Beward of Tuesday!

Here are some shots from the very first Ides of March party - Ronnie's birthday party at the Hill's house in SLC in 1971 I think.

I really should to a whole book on all the Ides parties - but we actually went several years without doing them.

And the ones I have found tonight are pretty random. So here are a couple more.

Someday I will get my photos organized - but it might not be as much fun as the current chaotic condition!

Monday Night is FHE

Another famous FHE photo - actually two of them - from the house on Lime - a game I think your dad had perfected at years of Youth Conferences! I think it must be '82 or '83. I'm not sure what the lesson was about either!!

It's Sunday (the day we got ready for yesterday!)

Had a big crowd for dinner today. (Actually we had barbequed chicken and garlic potatoes - the crowd came to eat it!)

Bonny, Bruce and girls joined us, as did Harry, Dawn and kids and Dawn's neighbor Paula. Also our friend Greg came too. 15 for dinner counts as a crowd. A fun time.

Anyway, this is the only picture that came close! I'm not sure whose birthday it is. It is 1988 I think.

Saturday Will Soon Be Over

These days do get away from me. I tend to sleep in on Saturdays - since it's just not possible any other day of the week. And then the late start morphs into a pretty lazy day. Then around 3 or 4 I say, "Ohmygosh, I need to go to the cleaners, and the grocery store, and the ward to run off the newsletters, and I was going to do all this visiting today, and it's fast Sunday tomorrow so we'd better have dinner soon!"

So I'm up late - I'd better hustle before the Sabbath comes!

The picture has nothing to do with the above posting - it's one of Harry and Ronnie Horton and some unknown guy who I think worked for the Deseret News. This was a "staged" photo for some service project that was going on - repairing toys for tots or something. Ronnie always knew how to get his picture in the paper - he had connections. It must be 1970.

Friday Night at the Movies

Dad and I are going to the show tonight - Noah is well - worked an almost-8-hour day today - the young just bounce back!!

Anyway, speaking of Noah, he and I were perusing some of the pictures I had scanned and he said, "Doesn't David look like Napoleon Dynamite there?"

So what do you think? The photo's a hoot anyway!

And we are seeing "Joyeux Noel," up for Best Foreign Film - I'll give you my opinion when I get back!

But it is Thursday!

After all the excitement of hanging out in the ER all night, I think I will retire early!!

Here are some caricatures from Disneyland - long, long ago!!

It's not Wednesday!

We've been at the emergency room with Noah - he is better now - had severe abdominal pain all day - so I missed Wednesday officially - so here it is unofficially!

Noah with Andrew - kind of the way I think of those years!

Tuesday Mornings is a store

These are two old photos taken with a very good camera that your dad was using for his photography class. We went camping - you will notice that our camping equipment is in cardboard boxes! I think we had a tent though - maybe not.

I was pregnant with Bonny - and wore my hair in braids because it was so hot.

We saw hawks circling in the sky - and your dad took pictures of them - some day I will find them and post them.

He probably remembers exactly where we went - he remembers those kinds of things. I remember that I had no maternity tops that were camping quality (or should I say lack of quality!) - I mostly had dresses and tops that looked dressy - so I'm wearing a Penney's pocket tee of your dad's.

Fashion has made some great strides in the last 36 years!

Monday Night is FHE

I took this picture one of two different times - and maybe Richard would know - if he ever read the blog - we need to convert a few more Claytons to this practice!

Anyway, it was either the summer of '67 before I got married. Or the summer/fall of '65 when I stayed home to earn money for France. (I'm leaning toward this being the correct answer, because I think I remember writing to Harry - in the mission field - about it.)

At any rate, Richard came to FHE with a bag over his head so he would not get in trouble for horsing around with anyone!

As you can see, I've used it as a visual aid a time or two!

It works! (that could be ambiguous - you figure it out!)

Sunday Night Shenanigans

I'm not sure of the year - I think it's 1982 or 3 because it is the house on Lime and Phoebe looks 5 or 6 years old.

I remember the occasion - the kids were fooling around and came out and asked me to take a picture - which I did.

