NIFTY

The most used;

the most useful;

therefore, the most valuable and cherished

appliance

in my kitchen.

We use it minimum

3 x a day.

I cut Ed’s toast with it in the morning.

He doesn’t like to touch his bread.

If I don’t cut it,

he’s hacking away with his fork

to get it in bite-size pieces.

Hot cakes; waffles, if ever we made them.

Bagels.

We cut grilled sandwiches,
even peanut butter sandwiches.
Also veggies, especially broccoli.

Meat of every sort:
salmon, steak, chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs.
Now we all like everything cut up.

Quesadillas.

Pizza, of course.

Every day

three times a day

I think,

“Thank you, Brent and Jan,

for giving us the most wonderful tool in the kitchen.”

How does anyone get along without this incredible gadget?

Evanescent

It’s a little bizarre

like your mind is playing tricks on you

or time has ceased to be;

watching your grandchildren performing in concert

when it seems only yesterday

your own children were on stage.

The conductor, Rod Wayman, of the Davis Youth Symphony,

was a bandmate of Brent’s
both at Davis High School and The Lagoon Show Band.
He and Jan were in the Ute Marching Band together
and even dated a time or two.

My heart strings were already being tugged,

then they rolled in a grand piano,
under Brigitte's apt supervision,

and the soloist and orchestra played
Grieg’s Piano concerto in A minor.

“Sound familiar?” Ed whispered.

May 17, 1981 – Today Brent played Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A-Minor at Davis High Vesper Services, accompanied by a second piano.  Beautiful.

May 21, 1981 – Davis High Symphonic Band Concert at Weber State College.  Brent played the same piece with the symphonic band as accompaniment.  Standing ovation.  Magnificent.  Guests present: Grandma and Grandpa Pugh, Nellie Gai, Cindy, J. Lynn, Tena, Verla, Bryan, Devin, Dad, Mom, Jeanne, Brooke, Eddy, and Amy Lyn.  Sherrill Dorius, Ed and Roni Beck, Chris and LaRene Christensen, Val and Brian; Sylvia and Raymond Hadfield.  Buffet Dinner held before at home.  Above present plus Dick and Sharon Swapp and Sherrill; Myrna and Everett Watts; Ardis and Val Alder and Mary Ann; Kathy and Ron Taylor, Carol and Mel Ward and Brian.  A very special evening.  A TALENTED SON!

It started with a crashing introduction on the piano, then gracefully the exposition began, and I knew I was in for an intense experience.  His precise fingering imprinted a message into the very fibers of my being and my entire soul moved along with the notes into a whole new sphere.  As the concerto continued, the piano pierced my heart, feeding it life-blood and pumping it to an as yet undiscovered dimension.  Then softly, tenderly he played, carefully gaining momentum to a consuming crescendo; still the music moved me until I felt suspended.  I knew that nerve-endings were touched that hadn’t been disturbed in a lifetime.  As the first theme was repeated, my spirit anew would be enthralled with its power and majesty.  Suddenly the tempo quickened and I felt a new sensation before he deliberately stalled each note just long enough to soar my soul to new heights. 
When the French horn had a brief solo,
I thought of Brooke, a Presidential Scholar,
when he soloed with the University of Utah Symphony Orchestra.

DECEMBER 3, 1994 – THE DAY BROOKE SOLOS WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA!!! Concerto for Horn and Orchestra by Reinhold Gliere.  The hall was packed; overflowing; standing room only.  Amy Jayne Hart, Verla, Bryan, Devin and Dawn; Alice and Rell Thompson, Ardis and Val Alder.  Ronnie and Eddy Beck, who had not received an invitation but Brooke called them and they came on the spur of the moment which is very uncharacteristic for them—it’s sort of like they’ll do anything for Brooke.  The Fitzgeralds and Doug Thompson; (all came to dinner before); Carol and Melissa were at the concert.  Hordes of Brooke's friends came and it was an exciting and rewarding evening.  He played magnificently; it was a great thrill.  Thank you Brooke for this greatest of all gifts—a gift to nurture the soul and enrich our beings.  We took great pictures afterward with no film in the camera but Cai got it all on video.

Eddy and DeRay wore their tuxes also and they looked so handsome. 

Eddy said the best part was when Brooke played alone.  “It reminded me of the Mozart pieces,” he said.  He is such a connoisseur—sometimes it is a gift enough to appreciate the gifts of others.  Amy also is very astute and supportive.  I sometimes think she has the best ear for music of anyone in our family.  I hope she is not missing her calling by not pursuing it. 
I'm still elated every time 
I listen to the recordings
of Brooke or Brent in performance.
And I’m thrilled to see
our granddaughter, Brigitte, poised and talented,
making amazing music to enrich the soul.

 

Married 57 Years

DeRay and I make a perfect team:

He makes the messes and I clean them up.

Again I have a carpeted deck.

        I couldn’t face it last night.

Hearing the wet vac screeching in the basement

       as I came down the stairs,          

I went straight back up.

      Amy didn’t let me off that easily.

She came up to report:

       “It’s bad.”

DeRay was making water;

       standing right in front of the mechanism,

then just walked off without turning it off.

       By the time Amy discovered it,

the hallway, bathroom, fruitroom and bedroom

       were flooded royally.

DeRay was hosting a Sunday School meeting,

       (which he forgot about until they came.)

***EMERGENCY***

       If Amy hadn’t been here,

oh wow, we wouldn’t have noticed until morning.

       That would have been on a scale

comparable to our numerous other floods.

       Next morning, after I carried the carpet squares

out on the deck to dry, I look out:

       “DeRay!!! The sprinklers are running.

My clothes and carpets are getting soaked.”

       “Didn’t I turn it off after I watered my plants?"

"What was my name again?”

At least he didn’t leave his expensive

       Shape-up shoes at the gym;

Leave his purse on top of the car

       and drive off;

Or leave his precious camera

       on a bench at Rainbow Bridge.

Like I say:

       WE’RE A TEAM!!!!

While I’m snapping pictures,

I want to show off my new clothes pin bag.

 K’Leena made the last one.

I sent some shirts down for her to choose one

to cut up to make a bag.

The material was stretchy and

with the weight of the clothes pins

it eventually almost reached the ground.

Contorting around to reach deep

to get a clothes pin was about more than I could bear.

I made this one from a pillow case.

I use my machine so seldom,

I had to use the instruction book

to thread the bobbin and needle

and even turn it on.

Darling

This photo, taken from Facebook, reminded me of when we were driving home from SunRiver and I noticed Juanita’s hands looked so wrinkly and old.  Her face doesn’t look that much different.  She has no wrinkles but her hands looked like her mother’s when she was in her 90’s.  Then I looked down at my hands.   They looked just as old, only fat.  Maybe swollen.  Darling, I do not know what to think about this growing old business.