Visiting Z's in Virginia

During our visit to Virginia we were happy to see that Rachel is in such a nice situation. She has a good apartment to come home to and a great roommate. She was in the training phase of her job and Steve offered tips on how to keep things in perspective. We wish her happiness and hope she'll embrace the new world around her, and share it by blog. Here she is arranging some birthday flowers.





Ie Li cooked one of her delicious dinners after church on Sunday. She made pot roast and mashed potatoes taste like a gourmet menu. The next night we had an east-coast experience at Legal Seafoods. It has grown up a lot in the 30 years since we enjoyed the first one in Cambridge MA. It had picnic tables and paper cloths back then.




Grandpa and I had a fun afternoon with Mei Li and Stephen. We all went to see UP! It was a cute movie that opened with a tender story of a love to last a lifetime. Mei Li gave us a preview of her dreamy fairy costume that Ie Lie made for Halloween. Stephen just wanted to know "Why?" He will be a rosy cheeked farmer.

Boston HBL with Zack and 30th Reunion

The first stop on our eastern tour was to see Zack in Boston. We were sorry that we just missed Ana and Jack. They went to San Diego to be with Dani, Sean and Jack's new cousin!

Zack came with us on a tour of the Harvard Campus. Here we are in front of the John Harvard statue.



John's 30th Reunion was worth attending. Though he only knew a few people personally, he had a lot in common with all of them. Here he is sitting 3rd row up for the class photo.



We stayed in Zack's apartment at Soldiers Field. He was a perfect host. We enjoyed going out to dinner at "No Name Restaurant," a favorite from 30 years ago. We also attended one of his class lectures. As we saw him with his section we could see the contribution he makes to the group.

Family Fun

Celebrating Christine's birthday on Sept 7 gave us one of the first occasions to break in the house for family parties.



We have a lot more moving in to do, but we are off to a good start.


Happy Birthday Christine - 22!



What would a Halloween be without Grandpa carving Jack-o-lanterns!

oceanside to la canada

August 27, one of the first things to do is fly to San Diego and pick up the Jetta. Then we drove to Oceanside. Here is a photo of Oceanside pier shot over the roof of the Jetta. Is this where we should have a beach house someday?



Next, we were in La Canada the same weekend as the fires! This is a picture from Angeles Crest Highway. Do you see the small helicopter above the flames on the mountainside? Other years we watched fires in Alta Dena and Glendale. Why did we think it would never happen here?



As we worked at the house a lot of old neighbors stopped by to say hello. Here is Susan Watley and her daughters. They say Hi to their old babysitter, Rachel. Some strangers also stopped at our u-haul and asked if we were evacuating. No, we just picked this weekend to clean out the basement!



It was a hot and sweaty day. Ash was gently settling on everything. The truck is loaded to go the dump. The boxes will get loaded and driven to Provo.



California is certainly beautiful and exciting. The fires are a dramatic display of nature. We are grateful that La Canada was saved from casualties or serious loss of property. Onward to Utah!


Here I am at the Angeles Crest Shell Station on the day that "10,000 Homes Are Threatened."

Provo - Home Sweet Home

We are in Provo now. Katie and Larry and Sarah have transformed our townhouse into a whole new place. Thank you! It will be a very nice place to live and I am so grateful.



This morning, Monday, at 9:00 two shipments will be delivered to the house: the container from Germany, and the storage from Andy's in La Canada. There is no room, but it will be fun to be reunited with our things and start feathering our nest.



This is the same container as it left our house in Frankfurt in July.

Enkoping, Sweden

Dad and I are spending these days visiting the area where his grandfather, John Waldemar Zackrison, was born and the family came from.

Yesterday we were in Enkoping. We went to the little local museum and spent a lot of time with an enthusiastic curator named Bengt Swenson. (Is that name Swedish enough for you?) He telephoned "the old man who remembers everything about the old farms." Today Swenson as arranged for us to go and meet the man and talk some more. We think this will be fun.

Then in the evening we are suppose to meet the Swede, Torbjorn Malm, that has corresponded with Jan a lot about common ancestors on the Widfeldt side. I hope we can skype Jan into the visit.

This is a wonderful time of having "the hearts of the children turn to the hearts of the fathers." It whets my appetite for coming back with more of the family. I'm planning the trip as we go along.




