WEEKEND WITH AL.......

     
           MY ALEX HAS GROWN UP......HERE HE IS 19......LEAVING ON A MISSION.....ALMOST 4 YEARS LATER HE HAS SERVED HIS TWO YEAR MISSION IN ARGENTINA, GOTTEN MARRIED AND DIVORCED AND STILL MY SWEET GUY WHO CALLED TO SEE IF HE COULD SPEND THE WEEKEND WITH ME.......ALONG WITH LANCE LABRUM....AND TWO DOGS.
         HIS PARENTS AND TWO BROTHERS LEFT EARLY THIS MORNING FOR NYC.....SO KEN CAN SWIM WITH THE SHARKS!.....HE CHOSE ME......I HAVE SO MANY FUN MEMORIES WITH THIS CUTE BOY AND HOPE TO CONTINUE A FEW MORE YEARS.
       SPENT THE MORNING WITH PATTY CATCHING UP ON HER TRIP TO CA FOR HER SISTERS DEATH,......SO HARD TO LOSE A SISTER.
58 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS AND 12 TILL WE ELECT A NEW PRESIDENT.....I AM KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED FOR TRUMP......LOOKING FORWARD TO A FUN WEEKEND AND HALLOWEEN ON MONDAY.
         "IF YOU THINK NOBODY CARES IF YOU ARE ALIVE.....TRY MISSING A COUPLE OF CAR PAYMENTS?"

NEXT LEVEL......

       I THINK I AM READY FOR THE NEXT LEVEL......SECOND CHILDHOOD!   YOU DON'T HAVE TO SETTLE FOR SO-SO OR JUST ALL RIGHT, AND THINGS CAN BE EVEN BETTER THAN GOOD.......THEY CAN BE GREAT!  I GUESS THE SECRET TO LIVING MORE FULLY IS TO REALIZE THAT YOU ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT WORTHY TO ALL THINGS......JUST START BELIEVING HAPPINESS IS YOUR DESTINY........
        ANOTHER BUSY WEEK SLIDING BY AND ONLY 60 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS......PAM TOOK ME TO GET MY EYES DIALATED YESTERDAY AND WE HAD A FUN LUNCH AT THE OLIVE GARDEN.......THEN KEN, BRAYDEN AND I WENT TO SEE JACK REICHER.....VERY INTENSE MOVIE.  TODAY I AM OFF TO PLAY BRIDGE.  STILL HAVING BEAUTIFUL WEATHER.....KEN AND I DID STACK AND COVER THE PATIO FURNITURE THOUGH....GETTING READY FOR THE SNOW.

FUN DAY......

     
       IT IS ALWAYS SO NICE TO A GRANDMOTHER WHEN ONE OF THEIR GRANDCHILDREN CALL AND SAY....."WANT TO GO TO LUNCH WITH ME"....OR "WANT TO GO TO A MOVIE WITH ME?" OR EVEN JUST COME BY TO VISIT A FEW MINUTES....YESTERDAY I WAS OFF WITH MY OLDEST GRANDCHILD....TIFFANY AND MY DARLING GREAT-GRANDSON AARON.  THE GUYS IN HER FAMILY WERE OFF DEER HUNTING AND MOM WAS OFF TO ST GEORGE FOR A GIRL WEEKEND......SO GRAMMIE WAS HONORED.
     OFF TO LUNCH WHERE ARRON FILLED UP ON MAC-AND-CHEESE, FRENCH FRIES AND TOPPED IT OFF WITH HIS  FIRST ICE CREAM CONE.....HE IS TRYING TO SAY EVERY THING AND SO FUN TO HAVE LUNCH WITH.   THEN OFF TO "AT HOME"....ONE OF MY FAVORITE STORES WITH EVERY THING IN IT.....I BOUGHT A NEW CHRISTMAS TREE AND A TOY BASKET FOR AARONS BIRTHDAY.
            CHURCH TODAY AND ONE MORE WEEK IN OCTOBER......SOON HAPPY HALLOWEEN.......

AM I GOOD ENOUGH? WILL I MAKE IT?

