Picture of Dunc Robertson & Sons and Grandma with Gene and Geneva

Because of the loss of Robert and the near death Win and Sid, Dunc and Maude decided to move. Dad said they thought the water was the cause of the illness that affected him and two of his siblings. They moved to West Fork, Montana. Dad said West Fork is as close to the North Dakota border as a person can get without being in North Dakota. They had high hopes of making a good amount of money raising flax. Instead, they lost their shirt.
I am not certain of everything that happened after that, but eventually, the family found their way back to York where Dunc had grown up. They had a mining claim there. They lived in a log cabin with a dirt floor. Dad attended a one room school house.
Doctors did not figure heavily in their existence. When my Dad’s tonsils were giving him trouble, my grandmother painted them with kerosene. Dad was shot in the eye with a homemade arrow. He and his brother Gene were playing cowboys and Indians near the bar. Dad looked through the crack in the chinking between the logs and Gene shot at Dad with the home made bow and arrow. By some fluke, the stick went into my Dad’s eye. My grandmother removed it and covered Dad’s eye. It eventually healed up, although he at terrible vision in that eye. However, two of my daughters both have a right eye that is much more near sighted than their other eye. So who know if the arrow was what really caused the bad vision?

Picture of Aunt Win

Dad was very near sighted. But money was always in short supply, so Dad did not get his first pair of glasses until after high school. Dad’s brother, Les, purchased Dad’s first pair of glasses. Dad remembered being able to see the blades of grass and how wonderful that seemed to him to see each blade. Before grass had just been a blur of green.
Dad’s vision must have made school more difficult for him. He said he was always put in the front of the class. When his oldest brother John was old enough for High School, the whole family moved to town so that John could attend. They moved to the west side of Helena called the “Kenwood Addition.”



Schooling was very important in my Dad’s family. Dunc was Chairman of the school board in York
According to Dad, he was skipped a grade when he was in the third grade because he was the only third grader and the teacher was lazy. She didn’t want to have to teach one kid separately. This put him at a disadvantage for sports. He LOVED sports. He longed to play basketball when he was in High School. The basketball coaches were not teachers from school, but some men with 8-5 jobs. Dad lived very far from the school. He had a trolley pass to ride to school, but it expired at 5:00 p.m. Basketball practice began at 7:00 p.m., so Dad could not play.
I didn’t realize how much I had to write about Dad. I will write more another time.

Safety Challenged

Is it a “guy thing” to have the inability to comprehend that a situation is dangerous or will soon become so? Is this a genetic deficiency? Due to a church responsibility, I was attending a church sledding party yesterday when some men showed up with giant inner-tubes. These men, I must assume, were once boys. These men also have children. Evidently they have an imperfect memory of what they were like as boys and don’t spend much time with their kids because they seemed to be unable to predict that kids, especially boys, will take an activity and escalate it to the red zone unless you stop them. And maybe the tube providers were able to predict the escalation. Perhaps their Y chromosome blocked their common sense development so they were impaired in their ability to reason that a human head hitting a granite rock at 20 miles an hour could cause injury.

As soon as I saw the enormous tubes I knew we needed a few boundaries. But I was not in charge and did not have authority. The kids took the tubes, piled about 7 or 8 people on them and shoved them down the lower, less steep part of the slope. Inner tubes are cushy, but bodies banging into each other aren’t. I hoped everyone would be O.K. on the lower slope since it is not overly steep. I thought an big inner-tube should be O.K. with one or two kids riding it on the upper, steep slope. But I knew kids will escalate and next the step would be six or seven kids on a giant inner-tube flying down the steepest slope. This is exactly what happened. The extra “g” forces increased speed and the stop at the bottom was abrupt. This caused about three kids to walk away limping, crying or both. We could hear one kid’s head “thud” on the ground. There we were at the bottom of the hill forming a first aid unit as we checked for serious injury and observed tears.

Did this circumstance provide a hint to the guys that perhaps this activity should be discontinued and boundaries set? No, they just stood at the bottom of the hill watching complacently as a new group of kids toted another inner-tube up to the steep part hill for another brush with death or disabling injury.

I am equally disgusted with the women in attendance. They stood spinelessly at the bottom of the hill, biting their lips and shuddering. I am fed up with being the only one to stand up to the men. If no common sense is one of the men’s failings in our stake, then no backbone or gumption is one of the women’s.

Finally I loudly burst out, “HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO GET HURT BEFORE YOU PUT A STOP TO THIS????” This outburst earned me the shocked attention and glares from two of the men who brought the tubes as well as other men leaders who seemed to be at peace with the prospect of more injuries. A teenaged twit who prides herself on being a “tomboy” responded with, “A lot!” It was interesting to note that the teenager and the inner-tube providers seem to be on the same mental level. I’ve always heard people can be developmentally arrested at certain ages, now I’ve witnessed it.

Still, someone must have heard me because no more large groups rode the big inner-tubes from the top. Everyone was able to walk away for which I am enormously grateful. But for once, could those in charge, take control? AND WHY DO I HAVE TO BE THE ONLY TO STAND UP???

Garage-mahal

Do men have an equivalent to Better Homes and Gardens? Would it be called my shop is bigger than your shop? Anyway, here are some pictures of Garage-mahal.

Monday

I am glad that I didn't have to go to any point east on Monday. We had some snow that caused the highway that leads east to be classified as emergency travel only. I heard that visibility was limited to seeing the hood of the car you were driving. Emergency travelers next became the emergency because the visibility was so bad the highway was closed completely. Search and Rescue had to go and ....well, search and rescue. Cars were off the road everywhere.

