Just a few hours ago....

...my dear Aunt Beulah died. She's been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember....

She and my Uncle Emeron raised their children in Reseda, California but oh, how I would love to go visit them and when they would come visit us. Here I am enjoying one of the many outings we had when their family would come and she always made me feel so very special (which I am, but it's nice to have the validation, right?)

They moved back to Utah in my early college years and lived in Logan where I went to school and theirs was my home away from home, on every level. I always felt I could crash there and we would do just that on our long trips back to Pullman with our young family. She'd always have a huge home cooked meal, always corn on the cob or her special creamed corn. We'd spend the night being pampered then head out early the next morning....

She truly loved my kids like a grandma. My girls especially have felt a special relationship with her. She's just one of those "smiling all the time", active, happy people....oh, I know she had some "gripes" with life but mostly, when you were in her presence, she made you feel like she was glad to have you in her presence.

She loved being outside, rain or shine and she would go out and dance at the sign of the first snow. In her later years she would dance and move all around the house. She showed me once what she does and I was pretty convinced that's why she has lived so long, always on the move. She loved to sing and play the piano. This past year, she taught my grandson, George how to play "In the Mood" and loved watching how he has gone on to embellish what she taught him.  She loved "beautiful men".....hated cats, loved to garden, loved the Jazz, missed Uncle Emeron immensely, loved, loved, loved, sunshine, loved a good hike up to "Molly's Nipple".....even did that one I think this past year or so.

Sisters....they spent Fridays together for the last few years. She and mom could really laugh it up over old times. These are two very elect ladies right here. I will miss my Aunt Beulah but it has been hard to see her lose her vitality to old age. I rejoice right now for her as I know she's finally re-united with the love of her life, Uncle Emeron. Change comes whether we want it to or not and it's never easy but I rest assured that we'll all be together again....and that makes it o.k. I love my Aunt Beulah to the moon and back....and more.

Regrouped and recouped....

...ready to lay it all out. What I think I enjoyed most about this trip, weird probably to anyone but me, but as I went through 4 different airports on this trip to Florida, I was with someone. I have kinda gotten used to going through airports alone (for at least 9 years flying back and forth from Kentucky) but since being married to Randy, I get to be with someone....and it's fun. Sometimes I plug along, in a hurry, carrying my carry-on, chock full   (chock–full adjective \ˈchək-ˈfu̇l, ˈchäk-, -ˌfu̇l\: completely full of stuff) forgetting that there's someone willing to help carry the heavy stuff. That's what we do for each other in this here marriage, we help each other with our baggage. Anyway, we headed off to Florida. We don't do expensive vacays.....not yet anyways....just trips to see our kids and stuff like that or little week-enders at Tahoe or the beach but this was across the country (we did it last year too) and loved every minute of it, yep every minute. Landed here.....

 ...at our lovely, water-front condo. It's so comfy and hooked onto this beautiful old home....

...and I could have just spent the whole week, sitting right here, watching the boats go by.......

...and other stuff. Here are some of the things I saw whilst sitting on the porch....

The boats have names you know. That big one top right is named Marlena....hmmmm.....wonder what I'd name my boat. Most of them are girl names you know. Others are just "play on word" type names like.... "Wine Down".....or "RMT Nest"....I should have written them all down but I was about sittin' not writtin' but I did have a few friends drop by. The little critters just had no fear. The blue bird even took a sip of my lemonade when I wasn't lookin'. Right friendly folks around here. Everyone would wave at me and probably thought I really lived in that house. I was perfectly happy to let them think that for a week. We like to take a day and ride the water taxi.....this house is right next to a taxi stop.....

We rode the taxi down to the beach but on the way, there's so much to see and learn about; all the fancy folks that own homes here and all the yachts that cost more than the houses they are parked by....

Before the beach, we got off at Stop 6 and had some lunch at Bahia Cabana where Jimmy Buffet got his start singing.  Top left is the view from our lunch table. Then on to Stop 8, Ft. Lauderdale Beach.

Actually, a compilation of beach pictures as we went there three or four times during the week. Always fun....I even tried my hand at snorkeling. Randy found lots of fun stuff in the ocean....beautiful shells to add to my collection and a gold ring......

