Penny's Perspective

Granny Grandson Camp

2011-11-27T16:44:00.000-07:00

Back row Justin Cannon, Jade Cluff, Granny, Logan Cluff
Front row Jaxon Bradshaw, Morgan Irvine, Bradley Irvine

Yes, you read it right. I take my boys camping every summer. My younger ones, Colby (5), Cove (1 ½), and baby River were not invited for safety reasons and Granny's sanity. This year was a lot of fun because the weather was perfect. Last year we battled rain almost the whole weekend. The tradition has always been campfire stories by Granny and then lots of war with air guns. We have made a four- wheel trail where the wars are played out. This year, however, Jade and Justin the oldest two, decided they were too old and cool for such juvenile games. After holding out for an hour or two, soon they had to get in on it. Then it was the two oldest against everyone else. Everyone had a fun time including me. I bedded them down in the front of our RV. We have two good mattresses and lots of foam pads. I had them draw straws on who got to choose first. We did smores, but they were ready to hit the bedrolls right after, so my campfire stories were shared while they were in bed and ready for lights out. I absolutely love my grand boys…I guess I better start saying young men. All who attended have the priesthood except Jaxon who is ten. Jade and Justin are DRIVING!

I am including pictures from an Arizona hunt Grandpa took some of the older boys on. Grandpa has a soft spot for hunting requests from his grand boys. I told him I think to his grandsons the word Grandpa means “Man with checkbook and drivers license.”

An event at Sportsman Warehouse had some drawings for prizes. Justin asked his grandpa if he put gramp’s name in and he won, if Justin could have the binoculars.

Grandpa had a work project going on during Granny Camp. Trimming trees.

Walt got a call that he won and true to his gramp’s word, Justin got the binoculars. Sportsman took a picture of Walt with them and it turned out to be a great picture. The boys were trying to figure out what was so great about it and then it dawned on them. He did not have a plaid cowboy shirt on…he had a stripped tee! Wow, and to think that fact was documented with a picture!

Granny Grand-Girl Camp & Paying it Forward Experience

2011-11-21T12:07:00.001-07:00

Josie Cluff, Lesley Cannon, Taiha Bradshaw, Granny,Victoria Cannon

This summer I held Granny-grand-girl camp. My oldest granddaughters, Tori, Lesley, Taiha, and Josie, usually opt for a sleepover at my house instead of the “camp” experience. This year I did not give them a choice. I told them we were going to the mountain, sleeping at our camp for two nights, and then spending a day in Panquitch, a little mountain town just 25 miles from our camp. The first night we played a rumor game around the campfire. After smores, I led them out to the clearing where I had set up a big tarp. I asked them to take a pillow and blanket, and after putting heads together in the middle, we looked at the stars while I shared some spiritual experiences of my youth. After drawing straws for the bed spots, most of them giggled for hours after I put in my earplugs. The next day it was up for breakfast and off to Panquich’s Quilt Walk Days. I asked them to save their money for some girly purchase. They worked hard and each came prepared with a little cash. I asked them to just browse through the shops for a few hours and then we would return to stores for final purchase, as I did not want to carry bags around all afternoon. The first store we went to was where Taiha realized she had lost her $20 out of her pants pocket. She was so sad because she had worked hard for her money. When we returned later in the day, the storeowner asked where the girl was that had lost her money. My girls explained that she had not found it so she had not returned to buy earrings like they had. After the girls had made their selection of pretty silver earrings with different colored stones, the owner told them to go choose a pair that they thought Taiha would like. She put them in a bag to give to her asking for the following story to be told. When the storeowner was a little girl, she had worked hard to earn $5 for a fair and carnival coming to her town. Excitedly she arrived only to find on her first purchase that she had lost the $5 out of her pocket. She burst into tears and a man asked why she was crying. She explained she had worked hard for her money and had lost it. He gave her $5 telling her, “One day you will meet a girl who will have lost her money and that is when you can pay me back”. The other day I saw the silver feather green stone earrings dangling from Taiha’s ear. I was quickly reminded of the sweet experience of my grand girls and the kindly shop owner, and I pray they will always remember this simple example of paying it forward. We had a great time together on Cedar Mountain at our camp. They were such a joy and we plan to repeat it next year.

Old Prompting Leads to New Prompting?

2011-10-07T16:18:00.000-07:00

I made a quick trip to Idaho for my niece Mindy's reception. I was invited to Rilz and Mindy's wedding in Hawaii and intended to go. In fact, I was really excited. I have never been to Hawaii, so with flyer miles, Robin's connection for housing, and planning on fun sharing a room with Nan Arnold, I was out of here. I kept finding a reason to postpone making the reservations, but with it down to the last day to get tickets cheap, I started the process. I still could not bring myself to go ahead. The next morning, now the last possible day to use my flyer miles, I woke up with a memory of years ago when I had a prompting not to leave Rexburg for the trip home with my babies. Vividly the memory rushed back of me leaving a day early to attend the temple wedding of my friend Ann in SLC on the way home. I had arranged baby sitters and Ann was counting on me. However, that morning I had awakened with an over whelming feeling to not go. Rationalizing that my car had been serviced the day before, my babies were well, and not wanting to let anyone down, I did not obey the prompting. When I was about two hours from Rexburg, MY CAR MOTOR BEGAN TO BILLOW SMOKE. The service guy, who did my car the day before, had not put the oil plug back in after filling my oil! I ended up being stranded on the side of the road for hours with my little ones. Dad helped me limp back to Rexburg. If I had obeyed the prompting, I would have known about it while I was using my car in Rexburg and an early discovery would have saved our car which was never the same after that. I learned a valuable lesson....listen and obey, even when it does not seem logical. Now fast forward about 35 years, and I am laying in bed with a light slowing coming on in my fuzzy brain.....have I been being prompted to not make the reservations? Is the Spirit using my old experience to remind me to listen and recognize a prompting? Next thought....perhaps I should pray about this. Next thought....yes you should. After prayer.... I am NOT supposed to go to Hawaii. Next thought...oh no, I have people counting on me. Next thought....what terrible thing is going to happen if I go? I called Robin and Nan. Nan understood and luckily I got Robin's voice mail. I knew she would be very mad, and she was cooled off by the time she talked to me a few days later. "Why aren't you going?" Don't know, just a feeling was my reply. The Monday I was supposed to leave for my week in Hawaii, I felt like I was waiting for a phone call to emergency for a loved one or a catastrophe of some kind. Tuesday I had a little muscle problem in my upper leg, but I am still waiting for the emergency phone call. Wednesday I am now trying to not limp, but still waiting for the emergency phone call. Thursday I realize I am the emergency, I now can hardly move my leg and have chills and fever. Friday morning the pain in my leg was gone and I am feeling a little better, so I go to the mountain with Walt who wants to go on a long four-wheel ride. Forget those plans because Friday night (on mountain) the muscle in my other leg begins to pain and now I repeat chills and fever until Monday, the day I would have been coming home from Hawaii! Who knew I had such a weird virus waiting to take me down...Heavenly Father that's Who. I would have been a total pain in Hawaii, people worrying about me, and probably wishing I was in my bed at home, not to mention me trying to walk all over with a gimpy leg. Hawaii will still be there waiting for me someday.

New Attitude, New Neighbor, New Job

2011-09-20T17:07:00.001-07:00

A New Attitude, A New Neighbor, A New Job

I have wanted to post many times, but just couldn’t get the brain power to do it. I couldn’t even get the brain power to read other people’s blogs. I finally gave myself a surprise diagnosis. I have been battling depression since Spring. As I have never really known depression, I guess I had a hard time identifying it. Several years ago my daughter who was battling depression for a time told me, after I tried to say something encouraging, “What do you know? You are one of the most disgustingly happy people I know.” At the time I had a good laugh over that one. It is not natural for me to be sad, grumpy, out-of-sorts, so I guess that is why it took a while to identify. Also, I do not rave on about my problems nor go on and on about poor me. I can genuinely listen with empathy to other’s problems, but I usually personally opt out of the personal pity-pot parade. Once I did identify depression, I started an attack plan of eating better, faithfully exercising, increasing vitamin Bs, and increasing magnesium. I think the exercise helps most of all. I feel like a different woman when I come home from the rec center. I also started a new hobby of crocheting around fleece I make into a blanket. It is mindless repetition and relaxes me. Maybe that is why most of the old ladies I ever knew took up crochet in their old age. I thought they were bored, so who knew it was therapy! So here's to my new attitude or a renewal of my usual attitude. I know life is what we make it, happiness is found when we look for it, and joy is always found in the moment if we allow ourselves to feel it. I love the saying: I AM TOO ANNOINTED TO BE DISAPPOINTED AND TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED—Billy Chrystal’s wife has this hanging over her kitchen sink.

My new neighbor is going to be the Curtis and Katy Lee family, our daughter’s family. They are buying a lot from us and Brandon is building the house. It is going to be a wonderful spacious home. They will be between our house and Cori’s house on the other block. Ivy and I were walking to Cori’s past their new house and she said, “My room is so cute. Do you want to see it?” Her room did not even have the sheetrock done yet. Her little mind already had it perfectly decorated, I found out, as she told me about the rugs, bed, and pictures on her walls.

My new part-time job is Victim Advocate for Washington City Police Department. I was formerly my daughter Cori’s volunteer when she had the position. She did a remarkable job and now serves as my volunteer. It is one of the best jobs I have ever had….lowest pay…..but best job. It entails working with victims of crime who lack resources or knowledge of the criminal justice system. Mostly, I help women of domestic violence place protective orders, stalking injunctions, or act as an liaison in court proceedings involving the perpetrator. I can link victims to safe houses, legal protection, or even therapy particularly if children are involved. I have a Bachelor Degree in Criminology/Law Enforcement from BYU and years ago I started out in part-time Juvenile Delinquency work. Now I have gone full circle and am comfortably back in the criminal system again. So here I am at the age of sixty-four starting a new job. It seems like God is not through with me yet as far as my contribution in the temporal scheme of things. I will keep on keeping on, but the fact is I would rather wear out than rust out anyway.

Special Arnold Visitors

2011-04-04T23:12:00.005-07:00

In order to deal with the stress of being at my house, did she take up smoking? I wanted to get a pic of Robin, but said her lollipop looked like a cig. Nati decided to light it.

Tim, Ginny, Penny, and Walt at Little Black Mountain

Last August, I was given a sweet surprise from my brother Steve and his daughter Rebecca. Steve flew from Oregon to Idaho to help Rebecca move to California. They stayed with us on their way there. Even though they were tired from the trip, it was wonderful reunion. My family did not know Rebecca, only from my sharing occassional news through the years. Many of my family came over that evening. I loved hearing Rebecca laughing with my children just like they had always been close proximity instead of over a thousand miles.

My brother Tim and wife Ginny Arnold came for some days of fun and relaxation. Robin came just two days after they left. Walt and I completely enjoyed their company. All our children and grandchildren got together for a big Saturday morning breakfast with Tim and Gin. It was fun for them to renew family ties to my children. Later that night, we attended the Tabernacle Choir concert which was very nice. We enjoyed the old favorites like Battle Hymm, Shannondoah, God be with you, and others. However, there was one song that was called Liberty or Independence or something like that. Anyway, I think it lasted ten minutes. I should not have sat by Tim, because when I whispered to him that it should have been named the "Never Ending Story" and he agreed. We got a case of the giggles, at least I did. When the people in front kept looking over their shoulder, I tried to contain it, but..... When the long boring song finished some people went crazy with applause. Are you kidding me? I guess Tim and I aren't very cultured. Another activity we shared was a visit to Little Black Mountain, a large group of rocks a few miles out of town that have hundreds of Native American writing on them that date span back 5,000 years. Of course, we ate out almost every day, laughed and talked a lot. It was a sweet time and we hope they come back every winter.

After they left, I picked my sister Robin Hollingsworth up at our new city airport. I was planning on having Robin with us for many weeks, but her husband Don received an assignment overseas and she flew home after only two weeks. Robin stroke recovery is still in progress. She was talking better than last time and she has lost more weight. One of the first things I wanted to do was get her into the new style skinny pants. She looked so good in them. We did something almost every day and her stamina was amazing. As usual, my family got together for a dinner, and then later in the week we had a girl's craft day. We set up the sewing machine, Cori had her vinyl cutting Circut, Sheena made a bracelet, I sewed some bibs, Nati made a pillow, and Katy did a paint project, Cori helped Robin make a very cool birthday calendar board. Jessica flew in from Provo to join our fun. Her little Emma was the center of attention. My house was a wreck, but with the girls help, we got it mostly cleaned up in time for dinner and a movie. What a fun day for all. Sadly, I put her back on the plane, but she had bought or made so many fun things, she had to pay to have a big box sent home.

Some how the camera got set on raw and the pictures would not be accepted by blogspot. Unfortunately this is one of the few that went through. There were some great picture of our get together with everyone in. Oh well.....

A Real Winter

2011-03-24T15:16:00.002-07:00

Who's the kid? Walt and grandson Colby enjoy a very rare snowball fight in our backyard. Snow laid for five days. Unheard of for our climate.

Walt and I went up to Cedar Mountain first of January.
This picture is a few miles from our property.

January had some cold weather. We did not have it for Christmas, when I like it. It came after. It was fun for the children, but I was ready for our St. George climate after a couple of weeks. I am no longer an Idahoan, but a southern belle these days. February and beginning of March is like living in Oregon. The mornings are cloudy and moist, clearing off to blue most afternoons. Very strange for our part of the woods. Of course, this would be the year I took a winter gardening class at the college. I planted in October and gave it a try. I guess it works most years, but this year it froze and froze again. The garden was a bust and many of our permanent yard plants were damaged. So sad. I planted another winter spring garden. I have beets and peas about three inches high, and broccoli about seven inches. Maybe I can get something off this one.

Old Friend and a New Creation

2011-03-24T06:32:00.001-07:00

Kareen Winder, a friend of more than fifty years, came to St. George with her husband Ken who was attending a business conference. Kareen and I made plans to spend Wednesday afternoon together. I always have enjoyed my friendship with her, so I decided to make her a "thank you for being my friend" apron. Tuesday night Walt has bishopric meetings, so I thought I could whip it up while he was gone, easily having it done by bed time. Now my thinking has always been, wrong as it may be, that when one is doing something nice for someone else usually things fall into place. Don't ask me where I came up with that theory, but my apron project was proof it Iis wrong. I started with selection of material not thinking about the quality the pink material versus the perfection of the color match. I later found out that the material had too much stretch and became a nightmare sewing the ruffle flounce, taking twice as long as another apron I made out of the same pattern. Next my needle broke, that often happens, but this time braking the tip down in the casing where I had to dismantle the bottom of the machine to get it out, and I am mechanically challenged. Wednesday morning I woke up earlier so I could get it done by 11 a.m. when Kareen was coming. I sewed the entire ruffle on, taking great pains to be very slow, working each stretch carefully under the foot pushing it with my little implement I devised. Ah, beautiful, so I took it out from under the foot and the ruffle fell off! The thread had broke right when I started the seam! I had been so worried over the stretch, I had not noticed the thread was not there. This was when I could have cryed, but instead I had a good laugh, cranked up the volume on my pandora radio station, and sang a little louder. What a comedy of errors and all mine. I then threw perfection out the window and just pushed to get the apron finished. I called Kareen to bounce the date a half hour later and got it done. It was all worth it. She looked cute in my friendship thank you and we went on to spend a great afternoon together. As usual, the time flew as we caught up on the happenings of our busy lives. God has blessed me with such wonderful friends. Kareen is and always will be one of them.

Four letter words

2011-02-08T03:01:00.001-07:00

(Copy of email I sent to my family.) Since the passing of a couple of weeks, my mind has returned to the discussion on swearing I had with some of you at a get together at Cori’s house. One of you said she had set a new years resolution to stop swearing. As none of you say many cuss words around me, I was surprised. I shared with you at that time, due to the cussing environment I was raised in, I had constantly battled the problem of swear words coming to mind, but with hope, prayer, and time eventually swear words have faded from my mind as well as not come out my mouth. Why? Because I did not want my children to learn to swear. I did not want my children to be raised with the lowest level of word usage. Since the afternoon I spent with you, I have thought often of what I should have said and there are a few things that have come to mind. First is the simple true fact that we are judged by others by what comes out of our mouth. We can act one way, but if we express ourselves contrary to our actions there is now a question mark of who one really is and what that person stands for. When words match actions there is never a doubt as to what that person truly stands for. I sincerely think that you are all wonderful women who want the highest level of communication in your homes, that you desire to be exemplary mothers, wives, and friends, and each has a personal love and belief in the Savior. Shouldn’t these actions match spoken words? Most things thrown at us in this life are out of our control. However, one thing we always have control of is what comes out our mouths. It is my observation that the greatest power in the world is the power of the spoken word. Words can heal, words can bring understanding, words can uplift, words can give courage, and words can inspire. A word seems like such a little thing, but out of small things comes that which is great. Even though the following story is not about swearing, I think it illustrates this point. I love each of you with all my heart.

