Marcella's blog May 16, 2011

Well, as usual it has taken me a long time to get some new information in here. Sorry about that. Here it is the middle of May already and we have been keeping busy. We went to Arizona for Nancy and Pat's Golden Wedding Anniversary party. We drove down with Kent and Jill in their niice, fancy car which does everything for you except drive the car, almost. We stayed the first night in Holbrook, AZ. The next day we drove to Mary and Lemoyne's house and visited and had lunch with them before going to the open house for Nancy and Pat at their home in Payson, Az. It was good to see so many of their family and the barbecue was delicious. We had a very good time visiiting with everyone. We stayed that night at Bison Ranch where we have condo shares. On Sunday morning we went to church before heading towards Utah. We did a lot of sightseeing on the way and stayed the night in Kanab. In the morning we went to see Pipe Springs and Walnut Canyon. Then we came on home but we really had a nice time. On May 7 we had a big family party in celebration of Mother's Day coming up on May 8 and my birthday which also was coming up on May 8, which was a Sunday of course. We had a really good time and it was a very enjoyable birthday and Mother's Day celebration for me and I hope our daughters, daughters-in-law, and grand daughter, who all are mothers, had as good a time as I did. As far as I know no one has signed up to host the annual Walker 24th of July breakfast so I guess there won't be one. Has anyone else heard anything about it? Last week we went to the Happy Hobo's Good Sam Club outing in Springville. We had lots of fun and, as usual, the food was delicious. Everyone is a good cook so it was great. The next thing coming up is our trip to Wisconsin for Amanda's graduation from high school and then we are going to leave immediately afterward to get her out here where she has a summer job starting right away. We plan to stop along the way to Wisconsin to do some genealogy with my cousins in Missouri. Here in Pleasant Grove we are waiting to see if there is going to be lots of water coming down Grove Creek Canyon with the snow beginning to melt as there is lots of snow up there. The city has put in a huge pipe line from the Grove Creek Debris Basin to the Murdock Canal to handle the water if it comes over the top of the spillway. They don't think it will be a big problem in the Battle Creek basin this time. In the meantime we are having to take detours to get too and from our house due to the pipe line on 500 North. We drove up American Fork Canyon yesterday and the river is really cocoa colored and frothing really bad. In some places it has gone out of the banks of the river but so far it has not done any serious damage. I guess I have rambled on long enough. I just got a call from Mary Burgin about doing some stories for the Strawberry Days brochure. I was hoping to get out of that. I had better get busy. We like to hear what is going on so keep your blogs going! Marcella (Sam)

newblogmar2511

We recently returned from a very enjoyable trip to Southern California to get away from the cold and see some sun. It was a lot of fun. We spent time mostly sightseeing. We went to Old Town in San Diego, bought humongous strawberries at a big strawberry field and sales stand, did a session at the temple, walked on the beach and picked up rocks and shells, ate at some great restaurants including a little hole in the wall called Ruby's which had 'fifties decorations and food to match. We also rode the train to Old Town instead of driving the car and that was a great experience. We went to a seaside shopping area in San Diego that we love to go to. It is fun to just sit on a bench and watch the boats go in and out of the bay but we also went in little shops and bought stuff. Jerry bought me two beautiful turquoise necklaces because I couldn't decide on which one to get. A little Mexican lady had made them and they are pretty. We went in other little shops but did not get much. Our friends from our mission to Cove Fort, the Terrys went with us. The weather was good while we were there but the earthquake and tsunami in Japan happened, too, and so we watched for high tides but they did not come. By the way, Grandpa Charlie's daughter, Jan, died. Duane called and told me the other day when he read it in the newspaper up there. I haven't seen her for a few years. The last time was when we took some of Grandpa Charlie's things that I found among Mom's stuff, up to her. She was very pleasant and so was Russ. We always put flowers on Charlie and Hat's graves, too, on Memorial Day. Jerry and I are going up to the viewing. I think that is all we will do because we were not close in any way. Never exchanged Christmas or birthday cards or anything. Last night BYU lost their game with Florida in the Sweet Sixteen of basketball. It went into overtime but we ran out of steam I think. Anyway, it was a good run while it lasted. Saw your cousin Katy day before yesterday when she cut Jerry's hair. She is fine and says her folks are, too. We had a long talk with Dean the other day and he seems to be doing well, at least better than he was. It has been nearly a year since Della passed away and I think time heals many wounds. Kent and Jill are back from their mission to Canada and they gave their report in their ward last Sunday and had an open house afterward. We didn't get back from California til later in the afternoon so we went over then and they are looking good. I don't know about you but I am ready for Summer. Winter has had its' day and now I hope we begin to have a good warm Spring. We were late to the high school Spring Concert Tuesday night and missed the singing groups that Taylor and Henson were in but we got to hear the rest and it was very good. I am sure their choirs were great, too. The Miss Pleasant Grove/Strawberry Days Queen contest is Saturday night. I think they have 11 girls running this year. Angie is doing all of that for the paper and I am glad to not have to do it. I did it for all those, about 30, years and that was enough. I have to do my visiting teaching later this afternoon because I don't want to do it the last day. I have a great partner, though, and we always have a good visit between ourselves as well as with the ladies we visit. I have asked Jerry to show you some of the photos we took on our trip to California. Hope you enjoy them. Have a good day and give all the kids a hug for me.

