Great-grandbabies!

I have 2 new great-grand boys - both born just last week! (One born in Utah (to Jeremy and Marcy) and one in California to Rachel and Ryan.) So that leaves one more Utah boy to arrive at Victoria and Wes' house (he's coming soon) and one Utah girl child to be born in the Fall (to Nate & Shannon). My family is growing!

Doran Reunion

Last Saturday, June 20th, the annual Reunion of the Lew and Velma Doran descendants was held in Cedar City in Steve’s backyard. Barbara was in charge of the entertainment, and Paul was to be in charge of the food. However, Paul had a cardiac procedure (3 stents put into his arteries) on June 10th, so Steve stepped in and said that he and Kris would do the food, except for the brownies that Debra had ordered. Keith took a lot of pictures, and I put an album of 33 reunion pictures on Facebook. We had a good time visiting, eating, and playing games. We didn’t have a genealogy presentation this year, nor a report on what has happened during the past year to each family present. Barb focused more on keeping the young people occupied, and they loved it.
The original family had Maurine, Ray, Ruth (a cousin who was raised as a sibling), Beverly, and me . Only Beverly and I are left. She is turning 90 this year, and I turned 84. My mother did not even see ANY grandchildren (she died in 1942 at 52 yrs. of age), and Dad lived to be 72, so he saw several grandchildren before his death in 1962. Our parents would be thrilled to see all these descendants enjoying themselves together.

Early June

I am so frustrated thus afternoon. For 2 hours, I have been trying to upload some photos onto Facebook. Couldn't do it alone, so I enlisted Jaden's help (he's 11 yrs.old). We still couldn't do it, so I am blaming the failure on VISTA. What a challenge that Operating System is! After hearing on the TV news that Windows is going to launch a new system in the fall (too many complaints about VISTA) I almost want to cry. Will it be easier or harder? Shall I invest any more of my time in trying to learn the present OS, or just give up, stumble thru my email and an occasional online purchase, and then grab a comforting book.

I have been crocheting for months (one half inch takes one hour and a half, and my arthritis limits me to crocheting about an hour at a time) on a pink blanket which I started before I made Sara's white blanket. (Kate was born on Feb.18th). I have the pink blanket done now to the point of adding a wide, fancy border. But I am using a border pattern designed for a different crocheted 'body'. Hope I can do it. We are expecting 3 great-grandboys this summer, and I have three 'boy' blankets ready (2 are blue and 1 is yellow). I haven't heard whether Shannon is having a boy or a girl, though. I may need to make another blanket before the fall.

I have procrastinated starting that border because I am a little unsure about it. I guess that is why I have been fooling around with Facebook. I must get at it, though, or the blanket will never get done - and it really is beautiful so far.

I guess that being old makes procrastination an easy way out. But somehow, in the back of my head, there is a niggling little voice that says,"You don't have 20 years to do this, you know,
so get at it." I will. Really I will.

May catch-up

I can’t believe how long it has been since I posted here. I developed a nasty chest cold the latter part of April and spent 3 weeks getting over it. I am better now, but I forgot almost everything I ever knew about Vista.
I have been struggling with that new computer’s OS. Going from XP to Vista is not as simple as I had hoped. I finally had to order a couple of ‘how-to’ books about using Vista. They haven’t come yet. Sigh. I need help especially with pix which arrive via email. It was so simple with XP, and Beverly tried to help me with the Vista method, but I didn’t get the steps written down, so after my illness, I didn’t remember them! (Getting old is the pits!)
I have also been trying to get established on Facebook. So far, I’m not batting 1000. I don’t think that I am posting the right kind of stuff there. If you have suggestions on how I can improve, please don’t hesitate to straighten me out. I would really appreciate it.
We have had such pretty weather the last few days, but the high clouds are back. Oh well, we need the rain.

Busy Week

We have had a busy week. We drove to S.L. for Tessa’s wedding. We arrived in S.L. on Wednesday evening, and drove to the big hospital in Murray to see Mark. He seems to be in good spirits, although his body is not in very good shape, so he will have to remain there for several more days for continued testing.

Tessa’s wedding was in the Salt Lake Temple on Thursday (the 12th of March). I was happy to be able to go to S.L. for the wedding as I had not been in the S.L. Temple for many years. Vern & I were married there, but in 1943, the many large sealing rooms that are currently there did not exist, and we were married in a sealing room just off the Celestial Room. I realize now what a special experience that was! But of course, because of the large number of weddings these days, accommodations have had to be made. It was still exciting to watch Tessa & Brent as their vows were said. With misty eyes, everyone is remembering his/her own wedding, and hoping that they still measure up!