Robin Byrd's Adventures

The following is an experience Robin Byrd recounted. I kept the original spelling, punctuation, and format. Bob Byrd told me Robin had an accident and was hospitalized with burns. During this hospitalization a man came and wrote down some of his adventures. There were thirteen or so letters. Bob only had two of the letters.

Robin Byrd was Alexander Marshall Robinson Byrd, born in Smithville, Platte County, Missouri in 1858. His family allowed him to choose which name he would be known by. Do you suppose he was a budding ornithologist and "Robin Byrd" appealed? My Dad always called him Uncle Robin. He was my grandfather's uncle. At age 6 he crossed the plains with his mother and siblings. His father had left the Confederate Army, abandoned his Missouri farm, and went to search for Gold in Denver and later in Montana. His mother drove a wagon and team of oxen to Montana with five children, ages 15 to 2. As you know, Missouri was a border state and received horrible war fallout from North and South. I can see why they just left. The following story is pretty disgusting, but what happened, happened.

"In the year 1879, in the month of October, I was employed by John Samples, herding beef cattle near Miles City. When Samples came to me asking if I did not care to take a trip? I asked where and he replied, “Oh, North of Benton.” I was quite willing to go. He first sent me to the Bank with an order for seventeen hundred dollars, all to be in silver dollars. This I put in two leather bags and packed on two horses. Our outfit consisted of the two horses loaded with the money, one horse loaded with camp supplies, which were limited, and the horses we rode. We took a course Northward and coming to the Big River (Missouri River) we camped there one evening, about four O’clock. The next morning about six O’clock a Steamer came along and was hailed by Samples. The Captain had a gang plank run out and set us and our out-fit across the river. We continued Northward, until beyond the Canadian line. We came to the camp of Sitting Bull, who greeted Samples as an old friend. Samples dickered with the Indians for two or three days buying buffalo hides and beaver hides. I baled all these hides. Two ox teams appeared. Eight or ten yoke to the team. Each team drawing two wagons upon which were racks. They brought among other things a barrel of alcohol a quantity of tobacco, dried apples and sugar and some cases of bottles. Also a large brown kettle. The teams were loaded with the hides and left the next morning. The apples sugar and tobacco were boiled together and then mixed with the alcohol making, “Injun whiskey.” This was bottled and sold to the Indians at one dollar a bottle. The Indians entering one end of the tent and going out at the other bought the whiskey as they passed through – it being sold to them over a rude counter. Some of the Bucks were drunk and fighting. The squaws tied them down and they themselves began buying Firewater and soon they too were drunk and began cutting the Bucks loose. Samples said it was now time to go telling me to get our horses which I was not long doing. We left the tent and some gallons of the mixture and hurried away. We rode all night mostly at a gallop. About nine O’clock the next morning we camped when Samples said we were some eighty miles from the camp of the Sioux. We recrossed the Missouri in the same manner as before this time waiting two days for a boat. We had secured the furs and had most of the money back."

Winter Seeks Us Out

At last winter has found us. Last week it was so dry and dusty, a vehicle traveling down the road would raise a plume of dust. We woke up this morning to an abundance of snow. Hurray! This is a great blessing!

I had to take the four wheel drive to church. I couldn't get my gas saver car down the lane without burying it in snow. Hiking from our house to Garage-mahal in a dress was a wet, cold business through drifts up to my knees. My only regret is that a picture of me in my Sunday dress with hiking boots is not available for publication in some of the more prestigious fashion magazines.

The labrador retreiver mix doesn't see that a low of -20 is any reason to skip his daily walk. He thinks the snow is fabulous. Enroute to Garage-mahal he drove through drifts, jumped them and rolled on top of them. He LOVES snow. I would post a picture of Wilbur's perturbed countenance due to this weather event, but he went to a meeting.

Thanks!

Thanks, Eglantine, for the improvements to the appearance of my blog!

History of Elise Othilie Evensen Skoug Hansen

The following is a written history of my great grandmother. The picture is of Annie Margaret Hansen Miller, the person telling the story. Unfortunately, I have no pictures of Elise Othilie Evensen Skoug (pronounced "Scow") Hansen the person who the story is about. My Mom's side of the family wrote down a few a stories like this. My Dad's lore is all passed down verbally. Possibly, that is why Dad's side of the family has some wild stories.

"My mother was born in the capitol of Norway. She grew up on a farm her father rented. My grandmother used to do the cooking for rich people when they gave a big party. When my mother grew up, she used to go with her and serve dinners. As she got older, she went to work for a merchant as a helper in their home. Took care of the baby at night. Carried it from the cradle to its mother to nurse it, and then back to the cradle. The floor was hardwood, polished, and cold as ice. She suffered with a toothache, so she did not get much rest. Got up in the morning early to sweep and dust the store and then back to the house. Did the work in the dining room. It was dark and cold all winter in Norway. They could do no washing. The clothes were folded and put in trunks until spring, then washed by hand. Mother scrubbed them between her hands until she wore the skin off. It took a long time to wash many clothes that way. She said she carried them to the river to rinse them one day, and while she was rinsing a bedspread it was so heavy it almost pulled her into the river. Her brother had to haul water in a long tank up a steep, icy hill. He worried about it because it was so slick the horses could hardly make it. One night in his sleep, he went and got a load and did not wake up until the water splashed on him. While going uphill, he woke up and found himself in his night clothes, but he made it.

