GREAT-GRANDMOTHER DAY.......

SPENT TODAY WITH MY FIRST GREAT-GRANDCHILD......SPENT THE AFTERNOON AT A BABY SHOWER FOR HIM......HIS MOM, HIS GRANDMA PAM AND ME......FOUR GENERATIONS CELEBRATING HIS BIRTH......WITH MANY FRIENDS. AARON LOST A POUND AFTER HIS BIRTH BECAUSE HIS MOTHER'S MILK WAS NOT DOING THE JOB SO NOW HE IS ON A BOTTLE HE HAS GAINED IT BACK PLUS SOME AND IS DOING MUCH BETTER.......HOW HE SLEPT THROUGH ALL THE TALKING AND LAUGHING IS A MIRACLE BUT A GOOD THING FOR A BABY......

EVERYONE EXCITED FOR THE SUPER BOWL TOMORROW.......BUT ME.   GOING TO A MOVIE WITH MY FRIEND.   SPENT THE LAST TWO DAYS IN BED WITH THE FLU.....FINALLY FEELING BETTER TODAY.

WHAT GOES ROUND.......

I love stories like this......so human and so true.  Spent the day with friends playing bridge......it just wasn't my day for good cards........Nice visit with my friends though.  I am still being challenged with the smart phone, but it is coming.  Only six o'clock and I am ready for bed.....w0w!

FAMILY HOME EVENING.......

This is our family home evening......most nights.  Rob on the couch with two dogs and his phone.......we are a stay at home bunch.....well maybe a few movies now and then with that good buttered popcorn pam doesn't like........calories!  I went to lunch with a dear friend  today that helped me through my divorce....don't see Cleon enough then over to my old house and cleaned up- the back yard......Alex down stairs painting with Dave and promised tomorrow to take all my "treasures" down to Rob's tomorrow.......I have bridge so can't supervise.......I will endure.  AND as far as learning a new phone.....well that remains to be seen.  My sweet little sister called to be sure I had jumped off a cliff today or anything......Thank you Les.....I love you for caring.......

REMEMBER.....AS FAR AS ANYONE KNOWS WE ARE A NICE NORMAL FAMILY!

REMEMBER.......AS FAR AS ANYONE KNOWS.....WE ARE A NICE NORMAL FAMILY..........So nice to see this grandson maturing and growing into a great man.  He gave a wonderful talk in church yesterday and about how many times in his mission he was on the edge of a cliff not knowing which way to go and God always came through and showed him the way.....well I can tell you I am on the edge of my cliff hanging onto a very thin vine......and have decided to swing out on it and let my family know I'm almost done with their fighting and disagreeing on everything and get my house on the market.   I went and

 bought some gloves today so I can clean up the back yard  and do a few more things.  Nothing is worth the problems that moving out has caused in my family......I hate it......!

Now, my next question is........WHAT IS NORMAL?..........after an after noon with my bridge group ladies I come home and would not want to change my problems with theirs......sick kids, grouchy husbands ,fighting among  their kids and families and, health problems, bad neighbors etc. MAYBE......just maybe, everyone has a normal family........ for them.

Pam just told me Darren is sending home a new phone for me as they switched companies and so now one more thing to master???????  WHERE IS THAT VINE??????

SATURDAY A HARD DAY........

SOME SATURDAYS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS........THIS WASN'T A GOOD SATURDAY!  WOKE UP AT 2:00 AND NEVER COULD FALL BACK ASLEEP.......I AM STRESSED, FRUSTRATED AND MAD.....MAD AT MYSELF MOSTLY FOR EVER SAYING YES TO MOVING.......NONE OF THE FAMILY IS SPEAKING TO EACH OTHER, THE HOUSE IS STILL A MESS, I WORRY IT WILL NOT GET SOLD IN TIME FOR THE NEW ONE TO BE PAID FOR......I WORRY ABOUT MY THINGS THAT ARE STILL THERE AND WANT THEM MOVED TO A STORAGE SHED SO WILL TRY AND RENT ONE AND HIRE SOMEONE TO MOVE THEM FOR ME NEXT WEEK.  WENT AND GOT A NEW POST OFFICE BOX SO I WILL KNOW WHERE TO GET MY MAIL FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS AT LEAST......AND START THE LONG DRIVE TO LETTING EVERYONE KNOW I HAVE A CHANGE OF ADDRESS ONLY TO HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN WHEN I EVENTUALLY GET A NEW ADDRESS.  DID TAKE A BREAK AND GET MY NAILS DONE......WHICH WERE LONG OVER DUE.  DON'T THINK I WILL BE TRAVELING TO NV ......I NEED TO BE HERE AND LET THEM KNOW I AM NOT HAPPY WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING!.....AND TAKE CARE OF MY THINGS! TOMORROW IS RICHES HOME COMING......WONDER WHO WILL BE SPEAKING TOO WHO?????

