Note for Friday Morning June 20 2008

Friday we drove from Ely to Elko maybe 120 miles if we'd gone the straight way. It took us all day with the sightseeing we did - a hugh steam engine museum in Ely and then the Ruby mountains and Lamoille Canyon - spectacular 20X. We are having a wonderful time and special days spent with Debbie. We're trying to pack too much into each day and leaving lots we don't see. The days have been long. Saturday, as I write in the motel, we are going to the Jarbidge Wilderness Area in No. Nevada and will probably end up in Twin Falls but who knows? So stay tuned.

Thursday June 19 3008

Apricot Trees in Santa Clara,

A town in southern Utah with lots of orchards.

Got up before 6 a.m. showered, dressed for the drive and washed my sheets. Got all my “stuff” in a pile to be loaded in when Debbie arrived. She got there a little before 8 and loaded my bags for me while I finished getting myself ready. We left Beverly’s house about 8 a.m. just as planned. Decided it might be a while until lunch, so stopped for sausage McMuffin. Debbie took me on back roads through more beautiful new neighborhoods to the 215 and then onto I-15 heading north.

In about an hour we were driving into Logandale, near Overton and Lake Mead in the Moapa Valley. The Muddy River runs through the valley, and its not much bigger most of the time than Muddy Creek at home. We easily found Dick and Doreen’s house, although we hadn’t been there for many years now. The trees and shrubbery had grown gigantic in the intervening years, but the house was exactly the same. We all had big hugs, and it was just so wonderful to see them once more. Maggie their daughter Debbie’s age, came after we’d visited about an hour. We went over all the old memories of our friendship ever since we were freshmen in at Basic high school in Henderson. You’re not going to believe this in a million years, and neither could I, but I forgot to take in my camera and get pictures of us. I was so disappointed.

Soon it was time to be on the way and next stop was Mesquite. I called Betty and we planned to meet at the Mexican restaurant for some lunch. We visited over lunch and got caught up since we had talked on the phone a couple times a week while I was down in Vegas. Then over to her house where I had left my car. We unloaded everything out of Debbie’s car and into mine, and the whole back end is pretty well packed solid as higher than the windows. Debbie is leaving her car there at Betty’s right in my old parking spot. Curtis will come in their truck to Wyoming to get her in about 2 or so weeks – Beverly may come too. Then when they go back they will stop at Betty’s and take Debbie’s car home. It seemed that would be the best plan of any we could think of and we went over every possibility.

We went “over the hill” via Beaver Dam AZ to Ivins-Santa Clara-St. George and up to Snow Canyon, where we went in to the campground on their scenic drive and took photos there. Very beautiful black lava flows over white and red sandstone, and medium spectacular sandstone formations. Then to Gunlock-Veyo-Enterprise. It was quite amazing the miles of green ranch and hay fields we drove through in the Enterprise Valley. Amazing what you find that you didn't know about when you get off the beaten path. Also the temperature had been falling all afternoon and it was about 25 degrees cooler up there. It’s been maybe 30 years or more since I’ve been through there and then it was very primitive, even dirt roads back in there (western Utah up against the Nevada border). We drove some ways in the pinyon pine/cedar forests through the mountains.

I kind of thought we’d come out about Caliente. (Our problem on this trip has been that we aren't prepared with better maps.) But we got to Panaca and Caliente was 25 miles south + or – 10 miles depending on who you talked to, but in the wrong direction. We wanted to head north, so missed Caliente. Darn. As we got to Panaca there was a little country restaurant named Cindy-Sooz, all neat and clean with good food. And we found it was the only place to eat between there and Ely so had dinner. It was 6:30 by then. Debbie spent some time looking in the phone book for motels and any we called were already booked full. We finally found one in Ely that had a vacancy and she reserved a room - $90. So past 7:30 by the time we left Panaca, and more than 120 miles to Ely. We had been going to at least see Pioche again - a loop off the highway, but figured we’d better keep driving as the sun was heading down. The road is straight as an arrow through that long valley, but full of deer and then elk, so at dusk we had to be on our guard. There is about 20 miles or so on a curvy mountain road down into Ely. Debbie drove for about 85 miles and doesn’t like to drive after dark, so I drove the rest of the way over the mountain. She had driven all day until then.

It was about 9:15 and good and dark when got to Ely and found the motel; drove right to it. It’s nice and clean, so we’re snug in for the night. There is no wireless or internet connection, so will have to post the blog and a few pictures later.

