September 21, 1918 to March 21, 2003
This history is a direct copy of her handwritten journals. The spelling of names and sentence structure were not changed.
I was born Irma Sarepta Thaxton on September 21, 1918 at Heyburn, Minidoka County, Idaho. My parents were Stephen Williamson Thaxton and Signora Hansen Thaxton. I was the sixth of seven children. All the others were boys. Their names were Leland, Leonard, James, Marion, Elden, and Alfred. My father had been married before, but his wife died of complications after the birth of their second baby. The baby boy died at three weeks and so he had a daughter, Maneta, to raise. Because of our age difference, she didn't seem like a sister to me. She was married and had a daughter of her own before I was born. My father's first wife was named Sarepta, and that is where I got my middle name. It was hard for me to pronounce and I called myself Irma Sweptafloor Thaxton.
Although my father was not very active in going to church, he never did anything to prevent us from going. In fact, he always said if you're going anywhere "Go on time or don't go at all". Now that I can look back on it, my father was a wonderful man. I can understand why his shoulders were bent and his knuckles gnarled. They couldn’t be any other way and work the many long hours he did to make a living for us kids. If we needed anything, he would do his utmost to get it for us. We didn't have much money, as most people didn't in those days, but we probably had as much as anybody else.
I was raised on the farm between Heyburn and Paul where the "Hub 66 Service" now stands.
We had a three room house, Kitchen, living room, one bedroom. and a lean-to. It wasn't exactly a porch, but just what the word lean-to means. We had beds in every room of the house. I remember two beds in the bedroom with a cot shoved in between the wall and the foot of one bed. That is where I slept, some of the boys were working someplace else so there were two in each bed and I had to crawl up over the foot of the bed to get in, and above me hung clothes on hangers. There wasn't room for a closet. There was a cellar dug under the house. This is where all the bottled fruit and most of the things we keep in refrigerators now are kept. We had to go down the cellar where all of our milk, butter, eggs, etc, were kept. The floors were covered with linoleum and homemade rag rugs. We had a coal stove in the kitchen and a coal heater in the corner of the front room. They also burned wood. My dad and the older boys would go to the mountains and haul loads of wood with a team of horses and a wagon to supply us for the winter. It took several trips and many hours to get enough to last. The wood was chopped with an axe (no chain saws in those days) or sawed with a two-man saw. The stoves weren't kept going twenty-four hours a day, and so each morning a fire was built to warm the house in the winter, and ashes from the stoves had to be carried out.
The first washing machine I remember was a big tub with a handle on the side that we worked back and forth to agitate the clothes in the tub. Of course, the water was heated on the stove and put in the washer. Some clothes were scrubbed on a washboard by hand and rung out by hand.
Birthdays were celebrated with a cake and home made ice cream if we had snow or ice outside. Thanksgiving and Christmas were celebrated too; but we didn't have many presents, only hardtack candy, some nuts, and maybe an orange. The one Christmas tree I remember was brought from the mountains and stood in the corner of the front room, I think I was about seven years old. It didn't have any lights and only a few decorations made from popcorn and paper.
I remember my first haircut, I was blessed with curly hair, and it was snow white. They cut it off almost above my ears, and hair was so thick and curly it looked almost like sheep's wool.
I started school in Heyburn just before my sixth birthday in the old yellow brick building (which was torn down about 1970). I rode to school with my brothers in a white-topped buggy or a wagon or sleigh, depending on the weather. My grandmother, Caroline Hansen, lived in Oakley, Idaho and we would go to visit her. We traveled in a buggy or wagon drawn by horses, so of course, our trip wasn't made in one day. My mother drove us there.
The first car I remember was in 1925. On July 22, 1925 my father , mother, Grandmother Hansen, Alfred and I were going to visit my father's sister and family in the Emerson district. It was just at dusk, and we were driving west. We met two cars of young people that were racing. As one car passed the other, it caught our left front fender and pulled us across the road; and the second car hit us in the side, just at the front seat. Papa's head hit the windshield and cut his forehead. Neighbors took us home, and then they took mama and Alfred to a private hospital and tried to set her hip into place; but it wasn't successful and after several months she was taken to a specialist in Pocatello, who said it had been broken in the ball and socket joint. In repairing the damage that had been done, she was left a cripple because one leg was 2 inches shorten than the other. During the time that she was hurt and before going to Pocatello, she was on crutches. She was in so much pain she could hardly stand to walk or even sit. We had hired girls to help with the work, but they were hard to find, and money to pay their wages was hard to get too. So my dad did a lot of the housework, and I learned at an early age how to wash, iron and cook. My father never drove a car again, because he blamed himself for the accident that he couldn't help.
In the fall of 1926, Leland, Maurine, Marion, Elden, Alfred and I were coming home from Sunday School. As we approached Christenson's corner going west, a car came down over the canal bridge from the north at a high rate of speed and hit us in the side. The car rolled twice and headed us back the way we had come. Elden, Marion, and I went out the back window. It was a touring car--that means open above the doors on both sides Elden lit first, I came next, and Marion landed on top of me. He was knocked slightly cookoo because he wandered off, and they brought him back. They picked me up in a heap and put me in the back of a friend's car and took me home. I couldn't even sit up. As they carried me into the house, mama met us, and she said if she were a fainting person, she'd pass out. They called the doctor, but all he said was to keep me in bed. After several days when I still couldn't sit up or straighten my legs, my father began massaging and working on them. I think it was about three weeks before I could stand at all. I remember doing much as my children did when they learned to walk. Papa would place the chairs so I could support myself from one to the other. I don't know how long it took, but I learned to walk again. My mother, who was on crutches and in so much pain, was unable to help much. It was February when they took her to Pocatello. She was there a long time; and when she was released from the hospital she stayed with her brother, Heber, and his family until she was able to come home.
Most of the housework my dad had to do with what little I could help, as I was only a third grader in school.
I remember ironing a shirt for my brother Marion, who had a date, and I scorched it. I was scared to death he would see it, and I'd get the devil. He had a terrible temper, and he was awfully fussy about his clothes. (I was told later he didn't show that temper much) I was only nine but I was expected to do things about so.
I wasn't allowed to go without stockings winter or summer, and one hot day I took my long stockings off, and my brother Elden just older than me had a long piece of rubber he had cut from an inner tube that he threatened to flip me with. I ran across the garden and out toward the orchard with him behind me. He stopped about halfway, but I didn’t know it, of course. I didn't have time to look back. I spent a quite a while out in the orchard, but I don't remember whether I put the stockings back on or not.
I remember that most summers I had a playhouse. It was the granary that papa stored the grain in the winter, then when it was empty, I could clean it up and use it for a playhouse. It was divided into bins that could be used for different rooms. I made many mud pies and had lots of fun with my doll. I made doll clothes from the worn shirts and my old dresses.
Mama always had a large berry patch. It had just about every kind of berry in it that could be grown. She had people that came to pick on shares, but I also learned to pick berries. Every summer I helped pick berries from early morning until they were all picked.
My childhood and teen age years were spent like most farm kids. I helped thin and hoe beets, cut potatoes for seed and picking them up in the fall, drove a team of horses on the hay wagon, and drove the derrick horse to unload and stack the hay, milked cows by hand and sat on a three legged stool to do it, and just about any other work that had to be done.
In the summer my dad worked with his horses to clean moss from the canals for the Minidoka Irrigation district. This is in addition to his farming. Most of the boys being older than I, were either married or working somewhere else. That is why I learned to work outside, too.
I have always had a love of sewing and handwork. My mother was quite efficient at sewing, and so to work with my hands came quite natural. Because of her crippled condition it was hard for her to treadle a sewing machine, so when they came out with an electric machine, papa bought one. I still have that machine in my possession and many hours have I spent using it. My dad did a lot of our shopping and he bought many pieces of material for mama to make my dresses. I also wore many hand-me-downs and remodeled clothes my mother made. The first dress I made for myself was when I was a seventh grader.
We used to have lots of snow in the winter and usually we got snowed in, but I remember riding to school in a sleigh. It wasn't any thing fancy but my dad hitched the team of horses to it and picked up as many as it would hold and went to school. School was held for those that could get there.
I never knew my Grandpa and Grandma Thaxton. They lived in southern Utah and had passed away before I was born. My Grandfather Hansen was a polygamist. He had four wives. When the law against polygamy went into effect, my Grandmother Hansen had to live somewhere else. She was his second wife and he chose to live with his third wife. Grandma had two daughters living in Oakley, Idaho, so she made her home in a small house near them. I guess the main reason for her living in Oakley was to be near Aunt Josephine whose health had never been very good. Aunt Josephine's husband passed away, leaving her with three small daughters to care for. My mother used to go to Oakley for a few days at a time to help Grandma and Aunt Josephine. When Grandma could no longer live alone, she moved to one of her son's home, and Aunt Josephine and the two youngest girls came to live with us. Ruth, the oldest girl went to Pocatello to live with Uncle Heber's family. We still only had the three rooms but the boys that were still at home had a tent that had been made into a bedroom by boarding it up around the bottom and putting a wooden floor in it. My aunt was bedfast for several months and mama took care of her until she passed away. The two girls, Vera and Sine, lived with us for two years and then went to live with another aunt.
My sister, Maneta, and her husband Guy, had two daughters, Violet and Freda. Freda died when she was three from being burned by matches igniting her dress. The first time I remember seeing them was when I was about seven. They had moved to California when I was about two years old. They came for another visit when I was about eleven.
Violet was about fifteen and she loved to ride horses. The faster she could make them run the better. I rode horses a little bit, but I wasn't very brave; so when I rode behind her I really held on tight. She nearly always rode bareback, especially when there was two of us. We were riding down through the field on a little mare called "Topsy", and Violet wanted her to go one way, but she didn't want to go through the ditch, and she turned and we both fell off in the ditch. I rode the horse that pulled the hay up to make a stack and drove the team to load hay and to help stack hay, but as far as riding one just for pleasure, I wasn't very brave.
I had a lot of fun in grade school, even though we studied hard and had lots of things to do at home. When we had time to play, we played hard. I loved to play baseball and did every chance I got. Boys and girls alike played before school and recess and noon. Christmas time there was always a program for the whole community and afterward a dance. The seventh grade was the first one I remember, and that was when I started to learn to dance. All my brothers were good dancers, and this was one thing they were willing to teach me.
When I graduated from the eighth grade, I went to graduation exercises in a wagon because we didn’t have the money to buy a license for the car, which cost $5.00. That was the beginning of the depression and times were very hard. I was lucky to have a new dress for graduation. It was made from peach-colored silk. I gave a retold story on the program.
We lived two miles from church and school. Quite often Alfred and I walked when the weather was good. We had a car all the time, and papa made a lot of the payments, but because my dad wouldn't drive, Leonard was more or less boss of the car; and so Alfred, Elden and I were usually taken where we wanted to go by Leonard.
I remember the winter when I was a Freshman in High School. They had a party at the church house on Friday night. Leland had a Model A Ford Roadster with a rumble-seat in the back, he dropped Elden and I off at the church house while he went to see Maurine. It became midnight and every one had gone home from the party. It was snowing and blowing. Our church house didn't have class rooms, it was one large room with a coal furnace in the middle of the floor. We decided to pull us up each a bench around the Grate and cover us with our own coats because it looked like we would be there for quite a while. Leland finally made it but he had been stuck many times, and we had a hard time getting home. It seemed like Elden was out pushing more times than he was in the car.
We all had to give two and a half minute talks, and Alfred and I sang together for Sunday School programs. My mother sang in the choir for years and my dad played a harmonica and banjo. He could sing too but he just did for his own pleasure.
Our school was quite small compared to now, so nearly everybody participated in some activity. I sang in the Glee Club all through high school. It was for a Mutual assignment that I sang my first solo. It was titled "Pale Moon". After that Idella Lee Wilcox and I sang a duet, "O Holy Night" for a Christmas program. We had music festivals each spring in competition with other schools in the area. You were expected to perform a certain number for each contest and judged for your performance. When the contest was over, then we held a program at our school for the public and performed all of the vocal, instrumental, chorus, and band numbers that we had learned. We had exchange assemblies with other schools in the area, and I performed vocal solos as well as in the chorus. I also had parts in the one act plays and the three act plays that were put on by different classes. I only had small parts in most of the plays I acted in.
I went to most of the basketball games our school played. I enjoyed this kind of sport very much, even some of the games that were played out of town.
I went to every school dance and most of the formal dances from the time I was a freshman. My older brothers taught me how to dance, especially Marion around the kitchen table to a phonograph record, and when I wanted to go to the school dance before I was old enough to date, Leonard would take me and see that I got out on the dance floor and would bring me home. Sometimes he might only dance with me and then stand around and wait for it to be over. It was always understood that if he took me to the dance, I had to come home with him. I had to dress properly, according to my brothers, before I could go anywhere, and any boy who asked me for a date was approved by them also, because if they didn't think he acted right, they told my dad and I had to tell them I couldn't go.
Some would make the remark that I was spoiled rotten by so many brothers, but I didn't feel quite that way. I felt I had too many bosses.
I always had to help with the work at home. We made our own butter, which was churned by hand. The first churn I remember was a tall, round wooden tub with a plunger that we worked up and down to make the cream collect into small curds and then separate from the buttermilk. Then we would put it in a bowl and salt it and work the rest of the milk from it. Later the churn was a glass jar with a paddle in it. The washing was still done by heating water on the stove and pouring it into the washer, and the water was pumped by a pitcher pump by hand. We had our baths in the kitchen in a round galvanized tub. The water was heated the same way as for washing. Every morning in order to comb my curly hair I had to soak it down with water.
I never remember having a boughten dress, except one I got for Christmas that my sister sent me from California, or coat until I was in high school. My mother sewed everything she or I wore.
My dad always had soda biscuits for breakfast every morning except Sunday. Mama made these every morning along with cereal, eggs or whatever we had for breakfast. If mama was ill and couldn't papa would come in from milking and make them himself. He expected all of us at the table on time, and he served these from the oven. Like I mentioned before, he did his chores at the same time each day and expected meals on time, and even if they weren't ready, he would sit at the table and wait. But as long as I can remember, he didn't wait for many meals. I guess that's who trained me to do things on time and not to be late to go someplace.
Summers, along with picking berries, there was also cherries and apples to pick and can. We always canned lots of fruit and vegetables.
Can you imagine what it is like to grind horse-radish? Onions are sweet compared to that. It had to be done out in the outside in the open, but some like it to put on their meat much like you use catsup. It is a root vegetable and has a very strong taste as well as an odor.
My dad used to tan his own leather, and then he would cut it into strips to braid into lariats, quirts, halters and ropes. He used the hide from the beef that was butchered, and he scraped the hair off with a piece of glass, and then it was soaked in water and stretched out on a big board to dry. Starting at the outer edge, he would cut in a continuous string to the center. It would be soaked in water again before he began to braid. He also made ropes out of horsehair. When the mane and tail would shed hair, he pulled it, and used a little wheel with a three prong hook on it that we turned by hand. He would feed the hair very slowly and as the wheel turned it would spin into a rope. Most of them were black and white, and they were very pretty.
I can't remember the year my father was made blind in his left eye. They used to cut wood for winter, and a stick flew up and hit him in the eye, which caused scar tissue to cover the eye. In 1935 my brother Marion was hit in the eye with a piece of steel, and through this accident, he was blind in one eye.
Our Superintendent of Schools was J. M. Whiting, and he had an outstanding appreciation for art. He started an art exhibit at our High School. We had this in the spring, and artists from all over would send or bring paintings to be hung in our auditorium for display. It was open to the public in the afternoons, and at night we would have an outstanding program of music and speech. The auditorium would be packed, It was a very special time of year. We had quite a collection of beautiful paintings at the school when the program was discontinued. These paintings were sometimes donated by the artist, but the school also bought one with the proceeds from the sale of tickets to the exhibit. Students had the opportunity to be receptionists and ushers at these programs. We even got to talk to some of the artists and to explain to other guests about the pictures and the purpose of the exhibit. These pictures still are being exhibited in the halls of the Heyburn school in this year 1997 clear back from 1935. I really enjoyed my high school days from studies to all the parties, programs, dances and sports.
When we were Sophomores, most of our class, decided to observe May Day with a May walk in the afternoon. Our Adviser, Mr Virgil Cross, wouldn't approve it, so we decided to play "hooky'. We walked over the railroad bridge to the Burley park, ate our lunch and walked back to school. Because we had disobeyed, we were all punished by being given outside assignments, and taking the semester exams, but that wasn't all that bad--we did enjoy the walk.
We had a Seminary program combined with the Rupert Seminary classes in our church house. Our teacher, Jesse L. Roberts, assigned all the parts. I was given the part of 'Kate Smith", a popular singer. When I came out on the stage, one of the little boys in the front row said, "She's not Kate Smith, she isn't fat enough". When we graduated from Seminary, which was a three year course, we were chaperoned on a trip to Salt Lake City, Utah, at the close of school. We had a sight-seeing tour of the temple grounds, and we went to the church office building and saw President Heber J. Grant and counselors David O. McKay and J Rueben Clark. We also went to the dance at "Coconut Grove", the biggest dance hall in Salt Lake City.Bishopric, Marvel Lind, but he was sustained as an alternate High Councilor and Vearl Taylor was sustained Second Counselor in our Bishopric. WE also changed meeting times and now we go on Sunday at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. The Stake realignment also added a Heyburn third ward which will eventually meet in our building also. They have to remodel our building first and then we will have another time change.é. We honored Burnell Seamons who had worked for us for fifteen years. He was retiring, and with his wife, going on a mission to South Africa. We had a nice breakfast. The company gave him an engraved gold watch and Altha a silk flower corsage. I gave them an all white embroidered afghan. The thought it was beautiful and were very appreciative of their gifts. It was an enjoyable farewell.
For Jeanne's birthday I decided to cut the pieces for a Dresden Plate quilt. She has wanted to piece one so I got it ready with material for the blocks and sent it to her.
Ray and I went to Grandmas house and stripped the beds and emptied the drawers so I could wash and sort them. They needed to be taken care of and nobody else could seem to do it. It is now ready for those who want it. It took a lot of effort to get it done but it would just be ruined if I didn't do it.
New Years Day I didn't feel very well. I guess I overdid with all the washing and going up and down stairs, but by night I was feeling better and had everything finished. Saturday, we again cleaned the house and made preparations for Sunday, including Grandma back as soon as we got out of church..
It is very cold, snowy and quite miserable weather but we do need the storm. The snow continued through January and we have had a lot of drifting and closed roads. Some days have been awfully cold too.
We have had grandma with us most of the time. We have got her over hr stomach problems and she is doing quite well except for her loss of memory. She has changed from not wanting to eat much food to eating a lot. She has no patience to wait until mealtime, she wants to eat at the time she thinks it is, if she has a snack then she won't eat when she should. It isn’t easy to take care of her. Some nights we get very little sleep and she asks the same question over and over again. There is no way you can ease her mind or make her understand. Somebody has to be with her constantly except when she sleeps at night.
I have spent my time cutting and sewing quilt blocks. I took my box of silk pieces and have cut three patterns to be appliqued on white blocks. I finished one and gave Joan for her birthday, I have taken the leftover pieces and made a crazy quilt. You have a basic pattern and sew the odd shapes to it any way you can fit them on. It is quite interesting and made some very pretty blocks.
While I go to the office to do my work Edith Handy or Ann Gerratt stay with Grandma and Edith has been coming on Sunday so we could go to church. Our meetings are a different time than theirs. That is the only break we get. You are almost a prisoner in your own house because of grandma’s insecurity.
January 31, 1982 we went to Melba to Dirk's farewell testimonial . They had a very good meeting put on by the family and the Bishop gave a talk. Jeanne had a dinner all prepared for all of us and we ate in the cultural hall at the church. She had Turkey, scalloped potatoes, salads rolls and dessert. It was all very good. There was about 45 there to eat. We weren't able to stay very long. We all needed to be close to home before it got dark because of the snow and the drifted roads. As we got almost home there was quite an accident on the interstate and the road was almost blocked in a few places.
Jeanne, Lynn, Shelly, Gary and Dirk came down Tuesday night. They had supper with Lynn's parents and part of them stayed there at night. Marilyn had Wednesday and Thursday off so Wednesday we all headed for Logan to go through the temple with Dirk, February 10. Joan and Norman drove down and went with us too. It was a small session but we were very pleased and fortunate to have two daughters, two sons-in-laws, Grandma grandson, one grand daughter, one grand-son-in law and us in the temple. We made up about half of the session. After the session Ray and I went and picked up some chicken, french fries, rolls and dessert and took home for supper.
It was extremely cold and the fog was very dense in some places. We were glad to be back at the house. We hated to see Jeanne and her group have to drive to Salt Lake and Joan to drive back home in that fog, but they made it alright. Thursday morning we went to the temple and did one more endowment and because it was so cold we headed back home too. It was enjoyable to get away and go to the temple.
I had some kind of rash on parts of my body for about two weeks so on Friday I went to the Doctor. He said it was from the dry, cold weather and had me get some lotion. He also checked my blood pressure and found that it was high, He gave me some medication for that but for some reason it made me very sick to my stomach and left me very weak. I took it for ten days trying to get used to it and then he changed it to another kind.
Saturday, after having been to Ann's for a week, Ray went and brought his mother back. She is so confused it make it very different to take care of her. Physically she is better than she has been for a year but mentally she is more forgetful and harder to keep contented.
Marilyn was given Friday the 26th off so we sent to Logan on Thursday afternoon. Ray took his mother over to Ann on Thursday morning. We did enjoy the opportunity to go to the temple. We did two endowments on Friday and Ray did two on Saturday at the Priesthood sessions. The rest of the time we really relaxed. You don't realize how tense you are from taking care of Grandma until you get away from it.
Monday and Tuesday I worked at the office to get the first of the months work and statements done. Tuesday afternoon we had Grandma back again. Along with cutting quilt blocks I have completed two afghans, One of them I am going to donate to the annual Bishop's Bazaar.
Wanda Stimpson came and got Grandma on Friday afternoon and she will keep her until Monday morning.
I am not feeling very well, my arthritis and my stomach still aren't right some days and I'm still trying to get my blood pressure under control.
We are going to have family home evening Sunday night March 7. Marilyn and I spent Saturday morning making filled cupcakes for refreshments. We used the films of "Worthy Thoughts, Worthy Music", by Elder Boyd K. Packer and also a film about the life of President Spencer W. Kimball. Joan gave the opening prayer and Natalie gave the closing prayer. We had an enjoyable evening and they all enjoyed the cupcakes.
Monday morning it was back to work again and to take care of Grandma. She is getting more difficult to get along with and we are having to give her a mild tranquilizer to settle her down.
This morning March 8, Elder Dirk Heiner flew from Salt Lake City to his field of labor in Kentucky Louisville Mission. Jeanne and Lynn were unable to go down to see him off but the counsel from the General Authorities is that sometimes it is better not to. We pray that all will be well with him and we know that he will be a good missionary.
Lamar has been released as financial clerk and been sustained as Ward Clerk. Neldon has been released from membership clerk and sustained as Elder's Quorum Instructor. Dee Ray was released as Counselor in the Elders Quorum Presidency and sustained as president. Nolan is leader in the Young Men's Mutual. All of the boys have responsible positions and so do their wives.
Friday Night, March 12, was our Bishop's Bazaar. It was well attended and enjoyable. All of the items that were donated were auctioned off. Some of them sold good and some of them sold pretty cheap. The afghans didn't bring much money and we bought mine back.
The medicine for my blood pressure is helping and the Doctor said I would probably always have to take it.
All our efforts to make Grandma Bailey comfortable have failed and no matter where she stays she gives them a bad time about taking her home. She knows she can't live by herself but she thinks someone can go live with her. We finally made up our minds she would have to go to the Burley Care Center. We took her over to Joan's and she gave her a permanent and on March 24th Ray and I with Wanda's help took her to the nursing home. She was very angry and upset and said things she had no right to say but we have to overlook that and hope she can be cared for there.
Thursday afternoon Ray, Marilyn and I went to Logan. Friday morning we went for one endowment session at the Temple. In the afternoon we had the TV, hooked up to cable. We did a little shopping and rode around North Logan, through a section we had never been before. Saturday Morning Ray went to the priesthood sessions at the Temple. He did three endowments and then we drove home in the afternoon.
The days are going by and we are hoping it will soon warm up and we can have spring. Ray and I went to the Stake House and listened to the welfare session of Conference, April 3. We came home and watched the other sessions on T.V. We appreciate the opportunity to see and hear the General Authorities of the church. We watched the Sunday sessions too. More than one talk was on integrity and honesty. It took a lot of courage for President Kimball and President Tanner to say a few words. Their health is so poor but they are great leaders.
We had family home evening on April 4. Joan and Norman played the tape on "Worthy Music', that Bonnie had from a Rick's College Devotional. Dee and Sylvia furnished refreshments of Brownies, which was very good. We enjoyed the evening.
Tuesday, April 13, Ray and I went to Logan to collect some money for insufficient fund checks that were written at " Hub 66". Wednesday after the Bank opened Ray got a cashiers check for the Hub and then we went up through Bancroft and visited Seth. WE also saw Darlene and went to the nursing home to see Doris. She didn't really recognize us but we visited anyway. We enjoyed the trip by ourselves. Marilyn stayed over to Joan's and we were home by 6 o'clock.
Marilyn had her birthday off and we decided to go up to Melba on Thursday afternoon. Jeanne's family is all doing well. We watched Paul compete in the track meet on Friday afternoon. We had cake and ice cream for Marilyn's birthday at supper time. Monica is really growing. She can roll over and she can sit up alone. We just relaxed and enjoyed the visit. Saturday morning after breakfast we came home to get ready for Sunday.
Our family home evening on the first Sunday in May was conducted by Ray and he read his mother's history. We discussed our trip to Lagoon, which is scheduled for June 9. Marilyn and I served Root Beer Floats for the family.
Mothers Day, we had a nice program at the church. Ray gave me a beautiful Orchid Corsage and a box of candy. Marilyn gave me a 20 dollar bill to buy something I'd like. Jeanne sent me a card and letter and so did Shelly. Joan gave me a bottle of cologne. Dee and Sylvia made me a centerpiece of baked dough that was a basket filled with biscuits etc, and two place mats. Lamar and Brenda gave me an Aloe Vera plant. Nolan and Dawna gave me a box of Butter Mints. Neldon and Sharon gave me a box of chocolates and all of them gave me some very beautiful cards. It was a nice day.
The weather hasn't cooperated very well as far as yard work is concerned. WE asked Bonnie if she would stay with Marilyn so we could go to Logan. Ray and I left Wednesday afternoon and got there about 5 o'clock. Thursday we did three endowments. Friday we went at 8:30 o'clock and did two endowments, bought our lunch in the cafeteria and then did two more endowments. finishing about 5 o'clock. We did some shopping for some books at Cache Valley Mall and then went home. I was very tired that makes for a long day to do that many endowments but it was a good accomplishment. Saturday morning we went at 7:30 o'clock and did two more endowments and went home by 11:30. I fixed dinner and we packed up our things so we could return home. It was a good three days and I felt like we had accomplished what we went down there to do. That if the most sessions we have attended at one time. We hope we can do it again soon. Everything was taken care of while we were gone and that was good too.
It is High School graduation time again. Thursday May 20, we loaded the fifth-wheel and went to Melba. That evening was the Spring Concert at the school. Lynn, Brett, Paul, Jason and Corinne were all involved in the chorus and the band. It was a very good program. Friday night at the Stake Center was the program "Legacy to Women". Corinne sang in the Primary Chorus. It was an outstanding program put on by choruses from Primary, Young Women, Special Interest and Relief Society with some soloists. They had a display of hobbies and handcrafts in the cultural hall. There were some beautiful quilts, paintings, embroidery work, wood work, etc.
Saturday was an easy day but along toward afternoon Monica seemed to have quite a fever so Jeanne called the Doctor and we took her into Nampa to his office. He said she had an ear infection, so we got a prescription for her. Sunday she wasn't well enough to take to church so Marilyn and I stayed with her and Jeanne came back so we attended Sacrament Meeting. Marilyn and I started preparations for dinner. She cut up the chicken and I peeled the potatoes and diced them to make a salad and made some celery and carrot sticks. Jeanne finished the rest when she came home. There were 17 of us for dinner and then all of us but Corrine Monica, and Melissa went to the Graduation Exercises. It only lasted 35 minutes. There were 20 graduates and Brett was 4th in his class and he received the Economics Award.
Brett opened his gifts after we got back home and we had Root Beer floats for refreshments.
Monday morning about nine o"clock we pulled out for home so I could get my work done at the office.
It seems like we can only have one day of warm weather at a time. I decided to get some of the work done outside so I planted flowers around the garage, the window boxes, and some of the Petunias, Geraniums, Marigolds and Alyssum. It has taken about two weeks to get all of the plants in the ground.
Friday June 4, we went to Logan. The young couple who have been looking after our mobile home were moving to New Mexico. I had been crocheting a Spring Ripple Afghan so we gave that to them for a going away present. Bruce said, he didn’t usually go for things like that but it was has favorite color and he thought it was pretty. It was three shades of green and white and Marsha liked that, so it suited them both. They and their little boy Zach, visited with us Friday night and we had root beer floats, Saturday morning Ray went to the temple. We had lunch and came home in the afternoon;.
My joints are pretty sore again and I am starting on the newest medication for Arthritis. It is called Oraflex. My arms and fingers are the most painful now and my right arm keeps going to sleep. I hope this condition soon clears up.
Tuesday June 9, I made cookies in preparation for our family reunion. Gary, Shelly and baby Melissa arrived in the afternoon. Jeanne, Lynn and family came in the night. 7 o’clock Wednesday morning the family gathered to board the bus for Lagoon. Everyone was present except the three missionary grandsons. It was a beautiful day. The bus ride was comfortable and we arrived in good time. All the kids took off to ride the rides. We had the "Rose Terrace" reserved for us. They carried in the food etc. and then went to look around until lunch time. We all gathered about 12:30 to eat and we had plenty. Ray and I furnished the Chicken, pop, salad and cookies. Everybody else brought salads, cookies, potato chips, pork and beans, rolls, pickles, etc. Ray and I just kinda helped with the little ones. We also walked over to "Pioneer Village", and saw the old churches, old homes and furnishings, old time sores etc. They have a washing machine similar to the one I remember as a child and also the cook stove and butter churns. Many things that are familiar to us when we were children.
Ray and I rode the train around the grounds and just generally were available. Everybody headed for the bus about 5:30 and we were loaded and headed for home in about fifteen minutes. It had been an enjoyable day for 44 people. I came home very tired but we were glad that none of the kids had any problems. They did enjoy each others company and there was no quarreling or nasty words spoken to anyone. Ray and I had paid for the cost of the bus and the all day passes at Lagoon.
Thursday morning Marilyn and I went back to work. Jeanne, Lynn and family went back home about 10:o’clock and the rest left about noon. It’s nice to have a family get together that goes so well and is enjoyed by all. We have many blessings to be thankful for and we hope our family appreciates them.
Saturday, June 19, was our family reunion for the Thaxton side. Alfred’s family was in charge of arrangements. There were so many commitments that Joan, Norman, Bonnie, Marilyn, Ray and I were the only ones able to attend. Joan and I sang a duet, "The Bridge Builder", accompanied by Bonnie. I had been given the assignment to write a life history of my mother. I found it hard to talk about my parents, even though they had been gone many years.
We were a small group but we did enjoy the visit. Each of the families were represented except Jim’s and Elden’s.
Sunday, June 20, was Father’s Day. It started off with a call from President Keith Merrill to come to his office so he could visit with us. He asked us to consider being temple workers at the Logan Temple. He knew we had to take care of Marilyn and wanted us to see if we could arrange to take the assignment. This was the beginning of Marilyn’s vacation so we told him we would be at the temple and would meet with the temple President to find out the requirements.
Sunday Evening after church all of the kids and their families came to visit Ray. Ray had already received a card from Jeanne and Shelly.
Monday afternoon we gathered up our things and drove down to Logan. Everything was in good shape at the house when we arrived. We bought our supper of double quartermaster with cheese and a milkshake. We had hardly finished eating when I began feeling sick. Sometimes my stomach dumps my food into the intestines too fast and it makes me very ill. I guess that’s what happened so I went to bed early so I could lay down.
Tuesday morning I was still shaky but we went to the temple for the eight o’clock session and then we visited with President Larsen of the Temple Presidency. He told us the requirements but they seemed to be too tying for us to accept at this time and He advised us to not do it. We did four more endowments before we came home on Thursday night.
Our Stake Conference was June 26 and 27th. Our visiting general authority was Elder G. Homer Durham, and our regional representative was Elder Boyd Henderson. The theme of the conference was "Constancy amid Change". We need to get our priorities in the right order and distinguish between "wants and needs". Sunday morning they released our Stake Presidency and we sustained new ones. President John A Stevenson, First Counselor Clyde Harper, and Gene Hansen, Second Counselor. They will be a good faithful, sincere Presidency, President Merrill, Maxwell. Hurst have served well for ten years and they will be missed and hard to follow.
July 2nd and 3rd was the P.H. Bailey family reunion at Cassia Stake Recreation Area. Friday evening we had a wiener roast and program. Ray Marilyn and I and Lamar’s family were there, but we came home for the night.
Nolan, Dawna and the kids went with us three in the pickup. Dee’s family went in their van. There was a pretty good group by the time we had lunch. They played games and were given "Bailey Bucks" for prizes that they could use to buy gifts that were donated by family members. Marilyn donated a latch hook pillow and I donated an afghan. We had plenty to eat with chicken, salads, and cake brought by everybody that came.
After the things were auctioned, Jim and Carole Ann Fillmore’s little boy who had worked so hard for "Bailey Bucks", still had a handful so I told Carole Ann to bring him by our place as he went home and he could have an afghan because that was what he wanted and there wasn’t enough to go around. He was very happy and appreciative of the one he got.
It was an enjoyable reunion even though there were a quite a few who couldn’t attend.
I worked for two weeks everyday at the office. Jeanne was on vacation and Sharon took her place until sh had to go to girls camp and then I did all the work on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I went to work between 5:30 and 6 o’clock in the morning so I could be done by noon and still get it finished. It had been almost a year since I had done any of the day work and the programs have been changed some in that time, but it all fell into place pretty good and I had very few problems getting it all done. I also had my accounts payable done a week in advance so we could go to Logan.
Marilyn had a week vacation beginning on Friday afternoon July 16. We decided to spend the whole week and we left that afternoon. As we turned off the Interstate at Garland, Utah, our car stopped on us. We didn’t know what the problem was because it had never happened before and it was a diesel car. We made it a little farther but soon had to turn off the road completely. The black smoke just poured out all over and we knew it was overheated but we didn’t know why. We were lucky to have coasted into the shade before we stopped completely. Just as Ray lifted the hood a young couple in a van turned around and came back to see if we needed help. They were a Spanish couple. They helped push the car off the road a little farther and then took Ray on into Logan to get a wrecker, In the time Marilyn and I waited in the car this was the only couple that even slowed down as they went past. We were lucky they stopped but they wouldn’t take any money for helping us. Ray came in a car and another man came with a wrecker. We unloaded all of our things into the borrowed car and he took us home while the wrecker took our car to the shop. Our neighbor, Dennis Spackman brought Ray home from the shop and we couldn’t find anything out about the car until Saturday morning. Wanda, Louis and Scott Stimpson came to see us and Louis was going back to Heyburn the next morning and he called to see if we needed anymore help. While we were waiting to hear about the car, Dennis and his wife Karla took us to the temple for the early morning session. We got through in time to check on the car about 10:o’clock. The mechanic was sure the thermostat on the radiator was the problem so they tried it out and it seemed to be fixed. We were grateful that was all that was wrong because it looked bad when the black smoke was pouring out.
Sunday we picked up Wanda at the university and we went to Wellsville for Sacrament meeting. There aren’t very many Bailey’s left in Wellsville but we did see one of Ray’s cousins. After meeting we went to the cemetery to look up some of the relatives graves and then we went home to have dinner. When we went to take Wanda back to the school we took her out to see the old home in Richmond, where Ray was born. She had never been there and didn’t know where her parents used to live. We did more driving on Sunday than we had done in years, but it was the only opportunity to see some of the history of their parents.
Monday, Ray had the car serviced to make sure everything was okay and then we drove to Bancroft to see Seth. He was down to Pocatello to the doctor but we visited with Darlene in Soda Springs and went to the nursing home to see Doris. Doris had fallen and broke her collarbone and was strapped in a wheel chair. She was crying and miserable and
of course didn’t recognize us. It is sad to see her and realize she won’t get any better.
Tuesday, we went to the temple and did three endowments a piece. In the afternoon we took Marilyn and did a little shopping.
Wednesday, we went to the temple and did two endowments. In the afternoon we went out to the Cache Valley Cheese plant and watched the film and bought some cheese and some Ice Cream Cones. We had a little more shopping to do so we did that before we went home.
Thursday Morning we did two more endowments. In the afternoon we drove out to Clarkston to see the Martin Harris Grave site and the new amphitheater that they have built. We enjoyed the drive and to see the scenery in the valley.
Friday morning we did three more endowments and then we packed up our things and drove back to Heyburn. We had a good week and it was enjoyable. We are grateful we have the opportunity to attend the temple and that everything goes so well.
Saturday afternoon, Jeanne called and said that Todd surprised them and came in a week early from his mission. We are glad that he returned safely and that he is well and feels good about his mission.
We had been making plans to have our bedroom remodeled and Monday Harlow Cheney called and said he was ready to start. He came in the afternoon to see what we wanted done and said he would start the next day July 27th.
Todd and his friend Aaron Mayben surprised us Wednesday night and we had a good visit with them. They went on to Rexburg to see about college.
Our plans for a simple remodeling job have been multiplied and we have decided to change the bathroom as well. Ray wanted me to have a Jacuzzi tub so I could soak in it for my arthritis, to do this we had to take out half a wall and break out enough concrete from the floor to install it. It sets below the floor surface about 24'’. It has a water depth of 30'’ and so I can sit down in water up to my ears. The windows had to be changed and we are adding another sink and medicine cabinet. Our closet will have two rods, one above the other, and use up one wall with three louvered, folding, sliding doors and the T.V. installed over some shelves on the one end. We are putting in new carpet in the bedroom, bathroom, and family room with a tiled entry into the garage. It is taking some time to get all of this done and everything is piled in the basement from our clothes closets etc.
Sunday, August 8, our whole family from Heyburn went to Melba for Todd’s missionary report. We all attended Sacrament meeting and then Jeanne and Lynn had dinner for all of us. They had about 25 people including some from Lynn’s family. It was a nice day. Todd had been a good missionary and he speaks the Spanish language very fluently.
We received a phone call to meet the temple President for an interview on August 24. On Monday afternoon we left Marilyn with Joan and went down to Logan. Tuesday morning we went to the temple. President Bullen had some conflict in his schedule so we did one endowment and went back to his office. He was still unavailable so we met with President Larson, It was decided we shouldn’t accept the call at the time because it was such a demanding schedule, but if within a year we changed our mind we could still be temple workers without being re-interviewed. We came on home Tuesday afternoon as it seemed like a very busy week to be away.
Friday morning Ray Marilyn and I took the van and drove up to Melba to pick up Todd and Brett. We were going to bring them back and pick up Bonnie and move them all up to College. It would be such a hard ride for me that Ray decided to let them take the van and bring it back the next week end. I was glad not to make the trip because I didn’t feel very good. My joints are really painful at times. I have made good use of the Jacuzzi but it won’t cure me.
The work on the remodeling is going good but it seems kinda slow.
Labor Day week end Jeanne and family came from Melba. They stayed at Heiner’s but had supper with us on Friday night. Todd and Brett stayed with us part of the time. Sunday night we had family home evening and Todd told us about his missionary experiences. Ruth and Calvin Heiner were here too and Marilyn and I served Root Beer floats. Everyone was present and it was an enjoyable evening.
September 21, was my birthday. Ray gave me a bottle of Cologne and we spent the day together. I went with him while he picked up the mail etc. And then after Marilyn got off work and had lunch, we went for a ride up to Almo and Elba and back. It was an enjoyable trip and a beautiful day and to top it off Marilyn bought our supper. Nolan and Dawna gave me a picture of crewel embroidery, Neldon and Sharon gave me two Fiskars scissors, Joan and Norman gave me a quilted purse, a wall holder with an expandible ruler in it and a cookie sheet of carrot bars, which we all sampled. Dee, Sylvia, Lamar and Brenda were all gone to a convention in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
Jeanne called on Wednesday and also told us about Gary’s father passing away. Marilyn had already made arrangements for Friday off, so instead of going to Logan we went to Melba and took Edith Armacost with us. We stayed at Jeanne’s and on Friday we drove to Cambridge for Stanley Cutlers funeral. Marilyn stayed with Jeanne’s kids. They had a very nice service for Him and Edith got to visit with many old friends. We also stopped in Weiser to let Edith visit her daughter, Lanita, who is in a nursing home there with Multiple Sclerosis. It was an enjoyable day and we saw many people that we had met when Jeanne lived in Cambridge.
Saturday night after we got home, Shelley called and ask Ray if he could give Gary’s brother-in-law some help because he was stranded with his family out on the interstate. He was having car trouble. Ray, Nolan and Neldon took our van and went to see what they could do. They loaned them the van and next week Nolan would take the Cycle City truck and trailer and haul their car to them in Salt Lake City.
Sunday morning September 26, we were called to the Stake President’s office for an interview. They called us to work at the Regional Employment Office. We will be required to spend one four hour shift a week and President Grant Wyatt would call us and make the arrangements. President Bert Stevenson and his counselors set us apart for the position.
I canned peaches, pears, tomato juice, whole tomatoes, green tomato pickle relish and plum jelly. The plums, tomatoes and all except the spices were from our own garden.
Our remodeling project is finished and we are really pleased with the results. It makes us a lovely bedroom and bathroom. The carpets are nice and our entry to the family room looks nice and is much better.
The fact that I can soak up to my neck in controlled temperature does help my aching joints. I am not on any medication now and haven’t been for a month.
Thursday October 14, Ray went to an ear specialist in Twin Falls and he made an appointment for him to have X-Ray’s at the University of Utah Medical Center on October 18. So we drove to Utah to have them taken.
We have worked at the L.D.S Employment Service two Wednesday mornings from 8-1 o’clock. We have met some nice people and we feel good about the time we have spent. We hope to be of assistance to the people who need employment.
Thursday October 21, Ray went with his sisters to a funeral in Pleasant View, Utah.
Marilyn had Friday off so she and I drove down to Logan to meet Ray. Friday morning we went to the temple and did three endowments. We were the witness couple for the first session.
In the afternoon we did a little shopping. Saturday morning we did another two endowments and returned home in the afternoon. We had spent a busy week but we felt good about our accomplishments.
The past two weeks have been ups and downs for me. The last week end of October I had such a terrible headache and my joints were so bad I didn’t attend any church meetings. My headache continued off and on through the week. On Friday I had a doctor’s appointment.
He found that my blood pressure was up and gave me some medication besides what I was taking. Sunday morning I felt very weak so I spent the day lying on the bed. My headache and my general weakness continued. I called the doctor on Tuesday and he said it wasn’t my medication making me feel ill but my blood pressure. We were going to go to Logan Wednesday afternoon but he said that I needed my blood pressure checked again on Thursday.
November 10, Wednesday morning we spent at the Employment Office. It was a slow morning with only two people coming in. Thursday morning I went to the doctor and my blood pressure was better than it was the Thursday before so he gave me a prescription to replace the samples I had been taking and said it should keep it under control. He said I should try the coated Aspirin for my arthritis so it wouldn’t keep getting worse.
We left for Logan about 11 o’clock and it was a nice drive. Friday morning we did two endowments and as usual in the afternoon we did a little shopping. Saturday morning we cleaned up the house and headed for Heyburn. It looked like snow all around us but it didn’t actually snow on us. It is very cold for this early in the winter however. It was 13 degrees at night and only reaches about 40 degrees in the daytime.
November 17, we went down to Logan again and Thursday we did two endowments and Friday we did three endowments. The weather forecast was for snow on top of what we already had so we came home on Friday afternoon.
For Jeanne’s Ward Bazaar I gave her an afghan to donate. When Joan’s Ward had a Bazaar I gave her an afghan to donate. The Heyburn Community had a benefit and dance for a young couple who were having financial and health problems so I donated two afghans for that benefit.
Cassia Memorial Hospital Pink ladies sponsors the Festival of Trees as a fund raising project so I donated an afghan and Marilyn donated a pillow.
Wednesdays we spend at the Employment Office . It isn’t usually very busy but we have no job openings to help anyone with anyway.
This has surely been a different year for weather. We have had more storm and cold weather than we usually have this time of year.
Todd, Brett, Gary, Shelley, Melissa, Jeanne and Lynn and family all arrived Wednesday afternoon for the Thanksgiving Holiday Thursday morning Ray had to handle the turkey for me. My elbows were so painful I couldn’t lift any thing. Jeanne did a lot of the fixing for the dinner. As each family came they brought something for the dinner. Marilyn and I peeled the potatoes and I made the gravy. Everybody was present for the dinner except our missionaries, Derk and Troy. We set the tables for 43 people. Melissa and Monica were already fed and asleep. It was a good dinner. We had turkey, ham. Potatoes, gravy, dressing, baked squash, corn, fruit salads, relish plates, pies: pumpkin, apple, cherry and home made Ice Cream. After we cleared up the dirty dishes all the couples discussed plans for Christmas and made assignments for Christmas Eve. We had a very enjoyable day and all the kids got along well together.
Friday, I went to work as usual. Jeanne’s family spent the day at the Heiner’s in Burley. We popped some popcorn and had movies in the evening. Saturday morning I took Jeanne and Shelley shopping at the Burley Mall for some material.
After lunch Jeanne’s family decided to return home. Shelley and Gary stayed over to go back Sunday. They were going to go to church with us but the weather had changed and it was snowing. It looked like the roads would be slick by night so they decided to go home.
Monday morning the roads were slick and by Tuesday morning Ray took Marilyn and I to work.
The plumbers came Tuesday to finish their work. They installed the hand rails in our bathroom and put a refrigerated drinking faucet in our kitchen. This completed our remodeling project.
It was really snowing Tuesday evening and on Wednesday by the time we came home from the Employment Office our driveway was full and we got stuck. Dee Ray plowed out the driveway enough to get the car in the garage. Ray took Marilyn and I to work Thursday morning and then he put the snow tires on my car so I could drive it Friday. It didn’t snow anymore and the weather was warmer so the roads weren’t so bad. Thursday afternoon and Friday after I got off work I did some Christmas shopping and I also started some of the sewing I want to do.
I got 13 nightgowns and nine pairs of boys pajamas cut out. It settled down to a routine to get them sewn.
Our 44th Wedding Anniversary on the 14th was pretty quiet. In the evening Marilyn bought our supper. Joan and Norman gave us some kitchen hand towels, Dee and Sylvia made us a Christmas wreath of pine cones, Nolan and Dawna made a decoration for our mantel of the twelve days of Christmas, Sharon and Allyson were down with colds so Neldon came down alone. They all gave us some beautiful cards and Jeanne sent us a letter. Ray gave me a card and red rose in a vase and a poinsettia plant. I gave him a flannel shirt and Levis that I thought he could use when he was doing woodwork plus a card. It was a nice evening.
By Christmas time I had the pajamas and nightgowns sewn plus sewing the lace on 23 scarfs and 4 " trip around the world " quilt tops. There was an average of 1131 pieces in each quilt top. Each family received 2 polyester pieced quilt tops, some dresser scarfs and pillow cases. Ray had made some wooden toys too. They were little cars and road graders for each family.
Christmas Eve we started with dinner. Nolan and Dawna were in charge of it. I cooked a big turkey and a ham and each one in the family brought salads etc. to go with it. Neldon and Sharon, Joan and Norman were in charge of the Santa Claus and He came about 8:30 and passed out a present for each child and some candy canes. Dee and Sylvia were in charge of the program. We had a family band with most of them who played an instrument playing Christmas Carols. Lynn brought the music and directed the band. It sounded real good. Some of the little ones played home made bells and tambourines. Andrea and Clayton sang a song, Tyrell and Jalaine played the piano and Grandpa read the Christmas story from the Bible. We passed out the gifts and then Lamar, Brenda, Jeanne and Lynn had made a pinata for the kids to break. Everybody was involved and they all seemed to have a good time. It was a fun evening. It was a fun evening.
Ray and I were given family pictures, house slippers, gloves, house coat, Jacket, hand lotion, gift certificate and a queen size flannel quilt. Christmas morning we watched Jeanne’s family open their presents.
Marilyn gave me a pleated plaid skirt and a blue silk blouse. Ray gave me a pocket calculator, cologne and a black crepe dress with a slip. I gave him some slacks, shirt, sweater, and two L.D.S. books.
Marilyn got a dress, slacks, blouses, two story books plus her nightgown, house slippers and gloves. We took it quite easy Christmas Day and tried to be prepared for Sunday. Some had colds.
Sunday was our first meeting in our newly remodeled building. We also started a different time schedule which was from 10:30 to 1:30 o’clock. The building looked very nice and I have no meetings that I have to go up very many stairs for. Our Chapel has padded seats and backs. They are quite comfortable.
After our meetings we came home and had a turkey dinner and then Jeanne’s family went over to the Heiner’s to visit. Neldon, Sharon, Nolan and Dawna and Joan came over later to visit.
Marilyn and I went to work as usual on Monday but we both seem to be coming down with a cold. Tuesday morning I took Marilyn to work but she wasn’t feeling very well and by 10 o’clock they called rom the hospital fro me to come and get her. She had a really bad cold and was having chills. She spent the rest of the week home and in bed most of the time. Jeanne and her family left for home Tuesday. They really had a car and trailer full but they made it home without any trouble.
By Wednesday I had a really bad cold so I stayed home as much as I could. Friday Ray started to come down with it and by Saturday Night he was really sick. He not only had a cold but he had chills and fever. That wasn’t hardly the way to start the New Year. New Year’s Day was very quiet. We watched the Rose Bowl parade on television and just relaxed. It was Jeanne’s 43rd birthday but I had sent her present home with her so we didn’t contact them.
Sunday Marilyn and I attended church but Ray was still to sick to go. Monday we went to work as usual and back to the routine. Ray still didn’t feel too good by Wednesday so we didn’t go to the Employment Office.
I had bought some polyester and wool material before Christmas so I proceeded to cut it up and make me some new clothes. Shelley and Gary came through on their way back to college. They were having some car trouble so Ray helped him figure out the problem and correct it. We all had supper and then they headed for home.
I decided I would make Shelley a dress for her birthday so I bought a pattern and used some material from my storage to make it. Between my own clothes and her dress I have spent most of the month sewing. Of course, some days I didn’t sew anything because I had other things to do.
Along with taking care of Visiting Teaching I was asked to teach the Compassionate service lesson. It was on "Teaching with the Spirit". The Holy Ghost is our constant companion if we live worthy and seek the spirit. It was hard for me to give and it was a very short lesson but we covered the subject.
We had planned to go to Logan on the 21st but Ray was having a young girl here for lessons from the full time missionaries. I also had Relief Society board meeting.
I have had a meeting every week for Relief Society, board meeting, homemaking meeting that I helped with the luncheon, Stake meeting, and a Relief Society workshop. I am also supposed to make the assignments for food or other help that may be needed in the home when there is sickness or death. I helped arrange the visiting teaching districts and handed out the books. It isn’t a once a month position. It seems like something comes up nearly every day.
January 1983
We went to Logan on Friday morning and as soon as we could change our clothes and get something to eat we went to the temple. We did three endowments. I was pretty tired but it’s a pretty good start for the New Year. Ray went to the Priesthood sessions on Saturday. Marilyn and I took him to the temple and then did a little shopping. We went back home and straightened up the house and went back to the temple to pick him up. After we had our lunch we packed up and headed back home.
February has started out to be busy. One of our Ward members ( Br. Ben Harding) died as the result of a car accident so I had to make preparations for the food for the large family that was expected. Everybody who was asked to help responded very well and we had plenty.
I have been working on the quilt tops and succeeded in getting two more finished. They are beautiful.
We planned on going to Logan to the temple the last week of the month but Ray came down with a real bad cold so we couldn’t go.
Grandma Bailey fell down and broke her hip, She also bruised her right shoulder and was taken to the hospital. The Doctor decided not to operate because he thought she was to old to walk again and she didn’t need to go through an operation. She seems to be getting along pretty good.
Sunday March 6, 1983 we had the dedication of our remodeled building. It was an outstanding meeting. The choir sounded good and the speakers were very good. Elder Boyd Henderson, our Regional Representative, gave the Dedicatory Prayer. Our building was first built and dedicated in 1936. I was singing in the choir then too. It has been added on to twice since then but this time it was remodeled to accommodate three wards. It brings back many memories of all the things that have transpired in that building, all of the dances, plays, programs and different meetings we have attended. I have never lived in any other Ward so all of my life has been connected to Heyburn Ward.
I also attended the baptism of Jana Feltman a young woman who took the lessons from the missionaries. They gave her the lessons in our home because Ray arranged it. I hope she is able to continue on the path that she started.
Visiting Teaching and Compassionate service is a day to day position. There is always someone who needs help of some kind either because of a death in the family or illness. Also there are problems that come along in the districts that have to be considered. It means a quite a bit of telephoning and checking on people. It requires time that I haven’t had to give before but I seem to be able to get it done and still do the things I have to do.
Troy has arrived home from his mission. I can’t see any change except he is more mature and of course his knowledge of the Gospel is much greater. His missionary report is on March 13, 1983. Jeanne and her family came on Saturday. Todd and Brett came from college with Bonnie Friday night. We had family home evening on Saturday night and Troy showed us slides and told us bout his mission. The scenery in Ohio is a lot different than in Idaho and he had some nice pictures and some good experiences. Marilyn and I spent Saturday morning making a dessert. We put whipped topping mix in the bottom of dessert dishes and then Vanilla pudding mix with fruit sauce on the top. Marilyn also made some Brownies. It all tasted real good. It was also quite a bit of work to make 43 servings. Sunday part of us went to Joan’s Ward for all the meetings and some only attended Sacrament meeting. Some of us helped Joan and she served dinner at the church for all. It was a very good dinner and everyone enjoyed it. After we put things away at the church we came home so Jeanne’s family could return home and the boys back to college. I sent a pieced quilt top back with Jeanne for her to quilt for Shelley .
Ray’s sister Ann Gerratt and her daughter-in-law Marge, came over to see my quilt tops. They thought they were real pretty and Marge wanted to make one.
We went down to Logan on the 17th of March. It was quite snowy but there wasn’t any snow at the mobile home. It did rain after we got there and then turned to snow during the night. Ray and I went to the temple and did one endowment. Ray didn’t feel good so we went back home. After we had dinner we went up town to do some shopping. Saturday we did some washing and cleaning before we headed back home.
March 25 was our Bishop’s Bazaar. I donated two afghans. We went down to the dinner and stayed for the auction. The quilts and small items sold quite well. I think they are tired of afghans, one sold for 40.00 dollars and we bought the other one back for 17.50, but that’s all right because the money went to the Ward budget.
March 30, Ray and I went to Idaho Falls to go through the temple with Brett. Jeanne and Lynn were bringing young people from their Ward for a baptismal session on Friday. It was spring break for the school so all of them came down. The younger ones stayed with Marilyn. It was a good evening. Brett was the only one in the session going for his own endowments. President DeVere Harris who used to be our Regional Representative conducted the Chapel session. Ray gave the opening prayer and Todd gave the closing. It is different going to a temple where the parts are given by real people instead of the film like they have in Logan. Jeanne and Lynn stayed in Rexburg with Todd and Brett and Ray and I drove home. They came back on Friday evening.
Saturday and Sunday we watched all of the sessions of General Conference. President Spencer W. Kimball and Counselor Marion G. Romney were both unable to attend because of ill health. President Gordon B. Hinckley and Ezra Taft Benson conducted the meetings. That is the first time I ever remember of only one of the Presidency being at Conference. The talks and the music was all very good. It was also Easter Sunday so some were about Jesus and the resurrection. Most were on how we should be and what we should be doing. I wish I could remember all that they say.
The sisters in our Ward have had a lot of opportunity to do a lot of compassionate service. Between illness and new babies we have had a quite a bit to do. We have more babies expected and some have us quite concerned because they think they should have them at home rather than in a hospital. Even though they have been counseled by General Authorities down to Bishops and husbands not to have them without a competent Doctor in attendance. I hope nothing goes wrong for them.
April is a month of many family birthdays, Dee Ray, Todd and Brett are all on the 9th. Ray’s is the 16th. For his birthday we had a family dinner. All of the couples brought food. Marilyn and I cooked Turkey and Ham, made a fruit salad. I went to the bakery and bought dinner rolls and two decorated birthday cakes. We had it on Sunday after church. There were 29 of us. Sylvia had to stay with Tate because he was ill and Brent went with his friends. We all had a nice afternoon. Each of the kids were supposed to write a tribute or something they could remember from growing up to put in a journal for him. Joan, Troy, Sharon, Allyson, Dawna, Heather, Scot Josh, Ben, Brenda and Marilyn have put theirs in.
April 21st was graduation from Ricks College for Bonnie. Bonnie was valedictorian for her class because she was the top student in the commercial department.
She gave her talk on "Attitude" and it was a good talk. We were up there soon enough to have lunch before we went to the exercises. It was a good graduation. They also had Elder Marvin J. Ashton speak to them. He had already been the main speaker for there Baccalaureate Exercises earlier in the day.
We drove from Rexburg down to Logan. It had been a long day and we were glad to get to the mobile home. Friday morning we got up and went to the temple. We did three endowments and we were the witness couple for the first session. When we left the temple we bought Kentucky fried chicken to take home. Saturday would be Marilyn’s birthday, so we had birthday dinner on Friday so we would have more time to enjoy it. We did a little shopping in the afternoon and as we went back to the house we stopped and got some Ice Cream and went to a bakery for a birthday cake.
Saturday Ray went to the temple. Marilyn and I straightened up the house and cooked dinner. We gave her a birth stone ring which was a white sapphire instead of a diamond. We had birthday cake and ice cream for dessert. We packed up the car and headed for home so we could be ready for our Sunday meetings.
May 7 was a three ward auction. I donated an afghan and my old quilting frames. We didn’t stay to the auction so I have no idea what they sold them for.
Marilyn went to a Primary party that day and I made some"impossible Pies" for dessert for Sunday. The reason they are called impossible is because they form their own crust as they bake, I made two chocolate and three lemon.
Sunday was mothers day and we had a good program at Sunday School and was given a Geranium flower. I received a letter on Saturday from Jeanne and on Sunday the boys and there families came over. They gave me cards, candy, pictures, and flowers. Joan was ill so she came over during the week and brought me shampoo and conditioner. We had an enjoyable visit.
Sunday May 15, was Brett’s farewell testimonial in Melba. We drove up that morning for Sacrament Meeting. They had a good program. Jeanne gave an exceptional talk on charity. They all did really good. Jeanne served us all dinner at her house afterward. Joan’s family, Dee’s family, Nolan’s family and us all attended from here. It was an enjoyable day.
Jeanne Brett, Andrea, and Monica came down Wednesday. Ray and I took them to Logan where we stayed overnight. Thursday morning we got up early and drove to Provo. We found where Shelley lived and she and Melissa went to the M.T. C.. We all went into the meeting with Brett where the M.T. C. was explained and then we told him goodbye for the duration of his mission. After we left the center we went over to the B.Y.U. campus to meet Gary so we could have lunch at their home. After lunch Gary went back to school and we went to find where Bonnie worked. She needed a little help with her car and so we visited her while Ray fixed her car. She only had her lunch hour off. It looked like she had a good place to work. From Bonnie’s we went to find Maurine Thaxton’s home. I had already called her on the phone so she was expecting us. She has a nice comfortable home and we had a good visit. Her daughter Ranelle came over so we got to visit her to. We took Shelley back to her apartment and then we headed for home. Marilyn stayed with Joan on Wednesday night but she was waiting for us at home and we didn’t want to be too late getting there. It had been a long day and a busy one. This had been our first experience at going to the training center and it will probably be our only one. It was really interesting to see how complete the training is there . I can see why missionaries leave there with confidence and enthusiasm for their assignments. Jeanne and the little girls went home Friday morning and we settled back into our routine
May 26th we went back down to Logan. Friday morning we got ready and went back to the temple. We did three endowment sessions and was witness couple for the first and third sessions. They weren’t any of them very big sessions and we did enjoy the day.
After we had lunch we took a drive and could see the creeks were getting quite full and they were making the banks higher. When we listened to the news later on T.V. we heard where they had closed one of the roads where we had been that afternoon.
Saturday Ray went to the Priesthood sessions and Marilyn and I vacuumed and cleaned things up in general. I picked the Rhubarb so we could take it home and we got dinner ready so we could leave for home as soon as the dishes were done.
We had planned our family trip to Lagoon for June 8 th but we had to cancel it because of the flooding and we weren’t sure it would be open.
Jeanne and family came down of the 7th and stayed in Logan so they could see Brett off from the airport the next morning. He flew out for St. Louis, Missouri for his first assignment. They came back to Heyburn the next day.
Thursday night was a program at the Stake house for all of the women. It was the award night for the "Pursuit of Excellence". Joan, Bonnie, Dawna, Marilyn and I all received a statuette and certificate. Jeanne went with us to that program and displayed of some of the handmade items. It was a special evening and we all enjoyed it.
Their family went home on Friday morning. Ray and I went ahead and got the mail and went to the bank.
We went up to Rupert and picked out some carpet for Marilyn’s bedroom. I decided I’d try to paint it myself. I haven’t painted in a long time but it is not a very big area. On Monday we moved all the furniture out and took the drapes down so they could be cleaned and on Tuesday I started to paint. Dawna came down and asked if she could help, so while I used a brush she used the roller and we almost finished the room. Wednesday morning Dawna came back and we finished the woodwork and the closet. Thursday they came and laid the carpet and moved most of the furniture back. Friday we hung the drapes and put things back in order. Her room looks really nice and I am glad to have it clean.
It didn’t seem like it bothered me too much to clean Marilyn’s room so I decided to do the bathroom and put up new curtains and rearrange the drawers.
I usually have Tuesday and Wednesday off from the office and this week I also had Friday. The kitchen needed painting too. Some of the cupboards and drawers had never been painted and I started with them. Dawna came down on Friday and helped me paint. That was as far as I could go until the next Tuesday and then I did the ceiling by myself. Wednesday I was ready to do the rest of the walls and the hall. I tried to do the walls and the hall. I tried to do the corner window but I can’t kneel on my knees on a hard surface so I called Sharon for help and she came and did them for me. She also helped me finish the wall and did all the baseboards. I finished all the cupboard doors and drawers with a clear varnish. I bought new curtains and rearranged the dishes, drawers etc. and that made more room. I was sure glad to have things put in place and to have them look so nice. I couldn’t have done it without help from Dawna and Sharon.
I even mixed the leftover paint from the bathroom and kitchen and painted the downstairs stairwell one afternoon. The weather has turned hot and I just about melted but I’m glad to have everything clean and back in place.
The next project was to have the carpets cleaned and I also had the drapes cleaned in the sewing room. It was quite a chore for Marilyn and I to move my sewing supplies but we managed and the boys helped Ray move some of the furniture out and back in when the carpets were dry.
Jeanne and Lynn borrowed our trailer so they could all go to the Heiner family reunion in July. They were here overnight on Wednesday and again on Sunday.
Marilyn had the last week of July off for part of her vacation and we planned to go to Logan.
Tuesday July 26 all the employees of Bailey Oil Co. had breakfast at Price’s Caf
That afternoon we gathered up out things and grove down to Logan. Wednesday and Thursday we each did three names at the Temple. Friday morning we spent studying lessons. I had to prepare to teach the Relief Society lesson on Sunday. Ray and I went to his cousins’ wifes funeral in the afternoon. She had been a temple ordinance worker for ten years before she became ill. The funeral service was planned by her and given by her family. It was a very nice service.
After we went home and had dinner we took a little drive, did some shopping and then went to visit another of Ray’s cousins. I knew them slightly because I had met them at the Bailey reunions. We drove around the valley before we went back home.
Saturday morning we decided to leave for home. It had been so hot we were afraid our yard would need some attention before Sunday. Trenton had done pretty well at keeping some water going.
Sunday morning my lesson on "Value others opinions and encourage others" was a good class. We didn’t have a very big group, but nearly everybody took part. My Stake Leader said it was good and I felt good about it.
The P. H. Bailey family reunion was held at Bancroft this year. Seth’s family was in charge of it. Jeanne and Lynn came down and we all went in the van on Saturday. We had to furnish a salad and a cake for the lunch. I also gave an afghan for the "Bailey Bucks". Joan and Norman took their own car. It wasn’t a big group but we had an enjoyable visit. It rained on us pretty hard but we were under a canopy and didn’t get wet. When we left for home it began to rain again and it was a very hard rain. We were glad we weren’t towing the camper because that was what we originally were going to take. The year 1984 is our family’s turn to sponsor the reunion. We plan to go back to Thanksgiving Day.
Sunday we attended Burnell and Altha’s missionary farewell. Neldon, Sharon, Dee and Sylvia were also there. They had a nice meeting put on by their family. Burnell paid us a high tribute as to being good people and a good employer.
July was a busy month and that is why I don’t have our activities in the proper order because the reunion and testimonial was the first part of the month.
We had made plans to go to Lagoon on the 16th of August, but there was so many conflicts and it had turned out to be so hot we decided to not go. It was disappointing to some of the kids but it just seemed like the thing to do and so we’ll try again next year.
I canned 21 quarts of pickled beets and I also froze 8 bags of corn.
Derk arrived home from his mission on August 3, 1983
August 7. Jeanne, Lynn, Derk and the younger kids came and stayed overnight. Jeanne, Lynn, Derk and Monica went on to Provo to see Shelly and to stay the week. Shelly is expecting a new baby and they were also supposed to move so they went down to help them out. Jalaine, Clayton and Andrea stayed with us and Corrine stayed most of the week over to Grandpa & Grandma Heiner. Corrine’s birthday was on the ninth. I had a dress almost done so she tried it on before she went to Heiner’s so I could finish it. It looked like the kids might be here for Sunday and they hadn’t come prepared to stay that long so I made a dress for Jalaine. Andrea had a little one with her, but she needed a new one too, so I made her one from the
same material as Jalaines’. I bought Clayton a shirt and red corduroy pants. The all looked really nice to go to Sunday meetings.é and each family was to bring salads, pies, etc. Our activities started at 10:30 with each one registering in the book and for door prizes. Jeanne & Lynn conducted games and gave Bailey bucks for prizes for anyone who participated. Joan and Dawna handed out the photograph books and saw that everybody registered and had name tags. Dee Ray & Sylvia furnished some fun prizes. Nolan & Dawna made centerpieces of crepe paper and Indian corn for the tables. I bought paper tablecloths and napkins printed with turkeys, etc. We served the dinner on paper plates. We served dinner family style at 1 o’clock. There were 146 in attendance. All our family helped with the serving and we had plenty of food for everyone. Nolan dished up the ice cream for the pie and also washed a lot of dishes as I did. They had a lot of nice items furnished for the Bailey Bucks auction which Lynn conducted. He and Jeanne also designed the Bailey Bucks with Grandpa & Grandma’s picture in the center. We had a short program with a member from each brother or sister’s family. Wanda gave a life history of Grandma Bailey and Ray brought out things about his father. The blue quilt was won by Kim Wilcox’s wife, Melany, and the ping quilt was won by Tyler Stimpson, Wanda’s grandson. She also won the statuette of Grandpa & Grandma for having the best attendance from her family. Every family was well represented except for Charles. Lamar and Brenda from our family didn’t attend. It was a very enjoyable day and we’re glad to have our turn over. It was held at the Unity church of which Larry Gerratt is the Bishop.é in Burley for a Turkey Dinner. There were 57 of our 61 for dinner. It was a good dinner.
