The Big 65!!

Carl turned 65 on April 23rd, and it couldn't come soon enough for him--he is sooooo ready to be done working so he can do some playing--ha! Pat has a honey-do list that is fairly lengthly.

We celebrated the big milestone on Saturday--went to breakfast at Village Inn, then steak and grilled veggies dinner with Carl as the griller (of course). Dessert was a decadent 6-layer coconut cake from Paula Deen's book (butter required of course). Pat had requested favorite Carl memories from the kids, and (with Carrie's help) put together a memory book of quotes and photos--quite a masterpiece.

Happy guy with his coconut cake--his wish as he blew out the candles was that the next 6 days of work would go by "really fast."

The happy guy with his memory book

This is how the grandkids spent part of the evening (the other part was tearing around the house having a wonderful time--only a few tears and scrapes)

The evening ended with a hot game of "The Office" trivia game--as I recall Curtis was the winner.

Spring Snow Made Tolerable

After posting the photo of the pussywillow tree in beautiful spring weather last week, here is what is happening now. However, a visit from my pal, Cameron, makes it all tolerable! This is how he likes to be held when his grandma sings the ABC song to him.

Carl and "The Center for Facial Appearances"

("The Center for Facial Appearances" is really the name of the following facility) Yesterday, Carl had his first follow-up appointment to remove stitches and have the contacts removed. He went to the downtown office for the first time (this doctor maintains two offices, one in downtown Salt Lake City and one in Sandy). As we walked into the downtown office, we could plainly see that anyone who is interested in the medical field should go into cosmetic surgery as it was PLUSH--exquisitely decorated with original artwork, statuary, and Persian rugs.

While waiting in the well-appointed waiting area in the comfy overstuffed leather chairs, Carl noticed a restroom and thought that if they are going to be "digging" around in his eyes, he better take advantage of the opportunity. The restroom was as equisitly decorated as the rest of the entire office. After finishing using the facilities, his attention immediately went to making sure no one could tell he had even been in there. After a quick examination of the "rim" he lowered the lid, quickly washed his hands, and departed.

It wasn't long until we were called to follow the perky little assistant down the long corridor to the examining room. The stitches were removed by the physician's helper, as well as the protective contacts, and his eyes quickly felt better. The facial surgeon made his entrance, sat down, and proceeded to tell Carl about his experience under anesthesia during the surgery. Carl said, "yes, I remember waking up during the procedure and hollering, 'I'm awake!' " The doctor said, "yes, I know, we had to turn off the anesthesia because you were so agitated." So Carl asked the doctor: "Was I being a real brat?" He laughed and said, "Well, you were thrashing around, moving your head from side to side, closing your eyes really tight and refusing to open them, and trying to get your hand up to your face to help out. We finally had to turn it off and wake you up so you would hold still, and proceeded with a local with you awake!" As a result of Carl not holding still, he has to go back in in three weeks to complete the procedure of permanently removing eyelashes that grow straight up from the lower lid, rubbbing against the eyeball (a condition he's always had).

It wasn't until on our way home that he happened to put his hands in his lap and felt the rought edges of a zipper. He looked down and realized that his fly was wide open and had been the entire time since using the fancy restroom. He guessed he was so intent on destroying all evidence of his being there, he forgot to zip up! The positive in all this is he can see better and has a wider range of vision.

Day Five...

Day #5, and things are getting scarier all the time. Carl eyes now look like a green hamburger with mustard and ketchup top and bottom! However, out in public he looks mighty fine in his cool sunglasses, so he doesn't scare little kids!

Sickies-Day 4

I (Pat) just figured out we can take photos right from our laptop...I know, you probably all knew that, but we are of the generation that has to learn every little computer thing one at a time!

I had just called Carl tlo the kitchen where I was working on the laptop...he came up behind me with his hand on his foreheard...to see the wonder of the laptop camera. So, here you have him on Day 4! He is still swollen and black and blue; however, if we can look beyond all that we see "one hot stud." (He told me to say that!)

Carl Day 3

Day Three - Friday the 13th. In spite of what you see, Carl is looking a bit better--he can even see now. Since we are both getting cabin fever, our big outing for the afternoon was a short trip around the west side of the valley, then stopping at the new Arctic Circle close to us for a dipped cone! I'll tell ya, life is really exciting around here! On a brighter note, our pussy willow tree in the back yard is telling us spring is right around the corner...

Another Sickie in the House!

This posting is not for faint-of-heart! Carl's upper eyelids had so much excess "stuff" in them that they were pushing his eyelids onto his eyeball, so the doctor recommended surgery. Carl figured since they were messing around with his eyes anyway, he would have them remove the bags under his eyes while they were at it. The result is a bit scary now, but in the end we're hoping for an even more handsome Carl!!

So, at this point, Pat hobbles around on her cane taking care of her sickie, then lays down on the couch until the next round of eye drops and pain pills are required for him. Ahhh...what would we do without each other!

Here's what is under that white ice pack...

Not Since Her Days of 4-H!

