once we have completed our day of service, we will get two free vouchers for use at Disneyland anytime before the end of the year. The library commitment only requires four hours. We did two today and will finish in two weeks.

We chose to work in the local history section. Our assignment is to clean up the vertical files. These are folders filled with newspaper clippings, maps, chamber of commerce leaflets, board of trade reports, and endless other ephemera. Our job is to sort them by subject matter and arrange them in chronological order. So...imagine Adrian Monk doing this job. Can you picture it? Here's an actual picture:

I finished eight folders for every one of his. My approach was kind of like my approach to most things. There's no date on one of a thousand clippings I need to file? Okay, let's make an educated guess...Let's get it done! Bill's approach was different. I wish I could have recorded the conversation between him and Christopher, the local history librarian where Bill explained to him that the date someone else had written at the top of a clipping couldn't possibly be correct because the article referenced a man who, as another article clearly stated, wasn't born until much later...And this grouping needs to be kept separate from the rest of the file because the individual named on the file cover is really only a bit player in these other articles...And I need paper clips and rubber bands, right now! You get the idea? Christopher, his eyes glazing over, admitted that Bill was correct and, in the end, let him re-design their filing system.

It was really kind of fun. In sorting a collection of very old (1905-1954) promotional material for the Kern County Board of Trade I learned that in the early days, they marketed Kern County as "A Magical Place With a Magical Climate." Hmmmm...Wonder how that worked out for them?

So...a lot of rambling, but I've given you three good birthday ideas for someone's upcoming 60th birthday.

BOO!

2010-01-07T23:12:00.001-08:00

Apparently, I have been elected the official Reed ghost blogger. But I am drawing a line in the sand...I will not do your "tweeting" for you!

At three weeks of age, Simi is growing fast and getting cuter every day. Clare emailed me new baby pics tonight and hinted that perhaps I would like to take over her blogging, as well.

View Full Album

Do I have cute grandkids, or what?

A pinch of this, a dash of that

2010-01-07T14:10:00.001-08:00

Sarah, another blogger who has left us hanging (since September of 2008), sent me this picture of Ezra, taken yesterday. Hasn't he changed in just two months? It's amazing how quickly they become their own little people with their own look and personality.

On an entirely different note, I think it's time for a weight-loss update. Since we started keeping track on August 1, Bill has lost just over 60 lbs. He refuses to get new pants yet, although he has tightened his belt by four holes. He could smuggle a small child in the seat of his jeans, I think. Although that wouldn't be very pleasant for the small child.

As for me, I have lost 50 lbs. now. People ask us what our weight loss goals are. We think it is important that we don't think of this as a "diet" with specific end goals in mind. It's our new lifestyle...a healthy way of living...that we intend to stick to for the rest of our lives. The goal is better health. The weight loss is a means to that goal, not an end. For 55+ years we lived to eat. Now we eat to live.

Finally, who watched the premier episode of this season's "Last Restaurant Standing?" Any comments? Bill and I were stunned at the level of incompetence in this group of people who want to open their own restaurants. I think that most of us, at some point, have said "Wouldn't it be fun to open a restaurant?" And then reality slaps you in the face and you remember that you can't really cook well and you know nothing about running a business. Some of these people need a reality slap, I think. Saying the words is not enough. Perhaps you should learn a skill or two first. Like how to use a can opener...

Report from Clementland

2010-01-06T01:10:00.001-08:00

Like me, I'm sure the rest of you are sick to death of "Kittens Inspired by Kittens." If that reference is lost on you, then you are not (or I should say WERE not) a follower of Liza's highly entertaining blog. Who can forget her report on borrowing the TV weather guy's tie or going with her girlfriends to a Mexican wrestling event? Or, my personal favorite, her tale of being invited to join the local roller derby team? Sadly, those memories are in the distant past as she abandoned her blog fans on February 14, 2009. Those of us who don't follow her on Facebook have been left to eat her dust.

Fortunately, I still have something of an "in" with her and was able to score some new photos recently. The first three are from her ward's recent nativity project. As activities committee chairman, Liza was in charge of this very successful missionary activity. They gave out hundreds of pass along cards tied to bags of Hershey kisses. Maybe you will recognize a certain young shepherd...

The next three pictures are of the Clement women. Sadly, there are no pictures of Jerm but I understand that he is as handsome as ever.

All I can do is offer proof that the Clements are alive and well. I can't make up the stories...

Native sons

2010-01-03T18:51:00.001-08:00

Bakersfield has a love-hate relationship with it's native sons. You can still see old photos of Frank Gifford at Dewar's Ice Cream Parlor, across the street from Bakersfield High School, the alma mater of Frank Gifford, Liza Reed and Emily Reed. Other than the infrequent photo, though, there isn't much mention of Frank. I think when he cheated on Kathy Lee he lost a lot of home town support. After all, we ARE in the Bible Belt of California.

KORN, the heavy-metal band, started in Bakersfield and features boys from here. I don't have much to say about KORN except that I met one of them at Aubrey's dance recital a few years ago. He was polite and heavily tattooed. He has since left the band and become a Bakersfield Born Again Christian. (There's something in the water, I think.)

Two of the biggest names to come out of Bakersfield are both country music legends. Buck Owens wasn't born here, but came here as a child and grew up north of the river in the part of town known as Oildale. Buck stayed here and built several businesses that employ a lot of people. He could be seen regularly at the Seven Oaks golf course and was a big supporter of Cal State Bakersfield. Buck's passing a few years ago was met locally with true sorrow. His mausoleum can be visited at Green Lawn Cemetery not far from Bill's office.

Several years ago, Buck built the Crystal Palace here in town. It's a great restaurant, a country music museum and an entertainment venue. Over the years, we saw Buck and the Buckaroos play there more times than I can count. We saw Dwight Yoakum there several times as well and others that I can't even remember now. In recognition for his many contributions to the city, the street that runs in front of the Crystal Palace was renamed Buck Owens Boulevard.

This is a very long introduction for the topic I am working my way around to...Merle Haggard. The Hag was born and raised in Bakersfield. When he was nine, his father died and Merle started down a path of petty crime. As a young man, he robbed a Bakersfield tavern and was sentenced to three years in San Quentin. Upon release, he returned home to Bakersfield and, along with Buck and many others, developed what came to be known as "The Bakersfield Sound." He developed a large hometown fan base which was willing to overlook his departures from the straight and narrow, but stealing Buck's wife, Bonnie Owens, put him on shaky ground.

As both Merle and Buck became country superstars, their paths diverged. Merle eventually moved to the Lake Tahoe area, while Buck continued to base out of Bakersfield. They didn't speak to each other for decades (that whole Bonnie Owens thing). It took Dwight Yoakum to bring them together on the same stage to kiss and make up, so to speak. (By this time they were both divorced from Bonnie.) We were there for the reunion show...a great moment in country music history.

When Merle found out that Buck had a street named after him, he wrote (from Tahoe) to the editor of the local paper, suggesting that he, too, should have a street named after him. Letters poured into the newspaper with suggestions. The most popular idea was renaming Lerdo Highway, location of the county lockup where Merle had spent a fair amount of time. Ultimately, city fathers renamed a stretched of the highway which runs in front of the airport "Merle Haggard Drive." The local opinion is that it is a subtle dig at the fact that Merle left town and never looked back.

Not being from here, we never carried any "Merle baggage." Bill has always been a big fan, especially of the old songs; "Kern River," "Mama Tried" and "Hungry Eyes" are among his favorites. So, knowing of his admiration for the man, Carl and Heather gave us tickets for Christmas to see Merle Haggard and the Strangers last night at the Crystal Palace (on Buck Owens Blvd.--kind of ironic, huh?) It was a wonderful and generous gift. We had great seats in the row of tables closest to the stage. We were a little apprehensive beforehand. The man IS 73 years old and has been known in the past to tip back a few. Also, he recently had throat surgery (in Bakersfield) to remove some polyps. Could he still sing?

The answer is a resounding YES! He is low-keyed and sharp-witted. He sounded great and is, in fact, releasing a new single in March, "Pretty When It's New," which he sang for us. Apparently, he has been forgiven. The sold-out crowd went wild when he said, "It's great to be back home in Bakersfield."

Thank you, Carl and Heather! All of the kids get high marks for creative gift-giving this Christmas. (I know that ONE of us is somewhat difficult to buy for.)

Last Restaurant Standing

2010-01-02T10:38:00.001-08:00

I have news from the vast wasteland that is television viewing currently. "Last Restaurant Standing" is back!!!! The third season of this BBC hit starts up on Tuesday, January 5--check your guide for the start time in your area and set your timers. You will thank me.

