My sister, Michelle, and her husband, Daniel, rode the chunnel over from London and met us at 5 pm outside the Louvre. We joined them for dinner and then took a riverboat ride on the Seine that night. We had the exhilarating experience of a big, brown, furry rat running alongside us as we ascended the dark, damp, moss-covered stone steps from the river to the streets of Paris. And yes, we screamed – well, the women did, at least.Sunday, April 5, 2009
RIVER BOAT TRIP ON THE SEINE
My sister, Michelle, and her husband, Daniel, rode the chunnel over from London and met us at 5 pm outside the Louvre. We joined them for dinner and then took a riverboat ride on the Seine that night. We had the exhilarating experience of a big, brown, furry rat running alongside us as we ascended the dark, damp, moss-covered stone steps from the river to the streets of Paris. And yes, we screamed – well, the women did, at least.
NOTRE DAME
Our last day in Paris began with a trip to Notre Dame. If we were to choose our very favorite activity of the week, this would be mine. What a magnificent structure! Every detail, inside and out, a work of art from the stained glass windows to the statues and carved panels depicting the life of Christ, to the architecture of the building itself. Everything meticulously crafted to perfection. Such artistry. 170 years to build? I believe it! I must say; however, that everything inside Notre Dame was so dusty! I wanted to grab a dust rag and some pledge and spend a week or two in there just cleaning all the statues, carvings, tables, hearths, and other bits of furniture. Perhaps the dust helps preserve things, I'm not sure. Or maybe there's so many nooks, crannies and artifacts that people just got tired of all the dusting required and gave it up for lent.NAPOLEON'S TOMB
Our final tour was of Napoleon’s Tomb located at a place Known as Les Invalides – a hospital for wounded soldiers. What a remarkable tribute to Napoleon. Marble and beautiful stone everywhere! Gorgeous beyond description. It was a whirlwind trip, but we certainly made the most of it. The weather was windy and chilly, and occasionally rainy, but that’s to be expected of Paris in March, I’m sure. Next time, I think we shall go in the summer so we can see the beauty of the gardens.Friday, March 20, 2009
HAPPY 25TH BIRTHDAY TO SARAH
A quarter of a century!!! What a momentous occasion. I just think it’s so awesome that Sarah turns a quarter of a century right after her mom turns half a century. How cool is that?!
I flew up on Friday to celebrate the 25th anniversary of my eldest daughter’s birth, and we had a glorious weekend together. Sarah picked me up at the airport and we headed right into SLC to view an art show where one of her fellow WSU classmates was exhibiting his photography. Remarkable artistry. Unique compositions – every one. Then we met Josh at the Desert Star Theater where we were delightfully entertained by the silly show: “Home School Musical” as we gobbled enormous bowls of Farr’s ice cream.
Sarah and Josh have been taking snowboarding lessons at WSU this semester and were eager to display their prowess at the sport. They are AWESOME snowboarders!!! Ed was unable to join us Friday evening, due to a previous announcing commitment, but he flew up to spend a glorious day on the slopes with us.
Sarah and Josh showing off their adorable funky ski hats.
The Birthday Girl all ready for a day on the slopes of Powder Mountain.
This is Josh disguised as a Snow Walrus!
I flew up on Friday to celebrate the 25th anniversary of my eldest daughter’s birth, and we had a glorious weekend together. Sarah picked me up at the airport and we headed right into SLC to view an art show where one of her fellow WSU classmates was exhibiting his photography. Remarkable artistry. Unique compositions – every one. Then we met Josh at the Desert Star Theater where we were delightfully entertained by the silly show: “Home School Musical” as we gobbled enormous bowls of Farr’s ice cream.
Sarah and Josh have been taking snowboarding lessons at WSU this semester and were eager to display their prowess at the sport. They are AWESOME snowboarders!!! Ed was unable to join us Friday evening, due to a previous announcing commitment, but he flew up to spend a glorious day on the slopes with us.
Sarah and Josh showing off their adorable funky ski hats.