We took a lot of pictures in front of that door!

Saturday Night At Home

Dad's using a picture he took of me with my "trophy" as a screen saver. I'm not sure how I feel about it - it's not a bad picture, but like my old roommate Janet says, "How can I look so old. I always think of myself as still 21!"

I don't think of myself as 21, particularly, but I'm usually taken aback a bit when I see myself in a mirror - I feel younger than I look most of the time - that's a misplaced modifier, but you get my drift.

So here's a photo with some Terrill and Kerksiek ladies looking much younger than any of them look now - and they all look great - and young - now.

It's all pretty relative - and these relatives are all pretty too!

Friday Fun at Home

Here are two pictures of Mom and Dad in the early 60's - and pretty typical I might add!

Sweet Thursday!!

These are rather old, decrepit looking photos from Uncle Paul's polaroid - one of the first I think. It is Christmas of '62 or '63 judging from how old Lyn looks.

The man with the cane is my dad's Uncle Norman Busath - he was my grandmother's brother. He was disabled and worked as the janitor at the Hollywood Ward building for many years. We used to go pick him up for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Grandpa Peter A. Clayton is in the photos - you can probably guess most of the others.

There appears to be a little girl with long, dark hair. That is my cousin Kim's doll - that she had gotten for Christmas!

Wednesday, Wonderful Wednesday!

The week's half over, Saira came and cleaned, it was a short day at school, faculty meeting wasn't too boring - or too long - it doesn't get much better than that!

This is a very small picture that has knocked around in my "memory boxes" for many years. It says 1953 on the back. It includes my Grandma and Grandpa Stevens and my mom.

I remember the dress I'm wearing - it was pink and blue polished cotton - a real favorite of mine.

Another Tuesday TIntype

My mom hated this picture - wanted me to destroy it - she thought it looked like something from Dickens or worse!

For the uninitiated, it's Richard, Billy, Bobby, Leslie, Donna and David at the top of the stairs to the 2nd floor - it must be '63 or 4 since David is a baby.

They do look a little forlorn and abandoned, don't they? I think I posed them that way - I'm not sure why. I don't think I had an agenda - they were probably up there playing or something - but probably not - the upstairs wasn't finished then. I just probably thought a group shot of the "little kids" would be nice to have!

Sunday, Monday, Can't Trust That Day!

Our internet connection was down for a day and a half - got a lot done! (Ha, Ha!) It was a pretty busy weekend, so we didn't have much time to check it anyway, but it's always what you can't have that you want!!

So I guess I could post two pictures, but I posted three on Saturday, so we're probably okay!!

This is Dad, in our apartment on Douglas Street in SLC in 1969 - when he was in graduate school at the U. Dad didn't have much to do - I worked, he went to school - so he played with the cat - our beloved Amado - which would be redundant if you spoke Spanish!

He's always been very creative at playing with our cats. I think he thought the hat would amuse Amado - it certainly amused me!!

Sister, Sister Saturday Redux!!

I did a post - and the wrong pix was posted - well, it's the pix I told the computer to post, but I had gotten the titles wrong - I know, I know, computers don't err - humans put in the wrong data.

So if there are two of these, I'm sorry. This is the new post - I deleted the other post, but it's still showing - so maybe it takes time to get removed. Or maybe you will see both of them!! (Hence the meaning of my title - I just wanted to use "redux!")

(That would be THREE Saturday posts, technically speaking - and I am so techno.)

It's Still Friday in My Mind!

The thing about computers is you just can't fudge! This is Friday's Fave Foto - on Saturday! I have been up late sewing an apron for Heather Warner - it is her shower tomorrow.

Your dad and I were watching the the CleanFlix version of "Rainman" - which I enjoyed - I have had a number of autistic students over the last 5 years - and so I felt Dustin Hoffman had done a remarkably good job of making the character real - unlike "Forrest Gump" who did a disservice to disabled individuals with his parody of someone with limitations.

My autistic students aren't too lovable - well, they aren't "lovable" at all, but I love them anyway - and they teach me much about finding everyone's individual worth.

