I've Loved You, Children

I love you children, Papa said
Tonight I'm tired. I'm off to bed.
When tomorrow comes I'll write to you.
There are many chores too much to do.

I love you children, said Daddy dear
A week then passed, a month a year.
The writing today was just not done
Work took my time till the setting sun.

I love you children, with all my heart
Oh how I'd love to share my part
Then each of you married and went your way
I wanted to share my love today.

I've loved you children, again he said
Four sweet children each bowed their head
With tear stained cheeks each one cried
The letter never came before he died.

Kent Vance

Who Loved Her Best

I love you mother, said little Nell
I love you more than tongues can tell.
Then teased and pouted for half the day
Till her mother rejoiced when she went out to play.

I love you mother, said little John
Forgetting his work, his cap went on.
Then he was off to the garden swing
Leaving his mother the wood to bring

I love you mother, said little Ann
Today I'll help you all I can
Then stepping softly she took the broom
Swept the floor and tidied the room.

I love you mother, again they said
Three little children all going to bed.
Now which one do you suppose
Really loved Mother the most?

Joy Allison

Papa's right handed

Papa, that's me, is really right handed. I've always known that to be true, but I'm getting to realize just how much it's so this week. I had surgery yesterday on my right thumb, and I have my right hand in a cast.

There are simple things that have a different degree of difficulty now that I am limited to my left hand. Brushing my teeth is a challenge. I'm clumsy, but I can get it done. Combing my hair is almost impossible with my left hand. I'm going to have to find a way to get it done with just the fingers on my right hand. Men's zippers are made for right handed men. Let's hope there are no emergencies in the next week. I'm really slow at getting my trousers open. Buttoning buttons is a challenge for me, but it can be done.

It makes me grateful for the human body. I am amazed at the complexity of the machinery, but even more amazed at how it can heal itself when it is damaged.

I was amazed with the surgery. I went under anesthesia long enough for the Dr. to make the incisions, then they brought me out andwoke me up to use the thumb to insure that it was functioning. I vaguely remember talking to them. The next thing I new, I was in recovery and within an hour I was headed for home.

Popo is trading in his silver steed

Popo made a major decision today. He's trading in his silver dodge pickup. As he ages, it has been getting harder and harder for him to mount the pickup. The cost of fuel is nearing four dollars a gallon. He is making the leap to get a newer, more economical vehicle.

I never thought I would see the day that he would be driving a four banger. He has spent many years driving heavy construction equipment. This is really a step down for him.

The pickup was a classy silver. The new car is a "lemon gold". I hope he likes it when he gets it. Today is the day he picks it up. He's planning on taking us for a ride when he brings it home.

Life

I was looking in some things trying to find that thing that was misplaced, ... alright lost... and ran across this poem which I thought you might all enjoy...

This is a poem which was written by Gordon Dean Howey when he was in San Diego, at Christmas time. Grandpa Arlo read it at his funeral in the obituary.

Life is such a mystery
With all its ups and downs,
One never knows for certain
What tomorrow will bring around.
Each day has so many challenges
Sometimes I wonder what I'll do,
Consider defeat, toss in the towel,
And then I think of you.

God's gifts to men are different
No two are quite the same
To some he gives riches and beauty,
But who am I to complain.
Because beauty may wither and wrinkle
Riches can vanish without a clue,
God's present to me is enduring and priceless,
You see -- His gift to me is you.

In Tune with The Master

The piano once was beautiful. . . an instrument so Grand.
Its music stirred each listening hear, just as its master planned.
When skillful hands engaged the keys, sweet music swelled the air.
And others felt inspiration as a gift of God was shared.

The master craftsman too, was pleased with the instrument he'd made.
It was of great worth to him ...indeed a high price for it was paid.
The piano enriched so many lives.. .it had a legacy of worth...
It was to have a profound influence while here upon the earth.