The host is Raymond Blanc, a world-renowned French chef. He takes nine couples who have little or no restaurant experience (just a love of cooking) and sets each couple up in a space which they must decorate, staff and open to the eating public each week. Raymond and his two assistants judge them on their working relationship, their menu, the quality of their food and their business sense (or lack thereof).

Raymond is a compassionate but sensible mentor. He gives good advice, never screams or swears, and always seems to genuinely like the people he is mentoring. He speaks English, but often requires sub-titles. It isn't a "rigged for tv" reality show. The winners get to keep their restaurant and get continuing mentoring from Raymond and his assistants who become their chief investors.

This series will appeal to any of you Anglophiles who like reality shows and eating out. It isn't a "chick show." If enough people leave a comment expressing interest, we can blog about each episode and discuss it together.

A Merry and Bright Christmas

2009-12-26T15:37:00.001-08:00

We had a lovely Christmas Eve dinner followed by the Christmas story and lots of gift-exchanging. We ended the evening by enjoying one of my gifts to Bill--Victor Borge's 100th anniversary 6 DVD set. Only Bill and I made it to the end of the first disc. Admittedly, Danish comedians who were born in 1907 may not be everyone's cup of tea, but we think he's pretty darn funny.

Our Christmas Day excursion to the coast proved to be everything we hoped. We enjoyed the clear, sunny weather so much that at one point we pulled over at a vista point above the ocean and took a "sun nap." Unless you have experienced weeks of damp, dreary Bakersfield fog (our local brand of winter weather), you cannot imagine how good it felt to feel the sun on our faces.

We had lunch on Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara which was bustling with tourists. Downstairs they were serving a $60 a head buffet (no thank you), so we ate on the upper deck with beautiful views and a less uptight ambience and menu.

From Santa Barbara, we drove down the coast, stopping to admire the views along the way.

We were never able to get the movie times right for each town we passed through and by the time we got to our hotel in Camarillo, the next show was at 10:00 pm, so we played cards until late, then enjoyed the very comfy Marriott bedding.

Today we drove home through Grimes Canyon, Somis, Fillmore, and over to Santa Clarita. Driving through miles and miles of orange groves, up against the green coastal mountains, bordered by fragrant eucalyptus trees, I remembered why I love California. We lived in Santa Barbara for a year and then in Ventura County for sixteen years. I love going back.

CALM Yourself

2009-12-22T09:23:00.001-08:00

If you find yourself in Bakersfield this Christmas, you need to get on over to CALM (California Living Museum) and enjoy the holiday light display. We went last night with Carl, Heather and the kids plus several members of the Forsyth clan. Let me quote a few fun facts while they are still fresh in my mind:

There are over 2 million lights and more than 50 displays. The carousel, train ride and parking are free. Last year, 43,000 people visited. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and children ages 13-17 and $6 for children ages 3-12. This week only, through Christmas Eve, all tickets are $2 off. The lights can be seen through December 30. All of the funds raised this year are going towards building the new mountain lion enclosure.

You really need to see this--it's well worth the ticket price. Just in case you can't make it, here's a small sampling of what you're missing:

View Full Album

Merry Christmas!!!

Blog Giveaway

2009-12-20T14:16:00.001-08:00

Each year I make a new framed stitchery with the coming year's Mutual theme to be displayed in the YW room. This was the theme for 2009, and is being retired to make way for 2010's theme. I don't have room on my walls for any more bumper stickers so I am offering this to anyone who would like it.

It is worked in black cross stitch on a tan background. The borders are shades of green ivy. The frame is black, lined with a goldish/silverish metal strip. It is matted in white with a thin black inner border. The overall size is 11" x 14".

If you would like to have it, leave a comment and on Thursday morning I will draw a name and mail it to the winner.

I will not be offended if you don't ask for it--It is kind of a big commitment of wall space and a specific taste. I won't assume that you hate either my work or the scriptures.

Twelve days late...but worth the wait!

2009-12-16T22:25:00.001-08:00

She's finally here!!! Simone Rebecca Rossetto was born at 6:06 this evening. She weighs 6 lbs. 11 ozs. and is 20.5 inches long. She is a beautiful little peanut, and a VERY calm, alert baby. She has quite a bit of dark hair which appears to be curly. Clare's delivery was not overly long or unusually difficult and everyone is doing well.

We have come full circle...all of our children are now parents.

Christmas Dilemma

2009-12-13T16:43:00.001-08:00

When we had children living at home, Christmas was a no-brainer. Every year was exactly the same. On Christmas Eve we had a light supper, then got everyone into their pajamas, read the Christmas story and opened presents from friends and family. We would then hustle the kids off to bed and stay up half the night assembling bikes, putting batteries in toys and laying out everyone's offerings from Santa. Three hours later we would awaken to screams of , "Santa came!" and we would be up for the rest of the day, marveling at Santa's generosity, searching for lost toy parts, and preparing for our big Christmas Day dinner.

Things are a lot quieter now...at least on Christmas Day. Christmas Eve is our big party night. Carl, Heather and the kids, Chris and Clare (and Simi if she gets here in time. Just kidding, Clare...), Paul, Joanne and Nicholas, and anyone else who is in town join us for a big feast, a little program and presents. After everyone leaves, we enjoy looking over our gifts, finding places to put them, watch a little TV and go to bed, knowing that no one will wake us at 4:00 a.m.

And there we come to our dilemma...what to do with Christmas Day?

Last year we took down the Christmas tree and ate leftovers from the night before. In the afternoon, we played "Ticket to Ride" until Bill swore it off for the remainder of his life. Not really very exciting. So, this year, we have decided to create a new tradition for years when we are at loose ends on Christmas Day.

On Christmas morning we are going to drive over to Santa Barbara, find a sunny place to sit and just enjoy the ocean. We will walk on Stearn's Wharf, ask the fishermen "how are they biting," and when we are hungry, find a nice place to eat. We may look for a theater and go see the new Sherlock Holmes film which opens Christmas Day. That night, we will drive through Candy Cane Lane in Oxnard and check out the lights, drive past our old houses, then turn in for the night at the Marriott in Camarillo. The next day we might visit the outlet mall before we head home.

So, what do you think? You're welcome to hitch a ride with us if Christmas at the beach sounds good to you, too.

More Tips for a Happy Marriage

2009-12-07T11:15:00.001-08:00

In an attempt to counter the sarcastic glee with which we all mocked the "Tips for a Happy Marriage," I need to share something I read this morning in the December issue of The Ensign. Warning: Have a tissue handy you when you read it...

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=53ff875a62c25210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

Remind you of anyone?

Continuing in a more inspired (than sarcastic) vein, let me share a portion of Elder Eyring's talk at October conference. I found these words to be very helpful and included them in my visiting teaching handout last month:

"First, I give counsel to husbands and wives. Pray for the love which allows you to see the good in your companion. Pray for the love that makes weaknesses and mistakes seem small. Pray for the love to make your companion’s joy your own. Pray for the love to want to lessen the load and soften the sorrows of your companion."

On the 22nd of this month Bill and I will celebrate our 37th anniversary. Although I can't remember the last time I rushed to put a bow in my hair for him, I think we are making good progress towards making a great relationship even better. If anyone were to ask (and even if they don't--I am very free with unsolicited advice) I would give young couples three tips for a happy marriage:

1. Laugh together a lot.

2. You can't be angry for very long with someone for whom you are praying.

3. Don't waste time on stuff that doesn't really matter...and most of the small, petty stuff doesn't really matter.

To illustrate point #3...On Saturday we brought home our beautiful 7' tall noble fir Christmas tree. I thought it was already perfect, but Bill wanted the bottom "evened up." So, without grumbling, I got the pruner and took off the bottom row of branches. I had to admit that it looked okay and allowed room for presents under the tree. Then Bill wanted "just that branch on the left that's hanging a little low" lopped off. Since I was the one that was up close and personal with the tree (while he stood back and gave advice) I could tell that we were heading down a slippery slope. God had arranged the branches more in a spiral than in nice, even rows. A few more cuts and we would have hade an evergreen chia pet. I told him he could have one more cut, and then I was putting the pruners away. He chose the branch he wanted removed, and pointed out that I had left ugly, little stumps from my previous cuts. I hardly grumbled at all (at least so that he could hear me) and I saved the tree from becoming a laughingstock. Although that would have led us to tip #1...and as I was praying that I wouldn't have to brain him with the pruners, I also followed tip #2.

Merry Christmas and a Happy Marriage!

