"The fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is Jesus Christ."
--President Philip Pulsipher
President, Guam Micronesia Mission
Sunday, July 31, 2005
A Think...
One of those inconspicuous statements that you hear now and then that gave me pause in Sacrament Meeting today:
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Biscuit(s)
It always drove me crazy that my mother and grandmother said "biscuit" instead of "biscuits".
"What did you have good for supper?" Grammie Boone would ask my mother.
"Well, John caught a mess of trout, so we had those, potatoes, peas from the garden, and I made biscuit." Aaaaarrrgh! It was like fingernails on a chalkboard! (Too bad I can't find someone who'll pay me for being petty...)
At any rate, the recipe we use in our household is from an old National Grange Cookbook. This is often Sunday night fare for us--especially if there is any honey or, better yet, molasses on hand. Ironically to my mother and grandmother who swore by Bakewell Cream, this baking powder recipe is somewhat of an anomaly. We love it.
Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup milk
Sift dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and milk. Knead. Roll until 3/4-inch thick, cut with biscuit cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in 450-degree oven for 10 to 14 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
"What did you have good for supper?" Grammie Boone would ask my mother.
"Well, John caught a mess of trout, so we had those, potatoes, peas from the garden, and I made biscuit." Aaaaarrrgh! It was like fingernails on a chalkboard! (Too bad I can't find someone who'll pay me for being petty...)
At any rate, the recipe we use in our household is from an old National Grange Cookbook. This is often Sunday night fare for us--especially if there is any honey or, better yet, molasses on hand. Ironically to my mother and grandmother who swore by Bakewell Cream, this baking powder recipe is somewhat of an anomaly. We love it.
Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup milk
Sift dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and milk. Knead. Roll until 3/4-inch thick, cut with biscuit cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in 450-degree oven for 10 to 14 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Family and Friends and Family
We had some friends of ours over for a barbecue the other night. We wanted to have them over before Janel's mother goes back to Texas after visiting here for the past two months.
It's always fun having them over, our children are friends, but it was really a special treat to have Grandma here, too. I'm really impressed that she was able and willing to make the long trip to this island because in the last year she has had two heart attacks and has also had to endure cancer treatments, but she did it. Rik and Janel's youngest kids had never met their grandmother before, so of course that was very important to them as well.
Grandma was so comfortable and nice. She was full of stories and words of wisdom and experience and I honestly couldn't remember a time that I enjoyed visiting with an elderly person so much. I figure that it's either that I just plain miss having a grandmother around or I'm getting so much closer to that myself that I'm feeling like a contemporary! I told her that we don't get to have grandma's out here for a visit very often, so it's really great when we do.
Our friends out here become our surrogate families and we often talk about our parents, ask how so and so (a family member we've never met) is doing, etc. to the point that we feel like we know some of each other's biological families. When we get to actually meet one of the bio-family members we already feel a connection.
Anyway, it was great having Grandma for a visit in Saipan.
It's always fun having them over, our children are friends, but it was really a special treat to have Grandma here, too. I'm really impressed that she was able and willing to make the long trip to this island because in the last year she has had two heart attacks and has also had to endure cancer treatments, but she did it. Rik and Janel's youngest kids had never met their grandmother before, so of course that was very important to them as well.
Grandma was so comfortable and nice. She was full of stories and words of wisdom and experience and I honestly couldn't remember a time that I enjoyed visiting with an elderly person so much. I figure that it's either that I just plain miss having a grandmother around or I'm getting so much closer to that myself that I'm feeling like a contemporary! I told her that we don't get to have grandma's out here for a visit very often, so it's really great when we do.
Our friends out here become our surrogate families and we often talk about our parents, ask how so and so (a family member we've never met) is doing, etc. to the point that we feel like we know some of each other's biological families. When we get to actually meet one of the bio-family members we already feel a connection.
Anyway, it was great having Grandma for a visit in Saipan.
Monday, July 25, 2005
A Grampie Story
Today is Grampie Alexa's birthday. He's 110...or he would be if he were still here. My boys are sitting behind me exclaiming at the things I'm writing ("Grampie can't be 110!")--as if they didn't even know that I had a Grampie Alexa of my own!
My grandfather was Lithuanian--he came to the U.S. when he was 18 or so. My grandmother was 4 years older than him and she taught him English--in fact, I think that's how they met. He learned to speak the language all right, but even 60 years later a lot of my friends had a hard time understanding him because of his accent.
When I was little I loved to be with Grampie Alexa. I especially liked to go over to eat with him and Grammie. He would go out in the woods after a rain and pick mushrooms in the summer, but they weren't uniform like the ones you buy in the store. They were all different varieties, sizes, colors, and shapes. He said that the way he knew which ones were alright to eat was by seeing where deer and other animals had nibbled at them. I don't think I'd ever be brave enough to pick them myself, but I ate them with him then. I really liked sitting on the porch and watching Grampie clean those mushrooms with his knife. He would cut off the ends and slice them, then take them inside and fry them with salt pork in a big cast iron skillet on the flat top of their black wood cookstove. After I would eat them my mother wouldn't let me in the house because of the smell of them on my breath! In truth, when they were fried like that they turned kind of dark and slimy, but Gramp made them and that was enough to convince me I liked them!
There are just way too many stories about Gramp to put them all in one blog--like riding in his 1931 Model-A Ford which he bought used in 1935 and drove until 1975 or so when he gave up driving. I think he sold it at a profit....
