Mon: Mystery of the Missing Door Opener

I returned from shopping recently to discover my garage door opener was gone. I ‘knew’ it’d been stolen during my outing. Visualizing the things they would take, I started locking windows & doors. That night was void of intruder sounds. Were they waiting until I went to church the next day or work?

Nothing happened, so logic told me it fell out my open car door window. Driving that route days later, I looked for the smashed pieces in the road. It was probably swept up by a cleaning truck, I decided.

What a pain getting in & out of the car to open & close the garage door. It’s definitely better than no garage at all. How spoiled & unappreciative we become. There was no one to blame but myself for losing it. After two weeks of mumbling about the extra effort, it was time to reprogram an old opener.

While talking to Jenn (my daughter living in Washington), she asked why I’d sent her the garage door opener. What! It had hitched a ride in a package I’d taken to her friend, who was visiting here, the day it disappeared. Send it back, NOW!! I told her. It’s duct taped to the car as we speak.

Sat: Savor Summer's Abundance

I long for summer dishes of home grown fruits & veggies. I’m in awe watching them go from sprout to abundantly hanging from trees, vines and bushes. Happiness reigns when I find a stash left at my door by a do-gooder. I love them for it. I become a smoocher, offering up other’s surplus to my open arms, with permission of course.

Biting into a red/yellow ripe tomato or cucumber, not force fed by some greenhouse from who knows where, is refreshing. Peaches, apples & pears growing, then changing from green to ripe is rewarding. A steamed dish of fresh green beans or carrots just out of the garden is ‘to die’ for, in my recipe book.

The ‘Foot Pyramid’ used to say 4 fruits & vegetables, now it’s 5 or more. Eat all you want to make up for the times you skipped them. The best part is no weight gain, just better health & energy. You’ll never hear your mom say, “Eat your vegetables!” again. That’s reward enough.

Thur: Three Weeks & Three Days To Go

Time's running out this summer, so let's kick it in gear as we finish all those ‘To Do’s.
Here’s my list:
1. Take at least three hikes..one more to go.
2. Get away somewhere fun-Sept 10-13th
3. Have a BBQ, invite friends or neighbors. Do it alot.
4. Ride the bike to work or along the river trail.
5. Attend an outdoor concert. Tomorrow?


6. Dangle feet in a lake or stream on a lazy, hot afternoon.
7. Go to a Farmer’s Market.
8. Buy a snow cone.
9. See a parade or fireworks. Done.
10. Visit someone you haven’t seen lately.
What are you waiting for? Get out there & do it!!

Tooth Tales & Smiles

I love beautiful teeth and smiles that go with them. I notice people’s teeth instantly, are they straight, crooked, white, braces, stained, even, etc. My small crowded mouth is full of crowns & fillings costing me thousands over the years. The alternative is a soft food’s diet, I’m much too young for.

In my twenties I called a fellow employee I’d gotten too chummy with, “Zit face!” She smartly remarked, “Crooked teeth!” I’m sure her zits are gone, but I still have crooked teeth. An orthodontist said it wasn’t worth wearing braces for twenty years, to fix the few good teeth I had left.

I thank Dr Hardvigsen every day for introducing me to floss. It was the day he filled a molar with a yard of cement. Since then floss has been my best friend. Without it, I’d have dentures by now, just like my dad & all his siblings.

When I had a toothache this week, dollar signs appeared as I looked in the mirror to determine which one was giving me trouble. Dental insurance changes required a new dentist, who came highly recommended & I liked him. It was music to my ears, when he said, ‘No cavities!’ Yeah!! A few sensitive teeth were slathered in goop & hopefully will solve my problem, at least for now.

Morale of the story: Brush often, floss regularly & watch your sweets.

Sun: School Starts Soon

School starts this week for many in our area. Some children are already in school and others begin after Labor Day. Even though it was years ago for me, here's six things I remember about sixth grade.
1. Never tell your teacher to 'shut up!' It doesn't go over well.
2. If you jump off the balcony in the gym, someone will report it.
3. If you like someone (Kyle Prizkau), he won't like you. You won't like the guy that does like you (Raul Chavez).
4. Don't loan the ring you get from a guy (Raul) to a fourth grader to impress her friends, because she'll lose it.
5. John F. Kennedy was shot & we heard the news on our fancy new transistor radios.
6. You are finally the smartest, coolest & biggest kids at the school.

Sixth grade was a fun, finicky & frustrating year. May all children learn to love it, as I did. What was your sixth grade like? Think of six things you remember.