The Birthday Girl all ready for a day on the slopes of Powder Mountain.
This is Josh disguised as a Snow Walrus!It had been years since either Ed or I had been skiing, but it only took a couple of runs to be right back in the groove. The fluffy clouds had dumped several feet of snow on Northern Utah just a few days before our arrival, and the slopes were perfect! The day was sunny and warmish, there was a light skiff of powder on the hard-packed surface, and I realized how very much I have missed skiing these last 15 years since moving to St. George.
Thank you, Sarah, for inviting us to your fabulous birthday weekend. Happy Birthday, my wonderful daughter!
JURASSIC PARK
I was visiting Sarah a few weeks ago for her birthday. One evening, while she was busy with a project (she’s the editor for a WSU annual arts publication and the deadline was fast approaching), I decided to take a walk along an enticing trail just a block from her home. It was late afternoon, the air was crisp and wintery and snow blanketed the Ogden world with it’s stark, sparkling beauty. The trail wound through a park, then along the Ogden river right up to the mouth of Ogden canyon. The banks of the river were dotted with trees stretching their bare limbs towards the baby-blue sky. It was such a beautiful day for a stroll and I was soaking in the splendor of being healthy, happy, and loving the wonderful earth that Heavenly Father has created for us, when suddenly I s
aw TEETH coming at me from the side of the trail. AHHH! Dino-breath! And right in the neck of Ogden Canyon. Who would have expected that?! Thankfully, the predator didn’t appear to have seen me, so I quietly journeyed on. A few meters later, though, there was another dinosaur – and yet another one! Apparently I had stumbled upon some prehistoric stomping ground. And since I had reached the end of the path, and the sun was quickly setting, and I was now miles from Sarah’s home, I turned myself about and rushed hurriedly back the way that I had come. As I approached the turnoff to Sarah’s place, I saw that the trail stretched for potentially miles in the opposite direction that I had journeyed that day. Hmmm. I wonder what I might find in that direction? I shall simply have to pay my daughter another visit and find out. But next time – I’m NOT going alone!!!
aw TEETH coming at me from the side of the trail. AHHH! Dino-breath! And right in the neck of Ogden Canyon. Who would have expected that?! Thankfully, the predator didn’t appear to have seen me, so I quietly journeyed on. A few meters later, though, there was another dinosaur – and yet another one! Apparently I had stumbled upon some prehistoric stomping ground. And since I had reached the end of the path, and the sun was quickly setting, and I was now miles from Sarah’s home, I turned myself about and rushed hurriedly back the way that I had come. As I approached the turnoff to Sarah’s place, I saw that the trail stretched for potentially miles in the opposite direction that I had journeyed that day. Hmmm. I wonder what I might find in that direction? I shall simply have to pay my daughter another visit and find out. But next time – I’m NOT going alone!!!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Flame On!
There’s one aspect of my personality that frightens me. It’s a closely guarded secret, but I have a terrible, instant temper. I think of myself as a volcano – all that blisteringly hot, smoldering lava lying just beneath the surface. The pressure builds gradually, slowly, almost imperceptibly until suddenly – KABOOM! - it erupts and spews rock chunks, scalding steam, and molten lava all over anything and everything near it. Like the volcano, it takes a lot to provoke me to spew. Usually years and years of frustrating events that slowly build the pressure inside me until one final event triggers the eruption and KABOOM! I’m throwing off piercingly dark looks and spewing angry words at a poor unsuspecting subject. This was me and Eddie yesterday at the airport kiosk. Me, the erupting volcano and he, the unsuspecting subject.