We learned about The Bonnet House and decided to go check it out. It's a wonderful old home built on ground that was purchased back in the late 1800's by Hugh Taylor Birch....click HERE to learn more but to make a long story short.....he gave the house to his daughter as a wedding present when she married Frederic Clay Bartlett, a Chicago artist. She died of cancer and he later married Evelyn Fortune Lilly. Frederic died in 1953 and in 1983, Evelyn gave Bonnet House to the State of Florida but continued to live there until she died....after living into her 90's. It is a beautiful, well-preserved, lush green property tucked right into the modern mansions and high rises on the beach of Florida.

Top left is what greets you as the tour guide opens the doors from the outside. It was so amazing and the grounds are so well-kept and so many varieties of orchids growing from everywhere. This place has been turned into an art gallery of Frederic's paintings that would be worth a lot but he never signed anything. He painted for pure pleasure and for himself. Evelyn soon learned that she could paint too....when Frederic told her that hers were better than his, she stopped for a while but took it up again later. 

This is the pathway from the yard out to the sea....I could just imagine the beautiful days spent there with the beach just a walk away. I'm just grateful that every once in a while, there is someone that wants something preserved to take us back to simpler times. That's what this property did for me. It was amazing.....

"Let's go get us some gator...." said Randy in his real Swamp People voice. We headed to the everglades and caught an air-boat. Fun on every level to say the least. 

We enjoyed evening strolls around the neighborhood and downtown to get ice cream.....

Took the kids to the art museum one day and couldn't resist a few pics in front of this big "I Love You" sign.....and speaking of love......Let me quote Jack Johnson here....

 Love is the answer at least for most of the questions in my heart, like

"Why are we here?" and, "Where do we go?"

And, "How come it's so hard?"

It's not always easy and sometimes life can be deceiving

I'll tell you one thing it's always better when we're together

Yeah, it's always better when we're together

Mmm, we'll look at them stars and we're together

Well, it's always better when we're together

Yeah, it's always better when we're together....

So glad I have Randy to do stuff with.

Ya gotta love a rainy day....

...especially if ya come from Southern Utah and it's a beautiful Fall rainy day here in Folsom as we recoup from our R and R, but I also reflect in this month of November on the many things for which I am grateful and today I'm thinking about JoEllen because it's her birthday....

She's the wife of Kyle, mother of George, Emily, Evan and Matty and a very capable person that organizes, works and gets things done. She's been awesome to see that my Mom's legacy for Lemon Meringue Pies lives on. She serves wherever she is needed; PTA, Primary, Scouts....a great example of energy and ambition. She's awesome at Zumba, learning to play the Cello, is up for a good hike, run, bike ride, vacation to Disneyland. Happy Birthday to an all-around wonderful person that I'm glad is in my family...and speaking of wonderful....Randy and I just returned from Florida and it was just that, awesome on many levels.....here's a "selfie" of us at the beach...

There'll be more to come as I get my act together and organize my pics. We got a lot in and had a great time but I just need a day to get caught up. It's one of those "in-door" kind of days today and I'm lovin' it.

Got a minute?

Take some time this week and help me remember this good man....he would have been 64 years old this coming Saturday, November 16.

He loved a good sunset.....if you have a minute, I think you'll like this a lot. This song always reminds me of him. Click on the sunset and take a listen....then go hug someone that you love.

Didja ever....

....get one of those day? Click HERE (watch the whole thing). One of my favorites from my childhood; loved Elvis and I loved this song and I think of it whenever I have one of those days.....just to re-cap. "You get up in the morning, you turn the shower on. You get up in the morning and the hot, hot water is gone. Freezin', sneezin' ya wanna dry your back.....did you ever get one of those days when there's no towel on the rack.

...and this was only the beginning. I didn't discover this until I went to try on some shoes at REI.....it was downhill from there with a bit of homesickness and self-pity but all I had to do is watch this (Click HERE) and it pulled me right out of my slump. But then....I just got this e-mail message from JoEllen. She and Kyle just happen to be in Disneyland as I write this.....BILLY IS RETIRING.....

