July to September 2019

July was a hot and dry month.  Thank goodness for our drip line system in the garden, I was able to give the garden an extra watering during the very hot days without getting the leaves wet, giving out garden a boost.  We saw more than 20 days of temps in the 100s.  We started the month as usual going to the Riverton City's annual 4th of July community breakfast.  Since Trevor had to work that day, we took Audra and Autumn with us.  They enjoyed the food, and stayed afterward to participate in the carnival rides and the vendor booths.  Dave and I came home to the cool comfort of the air conditioned house.  Dave's former boss, (Rusty), threw his annual swim party this month, and it was a relief from the heat to sit under his shade trees and enjoy to pool, while visiting with friends I haven't seen for quite awhile.  He had about 50 people in attendance.  I guess the heat brought most of them out to enjoy the cool pool, on a Saturday afternoon.  The 24th, we enjoyed the "Pioneer Day" fireworks and grilled out on our deck.  Then, the next day, we flew out to Minneapolis to visit our friends, (David and Janice), to enjoy their city's festivities.  We enjoyed a riverboat cruising, visiting local restaurants, and the grand finale of fireworks on Sunday the 28th.  We spent the evenings playing cards, laughing, and catching up on what's been going on in our lives.  Then back home on Monday the 29th.  July saw the start of our garden producing.  Autumn learned how to pulled weeds, and pick ripe strawberries, lettuce, herbs, and cucumbers.  After that, there was a safe ripe strawberry during her visit to the garden.

August was another hot and very dry month.  It also meant time for the county fair, and exhibits.  This year I entered 3 items in the "Home Arts" division.

I made a loaf of my white bread, and won the "High Blue" ribbon.  I had to actually ask what was the difference between the blue ribbon and the high blue ribbon.  The judge said a blue ribbon would be an A, and a high blue would be an A+.
Then I won the "Sweepstakes" award,  The best of all entries in the "Home Arts Division" over all entries.

I also entered a jar of my pickled beets, and won a blue ribbon.
Then I won the "Judges Choice" ribbon.  This means the judges thought that of all the canned goods entered, mine was the best.

I took a chance and entered my apricot jam, and also got a blue ribbon.

This year my entry was 3 entries = 5 ribbons.  I was so happy, and Dave was so proud of me.  I think his smile was bigger than mine.










Trevor received his Associates Degree in the mail, and we are so proud of him for finishing the task he set for himself.  Opal, (the cat the was rehomed to us), is becoming more and more attached to us and very loving.  Her prior owner said she didn't like to be held, but she is becoming more and more of a "hold me a little and hug me" cat.  The last week of the month, Dave and I drove down to Sedona for a spend a very relaxing week just doing very little.

We had this cute little cabin, and we would walk over to the pool every morning.  Swim and enjoy the pool until it got too hot.  Then return back to the cabin to the comfort of our air conditioning and read, watch TV, sleep, just enjoy the afternoon until dinner time.  Some days we cooked a little dinner, a couple days we ate out.  We had no agenda, we just lived day to day.  It was an enjoyable way to end the month.






We returned drove home on Friday the 30th to avoid the holiday traffic.  And it was a good thing we did.  There was so much traffic the closer we got to home.  We also returned to a garden that suddenly decided to produce abundantly while we were gone.