As years passed by. the instrument fell into careless hands,
The once valuable source of music met with harsh demands.
Not realizing its worth and value, it was the brunt of much abuse.
For musical enjoyment and inspiration, the piano was no longer used.

Its appearance was once stunning with it's surface polished to a shine.
Now was warped, scratched and scarred from seeing harder times.
After years of abusive pleasure and not maintaining its upkeep,
It experienced inner corrosion, the damage was sad and deep.

The piano long sat dormant, and when played, was so off key.
With its strings now loose and rusted...what would be its destiny?
Its owner was now dissatisfied with the once priceless gift of beauty.
And disposing of this worthless facade was now his apparent duty.

As fate would surely have it, another saw its worth,
And realizing its true potential would give it a second birth.
Restoration would require hours of work, sacrifice and pain...
But with the help of others, its value could be regained.

The work would be most tedious, not accomplished on one's own.
A master with the knowledge and skill, for the damage would atone.
To be an instrument of value again and bring others joy and pleasure.
It was destined to be in tune again, regain its worth... an earthly treasure.

The Master from the beginning, knew each individual's worth
And planned a destiny of great importance, from long before our birth.
Each soul is of priceless value... each one a child of God.
Will we pass the tests of mortal life and hold to the iron rod?

When we meet with life's big challenges, will they leave us scars of sin?
Will repairs through sincere repentance help as we strive until the end?
Our Savior paid the price for sins and said "Come Follow Me".
He wants us to be of worth, to be with Him for eternity.

May we always live in tune with God and be instruments each day.
To touch the lives and hearts of men with what we do and say.
The greatest gift, when life is over and we leave to go back home
Is to see our Savior and have him say, "Come to me. Thou art my own."

Bonnie Lynn Sisco Olsen

"102" in June

check out this article of Ruth Coch (Koch) http://www.alamosanews.com/V2_news_articles.php?heading=0&page=&story_id=7549

Aunt Ruth has made the news again!

Blue eyes

What burdens hide behind your empty face?
What battles in your heart take place?

I can see the sadness in your kind eyes, but I can only guess at the battles that have robbed
Your blue eyes of the light and your heart of the desire that in it once throbbed.

How can I make your burden lighter today?
What kind word would He have me say?
What word or deed could I possibly share that would make your burden lighter,
What thing can I do for you that would make those sad eyes brighter?

I've had a heavy burden on my table
That a times has seemed more than I was able.
Kind words and support have come from the most unexpected places.
Encouragement and love was offered from once hostile faces.

Despair with time has been replaced with hope
Kind words and affection gave me tools to cope.
I came to a fork in my crooked road
With a heavy heart and a difficult load.
Memories of kind words, of love expressed
Helped me have the courage to turn to the right.
I struggle still, but my heart is light.
My beloved friends have loaned me strength
I was stronger then at length.

Dear Brother with the sad blue eyes
Be strong and let me share with you.
The burden is lighter when its shared
as it was for me when someone cared.

Cold Pillow

I was probably 6 or 7 years old and we went to Uncle Don's house in Alamosa, Colorado.

As I recall, us girls were playing and getting ready for bed at the same time. I believe I told the girls that I forgot my cold pillow and that I knew I was going to have a hard time getting to sleep. I also believe that Danette knew I needed a cold pillow! Danette and Marcy were trying evertyhing in their power to make me cofortable, so one of them put a cotton pillow in the ice-box to make it cold, not realizing that all I needed was a feather pillow and I would have been happy.
yep
Aunt Gloria discovered the stash and asked why there would be a pillow in the freezer and asked that we come to retrieve the pillow to put it in its place.

I love how my cousins always looked out for us! They always made me comfortable and want to come back to play again! :-D

Another "true" story

Life in the mountains in the 1800's was unlike the lives we know today. There was an ebb and a flow of activity because of the effect of the seasons on the harsh topography. Spring brought a swarming of activity much like the movement of bees around a hive in a field of freshly blooming clover. Summer was a time of more constant steady activity. Autumn saw a melancholy slowing with the anticipation of winter snow. Winter was a time of little activity except that required to survive the harsh winter snow and wind.

