Holiday Weekend

I'm slapping myself for not grabbing the camera and taking a few pictures...and it's so easy w/a point-and-shoot digital!!

So a quick review. Parents came into town on Wednesday and we all went to dinner at Buca de Beppo and then off to the Conference Center Theater for Savior of the World, a musical play about the life of Christ. Very well done, very professional and very appropriate for the holiday season.

Thursday was turkey day starting w/the ward's annual turkey bowl. I understand that the Gonzalez boys were responsible for 9 interceptions including one by Jared. He certainly came home w/a smile on his face. It was a gorgeous day, plenty of sunshine. I was up busy starting on holiday meal preparations. R got called out and was gone for nearly seven hours, but we pushed back dinner just a bit so that he could join us. I went w/mom and dad later afternoon to see Jeana and her new baby boy, Evan. Jeana had delivered Tuesday and got home from the hospital Thursday morning. We didn't stay long as it looked like she was tired, plus she got two carloads of company, so we headed back to the house. My dad was driving and I honestly don't know how we didn't get in a major accident. I think the guardian angels were doing double time. It shook my dad up so much that he decided not to drive up to visit Val, which had been the earlier plan. I offered to drive my parents, but they decided to stay home. R had been called out again and didn't get home until 11 p.m.

Ah, Black Friday. I was up at 3:30 to hit the JC Penney 4 a.m. opening. R decided that he would go out, too. Unbelievable. He has never done that. Anyway, because I chatted w/R I got away a bit later, but I got some clothing items at Penneys and then headed to RC Willey to get in line for the 8 a.m. opening. R went to the 5 a.m. opening at Target, got J's coveted iPod Touch and some DVDs. He then joined me later at RC Willey. Was kind of nice to have a bit of company. It was a really cold morning. I had him bring me over another blanket as I was cold--clear skies meant for colder temps. Anyway, was close enough in the line that we both got our $25 gift certificates and I got the voucher for a $50 iPod Nano which I'm going to load w/songs and give to my parents for Christmas. (and no my parents don't read my blog so no ruining their Christmas surprises). Oh ya, we got some cheap DVD player and the movie Up, both for $10. Sure, some say that getting up early and standing in line in the freezing cold isn't worth the doorbuster deals, but I say it's only once a year and I personally quite enjoy the planning and execution. Anyway, Dad likes to listen to my iPod, which I hardly use, so I should just give him mine...but for $50 he can have his own. R bought the flat screen for downstairs that he has been wanting. It will be delivered this week.

Finally, Saturday. Got a good night's sleep, which I so desperately needed. I was so tired Friday night that I could not make myself get dressed and out the door to a wedding reception which I really wanted to attend. Anyway, Saturday was great. Worked in the morning, ran errands in the afternoon and watched the huge rivalray season-ending game of BYU vs. Utah which once again went down to a close game with BYU winning by a touchdown over a field goal in overtime. Here's my one-and-only picture of the weekend activities of the game meal. Dang, the picture won't paste in here. See picture above. Let's just say R is ecstatic about the blue win, but I have some very sad red-loving boys. In fact, one of V's friends came over last night and spray painted the lawn with the letters BYU and the final score. LOL.

Now it's Sunday morning and the house is quiet. I have no early-morning meetings but R is long gone, got called out. BTW: He went the whole 12 hours yesterday of call being able to stay home and enjoy the day including the big game. I hate it when I have the chance to sleep in and I can't make it past 6 a.m. Maybe it's because I'm such a morning person, actually got up Monday morning at 3 a.m. (yuck, had to finish work by 7 a.m. and get J to the orthodontist in Murray by 8). Anyway, that's why I'm up and blogging. Probably should be reading my scriptures and getting into the spirit of the day----

New Moon

Finally got to go see the newest movie in the Twilight series, which has been such a phenom, huge numbers everywhere, but especially here in Utah where the author, Stephanie Meyers, is a BYU alum. Even though it's a young adult novel about the love triangle among Bella, the human; Edward, the vampire; and Jake, the werewolf, it has grabbed my attention. Loved the books and almost wish I hadn't given them away. I'm in the mood for a re-read. Can't wait for the next movie to come out, which won't be until June-ish.