After all the clothes were dry, she (Annie Margaret’s mother) had to iron them. She had to iron thirty white shirts a day besides other work. It used to take six weeks to wash and iron. After she grew up, she married and had four children. Then, her husband died two months after the last baby was born. Now being a widow, she helped a dressmaker sew, living upstairs. Had to go to the river and get boards, bark, and slabs and carry them upstairs. She had to dry them for firewood to keep her and four children warm. Then the elders found her. And she listened to them and believed what they told her and came to this country along with four other widows that had four children a piece.

My father was there [Norway] on a mission. He was put in charge to take care of them on the ship while on their journey over here. When they got here, she settled in Sanpete County, Utah. Took in sewing for a tailor and made 21 pair of pants a week to earn a living for herself and four children. My father had a sweetheart in Salt Lake City waiting for him. They got married and lived close by Mother. He was her Ward teacher, so he kind of looked out for her welfare. After he had been married for 15 months, his wife died while having a baby, which also died, left him there alone. One day while they were cleaning the meeting house (Mother was helping) she was scrubbing the floor on the stand. She started to sing a hymn. Father stopped to listen and thought that must be a wonderful woman to sing while she worked.

She was a wonderful singer. She sang the alto while my sister, her oldest girl, sang lead. I loved to hear them sing in their language. I could not understand the words, but the tune was wonderful. I, like my father, thought what a wonderful mother I had. After my father’s wife and baby died, he married my mother and moved to Rush Valley where I was born. She had 10 children. She had four of her own and raised six to my father. She lived to be 73. She moved to Tooele, bought a home and died and was buried in the Tooele cemetery.

Father had been bedfast for about three years. It was hard to take care of him. He was so helpless. She could handle him. She lifted him until she broke a blood vessel in her head. Then she took a stroke and was quite helpless until she died. I wish I had been closer to help her. She always liked me to do things for her, and I liked to do it for her. She was so appreciative for a little help.

Christmas Wish List for 2008

PICK ONE

1) During the year, notice the worthwhile qualities and attributes of others. Acknowledge them verbally if the situation permits. Acknowledge them in writing if you would rather. Write me a letter for Christmas telling how you benefited or changed or what you learned by doing this.

2) Have family scripture study for a year. Give five times a week a good shot. The church puts out funny book type scripture materials that make sense to use with kids. At the end of the year, write me a letter telling me about any good things that came of this. I’m open to hearing funny things too.

3) Hold family home evening each week. Once a month incorporate a story about one of your ancestors into the home evening to teach a principle. The ancestor doesn’t have to figure as the hero or heroine. Feel free to use an ancestor’s story about why NOT to do something too. Write me a letter telling me what you learned or what difference this made to you or your children.

4) Whenever someone irritates you or makes you downright mad decide not to take offense. Study D&C 64:8-11. As queen of offense taking, I KNOW this is really a toughie. Do the best you can. Write me a letter telling me how this went.

I love you guys!

My Son: Friend of Dust Mites

Orville has taken off for a visit with Eglantine. After a short visit, he is resuming his college career after a two year hiatus for a church mission. So, he cleared all his stuff out of his room. I glanced into Orville's bare room and found a dust mite preserve. I could write my name, or maybe even write a book in the dust in that room. Evidently, Orville has taken my frequent statements that cleaning a room INCLUDES dusting as strictly advisory.

I am baffled as to why wiping a dust rag once a week over a bedside table, dresser, and tops of woodwork and heat register is such an arduous task. Possibly, Orville does not see the task as difficult, merely unnecessary? Or could he be a closet member of PETA and has deeply held beliefs dust mites have a right to live without persecution from human beings? Is there a here-to-fore unresearched link between the Y chromosome and an affinity for dust?

Perhaps some masters degree candidate will decide to research these questions. Until then, I am considering sending the Kirby Vacuum sales staff my son's address. I have this vision of the Kirby sales person's matress vacuuming demonstration. As the demonstration ends, I am sure the sales person would inform my son and roommates that their mattress lint is disgusting. The young men would look at the sale person in a puzzled manner and say, "Yeah. So?" That would be entertainment.

Antipaste

By special request:

2 c. cooked carrots
2 c. cooked cauliflower
1 c. salad oil
1 teaspoon allspice
1 c. chopped dill pickles
1 c. stuffed green olives, chopped
2 cans white drained tuna
2 c. catsup
2 11 oz. jars chili sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1 c. cocktail onions (I chop these a little)
2 8 oz. cans mushrooms
2 cups frozen shrimp
1 can artichoke hearts (I chop these a little too)

Mix together and eat with crackers. I like Triscuits. Wilbur likes Wheat Thins.

Petunia & Prudence

Here are Petunia and Prudence during their Santa-hating days.

The Santa Haters

When Petunia turned two, I thought I would never have to spend time during the Christmas season waiting in line to see Santa. She was an avowed Santa Claus hater. She could not even be in the gymnasium with him. When he would come to our church Christmas party, we had to leave. Petunia would scream "No! No!" whenever the jolly old elf came within a quarter of a mile of her. You would have thought we were showing her the "Chucky" horror movies and telling her that Chucky was Santa. Prudence followed suit. She did not like Santa any better than her sister, although she didn't scream at him quite as loudly.

After Prudence and Petunia, I decided most little kids must be afraid of Santa. Then Eglantine turned four and mentioned she would like to have her picture taken with Santa. My children/Santa theories went out the window, and I dressed up Eglantine and Hermione and took them to the mall.