I am including a bunch of pictures we took on our trip so I hope you enjoy seeing them.! Sam or Mom, whatever fits!

I am sorry it has taken me about a year to make another post on here. I am going to try and do better. I am trying to get rid of my worry that I will hit a wrong key on the computer and blow up the world. I am not as comfortable on the internet as my daughters who write everyday and are experts in the field. In fact, Mie has a degree in computer science and Lari has done it at work so she is really good. I don't know how ofte Sabrina writes anything but she is probably very adept, also.
This past several months have been fun, what with BYU doing so well in football and now they are very good in basketball, too. As you know, we go to all of the home football and basketball games and that is about our extent of entertainment. Jerry does not like to go to the movies and I do but there is no one to go with most of the time. Jerry's sister, Della, and I made a deal that we were going to start going to all the movies we wanted to see together and we went to see "Blindside" last winter. Before we got to go again, she passed away unexpectedly and I am again without anyone to go to the movies with. (never end a sentence with a preposition, sorry.)
Troy and Marie bought a new house on the west side of Salt Lake in a beautiful neighborhood and I love the house. I guess they do, too.
I am still writing the news articles about the city council meetings and my column for Calvin's paper. It is fun and I have done it so long that it is not difficult. The biggest problem I have is my hearing which is not good. The microphones at the meetings do not work well but the city officials are good to let me talk to them afterward to be sure I have everything down right.
Strawberry Days meetings have started up and we meet the last Monday of each month until June to make sure we are all doing our jobs and to get caught up on all the plans. There is great concern about how to stop people from taking too many cups of strawberries at the concert in the park. No matter what new efforts we make each year, people still take far too many cups than their family needs at the concert. Some take them home and do not even stay for the concert.
One Friday night we went with Kassie to eat at the cafeteria at a business where Jessie works and the food was great and we hope to go again soon.
We hit a big sale at the Provo mall and both Jerry and I got some new togs. I got some tops and several trousers which I needed badly, and so did Jerry. The best things we found were at Dillards and Sears. Their prices were great. As of last Saturday, the sales were still in progress.
My nephew Craig and his wife were sealed in the Ogden LDS Temple recently and we were able to go. It was my first time in the Ogden Temple. We just do not take the time to drive all the way to Ogden to go to the temple. We usually go to the Mt. Timpanogos Temple.
We sure enjoy having the grandkids visit and we have sleepovers for them on occasion. It is a lot of fun and I enjoy having them. That way I have someone to talk to as Jerry very seldom talks unless I ask him a question and then I have to ask it a couple of times before I get his attention. I just finished reading the book on the life of President Thomas Monson and it was wonderful. I enjoyed every bit of it.
Now that the temperatures are warming up I hope to get back to working on my scrapbooks in the basement. It is too cold down there in the winter most of the time to stay very long working at it.
Oh, by the way, we bought a larger screen tv for downstairs and fixed it up so that we can watch movies whether they are on disc or on tape. Before we just had the tape kind and the kids like to watch discs most of the time now.
I am so proud of Sabrina's family. Mike decided to go on a diet and exercise and lose weight. He did it and he looks wonderful. So Sabrina and the kids (except Dallas and Steffie) joined in and everyone looks so great. I don't run anymore. I am not as sure on my feet as I once was and so I like to walk and Jerry and I do it quite often. We mostly do it at the mall where it is warm in the winter. In the summer we do it at the park or at the mall where it is cool.
My visiting teaching partner and I are going out this afternoon to do our teaching. We have tried all month and the last day was the best we could do with our ladies. They made me the compassionate service leader in Relief Society and I have not had to do much til this past weekend when a little gal in our ward had her first baby so I was able to get meals in to them for the whole weekend. The only other meals I have had to worry about I did myself.
If anyone reads this please let me know. I have waited so long to write most everyone may have given up on me.
Please make any comments you would like as I would enjoy that and will respond back.