I have been reading "Treasure Island" this week. I can not help but picture Dad standing in the family room, putting a cassette tape in the gigantic stereo, and when I say gigantic, I mean gigantic, and then walking around the room while a voice comes on talking about pillaging and plundering and treasuring. Then the chorus comes up and Dad stops, puts his arms to his sides, lifts his wrists shoulder-high and lets his hands flop. He cocks one hip, pops from side to side while on his toes and sings, "I want to sing and dance, I want to sing and dance I want to be a pirate in the Pirates of Penzance. With me silver-buckled slippers and me tight shiny pants I want to sing and dance." All during the song he pipes up with a few lines he remembers here and there like "I don't like rum." "I'm an artiste." "As if I didn't already bleeding know." etc. etc.
Who knew Dad liked songs about pirates so much. Good memory!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
This Old Car
Well, we finally did it. Our family car, the old Buick LeSabre has been laid to rest. Since Lauren bought her own car a couple of weeks ago, we had no more use for the old Buick. Last Tuesday, we donated it to the Utah Kidney foundation. They came that afternoon and towed it away. While I was getting the paper work ready, I looked at the title to see what the purchase date was. It was almost 20 years ago to the day that we bought that car, May 1989 to be exact. It was nearly new then – a 1988 model.
That car has been through a lot with our family. It had really become a trusted friend, kind of like a favorite pet I suppose. It was definitely showing its age with considerable rust on the roof and at the bottom of the doors; kind of like the graying hair that graces an aging gentleman.
Aubrey would have been 10 years old when we brought that Buick home back in 1989, Elsha was 8 and Lauren was 6. It was the first family car that all of the kids drove. Of course, I used it to get to work for many years. I used it to commute to Orem when I worked for WordPerfect. And it spent a lot of time in Rexburg with Elsha and Lauren. Somehow Aubrey never did get it over to Hawaii. Elsha and Tyler used it for a while after they were married and living in Provo, but I think they got tired of the minor repair bills and it eventually ended up back at home. It really ran pretty well after they gave it back.
The Buick had a reputation for being a run-away horse. You’d have to keep your foot on the brake to keep it from running away from you, especially down a hill. It was a good glider; it liked to go 50 in a 35 zone with your foot clear off the gas. Whoa Nellie!
I remember the day before I was sustained as Bishop. I drove the Buick over to the Church to secretly meet with Bishop Dressen so he could fill me in on some of the things I’d need to know. I parked the Buick back by the baseball field. When I came out of the Church, there was a big dent on the car. Someone had hit a baseball and it landed right on the hood. Unfortunately, I was so worried about the Bishop responsibility that a dent on the care was about the last thing I was going to get concerned about. I never did get it repaired.
As the years went by, the Buick started to show its age. The power window in the back seat would sometimes go down, but not come back up. I'd have to grab hold of and try to pull it back up. Finally, I just disconnected so it wouldn't get stuck in the down position. I think Aubrey got in a fender bender in the Buick, as did Elsha. It started to look like a hand-me-down teen-ager’s car. I replaced the front bumper with parts from a junkyard after one of those crashes. That’s why it had that odd looking white panel under the front bumper (see photo above). Lauren had to pay for some fairly major repairs while up at school in Rexburg, but I don’t think she ever wrecked it. I was surprised none of the kids ever had a major breakdown in it at some remote location between here and Rexburg. Well at least it didn’t meet the same fate that Grandpa Hemingway’s Buick did when Elsha was driving it home from Rexburg and it caught on fire on Malad Pass (remember Elsha, just turn the key off next time).
Anyway, good-bye old friend. Thanks for getting us around all those years. I’ll probably miss you more than Aubrey misses Greg (Cedric our old cat). That cat continues to give, he’s been pretty good fertilizer in the flower bed. But I bet that old Buick will help some kidney patient enjoy a little better life, too.