Shelly and Gary’s baby was born on Aug. 11, 1983. It was a boy and weighed 8 lbs. 3 oz. Jeanne said she got along really well. They came back on Sunday evening and left for home on Monday morning. We had enjoyed the week with the kids and they enjoyed it too.
We also went up to the Minidoka Co. Fair. We watched Nicole, Shawn, Tyrell, Robbie and Heather show their lambs. They had some pretty lambs and did a very good job of handling them. In the afternoon Marilyn and I went up to the exhibits and judging for the lambs. I had given two afghans to be displayed in the Stake Relief Society booth. I hadn’t realized they would be judged, but I received a blue ribbon on one and a red ribbon on the other.
At the judging all of the kids received blue ribbons on their lambs except Shawn and he got a red. Scot showed the extra lamb and he was pretty young compared to some of the group but he did a good job.
Sunday, August 21, we drove in the van up to Melba for Sacrament meeting. Joan and Norman’s family went with us. It was Derks’ mission report. Jeanne, Lynn and Derk were the speakers. Paul and Todd gave the prayers. Lynn and the four boys sang a song. It was a very good meeting. Jeanne had dinner prepared for all of us. She served chicken, fruit salads, potato salads, relish plate, corn on the cob, bread and butter, ice cream and cup cakes. The food was good. There were 28 of us for dinner. It was an enjoyable day.
Todd had come through from Ricks College in the middle of the week and spent a couple of hours with us. He had supper and then he drove on home.
Shelly, Gary, Melissa and David came on Tuesday and spent the night with us. Baby David is a good looking little boy and he’s a good baby. They were anxious to get on up to Melba so they left as soon as they could get ready after breakfast.
Thursday, August 25th we went to Logan. Friday morning Ray and I went to the temple. We did two endowments apiece. Mine were name of people of Spanish nationality and that’s what they were the last time I went to the temple. We took home some Kentucky fried chicken for dinner. The vegetable was a 3 inch cob of corn. It cost 25 cents extra and we decided that was a little expensive. That’s when you realize that a garden is really nice to have.
We drove around Logan later in the day and looked up some material that I wanted. Saturday morning we decided to drive home so we could go on down to Gooding. The boys were having a Grand Opening for their newly remodeled Convenience Store. It seemed to be going quite well and the store looked really nice. The boys are all working hard trying to make a go of the business. Competition is really rough and you have to be on your toes every minute. They start very morning at seven o’clock and lots of times it’s seven at night when they get through.
Saturday evening we went over to Wanda & Louis Stimpson’s home to revisit Ray’s cousins, Chad and Laura Roderick. Chad is from Eugene, Oregon and they were going to Bountiful, Utah to hold graveside services for his mother, Hannah Roderick. We didn’t attend the graveside services because Tuesday Ann’s husband Don was taken to intensive care at the hospital and wasn’t expected to live. He did rally in the late afternoon but he was not out of danger. He died early Thursday morning Sept. 2, 1983. They had his funeral on Sept. 6, 1983. It was a large crowd. He was well known and every one liked him. He did many good deeds for people especially those less fortunate than him.
Todd, Shelly, Gary and the little ones came through on their way back to school. I had quilted a baby quilt and bought some rompers for baby David.
September 7th Elden and Ann came from Eugene, Oregon. And hadn’t been to Heyburn since 1949. She could see a lot of changes. They visited with us for a little while and then on Thursday they picked us up and we went with them to Edith & Ernest’s and over to see Ann. They said they weren’t leaving until Saturday so I told them I wanted to have a family reunion on Friday Evening. I called all of our kids and then told Catherine, Bessie and Al to invite their families. I bought chicken and rolls. Marilyn and I made three sheet cakes and a large fruit salad. The other families that came brought salad and Al & Bee brought homemade ice cream. There were 47 of us altogether. All of our family including Jeanne & Lynn and their five youngest, Al, Bee, Catherine, Karen and boys, Bessie, Lowell, Carol and family. Elden & Ann. That’s about as big a gathering of the Thaxton family there has ever been. We did have an enjoyable evening. It turned out to be too cold to eat the Ice cream and cake outside so we served it inside.
I canned some tomatoes, peaches, pears, made jelly from the grapes, plums and crab apples. So that about finished the canning for this year.
We took the trailer and went up to Jeanne’s for part of the week, Sept, 13-17. Marilyn and I helped her can peaches and we also did some sightseeing, shopping, and bought some fruit and 50# bag of popcorn to bring home. It was a nice visit and we always enjoy the opportunity to go.
I had told Marilyn I would make her a new dress so I cut it out and as usual the pattern didn’t fit so I had to remake it. It takes a lot longer to make her a dress because she is so hard to fit, but when I got all through it looked pretty nice.
I made dresses for Trista, Jalaine and Monica for their birthday’s. I made a shirt for Benjamin for his birthday. They all fit pretty good. I made a blouse for Natalie on her birthday.
For my birthday Ray bought me a "Seiko" watch. My other one had quit and I had worn it for a long time. Marilyn gave me a recipe book that was put out by the hospital employees. Joan gave me some cologne and a shoe brush that shines shoes. Nolan & Dawna gave me some cologne. Neldon & Sharon gave me a gift certificate that I could use at the "House of Fabrics".
Todd came from BYU and spent the weekend of October Conference with us. We watched all the conference sessions. The general theme of the conference seemed to be centered around "love". I truly enjoy watching Conference and listening to the speakers and the music. They are all great men and good leaders. The gospel means a lot in my life. I should do more studying, but I like to sew, crochet embroidery, etc.
We had a family home evening and decided to go ahead and draw names. Our family is getting to the age that when more of them get married they won’t want to come to Grandpa & Grandma’s for Christmas Eve so we better do it while we can.
It seems there are always funerals to attend. On October 20 we went to Betty Moncur’s funeral. She had been trying to overcome Cancer for three years. She was only 63 and we had known her many years. She was also my cousin Marion’s wife. When we were first married we visited with them quite often, but as time passed and our lives changed we only saw them occasionally.
Ray also conducted a funeral for a former ward member that afternoon. It was for a young girl who had been killed in an automobile accident.
We went to Logan as soon as we could get things in the car. Friday morning we did two endowments at the temple. Saturday, Ray went to the priesthood sessions and then we came back home. The weather was beautiful. It seemed like the time went by awfully fast.
This week I have been preparing the Relief Society lesson I have to give on Oct. 30. The title is "Service Builds Testimony". I have read articles from back issues of the Ensign and Relief Society lessons. A lesson wouldn’t have to be given if we could all do as the Prophet has told us. I found some poems to go with it and the lesson seemed to go over pretty good.
October 31 is the end of the fiscal year for the Bailey Oil Co. So we are all trying to get everything done up correctly.
I’m a little late in starting my Christmas shopping and projects, but I started cutting out some shirts. I thought I would take them with me when I went to Melba to help Jeanne. Her baby was born on November 11, but I couldn’t leave right then. The weather turned so bad I decided I couldn’t drive alone and because I could only stay 3 days at the most, I stayed home. We called her and she was getting along fine and thought she could manage by herself. They named the baby, Lance. I made two baby quilts and bought some sleepers. I had already given her 2 day diapers.
Shelly, Gary and little ones, Jeanne, Lynn & family and Todd all came on Wednesday for Thanksgiving. Neldon, Sharon & Allyson joined us for Thanksgiving dinner. In the evening we had Family Home Evening. Derk showed slides and told us about his mission. Marilyn and I served Ice cream and cookies. Most of our family came and we had an enjoyable evening. Derk was a good missionary and made many friends.
Derk, Paul and Jason went back home on Friday, but the rest stayed until after church on Sunday. Saturday, I taught Shelly & Jeanne how to do candle wicking. They were starting some Christmas projects.
I could see I wasn’t going to get enough sewing done so I went to town and bought most of my Christmas gifts. I couldn’t buy flannel shirts for the youngest grandsons so I made them.
Our 45th Wedding Anniversary is on the 14th but because of other activities the kids decided to have a family dinner on the 11th. They prepared and brought a turkey dinner with trimmings. We had an enjoyable evening. They gave Ray a tie tack and me a stickpin with the numbers 45 and a blue sapphire jewel. They are really pretty.
Jeanne & her family couldn’t come and they have also decided no to come for Christmas. We have really had a lot of winter and it has been really cold. 15 degrees below zero at night and just barely reaching zero in the daytime. Lamar has plowed our driveway out twice already and we don’t usually have that much snow until at least January.
December 14th I woke up early with my face all swollen and hives breaking out all over. I went to the doctor that morning and he gave my a prescription of Cortisone, which is a very strong medicine, but by about 2 o’clock I was losing my voice and have a little trouble breathing so we rushed back to the doctor again and he gave me two adrenalin shots and also a stronger shot of cortisone. It made me very shaky and tied my stomach in knots. I could only eat a light supper. We thought I was going to have to go to the hospital, but it eased off and I rested pretty good. Thursday, by afternoon I was having breathing problems again and so it was hurry to the doctor for more shots. They left me shaky also. He gave me a prescription for an antihistamine that would help take away the itching. Friday morning I could hardly eat my breakfast, my stomach was so sore, but it got better as the day went by. I was still too shaky to do anything but sit in my chair. Saturday I still had lots of hives, but on Sunday they were almost gone. I didn’t seem to have much strength, but by the time 2 weeks was up I felt pretty good. I’m grateful for priesthood blessings and a good doctor.
I was able to finish my shopping and sewing in time for Christmas. We sent Jeanne’s packages with Nolan when he went to Seattle for motorcycles.
Christmas Eve the weather was so bad we were snowed in. The other families drove to Dee Ray’s and walked across the back yard to our house. Marilyn and I cooked a turkey, ham and made a fruit salad, all the rest brought salad, rolls, relish plates & homemade candy. We had a short program consisting of "Christmas Story" read by Neldon and Christmas songs led by Joan and accompanied by Bonnie on the piano. We passed out the gifts and then the little ones broke the "pinata" for the candy. We didn’t stay together too long because of the storm and the possibility of Joan & Norman not being able to get back home.
Ray and I received some nice gifts, bath towels, domes for our statues, grandkids pictures, tie stuffed pillows, salad bowl set, beads, handkerchiefs, and cologne. Jeanne had sent us a box of homemade candy and cookies. We had an enjoyable evening. Lamar’s family didn’t come and we were glad Jeanne’s family wasn’t having to travel either. We missed those families, but glad that everybody was well and safe at home.
Christmas morning was quiet with just three of us. Ray got a new suit, shirt & tie. I got a dress from Ray and one from Marilyn. They are pretty and fit without any alteration.
I had crocheted 12 pair of leg warmers for the girls and made 10 flannel shirts which Dawna sewed the buttons on because I was sick. I embroidered 11 table cloths and made 17 pillows embroidered with candlewicking. We also gave each couple a blanket.
We couldn’t go to church on Christmas because we were snowed in and they couldn’t hold church. We had a very quiet day, but we watched 3 tabernacle choir broadcasts which was very beautiful.
Ray got the driveway cleaned out in the afternoon so we could be sure that Marilyn could go to work on Monday. I am slowly getting my strength back and by Thursday I felt a lot better.
Ray had retired from the business about 2 months ago and I was only helping a little but Neldon had to do my work when I got sick and I haven’t been to work for three weeks. I helped put out the January statements and typed a gas tax report.
I haven’t minded not going to work. I have tied 3 quilts with a star pattern in the middle. One I sent to Gary & Shelly for their combined birthdays.
January 13 was our Relief Society Visiting Teacher workshop. I made all the arrangements, invitations, handouts, refreshments of punch and cookies. It was a very cold and stormy evening and we didn’t have very good attendance. I was disappointed because I couldn’t carry out the plans I had made. I did do the best I could and those that were there enjoyed the evening.
Sunday, January 22 I taught the Relief Society Compassionate Service lesson. It was on "True Friendship". Our room was full and we had a good lesson. Our music was beautiful and those who had assignments responded very well. I thought it brought back to mind the meaning of true friends and how we should be friends to each other.
We had visits through the month from some of Jeanne’s family as they went to and from work and school. We’re glad they stop and feel like they can stay if necessary.
Marilyn had the fourth Friday off so we left on Thursday afternoon Jan 21 for Logan. Ray and I went to three sessions at the temple on Friday. It was cold and we had some fog so we stayed pretty close to home. Saturday afternoon we came back home.
Derk and his friend Jerry Barnett had been staying at our house nights while we were gone. They were demonstrating sewing machines over to Burley. We visited with them Saturday evening and fixed some supper before they headed back home.
I have been knitting some stocking caps and candlewicking some quilt blocks as well as crocheting on an afghan. I have an embroidered star quilt on the frames now. It has a lot of quilting on it
Of course I do my housework and I helped put out the February statements at the office, but it seems good to be able to sew or do handwork as I please.
It has been so cold and overcast that it is good to be able to be in the house. It hasn’t been above freezing in the daytime for over two weeks.
Ray and I visited Helen Weidel who is fighting a battle against Cancer. She and her husband went on a mission when Ray was the Bishop. She also worked in the office over to Rupert. I gave her one of my afghans and she was very pleased with it.
I have been released as Visiting Teaching leader and am only over Compassionate Service in the ward.
Ellen Bailey and I had a good visit the other afternoon. She came sown to get some ideas on how to cut out some quilt tops and we compared ideas on those as well as on afghans.
Feb 22, a Saturday evening, we went up to Keith and Ellen’s and surprised Keith for his birthday. All of his brothers & sisters and partners that live here were there. We had an enjoyable visit and had banana splits for refreshments.
In January the same group went over to Ann’s for her birthday. That was also enjoyable. We had cake & ice cream that night.
February 16, when I took Marilyn to work it had snowed about 4 inches during the night but before it quit that day it amounted to about 10 or 12 inches. Our driveway was blocked and Lamar had to plow a path in order for us to go get her from work. Friday he plowed it out again. Saturday things were beginning to thaw and the roads were beginning to get dry, those that had a lot of traffic on them.
Sunday morning when we got up the frost was so thick you couldn’t see through the chain link fence on the tennis court. Our trees were so covered it looked like somebody had just dumped snow on them, but it was only frost. Everything was really beautiful.
March 4 was Jeanne & Lynn’s 25th wedding anniversary. It was Sunday so Ray, Marilyn and I drove up to Melba and went to Sacrament meeting with them and visited in the afternoon. Saturday I picked up a special cake and ice cream. We also bought them a glass dish inscribed with 25th anniversary. We had a short but good visit.
Monday night the Bailey’s went up and surprised Mary Wilcox on her birthday. We had an enjoyable visit.
It’s beginning to look more like spring. All of the snow has melted and it has been raining some except that there is plenty of snow all around us.
Monday, March 12th Ray & I went to Logan. Marilyn stayed over to Joan’s. Tuesday & Wednesday we did three endowments apiece. Thursday we decided to clean up the house and then we came home. We had a variety of weather, sunshine, plenty of rain and there is still lots of snow. We enjoyed the time together. Friday morning I did some work for Neldon at the office.
Saturday afternoon I went over to Ann Gerratt’s and helped her quilt. We had a nice visit as we quilted.
On Monday evening March 20th, the Baileys surprised Norman for his birthday. His birthday was the 13th but we couldn’t go then. It was an enjoyable evening.
I have been quilting for my "Pursuit of Excellence" project and have completed 2 quilts, one that is appliqued and one done in snowflake embroidery on checked gingham.
I have also quilted one more appliqued quilt and tied one more gingham check in the star pattern.
The weather has been so changeable it has been good to stay inside most days.
We made one more trip in March to Logan, but only did one endowment each. I had so much pain in my arms I couldn’t attend anymore.
For Ray’s birthday in April we had a family dinner. We had it on Sunday because it gets too late in the evenings before they all get home from work. All the family brought fried chicken and a salad. Dawna baked a cake and Marilyn and I fixed the rest of the dinner. We had an enjoyable dinner and evening. Lamar’s family an Jeanne’s family couldn’t be with us. We missed them.
Ray’s brother and sisters came and spent Monday evening with us and we had a good visit.
I have had so much pain and numbness in my arms that I went to the doctor. He had me take an electro-myellogram test to determine the cause. Part of it is my Arthritis, but I also have Carpal-tunnel syndrome in both wrists. Today, April 30, I’m going to have them both operated on.
It has been seven weeks since my operation. My hands are almost back to normal. The first week I was pretty helpless, but the pain and the swelling wasn’t as bad as I expected. Ray gave me a lot of help. I couldn’t dress or feed myself, not even get out of my chair without help. About the fourth day I could hold a piece of toast. The stitches came out on the eighth day and by then I could feed myself. I wore splints on my hands for two weeks, but I still had to be careful. They were pretty sore.
We took the fifth-wheel and went to Melba on the 17th of May. May 18, Ray, Marilyn and I went to the open house at the new Boise Idaho Temple. It is a beautiful building. It seems small but very compact.
On Friday we took Jeanne and drove to the Boise airport to pick up Shelly and her little ones. In the evening we went to the Spring Concert at the school. It was a good program.
Saturday night we went to Paul’s Seminary Graduation at the new Stake Center in Nampa. They had a good graduation program. Paul was the only young man to graduate from Melba. There were several girls
Sunday we attended church and in the afternoon we went to the High School Graduation. Paul was President of his class. He was a member of the National Honor Society and also received a $400 scholarship to Ricks College. It was a good ceremony. Each graduation exercise we have attended at Melba has been better than the last.
We came home on Monday and back to our usual schedule.
Monday, May 28th, the three of us drove to Boise to the dedication ceremony at the Boise Temple. We had seats on soft chairs in one of the ordinance rooms. We watched the ceremony on TV. Only the Bishops, Stake Presidency and their wives were seated in the same room as the General Authorities. It was Paul Idaho Stake and Rupert Idaho Stake in this session. The choir performed well and each ward in the two stakes had two singers in the choir. President Jack Duncan and President Bert Stevenson gave the opening and closing prayers. President Gordon B. Hinckley, Elder L. Tom Perry, along with some others gave talks.
We were glad we had the opportunity to attend the dedication. We drove out to Jeanne’s for a little while and then we came on home.
I helped Ray plant 20 doz. petunias, marigolds, and alyssum plants for our yards. He has added several roses, geraniums and dahlias. We have had so much cold weather things aren’t growing very fast. I have been mowing lawns with the garden tractor and he does the trimming.
June 6 was Edith Handy’s birthday so the brothers and sisters spent the evening at her house. As always we had a good visit.
June 2 we attended the Saturday evening session of Stake Conference in Rupert. There was a new assignment for us because we were going to have a new Stake. The Paul Idaho Stake and the Rupert Idaho Stake were to be divided to make a third Stake. The theme of the evening meeting was on self reliance. All of the speakers talked on different phases of how to become self reliant. They were exceptionally good talks. Sunday we attended the meeting at Minico High School. That was the only building large enough to hold the people. President Jack Duncan conducted the meeting. Elder Martin Zackerson, our new Regional Representative told us the new changes. Heyburn 1st, 2nd, Rupert 2nd, 3rd, and 4th wards make up the Rupert Idaho West Stake. Our Stake Presidency is Carl Garner, Arvin Hansen and Tim Hurst. Executive Secretary is Frank Peterson. Stake Clerk is Ray Condie with Lamar Olson as assistant Stake Clerk. Neldon was sustained as a High Councilman which was a surprise to us. He was quite overwhelmed but I’m sure he can do it. Our General Authorities who presided and spoke were Elder L. Tom Perry, Phil Sonntag and Martin Zackerson. It was exciting and interesting to be in attendance. June 5 we went to Rupert and Ray ordained Neldon a High Priest. President Garner set him apart as a High Councilman. They each gave him wonderful blessings and now he feels he can go forward. I haven’t the words to express how I feel about it all. It’s great.
I passed over Mothers day in all the other events that have happened. I had a good day. We attended church and then most of the family came over. I received many nice cards and gifts and we enjoyed the company.
I’m happy to be a mother and I’m proud of my children and grandchildren. I may not have taught them all I should have but they are all active in the church and hard working people.
I volunteered to press and tie a quilt for the Deseret Industries so as soon as my hands were healed enough I started to cut the blocks. It took me 23 1/4 hours to complete the project. It was a pretty quilt. I could only work about an hour at a time so it took several days, but I’m glad to do it and proud of the way it looked
The second week in June we went to Logan. Ray and I did 6 endowments apiece. Everything was still quite wet so we stayed close to home except to attend the Temple.
Summer has finally arrived and we have kept busy mowing lawns, watering and pulling weeds. Our yard looks really nice, but it takes a lot of work.
I have been doing some sewing for myself and Marilyn. It goes kind of slow kind of slow because of interruptions and other things that have to be done.
Sunday, July 22, 1984, Elden called and told me his wife had passed away. She had Cancer and had really suffered the last 2 months. I wanted to go to the services, but we couldn’t make connections to fly and it was a long drive so I had to stay home. It will be hard for Elden, but he will adjust to it. They had been married almost fifty years.
August 4th was the Thaxton family reunion. We met over to Salmon Park in Burley. Karen Thaxton Ramsey and Carolyn Thaxton Peterson were in charge of the arrangements. We had a good attendance. Elden, Alfred, Catherine, Maurine, Bessie and I were there. Jeanne, Joan, Lamar, Dawna, Marilyn and as many of their children as could go were there. We had a good visit, lots of good food and copies of photographs to identify. Jeanne and Joan were assigned to do the next reunion. Elden left the next day to go back home.
I canned 18 pints of string beans, 32 quarts of beet pickles, 11 quarts of apricots, and 3 quarts of apples from our garden and orchard. I did part one week and the next the next.
Jeanne and family have been here 3 times in July and August. We have enjoyed their visits even though they were short. Shelly and Gary were here for the reunion too and we were glad to have them.
Sunday, August 5, 1984, Ray was sustained as President of the Young Men’s Mutual. He was released as High Priest Instructor after 3½ years and he will now teach the Priest Quorum. His and our schedule will be quite different.
Ray, Marilyn, and I went to Logan. We thought we should sell our mobile home, but decided to wait awhile. Ray and I did five endowments apiece and we came home on Saturday.
Aug. 25, Sis. Helen Weidel of our Ward passed away. She had Cancer and had put up a good fight, but she couldn’t overcome her illness. She suffered a lot the last while. She was a good friend and we’ll miss her. Ray was a speaker. I took care of the flowers and the four boys were pall-bearers.
Our neighbor, Danny Boswell’s wife had to have brain surgery. They needed money to meet expenses and I donated an afghan for one of their fund raising events.
I have spent the summer helping mow lawns, sewing, canning, crocheting etc. It has been enjoyable to be able to relax and enjoy our home and yard.
We went to Logan and attended the same session as Darlene Clegg. Her daughter, Lori, was being married. It was a beautiful ceremony and we visited with Darlene’s sister, Carol Ann and brother Lynn. This was the family of Ray’s brother, Seth. In the afternoon we drove up to Soda Springs and attended the wedding reception. We enjoyed the evening visiting with Seth’s family. Saturday, we returned home.
The weather has changed and it has become cold and snowy at times. The flowers have all been frozen and so has the garden.
October 18th we drove up to Melba to visit Jeanne’s family. Thursday afternoon, Ray, Lynn, Jeanne and I attended the Boise Temple for one session. It was a good experience. The Temple is compact, convenient and beautiful. Friday, we took Jeanne in to Nampa to play the organ for a funeral. Friday evening, we watched the football game that Jason played in. Before the game started, Jason sang the national anthem with hand accompaniment. It was well done and was a real thrill to hear him sing. He also played a good game of ball. Saturday, we returned home. We had a good visit and an enjoyable time.
There have been articles in the newspapers and magazines written by people about their lives. As I reflect on some of these, they were very similar to mine. It told of how they lived and how they made do with what they had and how happy they were. I remember my childhood and how happy I was. I didn’t have much, but none of my friends had anymore than I did. Some not as much because my mother was a good seamstress and she could make clothes out of hand-me-downs. My blouses out of boys shirts and skirts out of boys pants, etc. When they had the money my dad would go to town and buy material for my mom to sew for her or me. I remember one dress in particular that she made. It was a blue and white print and when it was washed the first time most of the blue pattern washed out, but I wore it anyway. I was in the eighth grade at the time. After I was married, I had worn my coat for several years and it was showing wear on the edges so I took it all apart and turned it inside out and sewed it back up. With a little change in the seam lines I had a good coat for another few years. The experiences I had as I was growing up and also in raising our children is what concerns me when I see how much my grandchildren have and how they could get by on less. I hope they don’t have the struggle as we did because maybe they couldn’t survive.
October 10 through the 14th we took care of Heather, Scot, Josh, Ben and Allyson while their parents went to a convention. They each had a sleeping bag and slept on the floor in the living room. All were in school except Ben. We got along really well. The kids ate good and seemed to sleep okay. There were no problems.
Ray is Home Teacher to Sarah Wodskow and Jim, her son, who is in a wheel chair because of Polio. We have known them for a long time. Sarah has been ill for sometime, but she does not believe in going to the doctor or hospital. We have been very concerned about them and have been called to their home in emergencies. She became bedfast from a stroke and passed away a week later. It was a blessing she didn’t linger, but it leaves Jim alone in a big house. I’m sure that he will be cared for, but it’s sad in this day of good doctors and hospitals to have his mother gone at 67. The services at the church were very nice and the women of the ward prepared a good meal for the family. I never have any problem with response for compassionate service from the sisters of our Ward.
Monday, Nov. 5, we were called in to visit with the Assistant Administrator at the hospital. He and Marilyn’s supervisor were concerned that they may have to let Marilyn go because she needs supervision in her work and they thought someone else could be hired in her place. We discussed it with them that she would just have to stay home if they did and so we have to wait their decision. I doubt they could hire anybody else to stand and wash pots and pans as Marilyn has to do. She has worked there for over 20 years and never been off the job for sick leave more than three days at a time.
Tuesday, Nov. 6, was Election Day. President Ronald Reagan was elected for a second term.
Wednesday, we went to the LDS Employment office. There was no activity there and hasn’t been for several months, so we decided not to waste anymore time there until it was organized differently.
Thursday, we tend Josh and Ben while Dawna works in Burley. They are good kids and we enjoy their company.
Friday, we went to the Idaho Falls Temple to go through the session with Mark and Delores Mabey. They were being married in the Temple after having been married civilly and becoming active in the church. They are a nice couple and seemed really happy. It snowed on us from Pocatello to Idaho Falls, but when we headed back home the sun was shining.
Saturday morning we had about 2 inches of snow, but by night it had all melted and Sunday wasn’t as cold as it had been.
We are the sponsors for the P. H. Bailey Family Reunion for 1984. We chose to have it Thanksgiving Day, because nearly everybody has that day off from work and school. We had been making a few plans all year, but now we had to complete them. I had decided to piece two quilts from Grandma Bailey’s box of pieces. She already had sewn enough pieces for a Dresden Plate which needed to be appliqued onto a block. I did it on the machine and then set it together. The block was light blue set together with matching checkered material. I cut enough pieces for a Star of Bethlehem pattern and sewed them together. It was set together with light pink blocks that were marked to be quilted in the same pattern. They turned out beautiful. Ann Gerratt helped me quilt the Star of Bethlehem quilt. They were to be drawn as door prizes to a grandchild and a great grandchild. We sent out invitations printed with photographs of Ray, his brothers and sisters when they were young and a wedding picture of his parents. We made a photograph album for each adult that came. We ordered the turkey, dressing, potatoes and gravy prepared to eat from Price’s Caf
November 21, Brett Heiner returned from his mission to Peoria, Illinois. We went to hear his mission report Dec. 7 in Melba. We drove up and back the same day. He was a good missionary and they had a good sacrament meeting.
Dec. 14, 1984 was our 46th Wedding Anniversary. We spent a quiet day because Ray wasn’t feeling well. In the evening, Joan, Nolan and Neldon’s family came down. We received some nice cards, homemade candy, Ivy plant and Marilyn bought our supper.
It seems like we have had cold weather for a long time. We’ve had quite a snow storm and school has been out two days already because of drifted roads. We are having choir practice with Heyburn 1st Ward so we can sing at Stake Conference in January. Our driveway was drifted quite bad when we came home from church, but it was even worse by evening. Monday morning I warmed up the Imperial real good so I could get Marilyn to work. I didn’t have any trouble driving. Lamar came and plowed our driveway later.
We had a Christmas program put on by the Ward choirs of our Rupert Idaho West Stake. They could have had a better attendance but the choirs sounded good. Each of us sang two numbers. Our was "The Joy of Christmas" and the combined choirs sang "Silent Night" as a closing number. Dorene Heiner and Brenda Bailey played the organ and piano prelude music. They did a very good job and it was an enjoyable evening.
I bought all the gifts for the grandchildren this year. All the girls were given house slippers, the boys from Jason up received white dress shirts, Trenton, Shawn, Tyrell, Robbie, Clayton, Tory & Tate each a sweat shirt, Scot, Ben & Josh received house slippers. Each family was given a quilt, sheets, pillow cases and towels from my storage supplies. For Christmas Eve, Joan’s, Dee’s, and Neldon’s family all came for dinner. We had turkey, ham, salads, rolls, relish plate, pies and ice cream. We had a program with Troy reading the Christmas story from the Bible and sang Christmas Carols. We passed out the gifts and opened them. Ray and I received sheets, towels, handmade snack tray, jewelry box, flower arrangement, memo cube, ovenware set, pictures of grandchildren, box of chocolates, turkey and homemade candy and books. We enjoyed the evening even though there was only nineteen of us. Nolan & Dawna went to Salt Lake for Christmas, Lamar & Brenda had her family to their place, Jeanne & Lynn had their family at home, the first time all of the boys were home in four years.
Christmas morning Ray, Marilyn and I opened our gifts. Ray & Marilyn gave me a new set of pots and pans which was the only thing I wanted. Marilyn and I gave Ray flannel shirts, belt, rechargeable light and electric heater for our bathroom. Marilyn received a new nightgown, LDS Storybooks, paint by number pictures and paper dolls and house slippers. Lamar and Brenda came and visited in the daytime.
Todd, Derk, Brett and Paul are all going to college. Jeanne said she didn’t have quite enough bedding to keep them warm so I decided to help make some quilts. I have a lot of polyester pieces and so I covered an electric blanket that doesn’t heat anymore. I tried to tie it with yarn, but it is hard to do. Troy needed a quilt also so Joan brought an electric blanket that doesn’t work and we covered it, only we quilted it with long stitches of knit Cro-sheen and it worked a lot easier. This made two nice quilts.
Also for Christmas Ray and I gave Harry & Carol Badger and Marvin & Sue Christenson each and afghan. December 28, 1984, Jeanne and all her family came down. They stayed overnight and Saturday they went down to Salt Lake to see Lynn’s father, Cal Heiner, who is in the hospital. Shelly & Gary live in Sandy so they will stay with them.
I have let time go by and now behind in my writing. This is April 7, 1985 and we are preparing to watch conference on TV. We watched the sessions yesterday and enjoyed them. President Spencer W. Kimball was in attendance at both sessions. He is unable to speak and is quite feeble, but you still know that he is the living Prophet.
I have spent the winter making quilts for grandchildren. The ones in college needed them because its so cold. Some were made for birthday presents. I used heavy polyester material that is out of style now. I also used outing flannel for the backs. The first ones were made with sheet blankets in the center and when I used all of those up I bought small bats. The bats were the only expense to sixteen quilts because all the rest I had in storage. The quilts were made for warmth more than beauty, but most of them turned out to be really nice. They were all made for single beds. Those who received quilts were: Todd, Derk, Brett, Paul, Troy, Woody, Trever, Trenton, Jason, Clayton, Tory, Tate, Trista, Andrea, Corrine, Jalaine and Shelly.
There have been some funerals for friends and ward members. Hazel Christensen passed away January 11, 1985. Her husband works with Ray on the cemetery board and they used to be in our ward. Jimmy Wodskow passed away February13, 1985. We had been helping him since his mother passed away last October. Ray had been teaching him the priesthood lessons and also taking him to church whenever he could go.
On March 5, 1985 Doris Bailey, Seth’s wife, passed away. She had been in the Soda Springs Idaho Nursing home for four years. She had been suffering from Alzheimers disease for about 15 years. It is a disease that deteriorates the brain. She hadn’t known anybody for quite a long time. I’m sure that she is at peace and that her suffering is over. Ray was one of the speakers at the service. They were held in Bancroft and several of our family attended.
I started going to the Genealogy Library on Tuesday afternoons. I have found the Thaxton name a few times, but haven’t connected anything up as yet. Some times it’s very interesting and other times discouraging. I have sent to the Genealogical Society in Salt Lake for some archive records and also for some films to read. It will probably take about two weeks to get these back. I hope they give me some information.
Marilyn hasn’t worked at the hospital very much since the first of the year. I guess they are cutting back on their help and rearranging their kitchen so they don’t need her. I hate to see her lose her job but maybe it’s for the best. She has been going out to the Deseret Industries to do volunteer work. She enjoys that very much. She starts at 8 o’clock in the morning and gets off at 4:30 in the afternoon. As soon as there is an opening they will put her on the payroll. She has also been having her teeth fixed a the dentist’s. He is putting in permanent bridges and when he is finished she will have a full set of teeth.
The three of us went to Logan for 3 days; April 9-10-11. We hadn’t been there for 6 months. We did seven endowments apiece and were the witness couple for three of the sessions. We really enjoyed the time we were there. It was beautiful weather.
Our lawns have a lot of trash on them and we needed to clean it off by mowing and bagging it. I walked behind the lawn mower and Marilyn emptied the clippings on the garden spot. We worked all day Saturday, but the lawns look really nice and now they look quite green. Our tulips and daffodils are blooming. The Apricot tree is in full bloom but it turned so cold at night I’m afraid it has frozen the buds. This morning, April 21, we had about 2 inches of snow and last week the temperature was in the seventies. It is really changeable.
Ray has been cutting up a willow tree and it has made a lot of wood for next winter. He is getting anxious to put in our garden. He has also been working at Cycle City putting three and four wheelers together.
It is getting good enough weather that we can do more work in our yard. We want to put out our flower plants and get the garden in. May 23-24, 1985 we planted 20 dozen red petunias, 20 dozen First Lady Marigolds, 2 dozen asters, 2½ dozen Geraniums and 2 dozen alyssum plus transplanting some volunteer alyssum.
In between gardening and quilting I decided I needed some new clothes so I picked out some material from my storage and made me two suits and three dresses for spring. I enjoyed sewing them.
My visiting teacher partner was a young divorced woman with 3 little girls. She met a young man her age through the singles program of the church. He was a returned missionary that had never married. They got married and for a wedding present I gave them an afghan. I also crocheted and afghan for Ann Harding who lives in our ward. She bought the yarn and I enjoyed doing it. She has arthritis in her fingers and can’t do that kind of work.
I made two sofa pillows for Bonnie for her birthday. I did them in candlewicking. Red hearts on a muslin background.
I taught the compassionate service lesson in Relief Society for April. It was my last lesson because we have been called to be Stake Missionaries.
Our neighbors, John Morrison, who has lived down the road for many years and who I have visited with him and his wife quite often, passed away on May 10, 1985. He was 84 years old and had been in poor health for quite a few years. His wife, Priscilla, had some major surgery the year before and it was taking a long time to overcome. They were nice people. She asked me to sing at his funeral. I sang "Silver Haired Daddy of Mine". Brenda Bailey accompanied me and she had to play other music as well. She had helped the Morrison’s a lot more than I had.
May 18, 1985 we went to Bancroft, Idaho for the marriage of Seth Bailey to Madge Zahlner. It was a beautiful day and very enjoyable. We rode up with Edith and Ernest Handy. Seth and Madge had known each other for several years. She was a big support to him while Doris was so ill. She is a very nice, compassionate person and I really like her. She fits into the family real well.
May 24, 1985 we drove up to Boise to the temple and went through with Paul to get his endowments before his mission. Marilyn just waited in the car for the one session. From there we drove out to Jeanne’s in Melba.
May 25, 1985 we went to the temple for Derk Heiner’s marriage to Lisa Levy. It was a beautiful wedding. We gave Derk a set of Temple clothes and the apron I had embroidered for him. They are a beautiful couple. All of Jeanne’s brothers and wives except Lamar was there. Joan and Norman and Troy were also. Jeanne and Lynn had four sons, Shelly & Gary there. In the afternoon Jeanne & Lynn had a dinner for all those who attended the Temple. Jeanne had prepared all the food and it was really good. Ray, Dee Ray, Nolan and Neldon stayed at the temple and did three more endowments apiece. It was our Stake Priesthood day as well, so they accomplished quite a lot.
In the evening they had a reception at the church cultural hall. We didn’t stay for the program because it was getting late and we still had to drive home. We had enjoyed the day very much. We gave the couple a quilt and an afghan for their wedding present.
In June we spent a little time in Logan and went to the temple. We did five endowments apiece and drove around the valley some. We have decided to sell the mobile home and thought maybe we wouldn’t be back very soon.
We had a great surprise on June 16. Violet and Virgil Hartgrove came from California. She hadn’t been here since 1949 and we didn’t expect to ever see them again. It was an enjoyable visit. She expected Heyburn to be like it was when she was born and of course things don’t stay the same. We showed them around the area and explained where things used to be. Al and Bea invited family members over to there place on Sunday Afternoon to visit with them. I gave them and afghan to take home and they left on Monday Morning.
Sunday was also Fathers Day and most of our family came by to see Ray and Visit. On June 30, 1985 we dove up to Melba for Paul’s missionary Farewell. They had a good program and Sacrament services. Paul will be a good missionary and he is excited about going to Hong Kong. It was a nice day and we drove back home in the afternoon.
Our yard is looking beautiful and Ray has done most all the work of mowing and watering etc. We had a few cherries from our orchard that I canned. I made apricot jam from the apricots and canned sliced apples from the Transparent Apples. I also canned pickled beets and string beans. It has been an extremely hot summer so I have stayed inside the house.
The last of July Elden surprised us with a visit. He looks good and seems to feel good, much getter than some of us. He stayed a couple of days and then went on to Colorado Springs, Colorado to visit his daughter, Sherrie and family. He came back for a couple more days before he went on home.
I did some more sewing of summer clothes for Marilyn and I. The Merc Department store was gong out of business in Burley, so I bought some really nice material. The stores that handle fabric are getting less in Burley and I hated to see this one go out of business. Competition is hard and so we have seen many businesses close.
We decided to look for a motorhome. It didn’t seem like we could get to Logan often enough to keep our mobile home. If we bought one we could park it at any temple parking lot and Marilyn would be comfortable while we were there. We decided on a "Cross Country" which seemed to be the most livable and convenient. It had more advantages than most, one bedroom, one bathroom, 2 easy chairs, couch that makes into a ben, microwave, central vacuum cleaner, built in blender, refrigerator, 2 air conditioners and beautiful cabinets. We thought it would be ready so we could take it to Idaho Falls, but it wasn’t
We went on August 8 to Idaho Falls for Tom to be married to Tracy Baker. It was a nice day and they had a good group to their temple wedding. Tracy didn’t have any family with her because they aren’t active members.
I embroidered aprons for them and we gave them the rest of the temple clothes. They had a nice reception on Friday night. We gave them a quilt and an afghan.
Jeanne, Lynn and their family were here and went to the temple also. Nolan, Neldon, Joan and their partners were at the temple also.
We took the motorhome and went to Melba the middle of August. We wanted to try it out before we took any long trip. It proved to be very comfortable.
Labor Day weekend we went with Ray’s brother and sisters in their motorhome to Yellowstone Park. First we went to Victor, Idaho and saw a melodrama at Pierces Playhouse. It was really entertaining and then after the show we had dinner. It was a real enjoyable evening.
Saturday morning we headed for Jackson Hole and then on to Yellowstone. The scenery was beautiful. Sunday, we attended all of the Sunday meetings at the branch there. It was a beautiful building and they said it was the largest crowd they had ever had. After we all had dinner, we came back to Rexburg and looked up Derk but Brett was home for the weekend. From there we went to Bancroft and saw Seth & Madge. Monday, we came on home. It was a good trip, but a lot of the time I didn’t feel too good.
On September 5 we attended the funeral for Stella Peterson. She had been a neighbor for many years. Ray was a speaker and I was a flower girl. Ray had been her home teacher several years ago and at that time he encouraged her to become active and go to the temple. She did this and we went with her. Ray acted as proxy for her deceased husband and they also did the work for her son who was killed in World War II. She was quite active until her health began to fail and then she could only attend one in awhile.
I had been sewing quilt blocks whenever I had time and now I had completed 12 quilt tops. The first three weeks in October I tied 12 quilts and gave them to the grandchildren, Heather, Scot, Josh, Ben, Allyson, Monica, Lance, Tyrell, Robbie, Shawn, Nicole and Natalie.
We went to Melba in time for Monica’s birthday and took hers and one for Lance. We spent from Monday to Saturday and had an enjoyable time. We attended two sessions at the temple. Jeanne went with us. We also did a little shopping. I didn’t feel good for two days and so took it pretty easy. We also watched Jason’s football game on Friday night.
Monday I went to the doctor and he sent me for some X-rays. They showed that I had two stomach ulcers. One very large one and one small. He put me on medication for them and because of the ulcers I can’t take anything for my Arthritis. It is also complicated by the fact that I only have half a stomach. I was pretty sick before I began to get better. My joints are getting a little more stiff all the time, especially when it is wet and cold.
I quilted a quilt that I had made for Bonnie so that completes the 31 quilts for grandchildren.
I pieced and tied a quilt for the Deseret Industries and that gave me twelve hours of welfare time.
I have been embroidering and crocheting on pillowcases for Christmas presents since the first of May. I completed fifty pair and that gives each person except Ray and I a pair. I also set together some embroidered quilt blocks that I had done for Marilyn many years ago and quilted her a quilt for Christmas. She was surprised and it turned out beautifully.
We had 31 of us here for Christmas Eve dinner and gift exchange. The weather has been so cold ever since the first of November that we didn’t go to Melba for Thanksgiving as we had planned and they didn’t come for Christmas.
For Thanksgiving Neldon and Nolan’s family and us had dinner here. We haven’t had temperatures above 20 degrees for over three weeks.
For Christmas Eve we also had a good program taken from the Home Evening Manual. We read scripture and sang the carols as outlined. We received some nice gifts, family pictures, towels, sofa pillows, fire extinguisher for my kitchen and Rays workshop, bath mat, hair brush, and dish rags. I gave Ray some shirts and Levi’s and He gave me a rechargeable portable mixer and some "visions" cookware. Marilyn gave him a portable light.
December 28, 1985 Natalie Bailey married Eric Miles in a home wedding and reception. We attended the wedding and we gave her a quilt and an afghan. For her personal shower Marilyn and I gave her a stainless steel silverware service for 8. They are a good looking couple and we wish them every happiness.
Jeanne and her family came on Monday December 30 and went home on January 2. We has also seen all of our grandchildren during the holidays as they came and went back to school and to work.
Ray has been working at the cycle shop for several days and I am staying in out of the cold and doing what I want to do. At present I am sewing on easy-care pillowcases and crocheting afghans along with washing, ironing, baking bread, etc.
I went back to the doctor to see if my ulcers were healed and had to have more X-rays and to make sure everything was alright I had to have a gastroscopy. That is a test where they look down into your stomach with a light. It showed they were healed but I have a pouch in my stomach from the previous surgery. I still had a lot of heartburn and the Drs’ said it was because of the bile seeping into my stomach. Some nights it’s so bad I have to sleep in my reclining chair. I take medicine but it doesn’t always stop the problem.
On February 5th 1986 my girlhood friend Dora Sabien Stoddard passed away from a sudden illness. They said she had a massive stroke. We visited the family and attended the funeral. Dora and I have been good friends ever since before we were in school. She lived close to the school house and many times have I been in her home. She also came to my home and we attended ball games etc. together when we were in high school. We enjoyed many activities in school, church Seminary and Mutual. She married Verdean Stoddard and we continued our friendship as married people also. I will miss her very much. I can’t express on paper how I felt at her passing but I know she is happy where she is and her husband is there also. Her children had a nice service for her and she has left a good family.
Our former neighbor Elsie Jensen, wife of Reed Jensen, has been very ill with cancer since October 1985. We visited her at her home in February. She has really suffered and now there isn’t much more they can do for her. She is a wonderful person and has raised a good family. All are married except the youngest, Bradley, who is only 15. She wanted so much to get better so she could see him raised but illness has prevented it. It hardly seems possible that she and Dora are both gone from this life.
Ray and I have been attempting to convert a Spanish lady. We were making progress until her friends convinced her she shouldn’t listen but we are still taking her to work the same as Marilyn and we haven’t given up hope yet.
Joan, Norman, Marilyn, Ray and I went to Provo, Utah to see the Ramses II Exhibit. It was interesting and it had some really nice carvings and handmade jewelry on display. We also took Troy, Bonnie, and Todd to lunch and were able to visit with them. As we came back to Sandy, Utah we visited Shelly and her children. She has a lovely home and we enjoyed the visit. We had time to stop in Murray, Utah and there we visited my cousin Ethel Thaxton Erickson. She is going on 91 years of age. She had been tying a quilt and was resting when we got there. She is always quilting something either for herself or for someone else. We talked a little about our Genealogy but she didn’t have anymore if as much as I did. It was an enjoyable day but it was also good to get home as I was very tired.
As Derk and Lisa are expecting their first baby and they are trying to go to school as well we bought a crib and took to Rexburg for them. They were real happy to have it and we spent an enjoyable day visiting with them and Brett also.
We took a trip to Logan to see if we could sell our mobile home and we also went to the temple for some endowments. I got really sick in our second session and wasn’t able to complete the name. I’m still having problems with my stomach. We did make some arrangements for the sale later this month.
We got word form Jeanne that Derk and Lisa have a baby boy born April 12, 1986. They named it Derek Allan Heiner. They are very happy and we’re glad for them.
We went back to Logan to pack up our things and sell the home. Ray and I went to the temple on Friday. Saturday, Marilyn and I packed everything while Ray went to the temple. Lamar and Brenda came down and hauled what we couldn’t put in the suburban. We sold it for $12,000.00 cash. We would like to have kept it but we weren’t able to go down often enough to justify the expense. We couldn’t afford it and a motorhome too.
Our Toronado car has been giving us some problems and Ray was having it worked on. They said we would probably have to have a new motor put in it so instead we traded it off for a 1986 Oldsmobile 98. It’s a white top with Candy Apple red and red plush interior. It’s really a nice car and more comfortable than the other one. It cost $15000 plus the other car and interest.
On May 2, 1986 Trever Bailey married Teressa Helms. The marriage and reception was held at Sweetheart Manor in Burley. It was nice and they make a good looking couple. Trever will graduate from high school this year. The are kinda young but I guess if they want to make a go of marriage they will. We gave them a quilt and an afghan. Also for her bridal shower I gave them a $25.00 gift certificate. That will help buy a few groceries.
We have been planning on a trip in the motorhome back to Nauvoo, Illinois and Ray wanted a car he could tow. He found a Chevrolet Citation where he bought his other car. Our Imperial wasn’t worth much for a trade-in so we sold it outright to Carl and Dona Williams for $1000 and bought the Citation for $3480.00. Now all he needed to complete the outfit was a trailer and hitch. He bought one from Combs Sheet Metal and had it put on.
Dr. Holsinger sent us a letter stating that he was retiring and so now I have to find a new doctor. When I went in to his office after being sick down to Logan he decided I better go to a specialist so he made an appointment for me with Dr. Sinclair at the Twin Falls Clinic. He gave me some medicine but it didn’t help much either and I had to have an acid analysis test. It wasn’t much fun but it showed that my stomach doesn’t produce any acid. That is why the stomach was giving me a problem. Anyway, I quit taking any medicine and for the time being it’s better.
We went to Melba for Jason’s graduation from high school. On the way we stopped in Boise so Ray could attend the priesthood sessions. He did three names. Sunday we went to church and to graduation and after dinner we came home. There was to be two funerals on Tuesday and Ray needed to be here to take care of Cemetery business.
One funeral was for Leara Whittaker Morgan who we had both known for many years. It was a nice service and we’ll miss seeing her.
The other one in the afternoon was for Howard Jensen. He lived across the road from us for many years and I had known him since I was a child because he was a friend of my oldest brother, Leland. He and his wife, Lola raised their family, Reed, Lucille and Loretta when they lived across from us. When they moved to Burley, Reed and his wife, Elsie, lived there for a number of years. Now their son Lloyd and his wife, Kristie, live in the house. So Jensens have lived neighbors to us for a good many years and that has been good.
Along with Jason graduating we had Trever and Natalie also. We didn’t go to their graduation because seating was by ticket and not enough room for us. We gave them each $100.00 as a gift just as we have each of the others who have graduated.
After much deliberation we are have an automatic sprinkler system for our yard installed. That also includes orchard, lawn, flower beds and flower boxes. It has an automatic turn on to put water in the gated pipe to water the garden. It sure saved a lot of work and will be so nice. It cost $3835.00 and was installed by Kimberly Nurseries.
I have made 16 afghans and quilted 1 embroidered quilts and one pieced polyester quilt since Christmas. I have also done some sewing of quilt blocks etc.
I was asked to sing a solo for the Fathers Day program in our ward. I sang "The Bridge Builder". Brenda Bailey accompanied me. I never hear this song but what I think of my father, Ray’s father and Ray. The aren’t bridge builders as such but they have each in their own way been good examples to their families and in the community.
In my spare time I am candlewicking quilt blocks. I have made one set with brown knots on unbleached muslin and I’m planning to set in together with brown and white gingham check.
Another of my friends, Otis Orton, passed away. He had cancer. He was also Derk’s wife, Lisa’s, uncle and they stayed with us from Friday to Sunday afternoon. We enjoyed having them. His family had a very nice service for him and he will be missed from our ward.
June 20 and 21 was an open house for our new Stake Building. It is a very beautiful building and will be nice to attend Conference etc. there. I was asked to help quilt as part of one demonstration they had and on Saturday we took two of our families that we Home Teach to see it.
Our first ward building in Heyburn built in 1936 cost $26,000. It’s hard to imagine that fifty years later a Stake building would cost over a million dollars.
I haven’t kept my journal up as I should have so now in January 1988 I’m trying to catch up and keep it that way.
Joan, Norman, Ray, Marilyn and I started our trip in the motorhome to Nauvoo on July 29, 1986. We had a very nice, interesting trip. I wrote in detail about it in another journal, so I won’t do that in this one.
The first week in September Alfred, Ray and I went in the motorhome to Eugene, Oregon. Elden has lived here for about five years. He has lung cancer and he wasn’t expected to live very long. We didn’t want to wait until he couldn’t communicate with us. It was a beautiful drive up there and back, but a very fast trip. Marilyn stayed with Jeanne while we went. Elden wasn’t in very good shape and it was hard to see him that way. His daughter, Sherry was taking care of him. I hadn’t seen Sherry since 1949 and other than talking to her on the phone I didn’t know her very well. He has two lovely daughters and they are very good to him. Sherry lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado and Pam lives in Beaverton, Oregon. We met Pam at a shopping mall as we were headed back home. She works in a band and couldn’t come out to the house. Alfred had bypass surgery on his heart on July 18, 1986 so we didn’t want him to be away from home too long.
We came home and tried to settle back into our usual routine.
Ray grew a very nice garden so I had some canning to do and also to make some plans for Christmas.
Natalie Bailey married Eric Miles on Dec 29, 1986 at the groom’s home. They had their reception there also. We gave them and afghan and a quilt.
Trever and Teresa had a new baby on December 2, 1986. They named him Travis Jay.
Our anniversary and Christmas wasn’t quite as enjoyable as it usually is. There is so much friction among the boys, especially Nolan and Neldon, that we couldn’t all get together. Neldon was in bed with a back problem anyway.
Ray was given a new assignment to work at the LDS Employment office as assistant manager. This only gives him one day off.
I spend my time sewing, crocheting and quilting. I have embroidered some beautiful quilt blocks and have sewn up many quilt tops.
Neldon had his back operated on in February. He came through the operation real good. It will hamper some of his activities all his life, but not so much he can’t do most things.
The boys kept there argument going until in March Nolan handed in his keys and quit. They settled in by buying his share of the corporation and leaving him on his own to operate Cycle City. It hurt a lot to see them split up a business we had worked all our married life to build, but there was no other way to settle the conflict. It didn’t leave them satisfied or without a feeling of frustration because they killed a friendship that had existed since birth. It will take almost as long to repair that friendship as it had existed. Nolan & Neldon were very close and had spent a lot of time doing things together. They each were responsible for bringing it about so now it will take effort on both their parts to put it back together if they ever do. It’s been almost a year since they parted the company and both businesses have survived. Of course, I don’t want either of them to fail so I hope they can manage to keep going and succeed.
Many thing happened in 1987 and I can only mention the most important. Jason received his mission call to Oklahoma, Tulsa Mission for the hearing impaired. He entered the Mission Training Center in May. He is required to learn sigh language. He left for his area just before Paul arrived home from Hong Kong. Paul arrived home on July 15, 1987.
Brett Heiner and Janna Mauldin were married July 17, 1987 in the Boise Temple. We went to the Temple with Jason and also Brett and Janna. We gave them a quilt and an afghan also. They had a lovely wedding and reception
Natalie and Eric Miles went through the Boise Temple August 25 and had Brandon Sealed to them. He was born August 2, 1986. He is a healthy baby and he looks like his mother did when she was that age. We were able to go to the Temple with them also.
May Wilcox retired from her librarian job at the school and she decided she wanted to take her mother from the nursing home and take care of her. She had become bedfast and slept most of the time. Mary was spending a lot of time at the nursing home anyway. They moved her, but she continued to become less responsive and on August 30, 1987 she passed away. It was a relief to know that Grandma was at last at peace. They fixed her up to where she looked really nice. She was so thin. They had a really nice funeral service for her and of course there were lots of relatives. She would have been 100 years old in December.
There had been many other funerals of friends and relative also. Among them was Julia Payne Whittaker, who was my neighbor when I was a little girl. So I had known her all my life. Marion Moncur also was my cousin and friend all my life. Also Elmer S. Heiner who was our Bishop when Ray and I were married. He also was my neighbor when I was growing up, so I knew him and his family also.
On October 18, 1987 my brother, Elden passed away in Oregon. He had lived more than a year longer than the doctors expected. He was always quite sure he could overcome the cancer, but the last two weeks of his life he went pretty fast. Al, Bea, and I drove up for the funeral. It was so sad to know that he was gone and had never taught his daughters anything about his religion. I know he had the habit of smoking, but he still should have told his daughters about religion and also about his brothers and me.
We celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary on Dec. 14. Most of the kids remembered even though we didn’t do anything special.
For Christmas this year I embroidered the name of each family member, except Ray & I on a bath towel. There are 55 of us now. I also tied a dozen pieced outing flannel quilts for our married children and grandchildren. The ones that didn’t come on Christmas Eve came Christmas Day except Jeanne’s family that came for New Years and it was good to visit with the grandchildren who were traveling to Melba or home again.
I forgot to write that Shelly and Gary Cutler were divorced in 1987. He decided he didn’t want to be married to Shelly and so he left. It was a real blow to her and a shock to all the rest of us. Shelly has picked up the pieces and trying to keep her children and her home together. We helped her buy a piano so she could give lessons to support herself along with her child support from Gary. She’s working hard and I think it will all work out for the best.
Ray and I had to be the speaker for Sacrament meeting on December 20, 1987. I spoke on Christmas and the Prophet Joseph Smith. I really realized a little of what the Prophet went through when we visited Nauvoo and the surrounding area. I also became more aware of my testimony of the gospel and how thankful I am to be a member of this church when I attended the funeral for Elden. He could have done so much more with his life had he been active. I’m glad I have always attended church and tried to do some of the things I’ve been asked to do.
Dr. Smith, who has been my doctor since Dr. Holsinger retired, told me I had Fibrositis which is a disease of the soft tissues around the joints. It is very painful and I’m not able to take medicine that is very strong because of my stomach, so it only takes a little of the pain away.
We have been going to the temple in Logan on Wednesdays as often as we can. I hope I can continue to do this but some weeks I can’t.
October 3, 1987 Trever and Teresa went through the Logan Temple and were sealed with their little boy Travis. We weren’t able to go with them but wished we could have.
We also took a trip in the motorhome with Jeannne’s family. They took their pickup with the camper on it. We went up to Garden Valley, Idaho on a camping and fishing trip. We spent 4 days and had a nice time. We saw a lot of beautiful country as well as having some good fishing for Lynn. It was relaxing and the kids had lots of fun.
Now we are into the year 1988 and we hope to have a good year.
Jeanne’s family spent her birthday with us and we had Joan’s family here for dinner also. We enjoyed their visit. They don’t get to come very often because of their own work and church assignments.
We went to get our temple recommends renewed by the Bishop and while we were there he asked me to be the compassionate service-social relations teacher. I was very reluctant to accept because I don’t feel like I’m a very good teacher, but after visiting a while I told him I would. Bishop Harry Badger set me apart as that teacher the second Sunday in February. My lesson to teach was on the 28th of February. It was on self-respect. The lesson went quite well but I felt like most of the sisters hadn’t read it. Our lessons are much like the priesthood lessons. The manual is to study and our teachers supplement is to ask questions about it. We’ll see how the next one goes.
Jeanne and the kids were here for a few days while Lynn attended a workshop in Pocatello. We enjoyed visiting with her.
I’m still working on my quilts and crocheting. I pieced one set of quilt blocks out of Ray’s out of style neckties. I have it quilted and I think it is pretty. It is definitely an original.
On March 25, 1988, we went in the motorhome up to Jeanne’s. Saturday was our ward temple day at the Boise Temple. Jeanne went with us and we each did two endowments. Sunday we attended their ward. Jeanne is a counselor in Relief Society. She paid me a very nice tribute in her testimony. I feel her father teaches her more spiritually than I do but I do try to help in any way I can.
Monday she and I went shopping. She was buying material to make up for Shelly who is planning on being married again and also for herself and girls. I bought two pieces for me also. We had planned to go to the temple again but it was so cold and stormy my joints were really painful. We spent Tuesday helping Jeanne prepare a family history for our 50th wedding anniversary next December. Wednesday we headed back home so I could attend Relief Society board meeting and Ray would be ready for the employment office on Thursday.
Thursday and Friday, with Marilyn’s help, we cleaned the basement. It looks a lot better, but I’ve still got lots of supplies to use up.
Neldon and Nolan did finally talk out most of their problems and that makes us feel a lot better.
Neldon and Lamar are doing a lot of the work to remodel the Jerome station. When that is finished Bailey Oil Co. will have three convenience stores along with their gas stations. It does increase their business.
April 2 & 3 we watched all the sessions of General Conference on TV. I need to be more diligent at studying the gospel. I have improved over a few years ago but I have a long way to go yet.
April 9 we drove to Utah to the Jordan River Temple. Shelly Cutler and Greg Brinkerhoff were married for time. Shelly doesn’t have her temple divorce from Gary Cutler yet. She looked very happy and it was a nice day. She has three children and Greg has one. They had quite a group at the temple. Lots of young friends who had some of the same experiences.
April 16 was Ray’s 70th birthday and the family was giving him a party. I baked a cake made of white, cherry chip and devils food layers and the frosting was of milk chocolate.. It took three cake mixes and three frosting mixes and when Jeanne came on Saturday she trimmed it with white frosting. It was quite a cake, but it need to be big enough for Saturday night and Sunday too. I roasted a turkey and a ham, made potatoes and dressing. The kids and their partners brought salads and relish plates and rolls and paid for the ice cream that we had bought. There were 46 of us who ate dinner on Saturday night. We set the tables outside and then we had cake and ice cream in the family room. Jeanne put 10 candles that wouldn’t blow out on the cake and we had a good laugh over Ray trying to blow them out. We sat around and told some of the things that happened when the kids were growing up. Jeanne is trying to put together a family history.
Derk, Lisa and their two little boys came on Friday night, also Todd came with them. Jeanne, Lynn, Corrine, Jalaine, Clayton, Andrea, Monica, Lance, Melissa, David and Emily came on Saturday morning. Paul, Brett & Janna came in the afternoon and the rest who live here came at 6:30 when we had dinner. It was a lot of fun and we sure enjoyed having them all come.
Sunday morning there were 22 of us for breakfast and then we all went to our ward for church. I had to teach the Relief Society lesson on "Self-Mastery". I guess it went all right even though I still feel like I should be able to think faster and not stay so close to my manual.
All of us had dinner together after church. There weren’t very many left-overs from the birthday dinner so we made a turkey noodle casserole and added a salad etc. to make a meal. There were only three pieces of cake left after Sunday dinner. Shelly and Greg came up Sunday morning and went to church and had dinner with us.
All our company went home as soon as they could gather everything up. It had been a busy weekend.
We have had some really warm weather, but we have had some very cold and windy weather also. Our fruit trees are in bloom, but we can’t tell if they have frozen or not. Our Tulips have been blown and froze until they don’t look very good either.
April 23rd was Marilyn’s birthday. I ordered her a dress for a present, but it didn’t come so her only present was a boughten birthday cake and a card.
April 27, Ray and I went to Logan and did two endowments apiece. We enjoyed that day also.
I have been cutting out some dresses, blouses and skirts for me for summer wear. I haven’t sewn on them very much yet but hope to now.
May 3 the Bailey brothers and sisters went to Wanda Stimpson’s for her birthday party. We had an enjoyable evening.
May 8 we went to church to the Heyburn first Ward for Glayde and Mary’s mission farewell and then we attended all our meeting at 11:30 at our ward. It made quite a day of meetings but we were glad we could go.
May 11 we went to the temple in Logan and did two more endowments apiece.
May 14 we went to Wanda’s for a supper and last visit with Glayde and Mary. We enjoyed the visit very much and will miss them, but they’ll have a good mission. They are going to the Chicago Temple and will spend five days a week at the Temple. It will be an enjoyable, but busy mission.
We bought our flower plants and are beginning to plant them. On Wednesday I thought I could help Ray, but I only worked a couple of hours and it was so painful I had to quit, so for the rest of the week my joints were so sore I could hardly get around the house.
I finished quilting a blue candlewick blocks quilt. It is beautiful and worth every stitch I put in it.
Jeanne’s family came on Thursday evening on their way to Salt Lake. Shelly has a temple divorce from Gary and she and Greg were being sealed on Friday, May 20, 1988. Ray and I didn’t go this time. I couldn’t have ridden that far even if we had planned to go. They came back on Saturday and went on home to Melba.
Sunday May 22 was my lesson to teach in Relief Society. It was on Deceit, a barrier to spiritual preparedness. Most of it was from a talk by Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Counsel of the Twelve Apostles. It was a very good lesson. I used his tape for part of it and the rest came from our manual. We had a good discussion about the many ways that people can be deceived and to deceive others.
June 8 we had chartered a bus and we went to Lagoon for a family fun day. There were 36 of us on the way down and 39 of us came back. Lisa and her two little boys rode back and went on to Melba with Jeanne & Lynn. We had a lot of fun. There were 51 of us when they ones who lived in Utah came too. We had the Turquoise Terrace reserved for us and it was just far enough away from the noise that we could enjoy it. We took our lunch. I cooked and sliced Turkey roll, Ham, and Turkey Ham for the meat. Every family furnished salads and snack foods, cookies, popcorn, pop etc. We had plenty to eat. An All day pass cost $10.50 for those over 4 yrs old and Ray & mine cost $6.95. They could ride anything they wanted to and as many times. There were lots of people there so they had to wait in line some.
Jeanne’s family all went on home that night, but they came back again on Tuesday headed for Utah to a family reunion.
Wednesday, Ray and I went down to the Logan Temple and did two endowments. The first session we were the witness couple and the second session Seth Bailey was the officiator. It was a nice day.
Friday June 17 Jeanne’s family came back to have a 50th anniversary party for Lynn’s parents. We went to the party in the evening and it was nice. They went home on Saturday.
Sunday was Father’s day. All of the kids came over except Lamar’s family. We had a good visit.
It is so extremely hot it is almost unbearable. It has been a most unusual year. Of course that’s what we said about last winter. It has been hot off and on ever since in March. Usually our real hot weather doesn’t come until July.
Our house has been so warm we decided we would have to put in air conditioning. Our furnace was 37 years old so it meant a new furnace also. They installed all of this the week after the 4th of July. It sure seems nice.
On Tuesday morning July 8 Ray and I got up at six o’clock so we could take a walk before we had breakfast. We walked two miles. I had time to take a shower before getting breakfast. When I went to bend over to get dishes out of the dishwasher I got a catch in my back just above the tail bone. I didn’t think too much of it at the time, but before long I could hardly get out of a chair. It was so painful I could hardly stand the pain when Ray helped me up. It got worse as the day went by and I wasn’t able to do anything Saturday, Sunday or Monday. It eased off a little bit then and I could move easier. I had used the Jacuzzi, the hot pad and even rubbed down with Ben Gay ointment. Tuesday we called the doctor, but I couldn’t get an appointment until Friday. When I went in he had me have X-Ray of my lower back and prescribed some muscle relaxer and told me to go to bed and stay there until Monday when I went back again.
I read two LDS novels while in bed. They were really good stories. Monday, when I went back to the doctor he said I should take the medicine a while longer, but I only took it two more days and was pretty will recovered. I have had pain in my life, but nothing quite like that. I sure don’t want that experience again.
On Wednesday while I was still laid up Ray went down to Provo to go through the temple with Bonnie for her endowments. This was July 13, 1988 in the Provo Temple. We bought her temple clothes and I embroidered her apron. I couldn’t ride that far so I stayed home.
We started to have the roof on our garage and family room repaired. He started in May and did the garage and Ray decided to have the main house reshingled. He said he’d be back in a week, but it was six and then he really didn’t know how to shingle so he finished the family room which is a flat roof and got Dennis Wilcox to shingle the house. He came and they had to remove all the old asphalt shingles. It was quite a job. We had Tyrell and Robbie work a couple of days removing shingles and then a Mark Aleson worked a few hours and Dennis did the rest and completed the shingling on Saturday July 31. It really looks nice and he sure did a good job. Ray did most of the cleanup of old shingles and hauled them to the county landfill. That was hard work. So now we have that much all done. It is still so extremely hot it is hard to work in the middle of the day.
I taught a lesson on "Straightway" in Relief Society. It was on July 24th. I went through the lesson so fast we had time to discuss our heritage a little also. The First Presidency message in the Ensign was on Pioneers and I could recall my Grandma Hansen sailing across the ocean and walking across the plains when she was a small girl and living in a dugout when they got to Utah.
She endured so many hardships. I’d ought to be more like her and strive to do better. She had lots of courage and I’m glad I knew her when I was young. She gave me a quilt top she made for a wedding present. I was her first granddaughter to be married in the temple. She passed away December 24, 1942.
I attend the Heyburn Alumni reunion on July 31, 1988 at West Minico. I was the only one of my class there. It was an enjoyable afternoon. We had a nice lunch and program. I won the door prize which was an "Old Door". Everybody had a good laugh. Wanda & Louis Simpson and Glen Badger were in charge and they were a surprised as anybody that I won it. I told Louis he could put the door back where he got it from. We also went to Heyburn School and received the paintings that were purchased year ago when I was in school and a few years following. It brought back a lot of memories of school days. In the evening they had a good program also. The "Singing K" from Burley were featured and my brother Alfred was the soloist. It was truly a good program.
September 19, 1988
It has been a rather frustrating summer. It has been so hot we decided we needed and air conditioner, but to do that we had to have a new furnace. While putting that all in we also had a run (furnace vent) put into the family room. It cost us $3314.00.