My grandfather was Lithuanian--he came to the U.S. when he was 18 or so. My grandmother was 4 years older than him and she taught him English--in fact, I think that's how they met. He learned to speak the language all right, but even 60 years later a lot of my friends had a hard time understanding him because of his accent.
When I was little I loved to be with Grampie Alexa. I especially liked to go over to eat with him and Grammie. He would go out in the woods after a rain and pick mushrooms in the summer, but they weren't uniform like the ones you buy in the store. They were all different varieties, sizes, colors, and shapes. He said that the way he knew which ones were alright to eat was by seeing where deer and other animals had nibbled at them. I don't think I'd ever be brave enough to pick them myself, but I ate them with him then. I really liked sitting on the porch and watching Grampie clean those mushrooms with his knife. He would cut off the ends and slice them, then take them inside and fry them with salt pork in a big cast iron skillet on the flat top of their black wood cookstove. After I would eat them my mother wouldn't let me in the house because of the smell of them on my breath! In truth, when they were fried like that they turned kind of dark and slimy, but Gramp made them and that was enough to convince me I liked them!
There are just way too many stories about Gramp to put them all in one blog--like riding in his 1931 Model-A Ford which he bought used in 1935 and drove until 1975 or so when he gave up driving. I think he sold it at a profit....
Anyway--I'll write more Grampie Alexa stories now and then.
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Family Favorites - Cookies
Our family loves cookies. We like to make them almost as much as we like to eat them! In fact, today Kaitlyn was making some cookies and some friends came to take her and Ezra to the beach before she could get them mixed up, so she asked me to finish. They were peanut butter cookies and I thought they looked a little dry, so I threw in some ripe bananas. After we baked a couple pans of those (they were yummy), I remembered that I had some chopped up peanuts in the refridgerator, so I tossed those in too.
The cookies that Kaitlyn was making were from one of our family-favorite recipes--Grammie Haskin's Peanutbutter Cookies--we love them! I never even cared for peanutbutter cookies until I had hers melt in my mouth. But the all-time winner in our household would have to be Grammie Boone's Blethen House Molasses Cookies--they taste like home.
Grammie Haskin's Peanutbutter Cookies
1 cup shortening (1/2 butter tastes good)
1 cup peanutbutter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix all ingredients well. Shape into balls, press criss-cross with a fork.
Bake at 350 until not quite done (8-10 minutes). After removing from oven, leave on baking sheet for a couple of minutes before putting on cooling rack.
GRAMMIE BOONE'S BLETHEN HOUSE MOLASSES COOKIES
My Grammie Boone always said that she was an "old-fashioned cook". She was the baker of choice for people all over Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, my hometown. She baked for Collette's Restaurant and for the (lone) hotel, the Blethen House. She loved to bake and her family and friends loved to have her do it! We nearly always double this recipe...
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup shortening
1 egg
2 1/4 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cassia (cinnamon)
1/4 teaspoon cloves
pinch of salt
Mix all ingredients well. Roll into balls and dip the tops in granulated sugar. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until tops are cracked.
Friday, July 08, 2005
Just a Summer Day
But then as we were told before we came here, every day is summer in Saipan!
Sam and Jacob are at Boy Scout Camp this week. It's been kind of a nomadic adventure starting out on Tuesday with the scouts kayaking out to Managaha then back the next morning. At that point we transported them from Micro Beach to Susupe Lake where they did a little more kayaking and had a presentation from the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife on the brown tree snake and Jacob lost his glasses in the muck at the bottom of the lake. . . sigh. ANYWAYS, then they hiked up to Kannat Tabla where they spent that night. On Thursday we transported them to the Grotto where they had more merit badge work as well as playing in the water (anyone interested can probably find a picture of the Grotto on www.delbenson.com), and yes, it can be dangerous and I'm glad they're all away safe and sound. This morning I helped transport them from the Grotto to Laulau Bay where they will camp tonight and finish up tomorrow with a family pot luck complete with skits, etc. Sam only joined them this morning because he had cut his foot at our 4th of July barbecue and Casey felt that today it was healed up enough for him to go.
So, with Kaitlyn at day camp down at Hopwood, I only have Ezra and Eden here at home today. Of course it was too boring having just the two of them, so we went over and picked up Ashley and Solofi Welch (their dad is the Scoutmaster), and they jumped on the trampoline and played with the scooters until they worked themselves into a nice hot lather. Now they're all out swimming in the pool we bought last Christmas. The pool was second-hand, but we found it right here on the island and they have had a blast with it since the weather really heated up in May. Even Casey gets in with them at the end of the day sometimes (it's the kind with the inflatable ring--about 12' diameter), the kids really love that!
Casey has started playing basketball with the Over 45 league. He had his first game last Saturday and has another one today. It's funny to hear him talk about it. He says that he wasn't as bad as he expected to be, but that was probably because the rest of the team is so out of shape. One guy just sets up camp at one end of the court and waits for them to throw him the ball. Casey's legs were killing him for the first couple of days after the game--he said they felt like wet noodles.
I really admire Case for staying so fit over the years--he's really been conscientious about that. The other day I came across some shorts that had been put in a pile of clothes to give away and Casey tried them on and they fit perfectly...they have the same size waist that I bought for him when we were first married! I wish I'd come across the figure I had back then (gosh, I just can't think what I did with that!).