That car has been through a lot with our family. It had really become a trusted friend, kind of like a favorite pet I suppose. It was definitely showing its age with considerable rust on the roof and at the bottom of the doors; kind of like the graying hair that graces an aging gentleman.
Aubrey would have been 10 years old when we brought that Buick home back in 1989, Elsha was 8 and Lauren was 6. It was the first family car that all of the kids drove. Of course, I used it to get to work for many years. I used it to commute to Orem when I worked for WordPerfect. And it spent a lot of time in Rexburg with Elsha and Lauren. Somehow Aubrey never did get it over to Hawaii. Elsha and Tyler used it for a while after they were married and living in Provo, but I think they got tired of the minor repair bills and it eventually ended up back at home. It really ran pretty well after they gave it back.
The Buick had a reputation for being a run-away horse. You’d have to keep your foot on the brake to keep it from running away from you, especially down a hill. It was a good glider; it liked to go 50 in a 35 zone with your foot clear off the gas. Whoa Nellie!
I remember the day before I was sustained as Bishop. I drove the Buick over to the Church to secretly meet with Bishop Dressen so he could fill me in on some of the things I’d need to know. I parked the Buick back by the baseball field. When I came out of the Church, there was a big dent on the car. Someone had hit a baseball and it landed right on the hood. Unfortunately, I was so worried about the Bishop responsibility that a dent on the care was about the last thing I was going to get concerned about. I never did get it repaired.
As the years went by, the Buick started to show its age. The power window in the back seat would sometimes go down, but not come back up. I'd have to grab hold of and try to pull it back up. Finally, I just disconnected so it wouldn't get stuck in the down position. I think Aubrey got in a fender bender in the Buick, as did Elsha. It started to look like a hand-me-down teen-ager’s car. I replaced the front bumper with parts from a junkyard after one of those crashes. That’s why it had that odd looking white panel under the front bumper (see photo above). Lauren had to pay for some fairly major repairs while up at school in Rexburg, but I don’t think she ever wrecked it. I was surprised none of the kids ever had a major breakdown in it at some remote location between here and Rexburg. Well at least it didn’t meet the same fate that Grandpa Hemingway’s Buick did when Elsha was driving it home from Rexburg and it caught on fire on Malad Pass (remember Elsha, just turn the key off next time).
Anyway, good-bye old friend. Thanks for getting us around all those years. I’ll probably miss you more than Aubrey misses Greg (Cedric our old cat). That cat continues to give, he’s been pretty good fertilizer in the flower bed. But I bet that old Buick will help some kidney patient enjoy a little better life, too.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Grandma & Grandpa Are Coming!
Remember when we were little and we used to get so excited that Grandma and Grandpa were coming? We used to try to do something special for their arrival, and our special something usually involved the sandbox. We used to build a sandcastle with a mote and then we would put the hose through the top peak. We would wait and wait for G&G to arrive and then we'd want Grandma to come out and see what we made for her...come to think of it, I don't remember Grandpa being there...but that's beside the point. Then we would turn the water on and be so proud that we had made something so cool for Grandma. We were weird and oh, so cute! I don't think we have any photos of these grand occasions - I guess it wasn't photo worthy in the adult world. Oh, well, it will be a sweet memory to me.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
A Mother's Day Gift
Many years ago Lauren brought me a bouquet of flowers she made of tissue paper, drinking straws, and a can full of rocks wrapped in gift paper. I've had them in my bedroom for all these years. Last weekend Randy was returning my phone to my side of the bed. He began to clean (he is known to do that) he was right- it was a mess and needed to be dusted. He picked up the bouquet of flowers and blew on them sending dust into the air. He gave me the look that said to me, "Do you really need to keep these?" So the next morning I cleaned my corner and took pictures of the flowers. ( kept the card.) I loved having these remind me of the grade school Lauren I loved. I still haven't thrown them away but now they are in the garage awaiting their fate. Thank you Lauren for the many years of enjoyment these flowers have given me. (Gosh- now I'm really not sure I can get rid of them!)