Concert #3

Although I didn't get a picture of the half-time show, Jared reminded that this is the third day of music entertainment--the BYU Marching Band. Efrain asked us to join him at the football game against Air Force, which BYU won.

These two St. George, live-in-warm boys, Efrain and his very tall and very handsome son Matthew, could not get comfortable despite multiple layers and four-inch thick gloves. I felt sorry for them. They left just after the beginning of the fourth quarter, to go to Cabella's they said, but I think just needed a reason to get out of the cold.

Victor, yes the one wearing red, was a good sport. Although he would rather have a root canal than attend a "Y" game, he went because it was his b-day present to his dad. We all went out for b-day dinner at La Frontera after the game. It was great to visit w/Efrain and Matthew.

Concert #2

On Friday, November 20, my parents, Jared and I went to Mahler's Symphony #2 in C Minor, the "Resurrection," conducted by Keith Lockhart of the Utah Symphony and Mormon Tab w/guest Nancy Maultsby, mezzo-soprano of the Washington National Opera. What a treat! The program was opened by remarks from President Eyring who is on the board of O.C. Tanner (the company who underwrote the program), also in attendance Pres. Uchdorf and Elder Nelson. The program was held in the historic Tabernacle. Jared clearly liked the program the night previous better, but was a good sport, actually a really good sport.

Concert #1

Thursday, November 19, I took my favorite date, Jared, to the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas concert at Abravanel Hall in downtown SL. What a fun evening, great concert, terrific music.

At the end of the evening we got our CD signed by these very nice musicians. I felt like their gratitude at our attendance was genuine.

I'm Losing It

Took a close look and tell me what these two objects have in common...go ahead.

Let's see, they're both earrings. Good.

They're both French drop backs (I think that's the correct term). Good.

They're both made out of stone, one torquoise and the other a brown stone (I'm such a gemologist).

They both somewhat similarly shaped, one is an oblong bear and the other is, well, just oblong.

Oh ya, I wore them yesterday, all day, around lots of people, in and out of the house, shopping, meetings, RS stuff, VTing...and not one person said anything about my mismatched earrings. I had a good laugh in the mirror when I took them off.

The Best Winter

Back in the mid 80s I had an unforgetable winter, working and living in Park City during the ski season. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, unseasonably warm, me in my T-shirt walking next to the tourist from Florida in a coat, obviously too nice of a day to waste at home watching my boys watch TV, so up the mountain I went. I took a few pictures that bring back memories, so follow through on my reminiscing.


The restored Egyptian Theater was where I watched theee premiere of a movie (can't remember the name) during the indie film festival, Robert Redford's pet project called the Sundance Film Festival. We, some winter friends of mine, walked up and purchased tickets to the film and walked right in. We were feted to stirring discourses by the director and producer, also a few words from an actor or two. I do remember that Robert Duvall had a cameo in this movie. These indie people show their movies hoping that the big movie moguls will take notice and buy. I saw a few other movies around the theaters of town during this one-week festival. Now days people camp out overnight (in Salt Lake, too cold in PC) to get tickets to what has become a premiere festival, or is it just that the Hollywooders wearing their black designer clothes like to get out of the Southern California warmth and drink a hot chocolate where the snow flies? It's grown so large that the locals flee town during the time when the Hollywood designer-wearing people move in.