This photo is Christmas 1984 - when I was sick and pregnant with Hannah - I think the older kids remember that Christmas well. I'm not sure why I posted it - except it certainly captures the essence of morning sickness - I won't bore you with the nitty gritty!

Thursday and the Weekend is coming!!

Thought the Kerksieks would enjoy this shot - it really captures certain things about summer on Primrose Avenue in the early 90's. We always enjoyed having the cousins coming over!!

Wednesday and the Week's Half Over!

So much for alliteration!

Anyway, with all the talk of hippies and vans and the like - and no, we NEVER smoked pot - although we probably knew people who did - but everyone burned so much incense, I couldn't tell.

I didn't think of myself as a hippie - not compared to the real hippies we knew - but I did like the look - long straight hair, beards, army jackets, and the like.

But I dressed up on Sunday - and wore nylons and dresses to work even!

Here's a photo taken in Heber City, Utah of your dad and Stephen Gould - and we do not know his whereabouts - and often wonder about him - a good friend, a very talented writer - but got off the track - and we don't know where it took him.

Tuesday's Timeless Tintype

In honor of Valentine's Day, here's a photo of Mr. Wonderful and me (does that make me Mrs. Wonderful?)

The caption I have on this one in my file is "Harry and Barb in the only sports car they'll ever own!" (We were "on assignment" at the Primary Daddy/Daughter Night - and apparently none of our daughters qualified to come that time - probably too young or too old. Dad was in the bishopric I think. Don't ask me the year!)

Monday's Moment

I'm looking for some shorter, tidier, more useful titles for the daily Fave Foto.

This was taken in 1978 I think - it's Dad working on the house in Centerville. I was always so nervous that he would fall or something - that house was so tall.

I could write volumes on that house - the planning, the building, the leaving, the selling - it was a big part of our lives and shaped the future of the Harry and Barbara Terrill Family.

When we planned it, we said, "Is this just a stepping stone, or will we spend the rest of our lives here?" And we answered ourselves, "We're spending the rest of our lives here." And we lived in it for 6 months!!

We had a VW van and a piano - and were making payments on both of them. Had to get rid of one to qualify for a mortgage - we got rid of the VW - and look at all the pianists in the family!

I could go on and on - I haven't even seen the house in years and years - and I don't think I want to.

Sunday Night Spectacular

So I'm not recycling all the weekday titles - I don't like being limited to technicolor - although this one is in color.

For the Family History Buffs, here's a shot of me, my mom and my Grandma Stevens - and you can probably tell the occasion!

The year was 1967! Thinking of Valentine's Day I guess - I'm such a hopeless romantic!

Saturday's Shot for Stardom

It's been a long day with the little girls - fun, but long! And I still need to go to the grocery store - a Saturday night tradition I can't seem to break - so I thought I'd go for another tradition - St. George.

I'm pretty sure this is Harry and Phoebe showing off at the pool - maybe they remember who the other kids are. For how much St. George was a big part of our lives for a few years, we have remarkably few pictures that capture the essence.

Maybe the essence can't be captured. But it's a lot of fun to remember it!!

Friday's Fave Foto Feature

Here we come full circle - it's time to start recycling the names of the days - I'm tired of trying to alliterate!

Since we have the Bolander Babes for the weekend, I thought I'd post a shot of some Clayton kids circa the 50's.

It is related - clusters of kids and the fun and the chaos it entails - there were always clusters of kids at the Claytons on Horace Street - and we seem to have clusters of kids here on Primrose quite often - thank heavens!

Thursday's Thrilling Theme!

Of course the titles of these posts bear little or no relation to the pictures themselves! I'm mostly into alliteration.

In the spirit of family history, here's a shot of some of the Clayton women - old and young (I was young then!!) Grandma Clayton and Great-Grandma Connie are in front. The others are Julie, June, Leslie, Alice, Debbie, me and Mary.

The occasion was David's first marriage in 1984. The location was in front of the St. George Temple.

I'll bet you didn't know I used to own a "power suit!"

