New York City

Hello from New York! I've been here a week, and I'm loving it! There is always something to do in this city. Best friend Sara says hello. We're off to Boston this weekend, and then I'll be in DC next week. I've got to enjoy myself before the grad school madness starts, right? Right.

Wasssup?

I guess if Russ can put stuff on here, I can probably manage to also. So, here's the buzz. We went to St. George last weekend and saw Les Miserables at Tuacahn. If any of you haven't ever seen it, you should - it was our fourth time and it was still great! We also saw Othello and Cyrano de Bergerac in Cedar City. Othello was a little dry but still very good and Cyrano was terrific. If you have a chance to get down that way, definitely try to see Les Mis and Cyrano. We had Megan and Alan, Monica and Melanie with us. Meanwhile, Michelle is in New York enjoying her last freedom before starting her MBA program. She's also going to Boston, D.C., and N. Carolina visiting friends and seeing the sites. Melanie is at girl's camp after spending the last two weeks in California and St. George. Must be nice to be young and carefree! Monica is hanging out here and working at Boondocks but she was in California earlier this summer and actually turned down a free trip to Michigan to spend time with her friend at their family's lake house. Megan is setting up her classroom at Lakeridge Jr. High School in Orem where she will be teaching English this fall. (Same school that Kim went to!) Alan has started filming the Cosmo video that will be shown at the football games this fall. I think we're going to go watch them film next week - should be fun. Lani is still a maniac at school always worried that she will fail every quiz, every test and every course and always getting A's. I'm plugging along trying to survive the crazy financial markets and having a great time being the Ward Clerk in the BYU 15oth Ward. Just think, only a month to go before the first kick off! Well, that's all there is and there ain't no more. Late.

Tyler Has a Birthday

Happy Birthday, Tyler!

Happy Birthday to Tylo!!!

Caleb's been busy...

Caleb will be entering the MTC on August 6, so he's busy making sure that he packs as much as possible into these last few days. We went to see a late-night showing of the Dark Knight on Wednesday. On Thursday we had tickets to see the Drowsy Chaperone in San Franciso. On Friday evening Caleb played his last concert (for a couple of years...) in front of a crowd of about 70 people. It was great--he played some of his early songs, as well as many of the new ones he's written this past year, and there were two new songs that none of us had heard yet. He's made all his songs downloadable (check out his website at www.reverbnation.com/calebblood). Saturday he went to the John Mayer concert with some friends. Caleb said it was an awesome concert, but I simply can't imagine that it was better than Caleb's. Today he spoke at church for his non-farewell and also sang an arrangement he did of "Be Still My Soul." He needs to finish a paper in order to get credit for his Young Ambassadors trip to Australia, and visit the DMV to finish some paperwork to renew his license. And pack. And have an Open House next weekend. Then I guess he will have done it all.

Kate left this afternoon to go to EFY at the UofU. We're sure she'll come back a spear-chule giant. She flew Delta and was bumped up to first class because of her unaccompanied minor status. But she flew on one of those itty-bitty planes with four seats across, so I think that first class means that you sit at the front of the plane. period.

We have the itinerary for Jacob's flight home. He'll be flying through Salt Lake and coming into San Jose on Friday, August 22. (Yippeeeee!)

Jim spent the weekend painting the house, and he's tired. Nat is looking forward to a week of (almost) total t.v. viewing control. We'll try to channel that energy into completing a scouting merit badge or two....

I'll try to post a picture or two from Caleb's concert. We'll see if I can master the technology...

This Week's Report

Well, the big news this week is that Stacey and David returned in one piece from their trip to Guatemala. See Stacey's blog at http://staceysmotheringmoments.blogspot.com for photos and info. Sounds like they had quite a trip. Susan gave Pa a run in the contest for worst cold this week. She finally surrendered on Wednesday when we took her to the Doc and got her some drugs to make her all better. Ma and Pa joined us for free hot dog cuisine on Pioneer Day. Somehow I did something to get noticed while snoozing in the weekly high priest meetings and ended the week as the newest High Councilor in the Riverton South Stake. They told me they'll be direct depositing my paycheck. So much for the leisurely Sunday Mornings reading the paper and eating cold cereal. We're planning a trip to northern California to see the country and mostly the giant redwoods on the coast. Should be fun. Hopefully we won't go broke buying gas along the way. We haven't had any kind of a real vacation ('cept fer the family reunion) since the cruise nearly three years ago. Lori and Chad close on their new home this week. We're glad they hired a professional mover. My back aches just thinking about it. Too hot for my comfort these days. Thank heaven we weren't pioneers.

