Sunday and Jazz

Today is Sunday, the end of February already and so I need to get the Home Teaching Reports completed. I think is is a conspiracy for this month to be so short, there is just not enough time to get everything done, or is it that I don't have enough time to put things off as as long as I normally do.

Marlene is excited and depressed. The Jazz traded their best, and her favorite player Daren Williams. She really feels bad about that, but they received two new and really good players. So She is excited to see how they new guys do on the team. The Jazz have been constantly loosing lately and it is hard for her to see "Her guys go down" . She really is into this Jazz thing which is OK with me because I don't have to worry about being able to watch the games. When We went to Las Vegas for a couple of days. Her biggest worry was that we would miss "two whole games". I have to set up the DVR to record all of the games when We are away from home. She is happy as long as the TV works on game day.

Books of Mormon

I was working at D I on assignment for our D. I. drive Week, pricing and sorting books when one of the employees brought me two books to ask me if I could understand the language they were written in. I recognized the Script as the same as a book on display in the Beehive House the "Deseret Alphabet" I explained to them that they were most likely very rare books.

Front of Book #1

They put them the the Collectible section and priced them at $ 200 each. The person in charge of that area said to me that that was a terrible price and no one in their right mind would pay that much for old books.

Title page of Book #1

Book #2

Upon going home I did some Research on the books and found that the Deseret University had published several different books in the Deseret Alphabet in 1869. The Two books at D. I. were "Selections from the Book of Mormon" one of the more rare of the publications.

The price of these Books on some rare book sites on the Internet was about $2000.00.

I called Benchmark Books, Kurt Bench's rare book store. They said that the books would most likely would not be less than $ 350.00 each. The books are in excellent condition, tomake the story short our Family is now the proud owners of two rare books. I think that I will keep them.

I had a really good Christmas, Birthday and soon to come Valentine day. I love to read and now I am now set up for the next couple of months with new books from some of my favorite Authors. The book by Tom Clancy is his first for more that seven years. The two books by Orson Scott Card look to be really good. He is really good with stories about boys learning to handle new situations, both new books of his are on that theme. I have read almost all of John Grishams books so a new one is going to be fun. I have found Brandon Sanderson to be a good read. He is teaching at BYU. I have always wanted to know more about Henry Clay and I like the Mitt Ronmey guy.

I forgot to put in the picture some of the other books that I received. Thanks Roy for "Eilfheim" I loved it. I am currently reading "Escape from the land of Snows" the story of the Dalai Lama's flight to freedom from the communist Chinese in Tibet and a book about the history of the Roman Emperors. I also have a book on the conflict about the nature of Christ in the early Church that lead to the Nicean Creed and a book written by some of the Church historians about the Mountain Meadow Massacre.

I have finished reading the books on the right. I enjoyed all of them.

Mom and I have a really neat system. I pick the books and She gives them to me for the next gifting event. It works really good.

pictures, pictures

We have Many, Many pictures that we brought to St George, which we love, but had not found places to display all of them. Marlene and I, after discussion, decided to put them "all" up on walls. They may be a little crowded but we love them all. Saturday was spent in finding places for all of them and then installing them.

The East wall of Dad's office.

The picture of the "Bowl Cut kids" blowing bubbles is one of our favorites. Sorry but the flash came back from the photo of Caleb and Amanda kissing. The photo of Clay's children welcoming Amanda to their family is so cool. Todd, Shelly and Shay is so wonderful

South Wall of Dad's Office

The group picture in the center taken many years ago of the grand kids is one of our fondest remembrances.

Mom's Pictures centered over the North wall of the TV room.

Centered in the Gilt frame is a Document where Melody expresses her feelings for Mom. It has always very special for Marlene. The Picture on the upper right side was taken for her Wedding Announcement in the Deseret News. I love the Picture of my wonderful wife with our first three kids. Cloth diapers were the only choice at that time. Every time Mom sees this picture she talks about how loose Clay's diaper was.

South Wall of the TV Room

Nauvoo Temple one of the Highlights of our Life. The Picture of the Sail Boat Melody painted while in High School.

North Wall of Dad's Office

Left column, Bishop's Certificate, Citation Of Commendation from the Structures Division of the Utah Department of Transportation. Wood Badge completion Certificate.

Center Column, Release for Mom and Dad from the Temple Square Mission. Releases for Mom and Dad from the Nauvoo Temple Mission.

Right side, Silver Beaver Award, Scouting District Award of Merit, Silver Moccasin staff.

