April 1st through April 7th

April 1^st through April 7^th:  Monday Chris went to work and I rested.  Tuesday we went to the doctor and had Chris’ knee checked out.  They gave her a cortisone shot and we are hoping it will help with the pain she has been having.  She will probably need knee surgery for a meniscus repair.  The rest of the day, I rested and Chris went to work.  Wednesday we flew to Burbank to visit Sam and Ginny and their girls, Xela and Willa.  We took an Uber from the airport and got settled in.  

Willa wanted to wear her boots on her ears.

Thursday I took Ginny to work and the girls to school.  Then Chris and I drove to the Los Angles temple and went to an endowment session.  We got back just in time to pick up Ginny from work and then the girls from school.  

Outside the Los Angeles temple.

Friday after we picked the girls up from school, we drove directly to Newport Beach where we stayed at the Bayview Marriott. Sam drove down after work.  The girls enjoyed the pool.  

Hot tub fun at the hotel.

Saturday after conference drove to Balboa Island 

and then took the ferry to the peninsula. 

The girls played on the beach and then had lunch 

at Ruby’s dinner at the end of the Balboa pier.  

It is a great view of the ocean and makes you

feel like you are our in the middle of the ocean.  

We went and walked through the tide pools at 

Little Corona del Mar and then headed back 

to the hotel and listened to more of conference.   

Conference in our hotel room.

Riding the ferry from Balboa Island to the peninsula. 

Enjoying the beach.  My arms got sunburned.

Ferris wheel fun.

Lunch at Ruby's Diner at the end of the Balboa pier.

Sam and Xela at the tide pools.

Couldn't be prettier. 

Sunday we listened to conference and then went to a park for the girls.  We listened to the last session of conference as we drove back to Pasadena.  It was a fun weekend exploring Newport Beach and finding some good Mexican food.  One more day with Sam, Ginny and the girls and then we will fly home Tuesday morning.  We are so glad we were able to spend time with our California kids.  We keep trying to talk them into looking for a new job in Utah.  We are not getting anywhere with that idea.  I continue to get a little bit better day by day.  But I am still uncomfortable at times and it is taking too long. 

Xela at the park.

March 25th through March 31st

March 25^th through March 31^st:  I continue to improve from my surgery and feel a little bit better each day, but I have been surprised at how slow my recovery has been.  Tuesday I went to my doctor’s appointment and he confirmed that it is normal to still be in pain and there is a reason that the recovery time is six weeks.  Wednesday mom had some basil cell carcinoma removed and then we went to lunch with Kate, Charlotte, Alex, Tilda, and Mary Jane, Alex’s mother.  She has been here visiting for a week from Denver.  

Tilda was one of our lunch dates.

Thursday morning I had a root canal and got a temporary crown. We sometimes feel like our bodies are falling apart.  We then drove to Mount Pleasant to visit our good friends Mike and Merlene Ellington.  We spent a year in China together teaching English with the BYU China Teachers Program and they served for 6 months as temple missionaries with us in Guatemala.  They are wonderful hosts and we loved eating Chinese hotpot and reminiscing about our shared experiences.    

Mike and Merlene Ellington.

Friday we drove by our old house in Mt. Pleasant for one last nostalgic look and then headed to James’ new auto dealership in Lindon.  If you need a car, please give him a call.  

James at his new dealership. 

We then drove to his house and took his oldest son, Rigby, to buy scriptures and a scripture bag.  He will be turning 8 in a couple of weeks.  Mom did a Family Home Evening about baptism and then we drove home.  

Rigby's baptism invitation.

Saturday I was able to do my shift at the temple, but by the end I was pretty sore and had some pain.  After my shift, Alex and his son, Luke, came over and I helped them get Luke's pinewood derby car cut out.  He wants it to be a bag of potato chips.  

Luke and his car.

We went back to the temple in the evening and did a sealing session with John and Jill, Alex and Charlotte, Bryce and Kate, and Paul and Mary Jane, Alex’s mom and step-father.  It was nice to be together in the temple.  We were sad that Sam and Ginny live so far away and that James and Kirstin had some last minute problems and could not be with us.  

In front of the Bountiful temple.

Sunday I taught the lesson for the 5^th Sunday combined class.  We introduced the new Temple and Family History Plan and talked about the purposes and blessing of this important work.  I got a lot of compliments that I did a good job.  Our stake president was visiting and he also was very gracious in his comments.  We cooked a pork roast dinner for John and Jill’s family.  During my shift on Saturday the coordinator asked how I was doing and I said; “Last week I was about 50% and this week I think I am about 80%.”  He replied; “That is better than most of us ever feel.”  I am one of the youngest sealers and it made me realize I should be grateful for good doctors and that even though I am not healing as fast as I would like, I am healing and I will soon be feeling 100%. 

