March 2019

Sunday, July 6, 2014

06 June 2014

The month of June was a very busy month. It began with a trip to Utah to drop off Dawn at her cousin, Angie Bytheway’s place. She was registered to ride with her in the “Little Red” ride in Cache Valley, Livingston, Utah on the first week end of June.

It is important that I announce Dawn and her cousin rode the longest they have ever ridden in a bike ride. They rode 70 miles in one day.

I was then on my way to Boise, Idaho to join with Stephanie, Holly and Robyn who had entered the Boise Idaho Ironman competition as a relay team. We met up with Gordon and Paula who were visiting Nancy (Linda’s sister with cancer). We stayed in the Best Western Northwest Lodge the night before the competition and put Steph’s bike together which was shipped out to Holly and Jon in a large box.

The next day the competition began with Holly swimming 1 ¼ mile in the choppy waters of the Lucky Peak reservoir. She did it in 48 minutes (seven minutes below the cut off time). Steph then put on the ankle timer and rode off on the 56 mile bike ride. She was hammered by a 20 mhp head wind on the way back from the 24 mile turn around point. However, she gained 30 minutes by the time she arrived at the transfer spot for Robyn.

Robyn charged out the timer gate and finished the 13 mile run under the qualifying time to finish the race. What an exciting time! We all were so amazed at their accomplishment. The many hours of hard training paid off. When we got back to Utah, Ella and Brock spent the night with Josh and family. The next morning Dawn and I took all the kids and Josh and Danielle to Lagoon for the day. How fun was that!?

So the first week of June was exciting.

Then next exciting event for Dawn and I was Central Stake girls camp. We had volunteered to spent two days with the 3^rd ward girls and take them on the adventure hike. On the 18^th of June we arrived in a snow storm at the Darby Girl’s Camp. Around the fire Don Schanz and I talked until time to go to bed in a small tent. It was extremely cold and without the wool blanket he provide for cover I would have suffered severely.

The next day Dawn and I put on our backpacks (in preparation for our hiking in Colorado in August) and walked up the mountain to Pack Saddle lake with several of the girls. It was a step hike and slippery due to the weather the night before. It was not without incident due to the misfortune of one of the girls (Mattie) falling in the lake off a rope swing. She was given dry clothes and a fire to bring her back for near freezing.

On the 21^st of June, Dawn and Christine Taow drove to SLC to attend the Swedish festival and meet with family. I did not go because I was preparing for our 50^th class reunion the next weekend. However, Dawn had to return to Utah on the 27^th to attend her mother-in-laws funeral. Marie Hopper died earlier that week. So Dawn did not get to attend the Shelley High school reunion.

The evening of the 27^th of June, Leon Clark, Laron Shumway, Kendall Christensen and I met with 28 other class member at the North Bingham County Park near Shelley, Idaho to kick off the reunion. The weather was cool and it did rain earlier. None-the-less we started a camp fire and roasted hot dogs and smores. That evening we set up for the next day and all the activities.

On Saturday the 28^th we met with nearly 80 member of our class and their spouses for lunch. I was in charge of decorations and a media presentation. After lunch we assembled in the Aldridge School house (an historical building) on the property. I gave a power point presentation of the class of 64’ beginning with the first grade and followed through high school. It was well received.

The last day of June, Nancy Need died. We met with her while in Boise, Idaho for the Ironman. At that time we said our good byes. We attended her funeral yesterday (5 July 2014). She is buried in the Taylor Cemetery near her home in Jameston, Idaho.

Darby Girls Camp Snow

Backpack to Pack Saddle Lake

The girls of Darby

Holly finishing the swim

Steph finishing the ride

Robyn finishing the race

The girls ready for fun

Dawn ready for "Little Red"

Strawberries from the garden

Flowers from back of Julia's yard

Hiking the Menan Buttes

Dawn and Hazel on top the the Buttes

64' class reunion

North Bingham County Park

Class of 64' - 50 years later!

Our last visit with Nancy Need

05 May 2014

The month of transition has arrived. The weather is finally getting warmer and the days longer. I was almost stunned when we had three days of warm weather without wind. It seemed surreal and of course it did not last but for those three days then the wind returned.

During the month the Russells planted the garden in the second week hoping for no more freeze. Sure enough we got below 32 but was able to cover the young plants and avoid freezing. The grass is green and growing, the flowers are in full bloom and the trees have given off tons of pollen covering the car windows and street gutters.

So what else was happening in May? It was biking again. Dawn and I rode our bikes even in the wind. However, she wins the prize for effort beyond the call of duty. Saturday the 10^th of May she rode with her cousin, Angie Bytheway and Angie’s two daughters in the “Goldilocks” bike ride in South Jordan, Utah. They planned to do 60 plus miles but because of bad weather and heavy winds they rode 45 miles and came in tired and cold.

We planted more strawberry plants given to us from the Crofts garden. We enjoyed to tulips for their usual two weeks of colorful life. The iris are getting ready to bloom and will be ready for Memorial day weekend.