A miracle has occurred--actually it occurred because Carrie now has a son in Cub Scouts, which necessitates the sewing on of many patches! She called this morning and admitted she was ready to tackle sewing, at least in a small way. We brought down Pat's old Singer sewing machine from a basement closet which we purchased when we first moved to Idaho Falls from the home economics department at Bonneville High School in about 1976 ( and it was 3 years old then, so you do the math!). The last time Carrie worked at a sewing machine was when she was in 4-H--probably at about age 9 or 10.

She even remembered most about how to thread the bobbin and needle.

The finished product. She followed this with sewing on a button. Parker was quite amazed that his mom was sewing. He was enthralled with the machine, never having been around one before.

A New Beginning for Two

Pat just achieved a lifelong goal...retirement. Working at LDS Church Security has been a wonderful way to end a working career! So yesterday, March 2, 2009, after a department luncheon, presentation of a beautiful plaque, and hugs and tears, it was on to the next phase of our lives. She admits that the very first thing she did after arriving home from the office was to take a nap! Monday evening, Carrie and Sam brought over a big bouquet of beautiful roses and we all went to dinner at Applebee's!

This morning, March 3, we went to the Social Security Administration offices to get Carl signed up for Social Security benefits--his last day of work for Verizon Wireless will be around May 4. So, our life will take a new turn, and as soon as we can get Pat's knee cooperating we'll be off to have some fun!

This smile is very, very, very genuine!

The Big 30..Shandy's Turn

Lest we totally miss posting in February, we finally took some photos. Life has been rather, shall we say, less than exciting, icky, etc., but things are looking up. Pat is slowly regaining energy and trying to get her gosh-darned right knee to bend. Enough of that...

The gang gathered the day before Shandy's 30th birthday (actual birthday-Feb. 26)to celebrate. The consensus of the group was to order from Cafe Rio, and feed the kids Spaghetti-Os. Curtis-yes Curtis-made Shandy's favorite dessert--great evening with great people! All the little boy cousins had a ball, and it was great watching them together.

Waiting for Shandy to finish her Cafe Rio salad so we can get to dessert!Shandy's youngest brother, David, and Carrie
also waiting for dessert Finally...

The Good, Bad, and the Ugly

Both Thanksgiving and Christmas have come and gone since our last post. Let's say it this way..."it was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Thanksgiving was great with a houseful of family, including lots of crazy little boys! Then on December 1st, Pat had knee replacement surgery. More on that later.

Here is Carl all decked out in his Eddie Bauer Christmas cold weather finery. And none too soon! On Christmas and the days to follow, we had snow like never before. We should have taken a photo of his brand new snow thrower! Thank goodness he talked Pat into letting him buy it, because it has been in constant use ever since!


Here's what I'm talkin' about...

Pat was confident that four weeks after surgery, she would be back to her normal, busy self---ha! She has been on this machine for hours each day, plus attending physical therapy sessions and doing exercises at home, but........As of this writing, not much progress has been made, so back we go to the surgeon next Tuesday to see if he is going to "manipulate" the knee. It just isn't getting the flexibility, so they may put her under anesthetic, force the knee down, breaking the scar tissue.

Mystery Bird & Renovation

We're accustomed to seeing birds in our back yard, but this one was a surprise. We quickly took a photo through the blinds, and the not-so-clean window obscures the view, but we think it's a hawk of some kind. He quickly disappeared, and we haven't seen him/her since. Pat has wanted an island in the kitchen ever since we moved in, and the job is now complete except mounting the hardware and a final coat of varnish. We are loving it!

Since we were getting granite on the island, we had granite installed in the master bath for a very good price--we're now wishing we had done both bathrooms. Anyway, here are before and after photos of that project:
Before

After

At Our Age, Good Times Are Even Better

When we bought our first home in Taylorsville, Utah, back in 1971, we became close friends with many couples in the Taylorsville 15th ward. We still get together quarterly with a small group of those people. Our conversation now consists mainly of our latest ailments, our children and grandchildren, and stories. Those stories probably get repeated from gathering to gathering, but it's okay, because we've forgotten that we already told them!!!

Lyle Elmore, Ron Rash, Pat, Cindy Peterson, Linda Elmore Jenienne White (sitting), and Charlie White. At the moment, Carl and Lynn were at the stove being chefs

Our great friend, Vic Manwaring, drives down from Buhl, Idaho, to these gatherings. His wife, Uvene, passed away unexpectly two years ago, so one our group assignments is to find him a new companion!
Kathy and Ron Rash, with Cindy Peterson in the background directing us in a game. Cindy, the youngest of our group works hard to keep us actively involved in something besides comparing ailments!

Pumpkin Carving-Pros and Cons

Let's face it--carving pumpkins is one thing, but the prep work can be very yucky. Parker would have absolutely nothing to do with pulling out the "guts." The photographer was laughing so hard (but not out loud) at the disgusted looks on his face, that the camera wouldn't hold still!!

Now Carson, on the other hand, loved getting into the gushy, slimy stuff more than the actual carving.