Wednesday's Wacky Wevalation

Who let Elmer Fudd in here? (Do people still know who Elmer Fudd is?)

Ah, the Peugeot! Your dad and I thought we were so sophisticated and continental when we got it! (Little did we know!)

I suppose it performed a few useful services - it certainly was a good place to put stuff! (Especially stuff you didn't care about!)

And it only cost us $75 to have someone haul it away!

Tuesday's Timeless Tintype

Every so often I have a moment of nostalgia and remember Cosmos - and Amado and Elizabeth - but not Baby Kitty - I didn't really mind when he left. I am not an animal person, but then again, Cosmos was more than just a cat!

Monday Night Mugging (as in facial expressions!!)

Hannah asked me to find some t-ball pix for her. While rummaging through the bag of pictures she led me to, I came across my all time favorite Halloween photo!

The significant fact here is that Halloween was on a Sunday, so we didn't let the kids go trick-or-treating. But we let them dress up and pass out candy - and I think they enjoyed it more than they would have if they'd gone out! (They were initially chagrinned that they couldn't go out!)

It was a fun evening!

Sunday's Silliness in Super Technicolor!

Today's "Fave Foto" is of Dad getting all fixed up for the ward Halloween party - circa mid-80's I'm sure.

Ask him how he looks so realistically feminine!!

Saturday's Shot for Stardom

Does anyone want to bet how much alliteration I can maintain? Neal Maxwell I am not - but I am an English major and, as Sue Cornwall and Deb Rinder (my principal) would say, a wordsmith!

This is a shot of yours truly - many years ago!! I think I look like something out of "Grapes of Wrath!!"

Friday's Fave Foto Feature

We are having techo problemos chez nous - but I will forge ahead and post today's feature. Since so many Fortners like to look and comment, here's one with several of the female Fortners. This is from some year when I went to Utah for the Women's Conference and stayed at Phoebe's - so it's after she was married - that's about as precise as I can get!

The Daily Fave for Today

We'll see how well I do at doing this daily!

Since Betsy is such an "honorary Terrill" with her frequent contributions to the blog, I thought I'd include her - this is from 1974 - taken at her house, I think, because I don't recognize the bedspread.

She's in the middle between Harry and Bonny - don't you love the saddle shoes?

Coming soon to a computer near you . . .

I am starting my own series on this blog. Since I'm not so good at popular culture lists - which seem to rule the blog world - I am going to do "My Fave Photos of All Time." I have a lot of them, so I can keep this up for quite a while.

Posting problems solved forever! I may not have to say anything of note for a long time now!! (As Hannah would say, just kidding!) (Can you truly imagine me not having something of note to say!!??)

When Monday Doesn't Happen

For several Mondays now, we have not had school - MLK, inservices, Winter break, etc. And actually there are more Mondays off coming up. And it is strange how not having a regular Monday throws the week out of whack. (And when a real Monday does show up, we say, "aack, it's really Monday!!")

Since much of teaching school has to do with routine, not having a regular Monday throws off the routine. And kids say, "What about our Monday night homework?" And you say, "Well, we won't have any Monday night homework since there wasn't a school Monday this week." And my students tend to be confused all week about it.

Not having a "real" Monday also makes the weekend seem longer and more relaxing. So when I do have to get up for a "real" Monday, it can feel oppressive. I could go for a 4 day work week - let's start lobbying!

And I got confused tonight. Yesterday was an Inservice and I went to a conference in Arcadia (at the Masonic lodge next to the library) on Asperger Syndrome. It was pretty boring and I was disappointed that it wasn't more helpful, but it was a change!

And I didn't have to be there until 8:30. And they supplied lunch and snacks. And we sat outside on the Arcadia Libray lawn to eat our box lunches. And afterwards, since there was a lot of congestion in the parking lot, I went and browsed in the "Friends of the Arcadia Library" shop - and found a great recording - on vinyl - of the Weavers singing lots of cool Pete Seeger stuff - and it was only 60 cents!