He asked me about it today. I confessed that it was “the eye.” He gives me “the eye” when I say something incredibly stupid, which I do from time to time – more frequently, in fact, than I care to admit. So, I was stupid yet again yesterday and I knew, I just knew that when I looked at him he’d be giving me “the eye” of incredulity. I glanced his way and THERE IT WAS! AAAAAAGH! I just couldn’t take it, and I blew and spewed - covering him with my vile anger. And, of course, after the angry episode comes the dreaded silence. I mean, what can you say to a seething volcano? And I, for my part, need time to cool down before I can speak rationally. So we walked side by side in icy silence through airport security and on to our gate in terminal “E” – then, he quietly asked if I wanted a Strawberry Frappacino. That helped cool me down a LOT. But it wasn’t one hour later (I had barely finished the Frappacino) that I said a stupid thing yet AGAIN! That time, however, I simply refused to look at him. Sigh.
So, we were talking about it tonight (it really was quite an astonishing episode – the first in our three years together) and I told him that if he just wouldn’t give me “the eye,” I wouldn’t be so tempted to spew. But he couldn’t promise not to give me “the eye” when I said stupid things, so I told him I couldn’t promise not to “Flame On” when he does. And that’s where we stand today. Gosh, I love this man. What a glorious time we have together, experiencing all the wonderful emotions bestowed upon mankind. And I love the “Flame On” thing. That was Ed’s term for it. It suits.
There’s one aspect of my personality that frightens me. It’s a closely guarded secret, but I have a terrible, instant temper. I think of myself as a volcano – all that blisteringly hot, smoldering lava lying just beneath the surface. The pressure builds gradually, slowly, almost imperceptibly until suddenly – KABOOM! - it erupts and spews rock chunks, scalding steam, and molten lava all over anything and everything near it. Like the volcano, it takes a lot to provoke me to spew. Usually years and years of frustrating events that slowly build the pressure inside me until one final event triggers the eruption and KABOOM! I’m throwing off piercingly dark looks and spewing angry words at a poor unsuspecting subject. This was me and Eddie yesterday at the airport kiosk. Me, the erupting volcano and he, the unsuspecting subject.
He asked me about it today. I confessed that it was “the eye.” He gives me “the eye” when I say something incredibly stupid, which I do from time to time – more frequently, in fact, than I care to admit. So, I was stupid yet again yesterday and I knew, I just knew that when I looked at him he’d be giving me “the eye” of incredulity. I glanced his way and THERE IT WAS! AAAAAAGH! I just couldn’t take it, and I blew and spewed - covering him with my vile anger. And, of course, after the angry episode comes the dreaded silence. I mean, what can you say to a seething volcano? And I, for my part, need time to cool down before I can speak rationally. So we walked side by side in icy silence through airport security and on to our gate in terminal “E” – then, he quietly asked if I wanted a Strawberry Frappacino. That helped cool me down a LOT. But it wasn’t one hour later (I had barely finished the Frappacino) that I said a stupid thing yet AGAIN! That time, however, I simply refused to look at him. Sigh.
So, we were talking about it tonight (it really was quite an astonishing episode – the first in our three years together) and I told him that if he just wouldn’t give me “the eye,” I wouldn’t be so tempted to spew. But he couldn’t promise not to give me “the eye” when I said stupid things, so I told him I couldn’t promise not to “Flame On” when he does. And that’s where we stand today. Gosh, I love this man. What a glorious time we have together, experiencing all the wonderful emotions bestowed upon mankind. And I love the “Flame On” thing. That was Ed’s term for it. It suits.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
A Visit with Mom and Duane
Mom and Duane have a timeshare condo in Mesquite, and we love getting together with them when they're in the neighborhood. In September 2008 they came down for a week, and Ed and I treated them to a couple of nights at the theater. We saw Les Miserables and Big River at Tuacahn and had the most fabulous time!
On Sunday we held a feast at the Rogers abode in their honor. Nikki and Paul joined us as well as Austin and Jason. We ate lasagna and breadsticks and salad and played “chicken foot” dominoes. It was so much fun being together. My Mom is looking so fragile lately. Neither she nor Duane can get around very easily. Ed was patience personified during their visit. He is so kind, thoughtful and chivalrous. I’m glad I married such a good man. How blessed I’ve been to have my mother with me so long in this life, and to have such a marvelous man as my husband.
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