OFF TO CHURCH THIS MORNING.....KIDS AT THE CABIN.    I ALWAYS COME HOME FROM CHURCH WITH SOME QUESTIONS......TODAY I FOUND A WONDERFUL ARTICAL I MUST KEEP AT HAND SO I CAN READ IT ......PROBABLY REGULARLY.....IT WAS AT THIS YEARS CONFERENCE BY ELDER J DEVIN CORNISH.......

"MY BELOVED BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE MUST STOP COMPARING OURSELVES TO OTHERS....WE TORTURE OURSELVES NEEDLESSLY BY COMPETING AND COMPARING.   WE FALSELY JUDGE OUR SELF-WORTH BY THE THINGS WE DO OR DON'T HAVE AND BY OPINIONS OF OTHERS.....IF WE MUST COMPARE, LET US COMPARE  HOW WE WERE IN THE PAST TO HOW WE ARE TODAY-----AND EVEN HOW WE WANT TO BE IN THE FUTURE.....THE ONLY OPINION OF US THAT MATTERS IS WHAT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER THINKS OF US...

THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS "AM I GOOD ENOUGH.?" AND "WILL I MAKE IT?" ARE YES!  YES YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH AND YES YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE IT AS LONG AS YOU KEEP REPENTING AND DO NOT RATIONALIZE OR REBEL......IT ENDS WITH....OUR HEAVENLY FATHER INTENDS FOR US TO MAKE IT......THAT IS HIS WORK AND HIS GLORY"

THESE CAN BE COMFORTING WORDS ON THE DAYS YOU ARE DOWN. AND WHO HASN'T OR DOESN'T COMPARE YOURSELF TO ......TO MANY PEOPLE IN AND AROUND US.......FAMILY MEMBERS....CHURCH MEMBERS.....FRIENDS?.......I AM GUILTY BUT WILL BE THINKING ABOUT IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

KNOTS OR NOTS..........

YOU KNOW .....SOMETIMES IT REALLY IS HARD TO ACT YOUR AGE.   WHEN I PUT ON ONE OF MY CRAZY HATS BECAUSE OF A BAD HAIR DAY......I THINK.....SHOULD SOMEONE 84 AND A HALF.....WEAR THIS??????  BUT I DO ANYWAY......I SAW THIS ABOUT KNOTS....OR NOTS.......LIKE IT.

DEAR GOD

PLEASE UNTIE THE KNOTS THAT ARE

 IN MY MIND, MY HEART AND MY LIFE.......

REMOVE THE HAVE-NOTS,  THE CAN-NOTS AND THE DO-NOTS THAT I HAVE IN MY MIND.....

ERASE THE WILL-NOTS, THE MAY-NOTS, MIGHT-NOTS THAT MAY FIND A HOME IN MY HEART....

RELEASE ME FROM THE COULD-NOTS AND WOULD-NOTS AND SHOULD-NOTS THAT OBSTRUCT MY LIFE...

AND MOST OF ALL DEAR GOD I ASK THAT YOU REMOVE FROM MY MIND, MY HEART AND MY LIFE ALL THE AM-NOTS THAT I HAVE ALLOWED TO HOLD ME BACK...... ESPECIALLY THE THOUGHT THAT I AM NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

AMEN

REMEMBER ......YOU ARE ALWAYS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ANYTHING YOU WANT IN YOUR LIFE.......

!

WONDER WOMAN.......

YES, I DO SEVERAL THINGS THAT MAKE ME WONDER.......LIKE PUT OFF HOUSE CLEANING TO KNIT OR READ.......A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW WHO WILL KNOW WHETHER I CLEANED THE BATHROOM OR NOT TODAY......AND THE PEOPLE THAT COME SEE ME DON'T CARE.....WHY SHOULD I?  KNITTING IS A LOT MORE FUN THAN CLEANING THE TOILET!!!!!  I LIKE SWEET PEAS ATTITUDE.

SHERRIE DROPPED BY WITH MY DINNER AND TO PICK UP KEN FOR THE WEEKEND......HE WILL BE WITH HIS FAMILY AT THE CABIN ALL WEEKEND.....AND THAT IS GOOD.  WE BOTH GET A BREAK......I GUESS ALEX MET HIS FRIEND'.....S COUSINS LAST WEEK AND THEY HAVE BECOME FRIENDS.....I AM SO GLAD HE IS MOVING ON.....SHE WAS GOING TO BE AT THE CABIN WITH SHERRIE THIS WEEKEND SO THEY GET TO MEET HER.......SHE LIVES IN WYOMING NOW.