And on the way home I stopped at the LDS Bookstore and browsed. Then hit the 99 Cents store and found these great strawberries for 99 cents a box - and ran into Jane Andrews from the Nursery School.

And came home to the fact that Dawn was there fixing dinner for all of us!!

Gotta love a Monday off!!

P.S. I got confused tonight when Harry went off for basketball - I was waiting for FHE to start!

P.P.S. The photo may seem to have nothing to do with the post - but if I had every Monday off, I bet I'd spend a lot of them either with my wonderful grandkids, or planning how to spend time with my wonderful grandkids, or making things for my wonderful grandkids, or writing letters to my wonderful grandkids, or maybe starting up a blog featuring my wonderful grandkids!! And it all started with Ara!

What I Do All Day!

This isn't really what I do all day - but I thought you might enjoy a shot from the teacher's lounge - which is where I have my lunch every day - and pretty much have the same thing for lunch every day.

It is interesting how eating with the same group of people day after day becomes a bonding kind of experience.

Some days I think I'd rather be in my room reading, but I think it's good to get out of my room. If I stay in it, someone might come in with a need for me to take care of - and there would go my break. That sounds worse than it really is - for me anyway, I have to "step away mid day" or I don't have as much to offer my kids!

The Blues Brothers on Monday Night

Noah is watching "Blues Brothers." At least I think that is the title. Hence my title.

I was going to make Sunday night my regular posting time, but we had a power outtage last night. I had commented on the winds last week, but they were mere breezes compared to last night!

The streets and lawns are littered with fierce looking palm fronds with sharp spikes! But the air is clean and clear and the foothills stand out in dramatic relief.

An unusually large number of students stayed home from school today - that's to let you know how unsettlingly strong the winds were.

And I was going to do a remarkable piece of literary genius and post it - but Harry came over with the kidlets.

Then I started making pumpkin chocolate chip cookies - and didn't have any pumpkin. So I went to the store and Eve went with me.

And of course I got in the worst line - it looked like the shortest but there were computer snafus with the registers.

By the time I got home - with four 9 volt batteries for the 4 sets of walkie talkies I had found in the pantry - it was time for Harry and the kidlets to leave. (But not before discovering that none of the walkie talkies worked, even with new batteries!)

By then it was time to have FHE - we had told Noah to be home at 7 for FHE. And we had a great FHE.

Another late dinner a la Continental Mode! And since I'd made a double batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, it was a chore to get them all baked - but I did.

You know, you give a mouse a cookie - and you could be up all night!

"Blow, winds, blow, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!

I do not even remember who wrote that - I will have to ask Dad - he remembers those kinds of things. But the Santa Anas are howling fiercely - and the cracks in this old house are letting in the cold. But I have my trusty space heater to keep my toes warm, so I am set!

Another Sunday night - but this one is the night before a holiday featuring "NO SCHOOL" and so it's a special Sunday night. Although I have to get up early enough to go for a fasting blood test - just depends how long I want to wait for breakfast I guess! There is something about not having to get up at a specific time!

I do not have my new camera yet - although I could take pictures with my old one - but Dad has been taking work pictures and I don't feel like wading through "construction shots" anyway.

It has been a good Sunday - and a good Saturday. Dad and I went and saw "Walk The Line." (On Saturday, not Sunday!) I enjoyed it - mostly impressed at how someone could so exactly become Johnny Cash. Upon reflection, Mr. J.R. Cash is not a particularly stellar fellow - I suppose he redeemed himself - but then movies about "stellar fellows" probably wouldn't be terribly entertaining or engrossing.

Which leads me to the thought that is it possible as you strive for perfection to become a great artist? I have often heard it postulated that great Mormon art and artists are not to be - because great artists seem to be self-absorbed. And they seem to focus on the seamier side of life. Or maybe in their self-absorption they neglect the finer things? These are just random thoughts.

In the meantime, I guess I will continue to read the artists who are busy being self-absorbed - and comment on it now and then.

And it was William Shakespeare, in King Lear - a fellow who may or may not have been self-absorbed (Billy boy, not Lear!)

