Friends and Travels

We've been planning and anticipating a visit from our Colorado friends Cliff and Elaine Conlon for several weeks.  Layne investigated a variety of places to go and things to do.  He is not much for doing things like that so I look forward to company that does.  I'd like to go and do a bit more but happily settle for what my man prefers:  staying home.  When that is possible.

Elaine and Cliff arrived Monday of last week.  We presented our array of possibilities to them.  Guess what they most wanted to do?  Stay home!  So we did.  Except for going to the movies and going out to dinner once, we hung out and bonded right at our house.  Cliff and I almost share a birthday so we celebrated both.  It was low key but very nice.  Considering that this upcoming year will be my last to be a 60-something, perhaps I should have indulged myself a bit more!

Cliff and Elaine Conlon, eating breakfast a little too early for smiles.
We had lots of fun with them.

The brown hills of home.  We've not had rain since a September sprinkle.
Finally rain was expected this past weekend...and it came!

Layne living the good life in First Class, on our way to Taipei, Taiwan.

Cliff and Elaine left on Thursday and we spent the day packing for a trip to Taiwan, to visit son Gerald and his family.  Friday morning we took BART to the airport and were blessed to catch the only flight to Taiwan on United for the day, which took us to Narita, Japan (transferring to Taipei from there).  When we've made this flight in the past we've always managed to get First Class seats.  I was anticipating the sweetness of this tradition all morning as we waited for a seat assignment.  We watched Business Class fill up, then First Class.  Ohhhh.  I was so disappointed!  But we did get on the airplane.  I must remind myself that getting on is the goal.  It's interesting how easily we get used to the good life and begin to think of it as our right.  I felt a bit ticked that we didn't get our usual luxury seats.  But why should I think if that as my "right" when we are not paying our own way?  I kept telling myself that getting on was a blessing.  And it was.  But I mourned my lost adventure in First Class as I sat in a middle seat in coach, sandwiched between Layne and a young man who would only eat kosher.

The good news is that we arrived in Nartia safely and early.  More good news:  the flight from Narita to Taipai was all luxury.  We got First Class!  So for three hours it was nothing but pure comfort and delicious food.  Gerald and granddaughter Rayne were there to meet us and all has gone well ever since.  Except I can't seem to get enough sleep!

Crowded Times

This picture was taken in September, at Mongolian
daughter Brynn's wedding.  She just sent it to us.
I think it is better than most.

Sunday birthday celebration for granddaughter Abigail, who turned 3.

Another January birthday; grandson Bruce tuned 1.

Two of our boys; Ben on the left, Reed on the right.

January is usually a nice, quiet time that is perfect for Holiday recovery.  But this January is turning out to be very busy indeed.  After our shift at the temple on Wednesday we were notified that my friend Rosemary Howard died.  I have mentioned her in an earlier blog but, to refresh, I have known Rosemary since moving to Fremont some 40 years ago.  She is about my age and the mother of 8 children.  When she was 55 she was in an automobile accident that resulted in a head injury.  After that incident she slid into an Alzheimer's type condition.  She quickly lost her mental capacity and shrank down to a fetal position, unable to do anything on her own.  Her husband, Zip, cared for her for the next 11 years, until this week.  Some of the children helped, but basically Zip was the one who was there for her every day.  He has been very devoted and anxious not to lose her, even in her extreme condition.  Perhaps that is why she lasted for such a long time.

Her daughter asked me to help dress the body.  I dreaded it, but met her at the mortuary on Thursday morning.  I did not want to see her fragile little body again, but it tuned out to be a sweet experience.  I can't quite put into words why it is.  I found it true when I helped dress our granddaughter Carmen and when I helped dress Mother.  Were those recently departed ones there with us?  I don't know.  But something sweet happens with this tender service of dressing.