Sam and Jacob are at Boy Scout Camp this week. It's been kind of a nomadic adventure starting out on Tuesday with the scouts kayaking out to Managaha then back the next morning. At that point we transported them from Micro Beach to Susupe Lake where they did a little more kayaking and had a presentation from the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife on the brown tree snake and Jacob lost his glasses in the muck at the bottom of the lake. . . sigh. ANYWAYS, then they hiked up to Kannat Tabla where they spent that night. On Thursday we transported them to the Grotto where they had more merit badge work as well as playing in the water (anyone interested can probably find a picture of the Grotto on www.delbenson.com), and yes, it can be dangerous and I'm glad they're all away safe and sound. This morning I helped transport them from the Grotto to Laulau Bay where they will camp tonight and finish up tomorrow with a family pot luck complete with skits, etc. Sam only joined them this morning because he had cut his foot at our 4th of July barbecue and Casey felt that today it was healed up enough for him to go.
So, with Kaitlyn at day camp down at Hopwood, I only have Ezra and Eden here at home today. Of course it was too boring having just the two of them, so we went over and picked up Ashley and Solofi Welch (their dad is the Scoutmaster), and they jumped on the trampoline and played with the scooters until they worked themselves into a nice hot lather. Now they're all out swimming in the pool we bought last Christmas. The pool was second-hand, but we found it right here on the island and they have had a blast with it since the weather really heated up in May. Even Casey gets in with them at the end of the day sometimes (it's the kind with the inflatable ring--about 12' diameter), the kids really love that!
Casey has started playing basketball with the Over 45 league. He had his first game last Saturday and has another one today. It's funny to hear him talk about it. He says that he wasn't as bad as he expected to be, but that was probably because the rest of the team is so out of shape. One guy just sets up camp at one end of the court and waits for them to throw him the ball. Casey's legs were killing him for the first couple of days after the game--he said they felt like wet noodles.
I really admire Case for staying so fit over the years--he's really been conscientious about that. The other day I came across some shorts that had been put in a pile of clothes to give away and Casey tried them on and they fit perfectly...they have the same size waist that I bought for him when we were first married! I wish I'd come across the figure I had back then (gosh, I just can't think what I did with that!).
Friday, July 01, 2005
Keeping Things in Perspective: An Excerpt from "Moonlight" Graham remembered - Countdown with Keith Olbermann - MSNBC.com
I ran across this story by Keith Olbermann on MSNCB.com today. It's a wonderful story for a day like ours when pop-culture pseudo-heroes have taken center stage.
"At the Metrodome in Minnesota Wednesday, an 86-year-old woman and two kids from Chisholm, Minnesota, threw out ceremonial first pitches before the Twins game against the Kansas City Royals. The team was saluting Doc Graham Day. The kids are the recipients of the two Doc Graham memorial scholarships.
"Does that name, Doc Graham, ring a bell? How about Moonlight Graham? Sure, it’s been 16 years since the movie came out, but it runs every month on TV. Think hard now. Surely you remember Moonlight Graham. “Field of Dreams?” There you go.
"It’s perhaps the iconic depiction of baseball on film, a magical combination of history, fantasy and innocence. It’s become that largely because of just one of its many characters, that fanciful creation that author W.P. Kinsella called Moonlight Graham.
"Graham supposedly played in just one Major League Baseball [game], then became the beloved town doctor of the tiny town of Chisholm, Minnesota.
"Well, it would have been a fanciful creation, and Moonlight Graham would have been one of fiction’s great characters, except for one detail: there really was a Moonlight Graham. He really did become the beloved town doctor of Chisholm, Minnesota. And he really did play in just one Major League Baseball game. That one game was exactly 100 years ago on Wednesday.
"In Chisholm, Minnesota, 70 miles from the Canadian border, they never called him Moonlight. Instead, they opted for Doc or Doctor Graham.
"W.P. Kinsella, author of Shoeless Joe, says he came across his name in a baseball encyclopedia given as a Christmas gift. 'He was listed as Moonlight Graham. And I thought, ‘What a wonderful name. This is better than anything I could invent,' says Kinsella.
"This movie story really is true. In 1904, Archibald “Moonlight” Graham was a .323 hitter with Manchester of the New England League. He was then purchased by the National League champion New York Giants and joined them on May 23, 1905. And for reasons lost to history, he didn’t play a game until June 29. That day, with the Giants leading 10-0 in the eighth inning, manager John McGraw finally put him in right field. Nobody hit the ball near him.
"With two out in the top of the ninth inning, Moonlight Graham was on deck. He would have been the next hitter, his first time up in the big leagues. But Claude Elliott flied out to end the inning. The Giants sold him to Scranton 16 days later.
"He never got his chance in baseball. But, he did get the chance to help people.
"According to Veda Ponikvar, founder of The Chisholm Free Press and Tribune, Graham jumped on a train to Minnesota after reading a small ad listing a doctor opening. And he never left. Dr. Graham lived in Chisholm right up until his death 54 years later in 1965.
"Ponikvar is also in Field of Dreams. The actress Ann Seymour reads the obituary of Doc Graham that Vida wrote: 'And there were times when children could not afford eyeglasses or milk or clothing. Yet no child was ever denied these essentials because in the background there was always Dr. Graham. Without any fanfare or publicity, the glasses or the milk or the ticket to the ballgame found their way into the child’s pocket.'
