The Last of October

I love spending time at home.  It is somehow pleasurable to me to have no commitments for a period of time.  The week sped by and, as usual, I had big plans for it.  But, as usual, I only got a small piece of my plans actually accomplished.  I struggle to simply let myself not be busy.  Layne complains about that almost every TV night we spend together.  He likes to sit and just watch.  I like to do all sorts of things while I watch; ride the stationary bike, lift weights, crochet, sketch, fold clothes, etc.  It drives him a bit nuts.  But if I like to do it, why not?  He can still relax, right?

We took on a project to cover over the outdoor fire pit this week.  I liked the pit but Layne felt it was a fire hazard, so we covered it up with flagstone and mortared it.  I cleaned off the surplus mortar and boy did it eat up my hands.  They peeled for most of the rest of the week.  But I think it looks good.  Or will when it finishes curing.  So now, what is to be done with a flagstoned area that serves no purpose?  I think a gazebo there would be quite wonderful.  Layne is not so sure.  But I figure if I keep suggesting it, he will eventually see the possibilities.  In the meantime, we have a useless piece of flagstoned space, and another useless piece of decking that used to service a pool that is no longer there.  Oh, I am full of helpful suggestions about what we could do with those useless spaces and other parts of the yard but, somehow, Layne isn't always excited to hear my good ideas.  After all, he is the man who has to make it all happen.  Well, actually, I have volunteered to help him.  Really I have.  And I will, once he decides to make some of these potential changes.

Layne and the cat, Cherry, who accompanies us outside wherever we go.  He and I just finished the fire pit project.

Here is the finished fire pit, with rain puddles along side.  Wouldn't a gazebo look great there?

My nephew Rus and his son Berkeley came to visit on Friday, along with some friends.  They attended the BYU-Boise State football game Friday night.  BYU lost but they had fun and we got in a good visit around the time gone for the game.  I so enjoy having family here.  Rus is quite pleasant company and I feel like we had a good bond. They all left Saturday morning, after a breakfast of Mom's sourdough pancakes.  Rus suggested a way to make them with whole wheat flour that still preserves the starter.  I never thought of it before and tried it.  I like it and think I'll do that way from now on.  There are some things in my life that I am so used to doing that I never consider another way.  Layne complains that I am always wanting to change things, but that isn't always true.  I never considered changing how I make sour dough pancakes, for instance.

Berkeley and nephew Rus on the left, with friends on the right.

Idaho in Autumn.  What a lovely time of year!

It seems that I'm complaining, perhaps a bit too much, about Layne's complaining.  I don't want you to think that he is a complainer generally.  He really isn't; he is quite supportive and loving.  Just saying.

Layne in our living room, adorned with a few Halloween decorations.

Audrey and Allegra are coming for Halloween weekend.  I'm so excited to have some family here for a holiday!  I feel much more excited for the holiday season this year.  I can't say why exactly.  I guess I don't care why.  I'm just going to go with it.

Fall Times

The ongoing battle between growing obligations here and the ongoing desire to be with family continues.  I have come to love our life here but still struggle with not being with family for important events.  Last Saturday the California family joined to attend the temple in Oakland, to do the temple work for Carmen, the lovely little granddaughter we lost to cancer.  It would have been great to be there, but we weren't.  From what the family shared, it sounded like a sweet experience.

Grandson Scott has his missionary farewell next month, followed by our Nutcracker performance.  So we will be headed to California for those happy events.  That gives us a more relaxed October, which I am using to get our Christmas shopping done.  I'm almost there!  I've even done some holiday decorating.  It is not as much fun when we don't have family to share it with.  But I decided that Layne and I are family and deserve some celebratory pizzaz.  So the house has taken on an orange hue in honor of Halloween and Thanksgiving.  Each night the living room lights up.  Now that we have all of our furniture back in, I love the effect!

Fall has moved in.  I've decided that I like this season, perhaps best of all.  The days are cooling, the leaves are falling and the garden is finishing up its wonderfully productive work.  We are blessed.

Layne's birthday covered a number of celebratory days surrounding it.  Here he is with friend Carol Winterstein, who has an October birthday too.

Here is a shot of our new floor; hardwood instead of carpet in the living and dining rooms.  We got a new rug as you can see.  We like it!

The Birthday Boy

This past week has included a bit chaos as we try to put our home back together after our new hardwood floor was installed.  It is lovely but we can't put rugs on it for another week.  That means our living room, and all that goes in it, must remain stored in other places.  But we did manage to get our china hutch put back in the kitchen.  Two workers from next door agreed to come and lift it for us.  I offered to pay them, but they requested only two glasses of ice water and went on their way.  Such kindness seems to be a way of life for Idaho folk.

Today is Layne's birthday.  49 years ago I met him for the first time, at Church in Chula Vista, California.  He was a helicopter pilot, flying for the Navy at that time, and on his way to Viet Nam.  As I looked into his blue eyes and listened to him, a strong feeling entered my mind and heart and witnessed to me of the purity of his soul.  I felt my own soul wind around his at that time.  I felt that he was absolutely trustworthy.  It was a year later that we met again.  The feeling was renewed.  So when he asked me to marry him, I felt absolutely sure it was the right thing to do.

That feeling about him of years ago has been confirmed over the years of my life with him.  His capacity for love and unselfishness consistently given has blessed my life.  Through the rough times in our relationship, that feeling given to me of him at the beginning comforted me and reassured me that my life with him was right and good.  Over time the rough parts of our relationship have smoothed until now, on his 74th birthday, I can confirm that my youthful choice of him as husband has been a blessing beyond my expectations.  We are happy together.  In spite of our many differences and conflicting preferences, we have learned to blend and bond.  I love him.

And so, on his birthday, I choose to celebrate him today.  Following is a collection of him during this past year.

                                                      Layne and his twin, Lynn.

                                                           Singing at a FHE gathering.

                                                  4th of July at our friends the Greens.

                                                              Grandfather to Victoria.

                                      With son-in-law Chris Gendreau and son Benjamin.

                        At Idaho City, where we found some Galbraiths at the local cemetery.

                                            At the top of one of the ski runs in Sun Valley.

                                              With friend and neighbor Larry Winterstein.

                                                                In Yellowstone Park.

                                           In front of the Galbraith cabin in Island Park, ID.