Marlene has been called to be the Music Chairman in the Ward. She will still serve as the Ward Organist. She will do a great job. We have not had a Choir in the Ward for years so that will be a challenge for her.

dads birthday

For My seventy second Birthday, Marlene and I took a short trip to Las Vegas. Vegas is a short two hour drive from our home in St George and the last time We went there was a day trip and we were completely worn out from walking around the strip way too much. This time We booked a room at the Excalibur Hotel, relaxed and took our time, which not so much walking. Tuesday was really warm and Mom wanted to do some swimming so I sat in one of the Hot Tubs while She splashed around in the pool.

There is a Tram that goes between the Excalibur, Luxor and the Mandalay Bay Hotels, so most of our time was spent in that area so we would not have to walk around too much. I think that when a person gets in the seventies that we slow down quite a bit.

Mom found a Timeshare presentation to go to on Wednesday, Free stuff. I have stopped resisting her impulses to go to that kind of thing. We earned, sat through more that three hours of high pressure selling, two tickets to the Lion King show that evening. The show was wonderful, Musicals are our favorite thing.

Wednesday we went to the dinner show at the Excalibur, King Arther's Court. It was really fun eating Cornish Hen, Veggies, and Potatoes with our fingers while we watched Jousting and such. The Good guys won, the Prince became King and all was right with the world. Much better than most of the shows in Vegas. It was a great trip and birthday.

Christmas

Christmas in Utah was great. The drive from our home in St George to Salt Lake was just as one of the many snow storms was starting. It was very spooky driving from Beaver to Nephi in the storm. We stayed at the old house where Bruce and Tara were great for accepting us as guests.

Monday most all of the family came by and we had a great time making candy. We have a tradition of Caroling and giving home made candy to our friends.

We went to spend time with our son Clay and his wife Allision. We had dinner with them and enjoyed their company. Cody, Clay's son has a athletic scholarship to attend Lewis and Clark a small College in northern Idaho. He will be on the cross country team. Amanda was her vibrant self and Calab and Aaron was excited to see Grandma and Grandpa.

Marlene wanted to go to Temple Square. Melody and her children went with us. A new display has been added in the "Temple view area" of the South Visitor Center, a mock up of the Temple with a cut away so all of the interior can be seen. Several tough screen displays showing videos of the rooms inside of the building have also been added. One of the most often questions that we were asked while We were on our Mission was "what is inside of the Temple". What a great way to help others understand that there is nothing secret about the inside, but it is a place of God.

Friday, Christmas eve every one gathered at our old home to go out Caroling and to give gifts of candy. Tara, Bruce's wife had organized and prepared a special dinner for everyone. The evening ended by having the Nativity presented. Melody was the Angel as She has always been. Mathew, Bruce and Tara's Son was the Christ Child, but we needed to substitute a doll as he would not stay in the manger. He is almost one year old and is very active. We then exchanged gifts.

We opened all of our gifts on Christmas eve but we still had our stockings for Christmas morning. Spending time with Marty and Melody's family on Christmas morning was wonderful but as I was totally exhausted, feeling sick, having commitments for Sunday in St George. We drove home in the afternoon.

Roy and Angel came by our home on Monday on the way to Salt Lake City. They spent several days with us. Tuesday, while Mom and Angel went post Christmas shopping. I went with Roy and the kids to visit the "Jacob Hamlin Home" The Guide was great. The site is by the river so we were able to see the damage and effects of the flood that took place during the time We were in Salt Lake for Christmas.

It was great to be with all of the family but being home with no snow in our quiet home is wonderful.

Thanksgiving Trip to Family in California

The Drive from Monterrey along the coast of California is spectacular, part of our trip was to see the Aquarium in Monterrey, stay one night and then drive the coast highway back to Roy and Angles home in LA.
When we first arrived in The LA area we took a short five day Cruse to Mexico. We have taken this trip many times, but the food and shows are still great. Mom bought a silver Opal Ring and a new purse.
The Cruse Line that we used for the Trip was Carnival. It was surprisingly good. Entertainment was the best that we have had on this kind of trip.
The Jelly Fish at the Aquarium were really some thing to see. They were wonderful.
The best part of our trip was spending time with Roy and Angel's family. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner, even Pecan Pie my favorite. We went to a Temple Session in the LA with Roy and Angel, spent some time with the Grand kids at Chickie Cheese, relaxed and read a good book.

The trip was wonderful. We are excited to see more of our family in the Salt lake area around Christmas.