Bengt Swenson told us that he has become good friends with a BYU professor of European history named Craig Harline (father of Johnny Harline for you BYU football fans.) Their wives met at Ellis Island in one of those remarkable encounters. Swenson's wife was at Ellis Island with a friend who was searching for family names that had gone to America.

As she waited with her friend at the computers at the exhibit, she started putting in the name of a line of her family that had moved to America -- Harline -- but nothing was coming up. She kept trying and the line behind her grew longer. Finally the two woman standing in line right behind her asked her if she was from Sweden? The ladies confessed that they were looking over her shoulder and couldn't help but notice that she was searching the very name, from the Swedish side, that they were there to search, from the American side, - Harline. The two families have been close friends ever since.

Bengt Swenson used this experience to create an exhibit in his small museum. The Harlines joined the Church in the same area the Zackrison's did. Did they know each other? They preceeded the Zackrisons to Salt Lake City by about 5 years. Because of his friendship our curator friend feels very kindly toward Mormons.



Bengt Swenson had an exhibit showing this butcher cart. Axel Zackrison worked as a butcher in Sweden. John Waldemar Zackrison was also a butcher in Salt Lake City.

Florence

Just strolling and having ice cream with David -- Michelangelo's masterpiece as a part of daily life in Florence.

VENICE

But it's happy stress :)

Aug 21 Fly FRA to SLC!

Aug 16-19 Sweden

Aug 14-15 Florence

Aug 13 Rome

Aug 12 Venice

John says farewell to his colleagues

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

As many of you know, I have now finished my assignment as the Area Legal Counsel for the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Frankfurt, Germany, and Dorothy and I are now in the process of moving back to live in Provo, Utah. It has been an absolutely fantastic experience, on every level, and much of the reason for that has to do with those with whom we have been privileged to work – the valiant senior missionaries, the dedicated staff, the inspired leaders and the many lawyers of the Europe Area. Thank you for your kindness, your tireless and patient assistance, and your interest in the work of the Office of General Counsel.

My replacement is Dave Colton, who has the same contact information that I used to have ((Work) +49 69 5480 2223; (Mobile) +49 170 222 9614; sdcolton@ldschurch.org). Please direct all inquiries for the Europe Area Office of General Counsel to him.

Upon our arrival in Utah, I will continue helping the Church with international legal matters. I will be “Of Counsel” with Kirton & McConkie. In addition, I will have an assignment as the Director of the newly constituted International Coordinating Committee of the Church. My Church e-mail address will continue to function, and you can contact me there (zackrisonja@ldschurch.org). My contact information at Kirton & McConkie will be:

John A. Zackrison
Kirton & McConkie
1800 Eagle Gate Tower
60 East South Temple
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Office: (801) 328-3600 (gen’l.); (801) 321-4837 (direct)
Fax: (801) 321-4893
jzackrison@kmclaw.com

Thanks again for being such wonderful friends and colleagues during our time here in Europe. You have all helped reinforce our firm conviction that the work we are engaged in is indeed the Lord’s work, and that He is watching over it and attending to its every detail. May you continue to be blessed in your good and faithful work.

Warmly with kind regards, John Zackrison

Slovakia one last time

I'm actually on a shopping trip while dad is in England for three days. It is a long drive through some beautiful country side. You are struck by the natural beauty of the country side and villages contrasted to the waste caused by a misbegotten former political system.
Vienna Airport. Europcar Rental. Drive 5 hours. More later.

Paris Flea Market

I went to one of the Paris Flea Markets at Ponte de St Ouen after John left for Madrid. The treasures found at the market range from the raggitty to the sublime. It was a fun place to wonder.



My eye was drawn to these chandeliers. And I admired this chocolate pot. It's called a flea market, but I didn't see any Les Puces.

Paris - Le Cordon Bleu

This morning I took a three hour class at the famous cooking school in Paris, Le Cordon Bleu. It was a demonstration called "Cuisine Des Amis" or "Cooking for Friends." I took a million pictures and hope to prepare our menu for many friends in Provo soon. Saltimbocca style sauteed veal, polenta with herbs and green asparagus.