It was not uncommon for people to be housebound or cabin bound in the mountain country. There was no media to entertain the mind. Boredom and isolation sometimes caused a condition called cabin fever wherin people lost contact with reality and retreated into an inner world.

Travel and hospitality in the mountains was also different than we know today. Today, one would never think of entering into a house uninvited. That was not the case with mountain hospitality of years past. As one traveled through the mountains and needed shelter for the night, it was permissable to use a cabin that was temporarily empty.

There was such a mountain traveller that came upon a deserted cabin in Massey Canon. As he came upon the empty cabin, he tethered his horse and unsaddled it. He took his saddle and bed roll into the cabin. He lit a lantern and built a fire in the wood stove and cooked himself a meal. The ride had been hard and he needed rest. He laid back on the bunk and looked up into the rafters of the cabin.

There he saw a hideous site. It appeared to be a naked woman, soiled and with matted red hair and burlap wrapped on her feet.

Carefully, the traveler grabbed the saddle and backed out of the cabin. He mounted his horse and never returned to the cabin again.

Establishing a Home

When Arlo and I got married, we didn't have a home. For a time we were here and there. We lived in a little 3 room house of Isabel's. Then we moved in with Grandma Vance. We live in a room of Charles and June Vance. That is where we lived when Dad died and Doris Faye came to live with us.

Then he got a job with Ed Guymon and we lived there until Don, Kent and Bonnie were born. Arlo quit his job with Ed and we moved in with Grandma Vance again for a season. We then moved to a farm between Sanford and Bountiful. Arlo worked for a Gyling. We lived there for one year.

The next year we moved to the house North West of Romeo. That is where Larry was born. That year there were a lot of things. Donnie had rheumatic fever, Arlo had a bad disc in his back and was in the hospital in Grand Junction for about a month, then was moved to Denver where he had back surgery.

While he was in the hospital, I moved us to manassa. We lived in Lucille Jackson's house, a block West of Grandma Dunn. We lived there until we bought our first home of our own. That was the one across the street from Maggie Weston.

From there we bought the house on 3rd street. That was our final home. We lived there until after Arlo died and I moved to Mesa. Things were never the same after that. There didn't seem to be a gathering place for all of us again. Eventho I own a home now, it doesn't seem to be a gathering place as I would like it to be.

Just like me

This was always one of my favorite songs, "Cat's in the Cradle", by Harry Chapin.

I suppose the reason I like it is because I can relate to it at least at a certain level.

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home dad?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

My son turned ten just the other day
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw", I said "Not today
I got a lot to do", he said, "That's ok"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

Well, he came home from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad
It's been sure nice talking to you"

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

I would like to hope that my children choose my better traits. I feel that I am a compassionate helpful person. I saw that my father was like that. He would not anybody to tell him that. He did things for others that were in need with no intent of ever being compensated. He looked after the widows of Manassa and made sure they had what they needed. My father also had no reservations in stating to me when he thought someone was not honest or trustworthy, but he would not show it outwardly what he thought.

Our Wedding

Arlo and I were married on the 30th of March 1946 in Grandma and Grandpa Dunn's home. We were married in the same spot that my Mom and Dad were married. Arlo had said he didn't want too many at our wedding. I didn't invite Nona and forever after I was sorry that I didn't. She was a very special friend. Grandma Dunn made arrangements for music and food and it was a very special occasion. Grandma Vance was the only one Arlo invited and He should have invited his sister, Isabel.

It was just after the end of World War II and stockings were almost unheard of because nylon was not available for private use. Aunt Ruth worked for a clothing store and was able to get me a pair of nylons. The boys threw wheat, (not rice) at us and got it on the running board of the car, (the model A), and I slipped on it and tore my nylons.