We hired Harlow Cheney to do the carpenter work for a bathroom in the basement. It always amounts to a lot of work, but we found when the old ceiling was taken out that there was a water leak from the upstairs bathroom, so it’s a good thing we made the decision to put one downstairs. Bob Catmull Plumbing did the work for us. They replaced the old pipes, plumbed in the new bathroom, added a run from the furnace for it and vented my clothes dryer, which hadn’t been done in 30 years. We added some carpeting, made a bedding closet out of the closet in the bedroom. It holds all of our extra bedding and pillows. I bought some metal shelves and put my yarn out of boxes on them. Of course it didn’t hold all of my yarn, but it helps so I can see what I have. All in all we have a nice bathroom and a good heating system.
Troy Ashby graduated from college in August and took a job offer in Bath Maine. He’s a long way from home, but it is a good job and he’s glad he went.
The doctor who was ours for most of our children passed away from a massive heart attack on September 1. Dr. Charles A Terhune was 81 and he was a good friend as well as a good doctor.
My brother James, exwife passed away on September 11, one day before her 77th birthday. Clara divorced James before he passed away as a young man in January 1954. Their son was James Roger Thaxton and we went to the funeral so we could make his acquaintance. I had not seen him in over thirty years. He doesn’t resemble his father at all but he seems to be a nice enough young man. It would be good to become better acquainted. He lives in California. I forgot to put in the cost of all our remodeling:
Neil Dille Roofing $350.00
Harlow Cheney Carpentering: $2532.36
Bob Catmull Plumbling: $3450.00
Glen Rogers Electric: $520.70
Dennis Wilcox Shingling: $348.00
We took the motorhome and went to Melba that last week of September. On the way, we went to the Boise Temple and did one endowment. We enjoyed the visit, but it was all too short and on the way home we did two endowments at the temple. The last session we were the witness couple.
Saturday, Oct. 1 and Sunday, Oct. 2 was General Conference broadcast from Salt Lake City. We enjoyed watching it and heard many good messages given by the General Authorities. I need to shape up and do better, but I enjoy sewing much more than studying. That sewing isn’t going to get me where I need to be.
Thursday and Friday, we spent cleaning and rearranging the furniture in the front room. We had to take out the old TV that wouldn’t work and put in a new cabinet for the one that had been in use. It really looked nice when we got finished.
Friday afternoon we were called to meet with Stake President Garner in his office. Ray was called to be the new Stake Patriarch. That is a calling that lasts throughout your life and is a very important one. It requires a lot of faith and study. We also were asked to give the prayers for the Saturday Evening session. Sunday after conference, October 9, 1988, Ray was ordained by President Carl Garner. Our four sons and two sons-in-law stood in the circle. It was a wonderful blessing and good to have so many of our family there. There will have to be some more changes made in our home.
The first thing we had to do was make a study out of the sewing room. I moved all my material etc. to the basement and my sewing machines to the family room. We cleaned and straightened all of the books on the shelves, cleaned drapes and windows and vacuumed. Dee Ray came over and helped move the furniture.
We went to Showkase in Rupert and bought an occasional chair. They didn’t have any more to match so we went to Lee’s Furniture in Burley and found two more alike. We also bought a four drawer file cabinet. They were all delivered Friday and Saturday so with the desk and chair from the family room we had it all arranged.
We have been working on a 50th anniversary party also. Ray and I went down to Jerome to Rose Photography, and had our pictures taken. I was looking for a picture that was taken just before we were married and decided the only way I could find it was to put pictures in the albums so I’ve worked on that enough I found the picture.
I am also trying to put together a quilt for the Deseret Industries.
I crocheted an afghan for Al & Bea to send to his friend Amos Jordan and wife. They had been to Washington DC to visit and wanted to send back a gift. I made it in off white and the flower trellis design. They paid me $75.00 for the yarn and the work. That isn’t enough for just anybody, but they were family and Amos was a good friend too. When they received it they called Al & Bea and told them how pretty it was and how they appreciated it. I have one more to crochet for Al & Bea for Christmas. They furnished the yarn and I’ll make it in the Acres of Diamonds pattern.
I finished my quilt for the Deseret Industries and it turned out real nice.
We only had Nolan and Dawna’s family for Thanksgiving dinner, but we enjoyed it and after all of the work we had done it was good to have a day to relax. Jeanne’s family stopped on Wednesday as they went to Utah and came back on Saturday to stay overnight and attend church with us. It was my day to teach the Relief Society lesson on "Aging is part of God’s plan". It went over very well and I had chosen the right people to give assignments too. I was happy with it and glad it was taken care of. I am finished with lessons for this year.
I went shopping for two red dresses for our party and couldn’t find one for Marilyn or me so I bought some material and patterns. Marilyn’s worked out real well, but mine didn’t look so good so I sent that material and pattern to Jeanne and bought me some more. It was hard to sew too and very frustrating, but after taking it apart and redesigning the pattern it looked pretty good. I bought me a pair of black high healed pumps to wear. It is hard for me to stand in heels, but I’m going to one more time.
We had been having some windows replaced in the front room, Marilyn’s bedroom and the family room. They are double pane and reflective glass. Rupert Glass did the work and it is really neat. Our home should be easier to heat as well as looking nice from the outside. I had to buy new drapes for Marilyn’s room after about 18 years. We also had storm windows on the basement windows and that will be a big help with cleaning and heating.
While these things were going on I finished some quilt tops for Jeanne and Joan out of some of their pieces and my own. There were seven for them and two for me. You would think I would be making progress on my material and I am, it just doesn’t show very much.
We got our announcements printed and our picture picked out. Dawna helped me address some of the announcements and I did the rest. We gave each of the grandchildren and great grandchildren copies too.
Our party was December 10, 1988, beginning at 10:30 for pictures. Rose Photography came from Jerome and took couples, family, groups, etc. At 1 o’clock we all assembled at Prices Caf
We had the decorations catered by McBrides of Rupert. Red poinsettias on white doilies that I crocheted over red tablecloths. Brenda made and decorated the anniversary cake with red trim on white frosting. It was beautiful. She also with Sharon’s help decorated the sheet cakes. Joan and Stella Ashby made the sheet cakes over to the Senior Citizens Center. We had white napkins with gold lettering on them and red punch mints and nuts. Grandchildren and their partners did the serving.
We set up a display of quilts, afghans, wooden toys, pictures of ourselves and children.
Nolan and Dawna gave us the guest book and Heather took care of getting it signed.
Neldon and Sharon gave us a gold frame for our picture and inscribed with the date and 50 years. It was beautiful.
Our guest book has a gold cover and will be a real keepsake also.
We had a program consisting of a son "Love at Home" by Jeanne’s family, Allyson played a piano solo. My brother Alfred sang two numbers, "Winter Wonderland" which he sang 51 years ago when I was queen of the Gold and Green Ball. The other one was "Always". He was accompanied by Lund Christenson. He always sings very will and I enjoy it. Ernest Handy announced the program and told of incidents in mine and Ray’s life. He came up with quite a few memories. We were also asked to say a few words. We had many friends and relatives attend and we received many beautiful cards and a few gifts; vase from Jesse & Cherril Moses, plant from Arvin Hansen and his wife, plant from Al & Bea and two dozen covered hangars from Beatrice and Vernon Merz. We also had corsages and beutineers for each of us and all our kids and their partners stood in the line to greet the guests. It was a wonderful day. I don’t have words to describe all that took place.
Monday December 12, Parish Iron House installed the railings on our front step. Now all the projects are finished as far as the house is concerned.
Wednesday, our anniversary, we drove to Logan and did one session at the temple. We enjoyed that day also.
Friday, I went Christmas shopping and bought ties and sacks for each of the grandchildren. In the afternoon we went to Jerome to pick out our pictures and we ordered what we wanted of them.
I also sent out all of our Christmas cards and thank you notes.
It’s nice to be able to accomplish all these things.
I forgot to mention that on December 5 I bought me a new Singer Sewing machine and cabinet. All in all it cost about $700.00 I haven’t had time to try it out yet, but hope to next week.
For our anniversary Ray gave me a pair of diamond and gold earrings and a pin. They are beautiful, but so expensive.
We had a nice Christmas. Christmas Eve Dee Ray’s family, Nolan’s Family and Sharon’s family were with us. We had a meat and cheese platter made up at Albertson’s food store and then we added baked beans, rolls, salads, chips etc. to make an evening lunch. It all tasted so good and everyone contributed something. Joan’s family was coming, but Troy’s plane was socked in by fog in Main so he didn’t make Salt Lake early enough for them to get home. We read the story of Christ’s girth form the scriptures and sang Christmas Carols for our program. Allyson played the piano for us. We exchanged some gifts from us to the kids and grandkids and we also received some gifts; padded photograph album with 50 years on it from Nolan’s family, four large bath towels from Neldon’s family, gift certificate from Dee’s family, new lid for our cookie jar form Lamar’s family, and a fire extinguisher from Joan’s family. We had an enjoyable evening of visiting as well.
Christmas morning Marilyn ave me some earrings and her dad some white shirts. I gave Ray some books and chocolates and he gave me a book "A Fruitful Season" by Barbara B. Smith.
We attended our Sacrament Meeting in the afternoon and it was a very interesting meeting.
We went to Joan’s for dinner after church so we could visit with their kids while they were home. They showed some home movies that Bonnie had put on a video for them. We enjoyed the visit with their family.
We spent a quiet week between Christmas and New Years.
The weather is so cold we have snow all around us and some on the ground, but it is mostly in the mountains.
New Years day we changed our meeting schedule and now we go form 9:00 to noon. It’s quite a change from afternoon, but we like it.
We have occasion to reflect on all the blessings of the past year and for the years before that. We have lots of things to be thankful for. Our home is old, but so comfortable and now with the things we have done this past year it is even more so.
January 5, Ray and I went to Logan to the temple. We did two endowments. They have a lot more snow in Utah than we have. It snowed on us coming home until we got back to Idaho. We were glad it had only started before we headed home and that we arrived home without any problems. It was a good day because by the next morning we were having a real blizzard. Schools were closed and it was miserable. We can’t complain too loudly because we need the snow so bad to replenish our water supply for the coming year. I have been sewing quilt blocks and have crocheted two afghans as well as read the book I got for Christmas.
I am so glad to be able to so some of the things I want to do and not be under pressure to work away from home.
Lois Barendregt and I are visiting teachers together and we had 100% last year and have done ours already this month. We visit two active and two inactive sisters and we have made a little progress with our inactives; not enough though to get them to church.
Our granddaughter Bonnie Ashby had major surgery last Thursday Jan 5 in Provo, Utah. We are praying that she will recover with no ill effects.
February 19, 1989. We have had so much cold weather since the middle of January there hasn’t been much to write about. The temperature in the daytime didn’t even get up to freezing for about 3 weeks and of course at night it was even much colder than usual. The reported chill factor even reached 32 below zero. We don’t have much snow on the ground here, but they have snow all around us.
Ray and I attended the Logan Temple on February 15, but we only did one endowment. We got a late start so our timing was off for lunch and getting back home.
The weather has moderated some and so the roads are dry except now we are getting some light rain.
Bonnie seems to have recovered quite well from her operation although she’s not really strong yet.
We have all of our pictures from the photographer of our 50th wedding anniversary. The were good pictures and we’re pleased with them.
Our winter has been pretty quiet. Ray has attended the temple every month and I have gone at least once except for May. My muscles have given me quite a bit of pain at time. I have been working to sew up as many blocks into quits as I can and I have also crocheted several afghans.
Bonnie has been transferred to Albuquerque, New Mexico. This is really a new experience for her, but she met a fellow she knew in Provo and so it has been quite exciting. So far the move has been good.
I have taught my Relief Society lesson each month and have gained some satisfaction from that.
We went with Joan and Norman to Melba and attended Jason’s mission report and Corrine’s graduation from high school on the same Sunday, May 2. We had an enjoyable day. Jeanne had all of her own family at home for it.
Natalie and Eric Miles had a new baby boy born on May 19, 1989 in Boise. They seem to be getting along quite well. It is a cute baby and he numbers #10 great grandchildren.
June 14, 1989 was our day to go to Lagoon. We boarded the bus shortly after 7 o’clock. Dee Ray and some of his family drove in their car because they wanted to stay longer than we did. We had a bus full and everyone seemed to enjoy the day. Our grandchildren from Utah joined us there also. We had 59 in attendance. There were four visitors. The only ones who couldn’t attend were Troy, Bonnie, Eric, Brett & Janna and Neldon.
I must go back and include May 9 as the day I had my eyelids operated on. They were becoming so droopy it was decided I needed some of the excess skin removed. Dr. Brad Hobbs operated at Cassia Memorial Hospital. I was back home by noon. My eyes were bandaged for 24 hours and then I could see again. It was not a painful operation. I just didn’t look very presentable for a few days. It wasn’t even as bruised as I thought it would be. I know that comes from having been administered to by Ray and Dee Ray before the operation. I was very thankful for that.
I had a nice Mother’s day with many beautiful cards and visits from all of the kids.
Ray had a nice Father’s day too and he received many cards and gifts also.
June 22, 1989, Ray’s sister Ann passed away. She had been ill from Pancreatic Cancer since November of 1988. We had visited her as we could and it was hard to see her health fail. Ann was always very special to us because she helped us in so many ways. She was a person who always made you feel good about yourself. She always commented on our lovely home, our beautiful flowers, our pretty car. She always had nice things, but she was always glad to see others have nice things too. I remember when we had been married only a few years. We belonged to a "Birthday Club". We were the youngest members of this married group. All of them were people of the area we had know for years. This one evening I went to Edith and Ernest’s for the party and as we arrived Ann met us and said to me "My you look nice, just like you had stepped out of a bandbox". In those days we did not have lots of new clothes, but I was wearing a black dress with a white collar that I had remodeled and she thought it was pretty. She was one to always bolster you up and make you feel good. We well truly miss her. I will especially, because she was always interested and gave me lots of praise for my quilts etc. Her daughters-in-law, Marge and Barbara, have taken such good care of her and she was never hospitalized. Their family’s have been very good to her, but when she was able she had always been very helpful to them.
This spring I was able to plant all of the flowers after Ray made the holes etc. We planted 9 flats of marigolds and 16 flats of petunias, 16 geraniums and one flat white petunias, 2 flats pixie asters. Earlier, Ray planted a pansy bed with some snapdragons and sweet williams. They have so many pretty colors.
In his vegetable garden he also has lots of dahlias, cannas and gladiolas. Our roses are blooming now and we have some beautiful ones.
We also have quite a bit of fruit on our fruit trees and we hope it all becomes mature as time goes by.
It has been a busy summer. Brett and Janna Heiner have a baby boy. He was born on July 28, 1989 in the American Falls hospital. He weighed 9 lbs. 6 oz. They got along fine. He was blessed by Brett Sept 3, 1989 and named Seth Allen Mauldin Heiner. "If he grows to fit the name he’ll be a big man".
Ray was ill, but Marilyn and I went to Rupert 2nd ward on July 2, 1989 where Natalie and Eric did the blessing for their baby. Eric blessed him Cameron L. Miles.
We took the motorhome and spent a few days at Melba. We also went to the Boise Temple. It was so awfully hot we didn’t do much else.
August 4, 1989 we had a Thaxton family reunion over to the Star Ward Park. We weren’t a very big group, but we enjoyed the afternoon. Jeanne, Joan and Nolan’s family were the one from our group. Not a very good attendance. Jeanne, Joan and Karen Ramsey were in charge of it. We had a history of each of the Thaxton children and parents except for Maneta printed up and given to each family there. Most of them were read and enjoyed. We also had a nice lunch and some different prizes. Maurine, Arlynn and Ranelle came over Sunday and had dinner with us and Jeanne’s family. We enjoyed that visit also. That’s the first time they had ever been in my home and we were glad to have them.
The second week in August we went in the motorhome to Melba. From there we went up to Cascade Lake for a couple of days. We camped in a campground and it was really nice. We went up through Horse Shoe Bend and came back around McCall, Cambridge etc. I did a quite a bit of the driving, but I certainly don’t enjoy it. Other than that, we had an enjoyable trip. We also did one session at the temple.
Our garden and orchard have produced abundantly this year, so with Ray’s help I have done a lot of canning. We canned beans, beets, carrots, apricots, cherries, apples, pears, plums, and prunes and tomatoes. Our store room is full and we have lots of eating apples.
It has been a great summer and it is now October and we haven’t had a killing frost yet. It has turned stormy though this last couple of days.
We had a Regional conference meeting held in the Burley High School Auditorium on August 27, 1989. Priesthood leadership was held August 26, 1989 in Jerome, Idaho and they had a dinner after the meeting with their companions. Sharon and I drove down together. It was nice and we saw some people we hadn’t seen in years. Sunday we had reserved seats so we were close to the front. Our visitors from Salt Lake City were President Howard W. Hunter, James E Faust and Rex C Reeves of the Seventy. They gave some very good talks. We don’t have General Authorities at our conferences like we used to so this was special.
We watched conference on TV on Sept 30 and Oct. 1. It was especially good. Maybe it’s because I seem to understand better or else they were more on my level. I have thought a lot about my activity in the church and the positions I’ve held. It goes back to when I was a counselor to Edith Handy in the Young Womens Mutual. I was 20 years old. I have worked in the mutual later as a counselor and also as the President. I was a teacher and a counselor I the Primary Association. I taught in Sunday School and then I was Sunday School chorister for eight years. Later I taught Gospel Doctrine for two years. I first taught a class in remodeling clothes in Relief Society. From there I was Homemaking leader, then I was a counselor to Nola McCombs. I was the Secretary to Ethel Orton. I’ve been homemaking leader more than once. I was over visiting teaching and compassionate service, then I taught the compassionate service lesson in Sunday Relief Society. At present I am still teaching compassionate service & Social Relations lessons. Somewhere along the line, I was a choir director for a short while and Relief Society chorister. These aren’t listed in order or any dates put to them, but I have tried to do my part. I was also a Stake Missionary for two years. I have been a visiting teacher for a long time and I’m also assigned as a home teacher with Ray for the last two years.
I still feel inadequate at being a teacher, but I’m trying to overcome my fearfulness. My mother said when they asked me to be a chorister "Why would they ask me to do that when I didn’t know anything about music?" She would probably say the same thing if she knew I was a Relief Society teacher.
I forgot to mention my birthday and that I received many gifts and visits from each one of my children. It was a nice day and evening.
We finished up all the canning even to making apple juice out of a bushel of apples so now we have some apples left to eat, our potatoes and carrots from the garden also.
We ordered in our supplies to complete our storage. Now all the bottles are full and we feel good about it.
I waited until all the canning was done to go to the doctor. My arms and shoulder were so painful, also I felt like my stomach was out of whack. He sent me for some X-rays on my neck and also to take some samples of blood at the lab and to come back in two weeks.
Before I had the X-rays we went in the motorhome up to Jeanne’s from Tuesday until Friday. We just visited and Ray went with them the temple for two sessions.
On Monday I went in for the X-ray and other exams. When I went to Dr. Smith on Thursday he said I needed more exams because one test showed blood so on Friday he started with a proctology. I was so petrified of the exam it made me very ill. Ray and Neldon administered to me and I came through all right. Next I had to have a barium enema with air contrast. The preparation for this exam was very hard on me. I was so weak I couldn’t help myself or even hold up my head. Ray called the doctor and he told him to give me some turkey or chicken broth. I remembered we had some turkey broth down in the store room. We were sure thankful we did. I have always believed in storage, but didn’t know that item would be so helpful. That X-ray showed I would have to go to a specialist so he already had some records on me. He did a colonoscopy and said that wasn’t the problem. I would have to have my stomach examined. By this time it was Thanksgiving. Jeanne’s family came through on their way to Shelly’s on Wednesday. We three went over to Joan’s for dinner on Thanksgiving. Marilyn and I fixed sweet potatoes, a relish plate and corn for the dinner. We had a nice visit with, Bonnie, Woody & Brandy and Joan & Norman.
On Monday I went down to Twin Falls for the gastroscopy and Dr. Sinclair found and ulcer and a polyp, which he was able to remove, in my stomach. He said that was the cause of the bleeding. The polyp and biopsy he took was examined by a pathologist and there wasn’t any problem with them so now all I have to do is heal up the ulcer.
I know that because I was administered to in the beginning and with other prayers that that is why they didn’t find anything very serious. I am feeling a lot better now.
Derk and Lisa had a baby girl named Haley Jo Heiner born on December 1, 1989.
Brent (Woody) Ashby and Brandy Le Tracy were married December 9, 1989 by Bishop Wayne Helms at the Paul church. They had a nice reception and are a good looking couple.
Ray and I went to Logan Temple and did two endowments apiece on Dec 6, 1989. I hadn’t been for two months. We had a nice day.
We are having a very dry cold spell now. The temperature isn’t up to freezing even in the day time. We have had very little storm yet, but we surely do need some.
We had planned to go to Logan to the temple for our anniversary, but it didn’t work out. Ray didn’t sleep good, so we spent the day at home. Most of our family came over in the evening and we received many beautiful cards and gifts.
Christmas Eve all but four of our family that live here were over. We had a buffet supper, program and gifts. We decorated our tree with Christmas cards and in them was money for each of our family members. I also had 7 quilts made for the married grandchildren and 3 baby quilts for the new baby boys, Seth, Jeffrey & Cameron. I also gave away many afghans to couples and grandchildren. Between the Friday before Christmas we visited with all our family except 4 who were ill with the flu. Friday before new Years, Jeanne’s family came down and there were 21 here Friday night, 19 Saturday night and 21 again Sunday night. There were beds in every room, but the kitchen. I had plenty of bedding for everybody.
Monday, January 1 was Jeanne’s 50th birthday. I prepared a birthday dinner for her and all of her children who could come, also Cal & Ruth Heiner and Joan and Norman. We set the tables for 24 people. It was a turkey dinner and Marilyn and I had made a big birthday cake. It had been a good holiday season and I think everyone enjoyed it. Everybody went home on Monday and Tuesday. We were pretty near back to normal.
We have been blessed in many ways this past year and I’m sure if we continue to strive to do the things we are asked to do we will continue to have many blessings.
This year, 1990, we return to going to church at 1 o’clock in the afternoon.
Sunday morning, January 7, we had almost our first snowfall of the winter, but it started to rain and we was all melted in a couple of hours. We surely need more moisture than we have had so far.
I had won a $50.00 gift certificate from "House of Fabrics" and so when the January sales came on I decided to spend it for material for a bedspread. I spent more that the certificate, but it was a printed pattern that I could quilt. It took me almost six weeks to quilt it and make the dust ruffle, but it is really pretty. It will probably be the only one I’ll make.
February is the month of birthdays for Joan, Sharon and Sylvia. So we had them for dinner on two different nights. Marilyn and I made each a birthday cake. We had them on Monday nights, because that is the time of less conflict with other meetings.
Trever and Teresa had a baby boy born on February 8, 1990. They named him Jason Lamar. He’s a good looking baby and they got along fine.
April 8, 1990, the day before Dee Ray was 47 years old he was ordained a High Priest by Stake President Carl Garner and sustained as second Counselor to Bishop Harry Badger. Although Dee was inactive for many years he has come a long way.
He has had many assignments and he tries to fill them to the best of his ability. He’ll be a good counselor.
After teaching the Compassionate Service lesson on April 22, 1990, I went out the back door of the building to put my books in the car and I fell down the concrete steps and landed on my knees. It was a very painful fall. I didn’t break anything, but I sure bruised my right leg. Needless to say I had to go home and wasn’t able to go to Sacrament Meeting. It could have been a lot worse.
Ray and I have tried to attend the temple in Logan once a month. We haven’t always succeeded and sometimes could only attend one session. It is difficult some days to control my stomach problems.
May 18, Joan, Norman, Ray, Marilyn and myself left in the motorhome for Columbus, Ohio to see Troy. It was a nice trip and we saw many places of interest. We arrived in Columbus on Monday. We went to Hiram, Ohio and visited Dick and Wanda Whittaker at the John Johnston Home. They are enjoying their mission and doing real well. We also visited the Kirtland Temple and Whitney store. On Sunday we saw the Hill Cumorah at Palmyra and also walked through the Sacred Grove. It was beautiful. Because it was Sunday all of the church historical sights were opened until noon and we didn’t have enough time to wait, but we did see all of the locations. From Palmyra we drove to Niagara Falls. We bought some souvenirs and had lunch there. It is a beautiful falls, something we never hoped to see. We had to be back in Columbus on Monday so we didn’t spend much time. The country is beautiful there and we enjoyed much pretty scenery, but it isn’t like home. This is only a short version of our trip, because I wrote most of it down in another notebook. We headed for home and arrived back here on Wednesday, May 30.
June 7, 1990 was our family trip to Lagoon. We chartered a bus and all of us from here rode it. Jeanne and Lynn came from Melba on Tuesday evening. We left right after 7 o’clock with all but one seat filled on the bus. A total of 48. The ones from Utah met us at Lagoon and we had a total of 65 out of 66 members. Troy Ashby was the only one who couldn’t attend. He had flown out for Japan on June 5 for 10 weeks of training with Honda Corporation. Everybody had a good time and we had plenty of food, and also good weather. On the way home our bus stopped on us, but between Lamar, Dee Ray, Neldon and the driver they figured out the problem and we weren’t delayed very long. The driver said he sure was glad our sons know something about trucks.
Some of our family besides Dee Ray have change church positions. Joan has been Relief Society President since the first of the year. Nolan is now Elders Quorum instructor and Neldon has been released as a High Council member. A position he has held for 6 years. Lamar is assistant ward clerk over the computer. All their partners have responsible positions also.
Corrinne Heiner, who has been going to Ricks College met a young man who is a returned missionary and also graduating from Ricks College and they are getting married July 27 in the Boise, Temple. Corrinne went through and received her endowments on July 26 and on the 27th she was sealed to Michael Gregory Small. He is from Hew Hampshire. His parents were here and they are very nice people. The are both very active in church work. Joan, Norman, Ray, Marilyn and myself went up on Friday for the ceremony. Nolan and Dawna with Scot were also there. Scot and Marilyn stayed in the parking lot while the rest of us were in the themple. Jeanne had a family dinner for us at their home. She served about 36 people. Very good dinner. She made Corinne’s wedding dress and dresses for her and the other girls at home. The reception was held at the church. She had a beautifully decorated cake as well as backdrop and table decorations. All the corsages were made of silk flowers. It was a lovely evening. I had quilted a blue quilt and made an afghan, also a bride doll. They didn’t open any other gifts so we didn’t see what they received. Corinne and Mike are going to live in Denton, Texas where he is going to go to college.
All the time in between these events I have been quilting and crocheting as usual. I did do a quite a bit of yard work to help get our flowers planted. It was nice to work outside, which I have always enjoyed doing. Our roses are just beautiful and also our pansies. We haven’t had much rain and it has been very hot, so it is hard to keep things watered. I can’t work in the heat so anything I do to help has to be done early in the morning. Ray has a really good garden, but we don’t have any fruit on the trees, because of the frost. Everything bloomed so beautifully, but it turned cold and froze it all.
Ray has been suffering through a case of "Shingles" which we have never had any experience with before. The "Shingles" are stopped, but he still has some pain. That has curtailed some of our activities also.
Our garden produced pretty well. We had lots of string beans, beets, peas, corn and carrots. Our tomatoes didn’t ripen as good as they should, but the weather wasn’t very cooperative either. We had lots of beautiful flowers and our yard looked nice all summer. We didn’t have much of anything in the way of storms and we haven’t had yet and it is now the first of December. Going back to September we drove up to Jeanne’s and spent part of the week. Ray and I slept in their fifth wheel and Marilyn stayed in the house. We were able to attend the temple for two sessions. We came home on Friday because that was my birthday. Jeanne had made a cake and had ice cream the night before. The kids and Lynn being in school don’t all have lunch at the same time so it was better to do it on Thursday night. We also did a little shopping up there. It was an enjoyable few days.
We had all the rest of the family visit us after we got home.
October 1990 was the wedding of Nicole Bailey and Mark Maier. They were married by Bishop Harry Badger in the "Gazebo" at the Rupert Square. The reception was held at the old Rupert Stakehouse. Brenda had made all the dresses and made and decorated the cake, also made the punch and mints. Nicole’s dress was really beautiful and they make a handsome couple. We wish Mark was a member of the church, but maybe in time. We hope so. Even so it was a nice reception. I had quilted a quilt made with candlewicking designs. It was done in yellow and gold with gingham checks. I also gave them an afghan.
I have been having trouble with my eyes. I couldn’t see when I came into bright sunlight or bright lights of any kind. I went to Dr. Hobbs who is an Opthamologist as well as cosmetic surgeon. He gave me a thorough examination and found that I have growing cataracts and also some glaucoma. I have an appointment for a visual field test on December 12 in Twin Falls. It will require some surgery, but it has to be at a certain stage of development before that can be done. I haven’t been able to drive the car for sometime and the lighting has to be right for me to see.
We had the carpet taken out of the upstairs bathroom and replaced with Linoleum. It looks so nice. We also had a light installed over my sewing machines in the end of the family room. I have enjoyed that very much. We have had some new Formica put on my kitchen cabinets and that has really improved its looks. After the first of the year we hope to change floor coverings at least in the kitchen.
The Book Plaza was having an opening sale of Magic Mill kitchen appliances, mostly grinders and bread mixers, but anyway for our anniversary we decided to buy and auto bread maker. It’s an appliance that you put in the ingredients and it mixes and then bakes the bread automatically. I haven’t had as good a success as I like, but in time I’ll find the right combination of ingredients.
Neldon, Sharon, Ray and I went to Logan to the temple on November 30. It was only one session, but we had an enjoyable day.
I forgot to mention Thanksgiving. We had Joan, Norman, Bonnie, Nolan’s family and Dee’s family and us for dinner. We all had a good visit. Jeanne and her family went on Wednesday down to Utah with the rest of theirs. They came back on Saturday and stayed overnight and went with us to church on Sunday, had dinner and then headed for home.
Bonnie has had to have some more surgery and we hope she’ll recover well from it. Nicole has been very ill since she got married and we’re hoping she can overcome her problems. We held a family fast today in hopes that it will help her. We know that her problems will be taken care of and that it will be for the best. She has been ill a lot the last few years.
Lamar was sustained as the Ward Clerk in our ward today December 2, 1990.
I have been quilting as usual and I have crocheted and assembled 19 decorator dolls for our granddaughters for Christmas. The are all so cute.
Shelly & Gregg Brinkerhoff had a new baby girl born on December 20, 1990. They named her Katherine Elise. On Sunday, December 23, 1990 she went back to the hospital with a severe infection caused by a strep infection. She came awfully close to losing her life.
Christmas Eve all of our family, but Jeanne’s were here. We had supper together and then we had a nice Christmas program. Joan and I sang a duet and others read scriptures and group singing of Christmas carols. On the Christmas tree I had hung a Christmas card with money inside for each member of our family. We received many nice gifts; sweaters, gift certificates, a large figurine of Christ, a counted cross stitch picture of Christ in a gold colored frame, hair spray, a ham which we ate for supper, Almond Roca candy, turkey, 5 lb. Box of chocolates. Except for the worry over Shelly we had a nice evening together. I had prepared 14 tied quilts, some sofa pillows, hot pads and 19 dolls.
Jeanne and Lynn came through on the 27th of December, had lunch with us and then went on down to Salt Lake to see Shelly and to help take care of the new baby and the other children.
During the month of December I found I would have to have cataract surgery on my left eye. It was getting extremely difficult for me to see. I haven’t been able to drive the care since August. That will be done sometime in January.
The year is coming to a close and we hope next year will be even better.. That’s awfully warm for April.-50 at night and 70- 80 in the daytime. We went to the 4th of July parade and had to wear our coats. above zero. I have been confined to the house a lot of the time. We were unable to have church in our new building for two Sundays, but today is February 4 and there is church today. weather again. The weather is really different and changeable this winter, we wonder what summer will be like. and the wind chill was 14. Sunday it was even colder and so I couldn’t go to church, 7 for a high with a wind chill of -32 and the wind from east northeast.October 15, 1998, Ray Marilyn and I went over to the South Central Health Department and got our flu shots.é in Burley. We had a delicious chicken dinner and they visited and seemed to have a good time. Nolan took me for a motorcycle ride in the afternoon. I received many lovely cards and some gifts. A bouquet of flowers, blouse, stuffed animal and pillow, sweater and corduroy pants. It was a very good day and I enjoyed it all.
Now that our canning is done and the old flowers have been pulled up, I am back sewing quilt blocks in between Patriarchal Blessings. October was quite busy, but November has been a little slower.
I broke a tooth out of my upper denture and when I went to get it fixed we decided to get me a new set. These were getting chipped from wear. They cost $700.00 and don’t look much different from my old ones.
Ray has been having pain around his left ear and when he asked Dr. Pates, He told him he needed to see a dentist. We had wondered, before, if maybe that was part of the problem with his ears instead of just almost an earache. Anyway he had infection under his permanent bridge and had to have a root canal and other things done to correct the problem.
Thanksgiving day we had dinner with Joan and Norman. It was nice and we had a very good visit.
Paul, Shelly, Todd and Traci stopped on their way to Melba , so we got to visit with them and their little ones. It was nice of them to stop and visit. The new babies are really cute, both of them.
Jeff, Bonnie and the girls came over to see us too and we enjoyed their visit.
Ray finally got his teeth all fixed and paid for. It is good to have that done.
We bought some books for each family for Christmas and some for Marilyn and myself. Our 60th wedding anniversary was quiet, but we did have visits from Nolan’s family, Neldon’s family, Lamar and Brenda and Joan. Jeanne called on the telephone and we received some very nice cards as well. Marilyn and I served cake and ice cream. I didn’t eat any, but that’s okay. Joan gave her dad some homemade chocolates and me some sugar free chocolates. A family group picture from Nolan’s family. We had a good visit.
Andrea Heiner came home from Russia and we saw her for a few minutes along with Jeanne, Lynn, Brett, Janna and boys. She had been gone 6 months and enjoyed the experience.
Christmas Eve, we had company by family too. Marilyn and I had decorated the front room and family room. I also sent out many Christmas cards to grandchildren, children, relatives and friends. It was a nice Christmas. Ray bought me a dress and I helped him buy a suit. We gave Marilyn a dress, latch hook kit and some paint by number pictures to do.
We had visits from some of Jeanne’s family as they went on to Melba and back. It is nice that they stop and see us.
Dee and part of his family came over on Sunday evening.
Our family gave us a framed picture of 4 different groups of us that were taken at the summer reunion. Neldon and Nolan hung it on the family room wall and I rearranged some of the other pictures after that.
We also received some new pictures from our grandchildren.
We weren’t so busy with Patriarchal blessings in November and December, but now it is a new year and we will probably have more. Jeanne’s birthday was on January 1, 1999 and that always starts the New Year.
We also changed time for going to church so now we go at 9 o’clock on Sundays.
My back has bothered me a lot and I tried to figure out how I could use our Whirlpool Jacuzzi, so I enlisted Nolan’s help to install a bar across, so I could pull myself up out of it. He did it and it works, also he glued some tiles that were loose and regrouted them for me. I was sure glad he could repair all that for us.
All of our kids help us with a lot of repairs or things we can’t do for ourselves and we appreciate it.
Patriarchal blessings have slacked off clear through February, so I have had time to tie several quilts. I also made and donated 2 double bed size and 2 baby quilts for the humanitarian aid program of the church. I also crocheted blocks together for an afghan. Our ward Relief Society agreed to make bibs for the long term care at Minidoka Memorial Hospital and I bought 6 towels and made those and turned them in.
We went over to Burley one Sunday afternoon and Trenton was ordained an Elder. Now he and Holly can take their little ones and go to the temple when they are ready
We had Stake Conference in March and we had a very good Sunday meeting. No special visitors, but all of the talks and music was very good.
Marilyn and I have started cleaning our flower beds and with help from Jeanne, Lynn and Lance, they are pretty well done.
It seems early, but we have had some warm weather and the tulips and daffodils are coming up.
Our winter hasn’t been very stormy except in the mountains. In February it was cold some, but March has been awfully warm for Idaho.
Jeanne and Lynn stopped as they went to Utah and back for spring break and I gave her 5 tied quilts to finish.
Ruth Heiner, with the help of others nominated Jeanne for "Mother of the Year". She didn’t come in first, but she did receive "Merit Mother of the Year". She wouldn’t "blow her own horn", so to speak, so she didn’t come in first. I think she came as close as she wanted to. It was held in Boise on March 4, but because of the need to travel and with my eating schedule, we didn’t go. If I stick to my own schedule, I can keep my "Diabetes" pretty well under control.
March 27, 1999, at our Stake Center we attended Stetzen Ray Bailey’s baptism. They had a nice service and we were glad to be able to attend. He was baptized and confirmed by his father, Thomas Ray Bailey. There were four generations of Baileys in the circle.
April began with General Conference on TV from Salt Lake. We always enjoy all of the talks and messages given by the General Authorities. The music is exceptional also.
April is also a month of birthdays for our family too. We don’t give many gifts, but we try to remember them with birthday cards.
The arthritis in my back is giving me a lot of pain and I can’t seem to do very much work in the yard or even in the house. We have tried to get some help with the yard work, but it’s kinda hard to find. We have a young woman who comes one a week and cleans bathrooms and vacuums and etc. That helps a lot.
Shawn and Cynthia Bailey had a baby boy born to them, May 12, 1999, at Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley. They named him Garrett W. And he was blessed by Shawn on July 4, 1999 in Heyburn Second Ward. There were four generations of Baileys for that too.
We had a lot of our roses winter kill and so we only replaced a few. Jeanne, Lynn, Lance and Monica came down for Memorial day weekend and they caught up a lot of our yard work by planting and transplanting some flowers. The weather hasn’t cooperated very well for growing plants, either too hot or too cold and windy.
I type the blessings as they come along and usually do the washing and ironing. Marilyn helps a lot with the cooking too.
Dr. Pates put me to bed for four or five days, except it took six with muscle relaxers and pain killers and by the time that was up my stomach was acting up, so I had to take medicine for it. It’s been very painful and I’ve not been able to do very much. I don’t even feel like working on the computer or even doing handwork. It is getting a little better thought.
Trenton and Holly Bailey had a baby boy born to them on June 23, 1999 at Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley. They named him Bracken Dee. They have moved from Burley and bought a home in Albion and are getting settled in it.
We applied several months ago to get Marilyn on Social Security Disability and now today we got a reply and she was accepted. This will give her a monthly income beginning in September, 1999. We are glad for that and as long as she can’t hold a job any longer is sure will help.
Tate and Sarah Stout were married Aug 27, 1999. Nolan took Ray down and he said they had a real good day. I was glad I had a few quilts and afghans made ahead, so I had one for them too. I was able to go to the reception that was held on the 28th at the church house. They planned on having an outdoors reception, but the wind came up in the afternoon and they had to move down to the church. It was a nice reception.
Rob La Deaux and Sonda Phillips were married in the Salt Lake Temple on Oct. 1, 1999. I was glad to have a quilt and an afghan for them too. I wasn’t able to attend their open house at Lamar and Brenda’s.
During this time, I had been in the hospital first for 2 pints of blood and then in a couple of days, I was hospitalized for low sodium level and was put on an I.V. tube, also I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. It is a condition that cannot be operated on for me. Dr. Pates said it was too risky. I spent 3 days in intensive care so they could give me a treatment on my heart and then was moved into a regular room. Ray gave me some Priesthood blessing and I was administered to twice, not all in the hospital. I got on my knees and prayed to the Lord for help also and I was blessed for it.
I was home for my birthday and received some books etc. and many telephone calls and cards from family and friends.
Neldon is doing the Patriarchal blessings, because I don’t have the strength to sit at the computer. I’m on oxygen all the time. Even thought I have tube enough to get me anywhere in the house, I also have a portable one for when I need to leave home. I have a home health nurse that comes and checks me one a week and I’m on some strong medication.
Jeanne, Lynn, Lance, and Monica came down and watched conference with us. Shelly and her family were here to and they cooked dinner for us all. It was a good day and the messages were all very good.
I get pretty tired every day and haven’t done much, but everything is going fine. We have arranged for a woman to come once a week and do the cleaning for us. Marilyn does the cooking and the laundry and I do the ironing. I’m not doing a very good job of writing, so I hope it can be read.
Our weather has been beautiful and it has been a good fall. I’m not ready for cold weather anyway.
At the beginning of my illness in July, my friend Mary Ellen Bennett passe away. She was 85 years old. I had known her for a long time and liked her very much.
December 10, 1999 Jason and Margo had a baby girl born to them. This makes them 2 boys and 2 girls. They named her Mabel Jeanne, and they are doing quite well.
While I was in the hospital my friend from school days, Eva Morgan Higley, passed away. I felt really sad, because I didn’t get to see her again and wasn’t able to attend her funeral. She was a really nice woman and I enjoyed visiting with her and now she’s gone.
I was feeling a lot better and had made baby quilts and tied two big quilts. I thought I had finally got on top of my illness, but I was typing a Patriarchal Blessing and got a pain in my back and around my middle. I couldn’t get rid of it, but I continued my typing a finished the blessing for Ray. This was Friday, and Saturday by noon the pain was so bad I couldn’t stand it. I called Dr. Pates and he told me what to do, but before it could take effect, I told Ray to call Dr. Pates and tell him I was going to the emergency room. He met us there and diagnosed me as having "Gastritis" and put me in the hospital. I was hooked up to an I.V. that administered some medication and relieved the pain. When he came in on Monday, he said I needed to have an ultrasound test to help decide what was really the matter. It showed that I had a real attack of gallstones. Dr. Pates talked to me about having the surgeon, Dr. Johnson, come in and see me. My heart is so bad they didn’t know if I could survive an operation. I had an Echocardiogram done on Thursday by the heart specialist and they determined it was pretty "ify" if I could stand an operation, but Pates and Johnson both determined I had to have one. We opted to have an incision done instead of the new procedure for gallstone surgery. Ray, Nolan, Dee Ray and Neldon administered to me on Thursday night and Friday, December 17, in the afternoon, Dr. Johnson did the operation. I had a whole medicine bottle full of stones removed. I was put in intensive care for two days and then in a regular room. I came through it really well and am on the road to recovery. I have to take a lot of medicine and I’ve also lost a lot of weight, but I’m getting along without any pain. I got released to come home the day before Christmas. I had been in the hospital 13 days.
I didn’t get to do any Christmas shopping or anything, it was all done for me. Dr. Pates let me come home on our anniversary for four hours and that was nice.
This is the end of a century and the beginning of a new year. January 2000.
Andrea Heiner and Mark Madson were married Dec 22, 1999 in the Boise, Idaho Temple. She was number 10 of Jeanne and Lynn’s family to be married and they were all in the temple with her. I had made a quilt and an afghan for her, but was unable to go and see her married.
For some reason, memory I guess, I missed writing about Ty & Jaimee’s baby. She was born June 28, 2000 in Ogden, Utah. She was named Brynley.
January 6, 2000, a baby girl, Anna Elizabeth, was born to Brett and Janna. This makes them 3 boys and a girl.
Trenton and Holly went to Logan to go through the temple for their endowments on Jan 21, 2000. The children were sealed to them on January 22, 2000. Dee & Sylvia had all of their family in the temple that day. That is quite and accomplishment.
I’ve recovered from my operation without even a scar. Of course, I still have my ups and downs, but I am grateful for all the blessings I have received, because I have received many from a good doctor and from the Lord.
I had a bout with Bronchitis that hit me pretty hard and I was very ill. I had been to Dr. Pates when I felt it coming on and he gave me some antibiotics. I took those and got better, except it seemed to settle in my ears and they were plugged up. I used some ear drops and stopped the aching, but my right ear broke and run for several days. I tried to see Dr. Patterson, an ear doctor, but couldn’t, so I went back to Dr. Pates and he gave some more antibiotics. My left ear seemed to clear up, but my right ear, I can’t seem to hear out of. This has been about 5 weeks, but I’m going for some help somewhere.
I have accomplished several quilts since the first of the year. I tied 11 that I already had pieced and I have quilted two and am on the third one now. I gave all the tied ones away to grandchildren and kids. They were made from outing flannel.
The quilted one, I will keep as wedding presents. I have also embroidered lots of pillow cases. I haven’t counted them, as I’m not finished.
Ray has given several Patriarchal blessing, so I have typed those also.
We have a young woman named Cathy Andersen who comes on Friday afternoon to vacuum and clean our bathrooms or whatever we need done. She also enjoys quilting, so for a few minutes each time, she puts some stitches in my quilt. She is very good and fast at it.
Before Christmas and before I became so ill I helped Cathy tie a quilt for her son for Christmas and she has more than paid me back for helping her.
Memorial weekend, I had some unexpected company. On Saturday, my cousin, Emma, and her daughter, Julie, came from Bountiful, Utah to spent the day visiting. I hadn’t seen Emma in many years and her daughter was only a little girl. We had a good visit and I gave them each an afghan. It was an enjoyable day.
On Sunday, we took some flowers over for my folks and Ray’s parents graves. My nieces, Arlynn and Ranelle were over there and they were coming over to visit us. Ranelle brought a copy of a picture of my dad and his parents and his sister Saphronia, also some history of my grandparents. It was nice to visit with them and I have them each an afghan. Arlynn has a Book of Remembrance with sheets in it written by my mother and I had seen it when I lived at home, but their dad, Leland got most of my mothers genealogy information. I hope to get a copy from her.
The last of March my cousins, Jeanette Buckley, Heber J. Hansen and Bengta came from Pocatello to go to Oakley and they stopped and visited us. I enjoyed their visit and I gave them an afghan also. In the afternoon two more cousins, Elsa Holling and Wanda Ahlstrom came and visited too. I hadn’t seen those two for many years either. I sure enjoyed their visits and I gave them each an afghan. Wanda is the only one of all who visited who does this handwork. Wanda and Emma are half-sisters. Heber J., Jeannette and Elsa are brother and sisters. Bengta is a cousin to all of us. All, but Bengta is a descendant of grandma Caroline Hansen. Bengta was named after her grandmother, Bengta Hansen. Bengta Hansen was my grandfather’s first wife and my grandmother Caroline was his second wife.
We have hired a man to clean our flowerbeds. He isn’t really a gardener, but he did dig out most of the grass and helped Ray put rock over plastic in front and on the west side of the garage. We bought color bowls of flowers to put in those places. We also bought a dozen rose bushes for the rose garden. Everything is looking pretty good. The weather is changeable and now it is quite warm for this time of year.
We put in begonias and Impatiens in the front window box and also a whiskey barrel we planted with pansies in the corner by the front steps.
Mother’s Day, I received many beautiful cards, a bouquet and a Lily. All of our kids visited either Saturday or Sunday.
I feel very grateful to be able to do what I do and have what I have. My health is precarious, but if I’m careful, I can do quite a bit. I read President Hinckley’s book, "Standing for something" and it was just like he was talking to me. I enjoyed it very much. It was easy to understand and something you could really believe.
My handwriting isn’t very legible.
Sunday Sept. 10, 2000
We have been to Sacrament meeting and had our dinner. One meeting is about all I have the strength to attend at a time. I have been taking my oxygen tank to use for the last month. It helps my strength last.
It has been a year since I started this last go around and when I came home from the hospital in December, I decided I had better finish up some of the projects I had started. It seemed to me the only way to gain some strength was to do something and not just sit. Crocheting seemed to take too much concentration, so I have been embroidering pillowcases and sewing up quilt blocks that I already cut out. This is in addition to what I wrote about before. I quilted on more quilt that was already pieced. It was made from Ray’s neckties plus a few others.
It turned out beautifully and Ray suggested I make it into a bedspread for our bed and I did. It is really colorful and nice.
I also had enough tie pieces to sew tops for 4 more quilts and I’m using plain colored sheets for the back. They are ready to be quilted.
I had cut out all the pieces for a star quilt block made of red and white gingham check. I have to applique it on the sewing machine. There is also one of orchid print with plain orchid to match of the same pattern.
I had pieces cut for a Grandmothers Fan quilt and I have sewed them together and have the background blocks done to put them on. This is enough blocks for two quilts.
I have cut and sewed enough pieces for a Dresden plate quilt. These are all ready to finish on the sewing machine and they will be ready to quilt. I have embroidered many pillowcases and have more to do. I have typed Ray’s Patriarchal Blessings as they have come and also learned to operate this other computer some.
I am extremely grateful that I am able to do these things and to be content to finish some.
I can’t work in the flower beds and it has really been hard to see them not taken care of. The man we hired just isn’t a gardener and things are kinda in a mess, but maybe we can straighten them out. We have two new little grandchildren, one boy and one girl. Trever and Teresa had a baby boy born August 22, 2000. They name him Michael Ray and he was blessed by his father, Trever, on September 3, 2000. We went to his blessing at Paul Third Ward. There was four generations in the circle.
Paul and Shelly Heiner had a baby girl on September 1, 2000. They named her Amanda Jeanne.
I went on a motorcycle ride around the mile with Nolan on Labor Day. It was a beautiful day and Nolan is a good driver as well as having a beautiful motorcycle.
We have had some beautiful roses and they have bloomed lots. I really like beautiful flowers.
My hearing has not improved and I don’t know what to do about it.
Sunday, September 30, 2000, I didn’t feel like going to church, so we all stayed home and listened to it with Ray’s Comtek. By evening it was apparent something was wrong with my eyes. I had been reading a lot that day. "Children of the Promise", is a 5 book series by Dean Hughes. He is an LDS author. I enjoyed the story. Anyway, when Monday morning came I couldn’t eat my breakfast very good. I was having trouble chewing. I went to the doctor and he put me in the hospital, because it looked like I had a mild stroke and needed some tests to find out if I had any blood clots. Dr. Saurey was fill in for Dr. Pates. They did a Cat Scan and determined I didn’t have any clots, but they wanted a carotid artery ultrasound also, and I couldn’t have it until Wednesday. So I had to stay in the hospital until Wednesday afternoon. It wasn’t a stroke, but it was Belles Palsy that left me with paralysis in the left side of my face. I can’t close my left eye and I can’t chew on the left side. All I can do is put ointment in my eye at night and wear an eye patch. The are no tears and my eye gets pretty dry and that’s when it bothers me. It’s hard to do some things with only one eye , so I take the eye patch off whenever I can. They don’t have any solution for this problem, so I just have to wait until it goes away. Dr. Pates said they don’t really know what causes it either. It is frustrating, but it isn’t so painful either. It takes time to get over it. I have stayed home a lot and now the weather has turned cold and I can’t got out much anyway.
I just keep piecing quilt tops and I’m crocheting on an afghan.
I have typed up two Patriarchal Blessings on the new computer, so now we’ll see if I can finish them.
Sunday, February 11, 2001 we went to Sacrament meeting and came home. It was a good service. I hadn’t been for two weeks. The weather has been really cold. I haven’t got over my Bells Palsy and maybe I never will. It has been almost five months now. I even had three acupuncture treatments, but it didn’t help.
The newer computer quit on me, so I have used the older one. I typed 3 blessings in January and last Sunday I typed on my life history.
I have completed 12 quilt tops and now beginning this week I hope to tie two of them. They are made from polyester. When I finish those I hope to go ahead and quilt some of the others. I finished crocheting an afghan for Andrea and now I have put together one that Bonnie’s mother-in-law made, but didn’t want to finish. I have also crocheted another one and hope to continue on some more.
It is much easier to put up with my health problems if I keep busy. I can’t see to do crocheting with small thread and I can’t read very well. My hearing has not improved and will probably get worse. Life goes on and I’m not ready to give up yet.
April 8, 2001. I told about going to tie some quilts and I did try, but I couldn’t see to thread the needles, so I took it off and tried to quilt another one, but I couldn’t see to thread the needles for that either. It was quite disappointing to know that I couldn’t do either of these things. I decided I just as well clean material out of some drawers and make some more quilt tops.
The grim reaper has been in our midst and we have lost some friends to death. One was Melba Egbert and one was Laura Wilcox. The other was Ralph McCombs, who was our Bishop before Ray. These were all quite sudden deaths except they had been in poor health for quite some time.
My Belles Palsy is still with me and I am almost of the opinion it is never going to leave. I gave up not being able to hear and went for another hearing test. I ordered some Digital Widex hearing aids. They will Cost $4800.00. It took two weeks to get them, but so far they have worked real good.
My brother Alfred has been very ill for several months and can’t seem to get any better. His heart is just worn out and the doctors say they can’t do anymore for him. He passed away in the Twin Falls Magic Valley Regional Hospital on March 21, 2001. That leaves me the only on left of the Thaxton children. I had never expected to be the last, but that’s the way it is. He ha a good family and they gave him a good funeral service on March 25, 2001. He is buried in Pleasant View Cemetery in Burley. He had made a CD of his singing a few months ago and Nolan made some copies of it for some of us to have. I’ve listened to it and it is very good music.
Trista and Clint Edwards had a baby girl born on Marcy 23, 2001. She was born in Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley. She will be named Paizley Rian Edwards and will be number 54 of our Great Grandchildren.
We have had two more deaths of our friends. One was Noel Croft, 89 years old and had lived in Heyburn all his life. He was Bishop of Heyburn Ward at one time. The other death was Wilford Wilcox. He and I were in the same class in Heyburn School all of our twelve years. He married on of my best friends, Idella Lee.
Idella and I sang many duets starting in high school and until she and Wilford went on a church mission. When they returned from their mission they moved away from Heyburn and we haven’t seen them very many times since then. Wilford had alzheimers disease like his brother Glayde, who married Ray’s sister, Mary.
We have been fortunate in finding a man to do our gardening. He has cleaned the flower beds and planted the rose bushes. We added 4 more whiskey barrels and he planted all my pots in the ground at the front. He planted snapdragons on the west side of the house and calendulas on the west side of the garage. In the pots he planted petunias and in the barrels he planted geraniums, alyssum, pansies, and marigolds. We also planted some Dianthus, some delphiniums and a peony. Some of my peonies came up from last year, but so far only one has a blossom on it. The bleeding Hearts have bloomed beautifully and also the daffodils and tulips. Ray has Travis, our great grandson, mowing the lawn. We have quite a bit of fruit on the orchard trees, if nothing else happens.
Matt and Jalaine have a baby girl born on April 13, 2001. She was named Claire Grace on May 6, 2001 by her father, Matt.
Paizley Rian Edwards was blessed on May 6, 2001 by her father, Clint. There were 3 generations of priesthood holder in the circle, great grandfather Ray, grandfather Dee Ray and father Clint. The 21 st. of May my cousin, Emma, Julie and Wanda came and spent the day with us. They bought our lunch and we just visited. Bea also came over for awhile. It was a good day, but I was very tired by evening. I finally was able to tie two quilts and I have quilted two. I have also hemmed two of them. Jason, Margo and family were herein April and they are moving to Bloomington, Illinois for him to work. I gave Jason two quilts and a blanket.
Paul and Shelly Heiner and 4 children are moving to Lawrence, Kansas. He will be establishing a Seminary Institute program. On May 28, Memorial Day weekend, Jeanne, Lynn had a family get together here at our place so everyone could visit with Paul and Shelly before they left. There were 37 of us. Jeanne, with Marilyn’s help and some of her daughters prepared the lunch and we ate on the back lawn. Todd, Jason and Clayton weren’t able to attend. We had a good visit and I had a chance to give Paul and Shelly two quilts and an afghan.
Nolan, Josh and Dr. Pates left on a motorcycle trip June 1. They will be gone two weeks.
The weather is really unpredictable. Friday May 31 was 95° and today, June 3rd it will be about 60° to 65°.
Clayton and Liz heiner have a baby boy born May 29.2001. They name him Hayden Maxwell.
Meagan Nicole Bailey was born to Tate and Sarah on June 13, 2001 in burley Hospital.
I am quite far behind in my journal and I hope I can remember enough to catch it up.
In April we were moved out of our church house and sent to the Stake Center for our meetings. It is difficult for us to go there. Ray has a problem at times driving the car and I haven’t tried since last October. We haven’t been very regular attenders. Now, it’s September and by the middle of October we hope to be back in our own building.
We have had some lovely fruit in our orchard and I am feeling like I might be able to can what we need. Ray, Marilyn and I canned sweet cherries on two different days and they sure look good. This was July 2 & 10. In may we made Rhubarb jam. The apricots were ripe in early August, so we canned those and made apricot and pineapple jam. The next day we made some pear jam.
The last of August Jeanne came down and helped us can the peaches.
In between I had been crocheting blocks to set together for afghans. There were some more deaths, too. "Gib" Barlow who lived south of us. He was our home teacher at different times and Velma, his wife, was my visiting teacher at times, too. We were friends for a quite a few years. Melbert Taylor, who was 93, lived in our ward for many years. His wife, Thelma, was my visiting teacher, too. Their daughter, Juanita, was Jeanne’s best friend. Wendell Cole, who I had known ever since I was small and who was a neighbor, passed away. He was 88, and then I picked up the paper one day and read that Charlene Bradshaw, my cousin, Bob Wynn’s daughter had passed away. That was a real surprise, because she was only 61. I didn’t get to go to any of these viewings, or funeral, because I was too ill.
Instead of being as well as I thought, I overdid and caused fluid to accumulate in my lungs. So I had to take more medicine and lose 10 lbs. of fluid. I had also made my stomach sore from eating green salad, so I have been really ill all of September. I am getting better, but Dr. Pates says I’ve got to take it slow and easy. I’m not able to do much and I don’t go hardly anywhere, but it will get better.
Shelly and Gregg have moved to Melba. Gregg is running a sawmill. They are hoping to build a new home up there.
Brett and Janna moved to Coeur d’alene, Idaho, where he was transferred with his job on September 18th.
We had a terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and New York City, Pentagon, in Washington D.C. They killed a lot of people and caused a lot of damage. So, our nation is in kind of an uproar, and of course we don’t know what will happen next.
My 83rd birthday was on Friday, this year. I received phone calls from Bonnie, shelly, Corrine, Troy and Violet. I received a beautiful bouquet from Neldon and Sharon. Many beautiful cards from the rest and many visits from all. Ray gave me a miniature 1931 Model A Ford Roadster. It is a replica of the car Leland owned when I was about a freshman in high school. It is a convertible with a rumble seat. A fancy little car in those days. All in all I had a very good day.
I have been able to keep up with the Patriarchal Blessings and will be busy with them this week too.
I am having to use oxygen more also.
Ray’s sister, Edith Handy, 93, passed away August 29, 2001 in Rupert, She had been in the long term care section since 1997. She died from complications of old age. She was buried in Heyburn Riverside Cemetery. She lived a long full life and did many things.
Idella Lee Wilcox passed away quickly on Sept. 4, 2001. She was my best friend and it had been awhile since I had seen her. She lived a busy life and did many good things. She lived in Twin Falls and was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Heyburn. She was 83.
Jim Hellewell passed away in Orem, Utah, October 8, 2001. He had alzheimers disease. He was the father of 13 children, three who passed away in their young age. He was in the same class and graduated the same year I did (1936). He was 84.
I was unable to attend any of their services and I will miss all of them.
October 28, 2001. I think I have finally overcome the fluid in my lungs. I still have Belles Palsy and I think it will always effect my face. I had a bout with kidney infection, but I think I’ve overcome it and now I’m ready to do baby quilts. My energy doesn’t last very long, so I can’t work at it very long at a time.
The weather has been quite warm for this time of year and we need some moisture really bad.
We are back in our own church house as of October 21, 2001. It is a beautiful building. We have attended Sacrament meeting both Sundays and hope our health continues to let us attend.
Josh has been helping driving grandpa where he needs to do. Sometimes, Ray can drive the car himself. We all had our flu shots at the Dr.’s. office on October 26, 2001.
We added some case goods to our storage, so now that is full.
Joan has done some of my shopping for my baby quilts. It’s hard for me to have the energy.
Marilyn has some new glasses on October 26, 2001. Her old ones were terribly scratched. They cost $287.50.
Because of my illness, I have read several good books, but I’m ready to make progress on my quilts.
I was able to go to Mill-End Fabrics and they had so many cute baby prints that I got carried away and bought more than I needed, anyway. I have several to tie and now I’m working on getting them bound. I don’t know exactly how many I tied, but I will when I finish.
Things are going as well as can be expected. I still have a little energy problem, but I’m careful and still get something done each day.
Dr. Pates says my diabetes is doing real well and I only check my glucose about two days a week. I have to watch my kidneys, because they don’t quite function good enough. As long as I don’t have any swelling or collect any water in my legs, I guess I’m alright. After all of these years he told Ray his Policythemia Vera was practically nil, so he is going without his medication. This has been for about 3 months now and we hope it continues.
I sent out quite a few Christmas cards, mostly to family, because most of our friends are gone. When I think about it, it seems kinda lonely.
I couldn’t do any Christmas shopping, because the weather has turned too cold and my last check-up showed I had crackles in my lungs.
I have not recorded our last great-grandchildren.
Taylor Nicholas Heiner was born October 29, 2001 to Todd and Traci Heiner in Provo, Utah. They came to see us as they went to Melba for Thanksgiving.
Corinne and Mike Hegan had a baby girl born on December 11, 2001 in Boise, Idaho. We only have her picture, but I’m sure she is cute. We are so happy for Corinne. She wanted a family so bad, but had been told she probably wouldn’t be able to, but that was when she was married to Mike Small.
Heather and Chuck Allred had a baby girl, Ainslee Marie, born December 9, 2001 in Salt Lake City, Utah. We have a picture of her too., and she looks like a healthy, cut baby of course, Dawna says she is.
Corinne named her little girl, Nora Olivia.
Even if I couldn’t do any shopping, we had a nice Christmas. When we went to Rupert to have our blood checked, I went to the Book Store and bought some story books by LDS writers for Marilyn. Joan bought some videos for her from us. Ray bought her a new clock radio from us. Joan took Marilyn shopping and she bought her dad a new belt and four pairs of socks, and a pair of peal earrings for me. I ordered some clothes out of a catalog for me and some of them fit and some didn’t. I asked Nolan and Dawna to buy Ray a suit form Mr. Macs in Salt Lake, but it wasn’t big enough. We had company for Christmas Eve and some Christmas Day. We received some framed pictures, a beautiful wood bowl that Nolan made, some home made candy and sugar free candy for me. Marilyn and I each got a new pair of pants, also, and Marilyn some more videos, hand cream and candy.
I should have written about our anniversary first, but it was nice and we had most of our family come and visit for it. A lot of things have happened in those 63 years. We received many beautiful cards also and phone calls from some of our grandchildren.
New Years, 2002, we expected to see Jeanne and Lynn, but she had to change her plans because all of their kids except Jason came home for her birthday. We spent a pretty quiet day that day.
I have finished tying the quilts and have 12 pink ones bound. There will be 13 blue ones.
I finished some afghans, I started and now I’m crocheting stocking caps. I started them for humanitarian aid, but gave 10 away to grandkids and great grandkids, but I have 12 more for church aid that I’ll give. They are made mostly of left-over yarn. A few of them I knit.
Neldon is setting up a computer that Nolan doesn’t need for me to see if I can do some Genealogy work.
We had a slow month for Patriarchal Blessings, but January is starting up with some. The month of January was taken up with 9 Patriarchal Blessings and in between I worked on my quilt making and crocheting. I didn’t have any stocking caps for humanitarian aid after all. Bonnie and her girls and Brenda took some for their grandchildren, so now if I have any to give, I’ll have to make them. Of course, if our family can use them, that’s where they will go first.
Rob and Sonda La Deaux have a baby boy born on Jan, 26, 2002. He has lots of black hair, which was expected, because Rob is a full blooded Lakota Indian. They named him Noah Robert, and everything is okay for them.
Dawna & Josh went to Salt Lake and traded Ray’s suit for a bigger size, so it’s all take care of and looks good.
It’s been quite cold, so I’ve not been out much, but I bound a quilt and put a border on one I made Joan years ago. I also set the finished blocks together for another one. My energy doesn’t last very long, so it takes me longer to do these things than it used to.
May 5, 2002. Time just keeps moving on and I am behind on my journal. My writing is pretty shaky and as I look back I wonder if anybody else can read it.
We have had a lot of west wind and not much moisture, so it is looking kinda bad for the farmers. Of course this is still early in the season, so we have to have faith that it will get better.
We only had one Patriarchal Blessing in February and nothing else until last week and now it’s picking up again.
I have made some progress on quilting and some are really beautiful when finished.
I have been trying to type on my history, but I get pretty frustrated with the computer, and have to call Neldon.
We have had Phillip Vargas come and clean our flower beds, but it’s a little early to plant the pots yet.
I have read some good books, but the printing has to be pretty dark for me to see. I went to Dr. Hobbs and he says my vision has deteriorated, so now I have to have an eye exam for some new glasses.
Shawn and Cynthia have a baby boy, born on April 2, 2002. They will name him Keegan Robert and they are doing really well
Andrea has graduated from BYU with a degree in dietetics. She still has some intern work to finish.
Scot will graduate on May 18, from ISU in Pocatello. He has two majors, one in finance and one in economics.
Lance will graduate from high school in Melba.
All of our grandchildren will be out of elementary school as of this month.
Josh is on his mission in Cebu, Philippines. I’m sure he is getting started by now.
Ray had a good 84th birthday with visits, cards, phone calls from kids and grandkids. He received books and candy, also a new speaker telephone. It works well and we can both hear what is said by the caller.
July 21, 2002.
We have had a very hot summer, so it has been nice to have air conditioning. I keep having periods of sick spells with my breathing. It gets a little harder all the time for me to stay well. I don’t get away from home very often. I had to put the quilt downstairs that I was working on because my back hurt so bad.
I did get three quilted, but they aren’t bound yet.
We have had several Patriarchal Blessing in a row and I am able to keep those typed up.
I gained a lot of weight and had to take medication to lose it, so now I’m back down to 124 lbs.
Joan does whatever shopping I have to have done and Ray does the grocery shopping. Marilyn does the laundry and cooking. That leaves me with very little to do except my handwork.
Jeanne’s family stop in whenever they come through and we do have company at times.
I had a nice Mothers Day even though I didn’t get to go to church. I received some beautiful cards and all of the kids were here to visit. I also received some new blouses, etc.
I am able to listen to Sacrament meeting on my Comtek and even though I don’t get to church very often, I can hear the messages and music.
I am on oxygen a lot and that makes it hard to go a lot of the time.
September 22, 2002.
I’m behind in my journal again. It has been a busy summer, even tho I do very little.
David Cutler, Shelly’s son surprised us by getting married. He lives in Sandy, Utah and will be 19 next month. I sent him one of my embroidered quilts. I was able to bring the quilt I was quilting for Melissa back upstairs and finish it. It was beautiful. She was married in the Mount Timpanogos Temple, Sept. 19 to Matthew Beckstrand. Jeanne’s family said it was very nice and the temple and temple grounds were just beautiful.
Andrea and Mark Madson moved to Boise, Idaho, so he could attend Boise State University. Their baby boy, Isaac Lee Madson was born August 23, 2002 in Boise. Andrea and baby got along fine and all are doing well.
Lamar & Brenda canned 30 pts. of green beans for us. Jeanne picked our peaches and took them home to can for us. She got 42 qts. She also picked our prunes when they were ready and took them home and canned them for us. There were 21 qts. And she made 1 bottles of jam. Earlier she took 3 large hams and 2 turkeys home and cooked and canned them. The made 12 qts. Joan picked and canned up 17 qts. Tomatoes. Our store room is full and we have plenty to eat.
Jeanne was here and she dug up my calceus, so I can have them in the house. She has also defrosted both freezers and helped arrange them better.
My birthday was Saturday, 21st. All of the kids and their partners took me out to dinner at Price’s Caf
I am sewing on a log cabin quilt block of polyester, I started them out of some scraps of material.
I read a book once in awhile and I’m also embroidering pillowcase, so I manage to keep busy.
I only weigh, between 120 lbs. and 125 lbs. depending on what I am wearing. That is the least I have weighed since I was in high school.
November 10, 2002.
