Summertime

 This summer is travel and hullabaloo coupled with quiet days and weeks.  This is a quiet week.  It's hot, in the 90s like July.  The AC is working hard and I appreciate it.   Adam is once again out of town.  He also works hard and I appreciate it.

Mark and I went to the Lindon Temple.  We ate perfect peaches from Costco with our lunch.  

I had a long and long overdue phone conversation with Marianne, who is back home.

I offered to take Mark to MOD for dinner although it would include a trip to Hobby Lobby.  Our boys think a trip to Hobby Lobby is a fate worse than death.  It is apparently worth it if you are going to MOD though, because Mark said yes.

Mark's friend Marek wondered if Mark wanted to hang out and Mark dropped me and Hobby Lobby like we were hot.

Emma Facetimed for advice about a couch a friend was giving away.  I said take it!  Free furniture is one of my love languages.

At Hobby Lobby I bought flag napkins for 66% off.  I bought paint because I am considering filling a new canvas. I bought embroidery floss because I am going to do a miniature of The Nighthawks. 

I don't need Mark to have a good time at Hobby Lobby.

I am reading a book about the Dust Bowl.

I ate another peach before going to bed for good measure.  They are so good!

Summertime and the living is easy.

Doctor appointment x 2

 I am doing the teacher summer thing and trying to get as many appointments knocked out as possible.

I had two doctor appointments yesterday.  First, I saw my primary care doctor.  I have sort of an unreasonable grudge against him since he was the one who first told me my bloodwork was suspicious.  Adam said he was glad my doctor noticed.

I am too.  It's not his fault I have cancer.  My irrational side feels differently about it.

I was also sort of bugged that he was so sympathetic and mournful.  He asked, "How are you?!?  You have been through so much!"

When people act like that, it makes me feel like I am really sick and meanwhile I am over here trying to act like I am not.

Otherwise, it was fine.

Except they drew blood and let me just say that over the past year I have had a lot of blood drawn and this lady has a thing or two to learn.  It hurt and I have a huge red blistery looking mark on my arm.

All phlebotomists are not created equally.

I went to the eye doctor in the afternoon.  My eye was pretty inflamed last time I went, so he wanted me to come back in a month.  I have described before how relaxing and chill my doctor's office waiting room is.  I used to think the receptionist must go home feeling like she just had a massage.

Yesterday was not like that.  I sat there in my chair, reading while I waited for my turn and overheard some of the chaos.  A man was struggling to communicate and then the receptionist switched to Spanish and all was well.  It is impressive when people can do that!

There was a phone call and I heard the receptionist calmly say, "Well, where are you now?"

Being periodically interrupted, She gave directions to the office from the freeway.  There was a pause and she asked, "Are you going north or south on the freeway?"  Another pause.  She asked, "What can you see outside?"

It was quickly occurring to me that maybe the receptionist didn't have such a tranquil job after all.

An older couple came in.  The man was hobbling along with a cane so he sat down and his wife went to the counter.  She was a loud talker and when the receptionist asked for their insurance card, she hollered over at her husband, "Do you have your wallet?"

An equally loud talker, he yelled back, "You said I didn't need to bring my wallet."

She confirmed she had said that.  The receptionist in her soothing classical music radio DJ voice said that it was fine, and they could call later with the insurance information.

The woman asked the receptionist if she had a co-payment.  The receptionist said, "When I have your card information, I can tell you."

The woman gave her husband a resentful look and said, "We don't have the insurance card."

The man yelped, "You told me I didn't need to bring my wallet!"

The receptionist tried to reassure them that it was all going to be OK.  The woman went to sit by her husband and they were still arguing about the wallet situation when I was called back.

My eye was looking good so my doctor told me to keep on keeping on.

Otherwise it was a get caught up on all the things week.  Kim and I both bought vibration plates during Amazon Prime Day sales.  They are supposed to help women of a certain age with bone density and balance.  We had decided that was us.  We are on a preventative quest.  When we walk in the morning we've been comparing notes.  We might just have the balance to walk a tightrope when we are in our 80s.

