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.