Mormon crickets are nasty

... just walking among them made me shutter.  Those little critters are disgusting.  The roads were red in the car tracks from the sheer amount.

When I was younger I caught some of these nasty critters and put them in resin to make paper weights.  I thought they would be such a fun conversation piece.   However, I learned a few things:

1.  Mormon crickets are awful alive or dead. Whether they are staring at you through a glob of resin or on the side of the road, they are not where I want my eyes to land.

2.  When dying, crickets give off a gas or air that makes bubbles in the resin.  I guess you are supposed to hold them and pop the bubbles, but I hadn't learned that lesson yet.  I quickly moved to # three.

3. Toss, burn or bury.  Leave no sign they were ever here.

 

Ely's not that bad.

I've been to Ely three times now, and with each visit I like it more.  So excited to start our trip.  This is a first.  We know we are going to the Oregon Coast but that is the only detail planned ahead of time.  In an effort to play it chill we are just driving.  We jumped in the van headed out.

I'm done with the quarantine

I'll do what I can to help the medical community help us up to a certain point.  We stayed home so they would not be overwhelmed, but no plans to stay home four or more months.
I've seen masks and only gone shopping about every three weeks but after the third set I felt it was time to get back to living a regular lifestyle.
The country is split on this as well.

Lu returned to Heaven.

Lu was a sweet, athletic little girl.  She was Nikki's from day one, but when Nikki left home she became mine. She loved licking to tell you she loved you which I hated.  She learned to simply lick the air, and we were both happier with that.
Lulu often walked on her front legs to avoid getting all four wet on the lawn.  She climbed every fence we put up to stop her until the slick flooring gate.
She liked to see where she was going in the van.
Lu was a great dog and we will miss her.

Decorating for Spring and Camping at the Enterprise Reservoir

 

We headed on a short adventure to Enterprise where I decorated the graves for springtime. 
I love to put sagebrush and wild grasses on the grave (much to Mom' dismay) in the fall, but in the springtime I make it look more like Mom likes and put lots of spring flowers in.  I like to add height to the vases, and often use forsythia for that.  

I always love going home, seeing the community and running into people I know and love.  Of course, there is always a little sadness with Dad gone, and Mom and Kelly in Dixie.  I no longer have that place to call home when there.  

We tried pulling the van into Kelly's yard but it seems a bit awkward camping there with him gone.  He has told us we can go in, we know where he hides the keys but this trip we just planned on camping up at the rez.  

We backed the van in so we could leave the back doors open and enjoy the view.  It was such a nice night that we put the chairs out and watched the glistening water and the sounds of the ranch - coyotes and crickets and such.  It was very peaceful and mostly free of irritating bugs.

 We got there in plenty of time to watch the sun on the water, then the moon follow.  I thought of all of the times my dad had taken me here.  I was reminded of the year the water was so high it ran over both dams and then flooded out the road with Dad on the west.  He had a trailer there so he was perfectly set - except for all the mice that had checked in to spend the season with him.  He had some food, and just drank from the spring.  We were certainly glad when they got him back across.  He left the pickup up there, next to the Rez so he could drive it the rest of the way up and feed each day.  Then on the east side he had

either the truck or a car.

This is the reservoir I tried to learn how to fish at.  Orlan Alger was a great fisherman.  Dad and Mom let me spend some time with him, so he could teach me the finer things of fishing.  However, after mimicking him for hours - same bait, same fishing holes, he turned to me and told me "You must just stink".  Meaning, I must have a smell that the fish recognize and want to totally avoid the danger.  The smell would make it so I never was able to catch a fish.  Bummer.

I spent an hour the next morning trying to catch a perfect shot of the ducks on the water, but after taking many, many shots, I finally decided that this was an experience best lived rather than viewed on a photograph at a later date.  

I had a wonderful time and hope these shorter trips will make it so we can get out and still see places around Utah.

"What do you need me to do?"

One of the ways we have been asked to prepare for General Conference was to ask God where He needs us, what He wants us to do.  I have done that but felt like I wasn't getting any inspiration.  I haven't felt well, so much of my time was spent trying to get on top of things again and I felt perfectly fine crocheting and watching Hallmark movies as I needed the break.  But time clicked on and still no response to my prayers.

Then as the news hit that we were short of PPE's for the medical staff, my focus turned to masks and how I could make some.  I spent a fair amount of time researching the most effective kind and came up against a few very negative Facebook posts that they were of no value.  I finally decided to make them anyway, as Candice was having to reuse masks for multiple days and multiple rooms.  I was able to take my first batch up to her a week ago.

Then right after that, the area Mission President asked our ward to sew 50 for the missionaries.  Quality Market needed some and then a few ward members also asked, including Sherri for Diamond D.  I have spent the past 3 days mostly at the sewing machine.