So Petunia and Prudence, you have only yourselves to blame for having no pictures with Santa.

Wilbur's Birthday

Wilbur celebrated his birthday yesterday. Or more accurately, I celebrated Wilbur's birthday. He thinks all the to-do I make over birthdays is kind of silly. If I followed his guidance on holiday celebrations, they would be completely eliminated. Someday I might take his suggestions, "just don't buy anyone any presents" "Don't get me anything for Christmas." I have a sneaking suspicion he wouldn't really like the outcome of his own advice.

He wanted to have steak at home rather than going out. I have to agree that the steak we make at home is much better than when we eat out. We ended with a chocolate birthday cake.

As is usual for me, my chocolate layer cake strongly resembled the leaning tower of Pizza. I don't know why, but there are skills in my cooking that are completely missing. Fortunately, Wilbur's talents with a trowel is a crossover skill for frosting a cake. He wanted to repair my mess, so I turned it over to him. Then, he disagreed with my candle lighting methods and took over. Men are bossy I think. The large candles represent 10's, the smaller one represent 1's.

Thankgiving

Although the commercial community has a tendency to focus on Halloween as the beginning of the holiday season and completely ignore Thanksgiving and skip directly to Christmas, I think Thanksgiving is one of the most wonderful holidays of the year. I can't think of anything more important to focus on than being grateful. And no people in the history of the world ever had more to be grateful for than citizens of the United States. I am seriously annoyed with those who refer to Thanksgiving as "Turkey Day" as if eating turkey is the only thing worth thinking about on this day.

I am grateful for freedom to be in charge of my own life.

I am grateful for family.

I am grateful for opportunity.

I would go on, but this list would never end.

This year for Thanksgiving we entertained nieces, nephews, a grandparent, and a friend. Their company made the holiday even better.

Family Resemblences

Here are some pictures of some of our ancestors. See if you can find any resemblences.

Marathon Sunday

I spent seven, yes, seven hours in church today. I wanted to see my ward's primary program. Then, I had to attend another ward's ward conference: 1 hour testimony meeting plus three more hours of church. Next, I was on my way to APYW Committee meeting. This was followed by the obligation to attend another ward's YW Women in Excellence. As I was leaving the building after seven hours of church someone said, "Oh, aren't you going to stay for the music?" What music? And NO!

Leaving

Who ever came up with the idea that one must give two weeks notice before leaving employment? I have finally, after thinking it over for two or three years, decided to quit my part time job. It shouldn’t be that big of a deal, and it WOULDN’T be that big of a deal, if I could have just left the day I told my boss.

Dealing with that “roller coaster” feeling in the pit of my stomach these last two weeks has been nothing short of constant torture. I have had to come to terms that I will no longer have a drop of importance to the business world. I will have no more office keys, no one will come to me for advice and assistance on how to get the job done, and I must turn in my office credit card (which I never even had a chance to use). I will no longer have the self-esteem boost that a job well done affords. I am worried about becoming stupid as I age and have no legal business matters to keep me sharp. If I could have just walked out the door, I never would have had time to reflect on these issues!

My biggest worry and the worry that has kept me working over the last three years in that I must find new health insurance for Wilbur and me.

I will no longer know the inside skinny of the legal cases our office has been working on. Of course, if I actually had enough work to keep me occupied, I might not be leaving. This has been a problem over the last few years. I spent almost all of one year cleaning out boxes of files stored since the 70’s and 80’s because there was not much else to do. Although interesting at times, I can only do that so long and keep my sanity.

So now, everyone is approaching me with good wishes and good byes on my “retirement.” It’s all I can do to maintain my gravity. “Yes,” I would like to say, “I am now going home where I intend to live on the $50 a month retirement that I have earned by working part time over the last ten years.” Like a true "retiree" I will hike seven or eight miles every week. I will try to get Wilbur's office under control. I might actually have time to keep up my yard in the summer. And there is always the possibility that I will keep up my garden too. When my children and grandchilden come to visit, I won't have to take vacation and return to work exhausted. I hope I can get through the next two days of my notice. I will be alright then.

Good Brownies!!!

3/4 c. baking cocoa
1/2 t. baking soda
2/3 c. butter melted
1/2 c. boiling water
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3 c. all purpose flour
1 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. coarsly chopped pecans (I use walnuts if pecans are too expensive)
2 cups chocolate chips

In a large bowl combine combine cocoa and baking soda. Add in butter and boiling water and mix. Stir in sugar and eggs. Then, add flour, vanilla and salt and mix. Last add nuts and chocolate chips. Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Observations from Prudence and Eglantine

This week daughters Prudence and Eglantine made the same observation : So if you label someone a fault-finder, what are you? Pretty good point if you ask me.

Wiring Party

Yesterday Wilbur had a wiring party. Five friends came to run wire. Soon Garage-mahal will be on the grid. Men can sure get a lot done when they set their mind to it.

I Can Breath

The forest fire smoke is abating, and I can breath again. When the smoke first cleared out after weeks of haze, I could see the mountains again. I had forgotten how beautiful they were.

Fifty Things About Me

In following the Silly Witch and Missy Kissy's example I decided to write about fifty things about me. If nothing else, it will be good reading for those needing a good snooze.

1) I love being outside. I always have. When I was a kid, I couldn't stand being in the house too long and would go off on a hike, a walk, or a bike ride. I wasn't meant to be a house plant. A few hours inside gives me cabin fever.

2) My Montana roots go back to 1864 when my grandfather's grandfather and father came to Montana looking for gold.

