Just an update on Dorothy. 2010 has been up and down, but she has now settled in to doing well again. She is still making afghans and enjoying her life. She does most things for herself again and even though she now uses a walker, she has fully recovered from her broken hip of a year ago. She says hi to everyone.
Marti and I are also doing well. Busy, but well. My brother Steve came for a short visit and it was very nice to sit in the hot tub and talk about old times. It seems that after Steve comes to visit mom (Dorothy), the next few days afterward, mom calls me Steve. Marti and I chuckle, but then I think, "what an honor."
Dennis
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Doing Well
Just a note. Mom is doing great. We're all glad to be home again. And, the weather is turning. It has been in the 80's up until now but tomorrow that all changes. It will probably be no higher than the 70's for awhile. Last year we got snow in October (slightly) so we're getting close.
Mom has definitely suffered for the worst from her ordeal of broken hip/pneumonia in July and although she has recovered remarkably, she isn't quite back to where she was before. Only time will tell if she ever does. As for now, she is enjoying her life and crocheting keeps her occupied. She now takes an afternoon nap every day (sometimes a morning nap also) and smiles whenever we talk with her. She gets confused at times and her afghans are not the same quality they were before but we let her do whatever (with a little guidance to help her along) and the afghans will just be what they are. In fact they just may be more valuable knowing they were created by a 93 year old.
I will continue to post in this blog to update everyone on events in Mom's life. So stay tuned every week or so for updates.
Mom has definitely suffered for the worst from her ordeal of broken hip/pneumonia in July and although she has recovered remarkably, she isn't quite back to where she was before. Only time will tell if she ever does. As for now, she is enjoying her life and crocheting keeps her occupied. She now takes an afternoon nap every day (sometimes a morning nap also) and smiles whenever we talk with her. She gets confused at times and her afghans are not the same quality they were before but we let her do whatever (with a little guidance to help her along) and the afghans will just be what they are. In fact they just may be more valuable knowing they were created by a 93 year old.
I will continue to post in this blog to update everyone on events in Mom's life. So stay tuned every week or so for updates.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
We're Finally Home
We finally made it home yesterday and found much work to be done. So, today we went to work and we're now worn out and refuse to do any more. We had a wonderful time traveling across country and a great week relaxing in Snowbird (mountain resort above Salt Lake City). However, it is great to be home. The problem is that there is so much to do it's hard to decide what to do first. So we just don't think about it. We see something that needs to get done and we do it. Who cares about priority.
Mom weathered the cross country trek and really enjoyed watching us swim at Snowbird. Her health is almost back to normal but we keep having her use the walker just because. Of course, when she first gets up from sitting for any length of time, her leg is a bit stiff but then she's ok after that (wait, are we talking about me???). It's kind of funny in a way, sometimes. She is a bit insecure (fear of being left behind even though we constantly tell her we won't leave her) and when she doesn't see either Marti or I for a minute and she know's we're getting ready to go somewhere, it's amazing how fast she can move. It's almost like she picks that walker up and starts running (not quite but she does move pretty fast).
Last Friday, Sept 4th, we celebrated Mom's 93rd birthday with a lot of Marti's family and my daughter Michelle and her new husband, Jason (surprise, they got married July 31st). We had a great party. Thanks for the cards and letters which were waiting for us when we arrived in Rexburg.
Well, I'm worn out and can't think of anything else to say. So, ta ta.
Love, Dennis
Mom weathered the cross country trek and really enjoyed watching us swim at Snowbird. Her health is almost back to normal but we keep having her use the walker just because. Of course, when she first gets up from sitting for any length of time, her leg is a bit stiff but then she's ok after that (wait, are we talking about me???). It's kind of funny in a way, sometimes. She is a bit insecure (fear of being left behind even though we constantly tell her we won't leave her) and when she doesn't see either Marti or I for a minute and she know's we're getting ready to go somewhere, it's amazing how fast she can move. It's almost like she picks that walker up and starts running (not quite but she does move pretty fast).