Fun, free and easy

2009-12-03T15:31:00.001-08:00

This link allows you to print any of a number of cute templates to make your own paper garlands. If I had kids at home I would put them right to work decking the halls. Sadly, Newton and Oso are virtually worthless when it comes to doing crafts.

http://whipup.net/2009/12/03/how-to-print-cut-and-glue-your-own-festive-garland/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+WhipUp+%28whip+up%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo

Caution: Crazy Talk Ahead!

2009-12-02T10:16:00.001-08:00

While we were visiting in St. George, my Dad started cleaning out drawers and files, giving Aubrey a stack of old newspaper clipping and photos with which to start a family scrapbook. We had a great time identifying people in photos, commenting on who looks like who and laughing at outdated styles.

Which brings me to this little gem...Dad found it in a 1950 Home Economics text book and was so taken with it that he copied it for his personal files. Dad, Bill, Carl and Sean are very anxious that I share it with the world. I think they are hoping to inspire a new women's movement.

Tips for a Happy Marriage

1. Have dinner ready: Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal on time.
This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him, and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospects of a good meal are part of the warm welcome needed. (Have Pizza Hut on speed dial.)

2. Prepare yourself: Take 15 minutes to rest so you will be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work- weary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift. (But only a LITTLE gay!)

3. Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives, gathering up school books, toys, paper, etc. Then run a dust cloth over the tables. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift, too. (Dusting ALWAYS makes me happy!)

4. Prepare the children: Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces if they are small, comb their hair, and if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part. (At least untie them and let them back inside the house.)

5. Minimize the noise: At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of washer, dryer, dishwasher or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet. Be happy to see him. Greet him with a warm smile and be glad to see him. (Hide the remote...heh, heh, heh.)

6. Things to avoid: Don't greet him with problems or complaints. Don't complain if he's late for dinner. Count this as minor compared with what he might have gone through that day. (Some people prefer cold pizza.)

7. Make him comfortable: Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soft, soothing and pleasant voice. Allow him to relax and unwind. (You are getting sleepy...very sleepy...you are now in my power...)

8. Listen to him: You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first. (Still waiting?)

9. Make the evening his: Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or to other places of entertainment; instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure, his need to be home and relax. ( Where on earth does this guy work? )

10. The goal: Try to make your home a place of peace and order where you and your husband can relax.

Any comments? How about a corollary for men?

A banquet, a band, a blessing, a buffet

2009-12-01T09:56:00.001-08:00

We had a fine trip to St. George. On Thursday, we enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner in Gunlock, as the guests of Sean's parents, Randee and Terry Taylor. There were about forty of us there with food to spare (all of it delicious!) and plenty of cats, dogs and chickens for the kids to chase.

On Friday, we attended the annual craft show at the Dixie Center. Those of you with vinyl lettering businesses may want to rethink your business plan...there was only one booth this year selling what Bill calls "bumper stickers for the house." This year, the hot Mormon craft item is hair bows and flowers, along with beanies and headbands for big and little girls.

Friday night we went to dinner and a show at 25 Main, a trendy cafe in downtown St. George where Sean's band, Eric the Red, provided post-dinner entertainment. Alvie unleashed his inner musician and had to be physically restrained from playing his own set.

It was great fun having everyone together. I loved watching the Reed and Taylor cousins playing. Ashton and Spencer are true BFFs.

Sunday was Ezra's blessing day. A full compliment of Reeds and Taylors made up the circle and Ezra was a model of cherubic perfection. I managed to snap a quick pix of the three Taylor boys in their Sunday best. Of course, no trip to St. George is complete without a visit to The Golden Corral where Grandma and Grandpa are treated like royalty. They eat lunch there every day and are always welcomed by the staff with hugs and queries after their well-being.

Not everyone was as excited by the meal as others, though.

It's always good to visit and always good to come home. Clare is officially due to deliver Simi on Friday, but she could come anytime, so we are anxiously awaiting the next exciting event in our lives...

Practically free stocking stuffer idea

2009-11-17T11:38:00.001-08:00

I would like to think that the hours I spend surfing craft and sewing sites on the web is not entirely wasted. After all, what price inspiration? I found something today that I HAD to share. It is the perfect stocking stuffer—for girls or boys—and it’s free (minus the cost of the printing).

It is two vintage paper craft books for which you can download the PDF files, then print and assemble them yourself. Add a small pack of crayons and…Voila!

Here is the link:

http://chezbeeperbebe.blogspot.com/2009/11/tutorial-and-paper-craft-little-book-of.html

Happy Crafting!

Think of them as bags of potatoes

2009-11-16T18:54:00.001-08:00

The combined average weights of two brothers (who are anything but average), one age two and one age 6, is 74.6 pounds. As coincidence would have it, that is exactly the combined total weight that Bill and I have lost since August 1. He has lost a couple pounds more than me, but we are doing this together, all the way (or weigh)!

As a result of the lost pounds and the increased exercise I have been able to drop one of my diabetes medications and I am working towards cutting back on the blood pressure pills.

Another way of visualizing our weight loss is this; Bill has had to tighten his belt three holes and I can pull my pants off without undoing them! (How’s that for a visual?)

As a small reward, I am treating myself to some new pants tomorrow at Ross Dress for Less. Why Ross, you ask? (Actually Clare is the one who usually asks.) Because I am a cheapskate and Tuesday is Senior Day…10% off my entire purchase!!!

And for those of you who are cackling about me being a “senior” let me assure you that at Ross (a very open-minded establishment) you become a “senior” at age 55.

Mad skills!

2009-11-11T21:18:00.001-08:00

Kudos to Team Jake for coming in fourth in fund raising for the Dallas Psoriasis Walk for Awareness! Not only was Jake the Youth Ambassador for the state of Texas, he was also a featured entertainer at the events this past weekend. Having taken juggling lessons for a whole six weeks now, he felt emboldened to offer his services and they were graciously accepted. Liza says that not only did he juggle, he also told jokes, bantered with the band, and challenged audience members to hand stand competitions! Eventually he ran out of tricks but, had he not, Liza says he would probably still be on stage—he loved it that much!

I love the gum-chewing. It definitely increases the cool factor.

Isn’t this a sweet picture?

2009-11-09T20:40:00.001-08:00

It seems that Alvie is coming around…

Only 362 more sewing days until next Halloween…

2009-11-03T20:57:00.001-08:00

Unlike the “Project Runway” designers who have to sew for catty anorexics, I have perfect models who are always charming, appreciative, and really know how to work a costume…

In the case of the Reed children, I cannot take credit for Will’s fisherman costume or Aubrey’s jellyfish ensemble. That was Heather’s creativity. But I did make Spencer’s shark suit (which has a fin on the back side).

Liza says this year’s nod to Little Red Riding Hood will probably be their last themed/group venture. Apparently, Jake has put his foot down and insists on being Nacho Libre next year. Hmmm….Riley as Sister Encarnación …Brooke as Esqueleto…Morgan as one of the orphans…

Only the Hermione Granger costume (from Harry Potter) that Abby is wearing is new this year. Liv’s Dorothy costume was one I made for Riley two years ago and Ellie’s pink poodle was one I made for Liv two years ago. Kudos for recycling, Em…Al Gore would be so proud!

Scroll down to the previous post see the Taylor superheroes and Sean as the hirsute Wiggle. (I don’t remember him…which one was he?)

With eight costumes this year (plus five Wiggles) and two new babies to sew for it has been a busy season. and I wouldn’t have it any other way…

Lucky Number 13

2009-11-03T14:26:00.001-08:00

I have returned from a busy and joyous ten day visit to St. George. I will highlight our different activities not in order of importance, but in chronological order.

On Saturday the 24th, we had an early birthday party for Alvie. We celebrated with friends and family at Pirate’s Island, a very fun themed restaurant/extravaganza.

Alvie, who is absolutely OBSESSED with footballs, received three different footballs in gift bags. Remember that fact…it will be important later in my narrative.

Monday was THE BIG DAY. For Alvie’s actual birthday, Sarah and Sean decided to have a baby. I would like to officially introduce our thirteenth grandchild, Ezra Michael Taylor, born at about 4:00 p.m. on the 26th. He weighed 7lbs. 13 oz. and is 21 inches long. For reference purposes, you should know that he was the same length as Alvie but 3 lbs. lighter. He is a long, lean fellow.

Clare was at her sister’s side as official delivery room photographer and hair braider. Because of the H1N1 business, only two designated people were allowed to be in the hospital with Sarah before, during and after the birth. We felt like Sean should get a front row seat and gave the other to Clare, who wanted to check out the whole birth thing before she does it herself next month.

As you can see, Ezra is a very handsome young man and a wonderful addition to the Taylor line-up. Ashton adores him. He can’t stop saying how cute he is and loves to hold him. So far, Alvie is pretty much pretending he doesn’t exist.

Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly, Ezra developed a little jaundice by the end of the week and had to spend two days under the lights. This seemed to actually spark a little interest in Alvie.

On a couple of occasions, people came to the house to meet Ezra and bring him a gift…in gift bags. Each time, Alvie grabbed the bags and started rummaging through the tissue paper, discarding baby blankets and outfits, saying, “Football…football!”

Of course, we celebrated Halloween while we were there. We went with Sean and the boys to their ward’s trunk-or-treat and chili cook-off (Is there something in the church handbook that requires chili to be served on Halloween?). That night, Sean’s band, Eric the Red, played a late show and they dressed as The Wiggles. I did the shirts with the Wiggles logos for the five band members with a little long-distance formatting assist from Emily.

Finally, two funny photos before I move on to a different topic. On the left, you have Clare and Sarah getting ready to go to the hospital. On the right, you have Sean and Ashton, both just up from naps with the accompanying bed-heads:

On a serious note…during the past ten days I have been very inspired on several occasions by the faithful examples of our elderly brothers and sisters. The patience and kindness with which my Dad cares for my Mother is nothing short of saintly. And my Mother, although she is slipping further into her dementia and disability, still clings to the importance of family and prayer. I saw other examples which brought me to tears and near-tears. As I turned the corner from my parents’ house one afternoon, I saw two ladies crossing the street. They were both well into their eighties and were linked arm in arm, both of them bent over and walking with careful steps. They were dressed up and one of them was carrying the current issue of The Ensign. I’m sure they were doing their visiting teaching. At trunk-or-treat, we saw several elderly couples who had gone to the trouble of decorating their trunks to pass out candy, although they had no children or grandchildren of their own in the ward. It was wonderful to watch their genuine enjoyment. On fast Sunday, in Mom and Dad’s ward, we listened to several moving testimonies born by older folks who have had their willfulness and egos burned off by the refiner’s fire and are now left with the pure love of Christ shining in their faces. I want to be just like them…

Just the cutest darn superhero ever!

2009-10-13T14:57:00.000-07:00

I believe I have mentioned before that I have exceptionally cute grandchildren.

Case in point...

Don't you love the "tree swing" that Sean made?

We are in full Halloween sewing mode around here. I have finished seven of the eight costumes that I have been commissioned to do. Alvie (Robin) couldn't wait to try his on. Many thanks to Sarah for keeping her camera handy and keeping me updated with fresh photos. We are leaving on the 23rd for St. George as Sarah is scheduled to be induced on the 26th, which just happens to be Alvie's second birthday. I'm sure there will be many more cute photos to come of all three Taylor boys...and Halloween photos of the Whites, Clements and Reeds. Hint...hint...

Keep reading...there's a delicious recipe hidden below

2009-10-04T11:55:00.000-07:00

I have not mentioned this to many people because of the ever-present possibility that I will lose interest in the project, but I guess I am committed enough at this point that I can let the cat out of the bag. On August 10 my new doctor and I had a serious chat about taking more and more medication to control my blood pressure vs. reducing the need for medication by reducing me.

So...since that date I have lost 22 lbs. No magic formula. I ride the exercise bike everyday and eat less food. Hmmm...maybe there IS something to this diet and exercise business...

Bill has joined me in the quest and together we have become big label-readers and calorie counters. I have had to start thinking about food more as a means to an end than as a great source of pleasure. Because, frankly, most low-carb, low-sodium, low-fat food does not fall into the category of "comfort food.".

But we HAVE discovered a few outlets for our love of going out to eat; chicken fajita pitas at Jack in the Box, the Thai shrimp lettuce wraps at BJs, the shrimp or chicken speilini at Macaroni Grill, the Ultimate Chicken Grill sandwich at Wendy's... You'll note that there are no hamburgers on the list. Neither of us have had a hamburger in two months. Snacks are sugar free popsicles, pudding, and Jell-O, 100 calorie bags of smart pop popcorn, and unsalted, raw nuts.

I have also devised some tasty home-cooked meals that fit into our perameters. Clare inspired one of my favorite lunches; 1/2 Cup of fat free cottage cheese mixed with a whole, chopped apple and a handful of raw almonds. We enjoy sandwiches made from thinly sliced deli meats, low fat swiss cheese and raw baby spinach leaves on Orowheat's new sandwich rounds which are whole grain rounds of very, very thin bread. And this weekend I tried a recipe that I found online and tweaked to suit us. It was DELICIOUS!!!

Mix one pound of ground turkey with one peeled and chopped apple and 2 Cups of cooked brown rice. Add 2 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce or Yoshida sauce and fresh ground pepper. Form into patties and fry for 4 minutes on each side in 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil. The apples made the turkey moist and the rice gave it a wonderful texture. We served them as is with cantalope slices and green salad. But if you're craving carbs, you could slap a patty between two buns to make a very acceptable "hamburger." But enough about me...

I have been asked to post photos of my finished kitchen and I would if my kitchen was finished. The ceiling is done and looks fabulous. The appliances are in and are beautiful and work perfectly. The new handles have been installed on the cupboard doors and are fun and a little funky (like me). We are still missing two drawer fronts and the new hinges. I have great hopes that all will be completed this week.

Sarah and her doctor have pencilled in October 26 as the date for her to be induced. Interestingly enough, that is also Alvie's second birthday. If all goes according to plan, we will drive over to St. George on Friday, the 23rd, attend an early birthday party for Alvie on Saturday and greet our new grandson, Ezra Michael, on Monday.

Finally, sad news to report. Charley and Alison's son, Hunter (who is in the eighth grade) was playing in a football game yesterday and broke his femur. He had surgery last night to install a titanium rod through the marrow channel of the broken bone. The surgery went well, but I know they would appreciate your prayers and good wishes. Maybe Hunter and I can start a club...

Horsing around, STDs, swine flu and visiting teaching...Not in that order

2009-10-01T18:09:00.000-07:00

I have the BEST visiting teachers! Joy dropped by on her way out of town to leave me this little "conference gift." The tag reads," Just POPPING (popcorn) by to wish you a meaningful conference weekend. Sit back, relax and SOAK (lotion) it all in. Hope you learn something EXTRA (gum) and take NOTE (notepad and pencil) when you feel the spirit. Enjoy!" It's not too late to steal the idea for your own sisters...

We heard today from Laura that her grandson, Josh Bacon, has fallen victim to swine flu. He is the first person with whom I am actually acquainted to become thus afflicted. We wish Josh all the best and know he is in good hands.

Aubrey made a very successful appearance at the county fair. This was her first time showing her horse, Beau and she won two ribbons--a fifth place for something horsey that I can't remember and a third place for western pleasure riding. She was competing against a whole stable full of talented 4Hers, so we are very proud! Finally, Carl reports a strange (and inappropriate) fair occurrence. He, Heather and the three kids were in the commercial building when someone from the County Health Department started passing out free pencils to the kids. It wasn't until Spencer (age 6) read the slogan which was printed on the pencils that they realized what was being promoted--"Chlamydia...it's not a flower." If you don't know, ask Spencer.

Newsy Little Tidbits

2009-09-21T19:41:00.000-07:00

A few updates from Reedland...

Aubrey got braces (top and bottom) last week! She wouldn't let me take her picture for this blog because she had a Kool Aid mustache, but she looks quite a bit like this:

In other Aubrey news, she and her horse, Beau, are competing Thursday in several events at the County Fair. Good Luck!

Liza is on the planning committee for the annual Walk for Awareness for the Psoriasis Foundation in Dallas this November. She is also getting a team together for the walk itself and Jake has been named the Junior Ambassador. If you would like to sponsor Team Jacob or just read more about their story, go here:

http://walk.psoriasis.org/site/TR/2009Walks/2009Cure?px=1123801&pg=personal&fr_id=1430&et=7Jko43XhENXs1mhLqgOIFw..&s_tafId=4310

The kitchen remodel is coming along. Here's where we were on Wednesday:

We have made a lot of progress since then. The ceiling is in the process of being re-textured and painted and there is still some cabinetry to do, but I can use my new appliances now. It is quite humbling to stand alone in the kitchen and realize that you aren't the smartest thing in there!

Clare has nearly finished Simi's nursery and promises to post pictures when she finishes the mural. You can check it out here:

http://rossettoreport.blogspot.com/

Livvy had a wonderful birthday and is now five. She is a very animated, funny child and highly entertaining. You can see her in action in two recent posts on Emily's blog:

http://web.me.com/ericcwhite/emerican_made/Home/Home.html

Finally, I have saved the biggest news for last. It is not every day that a haircut makes front page news, but when it HAS been SIX YEARS...

Drum Roll, Please...

