Tamathy Visit!!!! (Part 3)

Low Water Point

On Friday of Tamathy's visit, Mark got a phone call telling him that, even though we'd had no rain, it had been raining for 3 hours straight over at the Pocatello building - just across town from us.

Tamathy, Seth, and I hopped in the van with Mark and ran over there (I didn't literally hop and run, but you get my meaning...).

Below are pictures of during and after the flood. Tamathy and Seth helped move residents' furniture and Seth helped retrieve items from cars and push one car out of the way.

Then, after hours of being there, Seth carried me across the mud and we departed.

What an adventure!

Seth and others pushing an elderly visitor's car out of the way

Leaving to go back home - muddy! (That's probably the only time you'll see Mark in his bare feet) Mark, wet-vacuuming flooded floors Behind the building - That's deep!! Between the building and the road

Seth retrieving items for a visitor, from his flooded car

(They also had a book manuscript in there! Fortunately, it was up high and didn't get wet.)

This is how hard it was raining

Flooding along the side

Washed out rocks

Mark wading across the parking lot

This, too, was at the low point of the flooding

Tamathy's photo of Leto

(She also took all the flood photos)

Tamathy was here when we heard that Michael Jackson was taken to the hospital and then that he'd died. What a shock. But I'm so glad that Tamathy was here, because I'll always associate our fandom with the Howalds. We were staying with them when Michael's concert tour was coming to St. Louis, way back when, and we were constantly plotting about how we could get tickets for all of us. I think we even wrote him a couple of letters.

Michael had a very hard life, and we're sure he suffered from a body dysmorphic disorder, associated with the verbal abuse his dad gave him about his nose, not performing well enough, etc. Along with physical abuse and no childhood to speak of. His plastic surgeries would always coincide with times of great stress. Why did people (like Rosie O'Donell, who wants to be sympathised with herself) make fun of him?

Also, I know about vitiligo, since one of my sons had it starting years before Michael talked about his. Why are others skeptical about this? Another thing to make fun of him for. Sheesh! I don't understand that, not to mention the presumptions of guilt over the years. (But don't let me get started on that.)

I'm just glad he's able to be at peace now.

So, thank you for visiting, Tamathy.

We had a wonderful time just hanging out with you.

I know that Seth and Mark were so glad to get to know you better

and

We all look forward to seeing your family, next time!

Tamathy Visit!!!! (Part 2)

First, some pictures of impatiens on our front porch, salvia on the back porch, and some of our homemade hanging-bag tomatoes. For Idaho, this is progress! We have two more tomatoes to plant - Stupice, which is an heirloom variety known for great flavor, and we have some more flowers to plant in pots. We also have a mini-grapevine and some chives and deep red dianthus. We're almost farmers!

Secondly, if you'll feast your eyes below, there are some pictures of Ben and Linda, including some of them on Father's Day. Thanks, Campbell and Cripe families, for the Valkyrie DVD for Mark. I'll enjoy it, too! ;)

Thirdly, below those pictures, you'll note a wondrously beautiful fairy house...This is what Tamathy made for me, out of little pieces of Oregon! Can you believe it? I can't. It's covered with bark and birch bark and moss and rocks, and it has every little detail you could want, including a little mailbox (see picture of little scrolls by the front door), acorn cap toadstools in a fairy ring, and roses made from fall leaves that you roll up and fold. Crazy, huh?

I know, you're all jealous. Just take this as inspiration for your own fairy houses, 'cause I'm keeping mine!

And thank you to Tamathy's children and Jeff for finding some of the materials for the fairy house. That makes it even more meaningful to me, which is saying a lot.

Thank you, Tamathy (from whom I stole some of these pictures)!

(To be continued)

Tamathy Visit!!!! (Part 1)

I just have to post about Tamathy visiting us for the past few days (she was here from Wednesday afternoon to Saturday afternoon)! This will probably take several posts to cover. I am so excited that my niece took the Greyhound bus from Eugene, Oregon, at a time when most of her children were in sailing school, to come out here to Idaho. Here she is, above, greeting me when we first arrived at the bus station to pick her up. Above that are pictures of our visit with Danny and Melinda and Ben and Linda Thursday night. We talked and ate clam dip and gummy worms. Tamathy told so many hilarious stories, we laughed the whole time.