HAPPY REUNION........................

Big day on Wednesday when our missionary Richie arrived home from Mexico......looking as cute as ever.  All the cook clan and most of the Petersons were there.   Sherrie brought me in from Vernal, Alex and Douglas and Ken and Darren......fun to see him.  He is having his Home Coming on Sunday and then he will be back in the same old groove as usual.   His little brother and sister were there with open arms as you can tell from the picture. 

Coffee with Patty this morning and we got caught up on our latest happenings.....only took two hours at McDonalds.....What would I do without her?.......Washed the car......salt from last storm.  Get to tend the baby tonight for Tiff.....she and Rob off to a dinner of some kind. YES!

SAD DAY......

     This cute family.......... (Alex and Lindsey)...... are sad today......their puppy DOUGLAS......had an accident and broke his leg really bad and is being operated on today.....He has been a brave little guy......hasn't cried much and tries really hard to get around on 3 legs....at first we thought it was just sprained but an X-ray last night said it was kinda mangled!  He is just 3 months olds but huge already.....Guess they will be home tending sick puppy for awhile.......Sherrie and Darren due home in a few hours from Hawaii......this is their first grand-dog and it fell down their stairs!
                              In a new place you are always meeting new people.....and you realize there is a role for everyone you meet.......Some will test you, and some will teach you, some will use you and some will love you......But, the ones who are truly important are the ones who bring out the best in you.  They are the rare and amazing people who remind you its all worth it.
                               When you know deep down that a certain path is right for you, you have to follow it, no matter what anyone else says.......

SUNDAY IN VERNAL.......

The kids are off to church and I am dog sitting........  just wrote my sweet missionary for the week........Sherrie will be home tomorrow! Richie will be home on Wednesday.  Last night Douglas peed upstairs in Sherrie's room and Alex went to grab him to rub his nose in it and he took of for the stairs.....he missed the first step and fell all the way to the bottom and today won't use one leg.....plus he chewed the corner leg of her table.....I guess this is the beginning of grandkids for Sher.  I know I should have gone to church with the kids and found this little poem that forecasts my future.
              I WAS SHOCKED, CONFUSED, BEWILDERED AS I ENTERED HEAVEN'S DOOR......NOT BY THE BEAUTY OF IT ALL,NOT THE LIGHTS OR IT'S DECOR.....BUT IT WAS THE FOLKS IN HEAVEN WHO MADE ME SPUTTER AND GASP, THE THIEVES, THE LIARS, THE SINNERS AND ETIOLOGY'S AND THE TRASH.....   THERE STOOD THE KID FROM 7TH GRADE WHO SWIPED MY LUNCH MONEY TWICE....NEXT TO HIM WAS MY OLD NEIGHBOR WHO NEVER SAID ANYTHING NICE.....BOB,   WHO I ALWAYS THOUGHT WAS ROTTING AWAY IN HELL.....WAS SITTING PRETTY ON CLOUUD NINE, LOOKING INCREDIBLY WELL.......I NUDGED JESUS, "WHAT IS THE DEAL? I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR TAKE.....HOW'D ALL THESE SINNERS GET UP HERE? .....GOD MUST'VE MADE A MISTAKE."  AND WHY IS EVERYONE SO SOMBER.....GIVE ME A CLUE!  HUSH CHILD HE SAID, "THEY'RE ALL IN SHOCK....NO ONE THOUGHT THEY'D BE SEEING YOU!"..........Oh well......It is what it is!

NOT CONVINCED...........

