Morning at the Temple

I had a great morning at the temple.  Left home at 6:15, did two sessions with Willyne and her mother and then had lunch with them in the cafeteria.  I took this picture on the way out.   I always enjoy my time here.

Pulling Popcorn Off The Apricot Tree (OK - The Ceiling)

This is what our family room looked like today while workers were getting the old acoustic ceiling, nicknamed popcorn, off.  We made the decision to do this several months ago when the doctors told us that given my allergies to dust and my cancer, we should consider doing it at least in the rooms I spend the most time in.  So we picked a day a couple weeks after the last of our children and grandchildren returned home from our reunion, thinking it would be a relatively quiet time to do it ...

As you may have noted from posts earlier in the week, there have been two major funerals in our lives this week.  Aside from the fact these were good friends that we dearly miss, it also meant our project happened when we gave significant time to helping out. 

And we were glad for that opportunity.  Willyne and I are both bone tired today, but we are smiling and happy.  She got in a little crocheting this evening, and I listened to a couple of my favorite Pandora stations while getting some paperwork done starting around 3 pm after most of the workers had left the house.  I have a smooth jazz station (think Kenny G, Dave Koz, etc.) and a pure relaxation station (think Enya, Jim Brickman, etc.).  That is a treat for me, I don't do it often, but right now, I'm feeling pretty good!

Genevieve Heaton Gubler, Friend, Neighbor, and LaVerkin Pioneer

Genevieve had an amazing funeral today.  I've known her for eighteen years -- starting when she was 79 years young.  She has been a great example to me of how to keep active and doing worthwhile things at any age.  The way her family has rallied to care for her in the past few years as her health started declining has been inspirational as well.

She had five children, each of whom spoke today, mostly of what they learned from her (the value of faith, work, and high expectations).  They gave her 40 grandchildren, most of whom sung as a group "How Great Thou Art".  Later most of her 113 great-grandchildren sang "I Am A Child of God" as a group.  What a blessing!

Genevieve was born in 1913 in Alton, on the other side of Zion Park from LaVerkin.  I call her a LaVerkin pioneer because she gave so much to the town during the eighty-plus years she lived here (most of the 119 years it has existed).  She wrote a poem that was printed on her funeral program, and which I'd like to quote for you here,

My Town

Dear little town of LaVerkin

I wonder how you feel today?

Do you sometimes have growing pains,

As you expand, first this way, then that way?

I remember when you were so little and cozy,

In the not so distant past,

When every one was my next door neighbor,

And the pace we lived was not so fast.

I guess we can't stop what we call 'progress'

In this day of the jet and trips to the moon.

But sometimes I long for the "good old days"

And think, those days have passed too soon.

But some things that linger on forever

Are the memories of ths place

They gladden my heart with rejoicing,

For my memories don't have to keep pace.

Genevieve, I'll miss your cheerful smile and think of you every time I pass your colorful flowers.  God be with you till we meet again!

Recycling in La Verkin

City council and beautification committee both met this evening.  Beautification is continuing work on what we call the crescent -- the northeast corner at the highway junction to Zion (across the street from Chevron and diagonal from Farmers Market).  We have gotten back with the Utah State University folks helping us with the design with our thoughts on their initial three conceptual proposals, now we're waiting for them to get more specific based on our input.  It will probably take a couple months to hear something more, but then they are doing this as a student research project for free, and they are good, so it seems worth waiting for.  We also worked on the October city cleanup day and the Christmas lighting contest.

The most discussed item on the city council agenda tonight was a recycling proposal.  Right now we have "binnies" by the elementary school where you can take cardboard, plastic, etc. and put it yourself into the right bin.  There is no cost (other that your time to take it to the collection site and to sort it) and we got about $1000 from our share of the recycling proceeds in 2009.  This money goes 100% to planting new trees in parks and on other city grounds.

The proposal is to make this more convenient by giving everyone an additional container for recyclables.  You don't have to sort as everything collected will be shipped to an amazing sorting machine in Las Vegas that does that for us.  But there is a cost, about $10 per quarter per household.  If you don't want to participate or pay the fee, you would be allowed to "opt out".  The recycling company would still send the city the $1000 from recycling proceeds.

There are some details to be worked out, but from the discussion it sounds like the council is pretty positive about this as long as those who want to opt out are given plenty of notice so this doesn't look like we are forcing it on anyone.

It will come up for a vote soon, so I'd love to see your comments as to what you think of this proposal ...

Dr. Richards Says I'm Good

I had a checkup today with my radiation oncologist to confirm all is going well following my completion of radiation treatments on June 28.  I will see him next on election day (can you believe it is only 3 months until November!).  If I could work in some naps that would help (but come on, who couldn't use a few more naps!), but really things are going as well as you could expect.  And I'm so thankful for that!

Pallbearers Wearing Pink Carnations

Roxie Beaumont had a nice funeral today.  Her family paid nice tributes to her, how she always had a smile and a good word for everyone.  And especially what a love story she and Richard had.  Hugh and Margaret Howard sang her favorite song, accompanied by Hugh's guitar.  Very romantic and classy.  The cultural hall was full afterwards, and Debbie Howard, Willyne, and the Relief Society took good care of everyone.

It was quarterly deadline day, so after everything was cleaned up and put away, I took care of what was left of that.  Fortunately, most of it was already done.

I wrote about Emily Hill Woodmansee last year on August 2, so I won't repeat it this year except to say I thought about her spirit and determination again ... a great lady.

 (The part about her starts with the fourth paragraph if you follow the link)

Remembering Roxie

Willyne and I went to Roxie Beaumont's viewing tonight at the church.  She died last Wednesday at age 70 from pancreatic cancer.  It was nice to visit with her family -- there were many of their friends there tonight.  I'm glad she didn't have to suffer long.  I just saw her and Richard four weeks ago (one week before her stroke that brought her cancer to the forefront), and that is how I will remember her -- smiling as energetic as ever!