Story emailed to me :
Several years ago, a newly called Mormon Missionary accepted a call to serve in Houston , Texas . Some weeks after he arrived, he and his companion had occasion to ride the bus from their apartment to the downtown area. When
he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, 'You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.' Then he thought,
'Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet.'
When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed
the quarter to the driver and said, 'Here, you gave me too much change ..' The driver, with a smile, replied, 'Aren't you the new missionaries at the Mormon Church in town?' 'Yes' he replied.
'Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday.' The now stunned missionary got off the bus and silently expressed a sincere prayer of forgiveness and said, 'Oh Heavenly Father, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.'
Our lives are the only scripture some people will ever read.
Watch your thoughts ; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

Christmas Eves Blast from the Past

2011-01-13T20:51:00.003-07:00

Seven Christmas's ago Logan was Joseph, Victoria was Mary

Walt is attending the Utah Ground Water Association convention held each year in Nevada. ( I am still trying to figure the location choice.) Anyway, I am alone for a few days and decided to do some catch up. Christmas was wonderful as usual and it seemed even more so with not having to worry about adult gifts this year. The pain I have been putting up with in my right shoulder was almost gone by Christmas Day, so I was able to totally enjoy it. Christmas Eve was held with our usual breakfast. We are still able to seat everyone for big occasion dinners, but it is getting pretty tight. We always do buffet. We supply the ham, pancakes, and paper goods. The rest of the family brings eggs, hash browns, syrups, strawberries, whip creme, juices, and everyone brings bacon. We always have a family home evening centered on Christmas. This night is probably my favorite night of the entire year. I was going through some of the older pictures and found some from our Nativity Christmas Eve home evening years ago. As I am using my blog for journaling and will publish to hard copy every couple of years, so I wanted to get these included. The children are so much older now, and of course, some grandchildren were not even born yet. The pictures were taken with my old camera so the quality is not too good

Our three wise guys, oops, wise men, Jade, Justin, and Brad

Brad was a very wise man.

Walt was the narrator. (Does Walt ever age? He looks the same today) We sang a song about each event of the birth of Jesus. Taiha, our angel, looks tired.

Morgan was a shepherd, Lesley a cute little lamb

Josie and Taiha are angels, Morgan a shepherd, Lesley a lamb

Then appears our grouchy donkey, Jaxon

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Even our dog Moe made an appearance. Precious Moe was killed in a four-wheel accident several years later.

Time Heals All Wounds?

2011-01-02T13:53:00.008-07:00

I woke up very early this Sunday a.m. We now go to meetings at 9:00 a.m., so with yesterday being New Years Day, I did not prepare my Strengthening Family lesson until this morning before church. I awoke long before the alarm, probably close to 4 a.m. There in the dark my mind replayed, almost in panorama, the last decade of the most major of tribulations we have experienced. I am a naturally positive optimistic person. I do not work at it, it is just there, deep in my soul, I am happy with a smile on my face. I was born with it. So it was extremely unusual for me to experience scene after scene of harder times of the last ten years. First, to my mind came the vivid pictures of my our nephew Bruce Cluff's death. I loved him as a son. I tended him when he was little as he and my daughter Cori Ann became the closest of friends. He was in and out of our home constantly, lived with us before his mission, and lived with us again after until he was settled in college. When he was a father of two, with one on the way, his military plane crashed in Columbia. We housed his siblings during the two weeks he was missing. It was an ordeal I never want to repeat. I still think of him often and miss him terribly. Next to my mind came the sale of our drilling business to a person we trusted. Walt gave him every advantage financially to help him get a good start. We soon found ourselves in a betrayal. Without our knowledge, this person turned quickly around selling the business for double the amount to a another man who had also wanted the business from us. Walt had honored the first person because of a handshake to keep his word. Our buyer did not disclose to his quick- sale party the terms of our agreement to settle tax liability, pay off supply expense incurred on a drilling job that he received payment for, and drill a well on our property on Cedar Mountain. Our accountant firm, who had drawn up the contracts and had been present at every negotiation, offered their lawyers free of charge to prosecute this dishonorable person citing numerous breach of contract. However, after much prayer, Walt decided against it and I honored my husband's decision. Next my mind relived the excitement of our daughter's mission call. We were thrilled, she was our first missionary. She had several emergency admittances regarding asthma and allergy. She had been ill at times, but still loved her mission. Several months passed when we received a call from her mission president. Due to the more strict medical guidelines, she was asked to go home. She had refused to return, so in a tearful phone call, after prayerful council, we said come home. Our broken hearted faithful daughter came home from a treasured beloved mission. My mind replayed when Walt was involved in a accident where his hand and arm were seriously burned. He had to go to the burn unit to have the area scrapped several times a week for a long period of time. My mind went to some trying times when a couple of our children had marital challenges. My sister, whom I am close to, suffered a massive stroke losing use of an arm, leg, and fluid speech, even though she is only in her forties. This greatly affected me. Next in my panarama came the termination of my contract with the Southwest Utah Health Department due to budget cutbacks. Over an eight year period of time, I had built two programs. I handed them over to two people still in their twenties who would "work them into" their already busy schedule. My mind then went to this unprecedented economical crash, our future retirement depending on rent of two commercial buildings. One now sitting empty due to the tenant going out of business, the other having to lower the rent to the point that it hardly pays the expenses to keep our real estate investments. We are now at the age we projected for an early retirement, but my husband is running his water pump installation and repair. There are fewer clients nor are there business buyers whom we planned on selling to by this point of time. After this panorama was complete, it came to me how we had gone through all of it with calm and peace. As my mind's eye looked at each tribulation packaged into a decade, and I don't think I had ever viewed them in such a context nor dwelled on them, I realized there was a silver thread that ran through every experience. I could see with each tribulation, Walt and I had been been wounded, a jagged tear, a gaping hole. I saw clearly that the wounds had been cleansed with the blood of Jesus Christ then sewn up with the threads of the atonement. Through this last decade, we have experienced peace, love, joy, long suffering, and hope. Our faith and testimony is stronger now than ten years ago. I had someone say to me once that time heals all wounds. Perhaps, but time's healing can leave a jagged scar. Through the application of faith, I have found that the Savior heals all wounds, but His healing leaves no scar and in place of a wound, gratitude.

This, That, and a Tiny Miracle

2010-12-18T01:50:00.004-07:00

I am pretty much done with Christmas preparation. Our family dispensed with buying for one another, so we could all help a family who has not been able to work due to back surgery. This decision made for a very stress free December. No worry on what to give or buy for the adults. My arm can now move forward, back, and a little sideways. Therefore, I was able to make an apron for Kim's b-day, and paint a couple of snowman ornaments. I made two, one for my friend Wendy and the other to hang on my own tree. The ornament is of snowman couple, a snow scene, the year, and names of Walt and Penny. On the back I wrote, Two Hearts Melting Into One. They turned out very well, but due to their round shape pictures distort them, so I did not attempt to post a picture.
Now for my little miracle. I have tried recently to be more specific in my prayers. I asked this morning that I would be used as an instrument to help someone come closer to Him. Short, to the point, a simple here I am. I went to a Kitchen Center that has a great selection of storage, mixers, etc. When I was looking at the aprons, I was standing by a lady that said while she was looking at them, "I just sent one to my niece." We struck up a conversation and then I notice the store had put in a little soup and sandwhich cafe. She told me the soup was great as I went to look at the selection. As we were deciding what to have, I complimented a lady in front of us in line that was in total Christmas attire. Red and green all over her, she looked like an elf. After paying for my soup, I asked the "apron" lady if she would like to join me. I can't recall in my life ever having asked a stranger to join me for much of anything. She said she would like to as she was alone that day. We found a table and that is when I noticed the "elf" lady sitting alone not too far from us. I asked if she would like to join us too. She told us she "didn't want to interrupt us", but we both reassured her she would not, so joined us also. She later told us that she thought we were friends the way we were communicating with each other. She was happy to have the company. So there we were three former strangers, now Pam, Gloria, and Penny. We talked for about 45 minutes as we ate an amazing squash soup. Gloria asked us if we had been to that cool store called Deseret Book and Mormon Handicraft. She said the store was like walking into heaven, people so friendly and helpful, "such a great feeling in there". She had moved here from Washington DC where she had recently retired from being a budget analyst for the military. She said she did not know why she had come to St. George, it just "kind of happened". Why were you in Deseret Book? She then said she had an interest in genealogy and someone had told her there was info there. Where do you live? She then explained she was about two blocks from the temple. Pam, the elf lady, turned out to be a nonmember also. By the end of the hour, both women had given me their names and contact information. What an experience! I will submit their names for missionary work as soon as possible. When we parted, I felt like I had said goodbye to two old friends. Maybe they were ....a long long time ago.

Two Pure Joy Moments

2010-12-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

After a month of hurt with my arm, I have experienced a hectic but fun Thanksgiving, several weeks of ball games for grandson's Brad, Morgan, and Logan, and last but not least, ornament- making family home evening last night with unexpected attendance of Jessi, Cody, and Emma from Provo. All wonderful, but I was exhausted this morning. I took time for a short thank- you -prayer and asked to feel joy today. After cleaning the house and gathering lost and founds, I decided to return Nati's jacket on my way to run errands. No one was home and she asked me to just go in and leave it. After placing it on her sofa, her beautiful tree caught my attention so I went over to see if the ornaments from last night were on her tree yet. I soon found myself studying many ornaments from years past, most made at my home. Brad and Morgan's name and year carefully recorded on the back. Then I noticed older handmade ornaments Nati had made when she was a child. She had carefully placed them at the top of the tree, some made of clay, some of wood, some of fabric. In my minds eye, I was once again sitting with my little ones around the kitchen table, no care for perfection, but just simply guiding them as they did their best to make an ornament they would display with pride. Little did I know back then I was starting a tradition that would stretch into the next generation. Then it came, an unexpected saturating indescribable feeling of pure joy. Then on my way to a fabric store, a lady caught my eye. She was limping, but with a good arm carrying a small bag of groceries. As I got closer, I saw she was holding the other arm in front of her, the fingers curled, her wrinkle-free face pulled lower on one side. She was a young stroke victim obviously on her way to the low-income apartments that are behind the grocery store. I immediately thought of my sister Robin, she having experienced a stroke only in her forties. I was suddenly struck with the contrast. My sister lives in a beautiful one level home that she can navigate well even since her stroke. Even with limited use of an arm and leg, she has taught herself to drive her car again. I thought about how blessed she has been to have a daughter living right next door, the rest of her family within close proximity, and a son and son-in-laws to help if she needs it. Then it came, the saturation of pure joy in my whole being for the blessings my sister has been given. My simple heavenly request to feel joy today had been granted not once but twice.

Our Geneology Rexburg Trip

2010-11-27T02:38:00.002-07:00

Robin and I with Elmer Park, our Mother's youngest and only living sybling

It snowed and hailed. I was still cold in my down coat even with a warm hug.

My sister Robin and I left for Rexburg Idaho to visit with our mother's brother Elmer and her nieces. Our purpose was to renew friendships and gather genealogy. We arrived after dark on October 25 and as we came in on the freeway there it was. The Rexburg temple shining brightly on the hill. It was spectacular. We met Uncle Elmer Park and his wife Merlene the next morning for a temple session. Robin had not attended yet as I had the summer it opened. It was humbling to see this manifestation of the prophesies out great grandparents had heard many years ago...that a temple of the Lord would one day be on that hill. When the times were hard for the early Saints, general authority traveled from Salt Lake to bring hope to the discouraged saints. The elements were "tempered" in the name of the Lord and it was promised that there would one day be productive farms, a house of learning, and a temple. These promises were shared with the pioneers from a wagon box. One such account is shared in our Arnold history. The saints sat on the floor joists of our great great grandfather's house listening to the hopeful messages shared that week. They are now known as the Wagon Box Prophecies.

Elmer and Merlene work in the temple and they took us on a tour, followed by a dinner in Rigby, and a warm visit at their home during a bitter cold day. Robin and I took pictures of our parent's homes and took flowers, provided by Elmer, to our parents graves. The next day we met with our Aunt Ruth"s (our mother's sister) daughters Becky, Sandy, and Cheryl. We went to dinner with them, and after having a wonderful visit with them, returned to Becky's to copy genealogy. Becky has been gathering life histories and records for over 30 years. We copied hundreds and hundreds of pages. She is an amazing women. She is and has been a blessing to the entire Park family. Her sacrifice of time, money, and talent serves as a example for all of us.She is suffering from cancer, so we were amazed at her physical stamina while we took many hours to copy what she had so painstakingly gathered. When I was on my way back to Utah, I called to thank her once again. She told me that she too was amazed at the physical well being she had while we were there. She had not experienced such good days for a long time. She said she felt strongly that our ancestors had helped her because they wanted us to have the information. After I returned my sweet sister back home I spent my last night at my brother Tim's house before I left for home. I was exhausted and my right arm was starting to really hurt me. I had a fitful sleep, but I awoke with the realization that I now had in my possession two hundred years of family history. With that thought , I realized I was humming the song from the movie Titanic...a song by Celine Dion. The words in my head were "Far across the distance and spaces between us, you have come to show you go on. ...Once more you open the door.... and I know that your heart goes on." The song stayed in my head for a few days. Maybe it was a spiritual experience or triggered by pictures of great grandmothers in their big turn-- of-- the- century hats. It seemed very sweet to me.

Our Aunt Ruth Harris' daughters. L to R Sandy, me, Becky, and Cheryl

Robin with cousins

Robin and I in Becky's living room

Oregon Trip Pictures & the Traveling Tuna

2010-11-21T19:16:00.001-07:00

When I posted about our Oregon trip in September, my camera programs were not working with our new computer program. I wanted to get a few visual memories of Walt, Tim, and Steve's tuna fishing trip and a few of the rest of us hanging out on the coast. Right after they caught the tuna, Steve had it frozen in Oregon, Tim then had his trucking friend bring it from Oregon to Boise, then Tim loaded up my cooler for it's trip to my house in Washington Utah after I returned from visiting Robin and attending Brent's homecoming. I am referring to it as the traveling tuna. Walt and I had some the other day and it was delicious. I am going to can the rest eventually.

Steve looks like the Captain of his ship in this pic...complete control.

It has always made me happy that my Walt enjoys my brothers as much as I do.

Walt told me tuna were bloody. I had no idea until I saw the pics.

Of course, A highlight for me was enjoying time with my sisters Robin, Ginny, and Sharon. We went to a flea market while the men waited in the parking lot. We were just going to be a minute....oh, yeah. I think the pictures say it all. We were not in too much of a hurry.

MY BEAUTIFUL SISTERS WITH BEAUTIFUL BERRIES.

The old duffers of the bunch (however, we were not the ones taking the elevator, ha, ha)

Five of my favorite people.

Pain is a Four Letter Word

2010-11-19T15:39:00.001-07:00

After seeing the results of my bother Tim, his wife Ginny, my niece Rebecca, and then a lady at the community center who had hired personal trainers, I was inspired and motivated to do the same and hopefully have a great experience like they did. I had started resistance training with a official trainer several weeks before. She had noticed my lack of "range of motion" on my right and explained that she would get it back and gave me a series of exercises to do, but it went from lack of range to me wincing....but "just keep it up", she shared. She showed me how to do pilates while I was gone to Idaho, which I did, but I noticed my range was getting smaller and now my shoulder was tender to touch.After a marathon visit to sister Robin's house, loading her stuff and then the two of us going on to Rexburg, gathering massive amounts of genealogy, getting her back home, then pushing hard to get back home by Halloween night. By Monday night, I could not lift my arm, even an inch, without wanting to share a high pitched scream. I could not sleep, or let it hang at my side without pain. I tossed and turned so much that Walt had to move into the other bedroom at night. When it became obvious it was not going to heal on its own, I went to a doctor. After moving it forward, scream, scream, then back, scream, scream. He said, " You have bone spurs, calcium deposits, in your should and tendon. Nothing you can do now except have a long and painful recovery. Scar tissue has to form over the ends then you will begin to get relief." What?I thought. First of all you haven't even looked at an xray and I know that some magic physical therapy will fix this. He gave me steroids and a percocet a powerful pain pill. I am not a pill taker, but I was very happy to get them, and had them down as soon as I could. They barely took the edge off. I did not sleep for most of five straight days.After the x-ray results from the radiologist came back, here is what the doctor told me. "You have bone spurs and a dense calcium deposit in your shoulder and tendon." He had it absolutely diagnosed before the xray. I am such a skeptic when it comes to medical. The extra exertion on the muscle had inflamed it causing it to irritate the tissue near the calcium deposits. I think spur is a good word for them. Just dawned on me spur is a four letter word too, like dragging skin backward on barbwire fence. The perfect visual for what I have been feeling. So here I am, a list of stuff I can't think of doing, Can't drive, can't read, (too fuzzy), can't sleep well, can't get dressed, Walt has to do it all, can't cook, can't, write, just barely can do key board with one hand, can't can't can't. This healing will most likely last during the holidays. Poor me, poor little Penny. Then yesterday during my drug induced feel sorry for myself hours, I had a revelation. WHAT A SELF ABSORBED IDIOT I AM! MY SISTER ROBIN HAS TO ENDURE THIS EVERY MOMENT OF HER LIFE. She might not have the pain, but she cannot use her right arm at all. Now add to that a disability walking. I thought I had empathy before but now I have had a healthy dose of reality check. She is absolutely one of the most amazing women I have ever known. She has carried her affliction with grace and dignity. She is and always will be an inspirational example to all who know her. As for me, what I am going through is nothing and I know that there is an end in sight. I need to remember that just because I am in pain I don't have to be one.