Scrooge's was a restaurant where I bused tables a couple nights a week for a some play money in my pocket. The owner looked like Santa, portly w/a white beard. He fished during the summer and worked seven days a week during the winter with never a day off. There was no paperwork, no taxes taken out and given to Uncle Sam (I wonder now, hmm??). Anyway, every night he would hand me cash for my time. He worked me hard, but paid me well. Now this is a fancy schmanzee restaurant, unlike the down-home restaurant that guaranteed good food and a lively evening (there was a bar). I remember that I had to wear either red pants or black pants in keeping w/the Christmas theme. There was always a Christmas tree in the corner. It was fun. One of the dishwashers became a bud. He even encouraged me down a black run. I was so not a black run skiier, but we did ski over and watch the World Cup from an upper hilltop advantage. That was fun. How else would a little country girl from Castle Dale have watched a World Cup? This building is on the historic register, over 100 years old, was previously a grocery store.

The banner says that this mining town that went to sleep in the 50s, almost to die completely, was reawakened in the 60s by the growing popularity of winter sports--anyway it appears that PC is celebrating w/125 candles on the cake. I think the miners were here before PC was legally established. As I turned the corner from PC earlier in the day to drive the few miles up to Deer Valley, I went through the section that Marva, the cook, told me was previously the red light district of town (Marva is an old timer, seemed old to me even back then). Anyway, the old wooden houses are now gone and million dollar condos are sitting on the very ground where the those ladies of night had to put up with stinky (at least I'm hoping they took a bath, donned some clean clothese and got shave before entertaining the ladies) men who just got paid.

Just a side view of PC. This is the PC that I love, nothing fancy. Notice the wooden stairs up the hillside. These stairs are all over the place. What do expect when a town is built on uneven ground? What else do you notice? NO SNOW, except for a few patches in the shade. This does not bode well, especially considering the fact that PC always hosts the first World Cup event of the ski season, which will be after Thanksgiving. Better break out the snow blowers and make some snow.

Was driving down the street and liked this shot, so took a quick shot through the window. Stay at this hotel and you can catch the lift from the foyer.

Ah, I called this place home for six months. It was the second lodge built in PC and is right at the foot of the slopes. It was not a fancy, schmanzy place when I worked there and it appears that it hasn't changed much. It was clean and homey. There were TVs, but no phones in the rooms, only a pay phone at each floor's landing. There was also a no-frills dorm type area on the first floor where money-strapped skiers would plunk down a few bucks for a mattress on a bunk bed (I think there were four to six bunk beds per section), a locker and shower facilities. Every night the owner would build a fire in the foyer. There was a round fire pit (think 60s movies) and we'd sit around and chat. Met lots of people that winter from all over the nation, the world even. I was finishing my student teaching at the high school in Price, wanted something temporary because I was planning a big summer vacation and didn't want to be tied down, was reading the BYU newspaper in the library and saw an ad. Turns out the owners are LDS and were recruiting LDS girls. Sign me up. I was one of the first to arrive, had my own room on the top floor (pays to arrive early). My job was to help Marva, the cook, with breakfast. I then had rooms to clean which took the remainder of the morning, but I was usually finished noonish and off to the slopes I went. I worked ten days straight, had a day off by the floater. My pay was $60 a week, room and board, and a season ski pass. Worked for me. I had no expenses, only needed some gas for my little red Toyota Corolla and some play money in my pocket. I banked the rest.

Close by the Chateau (my home) was the old PC high school, then sitting unused, but fortunately has been renovated and is now the town's library. There's a big open grassy field to the side of this high school and in front of the Chateau which will always be open area by law, so that's good. My grandfather Jones worked on the construction of this school when he was just a young guy, I'm guessing maybe late 1910s??

And this little beauty, which was my second place of love in PC, the library, was just down the road from where I lived. I went several times a week to check out books and read the periodicals. This library housed quite the art collection. Previously it was the miners' hospital. Speaking of reading, check out the thepioneerwoman.com. Just discovered it last week. Go down to the bottom and click on love story. I don't currently have a book to read and I've been totally immersed in this story. Too much fun.

End of memory lane. This was previously the Snowflake Inn, half way between PC and the Canyons Ski area, is now some type of school. Anyway, this is where R and I honeymooned for a couple nights before heading to CA.