Stunning what I don't know about cooking. Much of what I learned today I will never remember, but I think that how to make pesto sauce and reduction of au jus will stay with me. How did I never learn about "reduction" of sauces. Thickening by flour may be a thing of my past. The interpreter said Chef Patrick Terrien is the happiest chef at the school. He was very charming.

Will sweet baby Huck be totally excited to get a new outfit from Paris? I wish I could snuggle him --he is so new.

The road home

Our great adventure is coming to an end. John is currently training his replacement. Dave Colton is here and living in our former house. We feel blessed that we lived in Germany for four years and that John was able to dedicate his legal talents to strengthening the Church for the Saints in Europe. It is without doubt the most satisfying work he has ever done. But our job is over and we are excited to get closer to the families we love.

On June 30, the movers came and loaded our things into a container. The container will travel by ship to San Francisco, and then by train and truck to 378 W 4620 North, Provo!



In the meantime, this is our Summer Quarters. We are in an apartment in a high-rise building next to the Church Office Building, You can't beat the commute. We pass the senior missionaries in the elevator and halls.



I'm just glad that I got to Brussels in a uhaul and picked-up Rachel's 'antique' sofa in time to get it included in our shipment. The treasure I found - a Grandfather clock - also made it.

Our 35th Wedding Anniversary

We had dinner at Amador Restaurant – 3 star in the Michelin Guide. It was a great restaurant in Langen, Germany just south of Frankfurt. It is a formal place where people make reservations months in advance. When we called that afternoon and said it was for our 35th anniversary, the woman said, “How spontaneous of you.”

This restaurant was Chef Juan Amador’s personal cooking fantasy. He put together anything he could think of putting together, like chili in the chocolate, virtual asparagus, caramel with horseradish... He put the courses in tiny bite-size pieces that he called a “micro menu.” The lobster soup was served in a test tube with a pipette. We would have enjoyed a bowl of that.

In this photo Dad is contemplating a course called “virtual oyster” and presented in three parts. First we ate a green leaf from the small rectangular slate. On the next slate is a plate/spoon holding a cucumber that is seasoned and textured like oyster and covered with “sea foam.” Third, you can see the cheese crackers presented in a sliced stone. Fancy.



Last of all they presented us with this chocolate cake, which was very good. The little sign says “Alles Gutte,” translated it means “Everything Good.”



The evening was fun. An elegant evening was especially appreciated following by one day our move from Walter-Hesselbach Strasse. I remember celebrating our 30th Anniversary with the family in Ventura. So much has taken place in the meantime. Everything good. We count our blessings.

Capistrano, California June 12-19

I enjoyed the week at Capistrano Beach so much! Thank you all for being there. It is fun to watch the little cousins play happily and form early bonds of love. I cherish the memories made of everyone gathered together. I enjoyed relaxed mealtimes, and felt our efforts at family nights were a successful start. I think every year gets better.

Here are some previews of the family photo, taken by Nate on Scott's camera. They are candid and informal, but they show that conditions were right for a beautiful family photo. The setting and light are good, and the colors bring harmony to our large group.



Every time we are together it is an occasion for counting our blessings.

Sweden - Home of Carl Larsson -Sundborn

Sweden has been on the top of my travel list for four years. We are finally here. I met Dad at the Frankfurt Airport as he returned from Albania. I had packed his suitcase for a weekend in Sweden and we took off for Stockholm. I have to thank BYU's Young Ambassadors for the concert that put this trip on our calendar.



In our two days before that, we plan to visit the painter, Carl Larsson's, house.



He is sort of a Swedish Norman Rockwell. By painting pictures of domestic life he captures Sweden's spirit.



His artistic wife created a charming country house full of hand painted details. Their eight children were the models of his paintings in daily life. Today we will rent a car and drive 2 hours to get to this country house in Sundborn, Sweden. Its interior details are unchanged from his day.





Last night we arrived late in idyllic Sigtuna. We slept in a hotel called "1909 Sigtuna Stads Hotell." The crisp clean decor of grey and white is very simple. The breakfast room overlooks the lake. The only embellishments are the crystal lighting fixtures. A thousand years ago this was the most important town in the country. It is another town that time forgot. Dublin, York and Oslo had the same original Viking town plan, but in Sigtuna the layout is unchanged from the Vikings' time. How strange is that to think of?!