Sixty-Three and Still Me

2010-10-01T18:23:00.001-07:00

I turned 63 years old in September. I am 63 and still me. When I was younger, I thought by this time I would be so much more, but I am still me. I still struggle with the same things, find happiness in the same things, truly love most of the same people, plus a few more I have been blessed to receive along the way. I have out lived my father by 7 years and the age my mother was when she passed is fast approaching. I cannot even see the word "slow down" on my radar screen, let alone actually initiate it. There are a few speed bumps now days. One speed bump recently was my trip into our bedroom closet to get my glasses, I came out with Walt's dirty pants, and while putting them in the laundry to soak realized when I could not see the stains, I had gone into the bedroom to get my glasses, so I could write something on the calendar. Okay, that's about three speed bumps, but I think I used to do that same kind of thing in my multi-tasking 40's. One thing that has changed a lot, other than that image looking back at me in the mirror, is my wisdom. I have accumulated much more of it through the years. I have found that there really are things that simply do not matter....not one bit. What does not matter, simply put is STUFF. Looking back on my own grandmothers, I realize that they reached that point too. Grandma Park never changed her furniture, a picture on the wall, or so much as a flower pot, while I knew her. She wore her aprons over her dresses (I never saw her in a pair of pants), used the same hair product, (a slime Mother or her sister's put in her curls), or ever asked anything to be changed. I remember Mother reached a point where she did not want to be "bothered" with the Christmas tree. She would remove a garbage bag from her stored small fake tree and that was her total Christmas celebration decor. I thought that was so strange, now I think how intelligent. Perhaps one day that image looking back at me in the mirror, if I am still occasionally looking, will be back to my 1965 hairdo wearing 1950's bright orange polka dot blouse with 1970's purple bell bottom pants. Oh, and beads, tons of beads. Hopefully, I will still have my hubby saying, "Honey, you haven't changed a bit".

Don't Judge My Judging

2010-09-18T22:14:00.003-07:00

I thought I had overcome, shall I say a pet peeve. I had purged this negative from my very being, until I heard myself recount at our Oregon family get together, the latest scar on my pet peeviness. (I just made up that word and I think it should be one). While discussing service in the Church, a switch turned on my memory bank and connected to my mouth. I shared how Walt signed us up for recent apricot picking at our church orchard. We dutifully arose at 5:30 so we could be there to pick early before the sun got hot. We were told to pick the fruit that was ripening, (duh) what color, (another duh), and most importantly to not pick unripe fruit. (triple duh) Leave it to ripen for another days picking. Walt and I carefully picked many trees, and when we went to dump our buckets, I heard something like this. "There ya go Samuel, Sariah, Nephi, Rachel, and Moroni (all churchy names) go pick those. You can reach those." Yep, there was Sister Mommy pointing her little saints at the trees we had just picked. She didn't say pick only the ones that HAVE AN APRICOT COLOR and LEAVE THE GREEN ONES. Of course, the next sounds we hear are huge green apricots thudding into buckets. Apricots that will be put into discard bins when they go to the cannery. As I went back to the trees, I gently said "those trees have already been picked, there are some further up the row that have ripe fruit." I may as well have been talking to the apricot tree. Finally, we went to trees along the outside of the orchard where I did not have to watch the desecration of precious fruit. It was getting close to time for us to leave, so Walt and I went to dump our perfect harvest, when I saw two women who had just arrived. The older women had just applied lipstick and looked like she had her hair done for a special occasion. It seemed as if the other one was wondering if she should have worn gloves to cover her polished phony nails. Then they started to pick a tree that by this time did not even have a hint of color. Mustering my smiley face and using my softest inside voice, I said, "oh, those trees have already been picked. There are some further up the row that have ripening fruit on them." Sister Plastic turned and said, "There are apricots all over this tree to be picked." Next sound...thud, thud, thud. When I got to the truck and slammed the door, I told Walt he was NEVER to sign me up to pick in the orchards again. I will thin, I will weed, I will wind row after pruning, but a farm girl like me can't watch the murder of innocent fruit. He laughed, but I meant it. As I recaped this experience to my brothers and sisters in Oregon, and seeing the smiles on their faces, I realized that those saintly pickers I judged, were going much further on the celestial trail than I was. They filled their assignments, plain and simple. They were asked, they showed up, and they will be blessed. Just because they were agriculturally challenged, did not give me the right to judge. And to those I share my personal pet peeve, don't judge my judging.

Oregon, a Cold Sore, and 5 lbs.

2010-09-14T11:43:00.002-07:00

I returned from our trip to Oregon with a cold sore and 5 lbs. ( I am not posting pics right now due to a new computer program, but if I wait to post pictures I will forget to post about the trip. I know that a blog about a trip without pictures is boring.) Now back to my cold sore and 5 lbs, I can't blame it all on the trip, I started working on both a few days before we left. Walt and I took the shuttle to Las Vegas, flew into Portland, and met my brother Tim, wife Ginny, and my sister Robin at the airport. We then rented a car and drove to brother Steve, and wife Sharon Arnold's home near Newport Oregon. The trip to their home takes about 3 hours, but it went quickly as we five visited and enjoyed the country as we traveled. They moved about a year ago from another beach house they owned in Waldport, a small town about 30 miles away. This different beach house is lovely, but is a little more challenging to get to the beach. The trail is really down and then really up. I did okay, but had to take a little breather about half way. Walt, born with mountain-goat in his blood line, beat us both ways and was waiting while looking at his watch. I never gave him the pleasure of asking him, "how much slower was I than you?" Steve and Sharon's home has three floors, so Steve had an elevator put in, which was very helpful for Robin. I took the stairs most of the time, but forgot the rules of the elevator twice...I forgot to close the sliding door making it not available for the next person on a different floor. I heard a yell or two from my now elevator-user- brother from another floor. "SOMEONE FORGOT TO CLOSE THE DOOR. PENNY?" I needed the exercise anyway. We arrived on a Friday and left on a Tuesday. Sharon was so accommodating, making two perfect meals that could have been on the menu of any Red Lobster, only her meals were better. It was so sweet to spend time with Ginny, Sharon, and Robin. I have seen Robin frequently, but Sharon was not been able to attend our Jessi's wedding, so I had not seen her for a long time. Tim and Ginny have been able to come to our family events, and we have also been able to see them periodically in Boise. The visiting was sweet. Saturday we helped celebrate Tim's birthday. Sunday we attended church. I loved attending RS with my sisters. Sharon is in the presidency and conducted. She shared a sweet testimony of the importance of family. We had days of laughter, shared stories, and complete enjoyment of each other. Monday the weather accommodated Steve, Tim, and Walt a fishing trip for tuna 50 miles out in the ocean. They caught 12 huge tuna and had a great time. Tim still provided deck-hand service even though he started vomiting when his sea-sickness pill time limit was up. Steve declared Walt an excellent deck hand. Meanwhile, Robin, Ginny, and I had a great time in Old Newport while Sharon finished an infant seat cover for an expectant grandchild. Later we all went to a Chinese restaurant, laughed and talked some more. Sadly, we left early Tuesday a.m. for Portland to catch our flights. We do not get to see each other often, but when we do it is like manna from heaven. In my mind's eye, I see passing into the next world, into paradise I hope, to be a little like spending time with my beloved brothers and sisters for a few days on the coast.

Eat, Pray, and Love

2010-08-30T18:48:00.002-07:00

My old friend Ann Merkley came to St. George to help her daughter after the birth of her baby. I was able to spend some quality time with her including going to a Julie Robert"s movie called Eat, Pray, and Love. It is adapted from a book by the same title. I had not read the book, but had seen an interview with the author telling of her personal experience chronicled in her tell all book. The book has started a world-wide phenomena of "Eat, Pray, and Love" woman's groups supporting one another in the quest to find inner peace. I am sure that the book has a lot more detail and explanation, but even though I did enjoy the movie, it left me questioning. The movie started off with the main character knowing she had to divorce her faithful husband of eight years (who loved her deeply) after praying due to feeling unfulfilled, then feeling a need to discover inner peace ran off to first, Italy, next India, then to find a Bali Guru (without any teeth). As I lay in bed that night, I thought of my inner peace. Sometimes I too feel empty in the peace department and need to be filled back up again. I do not have to divorce Walt and go to the other side of the world to find wisdom. If I am lacking peace, I can pray, read the scriptures, and there it usually is. If I need to find a special place, I can grab my temple bag and spend a few hours in the most scared sanctuary in the world, the temple. Instead of divorcing my husband and running to find inner peace, I come home from the temple renewed, committed to being a better person, and that improves my marriage and my family. After a few hours at the temple, things that seemed so lacking in others to make me happy are now trivial. After the temple I am made fully aware that when I am pointing my finger at someone else to provide me with happiness, I notice there are three fingers pointing back at me! I was sharing all these thoughts with Ann while we were waiting for church to start and she said, "Yeah, and we don't have to scrub the floors of the temple when we get there." This was one of the things that was required of Julia in one of her "sanctuaries". Ann and I had a good laugh over that. All I can say is thank you Father for the Gospel in my life. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Arlene Park Arnold/ Money Mindset

2010-08-23T22:42:00.002-07:00

Copied from email received from Steven Arnold (oldest son):
Our mother had the great trial in life of having to pay bills without enough money to pay them. In hindsight she was a saint.   Not once did I ever ask our parents for money once we moved to the farm. (in town I used to ask for a dime once in a while to go swimming in the public pool). On the farm I had my own little milk check from my own little cow that gave a little milk. She was a Jersey. The little milk check was the pay I got for working on the farm. Also, I sometimes earned other money working for other farmers. I never asked for money from our parents. I remember when I returned from my mission I worked on the farm while I took a few classes at Ricks before it came time to go to BYU in Provo. I did not have the money to go to college in Provo. Mom and Dad asked me if I was going to go to college down there and I told them I did not have any money to go. Without me asking them, they gave me $600 so I could go to BYU in Provo to tide me over until I could get a job down there. I did not consider the $600 as a gift nor as pay. When I graduated from college and mom and dad were divorced, I separately paid them back $300 each to pay back what they had given me. Our dear parents had a hard time in this old life as far as money was concerned. I remember them fighting many times about money. I did not like it when they fought about money. I bought a motorcycle for $400 when I was 14 years old and faithfully paid $15 per month payments on it for 2 1/2 years. Do you remember when I rented Mark Ricks little field across the fence that Ricks' didn't want to mess with because it was so small. I planted it in potatoes, irrigated it, harvested it, and sold the potatoes and gave Mark 1/3 for rent. I did that when I was 15 years old.
*end of Steve's email copy

My perspective on Steve's memory:
I find Steve's comments to be a validation of the Mother's mindset about money. She was resourceful and expected her children to do the same. It was not a lecture but was always an expectation. The fact that at as young an age as 14, my brother had already learned the value of utilizing limited funds to keep his word to repay a loan for a period of 2.5 years is quite amazing. Our Mother's family, the Parks, were gifted entrepreneurs. As I can recall, all her brothers had their own businesses, ranging from farming, logging, bottled water, and even a trout enterprise. I have memories of Mother selling her hand work when I was still in grade school. I remember after all of us were gone, including Dad, she would resell a few items she bought at garage sales. I was in college when Steve rented our neighbors little field. I am gratified to learn this.  I am certain Mother fully expected him to run his little entrepreneurial adventure responsibly in an excellent manner and in that, she was not disappointed. I am certain she did not lecture, insist on progress reports, or double check on his quality of performance. She knew the caliber of her son, knew he could do the job, and that was enough.
My memory of asking for money was due to the fact that I did not do the outside daily milking and chores like my brothers.    I was never paid a cent for any labor nor did I ever resent it. I wanted to get a summer job, but was discouraged due to Mother's health and the need for transportation for farm tasks.  I remember when I got home from my mission Dad gave me a pig in hopes her litter and subsequent sale would help me with expenses at BYU the coming fall, and it did. Other than that experience, everything I earned before my senior year was most usually picking potatoes in the fall or sorting and cutting them in the spring for various neighbors. I would try to stretch that money as far as it would go.   When I had money, I never asked my parents to finance any activity or perceived need.   If Dad would not have floated me for a movie or dance ticket during part of the school year, I would have never had much of a winter social life as a teen. I think it was the same for my sister Robin.

Arlene Park Arnold/Money Mindset

2010-08-22T19:26:00.001-07:00

Mother kept track of the family money and income. She kept the bills in the kitchen cupboard above the radio or tucked neatly by the radio. She was a list maker. She carefully kept track of money that went out and came in. I am sure this was a daunting task of tracking the farm expenses. I cannot recall Dad having anything to do with paying of the bills, tracking the income, or budget. Perhaps he did, but I just never did see it. Sometimes we heard about it, however. It was not uncommon for my parents to have some very heated discussions about how money was being spent. Mother was careful with her budget projections and Dad was not. One Christmas Mother calculated carefully how much could be spent for Christmas and with that proceeded to make careful gift purchases for the children. Dad went to town on Christmas Eve afternoon and bought gifts for all of us without talking to Mom. I can still see him carrying in a huge card board box full of the gifts. He was so proud of himself, because he hardly ever did the gift buying. None of them were wrapped and he handed them out that evening. Mother was furious. She kept it contained pretty well around the younger ones, but she did not hide it from me or Dad much later that night. I look back and think it rather comical now. Mother always said she could hardly add two plus two. She really struggled with math. Dad, however, could add columns of numbers in his head without using paper. I recall vividly Mother sitting at the kitchen table with paper and pencil using her fingers to tally. This was long before calculators were invented. Dad was a calculator. Mother used to shrug it off. She said he could do math better than her but she was a perfect speller. When ever I needed money, especially in the teen years, it was usually Dad that I went to. Mother would carefully write the amount down in a tablet she kept in the kitchen cupboard. Often when the amount was written, it was with the assumption that it would be earned or paid back. I think by today's standards our mother serves as an example of one who taught her children excellent financial accountability. All of her children were taught financial responsibility by example and this has served us well in our own lives.

Arlene Park Arnold/ Pillow Perfection

2010-08-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

I read my niece Danielle's blog about her pillows and it brought back memories of Mother's pillows. I jokingly commented in Danielle's blog that I did not know pillow perfection was hereditary. Mother loved them. She hand made all her pillows. She always matched her sofa and chairs, knew exactly where she wanted them, and heaven help the person who moved them would ever use one of the new decorative pillows for their head! I remember Walt using one under his head when he came for a visit. As I remember, I think a look was all it took and that pillow was right back where it was beautifully placed for decor purposes. She did have a few old ones scattered around for use, but never ever a newer one was to be used for support of a dirty head and especially on the floor! They were placed neatly along the back of the sofa. She made and sold pillows in her later years. She made checked, ruffled, quilted, or plain. Some had lace, rick rack, or applique. She would put them on a table downstairs for display purpose if someone was interested in purchasing. She sold them to sisters, nieces, visiting teachers, and friends.

