Party at P712

On Saturday evening, 19 September, we joined the family at Pizzeria 712 in Orem for a celebratory supper in honor of Anna's birthday. The food was, as expected, delicious, although it seemed strange not to have Colton, Brian, or Joseph there cooking and serving. They are hard at work putting the finishing touches on their new restaurant in Provo, Communal. After dinner the whole group migrated north to Taylorsville for some cake, ice cream, and happy-birthday singing. Rob made TWO delicious German chocolate cakes with two kinds of frosting for the picky folks who won't eat nuts. Talk about going the extra mile! It was great fun. Congratulations to Anna and many thanks to Robert.

The family gathered

The radiant birthday girl

The birthday girl's youngest sister
making a wacky face, as she is often want to do

She never had a chance: Clara nipped in
quick as a fox and blew out the candle

That's all for now, but stay tuned.

OXO

D.

Happy Birthday Anna 2009

There was trouble with the scanner and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get this post ready in time. In that case the Bill Moyers video (now deleted) would have been the only offering on your birthday. I know you like him too, so maybe that would have been sufficient. Happily, however, Katy solved the scanner problem and all is well.


This is my very favorite picture of you as a young lass. I love its softness and sweetness. It makes all those warm parental feelings come rushing back.

You are a great mother; your children are wonderful. You actually -- in spite of what you seem to believe -- have a warm and inviting home. You are bright and compassionate and I like the way you think. You are still, as always, a very satisfactory daughter

On this, your natal anniversary, I wish you all the very best.

OXO

D.

Labor Day Week

During the week leading up to Labor Day, we had a nice visit from the NY Gibbs as well as a visit from Alison Gibbs. We ate and visited and when Michael arrived at the end of the week, we even had a slide show, something we haven't done for ages. The holiday itself, like last year, was another Lethargy Day with not much action. The lethargy was shattered at about 6:30 by a phone call from Anna in Sigurd, UT. She and her family, along with the Wieses, were returning from a brilliant trip to Southern Utah. Anna informed us of a fender bender that had left their radiator useless. They needed to leave the car in Richfield and had no way home (Todd and Courtney's car was too small for their gang). Katy was good enough to ride with me as we set off on an adventure to bring the Hastings home. The round trip from Provo to Richfield, Richfield to Salt Lake City, and SLC to Provo took a few hours, but we were in bed by around midnight. It was good fun laced with conversation, Mama Mia tunes, and the soft snoring of worn-out chilluns as we sped up the highway. I'm glad we could help. (Thanks to Anna for the Richfield photos.)

Linda and Chelsea finishing Sunday dinner (30 Sept.)

Saying goodbye to Alison that same evening

Enjoying the late-summer evening after dinner

Katy and Chelsea having an amusing thought

The Gibbs, with Michael, back for the end of the week

Winnie had a bath for Labor Day

The marginally bent fender and
unseen, but nonetheless kaput radiator

Upon arrival in Richfield, Dickie
got a heart-warming hug from Courtney

And Andy got a splendid hug from Auntie Katy
(or is it Sharla, perhaps Starlynn?)

It's Wednesday and life is back on an even keel with school and work. So, that's all the excitement for now.

OXO

D.

The First Day of School

The day we knew would come at last, has come at last. It's the first day of school and campus is buzzing. I have always loved the first day of class and today is no exception. There is always a frisson in the air and everyone and everything is still fresh and new. So here's to a great 2009-2010 school year.

My home away from home in JFSB 2056

The Joseph F. Smith Building quad:
this is the exact direction of the view
from my window one floor above

Northeast view from the JFSB roof

B 062 JFSB where I teach on M/W

Picture me at the lectern on the right

B071 where I teach on T/Th

It is a foods room where we can spill paint with impunity

Christmas will here before you know it. That's all for now.

OXO

D.

This and That

Here are a few of the thing that went on during the last week: JLynn Hastings, Rob's mom, spent the week with us while she attended Education Week at BYU. It is always nice to have her come. Rob and Anna came down a couple of times and on Friday they all went to the Bombay House for supper.

JLynn checking out of the Happiness Hotel

Pile on Clara!