We spent our honeymoon at the little cabin at the bottom of the hill below our present cabin. We rode horses to the top of the mountain through Fox Creek Canyon. That is where Arlo and the hunting crew often camped to hunt deer. We heard the horses sound upset in the night and Arlo said that there were tracks of a mountain lion around the cabin. I still love to go to the river, which runs by the cabin at the bottom of the hill, where our cabin is.

True Story

I loved teaching because it often gave me the opportunity to tell true stories. This one is one of my favorites.

Having grown up in a home were my father and older brother loved to fish, we often got together to tell true fish stories.

My Brother tells me that there was a particular fishing hole that he loved to visit each year. It was in one of the areas in the high mountains where streams run only in the spring when the snow is melting. When the snow is melted and the streams stop running, fish often are trapped in small ponds where food is scarce and fish don't grow as well as they do in running streams.

It was in one of those fishing holes that we got acquainted with an old rainbow trout and his world. The old trout was distinctive. He had a huge head in comparison with the size of his body. Don or Red as he is known, was determined that he was going to catch that old fish. He tried flies and lures and live bait, but he old critter had been around too long to fall for those ordinary measures. Don was determined not to be outdone by any old fish.

Each year for several years, he returned to the same fishing hole with a different ploy to get old "Grandpa Colors" on the end of his line. One year, Red, some of his friends and I went to the high country to camp out for a few days. This year was going to be different.

We camped in the middle of a beautiful green meadow just a few yards from the old fishing hole. After trying the usual means for catching the wiley old trout, Red threw his rods and hooks aside and took to the fishing hole with his bare hands.

I heard a hoot and a holler and out of a torrent of splashing mud, red hair, freckles and water, I saw the old trout fly into the air and onto the green bank beside the pool. Red scrambled out of the water and onto the bank. He grabbed a cast iron skillet that was beside the nearby campfire and tied it to the old fish. He called me over to see his catch. In his excitement, he turned his back on the fish and he heard a big splash. The fish was gone!

Red had stirred up so much mud in the pond that he was unsuccessful in finding old Grandpa Colors. Reluctantly, the camp was folded up, and we went home. We'd have to wait till another time to catch the sly old critter.

The next spring, we returned to the high country determined to bring home some trout out of the pond. We dropped our tents and sleeping bags on the meadow before we went to the water. In the edges of the crystal clear pond, we could see hundreds of tiny minnows swimming, each with a tiny frying pan tied to his tail.

Do you have a "true" story to post?

Mothers

Wishing all the mothers out there a very Happy Mothers Day. It is great to be associated with such great women! I feel very blessed to be a mother with great children and grandchildren. I have received much growth through the years and know it isn't over! MAY ALL BE BLESSED WITH A FEELING OF LOVE FOR THEIR MOTHERS AT THIS TIME OF YEAR! I know I Am!

Courting and Marriage

Nona , my good friend was dating Moine Provost, he and Arlo came to the school when it was just out and asked Nona and me to go for a ride. That was the first time I went with him and we went together often after that. I was a senior in high school. We dated for three months and were married on the 30th of March 1946. I went to school 2 months after we were married, so I could graduate. Arlo had just gotten out of the army the first time we dated. He didn't have a regular job. He drove a truck for Uncle Lute Vance part of the time.

REMINDER

This is a reminder to all the Arlo Vance Family .... I am needing your counsel, advice, quote, whatever you choose by the end of May for sure so I have have them all printed out before the reunion. It will be fun to share with all the family. Love ya all!

About Bonnie's family

What a joy it is to hear from the family and get to know what each of you is doing. Our family is really doing fine.

Shandi , Todd and their three children are considering moving to Virginia as Todd is thinking of accepting a job with the government and they will reside there.

Emery J., Daylynn and their two boys are living in Lake Elsinore, CA where he works for a land surveying company.

Monica, Chad, and Riley live in the house behind us . She works at thy hospital as a CNA, Chad is a construction worker and Riley is in Kindergarten.

John Henry still lives at home and is working as a deli worker at the local grocery store and as a construction worker laying down curb.