Trapped with Six Young Men

2010-08-08T23:45:00.001-07:00

Okay, this is not what I bargained for.....rain, mud, and six of my grandsons trapped inside the RV. I guess the first omen of the weekend was when, after borrowing Sheena's larger SUV, (mine only holds 5) , packing the over head and back, I loaded in the boys, and the car would not start. All the men were gone, we tried to get it going, decided it needed a new battery. Cori volunteered her car that holds 8, so we repacked everything into that car, and finally got on our way about two hours later than planned. Once on the mountain it began to rain periodically. The rain would break for about an hour and they are outside playing war with their soft guns. The rain would start, and they are right back in caked with mud and soaked. The first night we were able to do smores around the campfire, they next night the wood was so wet...forget a fire of any kind. I brought a few "guy" movies, Sandlot, Rocky, Rocky II, The Rookie, but that was my alternate activity. I could have taken them all home the first morning, but they were so disappointed, I just couldn't. They promised they would help me and be excellent young men and they were. I didn't hear one fight or major disagreement. They were helpful and polite. Justin, 15 yrs and Jade 14 yrs, treated Logan 13, Brad 12 , Morgan 11, and Jaxon with patience. Considering the large age difference, I was amazed how well they all treated one another. Even with the wounds of Jaxon's eye ball getting wacked with a roasting stick, a soft bullet bruise on the cheek, and a large knife cut on Logan's little finger, they still were determined to have a good time. My plan for this weekend was to share some granny-love and testimony of the power of the Priesthood. Besides the fun, I had planned on a few stories about honoring the priesthood during WWII told around the campfire the first night and discussing the Sons of Helaman, then next night putting out a huge quilt in a open area, a circle with our heads and while looking at the stars, I was going to share some great pioneer stories of the priesthood in action while crossing the plains. Then Sunday morning I would take them all to Alton ward, the little country church about 10 miles from our campsite. Plans turned to reality when our three days were spent watching some movies, waiting for the rain to break, then running outside for a few hours of activity, then back in the RV caked in mud, soaked, changing clothes, eating junk food, and then repeat. By Sunday there were no clean clothes and I was afraid I would not be able to get out of camp due to the mud. I had a brief "fireside" inside the RV, Jade gave the opening prayer, and by the time I had finished one WWII story, the thunder was cracking. I closed with my testimony and said, "Hurry, let's get out of here while we can." I never leave the Rv dirty. Leaving filthy floors, dirty dishes, we literally were throwing packs, quilts, muddy boots, and guns into the back of the car. I was so worried about damage to Cori's car if I had to go through mud and deep ruts. Our roads are not maintained and are definitely for trucks, and when wet, can be very bad. We had gone about a mile and just before we got to the gate to get on the highway, rain started coming down so fast the windshield wipers could not keep it off. We had got out just in time. It made for some excitement for my young current and future priesthood holders. I don't know if my plans were a complete failure. On the way home, they were talking about when they could come to the mountain again. One of the boys said, "Well, I want Grandma to be there when I go again." That was all I needed to know. It was all worth it, even with the mud and the rain.

Emma Veda Arrives

2010-08-05T16:29:00.004-07:00

There are times in life that are just sweet. A time when every human sense is alive, well, and the heart swells and still cannot seem to contain all the joy. The birth of a grandchild is such an experience. Walt's Aunt, who had 11 children, told me years ago when my own children were small, that you think you can never love anything as much as your own children, but then you find out that it extends into eternity through grandchildren. She was right.

Little Emma arrived at 3:32 a.m. July 28 to Jessica and Cody Heimberger. They gave her the middle name of Veda after Walt's Mother. Veda is the only grandparent Jessi ever knew, and she loved her dearly. Emma weighed 7 lb 4 oz and decided she could no longer wait for the doctor. The nurse delivered her and Emma's little head is a witness to having to wait tooooooo long in the birth canal. What a little cone head. Poor little baby measured 21 inches long, but a week after her birth measured only 19 in. She was born with a mop of black hair and given the title of cutest baby born that week by all the nurses. Two proud and loving parents, grandparents, and aunts all agreed. Of course, Jess and Cody think she is the cutest baby of all time.

Due to Jessi and Cody leaving for Provo in time for college, Emma was blessed in our home. This afforded me a rare opportunity to get a picture of the blessing circle right after they said amen.

A Very proud daddy with a proud grandpa looking on.

Angel Wings vs Broom Transportation

2010-07-23T22:17:00.002-07:00

My Sheena is a wonderful hair dresser. She graciously keeps many in our family looking as good as we can. I am one of the lucky recipients. She was cutting Cori's hair, so I went over there for mine. Usually she is in a sweet mood, gentle by nature, but she had not had a good nights sleep, had some in-law challenges, and was understandably in a what I call a "murmur mood". We have all been there. After listening to her discussing her exasperations, I said that it just makes you want to kill them, but the best is to kill them with kindness. She had a comment or two, so I said to remember there is no problem so bad that kindness can't help but improve it. She took a deep breath, and I thinking that perhaps my mother-inspired-words helped her mind set, instead she put her hand on her hip and said, "Mother, why don't you just take your little angel wings and fly away home!" I felt like saying, "I will after you're through flying on your broom" , but I didn't. The truth is I remember times when a broom would have been a good vehicle of transportation for me. The truth is I completely understood her frustration because I have been there. I sent Sheena a text later that said, "After I flew home with my little angel wings, I did my hair. It looks great!" She text back "good, get Dad to take you on a date". Sometimes I forget that we are not human beings having a spiritual experience but spiritual beings having to have a human experience. Sometimes life is just plain fun and so worth it

Arlene Park Arnold/ Aprons and Dishes

2010-07-18T11:02:00.000-07:00

Mother was an apron wearer. She would have never considered buying one. They were always homemade. Her mother, Grandma Park always wore an apron. Mother wore one when she cooked, Grandma wore one most of the time. She wore the 1930-40 types, tiny print, calico, big straps, big pockets, and lots of cover up. Mother wore half aprons gathered at the waist and tied in the back with a great big bow. She loved gingham, so most of them were checked, and some were trimmed in rick rack. After she passed away Robin and I took a couple of aprons. Most were stained, worn, and very used. I love those aprons and carefully put them away for safekeeping. Mother taught me well. I am an wearer of aprons and so is my sister. When I cook, the first thing I look for is my apron. I have never figured out why a women would not want to wear an apron in the kitchen. I am a messy cook. I spill, I splatter, and I wipe. My clothes very rarely get stained and I can pop off my apron and I am ready to go out of the house. I have non-apron friends who always change clothes to "something clean" before they leave their home. Why don't they just wear an apron? Mother was one of the tidiest cooks I have ever been around. She could make a fantastic meal with several courses and not have a messy kitchen. When I was at home, she taught me to "clean as you go". She would put hot sudsy water in the sink and when she finished a preparation, she would put it in the water. She could never understand women who left their bowls or pans to harden, when it is just as easy to put them in water and avoid all the scrubbing later. That way she said, "Water does most of the work". She was a staunch believer in doing dishes right after a meal. I have no memory of Mother's kitchen ever having meal preparation or dishes from a meal left in the sink or on the counter top or stove. She taught her daughters that the "made beds and doing dishes" were the secrets to keeping a good house. I remember her saying that a woman can do other things to keep an organized house, but if they don't start with beds and dishes they are just fooling themselves.

Arlene Arnold/ Robin's Memory/ Mom's Kitchen the Heart of the Home

2010-07-18T10:24:00.002-07:00

The following is taken from a 1995 letter Robin, her youngest daughter, enclosed with a cookbook she had compiled of Mother's often used recipes. I saved the letter, and now since Robin's stroke and her difficulty in writing, I am so grateful I did. It gives a glimpse of life on the farm, and a couple of memories of Mother. Here is Robin's forward rom her 1995 cookbook.
"When I think of Mom, in my mind's eye, I picture her standing at the kitchen sink wearing a gingham apron. Much of mother's life was spent in the kitchen. Our kitchen was the heart of our home. It was there that mother became barber for the boys; seamstress for the girls; washed milkers for the farm and cooked three meals, day in and day out for a family hungry farm workers and a family of six." (end of cookbook forward)

The following is from Robin's letter that was enclosed with the cookbook.
"Christmas 1995
Dear Penny, Steve, and Tim,
I am sure this day, being the one year anniversary of Mother's death, has been a day of reflection for all of us. I have thought a lot about Mom and Dad during the last year. Experiences of my childhood on the farm have come flooding back to me more than once. I realized that most of my memories were centered in one room, the kitchen. Remember how afraid Mom was of mice? More than once Mom scrambled for the safe haven on top of the kitchen table and wouldn't come down until on of her boys declared the kitchen a "safe zone". I have no idea how many times between the ages of about 2 and 9 that I had to stand on that kitchen table while Mom measured a dress to be hemmed. Mom's table in the corner of the kitchen served us well...I think I can remember every plastic center piece that ever sat perfectly centered on its' smooth surface....I think my most vivid memory if of that darn old rooster that used to chase me every time Mom sent me to gather eggs. The minute I would step out the back door he would sense that something was up and lie in wait just daring me to try to get an egg. Finally Mom was convinced to do something about him. I 'll never forget coming in the back door and smelling the most delicious dinner cooking. What's for dinner Mom? "Fried rooster," she replied. (end Robin's letter)

Whirlwind Summer with the Cluff Clan

2010-07-12T10:29:00.002-07:00

Here is a brief catch up of whirlwind activities since school got out.

Son-in-law Cody Heimberger graduated with his associate degree from Dixie College. We had an ice cream party after with all the family and some of his. We are proud of him and they are anxious to get their baby here and on to the next college to complete his Aeronautical degree.
Memorial Day and three days on the mountain officially started summer for us. Brandon and children were up there with us. He is building a huge deck. We loved the cool air, did a lot of four wheeling, and had a camp fire at night for roasting marshmallows.
Girls camp was the next week. Walt is the councelor over Young Women, so he is involved every year, but this year I got to go for one evening. I was asked to do the Stake fireside for the leaders and fifth year girls. Due to so much snow at the regular girls camp, they used a camp site just about 10 miles from our place on Cedar Mountain. Knowing it would be just over the hills, I asked granddaughters Taiha and Lesley to go with me earlier in the day. I left them at my camp for a few hours while I did the fireside and returned to some spooked girls. It had started to get dark and they thought every little noise was a "thing". We spent the night there and next morning put rocks around a fire pit. They worked hard and it looked good after we were done.
Cluff Reunion was that weekend on a different mountain, the Kiabab in Arizona. Not all of our children could attend, but Natalie, her boys Morgan, Brad, and our daughter Jessi took my car. Walt and I took Brandon's, Jade, Josie, Sheena's Taiha and Jaxon. Brain, Cori's husband braved it with all their children, even though Cori could not attend. The reunion was fun and it was great to see every one, but the weather was horrible. Our big RV was set up on Cedar Mountain and Walt did not want to move it. So we put a camper shell on the back of his truck. It leaked like a sieve! Eleven year Morgan summed up the whole experience while we were huddled in a borrowed trailer trying to get warm. He said, "This is the best reunion ever.....except for the rain, oh, and the snow, oh, and the hail!"
Two more weekends of mountain. We even got to go to Alton church. Walt arranged to miss his Sunday meetings in our ward. Grandsons Jade and Justin were up there with us most of the time.
4th of July weekend on Cedar Mountain at our place. Cori's entire family came up. It was so fun and the air was cool and pleasant. The four wheelers were going almost constantly. Cori and Brain have two, Walt has one, but mine was down needing repairs. They prepared the best bbq ribs and chicken ever. What a treat.
Two day Victim's Advocate Training with Cori at Midway near Heber City, Utah. What an awesome place. I have never stayed in a five star hotel! Wow. The convention center was impressive. The entire town and resort is all Swiss themed. All the employees were dressed like swiss people; little nickers, knee highs, vests. We could have stayed for a week, but Cori's had to get right back.
Baby shower for Jessica was Saturday. There was a huge turn out. She was given everything she will ever need for her baby girl. My girls are absolutely awesome. They sent out the invites, planned the food, prepared the games, and did not leave until my house was completely clean. They came a couple of hours early to prepare everything. All they asked me to bring was the dinnerware, a strawberry salad, and the place to have it. It was so fun and everyone seemed to have a good time. A couple of cousins and Aunt stayed for a quite a while after it was over. It was just sweet to sit and catch up. I have managed to raise hard working, generous, and supportive daughters (and an awesome son). While I was getting ready in the bedroom, I could hear them talking with one another. They made suggestions to one another on the decorations, would correct one another, and then laugh a lot while they completed the preparations. I think that there is no better feeling for a mother than to know that her children can get along very well without her. At least, I can't speak for every mother, but I find that thought to be gratifying.

Every week has been crammed full of activity since school got out, and it seems to have no end in site with a new baby coming at the end of this month. I have managed to keep the garden weed free, not an easy task with the business of summer life, but I set a personal goal last spring. The garden has been fun this year. I bbq a lot of squash yesterday. What a treat. Steak, fresh bbq squash and fresh tomatoes.

Packing My Gun and Projects

2010-07-11T11:18:00.001-07:00

Summer came like a strike of lightening. We were unusually cool and then it hit...bam...110 degree. Last night I looked at our temp at 10:30 p.m. It was 91! Why is a cool Idaho girl like me living in an easy bake oven? I have made a decision. I AM OUT OF HERE. I am no longer working, my calling doesn't start until end of August, Walt is working all day, the kids don't have any games this summer, so why am I here? I am going to the mountain and I am not coming down until Jess has her baby the end of the month. I am going by myself and who wants to visit is welcome. I am loading up my music, autoharp, painting projects, books, and my gun. Our 40 acres is a couple of miles from a main road and there are two gates someone has to go through to get in, but I still want my gun. However, I doubt I will see any one that doesn't have four legs. Walt will be at Youth Conference in Cedar City, so perhaps he can come for a visit at the end of the week. Brandon built a wonderful deck for our 5th wheel, so I can put my chair back and feel the cool air. My goal is to catch up blog on the activities of summer, finish some projects, and watch the deer, squirrels, and chipmunks.

Arlene Park Arnold/ Sambo

2010-06-23T00:08:00.005-07:00

Copied from email from Tim Arnold (youngest son) memory of Mother’s Dog Sambo:
"As I was thinking of mom, many memories came to my mind. One memory that I think of every once in awhile is one that was the only time I had ever seen mom this way. Dad had got mom a little dog, it was the ugliest dog you could ever imagine. It was kind of red with some white on it. It was a male dog, had a little tiny rear end, a great big chest, floppy ears, and weepy eyes. His legs that were about 2 inches long, and bowed out. He was a very unattractive dog and not one that you would think anyone could love. Mom did not think much of the dog at first. It would get in her way in the kitchen, but he wanted to always be with Mom. When mom would lay down, the dog wanted to be with her. She named the dog Sambo, and really fell in love with him. She started to try to teach him tricks. She taught him one trick, or maybe the dog taught himself the trick, because he could get food if he would do it for mom. She used to say, “ Tim, look at Sambo”. She would call the dog over and he would sit in front of her. Mom would then point her finger in the air, and make a noise, and the dog would sit up on his rear just like he was setting on a chair. Sambo would hold that position until Mom would give him some food. She thought that was cutest thing. One day I came home from school, when I was attending Ricks College. I came through the back door and up the steps into the kitchen. Mom was there, and she had been crying. When I asked what was wrong, she couldn't even speak, all she could do was sob, not cry but sob. She kept trying to tell me something, the whole time I'm thinking the worst, I thought possibly that something had happened to Dad, maybe a heart attack or something. Finally, she was able to get out that little Sambo had been run over by Dad earlier in the day while up in the field irrigating. It was a hot day and Sambo had fallen asleep under the pickup in the shade. Dad didn't see him. I had never seen my mother cry like that. She had grown closer to little Sambo than we realized, it took some time for Mom to get over the death of her dog. I remember Dad saying maybe we should get her another dog, but Mom said no that something bad always happens to all the animals we get close to. I do remember that we did get other dogs later. " (end of copy from Tim's email)

Penny's perspective on Tim's memory:
I find this memory so interesting, because it happened after I left home. My memory of Mother was she absolutely DID NOT allow pets in the house! This little dog must have really found a place in her heart. When I was a kid before we moved to the farm, I was always dragging some stray dog or cat home. She would get so disgusted with me. I had frequent ring worm due to the unsanitary pets. She would scold me, while she was doctoring the rings that usually grew on the inside of my forearms. The comment Tim made about Mother saying "something" bad happens to the animals we get close to" was true. Grandma Arnold had a horse on their farm I grew up with. Dad put me on Patsy with him, when I was about two or three. I rode her by myself at about 4 yrs, if I could con someone to bridle and saddle her. Finally, I got tired of that by the time I was about five, so I learned to coax her to the pole fence, where I would somehow get a bridle on her, and ride bare back. Mother always worried about me being so young and riding, but she never stopped me. Patsy and I were inseparable. One day when I was about 13, I came home from school and Mom said she had some very bad news. She told me Patsy had wandered out of the barn yard, been hit by a truck, and killed on the Lyman highway. I was devastated, and cried most of the night, never coming out of my room until morning. She left me alone treating me very kindly, even though I was angry for a few days.

Arlene Park Arnold/ Fun & Raisen Cookies

2010-06-14T21:34:00.001-07:00

Steven Jack Arnold, oldest son's memory: (copied from email)
"She was fun.... I remember her dancing in the kitchen many times.
When I was little boy I remember when we were riding in the car and she was driving she would say, Watch, I can drive without my hands on the steering wheel and she would take both hands off the steering wheel.
I remember her quilting with her sisters right there at the Fowler house where we lived just down the hill from Ricks college. I clearly remember it because she would have the quilt elevated and spread out across the living room. Tim and I would play under it when I came home from school. Mom would make those great big raisen filled cookies that had the juice oozing out and give them to us to eat. I never really liked raisen filled cookies.
Sharon (Steven's wife) has pointed out that mom could prepare a full meal without anybody hardly noticing that she was doing it, and then she would sometimes clear your plate off and put it away before you were hardly done eating.