I was also asked to speak at the funeral on Friday.  Boy did I sweat that out.  Rosemary's husband and 7 of her eight children are not active in the Church as Rosemary was.  They were in deep mourning.  What could I say?  I worked, prayed and worried.  By Thursday night I had a talk put together.  After I went to bed more ideas came to mind.  I got up and wrote them down.  When I awoke, more came to me.  I integrated it all and headed for the funeral.  I believe it turned out well.  It seemed to.  I hope Rosemary was pleased.  I hope it comforted the family.  I felt a warm, sweet spirit as I presented it.  But I was sooooo glad when it was over!

Friday afternoon we headed out for a get-away in Sonoma.  If you know Layne at all you know that he is not keen on such things.  He'd much rather stay at home with familiar habits and sights.  Just about any adventure I suggest to him is met by the same response.  "Let's just stay home."  But this time there was a  little outside pressure.  My high school buddy, Lyn Hooker, and her husband asked us to go.  We committed to it in November.  I bribed Layne by telling him that I would pay for the weekend out of my inheritance money so he should just relax and have fun.  So, off we headed, right after the funeral.

We arrived at a very nice, vintage hotel (Fairmont Sonoma) about 2:00.  Lyn and Jimmy arrived shortly afterwards.  We went to lunch and then settled in our hotel rooms.  We came to this particular place because Lyn, a lover of food and cooking, wanted to eat at the French Laundry, a very famous restaurant.  When she discovered that the cost was $265 a plate, she shrank and settled instead for another restaurant run by the same famous chef that cooked at the French Laundry.  Our dinner reservation was late so Lyn and I had facials at the hotel.  Wow.  For a mere $175 we experienced an hour of luxurious massage and all sorts of facial potions and rubbings.  I have to say that I loved every minute of it.  But the tight-wad in me will not do it again any time soon.

Lyn had no idea how to get to the restaurant in Yonksville.  It was supposed to be near our hotel.  But it turned out to be some 30 miles away.  No problem I assured them.  My iphone would show us the way.  Trouble was, I'd never actually used that iphone function.  So things got a bit mixed up on the way.  Ok, we got lost.  We finally made it though, and entered a small and very noisy restaurant, late but still able to get our reserved (two months ahead) table.  The famous food was good.  I'm no gourmet so I must admit that I wouldn't travel there again just for the food.  It was lovely but so are a lot of other places.  Still, it was an adventure.  Layne and I had a lovely bond.  There was something about being away with nothing to worry about that opens a person up.  I felt almost giddy with happiness at being away on this outing.  I think Layne enjoyed it in spite of himself.  We had a wonderful time.

The near-by kids came over yesterday to celebrate our January birthdays (there are 5 of them, including mine!).  It was a fun time.  Ben and Jes are all moved out of their rental and in an extended stay.  Did I mention that the owner of their home sold it and asked if they would be willing to break their lease and move out by January 16th?  She sweetened the deal considerably by offering to pay them $50,000 if they would do it.  Is there any question that they would?  Ben seems to fall into deals.  There must be something in his persona that makes things like this happen.  It looks like they have found another place that will open up the middle of next month.  So we will all chip in and help them move yet again.  Wow what chaos.  But rich chaos!

Dampness in Seattle

Now that Mom has left us, there is an opportunity for travel.  I don't have a passion for travel per se, but I do desire to connect with the people I love.  Our first trip of the year came up this past week as Layne and I found our way to Seattle, to see daughter Jessica and her family.  When we fly, it is always stand-by on United.  I'm still mad at our airline for all the mistreatment of their employees and retirees, but enjoy our remaining perk of free travel, albeit on standby.  Butterflies live in my stomach with each effort at air travel, as we never really know if we are going or not.  Thursday morning included plenty of apprehension as all flights for the day to Seattle were oversold, except the 7 AM  flight, which had ONE seat.  We got up at 3:30 AM to try for that flight.  Seems a bit early, doesn't it?  But taking BART to the airport involves an hour and a half travel time, and we arrived an hour early.  It makes for a long day and we were so hoping that our sacrifice of sleep would pay off.