September was again another hot and dry month.  This summer was the second hottest driest month on record for our state, and it sure felt like it.  I picked a lot of raspberries from our bushes, (after 5 years they were finally producing).  Autumn and Dave ate a few handfuls, I made raspberry cinnamon rolls, and the rest I froze to use later.  I learned not to let Autumn help pick green beans, she would eat as many as she picked.  That girl loved raw green beans.  And now that she has seen how they grow from a seed to a full sized bean, she loves green beans on her plate. Trevor, Audra, and Autumn went to Oregon for a week and brought me back a couple bags of blackberries that they picked from the farm of Trevor's friend, (where they were staying).  I had enough to get 2 pint jars of the most delicious jam from them.  I put 1 pint jar back, thinking this will be next year's fair entry.  But, the first jar is gone and we've opened the second jar.  Our friend, (Dave A), gave me a small amount of apricots from his tree and I was able to get 2 more jars of jam for my pantry.  Our peach tree produced really well, and I made 5 jars of jam, froze a couple bags, supplied the neighbors with some, and we've eaten our share.  I also was give a box of peaches, pears, and nectarines, so I made 5 jars of fruit cocktail.  It turned out really good, Dave says it's better then the canned stuff.  I spent quite a lot of time canning green beans from the garden - I got 16 quarts in the pantry to replenish my supply.  Autumn has eaten her weight in small yellow tomatoes this year.  She gets so excited everyday when she goes out to the garden and sees new ripe tomatoes ready to pick, or new cucumbers.  And she's just dying for the carrots to be ready to harvest.  One day when we were in the garden she told me, "I know why the cucumbers have little flowers and the squash have big flowers.  It's cause the cucumbers are little and the squash are bigger".  And she's right.  We had 5 beautiful big butternut squash year, planted from seeds I saved last year.  And all my cucumbers were from seeds I saved as well.  My tomatillos were leftover seeds from a couple years ago, and I just threw them in the ground, and thought "What the heck, let's see if they grow."  We have a huge box and now we have a couple bags of tomatillo sauce in the freezer.  So our garden has been good to us this year.  And Audra's box that I let her use, was also productive.  I also have shared so produce with them, and they have enjoyed the freshness from the garden.  I will have much more work to get accomplished before fall and winter approach, but it's been a busy life around the house. 

Autumn has started school, just up the street from our house, (she's in the 2nd grade).  I walk her to school most days, and I'm there waiting for her at the school when she gets out to walk her home.  She loves the school and her teacher, and tells me all about it.  It makes me smile to hear her tell about her day.  On the evening of the 16th, the school had a "Color Run".  Her mom couldn't go, so I went with Autumn.  She had a blast run the course and getting sprayed with colors.

2019 County Fair - 3 entries = 5 ribbons

This year for the County Fair I decided to submit 3 entries, homemade Apricot Jam, Pickled Beets, and White Bread.  And Guess what?   I came home with 5 ribbons.

My white bread won HIGH BLUE and the SWEEPSTAKES ribbon.  Quite a big surprise for me.  I think Dave's smile was as big as mine on this one.  Blue is quite an honor, but High Blue is almost impossible to imagine, let alone the Home Arts Food Division Sweepstakes ribbon.

My pickles beets was the BLUE ribbon and JUDGE'S CHOICE for Home Arts Food Division.  I was quite honored that the judges though my little jar of beets was the best entry in all the categories of the home arts food entries.  Once again, Dave's smile was as big as mine.  A by-stander ask Dave, "Do you want me to take a picture with you in it also?  You're pretty happy."  Dave laughed, and said, 'No, They're her ribbons."

My apricot jam also won BLUE ribbon for the jam division.  I was again very happy, for the win.  I had gotten the apricots from a friend, and they were tiny and only enough for 1 jar,  and an little leftover, but still it turned out good.

So, if you ever think, I could never do that - DON'T.  A few years ago, I would have never entered anything in any kind of competition.  Then after lots of practice making bread, I drove over to the fair, (without telling anyone), and entered a loaf of bread and a cross stitching that I made.  Both won 2nd place on my first try.  It gave me the confidence to keep trying.  And with each try I got better at my entries.  I even took a couple of Blue and Red ribbons at the State Fair.  And you can do it also.

Congratulations Trevor !