Sunday Night Ruminations

This may seem extraneous - but it's not - however, it may be circumlocutious! At any rate, we finally are getting elders, not sisters - and I am very sad - but that could be a whole different blog in itself - I will just say that I think every ward ought to have a pair of sisters and a pair of elders!

But I digress - since the sisters are leaving, we are waiting around for them to come by to say good by and take pictures and have your dad offer them mini cups of Ben and Jerry's. (Is that the key to his phenomenal success as a Ward Mission Leader?)

I keep digressing! So, we can't get casul and put on our p.j.'s - your dad is considering the LA Times crossword puzzle - but if I went up front, he's probably fallen asleep over his new Joseph Smith book.

And there is lots to do, but it doesn't seem appropriate for Sunday - and it's back to school tomorrow - boo, hoo!!

So a new post seemed like a good compromise.

I'm trying to be philosophical and think that blessings will come with elders - even if I feel like I'm losing two right arms! The women of my ward will just have to step up to the plate and start delivering the service that the sisters were able to deliver to the elderly sisters in the ward who live alone and need someone in the daytime - when I'm at work!

As Wilford Woodruff always said, "God moves in a mysterious way!"

Wrapping Up Christmas

Queen Anne Cottage
Originally uploaded by grannybabs.

Maybe it was the gray raininess of the day, but when Matt, Eliza and Hannah drove off Sunday, I felt a pang of melancholy! And then when Phoebe, David, Henry and Calvin drove away, I felt lonelier still. By the time Bonny, Bruce and girls left (which was a bit later - but that's a whole other post!) I was feeling a physical ache.

Harry, Dawn and kids then showed up for dinner. Dawn could relate to my feelings of melancholy - she said she always had the same experience when family left or she left from home. So I didn't feel so alone.

After everyone was gone, Dad and I went through the house picking up, putting away, vacuuming, washing dishes, sweeping, mopping, moving furniture back where it belonged, putting futons away, folding bedding, washing clothes, finding lots of little treasures that had been left behind. I thought that should all have been "closure" but I still really "missed" everyone.

Today dawned rainy and cold. I usually don't watch the parade, but Dad and I checked it out for a bit. Maybe it was more interesting in the rain!! Those clear plastic ponchos have a certain panache! Harry showed up with Eve and Porter, and we were still in our p.j.'s and hadn't even eaten breakfast yet. A true holiday morning!

So I started putting Christmas stuff away - not all of it - I didn't feel up to the task - but I did move all the traces of Christmas out of the bathroom, kitchen and bedrooms. Then I cleared off the mantel and the hutch - and put the regular pitchers back.

And Dad made pancakes - from a recipe - a first for him - he said, "Where's the pancake mix?" Since there was none, he did it the old-fashioned way!! (With the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook!)

I started piling up Christmas stuff in the family room and put the Christmas dishes back in their boxes. I packed up the Christmas tee shirts and sweaters and linens. And it kept raining - we had fires in both fireplaces.

As Christmas faded away, I thought about all the things I should have said and done. One of the problems with a large group of people is that sometimes it's hard to have private conversations of any length. Especially if you're the mom in charge. And large groups of people can have "difficult" moments, and we don't always show our best side.

Dad and I talked about what worked and what didn't - now the key is to write it all down and look at it before next year's celebration!

I think we made some positive changes this year - assigning meals was a stroke of genius - thanks to all who did them - they were great! Clocker's Corner, Kidspace, Burminco and tandem bike riding were plusses too. We didn't communicate perfectly, but we did better than other years!

So why the Queen Anne Cottage pix? Maybe it's to say that a house is only a building when no one is in it. A loving family makes it a home. And when some of those family members leave it, they take something with them - something we miss - and when they are back for awhile, we start thinking we've gone back in time. And we have for awhile. And we have to readjust everytime.

But it's worth it - missing you guys, welcoming you back, saying goodbye -and looking forward to the next visit!

Movie vs. the book

Eliza, Hannah and I went and saw "Memoirs of a Geisha." And then we had a rousing disucssion at dinner tonight - better than most book groups in fact!