I was feeling very badly that I wasn't getting inspiration as to where He needed me, and yet the opportunity was dumped right in my lap.  I didn't feel any extra "spirit" leading me it was just where I naturally went.  I would say that this time I was lead where my natural desires lead me with worry about Candice and others, but I look back knowing I went where He needed me to go.

Trimming apple tree

Candice's Granny Smith was in need of a good trimming.  She was going to ask Taylor but Dean said he didnt have the saw anymore so we ran up to support her.
Amidst this virus we were crazy careful.  She fixed roast and vegetables for us and we enjoyed the meal and work at a distance.

It has been almost a week ago now, with no signs of her or us having the virus Covid 19.  We continue to be very careful.
Millard has two cases on the other side but we do not want to get it with our histories.

We went up and back quickly.  I made Candice a few masks in the morning and then we headed up by 2:30.  It wouldn't give us much time to work before needing to head home, but I didn't want to miss conference on Saturday.

We have been looking forward to General Conference for 6 months.  President Nelson said it would be unforgettable.  I don't think he meant Corona Virus.  With our excitement we took the van up, carrying my little trailer and cut out about half of the tree, hawling the branches back to Delta to burn and make "Priests" out of.

I was also able to bring Jarad's Go Goffer up to him.  He seemed pleased with the end results.

Sacrament Meeting

We have been doing home Church for two weeks now, but today was our first with the Sacrament.  I must confess that there was a wonderful spirit as Dean prepared, blessed and passed the Sacrament to me and then him.

We are also able to watch some wonderful insights that help us as we follow the "Come Follow Me" Program.  We tend to like the "Come Follow Me videos that people put out on YouTube for our benefit.

The Corona Virus, Covid 19, has it's first two cases in Washington County yesterday.  It is coming closer to home for us now, although we have been in quarantine for about 10 days already.  We went shopping yesterday to pick up a few things, and we saw a few packages of toilet paper back on the shelves.  It was great to notice five different families see it, and none of us took it, probably just like me, wanting to leave it for someone that is in need.   About a month before this all hit we were in Cedar City.  I had been talking about needing TP and Dean said, today's a good day to get it.  We did.  Three cases.  The sales lady acted like we were nuts and asked us if we were going camping.  No, we were just stocking our shelves back up.  What a tender mercy.  We will be able to share.

Christmas Ornaments I'm working on

Michael S. Baptism

What a wonderful evening to be able to met Michael for his baptism.  I arrived in time to visit a bit, watch for other students and also play prelude.  A sweet young girl from the ward started playing so I actually called upon her to fill in for me whenever I wanted to get a picture or say a hello.

Michael was one of our Pathway Students, not yet a member, and living in Texas.  He was learning about the gospel from Sister Missionaries and he often ask us or the class questions.  We felt it was a wonderful opportunity to answer questions and help him in his quest.  We often got side tracked from our lesson plans but without regret.

Michael was egger to learn the gospel and already had a strong testimony when we started our group. He planned to be baptized in December while we were in Kansas, but none of us heard from him.  He had moved to Utah, changed his number and we had not way to contact him.  Then, out of the blue, he called and said he was getting baptized on Saturday of that week.  We sent would out to t

he entire class.

(It was wonderful that through technology, Michael's Missionary Sisters from Texas were able to view his baptism and program.  He was baptized by the father of a friend from his youth.  This family welcomed him in and loved and fed him as if he were one of their own.)

However, he had some special friends he wanted to attend and had postponed for them.  One day he visited a branch in Elko (or Ely) and visited with a man who explained to him that Satan was working very hard on getting him to procrastinate and that it was going to be very hard on him.  Michael agreed and his baptism was set for the next Saturday.   This man, only meeting Michael for a couple of hours, travelled to and spoke at his baptismal program.

Because of the late notice, and with so many ill, I and Anna ended up being the only ones from our class that were able to attend.  What a wonderful day!  Dean was struggling so although I had planned on staying over night for the confirmation, I headed home.    Anna had brought her two daughters with her.  It was wonderful to met these two amazing people.

Kudos to his new ward.  Only one family knew him, but it was very full of well meaning future friends.  I hope to remember what a great example of fellowshipping they set for me.

Congratulations Michael and welcome to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mom 's ablation

Mom let us know that she was going to have an ablation on Thursday after we had already left home and headed for some vacation time.  Things obviously had to be changed.

She had been struggling for a few months with irregular heat rates and rapid rates as well.  The medicine was working but she didn't want to keep taking it, so she opted to go in and get it fixed.  Luckily it was pretty slick.  They were late starting but otherwise the surgery seemed to go very well. I spent a lot more time at the hospital than I had planned.  Madelyn took her in at 5:30, and I was to pick her up at 9.  They didn't even start to get around to operating until about 8:30, which is when I showed up, not wanting to miss the doctor coming out and talking to me about the surgery.