Fri:Fries, My Fast Food Failings

To be kind to my heart, health & arteries, I avoid fast foods. It helps to be out of money. For lunches, raiding the refrigerator works for me and costs next to nothing. Once a month if I'm anywhere near someone with french fries, I help myself to a few. Before we know it, the whole batch is consumed as I apologize for my failings.

While treating the grandkids to crispy chicken burgers & fries this week, an extra order was accidentally added. OOps! Who can resist hotter than a car dashboard fries, calling your name? Not me! They were gone before we got to our booth. The 500 calorie chicken breast wasn't so bad either.

Fried onion rings are my worst enemy when it comes to irresistible. That's why I change lanes when passing a fast foods place & look the other way. I'm in the 'Fried Onion Rings' Anonymous program due to shoving my way to the front of the line & forcing the workers to 'help me first' or else.

The 'French Fry Witness Protection Program' works most of the time, as well. Fortunately for all of us. Once monthly check-ups are required.

Wed-What to do When You're Desperate

I had 5 dinner guests Monday & no idea for a dessert 1 hour before they arrived. With no money to buy anything, I took a quick cupboard inventory. Narrowing it down to two choices when noticing some pop tarts (strawberry)& Cocoa Krispies (chocolate), I decided on a chocolate cheese mousse pie.

Mashing the one serving size of Krispies, I threw in a 2 oz. bag of Famous Amos cookies to make enough for the base, adding a little butter to bind it all together.

Blending 5 oz. of cream cheese with 1/3 cup each of vanilla yogurt, sour cream and powdered sugar, I gently filled the bottom of the pie plate. Whipping up 1 small chocolate instant pudding w/2 cups milk, it was poured on top and placed in the freezer for a quick firming up treatment. Shaved chocolate bits garnished it all.

Dinner of marinated steaks, crab salad, tossed garden veggies & zucchini surprise was topped off with the most delicious desperado dessert you can dare to do.

1/6 piece wasn't enough for the guests as they raved over the crunchy krispie crust with the creamy cheese filling. One leftover piece (a gal with mega will power passed on) is hidden away for my late night treat today.

Mon_Master Gardener Makes Good on Promise

In May when I was ready to plant a garden, my 8x12 roadbase hard soil rejected my attempts to sow seeds. Green thumb neighbors were harvesting lettuce by then. Convincing Allan to visit their gardens, I promised if he would build a grow box, the veggies would come.

Using old boards, pvc pipe and a $75 worth of mulch & 'good' soil from the nursery, he did his part. I begged seeds from my 'master gardener' friends & planted away. Three kinds of lettuce, tomatoes & cukes, beans, zucchini, peppers & carrots happily call the backyard home, fulfillng my part of the bargain. I'm learning to be a garden variety cheer leader, chanting each plant to grow, Grow, GROW!!!

The best part is the daily salads & healthy meals we enjoy from the earth. Maybe some day I'll be a master gardener, like my friends.

Sat-Star Showers w/the Pleiades

This week a spectacular light show, brought to us by the 'Pleiades' (Plee a dees) a constellation group, took place. Best viewing time was midnight to 5am Tuesday & Wednesday evenings. I was wake at 2:30 am, so decided to take a look out a bedroom window. Two shooting stars were enough late night snack for me, to grab a sleeping bag and robe.

I tiptoed out the front door heading for a full meal on the front lawn. After a cosmic appetizer, I spread out my sleeping bag, crawled in and waited for 'star fruit' salad. Soon with my 180' view, the main course of Racing Sky Lights and Cool Night Air arrived.

With a tree blocking the moon and an occassional car passing by, I was ready for gourmet. Crickets, a far away train and the neighbor's sprinkers was the music of choice. Did the paper boy see me, turning down my street at 4am?

Dessert was slow in coming, but I held out to see the swish of vanilla ice cream on heavenly chocolate pie. After a quick bite, I went back to bed, with a peanut butter sandwich in tow. It was hard to get up the next morning, but I managed, hunger pains & all.

Thur-Full Throttle Thrill

With summer at full throttle, I'm thinking about running a race. A few years ago I ran in the Deseret News 10k. Scared silly with excitement, I couldn't remember my name & used the potty three times in a row. My niece Katie, joined me. It's great to be with someone when the gun goes off. But, with her energy and slim body, she quickly blew past me within two minutes or less. She was there to test her skills with the best of them.

Running full throttle with thousands of racers through the streets of Salt Lake, was thrilling. I would jog only on the down hill during the race, then I could walk awhile. During my training for the 10k, four miles was a best effort. As luck would have it, all but the last half mile was a gentle downward slope, so I ran all the way to the red faced, sweaty end.