We are enjoying our family and love them as well as all of you. I didn't write much but will catch up more later. I love you all and do apprciate your love and your contribution.


Until later.........stay safe, sane and sassy.....Love Emery and Bonnie

Posted on Gatha's post.

School in Manassa

I went to kindergarten, first, second and third grades in Manassa, before we moved to Romeo.

Betty Jean Johnson, Helen McKenzie, Shirley Jackson, ViDella Huffaker and several others that some of you may know, were my school mates.

The kindergarten class was held in the basement of the old grade school building. That is where all of my children went to grade school. The other classes were held on the upper floor. There was a bell tower above where several of the young people rang the bell when it was not authorized by the school. There are several stories floating around about that bell.

I always liked school. I was not as good a student as my children, but I enjoyed the social part and I liked literature. That was my favorite. I didn't have the talent for math and science that my mom and sons had. My mom was a math genius. So were Keith and Doris Faye. I guess recess was my favorite. I liked my teachers.

Who am I?

Ready to learn each day,
Opportunities come;
Lessons from life I crave,
Answers to my queries
Never do come easy
Daring me to be brave.


Key concepts come
Each night with prayer.
Never give up.
Try, try again.


Victory draws nigh
After the struggle.
Never surrender .
Cure my aching heart;
End my quest with thee.

Eric, Kempo, Debra

Eric and Debra have taken advantage of a service that is being offered by Brother Owens in the ward. He teaches a martial arts course for free at the church on Wednesday evenings at 6PM. He was a coach and teacher at Midway for several years.

Debra has practiced her kempo skills on me a couple times. I have grown leery of teasing her because she has given me a groin kick and a palm to the nose on two occasions. After both she was immediately apologetic and I believe it was just reflex.



Yes, that is what the palm of her hand looks like up close.



Debra informed me that the motion below is a block.

It doesn't look like blocking.



This is a picture. That is what Debra says. They are all pictures.

needing assistance

April 7, 2008
Hi Family Members,
I am in charge of a 'crafty' project at the Family Reunion in June. In order for this project which I have in mind to work I will need to enlist your help! Please contact all the members of your family with this request: (Please write and email back to me at this adddress)
Write something you would like your family to have forever. Share with us words of advice, testimony, poem, comment, quote or whatever you feel you would like to share with the Arlo Vance family that will uplift and encourage the family forever.
These words will be shared and given to the family so all can have a copy. I appreciate your help and words. Look forward to seeing you all then. Thanks, Aunt Gloria
PS please share with all you family members, I know I don't have all the emails and if they hear more than once, better than not at all! (Some of you - (those whose email addresses I have on file)- have received an email in regards to this request.)

Slide shows - Maybe a new tradition

I have added a new slideshow to the right and have moved the one that was there before further down on the Web site. I was going to leave them together in a group, but it made me a bit sea sick to have multiple things moving at the same time.

The first slide show was of Donnie. I took pictures from the collection I have and created an album on The Picasa Web site which is a free service of Google. You can find it at http://picasaweb.google.com/

The new slide show is a collection of my pictures. Next month, I plan to do the same with Bonnie and the following month with Larry. Hopefully, some of you will be able to help me with what I would like to do next as we take each grandchild in the order of their birth and do the same thing.

This has been fun because as I have posted the photos, I was blessed with a flood of memories of the fun, exciting, difficult, and learning experiences I have had growing up.

Andrea's Promise

Andrea saw this photo during her recent visit and told me that there was a story behind the photo. She promised me that if I posted the picture, she would tell us the story. Andrea, the photo is posted, and we are anxious to hear your story.

04032008-
Such a cute little Girl I was! :D The other's were cute too! ;-)

Well, I did see this picture while Dad and I were playing on the computer, and I did say that I would post a story about my memories riding in the back of that yellow blazer, not really this particular picture, but the memories that I have of being a city girl, roughing it with my country cousins! You know the City Mouse Country Mouse kind of story! Marcy always reminds me, that I came from the City and they were tougher because they were from the country! I'd beg to differ, but.... ;-) Robert and I always LOVED to be with our Country Cousins from Alamosa!