Wednesday June 18 2008

Beverly and I had a slow morning, which was nice. About 11 Debbie came and got us and took us to Walmart to do a little shopping. It was probably best that Beverly doesn't try to get in her high truck and go driving on the freeway any sooner than she needs to. So Debbie had a few hours between her doctor appointments. She had two appointments today for pre-surgery tests including a stress test, one morning and one afternoon. She will have the surgery when she gets back from Wyoming in July.

We mainly needed to get some of the ingredients to make apricot freezer jam. Beverly's never made any jam or jelly before and needed jars too. There is a new kind of jar that is plastic, with screw on plastic lids. I had not seen them before, but they are pretty nice. Not sure that they would work for cooked jam though, because the directions say not to put hot food into them. Earlier I mentioned that Brent was getting buckets of apricots from a friend's tree. They have been just sitting and getting too ripe - jam is a good way to use them. Anyway Debbie took us shopping. I checked out the George Foreman grill again and again decided not to buy it. My problem with indecision. The grates on the cheap small one are not removable, and the big one costs $125 with changeable grates and waffle iron etc. but I have no place to store something that big.

When we got back we had a sandwich together here at Beverly's. Then this afternoon Beverly and I made three batches of jam. I've never made freezer jam before, just the cooked variety. It was fast and easy, and with the two of us working it didn't take long. She got eleven pints and it turned out so full of flavor.

Brent brought pizza and buffalo wings home for dinner. That was nice because both the cooks were pretty tired. Can you believe I've never had buffalo wings before? Tonight we're going to watch a movie.

Debbie and I are leaving for home at 8 a.m. tomorrow. Got my laundry done this afternoon and I'm all packed to go. Our first stop will be to see my dear friend Doreen in Logandale. Then back to Betty's to get my SUV. So I'll keep you posted as we go along.

Tuesday June 17 2008

Ned, Millie and Me at Mimi's

This morning Brent's mom Bobbi came and took Beverly to her doctor appointment at 11:15. He said she was doing fine. She got some other good information. The doctor told her not to do ANY housework for a year! I think she just laughed at him. I hope I'm there when she tells Brent.

Millie and Ned came to pick us up about 1 and back to Mimi's we went for lunch. Ned and Joe went to school together. They are great friends and so we've known them for a long time. Beverly went with us. We had a super visit and we're so glad to get to see them.

On the way back we had a bit of excitement. The power had gone off in spots about noonish. The signals closest to their house weren't working and although we had gotten out the gate, it was not working when we came and there were about 10 cars backed up trying to get through. Every body out of their cars on both sides, the in and the out, trying to figure out how to get it open. We got out of the line of cars and went for a short drive and when we got back the gate was working again. There is no other way in or out of their gated community. Beverly had called Brent to come home and let us in - she still can't find her house key - because then we would have to come in through the garage door which had no electricity either. In that case we would have waited until Brent got home in the 112 degree heat. It has been hot the last several days.

Monday June 16 2008

Linda and Lynn

Joan and Lynn This Morning

I've caught up both pictures and text entries back in the blog when I got behind when the laptop crashed. So if you go back you'll see the new photos now.

Today was such a special blessing and a pure pleasure; first to see Joan and Becky again this morning. They came and got me and took me to Mimi's for breakfast. We sat visited for a couple of hours. Then Linda arrived (we've known each other since high school) and everyone got acquainted with lots in common to talk about. Joan and Becky started back to L.A. about noon , and Linda and I stayed on through lunch. She had a salad and I thought I should try the decadent chocolate pecan pie a la mode as breakfast dessert. We got at least part way caught up talking non-stop on the past years we've missed. What fun. And thank you guys for making the extra effort to get together here and for treating me today. Thank you Joan for your thoughtful card and the gift. Hope we have many more such times!

Beverly's doing better, she slept in this morning, so I'm about ready to go home now. Debbie and I will leave Thursday morning and be on the road a couple of days doing some sightseeing. I slept good last night and woke up a little earlier, so got some of the "chores" done - dishes and laundry. It's going to be hot again today.

Clayton went off to scout camp about 5 a.m. this morning. He is a counselor with the group, and not looking forward to going with a bunch of dorky younger kids. Hopefully when he gets there he will get in to the swing of things. Its high in the mountains at Thunder Ridge near Cedar Breaks Utah I think. I would have absolutely loved to be able to go on those kinds of outings when I was a kid.

Tonight we went to Red Lobster for dinner, so ate out all day long it seemed. I had clam chowder and they had salmon. After we drove up in the parking lot I realized its the same Red Lobster I used to go to as a treat for clam chowder, salad and a roll, and then would take myself to the movie when I lived near there years ago. Brent took us out to where they are building a new chapel and said their ward would probably split and they probably would go to this church, quite a bit closer to home than the one they go to now. He pointed out where his mom lives pretty close by there.

