DR PEPPER DOG......

WHAT BECOMES OF  LOST OPPORTUNITIES?  PERHAPS OUR GUARDIAN ANGEL GATHERS THEM UP AND WILL GIVE THEM BACK WHEN WE'VE GROWN WISER------AND WILL USE THEM RIGHTLY......Helen Keller
     I hate commercials that make me cry!  But Pepper the Dr. Pepper Dog did it......This poor abandoned dog wandered day after day alone.....he was different.   Nobody wanted this stray dog but what the bus driver did will tear you up....yep!
The bus driver picked him up one day and they had a blast traveling together while delivering sodas along the way.  The last stop was to be the "shelter".......As they arrive at the shelter the bus driver thinks how awesome their last few hours together have been.  At the shelter the bus driver drives away from the shelter without the dog next to him.....as it turns out the dog is ducking down and reemerged from the passengers seats.  It ended with the bus driver decided against leaving him at the shelter where his chances of being adopted were slim.....Of course I was crying by now!  It's OK to be one of a kind and different!
      Nice day at church......snowy and cold.  My neighbor Hanh brought over hot stew, bread pudding and rolls.....nice Sunday dinner.   Later another neighbor called to see if I wanted to come eat left-over turkey and dressing with them.  I know they realize I see very little of any of my family.......and that bothers them.  Thank goodness for wonderful neighbors and good friends.......No one knows how tuff it is to be alone......until it happens to them!

BLACK FRIDAY......

 

 

Made it through Thanksgiving and Black Friday with no crisis........Just two more days on the calendar I can cross off.  I can't figure out why everyone gets so excited about them other than those who work......get some days off...... Sherrie called from Las Vegas today, they had a lay-over on their way home from the Cayman Islands and had had a very nice week, whenever they visit the islands on Thanksgiving they always look up the LDS Missionaries and invite them to have Thanksgiving dinner with them.  I guess the Panniers and the Hortins will be home from St. George tomorrow sometime.  I saw pictures of the Cooks on Instagram where it looked like they had dinner at Little America......it is one of their favorite things to do.  Like to see my kids happy.

Woke up this morning to snow......our first white stuff down here......not much and roads were good by noon.  One more day and December is upon us.......

HAPPY THANKSGIVING......

 

Big day for gratitude........The movie was good and the Happy Meal with extra fry sauce tasted just like turkey!!!!

Yesterday was such a sad day for our family.....the funeral of Becky Smith, only 52  and the day before Thanksgiving.  Did get to see Lucille's big family and my cousin David Goff.....a very nice service, Mike sat with me but could not stay and eat as he had to go back to work.   This poem seems to fit my thoughts for today......some people are without all their family because of death.....others because they choose not to be.

                          THE EMPTY CHAIR

The pies are in the freezer, the turkeys on the list.

But this Thanksgiving, oh how a loved one (or two) will be missed!

Lord Jesus please hear our Thanksgiving prayers

For those gathered around a table that has some empty chairs

Oh Lord , comfort their hearts we know that you are able

And let them know that this year, there's another chair at Heaven's Table.

....................Becky and Derik will be missed...........

FOR A REASON......

   Why did I end up at "THE COTTAGES"?.........I guess there was a reason I ended up moving from 6298 Madrid St. after 27 years........ to Midvale and The Cottages.  Here it is, Thanksgiving week and two of the girls are going out of town and the third one doesn't know I am alive.......so what do you do all alone for Thanksgiving?   Well, because you have good friends and a sweet cousin and sister......and some great neighbors......you get lots of invitations to Thanksgiving dinner this Sunday night.  When asked what I planned to do on Thanksgiving.....I told them go to a movie and then stop at McDonalds for a Happy Meal with extra fry sauce??????  Well, you ought to see the look on their faces as they all said.....No, no come eat with us!  I had invites from four neighbors, a good friend and my cousin and sister.   Hey, it's just another day to me and I am happy to go to a movie and get a Marie Calendar's frozen dinner and find a good movie and have my VERY OWN Happy Day!  Really Life is what you make it!

DEATH........

