Day Newsletter for June 2014

July 1, 2014

NEWS FROM THE DAYS – JUNE 2014

Kaylee, Debbie’s 8 yr. old asked to come and stay with us for a week. We enjoyed having her and entertaining her. Then Jessica, Steph’s 11 yr. old joined us as well for 3 or 4 days prior to us leaving for a week in St. George. We took them both, as well as Steph and her other two, Sarah and Taylor. We all enjoyed mostly swimming at the clubhouse, and I lost count after 8 or9 times swimming, as the kids would want to go in the day, and then again after dinner, as the pool stayed open until 10PM. Steph only stayed 3 days, as she was starting a new job. While in St. George, we went to the Wizard of Oz at Tuachan, and of course, they did a superb job with the musical, special effects, etc. We also saw a great movie, thinking it was for kids only - Mr. Peabody and Sherman. The kids loved it too.

The day we returned home, Katie had back surgery she had scheduled just two weeks prior, and so we helped her & Bill by having Sofie (now 3 yrs old) over for a few nights. When Katie came home from the hospital 3 days later, we continued to have Sofie sleep at our house, and she and Linda would spend the day hours helping Katie/Bill/Hazel (5 weeks old) as Katie has to spend 6 weeks not sitting up for more than 15 minutes at a time. She had some discs fused and cartilage installed and it’s all held together by six 3” screws so the bones can fuse properly. She can have the screws removed in about one year. Sofie resumed sleeping at home after a few more days the first week, and Linda continues to go over most days and spend the day helping.

On June 17th, coming home from work, it was SNOWING, and the freeway electronic signs going east said chains/4 wheel drive required in Big & Little Cottonwood canyons. Later that week, I went golfing. Crazy!

Lots of stuff happening here and nationally. The state of Utah is going to appeal the federal court decision that made it illegal to outlaw or discriminate against gay marriage. So it looks like Utah will be the state that finally creates equality for gays. And then there’s the news about excommunications due to proponents arguing women should hold the priesthood. And finding out there are no scriptures saying they can’t. The Supreme Court ruled yesterday that privately held companies who file in the courts can refrain from covering contraceptives. A crazy kind of month!
Our former attorney general who resigned amid scandal, as well as his predecessor, had their houses served surprise search warrants, and the police confiscated $10,000 cash in John Swallow’s home, and found emails/info about our Sen. Mike Lee and his questionable deals involving the attorney general, as well as questionable info about the famous short sell of his home when he was elected senator. Who keeps $10,000 cash in their home?

A man we knew from the insurance agency Linda used to work at, and with whom we invested money, was charged with 17 counts in a ponzi scheme this past month. I still remember when he and his wife returned early from their mission to try and work things out, unsuccessfully. Crazy stuff.

Stephanie started her new job, and is enjoying the additional $$ and job. Jackie likewise moved into a higher paying job at the West Jordan police department, and is enjoying her new duties. Debbie also moved into a newer position at American Express one or two months ago. And with me moving into a new position a few months ago, it’s been change in all our lives.

Wiggins went on another undercover adventure to free underage girls kidnapped for sex – this time in Haiti as well as Columbia. The man who heads this non-profit group works full time for the LDS church – I’ll have to find out who he is and what he does. The group he organized is non-profit and funded primarily from private donations.

Bill & Katie celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary this past month. Our grandson, Cole, helped Linda get her car inspected with new brake lines – he has a side shop in addition to his regular full time mechanic job with a car dealership in Orem.

In addition to helping watch grandchildren/help with Katie, we’re now dog sitting this coming weekend for Jackie/Wiggins as they travel to Blanding (where Wiggins is from). Jackie has returned the favor more than once by stopping by to check on cat while we go on our vacations/outings. Speaking of our cat, he came down ill just prior to our St. George trip, and a 2nd mortgage later, we were able to have him cared for/cured so we could leave for St. George.

I just went to get one prescription. The pharmacy had 4 prescriptions ready for me, and I asked how it is I am getting more pills for two of them when I almost have a full month supply left. The lady looked at me with a blank stare, and then it came to me, as these are on auto-refill. I’m obviously not taking my pills everyday like I think I am. She’s wanting to say this, I know, but doesn’t. Instead she asks me if I want to take them off auto refill. I finally agree, and then she has to help me with signing for help/no help options in needing instructions on taking the pills, and then on signing for my debit card……I’m sure she told the other two people working there “I sure hope I never get so old I need help like that”. I just shuffled out with my head down, hoping I could remember how to get home. And that’s the news from the Days, as I remember it. Love,

Tom & Linda

Day family newsletter - May 2014

June 1, 2014

DAY FAMILY NEWSLETTER – MAY 2014
Everyone came over for Mother’s Day and we enjoyed chicken enchiladas, planting backyard flowers, and seeing the new addition to our family, Bill & Katie’s Hazel. She’s a real cutie and a great addition to the family.

