Going for an Actual Walk

Steven didn't feel well during the night last night and still felt crummy when he woke up this morning, so he didn't go to work. He stayed home and rested and felt pretty well by afternoon. So this afternoon we went for an actual walk because it was actually pretty nice outside--not too cold or stormy or anything like that. We decided to walk down to the old neighborhood. It made us glad we don't live down that way anymore. Coming back up 4th South we stopped by Carolyn Mock's to see if she was home and she was. We visited with her for a few minutes before she had to go visiting teaching. It was nice to see her. She seems happy. She's dating Sid James who used to be in Dad's college before he retired. He was also married to Grandma F's first cousin, Dawn, who died a few years ago. So we've known him for a long time. Carolyn said to tell Tiffany that she has the rock Tiff painted there at the cabin along with that cool picture of the distant storm which Tiff took from the front porch of the cabin.

Earlier today I went for my annual eye exam from Dr. Parsons. Everything checked out A-OK! At my exam a year ago he was a little worried about glaucoma, so I had the glaucoma test today and I passed! He said everything looks normal. That was good to hear. After the eye exam, I went to the Art Museum at BYU to meet up with the club friends. We had a tour of the Minerva Tiechart exhibit and then ate lunch in the cafe. I had the turkey harvest croissant sandwich (a regular on the menu) which has cinnamon cream cheese and apple slices on it. It was quite delicious.

Steven gave the lesson tonight for FHE. He talked about Pres. Monson and his life leading up to becoming President of the Church. He is such an amazing man! He never served a mission because he joined the Navy during the ward. Then after the war he went to school. At age 22 he was called to be a bishop. (He once said he was the youngest bishop of this dispensation; but when Uncle Russell heard that, he corrected Elder Monson, telling him that Leo Sanford Taylor [Dad's grandpa] had been called as a bishop at age 19 in Red Mesa, Colorado. So that is no longer said about Pres. Monson.) He was called into a stake presidency at age 27, as a mission president at age 32, and as an apostle at age 36. What makes him so amazing is that with the heavy responsibility he's had all these years, he has still found time to personally minister to people in so many ways.

Last evening the Barretts came for Sunday dinner (minus Nate who was home teaching, or "visiting teaching" as Riley said). We had chili and cornbread. Lindy brought a delicious salad that had mandarin oranges in it with lost of tasty greens. The girls sure love their salad! They were good chili and cornbread eaters, too. For dessert we had cherry pie and ice cream since we missed having it last week and we were only two days past George Washington's birthday anyway. We'll take any excuse for cherry pie. The girls liked hearing the story about George and the cherry tree and never telling a lie. Riley seemed to be recovered from her tearful trauma in sacrament meeting. We had her tell Grampa what her idea was for her mom's talk--that she could get help from Gramma if she got nervous. We told her that was a great idea and she was smart for thinking of it. Cute little thing. Really, who knew that she was hearing what Lindy said? Anyway, we had a fun evening. The girls watched Star Wars with Rich for a little while while Sidney played with Grampa. Camden talked to Tiff on the phone when she called. Riley chose not to because she was busy with her pie; but later, when we were singing "Happy Family," she sang out really loud, "WE LOVE TIFFY YESSIREE." She and Camden can't wait for Tiff to come home on March 7 so that they can have another sleepover.

Remembering Scott Keyser

Today was our friend Scott Keyser's funeral in Draper. He passed away last Tuesday, Feb. 12, after having had multiple myeloma for three years. Two years ago he had a stem cell transplant and went into remission for a year, then the cancer came back a year ago. His wife, Chris, and I had been trying to get together in December and January but she had to keep cancelling because she needed to take Scott to the doctor. She kept sounding hopeful. She said, "We're going to beat this." He started a new agressive treatment at the Huntsman Cancer Center in January; but I guess he went downhill from there. It was his last resort, and it just didn't work for him.

Scott and Chris lived in the Sunset Heights 5th ward with us for quite a few years when all of our kids were little. So we had a lot of good times with them. Chris was Relief Society president and we have been good friends over the years. Lindy and their daughter, Kim, were best friends in grade school. Around Kim's junior high years they moved to Pennsylvania for a few years and then back to Utah, settling in Salt Lake. Scott worked for Geneva Steel until it went out of business. He brokered steel for awhile, then found that was going nowhere. He most recently worked for NuSkin. Chris teaches at the U and has a consulting business. So she will get along all right, hopefully, now that Scott is gone. We have gotten together with them and some of the other old friends socially over the years to try to stay in touch. I dropped the ball for the past few years, so we haven't gotten together. I kind of wondered why I had to be the one to get us together and I always felt like we were leaving someone out; so I decided that it was just easier not to do it. Now I feel kind of bad.

The funeral was very nice. Each of the four children spoke: Stephanie, Michael, Kim and Natalie. They had great times skiing and boating with their dad. He was a great husband, father, grandfather and friend. He had completed his mission and it was time for him to go. He didn't want to go and leave Chris alone, but she told him she would be all right. It was nice to be there and to reflect on Scott's good life and the "good old days" when we were young and our kids were growing up together.

We rode up with Joel and Annette, so that was nice to be with them. On the way up we were behind a small blue car with a big guy at the wheel. I couldn't see anyone in the passenger seat. Annette said, "I bet that's Doyle and Diane (Asay) on their way to the funeral." Joel asked, "Do you know their car?" Annette said, "No. That just looks like Doyle's head." I thought that didn't look like a car they would be driving, plus I couldn't see anyone in the passenger seat. But we passed the car; and, sure enough, it was Doyle and Diane. She was kind of curled up there in the passenger seat instead of sitting up straight, so that's why we couldn't see her. But Annette knew the back of Doyle's head. That's funny. So we saw them up there, plus the Marcovs, Kim and Deenie Asay and, of course, Don and Jaynann Wendt. Jaynann is Richard's "boss" at the temple and she always tells us how much she appreciates him and the good worker her is.

After the funeral, we went with Joel and Annette for bite of lunch at Bajio. That was fun to be with them. Annette always knows how to order Mexican food.

When we got home Richard was watching the new TV (which we got a few days ago), and he was quite displeased with the speakers. They were making a static-y sound. So we decided to box it up and put the old TV back in its place. Richard was quite relieved to have the good old TV back. He said it reminded him of President's Day a few years ago when we had gotten him a new mattress. We had tossed his old mattress in the dumpster at the church. Well, he didn't like his new mattress, so we went back and got his old one out of the dumpster. Thankfully, no on had thrown anything in on top of it! That was pretty funny to get the mattress back out of the dumpster. I told Steven I'm glad we didn't get rid of the old TV as soon as he wanted to!

For FHE, about 4:00, we went over and had a nice visit with the T's in Springville. It was good to see Grandpa and Cathy for a little while. Their mama goat had three babies recently, so Grandma Cathy was out at the barn with their friend, Bro. Lay, milking her. They got a gallon of milk + one pint! Cathy has to feed one of the babies because the mother won't. Another of the babies died; so now they only have two, one of which the mother won't feed. Grandpa seems to be doing pretty well, so we're glad about that. He talked to us about Steven speaking at his funeral and me writing his obituary, however. He does that from time to time, so I don't think it means he's going to go any time soon.

The day had gotten away from me and we were without a cherry pie for President's Day! So Richard and I went by Target about 8:00, and we picked up a couple of little 4-inch cherry pies that were all they had. We came home and cut them in half and had cherry pie and ice cream with Dad. It tasted pretty good. It would have been a shame for President's Day to have gone by without any cherry pie! I told Lindy we'll have some this Sunday since we didn't have any last Sunday.