Dog days of August - how about an ice cream social to liven things up??

There's a heat wave in our neck of the woods - and it's the kind that comes with humidity.  I know some of you folks deal with humidity more than we do  - so you might scoff at our discomfort - but it's 95 and feels like 115!

But The Grandmas know how to beat the heat - they eat ice cream and smile a lot!!

 

Miss Isla made a great ice cream helper!!  Love the hats!

 

Harry and Dawn may consider second careers at Coldstone's!!

 

The bouncing house seemed to need some adjusting - and also needed some kiddos to stop pulling on the sides!!  But it kept everyone happy most of the time!

 

At one point, Harry counted 135 people!!

 

Lots of ward members and neighbors.

 

And Hal and Blanche!!

 

And Arcelia and Aaron - and a Burdick or two in the background!!

 

A new neighbor Harry met while running - those running folks all stick together you know!!  And they are from Oregon!!

All in all, you could call it a rousing success!!  Thanks Harry and Dawn for once again livening up a summer night!!

A time and a place -

It's funny how a badly lit, somewhat old photograph can totally evoke a time and place.  When Harry and I started sorting the slides, we could figure out what the photo basically was, but not much else.  Seeing it "up close and personal" makes a huge difference.

 

For example, here is the living room from the 4-plex where we lived for 3 years - in SLC - our landlord was Brother Butterfield, so we called it "Butterfield Arms."  The floral carpet, the window seat, the fabric covered box holding Bonny's toys, the walker in the corner, the throw pillow made from a towel, the quilt from Grandma Mary.

 

And Bonny - who always wore a bib - always!  And I can remember that little outfit - a fave of mine.  And the white strap coming out of the box - she loved to chew on it.

I love a walk down Memory Lane - especially one with old photos.

cat duet

maybe some Betsy-Tacy inspiration?

St. George - and Seminary!!

One year Grandma and Grandpa Clayton stayed overnight with us in St. George - on their way to Utah I think.  At least that is how I remember it.

 

Not sure why, but we had slides of my mom's Seminary class in the mix!!  She taught for many years - gotta love her plaid "teacher's dress!"

 

Apparently my folks were there for Hannah's birthday - which was celebrated several times in St. George - and several times at Girls' Camp too.

 

Dad and Eliza having a moment!!

 

Eliza - with a Pound Puppy!!  I passed those back to their owners - hopefully Ida enjoys it!!

These slides are indeed random - a large number are Dad's mission, and all the back-packing trips - but the rest go all over the map!!

Elder Terrill at the LTM

When Harry left on his mission, it was possible to contact and interact with the missionaries in the Language Training Mission.  Harry had a locker that I took over, and I would leave him messages and brownies and other treats.  His instructor there contacted me when Harry was speaking at a sacrament meeting in the LTM and I went and heard him.

 

Both of these photos are of the group he was assigned to.  Over the years we had contact with some of them, but Harry has spoken about each of them frequently.

It is fun to see these shots again.  We know what Harry is up to - and we know was Elder Campbell is up to - 2nd one from the left in the top photo.

Wonder what the others are up to??  (The one on the front row far right is the one who used to show up in our apartment unannounced - Elder Millett.)

Time - it passes!!

If it's a photo we took at some point in time, it might be in this batch!!

Dad when he was teaching at the MTC in 1968.

 

Dad as a missionary - he said the guy joined but he didn't know about the girlfriend.

 

Nearly all the photos of me appear to have been taken at the same time - either that or I only had one shirt!

 

You've heard us talk about Millett - he was in Dad's group at the LTM - he often came and stayed with us - he'd "break in" and surprise us by being there when we got home.  One time he jimmied the lock and got in - and I was there - totally scared me!  We have lost track of him however.

 

I'm pretty sure this is 1969 when Dad graduated from BYU - but we are on Temple Square here.

I made the dress myself too!!

Can I just say old photos can bring a lot of joy??

The road trip putts along!!

We left Pam and Jerry's and headed for West Yellowstone via Montana.  I do not have any scenic photos to show - but I was not at all disappointed in the beautiful "Big Sky Country" that is Montana!!  In fact, I mostly just oohed and ahhed over it!! Occasionally Harry would say, "Maybe we should stop and take a picture," but I was pretty sure I could not do justice to the scenery.  Maybe Hannah can give me a few hints, since she always has wonderful scenic shots that evoke the place so well.

I did take a photo of the bear warnings that were posted everywhere!!