Anders strikes a martial-arts pose

Mark and Nancy were also in town during the week. The dropped Rachel off at Utah State and then spent the week with Nancy's dad in Provo. We met them and Rod and Vicki at the Bombay House for supper on Friday, too. Nancy was reticent because the last Indian food they ate in AZ was not so good. They were very pleasantly surprised by the by the excellent food here. We really are lucky to have such a good Indian restaurant in little ol' Provo. Jocelyn was with them and she is on her way to Japan to stay with Matthew and Kim in Tokyo. After dinner we all came back to the house to eat ice cream and visit for a couple of hours. It was really nice to see them.

Rod, Vic, Jocelyn, Nancy, Mark, Katy, and Kris
with scenes of India behind them

A random shot of Winnie and Dickie

On Sunday we had delicious breakfast-like dinner at Emily's. It is always fun to be together as you can see in the following photo. Kris lost it after sharing a good joke she heard in the Mail Room.

Katy smoothing Kris's feathers at Emily's

Good luck to all the binkers who started school last week and to those who will jump into the fray this week.

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

The End of Summer

Provo public schools start Wednesday, Katy and Zoe have returned from Wales, Education Week starts Monday, preschool conferences at BYU start a week from Monday, there has been a nip of fall in the air, and it feels like summer is gone.

Will and Jamie spent the week here and Ann and Stephen put together a small fete for them last weekend. The Hastings came down to visit because they were headed out for Rob's family reunion in Idaho this week and would be unable to see the NC Taylors any other time.

The happy welcoming committee for Will and Jamie

The binkers enjoying Uncle's water feature

Monday evening was the final "group" picnic of the summer, so now its back to monthly dinners. Vern and Jerry, we miss you.

The final summer picnic: Millers and Ostergars

Liz and Phil

Phillip and Meagan invited us to pick berries with them on a West-Mountain farm, but Saturday dawned cool and rainy. We, however, loved the weather and picked a gallon of blackberries and two gallons of raspberries. P&M and their binkers picked about 3 or 4 gallons of blackberries. They are now either made into jam or frozen. We also went with them on their traditional Saturday visit to the Farmers' Market for lunch. It was such a fun morning; it was as good as a London adventure. That afternoon we went to see Julie and Julia with Hank and Colette, and after the film we went with them to La Casita for supper. What a day! No shopping, no laundry, just lots of fun adventures. The Saturday chores will keep.

Timp brooding on a cool and rainy Saturday morning

Ready to pick

The picking has begun

Katy gently plucking the ripe raspberries

Raspberry fields forever (w/ apologies to the Beatles)

Enjoying the fruits of their labors

Grammy keeping Ollie warm at the Farmers' Market

Good eats and treats

Crepes for dessert

Tonight, Sunday, we drove to Salt Lake City with Stephen and Ann to have dinner at Kreg and HB, our Calder (Hansen) cousins. HB and Norma are visiting and Dorothy and Kreg made a delicious meal. We had dessert on the roof terrace of Kreg's condominium on 3rd Avenue. It was a beautiful evening and a great finish to a fun week and weekend.

The first siting of Katy and Zoe Sunday afternoon

Norma, HB, Dorothy, and Kreg

A spectacular, cool August evening on Kreg's roof with its
incomparable view of the Utah State Capitol and Ensign Peak

Good times, but that's all for now.

OXO

D.

Happy Birthday Emily!

Emily, thirty-six years ago we welcomed you into our lives and the rest, as they say, has been history. You were the best thing ever; I never wanted to leave home. I only wanted to stay and play with you. When I did go to work or school, your happy welcome when I returned always filled me with joy. Such a bright and happy little sucker you were. As a matter of fact, you still are (bright and happy).

The apartment at Wymount Terrace,
circa 1974

Tonight was Emily's birthday party and the family joined her at the Bombay House for supper followed by birthday cake and ice cream at the Ensign's house. It was a beautiful evening and we stayed outside. The kids ran footraces, danced, and piled on Grammy and Auntie Katy. Fun times.

Circa 2009 at the Bombay House

The diners

Piling on Grammy and Katy

Puffy cheeks

You are a great daughter and we love you very much. Happy birthday!

That's all for now.

OXO

D.