Goodbye.....

I’m not sure how to start this post.  My heart is heavy……and my eyes are red, I may have cried myself dry.  My dear neighbor and sweet friend of 32 years passed away.  She struggled for 9+ years with cancer.  In the process of her battle, her sweet companion Rolf, became sick with liver cancer and died.  We all thought that with Carla being so sick, that Rolf would be the survivor.  We never know what life has in store for us.

 

Having lived next to Carla for 32+ years I have many wonderful memories.  Where to start……where to stop…..Carla was pregnant with their youngest, Alisa,when I married Boyd and moved next door to her and Rolf.  I remember Rolf “walking” Carla up and down the sidewalk during that pregnancy.…..Years later, Carla and I would walk for our exercise…..so many conversations.  It was more than a walk, it was therapy.  We discussed many things, some of great importance and some just fluff. 

 

She was a second mother to my children.  Being a working mom, Carla was always happy to be the “person to call” at school, should my kids get ill and need to be picked up, until I could get home.  Here children were my children’s best friends

 

We had a dinner club, Rolf & Carla, Boyd and I and Bob and Cathe Madison.  We would rotate homes for a monthly dinner together and invite another couple in the neighborhood to join us  Those are memories that I cherish.  We were back-door neighbors, traipsing through our respective yards to reach the other’s back door.  Carla had a warm and welcoming home.  She was a devoted wife and mother and neighbor, always making time for me or my kids.  She was patient, kind, loving and most of all without guile.  When I count my blessings, living next to Rolf and Carla -being able to associate with people of their character -  are near the top of the list.  The 9+ year refining fire Carla went through was long and hard, her brilliance was never diminished.  I miss her.

My laugh for the day.....or week

I got this in the mail today "Dear Mimaw, please send me a round trip ticket to Utah and back. I would like it with a rest of the month stay. And ASAP! Well at least a week stay. I need a break! or just 10 dollars...I love you. Bye"......WOW! This girl needs a break from her summer break.  I laughed so hard when I read this gem.

Farewell to Another Great Guy

 Three days after getting the call about my Uncle Arthur, another call from Mom.....her older brother, Uncle Frank died.   Man, lots of good guys knocking on Heaven's Door.

We didn't see as much of Uncle Frank as some other relatives.  His career was the Air Force.  He lived in far away places, and when he come to see us, it was like he was a rock star!!  He was sweet and kind, funny and soft spoken, yet he was a commanding presence, and he had our respect.  He was handsome and his wife, my Aunt Barbara was about 5 foot nothing, with a deep voice, and a hearty laugh......very throaty, I'm sure from a lifetime of smoking and she seemed very exotic.  Dark hair and dark sparkling eyes, and she was bubbly.  I remember her sitting at our kitchen table talking to my mom.  Being that I was as nosey as they came, my mom couldn't shame me into leaving them alone, I was right there listening to every single word, just being a regular

"Nosey McNoserson"  Aunt Barbara never seemed to mind. 

I remember a little tea set Uncle Frank give to Peggi and I, Mom telling us to be careful and take good care of it....but we were typical girls.....careless.  He retired from the Air Force and lived in San Bernadino, California.  He was generous to those he loved.

"

I was so impressed with the cadets that carried his casket. 

They said it was an honor to provide this last bit of service.

My Aunt Barbra died several years ago,

I'm happy to think of their reunion.

 When I was at the cemetary, I took this picture of my Grandpa and Grandpa Bushar's headstone.  I thought how lucky I am to come from such wonderful, hard-working, generous and faithful family.

Good-bye to a Good Guy......

I got a call from my Mom.....Uncle Arthur died.  WOW.  So many of my childhood memories involve my Dad's older brother, Arthur.  He lived with his mother, my Grandma Rokah, next door.  How lucky I was to have my Grandma live that close.  She doted on us.   My Uncle Arthur didn't get married until he was 42, so we were his first family.  Oh, how he loved us and was to good to us.   He was a business partner with my Dad.  They were the "Paxman Brothers" and they run a dairy farm.  Hard, hard work, and l-o-n-g  l-o-n-g hours.  When I was in 1st grade (I think?) I started taking piano lessons, we didn't have a piano, but my Grandma Rokah did, so I would walk to her home to practice, what fun that was.  She always had double-mint gum on a little shelf above her kitchen sink, so I would always grab a stick before starting......and one on the way out.  Uncle Arthur was a dark handsome man.  Being a batchlor he had lots of different hobbies, like lapidary.  He had rock cutters in the garage, and rocks laying around, and when I would finish my practice,  I would wander around and look at his "stuff" it was great.  My brothers were aware of a particular magazine subscription that Uncle Arthur had........(can you say Playboy....when it was just boob shots!)  I remember Grandma Rokah finding out they had looked at the magazines, and she just said: "Aren't those pretty ladies!" she didn't try to shame them or get mad, she just was so sweet. 

