May 1, 2011
DAY FAMILY NEWSLETTER – APRIL 2011
Easter weekend was extra nice this year. We hosted a brunch and Easter egg hunt in our backyard, and the kids enjoyed gathering up the plastic eggs and then opening them to find surprises of candy and coins. Everyone brought something yummy to eat and/or extra eggs to hide for the kids. Even the weather cooperated, and all the snow was gone, and the skies mostly clear – temps in the 50’s. Stephanie and her kids slept over the night before, and it was fun to wake up to kids all excited about the Easter bunny visiting. Jessica (now 8 yrs. Old) accompanied me to the grocery store a few weeks ago when I picked up some candy and a stuffed toy for Linda’s basket. I had to explain to her that it was sometimes necessary for grandparents to help out the Easter bunny that was quite busy with kids on Easter morning. Then on the night before Easter, when everyone was supposed to be in bed, Jessica came upstairs to get a drink of water and found Grandma putting stuff in Grandpa and Grandma’s baskets and asked why. Linda explained that sometimes we had to help out a busy Easter bunny. And on Easter morning, when Jessica saw a price tag on one of her candies, said “Well, this sure didn’t come from the Easter bunny – it came from Smiths grocery store”. So perhaps the Easter mystique is over for Jessica.
I tried golfing two weeks ago, but when one of the foursome showed up in rain gear, a head stocking and winter gloves, I realized we had probably made a mistake. After the chilling round of golf, I decided to forgo future rounds until the highs were at least in the 60’s. It was kind of like going swimming in a wet suit to fight off the cold.
I finished reading Water for Elephants, a real good read about train circus life, love and old age. I also finished reading American History for Complete Idiots – a real good historical read about our country. I wish I’d paid more attention to history in school.
Linda wanted to spend a few days in Wendover for her birthday, so we booked a couple of nights and enjoyed a wonderful trip. We had a delicious meal in a fine dining atmosphere, actually came home with a few more dollars than we started with, and met all the kids at a restaurant on the way home for a family birthday celebration.
Our cat, Pumpkin, continues to take over our lives. Linda now leaves glasses of water on the kitchen counter, as the cat prefers drinking out of a glass? And my arms are still a mass of wounds, scars, scratches and blood stains from nightly attacks. I have to wear long sleeve shirts to work to hide the abuse I receive at home.
We went to see HOPS, an Easter Bunny show at the movies with the kids one afternoon. It wasn’t bad. We went out to dinner with Bruce Baird and some friends we’ve known from before we were married. Curt, just retired, fought and won a battle the battle against lymphatic cancer 2 years ago, but now has pancreatic cancer. When I goggled it, the life expectancy after diagnosis is just 4 months. Curt was told by his doctor to do his bucket list. We are so lucky to have our health, but also realize you just never know what’s around the next corner in life.
The snowmelt is our mountains is at record levels this year, and with all the cool weather we’ve had up until now, it is forecast that flooding is pretty much a sure thing this year when the temps finally warm up. On Saturday, April 30th, we awoke to 5 inches of new snow on the lawn I mowed Thursday!
Stephanie volunteers at Jessica’s school, and got to teach an art fabric class where they made wall plaques. She says she now has a bigger appreciation for teachers and their responsibilities. Stephanie is also enjoying her new job working in nutrition for juvenile justice in the State health department. Katie is just a week away from returning to work and thoroughly enjoyed bringing Sophie into the world and spending the past few months with her. Bill and Katie are going to continue to spend working a few days from home each, with Bill’s retired parents taking the kids one day. They have enrolled Jack part time in a day care so Bill can get his work done when he works from home. Wiggins oldest daughter, Blair, is getting married on Mother’s Day – her future husband is in the military. Jackie and Wiggins continue living in their motor home at a motor home park saving money for a house. Jackie started helping teach part time on Saturdays at the police academy, so she stays plenty busy working full time in the office for the West Jordan police, working a couple of part time shifts at Pennys, and doing the police academy thing on Saturdays.
I was debating on mentioning our legislative activities – let’s just say that several bills were passed that cost the state revenue, or add expenses to our government from challenges in the court system about their constitutionality. And all this amidst efforts to find enough money to fund the budget. The one that mystifies me most is the effort to close several liquor stores that showed 15 million in profits in order to save money. I’m surprised there wasn’t a bill closing churches to “save souls”, or a bill to close roads to” save transportation time”, or one to close schools to “save the education of our children”. Rather than people being concerned with someone’s birth certificate, we ought to require our legislators show proof of their level of education – whether it is elementary, junior high, or high school.
The previous commentary is the sole content of Tom, and does not represent the views of anyone else in the Day family or close associates. And that’s the news, the whole news, and probably more than you wanted in news from your hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah.
Love, Tom & Linda
PS: What great news tonight that Osama Bin Laden has been killed nearly ten years after 9/11.