We were outside most of the time, so the kids were able to play, and Leto enjoyed sitting in the shade of the big maple tree.

It was fun, and the weather was perfect!

(To be continued)

Almost July!

Some pictures of Tut, who is always amusing, and of the hail we had a couple of weeks ago - it looked like ice cream dots. I snuck in a picture I saved of a baby miniature horse. Isn't it cute?!

It's scary how fast the time flies in June! I keep starting posts and saving them, but never finishing them. So I'll just start and post one, and at least it will be up there, right? Even if it's not great?

Things are going well for us. We are tackling little projects around our place, or doing bigger projects, little by little. It's encouraging to see things improve. Seth got his GED and has been applying for jobs. He reallly wants to do things with the extended family, so if he could join in on any activities, please have him do so. He'd like to spend time with Justin, also. He misses seeing the family. And I do, too. I can't wait for the Fourth of July! Are you all ready for it? I hope Megan and Brooks and kids find some fun fireworks out in West Virginia.

Btw, what is happening with them? I haven't heard since last Tues. or Wednesday, when they were moving into a motel. Did they get moved? Were they murdered in their sleep? Does anyone know? I want to hear from them or someone, okay?

We went and looked at McKee's Pet Store yesterday. It's the best, 'cause they have so many things to see...flowers, fish, birds, puppies, and kittens, rabbits, ferrets, snakes, guinea pigs, and more. Then, they have a whole barnyard of their own animals outside, with goats, emus, miniature horses and donkeys, rabbits, tortoises, a strange-looking sheep with four horns, yaks, llamas, pot-bellied pigs, and a deer (or young elk?). Sorry, but we didn't have our camera with us - it was pretty rainy, but lots of fun.

It's been a rainy month, in case you didn't know. Crazy, but nice. It's helping our water reservoirs fill back up. Thinking of them makes me want to go fishing. I want to go, but just need to plan, 'cause it ain't just going to happen.

Today, I'm teaching CTR A's, which I did last week, also. I just loved this class of two boys, one seven and one eight. They are like little dry sponges, ready to learn all that they can, even if they are very wiggly. They are so open and friendly, once you get them warmed up to you, and today we are all looking forward to fancy cookies, which I'm bring because of the yummy-looking cookies on the cookbook visual aid I brought last week. It made all of us hungry for cookies, so I promised to bring some special cookies this week. Mark picked some Pepperidge Farms cookies up for me to take. Fun!

That's the only thing that could make me miss Alex singing in Sacrament Meeting today, in Idaho Falls. He's singing 3 songs, all by himself! I hope someone records him. I've been looking forward to this for months, but they didn't have the date until last week, when I already had this committment and had promised the cookies this week. I just can't let those little boys down.

I promised to blog about 2 things. One was being hospitalized and on a ventilator. I don't have any answers, except that I got a blessing. I lost consciousness (very weird for me, who never does that) and all discernible blood pressure at home, so I was taken in by ambulance on Monday (almost two weeks ago) afternoon. Thank Heaven, Mark was home! They couldn't get a gag reflex, after many tries (believe me, my throat can tell you about that, still!), so they intubated me and put me on a ventilator. Dallin and the Bishop and Mark gave me a blessing, and then Melinda and Danny and Linda and Ben got here, too (Haley was also here, with Dallin). For once in my life, every test they did on me was fine, and they have no explanation for what happened. But, since then (I regained consciousness the next day, and they finally took me off the ventilator and got the tubes out of my throat - I hated those! The nurse that took them out was my Hero! Since that time, I've gotten stronger and life has been good. Better than before. So, it was a blessing, in the end, even though it scared a bunch of people.