"Bob McDonald was one of the other children. He’s been Chisholm High School‘s basketball coach for half a century, only its third since 1921. Doc Graham’s baseball life, his love of sports was important, but it was nothing compared to how important his life was as the town doctor.
“'That’s the big item you see. In baseball, you kind of help yourself and you entertain,' says McDonald. 'Athletics are like that, you entertain people. But he comforted people.'
"Kinsella says it was an asset. 'I mean, what I was afraid of, was that this was going to be a guy who sat in the American Legion bar and bragged about playing in the major leagues for 40 years.'
"As the movie suggests, somewhat tragically, Graham came close but never reached his dream. But Graham, played by Burt Lancaster, famously says, 'If I‘d only gotten to be a doctor for five minutes, now that would have been a tragedy.'"
"At the Metrodome in Minnesota Wednesday, an 86-year-old woman and two kids from Chisholm, Minnesota, threw out ceremonial first pitches before the Twins game against the Kansas City Royals. The team was saluting Doc Graham Day. The kids are the recipients of the two Doc Graham memorial scholarships.
"Does that name, Doc Graham, ring a bell? How about Moonlight Graham? Sure, it’s been 16 years since the movie came out, but it runs every month on TV. Think hard now. Surely you remember Moonlight Graham. “Field of Dreams?” There you go.
"It’s perhaps the iconic depiction of baseball on film, a magical combination of history, fantasy and innocence. It’s become that largely because of just one of its many characters, that fanciful creation that author W.P. Kinsella called Moonlight Graham.
"Graham supposedly played in just one Major League Baseball [game], then became the beloved town doctor of the tiny town of Chisholm, Minnesota.
"Well, it would have been a fanciful creation, and Moonlight Graham would have been one of fiction’s great characters, except for one detail: there really was a Moonlight Graham. He really did become the beloved town doctor of Chisholm, Minnesota. And he really did play in just one Major League Baseball game. That one game was exactly 100 years ago on Wednesday.
"In Chisholm, Minnesota, 70 miles from the Canadian border, they never called him Moonlight. Instead, they opted for Doc or Doctor Graham.
"W.P. Kinsella, author of Shoeless Joe, says he came across his name in a baseball encyclopedia given as a Christmas gift. 'He was listed as Moonlight Graham. And I thought, ‘What a wonderful name. This is better than anything I could invent,' says Kinsella.
"This movie story really is true. In 1904, Archibald “Moonlight” Graham was a .323 hitter with Manchester of the New England League. He was then purchased by the National League champion New York Giants and joined them on May 23, 1905. And for reasons lost to history, he didn’t play a game until June 29. That day, with the Giants leading 10-0 in the eighth inning, manager John McGraw finally put him in right field. Nobody hit the ball near him.
"With two out in the top of the ninth inning, Moonlight Graham was on deck. He would have been the next hitter, his first time up in the big leagues. But Claude Elliott flied out to end the inning. The Giants sold him to Scranton 16 days later.
"He never got his chance in baseball. But, he did get the chance to help people.
"According to Veda Ponikvar, founder of The Chisholm Free Press and Tribune, Graham jumped on a train to Minnesota after reading a small ad listing a doctor opening. And he never left. Dr. Graham lived in Chisholm right up until his death 54 years later in 1965.
"Ponikvar is also in Field of Dreams. The actress Ann Seymour reads the obituary of Doc Graham that Vida wrote: 'And there were times when children could not afford eyeglasses or milk or clothing. Yet no child was ever denied these essentials because in the background there was always Dr. Graham. Without any fanfare or publicity, the glasses or the milk or the ticket to the ballgame found their way into the child’s pocket.'
"Bob McDonald was one of the other children. He’s been Chisholm High School‘s basketball coach for half a century, only its third since 1921. Doc Graham’s baseball life, his love of sports was important, but it was nothing compared to how important his life was as the town doctor.
“'That’s the big item you see. In baseball, you kind of help yourself and you entertain,' says McDonald. 'Athletics are like that, you entertain people. But he comforted people.'
"Kinsella says it was an asset. 'I mean, what I was afraid of, was that this was going to be a guy who sat in the American Legion bar and bragged about playing in the major leagues for 40 years.'
"As the movie suggests, somewhat tragically, Graham came close but never reached his dream. But Graham, played by Burt Lancaster, famously says, 'If I‘d only gotten to be a doctor for five minutes, now that would have been a tragedy.'"
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Summer Camp
Sam and Jacob are enjoying the Summer Youth Bazaar camp they've been going to down at the junior high. Even Sam and especially Jake. The camp has an overnight program for the kids their age, so they decided they would stay tonight. (Kait's in the daycamp program at the same place.)
Jacob's been taking his guitar everyday and to listen to him talk it sounds like he is on the fast track to superstardom with the camp crowd. When I dropped them off this morning, I asked Sam if anyone had told Jake that he can't play the guitar yet. He said he didn't know, so I told him not to say anything because Jacob seems so happily ignorant of that fact. Sam just smiled.
Jacob says that he is having a hard time singing and playing at the same time. To illustrate the problem for any guitar-players out there, try forgetting everything you know about music and take your guitar and play bar chords (of course you don't know they're bar chords because you don't know what chords are) starting at the first or second fret and go down a few frets, then up a few frets all to the rhythm of the song, say, Blue Suede Shoes. Now try to sing along. Okay! That's the problem! Sam has a great ear and great feel for rhythm and zero passion; Jacob has tons of passion, but no ear. The great thing is your ear can be trained, so he'll learn. He'll learn because I'm signing him up for guitar lessons at the college starting in July.
