What does one do after 45 years have lapsed since one graduated from high school? Well, if one is Claude J. Christensen, one gets on an airplane and heads to Utah to visit with old friends and catch up. Especially if one can combine that with a chance to visit with his mom and family as well as take his oldest grandmonster with him. There you have it in a nutshell. Claude made a trip to Utah and Katelyn was his traveling partner this time.
They left Kentucky and Michigan on Friday, August 17th and returned to their respective states on Friday, August 24th. They met up at the Salt Lake Airport where Gramma Bonnie was there to take them north to Tremonton for the week.
Their calendar was very full. Saturday was Claude's class reunion. Sunday was church and family. Tuesday was a visit to the new temple in Brigham City, Utah and a cook-out at young Daniel's home. I know they went to the fair and rodeo while they were there. They made it up to The Oaks in the canyon toward Huntsville for an Oak Burger. Shannon came and kept Katelyn company most of the time Katelyn was there. They ate lots of fresh tomatoes picked right off the vine in the field next to Bonnie's home. Katelyn got to see the Golden Spike Monument where the meeting of the rail lines between the east and the west occurred.
The highlight for Katelyn was the Brigham City Temple. Katelyn was actually born in Brigham City. For that reason she has had a soft spot in her heart for this temple being built. We took her there when it was under construction a couple of years ago. She really wanted to go to the open house prior to the dedication of the temple. It just so happened that Claude's trip was at the same time. Claude called to get tickets for the family to go to the open house. The tickets are free. They just serve as a means to regulate the number of people going through the temple each day so tours flow smoothly. Claude let Katelyn know he got the tickets for August 21st. Katelyn was so happy. That was the second anniversary of her baptism and she would spend part of that day in the Brigham City Temple. One happy young lady there. Katelyn is in the white dress and in the background sitting on the wall are left to right: Brian, Shannon, Daniel, Lynette, Joann (standing taking picture of Claude taking picture of Katelyn) and Bonnie in the red dress. One of life's simple joys is when moments are just right.
Before Claude left on his journey, I got my ducks in a row for a week to myself to fill pretty much as I pleased. Not wanting to waste this precious time, well, some of it I would deliberately waste but most of it was full of productive things, I prepared a clipboard with some notebook paper and made lists of things I wanted to accomplish. This was pretty much a pie in the sky list. I knew I wouldn't get anywhere near all of it done but I knew it would help me to pick things to do that needed to be done as the spirit moved me to to accomplish something else. My list turned out to be two pages long. Goodness!!!
Before Claude left I tackled two projects I've been wanting to accomplish. Before heading up to bed I pulled out the clipboard to scratch these things off the list. Can you believe it??? Neither of the things I accomplished were on the list. Geez!!! I could only laugh at the silliness of it all.
When I left Claude at the airport Friday evening, I stopped at Hobby Lobby in Florence, Kentucky and picked up the items I needed to make my own stencils. Then I came home and relaxed for the rest of the first evening.
Saturday was the day Nissa came to pick up Paul and Aubrey. Andie and the Mini's came as well as Papa and Tiny. I filled my morning finishing up getting ready and my afternoon and evening enjoying family. I've blogged about that day previously.
Sunday was church and I played the organ for the first time since getting the calling to play every other Sunday. That was great fun. I spent the afternoon with Papa and then back out to the house for the evening.
Monday was my training at the Scott County Extension Office for my upcoming term as president of the Countryside Homemakers Club. That took all morning. I treated myself to lunch at Fazoli's, a quick stop at Walmart for some crafting essentials, then I hurried home for a visit with my new visiting teachers in the afternoon. Monday evening found me creating a stencil for my bricks. That took about three hours of the evening. I ended my day by curling up in my bed and reading "The Hobbit" for an hour. I really wanted to finish that book before the movie comes out this winter. I read it long ago but needed to refresh this tired old brain.
Tuesday was Family History Center day. Claude normally would have gone with me for that but, since he was out-of-town, Papa joined me. We actually had a day where no patrons showed. I spent the bulk of the time typing Mimi's journal and Papa read a book. The last hour however I placed my computer in front of Papa and we recorded him talking about the church in his personal history. I took him to lunch after we closed the Family History Center. Then he headed back to Georgetown and I headed to the fabric store for more crafting supplies and fabric. When I left Walmart on Monday, I only took one bag out with me thinking it had my few items in it. I didn't realize until Monday evening after my company left that I only had the dish liquid to clean my bricks with, everything else had to be at the store. I called Walmart and they knew about my other bag and said I could check on it Tuesday. So Tuesday on my way to the Family History Center I stopped and picked up my scrub brushes and ribbon. In the evening at home I spent two hours cleaning soot covered bricks. I read some more in my book that evening and watched Angels and Demons on the television.
Wednesday I worked in my home all morning on my to do list. In the afternoon I sang with Papa at the nursing home. Wednesday evening I painted my bricks with black paint, read some more in my book and completed more crafts.
Thursday was my day at home. I stayed in my pajamas all day long. Just gotta love a pajama day every now and then. I stenciled my bricks and completed more of my to do list. I got a lot done on organizing my things to be president of the Countryside Homemakers. I made phone calls and created documents in my computer to, hopefully, make that position go more easily and smoothly this year. I finished my book. In the evening I watched Rock Center with Brian Williams. They did a piece about Mormons. They tried to be fair. There was a lot unsaid that would have made some things clearer. I found myself remembering when John Kennedy ran for president. He was Catholic and I still remember all this hubbub about him being Catholic. I remember thinking way back then, "What is all this about his religion?" I knew good Catholics and just couldn't wrap my head around all the hype about 'how could a Catholic be president'. I'm feeling the same kind of things about this stir about Mitt Romney. We'll see what happens on election day.
Friday was the day to pick up my hubby. I was able to accomplish a few things in the morning. Then I headed to the Cincinnati airport in the afternoon and retrieved the big guy. I parked my car and went into the baggage claim area. I positioned myself in a different location than where I would usually stand so I could see Claude come up the escalator and, just maybe, he might not see me. I kept turning back to see the baggage claim area as the escalator was flooded with people on what I assumed was Claude's flight. At one point when I turned to look at the baggage claim belt to be sure I didn't miss him, I started to turn my head back to the escalator and who should I find watching me watch for him...you guessed, Claude was watching me. How he did that I'll never know but I felt like I did 42 years ago when I was watching for him to get off the plane in Shreveport, Louisiana and he managed to get past me. For a big guy he can be pretty stealth-like.
We both had good weeks, we both filled them to the brim with things we wanted to do and some things we had to do. Life was good for us that week.
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