July 27th through August 2nd

July 27th through August 2nd:  Monday we were able to 

get some more shopping done and I made a trip to Farmington to the DMV to get a temporary tag for the Xterra.  I didn’t know that I needed proof of insurance.  So I will have to make the trip again tomorrow.  Monday evening we, meaning all of our family, went to the Belnap’s home in Kaysville for a BBQ.  Paul and Liz are old high school friends of mine.  Our children are the same ages and we have taken family vacations together.  All of our kids and grandkids made it.  We were missing 1 son in law who had to fly to Mexico City that morning.  All of Paul and Liz’s kids and grandkids made it except Heidi who is a nurse and couldn’t get off work.  It was great fun to see all of them again and catch up on their lives.  Paul saddled up one of his horses and gave rides to all the grandkids.

Mostly the Normans waiting their turn for the horse ride.

  

Kimball and Jake 

Abby and Stan and of course Paul.

Willa and Xela 

James and Emme.  Emme cried to get on the horse and then cried and didn't want to be on the horse.

Rigby after Emme got off.

We ate them out of house and home. 

Sitting around talking after a great meal.

We had a great game of Mexican Frisbee.  We can’t wait another 20 years to get together; it was way too much fun.  

The game of Mexican Frisbee can be a little dangerous.

More Mexican Frisbee

This is not a game of tag you're out.  It is an all out war of get all the Frisbees on the other teams side.

Mexican Frisbee not a game for the weak of heart.

Tuesday, we went back to the DMV and got the temp tag for the Xterra and also mom and I went to the Drivers License Division and got our driver licenses renewed.  Both of ours were going to expire during the next 3 years and we had to make sure they would not expire until after we get home from Guatemala.  In the afternoon, I went with Jill, John’s wife, to Home Depot and bought a lot of the things we are going to need for the remodel of their bathroom.  Wednesday, we went to lunch with my brother Van and his wife Maude.  They know so many great restaurants.  They love living in downtown Salt Lake and are so much fun to spend time with.  I then had a doctor’s appointment to try and see if I can get off the blood thinner I have been taking for about 9 years now.  There is hope.  We then headed down to Utah County.  We first went to James’ home to try and get the Xterra running.  It has not been driven for a year and had 2 flat tires.  Well, with a jump, it started right up and with my air compressor I got the tires inflated.   I drove it to a tire store and had them check the 2 tires for leaks.  They fixed them and said I was good to go.  We then went to Provo for dinner with Mark and Linda, Chirs’ brother and sister in law.  They were at a Genealogy Conference at the Y.  We got all caught up on their kids and it was a very pleasant evening.  Thursday, I did the demo on the bathroom at John’s house.  The old tile floor with the mesh in the concrete was the worst.  I had to get a big hammer drill and use it like a jack hammer to get the tile out.  It was a very physically demanding job and I about killed myself.  I was so tired by the time I got it all up.  I did not have the energy to finish the cleanup.  

Before Demo

Before Demo

Before Demo

One and one half hour after demo started.  Everything is out but the tile floor.

Three hours later half the tile floor is out.

A few hours later the floor is out.

I did however get the Xterra inspected and the emissions checked.  It passed except it needs a new windshield.  The guy at the place gave me a card of a company that will come to your home and replace it.  I called them and for 138 dollars I made an appointment for the next day to get it replaced.  Friday, I got cement board down on the floor and remembered how much my knees don’t like doing tile work on the floor.  

Day 2 the concrete board installed on the floor. It is installed with thin set below the board.

The wind shield got replaced. In the evening we went to dinner with Wally and Martha, old friends from our time when we lived on Capitol Hill in Salt Lake.  They are great friends and have promised to visit us in Guatemala.  Saturday, I got more cement board installed in the tub enclosure and some thin set mortar on the back wall of the tub.  That wall is concrete block and I could not screw the cement board to it.  

Day 3 concrete board on the wall and thin set on the exterior wall.

We took Ginny and Sam to lunch and said goodbye to them.  They are headed back to California.  I made some plans for the fireplace that John and Jill want remodeled and will get that project going when I have down time on the bathroom.  My body is telling me that I have used muscles that haven’t been used for some time and they are revolting and giving me a lot of grief.  I hurt all over.  Sunday, we had nice meetings and a restful afternoon.  Mom worked on genealogy and I tried to get some of the things the church needs from us filled out and sent into the temple department.  We are still wondering when we are going to get the call from the temple department telling us that they made a mistake and that there is another John Norman and they got us mixed up and that we will not be going to Guatemala.  We had a nice exchange of emails with the Hurst’s and I think they are going to ask to come to Guatemala on another mission.  I haven’t heard from the rest of you.  We will be in touch.