        OK.....I AM NOT CONVINCED......IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT, THIS COMPUTER AGE, PAPER IS DEAD!!!! OH REALLTY   KIDS NOW DO THEIR HOME WORK ON THE COMPUTER.....INSTEAD OF STICKY NOTES ALL OVER THE FRIDGE WE LIST THEM ON OUR IPHONES OR IPADS......WE DON'T SEND LETTERS ......WE EMAIL OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.....WE DON'T BUY BOOKS TO READ, WE ORDER THEM ON OUR KINDLES. WELL, AS FOR ME I DO VERY FEW OF THE ABOVE AND I AM GLAD THERE IS STILL PAPER IN THE WORLD.......ESPECIALLY TOILET PAPER!  I WONDER WHAT THESE GENESIS PLAN TO DO TO SUBSTITUTE FOR THAT????
         A VERY QUIET DAY IN VERNAL.... ALEX AND LINDSEY WENT TO SLC, KEN AND I CLEANED THE HOUSE AND HAVE JUST BEEN ENJOYING TV WHILE WE TEND THE FOUR DOGS.......PUPPY (DOUGLAS), IS A FULL TIME JOB......AT LEAST OUT HERE THERE IS NICE CLEAN AIR.....I UNDERSTAND SLC HAS THAT MISERABLE INVERSION GOING ON WITH TERRIBLE AIR TO BREATH.  SHERRIE WILL BE HOME DAY AFTER TOMORROW......

FINALLY.........

FINALLY.......behind that big pile of dirt my house is springing up......a roof and a window and soon shingles!!!! They tell me it will be ready in March....but for awhile I really doubted it.  We signed papers in October and the Holidays seemed so slow......now I am sitting in Vernal for two weeks and Pam and Tiff sent this to me......maybe I am half way there.

Today is Leslie's birthday.......Happy Birthday little sister ......I was 11 when she was born and just right to be a baby sitter a lot.

I guess everyone thinks about their destination in life....what is mine?  Enough money, a nice house and a good car that runs and friends.  Or is it more.......to be a good person, have a nice family that loves an supports you to the end....and peace in knowing if you keep trying to do and be better your destination will be with GOD some  day.

I have always been the kind of person to start something and want to rush through it till it is done....but now days I don't need to rush.  If something's bound to happen, it will happen.  In the right time, with the right people and for the best reason.......like fixing up my old condo to sell and being able to move into my new place.

FENCES......

 

As I sit here gazing out the window at the pastures with cows and horses contentedly grazing all hemmed in by fences everywhere I wonder how they feel being fenced in.....or out..... of all the distant adventures......We put fences up to protect animals or children from harm. If they break out.....they must face the consequences.  Hit by cars, allowed to eat things that are harmful to them, get lost.....many things they face. God has put up rules for us.....or fences if you will.....when we break his commandments we have consequences also to pay.  As I have watched TV the last week with the terrorists killing so many in Paris and around the world....I wonder.....do they not know there will be consequences they must pay for doing this......for many it is death!

Evaluate the people in your life;.....Then promote.....demote....or terminate ......Your the CEO of your life!

 

 

SENIORS UNDER ATTACK.....

 

Still hanging out in Vernal.....I am suppose to be baby sitting but tell you the truth they boys are doing most the baby sitting......they are taking very good care of me......it is cold and miserable outside but it is at least not foggy up here today.  Just sitting around and knitting guess that is what you do when you get old......how ever I have a few complaints to make......As I write this my stairs are getting steeper, bags of groceries heavier and things are getting farther away.  Yesterday I walked to the corner and was dumb founded to discover how long my street has become!  And people are becoming less considerate  and speak in whispers...If I ask them to speak up they get right in my face and mouth the words as if I am a mind reader or a lip reader.

Also the clothing manufacturers are changing.....why do they label a size small..... extra large and they fit perfectly?  And the people that make bathroom scales are pulling the same kind of pranks on us......do they actually think I believe those numbers?  HA.....I would never let myself weight that much!

I find that most people my age look much older than I.....I looked closely at my reflection in the mirror.....well, what can I say?  Even mirrors aren't made the way they use to be.......And, the telephone company takes the cake...with glasses and a magnifying glass you still can't read the directories any more and the News papers aren't much better.

All I can do is pass along a warning "WE SENIORS ARE UNDER ATTACK!"........This world wide conspiracy is rapidly spreading among my friends and we must do something fast!

RICHIE will be home from his mission a week from today....YEA!

RICH........

Through all the years of your life you work very hard for one thing.....money...... oh to be rich!  Then when you start adding the years to your life you realize you are already rich and if you lived to be a 100 and had a million dollars you would be no richer than you are today because there are too many things in life that money cannot buy.........here are a few that will make you think;  MANNERS and MORALS......RESPECT and CHARACTER....PLAIN OLE COMMON SENSE......TRUST and PATIENCE.....CLASS and INTEGRITY......and real LOVE cannot be bought at any price. If the richest person on earth does not have these .........traits.....they may think they are rich but they are not.