LESLIE COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY ALL THE TRAFFIC GOING HOME YESTERDAY.......WELL IT IS UEA WEEKEND IN SALT LAKE AND EVERYONE WAS LEAVING TOWN THE SAME TIME THEY WERE!!!!  A GOOD TIME TO TAKE THE KIDS AND LEAVE TOWN FOR SOUTHERN UTAH FOR FOUR DAYS.

ROB BROUGHT BREE OVER THIS MORNING FOR THE WEEKEND.......PAM IS IN ST GEORGE AND HE WAS OFF TO DEER HUNT IN SCHOFIELD........

ANOTHER WEEKEND ALREADY.......

HAPPY 15TH SCOTTIE........

         
               HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SCOTT CALVIN COOK......MY YOUNGEST OF NINE GRANDCHILDREN.....JUST TURNED 15 YESTERDAY.....HE WAS SO FUN AT THIS AGE AND I ENJOYED ALL HIS BALL GAMES......BUT THOSE DAYS ARE OVER.....HE IS NOW TALL......AND GORGEOUS AND HAS A GREAT PERSONALITY......WHEN HE THANKED ME FOR THE BIRTHDAY CARD AND MONEY HE SAID I LOVE YOU.....MADE MY HEART SWELL.....I MISS HIM IN MY LIFE.  MAYBE NEXT YEAR WHEN HE STARTS DRIVING HE CAN COME SEE ME NOW AND THEN......HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCOTTIE!

SISTER IN TOWN.........

FINALLY FOUND OUT WHERE I BELONG.....A DELUSIONAL OLD FART!!!!!

SO I AM LOSING MY HEARING, MY SIGHT, MY HAIR AND MY BALANCE AND I AM OVER WEIGHT.......I JUST REMEMBER HOW I USE TO BE AND IN MY MIND STAY THERE.

      IT WAS SO FUN HAVING MY SISTER, HER DAUGHTER AND HUSBAND AND LITTLE GIRL FOR THE NIGHT....MY FRIEND PATTY CAME BY TODAY TO TELL ME HER ONLY SISTER DIED THIS MORNING.......HAVING LOST TWO SISTERS I KNOW HOW SAD IT CAN BE AND I CHERISH MY LITTLE SISTER......SO ENJOY HER.

KEN OFF TO DINNER WITH HIS OTHER GRANDMA SO IT IS COKE AND POTATO CHIPS FOR ME TONIGHT.   LAST NIGHT DONALD AND HILERY HAD THEIR LAST DEBATE......NOW IF THE NEXT THREE WEEKS WILL PASS AND THIS ELECTIONS STUFF WITH ALL IT'S LIES WILL END.....I HAVE GIVEN IT  TO THE UNIVERSE TO SETTLE.

SEE A FOR SALE SIGN ON MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS HOUSE.....KIM AND KELLY, GUESS THEY DON'T GO FOR THIS CONDO STUFF AND WANT A PRIVATE HOME.

TIFF CALLED AND AND WANTED TO DO SOMETHING SATURDAY WITH ME AS SCOTT IS OFF DEER HUNTING WITH ROB AND PAM WENT ON A GIRL'S WEEKEND TO ST GEORGE WITH HER NEIGHBOR......SO OFF TO LUNCH AND SHOPPING AT NEW STORE "AT HOME"......SHE HAS NOT BEEN THERE......ALWAYS LOVE BEING ASKED TO DO SOMETHING WITH A GRANDCHILD.....THEY STILL LOVE AND ENJOY MY COMPANY.  ALMOST THE END OF ANOTHER MONTH.........

MISH-M0SH....OF THE DAY..