Weekend

We had a joyful Independence Day celebration.  Emma came on Friday and she brought a gluten free cake she had baked.  We went to Smoked Taco for lunch then everyone went swimming except me.  I went to the grocery store for rations.  I had a good conversation on the phone with Enoch while I drove and part of the time while I shopped, but then I had to get off the phone because my list was on my phone and I was wandering aimlessly.

Braeden and Anna made Korean bowls for us for dinner and they were delicious.  So was Emma's cake.  She had QE help her decorate it with strawberries.  First QE drew a plan with crayons on a piece of paper, then executed the plan.  Everything she does delights me.

In a surprise to no one, I went to bed early.

On Saturday morning, QE and I were stationed in my office looking out the window and waiting for the big flag to be unfurled.  Adam and Braeden joined us.  In the past (we haven't been around for the past two years, so maybe they haven't done it for a while), fighter jets would fly over our house in conjunction with the Dawn's Early Light program.  We went on our deck and waited, but it never happened.  I felt like Linus on Halloween, hoping his pumpkin patch was the most sincere.  I guess our deck wasn't sincere enough.

We had oven pancakes for breakfast with strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream.

After our late breakfast, Adam, Braeden, QE and I walked over to the canyon to see the flag.

There was a party atmosphere with lots of families there, wearing red, white and blue.  A firetruck was even decked out.

QE called it a flag parade; they had all the iterations of the American flag leading up to the big one.

Adam ran into Elder Cluff, who served in Finland with him.  I have long heard Elder Cluff stories.  Braeden remembered the stories as well.  Elder Cluff said, "Oh, no.  I'd better correct the record."

His wife said, "He's calmed down a lot."

I think his name might be Jason?  But his wife called Adam Elder Davis so I guess we're in the same situation.

We took a picture.  I don't know if they've seen each other since Finland and they were so happy to be reunited.  I loved it.

After soaking up the patriotism and hot sun (!), we walked back home.  I snapped this picture of a bumper sticker on the back of the firetruck.

I said, "I do too."

Braeden said, "You strawberry PG?"

I said yes.

Anna had been getting everything ready while we went on our walk.  They packed up and we hugged and kissed and hugged and kissed and sent them and their adorable beloved little ones on their way.  They are going to Anna's parents for the week and then we'll see them again in Nevada on Friday when they are driving back to California.  We enjoyed their visit.  QE just gets better and better with time and we loved getting to know the Young Prince.  He is pretty calm and content and he seriously is the most charismatic person I've ever known.  He has this smile that makes you feel like only good things will ever happen to you.

Adam and Emma and Mark all went to get their cars washed.  Adam tried to cajole me to take Joan and Emma said, "Let that woman rest."

Then I took a nap.

We played Parcheesi and made the onion dip that Janet introduced our family to (it also makes you feel like only good things will ever happen to you).  I loaded some dishes in the dishwasher and Mark lectured me for doing it wrong, because apparently he has a system. (I will gladly stay in my lane on that one and leave him to it.)

We had hot dogs for dinner, like you do, and I was going to make s'mores brownies, but I was tired so then we were going to have s'mores around the fire pit, but we were all tired so we just didn't.

Emma showed Adam her Spain pictures.  Fireworks were banned because of the drought and big fire danger.  They had a show for the city, but our neighbor's tree--that just keeps getting bigger every year--blocked the view.  It was fine (also I appreciate the shade).

You'll never guess what I did?  I went to bed.

I wore a bright and colorful dress to church on Sunday.  My friends told me they liked my dress and I told them I liked their dresses (it was true).  It is nice to have friends.  A few of us were chatting after church about our recent visits with grandchildren.  We all agreed that we loved it and it was tiring.  Marie Louise said, "I don't know HOW I did that all the time with six children."