Jacob's been taking his guitar everyday and to listen to him talk it sounds like he is on the fast track to superstardom with the camp crowd. When I dropped them off this morning, I asked Sam if anyone had told Jake that he can't play the guitar yet. He said he didn't know, so I told him not to say anything because Jacob seems so happily ignorant of that fact. Sam just smiled.
Jacob says that he is having a hard time singing and playing at the same time. To illustrate the problem for any guitar-players out there, try forgetting everything you know about music and take your guitar and play bar chords (of course you don't know they're bar chords because you don't know what chords are) starting at the first or second fret and go down a few frets, then up a few frets all to the rhythm of the song, say, Blue Suede Shoes. Now try to sing along. Okay! That's the problem! Sam has a great ear and great feel for rhythm and zero passion; Jacob has tons of passion, but no ear. The great thing is your ear can be trained, so he'll learn. He'll learn because I'm signing him up for guitar lessons at the college starting in July.
Friday, June 24, 2005
Easy Listening
Some of my "test of time" favorites with the artist I prefer:
COME IN FROM THE RAIN - Captain and Tenille
SO FAR AWAY - Carol King
SATELLITE - Dave Matthews
GOOD MORNING HEARTACHE - Diana Ross
VINCENT - Don McLean
DESPERADO - The Eagles
THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME - Gladys Knight and The Pips
UP ON THE ROOF - James Taylor
ADIOS - Linda Ronstadt
WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD - Louis Armstrong
DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME - The Mamas and The Papas
UNFORGETTABLE - Natalie Cole (with Nat King Cole)
CRAZY - Patsy Cline
THE NEARNESS OF YOU - Nora Jones
COME IN FROM THE RAIN - Captain and Tenille
SO FAR AWAY - Carol King
SATELLITE - Dave Matthews
GOOD MORNING HEARTACHE - Diana Ross
VINCENT - Don McLean
DESPERADO - The Eagles
THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME - Gladys Knight and The Pips
UP ON THE ROOF - James Taylor
ADIOS - Linda Ronstadt
WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD - Louis Armstrong
DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME - The Mamas and The Papas
UNFORGETTABLE - Natalie Cole (with Nat King Cole)
CRAZY - Patsy Cline
THE NEARNESS OF YOU - Nora Jones
Today's My Birthday...
...and I'm forty-hmmmm. Oh okay--seven! I'm forty-seven today, and so far forty-seven is good; all of you lesser ones should look forward to it.
Casey's present to me was that he took the day off from work. Only we who know him well can realize what a special gift that is from him. I remember when Kaitlyn was born he planned on taking two weeks off from work--it turned out to be, maybe, 3 or 4 days. So I love this gift! Right now he's taken the kids down to deliver the older ones to summer youth camp and I'm here alone blogging and listening to some of my favorite tunes courtesy of Limewire. Modern technology can be good when it wants to be!
I let Kaitlyn stay up late last night to help make my birthday cake. When she gets home this afternoon we'll finish it with cherries and whipped cream. Eden met me in the yard when we came home from our morning walk...she was picking flowers "for your birfday". The older kids were horrified when I said that Dad was going to take them to camp today so that I could stay home and get a few things done like the breakfast dishes. They can't imagine a fate worse than dish duty! I used to feel that way too, but as I get older it doesn't bother me. I remember Grammie Boone saying that she really didn't mind doing the dishes and I guess I don't either.
Well, Casey's back and has gone directly into the office to return some phone calls--I guess what he said was that he wasn't going in to work today...
Casey's present to me was that he took the day off from work. Only we who know him well can realize what a special gift that is from him. I remember when Kaitlyn was born he planned on taking two weeks off from work--it turned out to be, maybe, 3 or 4 days. So I love this gift! Right now he's taken the kids down to deliver the older ones to summer youth camp and I'm here alone blogging and listening to some of my favorite tunes courtesy of Limewire. Modern technology can be good when it wants to be!
I let Kaitlyn stay up late last night to help make my birthday cake. When she gets home this afternoon we'll finish it with cherries and whipped cream. Eden met me in the yard when we came home from our morning walk...she was picking flowers "for your birfday". The older kids were horrified when I said that Dad was going to take them to camp today so that I could stay home and get a few things done like the breakfast dishes. They can't imagine a fate worse than dish duty! I used to feel that way too, but as I get older it doesn't bother me. I remember Grammie Boone saying that she really didn't mind doing the dishes and I guess I don't either.
Well, Casey's back and has gone directly into the office to return some phone calls--I guess what he said was that he wasn't going in to work today...
Sunday, June 19, 2005
Father's Day
Casey's upstairs making banana bread. It smells like the holidays instead of the middle of the summer, but we've had so many bananas coming off the plants Casey's been cultivating in the jungle that we've got to use them faster. These are the nicest eating bananas--as opposed to "cooking" bananas--that we've had; they're as big as the ones in the store! They completely cover the small table (well, it seats six!) we have in the back of the kitchen.