My take on "Memoirs" was typical for me - sometimes I wonder why I go see the movie! I guess I do because sometimes the movie is different from the book, but good in its own way.

Not the case here: the book was informative and a good read. The movie was true to the story line - maybe too true - there was a kind of predictability that detracted. I knew what was going to happen next - and then it did!

I don't know if it was the Chinese actors portraying Japanese characters. Or if it was the lack of a true historical context - which the book established but I didn't feel that the movie did. Or if it was the lush cinematography that was like the great wrapping paper on a fairly mediocre gift. (It's all in the packaging is what we all like to think. And that's true for some things - but not movies.)Or maybe it was the excessive length of the film - 2 1/2 hours.

But I'd still recommend the book.

Hey, what's this?

Hey, what's this?
Originally uploaded by grannybabs.

Grandma Clayton has taken down "the wall" that has graced the living room on Horace Street for over 40 years! (I know that because it went up the year I graduated from high school - Joan and I got hers, mine and Lyn's pictures framed and gave them to Mom and Dad for Christmas that year. It just grew from there!)

So yesterday she brought my pix back to me - not sure what I will do with it - seemed to have more class (no pun intended) when it was up there with the rest of the crowd!

For now it's hanging up in the guest room - there was an empty nail there!!

West Meets East

I recently finished reading "Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden. It was for a new bookgroup I've been attending. The plan is to go see the movie and compare it to the book. It turns out that the movie is in an exclusive run here, so we may not end up going to see it. (Who wants to battle going to the West side at 4 in the afternoon?!)

I am always struck by how different Asian culture - specifically Chinese and Japanese culture and history - is from Western culture. The whole Geisha concept is mind boggling if you think about it for any length of time. Especially in this novel, the girl is basically a slave - since she has no say or choice in her life.

I guess the part that doesn't set well with me is the fact that women are definitely 2nd class citizens. However, they do manage to exert influence anyway - guess you really can't keep a good woman down!

I read that the author researched the novel for 15 years before finishing it - and his credentials in Japanese art and history were pretty compelling - so did he want to be informative? controversial? or did he just want to tell a story.

It's not quite as Eastern as China and Japan, but India offers some interesting insights also. I had been given a copy of "Life of Pi," but hadn't gotten around to reading it, so H. and I bought it and listened to it up and back to Phoebe's. It makes for great listening - I'm not sure how it reads, but it kept us awake!

I'm inereseted in other's insights and opinions on the symbolism in the boat, the boy and the animals. And of course the overwhelming question - which one is a dream? I always wonder, when people start seeing things as symbols, if the author had that in mind or just wanted to tell a story.

I'm about a third of the way through "Death Comes for the Archbishop." I watched a PBS documentary about Willa Cather last week - now I want to read some of the books I hadn't even heard of - because it seems to be that her work should probably be studied as a body of work, not just individual novels. She certainly is an interesting character - and burned all her letters before she died - and instructed those she had sent letters to to do the same!

I am going to dig into C.S. Lewis - my kids have all read him but I have not - it took me a while to read the Anne of Green Gables books and the Betsy Tacy books - I think I was too busy when they were reading them to read them myself. Or maybe since they were absorbed in a book, I took the opportunity to read what I wanted to read!! (that's how I explain that I never watched "Princess Bride" all the way through until I showed it to my students!!)

The Daffodil Principle

The Daffodil Principle
Originally uploaded by grannybabs.

I used this story - and the poem "I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud" by William Wordsworth (someday I will learn how to do links) - in my Visiting Teaching Seminar address last week.

For those of you unfamiliar with the story - it's a true one. High in the San Bernardino mountains, five acres of daffodils burst into glorious bloom every spring - and they are all planted by one woman, one bulb at a time, over 35 years.

The message is simple - start now to change the world - your world - one step at a time.

It's a great principle - and I think it answers the query posed when I said sometimes our best is not good enough, we have to do what is required. (If I was a true blogger extraordinare, I'd have a link here too!)

I think what is required is that we do good continually - one step or one bulb at a time - no need to run faster than we are able - just one at a time - I can do that!