We've had such good times at the Golden Horseshoe. I remember a few years ago when I went to DL by myself, I caught the show all five times in one day.  They've been around for as long as I can remember going to Disneyland and frankly, I'm sad about this but the guy needs a life so kudos to him. I hear you can catch his Elvis impersonation at a bar in Fullerton. You may find me there one of these days. If you haven't seen him, you have a month to do so or I'm sure we've taken some video through the years. None finer than the first original Billy Hill. I'm sure I'll be posting more about him later.

I've had my picture taken with him several times and I do have a whole library of pictures through the years but this is one of my favorites. Truly a legend......I will miss him. However, on a more positive note and speaking of legends....nothing made my day more than finding out that my favorite all time singer in this whole wide world won CMA's Entertainer of the Year....

I tell Randy all the time that all he ever needs to know about making me happy in our marriage he can learn from George Strait songs.......(and he listens to them often) "ya better baby yer baby, 'cause if ya don't, one day yer baby'll be gone." Way to go George. What I've learned is that there just has to be a bad day once in a while to truly appreciate the good ones....and today has been a good one. Hope yours has been too.

It was a good one....

.....downsized a bit and simplified but loved every minute of it. I love my birthday party each and every year. It started when I needed to feed my kids before they went out for candy and has been going strong ever since.

Lauri, as always, did a fine job of catering the event. I pulled out my Halloween "ugly sweater" for the celebration; that's about as "costumy" as I get but there were some really good ones this year...

Drew was an awesome Napoleon Dynamite, George was Smarty Pants. There was the cutest little watermelon, garden gnome, minion, crocodile, zombie and others....but the hit of the show had to be, of course Evan and his woman....

His little friend Hayden Wittwer dressed up as Mrs. Evan and when he gave his mom grief about wearing high heels, his mom said..."Evan shaved his head, you will wear the shoes." I think that's how the story went. They made a visit to Spencer's office (like a lot of elderly people in town) and all the workers thought it was so cute that the little boy and girl dressed up together but Hayden threw off his wig and let them know he was a boy. I wasn't there, but that's how I heard it so if it's wrong, correct me. Needless to say, Evan was not too happy yesterday when the rest of the hair came off but it will grow back (and hopefully he has the $22 his dad bribed him to shave it. I think I was supposed to throw in a ten).This truly will be a Halloween to remember for the rest of his life. Speaking of grand kids.....

...several of the older ones participated in the Midnight 5K that Kyle was in charge of in conjunction with Dixie State University Homecoming. It was fun to watch them participate and cross the finish line. Laynee won in the female division....others won prizes in their divisions as well. This is such a fun family event....hope it's a yearly tradition. The music gets ya goin' so ya forget the late hour that it is. After a week of fun, family and friends....

I'm back in Folsom with my best friend....doing what we love to do, chillin' on the lake for a few hours. We celebrate Randy's birthday tomorrow.

I'm just grateful that we found each other in this twilight of our lives....neither of us feels as old as we are, (most of the time). He's a very good man; wonderful husband to me and father to his kids, a friend to all and definitely Mr. Positive Attitude. Like I've said before...."I'm not sayin' he's perfect but he's perfect for me and we are good together." Happy Birthday, Randy.

You just have to smile....

.....at old age and Evan's Halloween costume. This haircut cost his dad bribe money, a cool twenty two bucks to be exact but Evan's having such a good time, I'm sure he'll do it for free.....a cuter old man I never did see.

...and speaking of old, just got done with our 45th class reunion. Dixie High School Class of 1968!

"When comes such another"......NEVER. Best class ever, Wally even said so. Two days of getting re-acquainted, catching up and just having a good time. There were some that chose not to come for one reason or another, and we missed them dearly, each and every one but there are those that couldn't come as they have gone on to bigger and better but we honored them....

Scott was president of this great class. Just for the record....I miss him. We always enjoyed our class reunions together. To the far left and cut out of the picture is our most recent classmate to leave us, Johnny Hail. We've got five more years until the next one....we found ourselves saying to each other..."hope I see you in five"......speaking of scary, it is Halloween today, not my favorite holiday, but I do like my birthday....

Just one of my many birthdays....and coming off our class reunion, there are a few of my classmates here. It was always a Halloween theme and we always dressed up....I didn't always like my costume......(I'm sure my mom made me wear this one...maybe there was a bribe but I don't think so. I'll post that sweet home made head piece on pinterest.....)

but  there was always a cake....