A couple weeks ago, a large envelope arrived in the mail addressed to Trevor from the college.  I knew immediately what it was.  I ran into the house and got Trevor.  I said, "There's something you might want to open".  He smiled, and said, "Oh, I know what this is."  I answered, "Me too".  He opened it up, and showed me his new diploma that he earned in May.  The first thing he said was, "I thought it would be as big as the envelope".  I laughed, and said, "No, the next one will be bigger."  We are SO PROUD of his sticking it out.  Going to school full tiime, working, (sometimes working 2 jobs), taking care of his wife and daughter.  CONGRATULATIONS, Trevor.  On to bigger and better things.  Love you, grandma and grandpa.

April to June - 2019

April was a rather quiet rainy month.  In fact, it turned out to be the second rainiest month in Utah history..  We had one 4 day weekend that it did not rain, and Dave and I used it to clear the weeds out of the strawberry plants.  We did manage to get out and go see Frankie Vallie in concert.  He doesn't move around on the stage much, (he leaves that to his young backup singers), but he still has the voice, (pretty much).

May was still a little rainy and on the cooler side, but at least we were finally able to get the garden beds turned over and ready for planting.  This year I gave my grandson's, (Trevor), wife one of the beds.  She has been wanting to grow a garden for several years.  The rules were; we would roto till it, and supply the water, and she would plant it, weed it, and reap the benefits of her results.  She called the first part of April excited and ready to plant.  I laughed and said, "Not yet, too wet.  Wait until May."  She called the first part of May and asked again, and I said, "Not yet, still too wet.  Wait a couple more weeks, until closer to Memorial Day."  In May, Dave and I took our first vacation of the year.  We left on Wednesday, the 8th, and flew to Paris, where we spent 3 days.  It was chilly and rainy everyday.  But we enjoy seeing the sights.  We were just a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower, where we had dinner one night.  We also took a Seine river boat tour, where we passed by the Notre Dame.  Such a sad sight to see a magnificent old building burned and only the skeleton left standing.  One Sunday, the 12th, we took a bus to the port and boarded the cruise lines.  And that was the day it finally stopped raining in Paris, the sun came out and the temps went up.  This year Paris saw some of the highest temps ever, (in the 100's).  With this being the 75th anniversary of the Normany invasion, a lot of the cruise ship passengers were veterans.  The stop in France had a tour to Normany so they were able to revisit and pay their respects to their fallen brothers.  We sailed from France to London, and around the British Isles, returning back to France on Saturday the 25th.  This cruise was a continuous circling around, so every time it stopped in France a different group of veterans took the tour to Normany.  People would embark and disembark in France, England, and Ireland.  The temps along the cruise were still cool and the weather rainy, (it was still Spring), and the weather doesn't get too hot anyway in this part of the world.  But, we had a good time, and saw many sights that we never would have seen.  Dave got to climb the 102 steps of the Blarney castle and "Kiss the Blarney Stone" - and then buy the photo to prove it, like all the other tourists.  Did it once, he won't do it again.  We came home, to find out that Trevor needed to talk to us.  Three days later, we now have Trevor, Audra, and Autumn living in our basement.  Luckily, when we build out the basement, we had a small kitchenette, a large family room, several bedrooms and a private bathroom build downstairs.  So, they now have a small apartment downstairs, and only have to put a few things into storage.  It's taking some adjustment, 2 families learning to live under one roof, (i/e/: adjusting the use of 1 laundry room, and so forth).  But we are managing.  It's great having a younger person like Trevor in the house.  In exchange for rent, he's been able to fix and repair things around the house that we have put off over the years, (a blessing for Dave).  We also got our garden in that last week.  It's much smaller that past years, but it will be enough for us.  Audra is learning about gardening and she is so delighted each time she harvests something from her garden bed.

June and the temps are staring to really heat up in Utah.  We called the A/C company out to do the annual checkup and found out we were low on freon.  It took 5 pounds, (WOW).  Luckily, he only charged us for 4, but warned us we might have a leak, (oh no).  So, they put a dye in the system, and are going to check it in a few months.  Trevor celebrated his 25th birthday this month, (as usual it fell on Father's Day).  This year, Dave's company decided that rather than have an annual Lagoon Park day, they would start having a company picnic at Thanksgiving Point, (near their new offices).  It was a pretty good party, lots of food and lots of prizes.  But, still not the grand jester of the Lagoon Park picnic and prizes. 