Arlene Park Arnold/The Gift of Not Judging

2010-06-08T09:49:00.002-07:00

Gift of Not Judging
If I was to randomly list all of mother's gifts, talents, or qualities, at the top would be her ability to not be judgemental. Of course, the off spring of judgmental is gossiping. She simply did not have it in her, it was a gift. This quality seems to get lost these days in the finger pointing, blame others, and bash- another society we live in. Mother rose above the pettiness of demeaning another to make herself appear better. I remember one time I was talking about my Grandfather Arnold, her father-in-law. I was about 13 when he died and I knew him in his mean years. Mother listened and then said, "You did not know the real Dewey. He always treated me well, even when I had problems. I always liked him." She didn't condemn me for speaking badly of him. She just stated the truth according to her perspective. One time Dad was talking about a neighbor that he thought was "stuck up and unfriendly". Mother said that she had always thought this neighbor was just shy. A statement of mother-truth stopped the conversation of any further judgment. She did this often with simple one-liners that were never a lecture. What a wonderful gift and legacy.

Advise from My Undertaker

2010-06-06T09:20:00.002-07:00

I have a good friend who is an undertaker. He told me that one day it dawned on him, as he was handling death records, that a birth certificate proves you were born and a death certificate proves that you died, but your own worded journal proves you had a life worth living. How sad neither my father nor mother left any personal written data. I see what is happening today with Face book, regardless of how exciting the new technology, it is not a personal life story, just comments filled with other comments from other people. A blog is different. It can be used as a tool to record a life story. I realized the other day that I was holding back posting to my blog because I wanted to get some pictures on it. The reason I started a blog had nothing to do with pictures, but with posting small sprinkles of my life, loves, and joy. I love the few comments I get. It makes me feel connected, but my children all live close and either don't read it nor comment, except for Katy. My neice Kristi indicated that she and her sisters see each other more often than most, but she learns new things about them on their blogs. I know this is true due to my reading Katy's blog. Even though my family see each other often, I learn what is happening through their Facebook. I saw a neice- in -law a few weeks ago at Walmart. Her family had been battling some huge issues with her husband in Medical school. At Walmart she gave me a quick hug, a "good to see you and I keep up with your girls on Facebook", and off she went. Just a few years ago, running into a person you love and had not seen for a long time, would have spawned a conversation. Times have definitely changed. I was surprised when I had a friend from Idaho visit in January and I was telling her about Walt's Christmas gift (his office). She said she had seen it all on my blog. Why didn't she comment or let me know she was connected to me. It would have meant so much. Oh well, people of my generation hold back from trying anything new.

I have decided to start mother's life story. I am the oldest of her brood, so I thought I would get the ball rolling, but I will need help. Just for the record, I have decided that anyone who leaves their life story to someone else to compile is really running a risk of not having the real story told. I'll do the best I can, with help from my brothers and sister. I have decided to put it on my blog from time to time. Hopefully, I will get comments or email I can use.

An Unexpected Gift

2010-06-02T16:22:00.001-07:00

Sometimes God just hands you an unexpected gift. One you didn't ask for, but when it's given is what you were hungering for but didn't even know it. My gift came quietly as I glimpsed a bit pink in the evening shadows shining through the trees near our place on Cedar Mountain last weekend. Walt, Brandon and Jade had gone scouting for deer, and I was alone. I put my book down, and thinking I needed to stretch my legs anyway, took a short hike to the hill not far from our RV. I was not prepared for what I saw. It took my breath away. As far as I could see to the west from north to south exploded a protrusion of color. Deep orange, coral, pink, and purple clouds streamed gold rays with the setting sun. I looked up and the color was above me. I looked east and the same shades were muted there. How could a sunset be 360 degrees? Soon my visual experience transcended into my spirit as I took in the wonder of it. It was as if I was a little child being wrapped in a soft velvet comforter. I lingered until the night shadows quietly filled the sky with stars.

Arlene Park Arnold/Sister Get-Together -Tradition

2010-05-25T09:49:00.001-07:00

I talked with a man last week who just returned from visiting his daughter in England. He said they have seen her FOUR TIMES IN THIRTEEN YEARS! I was stunned. Sometimes I forget how blessed I am. In a world where families are scattered, and some try to avoid each other, it is a blessing that our family gets together often. My daughters try to get together at least once a week. It is a tradition my mother and her sisters faithfully kept. They got together every week for over 45 years. They gathered at their mother's home, did her hair, and had a quilt on or brought different projects to work on. Grandma had never learned to drive a car, so her Hibbard Idaho home was where they always met. After Grandma Park passed away, their brother said his sisters changed from Grandma's house to going to a "feed lot". This was a funny farm term he used for the "formerly heifers, now old cows" eating at a buffet in Rexburg. Their brother Elmer, the youngest of the brood who had attached this phrase to them, was invited if he wanted. After Belva, the oldest sister had a stroke, they continued to get together, but in her room at the care facility. When she passed away, it was changed to garage sales on Saturday mornings, followed by eating out. I remember one time, I was visiting mother for a few days. Mother invited me to go along on the sister's garage sale Saturday. Aunt Wanda, Ruth, and Mother went to a ton of garage sales that morning. As Mother and I were on our way home, I told her how amazed I was that they had been able to go to that many sales in one morning. I can still her slow Park drawl in her direct-forth-right manner say, "Well, we usually go to a lot more. Having you along really slowed us down." I pray my daughters and then their daughters continue this precious remarkable tradition.

Goodbye Boring Purse!

2010-05-22T18:41:00.004-07:00

This one is my favorite.

Hello Simplicity Pattern #2676. A few months ago, I cleaned my closet and sent some old purses to Deseret Industry. As I looked at them in the box, I was struck by the fact they all looked the same. BORING! Same old color, same basic shape, perhaps a little snap or opening difference. I have looked at the fun, bright, fashionable purses the girls are using these days, but thought I would not want to switch all the "stuff" from purse to purse, so thus the boring Penny purses. I am also very particular about the inside of my purses. They have to have separate compartments for just keys, cell phone, wallet, chap stick, and on and on and on. I have even taken a purse back to the store a week later, because it did not meet my interior standards! Lucky it was Walmart, so there were no questions.

It took me hours and hours of sewing to do just the basic purse. I wanted everything absolutely in the perfect space. As the inside stays the same, and the outside is what is changed according to the color of the day. I have had tons of compliments on my new purse-look. The only comment on my other purses were "is this yours?" when someone moved it. Cori had a birthday and wanted a purse. I made hers with handles on the ends. She puts hers over her head on the opposite shoulder. It worked out well. I put magnetic snaps on hers, but on mine I put a velcro closures.

I tried a ruffle. The pattern did not have one, so I made it up. I have had more compliments on this look than any. Blue check is the lining. I thought it would look good as a contrast to the paisley. I was surprised when it worked as a purse shell with the paisley on the inside. Just can't go wrong with these combos.

I diverted from the pattern that called for
pellon. I wanted my purse to have
a lot of body, so I used plastic canvas
on insides of bottom and sides of purse.

I hang them behind my door for a quick
switch. So fun!

Destiny & Friends

2010-05-11T01:04:00.001-07:00

Are we destined to particular situations, people, or experiences? President Monson answered this question in three plain and simple words. DECISION DETERMINES DESTINY. An experience I had regarding one of my grandsons brought reflections of my past decisions, that seemingly small at the time, set a course that led to positive benefits I have been reaping since my teens. How does my decision, made so long ago, bubble up again? A couple of months ago, I received a call asking me to go to the Mall and pick up my 14 yr old grandson. He is a great young man, active in his priesthood, admired by his peers, and beloved by his Granny. So I was surprised when his Father, out of town at the time, told me that my grandson was being held by Security and would only be released to a parent or guardian. I found him being held by two security officers, along with two friends. Security told me the "others" were being interviewed in another room. Items had been stolen from the store. My grandson immediately told me he did not steal anything, nor would he ever. He said at the Mall some girls had started hanging around he and his friend. He knew them from school. They all decided to leave the store. As they are going down the mall common area, one of the girls pulled some stolen items out of her purse, bragging about what she had got. Next thing they heard security officers asking them to stop. After 45 minutes, Security came in and said that my grandson had not known about the theft and could leave. It was now dark, and as my grandson talked to his Dad and Mom on the cell, I started the car and turned on the lights. When I turned on the lights, it was as if a light went on in my spirit. The experience of my early- teen- past came forcefully in my mind. I turned off the car and told my grandson the following. " You did not steal, but you chose to hang out with those friends." When I was about 13, my good friend moved away. I was lonely, so I was very happy when a beautiful girl and her friend started to invite me to spend time with them. One day this girl invited me to her home. She showed me a box full of pornography, then she took me to a store, and showed me how to steal. She stole some sun glasses and wore them back to her house. Later as I walked home, I felt sad. My grandmother had taught me what filth was and that stealing was wrong. I knew, somewhere deep inside, I had to find new friends. This was hard, because middle school is hard enough. The lunch room was where everyone got together, so I started to hang out in the rest room to avoid feeling uncomfortable. I prayed so hard that I would find some new friends. One day in the restroom, a girl named Ann asked me if I wanted to go with her for lunch. I had gone to grade school with her, but had never known her on a personal level. Ann was friends with four other girls that all went to 5th ward. Those five girls became my devoted friends, and remarkably still are. They were good students, I wanted to be a good student. They wanted to date good guys, I wanted to date good guys. They attended seminary, so did I. They wanted to go to college. I went to college, and I received a degree. Neither of my parents graduated from high school. I look back now and I see clearly where my life would have gone had I not made the decision to change friends. The beautiful girl who showed me porn and how to steal has led a hard life. She and her friend experienced early pregnancy, several marriages, and a harder path than I have walked. I shared this with my grandson in the parking lot that evening, and I have since shared this experience with several of my other grandchildren. My prayer is that they will know, in their early years, that DECISION DETERMINES DESTINY.

Lifetime friend, Ann Shirley Merkley and husband Reid. She drew a circle that took me in.

Chris Rasmussen Leishman and husband Bron. She is one of my five lifetime friends.

My name is Penny and I am a Weight Watcher Drop Out

2010-04-15T00:03:00.003-07:00

I decided to start attending Weight Watchers. When I joined previously, a lady who has known me for years, did the intake and paper work. When the meeting started, the leader asked for those who were new to introduce themselves, and said, "and this is one of our Lifetime members back with us". I said "My name is Penny and I am a Weight Watcher drop out." I am no where near goal, but later I found out that the lady who knew me, had assumed the weight I have sloooooooowly lost over the last nine years was due to Weight Watchers. She had put Lifetime on my papers. My weight had slowly been creeping back since last year when my only sister had a massive stroke, my baby got married, my position with the health department ended in July, I was released from Stake RS in October, my husband's business began suffering from economic down turn, our commercial building tenant went out of business, Walt decided to put our house up for sale, and my friend who usually exercises with me and keeps my dietary head straight has had other more important things to do. I had the 911 alert go off in my brain that I needed inspiration and support. I got the inspiration today when I learned 87% Lifetime members keep their weight off. I was sitting by a lady who told me the reason she and her daughter joined today was that everyone they know who has ever kept off lost weight belonged to Weight Watchers. I called my friend Ann Merkley, who lives in Salt Lake, to see if she had considered joining WW. I left a message. She called right back and said she is on board. She had joined with her husband and was not feeling the support she had hoped for. We are going to go for our Lifetime. When we get there, we are going to reward ourselves with a trip . No more dropping out for me. I am in it for the long haul. Lifetime here I come!

Number 16 Joins Cluff Clan

2010-04-11T13:11:00.002-07:00

Cove made eye contact with Grandpa as if to say, "Yea, I know this old guy!"

Blessed Little Boy with Two Wondeful Parents

Proud Daddy

Katy Alene and Curtis Lee blessed us with our sixteenth grandchild. Way before his due date, I gave my "Special Time Speech". I have shared it with every pregnant daughter. It goes something like this. "This is a special time for you and your husband. It will not hurt my feelings if I am not there. Just let me know when you go in and call when you want us to come." They have wanted me present at the birth of every one of my daughter's births. It has been faith promoting and very humbling. Walt laughs and teases about this fact, because he has said about my births, that he and the doctor were lucky to be there. He likes to remind me of the time when the doctor did not have anything else to do, so he sat by my bed and read a newspaper. I asked him to leave until it was time to check me again. Then there was the time a janitor was mopping the floor near my room and I asked Walt to run him off. I do not like to be around people when I am in pain. I like to find a personal cave somewhere all by myself. Times have changed. Katy was dialated to a nine for over 2 hrs. TWO HOURS. The doctor left to do a c-section. Little Cove came out looking like his head had been in a pencil sharpener. That would have never happened in old days. Doctors stuck around to finish the job. Perhaps it was due to the screaming or the husband pleading to end the pain of his wife's embedded fingernails in his hand. I am thankful that it is easier getting babies into the world now days. I would not wish my birthing experience on my worst enemy. Cove Jon Lee is and will be a delight to this baby hungry Cluff Clan.

Grandpa & Granny Penny are soooooo happy

Surprise Visit from Robin

2010-03-20T14:34:00.001-07:00

My sister Robin came for a week visit in January. So I was so surprised when she came for another last week. Don and his brother Ray dropped her off on their way to their nephew’s funeral in Phoenix. March 10 is her birthday and she told us so when she arrived. I ignored her statement until the family started to arrive and we got out the ice cream and birthday cake I had hidden in the pantry. She was surprised. It was just plain sweet to get to visit with her again. Even though it had only been just two months ago, I was amazed at the progress she has made in her stroke recovery. She walked without a brace, her speech had dramatically improved, and her sparkle was back. Wow, if she continues to heal at this rate, a year from now will remarkable. I have been taking a photography class with daughter Sheena. Robin happened to be here the week that we were supposed to bring a model to photo. Sheena used Robin and I. She did Robin’s hair and I did her makeup. I just loved the photos. I think Sheena captured, not just a good photo, but also the love we share as sisters.

Walt Connects with His Heritage

2010-03-17T17:45:00.005-07:00

Walt gave me a trip for Christmas. He did not know where, but said it was forthcoming. Finally, he told me we were going on a road trip to Safford Arizona, the place where he was born. It is not far from New Mexico and we traveled a total of 1200 mile.. We left the third week of February for four days. On the way there, we toured the Petrified Forrest, and it was mind boggling that the trees were once like mighty red woods. They are now as rocks among the cactus and sand, standing or laying as reminders of a world long ago.

Then on to Walt's great grandfather Moses Cluff 's ranch of over 788 acres near Pima at the foot of the Graham Mountains. The Fish and Game bought it after WWII, so it is intact. It is still called Cluff Ranch and is an amazing place. I was surprised by the farm country near Safford and Pima. I was expecting nothing but snakes, cactus, and lizards. Instead, it is a rich farm land with a river and a network of canals. It was humbing to walk the paths his fore fathers and mothers walked. They were amazing people. We took pictures of pictures behind glass at the tiny visitor room. One picture of his great grandmother looked strikingly like his neice, Sherre Finicum Henderson, daughter of his sister Nelda. Walt and I enjoyed the trip, but we have always enjoyed traveling together. We listened to audio books Old Yeller and Louie Lamour's High Lonesome, listened to talk radio, and communicated with each other. Even though it was dedicated to Walt's roots, it was still joy to me seeing him connect with his heritage.

Lap Dancing at the Community Center?

2010-03-17T14:21:00.001-07:00

I realize we are not getting any younger, but has it come to this? Walt and I were having a discussion at lunch about my new Zumba exercise class today. I was telling him about how I dripped sweat and knew none of the "moves". He asked what is Zumba? I explained that it is exercise stretch, a combo of dance steps in salsa, a little hip hop, and LATIN dancing. A few minutes went by and he said, "Why are they teaching LAP dancing at the community center?" I had a good laugh. Later he told me about seeing Jed (freight company owner) at Bakston Corlet (name of the freight company). I said, "Where did you see Jed in the back of a Corvette (a car)? He had a good laugh over that. Hearing aids anyone?

A Penny Thank You

2010-02-09T16:12:00.000-07:00

I wanted to thank all those who served with me in the Stake RS Presidency. I worked closely with five sisters, so I painted glass bottles starting last November. These bottles can be used for olive oil, vinegar and oil, or dish soap as I use mine. It is hard to get a true picture of anything on glass due to the reflection muting the image. I am adding a thank you note and getting them delivered this week. A material "thing" or a thank you note can never convey all the gratitude I have for Sister Lund, Gardner, Peterson, Jolly, and Schimbeck. They turned an overwelming calling, as Stake RS President, into a labor of sweet love and joy.