Fearless hikers

We all had a great time on our hike to Stewart Falls!! It was gorgeous.

Kim and the Orange Bowl

Who remembers the orange bowl?  And its matching partner, the lime-green shag-carpet colored bowl?  I just made popcorn yesterday and put it in the orange bowl.  It will never wear out.  It is made of industrial strength material.  Your mother and grandmother, Velna, is a scrooge when it comes to kitchen stuff.  She will throw everything else away and buy something new, but not kitchen stuff.  These bowls will be in our kitchen when we go to our reward, so to speak.  Along with the original grater, which has been defunct for years, and remains a daily utensil despite my pleas to buy a new, shiny, grater.  And the plastic mixing bowl with a spout.  This bowl has passed through the fiery furnace, having been scorched, beaten, and scarred but remains the favored bowl of choice because it is light and has a spout.  The approximate age of this mixing bowl, verified by carbon dating, is approximately 130 years.  Along with other kitchen tools which we have had since our matrimonial adventures began in 1952, leading to our extended downline.  Our kids stole blankets, (Jim, Russell), and my Peanuts sheets (Ron).  But no one ever walked out of here with the orange and green bowls, the grater, and the plastic mixing bowl.  Says something for respect for your mother's excellent choice of kitchen gadgets.  And isn't Kim cute wearing the orange bowl?

Grilled peaches...yummo!!!

Who knew that grilling peaches could be so easy and so yummy!!! ( I say that, but really I had nothing to do with it except the eating part...Tom did the grilling!!) Anyway...he cut and pitted them and sprinkled sugar on the cut side and let sit for awhile to bring the juices out...then onto the grill cut side down until they soften. We just put whipped cream on top and ate them with the skin on. (Ice cream of course would be extra tasty on top!!) So...there ya have it...your recipe for the day. Enjoy!!!(that was for your benefit, Dad)

What to Blog?

OK. I sat down here to blog this evening, and by golly I'm gonna do it. Am wracking my brain, however, trying to figure what is interesting enough in my life to blog about, let alone catch any elses' interest. Let's see. Taught HP group lesson today. Only one guy was visibly asleep. But then I'm not sure he was awake when he got to church. Susan has felt lousy for days to the point she didn't make it to church today. Has been a rough week for her. We appreciated Dad posting the pictures of Steven's Eagle Scout Court of Honor. He just squeaked in under the 18th birthday wire. But we're really proud of him. He's still pedaling guns, knives, fishing licenses and other sundry stuff at Wal-Mart. Just five short weeks until he heads off to UVU as a freshman. Stacey and David are off in Guatemala visiting the missionary and historic sites etc. of one of David's brothers who served a mission there. Susan went to soothe the nerves of Stacey's children and/or babysitter on Friday. Unfortunately, she seemed to pick up whatever germs were hanging in the air, which, we think, is what put her on her back this weekend. Lori and Chad signed on to buy a new townhome in the area of Bangerter and I-15. They'll close and move in during the next couple of weeks. They're excited about their new home and we look forward to having them just five minutes away. Visited with Ma and Pa yesterday and resolved most of the political issues of the day. Dad has had quite a week of it with his wisdom tooth. Enjoyed the reunion with y'all. Hope we didn't tick anyone off. Well, that's about it for now. Let's see who blogs next.

Blog Reading

Dad thought I was a little harsh about the blog reading, so I apologize if I came on too strong. Anyway, I did get 4 comments from my message. We're glad that you like to look at the pictures and we like to see the ones you post and your comments.

We saw in the S.L. paper that Beryl Wilson died - she was living in Utah near one of her sons. Garth lives in Blanding, Merrill and Karl in West Jordan, Gerald in South Jordan, Brent in New Jersey. Thought some of you might be interested in where they were.

Have a good day!

Blog Reading

I was wondering if anyone is looking at the pictures that have been posted recently. We've had no comments on the pictures from the previous reunions, the pictures from the reunion we just had, or on the pictures of Steven's Eagle ceremony. Are these worth posting, or is everyone too busy to comment? I think Dad is getting discouraged. Anyway, I'm enjoying seeing them.

Roots

A recent appraisal adventure took me back to our roots - good ol' Wyoming. Of course I had to take a picture on the state line so you could all reminisce about the joys of that blessed state.