 

The hardest thing about believing "Every Thing Happens For A Reason"......is waiting for the reason to come along!

MY PRAYER TODAY......

 

I saw this little prayer today which seems to be what I am thinking and feeling as I feel suspended in time waiting to get on with my life......without a home.

"God, let me stay motivated and calm.  Let me look at how far I have come....rather than how far I have still to go.  Let me continue counting my blessings....not what I have been missing.  May everyday bring new chances to grow, new beautiful things to see, new plans to do, new goals to pursue, as every new day is GOD"S miracle day.  Amen"

It was a cold and snowy morning but cleared up this afternoon.  Nice hearing from Brayden and beings Richie only has 10 more days before he comes home I imagine he is too busy winding things up to email.  Sherrie called from Hawaii.....beautiful weather and enjoying the vacation.....but as all Mothers do, worries about the boys here at home.  Ken went off to a friends house for a couple of hours and Alex and Lindsay are eating dinner with her mother tonight so this big house is very quiet......me and the three dogs!

GOLDEN THREADS.....

 

Love this little story and think I should pass on down to the kids.

HEAVY LOADS.......

Each and everyone of us carries a load in our life......of something such as sadness, guilt.  Our individual load is comprised of demands and opportunities, obligations and privileges, afflictions and blessings, or options and constraints.  Is the load your carrying helping or hurting the life you want?  Peace and happiness?  Growth and new direction?  It is easy to be in denial and blame others.....your mate, your parents, your boss or friends....when if we look in the mirror we will find who is responsible for where we are in life.

 

LIFE IS REALLY SIMPLE, BUT WE INSIST ON MAKING IT COMPLICATED......Confucius

SO PROUD........!!!

This may well be one of the proudest days of my life.  Son-in-law Robbie gathered the grand-children in town to help remodel my condo to sell......He planned it very nicely with crew shirts, hats, gloves and goggles......And called it HABITAT FOR GRAMMIE.......  Karrie's two kids Andrea and Scottie....Sherrie's two Ken and Alex plus Alex's new wife, Lindsay and Pam's two Will and Tiff's husband, Scott represented her as she just had a baby. Brayden and Richard are on missions and Nicci lives in Minnesota! First I am blessed to have 9 wonderful grandchildren and second blessed they love me and care enough to pitch in when Robbie summoned them to help out and save some time and money......  Robbie said they were the greatest and treated them to lunch.  I am sure Pam was there taking pictures and helping out.

My heart is so full of love and gratitude for my great family........I truly do believe...."What you sow so shall you reap"....I have tried to always make them proud of me, to let them I know how much I love them and how proud I am of everyone of them......of course having good, loving and caring parents....... (my girls)...... has a lot to do with it!

DAY BY DAY........

The New Year is creeping away.........almost 1/3 of it gone already......for me yea because moving into my new home is one day closer and for Richard Benjamin less than two weeks till he is home from his mission.  We all count the days for some reason.....one more day and Sherrie will be off to Hawaii!  Our bright shinny day in Vernal has now turned to foggy gloomy overcast and a little colder.  The boys and Lindsay are off to SLC to work on my house due to Rob's innovative idea to get "all of Grammie's grandchildren to work on the basement tomorrow"......he sent out an email informing them they were needed to pull up carpet, get walls ready to paint and scrape the pop-corn ceiling....what a brave and darling guy......with in 10 minutes he got a reply from one of them....".sounds fun I will be there"......he isn't accepting an excuse....except death?????  Well there are a couple on missions and one in Minnesota......I guess that counts...... What a great family I have.

Darren and friends took off last night to find some snow to go snowmobiling on....They went to Craig, Colorado and will be home late tonight.....In time for him to pack for his trip to Hawaii in the morning.....he has been home from Mexico all of 5 days......what a life! Sherrie is a real trouper to keep up with all this.

 

PARTYING ON.......

Yep......another Christmas Party......even though it was the 8th of January!  Beings the Christensons got snowed out when we had our family party in SLC and missed it we brought the presents back to vernal and had a nice big ham dinner last night....dressed up in our Christmas shirts and opened presents.......it's all about being together.  Being homeless isn't all bad, I got in on the family party......Cooks Christmas Eve.....Panniers the 27th after Nicci and Bill got to SLC and last night in Vernal with the Christensons.  Picked up yarn yesterday and started a Christmas Sock for Aaron at Rob's request and will do one for Bill and Lindsay.   Can't believe how many of those Christmas socks I have made for the family and extended family.

