Before I start new adventures, I thought I had better get caught up on the last ones.
Oct 11, I went to Utah, and I feel like the Lord blessed me to get on my flight out of Denver. I got the last seat, and the plane was overbooked by 8 people. The thing is if I had not made that flight , I would hardly have had any time to spend with Trevor since he only was off on wednesday.
I rented a car and drove up through Parley Canyon and then through Heber Valley. the trip was so much more beautiful than I remembered. even after I got out of Heber valley there were several reservoirs and much more vegetation than I remember. On my left side I could see the Uintahs and the buttes. Richard and I drove over to Colorado the first year we were married so he could go to summer school in Fort Collins.
We took route 40, but I remember it as being very barren and the only interesting thing we saw was a lot of prairie dogs along the roadside.
Got to Roosevelt by 1 o'clock. Trevor took me out to see an oil drilling site. It was very interesting and the first time I have seen one. We had to drive a long way on unpaved roads full of pot holes. Just like going on safari. Trevors truck is very nice and definitely the right vehicle for that area. Where we drove it was definitely desert and rather drab. It was nice to see that Trevor and his roommate keep a clean house, in spite of having to put up with the oil they invariably bring home on themselves and their clothes. I also got to see one of the trucks they used and they are rather interesting vehicles. Later in the afternoon we visited a couple of places where they sell Indian artifacts. One store had a section where they had antique Indian jewelry. But the best part of the trip was having a chance to sit down with Trevor and have a good visit. Now when I talk to him I will have a better idea of what his surroundings are like and what he is talking about , when he talkes about his work. The next morning we got up and went to a little cafe, where we had a hardy breakfast. The best scrambled eggs I have had at a cafe. tThen Trevor went to work and I got ready to drive back to Salt Lake. I had plenty of time before Quincy and Natalie got home from work, so I stopped in Park City, and spent about an hour walking up and down the old historic Main street. I looked in at a copule of the art galleries. I particularly liked a gallery, that exhibited photos of nature both landscapes and animals. the photographer was named Mangelsen.
I wish I had wallspace and money enough to buy a few of his pictures, they are so restful to look at, but I don't.
It was such a peaceful ride back to Salt Lake, and I stopped to take a picture here and there. In Salt Lake I visited a very good friend I havn't seen in years: Nola Lowe. We used to do name extraction together for about 10 years. I like visiting with older people and see how they are navigating old age. It is like looking at a road map, and get renewed hope that it is possible to be useful and independent, even when you are on the wrong side of 80. She is 86, and had just come home from the temple when I arrived.
Then to Provo to visit Natalie and Quincy. They must have the best furnished student apartment and the cleanest in all of Provo. Natalie has done such a nice job of decorating it. Quincy and I went to the grocery store and talked the whole time. They are both very busy, but still had time for me. Natalie is looking pregnant now, but she looks very well and very happy. Natalie was shopping with her mother and they came back a little later in the evening, so I also had a chance to see Susan again. That was nice. Friday morning I tried to see The Hillams, but they were in their cabin at Sundance, so I tried to find their cabin. Things have changed so much up there it is almost suburbia with paved streets and street names. I couldn't find it, but I had a beautiful ride in the canyon. I remember when they were planning to widen the road going through the canyon. There was so much opposition to it. Richard did the surveys for that project. But I think it has really improved the looks of the canyon and it has sertainly made it safer than it was then. I don't know why people always fight progress. Just think how much better the traffic would be in this area it there was an alternative to the beltway to get in to Maryland. But they can't agree on that either.
I even got a little christmas shopping in. When Natalie came home from work we got ready to go back to Salt Lake for her baby shower. We had a nice conversation on the way up there. I dropped Natalie at her grandparents apartment, and then hurried out to my motel to check in and change my clothes.
The shower was great and it was nice to meet Natalies family again and some of her friends. Susan and Natalies sisters had really gone all out to make it nice. I particularly liked the centerpieces: Blue receiving blankets with a bowl of water and yellow ducks floating on the water. I can just see their little boy taking a bath surrounded by lots of small yellow ducks. The food was great too. The party games were fun, but I will always think differently about candy bars from now on. Natalie got a lot of nice presents for the baby. All in all it was a wonderful evening and I am glad I came out for it. My motel was nice and to my surprise I slept like a log. I usually don't sleep well when I have to get up early.
I tried to get on the early flight to Denver, but I think the gate agents were playing favorites rather than follow the seniority list. So I didn't make it . I remembered there was a flight through Chichago, so I went over to that gate and got on. When we left Chichago, the weather was beautiful and we had great tail winds the whole way. But when we got on the runway, the captain informed us there was a ground stop in Newark because of those winds. So we sat on the runway for almost 2 hours. But they put on a movie: " The Devil Wears Prada", a movie I had wanted to see, so I felt I got a bonus out of all this, and with the shades down and the engines running It felt just like flying.
Emily picked me up in Newark. I went up there so I could be there for the week- end and help celebrate Spencers birthday.
So I had the rest of Saturday and Sunday to get reaquanted with Spencer and Theresa. I have been neglecting them a little this summer because I have had to go and help Melinda out, but I will have to make up for that. It is always interesting to go to church with them, because their little branch is so diverse. They had a little foster boy,Jose, and they have performed wonders with him. When they got him he was withdrawn, because he had been neglected in his previous foster home. When I saw him he was smiley and interacting with everyone in the family and crawling all over the place.
Hew --- That was a long message, but it should keep you busy reading it till I get home from England. I leave today and return Saturday I hope.