Glassy-eyed Stare

This odd little post is for Maren who wanted to see photos of the new glasses.

I lost my near vision at 40 and just recently lost my middle vision; my distant vision is still laser sharp. Kris's glasses were making her crazy because she had split vision and couldn't see anything after reading for a while. So we made an appointment with Dr. Blaine Bird, Millie's cousin. He was HIGHLY recommended by Uncle and Ann and he was great.

He took photos of the inside of our eyes, which was most interesting. He was able to tell that we don't have high blood pressure, cholesterol problems, or diabetes just by looking at our eyes. All those things would show on the image. We don't have cataracts or glaucoma either: happy news. When his techie took the picture of my left eye, she thought maybe she needed to try again because it is full of floaters (a fairly common thing with no good cure). When the flash went off, the image looked like a recently-shaken snow globe. I have always been aware of the floaters, but became bothered by them a few years ago while looking at the Duomo in Milano. "Oh my gosh, there are dust spots in my vision!" It only bugs intermittently; the brain learns to ignore. He took a couple of hours to figure out what we needed and Kris was ecstatic with her new prescription. I, however, tried progressive lenses and they were HORRIBLE: distortion and blur!!!!! He switched me to good old-fashioned bifocals and life is good.

It looks like Christmas

Nice and healthy

Kris is a happy camper

Kind of like my readers but higher on my nose

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Yipes! Skypes!

A couple of months ago, I received an invitation to download Skype via email from someone I didn't know. Yesterday while talking to Debby about her lighting fixture selection over the phone, she said, "If you had Skype I could walk you through (the remodel of her bathroom)." Katy and I decided we would download Skype and see how it works. Turns out that it works great: Katy and I had an extended chat as well as a tour of Deb's remodel. I sent invitations to Maren in Phoenix and Anna in Virginia. Anna downloaded the application and we had a two-hour chat with her and the kids (and eventually Rob when he returned from work). Alas, Maren has neither a Mac nor a webcam, so we will have to settle for the telephone with her. It is great fun and will be yet another way to keep in touch.

All the Hasting except for Rob, live from VA

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Pitifully Prosaic

There have been no trips to NYC, London, Paris, or anywhere exciting and exotic. The only excursion was to the Leland Mill with Uncle and Holden to purchase scratch and mash for the chickens. We are in the chicken/egg-loop while Tom and Katy are in Shanghai, perhaps after they return as well.

So this post is about prosaic, everyday kind of stuff. Katy Kathryn and I were discussing what a nice record a blog is and how fun it is to go back and look at life. And as we learned in London, some of the funnest things to revisit are the ordinary things that you might forget to photograph. So here are some bits and pieces of life over a couple of days that we might just enjoy revisiting later.

Up before 5:30 each workday morning

I make smoothies while Kris showers

Leftover garlic mashed potatoes fried up in the pan

Breakfast: our own eggs and tomatoes

On Campus by 6:30

My office lies behind this closed door

Library wall

Desk and computer

Where you sit when you come to visit

Class at 8:00 A.M.

They are working on color projects

A Friday jaunt to Leland for chicken feed

Holdie and Uncle in the mill

Phillip got me excited about baking and I made
Grandmother's multi-grain bread

A fruitful vine

The first cantaloupe of the season

It was delicious!

Jocelyn, Rachel, and Trevor popped in for their
cousin's wedding last weekend

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Happy Birthday Anna

This little post is to wish Anna Taylor Hastings a very, very happy birthday. Anna, this vintage photo captures your soft side. I also happen to love your determined, more decided side. That grit and determination is what makes your life so good. It is wonderful to see you and your family taking full advantage of the east. You will make your stay there a wonderful experience. We miss having you near, especially on special days like today. But please know that we love you very much and hope you have a happy birthday.

Lots of love and, as always, OXO for you.

D.

P.S. Sorry that you had to dress like a boy. Little girl clothing in the mid 70s was horribly frilly and stupid.

Labor Day Weekend 2010

September 7th is Brazil's "Dia de Independencia," when, surprisingly, Dom Pedro I, the Portuguese Prince Regent, declared Brazilian independence from Portugal in 1822 on the banks of the Ipiranga River. So today, the Brazilian flag flies at 760 North because of the soft spot we hold in our hearts for that huge, beautiful, and wonderful land.

This small personal Brazilian celebration caps off a weekend of wider Labor-Day celebration. Yesterday was a perfectly beautiful fall day with color now boldly showing in the mountains. It was cooler and finally just right for a fire in the back yard, and everyone gathered later in the afternoon for a wienie roast. After the fire had died out and darkness had fallen, as Uncle and Ann crossed the driveway on their way home, they noted that this was the best Labor Day in years!