We've had a nice Father's Day today. Levi called this morning before church and Alexa called after we got home. We haven't heard from Mallory, but she doesn't have as easy access to a phone or computer right now, so we'll probably hear from her tomorrow because she'll be at Grammie and Grampie Haskins for a family gathering. Our day here was quiet with no visitors or guests--just the family. We had a nice dinner complete with local watermelon--they're so good this year!--and strawberry shortcake for dessert. It's usually impossible to find fresh strawberries on island that aren't moldy and gross and $7.99 a pound, but amazingly enough there were good ones for about half that price this week so we had a real treat.
It's 10:45 P.M. here now which puts it at about 8:45 Sunday morning in Maine, so I guess I'll go call Dad and wish him a Happy Father's Day.
We've had a nice Father's Day today. Levi called this morning before church and Alexa called after we got home. We haven't heard from Mallory, but she doesn't have as easy access to a phone or computer right now, so we'll probably hear from her tomorrow because she'll be at Grammie and Grampie Haskins for a family gathering. Our day here was quiet with no visitors or guests--just the family. We had a nice dinner complete with local watermelon--they're so good this year!--and strawberry shortcake for dessert. It's usually impossible to find fresh strawberries on island that aren't moldy and gross and $7.99 a pound, but amazingly enough there were good ones for about half that price this week so we had a real treat.
It's 10:45 P.M. here now which puts it at about 8:45 Sunday morning in Maine, so I guess I'll go call Dad and wish him a Happy Father's Day.
Monday, June 06, 2005
Bye-Bye Baby
A lifetime in a week. . . sounds very melodramatic, but I guess I'm feeling a little bittersweet right now--another child leaving home.
Mal's graduation from Kagman High School was very fun. We went out early in the day with the little kids and picked flowers for leis for her and other graduating friends. I had made candy leis for her and Lisa the night before and when they were finished Mal and I sat on the bed talking and eating the leftovers.
Graduation was at 4:00 in the afternoon and it was outside--the first outdoor graduation ceremony I've been to. It's always fun to go to graduation here because the kids look so great piled high with colorful leis around their necks and mwaar-mwaars on their caps. The best part was the awards--Mallory was one of two that received the Robert C. Byrd scholarship. She also received a departmental award in science and in business, was #7 in the top ten, and was named Outstanding Female Graduate by the Governor's Office of Women's Affairs. It was very fun.
On Friday night we had the graduation/going away ice cream party. We had one when Alexa left island and it worked out so well we decided to make it a tradition. There must have been 100+ people here working their way through 9 gallons of ice cream and every topping we could think of...YUM! Then on Sunday Mallory received her Young Women's medallion--along with a couple more mwaar-mwaars from well-wishers.
And so here we are at the end of Mal's time with us. It's hard to believe that the first baby--she's the youngest of the Utah kids--is off. Her Dad was going to take her out to lunch, but when she found out she informed him that she is fasting today, so maybe they can go tomorrow. She's already asked him to give her a blessing before she leaves on Wednesday--I know she's going to be fine.
Mal's graduation from Kagman High School was very fun. We went out early in the day with the little kids and picked flowers for leis for her and other graduating friends. I had made candy leis for her and Lisa the night before and when they were finished Mal and I sat on the bed talking and eating the leftovers.
Graduation was at 4:00 in the afternoon and it was outside--the first outdoor graduation ceremony I've been to. It's always fun to go to graduation here because the kids look so great piled high with colorful leis around their necks and mwaar-mwaars on their caps. The best part was the awards--Mallory was one of two that received the Robert C. Byrd scholarship. She also received a departmental award in science and in business, was #7 in the top ten, and was named Outstanding Female Graduate by the Governor's Office of Women's Affairs. It was very fun.
On Friday night we had the graduation/going away ice cream party. We had one when Alexa left island and it worked out so well we decided to make it a tradition. There must have been 100+ people here working their way through 9 gallons of ice cream and every topping we could think of...YUM! Then on Sunday Mallory received her Young Women's medallion--along with a couple more mwaar-mwaars from well-wishers.
And so here we are at the end of Mal's time with us. It's hard to believe that the first baby--she's the youngest of the Utah kids--is off. Her Dad was going to take her out to lunch, but when she found out she informed him that she is fasting today, so maybe they can go tomorrow. She's already asked him to give her a blessing before she leaves on Wednesday--I know she's going to be fine.
Monday, May 23, 2005
Signs of Saipan II
Here's one from a local video store:
"If you think you're not a PIG please don't spit beetlenut anywhere inside!"
"If you think you're not a PIG please don't spit beetlenut anywhere inside!"
Bravo, Bravo, Bravissimo!
BRAVO! Jocelyn Lonsdale as Winnifred and Jacob Connor as Prince Dauntless are seen in this scene from "Once Upon A Mattress" on Saturday at Dai-Ichi Hotel. The performance of the cast members in the musical, which was produced by the Friends of the Art, was described as "awesome" by the audience. (Marianas Variety, 23 May 2005)
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Broadway Comes to Saipan
Well, this year's FOA youth production of "Once Upon A Mattress" has come and gone and was a resounding success! For those who may not be familiar with it, this play tells the "real" story of the princess and the pea. It was open to kids in grades 1 through 9.
First of all I want to make sure I mention the best thing that happened in this year's play. For the first time that I know of many of the major parts were played by members of the Church, and because of their faithfulness to the things they've been taught there were no performances or mandatory rehearsals scheduled on Sundays. I was there during auditions and heard many of them tell the producer right up front that they would not be available at all on Sundays, so she and the director were well aware of the situation before the parts were assigned. I have never known any play here not to have scheduled rehearsals and performances on Sunday--it was awesome.