Grandpa really did help with the cleaning out, but his favorite part was holding this little monkey. How can you resist this kid, when he gazes up at you with those huge, light blue eyes! His little tummy shows evidence of the great meal that prefaced the pumpkin activity. Carrie had made homemake cheese soup, homemade rolls, and caramel apples. A downright domesticated diva she has become!!!

While all the indoor activity was taking place, Carl and Sam were working on finishing the stair rails for the deck. We'll save that, however, for another blog!

Another Wedding and a Birthday

This has been quite a weekend!! The last three weekends we have been at a wedding--Tracie, Susan's sister, in the Idaho Falls Temple; then Kim's cousin, Kinsey, in the botanical gardens of the Indianapolis, Indiana, zoo; then this weekend in Taylorsville, Utah, at the Majestic Meadows clubhouse. You can't say we don't have diversity in our family...

Prior to the wedding, however, we also got to celebrate Paul's 50th birthday!! I was going to post a photo of him blowing out the candles on his lemon meringue birthday pie, but this one is much, much better! I've never seen Paul's smile so wide as when he is with "his friend," Mary Hansen. Dare I say on a blog how much we love Mary?...She is fun, funny, and seemed to take all the craziness of the weekend in stride!

Here is the happy couple, Cheryl (formerly Barney) and Morris Bell.

Morris' oldest daughter, Elizabeth, friend Amy, and son Trevin. Trevin was the ringbearer (carried down the aisle by Elizabeth).
We got a kick out of this photo. The clubhouse where the wedding and reception were held had been decorated with Halloween decorations prior to the festivities. Someone forgot to remove this poster over the gift table, however!
Here's a cheesy threesome--Pat, Barb, and Paul
This is our mother's brother, Dayle Dunkley, and his wife Verdeana. They came down from Pocatello, Idaho where they now live with their daughter.

Indiana 2008

Our annual fall trip back to Indiana was as much fun as ever. There is non-stop action/fun/drama/trauma/craziness/you-name-it back there. Mike, Kim, Courtney, and Camilla always make us feel welcome, as do the Priebes and the Prices (Kelly--Kim's sister--and Greg). The weather was absolutely fantastic, which was even better because we missed the snow in Utah that weekend.

Here's the foursome right after Courtney's choir concert. She is quite the talented little musician! Mike always has a project he and his dad can work on...this time it was setting the posts for a new fence.

Camilla has a new cat--Franny. She's darling, but she's in jeopardy--the day after we came home Mike tripped over the cat, then Camilla's bicycle and sprained his ankle.

It's a tradition that Courtney and Grandma make/cook something when we come to visit. This time it was "fairy fudge" from a cookbook Shandy and Curtis gave Courtney for Christmas. It turned out mighty fine. We even had a "secret ingredient"...marachino cherry juice to make the fudge pink!

One of the reasons we chose this weekend to go back was because Kinsey Priebe, Kim's cousin, was getting married. Courtney and Camilla were junior bridesmaids. Kim was matron of honor and head wedding planner, and Michael was best man. The wedding was held at the Indianapolis Zoo botanical gardens, and it was a beautiful setting.

Theresa and Kent Priebe with their newly married daughter, Mrs.Kinsey P. O'Connell.

Take Me Away...

We just spent an incredible five days with some very close friends. We've been friends with Ron and Kathy Rash, Lynn and Cindy Peterson for a long time. We've been bragging about the beauty of the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest for many years and had a chance to take them there! We all flew to Seattle, rented a Suburban, and had a blast! We did the touristy stuff--Pike's Place market, the Troll, Archee McPhee's, and Snoqualmie Falls. Daurell and Jana knew many of Rash's family and were kind enough to put us up for the night. The weather was spectacular, so Daurell drove us all around Lake Sammamish on his boat. Meanwhile, Jana had prepared one of her great meals for us. Next morning we drove up to Anacortes and boarded the ferry to Lopez Island.

Our friends, Steve and Jacque Bumstead, have property on the island and have built a "cabin" on the water there. The Bumsteads treated us royally and took us around to just about every inch of the island. The guys went out along the shore and pulled oysters off the rocks, and Steve roasted them over the fire. The entire time the weather was perfect.. On Sunday we attended phone-in church services. A whole other story...

The above photo is our favorite view from the cabin overlooking what we call Bumstead Bay

Great place with a kitchen to die for!

A favorite place for lunch and browsing is the Lopez Island Pharmacy with its old fashioned soda fountain counter. Jacque and Steve are on the left. One happy group!

This plaque was a surprise to Carl. The first time we visited the Bumsteads' old cabin, Carl had just had surgery on his hands for carpal tunnel, and sat and read a book the entire time we were there. Steve and Jacque decided then and there that the new cabin would have a room dedicated to him; thus there is a small library in the turret, and many visitors bring a book to donate.

Steve and Ron say they really love oysters--hard to believe, but all the guys at least tried the ugly little critters.

Clarks, Petersons, Rashes (we call ourselves the CPRs)

We didn't want to leave and are ready to go back, although our kids would disown us if we went without them next time.