We decided we were younger so we could handle it, but it wasn't as fun as grandchildren.

Besides that, Adam and I took a drive on Sunday afternoon, Mark made fried rice with leftovers, I tried and failed to find anything meaningful doing family history and I failed to maintain much interest in the World Cup. (Although Adam told me later it was an exciting game.)

Grateful Friday

the whole dog and pony show

 We have been having a good time.  The routine loving introvert in me, who is also fighting fatigue from my treatment, gets tired, but I have been going to bed ridiculously early and it works out.

These kids are delightful.  

We love just being around them.  

We had s'mores one night.  It felt perfect sitting around the fire pit, roasting marshmallows and squashing them with chocolate and a fresh raspberry between graham crackers.  One of the joys of summer.

We got up early on Tuesday and had a photo session at Thanksgiving Point, which Erin told me about and I'm grateful to learn about.  I hope we have some good ones.

Later that day, we went to the park and though it was cool enough that I was wearing a sweatshirt, QE ran into the splash pad, as in we rung out her dress and hair and put my sweatshirt on her.  She loves water and adventure and runs in headlong.

Wednesday Mark and I joined them at BYU for a little while.  QE loved BYU, especially when she got some chocolate milk.   What's not to love?  I was disoriented by the construction and demolition on campus.  I think BYU's aim is to keep their alumni constantly off balance by changing things around. Adam came too, from work, but by then I was feeling tired so we headed back home.  

It is a challenge for me to accept that I'm tired, but here we are.

Yesterday we hit two splash pads and Braeden and I took a walk together and talked about all the things.

I am grateful for this time we've had.  I'm grateful for toys on my floor and this on my table.

I'm grateful for her little voice saying, "I love you Nana."

I'm grateful for his smiles that could power a small city with their wattage.  

I'm grateful for slow mornings, washing berries and cutting up toaster waffles with a pizza cutter.  I squirt a round of whipped cream on top and stir it around the way the little queen likes it.  I'm grateful for sunsets on the deck after the little ones are asleep.    It is peak summer and peak Nana time.  And I'm grateful.

As we're about to celebrate a big birthday, I'm grateful for America too.  Sometimes I feel discouraged about America.  I don't like the incivility or the polarity.  People who watch Fox News or read Truth Social live in a different country than people who watch CNN or read the New York Times.  Who is correct? The reality is somewhere out there, but where?

There's still a lot to love.  If the World Cup tourists taught us anything, we can revel in ranch dressing and free refills.  We have magnificent and varied scenery and magnificent and varied people who do good things.

I'm grateful to be here.

At home last week

 I spent a lot of time last week recovering/resting/organizing, etc.  Adam left again for Nashville.  I had a sore throat all week. 

I also decided to paint.

I had this little chalkboard that I glued driftwood from Mukilteo Beach to years ago.  I also had a black globe that I got from IKEA.  I think it was also a chalkboard. I had them at the Home Place, but last time we were there, I decided we needed more color. 

Here's an old picture I found of them (that end table is now red--slowly adding color):

I painted apple blossoms on the chalkboard.

I meant to paint stripes but it ended up being more of a checkerboard on the globe.

It wasn't exactly my vision for how it would turn out, but it is more colorful and I enjoyed the process.

I told Adam painting is the new rearranging furniture for me.  I used to move things around in Washington and paint rooms when he traveled.  Now I just paint some poor unsuspecting objects.

We lived with smoke for a few days;

Not being able to see the temple is our air quality/visibility gauge.

We met Emma for dinner one evening in South Jordan, halfway between us.  I wanted to hear all about her trip to Spain.  The kid taking our order looked like my cousin Cory.  I am not exactly sure where Cory lives, but it seemed like it could be close enough that his teenager would be working at JCWs in South Jordan.  When I saw his name on the receipt, it confirmed that he was indeed Lear, Cory's oldest son.  I said, "I'm your dad's cousin."