Last Friday, Sept 4th, we celebrated Mom's 93rd birthday with a lot of Marti's family and my daughter Michelle and her new husband, Jason (surprise, they got married July 31st). We had a great party. Thanks for the cards and letters which were waiting for us when we arrived in Rexburg.
Well, I'm worn out and can't think of anything else to say. So, ta ta.
Love, Dennis
Monday, August 31, 2009
Nauvoo
For some reason I forgot to mention our stay in Nauvoo, Illinois. So this is just a fill in update.
We actually stayed in Keokuk, Iowa across the river as there weren't any pet friendly hotels in Nauvoo. Actually, Nauvoo is a sleepy little town of about 11oo population with a large Mormon presence and a beautiful temple, the replica of the original that was built by Joseph Smith and the early saints. We were fortunate to attend a session on Monday and also enjoyed visiting many sites in and around Nauvoo on Sunday including the Carthage Jail where Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were killed by a mob. We saw Joseph Smith's home and property, and many other sites.
Of note were two acquaintances we made in Nauvoo, one new and one not. While we were in the Visitors Center, we found a long lost friend whom we had lost contact with years ago. It was fun to get reacquainted. While visiting with her, she told us that there was a missionary couple serving in Nauvoo who had the last name of Warr. So we went over and talked with them. His name is Gary Warr with ancestry as follows: Merrill Willis Warr, William Warr, and William Warr. We have a William Warr in our ancestry (Joseph Packer Warr, Samual Sherburn Warr, Joseph Warr, and William Warr) so we may be related somewhere. He has a brother serving at Martin's Cove (which we visited on Mom's birthday) but he was not there the day we were there.
We actually stayed in Keokuk, Iowa across the river as there weren't any pet friendly hotels in Nauvoo. Actually, Nauvoo is a sleepy little town of about 11oo population with a large Mormon presence and a beautiful temple, the replica of the original that was built by Joseph Smith and the early saints. We were fortunate to attend a session on Monday and also enjoyed visiting many sites in and around Nauvoo on Sunday including the Carthage Jail where Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were killed by a mob. We saw Joseph Smith's home and property, and many other sites.
Of note were two acquaintances we made in Nauvoo, one new and one not. While we were in the Visitors Center, we found a long lost friend whom we had lost contact with years ago. It was fun to get reacquainted. While visiting with her, she told us that there was a missionary couple serving in Nauvoo who had the last name of Warr. So we went over and talked with them. His name is Gary Warr with ancestry as follows: Merrill Willis Warr, William Warr, and William Warr. We have a William Warr in our ancestry (Joseph Packer Warr, Samual Sherburn Warr, Joseph Warr, and William Warr) so we may be related somewhere. He has a brother serving at Martin's Cove (which we visited on Mom's birthday) but he was not there the day we were there.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
We're Now in the Rockies
Well, we are now in Salt Lake and are enjoying a respite in our time share at Snowbird Ski Resort. We have enjoyed a wonderful trip thus far with no adverse mishaps except a flat tire which I'll explain in a moment.
Far West - After Nauvoo, we enjoyed some more Mormon history at Far West, Missouri, Adam-ondi-Ahman, and Hauns' Mill (which really wasn't much to see except beautiful scenery) where we said hi to a large turtle in the middle of the dirt road. After shaking hands, we relocated him to the side of the road and continued on. It was fun to see the places we had read about so many time before. We also visited with some friends (spent the night, actually) we had known in Tallahassee (Roger and KayDe Hale) and enjoyed reminiscing.
Winter Quarters/Omaha - When we left Missouri, we went up to Omaha where Winter Quarters is located (Mormon History on their trek to Salt Lake). It was a beautiful visitor's center and we went into the temple to do some initiatory work. Again, it was great to put the scenery with the stories.
Nebraska - Going through Nebraska was nice. The Great Plains are truly great.