Surprise Grandkids

2010-01-29T19:09:00.007-07:00

Brad, Justin, Morgan, JaxonLeese, Avey, MallorieColby(with forehead stitches & both with chocolate donut smiles) with Leese

Grandkids Colby, with his newly acquired stitches on his forehead, and Mallorie Cannon stayed Friday night. Brian and Cori, their parents, went on a little anniversary get away. Other Grandchildren Justin, Morgan, Brad, Avery, and Aleese, all dropped in when they knew the others were here. It was a pleasant surprise. I cooked some frozen pizza and baked a ton of mini donuts. The boys and I got on Facebook, and I was shown how to "chat". They all know I am not really with it in that department. The rest played outside until dark. I took some pics, but most had chocolate donut on their cute faces.

Game with Robin

2010-01-27T15:41:00.001-07:00

I wanted to record an experience some of my children had when Robin was visiting. Cori, Nati, Katy and I played a game on Friday afternoon. It was similar to pictionary, but you mold an image with clay. This game includes a timer and a ton of guessing on what the clay image is supposed to be. What you mold is revealed on a card you get at random. We all started using both hands, and Robin without a complaint, started to mold hers with her left hand. We decided to make the game even, all of us would have to mold our clay using only our left hand. We laughed hard and had a lot of fun, but it gave us all a very real sense of what Rob has been going through regarding only one of her many physical trials since her stroke. We had more empathy and admiration for her "not-give-up" attitude.

Tetons and Twilight

2010-01-25T14:19:00.005-07:00

I decided to try my hand at oil painting. I have tried acrylic(years ago) and pastel (an absolutely dirty experience), but not oils. Robin saw them and asked where the mountains were, Tetons I told her. Where? I told her, I am sure if you looked at the Tetons from every angle, you would find a view that might vaguely resemble my painting. She laughed hard at that. My other painting is my first attempt at using dark shades. I wanted it to look like the twilight time of day. When my daughters saw it, I told them I called it Twilight. Nati said, "yeah, it looks like it could be Forks, but where are the vampires?" Yes, my family is into the Twilight books.

Sister Robin Visit

2010-01-25T13:54:00.002-07:00

Sometimes life hands you an unexpected gift and that is what I got right after the holidays. My sister Robin came for a seven day stay. We had a lot of fun, but it was so wonderful to see the progress she has made since her massive stroke a year ago. Her speech and walk has improved dramatically. Even her smile has almost returned. My Sheena gave Robin a "makeover". She cut, streaked, and styled her hair on Saturday.

Every day we did something fun. Just our children, without the kids, came for lunch and games Friday afternoon. Sunday Robin went to church with me. After I introduced her in Sunday School, the teacher asked if we were sisters in law. I answered no and then amazed he said, "The same mother and father?" We have been getting that all our lives. She is tall and light, me shorter and dark. Sunday night everyone came over for a dessert night with Robin. Our big day was a trip to Zion Park with Walt, Jessi, and hubby Cody, but it rained the entire day. We still went and had an enjoyable time. I hated to put her on the plane Tuesday, but it was a comfort to know that she would be even more improved the next time I see her. She decided that she wants to come for a visit every winter. The weather was sunny most of the time. She did not wear her coat most of the time. I told her I have been trying to get someone from my family here in the winter and it has only taken about 30 years to happen. Most family visits are when it is hot here.

The Picture Grinch

2009-12-31T22:32:00.002-07:00

We were ready for a Christmas party and I asked Walt to pose for a pic before we left. He agreed to ONE. I asked for a second, he said no, and tried to leave. Our son-in-law snapped a pic during our "compromise discussion". I would like to share at this point, I have been called to be the Family Relations teacher on Sundays. Need I say more?

Walt's Christmas 09 a Family Affair

2009-12-30T19:54:00.002-07:00

Children,some Grandchildren, and myself worked hard to give Walt the office of his dreams for Christmas. After I was no longer going to the Health Department, I noticed he was meeting clients and suppliers at our home office. When I asked why he did not meet them at his shop office, he said, "because our home office is nicer." Of all my Walt's many talents, decorating and organizing is not one of them...at all. Thus, the seed was planted to give him the office of his dreams, but keeping it a secret was the hard part. Well, that and getting him out of the way to accomplish the task. This is where the oldest grandsons came in. They bugged, bugged, and bugged until they got a comitment to take them hunting a couple of days before Christmas. He had bishopric Tuesday evening, then the boys took him hunting the next day, and we were able to get to work on our plans. Considering all he previously had was a desk, an old office chair, one antalope head and four empty walls, I think we pulled it off. Every thing we used as decor was of a personal significance to him. We went through old pictures and found photos of four of his rigs. We found some great photos a client had taken of him drilling their well several years ago. These went by his desk. We enlarged some of his favorite photos he had taken with his camera while on the mountain. A bow his father made for him was hung below a statement we had done in vinyl lettering over his window. Old snow shoes he has used in snow, the first bow he made, and arrows he made and got a buck with. I very seldom see him get tears in his eyes, but when he saw it, he was touched. At our big Christmas Eve home evening, he stood and thanked everyone and said it was the best gift he has ever received in his entire life!

Personalized Christmas Ornaments

2009-12-30T18:34:00.007-07:00

This Christmas season I had a first for many years. My contracts with the SW Utah Public HealthDepartment were not renewed due to cut backs, I was released from my Stake calling, and my new ward calling does not begin until mid January. Walt and I decided to give our families assorted food storage. I dry packed 2 /#10 cans of sugar, oatmeal, macaroni, and refried beans. BORING. However, I had time to play with Christmas. I took on the task of painting a personalized glass Christmas ornament for those who are through having children, namely Cori, Brandon, Sheena, and Natalie. I ended up doing small one for Katy, even though they only have little Ivy. I set up my work area upstairs with the big tv. I watched movies, mostly holiday, and some chick flicks. First, I decided on the theme and most certainly it had to be snowmen representing their family members. I am good at whimsical snowmen and good at trees, so that set the theme. After the making my key design, I hand- painted them with a speciality glass paint. I was surprised at how much time these simple little ornaments took to finish. I baked them in the oven, let them cure, and then found the perfect gift box. A hard card board box that can protect them through the years.

The Tree and Me

2009-12-29T12:06:00.003-07:00

    I was asked to give a talk by my husband Walt who is 1st councilor in the Bishopric.  When he asked me to speak and I told him NO. On Christmas Eve, he asked if I remembered I was speaking and I asked him if he remembered I had said NO.   He is persuasive when he thinks he's right, so I spoke. I was given the topic of the Restoration, and I narrowed it to testimony of the restoration. A conversation I had with my sister- in -law Sharon Arnold, a few years ago, was brought to recall as I put my talk together.  She and I had been discussing challenges many have in staying committed to the Gospel. She had explained that she thought they must have a "tradition- testimony and not a conversion- testimony". I had never heard that term before, so I asked her to share more. She explained that a traditional testimony would be one based on family traditions. A testimony of the importance of activities that revolve around family such as baby blessings, baptism, attending church, blessing on the food, family prayers, even accepting a calling because they have seen their mother and father serve. She said the traditions are important, but a conversion- testimony is one based on personal knowledge that the Book of Mormon is true, Joseph Smith is a Prophet, and that the Priesthood was restored. I was going to use Sharon's insight, and I had the talk somewhat together, when I woke up Sunday morning remembering a tree that had blown down in our neighbors front yard a few years ago. I liked that tree and had tried to plant one similar in our front yard. The next image was of me struggling to remove a misplaced cactus last year. What was this all about? It finally dawned on me I was being given a personal parable to share with my talk. This morning I awoke with the impression to record it here.
    When our neighbors built a new house, they planted one tree in their front yard. It was beautiful, shaded their windows from the harsh west sun in the summer, and dutifully dropped its' leaves allowing the sun to warm their home in the winter. The first to put leaves on in Spring displayed almost a fluorescent green color and seemed to glitter. It grew quickly and majestically within the next few years. One day a violent wind storm came and blew it down. The next day I went over to see for myself. I was amazed at how shallow and weak the roots had been. They seemed so small in comparison to the attached strong tree trunk and limbs that had put on such a show for the last few years.
    I had wanted a tree like theirs, so I searched for the perfect specimen. I did not want to spend a lot of money for huge one, so I found a tall one that had a good size trunk. I placed it in the middle of some evergreens that I thought would not only add support, but would look terrific with the hedge surrounding it. I thought about staking it well, but someone told me that it weakened them that the evergreen hedge would be enough. It grew for several years. I would watch it sway occasionally, and from time to time, I would have a little voice in my head tell me to stake it. The experts must have been right, I reasoned. Look how well it grows, straight and strong.  The tree's beauty could not be beat with the trimmed evergreens encircling it. I don't know if the sudden storm was forecast, I only know it came blasted in as the sun was setting. I still remember looking out the front window watching its that seemed to come so quickly out of nowhere. I saw my tree swaying from side to side. An alarm went off in my head that I must hurry and stake that tree. I ran out in the sideways rain, thunder, and a wind so strong that I could hardly stand up. Defeated I ran back in the house. I had not been at the window long when above the storm I heard the crack and saw the tree trunk shattering just a foot or so above the ground. Why had I listened to the "experts"? Why had not given this beautiful tree the support that it needed?   Sometimes I think of that tree when I have taught my own children, grandchildren, or been involved with youth in the church.  Do I depend too much on others to provide the support until a firm testimony is secured?
    Last year I realized a cactus, in our zero scape front lawn, was getting too big. It was supposed to be a little accent, but it now blocked the view of a large clay pot that we put in front of our window. I typically am not a cactus lover, but when I saw this variety I changed my mind. It was purple with streaks of green, beautiful in it's own right, but it needed to go. Due to it not being that large, I thought I would save it, find another spot or give it to someone who valued it. I planned my removal early during the cool morning long before the sun hit the front of the house, After much digging, and many shovels full of dirt, I realized I had not loosened much of the root, let alone got it to the point of transplanting. When the shade disappeared, I soon abandoned my goal of gently transplanting and went into attack mode. The root system was dense and deep, and the outer root layer thick and protective. My shovel was a tough one, but was bending at the base. I was afraid it would break, so I went in search of the perfect tool.   I emerged with a sharp bar, a sledge hammer, and leather gloves to my elbow. I was now armed for battle.   As the roots began to give way, I was amazed at how heavy they were. I had to chunk them into smaller pieces, so I could toss them into a large wheeled industrial trash bin that quickly filled to over flowing. After the murder was over, I tried to wheel the bin to the curb and could hardly move it. I looked into this now massive hole and could still see little roots that dripped water. It was as if they were tears and the cactus was of saying it could have endured for countless years, if only I had left it alone.
     Traditional testimony is good, but it cannot endure on its' own. Just like the tree, it looks good, feels good, and can even bring limited joy, but when winds of adversity come it cannot stand on it's own. A testimony built on personal conversion is like my purple cactus. A testimony that protects itself from the harsh erosion of the world, one whose roots are deep, keeping a reservoir of living water for the rough times. One of my favorite scriptures I memorized years ago is Helaman 5:12. "...it is upon the rock of our Redeemer... ye must build your sure foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you...."  May I, as well as my family, strengthen our testimony- roots and add to our reservoir of living water.

If You Dream It Will Come

2009-12-17T01:11:00.001-07:00

I dreamed of a white Christmas and it happened! This southern area I live in is great. People come here to hike, bike, and get out of the snow. Many a year, I have picked flowers in November and early December, but not this year. IT SNOWED, not a lot, but it snowed. Here is a picture of a rose in our back yard. I asked Walt to take a picture before the sun melted it. Here is the proof.

My Sister Robin's Visit

2009-12-12T17:05:00.002-07:00

Don, my sister Robin Hollingsworth's husband, came home from Iraq. Since her massive stroke almost a year ago, his returning home is such a blessing. They decided to travel from Caldwell Idaho to Pheonix, Arizona for Thanksgiving, then on for a cruise out of San Diego. It was sweet to see them for their night stay at our home. Robin is walking without assistance, talking much better, and hopefully, she will get more use from her arm as time passes. Her words are much clearer and she tried hard to visit with all our family. We had a Mexican Fiesta to commemorate her visit. Most of our family had not seen her since her stroke. Our grandson Jade even missed his football championship party to be at our family gathering. My family all hugged Robin before they left to get the kids in bed for school the next day. My children and grandchildren have always valued extended family visits, dinners, etc. I pondered that fact after they all left. I know other "grandparents", such as Walt and I, who complain that their children do not support them in family functions such as we had for Robin and Don. As I have thought about it, the reason is Walt and I have always valued our relationship with our siblings. We hold them as most precious. We speak well of them, we enjoy being with them, and we have supported them in as many of their special or non- special times as we can, even when it is not convenient or costly. Because of that, our children value with each other and their aunts and uncles. As I have observed seemingly snubs, or judging, or most common apathy displayed by adults to their brothers and sisters, I wonder if they realize the way they treat and value their siblings is exactly how their own children are going to treat each other when they are all out of the nest.

Farm Chores

2009-12-12T16:28:00.002-07:00

Funny how things don't dawn on you when you are young, at least not me. It never occured to me until after I blogged this week that there was such a clear demarkation in our home on women's work and men's. Even before my brother's comments on my Dreamin of a White Christmas blog, I woke up that morning thinking about how Dad never did ask me to help with barnyard daily chores. I must admit that it never crossed my mind either. My contribution was to wash the milkers, when our herd was small. Of course, harvest was another story, every one was supposed to pitch in during harvest. Who could ever forget my help driving the stick shift on the hay truck turning those corners or pole vaulting over a bump sending the hay or straw load to the ground? I recall many gentle words of encouragement yelled from the back of the truck bed from my brothers. Words that my brother Steve could not repeat when he went on a mission. However, Dad must have thought my speciality was picking potatoes, sorting potatoes, or cutting seed potatoes for planting. Also, I earned my VSW. I became a Very Special Weeder, pulling weeds that took two hands and all my body weight to get out. You know, the ones that got the most water at the end of the rows. I can't recall why some got so big, but my guess is that Dad started to tell me to get out there and get weeding those potatoes, but I had better things to do at the time. I do remember hoeing, but the memorable ones were the big pig weeds. I do not recall hearing the word allergy until I moved to this dry southern area, but do I remember having it during weeding assignments! I just did not know what to call it. I would be so red itchey eyed and spoltch swollen, I thought I could not take another minute and the row had seemed to grow to at least a mile long. Of course, it did not help that I wore shorts and something sleeveless, so I could get a tan. A "Penny tan" where my freckles on my naturally pale skin would blend closer to one another. There was dumb and then there was dumber. Now I am an adult, I call it learning "line upon line, precept upon precept". If I am allergic, I don't go out in the stuff. If the sun is baking, it had better not be my cancer- prone skin.

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

2009-12-08T06:41:00.001-07:00

   The weather man said that it would snow in St. George Utah last night into today. It rained. I thought it would get cold enough to turn to snow during the night, so when I woke up at 4 a.m. I excitedly peeked outside to see the snow. Nothing. Don't get me wrong, I like where I ended up with this southern man I married, but December has to have some white stuff. My favorite non-religious Christmas song has always been (since I moved here) I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas. Walt has often reminded me that a warm and dry Christmas is better. The kids can play outside with their presents, but most importantly, husbands can do "man things" in the afternoon like go shooting.
   I was raised in snow country on a farm southeast of Rexburg Idaho. Every Christmas I experienced had a blanket of white. I remember looking out a large window in our living room watching the snow fall soft and gentle or sometimes sideways and hard against the glass. Some years the snowy roof of the barn dissappeared seamlessly into a huge drift at its side. The farm animals, mostly cows, seemed to breathe white frosty clouds as did my father and two brothers as they dutifully did the chores morning and evening in the cold dark winter. I felt sorry for them, when even on Christmas, the cows had to be milked, calves and live stock fed. Mother would always have a hot delicious meal waiting to serve just as soon as they peeled off the layer of winter gloves, boots, and coats.
   I knew people who did fun winter sports like skiing. I could only think of one word to describe them back then...what was that word? Oh yeah, rich. We could never afford the skis let alone the lift charges. Our winter sport was to dig a snow fort into the drifts, or when we had a horse, hook a rope from a sleigh to the saddle horn and slide through the field. The farm had belonged to Grandpa & Grandma Arnold, before Daddy bought it from them, so I have many very early memories of playing in the snow.   The snow clothing then were not superior as now. My indicator of when it was time to go into the house was when I was totally wet. I remember standing by Grandma's coal stove and seeing steam come off my clothing. After such a snow adventure, hot cocoa was ladeled right out of the pan where it had been made from scratch with whole fresh milk and cream. Hot Cocoa is the first recipe I was taught to make when I was about 8 years old. No powdered mix in those days. So today, perhaps I will make a cup of hot chocolate, watch the rain, and dream of a white Christmas.

Government Corruption

2009-12-04T01:53:00.004-07:00

I want a record for my children's children, so they will know I stood for freedom, truth, and considered living in this land one of my greatest blessings. I decided to begin making a record of what is currently happening to America, during my lifetime, destroying the foundation of freedom our founding fathers sacrificed to build. What seemed as a trickle of corruption a few years ago is now as a tidal wave threatening to destroy and shred the constitution. The Obama administration does not even seem to try to hide the corruption anymore. It is as if they know those of us who care can not really do anything to stop them. The following is a list of just some advisors he has put in positions of power. They do not represent the values I and my husband hold to. They represent all that we abhore.