Wiggin’s had an opportunity to spend a week in Columbia in an undercover sting operation for a non-profit organization dedicated to freeing kidnapped young girls sold into slavery/sex trade. He joined a group of about 12 other undercover people who worked in conjunction with the Columbia undercover police and freed about 15 girls and sent the perpetrators to prison. He may do this part time from time to time until he reaches his 20 years of police service in November and is eligible for retirement – depends on other opportunities as time goes by. Jackie and Wiggins have got their backyard all fixed up and the pool open for summer. They just celebrated their 4th anniversary on the 20th.

Debbie/Stuart’s Kaylee came up last Wednesday to spend a week with grandma/grandpa. We have enjoyed her zest for life and never ending energy. Been to see two movies so far – Godzilla and Maleficent, two pretty good movies. Also to a graduation party for a niece’s daughter. Today it’s off to Wheeler Farm to meet up with Steph/kids, a trip to 7-11 for treats, and I gave Kaylee her first lesson on how to make Swedish pancakes for breakfast.

We enjoyed seeing Sherilyn’s lecture at the Assembly Hall on Temple Square a few weeks ago. She is very professional, a good speaker, and did a good job outlining the life of an early pioneer woman who was secretly married to Joseph Smith, and then later to an apostle and came out west via the pioneer routes to Salt Lake. But now that I think of it, all of you were there also (except Alisyn), and know all this.

Steph took the last of her three girls to Disneyland (Taylor, 6 yrs old). She has taken Jessica and Sarah in previous yrs. Taylor thoroughly enjoyed being on a special trip all by themselves with Mom, flying on an airplane for the first time, and seeing the wonders of Disneyland. Linda and I packed our suitcases and lived in Steph’s house watching the kids during their trip

Hazel Boyd was born May 4th to Katie and Bill and Linda has spent some time helping with their kids while Katie has gone to the doctor or needed some help. We went to their house one evening for pie/cake to celebrate Katie’s birthday. Katie is looking at possible back surgery for some vertebrae that need fixing.

Linda and I saw another good movie earlier in the month, Heaven is for Real. We got our garden planted a few weeks ago, and Steph’s kids helped me refurbish and repaint The Garden of Eat’n sign that hangs on the fence. Linda and I have started the project of staining our backyard fence again – hasn’t been done in about 15 years.

And that’s the news from the Days for the month. Love, Tom & Linda

Day newsletter for April 2014

May 1, 2014

DAY FAMILY NEWSLETTER – APRIL 2014

Linda and I enjoyed another play at the U of U – Deathtrap. A wonderful play – although one patron went to the news to complain that there was a 3 second gay kiss and it wasn’t appropriate for her 12 yr. old son. The kiss revealed a key plot line, and explained the motive for a murder. We also saw a good movie one Sunday – Divergent.

Steph celebrated one year in her new home in Syracuse. Her 6 yr. old, Taylor, just learned to ride her bike with no training wheels. Steph has had some plumbing issues, and we went up one night to pull up some wet carpet. Things are better now, although they found some mold in a closet, and insurance is taking care of that along with water damage (minus the deductable). Home ownership! She also had her back yard planted with grass where they come in and spray the seed/mulch. Last year it was the sprinklers, this yr. lawn! We attended Jessica’s school play (5th & 6th grades) – The Emperor’s New Clothes. Jessica played one of the jesters, and was the most entertaining, enthusiastic and had the best stage presence of all the jesters. She’s hoping to get a lead part when she’s a 6th grader next year. If you haven’t seen her playing boogie woogie on my Facebook post several weeks ago, she’s pretty good. I taught her the left hand first, and after she had that down, taught her an easy right hand so she could play with both hands. She’s a quick learner and loves music.

Debbie/Stuart and their kids all spent some time in our condo this past month and enjoyed the get-a-way/swimming/etc. It’s nice we have 6 wks assigned per year and can share them with our kids.