And in closing, may I suggest that there is quite a similarity between our family rock star and the rockin' star of "Psych," James Roday?

Hmmm...Separated at birth?

Hmmm...I didn't know that!

2009-09-12T16:02:00.000-07:00

As the official information officer of the Reed clan, I often lose track of what I have shared with whom. Lately, several interesting tidbits have come my way and I am happy to pass them along, though judging from my comments, I'm not sure anyone will actually read them...

Tonight (Saturday), Sean is performing as Elvis at a 50th high school reunion at a hotel in St.George. He is the lead-in act for the main event--Elder Jeffrey Holland, who is one of the alumni.
Jake is a young man on the go. He has been named the Junior Ambassador for the state of Texas Psoriasis Walk in Dallas this November. He is also playing the cello in his school orchestra and recently joined his school's juggling and plate spinning club.

The Blog Fairy continues to grow in popularity. Recently, Emily did a makeover for a woman in Spain who says that there is a lot of interest in Emily's work among her Spanish blogger friends. She is working with Emily to translate her questionnaire into Spanish.

Carl and Heather have a foster child, John-John, who is almost four years old. They have had him for three weeks and will have him for at least another two. As Relief Society president in her ward, Heather has been coordinating the care of John-John and his three siblings. I know that it has been a sacrifice for everyone involved, but an enormous blessing in the lives of these children.

Clare and Chris are preparing for parenthood by raising two very nutty dogs. This is a picture of Jack. You will seldom see a picture of Brother because he is terrified of cameras...and pillows... and balls...and children...You can read more about their antics by visiting Clare's blog.

We are doing a little remodeling in our kitchen. That's remodeling with a small "r"--not a big "R". There are no granite countertops or hardwood floors involved. That will have to wait until a rich relative dies. Oh, wait--We don't have any rich relatives. Darn!!! In the meantime, we are replacing all of our appliances with beautiful stainless steel and doing a little reconfiguration. Where we currently have a microwave/oven combo, we are putting in a double oven which will involve a little reworking on the cabinetry. Above the range top we are putting in a microwave/vent combo. We are also replacing all of the hardware on the cabinets and drawers. And, if we can squeeze enough blood out of the turnip, we may replace the giant, glowing fluorescent ceiling with can lights. Welcome to the twenty-first century!

Well, that's this week's highlights. If you have any news to share, please leave it in a comment.

Today's Reading Assignment

2009-09-02T10:43:00.000-07:00

Living close to Clare as she anticipates the birth of little Simone, I have been able to vicariously re-live the long past days of my first pregnancy. Certainly I remember the swollen ankles, the heartburn and having to map out the location of every public restroom within five miles. But what I REALLY remember is wishing that Bill could be pregnant for just 24 hours.

Over the years, that desire modified itself according to where I was on life's little timeline. When I had four pre-schoolers I wished that he knew what it was like to be up half the night breastfeeding one baby, changing diapers on an eighteen-month old and trying to shush the others back to sleep.

When Bill was twenty-five he was called to the bishopric. We had a two year old and a newborn baby. He served as either a counselor or bishop most of the time until that two year old graduated from high school. Many Sundays I desperately wished that just once he could know what it was like to get five kids ready for church by himself.

Don't get me wrong--this is not a feminist rant. I fully support the goals and ideals of homemaking and motherhood. And so does Bill...in kind of a vague, pat-on-the-head sort of way.

As wives and mothers we are mostly okay with the tepid appreciation that we normally get. But occasionally, we would really enjoy the BIG GESTURE. I think the problem is not a lack of appreciation, but a lack of understanding. The way that we spend our days is kind of a mystery. They know it involves play groups, trips to Target and the regular use of household appliances, but the details are kind of fuzzy. What they need is some actual, hands-on experience to truly appreciate how indispensable we are.

And, of course, it's a two-way street. In return for a little more appreciation, we might consider changing our default settings from "automatic irritation" to "reasonable human being."

All of these deep thoughts have been motivated by an article in this month's Reader's Digest. It's hilarious and honest. I highly recommend it for everyone. (That includes husbands, if you can somehow trick them into reading it.)

Enjoy:

http://www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring-people-and-stories/from-the-guinea-pig-diaries-to-serve-with-love/article156365.html

***Bill would like everyone to know that not only does he know how to refill the liquid soap dispensers, he is more conscientious about it than am I.

Keep Your Hands and Arms Inside the Car

2009-08-21T10:09:00.000-07:00

I hate to admit failure (and disappoint my fans) but I fear that my San Francisco Photo Safari was not a rousing success. It's not that the city is any less colorful...oh no--to the contrary! The city abounds in mimes, skinny old winos who will trade street directions for coin, and free-thinkers of every stripe. But in making my plans, I failed to take into account the very specific personality of my travelling companion.

Bill likes to do his sightseeing sitting down. I am just fine with skirting the sketchier parts of town to go in search of interesting people, places and things. Bill, however, prefers to find a comfortable seat, either on a conveyance of some sort, or on a bench near a refillable soft drink station and wait for interesting subjects to come to him. This method does not yield many interesting results... unless you are looking for German tourists in inappropriately short shorts (the men) or mid-westerners taking pictures of seagulls.

I should have remembered that Bill's favorite ride at Disneyland is the train. He will get on and loop it around and around until he and the conductor have exchanged home addresses and a promise to be bffs 4 ever.

On Tuesday we took the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) from Pleasanton to the Powell St. station in San Francisco. From there, we walked about a block up the street where we caught the electric trolley. Not to be confused with the cable cars--the trolleys were all built in the 40s and are kind of fun and funky. But they are enclosed and it is hard to snap a photo from inside as you whiz past all the fun on the sidewalk. We got off at Pier 39 where Bill parked himself on a bench. We sat there until the cold wind, rolling fog and lowering temps dictated that I move or freeze solid. ***It has been said that Mark Twain once remarked that the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco. He didn't say it but he should have.***

My plan was to walk about half a mile to Ghirardelli Square, an area known for its "robot dancers" and the "bush man." We made it as far as Pier 42 with a stop along the way at the Boudin Bakery--the birthplace of San Francisco Sourdough where we enjoyed a bread bowl with clam chowder. As I was reminding Bill that we needed to cross the street and turn up to get to the square, the electric trolley stopped right in front of us (almost like fate) and before I knew it, I was being hustled on board. We rode the trolley to the end of the line which was not where we needed to be. Sensing a fellow lover of seated sightseeing, some Scandinavians asked us if we wanted their day-long cable car passes. They were good until midnight for as much cable car riding as we wanted to do. Almost giddy with excitement, Bill grabbed my hand and hurried me over to the cable car stop. There are two cable car lines. We traded off between the two, riding with no set destination until dark, when we made our way back to Powell St. to catch the BART back to our hotel.

It wasn't what I had planned, but it was fun. We saw a lot of interesting neighborhoods and wonderful old buildings. I remembered a lot of trips to the city when I was a kid growing up and it reminded my why I have always loved San Francisco.

We continued the walk down memory lane on Tuesday evening. We made the short drive over to Fremont, where I lived from the age of 6 until I graduated from high school. With the help of Nancy, our trusty GPS, we found my old high school and the two homes where we lived in Fremont.

We were treated very well at the Marriott (Bill's new home away from home) and I enjoyed walking over to the mall on Tuesday morning to look around. All in all, it was a fun trip. Enjoy a little slide show of the photos I WAS able to get:

Open Up Those Golden Gates!

2009-08-13T09:42:00.000-07:00

Bill has invited me to go with him this next week when he makes his bi-monthly run to San Francisco. Don't automatically assume that he's feeling apologetic about something and trying to make amends. He ALWAYS invites me to go with him on business trips. Remember Hawaii..Bill does not like to be alone. I usually decline because of YW activities (it's not a calling--it's a lifestyle) or projects that I need to finish or just because I have an absolute horror of being bored. I know that this will make no sense at all to busy young mothers who, at times, would sell a kidney for a few quiet days in a lovely hotel, but I have nothing that I need to take a break from. I'm at a point where I kind of feel like my life IS a vacation (with the exception of the aforementioned YW activities). I am reluctant to trade my happy rut for a few days in a hotel next to the freeway, with no car, no sewing machine and bad TV. And so I usually politely decline Bill's invitations.

But this time he has added an inducement or two. Last week he was contacted by the Marriott who want to woo him away from his usual Hilton. He normally books about 90 nights a year, so apparently it was worth their while to wine him (figuratively) and dine him (literally) with the added incentives of a great rate and membership at the "Elite Platinum" level which includes a room on the concierge floor, an arrival gift and free food. AND...the Marriott is surrounded by restaurants and shopping. So if one leaves the hotel to go for a walk there is something to see besides a tangle of freeways.