Luckily I had brought my crochet and kept myself busy making covers for my water bottles.  Dean stayed in the van with the dogs, which didn't turn out to be a very good thing for him.  It took a toll on his emotional health.

Mom did really well and we brought her home.  Madelyn had purchased a great Costco meal for us, so I didn't even have to cook when we got back.  Aunt Jewell took food over the next day so we were able to head home, which is something Dean needed pretty badly after being banished to the van for two days alone with just the dogs.

Just images of things I want to remember 

today from Mom's house.

I'm back at taking random pictures as I wait for Mom at her house.  Her beautiful quilts, her ceramics, and the wreath I made.  I don't know who crocheted the bunnies.

Bunkerville and The Muddy History

Bunkerville, Nv

Few days trip

Off to Bunkerville - a place I have wanted to visit for a while because my Grandmother Eliza Hafen was born there.

Her mother was the fourth wife of father John George, and she was living there because the government had made a stand against polygamy.  What a terrible ordeal they all went through - no piece of cake.

So today we start playing, and looking and discovering.

Friends mothers funeral

Cort Cloves Mom passed away and I was in the area.  It was wonderful to be able to take Mom up home for the funeral.  Seeing Kris was great, just like the friends we used to be.  Another great was seeing Tammy Terry  and Gerald Jones.  It was so nice to see friends from my youth.

Church in Leeds with Mom

Layne Johnson funeral

We were tossing around the idea of going down to Nevada and seeing some of the sites while it was a bit colder in Delta.  I believed that a trip would help Dean's emotional help and so I talked of it trying to plant seeds.

Then on Facebook I noticed that sweet Layne Johnson had passed away and that clinched the decision.  Dean and Zote had been best friends growing up and Layne was his little brother.  I knew Layne only from JC Penny's store but didn't know him well.

As we drove into the parking lot we had to wait for a car to back into place.  It was Gail and Marsha.  It was so good to see them after all of these years.  They are some of the most amazing people you could ever meet.  We don't see each other often, but they are always in our heart.

Layne's funeral was amazing.  He was quite the man.  As a down syndrome baby his parents were told to put him in a facility and forget he was ever born.  They did not listen, but rather raised him with the rest of the boys, and did a mighty fine job of it.  He eventually got a job he worked faithfully at for over 25 years and married a sweet lady.  It appears he had a great life and was very well loved.

I spent the next few days looking for the video about him "The up side of downs".  It was a great funeral and so good to visit with dear friends and Dean's brothers.

Wall up

I have been working on the van for over a year and a half, building, planning, organizing and I was so looking forward to getting to go out and using the van.  Dreams of genealogy trips, sight seeing and time away together filled my thoughts but finally I realized it might need to be set aside.  I was heart broken.

I struggled for weeks and finally couldn't take it any more.  I moved the van to the back property so I wouldn't have to see it.  I had asked Lyle for help.  That didn't work out.  I had asked local business for help.  Nope.  Then I asked Michael, and arranged a time for him to work on it.  Dean was upset so I cancelled it, but that was the point that my heart broke.  I didn't want to see the van again until I had healed, which I knew I would.

Dean came in and asked what I was doing.  I replied I was just letting a dream die but would be okay in a few days.  However, he noticed that van out back and knew exactly what I was mourning.  He told me he would not let my dream die and began working on the wall.

He had it up in a day or two.  I just don't do electricity and had to have some help.  Once the wall was up he had the DC working within a few days and we are yet to have 110 but we do have plugs in the inverter.

Tending, and Sakura

Lesson learned:  Sukura was great but not enough time to eat 45 minutes away between kid drop off and pickup.

Jarad has wanted us to go out to eat with them for some time.  Candice had the day off, and we were up north so we tried to fit it all in.  It was a bit too tight and we were late getting the kids.  We called ahead so they knew we weren't going to make it for 5 minutes, and when we got there, 10 minutes late because of traffic, Sofie and Shepherd were in the office waiting.  They had locked to outside doors into the school.  It caused way too much stress and we won't be doing that again.  Dean handled it better than I did.

Getting the DC fixed so we can hit the road.

Mike is getting ready to put his house on the market, and asked if I could bring the van up when he worked on the DC in my van.  We made arrangements for the date, but when it came time to go Dean wasn't feeling well, and not happy I had burdened Mike with helping put in the DC.  He still needed the trailer and it was more convenient for me to take it to him than for him to come all the way down to Delta with his busy life.  I just made a day trip out of it.  

 

I didn't even stay long enough to see Ben and Amy but got to visit with sweet Bria for a bit before heading home.  

I have been struggling with reality and trials of life for a while but it kicked into hard drive this past few weeks.  I felt very blessed and comforted as I witnessed the most beautiful sunset.  Sadly, I had pulled off to take a picture in the snow storm without having to get out of the van, and almost got stuck.