Yes, Becky died.....but not gone.....and hopefully the family can go on.....I don't know how when you lose a child.....but there are five more families that need a mother and a father......I took 3 huge pizza's over to Lucille this morning, thinking they might help out through the next few days with her house full of company that has come to town......she called this afternoon to thank me and say there were two pieces left!!!!!   I guess I did something good for her......better than flowers is food.  I have been down all day, partly because I missed Derrik's graveside service and felt guilty and partly because I have a daughter that has walked away from her family......and I feel as if she is dead to me......Pam said give her time.....how much time do I have?  I just watched a short that informs us Obama is the 44th and last president there will be.....Putin will explode a rocket over the US that knocks out all our power, heat, phones, email etc. and the world will end as we know it.......I am beginning to believe it with all the Isis stuff happening!  I look forward to church tomorrow.

 

MIXED EMOTIONS.......

 

EMOTIONS........The first time I have seen Pam in three weeks........we went to lunch and shopped around GARDNER VILLAGE..........buying some fun things for Christmas......then decided to run over to TAI PAN......and more shopping!  More fun things for Christmas.  I had turned down an overnight trip to Mesquite......with Mike to attend a grave-side service for my nephew Darrik in Enterprise Utah......he was Jo's son and raised in Enterprise, he died so young with stage 4 lung cancer......I arrived home only find on my answering service a message from my cousin her daughter, Becky, had died today......she was only in her 50's.      I feel very lucky I have not had to go through any thing like this with my three girls......even though one of them has not been speaking to any of the family all year........Her Loss.

Sherrie and her family left for their Caribbean vacation for THANKSGIVING this morning......I hope they have a safe trip with all the plane problems etc. that ISIS is causing.

Here's hoping tomorrow won't be so sad.

COUSINS.........

 

In a dilemma tonight.........should I ride 16 hours Friday and Saturday to a cremation grave side service for my nephew or not......I feel it would make my sister (who is deceased).......happy but as the years go by these trips get harder and harder.........  I think I will leave it to the younger generation, his cousins of Korina, Kristy, Jamie, Mike etc......It is cold and the weather unpredictable.....I hate to travel in bad weather.........

CAN YOU BELIEVE.....IT IS A QUARTER TILL EIGHT AND TWO GUYS SHOW UP AT MY FRONT DOOR AND WANT TO DEMONSTRATE A KERBY VAC......My first mistake was even answering the door!!!!!

  Well anyway I called my favorite cousin Lucille, and said "am I really a bad person if I don't go?"  She reassured me at 83, cold weather, bad roads and such a fast trip it was OK.......Lucille's daughter Becky who is still so young  has weeks......perhaps days to live with stage 4 cancer......it is so sad to bury your children....thank goodness she lives across town......and I will be there for her.  Yes those of us with Cousins, aunts and uncles and especially brothers and sisters, parents and grandparents are the lucky ones in the world......enjoy every minute you can with them!.

SAFE PLACE.......

 

I have lived in my new house......7 months.......and am still trying to find everything.  Today my sweet daughter Sherrie and Grandson Ken offered to go through my Christmas decorations and carry them in and put them up for me......the best Christmas present a mother could have!.......Got the trees up.....mantel decorated.....hall decorated and a few odds and  ends done......then I mentioned I still could not find some of my favorite jewelry.......it wasn't with the rest I had brought with me......well, my 6 foot 4 inch Ken took down a metal suitcase from the office closet that I had not been able to reach and guess what......they found my jewelry!  Yes, I had put it in a safe place......but forgot where the safe place was.   I kept telling myself.....it is only stuff.....but some of my favorite stuff!  MY next big job is to wrap my gifts, then plan the menu and OUR Christmas party will be on it's way...... a month and 3 days from now......

While Sherrie was here she heard from Braydon......Next week is transfer week and he will be heading to a little place close to the Canadian border.....he was very excited to be so close to Canada and in a po-dunk area where he will get a car.....which will help his sore foot a lot and be made a Zone Leader.

Tomorrow off to a movie with Patty and meeting Shirley.......and time marches on!

MAKE FRIENDS WITH FAILURE.......

 

I wonder if every mother.....or father......goes through this......wondering where you failed as a parent?  Trouble is.....there are no "d0 overs" and just when you think you have it all.....you don't!  Scottie's foot ball team lost the championship by 1 point.....I guess.  I would have loved to have been there.......but this family has walked away from the rest of us.....oh the kids are trying , but you know they feel guilty if the parents don't agree........and I don't want that.....I have learned from past experience.....IF SOMEONE WALKS OUT OF YOUR LIFE.....LET THEM......THEN CLOSE THE DOOR.  I am about ready to do it again .  These are six wonderful people.......and I can only warn them.....what goes round....comes round......they will experience this hurt sometime in their life!