 

We had hauled the tent and other paraphernalia all that way, so we felt obligated to camp one night - so we did - at a KOA!  But we had s'mores and a chilly night's sleep!!  (Complete with the obligatory lightning and thundershower!!)

 

We used a little backpacking stove - and ate well!

 

My one scenic shot - through the windshield of the rain!!  Yellowstone was scenic also, but we didn't stop for any sights.  That will be another road trip!

 

Instead we headed for Chubbuck and a fun visit with Karen and some of her kids.  

And visiting the folks was once again the highlight of the day!!

Friendship - and little girls!

I have a group of high school friends I get together with several times a year.  We have known one another since elementary school days.  I have not been in contact with them the entire 50 years since I graduated, but for the last 30 years, we have been in contact at various levels.

We have gathered for lunch and dinner.  We have met up at one another's "ancestral homes."  We have gathered at restaurants.  We have taken road trips together - at least two of us did once!  We have organized and held a few mini-reunions.  And we do "group chats" on gmail - and that is definitely fun - and often the high point of my computer time!

So when I saw this photo I had snapped of my granddaughter with two little friends - who happen to be twin sisters - I wondered if they would have lifelong friendships.

For their sakes, I hope they do!

Happy Day Hannoola Flanagan!!

I don't keep track, but I'm sure I post the same photos over and over again.  Especially the ones that are my faves.  This is one.  A guy came around with a pony taking pics.  Noah went out and flagged him down, so we had to do it.  But I'm not sorry - in fact,  I kind of love those pony photos!

 

There's something about the way we all used to sit on the gray couch!!

 

I've always loved this shot of Harry holding Hannah on her blessing day.

 

Hannah - lover of Cosmo!!  Looks like he enjoyed her company too!

 

Another fave shot with Grandpa Terrill.

 

Always a smile!!

 

Of course, now we can't say Hannah without saying Robbie!!  So glad of that!!

Have a great day Hannah - and we know the year ahead will be a great one too!

Happy Birthday to Lyn and David!

I note that I usually send birthday greetings to Lyn and David - who share a birthday - using the photo at the bottom of this string of photos.  I usually say that it's the only photo I have of the two of them.  So I looked about a bit.  This photo contains Lyn and David - can you tell who's who?

 

And this is a shot of David and Lyn - along with everyone in the family!!  And David is the babe in arms that Alice is holding.

 

David is here too - last in line on the boy side, while Lyn is first in line, next to Dad.

 

A fave photo of Lyn that I have in my possession!!

 

And a fave photo of David that I took one year.

 

Here's Lyn with 3 of his siblings.

 

And David with two of his sibs.

 

And the famous shared photo that I usually post each year.

Happy Day to Lyn and David - and may the year ahead be a good one!

73rd Anniversary

73 years ago today, my mom and dad were married in the Huntington Park Ward chapel.  On August 21st, they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple.  Unfortunately, there are no photos of the occasion.  But I remember Mom telling me that they drove to SLC on their honeymoon and stayed with Aunt Elsie.  I assume Aunt Elsie went to the temple with them - but I guess I could ask.

This year, Mom pointed out that the 17th this year is on a Saturday - and they were married on a Saturday.

Happy Anniversary to the best mom and dad ever!

Annika's Grandma's Birthday Weekend!

Bruce brought Annika out Saturday morning.  We had some lunch, then we went shopping - and found some good deals!  We went over to get Eve, after she got home from gymnastics. The girls wanted to skate - but ended up scootering at the Bradoaks campus.  

 

Eve came for dinner - at Annika's request, we had homemade mac 'n cheese.  Yum!!  We took Eve home, and Annika had some chocolate milk and a Grandpa Bob story.  I had forgotten to get Milanos, but I did have lightbulb cookies - which Annika tried - and said, "These are pretty good."  Obviously a young woman of taste and discernment.

 

Eve came over after church on Sunday - and we all went to the open house for Scott Card - who is going on a mission to Pocatello!!  After we came home and played "Team Syzygy" - which Eve and I won!!

 

Monday Annika finished her quilt - she had cut out the squares when Hannah was here - she's a great little seamstress!!  At her request we had Chicken Enchiladas for dinner.

 

Monday night for FHE we took the tandem bikes on the Duarte Bike Path - had fun!!  

 

We went to visit Grandma Mary - and then got up and got ready to head back to Malibu.

 

On the trek home, we listened to the soundtrack from the musical "Little Women."  A nice touch for the winding up of a visit with one of my favorite "little women!"