"Aha"

Born 1884 - Minnie Mae Elvidge


I've heard all the reasons why it is important to keep a journal.

It helps us understand ourselves

. . . . and throws out a lifeline for our posterity to grab.


Those are nice reasons,

they just weren't mine.

. . . . well, not the first one, anyway.



Nevertheless, rummaging through old photos and mementos
provides the perfect recipe for self discovery and

Eliciting "aha" moments.

Such as:

I know exactly where I get my nose. When I turn just so . . . I can see the precise bump on my nose that great grandmother, Minnie Mae had. I was sifting through old photos, and there she was, in profile, with an elegant hat (she was from England) . . . . and that slight bump on her nose.
. . . . I recognized in an instant.

. . . . and the neat part is that I really like that bump;
it wasn't just a fluke of my DNA,
it was actually passed down . . . . connecting her . . . . . . . to me.



Likewise,

I was going through a box of keepsakes when I came upon my
3rd Grade Report Card

Apparently, my social skills needed some work,
as stated in the first quarter's comments by Mrs. Bonnie Allen.

We all had a good laugh over my need "to develop a respectful attitude toward other children" and the low grades I received in being courteous, playing well with other children, and, of all things, Art.

Funny as it was, the uncharacteristic behavior got me thinking . . . .

Then, I remembered something else I did in third grade;

I ditched school one day,

spending the entire day up in a tree, in the park next to the school.

Wow! I thought.

Third grade was rough for

Little Miss Good Student

....she was a real BRAT !

. . . . Then came the aha moment !

Remember this picture of

Me, Richard and Marsha ?

I was 8 years old the summer my 2 ½ month old brother,

Richard, passed away.

It was a dreary summer; mom cried a lot,

The summer before third grade.

Aha

Suddenly, all that bad behavior made sense. My 8 year world had been distrupted; I was dealing with a huge family loss.

. . . . taking my friend’s crayons and spending the school day up in a tree were my ways of coping with it all.

I understood myself just a little better.

Thanks, blog.

third row, far left (red headband)

Tige and Doo

My favorite subject at Herbert Hoover High School was:


Steve Freeman

1970 Our first prom - - - I saved the rose in my Steve Freeman Scrapbook





He took me out in THIS


It is safe to say I wasn't dating him for his car.




A typical date involved taking the old blue truck into the foothills near Fresno to explore untraveled back roads. One day, we found an old bridge with a cable hanging down over a stream. After a picnic lunch under the bridge, we took turns swinging on the cable; it was a great time!

Steve was a Senior and I was a Junior.

I was quite enamored;

and saved everything that had anything to do with him



Matchbooks from our favorite restaurants
All gone, except La Fonda - same owners, new name: Casa Quintero

His after shave box - - - - - - - - The neckband from his Tshirt

Our first concert - - - - - - - - His eyelashes (I know. . . . its weird)





One of the first times Steve came over,
my mother said, "he looks like a tiger."
I've called him Tige, ever since....


When I was learning to crawl, dad called me doodle bug.
Now, shortened to Doodie, it is what dad and Steve still call me.



Thus.......we are Tige & Doo.





A page from my "Steve scrapbook"




My Junior year, I entered an art contest

With a pencil portrait of my sister, Susan.

I won a scholarship to San Francisco Academy of Art College.



1970 - Portrait of Susan




At 17, I wasn't ready to leave home for San Francisco, so I declined the offer.

Being a good student gave me the option to graduate early,

And still live at home my first year of college.

Steve and I attended Fresno City College together the year before his mission.




Just before his mission, Steve baptized my sister, Susan





I asked Steve what he would like me to wear to see him off at the airport
He said, "The black dress".
I also wore the ring he made and watch he bought me
He gave me a rose.
The smile belies the heart of a sad girl.





Bill Higbee, Dan Noorlander, Steve Freeman
3 best friends reported to missions the same day



1973 Steve's Mission in New England (far right front)
. . . Elders haven't changed much




Nametag




notes, cards and letters . . .