Jackie hosted a Norwex (a environmentally safe soap co.) party, and to help her out, Linda agreed to host one also. Linda celebrated her one yr. retirement, and is enjoying being able to do what she wants, when she wants, or do nothing some days. I’ve enjoyed her sharing the cooking this past year, as she always fixes neat/great tasting/different meals than me. I’m pretty much a meat (hamburger, steak, pork or chicken), rice or potatoes, and a vegetable guy. Linda does casseroles, yummy toppings/seasonings/flavors to spice up the meat, vegetables with something in them besides just the vegetables, enchiladas, etc. Linda has been busy making Katie’s Sofie (3 yrs. old) a tutu and a matching one for her little monkey (she has a monkey instead of a doll), crocheting more quilts for different people, babysitting Steph’s kids here and there, as well as Katie’s while she goes to her doctor appointments.

Katie is due today, and I had a premonition that she would go into labor at around 2:30 this afternoon, but she didn’t. She posted a cute video on Facebook with Jack & Sofie telling the baby to come out and poking her stomach.

We celebrated Linda’s birthday at the Spaghetti Factory with the family, then I took her out to dinner another night, and our friends all got together another night at a local restaurant to wish her a happy birthday as well. One of them, Craig Heath and his wife, Melanie, had us all over to their new condo that Melanie inherited from her mother last year. They spent over a year planning a remodel, and then having it remodeled. Beautiful, and some expensive stuff – like remote controlled ceiling fans, all the toilets have automatic heated seats and a warm water bidet. A sauna in one room downstairs and it goes on and on. Nice.

I started my new job, got in a round of golf, finished up dental work – expensive – even with dental insurance. Have started yard work with the warmer weather, and look forward to getting a garden planted in the next few weeks. Bought fence stain to start staining the backyard/front yard side fence.

I continue to enjoy local/national news with all the gay rights issues, health insurance issues, racism issues (we have our own local idiot on this one in the Utah legislature), minimum wages, immigration, clean air issues (especially in good old SLC) and the list goes on and on. There is a lot of talk about a change in the recent Deseret News/SL Tribune arrangement where the Deseret News it taking a lot more of the profits generated by their mutual printing/advertising arrangements. The parent company of the Tribune agreed to it, and many feel it will be only a matter of months before the Tribune goes under, or goes digital only. Imagine, if you will, your brother Tom reading the Desperate News each morning over a cup of coffee, and perusing thru the church news! Its coming I’m afraid. I just can’t do digital news on the computer.

And that’s the news from the Days. Love,

Tom & Linda

Day Family Newsletter - March 2014

DAY FAMILY NEWSLETTER FOR MARCH 2014

We spent time babysitting throughout the month. Linda watched Katie’s kids (Jack & Sofie) one day and Stephanie’s Taylor another. Kaylee spent three nights sleeping over during her off track time at school (and Debbie started at a new position at American Express and needed help that week). It was fun having Kaylee over to do things everyday with Linda, both of us at night, and entertaining us. Then we babysat Jackie/Wiggin’s two dogs for 4 or 5 days while they went to Vegas for a Nascar race. We just had to go over once a day, let them out for their business, and feed/water them, pick up the mail/newspaper.

I interviewed for a new position with the Tax Commission, and start in the Taxpayer Services division next week. I’ll be answering questions from people or business owners about their taxes due. What I can’t believe is they actually hired a 68 yr. old man. I gave them a 5 year commitment, and consider it another calling in life. Or, as I tell some of my coworkers, it’s like going to work on hospice. Went to a co-worker’s wedding reception – they are headed to London for his work. They were married in the temple, and their names are Mark & Kathy Bailey. So if they by chance end up in your area Joseph/Alisyn, make sure to say hi for me. Kathy & I used to trade poems at work.

Debbie & Stuart celebrated their 1st wedding anniversary. Linda attended grandparent’s day lunch at Jessica/Sarah/Taylor’s elementary school in Syracuse. Linda and I went golfing one day at a local par three course. We attended Jack’s birthday party at a jump-around place for his 5th birthday. Katie/Bill had about 50 kids/parents there. Linda attended a “going green cleaning” party one night at Jackie’s house. We’ll be getting some “green” cleaning products.

