Marathon Trip

We spent a wonderful five days in Utah, albeit, way too busy!

We arrived on Thursday, visited with Chris, David, and the kids. Baby Lydia is growing, and is very cute! We arrived at Jake and Amy's about 8:30 PM, and played with Emily and Ashley before going to bed.

We were at 13 different places Friday, starting with a follow-up doctor appointment after lasik on my left eye last October. Next to the cemetery to visit Stephen and Brian's graves. This is a peaceful and comforting experience for Mike, but is very hard on me. I'm just sad!

Third, to our condo to assess the damage after our renter was evicted. What a mess! The walls had been freshly painted and the carpet was cleaned at the time we rented it, and now there are holes in the walls that will have to be scrubbed and then re-painted.

The carpet and pad will have to be removed and the concrete floor will have to be sanitized! We have pictures of the damage, but we'll never recoup money for the damage or the past rent.

Fourth, Dr. Whetton's for supplements. Fifth, to Lisa's. Sixth, to Herbs for Health for more supplements. Seventh, we visited Cari, and gave her February's rent. It's only $25.00 a month. Thank Heavens!

Eighth, a hair appointment to have my hair cut and colored. Ninth, I met Pam and Joan for lunch at Souper Salad, where we planned their trip to come to Arizona the first week in March.

Tenth, we went to Horizon Paint to get paint and supplies to paint two rooms in Brian's old room. Eleven and twelve were to visit Dubby, and then George and Nancy.

Mike wanted to stop and see Carolyn because she wasn't home when we stopped to see Dubby earlier, but, Carolyn wasn't home, she was at the restaurant waiting for us!

We hurried to the restaurant, which was the thirteenth thing for the day. We were giving Mike a surprise birthday party and he was totally clueless to what was happening.

There were family and friends walking back and forth at the buffet (Golden Corral) and he didn't see any of them.

We spent a wonderful evening with our family and friends. Later we slept at Amy and Jakes.

We only had four things on Saturday, but those four things took the whole day. We left Amy's at 10:30 for Quincy's baptism which was supposed to be at 11:00, but took place at 12:00.

We ate chili and white bean soup at Sherri's, which Steve fixed. Delicious!

Afterward we went to the Bountiful Temple for Dick and Ellie's wedding. We were concerned about Ellie. She has Dementia, really it's Als.. but I can't spell it. We were worried, but it went well, and it was wonderful to be with them, and our other family members.

Afterwards, we went to lunch at Chuck-A-Rama in Bountiful, took Sherri home, and arrived back at Amy's about 7 PM in time to tend Emily and Ashley, while Jake and Amy saw Swan's Lake at the Symphony.

We had a good time with the kids. Ashley tore up the house and raided the fridge. She ate yogurt and grapes which caused a blow-out in her diaper.

Emily was a trouper and helped me put the house back together. Two-year-old Ashley insisted she hadn't made the mess, it was Emmy.

The next morning when Ashley awoke and saw her Mommy, she said, "Grandpa Peggy was nice to me and changed my bum-bum." First thing she said to me was, "My Mommy came home."

I had to keep reinforcing the idea that her mommy would come home throughout the night, but she was too worried that her mommy wouldn't come home.

Sunday was more relaxing. We went to church with Amy and Jake, ate a delicious turkey dinner, and then went to Mike and Susan's. They were watching the Super-Bowl, between the Bears and Colts.

My legs were really hurting from walking up and down the full flight of stairs, several times a day at Amy's, and when I went down the stairs at Mike and Susan's to watch the game, I didn't come back up until the next morning.

Monday, we did 15 different things. We painted the two walls in our Clinton home, talked to our neighbor LuJeanne, then showed the home to an interested lady. Visited Sherri and kids. Went to two carpet stores, back to the condo to meet the carpet layer who was going to take measurements. but he didn't show up.

Instead we met a Realtor who showed us through one of the condos close to ours. Mike wanted to see the 1300 sq ft. style. I like our condo better even though it's only 1012 sq ft. The bigger one looks like a gerbil cage. Our's is more open.

Then we visited Lisa. Then we took Cari to lunch at Souper Salad, I love that place! Then back to Sherri's, then back to the Clinton home to show it to the lady's husband at 6:00 PM . Finally, back to Mike and Susan's. Whew! I'm tired talking about it.

We hoped Tuesday would be easier, but it wasn't. We left Susan's and went to WalMart for more paint supplies to cut in the top of the two walls. I was hoping I wouldn't have to do that, but it needed it.

We painted. Then went to my brother Mike's to help him with his finances.

Then to Master's Carpet to return the samples, back to the condo again, to meet the carpet layer. He showed up this time.

Then we went back to Mike and Susan's thinking we would rest-up a little before leaving for the airport. We had no longer sat down when Mike realized he had left his briefcase at my brother's. We had 45 minutes to rest, which didn't happen, because it took 45 minutes to go back to Roy and return to Syracuse.

We were a little stressed by the time we left for the airport. We returned the rental car, flew back to Arizona, drove from the airport to my brother John's, where I got out of my car and into his car. We were headed to a birthday party. Mike just wanted to go home, and did.

John, Sherri, Kristen, and I drove west, which is exactly the way I had just come from. We were headed to Paradise Valley. We took a detour and went by way of the airport. This was an accident. John had taken a wrong turn. This is the same airport I had just left.

We arrived at the home and enjoyed the birthday party that was being held for Grayson, my great-nephew.

We enjoyed the party, and I finally arrived home and got to bed at 11:00 PM.

The next day we finally relaxed!