The play was great fun! Jacob was the male lead--a simpering, wimpy mama's boy named Prince Dauntless. We didn't know he could sing on tune, so that was a very nice discovery! He did a wonderful job. Jocelyn Lonsdale played Princess Winifred (Fred for short), and she was a hoot! Her expressions were as funny as Carol Burnett's! It was just a fun, crazy trip through a medieval courtship. The whole thing was terrific--I liked it better than Revenge of The Sith!
The other fun thing about the play was that the closing night was on Jacob's 14th birthday. I had bought a huge cake and arranged with the producer to present it to him during curtain call. So, after the bows were taken and gifts were given to Ms. Actouka (producer) and Mr. Easton (director), I got up holding the cake and announced that this was "Prince Dauntless's" 14th birthday. The pianist started playing and Jake came back up on the stage and the whole crowd of about 150+ sang to him, then we shared the cake with the cast and audience. It was so fun to hear everyone break into applause and cheers when I announced his birthday! This is one I'm sure he'll remember for a long, long time.
First of all I want to make sure I mention the best thing that happened in this year's play. For the first time that I know of many of the major parts were played by members of the Church, and because of their faithfulness to the things they've been taught there were no performances or mandatory rehearsals scheduled on Sundays. I was there during auditions and heard many of them tell the producer right up front that they would not be available at all on Sundays, so she and the director were well aware of the situation before the parts were assigned. I have never known any play here not to have scheduled rehearsals and performances on Sunday--it was awesome.
The play was great fun! Jacob was the male lead--a simpering, wimpy mama's boy named Prince Dauntless. We didn't know he could sing on tune, so that was a very nice discovery! He did a wonderful job. Jocelyn Lonsdale played Princess Winifred (Fred for short), and she was a hoot! Her expressions were as funny as Carol Burnett's! It was just a fun, crazy trip through a medieval courtship. The whole thing was terrific--I liked it better than Revenge of The Sith!
The other fun thing about the play was that the closing night was on Jacob's 14th birthday. I had bought a huge cake and arranged with the producer to present it to him during curtain call. So, after the bows were taken and gifts were given to Ms. Actouka (producer) and Mr. Easton (director), I got up holding the cake and announced that this was "Prince Dauntless's" 14th birthday. The pianist started playing and Jake came back up on the stage and the whole crowd of about 150+ sang to him, then we shared the cake with the cast and audience. It was so fun to hear everyone break into applause and cheers when I announced his birthday! This is one I'm sure he'll remember for a long, long time.
Monday, May 16, 2005
Seminary Graduation 2005
Another year gone by! Last night was this year's Seminary Graduation--it's by far the biggest class I've ever had--17--but with only 2 4-year graduates. I was so happy for Mallory and Lisa. On the last day of class as I got into the car I said to Lisa, "Well, here you are, four years later!" She said that it had gone by so fast, and of course as we get older and look back on more and more life time does seem to go by faster.
Graduation was great. I love announcing each student's name as they receive their certificates of completion for the year and then introducing those who are graduating. I love listening to them sing--this year (New Testament) they sang "If the Savior Stood Beside Me" and they were terrific! I love having flowers ready for them to pin on and leis for those who are graduating. Mallory wore her prom dress and she looked so beautiful, especially with the lei.
I even like the mishaps--one this year was the beautiful harp music that was playing during the presentation of certificates was a little short and there was no repeat on the stereo we were using so it accidentally went into a kind of triumphant fanfare just as I announced Taylor Smith's name! It was really funny--and she's such a great girl and was such a good sport about it--she just laughed.
Another near miss that wasn't so enjoyable was that Lisa wasn't there. All the rest of the students who are on-island were there, but no Lisa, and she was graduating! I was so disappointed for her--I just kept thinking that I should have gone and picked her up myself, but her mother and brother had both checked with me on the time that morning at church and had assured me that they would be there. She was supposed to give a talk, but they just skipped to Mallory's talk. After Mallory, Elder Hopoate made the presentation of the graduates to Brother Hubble who was there representing the District Presidency. During his remarks, Mallory caught my eye and motioned toward the window. I went out and there was Lisa and her family! Thank goodness! She was very upset about being so late, but I sent her to sit on the stand with the class, put her lei on her, and kissed her cheek. I was just so glad she made it. After Brother Hubble finished, Elder Hopoate turned to the class and said that he would like to hear something more from them, so they were, "Lisa! Lisa, give your talk!" She really hadn't regained her composure from coming in so late. She was very hesitant and for a minute I didn't think she'd be able to stand up, but she took a deep breath and walked to the podium. She was very emotional, but she bore a sweet and honest testimony and I think everybody was moved to tears--or maybe it was just me! Anyway, she was still whispering apologies for being late when I gave her her diploma, but everything turned out wonderfully in the end!
Graduation was great. I love announcing each student's name as they receive their certificates of completion for the year and then introducing those who are graduating. I love listening to them sing--this year (New Testament) they sang "If the Savior Stood Beside Me" and they were terrific! I love having flowers ready for them to pin on and leis for those who are graduating. Mallory wore her prom dress and she looked so beautiful, especially with the lei.