Monday, January 12, 2009
Goblin Valley
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I loved going to Goblin Valley in Utah. The terrain is a wonder to behold. Strange creatures dot this part of our Earth. One must visit here to truly appreciate the strange and marvelous shapes that create the "Goblins." The Little Wild Horse canyon Hike is so beautiful. The day we hiked was hot and we all had our shorts on. We've done this hike before. We have our water and a few snacks. As we hike the walls loom over us giving the much desired shade. The girls spot and give chase to little fast running lizards Over we go and under we go as we come to huge boulders and just smaller rocks. We find hiding places and narrow places. There are very narrow turns and continual beauty. Some places are so narrow our feet don't touch the earth, just the wall sides. There are times we can't even see the sky. We sing and shout to hear the echo. Dad, as usual gets silly and we hear him sing, "Rawhide." We each take a turn to whoop and holler. We laugh and giggle. We come to this very big boulder and have to crawl under it. Each of you need a boot up to sit on this rock. There is a favorite moment caught in time when all my silly loved ones sing together. "Rawhide!"
Can you hear it echo?
Redfish Take three
What about the time when Aubrey was shaving her arm pits at the hot pools and when some one started videoing her she put her arm down like she was resting it.
The view of the Sawtooth Mountains out the window of the community church building.
The giant sockeye salmon blow up balloon.
The smell of "yuppie food" wafting from the lodge.
The gold dredge.
The smell of fish food in between you fingers.
Fuggy eating brownies and sunflower seeds off the rocks.
Riding Curtis's tube and bouncing till you fall off.
The blessed swim suit fight.
Can anyone say SUNBURN???
The game of one, two, three, go with Kelsey as a toddler. She and Randy racing to the freezing water.
The buss that was stuck on the boat ramp.
New skin peanut toss, new skin peanut toss.
Feeding the squires and chipmunks out of you hand, and not to mention catching that chipmunk with the fishing pole.
Fun games like boccie and the one with the golf balls.
Card games in the tent trailer as the rain pounded on the roof.
The time we camped up in Glacier View and went to play night games that we sneakily called "safety kids" in order to fool our parents into thinking we were playing a very safe game. It was really sardines with a flash light. But one time I was "it" and I turned on my flash light to find my hidden cousins only to find that the weren't hidden at all, except their faces. The moon sure was bright that night.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Redfish - Take Two
How about all those years Dad would swim out to the rock and try to get all of us to join him. Or fishing for hours at the shore for little fish with our homemade little nets. Don't forget boating down to the other end of the lake just for fun (and to jump off that dreaded gigantic rock). I remember one year hiking up to one of the upper lakes and trying to catch frogs. We ended up stripping down to our undies to retrieve lily pads from the lake. I don't think Mom and Teeke were there. What about shaving your legs or washing your hair at the log jam only to feel guilty ten minutes later that you just might have killed a fish down the stream.
I can remember riding the bike along the trail that leads to the log jam and seeing my life flash before my eyes everytime I rode over that strip of trail that was only 4 inches wide (I can still see it in my mind) and on one side is a big hill and the other is a cliff that leads straight to the water. Scarry!
Making trips to the flushies with Ray. Melissa with the gas and hanging her bum out the window of the camper. Changing your clothes like three times a day to adjust to the weather. Holding your breath to go into the outhouse. Mom's homemade doughnuts. Oh, the food could be a whole separate post. Doughnuts, treats and snacks we would never get during any other time of the year, fish fry, dutch oven cakes, dutch oven roasted chicken, potatoes and carrots. Hot chocolate. Tang. Mmmm. What else?
One time, Erin and I got into some kind of rock splashing figh down by the fish trapt. I think I lost. Can anyone recall the details?