Age 17



I call this composition: Mini-Dress in the Sunset





Susan 9, Diane 19 (with a little too much suntan), Marsha 15, Jennifer 10

Thirty one quills

These are porcupine quills




This is where I found them this morning

Rembrandt ----------------------------------------Rusty




Poor babies, they were just trying to police the yard.

That's what you get when you live in the woods; sorry guys.


On the brighter side . . . it wasn't a skunk this time.




*********************************************



This is a good time to reveal that I am also a Veterinarian.

Over the years, I have removed fox-tails from Mitten's eyes (our cat),
Bloated ticks from Rusty and Rembrandt,
And an unidentified mole-type growth from Scooter.

Gross, I know.

But it's kinda like changing a poop diaper. . . .
we assist those we love when they are uncomfortable and helpless


. . . . and the real vet would charge $200 to do it.






The operation went smoothly

The boys are in the Recovery Room (the hall outside my office).

Amish Friendship Bread

So, I was given this bag of yeasty goo by a friend,

along with instructions to "mush the bag" (and other stuff) for ten days,

My first reaction was , "Ugh, I don't like these things"

I know what you are thinking: What proper Relief Society, stay-at-home mom/grandmother doesn't like a friendly pass around bread starter?




****************************************




Kim is a dear friend and it was so sweet of her to share it with me, I was truly uplifted........after all, the bag specifically instructs you to pass it to a friend, and given my attitude, I am blessed to even have one.

It's just the attending responsibility that makes me sigh whenever I get one of these things. I feel the same way when I get a chain email from a friend that contains some lovely sentiment and asks me to forward it to 5 friends and "brighten their day". What If I am the one who breaks the chain?! And this one is compounded by being a living, growing yeast chain.

. . . . and what if Kim asks, did you like the bread? I can't say I didn't make it ( I hate to disappoint) and I can't lie and say I did make it (if I didn't), so I had no choice, but to participate.




****************************************




So I had been mushing and burping this gurgling bag for 7 days, when we decided to go to Houston. Now what do I do? I have invested 7 whole days in this thing... so of course, I pack it along, in its own little bag, with instructions, like I am babysitting a child. And of course, the coup de grace, day 10, lands smack on the day we have to drive home. So do I make the bread in Houston, or bring it home and make it tomorrow . . . . when I feel more like doing it?



Are you starting to see why I don't like these things?





Well, I did exactly as instructed.

Passed it to 3 friends,

Thereby, contributing to the culinary pleasure of untold quantities of
future Amish Friendship Bread eaters





. . . . and THIS is what I got





and by the way, Kim . . . . . .

It was delicious.

in case you were planning to ask.

...........and thanks for sharing it with me :)





Now, back to work.


p.s. The crunchy top crust, is to die for.

View From A Window

This morning, we awoke to rain.

Beautiful

wet

life giving

rain!

My parched brown yard is lapping it up.















It sounds so peaceful pit-patting outside my office window


I may sit here all day


(wait, I do that anyway, since I became a blogger)

My Lucky Number is Nine

Today, I must acknowledge 09-09-09,

The very LAST time we will see single digit dates for a century.

Now, THAT is worth noting.

I am ashamed to admit I never appreciated 01-01-01 or 02-02-02...etc.

Thankfully, I have one last chance:


So let us celebrate 09-09-09 !


Hip Hip Hooray !


. . . . and the best part is: 9 is my lucky number!
I need to do something special today.

While the Cat's away........

"Hey mom and dad. Want to come to Houston on Labor Day weekend?"

"Love to"

"Marci will be out of town"

"Oh... what do you have in mind?"

"Golf a little, watch BYU beat OU, and surprise Marci"

"Done, done, .........and done."




BEFORE:





During






AFTER:


Right side - AFTER



Left side - BEFORE--------------------------Left Side - AFTER




SURPRISE! MARCI!




We owned a business called The Closet Organizers for 10 years;
I had forgotten what a difference it makes !

It was really fun!




Chloe and Hope kept Ella and Addie (and the rest of us) entertained.