3) Wilbur says I don't just think I'm right, I KNOW I'm right.

4) I KNOW I have excellent taste in men (even though my man makes snide, albeit true, remarks from time to time). In spite of my early personal struggles with self esteem, I never would have married a loser.

5) I love tomatoes. I grow lots and lots of them in my garden.

6) My favorite activities are hiking, biking, tole painting, quilting, four wheeling, and reading.

7) After a 48 year hiatus, I'm getting back into fishing. I didn't think I liked it, but I caught two fish on a backpack trip in July. Fishing is fun when you catch fish.

8) I don't like messy houses, especially if its mine.

9) I have five off-the-charts talented children. Go figure.

10) I'm never bored. There are so many things I like to do, I never have time to do it all.

11) I HATE people droning on and on and saying nothing in a talk. Men are the worst offenders. I'm a firm believer in the three "B's." Be prepared, Be brief, and Be seated.

12) I like reading the encyclopedia sometimes.

13) I have claustrophobia.

14) I am totally disinterested in anything any celebrity has to say about politics or anything else. Maybe (and I mean maybe) they know how to act, sing, dance, or whatever, but that doesn't mean their opinion is any better than yours or mine when it comes to what is best for the country. I can't imagine being influenced to vote way or another because of a celebrity endorsement. I can't imagine buying anything because a celebrity endorsed it.

15) I don't even know, or care, who most of the celebrities are. I don't believe they or anyone should be idolized on account of fame. Big deal. A lot of reprehensible people have been famous.

16) I love finding wildflowers and learning all about them. I'd like watching wildlife too, if it would hold still.

17) I love peacock blue, lime green, and burgundy, not necessarily together, though.

18) I like to be around the people I REALLY like. I object strenuously to being told I have to socialize with certain people because our kids are on the same sports team or we work at the same place. What does our kids being on the same team have to do with being a friend? Isn't seeing you at one or two games a week enough socializing?

19) I Like dogs. I would really likes cats if I weren't allergic to them. Dogs and cats really like me.

20) My favorite household chore is hanging clothes on the line.

21) I love all my little grandchildren. They are such individuals. I am fascinated when they start to talk and I can hear their perspectives on things.

22) If you want to tell me about all the stuff you have, don't waste your breath. The fact that you own a lot of stuff won't impress me, and hearing about it will certainly bore me. I am uncomfortable if you want to know about all my stuff. That would seem odd to me.

23) I love Harry Potter.

24) Hiking through a forest and getting a waft of a sweet scent of pine is really living to me.

25) Now that Montana has been "discovered" and all the high rollers and others are moving here, I am starting to understand how the Indians felt as a totally different culture moved in on them and took over.

26) Don't try and tell me what to do unless I ask.

27) My heart still aches for my little granddaughter who died at age five of a brain tumor. I suppose it won't quit aching until I see her again.

28) Don't call me "dear," "honey," or "sweetie" if you are not my husband. I dislike insincere people. Don't tell me I'm the "sweetest thing" if I am just doing my job. It'll make me gag.

29) I am awed by thunderstorms.

30) I love Mexican, Chinese, and Italian food. I like to try new foods. I don't like Polynesian food.

31) When I was seven the best thing I could think of to be was a movie star.

32) My father served in WWII in the army air corps. He was an incredibly bright man. He got top scores on tests that allowed him to advance in the post office. Even though he wore glasses and was assigned to work with the first primitive computers during the war, he was the top shot in his unit. Until he turned 75, he could remember the exact date of anything. He loved ordering books and reading about wildlife., archeology, or anything. If he said he would do something, count on it.

33) My mother was a creative genius. She loved music, to problem solve, had a great vocabulary, and created beautiful clothes with fabrics that had interesting textures and colors. She could have been a fashion designer. She was often ahead of her time. Things she told us that people would some day find out about medicine and health proved to be true. She was a child during the great depression and suffered a great deal. She was a perfectionist about any job she did. If she said she would do something, count on it. She could get a point across without any doubt when she was trying to teach and train her children.

24) My Aunt Marian put Tabasco sauce on my tongue for saying the "S" word when I was four. I totally deserved it.

25) I have a brother, now deceased, who was a genius according to the I.Q. tests, a sister who is smart, creates beautiful pottery and anything beautiful, keeps a showcase yard, and is a nonconformist. I have another very creative sister who is very smart, can pinch a penny until it squeals, loves handwork, traveling, and researching. She should have been a doctor, except for her kids are too important to her to be leaving them all the time. Both my sisters are problem solvers who can do anything. No one has ever done my sisters' thinking for them.

26) From about 12 to 16, I used to write stories, but I never finished even one.

27) My favorite teacher was Mrs. Meyers in High School. I had her for two different English classes. She taught me how to write. Knowing that made college so much easier.

28) I got in trouble for talking in class when I went back to college when I was 43.

29) I am wary of church people in authority until I know them.

30) I can function much better in any work type situation if I believe the people I work with love and accept me.

31) For most of my life I lived in a household where the majority was female. When my twins went to college and I was in the minority with a son and husband, I felt really lonely sometimes. There was no to go shopping with on Saturdays anymore and no one to go with to the Festival of the Trees or crafts shows.

32) I think anyone who doesn't try to live at least the Ten Commandments is destined to be unhappy.

33) My husband is my favorite subject for my blog. I adore him.

35) I think the all attorneys I work with but one are very nice, fun people, but that doesn't mean I want to spend time outside of work with them.