Time goes by too fast and I get behind in my writing. I have sewed up several quilt tops, crocheted 20 stocking caps to donate to Humanitarian Aid, crocheted edges on some of my embroidered pillowcases and now I hope to tie some quilts.
September 29, we had to turn the furnace on, because it was very cold outside. It had been so warm it was a real shock to the system.
We have had some more deaths among our friends. Dick Evans was 95 yrs., died October 14, 2002. He wasn’t a church member, but is wife was. They were the ones we sold our car to when we went into the service station business back in 1941.
Calvin Heiner, Lynn’s father, passed away October 24, 2002. He had a massive stroke about 3 weeks before. He was 81 yrs. old. I didn’t go to his funeral, because it started at 11 o’clock and I assumed it would be a long service and it was. All of Lynn & Jeanne’s family were represented and came over to our house after the family dinner. There were 39 here and I got pretty tired before they left.
My last checkup with Dr. Pates was good. He said I was holding my own. I have driven the car a few times and been able to attend church some, too.
December 29, 2002.
This is almost the end of another year and I’d ought to catch up my journal. We have been having some really cold weather and I didn’t hold my own very long. In fact, I don’t know what caused it, but I got fluid in my lungs and had to go back on oxygen full time. My strength doesn’t last very long at a time.
I put a quilt on the frames, but had to have Joan roll it up and put it downstairs. I had to quit going shopping, so I haven’t been in a store for over two months. I don’t get out of the house, except to see the doctor. I didn’t even get to buy an anniversary card for Ray for our 64th anniversary. All of the kids and their partners came and I had them go downstairs and pick out pillowcases, afghans and a quilt for their families. I also gave pillowcases to our home teachers & visiting teachers. Most of the finished pillowcases are gone now. They made quite a dent in my supply and that’s what I wanted them to do. Because I couldn’t tie that quilt, I decided to sew on one that I had most of the pieces already cut, so I’ve just about got it all put together. Handwork is about all the strength I’ve got.
I also typed the Patriarchal Blessing as they came along.
When I first said I couldn’t eat or sleep, the doctor told me to try Tylenol PM, but that just made it worse and I nearly shook myself apart and was really sick. I also tried Benadryl, but that wasn’t much better, so I just had to put up with it and let it work itself out.
Irma passed away March 21, 2003, at 84½ years of age. She had the shelves stocked, the sewing done, the checkbook balanced, her children raised, and had planned her funeral services. She was prepared and ready to go.
It has been extremely cold, but we haven’t received much moisture. We are going to need a lot in order to have a good year as far as crops are concerned. Of course, if farmers don’t have a good year none of the rest of us do either.
I pray that I can become a better person in doing the things I should this coming year.
I have read a lot of good books in the last year, but they aren’t scriptures. I have read scriptures too, but I don’t understand them as I should, so I need to work harder. I have done 100% visiting teaching and gone home teaching with Ray nearly every month. They were supposed to release me from teaching on Sunday, but they haven’t done it yet. They are just using substitutes.
For Christmas Ray and I bought a new TV and sound system. It is an Optonica TV and the sound system which consists fo amplifier, CD player, tape player and record player are all Sonys. Our VCR we already had, but it is all in one cabinet. It cost us $3626.25. We are already enjoying it.
We began our New Year by going and shopping for carpet and furniture for the living room, study and kitchen. We needed to make all these decisions before I had surgery on my left eye for cataracts. We found all our carpet at Volco in Burley. We shopped Burley for couches and chairs, but didn’t find what we wanted, so we went to Cains in Twin Falls. We picked out 2 sofa-sleepers. One queen size and on full size plus two matching armchairs. They aren’t all the same color, just materials and colors that will go together.
January 11, 1991 Brandy and Woody Ashby had a new baby boy born to them at the Rupert Hospital. Baby, Kalech J. Ashby, was kept at the hospital for a week because of jaundice, etc. He Weighed 6 lbs. 13 oz. At birth. When he was able to be taken home he was doing good.
January 14, 1991 I had surgery at Cassia Memorial hospital. Dr. Brad Hobbs was my doctor. It isn’t a painful operation, just frustrating, because of not being able to see. The restrictions of no bending or lifting, just tub bath and can’t wash my hair was the hardest. I can see better if I stay in the house than when I go out in the bright sun.
That morning while I was waiting to go into surgery, I saw three people walk past my door and as they asked them question and the one answered, I thought her voice sounded familiar. The nurse made a call to the office and said something about Barbara Wynn. I told Ray to go out and talk to them, because she was my cousin. I had been wondering where she lived, but couldn’t find a telephone number for her. He visited with them and told me she was having the same operation and that she was already blind in one eye, because of macular degeneration. A week later she called me on the phone and we visited about her sister and some of the other cousins and what we had been doing. Barbara and her husband, Red, are both retired too. They are also a few years older than I. I was sure glad to find out where she lived and now I can contact her once in awhile.
January 16, 1991 war broke out between United States and Allied Forces against Iraq in the Persian Gulf. We hope it doesn’t last too long and that we don’t lose too many soldiers lives. It will be a struggle to say the least.
We haven’t had much moisture and if it doesn’t change we probably won’t have near enough water for the coming year. February, so far has been very warm.
The last week in January they came and laid all the carpet. It is surely nice. Between Nolan and Neldon they took our old couches and chairs and carpet to use in their basements. It was all too good to throw away. We’ve just had it for over 20 years and very tired of it.
February 4, my brother Al came and started the painting. He took 4 days and painted the living room, hall and study. We had our drapes cleaned for both rooms. It cost $101.00. They came out looking really good. Al wouldn’t let me pay him, because he said I had made him three afghans for nothing. He did a beautiful job and I appreciate it. We bought the paint at Stars Ferry Building supply, it cost $140.33. Our carpet cost $2119.03 We decided we needed some new lamps so we went down to Pay and Pack in Twin Falls and found two indirect floor lamps for $136.81. We rearranged our pictures and now we’re ready for the furniture when it comes.
I tied two baby quilts and sent to Shelly. I am working on some for each of the other great-grandchildren also.
February 13, 1991, Natalie and Eric Miles had a new baby daughter. She weighed 7 lbs. 14½ oz. They are naming her Kimberly Ann.
Our furniture has finally arrived. The big sleeper sofa almost didn’t go through our front door, but after much work it did. We now have 2 sofa sleepers and 2 swing rockers. They look really nice. The price was $2183.98. Now our redecorating is complete.
Jeanne and Lynn came through to go down to Shelley’s. Their family was all getting together to bless Katharine Elyse. She was blessed March 3, 1991 by her father, Gregg Brinkerhoff. Corinne and Mike came by Sunday night and stayed with us. They were moving back from Texas to Boise, Idaho. It was good to see them.
The war in the Persian Gulf ended after six weeks of fighting. There weren’t very many American casualties or loss of lives on our side. We are grateful for that.
In our ward now my Relief Society visiting teaching companion is Nola Evans. We have been friends for over 50 years. So this is nice. Most of the sisters we visit were new to me, but we went in May and visited all 5 for them. It was a good afternoon.
We are gradually getting acquainted in our new ward. It is different even thought we already knew a lot of the people.
Ray had his birthday and all of the kids were here sometime during the evening Jeanne called on the phone.
Mothers Day came and all of the kids came over and Jeanne called on the phone.
Joan and Norman left that day to go to Columbus, Ohio. Troy’s expected marriage didn’t take place. The girl he was going to marry backed out. She said she wasn’t ready yet. It is better to back out a week before than to wish you had two weeks later. It’s hard for Troy to accept, but maybe it was a blessing in disguise.
My eyes were all healed up and I could help Ray get our flowers planted and our yard cleaned up. We changed our design this year and planted orange marigolds and white petunias. Next to the house we planted a bed of mixed petunias. On the east side of the house we planted zinnia, sweet william and white petunia border. There were lots of plants involved.
Marilyn spent a week with Jeanne in Melba and we went down to Salt Lake to go through the Jordan River Temple with Bonnie who was marrying Jeff Belliston June 12, 1991. It was a beautiful wedding and we spent a good day. Nolan & Dawna drove the motorhome for us and we parked it overnight at Dawna’s parents.
I missed putting in that Nicole and Mark Maier’s baby boy was born May 27, 1991. They named him Kit Carson Maier, he weight 8 lbs. 1½ oz. He sure is a good looking baby.
Bessie Thaxton passed away May 19, 1991. She had been quite ill for a long time. They had a nice service and we got to see all of the kids.
Thursday, June 13, we took the motorhome and drove up to Melba. Jason Heiner and Margo Armstrong were married in the Boise Temple June 14, 1991. They had a lovely wedding and we had a good day there. Their reception was that evening and Jeanne had prepared a dinner for all of us in the afternoon. They had a nice reception and they make a cute couple.
Bonnie and Jeff’s reception was June 21, 1991 in Joan’s ward. They had a big reception and received lots of gifts.
We are so happy to see these two grandchildren married in the temple and seem to be so happy. It was good to be able to attend these occasions.
When we drove the motorhome back from Jeanne’s we decided we couldn’t do our own driving again. I’m not a confident enough driver. It seems so big and there are so many big trucks on the road, I could only drive it about 10 miles. Ray got awfully nervous so we may have to park it unless we decide something else.
Jeanne & Lynn came for Bonnies reception, so we had a visit from them.
Most of the summer was pretty quiet. We had a good group here on the fourth of July and had a picnic on the back lawn. We couldn’t attend any of the family reunions. We canned beans, corn, peas and froze some carrots from our garden. We have lots of apples. Ray helped me make applesauce. My back gave me so much pain I finally had to go to a doctor in Rupert, Dr. Don Pates sent me for X-rays and a CT scan of my spine. It showed I have spurs developing on the vertebrae, that’s why all the pain. I can’t seem to take any medicine except what has already been prescribed. Then I had a siege of gout in my left foot and leg. I had some tests for it and after about three weeks it was gone and I could wear my shoe. The results of the CT scan confirmed that I should have an MRI exam. That had to be taken down to Magic Valley Hospital in Twin Falls. It just showed that my upper and lower spine wasn’t in very good shape, but I didn’t want an operation at this time so I’m going to wait. I have to go to a neurosurgeon. He’s the one who can make the final decision. I also have been to Dr. Sinclair in Twin Falls. I’m still trying to get my cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure lowered. He says I’m doing better and to keep it up. He also gave me the names and advice about a neurosurgeon to go to.
We had Lamar and Nolan’s family with us for Thanksgiving. We enjoyed the day and were able to see three of our new great-grandchildren. Tom’s Natalie’s, & Nicole’s. They are all good looking, healthy babies. We surely had a good day and have many blessings to be thankful for. Jeanne’s family all went through to Utah so we saw them coming and going also.
Our anniversary was nice also, we either saw or heard from all of our own children.
For Christmas this year we gave each on of our family money in a Christmas card that was hung on the tree. We gave each of our kids and their partners $100.00 apiece. The married grandchildren and their partner $20.00 apiece. The unmarried grandchildren $15.00. The great grandchildren $10.00 apiece and Marilyn got $20.00. She is still at home and will receive other presents.
We had supper for 47 of us on Christmas Eve and then we had a program and gave them their gifts. We received books, gift certificate, towels, personalized stationary, CD record, plaque, hand painted goose door stop. Christmas morning we exchanged gifts of clothes and books. Marilyn got books, dress, hand painted porcelain doll. Jeanne made the doll and we paid the expenses. The evening was great and Christmas day we enjoyed more company. Jeanne’s family came down on Dec. 29 and stayed until after Jeanne’s birthday dinner on January 1, 1992.
For our Christmas dinner we bought two party trays of meat & cheese plus rolls and for New years day dinner we bought a six foot gourmet sandwich loaf and a birthday cake for Jeanne. We had salads etc. and cookies to go with it all. Everything turned out really nice and we had enjoyed the holidays. The only ones of our family that we didn’t see was Troy and Derk’s family. Everyone is back home safe and we are ready to start a new year with more assignments and more challenges.
I have been sustained and set apart as the compassionate service leader in our ward. Also I have been assigned to teach a lesson from the Book of Mormon in Sunday school class on Jan 19. Shawn received his mission call to Los Vegas, Nevada and he enters the MTC on January 29,1992.
We were able to attend the Boise Temple with Shawn on January 10, 1992. Nolan & Dawna took us up and Jeanne met us there. We all had lunch at "The King’s Table" in Boise, took Jeanne back to her car and then headed home. We also attended his farewell testimonial on January 26, 1992 at the Heyburn Second Ward and now he is in the mission field.
I had a Dr. Appointment with a doctor in Boise on Feb 18. We drove up that day and found out I needed another MRI before he could tell me anything. We went out to Jeanne’s and stayed overnight. We did one session at the temple and then came home. Marilyn had stayed overnight with Joan. We enjoyed the visit with Jeanne and the opportunity to go to the temple.
My appointment for an MRI was for Feb. 24 in Twin Falls and as of today 3-3-92 I haven’t heard the results.
Derk & Lisa had a baby boy Born on February 27, 1992. Mother and baby are doing fine. Jeanne went down on Saturday to help out for a week. Jason and Margo came this far and took her down. They named him Colby Dane.
I have been doing much the same as usual except I did determine I needed to try to sew some pants for Marilyn to wear to work. So far I’ve accomplished 4 pair and 2 blouses for myself. They all fit nice. Hope to sew 2 more pair and some blouses.
We have had extremely warm weather for the month of February. It got as high as 70 degrees. Ray has been working, getting the garden ready. February we had some rain, but we need more, hopefully it will come often enough to keep things growing.
I also was assigned to teach a Gospel Doctrine Lesson from the Book of Mormon on the tree of life in First Nephi Chapters 8-15. I had good participation from the class so all went well.
We spent the week of March 9-12 in Boise. The neurosurgeon did another CT scan and said I didn’t need surgery. I just needed to have an Anti-inflammatory medication. My Clinoril doesn’t seem to be doing the job. I’m having a lot more pain than I’ve had for awhile.
We have had some more rain and a little snow, but nothing that accumulated. This is really a different spring. It is so warm even at nights sometimes. It has got cold enough that it looks like all of our fruit blossoms have been frozen. Time will tell, but it doesn’t look promising. All of our tulips etc. have bloomed and some are gone before Easter.
We watched conference on TV. It was very good. The theme seemed to be service and love for one another.
We had Stake Conference in March and our ward choir furnished the music. It was a good conference. This is the first time we haven’t had any assigned visitor. Ray was the speaker for an early morning your meeting.
We had ward conference in March also and our choir sang. It was a good meeting and the talks were interesting and timely.
Brett and Janna have a baby boy born April 3, 1992. His name is Braden James. He weighed in at 9 lbs. 12 oz. He’s really roly-poly.
Easter Sunday we had a good program. Ray’s birthday, we celebrated with cake & ice cream. Nolan’s family, Neldon’s family were here. Dee & Lamar were both ill and Joan had a meeting.
Lamar has been ill for sometime and is going through some tests by a specialist in Salt Lake.
Sunday April 26, the temperature was 86
May will be a busy month. We are expecting to have two weddings.
Paul Heiner and Shelly Peterson were marrried on May 7, 1992 in the Salt Lake Temple. Nolan and Dawna took us down. While we waited to go in for the wedding we went over to the Church Office Building. We took the elevator to the top floor where we could look out over the city. It’s quite a sight. Paul and Shelly had a nice ceremony and many quests. From there we went out to Dawna’s folks. Nolan and Ray went to do a session at the Jordan River Temple. When they came back we headed for home. It had been a long and tiring day.
Saturday, May 9, Joan, Norman, Marilyn and us went to Melba for a reception for Paul and Shelly. Jeanne had a family dinner for Shelly’s family and us. We stayed for the reception and then came back home. Sunday was Mother’s Day, but Ray was very ill and had to stay in bed while Marilyn and I went to church. They had a good Sacrament Meeting and Mother’s Day program. I was still so tired Marilyn and I didn’t stay to Relief Society. Joan and Norman came over for dinner. Ray was enough better he got up too. All the rest of my family came by during the day. Jeanne sent me a card back with Jason and Margo. They week on their way back to Ogden. Paul and Shelly stopped by too.
That week we spent going to the Dr’s office for Ray and getting his blood problem taken care of.
We were having Troy and Rose Mary’s reception at our home so we hired Worthington Cleaners to come and clean our home. Two women worked three days scrubbing, vacuuming and dusting. We also had the family room chairs, floor and bathroom floor shampooed. It cost us almost $600.00, but it was sure worth it.
Troy Ashby and Rose Mary Zaity were married in our front room May 23, 1992 by Stake President Gene Hansen. He did a real good job. Woody, Brandy, Don, Stella Ashby, Marilyn, Ray, Joan & Norman and myself were here, also Bonnie and Jeff.
Jeanne, Lynn and kids at home came plus Jason, Margo, Todd, Paul, Shelly too. The had a real nice reception, lots of friends and relatives, aunts and uncles on both sides besides cousins.
Jeanne & Lynn stayed overnight, but the rest went back home.
Sunday we went to church, had dinner and Jeanne, Lynn headed for home.
May 31, Ray was to speak at a Young Single Adult Regional fireside in Burley. They called on me to give my testimony and I did.
I do have a testimony. I can’t say exactly when I gained it, but I’ve never doubted that the church was a true one. I told them about going to Salt Lake City to the Church Office Building and shaking hands with the then Church Presidency, Heber J. Grant, David O McKay and I can’t remember the other counselor. This was when I graduated form Seminary in 1936. Stake Conference was held in the Wilson Theatre building in Rupert and we attended two sessions. I told the young people they lived in a special time because they had beautiful buildings to meet in, interviews by Bishops and Stake Presidents and the opportunity to know their leaders. When Ray and I went for our Temple Recommend, the slips were written out by Bishop Elmer Heiner. He didn’t ask any questions, the only comment he made was that if we thought time was going fast it would be faster in the future. Ray’s father took our recommends up to Stake President Richard C. May and we didn’t even go.
When we went to the Salt Lake Temple we were the only couple and was married by the Temple President Stephen L. Chipman. When Ray was called as Bishop he was ordained by President Ezra Taft Benson who at the time was a member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles. And so that is when I met him. My grandmother Hansen came across the ocean and across the plains as a young girl and I know she had a testimony. I have a great heritage and I’m grateful for it. I have a testimony and I’m grateful for all the blessings I have received from serving my Heavenly Father. Ray gave a good talk on prayer and there was probably about 50 young people there.
April 31, they changed our Bishopric. Doyle Price, Vic Claridge and Dee Ray were released. They sustained Ernest Christenson, Darrell Tilley and Loren West. It will seem different, but I’m sure they’ll do well.
I have been trying to get my Cholesterol and triglycerides in my blood down to normal, but haven’t been able to so in June Dr. Sinclair put me on some medication and also gave me a new drug for my fibrositis. The first week all went well, but by the second week I had a very violent reaction and was covered with a very painful itchy rash. I took Benedryl for that, but it took five days before I got it under control. Lotion didn’t even touch the itch. It took three weeks before it was not bothersome, then I came down with laryngitis, I thought, but it turned out to be more like pneumonia. So with some antibiotic and cough syrup I recovered in time for my checkup with Dr. Sinclair. My cholesterol etc. is better, but I still am on medication and diet.
Aug 8, 1992 we had a family reunion in our back yard. They played games, had a picnic lunch and a program. There were only about half of us here, but we had a good time.
August 12, 1992 Jason and Margo had a baby boy. 8 lbs. 4 oz. The named him Blake Armstrong Heiner. He was blessed September 6, 1992 by his father. Jeanne & Lynn came through and stopped coming and going.
We have had a very good garden and have canned and frozen many vegetables, peas, carrots, beets, string beans, corn and squash. We bought apricots, cherries, peaches and pears to can. We had lots of plums so we picked about a bushel and made jelly and juice out of them. The rest we gave to Dee and Sylvia. We shared much of our garden produce with our family.
I went up to the Geriatrics Ward with some more of our Relief Society sisters to hold services with the patients there. I let the singing and also sang a solo, "Faith Unlocks The Door" accompanied by Edit Armacost.
September 6, 1992 they reorganized our Relief Society presidency, and I was sustained as Secretary. Junelle Lind, Margene Bradshaw and Dorothy Allred are the president and counselors. It’s bee quite a long time since I was a secretary before.
My birthday was pretty quiet. Ray had spent three days in the Rupert Hospital the week before so wasn’t feeling up to par yet. In the evening, Neldon, Nolan, Lamar and family came over. Derk Heiner called from Bountiful, Bonnie Belliston called from Provo and Jeanne called from Melba. It was a nice evening and we enjoyed the visit. Shelly Brinkerhoff sent me a card and letter, but it came a little late, the post office sent it to Phoenix, Arizona first.
Our Stake Conference was September 26-27 and it was very good. Our Regional Representative is Elder Karl Nelson. He’s a very good speaker.
Our weather has been really warm, but very dry. We had some frost in August, but none since. Most of our flowers have quit blooming. The season have been so long there are no blooms left.
September 6, 1992, Nicole and Mark Maier had a baby boy. They named him Zackory D. Maier. He weighed 7 lbs. 13 oz. He’s a good looking little boy. He makes 22 great grandchildren.
In October Dr. Sinclair sent me to a nurse practitioner at the Twin Falls clinic. In the course of the physical she told me I had Rawls in my lungs and I needed a chest X-Ray. I asked her if I could come back to Rupert for it because I didn’t want to make trips to Twin Falls. She said to have Dr. Pates check me over first and see if the noises were still there. They were and I had the Chest X-Ray. It showed congestion and he gave me some antibiotics to take. He said I probably had walking Pneumonia. The medicine didn’t help and the infection continued to spread, so Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 28, 1992 I had to go to the emergency room and from there into the hospital. They started tests, X-Rays and antibiotics intravenously; also I was on oxygen. After 2 days there was still no answer and Dr. Pates called in Dr. Homi Vania as a consultant, more blood tests, more X-Rays, CT scan of my lungs, EKG of my heart, but no real answer and the strong antibiotics weren’t doing any good. Saturday, December 5, they did a bronchoscopy and took some biopsies of the tissues. It showed I had Bronchiolitis Obliterous with Obstructing Pneumonitis or an infection of the broncial tubes plus the ends had some scar tissue. It is a very rare disease and no one knows where it comes from or where I could have got it. The medicine I have to take is very strong and has many side effects. It’s called Prednisone and is the only one that might cure the disease. I am also on a 1500 calorie diet for diabetics. I’m not diabetic, but the medicine might cause that to happen, so now I can’t have sugar, salt, fat or foods with cholesterol in them. It makes for a very hard diet to follow, so far I’m doing pretty good. I’m better than I was when I came home from the hospital, but I can’t go out in the cold and shouldn’t be around anybody that has a cold or flu. I don’t have very much strength and so am unable to do anything strenuous. It will be a slow process for me to become well and it may never be cured, but if we can control it, it will help. I believe I have two good doctors taking care of my and I’m sure they’ll do their best.
We went over to Joan’s for Thanksgiving dinner. It was really a good dinner and visit.
I wasn’t able to do much shopping, so only helped get Marilyn some things for Christmas. Ray and I will do ours when I am feeling better.
Christmas Eve we had at home with about 30 of us present. We had a dinner and program and gave our gifts of money to our kids and grandkids, & great grandkids. Allyson played the piano for Christmas carols. I read the Christmas story from the Bible and Ray and I each bore our testimonies to our family. It was a good evening and we all seemed to enjoy it. We were given some family pictures, books, towels and gift certificates.
Christmas day was really quiet, but I need lots of rest.
The medicine doesn’t let me sleep at night so sometimes I only get about two hours and am awake the rest of the time.
This week is another blood test and then another X-Ray. This well go on for awhile I’m sure until I show great improvement.
We have spent a pretty quiet January and February. Jeanne came down and spent three days with us. She did some extra cleaning and anything she could to help.
January 27, 1993 a baby boy, Kellten Lee, was born to Woody and Brandy. They got along fine.
February 24, 1993 a baby girl, Cassandra Sue, was born to Bonnie and Jeff Belliston. They seem to be doing alright too. This makes 24 great grandchildren for us.
I have spent my time tying quilts and crocheting, also some reading. I have had to stay pretty close to home, so I do what I can to content myself. Dr. Vania says I am doing great and he’s excited about my progress. This week I’m to have a chest X-Ray and next week I have an appointment with Dr Vania to hear the results. I am feeling much better, but I still get tired easily.
Tory Bailey won the state championship for High Jumps in Pocatello and was to go to Syracuse, New York for the National Finals. Dee, Sylvia, Trenton, Tory, his coach and some friends left on March 16 by plane. They have a very bad snow storm on the east coast, so they may have rescheduled it, will have to wit and see. They rescheduled the meet in a different location. Tory still did very good, but not as well as he wanted.
I have been discharged from Dr. Vania and am feeling better although I can tell my lungs have been permanently damaged.
I finished up all my quilt tops I wanted to tie and gave away all I had done before I became ill. I crocheted several afghans and have given some of the away to friends. Ray has planted his garden and now in May we have peas, carrots, beets, lettuce, potatoes all coming up. Our fruit trees have bloomed profusely and now we can see the apricots forming and soon other fruit will show up too. We pulled our Rhubarb and froze it too.
Mothers Day was nice. Ray gave me a bouquet of a dozen red roses. Nolan & Dawna gave me a bouquet of spring flowers, Jeanne & Lynn, a tube of hand cream, Joan & Norman, a Cyclamen, Dee & Sylvia a green Bromaid, Lamar & Brenda, a polka dot plant, Neldon & Sharon, a planter of pansies, daisies and alysum. They are all beautiful and also some especially nice cards from them and from Marilyn.
I seem to be able to keep up with my Relief Society Secretary’s position.
I wanted to go outside and work in the flower beds, but I found I don’t have the strength so am have to be contented to stay in the house.
I went over to Payless and to Wal-Mart and bought some material and have been making some dresses for Marilyn and myself. I haven’t done that for at least three years, but if I can’t go outside and I don’t like to shop for dresses, I just as well sew them.
Tory, Tyrell and Clayton all qualified to compete in the state track meet. Tory won his competition with a high jump of 7' 1". He is the first High School athlete to win in both indoor and outdoor track. It was exciting for him. I didn’t ever get Tyrell & Clayton’s scores.
Tory, Tyrell, and Heather all graduate this week from high school. Our grandkids are all growing up and now it’s fun to see our great grandchildren. We got to see Bonnie’s little one last week. She sure is cute as well as all our others. Troy and Rosemary are going to be sealed in the Washington D.C. Temple this week. Joan and Norman went back to Columbus, Ohio to go with them.
This year, as last year, we had the people from Evergreen Nursery in Burley come and plant our glower beds. We used a new petunia, bright pink and white, yellow marigolds, Orange Zinnias and blue Lobelia, plus variegated snapdragons. Up next to the house. It cost us $299.00. Ray also planted some ruffled petunias and some geraniums. Of course he always replaces or adds to his rose bushes.
Now that it’s July, our roses have been beautiful. Earlier our tulips were also just beautiful. It has been a different spring as far as weather. We haven’t had much hot weather; middle 40
When I finished sewing our dresses, I decided to get out the picture albums and get all the pictures taken care of.
Ray’s garden is just great. We have had lots of peas and have given most of them away. We’ve also used and given away a quite a few carrots.
We picked and canned 14 quarts of sweet cherries from our trees.
This is September. The days go by so fast. By now I have canned string beans, frozen corn, canned and dried apricots, canned and dried prunes, canned peaches and pears and applesauce. I also made apricot & pineapple jam.
August 7 & 8, we had our family reunion. Jeanne’s family was in charge. Saturday afternoon we had our dinner together, all on the back lawn. Ray & I bought the meat, made punch and salads, plus some rolls & cookies & ice cream bars. Everybody else brought salad, cookies, potato chips, pickles etc. to go with it. We played some table games and then broke out the picture albums I had worked on. I didn’t have them all finished, but pretty close. They seemed to enjoy them. There were 39 of us.
Sunday, those that could, came to our ward for church and then we came home to dinner. We set it up on the back lawn and enjoyed visiting. Some who couldn’t come to church joined us for the afternoon. After we cleared the tables, they got out the albums again. We all had a good visit. There were 30 together. Some went home on Saturday night and others came on Sunday, so we saw most of our family one time or another.
Pul and Shelly Heiner came and spent a week with us the last of August. Paul used the Shopsmith and built a baby cradle. Shelly used the sewing machine and made her a new outfit. She will be doing her student teaching. We enjoyed their company.
Trenton Bailey and Hollie Yeamen were married at the "Sweetheart Manor" by President Lynn Bradshaw on August 27, 1993. They had a lovely wedding and reception.
Ray is having so much trouble with his hearing and has a lot of dizziness so we haven’t been anywhere. It’s much easier to stay home and do for ourselves.
Dee Ray and Ray have been painting the house, but the weather turned cold and they didn’t quite get finished with the trim.
We have had a bounteous harvest from our garden and orchard. More apples than we can store, so we have given a lot away and hope to give more.
October 17, 1993 was our Regional Conference held at the Mini-Dome in Pocatello, Idaho. We rode a bus up and back and were fortunate enough we didn’t have to climb the stairs or walk very far to get a seat. It was an exceptionally good meeting. Elder Dallen Oaks, Elder Rex Pineger, Elder Liebert and their wives were the speakers. The priesthood leaders had a meeting on Saturday at the Burley West Stake Center. Ray said it was very good also. We need to be steady in our commitment to keep the commandments.
I seemed to have caught a cold and so missed the next Sunday meetings.
They showed us how to make Quillows in Relief Society Homemaking and so I have made enough for our grandchildren to have for Christmas. I hope to finish my photograph albums for each of our kids for their Christmas. There are so many of us that we can’t give to each individually as we have in the past. Our weather has turned awfully cold, but we haven’t had much storm yet. Our first snow has been on the 22nd of November.
Today, November 23, 1993, I am to sing at the Geriatrics Ward at Rupert, Minidoka Memorial Hospital. It is our Relief Society’s turn to help for the month of November. I will also lead the singing. We have a turn one month out of the year.
A fund raiser was held for Eric Miles on November 27, 1993. He has severe diabetes and has had ever since he and Natalie were married, so now he needs an insulin pump. Surgery is required and it is expensive. We didn’t go to the event, but I did donate two afghans for the auction.
Thanksgiving was November 25, 1993. Nolan’s and Neldon’s family were with us. We had a nice dinner and just visited after that. It seems like it is extremely cold for this time of year. We had daytime temperatures in the twenties. We have had very little moisture, just some clouds and winds.
Again this year I have the same lung infection as last year, except it isn’t near as severe. Of course we caught it before it became too bad and the doctors already knew what it was. I have to take Prednisone and stay out of the cold as much as possible. It makes me shaky at times and I also don’t sleep as well.
We were all prepared for Christmas when it came. I had made 33 quillowes and finished a photograph album for each of our kids. We bought books for each of the great grandchildren. We bought a live Christmas tree and decorated it. It was beautiful.
Christmas Eve there were 35 of us here. We had a sit down meal of turkey, beef, salads etc. Every family brought something for it and Marilyn and I did the rest. We gathered in the front room for a program consisting of the bible story and singing carols and Ray bore his testimony. Everyone seemed to enjoy the gifts and the evening. Christmas day was rather quiet, but we didn’t mind.
We spent the next week getting ready for Jeanne’s family to come for New Years. They came on Friday evening. New Years day which was Jeanne’s 54th birthday, we had dinner with Jeanne’s family at home, Shelly’s family and Joan and Norman. We visited in the afternoon and then Jeanne’s family went over to the Heiners. Brett and Janna also came in the evening.
Sunday, January 2 we all went to church. Our meeting schedule is from 9-12 o’clock. Again we had dinner and Jeanne’s family got ready to go home. The house became quiet and everything settled down.
Monday was a day off for Marilyn so we did an extra big washing and in the afternoon we went to Joan’s for a hair cut. Marilyn has been wanting to go to K Mart and Wal-Mart, two new big stores in our area, and so we took her and let her look around and pick out a few things she wanted and could pay for.
Now on Tuesday, Jan 4, we’re back in our normal routine. We did have a little storm over the weekend and it has turned off quite mild.
Our routine hasn’t changed much. I am still trying to stay out of the cold and just doing easy things.
For homemaking meetings in February I decided one way to give away some of my afghans was to take them there. I gave away 25. Some of the sisters guessed who made them, but some didn’t know me very well and nobody told them I made them. It was a fun evening. I brought back five and decided to rearrange my boxes so I could see some more of my yarn and use it.
Lamar & Brenda’s, Shawn, came home from his mission on February 5, 1994. He had his report on February 13, 1994. We went to Heyburn 2nd for our meetings that day. It seemed like familiar territory for us. It was good to see some of the people we hadn’t seen for quite awhile. He gave a good report and I’m sure he was a real good missionary.
One Sunday in our ward Sunday school class we had a little extra time and Brother Burch called on me to bear my testimony. I do have a testimony that this church is true. I don’t bear it often, but it means a lot to me. I have read the Book of Mormon at least three times. I don’t understand all of it, but I know it wasn’t written by a mere individual. I’ve read enough church history that I know Joseph Smith was a prophet and I’ve heard and seen enough of our prophets since his time to know that they are called of God to be prophets.
March has been a pretty quiet month as far as our comings and goings. Jeanne’s family did come down for their spring break. She also went to the Genealogy library and printed some names from the computer. It’s pretty hard to match up names.
We watched General Conference on TV April 2 and 3, 1994. Elder Marvin J. Ashton had passed away and his funeral was the last of March. He was one of my favorite speakers at conference. To me, he was a great man and he gave very down to earth gospel messages. Because of his death we had a new Apostle appointed in General Conference. He was Elder Robert D. Hales. I have heard him speak many times also. He is very sincere and will do a great job. It was a very inspiring conference even tho President Benson was unable to be there.
March 27, 1994, Paul and Shelly Heiner had a baby boy born to them. He was named Jacob P. Heiner. He weighed 7 lbs 10 oz.
April 21, 1994, Trever and Teresa Bailey had a baby girl. They named her Shealyne Marie. She weighed 7 lbs. + also. They were both blessed by their fathers in their own wards May 1, 1994.
In between these new great grandchildren we had Ray and Marilyn’s birthdays. So it was a little busier month.
Jeanne’s family came through to go to Utah for Paul’s baby to be blessed. They stopped for a little while on the way home.
Ray’s brothers and sisters get together for birthday, but when Ray’s came Ellen Bailey, Keith’s wife, was in the hospital very ill , so the party was canceled.
May 1, Marilyn and I went to our ward to church. Ray didn’t feel well so he stayed home. Sunday afternoon I had some terrible pains in my chest, but I thought it was fibrositis. I didn’t say anything about it and in the night it woke me up again, but not enough to keep me awake very long. Monday morning, May 2, we proceeded to do the laundry, but the first load didn’t drain and I knew something was wrong with the washer. Ray called the repairman and we took that batch out and put it in the bathtub to drain. I had another one of those attacks and used the electric hot pad on my back. It subsided. We got the washer fixed and had our lunch. We rested for awhile, but my chest still hurt and I decided to go to Penney’s and buy me a bigger bra that would relieve the pressure on my ribs. That didn’t help either, so about five o’clock it hit again. We had our supper and Ray tried to take my blood pressure, but I couldn’t stand the pressure on my arm, so he said "You’re going to the emergency room". When we got there my blood pressure was 197 over 121. Dr. Pates put me in the Intensive Care Unit. They hooked me up to oxygen and 2 IV, one for Lidacain and one for Hepren, also EKG etc. Ray and Neldon came and administered to me. Joan was there too. Tuesday, Dr. Vania gave me a stress test, very short and easy, and afterward on the hear monitor it was showing some very definite changes in my heart rhythm. He called Dr. Smith at St. Luke’s in Boise and made arrangements for me to be taken there. Wednesday morning the ambulance took me to St. Luke’s. Dee Ray made arrangements for Marilyn to take off work. Marilyn, Joan and Norman and Ray followed the ambulance to Boise and I was admitted to St. Luke’s. Friday, Dr. Smith did an angiogram and in the evening he showed us the video and thought he could do angioplasty on two of my veins, which were narrowed. He also said he wanted a heart surgeon to review the video. It was all set up for the operation on Saturday morning, May 7, at 1 o’clock, I was taken to the operating room and I knew the surgeon was there as well as Dr. Smith. They began the procedure, but I was becoming very nauseated and the angioplasty wasn’t working. They determined they would have to hurry and do by-pass surgery on my heart. They went out and explained to Ray and the girls what needed to be done, so he could give his consent. Dr. Robert Barnes told me afterward it was pretty scary. It took about 3½ hrs. and as I began to come out of the anesthetic they asked me if I could open my eyes and wiggle my toes. I could do that alright. He told me my heart had stopped twice and they wondered if I might have brain damage, but I didn’t. Sunday, Mother’s Day, when I was awake I discovered I couldn’t say, not one word. I had so many tubes down my throat and nose etc. Ray and all of the kids except Neldon came to see me that day. I was in the intensive care unit and couldn’t visit much, but I knew they were there and they knew I had come through alright. I was on oxygen for 12 days and in intensive care for five. They moved me to a private room. Ray, Jeanne, Marilyn and Corinne came in everyday. Neldon and Sharon came up on Wednesday. Thursday, Bishop Christensen, Pres. Bradshaw, Pres. Fennell and Bishop Claridge and wives all came in also. They had been to the Boise Temple. Al & Bea came in on Friday. Mary Ann and Richard Huber came in on Saturday. Derk and Lisa, Natalie and Eric, Joan and Norman came up on Sunday and Marilyn went home with them, so she could go back to work. Others of my family came up too. I got along fine, except I had a hard time getting my food and medicine to come together. I didn’t know there were so many ways to ruin turkey sandwich, but I just couldn’t get them down. I was released on Tuesday to go to Jeanne’s. Tuesday afternoon I was extremely ill. My stomach and bowels were giving me lots of distress. I didn’t know whether to sit on the toilet or hang my head over the tub. Anyway, I finally got it straightened out and went to eating a liquid diet. On Thursday Jeanne noticed my left leg was becoming swelled and discolored, so she called the doctor’s office. They said I should lay flat and elevate my leg with three pillows and then come back to the hospital on Friday morning. It so happened that Nolan and family were coming up to the track meet, so he came out and took me into the hospital for an ultrasound on my leg. I had quite a blood clot, so into the hospital I went for eight more days. I had to stay in bed with my leg elevated and no unnecessary movement. Joan and Norman came up again on the weekend and I talked Ray into going back home with them. He was getting so tired even though he was comfortable and well fed out to Jeanne’s. Corrine came in everyday. I enjoyed visiting with her and she was very helpful. Natalie visited me three times and I enjoyed visiting with her. Jeanne came in everyday and I enjoyed just visiting with her. This trip into the hospital the food and medicine came together, so I didn’t have any more trouble with that. Thursday, they did an ultrasound on my leg and Dr. Barnes told me I could go home on Saturday, the 28th. Dee and Sylvia and Ray came up in Nolan’s Suburban and got me. Jeanne & Lynn came in and helped make a bed in the car and then they came on down for the weekend. The ride home wasn’t bad at all and I could walk into the house. Jeanne helped Marilyn get things in shape, so we could manage some meals etc. after she went home on Monday. It was Memorial Day and once again I couldn’t decorate the graves. I was just grateful to be able to be able to be home and almost able to take care of myself. Dr. Barnes said I could walk or sit with my leg elevated, but no standing. Heavenly Father answered our prayers, because being a total stranger taken by ambulance to a strange hospital and doctors who were able to take care of my problems. The doctors, nurses, and all were very good to me. I couldn’t ask for any better care. I’m glad to be home. Home Healthcare comes and checks me over and takes a blood test once a week to be sent to Boise. They have to regulate the amount of Cumidin I take for my blood.
After sitting for three weeks with my leg elevated I went back to Dr. Barnes and he told me I could move about, but not to have my leg down for any length of time. I was to go back to Dr. Pates and then come back to Boise in two months.
I spent about a week trying to gather some strength, but I began to have trouble breathing and on July 1st my pulse was very fast. I went to the emergency room in Minidoka Memorial Hospital and once again had to be hospitalized. Dr. Pates said I had congestive heart failure and the "BOOP" had returned.
I was put on Prednisone and many more medications to get my problems under control. I had liquid around my heart as well as my lungs. I was also on oxygen full time. My heart problems cleared up pretty fast, but my lungs gave me a lot of trouble. My left leg swelled up really big again and I had a sonogram to check it out. It showed I had blood seepage in the tissue and that needed to be drawn out with a suction needle. Dr. Brown, a surgeon, did the procedure. It wasn’t painful and my leg began to lose the swelling. It took several days. I was able to shower and go to the bathroom by myself so I didn’t get as weak as I did in Boise.
Ray and Marilyn came up and we watched the fourth of July parade from my hospital room. I had seen Paul and Shelly and Gregg and Shelly the day I came in to the hospital and they also came to the hospital on the way home. I spent eleven days before I was released. I came home with a whole shoe box full of prescriptions to take so I am pretty heavily medicated. I took 29 pills a day in the hospital, they cut it down a little when I came home. I had to have two pints of blood given me so I was on iron to see if I could maintain it. When I had a blood test by Home Health, they were able to cut back on the iron and go off of potassium. In a couple of days I was able to go to the kitchen and help with part of the meals. I managed to go to Sacrament meeting for Tyrell’s farewell. He is going to Uruguay for his mission.
Sharon and Joan sewed me some loose dresses so I could go to church when I felt good enough. Sacrament meeting seems to be as long as I can stay so far.
President Ezra Raft Benson passed away on May 30, 1994. After his funeral and burial the following week Howard W. Hunter was ordained as President of the church and he chose the same counselors as had been there, Gordon B. Hinkley and Thomas S. Monson.
I am now able to do a few more things although I do get tired pretty easily. We froze some corn and canned the peaches from our trees. I can do the ironing and fold clothes. I have also done some vacuuming. I can walk pretty good, but stairs are a problem.
I developed a mouth full of canker sores which I have never had before. I tried a lot of remedies before I finally got them started to heal up. They didn’t bother too much unless I tried to eat, so we had soup everyday for one week and then I ate what I could.
Tory decided to go on a mission and now his call is to Lansing, Michigan and he will leave Oct 19, 1994 for the mission training center.
I forgot to tell about Ellen Bailey passing away. She died at home from an extended illness. She had been suffering from Lupus etc. for nineteen years and there was nothing more they could do. She passed away June 15 and her funeral was June 18, 1994. I was unable to atten because of the blood clot in my leg. But everyone said it was truly a nice service.
Brenda and Nicole helped me can a cooker full of string beans. I froze some plums for jelly because I couldn’t stand long enough to cook them, but later when we need it I’ll be able to.
My strength has improved a quite a bit so now I can attend all three meetings. We watched General Conference on TV on October 1 & 2, 1994. The talks and music was all wonderful. President Hunter is a great spiritual leader.
October 8 & 9, 1994 was Stake Conference. Our visitor from Salt Lake was Elder L. Alden Porter. He is a good speaker also. We had other visitors also, Elder Karl Nelson Regional Representative, President Orr and his wife, Idaho Mission Presidency. It was a really good conference.
I need to back up. We attended Paul 3rd Ward Sacrament meeting September 11, 1994. Norman Ashby was put in as Second Counselor in the Bishopric. Ferrel King is Bishop and Kay Catmull is first Counselor. It was a good meeting also and Norman was ordained a High Priest and set apart right after meeting.
September 21, being my birthday, I had many cards and phone calls from kids and grandkids.
I had a good friend in church on Sunday Sept. 18, and by the next Saturday, Sept. 24 she was dead. She went to Salt Lake City LDS Hospital for angioplasty on her heart and it failed. I have felt so blessed many times that I had a good doctor standing by to remedy my situation. It has been a struggle to regain my strength, but I am so much better than if the angioplasty had been successful.
They are working quite diligently on the new church house being built right behind us. They have all the sidewalks poured and it sure makes a good place for me to walk except it’s cold and windy. Of course they have a lot more than that done. It will be a nice building even though it isn’t as big as we’re used to.
October 16, 1994 was the farewell for Tory at our ward in Rupert. They had a good meeting. We went over to Dee and Sylvia’s for dinner after church. Their house was full to overflowing, but it was a delicious meal. Dee’s family were all there. Tory entered the MTC on October 19, 1994.
Robbie La Deaux has his mission call to Winnipeg, Canada and he enters the MTC on December 16, 1994.
I have managed to attend Presidency meeting and all meetings on Sundays.
October 22, 1994, Nolan and Dawna took Ray, Bishop Tim Hurst and me to the Boise Temple to go through the session with Robbie. It was enjoyable. I managed quite well. I hadn’t been able to go for over two years.
We attended Rob’s farewell in Heyburn Second Ward November 27, 1994. He will be a good missionary and will enter the MTC on Dec. 6 and leave for Winnipeg Canada on Dec. 28, 1994.
Thanksgiving for us was rather quiet as there was just 9 adults here and Woody’s two little boys. Joan cooked the turkey and dressing. Sharon brought 2 pies and salad. Marilyn and I made potatoes, gravy, vegetables and jell-O salad. It was an enjoyable day.
We were sent an invitation to T. Jay Bailey’s, Trever’s oldest boy, for his baptism on Dec 3, 1994. We couldn’t go, but we did send him a card.
We had a quiet Christmas Eve this year, also 9 adults. Joan & Norman, Neldon & Sharon, Shawn, Ray, Marilyn and I. We had a light lunch of deli sandwiches, salad, chips, cookies, nuts and candy. Norman brought a tape of "The Littlest Angel" that we listened to. The rest of the time was spent visiting. I had put the presents I made on tables in Ray’s study so that each one that came could pick what they wanted. I made 21 sets of dishtowels, 19 pr. Embroidered pillowcases, 3 pr. Pillowcases trimmed with rick rack and 11 pr. Pillowcases machine embroidered, 23 embroidered dresser scarves, 35 pr. Mens & boys print pillowcases and 26 pr. Print pillowcases for great grandchildren, also 6 fleece crib quilts. We received some new pictures of kids, grandkids and great grandkids. I had asked Ray to make me a shelf for our pictures and he started, but Nolan took over and finished them and hung them on the wall for our Christmas from them. They look real nice and he did a good job. Neldon and Sharon gave us a planted pot of bulbs and we’re waiting for them to bloom and see what they are for sure. De Ray, Sylvia, Jeanne and Lynn both gave us pictures of their family group. Joan and Norman gave us a ham and a gift certificate from Book Plaza. Marilyn, Ray and I all received LDS books also. It was a good Christmas and we enjoyed visits from most of our grandchildren. Dawna’s father had passed away December 23, so it put a damper on their celebrating. Dawna’s dad was a big, blustery, friendly man, but he had been ill for about 14 years and had changed a lot from when Nolan and Dawna were married.
Troy and Rosemary Ashby had a new baby on December 15, 1994. He weighed 9 lbs. 1 oz., and they named him Eric Nathaniel Ashby. Mother and baby came through fine.
Jeanne and Lynn came down Dec. 28 & 29 and then went home so she wasn’t here for her 55th birthday this year. The first time she hasn’t been home for her birthday, but they had assignments on Sunday in their ward.
We received several thank you cards from our grandkids for their Christmas.
Things are going along quite well with my health, except I still have a definite problem with cholesterol and triglycerides, so that means watch my diet more carefully.
Ray has been kept pretty busy with his Patriarchal blessings. Not many Sundays off.
We haven’t had any storm since before Christmas and it still remains cold and windy.
Friday Jan 6, Ray and I went to the Genealogy Library in Burley and copied some family records on to discs for our computer. Now I’ve got to learn to operate the computer.
February 14, Valentines Day. I’m still struggling with the computer and Genealogy, but I think it’s going better now.
It has turned winter again and is still cold and had some snow.
Trenton and Hollie had a baby girl born on January 21, 1995. She weighed 7 lbs. 6 oz. and was 19½ inches long. Her name is Ceara Brae.
I have been cutting and sewing quilt tops from drapery material that I have saved for many years. Most of it is 100% cotton so it’s just a little heavier than regular cotton. I made four double bed size and donated to the Deseret Industries home craft department. I have some more sewn, but haven’t decided what to do with them and of course I still have more material. Hopefully I can stay with it long enough to put it all together.
Friday evening, February 10, 1995, they closed Hub 66 for rebuilding. We opened it in June 1962 and it has been open 24 hrs. a day since 1953. That’s a long time to see all the changes and challenges that come along. Actually we started in the gas business in Feb. 1941 and except for 3 years since that time we have been in the business. I started working in the office at the Hub in 1964 and retired from there in January 1984. We bought our first computer and I learned to run it in 1978 at 60 years of age. It will seem strange to not see the station there, but it was outdated and the boys needed to have a new more up to date system. It’s located where I was born and grew up on the farm and that has changed to a business and now it will change again. That’s what is called progress and I hope it’s all they expect it to be. It will still be on the property where my roots came from.
Our Relief Society Presidency has been released and a new one sustained so I’m free from that responsibly
Eric Nathaniel Ashby was blessed Feb 5, 1995 in Columbus, Ohio where he was born.
We attended Sacrament meeting in Heyburn 2nd Ward. Ciera Brae Bailey was blessed by her grandfather, Dee Ray Bailey on February 26, 1995.
Jason and Margo Heiner were blessed with a baby boy on Feb. 18, 1995 in Ogden Utah. He was blessed March 26, 1995, by his father and was named Glen Jason Heiner. All new babies and their mothers are doing well.
March 15, 1995, Marilyn Beecher Thaxton, wife of Gerald Thaxton, died as the result of being hit by a car. She was only 48 and that is sad to have her life cut so short.
March 15, 1995, Tate was injured in a car accident. He had a crushed elbow and was flown to Bannock Regional Medical Center in Pocatello. This injury was pretty serious, but they thought he might have a brain concussion also. We are thankful it wasn’t any worse and he is recovering nicely at home.
March has been an eventful month. President Howard W. Hunter passed away March 3, 1995 after only serving for nine months as President of the Church. He was a very good leader.
Gordon B. Hinckley was sustained President March 12, 1995 with Thomas S. Monson, First Counselor and James E. Faust, 2nd Counselor. President Hinckley has worked in the Presidency as counselor for many years, so comes as President with lots of experience.
Lena Baily, Jake Baily’s mother passed away and I sang "In the Garden" as a musical number for that. I’ve known Jake ever since we went to school in Heyburn High.
Tuesday, March 21, 1995, I went to the Geriatrics Ward in Rupert for Relief Society. I led the singing for three songs and I also sang a solo of "As I Have Loved You" for them. Edith Armocast accompanied on the piano for both singing assignments.
We signed some papers that hadn’t been recorded to Phillips 66 Company when we paid off our loan to them in 1963. Now the boys are okayed to get the loan to rebuild the Hub. They demolished it on March 23, 1995.
April 1 & 2, 1995 was General Conference and we watched in on TV. This was the conference for a Solemn Assembly to sustain President Gordon B. Hinckley. It was a great conference and we heard many good talks. Elder Henry B. Eyring was sustained as the new apostle.
April 8, 1995 Allyson Bailey gave a piano recital at the Stake Tabernacle in Rupert, The one we used to attend before they changed boundaries. She did an outstanding job. All of her pieces, 7 in all, were memorized so she didn’t use any music.
I overdid, I guess, when I was going to funerals and singing because I caught cold and have been very sick with it, so far it hasn’t affected my lungs as far as bringing back my genetic disease.
Carolyn Thaxton Peterson, a niece, has stopped and visited me several times and once when she was here I gave her an afghan I had just finished.
I’m still working on the genealogy, the quilt tops and the afghans. As soon as it’s warm enough I hope to go outside and help with some flowers.
I made 34 quilt tops and gave away all but two. That finishes off my left over drapery fabric. So I’ve made a little progress.
It’s time now that I can go outside and help with our yard. Ray does all the vegetable garden and I’m working on flowers, of course he helps with that too. We planted tuberous begonias and Impatiens in the north window box. We planted snapdragons and pansies on the west side and across the front we have white, pink and purple petunias. I have wanted a flower bed on the east side for about 3 years, but have been unable to do it, so this year we finally got the grass killed and I worked the soil so it was pretty clean of roots and then I planted it with orange marigolds, blue Salvia, yellow marigolds border variegated marigolds and blue lobelia. It has grown and flowered beautifully. I dug the grass from our simplicity roses and another group besides the ones under our bedroom windows Ray takes care of the bigger rose garden. I also planted marigolds and lobelia around the end and side of the garage. We had the girls from Evergreen Nursery come and arrange and plant the corners and sides of the driveway. They planted striped grass, pink zinnias, blue salvia, yellow marigolds, blue lobelia and moss roses, or Portulaca. Everything has turned out beautifully.
We have some new great grandchildren also. Jeff and Bonnie Belliston had a baby girl, Hannah born March 17, 1995 in Pleasant Grove, Utah. She was blessed by her father May 7, 1995.
Eric and Natalie Miles had a baby boy born April 17, 1995 in Boise, Idaho. They named him Dylan E. And he was blessed by his father on June 4, 1995.
Gregg and Shelly Brinkerhoff had a baby girl on June 22, 1995 and they named her Sara.
Our Stake was realigned the last of May and we are in Heyburn First and going to the new building that was built on our property that we sold to the church.
Nolan was released from the Bishopric and on June 20, 1995, he was set apart by President Arvin Hansen as a Counselor. Ray, Dee Ray, Neldon all stood in the circle for the setting apart.
Our new Bishopric is Loren West, Gene Price and Rowland Bingham. They will do a good work and the new building is beautiful.
Our 40 acre farm has been changed since we bought it too.
On June 23 Nolan and Dawna took us down to Nephi, Utah to stay overnight. We drove on down and went to the Manti Temple for one session that evening. We have been there before, but neve gone inside the temple. It is a beautiful old temple and we enjoyed the session. Saturday morning, June 24, 1995 we went back to Manti to see Todd Heiner and Traci married. It was a great day and good to see our oldest grandson get married. They looked really happy and we hope it will continue. We came on home after the ceremony. Marilyn had stayed at Joan’s while we were gone.
The "Hub" building is completed and now they are open for business. They call it "Hub Plaza". It is a lot bigger and has a lot of inside activity as well as many more gas & diesel pumps. Everything is as up to date as it can be made. They held a "grand opening" on August 11-12. There were a lot of people coming and going and we hope they are off to a good start.
Sharon, after being Ray’s scribe for seven years has decided to quit, so she can do something else. They gave her a ward position as MIA Maid advisor. I am trying to learn to do that work on our computer. I have to learn the WordPerfect program. So with Sharon, Allyson, Neldon, Nolan helping me I have accomplished two patriarchal blessings. We’ll see how well I do on my own now.
I have also made rhubarb jam, frozen peas, mad cherry jam and canned cherries and canned string beans. With Ray’s help I canned 163 qts. Fruit, 7 qts. Tomatoes, 24 pints beans, 63 bags peas and corn, made 34 bottles jam and 93 bottles of jelly. We had to buy our peaches and pears, but all the rest came from our own garden. Ray has also filled our storage bins with potatoes, carrots, and apples that he has grown.
Nolan had Taylor Made Curbing put around our flower beds on June 6. He said that was to be birthday, anniversary, Christmas, Fathers and Mothers day presents. Of course it cost more than he should have spent, but it sure looks nice. Our flowers were just beautiful this year and most of them froze down on Sept. 21, 1995.
I had a nice birthday, a book form Jeanne, a tablecloth from Joan, gift certificates from Dee & Neldon & Marilyn and a plant form Lamar. I also received some nice cards and phone calls.
Sara, Shelly and Gregg’s baby was blessed by Gregg on Sept. 3 1995.
In addition to our gardening etc. I finished reading the Book of Mormon on Oct. 6, 1995
We got the ground ready on the east side of the house and planted tulip and daffodil bulbs. We had previously cleaned off all our flower beds from the frost. I also dug all the grass from around two of our rose beds and hope next spring they are free of the roots.
We had our first snow on Oct. 22, 1995, but it wasn’t much and it didn’t last more than a day. That was really our first taste of winter, but it has never been as warm again.
I have accomplished a few patriarchal blessings on my own. I broke the first printer Nolan gave us when I tipped it off it’s base and it hit the floor so we had to buy a new printer. It is easier to use and needs less adjusting for blessing than the other, so that has made it easier for me. Some of the operation I don’t know yet, but I’ll get Nolan or Neldon to teach me. Some parts of the blessings are similar, but yet each one is different. I’m learning a lot.
Ray helped me do some housecleaning and I found I’m not the woman I used to be. It was pretty hard and I wasn’t very thorough, but at least we did get some done.
Now I’m ready to do some quilting and I’m still working on the yarn and material in the basement.
Natalie and Eric Miles family moved to Austin, Texas on Nov 3. They moved because of Eric’s health and a good job offer with Motorola Co.
Thanksgiving day, we spent over to Joan’s with Bonnie, Jeff and family. We furnished a salad and vegetable plate. It was the usual Thanksgiving menu. Joan fixed everything else. We had a good visit. Some of Jeanne’s family visited as they went to and from Melba.
I have read Grandpa A. J. Hansen’s autobiography through and know that he was a great man in many ways. He had a firm testimony and held many positions in the church and did many things for his community also. My grandmother was his second wife, he being a polygamist, and I knew her better than him, because she lived in Oakley, Idaho when I was young. She also came and stayed with us a few days at a time. She had a firm testimony and was very spiritual, not that she talked a lot about religion, but by her life. In those days most people didn’t have much money, but she seemed to have even less to live on. Grandpa died in 1932 and Grandma died in 1942.
I could write much more, but I have copies of their histories and they can be read. I learned from his book that one of my mothers half-sisters was buried in Melba, Idaho in May 1925. We told Jeanne about it when we talked to her on the phone.
When Nolan gave us the computer the scriptures were already programmed in, but I had not tried to use them. Marilyn and my visiting teachers gave us a handout for Christmas on how we could better put Christ and his example back into Christmas. I decided to look up the scripture references and print them out so I could give them to our sisters who we home teach and visiting teach. We teach five sisters, but only one is active, so I learned to use the computer and printed it out, that was they didn’t have to look them up, because we weren’t sure they all had scriptures in their home. This might not make sense to you who might read this, but it was interesting to me to figure out how to work the program.
We had quite a shock when we were told that Don Thaxton, 54, died unexpectedly on Dec. 8, 1995. To Catherine, his mothers knowledge, he hadn’t been ill, but she also said he probably wouldn’t tell anyone anyway. They had his funeral on De. 13, 1995 and the services were beautiful. He was not active in the church, but they told about him helping many people. He was an auto mechanic. My brother, Al, sang "I Did It My Way" and the song fit Don very well as well as being well sung.
The Bailey brothers and sisters had their Christmas dinner party at Wanda’s on Dec 9. I made a salad. Wanda, Louis, Glayde, Mary, Keith, Gale, Edith, Ernest, Ray and I with Glayde & Mary’s daughter-in-law, Mellany. Seth was in the hospital in Pocatello with lung problems, but he was released the following Tuesday to go home.
Our anniversary was spent with Ray going to Idaho Falls with Ernest for his doctors appointment and I stayed with Edith at their house. We were glad to help, their health isn’t too good and we felt it wasn’t right for him at 88 to drive to Idaho Falls and her, as confused as she is, at 87 to be alone.
Joan, Neldon Sharon, Allyson, Dee Ray all come over in the evening. It was a good day and we received some beautiful cards.
We have had some cold weather, but no snow to speak of. Our temperatures haven’t been as cold yet as last year at this time, Dec 19, 1995.
Christmas Eve was on Sunday evening. We didn’t make any special plans, but I did have some cookies, chips and dips, candy and popcorn for snacks.
Nolan’s family and Lamar’s family came and visited. Neldon’s family, Dee, Tom and Tracy came over Christmas day. I gave everybody who came an afghan and we each received some gifts. Paul, Shelly, Jake, Jason, Margo, Blake, Glen, Todd and Tracy all came through too. Jeff and Bonnie had been here the week before. Joan and Norman went to Bonnie’s for Christmas. Jeanne & Lynn, Lance and Monica came down after New Years for overnight. All in all I gave away 32 afghans. That took care of some of my supplies.
Jeanne didn’t get to come because of Lisa, Derk’s wife had a blood clot in her leg after having surgery on her knee. We received many cards and letters from our grandchildren and we sent each married couple, kids and grandkids a special card for Christmas.
It was rather quiet Christmas, but that was alright too. Ray and I each had severe sinus infections and were put on cough syrup, antibiotics and nasal spray. My eyes were really affected too, so I had to use eye drops. Marilyn was home for a week with a cold also.
Now it’s into the new year, 1996. We had one friend, Olive Jordan, who passed away. She was 93, so we had known her for a long time. We went to her funeral and Alfred sang there. Even at 74, he still sings beautifully. It was a nice service.
Brett and Hanna had a baby boy born on January 13, 1996 in American Falls, Idaho. He is there third boy and they named him Nataniel Joseph. All are doing well.
January 19, 1996 Don Ashby, Norman’s father, passed way. He was 82 and had been in the nursing home for six years. He had a nice service too.
It has turned winter and we have been snowed in a lot in the last three weeks. It has also turned very cold some days, not even reaching 10
I have also done 6 patriarchal blessings since the first of the year and should have 3 more to do this week.
Troy, Rosemary and Eric flew from Detroit, Michigan for Don Ashby’s funeral, so we were able to have them visit. It was the first time we had seen their baby. He is a healthy cute little boy.
By the last of February, Ray was getting anxious to start the garden. We debated about it because their was wire worm in the potatoes and onions last year. He finally decided we would treat the soil with Diazinon pellets and see if that would take of the problem. Lamar came down and plowed the garden and then Dee Ray rototilled it and Lamar furrowed it out. Ray planted carrots, Peas, beets, lettuce, and radish seed. It didn’t come up very fast, because we had a cold spell. Our fruit trees bloomed a lot and it looked like we would have plenty of fruit, but when it froze so hard it took most of the blossoms.
Ray was out cleaning up tree limbs etc. on the big lawn and I went out to help him, but he was trimming the pink Hawthorn and hurt his back. We had finished gathering up, so he didn’t do anymore that day. After he rested awhile, he decided his back wasn’t any better. We tried different remedies for a few days, but it didn’t help. Dr. Pates put him in the hospital for tests and X-Rays. They couldn’t pinpoint the problem, but he came home on his birthday, April 16, and took it easy until he could go to a neurosurgeon in Idaho Falls, she, Dr. Carlton, Sid he had a ruptured disc in his lower back and that if possible to try healing it without surgery. He was restricted from any type of gardening or doing much bending.
We decided that because he had started the garden with the boys help maybe I could do it. We had planted one row of potatoes before we went to Idaho Falls. The 26th of April I finished planting the potatoes and finished the onions. Dee Ray hilled up the potatoes for me. May 9, Lamar and Brenda came down and planted the corn with his planter. They borrowed our small planter for some of their seeds. Lamar brought the planter back on the 15th of May and planted my string beans. I planted my tomatoes. All of the garden was planted now and I had a few empty rows, so I planted Dahlias, Gladiola bulbs, 2 rows zinnia and aster seeds. I decided to bury geraniums around the garage and some Dianthus in the window boxes. Our tulips and daffodils had already bloomed and were getting dried flowers. On the east side of the house I planted four o’clocks in the back and nasturtium seeds in the curve. The snapdragons and pansies had enough volunteer plants to take care of the west side. I prepared the ground in front, so I could plant petunias and plant marigolds and Salvia on the east side to fill in the spaces. I planted 18 dozen of these plants on Saturday May 25. Next Monday, the 27th, I planted begonias and Impatiens in the flower box in front. It was Marilyn’s day off and she helped me weed the carrots. I had also been typing patriarchal blessings in between.
School is out and Ben came down and worked more Diazinon in potatoes and onions. He also helped my prune roses and clean up the rose garden. Josh came down and rototilled between the rows in the garden and then furrowed them out. I weeded the beets and irrigated the garden. All is growing well, the stand of corn is not as good, but it will produce all we need. I finished cleaning out and pruning other roses. Nolan rototilled corners for planting and along the driveway. I raked it down and it was ready for the girls from Evergreen Nursery to plant that part. They planted zinnias, Salvia, marigolds, lobelia, and moss rose. Nolan also planted roses that had to be replaced. I have been helping Dawna make a quilt of blocks with handkerchiefs of her grandmother, mother and my mother. It was dark green and beige material. I marked the blocks and border after Dawna set it together. Dawna helped me put it onto the frames and it was ready to quilt. I have been pretty busy between patriarchal blessing, quilting and gardening.
Tuesday, July 2, we picked our first peas. Wednesday. July 3, I woke up with a swollen left foot. We didn’t do any celebrating on the fourth, because my foot wasn’t any better, in fact I could hardly walk. Wanda Stimpson came over and helped Marilyn and I pick the peas again. When I got them in the freezer, Ray took me to the emergency room at Minidoka Memorial Hospital. The doctor run some test and diagnosed it as Gout, so now I have more medicine to take. I also had to use crutches for a week. On Monday, July 8, we finished quilting Heather’s quilt and now I needed to bind it. It turned out really pretty. They gave her a bridal shower on July 20, 1996.
This is January 1997, and I realize I have waited to long to catch up my history, so I have to go back and add a few more things that have happened.
In February 1996, they auctioned off the fixtures etc from the old red brick building and then started demolishing it. They finished on March 23, 1996. The ground is all cleaned up and if you didn’t know about it you would never even remember a church house was there. Ray worked out part of his dad’s assessment to build the building. I had gone to church in the old white one room building and when this one was dedicated, I sang in the choir. This was before we started going together. All my years of going to church has been in Heyburn, so we have many memories that go with this building. Myron Wilson, the contractor to remove the structure, brought Ray a brick and a letter to keep as a reminder of when he was Bishop.
April 18, 1996, a baby boy was born to Paul and Shelly Heiner. They live in Sandy, Utah and this is their second little boy. His name is Benjamin Ray.
Shawn Bailey and Cynthia Vavrock were married June 1, 1996 in the Oakland California Temple. Their Reception was held June 7, 1996 at Lamar and Brenda’s in their backyard. We went down and took a quilt and afghan for them.
Benjamin Ray Heiner was blessed May 5, 1996 by his father, Paul. All of Jeanne and Lynn’s family was there.
Mothers day was May 12 and I received flowers, many beautiful cards, gift certificates and phone calls. It was a good day of visiting also.
A baby girl was born July 12, 1996 to Tom and Tracy Bailey. They named her Carly Dee. This makes them a boy and a girl. She was born in Twin Falls, Idaho.
Our garden has grown and produced really well. We have giving produce to anyone who could use it. I picked and canned string beans, canned buttered beets and made beet relish.
Tom and Tracy bought one of the lots across from our garden. They ordered a manufactured home and it was delivered on August 9, 1996. It wasn’t finished on the inside so that took a couple of months.
I also canned the prunes from our tree. August 11, 1996 was Tyrell’s mission report and we went to it and to Lamar and Brenda’s for a pot luck dinner.
Clayton Heiner came down to have a Patriarchal blessing that same day so Jeanne and Lynn’s family was with us too.
August 15, 1996, Norman and Joan took us to the Bountiful Temple in Bountiful, Utah for Heather and Chuck’s wedding. I had never been to that temple and it was a beautiful place for a wedding. We came back home that same day. August 17, 1996 we picked our first ears of corn from the garden.
August 20, my wrist developed a problem. I went to the doctor, because it was swelled and painful. He put it in a splint after it was X-Rayed. I had that to wear for several days, even to the reception.
Jalaine Heiner married Mathew Garner, August 24, 1996, in the Boise Temple, Boise, Idaho. I couldn’t go because of the splint on my arm.
Sunday, August 25, 1996, was Clayton’s missionary farewell. He has been called to Seoul, Korea. Nolan and Dawna took us up to that.