As is often the case with early flights, there were lots of no-shows.  That opened things up for us.  Not only did we get seats, but so did all the other stand-bys.  Blessed again.  With this set-up I always measure our success in flying with the Lord's blessing.  Somehow we were meant to visit at this particular time.  This approach in my thinking helps me to make the most of things.

We had in-depth visits with both Jessica and her husband, Chris.  I felt that we understood their hearts during this visit.  Exchanges with the kids were more abbreviated.  This trip seemed to be for Chris and Jes.  Layne spent lots of time in Jessica's bookstore, as he is her book keeper.  It's a charming little used bookstore.  Jessica knows how to decorate and Chris knows how to provide the infrastructure needed.  The store has been open for a year and a half now.  They are giving it two years to turn a profit.  What is the future for books?  They will not go away entirely, but we all wonder how many will be displaced by technology.  What is the future for bookstores like theirs?  Jessica loves everything about books; their touch, smell, readability.  She glows in their midst and loves being surrounded by them.  That's a perfect fit for a bookstore.  Now if it can just become profitable.

Seattle provided its usual winter fare:  clouds, rain and mist.  In spite of it, we walked to the bookstore and back, taking an hour on the way there.  Wow.  I could really feel my "out-of-shapeness".  My shins are sore from the effort.  The mist wrecked my fluff "do" as well but I convinced myself that I didn't care about  such vain concerns.  During the walk anyhow.  For some reason I have a thing about hair.  I want it to be just right all the time.  How silly is that?  Silly indeed yet hard to let go of.

While we were there we went to a movie with Chris and Jes that I can recommend.  It was called, "The Artist".  Apparently it is a limited release, but so different and so good, with a positive message.  All in all we enjoyed our time in Seattle.  Our trip home was easy; there were lots of open seats on our flight.  So many in fact that we flew First Class!  That rarely happens on domestic flights these days.  We felt indulged and blessed.  The remainder of this month promises to be full of activity and yet another trip, as we prepare to visit our kids in Taiwan.  More on that as it unfolds.

Chris and Jessica's kids are below:

This is Miles, 10 this month, relaxing in the family room.

Gemma is the oldest at 11.

Here is Peyton, 7, in the middle of some chatter.

New Year's Eve

Abigail doing her own thing

 Isn't it interesting that life's experiences are almost never balanced.  There is either tons of something or a scarcity of it.  One has to look at the big picture to see any kind of balance.  Or so it seems to me.  Most of our days are pretty quiet now.  I've come to enjoy that.  But the holidays bring tons of people into my life and space.  I love that too even if it requires lots of effort to support.

New Year's Eve brought the local family once again to our house.  Layne rented an inflatable jumping thing for the kids again.  We filled the house with games and food.  It was wild and fun.  We replayed the nativity play of Christmas Eve and held our yearly talent night.  The pictures here show every grandchild displaying some kind of talent, except for the two babies.  I can't help feeling pleased in seeing each child willing and able to share something with the rest of us.  That's pretty impressive.  All them appear here, showing off their stuff.

Zachary 

So ends another year.  As I think of it, my usual New Year's Resolutions could be repeated yet again in 2012.  I seem to make little progress with them.  So, this year  I'm trying something different.  I'm only going to make one resolution:  get in shape!  Maybe if I just concentrate on one thing I can accomplish it.  Change is so hard.  For this one resolution I have done the following:
1.  Taken my weight and measurements (hoping both will go down!);
2.  Set aside the time I want to spend on exercise;
3.  Gone through my exercise tapes and arranged to use each one on a different day of the week;
4.  Set out my weights so they are easy to access, and committed to using them
2-3 times a week;
5.  Set out a work-out outfit;
6.  Told several people how committed I am.

William

Timmy doing sit-ups

So here's hoping that all this effort will pay off.  Happy New Year.

Jacqueline on violin; Alexis
on piano

Isaiah

Vincent

Scott

Allegra sharing her new business
venture as a knitter of toys;
She has made over $100 so far
(She also plays the piano)

James