My Profile

As soon as I can figure out how to put in some pictures, I will do so. I have had tons of emails today telling me how they liked my blogspost!!! Of course no one above the age of 40 knows how to put in a comment, so it looks like no one has gone on to read anything. I relate, I have tried to put comments on blogs that I read and they never seem to work. I think you have to sign up and log in and then go through all these other gyrations to post a comment. It is a good way to keep up with each other.

Today has been a long hard day. This morning I went for a beautiful walk w/ about 5 other ladies....they are younger and faster than I am, and I feel badly if I slow them down, but they seem to put up with me and take me as I am...a tad overweight, well maybe more than a tad..w/ little slits for eyes that I can't even tell what color they are any more...definitely not violet eyes to die for...Then I had to make funeral potataoes for the latest funeral...we seem to be having a rash of them lately. I did not know this lady well, but she was happy to go I am sure since she had been suffering w/ cancer for a few years. I heard the funeral was wonderful and I am sure that the lunch held after was really good. I always like funeral potatoes myself and the only place I ever get them is at a funeral. I imagine that is why they are called funeral potatoes. After I delivered my huge load of funeral potatoes (must have weighed at least 20 lbs. w/ all that cheesy white sauce, etc.)- I had to work at our store - Seasons of Home...in case you don't know about "our store" I will tell you a little.

Several years ago a few of us were talking about what a "bummer" it was to always have to drive to Provo or Salt Lake to buy fabric. Long story short, 20 women went together and bought a cute little old pioneer house and presto - we opened up...Well it really wasn't that "presto" It took lots of time and planning. We have learned alot, sweat alot and prayed alot for its success. Some days are really busy and we sell lots of gifts and fabric. Other days are slow and we don't sell much of anything....but most days are really pretty good. We depend alot on the tourists that come visit our valley because they want to see beauty, feel peace and quiet and come here... There are lots of strong women w/ very good ideas and very creative, fun women. We have classes for children to learn to sew. I am the bag lady teacher...I don't teach any quilting classes because I really haven't made any....yet, therefore am not qualified to be a teacher... I have several started that may get finished in my lifetime....I hope. I am also the felting teacher....read on...

When Jerry and I served a mission for our church in New Zealand, I learned about needle felting and it has become a very fun hobby for me. You could say it has taken over the basement. I have wool, yarns, roving, more wool, wool sweaters that I have felted by washing them in hot water and shrinking them up to almost nothing. Out of these sweaters, blankets,etc. I make funky santas, purses, table runners, pin cushions, and anything else I can think of. Tomorrow I have a felting class to teach..so I really should leave my blog now and write more later, since I must prepare for the class...now that it is ll:00 p.m. I usually do my best work between the hours of 11 and l:00 a.m. I have found that I am not as happy as I would like unless I can make something every day...or at least start something. The trouble is is that I get it to the point where I can see what it is going to look like and then I loose interest. So many things are awaiting to be finished. I have to force myself now to stay out of thrift stores in case they have any bargain priced wool sweaters or blankets that I can "eventually" turn into something. I have had to move some of my things into the garage in large bins, labeled red, black, tan, white, etc. I am now devising a plan as to how to rid myself of some of this wool. I think I will try ebay, but then there might not be anyone else out there that is as crazy about wool as I am, and then too I have heard that ebay is floundering along with everyone else...so not only do I have more money tied up in wool that I would care to admit or care to have Jerry realize (I think he is on to me), but I have no time to turn it into anything creative because I am always reading other people's blogs and marveling at how much they accomplish, so I must sign off now and I promise I will write more later and take pictures of our little store and some of my little felted creatures, which I must admit are pretty useless.

I promise I will learn how to post pictures...they say a picture is worth a thousand words so that would make everyone happy not to have to read all this rambling.