Between the after-wedding pictures (Oh, it was so cold outside in the shade!) and the dinner, Keith & Sherrie, Emily & Brad and I toured the Conference Center. K & S had been there before, but I hadn’t, nor had E & B, and we enjoyed it. We did so much ‘touring’ that the battery on my Jazzy became very low. So at the restaurant, they sat me near a wall socket, plugged me in, and during dinner, my chair was completely re-charged! The wedding dinner was scrumptious and worth the hassle of finding the restaurant! (No one in our car had even been in the Gateway Mall before!)

The reception that evening was so unique in so many ways, that I would need another posting just to tell you about it. It was GREAT.

On Friday morning, part of our group went to tour the Draper Temple, and Barbara, Emily and I went to see Aunt Mae. We were impressed with her! Physically, she is weaker than she was when she visited St. George just before we moved to Cedar, but she is 93 and ½, and is still quite sharp.

We came back on Friday evening, and as usual, I was happy to be home. It was great to see so many family members at the reception, but old people thrive on routine, and it is hard when we have to change that. I just love being in my own place. I am so lucky to have Kris and Steve to take care of me, and chauffeur me around. But (three clicks of my heels), there’s no place like home!

New Computer

Keith came up from Las Vegas and spent most of the weekend setting up my new computer (HP Pavilion) and transferring my files, etc. What a job! Of course, you know how time-consuming that is. I am hoping that learning this new operating system (Vista) will help ward off Alzheimers! (I have Vista on my laptop, but I don’t use it a lot.) I have a stack of notes on how to do stuff, but I think I am really enjoying the little “shortcut”buttons on each side of my keyboard. The picture quality is superior to my old computer and so is the music. I think using it will be a lot of fun.

New great-grandchild

Good news! I have a new great-grandchild. Sara & Jason are welcoming baby Kate who was born yesterday. She weighed 6 lbs.and 4 oz, and she is not too excited about being here! Well, - she is a very calm baby, so maybe she doesn't seem excited. But the Dr. says she is OK to go home this afternoon.

early February

Nobody told me that it would be so easy to postpone writing a blog entry! I love reading the ones others have written, but I drag my feet on making a new post. What’s my excuse? (1)“There is so much to tell that no one would want to take the time to read it all” or (2)”Oh. I would have to really concentrate for at least a half hour, and I just don’t want to do that tonight” or (3) “I wish I knew what my readers would like to see – old memories? Or just current stuff of every day? I just don’t know what to write.

Oh well – here goes --- We had a fun shower for Sara and Tessa! Sara attended by way of Skype! She had her computer camera on, and we had one on here on my desktop. So she was able to watch the shower, and we were able to watch her as we opened her gifts! That was neat. Tessa, of course, was here, and she received a lot of fun gifts (some useful), but the picture of the aunts holding up her scanties is one for the books!

We were inspired by the Beaver Stake Conference on Feb 1st. Elder Russell M. Nelson, of the Quorum of the Twelve presided, and Paul was released as Stake President after 9 years of service. What a thrill to be introduced to Elder Nelson and have him hold my hand while we had a short visit. It was an experience never to be forgotten.

Mark is still in the Intermountain Hospital in Murray. It has been 3 weeks. He is in the rehab unit now, but the terrible injury to his brain is difficult to adapt to. Please remember him in your prayers.

I have purchased a new computer, and when Keith & Sherrie return from Costa Rica (after the 18th if February), he will install it for me. My current computer is 4 years old, and Emily tells me I need a new one. So – am I up to adapting to a new computer? I guess time will tell!

January

I received the invitation to the shower for Tessa & Sara today. I am looking forward to seeing a lot of “Thomas women”(of all ages) on the 31st. It is so much fun when we can get together, and this year, we have two chances because this is the Thomas Thanksgiving year! Psychologists tell us that it is good to have events to anticipate. Maybe that is what gets us out of bed in the mornings. (What’s that you say? Oh yes, crying babies can do the same thing! So can puppies scratching at the door to get out! Another thing that will do it is your husband calling,”Honey, come and eat breakfast with me before I go to work. I’ve got it all ready!.”)

Have a fun January day!