Ray has been having to have blood drawn often, because of his Policythemia Vera, so Dr. Pates got him an appointment with Dr. Francisco in Pocatello. He is a Hematologist. He recommended that he try a new medicine called Hydrea to bring his blood into balance. It is pretty strong medicine and not easy for him to take.
August 27, 1996, a baby boy was born to Todd and Tracie Heiner. He was born in Provo, Utah. His name is Chase Thomas Heiner.
I was having a problem with my joints and so the doctor increased my medication and Ray’s medication is up one week and down the next for his blood. Clayton Heiner entered the MTC on September 4, 1996.
Chase Thomas Heiner was blessed by his father, Todd, on September 29, 1996, in Provo, Utah.
Carie Dee Bailey was blessed by her grandfather, Dee Ray, on September 29, 1996 in Heyburn first Ward, Heyburn, Idaho.
My birthday September 21 was enjoyable. I received cards, flowers etc, from kids and grandkids.
September 22, 1996, it froze for the first time. And took all the flowers and garden plants that were left.
We always look forward to General Conference in October. This year was no exception except that Ray was very ill. Dr. did some X-rays and test. He was put on antibiotics, but his fever and pulse, plus blood pressure was not normal. He was in bed, had shakes and very unsteady. Marilyn and I watched conference and video taped it when Ray could see it later. I was very worried and did everything I could to make him comfortable. It took about a week for him to feel better.
October 8, I pulled and put away all my flower bulbs. I had nearly 3/4 bushel of Gladiolas besides some Dahlia bulbs.
Our weather has turned a lot colder and it’s time to dig the potatoes and pick the apples. Ray was able to help dig the potatoes and then he dug the carrots. It still stayed cold and the week end of Stake Conference, 26 and 27 we had a skiff of snow. Ray and I had an interview with Elder Max Craner of the Area Presidency on Sunday morning in regards to him being a Patriarch.
October 29 we cleaned all the old and frozen flowers from our flower beds and piled them up to burn, only we didn’t get to burn the rubbish because it turned stormy and it was too wet.
In September, I was thinking about a family reunion and realized my dad’s birthday fell on Thanksgiving this year. I contacted Alfred and asked if he would help me plan one and if he thought we could do it. He and Bea said yes, so with Ray’s help also we started to formulate a party. I typed and printed out an invitation and asked the other members for there input and suggestions. It would be our dad’s 125th birthday. We didn’t get much response but we went ahead anyway. We met together several times and planned what we thought we could expect and what we wanted to do and sent another letter out.
In the meantime, in our family, Clayton Heiner flew out to Seoul, Korea for his mission. Lamar was ordained a High Priest by his father, Ray, on November 10, 1996. Now all four son have been ordained High Priests by their dad.
November 10, 1996, Tory Bailey reported his mission to Lansing, Michigan. I’m sure he served a good mission and was a good missionary also.
After much planning, assigning and work we came to Thanksgiving day and the reunion. We started at nine o’clock with the boys to help set up the tables and chairs. I had bought and prepared some table decorations of streamers and stand up turkeys. Al and Bea helped set up displays and photographed pictures, histories, genealogy etc. I quilted one quilt and made 3 afghans to give away as door prizes plus Dawna made photograph albums and Joan brought some knit and sewn items. We displayed a chair our dad made, his rawhide ropes he braided, his bull whip he made, and the saddle he used to ride his horse. Al’s family made a video of pictures of our dad’s life and Patty Naylor read history that Al and I wrote. Alfred sand a solo, "Impossible Dream", I sang "The Bridge Builder" and Al and I sang two duets, "I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" and "Maggie, When You and I Were Young". Ranelle O’Dell sang "Turn Around" and Misty Peterson sang also. It was an enjoyable program. Dee Ray was master of ceremonies and he had everyone introduce themselves and their families.
We served a Thanksgiving dinner of Turkey, potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, relish plates, corn, pumpkin bars and ice cream and rolls.
Al and I expressed our gratitude for all the help and support we had and for being a family. We had 97 people in attendance. Some families weren’t represented except with some pictures. James, Marion and Elden. We enjoyed the day even thought the weather was no too good. It was cold, wet and snowy. It all happened on November 28, 1996. It will probably be the last Al and I plan.
Friday, Dec. 6, 1941, we moved into this home and now as that time rolls around again we remember how it was then and reflect on how many changes there have been. It was so cold and windy that day. We had a skiff of snow and now today we have the same except our house is much warmer and more comfortable.
Sunday, December 15, 1996, was Rob La Deaux’s mission report. He was a good missionary and had lots of good experiences. He has come a long way and been in Lamar and Brenda’s family ever since he was seven yrs. old.
Sunday afternoon, we went to Paul 3rd Ward meetings for Wanda and Louis Stimpson’s missionary farewell. They are going to serve in the San Antonio, Texas mission and will enter the missionary Training Center on Dec,. 18, 1996.This particular Sunday was quite a missionary day.
Friday, December 20 it was beginning to snow and we had 6-8 inches before it stopped.
Ray is not feeling a bit well and so Nolan is driving us to the grocery store etc, because of the roads.
We have had a very quiet Christmas. We have also had some kids and grandkids come by for a little while.
The snow has melted and some water has seeped into the basement, only enough to wet the carpet under the window in the laundry room.. Now we are back to 50
January 1, 1997, and it’s Jeannie’s 57th birthday. She didn’t get to come down until the 3rd to visit. Jason, Margo and their two boys came also for Sat. Night. We had a good visit even if it was very short.
January 7, 1997, the weather is so mild Russ Johnson came and pruned our orchard and roses and cleaned up the twigs. It cost us $105.00, but it was worth it.
January 11, we had a real blizzard and very cold. It was 24
I was sick with Diarrhea on Sunday night Jan. 19, by Monday I wasn’t any better and had to go to Dr. Pates. He put me in the hospital for blood tests and X-rays. It showed I had diverticulitis, so now my diet is even more restricted. I only had to stay one night.
I decided to put a quilt on the frames and I just tied it. It turned out to be a nice quilt. I made up a design to draw on a plain sheet to quilt and put it on the frame.
I have had a break from typing Patriarchal Blessings since the middle of December, but now it’s starting back again.
Edith, Ray’s sister, has been confused for quite some time, but now Ernest is not well and his heart is wearing out. We help here when we can. Mary’s husband, Glayde, has alzheimers disease and he doesn’t act anything like himself. Mary has had to put him in the nursing home as of March 1, 1997.
I forgot to mention some deaths among our friends. My cousin Barbara Scharling married Wilbur (Red) Wynn in 1938 and he passed away Feb. 4, 1997, at age 86. They lived up near Oakley. I couldn’t go to his graveside services, because it was too cold, but I did go out and visit Barb a week later. She is almost blind, because of macular degeneration of her eyes.
Rhoda Dayley, 91, died February 18, 1997. She was a member of our ward and we had known her for many years. She was a great lady.
Larry Burbank, 60, died of cancer February 19, 1997. He had been in our ward and we had known him and his family since he came here. He was very well known and also did some electrical wiring in our home. I finished quilting my quilt and put another on the frame. It is one I pieced a long time ago and is a large quilt, but easy to sew on.
We started making plans to upgrade our drapes etc. in the living room and family room. It was the last drapery jobs I did and they have hung there since 1970 and now they are wearing out. We thought we wanted to buy horizontal blinds and side drapes. We picked out blinds for the family room and had them installed by Lee’s Furniture. They cost $977.25. We ordered drapes and sheers for the front room, but they haven’t come yet. We finally bought valances and side drapes from K Mart. They cost $199.92, so not near as expensive as at the furniture store.
It has been warmer again, so they sprayed the orchard trees with dormant oil. The apricots have bloomed, but they have also frozen, so we probably won’t have any apricots this year. Can’t tell about the other fruit yet.
Dawna took Sharon and I to the show of "Camelot" in Oakley. It was done very well by local talent, but it was a little bit long to sit through.
The weather is very unpredictable so we haven’t done any gardening yet. It has been rather windy too.
I have had quite a cough and the Dr. gave me an antibiotic and some cough medicine by phone. I went in for an appointment with Ray on April 8. He said I must have had bronchitis, but it wasn’t in my lungs yet. Ray is still having his blood monitored and it isn’t getting leveled out, so he had to have two pints drawn on April 9.
I finished quilting the last quilt and because I had one panel of drapery left over in the family room, I made a door valance and cushions for our rocking chair.
April 16, was Ray’s 79th birthday. We spent a quiet day, but he received some cards from grandkids and cards from the rest of us. I wanted to take him out to lunch, but we bought it and came home to eat it instead.
We watched all of the sessions of conference from home on April 5&6. It was very good and the talks were about our heritage and enduring to the end. It made me think about my grandma Hansen’s life history and how she came from Denmark with her parents on a ship back in 1866. She entered the United States in Connecticut and rode the train through part of Canada to Wyoming, Nebraska and from there by wagon to Salt Lake City, Utah. They buried her brother and sister on the prairie. She had a strong testimony and had great faith all of her life. She lived in Oakley when I was a little girl and I had been in her home and she in ours, many times.
As I mentioned before, Ernest Handy has not been well and he passed away April 14, 1997. His funeral was April 18, 1997 in the Heyburn First Ward church building and buried in Riverside Cemetery, Heyburn, Idaho I had known Ernest when he drove school bus for Heyburn School, when I was about a second grader and then when I married Ray we became brother and sister-in-law. He lived a full life and was acquainted with many people. He was also very interested in history, so he could tell you about many of the old settlers of Heyburn. Edith is so confused it is hard for her to put it all together, but she has two women who take turns taking care of her and they are very good to her. Of course, her own kids help a lot too.
We also added new light fixtures to our family room. 2 chandeliers were broken on the other ones and we couldn’t match them, so as we went to Twin Falls for a visual field test on my eyes, we stopped at Grovers and bought new fixtures. Dee Ray came over and installed them for us. They cost $169.00.
Edith Handy wasn’t able to stay in her own home. She was falling down too often and it took more than one person to lift her up. Her doctor told the family they would have to put her in a long term facility, so she is at Minidoka Memorial Long term care. She is just as confused there as she was at home, except she is in a wheel chair all the time.
We finally got the sheers and drapes for our living room and they are really nice. They cost nearly $1900.00. We had our captain chairs in the kitchen reupholstered with material, instead of vinyl and they cost $55.95. Now we have most of the upgrading done on our home.
Ray has planted the vegetable garden and some of it is already up. It looks like we will have peaches, pears, prunes, cherries, apples and plums in our orchard.
We have both worked on the flower beds this year and have planted most of the flowers we want. We decided to cut back and not plant the corners and sides of the driveway like we have before. It seems like it is pretty hard work for me as well as him.
For Mothers day I got some metal shelves and also some perennial plants for the east side of the house. I also received flowers, perfume, cake, cards and visits.
I am working on straightening up the basement and trying to see what is finished and how much I have to work on. I find that it is plenty and I’ll probably never get it all done, but it should look better.
This is graduation time and Trista, Andrea and Josh are all High School Graduates.
Jeanne, Lynn and family came from Melba on May 31, Saturday, and went home Monday morning, June 2. It was a short visit and not very satisfying. Brett, Janna and boys came down from Pocatello on Saturday and visited too. Lynn bought a rototiller from Cycle City and he borrowed the pickup and Jeanne and him went back to Melba on Saturday evening and back on Sunday morning in time to attend church with us. We had dinner and visited a little before they went over to Heiners. Neldon, Sharon and Joan came and visited a while and then Jeanne’s family came back. They found they had to leave Monday morning early, because Jeanne had to report for Jury duty by nine o’clock.
Ray got a chance to go to Bancroft to see Seth and Madge. Keith, Gayle, Mary, Norman and Ray all went in Keith’s car. Seth is having a few health problems and was to go to his doctor in Pocatello for a checkup on Wednesday. He was advised to have a 5 bypass surgery on his heart as soon as possible.
Ray has a nice garden and spends time in it and I’m just doing the usual things, washing, ironing, cooking, typing patriarchal blessings and sewing on quilt tops.
We also finished planting petunias on the west side of the garage.
Marilyn and I went to a bridal shower for Trista, Saturday, June 7. She received many nice gifts for her kitchen.
We thought we had finished all of our repairs to the house, but decided to put new windows and a new door and storm door to the garage. It cost us $823.00. They are so different, it’s a surprise every time we look at them. Ray also decided we needed to finish painting the trim on our house, so we had that done and it cost $400.00. I think everything is in good repair except we may have to redo our water system, because of the City of Heyburn’s charges for watering our yard, garden and orchard.
We have had two funerals from our ward, one was for Laura Dayley, who had cancer and was only 53. I didn’t know her real well, but I thought she was an awfully nice person. The other one was Alice Cheney, who we had known for a long time. She had been ill for many years and was blind, but she did a lot of good things and was very kind and considerate.
Ray’s brother, Seth, had bypass surgery and is having trouble with his asthma, so it will take some time for him to recover.
Edith seems more confused all the time and Glayde doesn’t know any of us. It’s hard to go visit them, but we do when we can.
It has been a rather discouraging year for me so far. I tried a different arthritis medicine and it really hurt my stomach. I’ve been trying for a month to get it regulated again. Dr. Pates said I couldn’t take any more of those kinds of medicine and would have to take just extra strength Tylenol. My joints aren’t any worse, but I don’t have much strength. I feel bad, because I can’t do anything outside and sometimes only a little in the house as far as cleaning is concerned. We had so much snow fall in the mountains and so much rain in the valley this spring, that the Snake River is higher and over it’s banks more than ever before. Some of our friends who live close to the river are having trouble with flooding in their homes. Now after about three weeks the water is starting to recede and they can begin to dry out. It has been bad, but could have been worse.
Trista Bailey and Clint Edwards were married June 21, 1997, by Bishop Loren West, in Dee Ray’s back yard. She made a beautiful bride and they make a nice looking couple. It was nice, but it could have ben better if they were married in the temple. We hope that happens in the future.
Mark and Nicole Maier were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on June 23, 1997. They have two little boys, Kit and Zack. All of Lamar’s family were in the temple with them.
July 5, 1997, Cameron Miles, son of Natalie and Eric Miles, was baptized by Lamar at the Rupert West Stake Center. Natalie and Eric were here from Texas and so that relative could attend they had it done.
I finally gave up and went to the doctor again on July 7. I had been feeling weaker and more nauseated all the time. He sent me for a blood test at the lab and it showed my sugar level as extremely high. I had another blood test Tuesday morning and another appointment that afternoon. So now I have been diagnosed as having "Diabetes". More medicine, more tests and more diet changes. I find it pretty hard to cope with all of it, but I’ll put up a good fight and hope to get on top of it.
We have had some bad news and some good news in the last month. Rosemary is suing Troy for divorce and Corinne has sued Mike for divorce. Both of these marriage have been in different temples, but the ones suing are not satisfied and they may have good reasons for it. I can’t answer that, nor neither am I the judge. It came as a surprise to us. It’s their decision and hope for the best for all concerned.
Tyrell and Jaimee Hoxford were married in the Bountiful Temple on September 4, 1997. We went to the church for their reception. It was very nice and they make a good looking couple. We wish them well.
We have had a short visit two or three times from Jeanne and Lynn and family. Seth, a great grandson to us of Brett and Janna Heiner, was baptized in Pocatello, Idaho on September 6, 1997.
We have also done some canning of prunes and peaches, pears and will probably do a few more this week.
I have sewn up several quilt tops so far and gave 5 to the Deseret Industries. Jeanne and Joan have each taken some too, but I’m not near finished yet.
Ray has given several patriarchal blessings and I have taken them off and we’ve completed them. He was asked by the Rupert Stake President to help his Patriarch, who has had to have some major surgery, so that added some to Ray’s work.
Some of our grandkids have been getting ready for college. Scot is going to ISU at Pocatello, Josh is going to Walla Walla Community College in northern Idaho. Andrea is enrolled at BYU in Provo, Utah. Tory, Tyrell, Jaimee are going back to Weber State in Ogden, Utah. Heather’s husband, Chuck is going to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. Allyson will start back at Utah State in Logan. We hope they all do well in their studies.
After bing ill and having surgery etc, Maurine, Leland’s wife died in Orem Utah September 8, 1997. She had lived there about 20 years and near her daughters, Arlynn and Ranelle and family. They had taken good care of her, but her health continued to deteriorate. Her funeral was in Provo, but one was also held in Burley at Hansen Mortuary and she was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Heyburn. It was a nice service and a family dinner was held in our church after the burial. We had a chance to visit with some of the family.
September 13, 1997, Clint Edwards, Trista’s husband was baptized by Dee Ray in Rupert West Stake. It was a nice evening for them and their family. It was also Trista’s and Trenton’s birthday. We were glad we were able to attend.
Saturday night before my birthday on Sunday, Jeanne and Joan prepared a birthday dinner for me and all of our children were in attendance. I received cards and gifts from most of them and from some of my grandchildren. It was the first party I remember being given just for me. It was nice and we all enjoyed the evening.
I had to have laser surgery on my left eye because of damage to my optic nerve. Dr. Hobbs said it was the only way to try to stop the progression of losing vision in that eye. So far it has gone well. Sharon drove us down to Twin Falls and we sure appreciated her help, because neither of us can drive that far.
We have been gathering up our apples as they fell and now as soon as we can, we need to can them.
Ray has had a group of blessings to give and that takes priority to get done.
In between, I am still sewing quilt tops. Ray’s hearing is giving him a lot of trouble, so he has ordered some new aids and is trying to get used to them.
October 4&5 is general conference from Salt Lake City and we have enjoyed watching it. We are grateful to be able to see and hear it on TV.
I am grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and it has been a great comfort in my life. Ray has given me many blessings that have helped me to overcome to dome degree my health problems. I pray I can continue to do the things I need to do and help him to do his work also.
Nolan came by on Saturday afternoon and we all went out and picked our apples. We had many beautiful Red Delicious apples and also quite a few Citreon (a yellow-green apple). We had picked and canned all of the McIntosh apples. It’s hard to can fruit without sugar so I’ve given up and hope I can eventually have some sugar.
I can eat the fruit raw and as I have always eaten lots of fruit, that isn’t a problem. I can’t keep my glucose level quite as low as the doctor wants. We gave a lot of the apples away, because we just couldn’t use them all.
We have been quite busy with Patriarchal Blessings. I’m still sewing quilt tops and I’m embroidering pillow cases because I like to. Everything seemed to be going quite well with our health until the day before Thanksgiving. Wednesday I had planned to do some baking, but I had extreme pain in my stomach, so I ended up in the doctors office. He thought I might have a kinked bowel and put me on a liquid diet. I felt better as the day progressed and Thursday morning I ate my breakfast. It only took about an hour before I knew I shouldn’t have eaten, anyway I went ahead and cooked dinner. We had invited Neldon, Sharon and Allyson to eat with us, but I decided I’d better drink my dinner. I felt alright until about 5 o’clock, but when I went to the bathroom, I passed a lot of bright red blood, then I knew I’d better get to the emergency room. Dr. Pates thought I might have a bleeding ulcer and put me in the hospital. They had a hard time putting an I.V. in my arm and I had to have a tube down my nose to my stomach. It was quite painful and very uncomfortable. Friday, they run some more test, including a gastroscopy and a proctoscopy, took a biopsy of my stomach. It didn’t show just exactly what was strong, so I cam home on Saturday afternoon and went back to Dr. Goldsmith, who did the tests on Monday. He said I needed to go to a specialist in Twin Falls. Joan drove us down there on December 8, 1997. I had that gastroscopy over again. They took more biopsies and stretched the closing of my stomach where I was operated on before. This was to help my stomach empty out better. Ray went to a cardiologist the same day in Twin Falls, and he was told for a man of 79 years, he was in real good shape. He only takes ½ a pill to regulate his heart beat a day. Of course, he still has is blood problem to contend with, but it’s pretty well under control. I haven’t heard whether the biopsies show any problem, but they must not have.
December 8, 1997, Jason and Margo had a baby girl born to them. They named her Judeth Lyne and she was blessed by her daddy on December 21, 1997.
December 14, 1997, was our 59th wedding anniversary. Jeanne and Joan arranged a dinner for us that evening. All of our kids were here except Dee and Sylvia. We enjoyed the evening and received many nice cards and telephone calls.
We had been doing our Christmas shopping earlier so didn’t have much left to do. We sent Christmas cards to each of our grandchildren and some to relatives and friends.
I insisted that Ray buy him a new winter coat and some new shirts. He bought me a dress and some jewelry. We also bought some church books. We bought a new artificial Christmas tree and decorated the front room with lights etc.
It was most discouraging to me not to be able to enjoy Christmas candy etc., but I got through it and I’m glad it’s over for this year. We bought books for each of the families and Marilyn. She also got a new coat, shoes and clothes. So it was a good Christmas, after all.
Because of Jeanne’s work schedule and her family being home, we didn’t get to see her on her birthday, but we called her and visited them. We went over to Joan’s for dinner and it was nice.
We had some rather disturbing news from Brother Dayley of the Deseret Industries. He said Marilyn had worked there long enough and he was letting her go as of January 16, 1998. We tried through Bishop West and President Hansen to change his mind, but he wouldn’t listen, so she is now out of work and at home. It is a little difficult for her, she has worked for so long and been with other people, to be just at home without much to do.
The weather turned off quite warm, so we went out and cleaned some flower beds so the tulips etc. could come up.
I have embroidered 17 pair of pillowcases and have gone to tying some quilts in between typing Patriarchal Blessings.
Stake Conference was March 8, 1998. We only had to attend on Sunday this time, because the Saturday evening was for ward leaders. It was a good meeting Sunday and they had a male chorus that did the special music. Neldon sang in it.
We have had a lot of west wind and it has been cold. Marilyn and I have tried to walk a half a mile everyday. I need to walk because it is supposed to help keep my glucose count down. I have been doing much better, but I don’t eat any cookies of cakes, etc. I have found some good tasting sugar-free candy and that helps. I’ve also found I need to eat less potatoes and apples.
Ray has been kept busy from 10th of March to 31st, he did 10 blessings and that keeps me pretty busy too.
March 20, they had a 50 year celebration for the Heyburn 2nd Ward. The Bishops were honored and all are still active except one who has passed away. It was an enjoyable evening and nice to visit with people we haven’t seen for quite a while. There have been nine Bishops.
March 22, 1998, was an open house for the Stake Tabernacle we used to go to in Rupert, They have added on before, but now have remodeled again. It was started in 1937 and completed in 1941. Many events have we attended in that building before we were organized int Paul Stake. When it was built members donated time as well as money to pay for it. We couldn’t go to it because Ray had blessing scheduled for that night. Elder John A. Widsoe of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles dedicated it in 1941, just one week before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in World War II.
We watched General Conference on TV April 4&5, and as usual all of the talks were very good and we were given much counsel to follow. The music was also beautiful. In between sessions on Sunday they showed a video of President Hinkley’s trip to Africa.
Mary’s husband, Glayde, has pneumonia and he passed away April 10, 1998 in Buhl, Idaho at a long term care facility. Mary didn’t get there before he passed away, but was there soon after. Now he is at peace and out of all the tribulation of Alzheimers disease. His funeral was April 14 and Mary had planned a very nice service for him. The music was good and or course, Glayde always enjoyed music, also the talks were well given and suited Glayde very well. Now Mary doesn’t have to worry either.
April 14, 1998, Trenton and Holly Bailey had a baby boy. They named him Ezra McKay Bailey. He was born at Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley and weighed 8 lbs.
April 16, 1998 was Ray’s 80th birthday. Joan visited in the afternoon. Nolan, Dawna, Neldon and Sharon spent the evening with us and they all had birthday cake and ice cream. Dee Ray called, but he had to take the missionaries to their appointments, so he came over the next night.
We changed from US West Communication to Project Mutual Telephone on April 13 and we also changed for TCI Cablevision to Project Mutual. Our telephone number is 679-8224.
I had dug up weeds etc. to make our flower bed in front better and so we needed to add some dirt to it. We went out to Triple C Concrete pit and got some in the bed of the pickup and then we unloaded it. Marilyn and I are cleaning more weeds out of the flowers on the east side of the house and Ray has cleaned his roses out. Pretty soon we’ll be able to plant some more flowers for summer. We planted some more perennials on the east side and now it’s pretty well filled in. The four o’clocks keep reseeding next to the house. We planted a new bunch of pansies in front and petunias. We planted geraniums, marigold, zinnias, and added some snapdragons to fill the empty places. Of course, we had begonias and Impatiens in the window box.
May 5, 1998, Jalaine and Matt Garner had a baby boy. Both came through real well and we’re happy about that. They named him Heber Vaughn.
Mothers day was May 10th. I received visits, cards, flowers etc. and it was a very nice day. Our riding lawn mower has broken down twice and it gets harder to fix each time. I encouraged Ray to go to Cycle City and look at one that maybe, if necessary, I could operate too. He bought one from Nolan and sold the old one to Nolan’s hired man. The old one didn’t owe us anything, because we had it for a long time and it was used when we bought it. The new one cost $3900.00.
May 27, 1998, Trever and Teresa Bailey had a baby boy born in Provo, Utah. He was named Jared Wayne, and they are doing good also.
May 30, 1998, Jalaine and Matt blessed their baby. They live in Nampa, Idaho.
June 6, 1998, we had a birthday party for Edith Handy, Ray’s oldest sister. She lives in Minidoka Memorial Geriatrics long term care. She is very confused and probably won’t remember we were there. She is being well taken care of and doesn’t have and pain, nor problems with being there, for that we can be thankful.
Sunday, June 7, 1998, Trenton and Holly’s baby boy was blessed by his grandfather, Dee Yeaman, over in Burley.
We turned the vegetable garden over to Dee Ray and Tom, but I still have plenty to do to keep up with flower beds and also typing Patriarchal Blessings. We seem to keep pretty busy with those.
July 2, Marilyn and I made Rhubarb and Apricot jam. It sure looks good, but of course I can’t have any.
July 5, 1998, Trever & Teresa blessed their baby. Dee Ray, Sylvia and all of their family were in Utah for that.
We bought some netting to cover our cherry trees, which have more fruit on that they have ever had. It sure thwarted the birds from eating them.
We had a real hail storm and it damaged our fruit, shredded my flowers and knocked twigs out of the trees. Everything will survive though.
July 13, 1998 Ray, Marilyn and I picked our Semi Sweet cherries and a couple days later we canned them. The bing cherries, we picked and canned about two weeks later.
I finished binding the six quilts that I had pieced and tied earlier in the year. I also finished the eleven baby quilts that I tied. That give me a few more baby quilts than I need right now, but I have used four and will need two more before long.
Nolan bought him a brand new Honda motorcycle in preparation for a couple of trips this year. He came by on Sunday evening, August 2 and took me for a ride around the neighborhood. It is really a nice cycle and I hadn’t ridden behind him for many years.
August 12, 1998, Andrea Heiner flew from Salt Lake Airport to Perth, Russia to spend until Christmas time, teaching kindergarten there. She qualified through BYU in Provo and she was excited about the opportunity. She’ll do well and I hope she is safe and protected.
Our elm trees that have been in our yard, two since the time we moved here, are so old and falling apart. Every time the wind blows they lose twigs and branches and it gets harder for Ray to clean them up. We made arrangements for "Our Father’s Tree Service" to remove and clean up all five of them. He started work on August 14. It took almost two weeks and cost us $1900.00. We sure look naked without those big trees. We had Dee Yeaman come with his backhoe and dump truck to take out the old shrubs etc. and clean up what was left. That cost $100.00. When this was all done, Evergreen Nursery planted 7 hone locust on the west side of the big lawn and 2 greenpeace linden trees on the back lawn. If they grow well we’ll have some more nice trees.
Marilyn and I picked our summer apples and canned them and then we picked apricots and canned them.
We have two peach trees. Ray, Marilyn and I picked those peaches and we canned 56 quarts and also made some jam, so it’s been a good harvest so far.
Marilyn and I cleaned our store room and made room for some canned goods we planned to buy. We took out and sorted all the empty bottles, as well as rearranged the shelves.
Sunday, August 30, 1998, Nolan took us to Melba for Clayton’s mission report and homecoming. He flew back to Boise on August 18. He enjoyed a good mission and he served well in Korea.
Jeanne & Joan planned a family reunion to celebrate Ray & my 80th birthdays and also our 60th wedding anniversary. They held it at the Paul Stake Ball Park. The have a good sized shelter with tables enough for everybody. There was a playground with lost of equipment for the kids and also plenty of grass for ball games etc. We had salads, chicken, rolls, baked beans, watermelon and cookies to eat and Tortilla chips. We ate and visited and for a program each of the children told something bout their childhood and how they felt about life in general. Ray and I also responded with experiences we had . It was an enjoyable afternoon and we also had a photographer take pictures. We counted about 74 of our family there.
September 8, 1998, Paul and Shelly had a baby girl born to them They named her Audrey Anne Heiner.
September 14, 1998, Todd and Traci had a baby boy born to them. They named him Schafer Heiner.
We had picked our prunes, so September 17, we canned them and also made some jam.
Trista and Clint went to the Timpanogos Temple and were sealed on September 19, 1998.
September 21, 1998, was my eightieth birthday. We spent a quiet day, but in the evening most of the kids came down or called and brought some lovely cards etc.
Marilyn helped me clean the store room and from there we determined what we needed to add to have our years supply. We ordered our canned good from Swensen’s Market and put them away. So now our food supply is almost finished, except for canning some apples and storing some in the bins. We will do that later this month.
We watched General Conference on TV October 3 and 4. The Talks were all so interesting and easy to understand. The music was also beautiful.
When I was a Junior in high school, I was accepted into the National Honor Society. Your membership was based on Grades, Character, School spirit, and Personality. You were nominated by members of the Senior Class.
Our graduation class of 1936 had 19 members. We had Baccalaureate Exercises on Sunday Afternoon in our church house and Graduation the following Friday night in the School House. I sang a vocal solo on the program. My Graduation dress was yellow silk, and my dress for Baccalaureate was a white silk with a jacket. These were about my first boughten clothes, and we sent for them from a catalog. In previous years the graduating class was honored with a dance after the exercises, but the faculty decided against that for us, so we were a little upset but couldn't do much about it.
I haven't thought too much about my singing until I started to write this, but I had that opportunity many different times and in many different programs: at Stake Conference, which we held in the Rupert Theater, at a missionary farewell, scout banquets, Sacrament meetings, Sunday School, road shows, weddings, and funerals.
In the spring of 1936, Alfred and I started practicing with an MIA stake chorus that was to go to Salt Lake City to a June Conference Music Festival. We had to learn several songs for the performance. We sang in the Tabernacle. There were about 700 young people of our own age. It was a real thrill.
The summer after graduation was spent picking berries and any other odd jobs that needed doing at home. The only camping trip I was ever on was with Marie King and her folks. They went salmon fishing up to Wood River, It was a good trip and lots of fun. I had a few dates for shows and Saturday night dances.
When fall came and the crops were harvested, my brother Marion's wife Catherine, encouraged me to get a job as a clerk at M. H. King Co. It was Christmas time and I worked in the toy department. After Christmas I worked upstairs, I enjoyed that. It wasn't self-service like it is now. We had a counter to watch and sell items and take the money for, but the boss decided I had too many friends come in on Saturday night to see if I was going to the dance, and he fired me. I only got paid 20 cents an hour. Saturday night was a big night at the Y-Dell Dance hall, and everybody enjoyed a good time. We didn't dance with the same one more than twice unless it was our date, and some times even then it wasn't much more than that. Leonard took me to work and back each day, and he would take me to the dance, unless I had a date. Sometimes he had a date and would take me along anyway. He went to a lot of the dances on Saturday night.
The spring of 1937 I was called as a counselor in the Mutual Improvement Association. The President was Edith Handy, and Claire Holmes was the other counselor. Marie King and I went to June Conference in Salt Lake City. We stayed with the Marshall family who used to live in Heyburn, and we attended meetings on the temple grounds. I remember going to the Sunday morning session in the Tabernacle and hearing them present the Mutual theme. The song that was sung by a quartette was "King Of Glory, He that Hath Clean Hands and a Pure Heart".
It was this summer that Elden and his wife, Ann, and baby Sherry came home from California for a visit. It was the first time since they were married, and it was good to see them. One Sunday afternoon, Ray Bailey came over to pick up Ann to go over to his folks to visit them (she was his cousin). Her father and his mother were brother and sister. While he was waiting for her to get ready to go, I asked him if he was going to the MIA officer's and teachers' party the following Friday night. He told me, "No". Later he said he thought I was trying to get him to take me. He was secretary to the Young Men's President.
In September of 1937 a group of us girls and boys were in Stake Conference in Rupert. It was the afternoon session and held in the Rupert Theater building. As we were leaving, Ray asked if I would go to the Sunday Evening program. It was presented by the Young Men and Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association and I told him I would go with him. That evening as we were going to the Rupert First Ward for the program, we stopped at the stop sign in front of the building, and a policeman pulled up behind us. Through his loud speaker on the car he said "Go to the nearest service station and get the taillight fixed on your car". Ray explained we were going to the meeting, and asked if we could get it fixed later, but the policeman wouldn't let him, so we went to get it fixed. By the time the man finished it, it was too late to go to the church so we went to the movie. That was the first movie on Sunday night, and the only one I can remember, we ever went to. That was our first date.
Because there wasn't much opportunity to work and I wasn't going to college, I had the chance to go to Pocatello and work as a live-in maid for an LDS family. They had a large home, and I had a room in the basement. It was small but the first bedroom of my own I had ever had. I was responsible for getting breakfast, waking up all the children and seeing that those who went to school were ready. Of course, the rest of the day was spent doing housework and tending the two pre-school boys. He was a contractor, as well as a counselor in the bishopric. They did some entertaining and I had to wait on the table and of course, do the dishes. I only worked a couple of months because my mother fell and broke her hip and was taken to Salt Lake City to the hospital. I was needed at home more than I needed to work away.
In February 1938, I was voted queen of our ward Gold and Green Ball. Each ward presented a number for the floor show at the Stake Gold and Green Ball. It was held at the Y-Dell Ballroom in Burley. Our number was called "Winter Wonderland". We made a sleigh with a big white ball in the center. The sleigh was pulled by four boys and four girls in white skater's costumes. Their shoes had wooden skates so they wouldn't scratch the floor. As the sleigh was pulled to the center of the floor, the ball opened up; and I stood up in the center, dressed in a white formal. From the ceiling of the ballroom, small pieces of white paper filtered down to create a snow scene. My brother Alfred Thaxton, sang the theme song, "Winter Wonderland", as this scene was acted out. We made all the white costumes, wooden skates and sleigh and the edges were very well sanded and waxed so they could be pulled easily. We didn't win the prize, but it was a good try. We also had to learn a special dance for the floor show. My partner was John King. I was going with Ray, but because he didn't dance, I had to have a different partner.
When summer came, my brother Jim and his wife Clara, were expecting their first baby. It was a boy born in July in Burley,Idaho. When Clara was able to go home to Pocatello, I went with them and stayed two weeks to do the housekeeping. I picked and canned berries and all the usual work. When I came home from there, I got a job on "Silk-Stocking Row", as we called it. That was the street in Burley where most of the businessmen lived. We worked for a dollar a day, and we did everything from washing clothes to babysitting. One day I ironed 20 white shirts and did vacuuming for a dollar. I was sent over to a house to take care of a little girl with chicken pox, and I was sure I had them when I was a child, but two weeks later I had them myself.
When Ray proposed and I accepted, we didn't make an announcement in the paper of our plans, we just proceeded to get ready. Ray didn't have a steady job, so he decided to try his luck in Utah where his brother Seth, lived. I spent the summer canning fruit, etc. sewing, quilting, and doing housework in Burley.
When Ray came back in August, we decided to get married in November. He didn't have any success getting a job in Utah, but we decided that through the harvest we could manage some money. There weren't many opportunities to work and so we had very little money, but we went ahead anyway. We were both officers in the Mutual and as we went to the meeting on the 14th of November, I told Ray I wasn't feeling very well, and the pain in my side became a little more pronounced as the evening went on. We made it through the meeting and went home. I told my folks I didn't feel good and that I had a pain down the right side. They decided we'd better call the doctor, so Ray, the folks, and I ended up over at the Cottage Hospital; and I was operated on for appendicitis. That changed our plans for marriage in November. While I was in the hospital, Ray brought me my engagement ring. On the night before I was to be released from the hospital, I began to run a temperature, and the doctor said I couldn't go home until they figured out why. But the next morning when the nurse began to give me a bath, she noticed some spots on my back; and then they knew I was coming down with Chicken Pox. The doctor sent me home, and then he came to the house to take the bandages off and the stitches out. Of course, there was chicken pox under the tape; and it almost took skin and all when he removed it.
I recovered quite fast, and we went ahead with plans for December 14 in the Salt Lake Temple. We didn't get much encouragement for a temple wedding, There was no pressure put on us to go. Our parents didn't go to the temple because transportation wasn't readily available. The nearest temple was in Salt Lake City, Utah. It seemed the natural place for us to be married, maybe because Marie King was planning hers for when Eugene Jenks came home from his mission. When we went to Bishop Heiner for our recommend, they were having a bishop's meeting. We went in together, and he put our names and signed his to the recommend without even asking any questions. The only comment he made was that "if we thought the last ten years had gone fast, the next ten would go faster". In fact, people were coming and going out of the office. We didn't even go to the stake president for his signature. Ray's father took our recommend up to him to sign. I sometimes wonder why we felt we should go to the temple when our parents and our leaders were so indifferent about it. A couple of days before we were to go, Ray talked his parents into going, and my mother and Marie King went with me. We went to Salt Lake on Tuesday afternoon. Ray and his parents stayed with his brother Seth in Magna, mama, Marie and I stayed at Uncle Jule's and Aunt Emma's home in Salt Lake. On Wednesday we were to be at the temple by nine o'clock, and we also had to have a marriage license. Ray had car trouble, and was a little late picking me up, but we went to the courthouse and as soon as we got in the door, the people there said, "Oh, you want a marriage license." They really ushered us around to get it. Ray"s father had to sign for him because he wasn't yet twenty one years old.
We were a little late getting to the temple, but my Aunt Martha, mama's sister, was there on time, and she told them we were coming; and they waited for us. We were the only couple going through to be married that day, and they treated us royally. We couldn't have had a more beautiful wedding. We were married by President Stephen L. Chipman.
Uncle Jule, Aunt Emma, and little Emma, who was my age, gave us a reception at their home that evening. Most of the guests were my relatives in Salt Lake City, and they gave us some nice gifts. We had rented a room in a motel uptown for our first night together. Thursday we gathered everybody up and headed for home. It was a snowy day in Utah, but when we got back to Idaho the roads were clear. We left our folks at their homes and went on to Twin Falls to pick up the trailer that Ray had purchased for us to live in. It was being made in Twin Falls and wasn't quite finished when we got there. We waited for them to get it ready, and then we hooked on to it and started back to Rupert. The lights went out on the car, but it was a moonlit night so we continued on home. It wasn't very big, only 8 x 14, but it was very compact; and we had all the furniture in it that we needed. The paint in the inside was still wet so we couldn't sleep in it that night. We stopped at my folks and gathered up some bedding and pulled the trailer on up to Ray's folks, took the mattress off the bed and put it on the floor in the front room, and that's where we spent our second night.
The next day we parked it down in the pasture next to Edith and Ernest Handy's. Ray did the chores for our milk and eggs because Ernest was working away from home at that time. The trailer didn't look like much to most people, but it was ours, and we were comfortable and happy. We didn't own a car. The car we used was Ray's folks. We were only 1/4 mile from town and church so we could walk to our meetings and besides we didn't have any money to spend, and Ray had very little work. Leonard and Alfred gave us a 50 lb. sack of flour and my folks gave us some meat, and Ray's folks gave us groceries, so along with the fruit and vegetables I had canned, we got along quite well. I should describe the trailer. In the front end was a sink with cupboards on both sides and underneath. There was a small cookstove with an oven on one side, and a folding table and two chairs on the other. In the back end was a fold-out couch that made into a bed, and underneath was storage room. Then it had a chest of drawers and a closet. We had room for everything we had. Edith and Ann gave me a shower in the afternoon at the church. We were given many things to help us get started.
When spring came, we moved the trailer up to the orchard at Bailey's so Ray could begin farming. We lived there about two months and then sold the trailer and moved into Edith and Ernest’s home. They moved to where Ernest was working, and we rented the house for $18.00 a month.
It seemed like a long summer because Ray was working on the farm from early morning till late at night. I didn't have any transportation and really didn't need any because I didn't have any place to go. We had only enough furniture to be comfortable, no appliances such as washing machine or sewing machine, no need for a vacuum since there was no carpeting. I did my washing either at my mother's or Ray's mother's and on the same day as they washed. I went to my mother's to do my sewing, which didn't amount to much. I was expecting our first baby and had to wait until we could harvest some crops to have the money to buy material for diapers, etc. We had some friends, Wilford and Idella Wilcox, Verdean and Dora Stoddard who had been married longer, and each had a child of their own. They each had a car and would come and visit us, or pick us up and go visit the other couple.
After the crops were harvested, we moved down to George Stalnaker's home. They were spending the winter in California and needed someone to take care of their home and milk their herd of cows and feed the pigs. It didn't pay us much money, but it was a winter job, and jobs were hard to find. Ray's brother, Charles, was also gone for the winter and he loaned us his car to use.
We were expecting the baby around the first of January. The last day of December was on Sunday. I didn't feel like going to church, but by afternoon the day was becoming kinda long so we called up Verdean and Dora, Wilford and Idella, Eugene and Marie Jenks, John and Mildred King and decided we'd see the New Year in together. We toasted some cheese sandwiches and fixed oyster stew and enjoyed visiting. They all went home about 1:30 o'clock and we went to bed. About 3 o'clock in the morning I began to have labor pains, and we knew it was time for the expected baby. About six o'clock we went over to the hospital. At 3:30 o'clock that afternoon we were the parents of a baby girl. We named her Irma Jeanne. I stayed in the hospital for ten days, and Ray had made arrangements for Wilford and Idella to stay with us so she could take care of me and the baby for a week. When babies were born then, we were kept in bed for ten days and brought home in an ambulance. The babies were two weeks old before we were allowed to be up any length of time. Jeanne was a healthy baby, and was getting along quite well when they finally let me up to do my own work.
We had to begin preparing for another move because Ray was going back to farming and the Stalnaker's were coming home. We decided to build a two room house in the pasture up at Ray's folks. My brother, Leland, helped Ray and they built it. The motel we stayed in when we were married had a wall bed in it, so we decided to put one in our house, that way, we had a living room, and at night it would be a bedroom. On that wall the bed was in the middle and clothes closets on each side. It wasn't a big house but it was comfortable, new and ours.
Summer was uneventful except we knew we were expecting another baby. We knew when the crops were harvested this year we were going to have to find some other way of making a living. To pay rent for a farm wasn't leaving us enough money to live on and we didn't have money to buy one. I was having a few complications in carrying the baby; and when January came, the doctor was watching me very closely. I went in for my checkup the first week in February; and he told me if my blood pressure continued to rise, they would have to take the baby. February 5 they admitted me to the hospital, the doctor said we couldn't take any more chances--it was going to have to be born that day. I was given the usual medicine and shots that were used at that time, and at 6 o'clock in the evening we had another little girl. She was one month premature and weighed 5 lb 3/4 oz. I stayed in the hospital ten days and was taken by ambulance to my folk's home so my mother could take care of me and the baby we named Joan. Jeanne was being taken care of by Grandma Bailey. Joan was very small, and the doctor had me weigh her everyday to see that she gained weight. She had the problem of choking real easy, and he was concerned about it. Babies that are born at nine months have a thymus gland that disappears naturally, but in a premature baby like Joan, it sometimes gives them a problem. When she was three weeks old, he had me watch her breathing constantly, all night as well, and it was decided we'd have to take her to Salt Lake City to an x-ray specialist. My brother Leonard took Ray and I and Joan to Salt Lake. After the x-ray treatment, which only lasted a matter of seconds, she never choked again. When she was a month old, she had gained to nine pounds and was a very healthy baby. I was finally able to go back to our own home. and we were all together under one roof at last.
It was while I was in the hospital and Ray was looking for work that he came up with the idea of buying a gas station to operate. We had two milk cows and two calves. The cows were given to us by our parents when we got married and we decided to sell them to get the money to buy the station. We also sold our car to Dick and Nola Evans for what we still owed on it. Our parents didn't exactly approve of us selling the cows because they were both farmers and felt like we were giving up the only security we had for any kind of a living. Ray began almost immediately in the service station, and he was gone from early morning until late at night. It became a routine of life. I still had to go home to my folks to wash and sew. One morning the car stalled and it was very cold weather. I had Jeanne about 1 ½ years and Joan about 6 months old. I couldn't leave them in the car alone so I carried Joan and Jeanne part of the time to the nearest house so I could call for help. I finally got home and started on my projects. It would take all day to get them done because in doing mine, I also helped my mother do hers. The water had to be pumped by hand and heated on the stove in a big copper bottomed boiler that took up half of the top of the cookstove.
It was a lot of lifting and carrying of water and wet clothes. We had to make our clothes last a week. We couldn't wash two or three times a week so it made a big day when we did. I did a lot of canning and picking of berries, cherries, and vegetables from our parents orchards and gardens.
In November of 1941 we heard of a 40 acre farm with a large house for sale at $3000.00. There wasn't much of anything but sand dunes around the house, but we thought it was a chance to have our own ground and it was a lot closer to Ray's business, so we made arrangements to buy it. We sold our little house to Ray's brother, Norman, and moved our few belongings into the new home on December 6 1941. It had two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, very large front room, a back porch and one small room off of it. We were the first of any of our family to have a home with a bathroom. We bought with the house a bedroom set, a dining room table and chairs, a davenport, and one end of the living room had a wool rug on it. The rest was linoleum. There weren't any closets in the bedrooms--they were located in the hall between the bedrooms and opposite the bathroom. It was more closet space than we had ever had in all our lives. The kitchen was very small with a sink in one end, a cookstove in the middle, and cabinets on the other end. It was about six by eight feet. The living room had lots of tall windows and only a coal heater in the end. The winter was cold, and we had to stay in the end by the stove to keep warm. We were grateful to have a job, a home, and that we were all healthy. Ray's father made the comment, " that we would never be able to pay for all of that in our lifetime".
When summer came, it was hard to find anyone to work in the service station while Ray made deliveries to the farmers, so we hired a babysitter and I worked at the station. My first experience of waiting on cars was really humorous. Ray showed me on our pickup where the dipstick to check the oil was and gave me a few general instructions, and then he left to make some deliveries. This was something entirely new in my life. Soon after he left, a couple of girls came in and they wanted their oil checked. I found the dipstick alright, and they had their own can of oil, but I couldn't remember where the oil cap was to put the oil in and they didn't know as much as I did. Anyway, I poured the can of oil down into the little hole the dipstick came out of. If you don't think that requires a steady hand, you better try it sometime. Ray had a good laugh over it and of course, I never forgot where the oil cap was after that. I learned how to put a car on the hoist to grease it, and change the oil, and even how to fix flat tires. We had a pump installed in the back of the station for diesel, and that's how the truck business began. I waited on some of those and climbed the ladder to fill the tanks and wash the windows of the trucks. It was quite an experience, but when fall came we were able to find some help and I was glad to go back to being a housewife again. I was also expecting our third baby that time. Sometime during that summer we managed to make a down payment on an electric Singer sewing machine. I don't remember when we bought our washing machine, but it was a Speed Queen and it had double rinse tubs, also we had a used refrigerator in the back porch. It seems we had conveniences that we had hoped for when we got married. I was washing in the back porch and Jeanne and Joan were in the house, when I came in to check on them, there they stood in the kitchen. Jeanne had given Joan a hair cut. She had cut all through the middle and left a little long hair on each side. I didn't dare laugh, but I couldn't scold them either because Joan looked so funny. She didn't have much hair to begin with.
Our third baby decided to arrive about three weeks early because I had some of the same problems I had with Joan. When that day arrived, April 9, 1943, I asked our neighbor, Lola Jensen, if she would send Reed on his bicycle down to the corner to call Ray on the phone and have him come home. Ray almost got home before Reed got back on his bicycle. Anyway. we went to the Rupert Hospital and the baby was born before Doctor Moelmer could get there, and I didn't get into the delivery room. The baby was a 6 lb boy, and we named him Dee Ray. I was only in the hospital 36 hours and it cost us $38.00. Again I came home in the ambulance to stay in bed for ten days. My mother was staying with us to take care of the girls and us. Dee Ray was small but healthy, and we recovered quite rapidly and went about our business of taking care of ourselves pretty fast. Spring came early that year, and we decided it was time to try our hand at gardening and yard work. Even though we had forty acres, we weren't really equipped to do much farming. Our biggest problem was how to get water down to the house because the soil was so sandy and we didn't have much of a ditch to carry it from the main lateral, which was down on the end of the property. In fact, that ditch was the plague of our lives for many years. Because the soil was sandy and it was a long way to the yard, it would break easily and we would grab a shovel and some gunny sacks or fertilizer sacks to fill with sand and pile on top of each other to mend the ditch. You couldn't shovel dirt alone fast enough to stop the water from washing the hole bigger. Needless to say, we didn't raise a very good garden for a year or longer. I've got ahead of my story because it took until longer than that before we got water we could use like we needed it.
There was an old barn and some sheds on the property when we moved there and we decided we needed to build a granary over a basement to put our pump in for our house. The pump was under the house but the back was just open enough that the pump would freeze in the winter. In this basement we could store potatoes etc. for our supplies. I was out helping Ray put down a sand point for the pump and that left the three kids in the house.
Dee Ray was only about three weeks old and was asleep in the cradle, which was a swinging one on a stand in our bedroom, he began to fuss so Jeanne decided to see what his problem was and when I came back in the house, she had him out on our bed to change his diaper. I don't know how she got him out of that cradle without dropping him because it was as tall as she was, but he wasn't hurt and she was only concerned that he was fussing about something. Dee Ray had a lot of earaches when he was three months old and it took some time for us to clear that up. I also was expecting another baby and we had to put him on the bottle. The doctor had us put him on cow's milk, but it didn't agree with him too well. Even though we did everything the doctor said he couldn't digest it and so he didn't gain weight like he should have. I had never had a baby on a formula so I didn't know one, and the doctor didn't think it was necessary for Dee. Just before our forth baby was born, we moved Al's wife Bea and baby in to stay with us and take care of the family while I was in the hospital. Al was in the Air Force overseas so Bea couldn't go with him. While she was with us, we took the formula she gave Patty and put Dee on it. Then he began to perk up and gain weight. This was the summer that I began wearing glasses and I've never been without them.
We had lots of room around our house but it wasn't very neat. In fact, it was mostly weeds, sand and cut down trees. Every summer we tried to clean it up a little more. We built a chicken coop on to the granary and when it was finished the back yard looked a little better. There was a pile of wood beside the house and it needed to be moved. The only equipment we had was a two-wheeled trailer so me and the kids proceeded to put wood in it and pull it out by hand to the granary to pile it up. After much tugging and pulling and many trips we got it cleaned up, so we made a little more improvement in the looks of our yard. Dee was three months old when we went to an evening session at the Logan Temple where Mary Bailey and Glayde Wilcox were married. That was the first time since we were married that we had been able to attend the Temple.
Again I went to the Rupert Hospital to have our fourth baby on April 23, 1944. She was born before they got me to the delivery room, because the Doctor decided he needed to go home, but he didn't get gone soon enough and she was born in the bed. We named her Marilyn. She was a healthy, easily tended baby. I came home from the hospital in an ambulance, but I didn't stay in bed the full ten days. It seemed like all my time was spent washing, ironing, cooking, and sewing, but there were many other things to do, too. Ray worked long hours, but we did manage to hire a babysitter and take in a movie once in a while.
There was the usual housework, canning and trying to grow a small garden and a few flowers. We attended church quite regularly, although Ray worked a lot of Sundays.
This small kitchen we had was a problem, and we talked about how to solve it. Ray didn't have any time to do anything about it and we really didn't have the money to hire a carpenter to remodel it. I was expecting another baby, and the fact that when we opened the oven door it was so close to the opposite wall, I was always afraid one of the little ones would get burned. Besides, it was very inconvenient. The porch that joined on to the kitchen was almost twice as big, and the little room to the east could be used easier, also. One night when we were talking about it, I asked Ray if I would be alright if I tried to take the wall out. He said he guessed I could. Next morning he went off to work as usual, and so I started to examine the wall. The door between the rooms wasn't hard to get off, and so pretty soon I had a good start. The kids were all under five years old, but they helped, too. That part of the house had been added on, and the inside wall was tongue and groove wood, so when you took off the top board, it wasn't to hard to pry the next ones. The other side of the wall was lathe and plaster. My biggest problem was that the electric wiring was also in this wall. I only had a hammer, prybar, and hand saw for equipment. Ray didn't usually come home for lunch so we had a long day to work
on it. When he came home that night about 10'oclock, he came in the back door on the west side and could see clear through into the front room. He said "What in the world have you been doing?". I said, "You told me I could see what I could do, and I did it." The next day I had to finish what I started. It didn't look all that great because it left it like an unfinished seam, but it sure felt good to have a little more room and the table and chairs in the kitchen instead of the living room. We hired J. B. Fairchild, to come down and do a little work to make it look better, and it was quite an improvement. As I mentioned, I always canned lots of fruit and vegetables, and knowing the new baby was expected in September, I finished all my canning the first week and waited until the 28th of September for his arrival. When I went to the hospital this time, Dr. O.A. Moelmer said, "I think I'll have you walk to the delivery room--it seems you know how to get them here in a hurry." So that’s what I did. That was the only time I saw the delivery room in the Rupert Hospital. Grandma Bailey came down and helped with the washing and housework for a couple of days when I came home from the hospital.
As our family was growing and we only had small bedrooms, we thought the best way and least cost would be to put the house over a full basement. It sat back where our back lawn is now, so it was a quite a way from the road. We hired Horace Reeves, our neighbor, to bring his team of horses down and dig the hole for the basement. Ray helped whenever he could. It was pretty hard to do because the ground was so sandy it caved back in about as fast as they dug it out. Eventually, after a lot of hard work, they got it dug and started to put in the forms. When they poured the walls, it wasn't already mixed cement. It had to be mixed in a mixer and poured from a wheelbarrow as fast as they could work. We had quite a crew of men to do it. That was as far as we could go that summer, and so it cured, and hoped it would be alright until we had enough money to go further.
Jeanne and Joan came down with the measles about the middle of the summer. Joan was extremely ill. Dr. Terhune came out to the house and gave Dee Ray, Marilyn, and Lamar a shot so they didn't have them so bad. It was six weeks before we could go anywhere. The weather was so hot and dry, and it was very hard to keep those who were sick comfortable.
We read about a new way to keep meat and vegetables, etc. Because we had a full basement, we made plans to buy this chest-type freezer. I froze corn on the cob and put down fruit in small boxes, especially sliced peaches, and then we had some meat, too.
We didn't have carpeting, only linoleum, to cover the floors. Of course, this required washing and waxing. One way to make them look better was to varnish them. I moved the beds out of the kid's bedroom and varnished the floor with the idea that by night it would be dry, and we could put them back in place. It didn't dry very good, and the kids were put to bed in the front room, They were tumbling and playing around when Marilyn, who was a little chunky, began to cough and have the croup. Ray and I worked for over an hour doing everything we had ever heard of to get her to breathe and to break that cough. She was wringing wet with sweat and limp as a rag when we got it broke and she could breathe normally. We were almost as worn out as she was.
Jeanne and Joan had their tonsils out in 1946. Jeanne came along fine, but Joan had to be taken to the hospital and her throat packed because her throat started to bleed. After that she healed up alright, too.
Jeanne started first grade in September of this year, 1946. It was a new experience to have our first one go to school, but she did very well. In February of 1947, we made arrangements to have the house moved over onto the basement. When the movers came, they said all we needed to take was the clothes we would need for the day because we'd be back in the house by night. Ray took me and the four kids out to my folks, and we had Jeanne come out there on the school bus. When evening came, we checked on the house, but it was only partly lifted up and we could hardly get in the back door to get some clothes because the house was sitting one side higher than the other. Grandpa and Grandma Thaxton didn't have much room--two small bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen and front room. For seven people to move in with them made it really crowded. We made out the couch in the front room and that was where the four kids slept, crosswise on the bed. Lamar, being a little over a year, slept with us. It was five months before we were able to move back home. Needless to say, it was an expensive remodeling job, and we went back into a house that was nothing like we moved out of. While we lived at the Thaxton's, the kids all had the chicken pox and the mumps right after.
Joan seemed to have all the diseases harder than the rest. Marilyn had attacks of croup that were really bad, and I didn't feel as well as I should. I went to the Doctor for a checkup and was treated for anemia, which is a condition of not enough red blood cells in the blood. That was the beginning of many years of this blood condition, in fact, off and on the rest of my life.
We used a lot of our own supplies from home and also bought most of the groceries while we lived with my folks. Each time we would bring corn on the cob or sliced peaches from the freezer, my dad would say we were spoiling him because he really enjoyed the food.
I mentioned the house was different. The hall was torn out and rebuilt, and closets put in the bedrooms, also drawers in the bathroom, and a bedding closet in the small bedroom. The kitchen was completely changed. I had new cabinets, new windows, and the walls were all plaster. It wasn't all completed when we came home, but it was done enough that we could move into the basement. What furniture we had already had been moved into the basement so they could work upstairs and so we could cook and wash and sleep there even though it wasn't finished. Ray didn't sleep very well because he couldn't stand the basement, and it was costing so much more than we expected, that financially we didn't know how we could pay for it. We decided we would have to get a loan, so we borrowed $4,700.00 from Utah Mortgage and Loan Co. That doesn't sound like much for all the changes that were made, but in those days it was a lot of money. The floors were pretty dirty where they had spilled plaster, but I managed to scrub and scrape enough of it off that we could move upstairs. I painted the entire upstairs and each room because it was new plaster and had to have sealer, undercoating, and a finish coat. We couldn't afford any new floor covering so we made do with the old.
I know it sounds like all we did was work, and that was about right. It was hard times--we only had ourselves to do the work and build a business, and it was still long hours. Even though we spent long hours to make a living, we were happy. We also had some positions in the church. I had been a Primary secretary and then a counselor, and we always attended Sunday School and Sacrament Meeting. We made arrangements for a babysitter and attended the Special Interest Group in Mutual. I participated in a women's chorus and also in the choir at different periods of time.
Now that we had the house remodeled and pretty well finished, it was time once again to try to do something about the yard. We only had patches of grass, and the yard on the west was mostly alfalfa. We hired a man to bring his team and fresno over and level the ground around the house and to the road on the west and north. It made a big yard, but we couldn't leave it like it was. We put down a well south of the house and planted the yard in grass.
It was hard work to keep it anywhere near watered. The ground was so sandy, and the wind would blow, and the pump would run out of water. So, it wasn't easy to get it to grow. Little by little, it started to come up and begin to turn green. If anybody had struggled like I did to keep that grass from burning up, they would know why I have always said they couldn't plow it up unless I was dead and gone. When it was time to start mowing that grass which, of course was the following summer, we bought a garden tractor with a mower attachment. We also had the equipment to plow, harrow, and cultivate a garden. It wasn't so hard to get the garden planted, but we still had to get the water from the lateral up in the field. We did manage to grow a pretty good garden, but the berry plants didn't survive too well because they take a lot of water. We also raised chickens and pigs. After attempting to have a milk cow and finding it a real problem to get her milked, we sold her and bought milk from Howard and Lola Jensen.
One reason we decided on the chicken project was because we had been instructed to have a two years supply of food, etc., on hand. We hoped the added income would help us achieve this goal. It provided us with eggs, fried chickens, and a job. Money, over and above the feed, was very little. Farming wasn't too successful either because we didn't have enough equipment so we rented it out to different neighbors.
Number 6 was added to our family on June 2 1948. We named him Nolan. He arrived at Cottage Hospital in the delivery room, but before Dr. Terhune got there. The nurse who was helping me really got a scotch blessing from the Doctor. Nolan was healthy and we went home in the car in five days. We had a hired girl but I didn't have to spend as much time in bed as with the other children.
In August of 1948 we left Nolan with Ray's sister Mary, and hired Arlene Handy to stay with the rest of the kids and we took my mother and father down to Southern Utah. My father's first wife and baby boy were buried in Tropic, Utah, and he was concerned about getting a headstone for their graves. We helped him get it placed and they showed us around. We took them to look up an old friend, and he told them about people that they knew when they lived there many years ago. We went through Bryce Canyon, and my dad was really happy to see the places he had known as a young man and we were glad to take them. We also took them to see relatives on his side that he hadn't seen in many years, so he got to do some visiting of people that he never expected to see again.
The winter of 1948 was one we will probably never forget. In the fall we bought a Bendix automatic washer and an ironer. I didn't have to stand over the washer and I could sit down to iron. It was really a great time-saver and improvement. When the weather turned cold, we put clotheslines in the basement to hang the clothes up. We had snow and cold weather before Christmas; but after the first of the year, we really had snow. We were snowed in. The roads were blocked, and the drifts were five feet deep.
We couldn't get our car out of the driveway, and the only way Ray could get to work was to walk. The snow plows would clear the roads and we would get fuel oil for the stove, and we got the car out once. We left it up on the highway and walked to it and back. Of course, the children and I didn't leave the house. If the roads were plowed out in the daytime, by night they could be blocked again. It was the most snow we had since I was going to High School. The farmers couldn't get their milk hauled unless they rigged up a sleigh and took it up to the main road. There was no danger of it becoming sour. It was too cold for that. Joan's birthday was February 5, and she wanted a birthday party. So we planned one, hoping the weather would be good; but only one little boy came. He had to walk on top of the drifts from the highway. They had fun, but it was a little disappointing. We were grateful we had a warm house, plenty of food, and no sickness. It seemed like a long winter but it did turn into spring.
I don't remember which year it was we raised sugar beets, but we did, and we had them thinned by a crew from the prisoner of war camp. When we harvested beets, they were done by hand. Each beet was picked up with a long bladed knife that had a hook on the end. You held it in one hand and chopped the leaves off with the knife, and then threw them into a pile. The truck came along and you stopped and threw the beets from the pile into the truck. Before trucks and when I was at home, we used a team and wagon. When they invented the tractor, it was quite an improvement over horse and wagon.
The spring of 1949 we thought maybe we could do as well on the farm if we bought a used tractor and farmed it ourselves. Ray was operating the station 24 hours a day. He had a driver on the truck and had some help in the station. He worked nights and on the farm in the morning. While he slept in the afternoon before going to work, I would run the tractor. I learned to plow, harrow, plant, and corrugate grain. That was our main crop but we had some corn, too. I spent the summer, along with the chores, irrigating the grain. This was the year the ditch broke the most and we mended it with sandbags. We did have some good crops.
One day when I was out harrowing I saw a man coming across the field. Across the road from us was vacant property and it was full of sand hills from the wind. This man, a Mr. Parea, had his car stuck in the sand and he came for some help. When he got close and I got off the tractor, he said "You’re a girl." and I said "Yes I am." He explained what he needed but he was embarrassed to ask me to help him. I told him I'd try, so I unhooked the harrow and went over where his car was stuck. I already had a chain on the tractor, so I hooked onto the car and pulled it out. He was ever so grateful and offered to pay me but I didn't take any money. He was there to get sand to mix with the heavy dirt in his flower beds over to Burley.
When I was home and we had deep snow I had seen my dad with his team of horses pull many a car that was stuck and lots of times it was in the middle of the night. He never took any money for it either.
Soon after the trip we took to Utah, my father's health seemed to fail. The Doctor said he had an enlarged heart, and that he would have to quit working. It was very hard for him to have someone else do the chores and take over his farm. My brother, Leonard, and his wife and family lived right next to them in a little house. Leonard had always helped dad, so he took over the work. In June, my brothers and Maneta and their families all came home for a family reunion. It was the first time we had all been together since we had grown up. We took pictures and had dinner and visited. My dad wasn't very well then. On August 16, 1949, he passed away from a stroke, He would have been 78 years old in November. We buried him in Riverside Cemetery in Heyburn.
February of 1950 we took Ray's mother and father and went to California. Bill Bischoff and his wife stayed with the kids. Bill also worked at the station. We got down to Maneta's home, and she was gone so we spent the time with Ray's Uncle Sam and Aunt Hannah and my niece, Violet, and her family. We went from Los Angeles to Sacramento and visited with my brother, Jim, and his family. We really enjoyed the trip.
We have never found ourselves without plenty to do either in business, farming or church positions.
Spring of 1950 we planted the thirty acres to potatoes. The ground had been leveled and the ditch changed. Gerald Handy did the irrigating and we raised some beautiful potatoes.
For the past few years we had an oil stove for heat, but we decided to have an oil furnace installed, and we hoped to get enough from the potatoes to pay for it. They started harvesting the potatoes--some were picked by hand, and some were dug and run over a harvester. It was the forerunner of the spud harvesters of today. We were expecting our seventh, so I stayed pretty close to the house. They finished installing the furnace on Saturday, October 28. The house seemed like a mess, but I thought on Monday I could get it straightened up. Monday morning Ellen Bailey helped me move the furniture into the middle of the floor; and then she went out to work on the harvester, leaving her little boy, Earl, to play with Nolan. I started the washer and did some cleaning, but before I could get clothes on the line, it was raining slightly. It rained off and on all day, and they hauled potatoes until about midnight. When Ray came home, we went to bed; but before we got to sleep, I told Ray we'd better get our clothes on and go to the hospital. He asked me if he had time to shave and I said "No, we'd better hurry". We made it to the hospital and our seventh was born at 1:40 o'clock on October 31, 1950. We named him Neldon. Dr.Terhune was out of town so Dr. Davis took his place. I was in the hospital for five days.
I came home on Saturday and as the kids were getting their baths before going to bed, it was noticed that Nolan had a slight fever. I began to check him over and found that he was coming down with chicken pox. He didn't have them very bad, but Neldon had them at two weeks of age. He really only had a couple on him so he wasn't sick either. Neldon was healthy and so was I, even though I had walked down to the end of the field to get Nolan and Earl, the day before Neldon was born and I felt like a circus tent moving around. It didn't take long for us to be a normal household again. It was so nice to have heat all through the house, and we really spent a comfortable winter.
We had our ups and downs in business and in the spring of 1951, it looked like we couldn't continue. We were unable to pay the gas company for our supplies at the station, and we couldn't collect all that was owed to us, so we were broke and had to start over. Grandpa and Grandma Bailey thought we had it so good that we'd starve to death without the business, but I told them I had lived through a depression, and I knew how to get along with very little money.
The kids had outgrown the one bedroom upstairs and so we moved Jeanne, Joan, and Marilyn into one room and Dee Ray and Lamar into another. We didn't have enough beds but we had a frame, and Howard and Lola Jensen gave us an old mattress to use and we put it on some boards. We had bunk beds upstairs so we took one bunk downstairs for Marilyn.
Jeanne, Dee Ray and I made her a mattress by filling a bag I made with clean straw. I had some feather ticks my mother had made and these made the beds a little better. They weren't the best beds but they would do until we could afford better ones.
Ray found a job as a car salesman for Sampson Motor Co. in Burley. He made $300.00 a month and had to buy his own Hudson for a demonstrator. The car payment was $98.00, so we had about $200.00 left to live on. He sold cars for about a year, and then he had a job at Feeders Grain and then a job at Moron Fertilizer. In August of 1952 he took the night shift at a new Phillips service station in Burley. This kind of work was his first love. While he worked at the grain company was the only time we had regular working hours. I knew when he had to be to work, and when he got off, and how much money we had. To help out our finances, I got a job cutting potatoes for about a month in the spring. I did this for three different years.
In June of 1953 Ray leased a station in Rupert from Phillips Petroleum Co. C. E. Smith was the jobber who he bought product from. He was back in the service station business for himself.