      I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PICTURE.......SOME DAYS.....SOME WEEKS....... LEAVE YOU FEELING YOU LOOK JUST LIKE THIS.....SO ALL YOU CAN DO IS HOLD YOUR HEAD UP HIGH AND TAKE ONE MORE STEP FORWARD.......I WONDER IF HILLARY OR TRUMP EVERY KNOW THEY LOOK LIKE THIS AT THE END OF THE WEEK???
     I WAS JUST THINKING AS I WASTE MY BREATH COMPLAINING ABOUT THINGS.......SOMEONE OUT THERE IS BREATHING THEIR LAST .....SO I MUST APPRECIATE WHAT I HAVE AND BE THANKFUL AND STOP COMPLAINING.....
    I KNOW THAT GOD KNOWS WHAT OUR MINDS CAN HANDLE.....WHAT OUR ARMS CAN CARRY.... AND WHAT OUR HEARTS ARE READY FOR.....TRUST HIS PLAN AND HIS TIMING.....
       THE LEE FAMILY HAS REALLY BEEN STRESSING ME OUT......PERHAPS YOU KNOW THEM.....;   EMOTIONALLY LEE, MENTAL LEE, PHYSICAL LEE AND LET'S NOT FORGET FINANCIAL LEE!
     I CONSIDER BROCCOLI AS A DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR RANCH DRESSING??  WENT TO THE POST OFFICE, THEN DROPPED OFF THREE BAGS OF CLOTHES TO GOOD WILL AND DID SOME GROCERY SHOPPING......OH AND DID TWO BATCHES OF LAUNDRY,,,LOOKING FORWARD TO DANCING WITH THE STARS TONIGHT.......I AM POOPED!

IT'S A GOOD DAY........

DON'T YOU JUST LOVE THEIR OUTFITS......I AM SURE HILLERY WILL BE WEARING THIS WHEN SHE BECOMES RESIDENT AND WILL FIT RIGHT WITH THE OTHER TWO HATED PEOPLE.......BUT I HAVE TURNED POLITICS OVER TO THE UNIVERSE TO SETTLE SO I WILL MOVE ON TO SOMETHING MORE POSITIVE.

IT HAS BEEN A QUIET WEEKEND WITH NO BOYS.......AND I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT MY FAMILY ALOT....TOO BAD MOMS AND DADS AREN'T FOREVER!

MANY MEMORIES AND LESSONS LEARNED AND I AM SURE I HAVE PASSED MUCH DOWN TO MY THREE GIRLS.....LIKE:

My MOTHER TAUGHT ME TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE......"IF YOU ARE GOING TO KILL EACH OTHER, DO IT OUTSIDE....I JUST FINISHED CLEANING!"

MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME RELIGION....."YOU BETTER PRAY THAT WILL COME OUT OF THE CARPET!"

MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME ABOUT TIME......."IF YOU DON'T STRAIGHTEN UP I'M GOING TO KNOCK YOU INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK."

MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME FORESIGHT......"BE SURE TO WEAR CLEAN UNDERWEAR IN CASE YOU ARE IN AN ACCIDENT!"

MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME IRONY......"KEEP CRYING AN I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO CRY ABOUT?"

MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME CONTORTRUISM......"WILL YOU LOOK AT THAT DIRT ON THE BACK OF YOUR NECK?"SO

I AM SO BLESSED TO HAVE LEARNED THESE LESSONS FROM SOMEONE WHO REALLY LOVED ME AND CARED.

RETIREMENT..........

JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU HAVE IT ALL IN PLACE......A NEW LAW IS PASSED BY CONGRESS!

WENT IN YESTERDAY TO STOCK BROKER TO REVIEW MY PORTFOLIO AND FOUND THERE

 IS A NEW LAW.....I DON'T DO MUCH STOCKS AND SO MY ACCOUNT NOW WOULD HAVE TO BE TRANSFERRED BACK EAST TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT OR MERRILL LYNCH WOULD CHARGE ME A LARGE FEE EACH MONTH TO MAINTAIN MY ACCOUNT?????  SO OFF TODAY TO ROLL MY IRA INTO MY CREDIT UNION.....HOPE IT WORKS.

THE BOYS ARE OFF TO VERNAL TONIGHT FOR THE WEEKEND FOR DARREN'S SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PARTY......KENNEDY IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT GOING BACK TO VERNAL FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS......HE SAID HE MISSES HIS FRIENDS......BUT DON'T ALL MISSIONARIES?  