Another year older....tomorrow starts my new year. I hope to find more in the coming year; more kindness, more patience and more gratitude for I am blessed beyond compare. I hope to "cherish all my happy moments as they make a fine cushion for old age...." (Christopher Morley)

Forty years ago this day....

...this little kid changed our lives forever....just as spunky and fun-loving then....

as he is now! Born in Moscow, Idaho (we lived in Pullman, Washington) weighing in at a hefty 9 lbs. 5 oz... the beginning of our parenting career, he got the brunt of our trial and error type approach but he survived.....

...doesn't ask his kids to do anything he's not willing to do....

Still goin' strong after all these years...marathon runner, department head, best dad, husband and son ever....and the original "scary dad" to all my grand kids. A Happy Birthday shout out to one terrific human being....my first born amazing son, Kyle Scott Wells.

Awesome Awctober......

...it's getting awesomer by the minute ('cause we all know what's coming!!!!) need I remind you....I've started celebrating already though....hooked up with my "Ghoul friend" Traci, for a bewitching night at Gardner Village....

Shopping....dinner at Archibald's (Fried Green Tomatoes, oh yeah...) Thanks, Traci. Loved dinner and I love your gift.

She was in heaven in this fabric store and I stopped by a yarn shop and got some really soft yarn. This evening fulfilled our every desire for sure......Just for the record, I left Tuesday morning early traveling I-80. Jodi Picoult (click HERE) got me to Traci's in exactly 10 hours. Best book on tape author ever....thanks audible.com. Next morning, we were off to State Cross Country....Laynee looking mighty fine as always.....cute kid!!!!

She represented Desert Hills well. She's only a Freshman....gonna be fun watching her run for a few more years. Speaking of cute kids, I enjoyed my hugs from Traci's little ones. Spencer and Max bonded for a bit.......

Upper right...notice Max's mode of travel. It was a beautiful day for a race.

It was fun to be at the Staheli home for a brief time and experience the routine. Even got to see Scott at his Hip-Hop class. Can't believe I didn't take any pictures. We're cruisin' through Awctober but there's still lots of awesomeness to come....Class Reunion, Kyle's big four oh!!!! and my big six three. I'll be in blog heaven for sure. 

When in Folsom....

...if "Ring of Fire" comes to town, it's a must see. We ventured over to Three Stages (The Harris Center) tonight and listened to Johnny Cash music at its finest.

It helped me snap out of the doldrums that have been plaguing me for a day or two...and I finally realized why. Tomorrow David would have been 33 years old and would be the 4th little boy in this picture, probably riding a big wheel or a scoot-along trike or something. Click HERE to read the post I wrote a few years back. Seems like a wee bit of sadness comes as a reminder from Heaven that someone is missing.....and I'll forever wonder what he and Scott are doing up there. (Classic picture...I just have to post it every year).

Another thing that lightens my spirits is to get out in nature...especially right down there on the water with the ducks. My "Duck Dynasty" today as they seemed to come out and welcome me even though I had nothing to feed them. They surrounded my kayak looking for a handout then headed on their way. I love these little creatures and could have watched them all day.

Life is good, even when it's bad....sometimes we just have to take a little while to mourn....then move on with gratitude for all we have been given.

Too much time on your hands????

....and speaking of purses....you could make one of these. I saw this at the Folsom Prison Museum the other day when Joyce and I visited.....

We used to make gum wrapper chains but the inmates can't have gum so this was made from potato chip bag wrappers. I loved making gum wrapper chains as a kid.....

Totally a lost art. I got some Double Mint Gum the other day thinking I would sharpen my skills but they don't even wrap the gum in the green wrappers now....only in the tin foil. I was disappointed to say the least but if you have a few spare toothpicks and a little time, maybe you could make one of these beauties......

To be exact, 250,000 toothpicks and ten months, this could be yours. This kept prisoner Billy Burk sane (?) until his release in April of 1934. Hey, whatever it takes......we do what we have to do for sanity. Everyone needs a hobby....great stress reliever. I've had several through the years (another blog, another time) but for now I think I'll go knit.....