Wyoming (flat tire) - The Honda dealership in Tallahassee said our tires were ok so with trust, we hit the road. However, I kept getting a prompting to get a second opinion which I ignored because it was never convenient (when will I ever learn). Well, near a small town (population 150) called Fort Laramie, Wyoming (not Laramie which is much larger), we blew the rear tire. Needless to say, we took everything out of our trunk to get to the spare and jack, limped into Guernsey (population 750) for the night where a new friend (I'll call him an angel) got us in touch with a local auto repair who put on a retread so I could get to Wheatland to buy some tires.
Wyoming (Ruts) - With new tires in place, I went back to Guernsey to get Marti and mom and we found out that there was a Oregon/Mormon Trail Historical Marker just outside of town (which we would have missed if we hadn't blown the tire) so we went to look. It was incredible. Two ruts carved out of rock (we'll send pics) as a testament of the sheer numbers of wagons who traversed that rock.
Wyoming (Independence Rock) - We continued on up to Casper and headed back south for some more Mormon History sites. We saw Independence Rock which is a momentous rock formation which is important because anyone traveling on the Oregon or Mormon trail needed to be at Independence Rock by the 4th of July or they may end up in adverse weather before they reach their destination. Hence the name.
Wyoming (Martin's Cove) - This is the location which marks a great suffering by a Mormon Handcart company who didn't leave Iowa until the end of July (way too late). It's a long story which, if you're interested, you can read about on the internet. Anyway, it was especially memorable for us because normally, in order to see the actual Martin's cove, you would need to walk about 1.5 miles from the Visitor's Center. Obviously not possible for mom. However, when the guides saw how we really wanted to see the site and especially since it was mom's 93rd birthday, they put us on a small motorized cart and drove us over to the site. It was incredible. There were deer and antelope all around us. When we got to the site, Marti and I took a moment and walked over to the edge and just looked at the scene below us. It was a very emotional moment for both of us as we tried to picture the horrible suffering that took place there. Many died of both exposure and starvation. However, many more lived to document the experience. They all proclaimed that through their suffering, they found God in a way that you can't any other way. I can't begin to understand the depth of what they experienced.
Wyoming (Mom's birthday) - Anyway, we continued on with our trip through Wyoming on mom's 93rd birthday which, if you tried to call, our cell phones didn't have much reception, so we wished mom happy birthday for everyone. We'll do a proper celebration when we get to Rexburg.
Wyoming (Fort Bridger) - After spending the night at Rawlings, we took a few moments to visit Fort Bridger. It was fascinating.
Snowbird - Well, here we are and we'll be here for a week. I'll update more later. Needless to say, we're going to rest for awhile.
Far West - After Nauvoo, we enjoyed some more Mormon history at Far West, Missouri, Adam-ondi-Ahman, and Hauns' Mill (which really wasn't much to see except beautiful scenery) where we said hi to a large turtle in the middle of the dirt road. After shaking hands, we relocated him to the side of the road and continued on. It was fun to see the places we had read about so many time before. We also visited with some friends (spent the night, actually) we had known in Tallahassee (Roger and KayDe Hale) and enjoyed reminiscing.
Winter Quarters/Omaha - When we left Missouri, we went up to Omaha where Winter Quarters is located (Mormon History on their trek to Salt Lake). It was a beautiful visitor's center and we went into the temple to do some initiatory work. Again, it was great to put the scenery with the stories.
Nebraska - Going through Nebraska was nice. The Great Plains are truly great.
Wyoming (flat tire) - The Honda dealership in Tallahassee said our tires were ok so with trust, we hit the road. However, I kept getting a prompting to get a second opinion which I ignored because it was never convenient (when will I ever learn). Well, near a small town (population 150) called Fort Laramie, Wyoming (not Laramie which is much larger), we blew the rear tire. Needless to say, we took everything out of our trunk to get to the spare and jack, limped into Guernsey (population 750) for the night where a new friend (I'll call him an angel) got us in touch with a local auto repair who put on a retread so I could get to Wheatland to buy some tires.