BEEN A BUSY WEEK.......BABY SAT AARON MONDAY.......OVER TO PATTY'S FOR COFFEE ON TUESDAY......BRIDGE WEDNESDAY.......LUNCH WITH SHIRLEY YESTERDAY....TODAY TO THE CREDIT UNION AND VETS THIS AFTERNOON TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT GIGI'S EYE......SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM.  MY NICE NEIGHBOR TRIMMED ALL MY SIDE SHRUBS FOR WINTER YESTERDAY.......KEN AND I HELPED CLEAN UP AFTERWARDS. BOY, THE DAYS ARE FLYING BY...

LIFE IS LIKE A LADDER.......

       THIS KINDA MAKES YOU THINK.....DOESN'T IT......
I HAVE WAY MORE PEOPLE COME INTO MY LIFE AND LIFT ME UP......THAN THOSE WHO WALKED OUT OF MY LIFE AND MADE IT FANTASTIC.......BUT I DEFINITELY CAN NAME A FEW......OUR LIVES ARE LIKE A LADDER......EVERY STEP WE TAKE IS EITHER UP OR DOWN.....
      IF IN OUR SHORT LIFE WE HAVE KNOWN SOMEONE OLD....OR SICK OR STRUGGLING WITH CANCER......REMEMBER THE ALTERNATE DAY YOU COULD BE HAVING AND REALIZE YOUR LIFE IS A GIFT.....
     SO AT TIMES WHEN YOU FEEL BAD BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET WHAT YOU WANT WHEN YOU WANT IT......TAKE TIME OUT FOR A PERSPECTIVE BREAK .......HOW MANY OF YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT ARE NOW GONE WOULD TRADE PLACES WITH YOU?
      BEAUTIFUL FALL DAY......WENT OVER TO PATTY'S FOR COFFEE AND OFF TO BRIDGE TOMORROW.......ONE OF THESE DAYS I AM GOING TO GET SERIOUS AND DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE......LIKE FINISH CLEANING MY CLOSET!!!!

THANK GOODNESS FOR SMART GRANDCHILDREN.......

     
    YES.....IT IS FALL.......SO BEAUTIFUL IN UTAH.  YESTERDAY MY SWEET WILL CAME OVER AND SET UP MY NEW COMPUTER FOR ME......TODAY SWEET BRAYDEN CAME OVER AND GOT MY BLOG BACK ON LINE FOR ME......I STILL HAVE A FEW THINGS TO WORK OUT......BUT IT IS COMING FINALLY.
    SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED IN MY LIFE SINCE THE LAST BLOG.....RICHARD GOT MARRIED AND IS OFF ON A HONEYMOON IN PUERTO RICO........IN MY BOOK I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE COOK FAMILY AGAIN.....KARRIE STILL NOT SPEAKING TO ME, ANNIE COOL BUT LOVE MY SWEET SCOTTIE WHO SPENT TIME WITH ME AND HAD A GOOD VISIT.
   ALEX'S  DIVORCE HAS BECOME FINAL AND HE IS HAVING A HARD TIME ACCEPTING IT......IS LONESOME AND LOST.
   SCOTT HORTIN JUST TURNED 35 ......HE AND TIFF ARE IN MEXICO CELEBRATING BIRTHDAY AND 6TH ANNIVERSARY.  GRANDMA AND GRANDPA PANNIER ARE BABY SITTING FOR A WEEK.  I HELPED OUT TODAY WHILE PAM HAD A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT.....ALMOST TWO AND TRYING TO SAY EVERYTHING.....I AM "GG" FOR GREAT-GRANDMA.......
   KEN IS BEING A GREAT MISSIONARY AND SO MUCH COMPANY.  BRAYDEN IS HERE A LOT AND SO MUCH FUN......
       DEAR BLOG I HAVE MISSED YOU.

WOW......IT'S OCTOBER........

This is all I ask of my family at this age.......I am in such a place of hurt.....not knowing what I have done to cause the family to tear apart......This afternoon I delivered a wedding present to a grandson by putting it on the front porch and walking away.....it should never have been so .........I should have been hugging him an wishing him the best.....he promised to bring his finance by last May.....never seen either one of them......the wedding is Thursday in the SLC Temple.....of course I will not be there.....OH WELL.....Life goes on.....suck it up cupcake and smile......go to the reception Thursday and hold your head up high......You have many people who care and love you.......