Finishing alive was my only goal, time didn't matter. Family, friends & my mom's cheer from her shaded lawn chair sideline spot, boosted me through the last 500 yards. Worn but sticking to the plan, I jogged through the chute. My wish came true. The race was completed, in exactly one hour. Yeah!! Katie's was half that.

Just as soon as she's ready to start training, I'm there! We can do it together, with her only a mile away. I think I'll start by jogging to her house. Please have some water for me. October would be a great time to do a 5 or 10k.
Are you game?

Tues: Tornadoes to Go

Ten years ago today a tornado touched down in the Greater Salt Lake Area ripping through the city like a balloon on the loose. This was a first for most viewers, who stood at their office windows speculating how much like a twister the storm was evolving into as it drew closer.

I was driving home from work at noon ten miles away, at the time. The rain was beating so violently, I couldn't see out my front window and had to pull over. Frightening doesn't describe the feeling as darkness enveloped the valley.

A hotel building swayed as it's windows shattered into bits from the pressure. Eighty year old trees flew in the air as the leaf blower tornado passed by on it's way to Memory Grove mowing down many structures in its path, miraculously, missing the Conference Center being constructed.

August brings with it another tornado season in many parts of the nation, but probably not to Utah again for many years.

Sunday: Scatter Sunshine

This rosy, pink striped sky glowed me awake a few weeks ago. I couldn't resist taking a photo of the sun's generosity, by sharing its talents daily.

How kind to send everyone a big "shout out" when we may be down, 'Hey, I love you this much.' How can we not resist scattering a bit of that sunshine with others.

When a heat wave is in full swing, your peeling from a burn and just want to stay inside where it's nice and cool, take an early morning or late evening walk instead. Wave to all who pass you by and sprinkle the world with friendliness.

Forget the heat, sunburns, droughts & such.
Remember, that He loves you 'this much'!

Fri: Frankly My Favorite Gift

Many years ago my husband gave me a pair of red handled loppers for my birthday.
He spared no cost, for which I'm grateful. They're one of my favorite things. Not only do I feel powerful with them, I can accomplish so much.

Useful year round they help with rose bushes, fruit trees, wayward branches that are pruned every spring. Summer mowing requires my loppers to trim back low bush growth, aggressive Mormon Tea vine and neighbors mangy trees. During the fall I'm out there cleaning out the dead, diseased wood and despicable weeds for winter with those red handles at my side. Resting for winter, unless a broken branch needs help, then it's me & Red to the rescue.

Disposal is a bit of a problem with the jungle of greenery my lops create. Night time checks on the neighborhood trash cans 'Garbage Day Eve' help me dispose of most of it. The rest gets shoved into several big bins until the next opportunity to dive them into a green waste dumpster.

Thank you for people size trash cans & those amazing red loppers.

Wed-When We Need Wonderful People Like You

Even though life is tough, we usually get by with prayer & hard work. Sometimes the uphill battle is more than we can handle & help is needed. My nephew, Doug Burton, needs our help. A diabetes sufferer since youth, his health is severely at risk necessitating a kidney/pancreas transplant.

Join our family at the Burton Transplant Fundraiser on Friday, August 14th held at Pioneer Hall 1137 West 7800 South, West Jordan, UT. Mountain America Credit Union is accepting donations for him as well. Purchase tickets at Maceys Grocery or Burton Auto or buy them at the door.

A Prince & Princess Party from 2-4pm with your favorite princess, our very own fairy godmother, royal games & treats are sure to please all children for only $5. each.

An all day boutique with assorted hand made quilts, toys, goodies, games, pj's, baby items & more may have just the thing you've been looking for.

DeLoy Allreds Country Band will entertain at the Western Party that evening from 7-9pm including a program, goodies & dancing for only $20 per couple.

With wonderful people like you what more do we need? Thank you.

Mon:Marmalade Morning

A cluster of clouds hung like sheer drapes on a rod in the eastern sky this morning. The lower portion of many, were colored salmon from the yet to rise sun’s rays.

Gold stood out from the double yellow street line, dried road side weeds, day lilies and caution signs along the way to work, reminding me of orange marmalade jelly. Not one of your basic jams but nice, when everything orange jumps out at you encouraging a mellow mid-summer mood.
Better yet how about an Orange Julius to cool you down this hot summer day. Make one today.
1- 6 oz can orange juice,
1 cup milk,
1 cup water,
¼ cup sugar,
10 or so ice cubes. Blend. Mmm.