I’ve been having some dental work done. Linda and I continue to read digitally. Linda’s been reading some novels suggested by Brent Wilkes (who lives in the Atlanta area), and I’m currently reading Moby Dick. We went to see Noah (the movie) – interesting, that’s all I’ll say. Linda enjoyed it. We also joined some of my co-workers at the DMV on a bus trip to Wendover last Saturday. It’s a day trip, very reasonable, and we had fun. Linda continues to recover from her knee – it just never seems to completely get better – it’s been almost a year now. Stephanie had us up for a great St. Patrick’s Day dinner complete with corn beef and cabbage – very, very yummy. Steph and the kids went on a camping trip this past weekend to Goblin Valley with her next door neighbors.

It snowed about 4 inches yesterday after being spring like weather for some time. Linda keeps busy with projects around home. She’s enjoying retirement (one year this month!).
And that’s the news for us for March 2014. Love - Tom & Linda

Day Newsletter for February 2014

February 28, 2014

NEWS FROM THE DAYS:

I just remembered some discussion about what we would call the newsletter – can’t remember a final decision, so I’m going with News From The Days. February started off with a haircut and Cal Wardrup’s funeral. Not that they go together, but there they were on the calendar for the 1st.

Next came a Super Bowl party at Stephs. Lots of great food and treats – not so close of a game. We babysat Jack and Sofie again overnight while Katie/Bill enjoyed a late night out. They have been taking him to skiing lessons at Brighton the last month or so, and he does pretty good. They picked them up that Sunday morning, and Bill dressed Jack all up in skiing garb from head to toe. Katie has had some back problems during her pregnancy, but somehow manages to get by. She’s due May 1st I believe, and it’s going to be another girl.

Linda and I left mid month for a week vacation at our St. George condo, and stopped by Orem on the way down to sign another year’s lease for Danny (with no increase in rent). We thoroughly enjoyed our time away in sunny St. George – the weather at times was 73 and 74 degrees. Warm enough for golf and even swimming! We also learned how to post pictures on facebook from a guy at the AT&T phone store. We were not naked in the hot tub – it just looked like it. I wouldn’t have minded being naked in the hot tub, but there were other people enjoying the swimming area as well. In fact, I had to ask a lady walking by to show me how to take a “selfie” on my iphone, as I didn’t know how. We enjoyed the relaxing time away in our condo, eating out, seeing a couple of movies, and just relaxing. We then drove to Wendover for another 3 nights before returning home. We got some “free” things to entice us there – one free night, two free tickets to see Leann Rimes in concert & free food coupons. We receive these offers because we frequent Wendover a few times per year, and I’m sure donate more money than they return in “free” offers.
We saw “Much Ado About Nothing” the last week of the month at the U of U Pioneer Theatre – Linda had to explain some of the plot to me, as I sometimes miss important plot developments?????

Linda attended Jack & Sofie’s Grandparents day lunch at the U of U Jewish Center where they have daycare. Jack and Sofie aren’t Jewish, but like hummus and crackers for snacks. And they have probably the best day care program in the city.

We missed Sarah’s 8th birthday party while we were in St. George, but are attending her baptism tomorrow morning. We also took her out to dinner with the family when we got back from St. George as a late birthday celebration. And that’s the news.

Love, Tom & Linda

Day Family News for January 2014

Feb. 2, 2014

Day Newsletter for January 2014

A friend, Phil Hansen, turned 70, and his children hosted a big birthday bash for him. I took my keyboard and led the party goers in song, substituting the lyrics I wrote for him. Two musically inclined family members volunteered to help lead the singing, as it is hard for me to play the keyboards and sing at the same time. We enjoyed the party, despite the fact that we’re all getting close to 70 ourselves.

Linda and I saw a great movie about Disney, “Saving Mr. Banks”. We also attended a great play at the U of U, “A Few Good Men”. We had two extra tickets and Wiggins and Jackie joined us for a bite before, and then a very good play.

One weekend, Bill & Katie’s Jack and Sofie spent an overnighter with us while mom and dad went to Wendover with friends. It’s always a treat to have grandchildren sleep over. Later in the month, Stephanie asked us to do a sleepover at her house for three nights while she went to St. George for a work related conference. So we packed out bags, and enjoyed staying in Syracuse and watching Jessica (age 11), Sarah (age 7) and Taylor (age 5). With Linda being retired, it makes it possible to help out in situations like this. I just commuted to work from Syracuse, and Linda was available to take the kids to school and pick them up.

Jackie celebrated another birthday and invited everyone over to their home for dinner. They make great fixins for everyone, and we all enjoyed a great time.
Linda’s knee has been much better, although she has had a two week episode of vertigo off and on. She enjoyed doing the Macy thing during the holidays, but turned down their offer to continue working part time after.