On the 29th, Dave and I also added a new member to our family.  Her name is Opal.  She is a 3 year old cat, (part tabby, part Siamese).  The daughter of a dear friend who passed away several years ago, couldn't keep her anymore due to the long hours she was working.  She felt it wasn't right for her little cat to be alone for such long periods of time.  Dave and I talked and offered to take Opal.  It took about a week or so, but now Opal pretty much runs the house, and she just loves Dave.  I am just her provider, (I feed her, change her litter box, and pet her when needed).  But, Dave plays with her and gives her treats when she wants them.  They have their little bonding moments every morning and evening.  She quickly became a daddy's girl.  Sariah said that Dave was the first man that Opal every liked.  That was the same with my previous cat, Callie. Dave sure has a way with cats.  We also went to a couple of Broadway Across America Plays, "Rent" and "School of Rock"  June was a very busy month, but we somehow seemed to survive.

Aunt Judy

My Aunt Judy passed away this month, on Mother's Day, (May 12th).  She passed away at home, (the one she grew up in and lived her whole live).  She was 72 years old.  She was more like a sister than an aunt.  She was the youngest of 13 children.  While all her brothers and sisters married and moved away to raise their families, Judy stayed behind to take care of her mom and dad until the day they passed away.  She finally married the love of her live at the age of 40.  Raymond was 28 years older than her, and his children were her age, but she loved them as her children, and she loved his grandchildren as her own.  She was grief stricken for years after he passed away.

I got me driver's license at 17, and from that time on I was always on the road driving down to West Virginia to visit Aunt Judy, Uncle Minter, and Aunt Mae.  While I lived in Ohio, I would ofter make the trip 2 or 3 times a month.  After I moved to Utah, I would still visit 2 times a years.  Judy said that I visited her more than any of her other nieces or nephews, even after I moved to Utah.  We would talk for hours on the phone, and when I visited we would stay up all night talking.  We could tell each other anything.

Judy loved her cigarettes.  She started smoking at the age of 16, and did stop until just a couple of months before her death.  She died from COPD, emphysema, and an enlarged heart.  All most likely due to years of smoking.  She still wouldn't give the cigarettes up.

I will truly miss Aunt Judy.  She loved a good joke.  She loved shopping, (even though she was as poor as a church mouse).  And she loved her home and gardening.  She also loved me, my son, and my grandchildren.  Her home was always open to us, and when she knew we were coming for a visit, she would sit up all night until we arrived.  The porch light was always on for us.

Rest In Peace Aunt Judy.  You are now united with Uncle Raymond, (the love of your live).

January - March, 2019

January started out cold and snowy.  Dave used the snow blower twice, (which was 2 times more than last year).  Lucky for us, the snow doesn't stay for more than a day or two.  Even more lucky, we live on the North side of the street, so the sun melts it away quickly.  A neighbor across the street remarked, "I feel like you live in the Bahamas on the North side, and we like in the Artic on the South side.  Our snow never melts."  We spent the month, staying home and keeping warm.  Unfortunately, after one of the storns, Dave was driving to work one morning and was in an accident, a driver ran a red light and hit the front right hand side of his car.  The car was completely totaled, and it took some time, for the insurance to work things out, but Dave is now driving a brand new 2019 VW Jetta.  I was very sad on the 27th to learn that my youngest brother, "Bobby", James Robert Long, passed away from COPD.  There are now only 5 children and my dad left in our immediate family.