We settled back into the routine of long hours and doing everything for ourselves to make a go of it. We had learned one valuable lesson from before and that was not to put money on the books but to have good cash customers. Just having a service station and not trucking accounts, made it easier to do. It took a while to get it going, but with perseverance and ambition, it started to pay off.
My brother James, lived in Sacramento, California. He and his wife Clara, were divorced; and their son Jimmy lived with her. My brother became ill at Christmas time but because he had ulcers, he figured they were acting up. When he finally went to the doctor, he had a ruptured appendix. They operated on him but couldn't save him because peritonitis had already filled him with infection and he passed away January 3, 1954. Leonard, Marion, Alfred, my mother and I went down but he had already passed away when we got there. They had some services in California but his body was brought back and we had funeral services over to Payne Mortuary in Burley and he was buried in Pleasant View Cemetery in Burley, Idaho.
In 1955 we took our first real vacation by ourselves. We went to Yellowstone Park. We were gone three days and vowed then we would take one every year. That part we didn't stick with. We had a used Hudson we bought. We had bought our first living room set and bedroom sets before we left, but we left the kids on their own and really enjoyed ourselves. Neldon had a broken elbow from falling from a wheelbarrow.
We continued to have chickens, and we always got little chicks early in the spring, and then we had fryers ready to eat by the last of June. Sometimes Ray wasn't available to chop their heads off, so I had to, until Dee and Lamar got big enough to do it. When we killed and put chickens in the freezer, Jeanne and I did most of the skinning. Dee and Lamar caught and cut their heads off, and Joan did a lot of the washing of them in the house. I always had to clean them outside because I couldn't stand the smell. The only ones I picked was the half dozen I sold to my mother. She didn't like hers skinned. Dee Ray had to try his hand at picking, also. It was always a relief to have the roosters taken care of, and then we only had the hens to lay the eggs. Of course, we had to clean the coop once in awhile, which was a chore; but there weren't many ways to make a living that didn't have a few disadvantages.
We had rented the farm ground out to different people the last few years; and it was becoming apparent that there wasn't much money being made by having chickens, cows, pigs, or farming, so we bent our labors in different channels.
One Sunday afternoon, Joan and her girlfriend, Beth Hunsaker, were making taffy candy, Joan started to move the candy off the stove and the handle of the frying pan twisted and poured the hot taffy down the front of her skirt and legs onto her feet. I attempted to get the taffy loose with water, but it took skin off, too. I called Dr. Terhune, and he said to bring her to the hospital. They cleaned it off the best they could and swathed her legs in bandages. She was in the hospital for a couple of days and then in bed for about three months. One place on her foot had to have skin grafting done so she was in the hospital again. It was a very serious burn and very painful. It was a very expensive batch of taffy, besides all the misery Joan went through. It cost $200.00 for her Doctor bill.
We had a few minor accidents as the kids were growing up. Dee Ray was making a swing and the rope broke. Jeanne and I carried him into the house and then took him to the hospital and they found his back was badly bruised. Dee was teasing Joan, she went to chase him and tripped over a foot stool. The result was three ribs pulled loose, which was also very painful. The only broken bone anybody had was Neldon when he was three years old. For a family of seven active kids, we really had very few problems with their health. Of course, Nolan cut his feet a few times because he didn't want to wear his shoes, so I kept a bottle of peroxide, ointments and bandages handy.
In the spring of 1956, my mother fell and crushed a vertebrae in her spine. She was put in a body cast and so was unable to do for herself. We fixed the small bedroom upstairs for her and I took care of her for about three months and then she was able to go back home.
I was having a few problems with my health, Dr. Terhune said I was going to have to have major surgery. All of the children were in school except Neldon. I did some extra sewing and baking, and on Monday October, 30, 1956, I had the surgery. So I spent Neldon's sixth birthday in the hospital and Ray had to get the birthday and Halloween treats for the kids. Neldon went with his dad to the station in the daytime until I came home on Saturday from the hospital. It took me about three weeks before I was able to do much work, but Jeanne and Joan did very well at taking care of the house.
Money had never been plentiful and the older the kids got, the more it took. In February of 1957 I applied for a job making draperies for J. C. Penney Co. I could do this work and still be at home. It was slow starting at first but every little bit helped. A little later in the spring, there was an ad for a maid at the Y-Dell Motel, so I applied for that. It wasn't hard work and usually I left about the time the kids went to school and was home when they got home. Of course, in the summer they had to take care of themselves. I had to work some Sundays and holidays, which I didn't like. I worked at the motel for one year and made some drapes, too. One day my mother, who lived alone, fell and was unable to get back up on her feet, so she lay on the floor for several hours before Leonard found her. She was taken to the hospital and examined, but there didn't seem to be any injuries. Anyway, she was unable to walk, and we tried to hire a lady to live in with her and take care of her. It was quite a problem so I quit my job at the motel; and once again, we made the little room into a room for Grandma. I moved all of her belongings we could into our house and I took care of her. She was in a wheelchair, and it was a little difficult to wheel her around, but we managed. I didn't do this without a few misgivings because she wasn't easy to get along with. It was a matter of not having any choice and I was the one to do it.
Jeanne graduated from High School in May of 1958. She wanted to go to business college. We made arrangements for her and Darlene Bailey to go to Twin Falls Business College. They rented an apartment and went to college during the week. Friday nights we'd bring them home and take them back on Monday morning. From June 1958, until March 1959, I washed , ironed, sewed and what have you for eleven people and made draperies on the side. As the State was buying a good part of Mother's farm and what was left belonged to Leonard, when he payed the rest of the family for it, it was decided she should have enough money to build a room on our house for her. We hired some builders and they made a room with a bath and bedroom combination. In December 1958 we moved her into the new room. It was carpeted, draped and seemed to be comfortable, but I couldn't seem to make my mother happy with it.
Jeanne became engaged to Lynn Heiner and they set a wedding date for March, so now there was a wedding to prepare for--dresses to make, etc. She graduated from college in March 1959 and on March 4, 1959, they were married in the Idaho Falls Temple. It was a beautiful wedding and reception and we were happy for them. They moved to Provo, Utah for Lynn to go to college but soon came back to Heyburn so Lynn could work in his father's business, and Jeanne got a job as a legal secretary.
May of 1959 Joan graduated from High School. She won a scholarship to Darrell's College of Beauty in Salt Lake City, Utah. We made arrangements for her to live in Salt Lake and go to school.
It seemed like our farm was too small for anybody to rent and we had already sold the lower acreage to Horace Reeves, we decided to change it to a subdivision. There was a lot of problem that came with that decision, but we put in a central water system and sold some lots for houses.
Summer came and went and as fall began, it seemed harder for me to keep up with caring for my mother. My sister, Maneta and her husband Guy, came up from California for a visit and she thought maybe Ray and I could take a vacation; but because of business and school and the boys trying to work, too, we couldn't leave. They stayed with us for about three weeks and she said she was almost glad I couldn't leave because she couldn't keep up with it all.
Late in the fall, my brother, Leland, came out and put in a bell from Grandma's bed into our house. Previous to this, she just rang the telephone; but it seemed to be better if she could just ring the bell when I was needed. After the holidays were over, her health wasn't as good, and for ten days I didn't get more than a half-hours sleep at a time. Dr. Terhune advised me to put her in the nursing home, because I wasn't physically able to do it any longer, and so I told my brothers what I needed to do. She had lived with our family for almost two years.
Jeanne and Lynn were living in Heyburn and their first baby, Shelly, was born January 30, 1960.
I practiced once a week with a group of Singing Mothers, a Relief Society Chorus, and in October for general conference we sang in the Tabernacle. It was a great experience and I truly enjoyed it.
Joan graduated from college in March and moved back home to get a job in Burley as a beauty operator. Joan and Norman Ashby were married in the Idaho Falls Temple on December 8, 1960. It was a beautiful wedding and reception. Joan made her own wedding dress and most of the other dresses, too. They lived in Burley, where Norman was a lineman for the City of Burley; and Joan worked in a beauty shop.
Todd, was born to Jeanne and Lynn on April 9, 1961. Jeanne stayed with us for a few days and I helped take care of them.
When we first went into the gas business, there was talk of an interstate highway being built; and it would go through my dad's farm. Ray had talked to him about buying a location from him. He passed away before it ever became a reality, but Leonard owned the land, and it wasn't big enough for a farm anymore so he sold it to us. This was a dream of Ray's for many years to have a station on that highway. In 1961 he began promoting the idea and he sold Phillips Petroleum Co. on it. He became a jobber and they loaned us the money to build the "Hub 66 Service."
My mother had been living in the nursing home and getting along quite well; but in September of 1961 she had a stroke that left her an invalid, not knowing anyone and unable to do anything for herself. She lived in this condition until May 12, 1962. We buried her beside my father in the Riverside Cemetery.
Joan and Norman became the parents of a boy they named Troy, on April 30, 1962. They stayed with us for a few days so I could help take care of them, and they moved back home the day my mother died. The next day was Mother's day and we had a program in the church meeting. It was good to know that my mother was at rest and out of her suffering.
While they were building the "Hub" and also building houses in the subdivision, Ray went out of the station in Rupert, and did some carpenter work. He was ready to open the station June 27, 1962. The interstate highway wasn't completed past the station, but we planned a road and lighted it so we could draw traffic to the station. Soon after we opened the station, it became apparent that we would need diesel fuel for truckers. Plans were made and we added a pump at the back of the station for trucks. Business continued to grow better and in July 1963 I began helping with the bookkeeping. I didn't go everyday. I was only helping with handling the credit cards and odd jobs. I was still making draperies and helping Neldon and Nolan with a paper route. January 1, 1964, Ray had me make up a sheet on a pad of paper that would keep track of our transactions with Phillips Petroleum Co. This was really the beginning of my work in the office. Ray worked lots of hours and sometimes the help wasn't too dependable.
Between helping Ray, making drapes, paper routes etc., I helped Jeanne when Dirk was born, January 10 1963, and Joan when Bonnie Sue was born May 28, 1963.
We did manage to take a trip to California to see Maneta and Guy in November 1964 and in August of 1965 we went to Oregon, to see Elden and Ann. This was the first time for us to go to Oregon. It was a joyful vacation. We stayed in motels as we traveled for less than a week. We determined we didn't like the fog and gray clouds of Coos Bay, Oregon, other than that it was a good visit. We also visited Aunt Hannah and Ray's cousins Chad and Jack and their wives. We hadn't seen any of them for years. They lived in Eugene, Oregon. When we went to look up Elden at Bend, Oregon, where his welding business was located, we were without coats but he came out from welding a boiler and he was dressed in coveralls and heavier clothes. We enjoyed our visit and then headed home.
Brett, was added to Jeanne and Lynn's family on April 9, 1964. Now, we had Dee Ray, Todd, and Brett all sharing the same birthday.
Lamar graduated from High School in May of 1964. He worked at the station after school during his senior year and until December of 1965. Lamar was called on a church building mission and left for Connecticut on January 4 1965. He returned home in June.
Dee Ray married Sylvia Hall on July 23, 1965. They were married at the Heyburn Church with a reception following. They lived in Rupert and we were happy for them. Thomas Ray was born February 29, 1966.
In the spring of 1966, Ray was having trouble with gallstone attacks. Dr. Terhune said he may have to have an operation. We decided I had better know a little more about the business, so I delved into the bookkeeping a little deeper. Ray was the sole owner and we had nobody else to rely on if he couldn't be there. Help was still very undependable and it was hard going. By this time I had given up the drapery business because I had developed some Arthritis in my back.
Brent, was added to Joan and Norman's family on March 30, 1966. ( his nickname has always been Woody)
Nolan graduated from High School in May 1966, with the intention of going to Rick's College in the fall.
After three bad attacks of gallstones, Ray was operated on June 4, 1966. I had to learn how to do the daybooks and go to the bank, etc, while he was in the hospital. It wasn't easy to keep track of business, be at the hospital and see that the boys all had a way to work, and the things that have to be done in running a home. Marilyn was also working in the hospital laundry and kitchen. We managed pretty well to keep it all together.
Lamar married Brenda Parish on June 23, 1966, in the Salt Lake Temple. Ray had recovered enough from his operation for us to go too. Joan and Norman also went with us. Jeanne and Lynn had a new little boy on June 17, 1966, which was their fifth child. They named him Paul.
We were unable to take Nolan to college when it started, but the first time he came home for a weekend in September, we took Sunday afternoon and took him back. By the time we got home that night, I was breaking out with "hives". I was very sick for three weeks. I had hives very bad. I couldn't wear any thing but pajamas and a robe. My feet were swollen and I could hardly stand my glasses on. Dr. Terhune said it was from total exhaustion. I finally was able to go back to helping again.
By April 1967, the interstate had been completed past the station. Phillips Petroleum Co. wanted us to buy the plant in Hazelton. This meant we would have to have a delivery truck and driver for farm delivery. Ray hired W. E. (Mick) Aldridge. He had known Mick ever since he started the station in Rupert. Mick had also done carpentry for us, but he wanted to drive the truck. We were back in the delivery business like we were in Burley. In the fall of 1967 we also needed a warehouse for oils, tires, etc. Because Mick was a builder and the deliveries weren't many, he built the warehouse and we put an office in one corner for me. On October 27, 1967, Lamar and Brenda were the parents of a baby girl. She was born in the hospital in Burley and they named her Natalie. It was nice to have another little girl in the family and she did very well, as did Brenda.
After ten years of making draperies for J. C. Penney Co., Thaxton Paint and others, I quit and did bookkeeping full time. I was having some problems with my lower back and left arm. I had some x-rays, and it showed I had osteoarthritis-- too much lifting and sitting at a sewing machine.
March 1, 1968, Dee Ray and Sylvia became the parents of another little boy they named Trevor Dee. He was born in the Rupert Hospital and everything went well for them.
March 20, 1968, Jeanne and Lynn added a new little baby boy to their family. They named him Jason and they did very well also.
In April of 1968 our next opportunity to expand was to buy the Enco plant in Acequia from Vernard Comstock. This added a bit more to our delivery business. We also dismantled the plant in Hazelton and moved tanks and all up to the "Hub 66" property. Truck business at the station was increasing and the one pump in back was inadequate. Diesel pumps were added between the station and warehouse. In July of 1968 it was a great day when the office was finished and we bought new desks and all the equipment necessary for it.
Having dependable help has always been a plague to the service station business. I had helped on the front and washed a car or two, but the day I drove the gas truck was something else. Mick had the day off and the Heyburn store ran out of gas. Ray was working alone and I had the choice of working the front or driving the truck. I was scared of the truck, but more scared of taking care of the station. I loaded the truck and headed out the back way. I wasn't to sure how to shift it, but I got it rolling and down to Heyburn.
I unloaded it at the store and made out the ticket, unhooked the hoses, put them in the truck and headed back the same way I came. It didn't take too long, but it seemed like forever before I got back to the office.
Between the growing station business and the added delivery business, we decided to hire a manager for the Hub. Ray looked around and finally hired Gary Ward in September 1967. He held the position for a year, but it didn't prove to be very satisfactory so we ended that agreement in June of 1968.
In July of 1968, C. E. Smith, who was the jobber when Ray first started with Phillips Petroleum Co., wanted to sell his business in Rupert, so Ray borrowed enough money to buy him out. It consisted of a plant and service station and the lease on another station. It added a lot of delivery business for us. This made us the only Phillips jobber in Minidoka County. We had been in our new office for awhile and now more equipment was added. After Gary Ward's service was terminated, we needed someone else. Lamar was working part time at the station and part time at the Post Office. He wanted to try managing the station. We talked about it, but encouraged him to stay with the post office. We felt that if the boys could get jobs in other places of business, maybe they wouldn't have the struggle and work as many hours as we did. He was determined, so we gave in and gave him the job. He worked very hard and business was very good, but help has always been a problem.
As long as I can remember, my brother Leonard, had a bad cough. Early in the summer of 1968 he had a heart attack and the Doctor said he would have to give up his farming. He was in the hospital for several days and then went home. He didn't recover very well and in July he had another attack. It was decided he had emphysema as well as an enlarged heart. He passed away in Cassia Memorial Hospital on August 10, 1968. Leonard was only 61 years old. He was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Heyburn.
On February 27, 1969, my oldest brother Leland, met with an accident as he was leaving from work at Burley Processing Co.. He was walking across the railroad tracks and was struck by the train. It nearly severed his leg. He was rushed to the hospital and operated on, but he only lived a few hours. Leland was 65 years old and getting ready to retire. He was buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Heyburn.
Neldon graduated from high school in May of 1969. He enrolled at L. D. S. Business College in Salt Lake City, Utah in September. Nolan, after attending Ricks College for a year and a half and working at home summers, decided to go to Salt Lake City and look for a job. They both got jobs at different service stations and lived in Salt Lake City until September 1972.
I had been to California to see my sister, Maneta, three or four times and she and her husband, Guy, had been in our home two different times. They were at our home once for three weeks, and the last time for three months.
She developed Rheumatoid Arthritis and also Asthma. Because the air was so full of smog in California, the Doctor prescribed that she come to Idaho for her Asthma. They left our home and she seemed to be much better; but she never regained her health. She passed away on February 19, 1970 in California. My brother, Alfred and I flew by airplane to California for her funeral. That was the first and only airplane ride to this time. Her husband, Guy, passed away on February 4, 1973, from a heart attack; but we were unable to go to his funeral. They were both buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
I developed Rheumatoid Arthritis and the work load at the office was just about more than I could handle alone so we hired Olga McBride to help me. This proved to be a very good arrangement. I could do everything she could do, and she could do everything I did, except pay the bills. It gave me a chance to have a day off once in a while and usually neither one of us worked all day. I enjoyed her help for five years and then she moved away.
Early in the summer of 1969 we took the opportunity to have Mick Aldridge and Sid Braegger build us a two car cinder block garage. That left a space between garage and master bedroom at the south end of our house. We had used the bedroom and bath built for my mother as Ray and my bedroom. It wasn't connected to our main house except with outside doors and a concrete patio. In September 1969 I talked Ray into making a family room in this space. This would connect our room, garage and house altogether and give our growing family a place to be together. We hired Harlow Cheney to do the carpenter work. Mick, didn't want the job. His answer was "we didn't need that much room", actually he knew it wasn't easy to add to an old house. It took until March 1970 to complete the job, but he built a fireplace in the west end and opened up the wall on the north so we could go upstairs besides all the new windows, paneling etc. We had Christmas dinner with all of our family and Grandpa and Grandma Bailey in the family room even though it wasn't all finished. Harlow constructed two banquet tables out of plywood with folding legs for us, also later on we bought three banquet tables and 24 folding chairs plus shelving for the basement. Our family room is 15 ft. wide by 34 feet long and that was room enough for all three tables etc.
Lamar and Brenda's second daughter was born December 29, 1969, at Cassia Memorial Hospital. I helped her a little bit after she came home from the hospital. They named her Nicole.
During this time Jeanne, Lynn and their family of six children moved to Cambridge, Idaho, where Lynn was hired as a music teacher.
Nolan married Dawna Bringhurst on August 25, 1972. They were married in our home. There was just Dawna's parents, Hugh and Blanche Bringhurst from Utah, Grandpa and Grandma Bailey, Ray and I and Marilyn in attendance. Bishop Desmond Welch married them and JoAnn Masoner played some wedding music on the piano. Marilyn and I fixed a plain lunch for all of us and then Nolan and Dawna left on a motorcycle trip. The Bringhursts were staying at a Motel and that evening was spent with them showing them around Burley and vicinity.
I'm ahead of my story so now I need to go back and put in some other events.
Jeanne and Lynn spent the summer with us so Lynn could go to summer school in Pocatello. August 9, 1971, Corinne was born at Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley. Shelley finally had a sister after 5 brothers and she was excited. They stayed with us for 4 or 5 days and then went back to Cambridge to get ready for school.
September 13, 1971, a boy, Trenton, was born to Dee and Sylvia at Minidoka Memorial Hospital in Rupert. This is their third son.
Neldon married Sharon Jensen in the Logan Temple on October 24, 1972.
We gave each of them wedding receptions in our home at different times. Ray and I also attended one in Utah for Nolan and Dawna and one in Downey for Neldon and Sharon.
Ray was sustained as Bishop of the Heyburn Second Ward on September 19, 1972. Now I had one more responsibility to support him in this calling. I had tried to support him in all his duties previous to this, as well as in business, but this was an even bigger assignment.
I was having trouble with my stomach, but I thought it was caused from having so much pain from arthritis and then having to take Iron for my blood condition. It was giving me a bad time and in January of 1973 I was very ill with what I thought was flu, but in February I was sick again with the same thing. I went to Dr. Holsinger (Dr. Terhune had retired from practice) for another check-up in March and he had me take a bunch of tests and x-rays. They weren't to give me the results until Monday and we had planned to go up to Jeanne's in Cambridge on Friday and come back Saturday. The Dr. called me in on Friday and said I had to have major surgery on my stomach and that I would need to be in the hospital on Saturday. He said I couldn't get by with my stomach in that condition because it could not get better, only worse. He said x-rays showed I had ulcers years before and the scar tissue was closing the outlet of my stomach. We went to Cambridge and I entered the hospital late on Saturday night. They operated on me Tuesday March 10, 1973 and removed half of my stomach. I was in the hospital two weeks and then came home. I recovered quite well but had to be very careful what and when I ate. (It is still that way today, all these years after, and will be as long as I live). I was off work for a month, but because Olga was still working, I didn't work everyday for a while. It took nearly two years after my surgery for me to adjust to the food that I must eat and not eat anything and everything. I lost about 30 lbs which didn't make me feel bad.
We did take another trip I haven't told about, and it happened before some of these other things.
We bought a Dodge Monaco four door sedan in August 1967. Seth and Doris, Ray and I, went to Southern Utah on a vacation in it. We went to Zion's National Park, Bryce Canyon, and Tropic, Utah where my folks lived when they were first married. We drove to Grand Canyon, Lake Powell and Paige Arizona, and came back through Ephraim. We also stopped at Manti, Utah to see the Temple but it was closed. We saw a lot of beautiful country and had an enjoyable time. Seth always referred to Ray as his "Dad" would pay the bill, but we pretty much each payed our own way.
In June 1968, Ray and I took a trip to Montana by ourselves, not to see any thing in particular but to relax and enjoy the scenery. We came back by way of Salmon, Idaho and followed through the mountains along the Salmon River and it was such a beautiful drive. It wasn't a long vacation but it was restful and very enjoyable for us.
A baby boy, they named Shawn, was born to Lamar and Brenda on December 3 1972, at Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley, Idaho. He was not so easily tended as some because he had a lot of colic. He gradually adjusted and became a more healthy and happy baby.
In July 1973 we bought a Dodge crew cab pickup and a fifth wheel trailer. We took that up to Cambridge to visit Jeanne, Lynn and family. In August 1974, we took Seth and Doris with us and went to the World's Fair in Spokane, Washington. We stayed the first night with Jeanne and Lynn and attended their Stake Conference in Weiser on Sunday. We left on Monday to continue our vacation. We saw a lot of beautiful country and enjoyed the fair also. I drove the pickup with the trailer through a lot of that country.
We had bought a transport for hauling all our gas and diesel fuel in 1970. Bill Davidson was the first driver. When he decided to quit and because we had three sons in the business, the job of driver was given to Lamar.
We went in the pickup and trailer to Jeanne's in October 1974. While we were there, Jalaine, was born in Weiser, Idaho. She was born October 17, 1974. They used our pickup to take Jeanne to the hospital. Marilyn's vacation time was almost over so we only got to stay until Jeanne came home from the hospital. We always came home to go back to work and keep things going.
Heather Marie, was born to Nolan and Dawna on December 21, 1974, in Burley Idaho. They came home from the hospital in time for Christmas Eve. She was a large healthy baby and grew steadily.
Tyrell, was born to Lamar And Brenda on December 26, 1974 at Cassia Memorial Hospital, in Burley. He was a healthy baby also.
The opportunity to expand still presented itself and in February 1975, we purchased the Malta, Idaho plant from Phillips Petroleum Co. Clair Robinson was hired as the driver and manager of that plant.
May 22, 1975, Nolan and Dawna were sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple. Heather was sealed to them then also. She was less than a year old. The Sister Officiator who brought her to the sealing room could hardly carry her. She was a small woman and Heather was good-sized for her age. Most of our family was there together. It was a very nice day and everything went well.
Tory was born to Dee Ray and Sylvia at Minidoka Memorial Hospital in Rupert on May 24, 1975. He was a large healthy baby. Dee Ray stayed home for a week and took care of his family.
Dee Ray and Sylvia were sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple on their tenth anniversary July 23, 1975. They had four little boys sealed to them, Thom, Trever, Trenton and Tory. Everyone was dressed in white and they looked so nice. Most of our family was there that day and we enjoyed it.
Now all of our married children had been through the temple and I was privileged to be the mother attending each of our daughters and daughter-in -laws as they went through the temple.
In May 1975 Dee Ray joined us in the business, so that made all four sons in the gas business.
In October 1975 after much discussion, we bought the plant and delivery business in Jerome. There was also a station with it. It was a big challenge. I went to Jerome several times to learn the bookkeeping and accounts. They had a real complicated bookkeeping system so as I became acquainted with the accounts, I pared it down to be much simpler. I also sent out the statements, etc. We eventually added the accounts to the Heyburn office and had a manager and driver in Jerome.
In 1976 the plant and delivery business in Gooding was for sale, so we tackled it and increased our business also. There was a service station and also a plant in Hagerman, Idaho that went with it. These outlets, Malta, Hazelton, Jerome, and Gooding were all Phillips Petroleum Co. distributors.
Scot was born to Nolan and Dawna at Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley, Idaho on December 17, 1976. He was a large baby and demanding when he was hungry, other than that he was a good, well-built baby boy.
W. E. "Mick" Aldridge, who had been with us became ill in 1975. He needed an operation and didn't recover from it very well and so in February 1976, he passed away. We had become good friends with Mick and Vona and he was missed. Burnel Seamons had also been a delivery driver for us with Mick, so we weren't without help.
Clayton was born to Jeanne and Lynn in Weiser, Idaho Hospital on January 14, 1977. I went by myself and drove the Imperial to Cambridge, Idaho. I stayed with Jeanne to help for about four days. Clayton was a very fussy baby because he wouldn't take a bottle and Jeanne didn't hardly have enough milk for him to nurse. I did some extra baking etc. while there and then drove home. It was snowy weather up in that country and when it snows it really puts it down, but I had a good dependable car and didn't have any trouble. Clayton was his mama's baby for a long time, nobody else could tend him.
Allyson was born to Neldon and Sharon at Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley, Idaho on April 26, 1977. She weighed 5 lbs. 1 oz. She was rather small but gained steadily and was a good baby. She was their first and only child and was greatly appreciated.
Tate was born to Dee Ray and Sylvia at Minidoka Memorial Hospital Rupert, Idaho on July 15, 1977. He was a large baby and quite contented. We had hoped for a girl for Sylvia but he was a handsome little boy and also their fifth boy,
Andrea was born to Jeanne and Lynn on January 15, 1979 at Weiser, Idaho. She was a beautiful little dark-headed girl. I didn't get to help with her because the weather didn't cooperate.
Joshua was born April 22, 1979 at Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley, Idaho. He was Nolan and Dawna's third child and second son. He was a good baby also and a large well-built one.
Trista was born to Dee Ray and Sylvia at Minidoka Memorial Hospital in Rupert, Idaho on September 13, 1979. She was royally welcomed into that family as she had five brothers and was born on Trenton's eighth birthday.
If anybody counted up the grandchildren they can see the boys out numbered the girls 2-1. We have appreciated and enjoyed everyone of them as much as they would let us. I helped with most of them when they came home from the hospital and I enjoyed that. Sylvia and Dawna both had large babies when they were born and they were healthy as well as the others.
I'm sure there's many short trips and activities I've forgotten in those few years but we kept the business going and every one worked hard.
One other important addition to our business happened in July 1978. We bought a motorcycle business called "Cycle City" in Burley. Nolan and Neldon went to work over there to run it. I didn't do any of the books for that business. They were taken care of by the boys.
We were all spread out with our own responsibilities and each tried to do what was wanted and needed.
For my sixty-first I was given a journal by Ray. I had never kept a journal and so the history up to this point was from memory and that is why it isn't all in sequence.
My birthday was spent like most other days except I didn't stay in the office. Some of our children came in the evening to visit and bring presents which was very much appreciated and enjoyed. It isn't the amount of money spent but the effort and the thought that counts.
For the past nine months I have been teaching the Gospel Doctrine Class in Sunday School. It is a big job and studying the scriptures is something I haven't done as I should. It is a study of the Doctrine and Covenants and Church History. I know now that Joseph Smith was a Prophet. I have always believed that the head of our church was a Prophet of God, but they were living people and you could see and hear them. Now that I have studied Church History more I can realize a little of what the early saints went through.
Usually I get up at five o'clock in the morning, get myself ready for work and study until time to take Marilyn to work, that gives me a few minutes each day to read. It takes a lot more time than that to be prepared for Sunday but it's a start. Some Sundays the lesson goes well and other times there is not much discussion.
I am also a visiting teacher for Relief Society and the messages we take to our sisters in our district are very important.
I am the quilt director for Relief Society and so I am piecing a quilt to be worked on the second Tuesday in October. It takes many hours to get one ready. I enjoy doing it and I hope the sisters in the ward appreciate it. We don't have very many who are interested in learning to quilt, especially getting one ready to put on the frames. We have been told for a long time that we need to know how to make use of material and how to clothe ourselves. The art of sewing is a skill whether it be to wear or to use for bedding. I was taught at a very young age how to make use of used clothing and new material as well. It is a real challenge to make something usable from scraps. I have made several beautiful pieced quilts and I hope to make many more. I know how hard it was for us to clothe our children when they were growing up and I've always been grateful for the ability to make things. As the prices of things become higher I can see that it's not going to be easy to have things as in the past few years. We may find it very important to be able to sew and cook from scratch instead of buying things ready made and ready packaged.
Last night, September 29, 1979, we went to the baptism of Trenton and today Trenton was confirmed and Trista was blessed in Sacrament Meeting by their Grandfather. I suppose in another Sacrament Meeting Corinne is being confirmed by her daddy today.
In just a few days it will be a year since we installed the computer in our office. It has been a year of hard work, disappointments and challenge. It is interesting to run the Computer, to see the information and the advantages over the old posting machine. The disappointments come when it breaks down and we get behind in our work. The machine is only as accurate as we who put the information in is accurate. Mistakes can be made but they can also be corrected. Mechanical things have a tendency to break down and wear out so we have to be prepared for this. It takes extra work after a breakdown but when it runs smooth it is really a pleasure. If we never had any downs we wouldn't appreciate all the good things we have.
Last Friday September 28, 1979, Idella Wilcox and I sang for a funeral service. Neither of us knew the young man who had been killed in an automobile accident and there were only a half dozen people in the audience that were familiar faces but Bishop Glayde Wilcox asked us to sing and we couldn't say "No". When we arrived at the Chapel and shook hands with the Bishop we realized that a great responsibility was on his shoulders to conduct a funeral for an inactive member.
I have seen Ray go through the same turmoil as did Bishop Wilcox. So for Idella and I to be asked was easy to do compared to Bishop's position. I am grateful for the talent to sing and for the opportunities it brings into my life. Idella and I have sung together many times in the last forty-five years and usually without to much time to practice.
The first Tuesday in October is the beginning of the new year of lessons for Relief Society. It is the Spiritual Living lesson and I come home with the determination to study harder and be more prepared for my Sunday School lesson. I feel very inadequate as a teacher and I'm going to have to work harder to overcome that feeling.
We had many crab apples on our flowering tree and felt it a real waste to not use them, so between Marilyn, Ray and I we made several batches of Jelly. It was really good and we are going to enjoy it.
Thursday Ray and I went to the Logan Temple and did two endowments apiece. We leave as soon as Marilyn goes to work and then one of the girls brings her home. After we came out of the Temple we decided to look at mobile homes. We thought if we could buy one and put it in a trailer park it would be a place for us to stay overnight and we could do more Temple Work. We found a three bedroom home and the trailer park that was recommended was in Nibley, just three miles from Logan. We came on home with the idea of thinking it over for a week and then making the decision. It seems very hard to stay awake during the presentation of the film in the Temple and if we had a place to stay overnight we wouldn't need to leave so early, also Marilyn could go with us and stay at the trailer while we were at the Temple.
Tuesday October 9, was homemaking day. Ray helped me put the quilt I had made on the frames and there were a few of us worked on it. There were many comments on the beautiful top. It is easy to quilt and should go quite fast.
Friday October 12, was the ward harvest social. It was well attended. They had a good dinner, hobby display and an outstanding melodrama.
Sunday October 14 our Gospel Doctrine class discussed the Law of Tithing and our other offerings. We have always believed in paying a full tithing and we know we are blessed because we do. We try to be generous in our other donations also. The money given for donations to the church is a worthy cause and it is never missed.
We watched General Conference on T. V. the first of the month and went to the stake house to listen to the welfare session p.m. Saturday at 7 o'clock in the morning. This was a direct wire from Salt Lake City, the first time it had ever been broadcast and then we came home and watched the other sessions. There is much we should be doing and we need to try a little harder to do the things we are counseled to do.
The week of October 15, we spent buying supplies for our mobile home. Tuesday we went to Logan to the Temple and did two sessions. The first session Ray and I were the witness couple. Each time we go it becomes easier to remember those things we are being taught. We went to the mobile home salesman and payed for the home which cost us $17,290.00, delivered to the lot and hooked up ready to live in. We went and checked it over and put in some bedding we had brought with us. It seemed very nice. We prepared to buy kitchen, bedroom and bathroom supplies and to return Friday to move in. The weather had turned really stormy and cold. We loaded everything in the Imperial and set out for Logan Friday about 3:30 0'clock. It rained and snowed on us all the way. We had to hurry to unload the car so we wouldn't get so wet. We started to unpack the boxes, wash the dishes etc. and put them in the proper places and also to fix some supper. We spent a comfortable night and Saturday morning while Marilyn and I finished putting things away and making a list of what else we needed, Ray went to the Temple to do one endowment. When he returned we decided we better head for home because it was still stormy. The nearer we got to Idaho the better the weather became, so it turned out to be a good trip and we had accomplished what we wanted to do. Thursday the 25th we bought two easy-chairs, a portable T. V. and stand and some lamps for our mobile home. Friday, when Marilyn got off work we were all loaded in our van and went to Logan. We unloaded the van and Ray and I changed clothes and went to the Temple for an endowment session. Saturday morning Ray went to the Temple and did two more sessions and a sealing session. Marilyn and I finished putting things away and I studied my lesson for Sunday and worked on some crocheting until Ray came home for lunch.
We again headed home but we went by way of Downey, Idaho to meet Neldon and Nolan and their wives. There we changed vehicles, they went on to Salt Lake City, to catch a plane for a convention in California. We got in the Imperial and came on home to clean the house and be ready for Sunday.
Our Sunday School lesson went well and I felt that we all understood why we have "adversity" in our lives.
Wednesday, 13th of November we went to Logan and did one endowment and three names on Thursday morning. It was a beautiful day and we felt we had accomplished much.
Thursday, Thanksgiving Day we had 28 for dinner and Lamar and Dee's family came later to visit. Jeanne, Lynn and family came from Melba on Wednesday evening and went back late Thursday night. It was a nice day and they all seemed to have a good visit.
I haven't been feeling very good at times. I thought it was because of trying to do too many things. I had appliqued another quilt top for the Relief Society and the two quilts were to be ready by Christmas. It is all in addition to going to the temple and my regular work etc.
It has persisted too long and I finally went to the doctor. I am anemic again and need to take iron but I am also having to have some x-rays Monday and Tuesday at the hospital. The x-rays turned out to be negative so my only problem was lack of iron.
I hadn't given any time to preparing for Christmas so on Saturday morning December 1 Marilyn and I went shopping. Ray had gone to the Temple in Logan for a Priesthood Endowment session. We got the shopping for the grandchildren done and for some of the December birthdays.
When you work in a business and you are responsible for so many things, the tensions and frustrations seem to build up and when our anniversary came around we decided to go to Logan. Marilyn stayed overnight with Joan's family and we left on Friday. We only went down and relaxed. It seemed so good to just be together and not have so many deadlines or listen to any problems. We came home on Saturday ready to go back to the grind of things to be done.
I have never liked to shop for my own Christmas present but Ray and I decided we should buy some clothes. We went and picked a suit, a jacket, two pairs of slacks, two shirts and some ties for him. I picked out two dresses, a pant suit, a five piece outfit consisting of a skirt, slacks, jacket and two blouses, then we each picked a gift we could put under the tree, mine was a gold chain necklace and earrings and an electric slicer.
All of our family was home for Christmas Eve. Jeanne and Lynn's family came on Sunday. Monday we cooked a turkey, pies and we made salads. Monday night all the family gathered and we had Christmas Eve dinner. There were 42 of us. Each family brought food for the dinner and we had all we could eat. It was very good. After we cleaned up the dishes we gathered in the living-room for a program. Ray read the Christmas story from the Bible and then some of the grandchildren sang and played the piano. All of us joined in singing Christmas carols. We went down to the family room so the little kids could break the "Pinata", which we had filled with candy. Woody, Tommy and Paul passed out the presents that had been put under the tree and it was real exiting to see what everyone was given. The tradition of drawing names among the families and also of making most of them makes it a lot of fun. Ray and I received many beautiful things, a wooden breadbox, dishtowels, duffle bags, monogrammed handkerchiefs, Indian Wall hanging, copper picture of a lion, macrame hanger with a round glass in the bottom, towels and wash-clothes, a ceramic replica of the Salt Lake Temple, and a spacecraft toy box with a rag doll which the grandkids will really enjoy. There were many beautiful as well as useful presents exchanged. We had a very enjoyable evening as a family, nothing said or done to mar the fun of a family gathering all under one roof.
Christmas morning we got up the same time as Jeanne's family and watched them open their gifts and we opened the rest of ours.
I forget to mention before that Sharon spent one afternoon wrapping the gifts for the grandchildren. It was a big help to me. Marilyn and I also tied two flannel quilts for Todd and Shelly, who are going to College at Rick's in Rexburg.
The rest of Christmas day we spent visiting with family who came by. The house looked like a cyclone had struck it but Christmas comes but once a year and we could clean up the mess tomorrow.
Jeanne's family left for home on Wednesday and we thought we could go to Melba to visit for Jeanne's birthday on January 1 1980but Ray came down with a bad cold and then he seemed to have the Stomach flu and it was a good thing we were at home.
January 3, 1980, a Thursday, I got very sick to my stomach and my joints were very painful. I could hardly lay down or sit up. Ray made arrangements for Brother Jim Hellewell to teach my class. These last two months have had more ups and downs as far as going to church is concerned than I have had for a whole year. It's about time things straightened out so I can go ahead and do those things I'm supposed to do.
Wednesday January 16, 1980, Ray, Marilyn and I left for Logan. The weather was pretty good. We arranged to have a telephone installed in the mobile home, bought some material for some quilts for Relief Society, did two endowments apiece and then Ray went again on Friday. The telephone was installed on Friday afternoon and the number was 752-3594. We did two more endowments that evening. They were predicting a real bad storm so we checked with Neldon to see how things were and He said the roads were really bad. We decided to finish my shopping for the quilts and for enough material for a tied one for February Home making meeting. We checked the weather and road report and decided we better head for home before another one came.
Joan entered the hospital on January 20, 1980, for a gallstone operation. she came through that very well and I have spent a little time with her.
January 26-27th was Stake Conference. Heyburn 1st, Heyburn 2nd, Paul 3 rd Ward choirs provided the music. We sang the prelude music which was, "Hark, Listen to the Trumpeters", "Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice", and "As the Dew from Heaven Distilling". Opening number was "The King of Love my Shepherd Is", and the closing was " Let there Be Peace On Earth". There were four of us who sang a special part in the last number, Audra Patterson, Glayde Wilcox, Emery Wiser, and myself. It was a good choir and well conducted as well as accompanied. It was a good conference, about home and family and what we should be doing.
The month of February I have spent making three quilt tops for the Relief Society to be finished and sold and the money to go into the Ward Budget. Many hours have I worked on them and they are beautiful. Of course, I have also worked and studied for my Sunday School class. We did manage to go to Melba and visit Jeanne and family.
March 2, 1980, was the beginning of a new program in the church. It was called the block plan. We go to church at 9'oclock have Relief Society, Sunday School and then Sacrament Meeting and are finished at 12 o'clock noon. Our attendance was up a lot I know my class was bigger. We are studying the early saints and their coming to the Salt Lake valley. We held our class in the Chapel and I had to use the microphone at the pulpit so everyone could hear. The saints had many trials and tribulations and I'm glad I was born now instead of earlier. In reading my Grandmother Hansen's history, she endured many hardships as a pioneer and later as a second wife of a polygamist.
March 10th Ray and I went to Logan and the next day we went on to Salt Lake City to the Salt Lake Medical Clinic. We had time before Ray's appointment so we went to the Bennion Care Center to see my Aunt Martha. She is the last of my mothers family. I hadn't seen her for several years but she looked pretty good even though she has some health problems. She was glad to see us and we were glad we went.
We also went to Temple Square and saw the new Visitors Center. It is beautiful and we hope to go back when we have more time.
After Ray's appointment we drove back to Logan and came back home the next day. I had to be back in time to put the quilts on the frames for Relief Society homemaking evening. We didn't get very far on the quilting so Brenda, because she had a pickup there, moved the quilts home so we could have help to finish them. Brenda did one, Linda Cutler took one and I did the other one.
March 20, we went to Logan and the next morning we went to the Temple and did one session where we were the witness couple and then we went to be with one of the girls from the ward who was getting married that day. We had lunch with the family and then came home that same day.
It was our Bishop's Bazaar that Friday evening. Jeanne and family were here to visit but they went to the Heiner's for that evening. The crocheted Afghan I donated went tor $65.00 and the two tied quilts sold for over two hundred dollars each. Saturday we just visited with the kids.
Sunday, our lesson was on Wilford Woodruff and we used it as a question and answer session on paper. I think we all learned that He was a great Prophet.
April 2, 1980, Ray and I left for Logan and Marilyn stayed with Joan. Ray had a Doctor's appointment on April3. He had to enter the hospital that day and have a large bladder stone and prostate gland operation the next day. After he was admitted to L.D.S. hospital I went with Dawna to stay at the Bringhurst's. They took me to the hospital each day and because he had no complications he was released on the following Tuesday. We had watched General Conference as best we could over the weekend.
We went back to Logan to spend a few days until he felt well enough to come on home.
We bought an electric lawn mower and a vacuum while we were there. Sunday afternoon I drove us home from Logan.
The three quilts were finished quilting and I bound those, made an afghan and sent to the Bringhurst's to show my appreciation for their hospitality.
We spent April 22 & 23 in District Court in Rupert trying to settle a property dispute with C. E, Smith. This has been waiting for over a year and a half and it isn't settled yet.
Thursday afternoon April 24, we all three went back to Logan. Friday, Marilyn and I mowed the lawn and cleaned up the flower beds. The soil there is different than ours in Heyburn. It has lots of rock in it and that makes it hard to dig so we didn't get anything planted.
Nolan and Dee Ray used the tractor and dug out the shrubs on the west side of our house. I leveled out the dirt and we have planted most of our garden. The tulips and daffodils have really bloomed and they are beautiful.
The Sunday School lesson on President Heber J Grant went really good this morning. He was President in 1918-1945. He taught many great truths of the Gospel, as all our Prophets do.
May 5, 1980, we went back to Logan. Tuesday morning we went into Salt Lake City for his checkup at the Clinic. Doctor Ned Mangulson gave him a clean bill of health for which we are very grateful.
We went to the nursing home again to see Aunt Martha but she was asleep and I couldn't seem to wake her up enough that she knew I was there. That was the last I saw her before she died.
Wednesday morning we went to the Temple and did two endowments and again we were the witness couple. We had our lunch at the Temple between sessions. Later we did some shopping and bought a few plants. It rained every day we were there but we did manage to get them planted before we came home.
May 14 & 15 we went to Melba and visited Jeanne and family. They were having a band and chorus concert at the school. It was very good and we had a very good visit.
May 16, was Seminary Graduation at the Paul Stake House. Troy was a member of the graduating class along with several from our ward. They had a nice program.
Saturday was the Aaronic Priesthood Outing and that left Marilyn and I at home. I spent the day studying, baking bread, washing and working in the flower garden. I have always wanted some beautiful peonies and this year they really look good as do our roses. The Lilacs are in full bloom and they are beautiful too. We counted on having our own flowers for Decoration Day, but the wind and the rain ruined what few we had in bloom.
We went to Logan to do some work and make arrangements for a storage building, air conditioner and front step also yard work and temple work.
Marilyn and I did a lot of work to clean up around the flower beds.
We dug up the weeds from around the tennis court and one side of the big garage. We dug up the irises and transplanted them, put up some trellises for the climbing roses and cleaned the last flower bed. The last trip to empty the grass and weeds from the wheelbarrow that Marilyn was pushing caused the handle to finish breaking and she fell down and cut a big gash in her upper lip. I rushed her to the emergency room at the hospital and it took sixteen stitches to close the wound. It was a really bad cut but is healing good and it looks like it won't even leave a scar. She only had one more day to work before her two week vacation began. She couldn't go to work on Friday so it started a day early.
We went to Melba Wednesday and Thursday to visit Jeanne's family. On Tuesday I was called and told my Aunt Martha had passed away and she would be buried in Rexburg, Idaho Cemetery on June 20, 1980. She was the last of my mother's immediate family. I felt that I should go to her grave side services and so Ray and I went to Rexburg on Friday. She was buried next to her mother and father, also buried there were Grandpa Hansen's other three wives. I had never been to that cemetery before and I didn't know all the wives were buried by Grandpa. Aunt Martha was my mothers youngest sister. She was real critical and hard to get along with and she hurt many peoples feelings but she had many talents and raised eight children. I have thought many times about her disposition and also my mothers which they were quite a lot alike and I think of the circumstances of how they were raised. Their mother was the second of four wives of Grandpa Hansen. When polygamy was abolished, he chose to live with the third wife. Grandma Hansen was left to raise her children with very little support. My mother was the oldest and it didn't affect her like it did those who were younger. My mother was nineteen years old when Aunt Martha was born and so she wasn't raised in a close mother-father relationship. My mother wasn't either really because in a polygamist family the father was away at least three-fourths of the time, no matter which wife he was with. I don't believe the children, especially girls relate to a husband-wife relationship as well when they are raised under these circumstances. There were only a dozen at that service, partly because she had hurt so many feelings, but we have to forget and forgive and try to understand and look at the good instead of remembering little irritations. I was glad we went.
I am grateful that my relationship with my husband is happy and that we enjoy each others company and that of our children and grandchildren.
I have finally learned how to put the inventory program in the computer and it is finished as of the first of June. Neldon is working to get out a balance sheet, profit and loss statement for the business.
Our court suit with C.E. Smith was finally settled and we received our share of the money. In our case we have always tried to be honest and that's what payed off.
Last night June 21 and today June 22 was our Stake Conference. Our general authority was Elder Derek B Cuthbert of the First Council of Seventy. We are told that our family is the most important thing in our life. We are responsible to teach them and make a celestial family.
This is the second week of Marilyn's vacation. Tuesday morning we got ready to go to Logan. When we arrived the grass was unmowed and burning from lack of water. The yard looked pretty sad. We got the water going and relaxed for the rest of the evening. Wednesday, Ray and I went to the temple and did two sessions and were the witness couple for one. Six of the young men from our ward were coming down to do baptisms so Ray met them at the temple and did one more endowment.
Thursday morning we got up and went for a drive to Bear Lake and on up to Seth and Doris Bailey's in Bancroft. On the way we stopped at Paris, Idaho and visited the beautiful historic tabernacle. It was built in the 1870's and has been used continuously since then. It still has the original furnishings and will seat approximately 3000 people. It is still used for their Stake Conferences. It was beautiful and very interesting. We also stopped and visited Darlene Bailey Clegg in Soda Springs. Doris isn't very well, so we only visited at the Post Office where he works. We saw some beautiful scenery and had an enjoyable day. Friday Ray and I attended the temple and did two more endowments apiece. Saturday, Ray went to the Priesthood sessions at the temple and then we came back home.
The first two weeks of July I spent long hours at the office because Jeane Hawker was on vacation.
Sunday, July 13, 1980 all of our family went to Melba for a farewell testimonial for Todd Heiner. We took a picnic lunch and put with Jeanne's for their family. They had a good Sacrament Meeting. The program was given by Todd and his family. We had an enjoyable day visiting with them. Tuesday, July 15, Jeanne's family came from Melba on their way to take Todd through the Logan Temple before entering the Mission Training Center. Wednesday I finished my work early so I could go with Ray to Logan. We went through the Temple with Todd and then all gathered at our mobile home for chicken and french fries. We had an enjoyable time. I came on home with Joan and Norman so I could be with Marilyn and be back to work next day.
Sunday July 13, 1980 Shelly became engaged to Gary Cutler from Cambridge, Idaho.
Saturday July 19, 1980 we had a Thaxton family reunion at the Heyburn Ga-Lawn Park. We had a picnic lunch and then a program at the Ward Cultural Hall. Dee Ray Bailey and Arlene High were in charge. Most of the families were represented and we had a good visit.
Lynn and Jeanne have bought a home in Melba and need to be moved in by August 1. It is an older home and needs a lot of work done on it.
Marilyn had a weeks vacation in August, so we spent part of that time in Melba. We took the pickup and fifth-wheel trailer. Jeanne, Shelly and I went shopping in Boise for the material for dresses for Shelly's wedding. I had never driven in Boise and didn't know my way around, so it was quite an experience. We didn't get home until about 10'0'clock and Ray thought we were lost. Ray worked with Lynn on the house and Jeanne and I bought more material, etc. and then canned some corn. We came home on Friday so we could get ready for our Sunday meetings.
September is the beginning of new lessons and ours will be "the Old Testament". It will be a real challenge to me and I'm not sure I can do the job. It will require a lot of reading and deep study.
All the kids are back in school and Troy Ashby has gone down to Brigham Young University to College.
Todd Heiner is to leave the Mission Training Center on the 16th of September for Venezuela. Jeanne and family went to see him off and then went back home.
Friday September 19, Gary and Shelly came through on their way to Logan to be married. Saturday morning September 20, 1980, they were married in the Logan Temple. It was a nice session and there were several of us there. Gary's parents sponsored a luncheon at "the Loft House", afterward. They spent their first night in our mobile home and then went on to Hawaii for a honeymoon.
Sunday September 21, was my birthday. Jeanne and Lynn didn't stay over because they were needed at home but all the rest of the family did visit sometime in the day.
September 22 is the last week of Marilyn's vacation. Tuesday we canned peaches that we had picked from our own tree. Wednesday we went down to Logan by way of Bancroft, where we visited Seth and Doris. We then drove through the canyon and saw the beautiful fall colors. The next day we drove down to Brigham City and saw more beautiful fall colors and visited the Old Tabernacle there. It was built in the 1900's and it still has the original furnishings etc. It is still used for Conferences and special meetings.
Friday morning we went to the Temple early and did three endowments apiece. We fixed dinner and then went for a drive around the valley.
Saturday Morning Ray did two more sessions and I did my studying, handwork, laundry etc. and prepared to return home.
Saturday night was the direct wire from Salt Lake City at our Stakehouse. It was presided over by President Spencer W Kimball. The theme was "Learn and then Teach". I was singing in a sextette for the middle of the program. Our members were, Edith Armacost, Ellen Bailey, Leah Johnson, Helen Price, Flossie Kay and myself accompanied by Sue Christenson.
Sunday School class lesson was on the creation and I didn't feel like it went very well. In fact, I felt like I wasn't smart enough to teach those who knew more about the scriptures than I did. I'll try it one more Sunday.
This week I have been binding quilts and doing odds and ends because it is the end of one month and the beginning of another. The statements are mailed and we are getting ready to go to Melba for Shelly's reception. Friday October 3, some of Dee Ray's family, Joan, Norman, Bonnie, Ray and I went in the Van to the reception. It was a long day but we were glad we could all go and be there.
October 3 & 4 we watched General Conference on T. V. from Salt Lake City. President Spencer W Kimball spoke on family life and morals. It's very important that we choose good over evil and keep the commandments.
October 16, 1980 Nolan and Dawna became the parents of a baby boy. He weighed 11 lbs 5 oz and was 22 inches long. He is a very good looking boy. They named him Benjamin.
Sunday October 19, 1980 Ray was released from being the Bishop of the Heyburn Second Ward. He served 8 years and one month. We sustained Laron Waite as Bishop, Marvel Lind as first counselor and Larry Burbank as second counselor. It will seem different not to have the responsibility.
Friday October 24 we went to Logan. Ray and I went and did one endowment apiece. Saturday morning Ray went to the priesthood session and did two endowments and we returned home Saturday afternoon.
Sunday we all went to church in the same car, the first time in more than eight years.
This is the last week in October and it has been spent getting the odds and ends done in the computer for the end of the fiscal year of the business.
Sunday night November 2, we held a Ray Bailey family home evening. Ray showed a film and we served cream puffs for dessert. Marilyn and I made them on Saturday. Ray was also sustained as teacher of the High Priests Group in our ward. Nolan and Dawna had their baby Benjamin P. Bailey blessed by his grandfather in Sacrament Meeting.
It has been beautiful fall weather this past week, warm enough in the day to go without a coat.
Tuesday, November 4, was election day. Our new President is Ronald Reagan with George Bush as Vice President. He won by a landslide and we are hoping he will be able to help the economy become better.
Thursday afternoon we went to Logan. Marilyn took the day off so we could go. Ray went on Friday and did two endowments, I couldn't go because I was just getting over the hives. Saturday morning we went to the temple to go through with members of our ward, Seth and Leila Baird. They were married in the Temple but Seth had never been back. We have been friends for many years and Ray had helped Seth to become active again. Some of their family and relatives also went with them.
The weather was beautiful and we returned home in the afternoon.
The Sunday School lesson was on Noah and the flood and it went well and I felt good about it. In Sacrament Meeting they released me and sustained Carl Williams as the teacher. I plan to continue to study so that I can learn more about the Old Testament.
Wednesday evening we went down to Harry and Carol Badger's for a dinner. This was for the outgoing Bishopric and the clerks. We had a nice ham dinner that we all brought and enjoyed as well as visiting.
I have been making Christmas gifts in my spare time. I have made terry-cloth hand towels for kitchen use, pillowcases with their name embroidered on them for each family member.
My brother Marion, is in the hospital with double pneumonia. I have visited him and his wife each day. It seems like he has had his share of illness and you wonder why he has to suffer so much. Sunday he was very uncomfortable and Monday when I went in he was asleep. About 4:30 o'clock his condition was worse and we didn't expect him to last through the night but he rallied some. The doctor thought he had developed a blood clot in his lung. Tuesday morning his pulse and blood pressure was very erratic and by 11:30 o'clock the doctor told Catherine it was only a matter of time. We watched his breathing become slower until by 3: o'clock he was gone. Catherine, Karen, Don, Alfred and I were there at the end. Marion is now at rest and away from the illnesses that had plagued his life for the last twenty-five years. I can imagine it was very hard for him to endure because he was a very proud, independent person. He was a good farmer, a lover of horses that he was very proud of and very particular about. He loved to dance and he loved his wife and children. He was very proud of his four grandchildren. To have to be so nearly helpless for so long must have tried his patience almost beyond his strength. Catherine said he never complained and he never gave up trying to do for himself. He passed away November 25, 1980 and was buried November 29, 1980 in Pleasant View Cemetery, Burley, Idaho. Marion and my brother James are buried pretty close together considering that James was buried in January 1954 at the age of 46. Marion was 69 years old. It was a very nice funeral service. Alfred sang two solos that were beautifully done. He sings even better than he used to. Dee Ray was a pall-bearer. Now there is only Alfred, Elden and I left of the Thaxton family.
Two of my cousins, Ethel Erickson 85 yrs and her brother Walter Thaxton 80 years old from Murray, Utah came for the services. We enjoyed having them stay with us and we took them back to catch their bus on Sunday afternoon. There aren't very many of my generation of Thaxton's left. Ethel and I couldn't come up with very many names considering the large families.
Thanksgiving Day November 27, 1980, we had a family dinner for Jeanne's family, Dee Ray's family and Neldon's family. We had a nice turkey dinner and enjoyed visiting together. Joan's family and Lamar's family came later in the day to visit. We as a family have a lot to be thankful for. All of the grandchildren are healthy, happy children. All of our children are healthy and they have nice comfortable homes and good jobs. They all work hard and are active in the church with many varied positions.
Saturday December 6, marked our 39 years of living in this house. The weather this year was much the same as then, a skiff of snow and very cold. Of course, we have remodeled and added on to the house and made many improvements in the yard. Life has been very good for us. We have had many trials and many blessings. Our home may be old but it is very comfortable and we have plenty of room.
We had family home evening on the first Sunday of December for those who could come and we showed two church films. I read an excerpt from Ray's journal and we had refreshments.
December 14, was our 42nd Wedding Anniversary. It was a quiet day. We went to our church meetings and Ray spoke in Sacrament Meeting and later in the day most of the kids came and visited. Jeanne called on the phone.
Natalie, Trever, Tommy all played in the Minico Junior High Band and Bonnie sings in the Dorian Choir at Minico High School so we attended their Christmas concerts.
We are looking forward this week to Christmas Eve and a family get-together. Marilyn and I made the dessert for dinner and also some fudge and divinity. Wednesday Jeanne's family plus Gary and Shelly arrived. I cooked Ham and Turkey and everybody else brought something for the dinner. There were 43 of us at the tables. Everyone was present except Todd, who is on a mission in Venezuela. After dinner, we went to the living room and had a Christmas program. Ray read the Bible story and some of the grandchildren gave parts on the program and we sang Christmas Carols as a group. Our gifts were taken to the family room to open, most of them were homemade, as we wanted them to show their talents and use their imagination. Ray made each of the families a wooden car, which was his first with his Shopsmith equipment.
Christmas Morning we watched Jeanne's family open their gifts and we opened ours. We spent a fairly easy day just visiting with the kids. They stayed with us until Saturday and then we cleaned up the house and got ready for Sunday. As I thought about it in all the time we all visited there was not an argument or a cross word spoken. Kids and grandkids got along really well.
I did some substitute teaching in the Gospel Doctrine class for a couple of weeks and it was on Jacob and his son Joseph who was sold into Egypt. It is a familiar story but the lesson we were to learn was that Joseph knew the Lord was with him and he remained faithful through all his trials.
We had family home evening on January 4, 1981. All of the family that live around here were present except Woody, who was staying with a friend. Ray played a conference tape by Rex E. Pinegar, a general authority. He encouraged all the young men to prepare to go on a mission and to start their preparation early. Ray encouraged all of us to keep a journal and write our life history. I read an excerpt from my journal and we had refreshments of Christmas candy and popcorn.
I have finished reading " Spencer W. Kimball" written by his son and grandson. It was a very good book and he is a very great man. You can't help but believe that he is a prophet of God. Before Christmas I read the book "Camilla", which is President Kimball's wife. She is a great lady. They have both endured many trials both financially as well as physically.
January 14, 1981, the Ward had a party for the outgoing Bishopric. It was a nice evening of visiting.
January 22, Ray, Marilyn and I packed up and went to Logan. We got there early enough that Ray and I went to the Temple for one endowment apiece. Friday morning we went back to the Temple and did two more endowments. The second session we were the witness couple. The rest of the day we spent looking around and relaxing. Saturday morning Ray went to the Temple early and Marilyn and I got things ready for us to go back home.
Saturday afternoon after we got home we went down to the church for a Fiftieth Wedding anniversary party for Seth and Leila Baird.
Saturday Evening was a Stake Conference Meeting for all adults over 16 years of age. There were some very good talks and instructions given on missionary work. Sunday was Stake Conference at the Stake Tabernacle. It was also on Missionary work. Besides the visiting authorities, who were Elder Boyd Henderson, a regional representative and Elder Robert E. Lee, of the Idaho Boise Mission, the talks I really enjoyed were the ones by President Keith C. Merrill and Harold Hurst.
We have finally had a snow storm. It put down a couple of inches on the floor and considerably more in the mountains, of course that is where we need it.
Sunday February 1, 1981, we had family home evening. Ray showed the film "In This Holy Place", and he and I sang a duet "Love at Home". It was an exceptionally good film and we didn't do to badly either. Joan played the piano for us and Dee and Sylvia served the refreshments. It was a nice evening.
The Relief Society lesson Sunday was on Celestial Marriage and Eternal Families. I thought how privileged I was to be able to go to the Temple and be the mother for each of the
six girls. The other four mothers don't know what they missed by not being able to attend with their daughters. I have thought of that nearly every time I see a couple married in the Temple.
These last two or three weeks have been taken pretty easy. I have been tying or quilting quilts and crocheting. February 26, 1981 we went down to Logan. We did two endowments on Thursday evening, Friday we did three more and Saturday Ray went to two priesthood sessions. It was really nice weather. Thursday night we had a skiff of snow but by the time we came out of the Temple on Friday it had all melted. The rest of the time it was sunny and quite warm for this time of year. We drove Ray's new car he bought a couple of weeks ago. It is an Oldsmobile diesel Toronado front wheel drive. It is a very nice car and will get a lot better mileage than my Imperial. It is very comfortable to ride in too.
We really haven't had any winter yet. The temperature gets up between 50 and 60 degrees everyday. The tulips are about 3 inches tall and the rose bushes are getting green on the stems. I'm afraid our winter weather is going to come when we need to plant a garden.
Sunday Night, March 1 we had our family home evening. Ray showed the film strip "Father Consider Thy Ways", and we had some group singing and I gave the opening prayer. Lamar and Brenda furnished the refreshments of doughnuts and they were very good. Everyone was present except Jeanne's family.
Our Bishop's Bazaar was held March 13th. I donated an afghan that sold for a $110.00 and Marilyn donated a latch pillow, but it didn't sell for very much. We bought a quilt that I had pieced for the Relief Society, a Dresden Plate pattern. It was a very well attended and enjoyable evening.
March 26, the three of us went back to Logan. Thursday evening we did two endowments, Friday we did three endowments and we were witness couple for one session. It was really stormy Thursday and Friday but Saturday when we came home it was quits nice.
Sunday morning in Sister Helen Weidel's Gospel Doctrine class, I sang the song "He That Hath Clean Hands and a Pure Heart". That song goes back a long way in my life. It was first introduced as the theme in June Conference for M. I. A. Officers in the Salt Lake Tabernacle in 1937. I was a counselor at that time. When we introduced it in our Ward Meeting, I sang in a quartette and I have also sung it in a choir arrangement. Tuesday Ray and I went to Bancroft and visited Seth. Doris is in a nursing home because of a brain disease, called Alzheimers, that has caused her to lose her memory. It is a sad situation. She can never come back home and she could live a long time in this condition. His daughter Carol Anne and her daughter Terri and baby were there, also Kay and his little girl, so we had a nice visit with them.
Saturday and Sunday, April 4th and 5th, we watched General Conference on T. V.. There was some very good counsel given there on Marriage, Obedience, Studying the Scriptures etc. The music was beautiful too. I hope that I can be a better wife, mother, and member of the church.
Sunday Evening we had family home evening. We just had a general discussion of things we could do this summer and made some plans for a family party and reunion later. Nolan and Dawna served "Eclairs" for refreshments, which were very good. Nolan gave the opening prayer, Bonnie and Joan led us in the song "Love at Home". Norman was the only one unable to attend, except Jeanne's family and Troy.
April is a month of birthdays beginning with Dee Ray, Todd, Brett, all on the ninth. Ray's is the 16th and most of the family was here that night. Joshua was 2 on the 22nd, Marilyn's is the 23rd, Allyson was 4 on the 26th. Lynn's is the 28th, and Troy will be 19 on the 30th.
We started the first of the month to do some yard work. Ray planted two fruit trees, 32 rose bushes and I just tried to clean the grass out of peonies and roses.
On the 21st Ray and I drove up to Melba to see Jeanne. They have accomplished a quite a bit on their home but have still got a long way to go. We had an enjoyable day and a good visit.
On the 22nd after Marilyn got off work we headed for Logan. It was really nice and so we started to clean the yard. Marilyn's birthday was the 23rd so we finished the yard and went up town to do some shopping. Ray bought a swag lamp for our front room and we bought Marilyn's birthday dinner complete with a cake. After we ate we went for a drive around the valley. Friday morning we went to the Temple and did three endowments apiece, in the last session we were the witness couple. Saturday Ray went to the priesthood sessions at the Temple and Marilyn and I got the vacuuming and washing done ready to come back home. We packed up and drove down to Ogden to the Union Depot to see the renovated steam engines that were on display. These were the big coal-fired train engines that they used many years ago to pull the freight and passengers on the railroad. They have replaced these with diesel engines now. We got back to Heyburn about 5 o'clock.
Sunday afternoon we went and had ice cream and birthday cake with Allyson. It started to rain and rained really hard off and on through the night. It really makes things look clean and green. Our tulips are just blooming beautifully. The pear tree and the peach trees are in full bloom too.
For a little over a year Ray and his brothers and sisters have been taking turns taking care of their mother, Grandma Bailey. She has spent at least one night a week with us, we usually get her about time to eat supper and then take her home the next morning. She is 93 years old and physically she does really well. She is very forgetful and sometimes doesn't know where she is or just who you are. She can't remember when she was at your home last or whether she has eaten any lunch. She is still so independent it's hard to do what needs to be done for her.
I have accomplished a little bit in the yard but we only have a good day and then a cold day. I guess that is alright otherwise I would overdo and be really laid up with Arthritis. It has been pretty painful.
I can't find in all these entries where I wrote about Lamar and Brenda deciding to take an Indian boy as a foster child. He came in August 1980, one week after he turned seven and he fit right in. His name was Robbie LaDeaux. His mother is an invalid and couldn't take care of her two young sons. She lived in California. It was through L.D.S. social services that he came to Lamar's. His birthday is July 31, 1973.
May 9, 1981, we had a family party on the back lawn. Dee and Sylvia arranged a wiener roast and the kids just enjoyed eating and playing. All were present except Jeanne's family. Lamar and Brenda's, foster child, Robbie was going home for the summer but his mother called and asked if he could stay because she is unable to care for him. So instead of a farewell party for him, it was to keep him here.
May 10,was Mother’s Day. We had a good program at Sunday School and a good Sacrament Meeting. The token for Mother’s was an impatient plant. Jeanne called on the phone and all the other kids came over in the afternoon. I received some beautiful cards, family pictures, chocolates, book of Mother’s day poems, perfume and ceramic pitcher and bowl, and Marilyn gave me some money to buy something I wanted.
Weather wise it was a dreary day and it finally rained but now, Monday morning the wind is really blowing.
The weather hasn’t cooperated too well so we have only been able to work in the yard and garden as it permitted.
May 22 we took the fifth wheel and went to Melba for the week-end. It had been quite windy but it slowed down and we had a good drive. Saturday afternoon we all went to Swan Falls and had a wiener roast. Sunday morning we went to church in Melba and also attended the ordination of Lynn to be a High Priest.
Sunday Afternoon was High School graduation for Dirk. He was one of the top ten of his graduating class. It was a nice program. It rained some on Sunday but we walked to most of the meetings because they only live about two blocks from everything. Dirk has lots of friends and he opened many gifts.
Monday morning we went to see the parade and hear the band for the Memorial Day observance. We headed home and arrived about five o’clock.
Tuesday evening we went to the Church Farm to thin beets. It just took an hour and a half to do our share.
Wednesday evening May 27 we attended graduation exercises for Bonnie. She was a Co-valedictorian. She gave a very good talk and it was a good program. It is quite an honor to be that high in a graduating class of 292 people.