36) I have a dear friend named Gail. She loves me no matter what, even though she doesn't always understand why I feel the way I do. Our friendship was cemented when we got off trail cross country skiing and had to be picked up by the search and rescue at 2:00 a.m. in the morning.

37) I can never cook without getting food all over me. Aprons are a must.

38) As a little girl, my family called me Becky-Lindo, Daddy's girl.

39 ) My Dad and I used to race when he would bring the trash cans away from the curb. I was devastated when my big brother informed my Dad was letting me win. Maybe the practice helped though because I ran a 6.6 second fifty yard dash when I was thirteen.

40) I took second at state track meet in high jump as a senior. I've always loved participating in any sport I could: ice skating, sprinting, tennis, flag football, volleyball. I hated playing basketball and distance running though.

41) I've never liked to babysit.

42) When I was 26 I realized I wasn't stupid when I won Trivial Pursuit a couple of different times.

43) I don't like waiting for people. People who keep me waiting for no good reason are showing disrespect for my time.

44) I like playing Clue, but I hardly ever win.

45) If the meeting doesn't end on time, I will probably leave anyway. I don't get why things can't end on time.

46) One of my children could easily be a nutritionist, doctor, researcher. One could easily be a concert pianist, artist, wedding planner, or CEO. One could easily be a writer, college professor, archaeologist, or artist. One could easily be a graphic designer, photographer, recreation director, or elementary school teacher. And one could easily be an engineer, concert musician, professional athlete, or philanthropist. My married kids stay home and take care of their kids. I am so proud of them. There is no more important work.

47) Sunrise and sunset are my favorite times of day.

48) My husband can figure out a way to do anything.

49) I don't really like to sew clothing for myself, but I do it because I think the stuff in the stores is ugly.

50) I know my church teaches the most complete truth you can get on this planet. But I am just not a General R.S. Presidency wanna be. They are all fine women, but I am not that sweet. I also need a good laugh now and then.

More progress

The latest progress on Garage-mahal.

Tips for living with a brick layer

If you don't want key items that belong to you house to end up on the job site here are a few tips:

1) Buy only pink Nalgene bottles. This only works if the situation is not too desparate. I discovered him coming home with a pink Nalgene bottle with a flower on it last week after I reclaimed all my other Nalgene bottles and put them back in my hiding spot.

2) Stow all the your yard hoses, shoeverls, and rakes under lock and key.

3) Keep your measuring tapes in your sewing room. He probably won't think to look there.

4) When spring comes, he will have absconded with all your hoses, rakes, and shovels, even though you locked them up. Plan on buying new ones.

Garage-mahal

Garage-mahal continues to progress. This weekend Wilbur borrow state-of-the-art scaffold from a friend in preparation to hit the job hard this week.

Floating

Yesterday, I told Wilbur to have the maid clean the house, the cook plan the menus, and the chauffeur do the shopping while I went floating. Needless to say, I came home to a messy house with no food and no organization of meals for the next week.

However, I had a great time floating. We went with a friend who has mostly boys. I was fatigued at the end of the day just watching the boys wrestle each other, have M & M fights, and jump into the 33 degree water.

We have had the great blessing of rain and everything was green and lovely. It was a fun day.

Jump Rope Rhymes

Spanish Dancer
Not last night but the night before
24 robbers came knocking at my door
As I ran out (jumper runs out) they ran in (Jumper runs back in)
Asked them what they wanted. This is what they said,
"Spanish Dancer, do the splits (jumper does a slight split while jumping)
Spanish Dancer, give a high kick (jumper does a kick)
Spanish Dancer, turn around (jumper turns around)
Spanish Dancer, touch the ground (jumper touches the ground)
Spanish Dancer, get out of town (jumper runs out).

Cinderella
Cinderella dressed in yellow
went upstairs to kiss a fellow.
Made a mistake and kissed a snake.
How many doctors will it take?
One, two ....(count until jumper misses).

Down by the Ocean
Down by the ocean, down by the sea
Johnny broke a bottle and blamed it on me.
I told ma. Ma told Pa.
Johnny got a licken. Ha ha ha.
How many lickens did he get?
One, two, three....(keep counting until jumper misses).
(From the days when we expected we would get spanked if we told a lie.)

Memorial Day Meanderings

Tomorrow is Memorial Day. We have had some great Memorial Days.

I remember taking our 1968 boat out for the first time on Memorial Day. It was rainy and COLD! We drove the boat all over Canyon Ferry Lake and stopped on Cemetery Island where the girls put wildflowers on our pioneer ancestor’s graves.

I remember a M- Day when Wilbur taking my oldest daughter, Penelope, for a motorcycle ride on Saddle Mountain. Everything seemed fine until they came home and took off their motorcycle helmets. Hundreds off wood ticks had congregated in both Wilbur’s and Penelope’s helmet.

We performed wood tick experiments as we sent them down the drain. We discovered wood ticks congregate into a big ball and float. Amazingly, no one had a tick bore into him/her.

One M-Day we hiked the Water-main trail. The trail zigged back and forth following an old water main. The children were convinced we were going in circles. To them each part of the trail looked just like the last.

One rainy M-Day Penelope and Prudence, my two oldest daughters, talked me into forgoing the gardening in favor of a hike. Wilbur was working. The girls, Orville, Buster (the dog), and I started up the trail to Hanging Valley, but it didn’t take long until everyone had enough. They seemed to be more interested in the pop I bought.

Another cloudy M-Day we hiked into Humbug Spires. A hiking book recomended the trip. And I guess it was O.K. - if you like rocks.