And keep the "big picture" in mind all the time - so the little steps don't seem too small to be significant.

And of course, that's how to be an excellent visiting teacher - one sister, one action, one call, one visit, one note in the mail, one plate of cookies, one prayer, one thought at a time!

Jury Duty!!

Jury Duty!!
Originally uploaded by grannybabs.

I got a summons for jury duty a few weeks ago. I contemplated postponing it until summer - but they only let you postpone for 3 months - and I didn't want to do Christmas vacation - although I suspect that when you call in each night they probably say they don't need you the next day - I mean, who schedules trials at Christmas?

So I bit the bullet and called in to register and get my number!! Day one was October 31st, Halloween Day - a scary thought! Since we left on the Thursday before to go to SLC, I not only had to make sub plans for Friday, but for Monday too, in case when I called Sunday night, they told me I had to report.

Called Sunday night - do not report. Called Monday night - after leaving sub plans at school, because you can't call until after 7 p.m. - and they said, do not report. Ditto for Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Thursday afternoon, I figure I'd better leave sub plans for Monday too, in case I'm called in on Friday. The instructions say that if you are called on Thursday or Friday, you need to plan on possibly having to serve the following week. "Plan your schedule accordingly" they say!

Then Thursday night I call - everyone at work said, No one will tell you to report on Friday!!

Wrong! I get the word to report at 8:30 a.m. SHARP!! Fortunately it was to El Monte - not a long drive.

So I reported - and since I worry about finding unfamiliar places, I got there 30 minutes early!! Fortunately I had a good book to read. And I did read - for over an hour until they did the "new juror orientation."

Then we waited some more - and some more - and then the judge came in and thanked us for being willing to serve - but he was sorry they didn't need us! And it was only 10:15 a.m. So I went over and visited Grandma Terrill and Susanne.

2 1/2 years ago I had a jury summons too - and went and waited - and didn't have a good book with me. Fortunately it was in Pasadena - so when they gave us a 2 hour lunch, I went to the Paseo. Window shopping is a good way to pass the time. After lunch, we waited some more and at 2 p.m. they came in and dismissed us.

Maybe one of these times I will serve on an interesting jury - Harry enjoyed his jury duty experience on an attempted murder charge. I'm just happy to have my certificate that lets me off for the next 18 months!

And I have enough sub plans on file to go on a nice trip somewhere!!

The Family Photo 2005

The Family Photo 2005
Originally uploaded by grannybabs.

We had a very brief, but fun, visit to SLC. Drove to St. George, up early and drove to SLC. Went to the wedding, the dinner, (with some shopping in between) then back to Eliza's. The Saturday A.M. brunch was fun - even if the invited guests didn't come - those of us who did had a nice visit. Left that afternoon for St. George - the only plus was the fact that we got to set our clocks back 2 hours since we were headed for California! And got to Monrovia at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday!! In time for the fireside - more on that later - and even got unpacked, and called and found out I didn't have to report for jury duty - yet! (I have to call nightly for a week!!)

I will confess to a little melancholy that the visit was so brief. Sometimes you don't realize what you are missing - until you have a taste of it and then you miss it all the more. We are looking forward to Christmas!!

Rockin' and Rollin'

Rockin' and Rollin'
Originally uploaded by grannybabs.

We recently went to Portland, Oregon for Wade Nebeker's wedding. As we were about to leave the festivities, Rye asked me to dance - and it was a fast dance!

It was fun - even if I was convinced I was going to slide out of Phoebe's slick silver mules I had borrowed for the occasion.

Fast dancing - something I have not done in a pretty long time - unless you count racing through the house with my little kids to "In the Hall of the Mountain King" or "Super Trouper," - brings back many memories - especially the Y Center Grand Opening in 1964 when I met Harry - at a dance!

I also remember going on special dates in borrowed finery - must be the Cinderella Complex in women - roomies can't let someone go out without "something borrowed" now can they??

Remembering things fondly is one of the perks of old age.

So is dancing fast if you want to.

Dick Clark would be proud!!