He looked a mixture of suspicious and startled.  I don't know how I was expecting him to react, but he didn't seem excited about it.  I said, "My name is Thelma.  Tell your dad I said hi."

He asked, "Thelma, like my great-grandma?"

I said yes.  He didn't seem any more thrilled, but a little more believing.  I went and ate my burger and heard about Spain, but I was happy to see a fellow kinsman.

Indiana Dunes National Park

One last travelogue post:

 On the last day of our trip, we drove to Indiana and went to Indiana Dunes National Park on the shores of Lake Michigan.

It was beautiful and weird that it didn't smell like the ocean.  It is ocean sized from your vantage standing on the beach (water as far as you can see), but there is no salt air.  It feels out of place.

Adam got a National Park pass.  

He asked if he could one without our dear leader's face on it.  The cashier sighed and said, "Not this year."  I think George Washington looks a little bugged that he has to be there with Trump too.

Then, I saw this on Instagram:

At least we're not alone.

Back to the National Park:

I loved how you could see Chicago in the distance.

After our Indiana Dunes foray, we drove back to Chicago and explored the Oak Park neighborhood a little to see some houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

This is the house where he lived.

After that, it was time to head back to the airport.  We flew home, happy with eyes full of beauty of all we had seen.

Weekend

 We went back to Starr Valley and I love being there.

I hung a flag in the bracket where my grandpa used to fly a flag.

We had some wild rainy weather, so I brought it in periodically, but then I'd take it back out.

Olivia, Aunt Olivia, Hannah, Laurel, Maisy and I went to the temple on Friday morning.  I love that there is a temple in Elko now.  It is so nice to go with family and to see people I know there.  After the temple, we went to lunch together, along with Jean, who is a neighbor in Starr Valley.

Friday afternoon I spent some time getting everything whipped into shape for our honored guests.  My dad came for dinner and then much later--around midnight--Braeden and Anna and family arrived from California.  We were so happy to see them.  QE slept on the floor in our room and she went right to sleep (I was expecting it to be hard for her to get to sleep, in a new-ish place, but she is a sleep champ).

Saturday we spent enjoyable time with our delightful grandchildren and then went to the cemetery where my dad was placing the headstone on my mom's grave.  No one is a do it yourself-er like my dad.  My uncle Drew came from Fallon to help, which was so kind.  Drew had the headstone on the front of his backhoe and brought it that way from my dad's house to the cemetery.  According to the instructions that came with the headstone, you needed six strong men for the job.  I supplied three.

It was kind of rainy, but we made it work.  I did zero to help, but Edgar was there with his strong muscles and skills with moving heavy things and Olivia and Edgar's boys were there to help move the headstone plus to apply the adhesive, which took strong hands.

Here's a picture we took at the end.

Edgar, Marcos, Adam, Omar, Olivia, Ammon, Mark, Drew, Ruben, my dad and Braeden

Good good men (and good good sister).  Olivia contributed by taking off her jacket (which was actually Edgar's) and wiping the rain off the headstone before applying the adhesive.

My dad came for lunch and we had a good time visiting some more.  In the afternoon, we went back to Salt Lake and met up with Emma for dinner.  QE rode in our car and we had a purely delightful time with her.  We stopped at the rest stop and looked at the salt, which she loved.  She also tasted it, which I recommended as not the best idea, but I applaud her curiosity.

We had dinner at Cafe Rio and then came to Pleasant Grove.  I went straight to bed and slept for 10 hours.

We spent a nice morning sitting on the deck and watching QE play on the grass and the Young Prince is the happiest sunshine boy in the world.  He just makes your self esteem escalate when he smiles at you.

We went to church and I was in primary with QE.  Happy days!

Clarissa was in town for a wedding and we were thrilled to have her stop by and see us Sunday afternoon.  We took a walk along the Murdock Canal Trail in the evening.  The weather has been unusually cool, and none of us are sad about it.