We are proud of all our grandchildren and their accomplishments.
Thursday, we planted the petunias along the driveway. Ray decided he should go down to Logan and check on things there. After he left I planted some more plants and got Tommy and Trevor to help me with some digging so I could get some more done.
Friday, morning early Ray called from Logan and told me He was very ill so I called the Doctor for some prescriptions and called Nolan, because He was supposed to have the day off and we went down after Ray. Ray was better when we got there but we turned around and hurried back home so he could see the Doctor.
Nolan drove the Tornado and I drove the Imperial. Ray had an ear infection which he suspected and it upset his equilibrium.
Saturday, I went out to the office to do some of the work I didn’t get to do Friday and then I came home and did some more work in the yard.
Sunday we had our usual meetings. Dee Ray brought home the video film they showed at a fireside called "Uncle Ben". All of the family came over to see it and we had cookies and Ice Cream afterward. It is a film that portrays how an alcoholic "Uncle Ben", overcame the habit so he could raise his sister’s children when they were left as orphans. It was a very good story and from it we know that people can overcome a bad habit if they try hard enough.
Monday morning Marilyn, Tommy, and I finished cleaning around the rosebushes and Tuesday morning I finished planting the Petunias, so now we have all the plants put in the ground and our yard is looking good. Ray was told by the Doctor not to do any spading so he couldn’t help like he planned to.
Tuesday Afternoon we put together the sandwiches and salads for our outing the next day. Jeanne and her family came in the evening. It was also Nolan’s birthday.
June 3 1981, at 7o’clock in the morning we began to load into a chartered bus that took all of our family to Lagoon for the day. Shelley and Gary drove down in their car because they were going to stay in Utah for a few more days. There were 41 who rode the bus. Trista and Benjamin were left with baby sitters at home.
We arrived at Lagoon at 10:30 and we had all day passes for everybody. It was raining when we arrived and everybody got slightly wet but it didn’t dampen the kids excitement for the different rides. We all had lunch about 12:30. We had brought fried chicken, and everybody furnished salads etc. to go with it. We had plenty of good food. After lunch they all headed for the amusement park to do whatever they wanted . The sun had come out and it turned out to be a beautiful day. Everybody enjoyed themselves and about 5 o’clock we began to pack up our things and meet at the bus. I was carrying a bag of chips etc. and holding on to Josh’s hand as we walked. He seemed to be getting tired but I couldn’t carry him. I asked him if he could walk and he said "I’m walking". Just outside the gate Norman saw us coming back so he picked him up and carried him the rest of the way. He was asleep on Norman’s shoulder before he got to the bus. We ate homemade cookies and popcorn both before we got there and on the way back. The money for Tuesday was well spent and something the kids will never forget. It was an all day treat from Grandpa and Grandma.
Ray and I talked about how much fun the kids had and how there was no quarreling or crying in all these hours. Each one had someone else to do what they wanted to do and no one was left out. It was an enjoyable day from beginning to end.
Jeanne’s family stayed until Friday and then went home. Thursday afternoon Jeanne and I went to town and bought enough material for a gingham check quilt. She wanted something to embroider so we marked a pattern for a Star quilt so she could learn how before she went home. We had a good visit.
Saturday Shelly and Gary came through on their way back to Cambridge and left us the key to the mobile home in Nibley, Utah.
Marilyn had Wednesday June 10, off work and we took the opportunity to do some house cleaning. It’s pretty painful for me because of Arthritis but I knew it needed to be done. I finished the rest of the house and my work for the rest of the week. I felt good that it was done even that good. It took a few days for the pain to go away.
Marilyn started her vacation and we straightened up the house and headed for our mobile home. We went through Bancroft and visited Seth. Doris is in the nursing home because of Alzheimers disease. Seth is doing as good as he can and Doris is taken good care of. We had a pipe break in our mobile home and so we were anxious to see if everything was fixed. It was well taken care of. Wednesday morning we got up to have breakfast and the stove wouldn’t light, so we ate cold cereal. We took a trip out to the Golden Spike Monument. It is near Corinne, Utah and was quite interesting. The two train engines that met when the railroad was brought from the east and from the west have been restored and are standing on the track where the last spike was driven connecting the rails. We saw a movie of the building of the railroad and there were other exhibits.
We drove back to Logan and did a little shopping. We bought the 1981 April Conference tapes etc..
After we had lunch we drove up the Blacksmith Canyon to Hardware Ranch. It was a beautiful drive. The hills are green and the stream of water flowed and tumbled down the canyon. There was lots of places to pull off and camp or fish. A beautiful smooth road and not too much traffic. Thursday morning we decided to take a drive up through Bear Lake and over to Evanston Wyoming. We saw a lot of different scenery and it was a nice drive. At Evanston there was a lot of building and industry going on. You could see the oil rigs that were in use and where they were drilling. We made the loop and came back by way of Ogden. Friday we cleaned up the house and came home so we could take care of Grandma Bailey and get ready for Sunday. Saturday night and Sunday were Stake Conference meetings. Our visiting authority was Elder Dean L. Larsen of the First Counsel of Seventy. The theme of the conference was Activating the inactive members of the church. Heyburn Ist, Heyburn 2nd and Paul 3rd ward choirs furnished the music. I sang with them. The prelude was, Father in Heaven, Dedication, and Come Follow Me. Our special numbers were Jesus, Savior, and Father bless our Sacred Homes. It was a good conference with good talks and good music.
Ray and I were presented with one of the bouquets that is furnished by the Relief Society for conference.
Sunday was also Father's Day. Most of the kids and grandkids came and spent some time with us.
Monday it was back to work and to catch up on the weeks business. Marilyn didn't have to work after all so I took her back home and went back to work. I worked Monday through Thursday morning this week so that I could catch and learn how to do Jean's job while she will be on vacation. The programs in the computer have changed some and I find it a little bit different than when we started out.
Marilyn was given Friday off, so we went again to Logan. Thursday afternoon we did one endowment each. Friday morning we went down to the temple but it was so crowded in the parking lot we decided to go back home until noon and then we went back and did two endowments each. Ray went Saturday morning to the Priesthood sessions and Marilyn put things back in order so we could go back home and get ready for Sunday.
July 3rd and 4th was the Bailey Family Reunion at the Oakley Stake camp. Friday evening we took Grandma Bailey and went up for the evening wiener roast. They had a pretty good group and it was good to get together. Most of the members stayed the night but we brought Grandma back home. She is so confused we thought it would be best. Saturday morning we were going to go back but Ray had a bad cold and Grandma couldn't remember the night before so we spent the day at home. It was a pretty quiet day but we didn't mind. In the evening we watched Allyson with her fireworks and also some of Dee Ray's.
Monday morning started the week of working alone. Everything went pretty well, in fact I was quite pleased at my week's work and that everything was caught up and that I had time to spare during the week.
I had a real surprise on Tuesday when my brother Elden drove in from Eugene, Oregon. It had been at least ten years since he had been here. He came by himself and it was so good to see him. Wednesday evening, Ray, I, Catherine, Elden and Al and Bea all had supper at Al's home in Burley. I took a salad and a relish plate for the chicken dinner. We had a good visit and Thursday evening Elden had supper with us and then Friday morning he headed back home. Ray and I talked about what a shame that he and Ann have no interest in going to church and how now that they are retired they could do so much good for others as well as for themselves.
It's good for us to be involved with other people in the church and how lucky and blessed we are because of it.
Today, July 12, in Sacrament Meeting Brenda was released as Bee Hive advisor and Sharon was sustained in her place. Sylvia was sustained as the Mia Maid advisor. They will be good in their positions. Brenda was a good leader but her health is a problem right now and we hope it soon improves. We also held our family home evening. Just the four boys and their families were present. Ray taught the lesson on the Holy Ghost. Lamar and Brenda's children each played a piano solo. We had group singing and the opening prayer was given by Neldon and the closing by Sharon. Sharon and Neldon also served refreshments of chocolate brownies, that was very good.
July 17, completed my two weeks of office work and I felt real good at having everything in order for Monday when Jean returned.
Sunday, July 19, Jeanne and friends came through to go to Rexburg for a piano workshop. Lynn and the grandkids came down Wednesday to pick up the fifth-wheel and pickup so all of them could attend the Heiner family reunion in Rexburg for the rest of the week. Marilyn and I hurried and prepared supper for them so they could be on their way. Friday, July 24th we watched the parade over K. S. L. Salt Lake City. It was a good parade and then Marilyn baked cookies and some bread. Friday evening we went down to the church and watched the parade put on by our Ward, because we were taking care of Grandma Bailey we came back home to eat supper.
Saturday, July 25th, was the meeting for the Alumni of Heyburn High School. I went down to the school house for the luncheon and meeting in the afternoon. I saw several people I hadn't seen in several years. In the evening they had a program and dance. Idella Lee Wilcox and I sang a medley of old familiar songs. Sue Christenson accompanied us. They also honored Ernest Handy, our brother-in-law, who was a graduate in 1927 for his accomplishments and also Mrs Ruth Reid who was a former teacher. She also taught Marilyn over to the Opportunity School and she was the one who got her placed in a job at the hospital. It was a good program and a good evening of visiting and seeing old friends.
Today, Sunday, hasn't been too good between sore joints and a week stomach I wasn't able to attend church.
Troy Ashby received his mission call. He will go to the Columbus, Ohio mission September 10, 1981. He will be busy making his preparations to leave for this assignment.
Sunday evening, Jeanne and her family returned from their reunion and stayed overnight with us and leaving about noon for home.
Tuesday Bonnie Ashby had her wisdom teeth removed by an oral surgeon in Twin Falls. Joan had some other appointments in the afternoon so rather than Bonnie staying alone she spent the afternoon with us.
I completed the twelve embroidered gingham check blocks for my quilt and pieced it together this week, It is red and white and will be beautiful when I quilt it.
Friday, July 31, was Robbie LaDeaux's birthday. His mother who is in a wheel chair flew in from California to visit with him and to stay with Lamar and Brenda for awhile. Saturday night Lamar baptized him a member of the church and Ray confirmed him on Sunday.
Our lesson in Relief Society was on Testimony and its importance. I don't express mine very often but I do have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that Spencer W. Kimball is a living prophet today. I know that the church is true and that I'm grateful for all the blessings that are mine because I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Our Sunday School lesson was about Samson and the book of Ruth. I was asked to sing the "Song of Ruth" as a special number. Ruth was a very loyal, obedient, humble person and it is an inspiring and interesting story.
So far this summer we have frozen 35 bags of peas, canned 40 pints of green beans and 18 quarts of beet pickles. All of these came from our own garden.
In between working at the office I have been putting together quilt blocks that I started many years ago. I am trying to finish up some of the things that I have had rat-holed, as Jeanne says, so I can start something new. There is a lot of history goes into a pieced quilt because some of the pieces go back to when I was first married. They are scraps from girl's dresses, boy's shirts and many other sewing projects. It is interesting and fun to see how you can make them fit together.
Tuesday, August 18, the three of us went to Logan. Wednesday morning we got up and went to the temple and did two endowments. We went home and had lunch and at four o'clock we went back to the temple to go through with Troy. He was going through for his endowments in preparation for going on his mission. After the session we picked up some Kentucky Fried Chicken and potato salad for all of us. We returned home and served supper to Don and Stella Ashby, Troy, Bonnie, Joan, Norman Dee Ray, Sylvia, Marilyn, Ray and I. We visited as we ate and then all the rest headed back home. Thursday morning we went to the temple and did two more endowments. After we cooked dinner we drove down to Ogden to pick up a generator for the Cycle Shop. Friday morning we gathered up all our things so we could return home in time to pick up Grandma Bailey and have supper. It is a good break from our routine to go to Logan and do temple work and relax. It was an enjoyable week but we were also glad to be back home and resume our other duties.
This week of August 24th we hooked on to the fifth-wheel and went to Melba to spend some time with Jeanne. They have made quite a bit of progress on their home. She has some really nice cabinets in her kitchen and it is a good arrangement. Tuesday we went shopping for material for some school clothes for the girls. Wednesday Ray, Marilyn and I drove up to Cambridge to see Shelly and Gary. They are getting along fine and have a two bedroom mobile home they are going to move into. We enjoyed the day. Wednesday evening I went with Jeanne to Relief Society homemaking activities. Thursday we headed home and brought Dirk with us so he could go on up to Rick's College. Friday I went to work and spent the rest of the day getting things in order. Saturday morning at 6 o'clock Dirk and Bonnie left to take their things to Rexburg. Marilyn and I prepared Jell-O and Macaroni salads for family home evening. We were expecting all the family home for supper. Jeanne's family didn't make it for supper but they were here for bedtime. Everybody was present except Todd, Shelly and Gary. We had an enjoyable chicken dinner with salads on our back lawn. The weather was beautiful and we had a good visit.
Sunday morning we went to Priesthood and Relief Society in our Ward and then we attended Sacrament meeting in the Paul Ward. It was a farewell testimonial for Troy Ashby. They had a good meeting consisting of talks by all of them, piano and organ duet by Bonnie and Dixie Kloepfer, Bonnie's friend. Don Ashby gave the opening prayer and Ray gave the closing prayer.
Jeanne's family and Dee's family had dinner with us and then they went about their other activities. Joan and Norman took Bonnie and Dirk back to Rexburg to start college. Jeanne's family left for home because there school starts Monday too.
Today, Monday August 31, 1981, is the beginning of the school year. We have three first graders in our group, Tory, Tyrell and Heather.
Sunday September 6, I taught the Spiritual Living lesson in Relief Society. I substituted for Joann Masoner. The lesson was taken from Brother Gordon B. Hinckley talk on forgiveness. He said that forgiveness is of the utmost importance to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a very good lesson and we had a good discussion from the sisters. I had never taught a lesson in Relief Society before and I am not the best but I did try.
This week my stomach has given me problems so I quit taking all of my Arthritis medicine and I am trying to get along without it. I am also trying to walk part of a mile every morning at 5:30 o'clock. I have been doing this for about a month. I can only manage about S mornings a week. I have canned tomatoes and pears from our garden and orchard and will do some more as they ripen.
Sunday, September 13, I sang a special number in Relief Society. It was titled "Learn and then Teach". It was published in the September 1980 Ensign and was written especially for the Women's Fireside in October 1980. Joann Masoner was my accompanist and several said it was very well done.
Today, they also sustained and set apart Marilyn to be an assistant Nursery Leader. She has done this once before and she does enjoy the little children.
I have canned 24 quarts of tomatoes fresh and 28 quarts of tomato juice, 21 quarts of peaches and pears, made Zucchini bread and Apple cake. This has come from our garden and orchard. I still have some apples and peaches to take care of.
We have enjoyed a beautiful summer and our yard has looked so nice, thanks to Ray's efforts. Everything is growing so well.
Monday, September 21, was my birthday. Some of the kids came on Sunday but most were here Monday evening. Ray gave me some cologne, Marilyn bought our supper, Dee and Sylvia had a bouquet delivered, Joan and Norman gave me a book, Lamar and Brenda a Photo Rack, Nolan And Dawna a rubber plant, Neldon and Sharon an embroidered pillow and Jeanne and Lynn sent me a box of homemade Peanut brittle. I enjoyed everything.
Thursday 24, we went down to Logan. We did two Endowment sessions Thursday and two Friday. Friday when we were getting to go we couldn't get any hot water in the bathroom so Ray spent the morning to get that fixed. After we did our temple work and had supper we went to Cache Valley Mall and bought some shoes for Ray and I. Saturday, Ray went to the Priesthood session and Marilyn and I did the washing etc. before we got dinner and came home. The weather had been stormy and there was some frost. I'm not looking forward to winter because my joints are still giving me a lot of pain. I have been without medication except for an irritated stomach for a month, now I'm trying to go back to Motrin. I have to make sure my stomach is healed up before I can take aspirin again.
This last week in September I have been trying to organize the basement. We decided to take the extra wooden chairs and a big red easy chair out to Deseret Industries, that gave me room to put up some metal shelves and put boxes of material and yarn on them.
Tuesday, Sister Helen Weidel was telling us she was getting some donations together to send to the San Antonio Mission to help them with a bazaar so I donated an afghan and two pairs of pillowcases. She said it was a very small branch in the mission and it was the only way they could raise money to operate their branch on. I have contributed handwork to other fund-raising projects so it was no problem to give some for her to send.
Saturday morning October 2, Ray and I went to the Paul Stake house and listened by direct wire to the welfare session of General Conference on T. V. We watched all the sessions Saturday and Sunday. They were all very good talks and I need to be more diligent in studying the scriptures and reading the Church Magazines.
Bonnie and Dirk were both home from college this weekend. Joan, Norman and Bonnie were going to Salt Lake City today October 5, to see Troy off for his mission.
Dirk had been home to Melba and he and two of his friends stopped by Sunday on there way back to school.
We harvested some of the crab apples from our flowering tree and made 40 bottles of jelly. They were odds and ends of bottles so no exact amount. We gave some to each of the girls for jelly and still had lots left so I made another batch for syrup. it made 14 pints and 5 little glasses. there is still some on the tree but I guess they will have to stay there.
Since I gave away my pillowcases I decided I’d better embroidery some more so I have been finishing some of those. I also set together three sets of embroidered quilt blocks.
I enjoy having the time to the handwork I have accumulated to do.
October 16, Wilford and Idella Wilcox, Ray and I were assigned to put up a display on "Financial Management" as part of the home storage and preparedness program of the church. This was part of our Ward Harvest Social. They served a very good roast beef dinner and all of the food was from ward members garden or storage. It was well attended and enjoyable.
My stomach and joints are still giving me a lot of trouble and I'm going to have to go back to the Doctor. I felt better Monday so I put off going to the Doctor. Each day has been a little bit better. Thursday we went to Logan and did one session and then on Friday we did three more sessions. We were the witness couple for two sessions. Friday when we got back Marilyn said Joan had called to tell us that Jeanne had a new baby daughter. We called Jeanne at the hospital in Nampa and talked to her. She said it was born Thursday October 22, at 7:15 and weighed 7 and a half pounds. They were both doing real well and were happy they were there.
After we ate lunch and Ray did some work on the house we had another phone call telling us that Grandma Bailey was in the hospital. We debated about going home but decided to wait until after Ray went to the temple on Saturday for a priesthood session. We arrived back home in Heyburn about 12:30 o'clock in the afternoon. Ray went to the hospital to check on his mother and I put on the baby quilt I was going to make for Jeanne.
Sunday evening we checked with Jeanne to see how she was and to tell her I would be coming up on Tuesday. I did up my work at the office on Monday morning and in the afternoon I baked a batch of bread, did some washing and finished quilting the baby quilt. Tuesday we got up and packed the fifth-wheel and headed for Melba. Marilyn went to work and Sylvia was going to bring her home.
It was a nice drive to Melba and Ray and I had a chance to discuss and visit about a few things. It was really beautiful weather. We got to Jeanne's about noon and ate lunch with them. Ray unhooked the pickup and made sure everything was hooked up to the camper but he forgot to check where the keys were before he locked the door. He had to leave in order to be back home before it got very late because Marilyn was home alone. Lynn and Paul had to take the door off the trailer and unlock it when they came home from school. When I got my sewing bag out, I found the other set so now I had both sets of keys.
It was quite a schedule to help Jeanne but all went well. The boys who went to Seminary had to have breakfast at about 7:15 and then the rest would eat and leave for school by at least 8:30. By the time the dishes were done there was only about an hour before dinner had to be started because Jalaine got home for lunch about ll o'clock and then it took until 12:30 before everybody was fed. Supper took almost as long except they didn't usually eat until 6:olclock. Friday Ray and Marilyn came up.
The nights had been quite cold and I had a little trouble sleeping but I got along quite well considering all the cooking, dish washing and laundry, Saturday night was Hallowe'en and it seemed like every kid in Melba was out trick or treating. Sunday they all went to church. Jeanne, Marilyn and I only went to Sacrament meeting. Lynn and Ray blessed the baby and gave it the name of Monica. After Church Marilyn and I got dinner and did the dishes while Ray hooked up the trailer so we could come home. We were home by 7:olclock and glad to be back.
On Thursday while I was gone Ray's sisters, Mary and Wanda moved Grandma Bailey into the Burley Care Center nursing home. They decided nobody could take care of her in their home and she isn't able to go back to her own. She is very unhappy there and it is almost impossible to visit her because she gets upset at not being home even though she is too confused to know where she is,
The month of November is here and we got the statements out without a hitch. Wednesday November 4th, I helped serve the luncheon at Relief Society. This is the first homemaking day I have been able to attend because it falls so close to the first of the month. They had a very good group and we served a good luncheon. It is also very tiring for me and I always come home with the leg ache.
Monday evening November 9, Gary called to tell us that they have a new baby girl. She weighed 8 lbs and 13 ounces. They are naming her Melissa. This is our first great grandchild.
Grandma Bailey has been in the nursing home for two weeks but she isn't any better. Ray and I have been trying to decide whether we could take care of her. Most of the family don't want us to because it will be quite a job. It is so depressing to have her so confused and unhappy. Mary and Ray visited over the phone and decided there was nothing to lose by moving her to our place. November 11, Wednesday, Ray and I moved her dresser, end table, lamp, rocking chair, some books down to our place and he went over to bring her home.
This is Sunday November 15. I stayed home with Grandma while Ray went to church. So far she has adjusted pretty well. Yesterday Mary came and gave her a bath and did her hair. Seth came down from Bancroft to see her. Ann, Don, Edith. Ernest came to see her and she felt good about that, Maybe between all of us we can make her remaining days a little easier for her. Of course we don't know how long this will last but at least we'll try as along as she is able to be as well as she is.
Grandma started complaining about a pain in her left side and it is making her quite miserable. Monday it is even worse and so we gave her some Bufferin for the pain and I slept on the couch in the front room so I could hear her if she needed to get up in the night. Tuesday Ann, Ray and I took her to the Doctor. He gave her a mild pain pill and said for us to watch for a rash. She didn't develop any more symptoms. Saturday night November 21, she had diarrhea and all day Sunday it continued to get worse. Monday she was so exhausted she slept all day and all night. The Doctor gave her another prescription for this problem but after ten days it hasn't gotten any better.
Mary Wilcox took her on Wednesday to stay with her for a few days.
November 26, was Thanksgiving Day. Jeanne and her family came on Wednesday night to stay but they were having dinner with Lynn's relatives. We had Joan's family, Lamar's family and Neldon's family for dinner. There were eighteen of us and we had a good dinner. Turkey and all the trimmings.
Dee Ray's family, Jeanne's family, Joan's family were here in the evening to visit. We had a real nice day. The weather was cold but clear.
Friday morning it was snowing a little. We had dinner of Thanksgiving leftovers and Jeanne's family headed for home. By Friday night Ray was coming down with a cold. It developed into a bad one and he was unable to attend church Sunday.
Ray's cold stayed with him for a week and we were unable to move Grandma Bailey back home until December 6th. She isn't very well and takes a lot of care. It requires that I stay home more. Edith, Ann and Mary come here and stay enough for me to go to the office and do my work. I did most of my Christmas shopping while she was over to Mary's. I have made 10 nightgowns, 10 pairs of pajamas for the grandchildren. The older boys I bought pullover shirts and the little babies I bought dresses.
Marilyn has had a cold and missed a couple days of work. it is very unusual for her to have such a bad cold.
Our 43rd Wedding Anniversary was pretty quiet. Most of the kids came and visited in the evening.
I came down with the cold and I was pretty miserable for a day but it didn't last long. Of course with Grandma to take care of I had to get over it. She seems to be gradually getting better except for her memory and fearfulness.
Jeanne and Lynn called December 16, and told us Dirk had his mission call. He will go to Kentucky, Louisville and enter the mission home on February 11, 1982. That will make 3 grandsons on missions.
I made all the arrangements to have all of the family home for Christmas Eve dinner. Gary, Shelly and Melissa came down on Sunday before Christmas to spend the week. They are staying with Cal and Ruth Heiner. They brought the baby over on Monday morning for us to see her. She is really a cute baby and seems to be very contented. Wednesday afternoon they brought her over and I tended her while they did some shopping. We got along quite well except Grandma Bailey was really confused and hard to make understand.
December 24, Jeanne's family came from Melba. In the afternoon Gary and Shelly arrived and they succeeded in getting a five generation picture which included Great Grandma Bailey, Ray, Jeanne, Shelly and Melissa. After the picture was taken Mary came and got her mother and took her to stay with them until Mary had to go back to school.
Christmas Eve all the family was present except two missionaries, Sylvia and Tory who were home with colds. We set the tables for 39 people and had Turkey, Ham, Salads, that were brought by the families, rolls brought by Jeanne, relish plates, pie and Ice cream that Marilyn and I made. After Dinner we had a short program beginning with the Christmas story read by Ray and program numbers by grandchildren. We concluded with singing Christmas carols.
The older grandchildren passed out the presents and they opened the presents and they were all enjoyed. Ray and I received Towel sets, pillow slips, embroidered and framed Wall Plaque, family portrait pictures, pictures of grandchildren, footstool, philodendron plant, subscription to National Geographic, soap, face creams and some games.
We gave each of the families a quilt, an afghan and one half of a beef for their freezers. It was an enjoyable evening, everyone had a good time and there was no cross words or crying the whole evening..
Christmas morning we watched Jeanne's family enjoy their Santa Claus visit and then we opened our gifts to each other. Marilyn had some latch hook and needlepoint kits, book, new dress and jewelry. Ray gave me a new Hamilton Beach blender, a new Sunbeam mixmaster and a three piece plaid suit. Marilyn gave me a dust buster. I gave Ray some books, conference tapes and lens attachment for his camera. Marilyn gave him a chenille sweater.
We fixed breakfast for all of us and also dinner in the middle of the afternoon. The rest of the day was spent visiting. Saturday Morning Jeanne began gathering and packing things so they could head home right after lunch. It was cold, windy and miserable. The roads were slick but they managed to get everything packed up and headed home about three o'clock. We finished cleaning up the house and made preparations for Sunday. Sunday we had a special Sacrament meeting at the Stake center. They were realigning our Wards. The only change in our boundary was one block which took away a few people including the first counselor in our
This history is a direct copy of her handwritten journals. The spelling of names and sentence structure were not changed.
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| Irma Sarepta Thaxton |
I was born Irma Sarepta Thaxton on September 21, 1918 at Heyburn, Minidoka County, Idaho. My parents were Stephen Williamson Thaxton and Signora Hansen Thaxton. I was the sixth of seven children. All the others were boys. Their names were Leland, Leonard, James, Marion, Elden, and Alfred. My father had been married before, but his wife died of complications after the birth of their second baby. The baby boy died at three weeks and so he had a daughter, Maneta, to raise. Because of our age difference, she didn't seem like a sister to me. She was married and had a daughter of her own before I was born. My father's first wife was named Sarepta, and that is where I got my middle name. It was hard for me to pronounce and I called myself Irma Sweptafloor Thaxton.
Although my father was not very active in going to church, he never did anything to prevent us from going. In fact, he always said if you're going anywhere "Go on time or don't go at all". Now that I can look back on it, my father was a wonderful man. I can understand why his shoulders were bent and his knuckles gnarled. They couldn’t be any other way and work the many long hours he did to make a living for us kids. If we needed anything, he would do his utmost to get it for us. We didn't have much money, as most people didn't in those days, but we probably had as much as anybody else.
I was raised on the farm between Heyburn and Paul where the "Hub 66 Service" now stands.
We had a three room house, Kitchen, living room, one bedroom. and a lean-to. It wasn't exactly a porch, but just what the word lean-to means. We had beds in every room of the house. I remember two beds in the bedroom with a cot shoved in between the wall and the foot of one bed. That is where I slept, some of the boys were working someplace else so there were two in each bed and I had to crawl up over the foot of the bed to get in, and above me hung clothes on hangers. There wasn't room for a closet. There was a cellar dug under the house. This is where all the bottled fruit and most of the things we keep in refrigerators now are kept. We had to go down the cellar where all of our milk, butter, eggs, etc, were kept. The floors were covered with linoleum and homemade rag rugs. We had a coal stove in the kitchen and a coal heater in the corner of the front room. They also burned wood. My dad and the older boys would go to the mountains and haul loads of wood with a team of horses and a wagon to supply us for the winter. It took several trips and many hours to get enough to last. The wood was chopped with an axe (no chain saws in those days) or sawed with a two-man saw. The stoves weren't kept going twenty-four hours a day, and so each morning a fire was built to warm the house in the winter, and ashes from the stoves had to be carried out.
The first washing machine I remember was a big tub with a handle on the side that we worked back and forth to agitate the clothes in the tub. Of course, the water was heated on the stove and put in the washer. Some clothes were scrubbed on a washboard by hand and rung out by hand.
Birthdays were celebrated with a cake and home made ice cream if we had snow or ice outside. Thanksgiving and Christmas were celebrated too; but we didn't have many presents, only hardtack candy, some nuts, and maybe an orange. The one Christmas tree I remember was brought from the mountains and stood in the corner of the front room, I think I was about seven years old. It didn't have any lights and only a few decorations made from popcorn and paper.
I remember my first haircut, I was blessed with curly hair, and it was snow white. They cut it off almost above my ears, and hair was so thick and curly it looked almost like sheep's wool.
I started school in Heyburn just before my sixth birthday in the old yellow brick building (which was torn down about 1970). I rode to school with my brothers in a white-topped buggy or a wagon or sleigh, depending on the weather. My grandmother, Caroline Hansen, lived in Oakley, Idaho and we would go to visit her. We traveled in a buggy or wagon drawn by horses, so of course, our trip wasn't made in one day. My mother drove us there.
The first car I remember was in 1925. On July 22, 1925 my father , mother, Grandmother Hansen, Alfred and I were going to visit my father's sister and family in the Emerson district. It was just at dusk, and we were driving west. We met two cars of young people that were racing. As one car passed the other, it caught our left front fender and pulled us across the road; and the second car hit us in the side, just at the front seat. Papa's head hit the windshield and cut his forehead. Neighbors took us home, and then they took mama and Alfred to a private hospital and tried to set her hip into place; but it wasn't successful and after several months she was taken to a specialist in Pocatello, who said it had been broken in the ball and socket joint. In repairing the damage that had been done, she was left a cripple because one leg was 2 inches shorten than the other. During the time that she was hurt and before going to Pocatello, she was on crutches. She was in so much pain she could hardly stand to walk or even sit. We had hired girls to help with the work, but they were hard to find, and money to pay their wages was hard to get too. So my dad did a lot of the housework, and I learned at an early age how to wash, iron and cook. My father never drove a car again, because he blamed himself for the accident that he couldn't help.
In the fall of 1926, Leland, Maurine, Marion, Elden, Alfred and I were coming home from Sunday School. As we approached Christenson's corner going west, a car came down over the canal bridge from the north at a high rate of speed and hit us in the side. The car rolled twice and headed us back the way we had come. Elden, Marion, and I went out the back window. It was a touring car--that means open above the doors on both sides Elden lit first, I came next, and Marion landed on top of me. He was knocked slightly cookoo because he wandered off, and they brought him back. They picked me up in a heap and put me in the back of a friend's car and took me home. I couldn't even sit up. As they carried me into the house, mama met us, and she said if she were a fainting person, she'd pass out. They called the doctor, but all he said was to keep me in bed. After several days when I still couldn't sit up or straighten my legs, my father began massaging and working on them. I think it was about three weeks before I could stand at all. I remember doing much as my children did when they learned to walk. Papa would place the chairs so I could support myself from one to the other. I don't know how long it took, but I learned to walk again. My mother, who was on crutches and in so much pain, was unable to help much. It was February when they took her to Pocatello. She was there a long time; and when she was released from the hospital she stayed with her brother, Heber, and his family until she was able to come home.
Most of the housework my dad had to do with what little I could help, as I was only a third grader in school.
I remember ironing a shirt for my brother Marion, who had a date, and I scorched it. I was scared to death he would see it, and I'd get the devil. He had a terrible temper, and he was awfully fussy about his clothes. (I was told later he didn't show that temper much) I was only nine but I was expected to do things about so.
I wasn't allowed to go without stockings winter or summer, and one hot day I took my long stockings off, and my brother Elden just older than me had a long piece of rubber he had cut from an inner tube that he threatened to flip me with. I ran across the garden and out toward the orchard with him behind me. He stopped about halfway, but I didn’t know it, of course. I didn't have time to look back. I spent a quite a while out in the orchard, but I don't remember whether I put the stockings back on or not.
I remember that most summers I had a playhouse. It was the granary that papa stored the grain in the winter, then when it was empty, I could clean it up and use it for a playhouse. It was divided into bins that could be used for different rooms. I made many mud pies and had lots of fun with my doll. I made doll clothes from the worn shirts and my old dresses.
Mama always had a large berry patch. It had just about every kind of berry in it that could be grown. She had people that came to pick on shares, but I also learned to pick berries. Every summer I helped pick berries from early morning until they were all picked.
My childhood and teen age years were spent like most farm kids. I helped thin and hoe beets, cut potatoes for seed and picking them up in the fall, drove a team of horses on the hay wagon, and drove the derrick horse to unload and stack the hay, milked cows by hand and sat on a three legged stool to do it, and just about any other work that had to be done.
In the summer my dad worked with his horses to clean moss from the canals for the Minidoka Irrigation district. This is in addition to his farming. Most of the boys being older than I, were either married or working somewhere else. That is why I learned to work outside, too.
I have always had a love of sewing and handwork. My mother was quite efficient at sewing, and so to work with my hands came quite natural. Because of her crippled condition it was hard for her to treadle a sewing machine, so when they came out with an electric machine, papa bought one. I still have that machine in my possession and many hours have I spent using it. My dad did a lot of our shopping and he bought many pieces of material for mama to make my dresses. I also wore many hand-me-downs and remodeled clothes my mother made. The first dress I made for myself was when I was a seventh grader.
We used to have lots of snow in the winter and usually we got snowed in, but I remember riding to school in a sleigh. It wasn't any thing fancy but my dad hitched the team of horses to it and picked up as many as it would hold and went to school. School was held for those that could get there.
I never knew my Grandpa and Grandma Thaxton. They lived in southern Utah and had passed away before I was born. My Grandfather Hansen was a polygamist. He had four wives. When the law against polygamy went into effect, my Grandmother Hansen had to live somewhere else. She was his second wife and he chose to live with his third wife. Grandma had two daughters living in Oakley, Idaho, so she made her home in a small house near them. I guess the main reason for her living in Oakley was to be near Aunt Josephine whose health had never been very good. Aunt Josephine's husband passed away, leaving her with three small daughters to care for. My mother used to go to Oakley for a few days at a time to help Grandma and Aunt Josephine. When Grandma could no longer live alone, she moved to one of her son's home, and Aunt Josephine and the two youngest girls came to live with us. Ruth, the oldest girl went to Pocatello to live with Uncle Heber's family. We still only had the three rooms but the boys that were still at home had a tent that had been made into a bedroom by boarding it up around the bottom and putting a wooden floor in it. My aunt was bedfast for several months and mama took care of her until she passed away. The two girls, Vera and Sine, lived with us for two years and then went to live with another aunt.
My sister, Maneta, and her husband Guy, had two daughters, Violet and Freda. Freda died when she was three from being burned by matches igniting her dress. The first time I remember seeing them was when I was about seven. They had moved to California when I was about two years old. They came for another visit when I was about eleven.
Violet was about fifteen and she loved to ride horses. The faster she could make them run the better. I rode horses a little bit, but I wasn't very brave; so when I rode behind her I really held on tight. She nearly always rode bareback, especially when there was two of us. We were riding down through the field on a little mare called "Topsy", and Violet wanted her to go one way, but she didn't want to go through the ditch, and she turned and we both fell off in the ditch. I rode the horse that pulled the hay up to make a stack and drove the team to load hay and to help stack hay, but as far as riding one just for pleasure, I wasn't very brave.
I had a lot of fun in grade school, even though we studied hard and had lots of things to do at home. When we had time to play, we played hard. I loved to play baseball and did every chance I got. Boys and girls alike played before school and recess and noon. Christmas time there was always a program for the whole community and afterward a dance. The seventh grade was the first one I remember, and that was when I started to learn to dance. All my brothers were good dancers, and this was one thing they were willing to teach me.
When I graduated from the eighth grade, I went to graduation exercises in a wagon because we didn’t have the money to buy a license for the car, which cost $5.00. That was the beginning of the depression and times were very hard. I was lucky to have a new dress for graduation. It was made from peach-colored silk. I gave a retold story on the program.
We lived two miles from church and school. Quite often Alfred and I walked when the weather was good. We had a car all the time, and papa made a lot of the payments, but because my dad wouldn't drive, Leonard was more or less boss of the car; and so Alfred, Elden and I were usually taken where we wanted to go by Leonard.
I remember the winter when I was a Freshman in High School. They had a party at the church house on Friday night. Leland had a Model A Ford Roadster with a rumble-seat in the back, he dropped Elden and I off at the church house while he went to see Maurine. It became midnight and every one had gone home from the party. It was snowing and blowing. Our church house didn't have class rooms, it was one large room with a coal furnace in the middle of the floor. We decided to pull us up each a bench around the Grate and cover us with our own coats because it looked like we would be there for quite a while. Leland finally made it but he had been stuck many times, and we had a hard time getting home. It seemed like Elden was out pushing more times than he was in the car.
We all had to give two and a half minute talks, and Alfred and I sang together for Sunday School programs. My mother sang in the choir for years and my dad played a harmonica and banjo. He could sing too but he just did for his own pleasure.
Our school was quite small compared to now, so nearly everybody participated in some activity. I sang in the Glee Club all through high school. It was for a Mutual assignment that I sang my first solo. It was titled "Pale Moon". After that Idella Lee Wilcox and I sang a duet, "O Holy Night" for a Christmas program. We had music festivals each spring in competition with other schools in the area. You were expected to perform a certain number for each contest and judged for your performance. When the contest was over, then we held a program at our school for the public and performed all of the vocal, instrumental, chorus, and band numbers that we had learned. We had exchange assemblies with other schools in the area, and I performed vocal solos as well as in the chorus. I also had parts in the one act plays and the three act plays that were put on by different classes. I only had small parts in most of the plays I acted in.
I went to most of the basketball games our school played. I enjoyed this kind of sport very much, even some of the games that were played out of town.
I went to every school dance and most of the formal dances from the time I was a freshman. My older brothers taught me how to dance, especially Marion around the kitchen table to a phonograph record, and when I wanted to go to the school dance before I was old enough to date, Leonard would take me and see that I got out on the dance floor and would bring me home. Sometimes he might only dance with me and then stand around and wait for it to be over. It was always understood that if he took me to the dance, I had to come home with him. I had to dress properly, according to my brothers, before I could go anywhere, and any boy who asked me for a date was approved by them also, because if they didn't think he acted right, they told my dad and I had to tell them I couldn't go.
Some would make the remark that I was spoiled rotten by so many brothers, but I didn't feel quite that way. I felt I had too many bosses.
I always had to help with the work at home. We made our own butter, which was churned by hand. The first churn I remember was a tall, round wooden tub with a plunger that we worked up and down to make the cream collect into small curds and then separate from the buttermilk. Then we would put it in a bowl and salt it and work the rest of the milk from it. Later the churn was a glass jar with a paddle in it. The washing was still done by heating water on the stove and pouring it into the washer, and the water was pumped by a pitcher pump by hand. We had our baths in the kitchen in a round galvanized tub. The water was heated the same way as for washing. Every morning in order to comb my curly hair I had to soak it down with water.
I never remember having a boughten dress, except one I got for Christmas that my sister sent me from California, or coat until I was in high school. My mother sewed everything she or I wore.
My dad always had soda biscuits for breakfast every morning except Sunday. Mama made these every morning along with cereal, eggs or whatever we had for breakfast. If mama was ill and couldn't papa would come in from milking and make them himself. He expected all of us at the table on time, and he served these from the oven. Like I mentioned before, he did his chores at the same time each day and expected meals on time, and even if they weren't ready, he would sit at the table and wait. But as long as I can remember, he didn't wait for many meals. I guess that's who trained me to do things on time and not to be late to go someplace.
Summers, along with picking berries, there was also cherries and apples to pick and can. We always canned lots of fruit and vegetables.
Can you imagine what it is like to grind horse-radish? Onions are sweet compared to that. It had to be done out in the outside in the open, but some like it to put on their meat much like you use catsup. It is a root vegetable and has a very strong taste as well as an odor.
My dad used to tan his own leather, and then he would cut it into strips to braid into lariats, quirts, halters and ropes. He used the hide from the beef that was butchered, and he scraped the hair off with a piece of glass, and then it was soaked in water and stretched out on a big board to dry. Starting at the outer edge, he would cut in a continuous string to the center. It would be soaked in water again before he began to braid. He also made ropes out of horsehair. When the mane and tail would shed hair, he pulled it, and used a little wheel with a three prong hook on it that we turned by hand. He would feed the hair very slowly and as the wheel turned it would spin into a rope. Most of them were black and white, and they were very pretty.
I can't remember the year my father was made blind in his left eye. They used to cut wood for winter, and a stick flew up and hit him in the eye, which caused scar tissue to cover the eye. In 1935 my brother Marion was hit in the eye with a piece of steel, and through this accident, he was blind in one eye.
Our Superintendent of Schools was J. M. Whiting, and he had an outstanding appreciation for art. He started an art exhibit at our High School. We had this in the spring, and artists from all over would send or bring paintings to be hung in our auditorium for display. It was open to the public in the afternoons, and at night we would have an outstanding program of music and speech. The auditorium would be packed, It was a very special time of year. We had quite a collection of beautiful paintings at the school when the program was discontinued. These paintings were sometimes donated by the artist, but the school also bought one with the proceeds from the sale of tickets to the exhibit. Students had the opportunity to be receptionists and ushers at these programs. We even got to talk to some of the artists and to explain to other guests about the pictures and the purpose of the exhibit. These pictures still are being exhibited in the halls of the Heyburn school in this year 1997 clear back from 1935. I really enjoyed my high school days from studies to all the parties, programs, dances and sports.
When we were Sophomores, most of our class, decided to observe May Day with a May walk in the afternoon. Our Adviser, Mr Virgil Cross, wouldn't approve it, so we decided to play "hooky'. We walked over the railroad bridge to the Burley park, ate our lunch and walked back to school. Because we had disobeyed, we were all punished by being given outside assignments, and taking the semester exams, but that wasn't all that bad--we did enjoy the walk.
We had a Seminary program combined with the Rupert Seminary classes in our church house. Our teacher, Jesse L. Roberts, assigned all the parts. I was given the part of 'Kate Smith", a popular singer. When I came out on the stage, one of the little boys in the front row said, "She's not Kate Smith, she isn't fat enough". When we graduated from Seminary, which was a three year course, we were chaperoned on a trip to Salt Lake City, Utah, at the close of school. We had a sight-seeing tour of the temple grounds, and we went to the church office building and saw President Heber J. Grant and counselors David O. McKay and J Rueben Clark. We also went to the dance at "Coconut Grove", the biggest dance hall in Salt Lake City.Bishopric, Marvel Lind, but he was sustained as an alternate High Councilor and Vearl Taylor was sustained Second Counselor in our Bishopric. WE also changed meeting times and now we go on Sunday at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. The Stake realignment also added a Heyburn third ward which will eventually meet in our building also. They have to remodel our building first and then we will have another time change.é. We honored Burnell Seamons who had worked for us for fifteen years. He was retiring, and with his wife, going on a mission to South Africa. We had a nice breakfast. The company gave him an engraved gold watch and Altha a silk flower corsage. I gave them an all white embroidered afghan. The thought it was beautiful and were very appreciative of their gifts. It was an enjoyable farewell.
For Jeanne's birthday I decided to cut the pieces for a Dresden Plate quilt. She has wanted to piece one so I got it ready with material for the blocks and sent it to her.
Ray and I went to Grandmas house and stripped the beds and emptied the drawers so I could wash and sort them. They needed to be taken care of and nobody else could seem to do it. It is now ready for those who want it. It took a lot of effort to get it done but it would just be ruined if I didn't do it.
New Years Day I didn't feel very well. I guess I overdid with all the washing and going up and down stairs, but by night I was feeling better and had everything finished. Saturday, we again cleaned the house and made preparations for Sunday, including Grandma back as soon as we got out of church..
It is very cold, snowy and quite miserable weather but we do need the storm. The snow continued through January and we have had a lot of drifting and closed roads. Some days have been awfully cold too.
We have had grandma with us most of the time. We have got her over hr stomach problems and she is doing quite well except for her loss of memory. She has changed from not wanting to eat much food to eating a lot. She has no patience to wait until mealtime, she wants to eat at the time she thinks it is, if she has a snack then she won't eat when she should. It isn’t easy to take care of her. Some nights we get very little sleep and she asks the same question over and over again. There is no way you can ease her mind or make her understand. Somebody has to be with her constantly except when she sleeps at night.
I have spent my time cutting and sewing quilt blocks. I took my box of silk pieces and have cut three patterns to be appliqued on white blocks. I finished one and gave Joan for her birthday, I have taken the leftover pieces and made a crazy quilt. You have a basic pattern and sew the odd shapes to it any way you can fit them on. It is quite interesting and made some very pretty blocks.
While I go to the office to do my work Edith Handy or Ann Gerratt stay with Grandma and Edith has been coming on Sunday so we could go to church. Our meetings are a different time than theirs. That is the only break we get. You are almost a prisoner in your own house because of grandma’s insecurity.
January 31, 1982 we went to Melba to Dirk's farewell testimonial . They had a very good meeting put on by the family and the Bishop gave a talk. Jeanne had a dinner all prepared for all of us and we ate in the cultural hall at the church. She had Turkey, scalloped potatoes, salads rolls and dessert. It was all very good. There was about 45 there to eat. We weren't able to stay very long. We all needed to be close to home before it got dark because of the snow and the drifted roads. As we got almost home there was quite an accident on the interstate and the road was almost blocked in a few places.
Jeanne, Lynn, Shelly, Gary and Dirk came down Tuesday night. They had supper with Lynn's parents and part of them stayed there at night. Marilyn had Wednesday and Thursday off so Wednesday we all headed for Logan to go through the temple with Dirk, February 10. Joan and Norman drove down and went with us too. It was a small session but we were very pleased and fortunate to have two daughters, two sons-in-laws, Grandma grandson, one grand daughter, one grand-son-in law and us in the temple. We made up about half of the session. After the session Ray and I went and picked up some chicken, french fries, rolls and dessert and took home for supper.
It was extremely cold and the fog was very dense in some places. We were glad to be back at the house. We hated to see Jeanne and her group have to drive to Salt Lake and Joan to drive back home in that fog, but they made it alright. Thursday morning we went to the temple and did one more endowment and because it was so cold we headed back home too. It was enjoyable to get away and go to the temple.
I had some kind of rash on parts of my body for about two weeks so on Friday I went to the Doctor. He said it was from the dry, cold weather and had me get some lotion. He also checked my blood pressure and found that it was high, He gave me some medication for that but for some reason it made me very sick to my stomach and left me very weak. I took it for ten days trying to get used to it and then he changed it to another kind.
Saturday, after having been to Ann's for a week, Ray went and brought his mother back. She is so confused it make it very different to take care of her. Physically she is better than she has been for a year but mentally she is more forgetful and harder to keep contented.
Marilyn was given Friday the 26th off so we sent to Logan on Thursday afternoon. Ray took his mother over to Ann on Thursday morning. We did enjoy the opportunity to go to the temple. We did two endowments on Friday and Ray did two on Saturday at the Priesthood sessions. The rest of the time we really relaxed. You don't realize how tense you are from taking care of Grandma until you get away from it.
Monday and Tuesday I worked at the office to get the first of the months work and statements done. Tuesday afternoon we had Grandma back again. Along with cutting quilt blocks I have completed two afghans, One of them I am going to donate to the annual Bishop's Bazaar.
Wanda Stimpson came and got Grandma on Friday afternoon and she will keep her until Monday morning.
I am not feeling very well, my arthritis and my stomach still aren't right some days and I'm still trying to get my blood pressure under control.
We are going to have family home evening Sunday night March 7. Marilyn and I spent Saturday morning making filled cupcakes for refreshments. We used the films of "Worthy Thoughts, Worthy Music", by Elder Boyd K. Packer and also a film about the life of President Spencer W. Kimball. Joan gave the opening prayer and Natalie gave the closing prayer. We had an enjoyable evening and they all enjoyed the cupcakes.
Monday morning it was back to work again and to take care of Grandma. She is getting more difficult to get along with and we are having to give her a mild tranquilizer to settle her down.
This morning March 8, Elder Dirk Heiner flew from Salt Lake City to his field of labor in Kentucky Louisville Mission. Jeanne and Lynn were unable to go down to see him off but the counsel from the General Authorities is that sometimes it is better not to. We pray that all will be well with him and we know that he will be a good missionary.
Lamar has been released as financial clerk and been sustained as Ward Clerk. Neldon has been released from membership clerk and sustained as Elder's Quorum Instructor. Dee Ray was released as Counselor in the Elders Quorum Presidency and sustained as president. Nolan is leader in the Young Men's Mutual. All of the boys have responsible positions and so do their wives.
Friday Night, March 12, was our Bishop's Bazaar. It was well attended and enjoyable. All of the items that were donated were auctioned off. Some of them sold good and some of them sold pretty cheap. The afghans didn't bring much money and we bought mine back.
The medicine for my blood pressure is helping and the Doctor said I would probably always have to take it.
All our efforts to make Grandma Bailey comfortable have failed and no matter where she stays she gives them a bad time about taking her home. She knows she can't live by herself but she thinks someone can go live with her. We finally made up our minds she would have to go to the Burley Care Center. We took her over to Joan's and she gave her a permanent and on March 24th Ray and I with Wanda's help took her to the nursing home. She was very angry and upset and said things she had no right to say but we have to overlook that and hope she can be cared for there.
Thursday afternoon Ray, Marilyn and I went to Logan. Friday morning we went for one endowment session at the Temple. In the afternoon we had the TV, hooked up to cable. We did a little shopping and rode around North Logan, through a section we had never been before. Saturday Morning Ray went to the priesthood sessions at the Temple. He did three endowments and then we drove home in the afternoon.
The days are going by and we are hoping it will soon warm up and we can have spring. Ray and I went to the Stake House and listened to the welfare session of Conference, April 3. We came home and watched the other sessions on T.V. We appreciate the opportunity to see and hear the General Authorities of the church. We watched the Sunday sessions too. More than one talk was on integrity and honesty. It took a lot of courage for President Kimball and President Tanner to say a few words. Their health is so poor but they are great leaders.
We had family home evening on April 4. Joan and Norman played the tape on "Worthy Music', that Bonnie had from a Rick's College Devotional. Dee and Sylvia furnished refreshments of Brownies, which was very good. We enjoyed the evening.
Tuesday, April 13, Ray and I went to Logan to collect some money for insufficient fund checks that were written at " Hub 66". Wednesday after the Bank opened Ray got a cashiers check for the Hub and then we went up through Bancroft and visited Seth. WE also saw Darlene and went to the nursing home to see Doris. She didn't really recognize us but we visited anyway. We enjoyed the trip by ourselves. Marilyn stayed over to Joan's and we were home by 6 o'clock.
Marilyn had her birthday off and we decided to go up to Melba on Thursday afternoon. Jeanne's family is all doing well. We watched Paul compete in the track meet on Friday afternoon. We had cake and ice cream for Marilyn's birthday at supper time. Monica is really growing. She can roll over and she can sit up alone. We just relaxed and enjoyed the visit. Saturday morning after breakfast we came home to get ready for Sunday.
Our family home evening on the first Sunday in May was conducted by Ray and he read his mother's history. We discussed our trip to Lagoon, which is scheduled for June 9. Marilyn and I served Root Beer Floats for the family.
Mothers Day, we had a nice program at the church. Ray gave me a beautiful Orchid Corsage and a box of candy. Marilyn gave me a 20 dollar bill to buy something I'd like. Jeanne sent me a card and letter and so did Shelly. Joan gave me a bottle of cologne. Dee and Sylvia made me a centerpiece of baked dough that was a basket filled with biscuits etc, and two place mats. Lamar and Brenda gave me an Aloe Vera plant. Nolan and Dawna gave me a box of Butter Mints. Neldon and Sharon gave me a box of chocolates and all of them gave me some very beautiful cards. It was a nice day.
The weather hasn't cooperated very well as far as yard work is concerned. WE asked Bonnie if she would stay with Marilyn so we could go to Logan. Ray and I left Wednesday afternoon and got there about 5 o'clock. Thursday we did three endowments. Friday we went at 8:30 o'clock and did two endowments, bought our lunch in the cafeteria and then did two more endowments. finishing about 5 o'clock. We did some shopping for some books at Cache Valley Mall and then went home. I was very tired that makes for a long day to do that many endowments but it was a good accomplishment. Saturday morning we went at 7:30 o'clock and did two more endowments and went home by 11:30. I fixed dinner and we packed up our things so we could return home. It was a good three days and I felt like we had accomplished what we went down there to do. That if the most sessions we have attended at one time. We hope we can do it again soon. Everything was taken care of while we were gone and that was good too.
It is High School graduation time again. Thursday May 20, we loaded the fifth-wheel and went to Melba. That evening was the Spring Concert at the school. Lynn, Brett, Paul, Jason and Corinne were all involved in the chorus and the band. It was a very good program. Friday night at the Stake Center was the program "Legacy to Women". Corinne sang in the Primary Chorus. It was an outstanding program put on by choruses from Primary, Young Women, Special Interest and Relief Society with some soloists. They had a display of hobbies and handcrafts in the cultural hall. There were some beautiful quilts, paintings, embroidery work, wood work, etc.
Saturday was an easy day but along toward afternoon Monica seemed to have quite a fever so Jeanne called the Doctor and we took her into Nampa to his office. He said she had an ear infection, so we got a prescription for her. Sunday she wasn't well enough to take to church so Marilyn and I stayed with her and Jeanne came back so we attended Sacrament Meeting. Marilyn and I started preparations for dinner. She cut up the chicken and I peeled the potatoes and diced them to make a salad and made some celery and carrot sticks. Jeanne finished the rest when she came home. There were 17 of us for dinner and then all of us but Corrine Monica, and Melissa went to the Graduation Exercises. It only lasted 35 minutes. There were 20 graduates and Brett was 4th in his class and he received the Economics Award.
Brett opened his gifts after we got back home and we had Root Beer floats for refreshments.
Monday morning about nine o"clock we pulled out for home so I could get my work done at the office.
It seems like we can only have one day of warm weather at a time. I decided to get some of the work done outside so I planted flowers around the garage, the window boxes, and some of the Petunias, Geraniums, Marigolds and Alyssum. It has taken about two weeks to get all of the plants in the ground.
Friday June 4, we went to Logan. The young couple who have been looking after our mobile home were moving to New Mexico. I had been crocheting a Spring Ripple Afghan so we gave that to them for a going away present. Bruce said, he didn’t usually go for things like that but it was has favorite color and he thought it was pretty. It was three shades of green and white and Marsha liked that, so it suited them both. They and their little boy Zach, visited with us Friday night and we had root beer floats, Saturday morning Ray went to the temple. We had lunch and came home in the afternoon;.
My joints are pretty sore again and I am starting on the newest medication for Arthritis. It is called Oraflex. My arms and fingers are the most painful now and my right arm keeps going to sleep. I hope this condition soon clears up.
Tuesday June 9, I made cookies in preparation for our family reunion. Gary, Shelly and baby Melissa arrived in the afternoon. Jeanne, Lynn and family came in the night. 7 o’clock Wednesday morning the family gathered to board the bus for Lagoon. Everyone was present except the three missionary grandsons. It was a beautiful day. The bus ride was comfortable and we arrived in good time. All the kids took off to ride the rides. We had the "Rose Terrace" reserved for us. They carried in the food etc. and then went to look around until lunch time. We all gathered about 12:30 to eat and we had plenty. Ray and I furnished the Chicken, pop, salad and cookies. Everybody else brought salads, cookies, potato chips, pork and beans, rolls, pickles, etc. Ray and I just kinda helped with the little ones. We also walked over to "Pioneer Village", and saw the old churches, old homes and furnishings, old time sores etc. They have a washing machine similar to the one I remember as a child and also the cook stove and butter churns. Many things that are familiar to us when we were children.
Ray and I rode the train around the grounds and just generally were available. Everybody headed for the bus about 5:30 and we were loaded and headed for home in about fifteen minutes. It had been an enjoyable day for 44 people. I came home very tired but we were glad that none of the kids had any problems. They did enjoy each others company and there was no quarreling or nasty words spoken to anyone. Ray and I had paid for the cost of the bus and the all day passes at Lagoon.
Thursday morning Marilyn and I went back to work. Jeanne, Lynn and family went back home about 10:o’clock and the rest left about noon. It’s nice to have a family get together that goes so well and is enjoyed by all. We have many blessings to be thankful for and we hope our family appreciates them.
Saturday, June 19, was our family reunion for the Thaxton side. Alfred’s family was in charge of arrangements. There were so many commitments that Joan, Norman, Bonnie, Marilyn, Ray and I were the only ones able to attend. Joan and I sang a duet, "The Bridge Builder", accompanied by Bonnie. I had been given the assignment to write a life history of my mother. I found it hard to talk about my parents, even though they had been gone many years.
We were a small group but we did enjoy the visit. Each of the families were represented except Jim’s and Elden’s.
Sunday, June 20, was Father’s Day. It started off with a call from President Keith Merrill to come to his office so he could visit with us. He asked us to consider being temple workers at the Logan Temple. He knew we had to take care of Marilyn and wanted us to see if we could arrange to take the assignment. This was the beginning of Marilyn’s vacation so we told him we would be at the temple and would meet with the temple President to find out the requirements.
Sunday Evening after church all of the kids and their families came to visit Ray. Ray had already received a card from Jeanne and Shelly.
Monday afternoon we gathered up our things and drove down to Logan. Everything was in good shape at the house when we arrived. We bought our supper of double quartermaster with cheese and a milkshake. We had hardly finished eating when I began feeling sick. Sometimes my stomach dumps my food into the intestines too fast and it makes me very ill. I guess that’s what happened so I went to bed early so I could lay down.
Tuesday morning I was still shaky but we went to the temple for the eight o’clock session and then we visited with President Larsen of the Temple Presidency. He told us the requirements but they seemed to be too tying for us to accept at this time and He advised us to not do it. We did four more endowments before we came home on Thursday night.
Our Stake Conference was June 26 and 27th. Our visiting general authority was Elder G. Homer Durham, and our regional representative was Elder Boyd Henderson. The theme of the conference was "Constancy amid Change". We need to get our priorities in the right order and distinguish between "wants and needs". Sunday morning they released our Stake Presidency and we sustained new ones. President John A Stevenson, First Counselor Clyde Harper, and Gene Hansen, Second Counselor. They will be a good faithful, sincere Presidency, President Merrill, Maxwell. Hurst have served well for ten years and they will be missed and hard to follow.
July 2nd and 3rd was the P.H. Bailey family reunion at Cassia Stake Recreation Area. Friday evening we had a wiener roast and program. Ray Marilyn and I and Lamar’s family were there, but we came home for the night.
Nolan, Dawna and the kids went with us three in the pickup. Dee’s family went in their van. There was a pretty good group by the time we had lunch. They played games and were given "Bailey Bucks" for prizes that they could use to buy gifts that were donated by family members. Marilyn donated a latch hook pillow and I donated an afghan. We had plenty to eat with chicken, salads, and cake brought by everybody that came.
After the things were auctioned, Jim and Carole Ann Fillmore’s little boy who had worked so hard for "Bailey Bucks", still had a handful so I told Carole Ann to bring him by our place as he went home and he could have an afghan because that was what he wanted and there wasn’t enough to go around. He was very happy and appreciative of the one he got.
It was an enjoyable reunion even though there were a quite a few who couldn’t attend.
I worked for two weeks everyday at the office. Jeanne was on vacation and Sharon took her place until sh had to go to girls camp and then I did all the work on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I went to work between 5:30 and 6 o’clock in the morning so I could be done by noon and still get it finished. It had been almost a year since I had done any of the day work and the programs have been changed some in that time, but it all fell into place pretty good and I had very few problems getting it all done. I also had my accounts payable done a week in advance so we could go to Logan.
Marilyn had a week vacation beginning on Friday afternoon July 16. We decided to spend the whole week and we left that afternoon. As we turned off the Interstate at Garland, Utah, our car stopped on us. We didn’t know what the problem was because it had never happened before and it was a diesel car. We made it a little farther but soon had to turn off the road completely. The black smoke just poured out all over and we knew it was overheated but we didn’t know why. We were lucky to have coasted into the shade before we stopped completely. Just as Ray lifted the hood a young couple in a van turned around and came back to see if we needed help. They were a Spanish couple. They helped push the car off the road a little farther and then took Ray on into Logan to get a wrecker, In the time Marilyn and I waited in the car this was the only couple that even slowed down as they went past. We were lucky they stopped but they wouldn’t take any money for helping us. Ray came in a car and another man came with a wrecker. We unloaded all of our things into the borrowed car and he took us home while the wrecker took our car to the shop. Our neighbor, Dennis Spackman brought Ray home from the shop and we couldn’t find anything out about the car until Saturday morning. Wanda, Louis and Scott Stimpson came to see us and Louis was going back to Heyburn the next morning and he called to see if we needed anymore help. While we were waiting to hear about the car, Dennis and his wife Karla took us to the temple for the early morning session. We got through in time to check on the car about 10:o’clock. The mechanic was sure the thermostat on the radiator was the problem so they tried it out and it seemed to be fixed. We were grateful that was all that was wrong because it looked bad when the black smoke was pouring out.
Sunday we picked up Wanda at the university and we went to Wellsville for Sacrament meeting. There aren’t very many Bailey’s left in Wellsville but we did see one of Ray’s cousins. After meeting we went to the cemetery to look up some of the relatives graves and then we went home to have dinner. When we went to take Wanda back to the school we took her out to see the old home in Richmond, where Ray was born. She had never been there and didn’t know where her parents used to live. We did more driving on Sunday than we had done in years, but it was the only opportunity to see some of the history of their parents.
Monday, Ray had the car serviced to make sure everything was okay and then we drove to Bancroft to see Seth. He was down to Pocatello to the doctor but we visited with Darlene in Soda Springs and went to the nursing home to see Doris. Doris had fallen and broke her collarbone and was strapped in a wheel chair. She was crying and miserable and
of course didn’t recognize us. It is sad to see her and realize she won’t get any better.
Tuesday, we went to the temple and did three endowments a piece. In the afternoon we took Marilyn and did a little shopping.
Wednesday, we went to the temple and did two endowments. In the afternoon we went out to the Cache Valley Cheese plant and watched the film and bought some cheese and some Ice Cream Cones. We had a little more shopping to do so we did that before we went home.
Thursday Morning we did two more endowments. In the afternoon we drove out to Clarkston to see the Martin Harris Grave site and the new amphitheater that they have built. We enjoyed the drive and to see the scenery in the valley.
Friday morning we did three more endowments and then we packed up our things and drove back to Heyburn. We had a good week and it was enjoyable. We are grateful we have the opportunity to attend the temple and that everything goes so well.
Saturday afternoon, Jeanne called and said that Todd surprised them and came in a week early from his mission. We are glad that he returned safely and that he is well and feels good about his mission.
We had been making plans to have our bedroom remodeled and Monday Harlow Cheney called and said he was ready to start. He came in the afternoon to see what we wanted done and said he would start the next day July 27th.
Todd and his friend Aaron Mayben surprised us Wednesday night and we had a good visit with them. They went on to Rexburg to see about college.
Our plans for a simple remodeling job have been multiplied and we have decided to change the bathroom as well. Ray wanted me to have a Jacuzzi tub so I could soak in it for my arthritis, to do this we had to take out half a wall and break out enough concrete from the floor to install it. It sets below the floor surface about 24'’. It has a water depth of 30'’ and so I can sit down in water up to my ears. The windows had to be changed and we are adding another sink and medicine cabinet. Our closet will have two rods, one above the other, and use up one wall with three louvered, folding, sliding doors and the T.V. installed over some shelves on the one end. We are putting in new carpet in the bedroom, bathroom, and family room with a tiled entry into the garage. It is taking some time to get all of this done and everything is piled in the basement from our clothes closets etc.
Sunday, August 8, our whole family from Heyburn went to Melba for Todd’s missionary report. We all attended Sacrament meeting and then Jeanne and Lynn had dinner for all of us. They had about 25 people including some from Lynn’s family. It was a nice day. Todd had been a good missionary and he speaks the Spanish language very fluently.
We received a phone call to meet the temple President for an interview on August 24. On Monday afternoon we left Marilyn with Joan and went down to Logan. Tuesday morning we went to the temple. President Bullen had some conflict in his schedule so we did one endowment and went back to his office. He was still unavailable so we met with President Larson, It was decided we shouldn’t accept the call at the time because it was such a demanding schedule, but if within a year we changed our mind we could still be temple workers without being re-interviewed. We came on home Tuesday afternoon as it seemed like a very busy week to be away.
Friday morning Ray Marilyn and I took the van and drove up to Melba to pick up Todd and Brett. We were going to bring them back and pick up Bonnie and move them all up to College. It would be such a hard ride for me that Ray decided to let them take the van and bring it back the next week end. I was glad not to make the trip because I didn’t feel very good. My joints are really painful at times. I have made good use of the Jacuzzi but it won’t cure me.
The work on the remodeling is going good but it seems kinda slow.
Labor Day week end Jeanne and family came from Melba. They stayed at Heiner’s but had supper with us on Friday night. Todd and Brett stayed with us part of the time. Sunday night we had family home evening and Todd told us about his missionary experiences. Ruth and Calvin Heiner were here too and Marilyn and I served Root Beer floats. Everyone was present and it was an enjoyable evening.
September 21, was my birthday. Ray gave me a bottle of Cologne and we spent the day together. I went with him while he picked up the mail etc. And then after Marilyn got off work and had lunch, we went for a ride up to Almo and Elba and back. It was an enjoyable trip and a beautiful day and to top it off Marilyn bought our supper. Nolan and Dawna gave me a picture of crewel embroidery, Neldon and Sharon gave me two Fiskars scissors, Joan and Norman gave me a quilted purse, a wall holder with an expandible ruler in it and a cookie sheet of carrot bars, which we all sampled. Dee, Sylvia, Lamar and Brenda were all gone to a convention in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
Jeanne called on Wednesday and also told us about Gary’s father passing away. Marilyn had already made arrangements for Friday off, so instead of going to Logan we went to Melba and took Edith Armacost with us. We stayed at Jeanne’s and on Friday we drove to Cambridge for Stanley Cutlers funeral. Marilyn stayed with Jeanne’s kids. They had a very nice service for Him and Edith got to visit with many old friends. We also stopped in Weiser to let Edith visit her daughter, Lanita, who is in a nursing home there with Multiple Sclerosis. It was an enjoyable day and we saw many people that we had met when Jeanne lived in Cambridge.
Saturday night after we got home, Shelley called and ask Ray if he could give Gary’s brother-in-law some help because he was stranded with his family out on the interstate. He was having car trouble. Ray, Nolan and Neldon took our van and went to see what they could do. They loaned them the van and next week Nolan would take the Cycle City truck and trailer and haul their car to them in Salt Lake City.
Sunday morning September 26, we were called to the Stake President’s office for an interview. They called us to work at the Regional Employment Office. We will be required to spend one four hour shift a week and President Grant Wyatt would call us and make the arrangements. President Bert Stevenson and his counselors set us apart for the position.
I canned peaches, pears, tomato juice, whole tomatoes, green tomato pickle relish and plum jelly. The plums, tomatoes and all except the spices were from our own garden.
Our remodeling project is finished and we are really pleased with the results. It makes us a lovely bedroom and bathroom. The carpets are nice and our entry to the family room looks nice and is much better.