Pinedaleonline had the first pictures of newborn antelope kids - a set of twins. So cute. Charm told me how she saw newborn mule deer fawns right on the trail and thought you'd enjoy her story: "We just came in from a very lovely ride....almost 2/3 of the distance to hunting camp. Bailey and I were quite a ways behind Jim and Cat going up. Came upon a doe and twin fawns right in the middle of the trail. The fawns couldn't have been more than a day old; maybe even only hours old. As soon as they saw BB and me, one little fawn went about a foot off the trail and flattened behind a log. The other flattened right in the trail and I could see no way around it. The doe approached it and crouched down. The fawn got up and teetered just a few feet from the trail and flattened down, out in the open. Then the doe crossed the trail and slowly walked ahead and to one side of our path. As I came to where the fawns were "hiding", I could have reached out and touched them. (I didn't, of course!) BB was a quiet boy throughout and gradually we passed the doe so she felt safe about returning to her babies. I talked to her the whole time. I wonder how many people would ever experience or witness such a beautiful thing. Those little guys knew what they were supposed to do. They were not much bigger than jackrabbits. I just marvel at it."

Sunday June 15 2008

Becky Me Joan

This morning I pre-pre-pared things for father's day dinner. It was very easy, corn on the cob into a pot, potatoes wrapped in foil for baking, refreshed a great salad one of Bev's friends had brought for yesterday's dinner by adding more greens, and put a whole bunch of baby back ribs into a clay pot cooker, ready to slow roast with bbq sauce in the oven.

Clay had a friend stay overnight last night and Brent made us all pancakes before they went to church. Beverly's still having some discomfort and hopefully that will soon be about over with. I'm not sure how many friends dropped by today - Stephanie brought fruit and fresh cinnamon rolls - Beverly's boss and his wife came and she brought fresh rolls and strawberry freezer jam.

My old friend Joan and Becky got here about two, and we visited for several hours. I can't explain how good it was to see her again. We decided it wasn't as long as I thought since we last saw each other, about 2000 in Dubois at an art show there. She wants to come to Wyoming again next summer, and I promised to wait for her. She's sure spent a bunch of time researching cures for me and keeping me informed about what's happening with cancer and ways to get rid of it. Joan is a wonderful friend and I appreciate beyond words that they drove over here from California to see me. I hadn't met Becky before and like her a lot too. She says she's interested in cooking and catering parties.

Tomorrow morning we're going to breakfast, and they'll come and get me and go back to Mimi's where my family had breakfast last week. So we'll get to visit again for a while tomorrow. Joan, I and other friends took a raft trip on the Green River years ago (among many other adventures together) and she had begun to write up the story and left a copy with me. O the wonderful memories. Joan's lucky, because she was dumped out of the raft in the rapids not once, but three times I think. And she can't swim. It's a great story. And maybe it will inspire me to go ahead and get my version written too.

About five p.m. Brent's mom and brother Tyler came over for dinner, then Shane and Andrea, so there were eight of us here for dinner. It was pretty delicious. Now I'm ready to crash.

Saturday June 14 2008

The Robert's House

Looks like a nice morning out, all sunny and hot. The temperature is going up now, should be about 105 today. Brent and Clay are out doing their yardwork. Brent's yard is perfection at all times.

Last night, although I don't have a photo program back in to the laptop yet, I stuck my photo card in the slot and it downloaded my almost 300 new pictures into Windows photo viewer. So I might be able to stick a few pictures into the blog from there. There will be no editing them though. I'll give it a try.

Bobbi, Brent's mom, came over early this morning with a pan of hot cinnamon rolls, and they were pretty yummy. It was so quiet I didn't go out of my room until about 9 a.m. and found breakfast was being fixed - hame with scrambled eggs and hash browns.

Got a short email from Joan, she's driving up tomorrow I think, so we have to get a plan on how we're going to get together - me with no wheels. They are going to be at the Texas Resort, not too far from here. I'm getting eager to see her and meet Becky.

Awful bad news has been coming from http://www.pinedaleonline.com/ lately. The Rainbow Family is having a gathering in Big Sandy Openings. They have been in this area twice before and it was awful awful awful. There will be about 40,000 of them, unbelievable, but true. (Remember Sublette county has only about 5000 population total.) They are a bunch of shiftless hippie type people. Our place will be on their route in to Big Sandy and I am so hopeful that they DO NOT come anywhere near us expecting us to help them. There will be a terrible impact on our local infrastructure and facilities. Did I say it would be awful?

http://www.pinedaleonline.com/news/2008/06/PeaceandLove.htm .