Uncle Arthur got married when I was about 13-ish.  He and Aunt Lynda built a home next to my Grandma, so he was still close.  What fun it was when he started his own family.....I remember when my cousin Jinger was born with dark curly hair, how proud he was.  He continued to take an interest in me and by brothers and sister.  If my Dad and Arthur had disagreements, I never knew of them.  From my vantage point as a child it was a super relationship.  Because my Dad's youngest child was older than Uncle Arthur's oldest, my Dad was there for his kids as well as us.   What a great memory and legacy.

Rest In Peace Uncle Arthur.  You were loved.

Uncle Arthur served our country. 

What a great tribute at the cemetary.  How lucky we are to have brave men, willing to step up and serve.

As we drove home, I contemplated what it would be like to pull up to my parent's home, pull around back to park, and not have Uncle Arthur wander up, at some point of our visit, to say "Hi".  He was much more consistant in coming to check on me than I was to check on him, and for that I'm sorry.  It's hard to loose a key player of your childhood.  I've lost some aunts and uncles, but this one hit hard, because of the closeness of my younger years, and maybe because at this stage I life, I cherish each day more.

My Happy

This is my glorious Tangerine tree.....you should have smelled my home last February....it was intoxicating...she is on the deck enjoying some sunshine...I keep telling her it's just as good as the sunshine in California or Florida....I'm not sure she's buying it.

Why yes....that is a tangerine....hoping some day to grow bigger and turn orange....there are several more on this little tree...oh happy day.  I'm thinking Christmas time they will be ready to eat.

I thought if I put a plastic flamingo in her pot, she would be tricked into thinking she was in Florida.  What do you think?

Oh Delphinium you gorgeous think you......

showing off like the Grand Dame you are.

I planted a calla lily between these (2) sweet potato vines....

it might be a mistake...most likely is.

Basil is poking her nose into the sunshine.......can't wait for pesto.

This is a cucumber plant.....it's an experiment.....

how big will they get in the pot.

Come to mama, you delicious cilantro....

The smell of this sage in bloom reminds me of wildness and dirt and natures beauty.

These a dahlias.....such beauties, and they know it.

It's early in the season, I'm still in love with all things on my deck....by the last scorching days of August, when my feet get burned walking on the deck bare-footed, and it's hard to keep everything hydrated......the love may wane......but picking a fresh tomato and making some salsa will make up for it.

Goin' to Jackson......

This is Bev and I in the back seat......heading to Jackson Hole to do a River Run.  We have our river hats on and we are getting "psyched up" for the fun ahead...

The Gun Barrel Steak and Game House is where we ended up......like for the "Early Bird Special" because we were there pretty early in the afternoon/evening....we were hungry and wanted to eat before the crowds really set it.....we are getting old.....gaaaaa.  These were buffalo ribs, and they were obscenely huge....about 12" long.....and meaty....Boyd was all "adventuresome" in his choice.  I think being with Brad might have influenced him, sine Brad's palate is much more refined that Mr. Mr's.

Bev had the Prime Rib....she's that kind of meat-loving gal.....

twice a year, she says...

hahahaha.

I'm about as predictable as you can get in a steak joint......the filet....it never disappoints...

medium with horseradish and I'm h-a-p-p-y...

No, the Buffalo didn't stink,

but it looked like it had a case of mange.....

Now, a brief run-down on this.  We woke up to cold, overcast and threatening snow.  We were sitting out in front of the outfitters and Bev said: "We don't HAVE to go....we are adults, we can make changes to our plans, we could head into Yellowstone for the day."  We thought about it, but I whined...."yeah, but we came up to do the river..."  everyone agreed, so we headed inside.  It was such an ordeal to get this wet-suit on.  It took (3) people to get it over my THIGHS.....argggggg.  curses to these thighs....They were tight and it started to set it......this could be dangerous, and cold, and miserable, and we could regret this decision for a long time.  But we loaded into their vans and headed out  Bev wanted to take Norm, but it was determined his pointy head would be dangerous and could possibly puncture the raft.  But one of the guides took Norm and said he would take pictures of him at a critical place on the river...........

How fantastic is this.  They guy knew when we would be at a critical rapid and he got Norm in the photo.....that was such a bonus.  This river run was cold.  It was FANTASTIC, rugged, scary, intense, and everything you would want a river run to be.  We laughed and screamed and promised we would do it again.

On the way home we stopped for breakfast in Afton.....this was a Sunday morning and the place looked deserted....

with a ton of road construction.

Another memorable trip with Brad and Bev.  We know when we go with them, lots of laughing will take place......I love them so.

June, Jo and happy things....

Just a few pics of things in my phone that make me smile.....

a flock of flamingos..

Pretty pink petunias

Joey rolls, and smiles...

Joey-Bean and Vivvie...sweet sisters.

Sweet cheeks....

sweet reunions.....

more happiness....

Oh the thighs....the thighs....the size of the thighs....LOVE

That's what I call a poster girl!!

Happiness on the deck.....

The sweet smell of sage blooms,

I wish you could see all the bees buzzing.

Happy peeps.....so good to Have Gil back.

Some pineapple mint, and lavender....the smell is intoxicating.