I'm so grateful for the love and concern that was shown for me. I think that's been the blessing part. :)

The second thing was Haley's baby shower! A couple of days after leaving the hospital, Mark and Seth took me up to Haley's baby shower, given by Lori (Dallin's mom) and her friend, Gayle. Gayle's home is beautiful, and a perfect setting for such a celebration. Gayle had made a diaper cake (see Haley's blog for pictures), with toys atop and around, and baby shoes, brushes, etc., on the sides. It was so cute! We each wrote down our "best motherly advice" for Haley, and read them aloud. That was touching and fun.

Sister Davis and Sis. Hart made it down from I.F., and several sisters, including Sis. Shipley, sent presents. Little outfits that had been sent were on display, along with a cute baby basketball jersey from Lori, and a quilt and blanket that Lori and Kali (Dallin's sister) made. Baby Hunter was showered with a wonderful variety of quilts and crocheted blankets and burp cloths, fun stuffed toys, wrist rattles, a big floor toy from Melinda, safety appliances, bath supplies, towels, washcloths, shoes and Nike(!) socks, handmade booties from Dallin's grandmother, darling jungle-themed onesies and pants, a tiny little sweater, baby wipes and boxes of diapers :), little jungle animal decorations, and an apron for Haley. I know there are things I'm forgetting, but you can see that Hunter will have lots to play with and wear when he gets here, along with snuggly blankets and lots of love.

Linda and Haley both looked radiant and glowing, the cliche description of pregnant ladies, but it's true. They looked wonderful! It was so nice to see them and meet with Dallin's family and friends again. Gayle let us look around her kitchen and super laundry area, with it's own fun slide to the downstairs and amazing storage spaces and work areas. They have two residents that live with them, so Melinda had a lot of quesions for Gayle, who was very generous and helpful.

Oh, and the refreshments were divine! We had chicken salad on croissants, with fresh strawberry shortcake and a lemonade/berry(?) drink that was refreshing and cool. It was a perfect summer afternoon menu, and we also were favored with Dove chocolates tucked into little blue bears or booties, accompanied by a poem with attached miniature pacifier. Doesn't that sound fun? It was!

Please remind me of what I'm forgetting, okay? Because I love the details. :)

Thank you, Lori, Gayle, and Kali, for giving Haley such a beautiful baby shower. I look forward to the one Sister Arnoldsen and Sis. Baird are giving for Linda, too. The babies are due next month!

I've been reading some good books lately. And watching some DVDs with Mark and Seth. They've been working on the lawn, which is looking better, and planting some coral impatiens in pots by our front door.

And today is Father's Day! Last night, we picked up some fun things for Mark, like Jaws and Fifth Element on DVD, for $5 each (he knows, 'cause he paid for them :/), and we're having tacos for lunch. I wish I could get him a big tv and a digital SLR camera, professional landscaping (including putting the pasture in grass), a riding lawnmower, and new siding for the house. It's good to dream, right? ;)

Right now, I'd better get my lesson done, and hopefully I'll be better at posting more often. I want to remember to take pictures of things we're doing, and little things around the house.

In the meantime, good luck to Alex and hope all goes well. And I hope Megan and Brooks and Aiden, Audrey, and Anya are all safe and well. And Phillip, over in Iraq. Hope you get to come home next month, Phillip, for your leave! And I'm looking forward to a visit from Tamathy, and maybe I'll look like a vampire by the time she gets here. ;) And we got our State Fair books, so Mark and I are thinking about what to enter this year. If we get a visit to Bear Lake in, and some fishing, we'll be good. And if our tomatoes ripen! And if Seth can finish his Eagle Scout! And if we can do some service projects, and get to the appts. we need to get to. And...well, everything!

Saturday Farmer's Market and Melinda's Ballet Recital

The following will give you glimpses into the uneasy truce between Jasmine and Leto

(Pay no attention to that broken pot),

Our backyard garden -

The plants have gotten quite a bit larger since this photo was taken,

With more added,

And pictures of Melinda after her wonderful ballet recital

Also,

Leto's trip to the Farmer's Market (his second)

Thank you for your kind attention