Sunday nights are beginning to take shape.......three hours of church.......lunch.......a little nap......a note to my favorite Missionary........maybe a note on the blog and to bed!

AND TOMORROW IS MONDAY AGAIN!!!!!!   I"M OK.

THINKING OF JO.......

For the generations to come......you should know who these two people are and how important they are to us.  This is Tammie and Derek Norton.  My sister Joan and her husband Phil adopted them when they were babies.  They lived in Lodi California when they got Derek......and not long after they got Tam who was the cutest baby with tons of black hair.  Their father Phil had been adopted with a little brother and had such a wonderful mother.......Jo and Phil ended up raising the kids in Enterprise, Utah.  Tam loved horses......she married an older guy and had three wonderful sons.  Derek got married and had a daughter , but divorced.  I met his little girl once at Jo's.  He loved her dearly and was there for her so in his last days she took him into her home to die...... she now a lawyer in Tennessee.........which was a couple of days ago.....with lung cancer.  Many years later Jo and Phil had a baby of their own......Ryan......and that is another story.   Derek is with Jo and Phil now with no more pain........ and we still have cute Tammie in the family.  She and Leeland are no longer married and she seems very happy with her three sons and grandkids.

TIME.......

 

What do you do when writing your daily blog becomes an effort?  I use to have so much to say I didn't know where to begin.....now several days go by and I realize I haven't been near my computer.  Let's see......Wednesday went down to CITY CENTER to a fun wedding reception for my next door neighbors.......at the Cheese Cake Factory with Ivan and Gay.  It was Mark's third marriage.....Hanh's second.  Hanh is from Viet Nam and is going to be a wonderful addition to Mark.  She is constantly bringing me food and taking care of the "elderly"......Met Mark's twin brother Mike from California.....since we both moved in our twin homes at the same time we have become very good friends.  I am glad he found someone nice again!

Thursday was my day to have the Mexican Train girls over for lunch and games.....we ended up playing SNIVAL and they enjoyed learning it......It is our few hours to catch up and have a little therapy at it.

Friday I got the car inspected and a new tag for it and did chores.......Patty came by for coffee that afternoon.

Saturday.....today.....I went to a movie and did three batches of laundry and tomorrow it will be off to church.  Haven't seen the Panniers for two weeks......Pam calls about once a week to see if I am still alive.  Talk to Sherrie almost every day.  The Cooks........I saw a thing that said if someone walks out of your life......let them......then close the door.  I did that once before with her Dad.....don't want to, but it can be done.

Having beautiful Fall weather, but a big storm is forecast for next week!

IN THE END.....

 

SPRING HAS SPRUNG.....FALL HAS FELL.....WINTER HAS COME......AND IT'S COLDER THAN......USUAL!

Well I knew it was inevitable......winter and snow.......it snowed all day, but thank goodness it has been so warm the roads melted off......it has stuck to the grass and roofs though......so you know it is out there.   I spent a great day just hanging out and catching up around the house......but the next two days are pretty busy.  Tomorrow night a wedding reception of my next door neighbors and Thursday entertain the Mexican Train bunch!......and then it's the weekend again!

I have most my Christmas shopping done......now to wrap and label them and find a place to store them for the next six weeks or so.......still working on a set of dish towels and need to finish a baby blanket for my great-grandson.......then work on presents for the neighbors......such great neighbors!  I have truly been blessed with this move to have good people that care and check on me.......due to the fact......my children hardly know I exist.  Sherrie is good and calls almost every day and I love hearing what her family is up to  but she is 3 hours away......Pam gets around to it once a week or so......and Karrie.....Well?  I have Great friends and they have enlisted their kids to help me with my chores.....Friends......... you can never have to many friends.

A NAP........

 

WOW......this is getting to be a habit.   Three hours of church.......lunch......and a nap!...You know, keep the Sabbath Day Holy!   But then this gets you ready for the busy week ahead...........Very quiet weekend as usual.....all my family and friends have their own families around on the weekend when no one works.......mine live out of town or go out of town or just ignore me and my friends are in the same boat......so weekends are pretty quiet.....My sweet nephew and his wife and son did surprise me and come for dinner Saturday night and we played Snivel.......a favorite game from a trip to EUROPE with him once......it was great to have my family around........Mike had been up to rehearse for "SAVIOR OF THE WORLD"......the 13th year he has been in it............down at the Church's big center!. 