Sometimes on M-Day we would have Grandma and Grandpa come over for potato salad, baked beans, and grilled hamburgers.

Memorial Day – good memories! Are you making some?

Questions

Why does anything your husband would REALLY want for Father's Day cost thousands of dollars?

Why does a Labrador retriever want to spend a 75 degree day inside the house on your heels as you clean from room to room?

Why do the people who insist on doing all the phoo phoo for any undertaking involving school, church, or work always get their way?

With only 24 hours in a day, why do people want to spend their precious time doing phoo phoo?

Do men spend spare time actively thinking about this question: What toy can I spend $5000 on?

More later...

Dilly Salad

2 cups fresh cauliflower
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 sliced red or orange pepper
1 sliced green pepper
1 medium purple onion, sliced
2/3 c. dill pickles (homemade are best) chopped
1 pint tomato juice or home canned tomatoes
3/4 c. dill pickle brine

Mix everything together.

Potato Casserole

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup onion
1 16 ounce package frozen hash browns
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 soup can milk
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 small green pepper, cut in strips
2 tablespoons chopped pimento
dash pepper
1 cup cheese cracker crumbs, divided

Melt butter in a skillet. Saute onion until done. Stir in potatoes, soup and milk. Add cheese, green pepper, pimento, pepper, and 1/2 cup cheese cracker crumbs. Bake at 375 for 35 to 40 minutes.

Corn Tortillas

1 1/2 cups cold water
1 cup flour
1/2 cup corn meal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg

Heat skillet over medium low heat until just hot. Grease skillet if necessary.

Beat all ingredients with a hand beater until smooth. Pout scant 1/4 cup batter into skillet; immediately rotate skillet until batter forms a very thin tortilla. Cook about 2 minutes both sides. (I use more than a 1/4 cup because of the size of my skillet. My tortillas are a little thick, but maybe I'll get better.)

Green Salad With Tarragon Dressing

Salad:
6 cups torn sald greens
2 radishes
1 cup croutons

dressing:
2 T. tarragon vinegar
2 T. oil (I use olive since I found out how deadly oils can be)
2 t. sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 t. ground mustard (I use dry mustard)
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 worcestershire sauce

Put all ingredients in a bottle and shake.

Sons-in Law

After your daughters get married, you acquire new family called "sons-in-laws". I am completely in favor of sons-in laws (SILs). For one thing, they add balance to the family. Instead of overpowering Wilbur with feminine interests, opinions, and ambience, he now has other men to watch football and basketball with. Although, the hooting and hollering during games is much louder, it seems like television sports are MUCH more fun since we got the SILs. ( A word of warning here: Any SIL who interests Wilbur in any new sports that are televised is dead meat. Already, I have to make an appointment to watch television.)

Another great thing about SILs is that the only boy, Orville, now has brothers to hang with. When 16 year old Orville showed up at his sister's weddings 2000 miles away and casually mentioned the most formal attire he packed was a grey T-shirt and cargo pants, it was the shortly-to-be SIL who came to the rescue.

SILs are also useful for babysitting when I want to shop with my girls. Just like Wilbur and Orville, they have a minimal interest, if any, in shopping. But if you can interest them in TV game, barbecuing, or starting a campfire for marsmallows, they are perfectly content to stay home and watch the kids.

Besides having a providential dislike of shopping, SILs have an outdoor streak in them that is very useful. They make terrific skiing partners, downhill or cross country, if you can keep up with them. If you are short on people to hike with, send your daughter's family plane fare. SILs are like the energizer bunny on a hike. You need someone to help you improve your target shooting? Send for your SIL. They like guns too.

One of the most important feature of an SIL is that any of his quirks are not your fault. Those, you get to blame on HIS family. Overall, SILs are a winning concept, provided your daughters have good taste. Hey girls, did you get your good taste in men from me?

Chicken Soup

1 chicken - boiled and meat removed from bones
2 quarts of the chicken broth (from the chicken you boiled)
2 bay leaves
1 T. chicken boullion
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 c, sliced carrots
1 c. sliced celery
1 c. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup barley

spaetzle:
1 1/4 c. flour
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/4 c. water
1 1/4 c. milk

Boil the chicken with bay leaves. Remove meat from bones, Combine broth, boullion, thyme, vegetables, and barley. Boil until vegetables and barley are tender - about 20 minutes. Add meat.

Mix dry ingredients for spaetzle together. Lightly beat egg and add it and water and milk. Mix. Drop spaetzle by teaspoons into boiling soup. Cook for 10 minutes. Yield - 8 -10 servings

Garlic Dip - By Julie's request

1 large container cottage cheese

2 packages cream cheese (8 ounces), softened

Enough mayonnaise to make it dip consistency, about 1/4 to 1/2 a cup

4-6 cloves of minced garlic

Put everything in a mixing bowl and mix together. Eat with potato chips.

Chocolate Almond Cheesecake

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 cups sugat, divided
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons baking cocoa, divided
1/4 cup butter
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract, divided
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Combine crumbs, 1/4 c. sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa and butter; mix well. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan; chill. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and remaining sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in 1 teaspoon extract and remaining cocoa. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes or until center is completely set. Cool completely. Refrigerate at least 8 hours. In a mixing bowl, whip cream until it mounds slightly. Add powdered sugar and remaining extract and continue whipping until soft peaks form. Spread evenly over cheesecake. Sprinkle with almonds. Store in fridge. 8 servings.