Richard Holbrooke
Afghanistan Czar Ultra liberal anti gun former Gov. of New Mexico. Pro Abortion and legal drug use.

Ed Montgomery
Auto recovery Czar Black radical anti business activist. Affirmative Action and Job Preference for blacks. Univ of Maryland Business School Dean teaches US business has caused world poverty. ACORN board member. Communist DuBois Club member.

Jeffrey Crowley
AIDS Czar Homosexual. A Gay Rights activist. Believes in Gay Marriage and Special Status, including free health care for gays.

Alan Bersin
Border Czar former failed superintendent of San Diego . Ultra Liberal friend of Hilary Clinton. Served as Border Czar under Janet Reno ? to keep borders open to illegal?s

David J. Hayes
California Water Czar Sr. Fellow of radical environmentalist group, ?Progress Policy?. No training or experience in water management.

Ron Bloom
Car Czar Auto Union worker. Anti business & anti nuclear. Has worked hard to force US auto makers out of business. Sits on the Board of Chrysler which is now Auto Union owned. How did this happen?

Dennis Ross
Central Region Czar Believes US policy has caused Mid East wars. Obama apologist to the world. Anti gun and pro abortion.

Lynn Rosenthal
Domestic Violence Czar Director of the National Network to End Domestic Violence. Vicious anti male feminist. Supported male castration.

Gil Kerlikowske
Drug Czar devoted lobbyist for every restrictive gun law proposal, Former Chief of Police in Liberal Seattle. Believes no American should own a firearm. Supports legalization of drugs

Carol Brower Energy and Environment Czar
Political Radical Former head of EPA - known for anti-business activism. Strong anti-gun ownership. SOCIALIST on Commission for a Sustainable World Society, which calls for "global governance" and says rich countries must shrink their economies to address climate change.

Joshua DuBois
Faith Based Czar Political Black activist-Degree in Black Nationalism?seek a separate black nation.. Anti gun ownership lobbyist.

Cameron Davis
Great Lakes Czar Chicago radical anti business environmentalist. Blames George Bush for ?Poisoning the water that minorities have to drink.? No experience or training in w ater management. Former ACORN Board member

Van Jones
Green Jobs Czar
(since resigned). Black activist Member of American communist Party and San Francisco Communist Party who said Geo Bush caused the 911 attack and wanted Bush investigated by the World Court for war crimes. MARXIST, said whites are poisoning blacks, said transformation from ?suicidal gray capitalism to econ-capitalism to the complete redistribution of wealth.? Black activist with strong anti-white views.

Daniel Fried
Guantanamo Closure Czar
Rights activist for Foreign Terrorists. Believes America has caused the war on terrorism.

Nancy-Ann DeParle.
Health Czar
Former head of Medicare / Medicaid. Strong Health Care Rationing proponent. She is married to a reporter for The New York Times.

Vivek Kundra
Information Czar born in New Delhi, India. Controls all public information, including labels and news releases. Monitors all private Internet emails.

Todd Stern
International Climate Czar Anti business former White House chief of Staff- Strong supporter of the Kyoto Accord. Pushing hard for Cap and Trade. Blames US business for Global warming.

Dennis Blair
Intelligence Czar Ret Navy. Stopped US guided missile program as ?provocative?. Chair of ultra liberal ?Council on Foreign Relations? which blames American organizations for regional wars.

George Mitchell
Mideast Peace Czar Fmr. Sen from Maine Left wing radical. Has said Israel should be split up into ?2 or 3 ? smaller more manageable plots?. Anti-nuclear anti-gun & pro homosexual

Kenneth Feinberg
Pay Czar Chief of Staff to TED KENNEDY. Lawyer who got rich off the 911 victims payoffs.

Cass Sunstein
Regulatory Czar Liberal activist judge believes free speech needs to be limited for the ?common good?. Rules against personal freedoms many times ?like private gun ownership. Says animals should be able to sue people. Anti-hunting..

John Holdren
Science Czar Fierce ideological environmentalist, Sierra Club, Anti business activist. Claims US business has caused world poverty. No Science training. OK to abort a child until the age of two. Thinks TREES should be able to sue humans.

Earl Devaney
Stimulus Accountability Czar spent career trying to take guns away from American citizens. Believes in Open Borders to Mexico . Author of statement blaming US gun stores for drug war in Mexico .

J. Scott Gration
Sudan Czar Native of Democratic Republic of Congo. Believes US does little to help Third World countries. Council of foreign relations, asking for higher US taxes to support United Nations

Herb Allison
TARP Czar Fannie May CEO responsible for the US recession by using real estate mortgages to back up the US stock market. Caused millions of people to lose their life savings.

John Brennan
Terrorism Czar Anti CIA activist. No training in diplomatic or gov. affairs. Believes Open Borders to Mexico and a dialog with terrorists and has suggested Obama disband US military

Aneesh Chopra
Technology Czar No Technology training. Worked for the Advisory Board Company, a health care think tank for hospitals. Anti doctor activist. Supports Obama Health care Rationing and salaried doctors working exclusively for the Gov. health care plan

Adolfo Carrion Jr.
Urban Affairs Czar Puerto Rican. Anti American activist and leftist group member in Latin America . Millionaire ?slum lord? of the Bronx , NY. Owns many lavish homes and condos which he got from ?sweetheart? deals with labor unions. Wants higher taxes to pay for minority housing and health care

Ashton Carter
Weapons Czar Leftist. Wants all private weapons in US destroyed. Supports UN ban on firearms ownership in America . No Other ?policy?

Gary Samore
WMD Policy Czar Former US Communist. Wants US to destroy all WMD unilaterally as a show of good faith. Has no other ?policy?.

Kevin Jennings SAFE SCHOOL CZARS As a teacher when a 15 year year said he was having sex with an older man, instead of turning in the man?the law for a teacher, he asked how it was going and suggested they use condoms. Held a conference with the MAXIMUM age of 18 to teach homosexual issues like ?fisting.? Wrote the intro to the book, ?Queering Elementary Education.? Has repeatedly praised and claims to be inspired by Harry Hay, early supporter of NAMBLA, (North American Man Boy Love Association).

Goodbye Washington Stake RS

2009-12-04T01:15:00.000-07:00

I was released from serving as Stake RS President in stake conference and today was really my first Sunday back into my ward. It felt so good. I introduced myself to a young woman in relief society. I asked if she was new and she said she had been in the ward for a long time. I simply shook her hand and told her I hadn't. Last year I attended our ward and new door greeters shook my hand. They did not know me, and asked if I was new. I told them who I was and thought they might pick up on the Cluff last name, as my hubby serves as first councilor in the Bishopric, laughingly telling them I don't make it very much. They then told me all about how they used to be inactive TOO.
I coud not leave this part of my life experience without acknowledging the wonderful councilors and secretary I was blessed to have before the Stake split and they went into the other stake. Helen Lund was my capable and inspired 1st councilor and Cinda Peterson served as secretary. I learned so much from them and treasure our experiences. One of the most spiritual experiences I had in my life was regarding the names .to present for those to serve with me . when I was first called. I look back on it and am still astounded at how powerful the spirit can be in such things. When I was asked to come up with the names and present them for consideration, I had a major brain freeze. I drew a blank, explaining that I knew many in my own ward, but few in the stake. (After I came up with the names, I could think of many woman outside my ward who would have served very well.) The Stake President said he could take care of that problem and handed me the names of every woman in the Stake. The Stake at that time was 15 wards, there were over 3,000 names. I went to the temple with the list and came out with two names. I wrote the President a note with the names and these words. "Here are two names. I do not know them, nor do I even know if they are active in the Church." He let me know they were both "faithful and valient woman" and he would be immediately making the call. I did not meet either of them until after they had accepted the call. Helen Lund had been hit by a car a couple of years before, breaking everything below her waist. She came to my home for our first presidency meeting on a cane and could hardly get out of her car. She could not kneel for prayer for many months. In her setting apart, she was promised healing due to her faithfulness to serve. She became the Stake RS President of the new stake when it was created two years later. She is a walking miracle and was a joy to serve with.

Who I Want To Be When I Grow Up

2009-11-15T17:55:00.001-07:00

As part of my stewardship being Stake RS President, I go on stake visits with various assigned ward RS Presidents. They choose who we visit, so during the past few years the variety has been across the spectrum. I have visited with those suffering from cancer, those who have lost a spouse or loved one, those in the hospital, and the inactive. My last Stake visit was spent in the home of the most "with it" 92 year old sister I have ever met. The RS President wanted to cheer her up, this sister was depressed because her doctor had told her she could no longer drive due to her side vision deterioration. If she was depressed, I would love to be around her when she is cheerful. After a delightful conversation and mentioning we must hurry to our next visit, she jumped to her feet so SHE could help the 70 year old president out of her chair! She asked if she could share a story with me before I left. Expecting a selected spiritual experience, here is the story she wanted to share about the importance of not stepping on a duck, and with a very serious face, hoped perhaps it would help me. Her story was as follows:
Three faithful old sisters died and went to the other side. Before the keeper of the gate let them in, he told them how valued ducks were in the "kingdom, so do not step on a duck". If one did, they would immediately be chained for time and eternity to an old faithful priesthood holder. When the gate opened they saw that ducks were every where. They no sooner got inside and the first sister stepped on a duck. A golden chain immediately formed on her ankle and she was attached to a very very old priesthood holder. The second sister upon seeing what happened to the first, decided to step very carefully, but she bumped a duck. The golden chain appeared and she was linked to a old, very old man. The third sister thought "I no longer have to eat, drink, or sleep. I do not even have to move, I am staying right in this spot." A short time later a golden chain appeared on her ankle attached to a handsome muscled young man with a full head of wavy hair. This sister could not keep in her joy and exclaimed "What did I ever do to earn this?" The young man said, "I don't know what you did, but I stepped on a duck."
When I am 92, I want to be just like the sister I met on my stake visit, and oh yeah, and not step on any ducks.

Pumpkins Hanging on the Apricot Tree

2009-11-01T19:39:00.001-07:00

Ever since our children were old enough to hold a spoon, we have carved pumpkins for home evening activity on Monday before Halloween. What started as Walt, myself, and toddler Cori Ann has now grown to 25 people weilding spoons and carving knives. My sister came for a visit a few years ago and spent our memorable Halloween evening with our family. She laughed and teased us in that she had "never attended a halloween gathering where the lights went out, scarey pumpkins were lit, and then singing primary songs ." This year we added our own Cluff rendition of Pumpkins Hanging on the Apricot Tree.

"I looked out my window and what did I see? Pumpkins hanging on the apricot tree.

Fall had brought me such a nice surpirse, pumpkins hanging right before my eyes.

I can take an arm full and make a treat. A pumpkin pie that would smell so sweet. It wasn't really so, but it seemed to be. Pumpkins hanging on the apricot tree." At least at the Walt & Penny Cluff house.

Fish Finds Soul Mate

2009-10-31T00:12:00.005-07:00

Walt and I went to San Diego for a week. I enjoyed Shamu Show, but I was mezmerized by the huge fish aquarium. There was not one fish the same. I have never seen so many colors. Walt took a picutre of a huge room of fish, but we did not know until we looked at the photo later that he had a reflection on me watching the fish. We laughed hard because it seemed like the yellow fish is watching me with the same dumb smile on his face like I have on mine. It is as though he is smiling at his new soul mate....me. The first couple of days we were involved in a conference summit. It was excellent. We listened to top business people on marketing, the affects of the economy, and some interesting information given by a scientist on 2012. We then spent a day touring the Midway Aircraft Carrier. I accidently dropped my new glasses in a little hole in the floor of a war plane. Five men had to take the floor out of part of the plane to retrieve my glasses. Other than my blunder, it was a great tour. We visited Old Town, traveled to Coronado, and then spent a day at Sea World. There were very few people there on a Tuesday, so we walked into everything. Walt and I enjoyed this relaxing few days together. It was a sweet refreshment to spirit and our marriage.

Penny's Pity Pot

2009-10-06T21:30:00.001-07:00

(Washington Stake RS Presidency, standing Kathy Gardner, Penny Cluff; sitting, Sue Jolley, Linda Schimbeck; Three of the greatest women I have been blessed to know)

We had some hard family news this week, directly following the news from the owner of the business we lease to at our shop. He told Walt that he could rent a shop down the road a little bigger than ours with fenced black top (our fenced is gravel) for $1000.00 less than he rents from us. When Walt told me, he premised with the words "I have some bad news". I was elated the man did not say he was going out of business. Walt is going to negotiate a lower rent. Therefore, it has been easy to be weighed down with the challenges of life, and climb on for a bumpy ride on the Pity Pot.

The ride on the pity pot ended tonight. I serve as Stake Relief Society President and as part of my stewardship, I go on Stake visits with designated ward leadership. This ward presidency member had lined up two visits, one of which greatly humbled me. After being introduced, I inquired about the two cute children clamoring for the sister's lap. This very young grandmother explained that she watched over her grandchildren most of the time due to some "serious problems" her daughter had in caring for them. She said she keeps a mattress in the other room where they can sleep and be comfortable. One was 9 months the other 2 1/2. The presidency member asked if the medicine she was taking was still making her exhausted. I found out that she is battling cancer and has to be on a med for a much longer period of time. She explained that she was working in a doctors office, a job she had enjoyed for thirteen years, until she got cancer and had to have surgury. With a sweet smile, she said it coincided with having to watch over her grandchildren, so perhaps it was a good thing. I asked if she had ever wondered how hard it would be to go through this tribulation without the comfort of the gospel. She said the peace of the gospel was what pulled her through, and especially this week. She explained that her husband had owned a fence business and had to close it last year. He was able to get a job a few months ago, but had just found out that company was closing its doors and he is once again without work. Her youngest son, about ten years old, needed help with his homework so we left. I could not leave until I embraced her. As I held her to me, I was humbled to the marrow of my bones.

Sleepovers

2009-09-22T17:59:00.003-07:00

Of course, any loving married adult over the age of 60 knows that God's greatest gift is GRANDCHILDREN. There is a very marked discrepancy at this point, however. I think mine are the best, the smartest, the cutest, the most polite, and the most loving. I have a sleepover before they all go back to school. The boys always choose the mountain, so I load up my SUV as full as I can with boys, air guns, bows, arrows, and many other boy toys. This year I had to arrange for a couple of them to go up in another vehicle. Walt said I am going to have to get a school bus before I am through with this tradition. They had a great time, but Brad said he had really been cheated this year. We did not go until August and I usually take them late June or July. I spent July with my sister Robin, so it threw me off schedule and this grandson let me know about it. They love it.

The girls are all too prissy to want the mountain experience. This year they chose to sleep at our house, picked out a movie, and opted to dine out instead of roast over the camp fire. They had a great time. Tori (Victoria) is in Young Women now and she is the oldest. I was impressed with how patient she was with the younger ones. Lesley, after everyone voted on where to eat, quietly asked me if it was too expensive and that they could select one that is cheaper. They decided to watch Sound of Music. They had so much fun playing that the movie was put off until 8:30, which made for only Taiha and Tori making it to the half way point. At 1:30 p.m. Josie woke all of them to go down stairs to the bathroom. She was too scared to go alone. They all trailed down, so she would not be afraid. I think when I was that age I would have yelled "Go yourself you little coward" and went back to sleep. (9-27 post script: I have since been corrected. Perhaps they all woke up each other and one of them had to go to the bathroom. As I said previously, when I was that age, I would have not been as sweet as all these girls were to each other. I would have rolled over and said something not very nice and definitely went back to sleep. I am so pleased with the kindness they all show to one another.)

Josie Ann Got the "Cleaning Machine" Gene

Josie went to the mountain with her Dad during Labor Day weekend and did not want to return with her brother and mother, so she hung out with me for a few days. I taught her to ride the 4 wheeler. She would drive at 3 miles per hour, while I got my walk. Walt and I came down from the mountain to attend a funeral and then went back a few hours later. I explained when Josie wanted to stay that she would be alone at the camper while we were gone. Josie said she could stay alone, so her mom left her. We returned from the funeral and Josie had completely scrubbed clean the 5th wheel trailer. I think she might suffer her Granny's trait of having to make use of energy caused from worry or anxiety. She had even beat the rugs. She even got down on her hands and knees using the scrub side of a sponge to clean the kitchen floor. Those spots had been there all summer. What an dedication and focus! It probably took her a long time on one little ugly spot. I was impressed. Walt always knows when I am upset over something because I become a cleaning machine...cupboards, floors, drawers, closets. The louder the cleaning noise the better I feel! Regardless, I think of all my "interesting" ways to handle times of anxiety would be the one to pass on to my posterity. Being a cleaning machine for a few hours is better than getting into words with someone, filling a kleenex with tears, tearing someone's head off for no some unknown reason, or watching a clock tick by until I feel better. Yup, utilizing the cleaning -machine- gene works almost every time at least for me and Josie Ann.