Anyway, I remember riding in the back of this yellow blazer many, many times! Over the many visits it was modified to fit our many needs and their ever growing extended family. We would often visit the Sand Dunes and the Don Vance family had their vehicle modified this one particular time with the benches that were NOT bolted in the floor of the blazer lined up against the windows for the adults to sit on, while us kids sat on the floor in the middle, on blankets, sometimes us kids were lucky enough to sit on benches while Uncle Don drove up and down the sandy hills of the Dunes to find just the right spot to let us rugrats out to run-a-muck; to play in the water; burry ourselves in the sand; and basically wear the tar out of us so that we'd sleep well when we got back to the Don Vance Family castle.

I think I still have lumps on my head from when we'd hit a bump or two and the benches that were NOT bolted down would fly up, bringing us with it to knock our mellons on the ceiling of the blazer. Little sacrifices we dealth with to enjoy the company of our family and enjoy the Valley sun! I always though Uncle Don was a wild and crazy driver, and that was cool because we wouldn't have been on half the adventures we were in if he didn't take the risks he did!

That was the one particular memory I had of this blazer showing our fun loving cousins, Danette, Cory and the RKent Vance Family offspring, Andrea and Robert. I WOULDN'T TRADE THOSE MOMENTS FOR ANYTHING!

~I better get back to work for now! If I think of other memories of this blazer, I'll post more later!

There you go! :D

Let's see if you can jump that bail of hay

Can anyone remember the time Larry wanted to jump the mototcycle over the bail of hay? I had a 2by4 against the bale so as to give you an incline. Larry watched me do it a couple of times and asked if he could do it. He jumped it and hit the front tire first. I told him to hit the hind tire first and asked me to show him one more time. I changed gears in the middle of the plank and it kicked the plank of of the bale. The front tire hit the bale of hay and stop the bike and stopped quick enough that the bike fell over real slow. I put out my hand outm too breake the fall and ended up breaking my collerbone,ha ha.

Larry and Automobiles

Some of the pictures below are same as the originals because I do not have originals. The first car that I did in was a 1954 Chevrolet. It belonged to Kent. Some friends and I went driving in it and knocked the air filter off the top of the engine when we backed up. The breather hit the fan and damaged the radiator. Kent then later drove it and it overheated on him and was ruined.



The color below is a bit off, but the model is right. We had a red 1953 Ford. Dad got it from Wilford Haynie. He was about blind. Hi glasses were thick and you could only see the pupil of his eye in them if he was looking at you. He quit driving and dad took the car on his bills. I ended up using the car the most. I drove it to school. I was in High School at Centrauri.

One night some of my associates and I went to Alamosa and were driving on top of the levees along the Rio Grande. We hit a deep rut in the dike and broke the motor mounts. The engine slid forward and the fan closed off the fins on the radiator. We found a pole and pushed the engine back in place and then took pocket knives and straightened out all the fins on the radiator. I drove it for months after that.

Mom took the car and went to Albuquerque and slammed on the brakes at a street light. The engine moved forward and closed all the fins on the radiator. She continued to drive it and got the engine hot. She put water in it and cracked a head. The car was hauled back to Manassa on a truck.



Before Kent went to VietNam he bought a new car. An early 1970s American Motors Hornet. Green. We used it as a family car while Kent was gone. I was driving it in Alamosa one day and failed to notice someone that had stopped for a person in a crosswalk and crashed into another car. Kent found out after he arrived home from VietNam.



When I was in high school I bought a 1962 Chevrolet Impala with a 327 v-8. It ran fairly well, and I was in the process of doing modifications on it.



In the course of stupidity I managed to have the steering wheel come off in my hands while I was driving to Simeon Dunn's funeral. I didn't make it that day to the funeral.