So I have graciously accepted the invitation to accompany him next week to check out the new digs. To sweeten the pot even further, Bill has promised me a trip into "The City" one afternoon. I grew up in the San Francisco area and love taking BART across the bay to do the tourist thing. We will catch a cable car at the BART station and ride down to the wharf. I can already smell the big pots of crabs and the wafting scent of chocolate from Ghirardelli Square. The best part, though, is the people-watching.

San Francisco is a human zoo. It has always been that way. Birthplace of the hippie era, of free love (of every persuasion) and streaking, and home to some of the world's most expensive real estate makes for a fascinating mix of folks. I will have my camera along and, as I LOVE a project, I would welcome your participation in a little game of "San Francisco Scavenger Hunt." Send me your suggestions for interesting things that you would like me to seek out and photograph. If I get any particularly interesting shots I will post them when I return.

Freebie Alert!

2009-08-11T15:54:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 12, Arby's is giving away a FREE Roast Chicken Club sandwich with the purchase of a small soft drink. So your whole meal will run you about $1.45! There is no coupon required--anyone can get in on the action. And mark your calendars for August 26. On that date, Arby's will be offering the same deal for a FREE Roast Beef and Cheddar sandwich. It would be smart to call your local store to make sure they are participating. I checked with mine and they confirmed it and said they looked forward to seeing me tomorrow. Do you think they meant it?

I'm Only a Little Crazy

2009-08-09T16:58:00.000-07:00

I have half-heartedly clipped coupons throughout my career as a homemaker. I always understood that they were just like money--but I figured that my time was too valuable to spend many hours clipping, filing and driving from store to store. But it seems that my time (and everyone else's) is worth a lot less in our current economy. (What DOES a stay-at-home grandmother command per hour these days?)

If you have checked out Emily's blog, you know that she has gotten into money-saving in a big way. While we were in Arizona, enjoying a soak in the hot tub with about fourteen of our best friends, she talked up the merits of re-thinking the whole coupon thing. She sent me links to an informative series of "how-to" videos and links to some of her favorite online coupon, freebie and sale alert sources.

I gotta tell ya...some of these gals are CRAZY!!!!! They have turned frugal shopping into an art form...a lifestyle...even a career. I was instantly intimidated. I thought that there was no way I could figure all this out and keep up with it. So I almost quit before I even started.

But I hung in there and carved out my own path through the coupon jungle. I will never be one of those gals who buys $470 dollars worth of groceries for $1.27. BUT after my first experiment I can proudly report that I bought $221.74 worth of groceries for $142.66! In other words, I saved $79.08 by being smart about how I used coupons. ALL of it is stuff that we use and a lot of it was stuff for food and household storage.

So if, like me, you want to get into couponing--not in a scary BIG way--but in a very doable MEDIUM way, here is my quick-start advice:

1. Buy the Sunday paper every week and clip out the coupons for everything you normally use or would like to try at a reduced price. The vast majority of these are manufacturer's coupons--not designated for a specific store.

2. Find a way to organize your coupons that works for you. Keep track of expiration dates and keep the ones that expire quickest where you can see them easily.

3. Stop throwing away the weekly store fliers that come in the mail (mine come on Tuesday). Most of these have coupons that are good for a short period, usually a week, at that specific store. Again, cut out only the coupons for the things that you normally buy. Don't forget storage possibilities. I believe I now have a year's supply of liquid dish soap and lunch meat. Many of these store coupons allow you to buy more than one item--purchase the maximum allowed if you feel good about the price.

4. Don't throw away the sale fliers yet! This is where it gets REALLY fun! Actually look through the sales (What a concept!) and match that week's sales with items that you have manufacturer's coupons for. For example--this week there was a coupon for $1.00 off of two four packs of a new product, Velveeta shells and cheese in a microwave cup. I cut it out because this is something that will store well and work great for a quick grandkid meal. Then, I noticed that in the Target flier today, that very product is on sale for $2.79 a four pack. So, with my coupon, I will be able to buy two four packs for $4.38. BUT WAIT--there's more!!!! In last week's Target flier there was a sale of pet products. If I purchased two (which I did) I automatically received a $5 Target gift card! So...my eight cups of microwaveable Velveeta stuff will actually cost me .38!

5. If the store is out of the coupon item, ask for either a rain check or ask if they are substituting something else. At my Walgreen's this past Saturday I had a coupon for up to 4 cans of Chicken of the Sea tuna for .59 each. They were sold out, so the store manager substituted the albacore for me which normally costs $1.79 a can!

In addition to couponing, there is a whole world of freebies. Again, I'm not into anything that is going to take much effort, but I have had a lot of fun (and spent VERY little time) in the last two weeks acquiring the following items ABSOLUTELY FREE: 3 movie tickets, $10 worth of food delivered to my home (FREE) from Schwann's, and all the free tacos from Jack in the Box that I could enjoy. (Not nearly as many as Bill can enjoy.)

Jack in the Box is repeating the taco giveaway this Tuesday, August 11. The coupon is for two free tacos and there is no limit to how many you can print. If you REALLY love their tacos (like someone we all know) you can plan your whole day around this event--tacos for breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, etc. Here is the link:

http://coupon.jackinthebox.com/coupon/two-free-tacos_20090811.php

And here is the link to Emily's blog where you can get more info and link to the sites that give you the heads up on freebies, coupons, sales, etc.:

http://web.me.com/ericcwhite/emerican_made/Home/Entries/2009/7/3_Coupon_Lady.html

Don't let the flood of information out there scare you. Jump into the pool at the level that you're comfortable with and have fun saving money!

A String of Pearls

2009-07-25T17:01:00.000-07:00

I'm back from Flagstaff after a wonderful week of "Sisters, Friends and Cousins." Many, many thanks to Brooke Thomas and Liza for their generosity and planning. We had great accomodations in a wonderful setting and countless opportunities for making lasting memories. Our only regret was the absence of Heather and the Reed kids. Will was not feeling well and, very unfortunately for Heather, is also boycotting sleep, which would have made him a difficult travelling companion. Next time, though, for sure...

Here are a few photos and pearls of wisdom I have gleaned from the experience:

Pearl #1...Sixteen kids are a lot of kids. Because they outnumbered the adults 2 to 1, it was like herding feral cats. The matching shirts were a brilliant idea for coping with the problem--kudos to Liza!

Pearl #2...Even a hot tub needs a lifeguard/cruise director. The night that Clare and I were in charge we hosted an evening of "hot tub charades." Ammon was the clear winner with his mystifying personification of a "swimming tarantula."

Pearl #3...Kids are great at making friends.

Pearl #4...Sisters also make great friends!

Pearl #5...It truly is a Grand Canyon.

Pearl #6...Artistic styles vary widely.

Pearl #7...A popsicle is an exceptionally fine way to end a walk in the woods on a hot day.

Pearl #8...My best friends are family.

We're Taking the Party on the Road

2009-07-19T15:58:00.001-07:00

We've had a great three week run with the Clements, but all good things must come to an end, right? WRONG!!!! Tomorrow Clare and I are caravanning with Liza and the kids (Jeremy flew home last Tuesday to get back to work) and we are moving the party to Flagstaff for the Reed Women, Friends and Cousins Retreat. We will be swimming, playing games, relaxing, eating, talking and touring the Grand Canyon until Friday with our group of eight women and sixteen kids. Look out, Flagstaff!

Antidote for Summer Heat

2009-07-15T20:35:00.000-07:00

Two of my favorite ways to survive 106 degree summer days...

ice cream at the Marketplace and hanging out at the beach.

You can have Paris in the springtime...I'll take Santa Barbara in the summer!!!

Texas Comes to Us

2009-07-06T23:53:00.000-07:00

After my last four posts you are probably asking yourself, "How much fun is one person entitled to, for pete's sake???" But just when you start thinking that I have probably met (and exceeded) my fun quota, THERE'S MORE! As you can see by the time stamp on this post, I have to blog in the middle of the night because I am just too darn busy having a good time.

We are enjoying a splendid visit from Liza, Jeremy and the kids. The highlight has been Riley's baptism on Sunday. Riley is a very sweet girl, with a very tender and sensitive spirit. It was a joy to participate in her baptism...and she looked like an angel:

Today, the Texas cousins and hometown cousins hung out together along with Liza, Heather, Clare and me. We went to CALM (California Living Museum) where we visited the animals and picnicked, then we went over to Carl and Heather's house for swimming.

Liza would want you to know that Morgan started out the day with a very tidy pony tail.

Well, I'd better get to bed and re-charge my batteries. Tomorrow it' s pizza at the Marketplace followed by the movie, "Up."