Raspberry Lemon Muffins

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup light cream
1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine the eggs, cream, oil , and lemon extract; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold into raspberries. Spoon into 18 greased muffin cups. Bake at 400 for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. I've cut the amount of oil in half and the recipe is still good.

Hamburger Vegetable Soup

1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups beef broth
1 can (28 oz.)tomatoes with liquid, cut up
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup slced carrots
1 cup cubed, peeled potatoes
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. salt

Brown ground beef, drain. Add onion abd cook until tender. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until vegetables are tender.

The bay leaves are also lucky in this if your name is Lisa.

Christmas Shopping

Christmas Shopping

I hate shopping. Yes, I do!
I hate shopping. How about you?
All that stuff puts me to sleep.
The prices usually make me weep.

The commercials promise love and peace,
Happy families at a feast.
Kids who are sweet, bosses who are fair
If you will only buy their wares.

Yes, the key to happiness is all those things:
Ipods, X Box, and diamond rings.
The more you spend, the more you love?
Madison Avenue, you need a shove.

If we buy their baloney, we must crazy
Or maybe we are just stupid and lazy.
Think about it, what is more sublime?
Buying a bauble or taking the time?

Taking your kids to church on Sunday
Can't be replaced with toys on Monday.
Do you think everyday family dinners
Can be exchanged for one day of fluff and glimmers?

Buying neat stuff and taking fancy trips
Those are not short cuts to family bliss.
Your selfishness your spouse and kids will see through
They know if YOU are the most important thing to you.

There are no outs, no easy way,
We create our family day by day.
We put our family first, we look at the divine
We choose what’s important, for that we make time.

Retroactively Embarrassed

At church, I work with girls 12-18. It’s a lot of fun, and I love being able to do it. Naturally, some of the girls occasionally behave like toads. They’re kids, and kids behave like toads sometimes. Although, I wish I could warn the girls about retroactive embarrassment.

Retroactive embarrassment can hit at any time. You’ll be a young mother with four children at home. While making lunch for the kids during an ordinary day, Splat!!!! You will remember the time you made panty length cut-offs out of your yellow polyester pants and then rode your bicycle all over town - bending over all the way. Nice!!

Or you let your mind wander while you are doing a little innocent dusting, and before you know it you are at 9th grade cheerleading try-outs. The memory of falling flat on your rear-end during the tryouts will play on the screen of your mind in technicolor color. Or rushing back through time, you feel the embarrassment you should have felt (but didn’t have sense enough to) when you took the sacrament at church and said in a loud stage whisper, “Oh! That’s refreshing!” Clowning around that got a laugh with a group of nine-year-olds takes on a whole new meaning at 51.

I would have made a gargantuan effort keep my stupid teenage behavior to a minimum if I had known how memories tag along at a person’s heels. And some memories do NOT seem to dim with age. Memories are accompanied by feelings. If they weren’t, they would just be pictures in the mind. Feeling the public display of you imperfections - Ouch!

I never could see what use any of my retroactive embarrassment was until I started teaching the teenagers. Now, I see it has its uses. A memory of my past embarrassing behavior helps keep perspective with a kid in the midst of bratty moment. How could I not try to be understanding? Was I perfect at age 15? For that matter, am I perfect now? I want my retroactive embarrassment to increase my tolerance. People put up with the me and my lousy behavior. Bless them!

Wisdom from Wilbur

Over the past 30 years, my spouse has shared bits of wisdom. Here are some of a long list:

Driving tips - "Don't holler 'whoa' in a bog hole."

Nutritional advice - "The reason grass fed beef is better for you than grain fed beef is that you use more calories chewing it."

Weather forecasting - "Clear as a bell, cold as Hell."

Public speaking pointers - "Don't chew your cabbage twice."

Fresh Tomato Soup

I had a bumper crop of tomatoes, so I used the recipe a lot:

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose four
2 cups water
6 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced
1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour to form a smooth paste. Gradually add water, stirring constantly (so flour doesn't make lumps) thickened. Add the tomatoes, parsley, salt, thyme, bay leaf, and pepper. Simmer until tomatoes are tender. Remove the bay leaf before serving, unless Lisa is eating with you. In that case, whoever gets the bay leaf in their bowl is lucky if their name is Lisa.

Phone Solicitors

Only a person with a unique mind could work as a phone solicitor. At least, I think it is unique to have a mind that is not open to logical reasoning.

Yesterday I took a call on the business phone from a solicitor. The conversation went something like this:

"Is Rumplestiltskin available?"

"No, he isn't may I take a message?"

"Can you tell me when is a better time to reach him?"

"He does not like to be solicited over the phone. This phone is listed on the National Do Not Call list."

"This phone is listed as a business. For businesses there is really no such thing as a Do Not Call list." (This is not strictly accurate.)

"O.K., you can call him. It will make him mad, but you can call him."

"Well, he isn't in business, then."

So the mind of this phone solicitor must operate under two premises:

1) Someone who has adamantly stated he does not want your calls will buy something from you if you call him anyway.

2) Every business must buy from phone solicitors because there is no other possible way to be in business if you don't.

Under premise one, around age two my powerful intellect allowed me to comprehend that when you do what someone has specifically requested you NOT do, kiss their cooperation and good will good bye. About the earliest you can ever expect us to buy as much as a thumb tack from a phone solicitor is when Hell freezes over.

Under premise two - we receive catalogues in the mail, we have local businesses, we have the internet. Somehow, in our bumbling way we will manage to run our business with out assistance from phone solicitors. Thanks anyway.