Grandpa Volney

As I wrote the date today, July 14, I am reminded that this is my dad's birthday. He was born in 1902 - so he would be 106. There are a few who live to that age - but not many. I told something about his work on the railroad at our reunion. I'll just add a little here about the circumstances in which he grew up. He was born in Cowley, Wyoming, as was I, two years after his parents had settled there - coming from Utah. His father had built their first two room log home where he was born. "The walls were logs, the roof was small poles and willows with straw and dirt on top. The floor was covered with carpeting on top of the hard packed dirt until they were able to get lumber and build a permanent floor. His mother used cheese cloth to cover the walls and then put paper on the cheese cloth to make it warmer and more comfortable. The house was near the center of town and was near the church and school". Grandma told dad that the first water from the river reached the Cowley flat the night he was born. His father worked mostly on railroad construction and so was away from home often. Dad remembered what a great day it was when the first train came to Cowley. Dad's father, John, was on the first High Council and his mother was the first school teacher. The family endured many hardships trying to colonize this new country and when his father's health began to fail, his mother was appointed as postmistress - which brought in $30.00 per month. They had a farm "down on the bench" and Volney and his brothers worked there during the summers. His father passed away and was buried on July 14, 1913 on Volney's and his brother, Jack's birthday. I've taken this information from Volney's life story "Memories of Today and Yesterday", a copy of which I think all of our children have, in case you want to read more.

Russell Blood Swearing to be a Good Eagle Scout

Found one more of Russell's Court of Honor.  We just had a little tiny table, no fancy plaques or presentations.  His mother is sitting behind and to his right.  Who is the other man on the right?

Russell Blood Receives His Eagle Scout Award

This photo is the only one available that shows Steven's dad, Russell, receiving his Eagle Scout award in Laramie somewhere around 1970, give or take.  Owen Asplund, who had all daughters, is shown with Russell.  We once sent Russell on a 50 mile hike over the Snowy Range with a homemade wooden back pack someone had given him not even thinking what a horrible ordeal this would be for him.  But he made it and never complained.  I have felt bad about that event ever since.  We tried to convince our other two sons to become Eagle scouts, but told them it was up to them and we weren't going to harass them.  So they didn't become Eagle scouts.

My own scouting experience was limited to scout camp one summer at Wapiti on the North Fork above Cody, one of the great experiences of my boyhood.  I spent hours collecting samples of plants for a camp contest, which I won and received a little book about plant life.  The parents of many of the other boys came up to Wapiti on the last day to take their boys home and to attend the awards ceremony, but mine were unable to do so.  My scout uniform was limited to a neckerchief and a cap.  I wanted a scout uniform, especially a shirt with the troop number, more than anything I could think of, but we couldn't afford it.  I was unable to attend scout meetings because I had no way to get into Powell to attend them.  I did get my second class badge, and had all the first class requirements except swimming and enough merit badges for a life scout badge.  All the swimming pools were shut down during the polio epidemic of the late 1940s and we couldn't even swim in the irrigation ditches.  As a result, I never learned how to swim, a lack that I have mourned all my life.  One of my great loves during this time was my boy scout manual with all the requirements for the different merit badges.  I spent hours trying to figure out how I could become an eagle scout. I gave the manual to my brother Steve who kindly returned it to me, a sixty-something year old classic, a couple of years ago.  I still have the fondest of memories of the Boy Scouts, even though my experiences were miniscule compared to the continual round of outings and experiences today's Boy Scouts have.  I do remember at Church one Sunday asking a Scout who was asked to report on camp after they returned what his most memorable experience was.  His reply:  "Stopping at McDonald's on the way home."

Steven Blood Receives His Eagle Scout Award

Steven pins the Eagle mom's award on his mom, who really deserved the Eagle Scout Award

Russell reading Steven a list of his expanded duties and responsibilities now that he is an Eagle Scout and must always set a wonderful example and always remember to haul our softener salt down to the basement

Congratulations to Steven Blood, newly minted Eagle Scout, an award attained by only 5% of all Scouts (and 5% of their mothers).

Daughters and Granddaughters at Midway Reunion 2008

Back, daughter Kim, Monica, Kim's daughter Amanda, daughter Carolyn, Carolyn's daughter Courtney, Michelle; front, Carolyn's daughter Whitney, Melanie, Kate (daughter of Jim and Sharman)

Monica, Melanie, Michelle, Lani, Megan Blood; Lani is the mom.

Midway Family Reunion: Blood Children and Spouses

Sons Russell, Ron, Jim l-r in 2nd row; daughters Carolyn and Kim

Spouses, Susan, Lani, Sharman; Cliff on the right.  Carolyn's husband Tom missing.

Story of the Blood Family Reunions: Sedona AZ 2000

Daniel whipped the troops into shape

At the rim of the Grand Canyon

Kate ready to take the high dive

Where we stayed

At the slick rock slide