Road Trip Report: Water

2009-07-01T15:37:00.000-07:00

In Bakersfield, we take a certain pride in the stoic manner with which we greet our robust summer weather. "110 degrees in the shade? No biggie--it's a DRY heat." Sarah would no doubt agree that the residents of St. George face similar weather with equal bravado. And yet we both took a beat-down from the San Antonio weather. As proof of the hardship we faced on zoo day, I took a picture of the temperature gauge on Emily's stroller:

The thing you need to know is that it was NOT a dry heat. The humidity was 40% and higher. Apparently, people who live there get accustomed to it, but Sarah and I really suffered. My body became a separate climate zone--rain forest. Small children standing under me were at risk of drowning in sweaty flash floods. It was not a pretty picture. Hence, you will see no pictures of me. And this is why water became such an important element in much of what we did.

Tuesday was our day in Brackenridge Park. In the morning, we visited the Japanese Tea Gardens which are very beautiful. They were built in an old limestone quarry and feature many levels of steps (more sweating), bridges, overlooks and several water features. After a picnic lunch, we did the zoo. I swear, that entire facility is built on an incline. I don't know how they did it--a feat of engineering madness. The steepest part was the path to Africa. At one point I thought I would have to stay and just become one of the permanent residents. Then we found the hippo exhibit...underground...air conditioned. We grew VERY attached to the hippos. We couldn't ignore the other animals so, armed with snow cones and popsicles, we made the rounds. Does she look hot to you? What IS the penalty for cooking children?The San Antonio Zoo is ranked as one of the top ten zoos in the country. It's a very nice zoo, but what sets them apart for me is that they have THEIR OWN BEACH!!! At the end of a summer visit, you don't have to get into the car with children who are super glue sticky from sweat and melting sugary treats; you can let them play in the man-made river, shower them off in the outside shower, then get them re-dressed in the air conditioned kids' building. It was like finding an ice machine in hell! On Friday, we packed another picnic and headed over to Guadalupe River State Park, which is only about twenty minutes from Emily and Eric's house. The river is wide and shallow, with beach on one side and limestone cliffs on the other. There are lots of trees and shade which made for a very pleasant afternoon watching the kids play in the water.

Of course, the biggest reason for our trip to San Antonio was to attend Abby's baptism, which was held on Saturday, June 20th. It was a beautiful, spiritual occasion. Abby is such a good girl and we are very proud of her for choosing to be baptized. She is setting a wonderful example for her sisters (and for one of her uncles.)It was a great trip. Emily and Eric are fine hosts and Sarah, Ashton and Alvie are fine travelling companions. It was good to go and good to get home and find all well here (Thank you, Aubrey!)

Road Trip Report: Meals

2009-06-29T18:08:00.000-07:00

This is really just an attempt to make a lot of miscellaneous stuff fit into my "themed" report. It works, because (being Reeds) we rarely sat for more than five minutes without eating something. I won't bore you with the details of every meal we ate on the trip...just some of the more interesting ones. We departed St. George for San Antonio at dark:30 in the morning so, come breakfast time, we found ourselves deep in the heart of Hopi country. We stopped here for breakfast at the Cliff Dwellers Cafe. I have three things to say about it:

1. It was one of the cleanest eating establishments I have ever been in.

2. Their biscuits and gravy were some of the spiciest I've ever eaten.

3. Alvie peed all over their floor. It's a long drive from St. George to San Antonio, even divided over two days. Bill tried to stop every couple of hours at a McDonald's PlayLand so that the boys could stretch their legs. This stop was in Widow Rock, Arizona, where Ashton became bffs with Anna. They were inseparable for the twenty minutes we stayed there. A flock of sheep were in the parking lot right outside the restaurant window. Probably on their way to a special occasion... We met Emily, Eric and the girls in Fredricksburg, about 30 miles from their house and had dinner at a German restaurant, then followed them home. The Texas hill country was settled by Germans, and there are a lot of little towns in the area that still reflect that heritage; Gruene, Boerne, New Braunfels, Fredricksburg, etc. They are all a short drive from S.A. and really fun to visit. Wooden sidewalks, cute shops, interesting restaurants...the total tourist package. On Tuesday, we went to Brackenridge Park, right in the heart of the city of San Antonio. It is huge and contains the Japanese Tea Gardens, golf course, zoo and lots of hiking and picnicking areas. Here we are taking a lunch break between touring the gardens and doing the zoo. More on that adventure in my final report... This is the Gristmill Restaurant in Gruene. We spent the afternoon there on Thursday. The restaurant is right on the river which is very popular with "toobers". After lunch, we walked to the general store and had ice cream at their old fashioned soda fountain. Then, while Bill watched the kids, Emily, Sarah and I visited an antique store and craft store where I mentally stole a lot of really cute ideas. Bill entertained the kids by giving them each his business card and telling them to call him if they ever need a job. Thursday night we packed up the cooler again and headed over to HemisFair Park where we camped out on the ground to watch "Kung Fu Panda" with about a thousand other people. It was projected onto the side of a big limestone building. Very fun! Sarah, being pregnant, needed something more gourmet than the food we had brought from home. Craving a gas station fried burrito, she had to settle for nachos.

Red Vines, anyone?

These two really know their sweets! This is the bakery at Mi Tierra,the restaurant we ate at after Abby's baptism on Saturday. I thought the food was good, but very different from California-style Mexican food. We have noticed that in Texas, Mexican food involves more sauces and even a kind of "gravy." Did I mention that Mi Tierra is a very festive restaurant? Obviously, the decor did not serve to distract Ellie and Alvie. Leaving San Antonio on Monday, we detoured through Lubbock and had a wonderful "family reunion" at Joe's Crab Shack. Liza and the kids drove down from Amarillo to meet us and we were joined by Bill's sister, Laura, her husband, Harvey, their two grandsons, Josh and Paul and Liza's friend, Brooke Thomas, who all live in Lubbock. After three hours of eating and visiting we started getting visits at our table from the manager who kept wondering if there was anything else he could do for us. Seeing the Clements really whetted our appetites for their upcoming visit. They will be here on July 3 for a three week visit. We can't wait!!!! Honestly, how many other grandmothers can say that they have the best-looking grand kids in the world? Twelve plus two on the way and not an ugly one in the bunch!

Next time: Water

Road Trip Report: Music

2009-06-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

A little background before I segue into today's topic:

When people marry, they each bring specific cultural and familial traditions to the table. Learning to mesh those traditions into a new family unit is part of making a marriage work. In our case, I introduced the concept of Jello-O as salad and an obsessive need for organization and control. Bill brought with him an immense love of music. And the idea that bacon grease is a condiment.

It's the whole music thing that we're getting into with today's road report. But first, a bit more background...

In my childhood home, music was not a destination. Like wallpaper, we were dimly aware of it in the background, but it never intruded into our consciousness. Music in the car was played at a level just loud enough to cover any awkward silences, but low enough that conversation could take place unimpeded. My Dad owned one album, "Eddie Arnold's Greatest Hits." Someone gave it to him as a gift. I'm not sure he ever played it. The only music we regularly listened to was in church on Sundays, and while we all took piano lessons, it was with the express purpose of being able to play in church if ever needed. Music as duty/wallpaper.

In Bill's home they DID music. It wasn't a means to an end--it WAS the end. Like a scene from The Waltons, they would gather in the front room and play their fiddles, banjos and guitars. Everything else stopped for the music. I still remember the first time I asked Bill to turn down the car radio so that we could talk (and hear ourselves think). He looked at me like I was crazy.

So, keep this in mind when I tell you that last Friday, while we were in San Antonio, Bill announced that we would be driving to Austin that night to hear his brother, John, play at a legendary Texas honky-tonk called The Broken Spoke. He was obviously looking forward to it. I was not. I have nothing against John or his music, it's just not in my nature to embrace an evening of loud music in the company of drunks. My first instinct was to wonder if the mood lighting at "The Spoke" would allow me to read a book or do some needlework. Remember... Unlike Bill, I have not been programmed from my youth to look forward to an evening of "honky-tonking."

But I snapped out of it and decided to approach the evening like any new cultural experience. After all, it might be fun. Like the karaoke competition at the German restaurant in Bangkok...

We met John at his apartment and spent an hour watching him change the strings on his two guitars. John is a man of precise, careful movements with an innate inability to hurry, so this was a little like watching paint dry. Then we headed over to The Spoke and spent a couple of hours watching people drink Lone Star beer and dance the Texas two-step in a place that can be charitably described as "a dump." That sound you hear is my honorary friend-of-Texas card being ripped to shreds.
The music was good and people were having a great time. In a weird way, the intensity on the faces of some of the dancers made me feel like I was at a Trekkie convention. With different costumes. I'm just saying...Some of those folks take their dancing MIGHTY seriously!
The strangest thing, though, was that every time the band played "I've Been Working on the Railroad," everyone stopped dancing and saluted the stage. I finally realized that they were actually playing "The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You," which sounds very much the same. I still don't get it.