After my broken ribs healed I took the engine and drivetrain out of the Chevrolet and put it in the 1953 Ford. It was a strange machine. The speedometer only showed 120 MPH. I had a tachometer on the engine. The car was doing about 120 when the tachometer read about 5600 RPM. I drove it one day to 7000 RPM. I later wrecked the Ford by driving too fast around a corner and slid into a rock; I was going about 30 MPH. That was the end of that.



Donnie had a 1965 Cadillac that he let me use. It was a gas guzzler and it started to burn oil. I parked it by the garage. Someone stole some of the parts off the engine while it was sitting. Dad eventually sold it to a junk yard.

I left home for a while and worked in Farmington, New Mexico for a while. When I was there I bought a 1964 El Camino.



I was out driving crazy one day and sideswiped a telephone pole. Someone in Farmington offered me a 1965 El Camino in trade for the one I had because he wanted the frame. I make the swap. The 1965 El Camino had a 283 V-8. A farmer in the area offered to give me a 427 if I would put the 283 in his car and I could have the 427. I made the swap. It was a learning experience. I put lots of extras on the engine and it would accelerate quickly. I spun a rod bearing on it. Then I went on a mission and dad sold it.



When I returned from my mission my dad had acquired another El Camino that belonged to Donald Jarvis. I had that for the next several year. I sold it to a junk yard when I left Provo to go to Greenville Texas after I graduated from BYU.



While I was at BYU I met Jeanette Cheshire and married her. She had the nifty old 1952 Ford Galaxy. That was our family car. We were in the process of trying to improve it when...



a man in a little pickup ran a red light and hit the Ford broadside.



While we were in Greenville I bought a Chevy pickup. When we lived in Littleton several years later I sold it as junk. I saw somebody driving it after that.



Another car the we acquired in Greenville was this Chevrolet station wagon. I hated this car. I called it the gutless dog. It served our purposes, but it did not perform well. We sold it to a lady for $200 when we lived in Littleton.



Our family had grown. We needed more room. I bought a Ford Clubwagon from John Vincent. We used this van for a few years.




One day the van left us stranded in Salt Lake City. We bought the van below to replace it. It was not quite a replacement, but it was easier on gasoline and was easier to drive. Anita and Debra were in the van when a man ran a stop sign and pulled in front of them. Ouch.



Jeanette and I bought two new vehicles. A 1999 Saturn SL and a 1999 Ford Ranger pickup. We had the Saturn for only a few months when Jeanette and I were heading to the Denver temple and were just a couple blocks from home, when a woman pulled across the highway in front of us. We totaled our new Saturn. We had to deal with Allstate Insurance. That was the most painful part of the whole ordeal. The same was true with dealing with the Ford Aerostar accident too.




We bought another Saturn to replace our blue Saturn. This one was metalic silver grayish kinda color. We gave that car to Craig and Brina as a wedding gift.


We bought a 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis so we could travel in a little more comfort. We will probably still be making car payments when the car is dilapidated and retired.



And our last purchase is a Chevrolet Aveo5. It is OK as a commuter, but I would not like to take too many long trips in it.

I am missing my family

When my children were little, we got together as a family almost monthly. The center point was Mom and Dad's house in Manassa. We had Christmases and other holidays together, we went camping together. It was easy to feel connected and a part of things.

Time has changed that. We have moved further apart because of life events and employment. We don't get the opportunity to get together and chew the fat, so to speak as we used to. Some of our family is now in Utah, some in Colorado, and some in Texas. Brenda's family is in South Dakota, and Robert, Andrea's families are just a couple of hours away, but at times it feels as though it might as well be China.

I have really enjoyed reading the posts that have been added to the blog. I have enjoyed the pictures that have been added, and I have enjoyed the comments that have been appended to the posts.

For a short time, there was a flurry of activity that helped me feel part of the family again. I hope that isn't just a temporary flash in the pan.