March 18th through March 24th

March 18^th through March 24^th:  This was a week of ups and downs trying to recover from my surgery.  Some days were better than others.  I think that on the days I was feeling a little better, I would try and do too much---either walking or sitting and then the next day or later in the day I would pay for it.  We made some progress going through about 50 boxes of books in the storage unit.  Chris has made several trips to a used book store to try and sell boxes and boxes of books that we do not have room for. Tuesday afternoon I rode Front Runner to American Fork and Doug Thayne picked me up and we went to dinner with Argemiro Trochez, Ted Schultz, and Lee Crayk, all missionaries that served with Doug and I in Ecuador nearly 50 years ago.  Argemiro lives in Cali, Colombia, but is here for a month visiting his sister and brother-in-law.  It was fun to reminisce about all the different missionaries from our mission.  Lee Crayk drove me home after dinner and came in and saw the apartment.  Chris would have gone to dinner with us but she had to work.  

L to R Lee Crayk, Ted Schultz, me, Doug Thayne and Argemiro Trochez

Thursday my sister, Alice, and her daughter, Erin, came to see the apartment.  Alice then drove Chris and I to my brother, Van's condo in Salt Lake where we had lunch. Our brother, Tad, and his wife Tove, who live in Provo, joined us.  Van's wife, Maude, is recovering from back surgery.  I was the life of the party.  I fell asleep after lunch.  Because of Maude’s back surgery, Van and Maude won’t be able to join the rest of us on a cruise to the Panama Canal that we have booked for April 9^th through April 21^st.  Hopefully, this cruise will force me to rest so I won't do things I shouldn't do when I start feeling better.   

I have had requests for finished pictures of the apartment.

Some of the book shelves are filling up as we go through our books.

The kitchen is great.

Don't look at the stack of boxes in the corner.

Friday both Chris and I went to the dentist and had a check up and our teeth cleaned.  We both will need to have some dental work done after our cruise in April.  In the evening Chris took some of our grand-kids to the play 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.  

Mom at the play with grand-kids.

Don't you just love to go to the dentist.

Saturday I tried to go and do my temple shift.  I made it through 2 sessions of sealings and then had to have John B. come and pick me up.  I was in too much pain.  That evening we went to the play The Lion King Jr. and saw 2 grandsons perform.  Kimball, Kate and Bryce’s son, and Miles, Charlotte and Alex’s son were both hyenas.  I only made it through the first act.  Kate gave me a ride home.  I am surprised at how much pain I am still having.  Everyone keeps saying that old people don’t heal as fast as when we were younger.  There must be some truth to that.  

Kimball is on the left and Miles is on the right.

Sunday I made a presentation to the Ward Council about Temple and Family History.  I am in charge of the 5^th Sunday combined meeting next week.  In the evening, Alex and Charlotte’s family, along with Alex’s mother, came and brought  brownies.  Brownies are good, but the grand-kids are better.  I am starting to feel a bit better each day but it is taking much longer than I had hoped for.    

March 11th through March 17th

March 11^th through March 17^th:  Monday the carpet was installed in Badger’s bedroom, the hall and the stairwell.  The inspector also came and we passed our final inspection.  Badger can now start to move into his room.  It feels good to be done with the downstairs.  Well, almost done.  

New carpet really finishes things off.

Badger's bedroom is ready.

Tuesday I installed a tile backsplash in our bathroom and a full length mirror in our bedroom.  

New tile backsplash.

Wednesday mom helped me install new blinds in our apartment.  I drove Badger to his water polo game and then helped Kimball and Stanford, Kate and Bryce’s boys, cut out their pinewood derby cars for cub scouts.  

A break in the action.  Badger's water polo game.

Pinewood derby cars cut out and ready for sanding.

Thursday mom took me to the hospital for my hernia operation.  Not a fun day.  She got me in bed about 4:00 pm and I did not get up till Friday morning.  

Do I look like a happy camper?

Friday we got a visit from the Holman’s who came down for a wedding and to pick up their box that we had shipped home with our boxes. It was great to see them.  

Sherie and Bryce Holman visited us on Friday.

Saturday I stayed home from the temple.  Mom went to her shift alone.  I am pretty sore and can’t move very fast.  After her shift, mom went over and helped Luke make clothes for a marionette of John Stockton for a school assignment.  Grandmas are the best.  