I purchased a new hand gun. Chris Brayton and I were in Steel’s gun shop and saw a used 45 Colt Vaquero and I just could not pass it up. I got a cowboy holster off Ebay and now I am looking for a genuine cowboy hat. Dennis Croft and I have teamed up and soot west of Idaho Falls near the old National Guard range. Dennis, Chris Brayton, Alysa Brayton , Dawn and I have been to Rexburg shoot as well. Then Bryce Taylor and the Elders Quorum members invited me to shoot with them at the Taylor farm in Osgood.

The Taylor cinder pit was a perfect place to shoot. I loved Steve Parkers 50 caliber black powder muzzle loader. However, I did have one accident. I accidently shot my new chronogram while measuring reloaded shell velocities. Fortunately, I was able to reassemble the supports and render it functional again.

I must include the efforts of my brother, Woody in remodeling the office room in his home. He has built book shelves, computer desk, cabinet doors and picture frames with professional precision. I am amazed at how beautiful and professional he works in home improvements.

Finally, Memorial Day rolls around again and we visit our loved ones resting sites. We begin in New Sweden where many of my family are buried. My grandfather, Lloyd Russell and his wife Virginia are our first focus along with the new comer, Brian Lindbloom Hodgson (Dawn’s brother). Next we go to Shelley to visit the sites of the Sage and Ott family. Once we leave there we go to Jameston cemetery to pay our respects to Linda and her family. Nancy (Linda’s sister) has her grave site selected from the two I personally bequeathed to her. Her head stone is already in place and she is just waiting her time. She has breast cancer (as did Linda) and is not expected to live much longer. Lastly, we visit my father’s grave site in Idaho Falls at Rose Hill cemetery.

Well, that is May. Woody and I golfed at Sage Lake golf course today and it was lovely weather. There will be so much to report on in June and the rest of the summer will be very busy visiting relatives and having grand kids stay here with their grandparents.

Goldilocks

2014

Woody's new office

Memorial Day New Sweden Cemetery

Julia and Maurine Meppen Orme

Julia and Dawn Shelley Cemetery

Linda's grave Taylor Cemetery

Julia and Dawn Ben's grave

Viet Nam Memorial (Mike Priest)

Warm enough to make Kombucha

The first tulip in May

The first ride to New Sweden school

Shooting my new Colt 45

Saturday, May 3, 2014

04 April 2014

April, what happened to April? Well, we did have two really nice days the entire month of April. Woody and I did get to golf one time just before it started to rain with heavy wind. Now for the other events of the month, I can recall there were times we enjoyed the many visits to the Apple Athletic Gym. As a matter of fact Dawn and I have worked over the exercise equipment regularly. We spin, we jog on the treadmill, we lift weights and the elliptical machine. Dawn has a bike ride in Utah the first week of May and we both are booked to run in the Wharf to Wharf in July.

We had an extensive road trip to visit family and friends. Dawn, Christine (her sister) and I took time off to travel to Oregon, Washington, California and then back home. We left on the 9^th of April and spent the night in Baker City, Oregon. The next day we drove to Vancouver, WA. with a stop along the way at Multonah Falls Oregon.

Our visit with the Hodgsons was enjoyable. We were able to visit with Mike, Louise and the Sangali’s (Brian, Natalie, Brendon and Rydan. Mike was doing better and yet still weak and not able to do much. We also visited with Benny in Portland. He is living in an apartment furnished by the Veterans Administration after spending 5 years on the streets of Portland.

While we were in Washington, Brian and his three kids came down and stopped on their way to Medford. Orion, Mechala, and Elinore are delightful. We also teamed up with them in Ashland, Or for breakfast and met Brian’s half-sisters.

Our next stop was Cornish, CA where we dropped off Christine to visit with her in-laws, the Tows. Then Dawn and I spent three days with Connie and Harry Hunziker in Cottonwood, CA.

The Hunzikers are so delightful and their home has such a warm appeal. Connie has been busy with home improvements, i.e. all new windows, flower beds, new bedroom furnishings and of course new “chickens”, Ralphie being her favorite little Bantam rooster. While we were with the Hunzikers we did hiking at Whiskeytown Lake area and Anderson Park. We went to the movies and to dinner. We spent each night playing cards and getting caught up on all the event of almost three years of absence from one another.

Unfortunately, Connie has had health issues. Just to mention a few problems such as: falls to break her wrist, carpal tunnel surgery, rotator cuff surgery, fractured tibia and a dog bite that took off a lot of skin from her calf area! Better luck this year.

On our way back home the tree of us stopped in Susanville, CA to visit Karen and Nancy (Dawn’s sister). We did get to talk to Karen and brought them dinner. Nancy still remains impossible to meet in person. They still live in the same trailer court with a collection of animals and memorabilia, but otherwise in good health and good spirits.

We stayed the night in Alturas, CA then drove a long, long way home to Idaho Falls through Burns, Oregon.

After we got home Dawn and I had three weeks of spending three days on temple duty to cover our substitutes and to substitute for others as well as two Saturdays on assignment. The shifts are for six hours each time so we spent the rest of April working at the temple. So what, the weather was awful and it is nice and warm inside the Idaho Falls temple.

April 30^th was not nice! However, the first day of May was unusually nice…..there is hope!!!