I remember one year staying at a campground that I don't think we've stayed at ever again (I obviously don't remember what it's called) but we had our own little 5 by 5 beach that we could hike down to and mom made candles out of melted crayons and our own hand or footprints in the sand.
I remember one year Aubrey brought her guitar and I felt like I could spend hours singing girls camp and Oakcrest camp and church hymns around the fire.
What about all those trips to Stanley for the much needed ice? During the later years, Dad would always ride his bike and you could see him bum coming up from a mile away. Don't forget scalding yourself, or worse, seeing a naked man at the hot tubs.
Who could forget the fish hatchery and the multiple trips we would make there during our stay. There was just something simply amazing about seeing fish that big. Don't forget the milking and spawning and of course the near pass-out!
Very often it would seem like it would rain on the day we left thus speeding up the onset of the blues at having to leave. One last stop at the lodge for ice cream and the thought of a shower would quickly make the thought of home more appealing though, at least for me.
Before I make and end to my post, I must visit everyone's favorite time of the day at Redfish: campfire time. Roasting marshmallows, everyone taking their turn at being the pyromaniac, and games around the fly-attracting latern. Starlight, star...BRIGHT, first star I see toNIGHT. I wish. I may. I wish. I might. Not have to hear any more "starlight's" tonight. Or, "Let's everyone go around and say what they like most about campfires." And, who could forget the every popular, yet nearly extinct Oompa Lumpa (well, I could since I haven't heard it in years)? I hope it will be resurrected when we go on camping trips with grandkids.
Oh Redfish, what wonderful family times. Nothing compares!
I can remember riding the bike along the trail that leads to the log jam and seeing my life flash before my eyes everytime I rode over that strip of trail that was only 4 inches wide (I can still see it in my mind) and on one side is a big hill and the other is a cliff that leads straight to the water. Scarry!
Making trips to the flushies with Ray. Melissa with the gas and hanging her bum out the window of the camper. Changing your clothes like three times a day to adjust to the weather. Holding your breath to go into the outhouse. Mom's homemade doughnuts. Oh, the food could be a whole separate post. Doughnuts, treats and snacks we would never get during any other time of the year, fish fry, dutch oven cakes, dutch oven roasted chicken, potatoes and carrots. Hot chocolate. Tang. Mmmm. What else?
One time, Erin and I got into some kind of rock splashing figh down by the fish trapt. I think I lost. Can anyone recall the details?
I remember one year staying at a campground that I don't think we've stayed at ever again (I obviously don't remember what it's called) but we had our own little 5 by 5 beach that we could hike down to and mom made candles out of melted crayons and our own hand or footprints in the sand.
I remember one year Aubrey brought her guitar and I felt like I could spend hours singing girls camp and Oakcrest camp and church hymns around the fire.
What about all those trips to Stanley for the much needed ice? During the later years, Dad would always ride his bike and you could see him bum coming up from a mile away. Don't forget scalding yourself, or worse, seeing a naked man at the hot tubs.
Who could forget the fish hatchery and the multiple trips we would make there during our stay. There was just something simply amazing about seeing fish that big. Don't forget the milking and spawning and of course the near pass-out!
Very often it would seem like it would rain on the day we left thus speeding up the onset of the blues at having to leave. One last stop at the lodge for ice cream and the thought of a shower would quickly make the thought of home more appealing though, at least for me.
Before I make and end to my post, I must visit everyone's favorite time of the day at Redfish: campfire time. Roasting marshmallows, everyone taking their turn at being the pyromaniac, and games around the fly-attracting latern. Starlight, star...BRIGHT, first star I see toNIGHT. I wish. I may. I wish. I might. Not have to hear any more "starlight's" tonight. Or, "Let's everyone go around and say what they like most about campfires." And, who could forget the every popular, yet nearly extinct Oompa Lumpa (well, I could since I haven't heard it in years)? I hope it will be resurrected when we go on camping trips with grandkids.
Oh Redfish, what wonderful family times. Nothing compares!
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