February started out with one more day of snow to remind us that it was still winter.  Then on the 8th, Dave got bronchitis.  He went to the insta-care on the way home, and they did x-rays, several breathing treatments, etc. They finally gave him prescriptions and told him to go home and get some rest and plenty of fluids.  He got it bad enough to miss a week of work.  He couldn't get out of bed.  And lucky me, I got it on the 17th, just as he was well enough to get up and about.  I tried to rough it out for 3 days, and finally they put me on the same medication Dave was on.  Unfortunately, by the 3 day I had a bad reaction and broke out in hives all over.  I had to continue the medication to get over the bronchitis.  Then I immediately call my dermatologist, and got in.  I was put on a "cocktail" of 3 different types of antihistamines and a nighttime prescription to help me sleep.  My problem is that when my t-cells turn on, they don't know to turn off, and the doctor had to tell the tell the t-cells that it's time to turn off.  It took 6 weeks, but finally I became "hive free".  I am still on a small daily dose, so the hives don't return, but will so be off the antihistamines very soon.  The saddest point of February was on the 11th when my cat, Callie, finally decided to cross over the Rainbow bridge.  I had her for over 18 years.  Her poor little body finally decided to give out.  I sometimes think the grief of losing her caused my resistance to lower and that's why I caught Dave's bronchitis.  Late one night about 6 weeks after she was gone, I was sure I felt she jumped on the bed, walked up beside me and laid down next to me, (just like she always did).  It felt so real that I reached out to pet her.  Even though she wasn't there in body, I felt as if her spirit was there, and it comforted me to pet her again.  And I once more told her how much I loved her and missed her.

March started our rainy Spring season.  We saw some of the hardest rains ever..  But it was good for the state's water level, which had been below normal for so many years.  We managed to see another Broadway Across America play downtown.  Even with the cold rain, it felt good to finally get out of the house and go somewhere for a couple of hours on a Saturday.  After almost 9 years, our furnace finally decided to start giving us trouble.  On the 21st, we had to replace the blower motor, (expensive).  On the 27th, we drove down to Vegas to help Dave's brother, (Bruce), celebrate his 65th birthday, on the 28th.  Dave got tickets for the 3 of us to see the revised version of Cirque Du Soleil "LOVE".  It was very different from the "LOVE" that Dave and I saw many years ago, very modern, young, and upbeat.  A lot of action this time.  We all enjoyed it.  Dave being a Beatles fan, really enjoyed it.  As usual, we went to several buffets and ate way too much.  But we really enjoyed it.  We came home on Saturday the 30th to a cold house.  The furnace had stopped working.  We called the company that did the blower motor repairs immediately. but they didn't response, (after using them for several years, they will no longer get our business).  The next morning, Sunday, Dave got on the phone to another company and explained that we didn't have any heat.  They had a technician out in 2 hours.  Turned out our circuit breaker had a burned out component.  The tech explained a couple options.  He could get the new circuit breaker today, but to get the parts company to just open the doors, would cost $90., or we could save the money and wait till tomorrow.  It was in the 30s today and getting colder at night and colder tomorrow.  Dave said, "Fix it today".  Dave and the tech talked after all was fixed and we had heat about the repairs that were made this month.  Looks like if we have another big repair, it will be time to replace the furnace and upgrade it at that time.  On a side note - at least all the rain has greened things up, and spring as sprung.  My daffodils have bloomed and the trees are all blooming.  We made it through the long cold winter!

Nothing Good to Watch

Dave and I have satellite television beamed into our home. We get multiple local stations and literally hundreds of satellite channels for our viewing pleasure. Even so, many evenings when Dave and I settle down on our couch, we can't seem to find anything "good" we would both like to watch. All those channels, and yet, there's nothing worthwhile.  Luckily, we have reruns that have been saved to the Joey hopper DVD for viewing.

That was never the case in my family when I was growing up, even though we had only three channels to choose from. Whatever was on was suitable for us and we were enthralled by it all. I remember Saturday and Sunday evenings especially, when the whole family gathered in our living room and watched The Carol Burnett Show, The Wonderful World of Disney and more. Watching television back then was more than a way to pass the time -- it was an event. And it was all good.

And, more importantly, no one ever complained that there was nothing good to watch.