I have really enjoyed the glimpses of each other's lives that this BLOG media has brought. I love it that Mom is sharing her memories and insights. Gloria's posts make me feel warm and help me see the lighter side of life. Don's little contributions are priceless. Danette's writing and photos have been wonderful. It's fun to see the pictures on Larry's and Jeanett's blog. You can watch their children grow up right before your eyes. You can see what their family is involved with now in a way that we couldn't do even when we got together regularly. I've enjoyed Andrea's posts. I think her photos are beautiful. Capturing them off of the blog is the easiest thing I have ever done!! I really do enjoy Andi's sense of humor.

I would like to do the same with my children that Larry has with his, but I no longer have pictures that I can share. I lost them in the divorce from Andi and Robert's mother. We do have old albums and Brenda's and Eddies's childhood and I do have boxes of slides that I need to get digitized so that they are usable on the internet. My old scanner isn't compatible with Windows Vista. I was frustrated today when I went into a photo shop to ask about the price of getting that done in bulk. They wanted two dollars a slide. I felt that was a bit prohibitive. I'll continue looking for a way to get them prepared.

I have not done well at posting every day as I was for a while. I want that connection with my family yet I have not been putting the effort into it that I was at first. I realize that the responsibility is mine. I can't sit back and wait for things to happen. I need to reach out and make an effort.

We are still looking for our digital camera. When it shows up, I promise you that you'll see more photos of our comings and goings.

Moderation of comments

Because of the garbage that gets added to the blogs and to protect us from malware (viruses and spyware), we have turned on moderation of comments. This gives us an opportunity to screen and approve any comments that come in to us. We'll try to moderate them quickly.

Keith's Funeral

I spent Thursday night at Bonnie's. Leon Picked us up there at 4 A.M. and we drove to Kanab and picked up Don and Gloria. We drove to Belen, New Mexico, where we had 2 motel rooms reserved.

When we arrived there, we talked to Erma and she told us that The ward had prepared a meal for the family and we could come and eat with them. after we got cleaned up we went to the church and Keith and Erma's family were mostly all there. They have 70 members of their family. We had a very nice meal and got acquainted with members of their family that we hadn't seen in many years.

The viewing followed in the Relief Society room. The day Keith died, Erma asked Kelly if he could build a casket. Kelly said "no way". The other sons and three grandsons, said they would help him and together they got to Kelly's barn at 8A.M. and stayed late into the night, sometimes as late as 1 A.M. and made a beautiful casket. It was white pine with Cedar panels. The girls made the linings. It was a work of art. Keith looked good. He was thin after so much sikness, but he looked nice.

LaRue and Harold and Doris Faye and Bert came to the viewing. That was special. we took a lot of pictures.

We went back to the motel and prepared to leave at 7 A.M. the next morning to go to LosAlamos, where the funeral was held.

Barbara came for the funeral and all of my immediate family was there. That was special. We haven't all been together at one time since Barbara was sealed in the temple.

At the viewing, Cheryl and Elwood Cardon and Aldred and Gay Schofield were there. I only have 4 living cousins on Dad's side of the family. Cheryl, Aldred, Charley, and Winona are the only ones. It was good to see them. Keith and Erma's family was all there and it was good to see all of them too. The funeral was special. I will send you a program. All of it was their children, except the bishop gave a short talk. . It was a beautiful funeral. The tribute to Keith was wonderful. We stayed for the meal after and visited with my sisters and brother.

We started home at 4:30 in the afternoon and arrived in St George at 4:30 in the morning. It was a good time. everyone was so nice and I felt that being with family was great.

Uncle Keith's funeral

This last weekend as we went to the funeral I was very impressed with the spirit that was there. Not one time did I hear anything negative. Everyone of the kids took part in the funeral service. What a good job they did! It has always been a pleasure to be around Keith and Erma's family. It was so good to meet the grandchildren and great grandchildren of Keith and Erma. Thank you boys for being like your father. No one on this earth cares and loves like he does. I want you to know I love each and everyone one of you. Donnie