My First Posting

Well, today was a great day...the members of my immediate family (children and grandchildren) who live nearby came to Midway for dinner, so my daughter Meredith and her husband James set up this blog for me. I wonder if I will do anything with it. I want to, because I am not at all good about keeping a journal, and it would be fun to record my thoughts, ideas, comings and goings and then have some sort of a record to look back on. I like to look at others blogs, so this sounds like a fun challenge.

Here is who came today - Oldest son Nathan and his wife Sue (she is really called Sue Ann now) but when we first met her over 20 + years ago, we called her "The Beautiful Sue" and she is still beautiful besides being a wonderful mother to Barrett (l8), Cami (16), Zack (13), and Trevor (8). They live in SLC so it is just a drive down Parley's Canyon to get to their house right off Parleys Drive -- very convenient. They have a cute dog named Putter. Nate is an attorney practicing law in SLC w/ Stoel Rives. I think they are a great family. I wish Cami had a sister to defend herself against all those boys, but she seems to hold her own pretty well.

Matt, 2nd son and his wife Marcie ( lovely, capable & talented) and their children drove up Provo Canyon from their home w/ their 4 children - Noah (8), Lauren (6), Jacob (almost 4), and little Rachelle (Roo for short - just turned 1). Another darling family. I love to see them. They are growing so fast. It is nice that we can have these family dinners every now and then so we can stay connected. Marcie has a fun blog spot which is called: http://www.oursgoodonehome.blogspot.com/ so you can read all about them. Matt is a mechanical engineering professor at byu (following in his dad's footsteps) They are both fab parents and so good, kind and patient.

Mere & James drove from Provo as well where both attend BYU.. Meredith is in her 3rd year of being a senior....but hurray she is going to graduate in December...so that no one will think her slow...it is just that she changed majors and has way more hours than she actually needs to graduate, she will soon get her chance. She is in Fine Arts - Print Making. James is a super fellow. He can do anything when it comes to building, fixing, etc. He is a construction managment major and has 2 more oyears of school. He has helped us so much - I will have to take a picture of how he extended our patio, build an arbor, etc. etc. ..and our beautiful new "Texas Style" front door. She and James bought an "antique" letter press that they found on ebay and brought it from its home in Idaho all the way to our garage...Please go to Mere and James' blog which is: http://www.jamesandmerehendricks.blogspot.com/ Mere has lots of fun pictures, but really I do not weigh as much as the pictures make me look. I know I weigh more than I should, but I think the camera was lying a little....It was quite motivating to make me reallyi want to go on a diet, so I must keep looking at those awful pictures and do something about it....

Our other 2 children - youngest son Spencer, his lovely wife Andrea and darling girls Kate and Anna reacently moved to California --- Spencer took a job w/ the Rand Corp. in Santa Monica, Calif. We sure do miss them. They seem so far away. When we moved to Midway 5 years ago, Spencer was just getting married and beginning a graduate school program at the Univ. of Utah, so we have been fortunate to be close by for the last 5 years, (exept of course the l8 months that we spent in New Zealand). You can go to their blogspot to read all about them and their new adventures in Calif. It is: http://www.justusjoneses.blogspot.com/ They have lots of nice pictures. I visit all these blogspots often so I can see what they are up to.

Andrea and Mark Austin....live in Alexandria, Va. As far as I know they do not have a blogspot and either does Nate and family, so maybe since I now have one they will be spurred on to get one. The Austins have one daughter Sarah, age 10 going on 11, and two sons Andrew (age 4) and little Spencer (age 2). We don't get to see them as often as we would like. It is fun to visit their home. They live in a cute old home in Alexandria. I love to walk around their neighborhood and see all the cute old homes.
Mark works for the World Bank. He is a project manager and travels to central and south america all the time. He has an interesting job, but I know misses his family when he travels so much. Mark is a fun person and such a great father...the way he keeps in touch w/ his family while traveling (via phone, skype, etc. ) is truly amazing .

I really like all of our children and grandchildren and so happy to see them all being productive, good citizens, doing meaningful things.

Now I am going to try to post a few pictures, but I am not sure now that Mere and James have left me alone if I can accomplish this...