Did talk to my sweet sister and favorite cousin .......Lucille's Becky is not doing well with her cancer bout, but little sister had had a good weekend......and so IT IS.....WHAT IT IS!

 

TRANSITION......

"THE WORLD BREAKS EVERYONE AND AFTERWARDS MANY ARE STRONG AT THE BROKEN PLACES"

 

The course of change never did run smooth.......but you may be glad to know that Change is predictable.  Virginia Satir established a model of how we experience transition:

STAGE 1......Late Status Quo......Here you are in the eventual present and the skies are clear, but this stage is called late status quo because.....though you don't yet know it.....something is about to come along ........and Bam!  (Yes, he said he was going to coffee with his son-in-law and instead he went to the lawyer and filed for divorce)!......An unexpected event occurs.  Whatever it is, the foreign element tells you, instantly that everything has changed........STAGE 2.......FOREIGN ELEMENT.......Your life has been turned up side down. What you'd hoped for, planned for, or predicted may no longer be possible or even relevant.....Little about this process is pleasant......but it does get you somewhere important.......STAGE 3.....CHAOS.....Then STAGE 4.....TRASFORMING IDEA......You have an epiphany,......a stroke of inspiration brought about by all that disorder........Something clicks into place, and clarifies....you perceive a way forward...or at lest the possibility one.....with the help of family and friends. STAGE 5.....INTEGRATION AND PRACTICE...... This is the period when you test-drive that transformative concept, investigating its merits and pitfalls, determining whether it can sustain you in the long term.  But don't be discouraged, Trial and error are exactly what the integration and practice phase is for.....STAGE 6.....FINISH.....As you acclimate to a new approach or outlook, you ease back into relative  peace.You

're relieved to be here...but also proud to still be standing.....Pat yourself on the back; You have made it to the other side......

This seems to be what everyone has or is going through in one form or another......and it gives you hope there is life after crisis for all of us......

Very quiet Friday......didn't leave the house!

 

WHY NOT????.

 

Each time I sit down to write in my blog.....I either have a million ideas what I want to say......or none......so they begin "ONCE UPON A TIME"...... Yes, once upon a time it was very important for me to get up...... do dishes, make beds, vacuum the dog hair etc......NOW.....not so much!.....If it doesn't bother the dog.....why should it bother me?.......and by now my good neighbors and best friends come to see me......not my house!  I am finding old age is a completely different animal and I just have to live with it!  Pam and Rob are off to Island Park tomorrow for the weekend and the Christenson's are off to Escalante with the Labrums for the weekend so I can plan on no kids around this weekend......of course I know the Cooks are in their own world without our family any longer......wonder how the Christmas Party will turn out????

I have decided I need to be a person of few words so when I talk, they will listen, and I give them words that they remember......I need to be personable and passionate......Show them I care and make someone's day a little bit brighter.  Make time for love and room for growth.....Take a  walk more often and stay adventurous.....Keep my Bible open and my coffee cup full......Life gives you one try so you better go out and simply live it up!.

 

"REMEMBER WHEN YOU FORGIVE......YOU HEAL.  AND WHEN YOU LET GO....YOU GROW"

NOVEMBER'S HERE......

 

 

I guess that is what Mothers are for.......raise good people and hope they pass it on to the next generation.......October just flew by and Halloween was a big success in my neighborhood.   I had between 50 and 60 cute, well mannered kids come trick-or-treating.   The weather was good .......and now the weather has turned cold and here we are in November, with Thanksgiving just around the corner.  Church and the Spaghetti Factory with the Panniers Sunday......yesterday made out and paid bills and did chores......today I'm off to the Golden Corral for lunch with Shirley.

Worried about my sweet missionary Brayden....his foot still hurts and he is depressed.......still has 8 1/2 months of his mission to go.  I will be glad to get all my missionaries home safe and have it behind them.

Grey cloudy days are not the best for getting things done......you just want to curl up and veg......but all Life is an opportunity......and we should benefit from it......Life is beauty, admire it.....Life is a dream, realize it.......Life is a challenge, meet it......Life is a duty, complete it.....Life is a game, play it.....Life is a promise, fulfill it......Life is a sorrow, overcome it.....Life is a song, sing it.......Life is a struggle, accept it......Life is a tragedy, comfort it......Life is an adventure, dare it.....Life is luck, make it.......,Life is life, fight for it.  I try to be greatful every day for my many blessings in life.