Girl Bonding and Elder Chase

My friend Lyn has been cooking up a girl's get-away for weeks.  She organized me and friend and ex-roommate Joanne Gunson into a traveling three-some, to travel to Salt Lake to visit with yet another ex-roommate, Pat Hansen.  With Lyn driving, we met up early Monday morning and off we went.  Imagine three girls together in a car for 13 or so hours, gabbing all the way.  It was a bonding feast.  We women seem to be built for bonding.  Sometimes I forget what a sweet experience it can be to share feelings and ideas in detail.  Men are often not particularly good at it.  Since I spend most of my time with my special man, I have fallen into the habit of not talking all that much.  So it felt good to bring things out that have been sleeping inside of me for some time.  Loving girlfriends are definitely good for each other.

Here are the 4 college roommates:
Pat Hansen (the artist), me, Lyn Hooker and Joanne Gunson.
Behind us is one of Pat's watercolors.  Lovely, yes?

Pat's art studio.  I love all the light!  

We spent Tuesday with Pat, in her home in Sandy.  She is a successful watercolor artist.  Her home is a gallery for her art.  She decorated it with antiques and an artistic eye so that each space was a feast for the eyes.  It was great fun to spend time with her and hear all she had to say, mostly about her experiences with art.  It was quite inspiring.

After our day with Pat, we girls decided that we'd like to stay in Salt Lake another day so we headed for son Gerald's home in Draper.  You may remember that it was in this house that his neighbor hid out and died earlier this year.  Gerald and his wife Frances have decided not to return to the home; instead to rent it out for now and sell it later.  My sister Maryanne joined us there and together we spent a most pleasant Wednesday.  Except walking through Gerald and Fran's well stocked home made me a bit sad to think that they will not be returning.  Fran's Chinese tradition is to abandon a home where someone other than family has died.  How unfortunate that their friend chose their home to die in.

Maryanne, in front of new home construction that we explored, in Draper.

Thursday morning Maryanne returned home and we three girls began our drive back to California.  We talked all the way back home.  There seems to be no end to what friends can talk about.  It was a lovely bond, not soon to be forgotten.

When I returned home Thursday evening, the place was abuzz with the expected arrival of grandson Chase from his mission in Boston.  Two years.  That is how long he has been gone.  Friday morning we readied ourselves to meet him at the San Jose airport.

Chase at 21 years, 60 pounds lighter than when he left, and much more "buffed".
Perhaps you can see in his face the steady confidence that he radiates,
and the glowing testimony that he feels.

Elder Chase Adams-Hart arrived at the airport Friday noon, into the enthusiastic circle of our family group.  He met our eyes a much different looking young man than when he left us.  He was thin, and walked tall, with a confident grin on his face.  We all smothered him in hugs and balloons.  I can say, after a weekend of celebration, that his company is grand.  He comes to us full of testimony and strength, with plans to prepare himself for a prosperous future.  He is good, clean and faithful.  He's handsome too!  Who could hope for more in a grandson.