It is a beautiful day in Vernal and I know I should feel guilty for enjoying it so much.....I think it is time for Arizona, Nevada and California to start having snow to supply us with water!!!!!  I don't like cold, icy winters any more.  Went to lunch with some of Darren's employees to celebrate Donna's birthday.

VEGGING IN VERNAL.......

Just spent a month with the Panniers .......now this month it is the Christensons who have to take care of me.....I definitely am a "man without a country"......or house in this case......Came out to Vernal yesterday and get to spend a few days with Sherrie before they take off for Hawaii and I will keep an eye on Ken and the dogs for 10 days before I go back to Salt Lake.  Nice weather compared to when I tended this time last year.  Last year it was Brayden and Ken.....now Brayden is off in WA on a mission. Now this year Alex is home from his mission in Brazil.....married with a dog and it is just Kennedy.

Tonight we are having a Christmas party with all the gifts that the Christensons didn't get at our Peterson party because of a snow storm that made it impossible to get to Salt Lake......this is my fourth family party.....The 22 Peterson family, Christmas Eve and day with the Cooks, The 27th with the Panniers after Nicci and Bill got there and now January 7th with the Christensons!  Can't beat that! Being homeless isn't too bad!

WINTER......BRRRR

Just looking at this cute picture makes you feel cold.......Sundays are always quiet and pretty dull.....so with all the Christmas decorations put away it really is gloomy today.  Rob and I went to an early movie.....Pam did not want to see it and we did, then I zipped off to Target to do a little shopping before I take off for Vernal Tuesday......where it is even colder than here.

We all need to realize .....whatever you want to do.....do it!  There 's only so many tomorrows.  We all need a bucket list, but with real do-able things on it.  I so want to move on...but struggling with starting over and trusting that it will all come out ok in the end....guess I need to learn more patience.  Tomorrow is PDay and always fun to hear from our missionaries.

IF YOUR GOING THROUGH HELL.....JUST KEEP GOING!

PROUD GRANDPA.......

This is one proud grandpa.....Robbie and his first grand-child Aaron Scott Horton.....Any child that has a good grandpa is a lucky child.....I grew up down the street from a wonderful grandpa that left me with many wonderful memories.  Grandpa Jim Goff would have something nice to say to you always and you would be proud to be with him. I know this little boy will never want for anything if his grandpa can help it.....Rob will give him his time.....not just things......and this is what a child remembers.

This morning Pam and I went over and sat with Tiff while Scott went to work for a few hours.....I got to hold and love Aaron a couple of hours while Pam put Tiff's Christmas decorations away....then we had lunch with her.  Went to a fun movie this afternoon and out to dinner......we also stopped by my new place ...which now has walls and a roof and by my old place which is really looking nice.......

There are so many beautiful reasons to be happy......a new year, a new baby, a new home and a new tomorrow!  My goal is to build a life.......I don't need a vacation from home.

CHRISTMAS OVER......

This sums up my feelings perfectly!!!!!.......Had a good holiday but now I am ready to see all the lights and trees put away for another year.  It is sunny and clear out today .......and freezing cold.  Got my bills mailed, condo fee paid, went to the bank and stopped to pick up my mail.  Went to lunch with  Panniers and Bill and Nicci before they went to see the new baby one more time before taking off for home....Minneapolis.  Really enjoyed the week with the kids....... movies, good meals, putting a puzzle together and just hanging out.  I have a feeling the next two or three months are going to be very long and dull......waiting to get my house built and the old one cleaned up and sold.

HOWEVER......At any moment you have the power to say......THIS IS NOT HOW THE STORY IS GOING TO END!  so time will tell.

She makes me smile as she plays hide and seek on the Temple Grounds.

WHAT'S IMPORTANT???

Happy New Years Day........As we start out a new year we welcome 2015......In the middle of our city, our state our hearts is our famous castle.  When I visited Europe many times I always wondered at the old castles that dominated the little villages along the way and wondered why America had none.....then I realized we do.....ours are just not on the top of hills.  It is where the king of your universe lives to remind you of the rules of life......I see our temple and know God is near-by and I want to keep his rules.  This New Years Day is cold and frosty as the picture and we launch a new year.  Nicci and Bill and Pam spent the morning working on a puzzle, Rob spent the day watching football games,  Will and Liz popped in and will be back later for fondu.  Sweet Tiff is sitting it out in the hospital with the new baby......little Aaron.

I am hoping for a good year in a new home and many new friends.....to get my life back and not have to depend on my kids or worry them.