Wyoming (Ruts) - With new tires in place, I went back to Guernsey to get Marti and mom and we found out that there was a Oregon/Mormon Trail Historical Marker just outside of town (which we would have missed if we hadn't blown the tire) so we went to look. It was incredible. Two ruts carved out of rock (we'll send pics) as a testament of the sheer numbers of wagons who traversed that rock.
Wyoming (Independence Rock) - We continued on up to Casper and headed back south for some more Mormon History sites. We saw Independence Rock which is a momentous rock formation which is important because anyone traveling on the Oregon or Mormon trail needed to be at Independence Rock by the 4th of July or they may end up in adverse weather before they reach their destination. Hence the name.
Wyoming (Martin's Cove) - This is the location which marks a great suffering by a Mormon Handcart company who didn't leave Iowa until the end of July (way too late). It's a long story which, if you're interested, you can read about on the internet. Anyway, it was especially memorable for us because normally, in order to see the actual Martin's cove, you would need to walk about 1.5 miles from the Visitor's Center. Obviously not possible for mom. However, when the guides saw how we really wanted to see the site and especially since it was mom's 93rd birthday, they put us on a small motorized cart and drove us over to the site. It was incredible. There were deer and antelope all around us. When we got to the site, Marti and I took a moment and walked over to the edge and just looked at the scene below us. It was a very emotional moment for both of us as we tried to picture the horrible suffering that took place there. Many died of both exposure and starvation. However, many more lived to document the experience. They all proclaimed that through their suffering, they found God in a way that you can't any other way. I can't begin to understand the depth of what they experienced.
Wyoming (Mom's birthday) - Anyway, we continued on with our trip through Wyoming on mom's 93rd birthday which, if you tried to call, our cell phones didn't have much reception, so we wished mom happy birthday for everyone. We'll do a proper celebration when we get to Rexburg.
Wyoming (Fort Bridger) - After spending the night at Rawlings, we took a few moments to visit Fort Bridger. It was fascinating.
Snowbird - Well, here we are and we'll be here for a week. I'll update more later. Needless to say, we're going to rest for awhile.
Friday, August 21, 2009
We're On Our Way
Well, we finally left on Wednesday evening and made it as far as Columbus, Georgia to visit Marti's brother Ron (and wife Debbie). The next day, we stopped at Hendersonville, North Carolina to visit Nick and Pam. Nick had a barbeque dinner hot off the grill and it was delicious. After a great visit there, we are now in Clarksville, Tennessee (just north of Nashville) and we drove past the Grand Ole Opry. We will probably make it to Nauvoo, Illinois by tomorrow night.
So far, mom is doing great. Nick was amazed at how good she looks after her hip ordeal and pneumonia. I think it's because of our tlc.
I'll keep you posted as we progress on our journey.
So far, mom is doing great. Nick was amazed at how good she looks after her hip ordeal and pneumonia. I think it's because of our tlc.
I'll keep you posted as we progress on our journey.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Not Back to Normal...But
Mom is a ton better. She still uses her walker and she still struggles with her memory loss, but her energy level is back up and she is crocheting as before. So, the green light is on for the move back to Idaho. We tried to leave today, but we have more to do. So our target is tomorrow. We have shipped a lot of stuff and will dispose of our furniture tomorrow (giving to friends).
Our plan is to take about two weeks to drive to Salt Lake City (visiting Mormon History spots along the way) where I'll pick up my Jeep. We'll stay near Salt Lake (Snow Bird) for about a week at a time share and basically recuperate from our drive. Then we'll make the 3 hour drive to Rexburg around the 5th or 6th of September.
Please keep a prayer for us for our safe trip and mom's good health.
Our plan is to take about two weeks to drive to Salt Lake City (visiting Mormon History spots along the way) where I'll pick up my Jeep. We'll stay near Salt Lake (Snow Bird) for about a week at a time share and basically recuperate from our drive. Then we'll make the 3 hour drive to Rexburg around the 5th or 6th of September.
Please keep a prayer for us for our safe trip and mom's good health.
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