On Saturday we had a different sort of cultural experience. Following Abby's baptism (which will be discussed in an upcoming report) we all went to Mi Tierra for lunch. Mi Tierra is an extraordinarily festive Mexican restaurant in Market Square--kind of like Olvera Street in L.A. There is an outdoor plaza and stage, lots of little shops and the Mi Tierra bakery and restaurant.
Because she was the guest of honor, Abby was serenaded with an impromptu number in Spanish which, loosely translated, was (I think) "Happy Birthday, Holy Baptism."

Ashton is the short guy in the seersucker suit.

The musical feast did not end with our lunch. Outside, in the plaza, there was a Selena-inspired talent competition taking place. The kids were so moved by the emotional intensity of the music that they performed an impromptu dramatic rendition of "Nacho Saves the Princesses."

Next time: Meals

Road Trip Report: Meat

2009-06-25T18:40:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful trip to and from San Antonio, via St. George. If Emily weren't so busy being The Blog Fairy, she could easily obtain gainful employment with the San Antonio visitor's bureau. She organized a full calendar for us, featuring many of the area's most delightful attractions. I have WAY too much to say for just one blog, so I will be doing four blogs, based loosely around the following themes; meat, music, meals and water. In this blog, we will talk about meat...

San Antonio is in the Texas hill country. It is hilly (hence the aforementioned designation) and it is covered with oak trees. Apparently, these are ideal conditions for the deer which are to San Antonio as pigeons are to Central Park. It is hard to drive through Emily's neighborhood without encountering deer (dead and alive) on a weekly basis. But there is a neighborhood that the deer like even better. Emily drove us through the winding streets of a development where it is unusual NOT to have several deer lounging around your yard. Friends of Emily and Eric's have even had deer come inside their house and play with the kids. Here is a representative picture of life in Timberwood Park:

Crazy, huh?

I know that right now you are scratching your head and saying, "I thought the theme was meat?" Just be patient...in the meantime, think of deer as a sub theme.

Early in the week, Emily took us to Fort Sam Houston in the heart of downtown San Antonio. It is an historic (and active) military installation where the army housed Geronimo following his capture. The fort is built around a large, grassy area called the Quadrangle. Being in the Quadrangle is like being in the Disney version of "Snow White." There are ducks, rabbits, peacocks, and deer, and they are all tame. We brought bags of carrots for the kids to feed to the deer. It was hilarious watching Alvie chase after them, holding out a chunk of carrot and yelling, "Eat! Eat!"

Some communities might see urban deer herds as a problem, but those Texans are problem-solvers. They have apparently launched a marketing campaign to help them deal with a surplus of deer. And now we're getting to the "meat" part...

I snapped a picture of a local business, with their marketing plan painted on a side wall for all to see. I'm not sure it's really taken off yet, but give it time...

In Tuba City, Arizona, in the heart of the Navajo Nation, they are running a different promotion:

I will leave you to ponder the special occasions which might be enlivened by the addition of a sheep or two. (Actually, what special occasion WOULDN'T be made more exciting with sheep?) Next time...Music.

On the Road Again

2009-06-08T23:01:00.000-07:00

We went on GREAT road trips when the kids were young. We felt like we invented road trips! Almost every summer (and some winters), we would head out with the five kids and make the big, 3,000 mile loop from our home in Oxnard, California to Amarillo, Texas (to visit Bill's family), then up to Bozeman, Montana (to visit my family), then back home to California. Along the way we saw wonderful things. We visited Smokey the Bear's grave, Billy the Kid's grave and the graves at the Little Bighorn. We saw the Grand Canyon, explored the cliff dwellings at Walnut Canyon and the Indian ruins at Chaco Canyon. We saw the Gunfight at the OK Corral reenacted in Tombstone, Arizona and paid our respects at Boot Hill. We slid down the White Sands of New Mexico on sheets of cardboard, drove through the Petrified Forest and toured Carlsbad Caverns. In Yellowstone National Park we shared a winter fireside and roasted wieners with a handful of hungry elk. We stood on the roof of the Old Faithful Lodge and watched Old Faithful erupt at midnight. We rafted the Yellowstone River and swam in the hot springs. Good times...

We achieved almost professional "travelling with kids" status. I taught countless mini classes on the subject and, to add to my credentials, let me remind you that this was in the days before personal DVD players and Game Boys. We actually had to entertain kids...for miles and miles and miles. Not only that, we did it on a shoestring budget...very few restaurant stops on the road. We shopped at grocery stores along the way and picnicked in city parks. We did our laundry in small town laundromats, and slept in the car by the side of the road. Well, some of us slept. Some of us stayed up most of the night trying to keep the kids quiet so that the driver could sleep.

I know there were times when the back seat fighting nearly drove us insane. But, like childbirth, we have forgotten most of the pain and just remember the good times. Although I DO remember having to divide the back seat once with masking tape borders to keep people from crossing the lines and touching each other.

On Thursday of this week we are leaving for a two week road trip, a repeat of one we did in December of 2007. I guess we're just crazy for travelling with kids because we will be picking up Sarah and her two boys, Ashton and Alvie, in St. George, then driving south and east with them to San Antonio for Abby's baptism. It's a trip of 1,300 miles. I am sure we will make a lot of fine memories. But in every other way this will be much different from the trips of old. Ashton and Alvie will have their DVD player, Bill will have his satellite radio, and we will be sleeping in Hampton Inns.

I plan to take photos of some of the more interesting things we see and I will share (whether you like it or not) when I return.

Summer Reading Program

2009-06-01T14:37:00.000-07:00

I need to thank Emily for taking me by the hand and leading me (temporarily, at least) out of the world of literary murder and mayhem. While mysteries have always been my first love, starting when I read the complete works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle at age twelve, I am open minded enough to allow occasional exceptions. For example, I will read anything written by Garrison Keillor, Maeve Binchy, or Larry McMurtry. (I know, it's kind of a mixed bag.) It's not that I limit my non-mystery reading to these authors, it's just that I'm kind of lazy and fear change. It's always appreciated when someone I trust hands me a book and says, "Here, read this. I promise you'll like it."

Such was the case with Emily's recommendation of "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society."

What a wonderful book!

If you love books, enjoy gentle humor, are inspired by stories of human triumph and friendship, are intrigued by history, relish eccentricity, or any of the fore mentioned in any combination, you will love this book.

I am so filled with missionary zeal I would like to make an offer...

I will send soft cover copies of "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" to the first three commenters who request it. Unless you are immediate family, I will also need your address. But don't put it in your comment--just hit the "e-mail me" button on the right.

Happy Reading!

RESPECT

2009-05-28T22:43:00.001-07:00

A few days ago, Bill and I had lunch at BJs. This is the home of Bakersfield's best (in my opinion) fish tacos. It's a nice place. The food is always good. The service is frequently adequate. The servers at BJs come in two varieties; male and female. Beyond that, they are virtually indistinguishable one from another. They are all attractive twenty-somethings and professionally friendly. Our server on Tuesday (I believe her name was Jessica) set herself apart by violating one of my personal server rules; she gave me a pet name on our first date.

Throughout the meal, she called me "Hon" or "Honey." My husband of thirty-six years doesn't even call me by a pet name. As I move through my world, I answer to only five things--Mrs. ____, Sister ____, Linda, Mom and Grandma. I don't answer to "Hon." Jessica never caught on. She probably thought I was being surly for the fun of it.

As with all rules, I have exceptions to mine. I will allow a waitress (note that I didn't say "server") to call me "Hon," "Sweetie," or "Dear," if we are in a place that is open 24 hours, if her name tag says Flo, Ruby or maybe Wanda, if she has a smoker voice and if she could out-serve Jessica with one hand tied behind her back. See, I know that Flo has a pet name for everybody, including male customers who are called "Handsome," "Sport," or "Buddy." With Flo, there's no hidden agenda. It's just something to call you.

With the Jessicas, I always feel like there's something else going on. Is it an awkward attempt at being friendly? Is it thinly veiled condescension? Is it passive-aggressive hostility? And who makes up the rules? Is there a server handbook somewhere that says it's okay to call children and women over the age of fifty by quasi-romantic pet names? And where are the lines drawn? "Honey" is okay, but not "Darling?" "Sweetie" but not "My Precious?"

This is happening more often than I would like. If it continues, I'm going to start insisting on roses and a Whitman sampler with my meal.