I even like the mishaps--one this year was the beautiful harp music that was playing during the presentation of certificates was a little short and there was no repeat on the stereo we were using so it accidentally went into a kind of triumphant fanfare just as I announced Taylor Smith's name! It was really funny--and she's such a great girl and was such a good sport about it--she just laughed.
Another near miss that wasn't so enjoyable was that Lisa wasn't there. All the rest of the students who are on-island were there, but no Lisa, and she was graduating! I was so disappointed for her--I just kept thinking that I should have gone and picked her up myself, but her mother and brother had both checked with me on the time that morning at church and had assured me that they would be there. She was supposed to give a talk, but they just skipped to Mallory's talk. After Mallory, Elder Hopoate made the presentation of the graduates to Brother Hubble who was there representing the District Presidency. During his remarks, Mallory caught my eye and motioned toward the window. I went out and there was Lisa and her family! Thank goodness! She was very upset about being so late, but I sent her to sit on the stand with the class, put her lei on her, and kissed her cheek. I was just so glad she made it. After Brother Hubble finished, Elder Hopoate turned to the class and said that he would like to hear something more from them, so they were, "Lisa! Lisa, give your talk!" She really hadn't regained her composure from coming in so late. She was very hesitant and for a minute I didn't think she'd be able to stand up, but she took a deep breath and walked to the podium. She was very emotional, but she bore a sweet and honest testimony and I think everybody was moved to tears--or maybe it was just me! Anyway, she was still whispering apologies for being late when I gave her her diploma, but everything turned out wonderfully in the end!
Texas to Maine : The End of the Road
Alexa arrived safely at her grandmother's house in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine around 11:30 P.M. on Saturday, May 14. All is well!
Saturday, May 14, 2005
Texas to Maine (Day 3)
I talked with Alexa at 5:30 A.M.--she was already up and about ready to go. It's going to be a big push to finish this trip today. I asked her to call me when she goes over the bridge into Maine and I would call Grammie H. so she'd know when to be looking for her. Casey asked why I didn't just have her call her Grandmother herself. What kind of a question was that?!!!
She said that she had a better rest last night--the room was cleaner and nicer and "felt safer." I know what she means--when things are more orderly and cared for, it feels more secure. Levi called her around 11 P.M. last night and woke her up. She was glad to hear from him--she always is--and said that he sounded better than he had the last time she had talked with him. Levi had a friend who died from a car accident last week, so he was (of course) sad about that. He said that he wished he was with her. . . .That makes two of us Levi!
She said that she had a better rest last night--the room was cleaner and nicer and "felt safer." I know what she means--when things are more orderly and cared for, it feels more secure. Levi called her around 11 P.M. last night and woke her up. She was glad to hear from him--she always is--and said that he sounded better than he had the last time she had talked with him. Levi had a friend who died from a car accident last week, so he was (of course) sad about that. He said that he wished he was with her. . . .That makes two of us Levi!
Texas to Maine (Day 2)
I haven't had time to blog the last phone call(s) until now because today has been so busy with Mallory's prom, kids' play rehearsal, other kids coming over to play, going to "Taste of the Marianas" (our favorite island event), and trying to get ready for Seminary Graduation tomorrow night so I won't be crazy on the Sabbath!
Anyway, I talked with Alexa around 8:00 P.M. ET, Friday the 13th (!!!) and she was just coming into Toledo, Ohio. Talking with me on the phone distracted her enough that she missed her exit to Cleveland (way to go, Mom), but she thought she would spend the night where she was and try to get a good night's sleep. She didn't get as far as she had hoped partly because she stopped twice for about an hour each time to sleep and partly because I forgot when I was checking driving times and distances for her on MapQuest that she would be crossing into Eastern time today and lose an hour. She said that she hadn't slept very well the first night and that there had been two wrong number calls that had awakened her when she had gotten to sleep, so she was too tired to go any further. Although there were some big thunderstorms around the areas she was in, she said that she has had mostly light rain and the driving has been smooth.
Anyway, I talked with Alexa around 8:00 P.M. ET, Friday the 13th (!!!) and she was just coming into Toledo, Ohio. Talking with me on the phone distracted her enough that she missed her exit to Cleveland (way to go, Mom), but she thought she would spend the night where she was and try to get a good night's sleep. She didn't get as far as she had hoped partly because she stopped twice for about an hour each time to sleep and partly because I forgot when I was checking driving times and distances for her on MapQuest that she would be crossing into Eastern time today and lose an hour. She said that she hadn't slept very well the first night and that there had been two wrong number calls that had awakened her when she had gotten to sleep, so she was too tired to go any further. Although there were some big thunderstorms around the areas she was in, she said that she has had mostly light rain and the driving has been smooth.
Friday, May 13, 2005
Texas to Maine (end of Day 1)
Alexa just called and she's made it to Springfield, Missouri--pretty good time once she got going. It's about 11 P.M. there and she's found an inexpensive hotel for the night and she sounded good. I guess she had to look around a bit before she found a room in her price range. She said that she isn't comfortable driving too late into the night because her headlights are kind of dim even when they're on bright and she found herself having to utilize the headlights of the cars around her. (Yikes!) Well, it's spring and she's headed to the northeast, so there's a lot of daylight for her to use. She wants me to give her a wake-up call for between 5:30 and 6:00 P.M. central time. I don't think Alexa has seen that time of day since she graduated from seminary! She's hoping to make it to Buffalo tomorrow.
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