Attended Cal Wardrop’s funeral yesterday – a nice tribute from his kids and family. It was held at the Wasatch Lawn, the same place we had Dad’s funeral at. There’s a cemetery by our home I go walking thru, and I’ve thought about purchasing lots in advance for the inevitable by this nice little stream area. Kind of like what D & A did – advance arrangements. It’s the money, though. And do you do side by side, or the double stack thing? Body whole, or ashes? Decisions, decisions.

Linda’s been doing crocheting, and making quilts. She’s found the old sewing machine doesn’t work as good as it should, it may need a tune-up. Our Tobi steamer quit working, and after I finally threw it in the garbage canisters outside, Linda suggested I google a replacement part. She is wise, as I found one on e-bay for $20, retrieved the good parts from the garbage, and the new part arrived - we have a new steamer for $20 instead of a couple of hundred on a new steamer.

Linda gave me her old Reader, an e-reader device, as she uses her Kindle now. After much agony and finally been saved by Stephanie, we learned how to load e-books on it, and I have entered the digital age in reading. As I finished all the books I received for my birthday a few months ago, I needed some new ones to read. I just finished e-reading The Invisible Man, a John Grisham novel (The Confession), and am now on “20 Thousand Leagues Under The Sea”. I am still having a tough time learning to hold the Reader comfortably, as it’s just not the same as a paperback or hardback book, but I’m learning and trying to adjust. Perhaps the hardest part is not using my Obama bookmark (I throw this in to irritate Karin) on a regular book, and punching a “button” for a bookmark digitally instead. A hint Karin gave me(about reading books) is writing a quick note about the characters as they come up in a book so you remember the context of who’s who the next time you pick up the book. I don’t find a place for digital notes on my e-reader, although I’m willing to bet more recent advances (perhaps Kindle) have such a feature. Perhaps Obama could sign an executive order to have the people who designed the ObamaCare website to work on this.

Speaking of politics, I was pleased that Utah is leading the way to have the gay rights marriage issue pushed to the Supreme Court so that it can be declared legal across the land. I was helping a customer who happened to be a federal judge from California at work last week, and when I asked him about this issue, his response was that “The minute people start marching publically over an issue, the debate is settled. It’s just a matter of time at that point”. The times, they are a changing, as the song goes.

And that’s the news from the Days for another month. Tom & Linda

Day Family Newsletter - Decmeber 2013

January 1, 2014

NEWS FROM THE DAYS:

I looked through the calendar on our wall where I keep notes about goings on in our lives and the source of material for most of my newsletters each month. And as usual, there’s enough material noted on the calendar to fill at least one page. But instead, I decided to go back thru all twelve months of the calendar and come up with the top events that impacted our lives in 2013 (in no particular order):

Linda retires – 4/15

Stephanie and kids move out of Grandma and Grandpa’s house into their own house – 4/6

Debbie and Stuart get married – 3/15

Katie/Bill announce baby girl coming May 2014

We enjoy 3 different weeks’ vacation in St. George

Tom’s Op-ed piece on the Circus Legislative session published in SL Tribune – 2/10

Linda’s total knee operation – 5/13

Danny’s 70th birthday bash – 12/14

Redondo Reunion – 6/8

Vacation at Myrtle Beach – 9/18

One note about Christmas – we had everyone over for our annual Christmas afternoon turkey sandwich and fixins lunch/gift exchange, and the total count was 26! Our 11 yr. old granddaughter, Jessica, begged me to be Santa and she would dress up as an Elf. After saying no numerous times, I finally relented, rented a suit, and we surprised everyone at the end of the gift exchange with our grand entrance into the family room. Jack, 4 yrs. old, immediately said to his dad “Silly Grandpa is dressed up like Santa Claus”. Sarah, 7 yrs old, likewise kept insisting I was Grandpa, but she still sat on my lap along with Kaylee, 8 yrs old. None of the other grand kids would come near me. Jessica and I finally exited with Ho Ho Ho’s and Merry Christmas! When we got to my bedroom and closed the door, Jessica said “Well, that was a bust”. And I agreed, until later when Linda explained how the entire room lit up on our arrival, and the adults loved it and the children too, even though most were too shy or scared to sit on my lap. Jessica and I felt vindicated and happy we did it.
Happy New Year to everyone. Tom & Linda