Fruit Leather (crying over peaches)

2009-09-16T20:09:00.001-07:00

Walt signed us up to help at the Cannery last week. I had a ton to do, but went without complaining UNTIL I started putting the greenest peaches in a can I had ever seen. They were so hard that they would not go into the cans. They would not mush down. I was the last of the assembly, so they were already washed and preped for the can. After about two hours of this, I started to get very sad. I was raised on a farm and taught that you harvest when the fruit, potato, grain, or hay is ready. It is against the law of the harvest to take a beautiful fruit, pick it on your time schedule, and tell it is ready. Crazy. I did not know how much it bothered me until we were at KFC later for lunch and Walt asked me what I was thinking. As I tried to explain to him how I felt, I had to actually wipe tears from my eyes with my napkin. Crying over a green batch of peaches! Later he told me that we could have had free seconds from the day before. The seconds were ripe from the previous day, I made jam and fruit leather. I read in Cori's dehydrator book that you can add nuts to leather before starting the drying. I sprinkled them on top and it was not just good, but I could not stay out of the darn stuff. Walt took an entire dryed tray with him for his day of hunting.

Mountain Get Away

2009-09-16T19:26:00.001-07:00

Walt and I finally got away to Cedar Mountain for five days. His last words while loading the last box was "We will only come down if someone dies". Someone did. Someone we have come to love and respect through the years. We came down for viewing and funeral and went right back up. Walt surprised me with an invitation to go on a 15 mile 4-wheel ride on a trail near Stout Canyon. It rained for a few hours before we left, so the dust was minimal, and the trees and rocks were spectacular. The dust reduction was important to me because I follow Walt on my 4-wheeler and eat his dust,so usually lag far behind, but this trip I did not have to. It was fun and relaxing. My thumb was sore from running the gas feed, but fun none the less.

Doer Not Hearer Only?

2009-09-15T16:03:00.000-07:00

Today is the primary election in Washington City. Walt and I are going to vote before he goes to Bishopic meeting tonight. The condition of our country through government decision at the highest level has been on my mind today due to casting a vote today. I decided to take try to make a difference in my own way. This is a copy of email I sent to family and friends to join the Patrick Henry Caucus. The email communication says it all:"Here is our personal invitation to join this Caucus. Here is my personal invitation to make a difference and it does not cost you a cent. Walt and I have found their updates and notifications to be very integrated with our core values. Another thing is that we have found their substance for opposing many of the decisions being made by government based on fact not drama, racism, etc. It is growing around the US. What I like about the Caucus is that it saves a lot of work and research. Their updates give you exactly who to contact where it will make the most impact. They were very involved in the organization of the 9/12 march in Washington DC. We were the 400th to join the caucus. We have not been disappointed. This is my perspective, we can sit on our rears and complain and say the country is going to pot or we can join a movement that wants to make a difference in an effective organized way. Here it is....mine and Walt's personal invitation, or you can just keep complaining, sending email to your friends about your disapproval of what is happening in DC, and not getting anything but frustrated. Or you can add to your email a communication to those whom it might make a difference. We have seen that the squeeky wheel got the grease in the environmental movement, and now we think, how did such a small group of society get such a mammoth amount of power is America? They organized and yelled. Now you can become an important spoke in a squeeky wheel that will really make a difference to restore common sense as we safe guard the constitution. Here is a question I want to ask all of you, just for your personal perspective. Does there need to be a change? How many letters, phone calls, or email have you personally sent to those in power making government decisions you disapprove of? How many times have you expressed your concern and complained to friends, family, or anyone for that matter? If the answer to the first question is a lot smaller than the answer to the 2nd question, then there needs to be a change, but maybe it starts with the person looking back in the mirror. " Following the email was a link to education and opportunity to join the caucus.

Political Penny?

2009-08-31T13:30:00.004-07:00

Now when I say, I am not nor ever been politically active other than to vote, there was never a truer statement. That has changed. I am so fed up with what is going on, as far as government decisions, I have made a huge decision that I have no right complain if I sit on my rear end and do nothing. Washington City power rates are higher than any where in our county. Last year "the powers that be" built a huge community center much bigger than we ever needed. Now when I say big, two swimming pools, two basketball courts, huge reception center, climbing wall, track, every weight and elliptical type available, and it is only in use about 25% of the time. All of this is indoors. The lure of gov grant money to get it going and the glow of "our little city can now be a big city" ideology was more powerful than long-term brain power and common sense. After only one year, the new center is going in the hole $30,000 a month in just part of the over head. At last count, the estimate is a deficit of a million dollars by the end of next year. The answer I am sure will be a bond...which to me is another word for financial bondage to the residents who do not use, nor ever planned to pay the $395 yearly fee per family they are charging now. Now add to this, financially ruining several businesses in our city that they are directly competing with. The center opened a day care with every modern anything complete with their own little rocking chairs, nap stations, and learning modules. We have five excellent day cares and the competition has hit them hard. Next, the reception centers that have catered to weddings, business meetings. Our City Center rents cheaper and has more room choices. Next, the Gold's Gym, Curves, and other work- out places. Our City Center is open from 5 in the a.m. to 10 every day with every new bell and whistle. A former mayer who guarded against government competition against it's own citizens, will not even go in the building. It is a sad commentary on a lcity government that does not value it's own contributing citizens, those who hire residents and provide local jobs. Especially in this economic climate. A governments job is to protect and never every compete with hard working residents.

There are elections in November for Mayer and 2 Councilman. The youngest of the bunch is Bill Hudson, a man who has been so concerned over the ignoring of what the city citizens want, that he has sat in on most of the city council meetings for over the last year. His philosophy, Walt's and mine are right on. I came up with this campaign idea, my new son-in-law Cody cut the vinyl, and we are distributing these signs to a lot of people this week. Those running against Bill Hudson have put thousands of dollars into their campaigns, three of them teaming up for more power. We will see how this goes. I am also going to make calls and take some fliers around to influential people I have come to know through the years. Concerning the campaign, I had a thought to link emotion to what is going on in Washington DC right now. Bill liked it so here it is: Can't change the White House? You can change our house, Washington City! Vote Bill Hudson I hope my little contribution will help. We shall see.

First Personal Experience with Going Green

2009-08-28T19:02:00.004-07:00

After today's dishwasher repair experience, I am rephrasing "going green" to "green going" out of my pocket. After paying the repairman $95 to get my dishwasher back to efficiency, I asked what all that white gunk was from he removed from the filter. He explained that since the new "Go Green" Federal guidelines, the manufacturers of dishwasher detergent are slowly removing phosphorous. Some have already removed it. He explained that phosphorous it what keeps hard water softened, keeps glass shining, and most important, keeps calcium from building up on your filters. He showed me a little number on the detergent container that starts with a P or a Z. If the number has a Z there is no phosphorous in it, and he added no strong efficient cleaning power. According to him, liquid auto- dish detergent is the lowest phosphorous content, and usually granulate has the highest "for now". He suggested applying a strong phosphate treatment a couple of times a year, or you will have a green going experience like I had. He went on to say that since the new cap and trade guidelines, efficiency will be so low, the manufactures are worried that the public will think it is their fault, but in fact it will be due to gov regulation. The water tubs will be smaller, the rinse cycles not as long. He attends repair schools for all the main appliance manufacturers, it will affect them all, not just dishwashers. I won't bore you with the info he shared on frigs. Hold on to your pocket book, here it comes ...Going Green or shall I say your green going. Of course, we must be fair, I am sure it will eventually make sense like the guideline to take lead out of road paint making it so the lines fade within just a few months. It has saved the lives of those who get their nutrient from licking the lines on the road. Oops, I guess though to be really fair, I need to factor in the lives that have been lost due to not being able to tell where the lines on a road are. Silly me, what was I thinking.

Costco Canned Chicken vs My Own

2009-08-28T11:58:00.003-07:00

The other day after pouring the liquid off my can of Costco Chicken Breast for my yummy Chinese salad, I decided to weigh just the meat. I got just less than 8 oz from a 12 oz can of chicken! I figured it up and I was paying almost $6.00 a lb on a good sale day! I dusted off my mother's old pressure canner and went looking for some chicken breast. Due to being in my experiment mode, I did not look for best sale on skinless boneless breast, but bought at the cost my grocery store was selling that day. I packed it in jelly jars and 75 minutes later better chicken than Costco at over half the price. I had a bottle the next day and found it to be juicier and much tastier. It does naturally make some broth, but it is pure chicken broth, not water as Costco chicken. I called around and found out that Lins is having a chicken breast sale in two weeks where it is only $1.29 a lb. I can get the same amount of chicken as in a Costco can for about 75 cents a jar at that rate. ...about a 75% savings.

Directions on bottling chicken: Raw pack, do not cook before It makes it dry. (NOTE: Every thing I found said to cook first, but Wendy DeWitt, a provident living specialist has been doing hers raw for years. Even had a bottle after storing for years. It was perfect. The intense heat cooks and kills all bacteria.) Boil jar lids, this is not to sanitize but to soften to seat. After placing lids on jars, place in pressure canner at 15 lb for 75 minutes. Let the steam come our of the hole a top for about 4 minutes, place weight on, let pressure build until weight is rocking steadily. On my smooth top stove, it is at about 7.5 heat. Pressure for 75 minutes and turn off heat. You can remove from heat, but do not remove weight or lid until completely cool. It is that simple.

2009-08-24T05:28:00.001-07:00

The Mother of all Composters

2009-08-24T04:15:00.005-07:00

I was raised on a farm. When you made garbage, it went to a barrel and eventually burned. The crops were turned under every fall, manure was piled high and then distributed for a few smelly days a year. I don't know where along the way I lost my value to compost. During the years, I have sent enough organic waste down the garbage disposal to fertilize a football field many times over. I know, you "save the planet" people are thinking what a shame. One day last spring I made mention to Walt that I would like to compost the debris I removed from our yard every fall and spring. Wow, I had no idea what key I had turned in honor of composters every where. He began to plan and then build the mother of all composters. He recycled a pressure tank that came from a water well repair he had done several years ago. He put mechanisms inside to turn the compost. It works great and after he painted it dark green, it even looks like it belongs in our back yard. Sometimes, I am amazed at what this man of mine can figure out and build. I have a mechanical disability, according to my family, I cannot open a box of cereal the right way.

Mighty Cluff Hunters

2009-08-16T20:54:00.003-07:00

When Walt and I were dating and discussing marriage, I timidly revealed to him that I had a $400 loan I had taken out in order to get through with BYU that spring. He then "revealed" to me that he really loved hunting. He was an avid outdoorsman and he asked if I would support him in this endeavor. Oh, I can support that "hobby". All I can say is he got off pretty easy with that loan repay. I have been paying for the "hunt support" promise many years. I was CLUELESS. Now we have an entire family of mighty hunters and my support has been been multiplied a hundred fold.

Our son Brandon's son, Jade got a nice four point with his bow just before dusk. He was pretty proud. It is his first "big one". I was the cook for the crew of hunters until we came down late Saturday night. I should say Sunday a.m. Walt got about five hours of sleep before he made it to Bishopic meeting at 6 a.m. It was quite a thrilling night for the mighty Cluff hunter.

Cedar Mountain

2009-08-07T15:50:00.002-07:00

At last, I am relaxing at our property on Cedar Mountain. Our fifth wheel survived all the comings and goings of the "men" in my life preparing for the deer hunt. They archery hunt and it starts the middle of August here. Right now, that means scouting. Yes, scouting must start at least a month before. This year grandson Jade, Dad Brandon, and son-in-law Brian have placed a motion activated camera on a deer trail near a blind. They have seen many big bucks this year.

I listen to narrations of their adventures, cook occasionally, and kick back with a book, art, or my harp the minute they leave. Walt and I are 4-wheeling today, then he is off to scout with his brother Ray. I love the peace of the mountain. I take long walks, watch the wild life, find my rock and gaze at the beauty. We can see many miles to the south from a high point. I call it my peace rock.

The hot hula mamas

2009-07-27T01:56:00.003-07:00

All of us enjoyed our evening of hula and excellent food. My neices were excellent dancers. I am happy to see them preserving their heritage.

2009-07-27T01:35:00.005-07:00

2009-07-27T01:29:00.001-07:00

Ashley Inn without Rhett Butler.

I felt like I had entered the book "Gone With the Wind".

Ashley Inn

2009-07-27T01:05:00.004-07:00

This Inn was something else. All victorian, every room, a real female kingdom. I could not visualize a single male daring to enter or perhaps only "real men" would dare enter.

Robin & Family

2009-07-27T00:33:00.004-07:00

The last few days at my sister Robins was a whirlwind of family and loved one renewal. Brother Steve & wife Sharon, Aunt Ruth and Uncle Darrel, Brother Joshua and Tim & wife Ginny all came for dinner at Hollingworth home Tuesday. It was great to see everyone. They all were amazed a Robins' progress. Wednesday was movie and dinner out with my Nati and Katy who flew into Boise and traveled back home with me in my car Sunday. Thursday night Josh came out again and we all watched the dvd from the Arnold reunion in June. Heidi and Ren joined us. Friday night everyone gathered at Mindy's boyfriend's cafe. What great food and the floor show was excellent too ...my neices doing hula. They looked beautiful and danced like true Hawaiians.
We stood outside and talked for a long time after it closed. Saturday a.m. Kristi, Mindy, Katy, and Nati all went to garage sales and returned with some serious good deals. Robin and I were invited, but were completely wore out from our week of "relaxation". It was so nice to see our girls enjoying their "cousin friends" and loving the time they spent together.

Driving Miss Daisy (helping my sister)

2009-07-24T14:21:00.005-07:00

I am in Caldwell Idaho. I came here with the intent to help my sister Robins' family take a little time off. Even though she is only in her 40s, Robin suffered a massive stroke just before Christmas. Her daughters organized themselves into an extraordinary team of mother helpers. Kristi has assisted with Monday through Fridays, Heidi takes nights, and Mindy does Friday night through Sunday afternoon. This has been devastating with Robin's husband Don in Iraq, medical and financial challenges, and their entire life being turned upside down, to say it has been hard would be an understatement. Robin was improved since I last spent time with her in March. She had a little "outing" planned for us, a night at Ashley Inn located in Cascade Idaho, a beautiful mountain town. Last week we had fun at this awesome victorian inn, but to my surprise it did not stop there. Robin decided she wanted to go on to McCall and stay at the Lakeshore. Robin no longer uses a walker or cane, but she does have a cumbersome brace, a limp, and one arm that does not function at all. She confuses words even though she is very with it in her mind, but her words do not come out the way she wants. This really discourages her, but I reassure constantly that if she does not give up, her articulation will be restored. It is that "give up" part that is the challenge right now. We found out on our trip that she can sing her words very plainly and in full sentences. We sang to some favorite songs I had bought off I-tunes. She could sing almost all of them.

We had a good laugh at the Lake Shore Lodge. She drives a fancy BMW and I could not find a close parking space to unload. When I inquired, they assigned us a valet. He got the keys and assisting us at the car removed Robin's luggage. I did not take my large suitcase because I thought we were only staying one night. I had put my "stuff" in a Albertson's grocery shopping bag. After helping Robin, he asked me where my luggage was. I pointed to the shopping bag. When Robin was out of hearing, the valet asked me if I was her driver? I said I was and turned and asked Robin, "Is you ready for yo room, Miss Daisy?" We did a lot of "Miss Daisy" teasing after that.

Decision to become a BLOGGER

2009-07-24T13:23:00.002-07:00

I learned to type on a Royal manual typewriter when I went to High School. They were able to get electric typwriters when I was a junior or senior. Let's put it this way. I have come a long way. I was an okay typist, but when I was able to get my hands on an electric, I became a fast and efficient one. If you were making multiple copies, on the manual this required a razor taking off the letter on each copy, then replacing a small piece of paper to transfer a new letter on the paper after you had the hit the key hard enough to imprint over the mistake. Took forever. When the great new technology of electric typewriters was invented, a mistake was painted over with a product called White Out. A bad typist could easily produce a paper that looked with it had fallen in a paint bucket because White Out never matched the color of the paper. Fast forward to the computer age. I could not get over the fact that I could just do spell or grammar check and then click "print". Now fast forward again, I have made myself learn to text (which my husband says they had back in the days of the telegraph, so what is the big deal?), I love google, and then came the BIG decision...do I face book, blog, twitter, all of it or none? Most my age have nothing to do with any of it, unless they have children dragging them into it due to long distance. As we have all our children within a few miles, I did not need to utilize tech means to communicate. I see them often. However, to use blogging for journaling? My decision was made. I am now a blogger. Those who want to share, that is nice, those who don't, that is okay too, but hopefully I can journal and have some fun while I am doing it. Then to actually be able to click and publish it? Unbelievable!