I did not get out of my pajamas all day.

Luke holding up the marionette of John Stockton.

Sunday after church,mom drove us to James’ home for our monthly family dinner.  He made ribs again and they never disappoint.  They were delicious.  

The ribs were incredible. Thanks James 

Finger licken good.

Icing your own sugar cookie is the best.

I now have 6 weeks where I can’t lift anything over 15 lbs.  and right now I can’t lift anything.  I am too sore.  When the pain lessens, I know I will feel better.  But for right now, I don’t feel like doing anything.  I got news Sunday that the Chulac District has been approved to be organized into a stake.  It will take place on May 4^th and 5^th.  President Faundez invited us to come and be there for the organization of the new stake.  It would be wonderful to be there.  We will have to see if we can go.  We think about Guatemala everyday and we miss all of our dear friends there. 

March 4th through March 10th

March 4^th through March 10^th:  Monday I textured the ceiling that I had to replace in Badger’s bedroom and I  pulled the wires for new lights in the stairwell. I also made a trip to the dump with a load of boxes and trash.  

Ceiling textured.

Wires pulled for new lights.

It was a full load to the dump.

Tuesday I got the ceilings painted and some new base boards installed in the stair well.  Wednesday I got two coats of paint on the moldings.  Thursday mom and I got the moldings taped off and a coat of paint on the walls.  Friday we got the second coat of paint on the walls.  I got all the plugs and switches changed out form beige to white.  I got the new lights installed in the stairwell.  Mom got the handrail painted.  I installed new shelves in Badger’s closet.  

Badger's bedroom and the hall are ready for carpet.

The stairwell is ready for carpet also.

Saturday I got all the tools cleaned out of the bedroom.  I got the handrail installed and we are now ready for the carpet to be installed on Monday.  I also called for the inspector to come Monday afternoon.  If all goes well, Badger will be able to move in on Tuesday.  Saturday mom drove to American Fork to watch Emme dance.  She hurried back for our temple shift.  After our temple shift, we went to the storage shed and got another load of boxes.  

Emme is a beautiful dancer. 

Mom and Emme.

Sunday we enjoyed our church meetings and being with John and Jill’s family.  The kids like to come down and see us and just hang out.  In the evening John and Jill showed pictures of their trip to Italy.

Sunday morning hanging out in our apartment.

   

February 25th through March 3rd

February 25^th through March 3^rd:  Monday I did the demo on Badger’s bedroom.  I had to tear down some of the ceiling in order to install can lights.  I also got the can lights wired and installed.  Mom went to work.  

The demo is done.

I had to pull done some sheetrock from the ceiling in order to install 6 can lights.

Can lights are in.

Tuesday I got the closet door framed and the sheetrock installed.  Mom went to work. Wednesday we got another load of stuff from the storage unit and I got the doors installed in the bedroom and the door to the storage area under the porch.  I spent from 12:45pm to 8:00pm driving kids from on activity to another. Mom was unpacking boxes and trying to decide where to put things. 

Lucky the desk fit under the beam.

Our china cabinet just barely fit under the duct work.

Thursday I got the molding on the doors. Charlotte and Alex took me to lunch for my birthday.  Mom drove with Kate, our daughter, to Cedar City where Kate made a presentation for a grant to grow their business. Ellie made me a birthday cake after she got home from school.

Moldings on the window.

Charlotte and Alex took me to lunch for my birthday.  That was the biggest full rack of ribs I have ever seen.

Ellie made me a birthday cake.

Friday I got the baseboard installed and Alex helped me get the couch and the table from the storage unit.  I got our new TV installed.  Mom and Katie got back from Cedar City.  

The couch is just the right size for the room.

We bought a new TV.

My desk is just perfect.

The closet and bedroom doors are finished in Badger's bedroom.

The door to the bedroom and storage under the porch are installed and moldings on.

Saturday we went to the temple for our shift.  It was great to be back in the temple and we had a great shift.  While we were at the temple, Charlotte picked up John and Jill at the airport.  They had a great time in Italy.  Sunday we went to church and in the afternoon we went to Charlotte and Alex’s house for dinner and mom taught a FHE on the Lord’s Prayer.  We still have about 50 boxes of stuff to bring up from the storage unit and it will take us weeks to go through them.  But, life is good and we look forward to getting totally settled whenever that might be. This next week I need to get the bedroom, hall, and stairs painted and ready for the carpet that is scheduled for the 11^th.