Brasil! Terra Adorada

Fall fell

Kris at work on a project for the Young boys

Hot dogs all around

The cousins doing their best

Folks and food

S'mores

A nice light show as the sun went down

Squaw Peak

We missed all our TX, AZ, and VA family and hope that all y'all had a nice day.

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Winnie 1998-2010

Winnifred

Today around noon, Winnie died. I don't want to be maudlin, but for those who have lost a pet that has lived with you for over 12 years, you know it is like losing a child or sibling. Winnie has been getting old, but has been healthy until yesterday. I took her for her usual four-mile walk; she was excited and anxious to go. As we passed the park, almost home, I noticed she was really panting a lot. I assumed that she needed a drink and a rest. By evening, however, she was still panting -- her breathing was shallow and labored, her stomach and chest were heaving. During the night she was not comfortable lying down. I found her sitting up on Kris's side of the bed in the middle of the night and sitting up on my side in the morning. She wasn't fussing, but just didn't want to lie down and her breathing was not improved. She followed us from room to room and wouldn't break eye contact with us. Her eyes seemed to be imploring for help.

I learned that dogs are stoic and don't register pain as we do, so there was no whining, but she was clearly hurting. We took her to the vet hoping they might find an infection, but he feared congestive heart failure or cancer. An x-ray didn't indicate a clear-cut case of congestive heart failure, so cancer was likely but inconclusive. She was comfortable at the vet as long as she was on oxygen. As soon as she was removed from the oxygen chamber her breathing became labored again. The first choice was a hospital stay for observation which would not be conclusive either. She would hate that. The second choice was unthinkable. We asked if she couldn't just go home while we considered the options. The vet said that would be cruel given her situation, so we were forced to decide on the spot. We decided that we would let her go. I held her while she was put to sleep and then brought her home where I wrapped her in her blanket. Stephen helped me dig a grave in the back yard and I lovingly buried her there. A large stone marks the spot.



Here is a quick retrospective of Winnie's stay with us:

Madeline and Winnie in 1998

Brand new

Winnie loved "walkies"

Post-bath embellishment (she doesn't seem pleased)

She was always up for a "run with the cousins"

Winnie was a yoga meister

Her "sweet spot" in the window

Yet more walkies with the family

A recent photo of Winnie at the park with the girls --
she would not be left behind

She was getting older and gray

The "queen of the women," at least one of them

"Little Red Dog"

Great photo from Chelsea Gibbs

There are those who didn't like her bark (often including me), there are those who thought she smelled bad, but we loved her in spite of that. We are feeling surreal today and very sad. We loved this little dog. If we don't get to be with her in the next life, someone will be in trouble.

This isn't the post I expected to do this week, but life is uncertain at best.

Love to you all (OXO)

D.

The End of August 2010

Month's end has been filled with lots of activities as school begins and folks are coming and going in every direction. On Monday Denise came to town and Hank and Colette hosted "compound dinner" at their cabin so we would have a chance to visit with Denise. It turned into a larger gathering with Brad and Anne and their BYU girls joining in as well.

Late Thursday, Mike, Linda, and Chelsea Gibbs arrived for a few days while Chelsea gets settled into the Elms prior to the start of school. They are very excited for the New York visit of Anna and family early in September. It has been fun to have them staying here and we enjoyed an evening meal together at La Capizza on Friday.

Saturday dawned a bit rainy and cool exactly as it did last year when we went berry picking at West Mountain. It was a beautiful morning, the picking was successful, and, following tradition, we had lunch at the Farmers' Market. Emily and family also joined in this year.

Yesterday (Saturday) evening we had a send-off dinner at P 712 for Tom and Katy who leave for Shanghai on 1 September. They will be teaching English with the China Teachers' Program that Jeff runs for the Church through the Kennedy Center at BYU. We are going to miss them a lot, but one of the upsides of their leaving is that we will be sitting one of their paintings. It is hung and feels like it belongs. Possession is nine tenths of the law, n' est ce pas?

This evening we gathered at Emily's for a wonderful lasagna dinner. Phillip tried his hand at making Lion House rolls which he happily shared. They were killer. We missed the Youngs, Hastings, and Katy Kathryn.

Such a great little cabin!

Denise, Kris, and Uncle

Scout with her opa

Holden is a stick guy just like his opa was

For a man who likes his meat cremated,
Hank did a splendid job at the grill

Mike, Chelsea, Linda, and Kris in Springville

A perfect morning for berry picking

Empty containers

Late-summer berry fields in Utah

Full containers

Fantastic tamales at the Provo Farmers' Market

Relaxing at the Farmers' Market

Farewell dinner at P 712

We will miss Tom and Katy . . .

And will take good care of their Kershisnik painting

Family Sunday dinner at Auntie Em's

School starts tomorrow and summer fun will be at an end. BUT . . . now the fall fun begins and soon it will be High Dickie Days!

That's all for now.

OXO

D.