The Navajos at Deer Valley

Deer Valley is a prestigious resort up a side canyon from Park City, frequently ranked #1 in the nation, where the rich, and I mean deep-pocket rich, come to ski. Too bothered to carry your skis to the lift? Don't worry someone will take care of that for you, probably blow your nose, too. Got the idea? Okay, so I can't afford to even think about skiing here, but I can take a few bucks and support the Navajos as they come to show and sell their beautiful rugs. I knew I couldn't afford a rug (the one I really liked was $5000), but I had a $20 in my pocket which bought me earrings.

Wanted to take some pics, but asked a volunteer. Yes, if you buy one of their rugs.

Okay, I'll just pull a media picture from the net. Aren't these ladies beautiful? They're tiny, like talk to my belly-button tiny. Their art is giant. These elders live in remote locales in Arizona, sometimes w/o modern conveniences, and this money from selling their craft is vital to the family. One lady held up her hand showing five fingers (didn't speak English). Only $5? Her granddaughter asked for $10. I gave her my $20.


One of the volunteers was going around w/a big bag full of reading glasses making sure that these ladies got a pair or two. They would just nod their head at whatever was given to them as the volunteer tried to get them the right power. I had to laugh because later when I made my rounds they were wearing their reading glasses, working their wares and not one had taken the sticker off the lens.

It creeps, it crawls

Ooh yuck. Wish someone would finish eating the last of the spiders (someone has been nibbling). These were really fun Halloween treats made of crunched pretzels and melted chocolate and peanut butter.

Wish someone would come make dinner. Is there a dinner fairy floating around?? Any chance that fairy will land at my house?? Oh well, I guess it's going to be open the fridge and find yourself something to eat. I made roast yesterday, very tender top sirloin, so there's plenty left. I met a friend at Cafe Rio, so I'm going to have the other half of my salad for dinner.

Why is it on Friday nights my eyes are tired and 6 p.m. feels like it's time to take a shower and get ready for bed? I'd say that I'm getting older, but hey I don't feel that old. Maybe it's just a mental aspect that it's the end of the work week--what? My work week doesn't end on Friday night.

Gosh, it's been such a beautifully gorgeous week, almost breaking temperatures the last couple days w/the windows open. I'd love to have this continue for a while...well maybe not. It's good to have the snow = water.

Night of Goblins and Spooks

Saturday, October 31, turned out to be an awesome Halloween night. After a very heavy snowfall earlier in the week and frigid weather right up through Friday, Saturday dawned gorgeous and it was a warm and windless night, perfect for the tricker-treaters. I love Halloween. Actually, I just enjoy visiting with those who come around. We have had the tradition probably since we moved to Riverton to set up a fire for folks to warm their bodies and grab a cup of hot chocolate. The neighborhood kids are growing up and there aren't as many kids who come around anymore, but still enough to make it fun. Here's a picture of Jared with his friend, Landon, as they came in with their stash, a BIG bag of candy. Jared by this point was no longer donning his cloak, hat was off and wand put away, but he had a good time. There are those who ban their children from tricker-treating after they leave elementary school, but my rule is as long as you dress and are polite (which all the kids, big and small, were) then you're welcome to play. I didn't get a picture of Victor as he swooped in w/his Jayson mask and two carloads of teenage boys. They had hot chocolate and raided the fridge. Tony was at the University of Utah football game.

I took lots of pictures this year, but interestingly it's the teenager pictures that really grabbed a spot here including one of the girls from the ward and I have no idea who her zombie friends are, but don't these girls look great!!

I have no idea who these girls are, but I loved their costumes of Thing 1 and Thing 2 plus Bam-Bam and Pebbles. Very clever.

Ah, nothing like sitting in a chair. We always have hot dogs on Halloween roasted over the fire pit. Might as well since we're spending the evening outside.