The fact that I can soak up to my neck in controlled temperature does help my aching joints. I am not on any medication now and haven’t been for a month.
Thursday October 14, Ray went to an ear specialist in Twin Falls and he made an appointment for him to have X-Ray’s at the University of Utah Medical Center on October 18. So we drove to Utah to have them taken.
We have worked at the L.D.S Employment Service two Wednesday mornings from 8-1 o’clock. We have met some nice people and we feel good about the time we have spent. We hope to be of assistance to the people who need employment.
Thursday October 21, Ray went with his sisters to a funeral in Pleasant View, Utah.
Marilyn had Friday off so she and I drove down to Logan to meet Ray. Friday morning we went to the temple and did three endowments. We were the witness couple for the first session.
In the afternoon we did a little shopping. Saturday morning we did another two endowments and returned home in the afternoon. We had spent a busy week but we felt good about our accomplishments.
The past two weeks have been ups and downs for me. The last week end of October I had such a terrible headache and my joints were so bad I didn’t attend any church meetings. My headache continued off and on through the week. On Friday I had a doctor’s appointment.
He found that my blood pressure was up and gave me some medication besides what I was taking. Sunday morning I felt very weak so I spent the day lying on the bed. My headache and my general weakness continued. I called the doctor on Tuesday and he said it wasn’t my medication making me feel ill but my blood pressure. We were going to go to Logan Wednesday afternoon but he said that I needed my blood pressure checked again on Thursday.
November 10, Wednesday morning we spent at the Employment Office. It was a slow morning with only two people coming in. Thursday morning I went to the doctor and my blood pressure was better than it was the Thursday before so he gave me a prescription to replace the samples I had been taking and said it should keep it under control. He said I should try the coated Aspirin for my arthritis so it wouldn’t keep getting worse.
We left for Logan about 11 o’clock and it was a nice drive. Friday morning we did two endowments and as usual in the afternoon we did a little shopping. Saturday morning we cleaned up the house and headed for Heyburn. It looked like snow all around us but it didn’t actually snow on us. It is very cold for this early in the winter however. It was 13 degrees at night and only reaches about 40 degrees in the daytime.
November 17, we went down to Logan again and Thursday we did two endowments and Friday we did three endowments. The weather forecast was for snow on top of what we already had so we came home on Friday afternoon.
For Jeanne’s Ward Bazaar I gave her an afghan to donate. When Joan’s Ward had a Bazaar I gave her an afghan to donate. The Heyburn Community had a benefit and dance for a young couple who were having financial and health problems so I donated two afghans for that benefit.
Cassia Memorial Hospital Pink ladies sponsors the Festival of Trees as a fund raising project so I donated an afghan and Marilyn donated a pillow.
Wednesdays we spend at the Employment Office . It isn’t usually very busy but we have no job openings to help anyone with anyway.
This has surely been a different year for weather. We have had more storm and cold weather than we usually have this time of year.
Todd, Brett, Gary, Shelley, Melissa, Jeanne and Lynn and family all arrived Wednesday afternoon for the Thanksgiving Holiday Thursday morning Ray had to handle the turkey for me. My elbows were so painful I couldn’t lift any thing. Jeanne did a lot of the fixing for the dinner. As each family came they brought something for the dinner. Marilyn and I peeled the potatoes and I made the gravy. Everybody was present for the dinner except our missionaries, Derk and Troy. We set the tables for 43 people. Melissa and Monica were already fed and asleep. It was a good dinner. We had turkey, ham. Potatoes, gravy, dressing, baked squash, corn, fruit salads, relish plates, pies: pumpkin, apple, cherry and home made Ice Cream. After we cleared up the dirty dishes all the couples discussed plans for Christmas and made assignments for Christmas Eve. We had a very enjoyable day and all the kids got along well together.
Friday, I went to work as usual. Jeanne’s family spent the day at the Heiner’s in Burley. We popped some popcorn and had movies in the evening. Saturday morning I took Jeanne and Shelley shopping at the Burley Mall for some material.
After lunch Jeanne’s family decided to return home. Shelley and Gary stayed over to go back Sunday. They were going to go to church with us but the weather had changed and it was snowing. It looked like the roads would be slick by night so they decided to go home.
Monday morning the roads were slick and by Tuesday morning Ray took Marilyn and I to work.
The plumbers came Tuesday to finish their work. They installed the hand rails in our bathroom and put a refrigerated drinking faucet in our kitchen. This completed our remodeling project.
It was really snowing Tuesday evening and on Wednesday by the time we came home from the Employment Office our driveway was full and we got stuck. Dee Ray plowed out the driveway enough to get the car in the garage. Ray took Marilyn and I to work Thursday morning and then he put the snow tires on my car so I could drive it Friday. It didn’t snow anymore and the weather was warmer so the roads weren’t so bad. Thursday afternoon and Friday after I got off work I did some Christmas shopping and I also started some of the sewing I want to do.
I got 13 nightgowns and nine pairs of boys pajamas cut out. It settled down to a routine to get them sewn.
Our 44th Wedding Anniversary on the 14th was pretty quiet. In the evening Marilyn bought our supper. Joan and Norman gave us some kitchen hand towels, Dee and Sylvia made us a Christmas wreath of pine cones, Nolan and Dawna made a decoration for our mantel of the twelve days of Christmas, Sharon and Allyson were down with colds so Neldon came down alone. They all gave us some beautiful cards and Jeanne sent us a letter. Ray gave me a card and red rose in a vase and a poinsettia plant. I gave him a flannel shirt and Levis that I thought he could use when he was doing woodwork plus a card. It was a nice evening.
By Christmas time I had the pajamas and nightgowns sewn plus sewing the lace on 23 scarfs and 4 " trip around the world " quilt tops. There was an average of 1131 pieces in each quilt top. Each family received 2 polyester pieced quilt tops, some dresser scarfs and pillow cases. Ray had made some wooden toys too. They were little cars and road graders for each family.
Christmas Eve we started with dinner. Nolan and Dawna were in charge of it. I cooked a big turkey and a ham and each one in the family brought salads etc. to go with it. Neldon and Sharon, Joan and Norman were in charge of the Santa Claus and He came about 8:30 and passed out a present for each child and some candy canes. Dee and Sylvia were in charge of the program. We had a family band with most of them who played an instrument playing Christmas Carols. Lynn brought the music and directed the band. It sounded real good. Some of the little ones played home made bells and tambourines. Andrea and Clayton sang a song, Tyrell and Jalaine played the piano and Grandpa read the Christmas story from the Bible. We passed out the gifts and then Lamar, Brenda, Jeanne and Lynn had made a pinata for the kids to break. Everybody was involved and they all seemed to have a good time. It was a fun evening. It was a fun evening.
Ray and I were given family pictures, house slippers, gloves, house coat, Jacket, hand lotion, gift certificate and a queen size flannel quilt. Christmas morning we watched Jeanne’s family open their presents.
Marilyn gave me a pleated plaid skirt and a blue silk blouse. Ray gave me a pocket calculator, cologne and a black crepe dress with a slip. I gave him some slacks, shirt, sweater, and two L.D.S. books.
Marilyn got a dress, slacks, blouses, two story books plus her nightgown, house slippers and gloves. We took it quite easy Christmas Day and tried to be prepared for Sunday. Some had colds.
Sunday was our first meeting in our newly remodeled building. We also started a different time schedule which was from 10:30 to 1:30 o’clock. The building looked very nice and I have no meetings that I have to go up very many stairs for. Our Chapel has padded seats and backs. They are quite comfortable.
After our meetings we came home and had a turkey dinner and then Jeanne’s family went over to the Heiner’s to visit. Neldon, Sharon, Nolan and Dawna and Joan came over later to visit.
Marilyn and I went to work as usual on Monday but we both seem to be coming down with a cold. Tuesday morning I took Marilyn to work but she wasn’t feeling very well and by 10 o’clock they called rom the hospital fro me to come and get her. She had a really bad cold and was having chills. She spent the rest of the week home and in bed most of the time. Jeanne and her family left for home Tuesday. They really had a car and trailer full but they made it home without any trouble.
By Wednesday I had a really bad cold so I stayed home as much as I could. Friday Ray started to come down with it and by Saturday Night he was really sick. He not only had a cold but he had chills and fever. That wasn’t hardly the way to start the New Year. New Year’s Day was very quiet. We watched the Rose Bowl parade on television and just relaxed. It was Jeanne’s 43rd birthday but I had sent her present home with her so we didn’t contact them.
Sunday Marilyn and I attended church but Ray was still to sick to go. Monday we went to work as usual and back to the routine. Ray still didn’t feel too good by Wednesday so we didn’t go to the Employment Office.
I had bought some polyester and wool material before Christmas so I proceeded to cut it up and make me some new clothes. Shelley and Gary came through on their way back to college. They were having some car trouble so Ray helped him figure out the problem and correct it. We all had supper and then they headed for home.
I decided I would make Shelley a dress for her birthday so I bought a pattern and used some material from my storage to make it. Between my own clothes and her dress I have spent most of the month sewing. Of course, some days I didn’t sew anything because I had other things to do.
Along with taking care of Visiting Teaching I was asked to teach the Compassionate service lesson. It was on "Teaching with the Spirit". The Holy Ghost is our constant companion if we live worthy and seek the spirit. It was hard for me to give and it was a very short lesson but we covered the subject.
We had planned to go to Logan on the 21st but Ray was having a young girl here for lessons from the full time missionaries. I also had Relief Society board meeting.
I have had a meeting every week for Relief Society, board meeting, homemaking meeting that I helped with the luncheon, Stake meeting, and a Relief Society workshop. I am also supposed to make the assignments for food or other help that may be needed in the home when there is sickness or death. I helped arrange the visiting teaching districts and handed out the books. It isn’t a once a month position. It seems like something comes up nearly every day.
January 1983
We went to Logan on Friday morning and as soon as we could change our clothes and get something to eat we went to the temple. We did three endowments. I was pretty tired but it’s a pretty good start for the New Year. Ray went to the Priesthood sessions on Saturday. Marilyn and I took him to the temple and then did a little shopping. We went back home and straightened up the house and went back to the temple to pick him up. After we had our lunch we packed up and headed back home.
February has started out to be busy. One of our Ward members ( Br. Ben Harding) died as the result of a car accident so I had to make preparations for the food for the large family that was expected. Everybody who was asked to help responded very well and we had plenty.
I have been working on the quilt tops and succeeded in getting two more finished. They are beautiful.
We planned on going to Logan to the temple the last week of the month but Ray came down with a real bad cold so we couldn’t go.
Grandma Bailey fell down and broke her hip, She also bruised her right shoulder and was taken to the hospital. The Doctor decided not to operate because he thought she was to old to walk again and she didn’t need to go through an operation. She seems to be getting along pretty good.
Sunday March 6, 1983 we had the dedication of our remodeled building. It was an outstanding meeting. The choir sounded good and the speakers were very good. Elder Boyd Henderson, our Regional Representative, gave the Dedicatory Prayer. Our building was first built and dedicated in 1936. I was singing in the choir then too. It has been added on to twice since then but this time it was remodeled to accommodate three wards. It brings back many memories of all the things that have transpired in that building, all of the dances, plays, programs and different meetings we have attended. I have never lived in any other Ward so all of my life has been connected to Heyburn Ward.
I also attended the baptism of Jana Feltman a young woman who took the lessons from the missionaries. They gave her the lessons in our home because Ray arranged it. I hope she is able to continue on the path that she started.
Visiting Teaching and Compassionate service is a day to day position. There is always someone who needs help of some kind either because of a death in the family or illness. Also there are problems that come along in the districts that have to be considered. It means a quite a bit of telephoning and checking on people. It requires time that I haven’t had to give before but I seem to be able to get it done and still do the things I have to do.
Troy has arrived home from his mission. I can’t see any change except he is more mature and of course his knowledge of the Gospel is much greater. His missionary report is on March 13, 1983. Jeanne and her family came on Saturday. Todd and Brett came from college with Bonnie Friday night. We had family home evening on Saturday night and Troy showed us slides and told us bout his mission. The scenery in Ohio is a lot different than in Idaho and he had some nice pictures and some good experiences. Marilyn and I spent Saturday morning making a dessert. We put whipped topping mix in the bottom of dessert dishes and then Vanilla pudding mix with fruit sauce on the top. Marilyn also made some Brownies. It all tasted real good. It was also quite a bit of work to make 43 servings. Sunday part of us went to Joan’s Ward for all the meetings and some only attended Sacrament meeting. Some of us helped Joan and she served dinner at the church for all. It was a very good dinner and everyone enjoyed it. After we put things away at the church we came home so Jeanne’s family could return home and the boys back to college. I sent a pieced quilt top back with Jeanne for her to quilt for Shelley .
Ray’s sister Ann Gerratt and her daughter-in-law Marge, came over to see my quilt tops. They thought they were real pretty and Marge wanted to make one.
We went down to Logan on the 17th of March. It was quite snowy but there wasn’t any snow at the mobile home. It did rain after we got there and then turned to snow during the night. Ray and I went to the temple and did one endowment. Ray didn’t feel good so we went back home. After we had dinner we went up town to do some shopping. Saturday we did some washing and cleaning before we headed back home.
March 25 was our Bishop’s Bazaar. I donated two afghans. We went down to the dinner and stayed for the auction. The quilts and small items sold quite well. I think they are tired of afghans, one sold for 40.00 dollars and we bought the other one back for 17.50, but that’s all right because the money went to the Ward budget.
March 30, Ray and I went to Idaho Falls to go through the temple with Brett. Jeanne and Lynn were bringing young people from their Ward for a baptismal session on Friday. It was spring break for the school so all of them came down. The younger ones stayed with Marilyn. It was a good evening. Brett was the only one in the session going for his own endowments. President DeVere Harris who used to be our Regional Representative conducted the Chapel session. Ray gave the opening prayer and Todd gave the closing. It is different going to a temple where the parts are given by real people instead of the film like they have in Logan. Jeanne and Lynn stayed in Rexburg with Todd and Brett and Ray and I drove home. They came back on Friday evening.
Saturday and Sunday we watched all of the sessions of General Conference. President Spencer W. Kimball and Counselor Marion G. Romney were both unable to attend because of ill health. President Gordon B. Hinckley and Ezra Taft Benson conducted the meetings. That is the first time I ever remember of only one of the Presidency being at Conference. The talks and the music was all very good. It was also Easter Sunday so some were about Jesus and the resurrection. Most were on how we should be and what we should be doing. I wish I could remember all that they say.
The sisters in our Ward have had a lot of opportunity to do a lot of compassionate service. Between illness and new babies we have had a quite a bit to do. We have more babies expected and some have us quite concerned because they think they should have them at home rather than in a hospital. Even though they have been counseled by General Authorities down to Bishops and husbands not to have them without a competent Doctor in attendance. I hope nothing goes wrong for them.
April is a month of many family birthdays, Dee Ray, Todd and Brett are all on the 9th. Ray’s is the 16th. For his birthday we had a family dinner. All of the couples brought food. Marilyn and I cooked Turkey and Ham, made a fruit salad. I went to the bakery and bought dinner rolls and two decorated birthday cakes. We had it on Sunday after church. There were 29 of us. Sylvia had to stay with Tate because he was ill and Brent went with his friends. We all had a nice afternoon. Each of the kids were supposed to write a tribute or something they could remember from growing up to put in a journal for him. Joan, Troy, Sharon, Allyson, Dawna, Heather, Scot Josh, Ben, Brenda and Marilyn have put theirs in.
April 21st was graduation from Ricks College for Bonnie. Bonnie was valedictorian for her class because she was the top student in the commercial department.
She gave her talk on "Attitude" and it was a good talk. We were up there soon enough to have lunch before we went to the exercises. It was a good graduation. They also had Elder Marvin J. Ashton speak to them. He had already been the main speaker for there Baccalaureate Exercises earlier in the day.
We drove from Rexburg down to Logan. It had been a long day and we were glad to get to the mobile home. Friday morning we got up and went to the temple. We did three endowments and we were the witness couple for the first session. When we left the temple we bought Kentucky fried chicken to take home. Saturday would be Marilyn’s birthday, so we had birthday dinner on Friday so we would have more time to enjoy it. We did a little shopping in the afternoon and as we went back to the house we stopped and got some Ice Cream and went to a bakery for a birthday cake.
Saturday Ray went to the temple. Marilyn and I straightened up the house and cooked dinner. We gave her a birth stone ring which was a white sapphire instead of a diamond. We had birthday cake and ice cream for dessert. We packed up the car and headed for home so we could be ready for our Sunday meetings.
May 7 was a three ward auction. I donated an afghan and my old quilting frames. We didn’t stay to the auction so I have no idea what they sold them for.
Marilyn went to a Primary party that day and I made some"impossible Pies" for dessert for Sunday. The reason they are called impossible is because they form their own crust as they bake, I made two chocolate and three lemon.
Sunday was mothers day and we had a good program at Sunday School and was given a Geranium flower. I received a letter on Saturday from Jeanne and on Sunday the boys and there families came over. They gave me cards, candy, pictures, and flowers. Joan was ill so she came over during the week and brought me shampoo and conditioner. We had an enjoyable visit.
Sunday May 15, was Brett’s farewell testimonial in Melba. We drove up that morning for Sacrament Meeting. They had a good program. Jeanne gave an exceptional talk on charity. They all did really good. Jeanne served us all dinner at her house afterward. Joan’s family, Dee’s family, Nolan’s family and us all attended from here. It was an enjoyable day.
Jeanne Brett, Andrea, and Monica came down Wednesday. Ray and I took them to Logan where we stayed overnight. Thursday morning we got up early and drove to Provo. We found where Shelley lived and she and Melissa went to the M.T. C.. We all went into the meeting with Brett where the M.T. C. was explained and then we told him goodbye for the duration of his mission. After we left the center we went over to the B.Y.U. campus to meet Gary so we could have lunch at their home. After lunch Gary went back to school and we went to find where Bonnie worked. She needed a little help with her car and so we visited her while Ray fixed her car. She only had her lunch hour off. It looked like she had a good place to work. From Bonnie’s we went to find Maurine Thaxton’s home. I had already called her on the phone so she was expecting us. She has a nice comfortable home and we had a good visit. Her daughter Ranelle came over so we got to visit her to. We took Shelley back to her apartment and then we headed for home. Marilyn stayed with Joan on Wednesday night but she was waiting for us at home and we didn’t want to be too late getting there. It had been a long day and a busy one. This had been our first experience at going to the training center and it will probably be our only one. It was really interesting to see how complete the training is there . I can see why missionaries leave there with confidence and enthusiasm for their assignments. Jeanne and the little girls went home Friday morning and we settled back into our routine
May 26th we went back down to Logan. Friday morning we got ready and went back to the temple. We did three endowment sessions and was witness couple for the first and third sessions. They weren’t any of them very big sessions and we did enjoy the day.
After we had lunch we took a drive and could see the creeks were getting quite full and they were making the banks higher. When we listened to the news later on T.V. we heard where they had closed one of the roads where we had been that afternoon.
Saturday Ray went to the Priesthood sessions and Marilyn and I vacuumed and cleaned things up in general. I picked the Rhubarb so we could take it home and we got dinner ready so we could leave for home as soon as the dishes were done.
We had planned our family trip to Lagoon for June 8 th but we had to cancel it because of the flooding and we weren’t sure it would be open.
Jeanne and family came down of the 7th and stayed in Logan so they could see Brett off from the airport the next morning. He flew out for St. Louis, Missouri for his first assignment. They came back to Heyburn the next day.
Thursday night was a program at the Stake house for all of the women. It was the award night for the "Pursuit of Excellence". Joan, Bonnie, Dawna, Marilyn and I all received a statuette and certificate. Jeanne went with us to that program and displayed of some of the handmade items. It was a special evening and we all enjoyed it.
Their family went home on Friday morning. Ray and I went ahead and got the mail and went to the bank.
We went up to Rupert and picked out some carpet for Marilyn’s bedroom. I decided I’d try to paint it myself. I haven’t painted in a long time but it is not a very big area. On Monday we moved all the furniture out and took the drapes down so they could be cleaned and on Tuesday I started to paint. Dawna came down and asked if she could help, so while I used a brush she used the roller and we almost finished the room. Wednesday morning Dawna came back and we finished the woodwork and the closet. Thursday they came and laid the carpet and moved most of the furniture back. Friday we hung the drapes and put things back in order. Her room looks really nice and I am glad to have it clean.
It didn’t seem like it bothered me too much to clean Marilyn’s room so I decided to do the bathroom and put up new curtains and rearrange the drawers.
I usually have Tuesday and Wednesday off from the office and this week I also had Friday. The kitchen needed painting too. Some of the cupboards and drawers had never been painted and I started with them. Dawna came down on Friday and helped me paint. That was as far as I could go until the next Tuesday and then I did the ceiling by myself. Wednesday I was ready to do the rest of the walls and the hall. I tried to do the walls and the hall. I tried to do the corner window but I can’t kneel on my knees on a hard surface so I called Sharon for help and she came and did them for me. She also helped me finish the wall and did all the baseboards. I finished all the cupboard doors and drawers with a clear varnish. I bought new curtains and rearranged the dishes, drawers etc. and that made more room. I was sure glad to have things put in place and to have them look so nice. I couldn’t have done it without help from Dawna and Sharon.
I even mixed the leftover paint from the bathroom and kitchen and painted the downstairs stairwell one afternoon. The weather has turned hot and I just about melted but I’m glad to have everything clean and back in place.
The next project was to have the carpets cleaned and I also had the drapes cleaned in the sewing room. It was quite a chore for Marilyn and I to move my sewing supplies but we managed and the boys helped Ray move some of the furniture out and back in when the carpets were dry.
Jeanne and Lynn borrowed our trailer so they could all go to the Heiner family reunion in July. They were here overnight on Wednesday and again on Sunday.
Marilyn had the last week of July off for part of her vacation and we planned to go to Logan.
Tuesday July 26 all the employees of Bailey Oil Co. had breakfast at Price’s Caf
That afternoon we gathered up out things and grove down to Logan. Wednesday and Thursday we each did three names at the Temple. Friday morning we spent studying lessons. I had to prepare to teach the Relief Society lesson on Sunday. Ray and I went to his cousins’ wifes funeral in the afternoon. She had been a temple ordinance worker for ten years before she became ill. The funeral service was planned by her and given by her family. It was a very nice service.
After we went home and had dinner we took a little drive, did some shopping and then went to visit another of Ray’s cousins. I knew them slightly because I had met them at the Bailey reunions. We drove around the valley before we went back home.
Saturday morning we decided to leave for home. It had been so hot we were afraid our yard would need some attention before Sunday. Trenton had done pretty well at keeping some water going.
Sunday morning my lesson on "Value others opinions and encourage others" was a good class. We didn’t have a very big group, but nearly everybody took part. My Stake Leader said it was good and I felt good about it.
The P. H. Bailey family reunion was held at Bancroft this year. Seth’s family was in charge of it. Jeanne and Lynn came down and we all went in the van on Saturday. We had to furnish a salad and a cake for the lunch. I also gave an afghan for the "Bailey Bucks". Joan and Norman took their own car. It wasn’t a big group but we had an enjoyable visit. It rained on us pretty hard but we were under a canopy and didn’t get wet. When we left for home it began to rain again and it was a very hard rain. We were glad we weren’t towing the camper because that was what we originally were going to take. The year 1984 is our family’s turn to sponsor the reunion. We plan to go back to Thanksgiving Day.
Sunday we attended Burnell and Altha’s missionary farewell. Neldon, Sharon, Dee and Sylvia were also there. They had a nice meeting put on by their family. Burnell paid us a high tribute as to being good people and a good employer.
July was a busy month and that is why I don’t have our activities in the proper order because the reunion and testimonial was the first part of the month.
We had made plans to go to Lagoon on the 16th of August, but there was so many conflicts and it had turned out to be so hot we decided to not go. It was disappointing to some of the kids but it just seemed like the thing to do and so we’ll try again next year.
I canned 21 quarts of pickled beets and I also froze 8 bags of corn.
Derk arrived home from his mission on August 3, 1983
August 7. Jeanne, Lynn, Derk and the younger kids came and stayed overnight. Jeanne, Lynn, Derk and Monica went on to Provo to see Shelly and to stay the week. Shelly is expecting a new baby and they were also supposed to move so they went down to help them out. Jalaine, Clayton and Andrea stayed with us and Corrine stayed most of the week over to Grandpa & Grandma Heiner. Corrine’s birthday was on the ninth. I had a dress almost done so she tried it on before she went to Heiner’s so I could finish it. It looked like the kids might be here for Sunday and they hadn’t come prepared to stay that long so I made a dress for Jalaine. Andrea had a little one with her, but she needed a new one too, so I made her one from the
same material as Jalaines’. I bought Clayton a shirt and red corduroy pants. The all looked really nice to go to Sunday meetings.é and each family was to bring salads, pies, etc. Our activities started at 10:30 with each one registering in the book and for door prizes. Jeanne & Lynn conducted games and gave Bailey bucks for prizes for anyone who participated. Joan and Dawna handed out the photograph books and saw that everybody registered and had name tags. Dee Ray & Sylvia furnished some fun prizes. Nolan & Dawna made centerpieces of crepe paper and Indian corn for the tables. I bought paper tablecloths and napkins printed with turkeys, etc. We served the dinner on paper plates. We served dinner family style at 1 o’clock. There were 146 in attendance. All our family helped with the serving and we had plenty of food for everyone. Nolan dished up the ice cream for the pie and also washed a lot of dishes as I did. They had a lot of nice items furnished for the Bailey Bucks auction which Lynn conducted. He and Jeanne also designed the Bailey Bucks with Grandpa & Grandma’s picture in the center. We had a short program with a member from each brother or sister’s family. Wanda gave a life history of Grandma Bailey and Ray brought out things about his father. The blue quilt was won by Kim Wilcox’s wife, Melany, and the ping quilt was won by Tyler Stimpson, Wanda’s grandson. She also won the statuette of Grandpa & Grandma for having the best attendance from her family. Every family was well represented except for Charles. Lamar and Brenda from our family didn’t attend. It was a very enjoyable day and we’re glad to have our turn over. It was held at the Unity church of which Larry Gerratt is the Bishop.é in Burley for a Turkey Dinner. There were 57 of our 61 for dinner. It was a good dinner.
Shelly and Gary’s baby was born on Aug. 11, 1983. It was a boy and weighed 8 lbs. 3 oz. Jeanne said she got along really well. They came back on Sunday evening and left for home on Monday morning. We had enjoyed the week with the kids and they enjoyed it too.
We also went up to the Minidoka Co. Fair. We watched Nicole, Shawn, Tyrell, Robbie and Heather show their lambs. They had some pretty lambs and did a very good job of handling them. In the afternoon Marilyn and I went up to the exhibits and judging for the lambs. I had given two afghans to be displayed in the Stake Relief Society booth. I hadn’t realized they would be judged, but I received a blue ribbon on one and a red ribbon on the other.
At the judging all of the kids received blue ribbons on their lambs except Shawn and he got a red. Scot showed the extra lamb and he was pretty young compared to some of the group but he did a good job.
Sunday, August 21, we drove in the van up to Melba for Sacrament meeting. Joan and Norman’s family went with us. It was Derks’ mission report. Jeanne, Lynn and Derk were the speakers. Paul and Todd gave the prayers. Lynn and the four boys sang a song. It was a very good meeting. Jeanne had dinner prepared for all of us. She served chicken, fruit salads, potato salads, relish plate, corn on the cob, bread and butter, ice cream and cup cakes. The food was good. There were 28 of us for dinner. It was an enjoyable day.
Todd had come through from Ricks College in the middle of the week and spent a couple of hours with us. He had supper and then he drove on home.
Shelly, Gary, Melissa and David came on Tuesday and spent the night with us. Baby David is a good looking little boy and he’s a good baby. They were anxious to get on up to Melba so they left as soon as they could get ready after breakfast.
Thursday, August 25th we went to Logan. Friday morning Ray and I went to the temple. We did two endowments apiece. Mine were name of people of Spanish nationality and that’s what they were the last time I went to the temple. We took home some Kentucky fried chicken for dinner. The vegetable was a 3 inch cob of corn. It cost 25 cents extra and we decided that was a little expensive. That’s when you realize that a garden is really nice to have.
We drove around Logan later in the day and looked up some material that I wanted. Saturday morning we decided to drive home so we could go on down to Gooding. The boys were having a Grand Opening for their newly remodeled Convenience Store. It seemed to be going quite well and the store looked really nice. The boys are all working hard trying to make a go of the business. Competition is really rough and you have to be on your toes every minute. They start very morning at seven o’clock and lots of times it’s seven at night when they get through.
Saturday evening we went over to Wanda & Louis Stimpson’s home to revisit Ray’s cousins, Chad and Laura Roderick. Chad is from Eugene, Oregon and they were going to Bountiful, Utah to hold graveside services for his mother, Hannah Roderick. We didn’t attend the graveside services because Tuesday Ann’s husband Don was taken to intensive care at the hospital and wasn’t expected to live. He did rally in the late afternoon but he was not out of danger. He died early Thursday morning Sept. 2, 1983. They had his funeral on Sept. 6, 1983. It was a large crowd. He was well known and every one liked him. He did many good deeds for people especially those less fortunate than him.
Todd, Shelly, Gary and the little ones came through on their way back to school. I had quilted a baby quilt and bought some rompers for baby David.
September 7th Elden and Ann came from Eugene, Oregon. And hadn’t been to Heyburn since 1949. She could see a lot of changes. They visited with us for a little while and then on Thursday they picked us up and we went with them to Edith & Ernest’s and over to see Ann. They said they weren’t leaving until Saturday so I told them I wanted to have a family reunion on Friday Evening. I called all of our kids and then told Catherine, Bessie and Al to invite their families. I bought chicken and rolls. Marilyn and I made three sheet cakes and a large fruit salad. The other families that came brought salad and Al & Bee brought homemade ice cream. There were 47 of us altogether. All of our family including Jeanne & Lynn and their five youngest, Al, Bee, Catherine, Karen and boys, Bessie, Lowell, Carol and family. Elden & Ann. That’s about as big a gathering of the Thaxton family there has ever been. We did have an enjoyable evening. It turned out to be too cold to eat the Ice cream and cake outside so we served it inside.
I canned some tomatoes, peaches, pears, made jelly from the grapes, plums and crab apples. So that about finished the canning for this year.
We took the trailer and went up to Jeanne’s for part of the week, Sept, 13-17. Marilyn and I helped her can peaches and we also did some sightseeing, shopping, and bought some fruit and 50# bag of popcorn to bring home. It was a nice visit and we always enjoy the opportunity to go.
I had told Marilyn I would make her a new dress so I cut it out and as usual the pattern didn’t fit so I had to remake it. It takes a lot longer to make her a dress because she is so hard to fit, but when I got all through it looked pretty nice.
I made dresses for Trista, Jalaine and Monica for their birthday’s. I made a shirt for Benjamin for his birthday. They all fit pretty good. I made a blouse for Natalie on her birthday.
For my birthday Ray bought me a "Seiko" watch. My other one had quit and I had worn it for a long time. Marilyn gave me a recipe book that was put out by the hospital employees. Joan gave me some cologne and a shoe brush that shines shoes. Nolan & Dawna gave me some cologne. Neldon & Sharon gave me a gift certificate that I could use at the "House of Fabrics".
Todd came from BYU and spent the weekend of October Conference with us. We watched all the conference sessions. The general theme of the conference seemed to be centered around "love". I truly enjoy watching Conference and listening to the speakers and the music. They are all great men and good leaders. The gospel means a lot in my life. I should do more studying, but I like to sew, crochet embroidery, etc.
We had a family home evening and decided to go ahead and draw names. Our family is getting to the age that when more of them get married they won’t want to come to Grandpa & Grandma’s for Christmas Eve so we better do it while we can.
It seems there are always funerals to attend. On October 20 we went to Betty Moncur’s funeral. She had been trying to overcome Cancer for three years. She was only 63 and we had known her many years. She was also my cousin Marion’s wife. When we were first married we visited with them quite often, but as time passed and our lives changed we only saw them occasionally.
Ray also conducted a funeral for a former ward member that afternoon. It was for a young girl who had been killed in an automobile accident.
We went to Logan as soon as we could get things in the car. Friday morning we did two endowments at the temple. Saturday, Ray went to the priesthood sessions and then we came back home. The weather was beautiful. It seemed like the time went by awfully fast.
This week I have been preparing the Relief Society lesson I have to give on Oct. 30. The title is "Service Builds Testimony". I have read articles from back issues of the Ensign and Relief Society lessons. A lesson wouldn’t have to be given if we could all do as the Prophet has told us. I found some poems to go with it and the lesson seemed to go over pretty good.
October 31 is the end of the fiscal year for the Bailey Oil Co. So we are all trying to get everything done up correctly.
I’m a little late in starting my Christmas shopping and projects, but I started cutting out some shirts. I thought I would take them with me when I went to Melba to help Jeanne. Her baby was born on November 11, but I couldn’t leave right then. The weather turned so bad I decided I couldn’t drive alone and because I could only stay 3 days at the most, I stayed home. We called her and she was getting along fine and thought she could manage by herself. They named the baby, Lance. I made two baby quilts and bought some sleepers. I had already given her 2 day diapers.
Shelly, Gary and little ones, Jeanne, Lynn & family and Todd all came on Wednesday for Thanksgiving. Neldon, Sharon & Allyson joined us for Thanksgiving dinner. In the evening we had Family Home Evening. Derk showed slides and told us about his mission. Marilyn and I served Ice cream and cookies. Most of our family came and we had an enjoyable evening. Derk was a good missionary and made many friends.
Derk, Paul and Jason went back home on Friday, but the rest stayed until after church on Sunday. Saturday, I taught Shelly & Jeanne how to do candle wicking. They were starting some Christmas projects.
I could see I wasn’t going to get enough sewing done so I went to town and bought most of my Christmas gifts. I couldn’t buy flannel shirts for the youngest grandsons so I made them.
Our 45th Wedding Anniversary is on the 14th but because of other activities the kids decided to have a family dinner on the 11th. They prepared and brought a turkey dinner with trimmings. We had an enjoyable evening. They gave Ray a tie tack and me a stickpin with the numbers 45 and a blue sapphire jewel. They are really pretty.
Jeanne & her family couldn’t come and they have also decided no to come for Christmas. We have really had a lot of winter and it has been really cold. 15 degrees below zero at night and just barely reaching zero in the daytime. Lamar has plowed our driveway out twice already and we don’t usually have that much snow until at least January.
December 14th I woke up early with my face all swollen and hives breaking out all over. I went to the doctor that morning and he gave my a prescription of Cortisone, which is a very strong medicine, but by about 2 o’clock I was losing my voice and have a little trouble breathing so we rushed back to the doctor again and he gave me two adrenalin shots and also a stronger shot of cortisone. It made me very shaky and tied my stomach in knots. I could only eat a light supper. We thought I was going to have to go to the hospital, but it eased off and I rested pretty good. Thursday, by afternoon I was having breathing problems again and so it was hurry to the doctor for more shots. They left me shaky also. He gave me a prescription for an antihistamine that would help take away the itching. Friday morning I could hardly eat my breakfast, my stomach was so sore, but it got better as the day went by. I was still too shaky to do anything but sit in my chair. Saturday I still had lots of hives, but on Sunday they were almost gone. I didn’t seem to have much strength, but by the time 2 weeks was up I felt pretty good. I’m grateful for priesthood blessings and a good doctor.
I was able to finish my shopping and sewing in time for Christmas. We sent Jeanne’s packages with Nolan when he went to Seattle for motorcycles.
Christmas Eve the weather was so bad we were snowed in. The other families drove to Dee Ray’s and walked across the back yard to our house. Marilyn and I cooked a turkey, ham and made a fruit salad, all the rest brought salad, rolls, relish plates & homemade candy. We had a short program consisting of "Christmas Story" read by Neldon and Christmas songs led by Joan and accompanied by Bonnie on the piano. We passed out the gifts and then the little ones broke the "pinata" for the candy. We didn’t stay together too long because of the storm and the possibility of Joan & Norman not being able to get back home.
Ray and I received some nice gifts, bath towels, domes for our statues, grandkids pictures, tie stuffed pillows, salad bowl set, beads, handkerchiefs, and cologne. Jeanne had sent us a box of homemade candy and cookies. We had an enjoyable evening. Lamar’s family didn’t come and we were glad Jeanne’s family wasn’t having to travel either. We missed those families, but glad that everybody was well and safe at home.
Christmas morning was quiet with just three of us. Ray got a new suit, shirt & tie. I got a dress from Ray and one from Marilyn. They are pretty and fit without any alteration.
I had crocheted 12 pair of leg warmers for the girls and made 10 flannel shirts which Dawna sewed the buttons on because I was sick. I embroidered 11 table cloths and made 17 pillows embroidered with candlewicking. We also gave each couple a blanket.
We couldn’t go to church on Christmas because we were snowed in and they couldn’t hold church. We had a very quiet day, but we watched 3 tabernacle choir broadcasts which was very beautiful.
Ray got the driveway cleaned out in the afternoon so we could be sure that Marilyn could go to work on Monday. I am slowly getting my strength back and by Thursday I felt a lot better.
Ray had retired from the business about 2 months ago and I was only helping a little but Neldon had to do my work when I got sick and I haven’t been to work for three weeks. I helped put out the January statements and typed a gas tax report.
I haven’t minded not going to work. I have tied 3 quilts with a star pattern in the middle. One I sent to Gary & Shelly for their combined birthdays.
January 13 was our Relief Society Visiting Teacher workshop. I made all the arrangements, invitations, handouts, refreshments of punch and cookies. It was a very cold and stormy evening and we didn’t have very good attendance. I was disappointed because I couldn’t carry out the plans I had made. I did do the best I could and those that were there enjoyed the evening.
Sunday, January 22 I taught the Relief Society Compassionate Service lesson. It was on "True Friendship". Our room was full and we had a good lesson. Our music was beautiful and those who had assignments responded very well. I thought it brought back to mind the meaning of true friends and how we should be friends to each other.
We had visits through the month from some of Jeanne’s family as they went to and from work and school. We’re glad they stop and feel like they can stay if necessary.
Marilyn had the fourth Friday off so we left on Thursday afternoon Jan 21 for Logan. Ray and I went to three sessions at the temple on Friday. It was cold and we had some fog so we stayed pretty close to home. Saturday afternoon we came back home.
Derk and his friend Jerry Barnett had been staying at our house nights while we were gone. They were demonstrating sewing machines over to Burley. We visited with them Saturday evening and fixed some supper before they headed back home.
I have been knitting some stocking caps and candlewicking some quilt blocks as well as crocheting on an afghan. I have an embroidered star quilt on the frames now. It has a lot of quilting on it
Of course I do my housework and I helped put out the February statements at the office, but it seems good to be able to sew or do handwork as I please.
It has been so cold and overcast that it is good to be able to be in the house. It hasn’t been above freezing in the daytime for over two weeks.
Ray and I visited Helen Weidel who is fighting a battle against Cancer. She and her husband went on a mission when Ray was the Bishop. She also worked in the office over to Rupert. I gave her one of my afghans and she was very pleased with it.
I have been released as Visiting Teaching leader and am only over Compassionate Service in the ward.
Ellen Bailey and I had a good visit the other afternoon. She came sown to get some ideas on how to cut out some quilt tops and we compared ideas on those as well as on afghans.
Feb 22, a Saturday evening, we went up to Keith and Ellen’s and surprised Keith for his birthday. All of his brothers & sisters and partners that live here were there. We had an enjoyable visit and had banana splits for refreshments.
In January the same group went over to Ann’s for her birthday. That was also enjoyable. We had cake & ice cream that night.
February 16, when I took Marilyn to work it had snowed about 4 inches during the night but before it quit that day it amounted to about 10 or 12 inches. Our driveway was blocked and Lamar had to plow a path in order for us to go get her from work. Friday he plowed it out again. Saturday things were beginning to thaw and the roads were beginning to get dry, those that had a lot of traffic on them.
Sunday morning when we got up the frost was so thick you couldn’t see through the chain link fence on the tennis court. Our trees were so covered it looked like somebody had just dumped snow on them, but it was only frost. Everything was really beautiful.
March 4 was Jeanne & Lynn’s 25th wedding anniversary. It was Sunday so Ray, Marilyn and I drove up to Melba and went to Sacrament meeting with them and visited in the afternoon. Saturday I picked up a special cake and ice cream. We also bought them a glass dish inscribed with 25th anniversary. We had a short but good visit.
Monday night the Bailey’s went up and surprised Mary Wilcox on her birthday. We had an enjoyable visit.
It’s beginning to look more like spring. All of the snow has melted and it has been raining some except that there is plenty of snow all around us.
Monday, March 12th Ray & I went to Logan. Marilyn stayed over to Joan’s. Tuesday & Wednesday we did three endowments apiece. Thursday we decided to clean up the house and then we came home. We had a variety of weather, sunshine, plenty of rain and there is still lots of snow. We enjoyed the time together. Friday morning I did some work for Neldon at the office.
Saturday afternoon I went over to Ann Gerratt’s and helped her quilt. We had a nice visit as we quilted.
On Monday evening March 20th, the Baileys surprised Norman for his birthday. His birthday was the 13th but we couldn’t go then. It was an enjoyable evening.
I have been quilting for my "Pursuit of Excellence" project and have completed 2 quilts, one that is appliqued and one done in snowflake embroidery on checked gingham.
I have also quilted one more appliqued quilt and tied one more gingham check in the star pattern.
The weather has been so changeable it has been good to stay inside most days.
We made one more trip in March to Logan, but only did one endowment each. I had so much pain in my arms I couldn’t attend anymore.
For Ray’s birthday in April we had a family dinner. We had it on Sunday because it gets too late in the evenings before they all get home from work. All the family brought fried chicken and a salad. Dawna baked a cake and Marilyn and I fixed the rest of the dinner. We had an enjoyable dinner and evening. Lamar’s family an Jeanne’s family couldn’t be with us. We missed them.
Ray’s brother and sisters came and spent Monday evening with us and we had a good visit.
I have had so much pain and numbness in my arms that I went to the doctor. He had me take an electro-myellogram test to determine the cause. Part of it is my Arthritis, but I also have Carpal-tunnel syndrome in both wrists. Today, April 30, I’m going to have them both operated on.
It has been seven weeks since my operation. My hands are almost back to normal. The first week I was pretty helpless, but the pain and the swelling wasn’t as bad as I expected. Ray gave me a lot of help. I couldn’t dress or feed myself, not even get out of my chair without help. About the fourth day I could hold a piece of toast. The stitches came out on the eighth day and by then I could feed myself. I wore splints on my hands for two weeks, but I still had to be careful. They were pretty sore.
We took the fifth-wheel and went to Melba on the 17th of May. May 18, Ray, Marilyn and I went to the open house at the new Boise Idaho Temple. It is a beautiful building. It seems small but very compact.
On Friday we took Jeanne and drove to the Boise airport to pick up Shelly and her little ones. In the evening we went to the Spring Concert at the school. It was a good program.
Saturday night we went to Paul’s Seminary Graduation at the new Stake Center in Nampa. They had a good graduation program. Paul was the only young man to graduate from Melba. There were several girls
Sunday we attended church and in the afternoon we went to the High School Graduation. Paul was President of his class. He was a member of the National Honor Society and also received a $400 scholarship to Ricks College. It was a good ceremony. Each graduation exercise we have attended at Melba has been better than the last.
We came home on Monday and back to our usual schedule.
Monday, May 28th, the three of us drove to Boise to the dedication ceremony at the Boise Temple. We had seats on soft chairs in one of the ordinance rooms. We watched the ceremony on TV. Only the Bishops, Stake Presidency and their wives were seated in the same room as the General Authorities. It was Paul Idaho Stake and Rupert Idaho Stake in this session. The choir performed well and each ward in the two stakes had two singers in the choir. President Jack Duncan and President Bert Stevenson gave the opening and closing prayers. President Gordon B. Hinckley, Elder L. Tom Perry, along with some others gave talks.
We were glad we had the opportunity to attend the dedication. We drove out to Jeanne’s for a little while and then we came on home.
I helped Ray plant 20 doz. petunias, marigolds, and alyssum plants for our yards. He has added several roses, geraniums and dahlias. We have had so much cold weather things aren’t growing very fast. I have been mowing lawns with the garden tractor and he does the trimming.
June 6 was Edith Handy’s birthday so the brothers and sisters spent the evening at her house. As always we had a good visit.
June 2 we attended the Saturday evening session of Stake Conference in Rupert. There was a new assignment for us because we were going to have a new Stake. The Paul Idaho Stake and the Rupert Idaho Stake were to be divided to make a third Stake. The theme of the evening meeting was on self reliance. All of the speakers talked on different phases of how to become self reliant. They were exceptionally good talks. Sunday we attended the meeting at Minico High School. That was the only building large enough to hold the people. President Jack Duncan conducted the meeting. Elder Martin Zackerson, our new Regional Representative told us the new changes. Heyburn 1st, 2nd, Rupert 2nd, 3rd, and 4th wards make up the Rupert Idaho West Stake. Our Stake Presidency is Carl Garner, Arvin Hansen and Tim Hurst. Executive Secretary is Frank Peterson. Stake Clerk is Ray Condie with Lamar Olson as assistant Stake Clerk. Neldon was sustained as a High Councilman which was a surprise to us. He was quite overwhelmed but I’m sure he can do it. Our General Authorities who presided and spoke were Elder L. Tom Perry, Phil Sonntag and Martin Zackerson. It was exciting and interesting to be in attendance. June 5 we went to Rupert and Ray ordained Neldon a High Priest. President Garner set him apart as a High Councilman. They each gave him wonderful blessings and now he feels he can go forward. I haven’t the words to express how I feel about it all. It’s great.
I passed over Mothers day in all the other events that have happened. I had a good day. We attended church and then most of the family came over. I received many nice cards and gifts and we enjoyed the company.
I’m happy to be a mother and I’m proud of my children and grandchildren. I may not have taught them all I should have but they are all active in the church and hard working people.
I volunteered to press and tie a quilt for the Deseret Industries so as soon as my hands were healed enough I started to cut the blocks. It took me 23 1/4 hours to complete the project. It was a pretty quilt. I could only work about an hour at a time so it took several days, but I’m glad to do it and proud of the way it looked
The second week in June we went to Logan. Ray and I did 6 endowments apiece. Everything was still quite wet so we stayed close to home except to attend the Temple.
Summer has finally arrived and we have kept busy mowing lawns, watering and pulling weeds. Our yard looks really nice, but it takes a lot of work.
I have been doing some sewing for myself and Marilyn. It goes kind of slow kind of slow because of interruptions and other things that have to be done.
Sunday, July 22, 1984, Elden called and told me his wife had passed away. She had Cancer and had really suffered the last 2 months. I wanted to go to the services, but we couldn’t make connections to fly and it was a long drive so I had to stay home. It will be hard for Elden, but he will adjust to it. They had been married almost fifty years.
August 4th was the Thaxton family reunion. We met over to Salmon Park in Burley. Karen Thaxton Ramsey and Carolyn Thaxton Peterson were in charge of the arrangements. We had a good attendance. Elden, Alfred, Catherine, Maurine, Bessie and I were there. Jeanne, Joan, Lamar, Dawna, Marilyn and as many of their children as could go were there. We had a good visit, lots of good food and copies of photographs to identify. Jeanne and Joan were assigned to do the next reunion. Elden left the next day to go back home.
I canned 18 pints of string beans, 32 quarts of beet pickles, 11 quarts of apricots, and 3 quarts of apples from our garden and orchard. I did part one week and the next the next.
Jeanne and family have been here 3 times in July and August. We have enjoyed their visits even though they were short. Shelly and Gary were here for the reunion too and we were glad to have them.
Sunday, August 5, 1984, Ray was sustained as President of the Young Men’s Mutual. He was released as High Priest Instructor after 3½ years and he will now teach the Priest Quorum. His and our schedule will be quite different.
Ray, Marilyn, and I went to Logan. We thought we should sell our mobile home, but decided to wait awhile. Ray and I did five endowments apiece and we came home on Saturday.
Aug. 25, Sis. Helen Weidel of our Ward passed away. She had Cancer and had put up a good fight, but she couldn’t overcome her illness. She suffered a lot the last while. She was a good friend and we’ll miss her. Ray was a speaker. I took care of the flowers and the four boys were pall-bearers.
Our neighbor, Danny Boswell’s wife had to have brain surgery. They needed money to meet expenses and I donated an afghan for one of their fund raising events.
I have spent the summer helping mow lawns, sewing, canning, crocheting etc. It has been enjoyable to be able to relax and enjoy our home and yard.
We went to Logan and attended the same session as Darlene Clegg. Her daughter, Lori, was being married. It was a beautiful ceremony and we visited with Darlene’s sister, Carol Ann and brother Lynn. This was the family of Ray’s brother, Seth. In the afternoon we drove up to Soda Springs and attended the wedding reception. We enjoyed the evening visiting with Seth’s family. Saturday, we returned home.
The weather has changed and it has become cold and snowy at times. The flowers have all been frozen and so has the garden.
October 18th we drove up to Melba to visit Jeanne’s family. Thursday afternoon, Ray, Lynn, Jeanne and I attended the Boise Temple for one session. It was a good experience. The Temple is compact, convenient and beautiful. Friday, we took Jeanne in to Nampa to play the organ for a funeral. Friday evening, we watched the football game that Jason played in. Before the game started, Jason sang the national anthem with hand accompaniment. It was well done and was a real thrill to hear him sing. He also played a good game of ball. Saturday, we returned home. We had a good visit and an enjoyable time.
There have been articles in the newspapers and magazines written by people about their lives. As I reflect on some of these, they were very similar to mine. It told of how they lived and how they made do with what they had and how happy they were. I remember my childhood and how happy I was. I didn’t have much, but none of my friends had anymore than I did. Some not as much because my mother was a good seamstress and she could make clothes out of hand-me-downs. My blouses out of boys shirts and skirts out of boys pants, etc. When they had the money my dad would go to town and buy material for my mom to sew for her or me. I remember one dress in particular that she made. It was a blue and white print and when it was washed the first time most of the blue pattern washed out, but I wore it anyway. I was in the eighth grade at the time. After I was married, I had worn my coat for several years and it was showing wear on the edges so I took it all apart and turned it inside out and sewed it back up. With a little change in the seam lines I had a good coat for another few years. The experiences I had as I was growing up and also in raising our children is what concerns me when I see how much my grandchildren have and how they could get by on less. I hope they don’t have the struggle as we did because maybe they couldn’t survive.
October 10 through the 14th we took care of Heather, Scot, Josh, Ben and Allyson while their parents went to a convention. They each had a sleeping bag and slept on the floor in the living room. All were in school except Ben. We got along really well. The kids ate good and seemed to sleep okay. There were no problems.
Ray is Home Teacher to Sarah Wodskow and Jim, her son, who is in a wheel chair because of Polio. We have known them for a long time. Sarah has been ill for sometime, but she does not believe in going to the doctor or hospital. We have been very concerned about them and have been called to their home in emergencies. She became bedfast from a stroke and passed away a week later. It was a blessing she didn’t linger, but it leaves Jim alone in a big house. I’m sure that he will be cared for, but it’s sad in this day of good doctors and hospitals to have his mother gone at 67. The services at the church were very nice and the women of the ward prepared a good meal for the family. I never have any problem with response for compassionate service from the sisters of our Ward.
Monday, Nov. 5, we were called in to visit with the Assistant Administrator at the hospital. He and Marilyn’s supervisor were concerned that they may have to let Marilyn go because she needs supervision in her work and they thought someone else could be hired in her place. We discussed it with them that she would just have to stay home if they did and so we have to wait their decision. I doubt they could hire anybody else to stand and wash pots and pans as Marilyn has to do. She has worked there for over 20 years and never been off the job for sick leave more than three days at a time.
Tuesday, Nov. 6, was Election Day. President Ronald Reagan was elected for a second term.
Wednesday, we went to the LDS Employment office. There was no activity there and hasn’t been for several months, so we decided not to waste anymore time there until it was organized differently.
Thursday, we tend Josh and Ben while Dawna works in Burley. They are good kids and we enjoy their company.
Friday, we went to the Idaho Falls Temple to go through the session with Mark and Delores Mabey. They were being married in the Temple after having been married civilly and becoming active in the church. They are a nice couple and seemed really happy. It snowed on us from Pocatello to Idaho Falls, but when we headed back home the sun was shining.
Saturday morning we had about 2 inches of snow, but by night it had all melted and Sunday wasn’t as cold as it had been.
We are the sponsors for the P. H. Bailey Family Reunion for 1984. We chose to have it Thanksgiving Day, because nearly everybody has that day off from work and school. We had been making a few plans all year, but now we had to complete them. I had decided to piece two quilts from Grandma Bailey’s box of pieces. She already had sewn enough pieces for a Dresden Plate which needed to be appliqued onto a block. I did it on the machine and then set it together. The block was light blue set together with matching checkered material. I cut enough pieces for a Star of Bethlehem pattern and sewed them together. It was set together with light pink blocks that were marked to be quilted in the same pattern. They turned out beautiful. Ann Gerratt helped me quilt the Star of Bethlehem quilt. They were to be drawn as door prizes to a grandchild and a great grandchild. We sent out invitations printed with photographs of Ray, his brothers and sisters when they were young and a wedding picture of his parents. We made a photograph album for each adult that came. We ordered the turkey, dressing, potatoes and gravy prepared to eat from Price’s Caf
November 21, Brett Heiner returned from his mission to Peoria, Illinois. We went to hear his mission report Dec. 7 in Melba. We drove up and back the same day. He was a good missionary and they had a good sacrament meeting.
Dec. 14, 1984 was our 46th Wedding Anniversary. We spent a quiet day because Ray wasn’t feeling well. In the evening, Joan, Nolan and Neldon’s family came down. We received some nice cards, homemade candy, Ivy plant and Marilyn bought our supper.
It seems like we have had cold weather for a long time. We’ve had quite a snow storm and school has been out two days already because of drifted roads. We are having choir practice with Heyburn 1st Ward so we can sing at Stake Conference in January. Our driveway was drifted quite bad when we came home from church, but it was even worse by evening. Monday morning I warmed up the Imperial real good so I could get Marilyn to work. I didn’t have any trouble driving. Lamar came and plowed our driveway later.
We had a Christmas program put on by the Ward choirs of our Rupert Idaho West Stake. They could have had a better attendance but the choirs sounded good. Each of us sang two numbers. Our was "The Joy of Christmas" and the combined choirs sang "Silent Night" as a closing number. Dorene Heiner and Brenda Bailey played the organ and piano prelude music. They did a very good job and it was an enjoyable evening.
I bought all the gifts for the grandchildren this year. All the girls were given house slippers, the boys from Jason up received white dress shirts, Trenton, Shawn, Tyrell, Robbie, Clayton, Tory & Tate each a sweat shirt, Scot, Ben & Josh received house slippers. Each family was given a quilt, sheets, pillow cases and towels from my storage supplies. For Christmas Eve, Joan’s, Dee’s, and Neldon’s family all came for dinner. We had turkey, ham, salads, rolls, relish plate, pies and ice cream. We had a program with Troy reading the Christmas story from the Bible and sang Christmas Carols. We passed out the gifts and opened them. Ray and I received sheets, towels, handmade snack tray, jewelry box, flower arrangement, memo cube, ovenware set, pictures of grandchildren, box of chocolates, turkey and homemade candy and books. We enjoyed the evening even though there was only nineteen of us. Nolan & Dawna went to Salt Lake for Christmas, Lamar & Brenda had her family to their place, Jeanne & Lynn had their family at home, the first time all of the boys were home in four years.
Christmas morning Ray, Marilyn and I opened our gifts. Ray & Marilyn gave me a new set of pots and pans which was the only thing I wanted. Marilyn and I gave Ray flannel shirts, belt, rechargeable light and electric heater for our bathroom. Marilyn received a new nightgown, LDS Storybooks, paint by number pictures and paper dolls and house slippers. Lamar and Brenda came and visited in the daytime.
Todd, Derk, Brett and Paul are all going to college. Jeanne said she didn’t have quite enough bedding to keep them warm so I decided to help make some quilts. I have a lot of polyester pieces and so I covered an electric blanket that doesn’t heat anymore. I tried to tie it with yarn, but it is hard to do. Troy needed a quilt also so Joan brought an electric blanket that doesn’t work and we covered it, only we quilted it with long stitches of knit Cro-sheen and it worked a lot easier. This made two nice quilts.
Also for Christmas Ray and I gave Harry & Carol Badger and Marvin & Sue Christenson each and afghan. December 28, 1984, Jeanne and all her family came down. They stayed overnight and Saturday they went down to Salt Lake to see Lynn’s father, Cal Heiner, who is in the hospital. Shelly & Gary live in Sandy so they will stay with them.
I have let time go by and now behind in my writing. This is April 7, 1985 and we are preparing to watch conference on TV. We watched the sessions yesterday and enjoyed them. President Spencer W. Kimball was in attendance at both sessions. He is unable to speak and is quite feeble, but you still know that he is the living Prophet.
I have spent the winter making quilts for grandchildren. The ones in college needed them because its so cold. Some were made for birthday presents. I used heavy polyester material that is out of style now. I also used outing flannel for the backs. The first ones were made with sheet blankets in the center and when I used all of those up I bought small bats. The bats were the only expense to sixteen quilts because all the rest I had in storage. The quilts were made for warmth more than beauty, but most of them turned out to be really nice. They were all made for single beds. Those who received quilts were: Todd, Derk, Brett, Paul, Troy, Woody, Trever, Trenton, Jason, Clayton, Tory, Tate, Trista, Andrea, Corrine, Jalaine and Shelly.
There have been some funerals for friends and ward members. Hazel Christensen passed away January 11, 1985. Her husband works with Ray on the cemetery board and they used to be in our ward. Jimmy Wodskow passed away February13, 1985. We had been helping him since his mother passed away last October. Ray had been teaching him the priesthood lessons and also taking him to church whenever he could go.
On March 5, 1985 Doris Bailey, Seth’s wife, passed away. She had been in the Soda Springs Idaho Nursing home for four years. She had been suffering from Alzheimers disease for about 15 years. It is a disease that deteriorates the brain. She hadn’t known anybody for quite a long time. I’m sure that she is at peace and that her suffering is over. Ray was one of the speakers at the service. They were held in Bancroft and several of our family attended.
I started going to the Genealogy Library on Tuesday afternoons. I have found the Thaxton name a few times, but haven’t connected anything up as yet. Some times it’s very interesting and other times discouraging. I have sent to the Genealogical Society in Salt Lake for some archive records and also for some films to read. It will probably take about two weeks to get these back. I hope they give me some information.
Marilyn hasn’t worked at the hospital very much since the first of the year. I guess they are cutting back on their help and rearranging their kitchen so they don’t need her. I hate to see her lose her job but maybe it’s for the best. She has been going out to the Deseret Industries to do volunteer work. She enjoys that very much. She starts at 8 o’clock in the morning and gets off at 4:30 in the afternoon. As soon as there is an opening they will put her on the payroll. She has also been having her teeth fixed a the dentist’s. He is putting in permanent bridges and when he is finished she will have a full set of teeth.
The three of us went to Logan for 3 days; April 9-10-11. We hadn’t been there for 6 months. We did seven endowments apiece and were the witness couple for three of the sessions. We really enjoyed the time we were there. It was beautiful weather.
Our lawns have a lot of trash on them and we needed to clean it off by mowing and bagging it. I walked behind the lawn mower and Marilyn emptied the clippings on the garden spot. We worked all day Saturday, but the lawns look really nice and now they look quite green. Our tulips and daffodils are blooming. The Apricot tree is in full bloom but it turned so cold at night I’m afraid it has frozen the buds. This morning, April 21, we had about 2 inches of snow and last week the temperature was in the seventies. It is really changeable.
Ray has been cutting up a willow tree and it has made a lot of wood for next winter. He is getting anxious to put in our garden. He has also been working at Cycle City putting three and four wheelers together.
It is getting good enough weather that we can do more work in our yard. We want to put out our flower plants and get the garden in. May 23-24, 1985 we planted 20 dozen red petunias, 20 dozen First Lady Marigolds, 2 dozen asters, 2½ dozen Geraniums and 2 dozen alyssum plus transplanting some volunteer alyssum.
In between gardening and quilting I decided I needed some new clothes so I picked out some material from my storage and made me two suits and three dresses for spring. I enjoyed sewing them.
My visiting teacher partner was a young divorced woman with 3 little girls. She met a young man her age through the singles program of the church. He was a returned missionary that had never married. They got married and for a wedding present I gave them an afghan. I also crocheted and afghan for Ann Harding who lives in our ward. She bought the yarn and I enjoyed doing it. She has arthritis in her fingers and can’t do that kind of work.
I made two sofa pillows for Bonnie for her birthday. I did them in candlewicking. Red hearts on a muslin background.
I taught the compassionate service lesson in Relief Society for April. It was my last lesson because we have been called to be Stake Missionaries.
Our neighbors, John Morrison, who has lived down the road for many years and who I have visited with him and his wife quite often, passed away on May 10, 1985. He was 84 years old and had been in poor health for quite a few years. His wife, Priscilla, had some major surgery the year before and it was taking a long time to overcome. They were nice people. She asked me to sing at his funeral. I sang "Silver Haired Daddy of Mine". Brenda Bailey accompanied me and she had to play other music as well. She had helped the Morrison’s a lot more than I had.
May 18, 1985 we went to Bancroft, Idaho for the marriage of Seth Bailey to Madge Zahlner. It was a beautiful day and very enjoyable. We rode up with Edith and Ernest Handy. Seth and Madge had known each other for several years. She was a big support to him while Doris was so ill. She is a very nice, compassionate person and I really like her. She fits into the family real well.
May 24, 1985 we drove up to Boise to the temple and went through with Paul to get his endowments before his mission. Marilyn just waited in the car for the one session. From there we drove out to Jeanne’s in Melba.
May 25, 1985 we went to the temple for Derk Heiner’s marriage to Lisa Levy. It was a beautiful wedding. We gave Derk a set of Temple clothes and the apron I had embroidered for him. They are a beautiful couple. All of Jeanne’s brothers and wives except Lamar was there. Joan and Norman and Troy were also. Jeanne and Lynn had four sons, Shelly & Gary there. In the afternoon Jeanne & Lynn had a dinner for all those who attended the Temple. Jeanne had prepared all the food and it was really good. Ray, Dee Ray, Nolan and Neldon stayed at the temple and did three more endowments apiece. It was our Stake Priesthood day as well, so they accomplished quite a lot.
In the evening they had a reception at the church cultural hall. We didn’t stay for the program because it was getting late and we still had to drive home. We had enjoyed the day very much. We gave the couple a quilt and an afghan for their wedding present.
In June we spent a little time in Logan and went to the temple. We did five endowments apiece and drove around the valley some. We have decided to sell the mobile home and thought maybe we wouldn’t be back very soon.
We had a great surprise on June 16. Violet and Virgil Hartgrove came from California. She hadn’t been here since 1949 and we didn’t expect to ever see them again. It was an enjoyable visit. She expected Heyburn to be like it was when she was born and of course things don’t stay the same. We showed them around the area and explained where things used to be. Al and Bea invited family members over to there place on Sunday Afternoon to visit with them. I gave them and afghan to take home and they left on Monday Morning.
Sunday was also Fathers Day and most of our family came by to see Ray and Visit. On June 30, 1985 we dove up to Melba for Paul’s missionary Farewell. They had a good program and Sacrament services. Paul will be a good missionary and he is excited about going to Hong Kong. It was a nice day and we drove back home in the afternoon.
Our yard is looking beautiful and Ray has done most all the work of mowing and watering etc. We had a few cherries from our orchard that I canned. I made apricot jam from the apricots and canned sliced apples from the Transparent Apples. I also canned pickled beets and string beans. It has been an extremely hot summer so I have stayed inside the house.
The last of July Elden surprised us with a visit. He looks good and seems to feel good, much getter than some of us. He stayed a couple of days and then went on to Colorado Springs, Colorado to visit his daughter, Sherrie and family. He came back for a couple more days before he went on home.
I did some more sewing of summer clothes for Marilyn and I. The Merc Department store was gong out of business in Burley, so I bought some really nice material. The stores that handle fabric are getting less in Burley and I hated to see this one go out of business. Competition is hard and so we have seen many businesses close.
We decided to look for a motorhome. It didn’t seem like we could get to Logan often enough to keep our mobile home. If we bought one we could park it at any temple parking lot and Marilyn would be comfortable while we were there. We decided on a "Cross Country" which seemed to be the most livable and convenient. It had more advantages than most, one bedroom, one bathroom, 2 easy chairs, couch that makes into a ben, microwave, central vacuum cleaner, built in blender, refrigerator, 2 air conditioners and beautiful cabinets. We thought it would be ready so we could take it to Idaho Falls, but it wasn’t
We went on August 8 to Idaho Falls for Tom to be married to Tracy Baker. It was a nice day and they had a good group to their temple wedding. Tracy didn’t have any family with her because they aren’t active members.
I embroidered aprons for them and we gave them the rest of the temple clothes. They had a nice reception on Friday night. We gave them a quilt and an afghan.
Jeanne, Lynn and their family were here and went to the temple also. Nolan, Neldon, Joan and their partners were at the temple also.
We took the motorhome and went to Melba the middle of August. We wanted to try it out before we took any long trip. It proved to be very comfortable.
Labor Day weekend we went with Ray’s brother and sisters in their motorhome to Yellowstone Park. First we went to Victor, Idaho and saw a melodrama at Pierces Playhouse. It was really entertaining and then after the show we had dinner. It was a real enjoyable evening.
Saturday morning we headed for Jackson Hole and then on to Yellowstone. The scenery was beautiful. Sunday, we attended all of the Sunday meetings at the branch there. It was a beautiful building and they said it was the largest crowd they had ever had. After we all had dinner, we came back to Rexburg and looked up Derk but Brett was home for the weekend. From there we went to Bancroft and saw Seth & Madge. Monday, we came on home. It was a good trip, but a lot of the time I didn’t feel too good.
On September 5 we attended the funeral for Stella Peterson. She had been a neighbor for many years. Ray was a speaker and I was a flower girl. Ray had been her home teacher several years ago and at that time he encouraged her to become active and go to the temple. She did this and we went with her. Ray acted as proxy for her deceased husband and they also did the work for her son who was killed in World War II. She was quite active until her health began to fail and then she could only attend one in awhile.
I had been sewing quilt blocks whenever I had time and now I had completed 12 quilt tops. The first three weeks in October I tied 12 quilts and gave them to the grandchildren, Heather, Scot, Josh, Ben, Allyson, Monica, Lance, Tyrell, Robbie, Shawn, Nicole and Natalie.
We went to Melba in time for Monica’s birthday and took hers and one for Lance. We spent from Monday to Saturday and had an enjoyable time. We attended two sessions at the temple. Jeanne went with us. We also did a little shopping. I didn’t feel good for two days and so took it pretty easy. We also watched Jason’s football game on Friday night.
Monday I went to the doctor and he sent me for some X-rays. They showed that I had two stomach ulcers. One very large one and one small. He put me on medication for them and because of the ulcers I can’t take anything for my Arthritis. It is also complicated by the fact that I only have half a stomach. I was pretty sick before I began to get better. My joints are getting a little more stiff all the time, especially when it is wet and cold.
I quilted a quilt that I had made for Bonnie so that completes the 31 quilts for grandchildren.
I pieced and tied a quilt for the Deseret Industries and that gave me twelve hours of welfare time.
I have been embroidering and crocheting on pillowcases for Christmas presents since the first of May. I completed fifty pair and that gives each person except Ray and I a pair. I also set together some embroidered quilt blocks that I had done for Marilyn many years ago and quilted her a quilt for Christmas. She was surprised and it turned out beautifully.
We had 31 of us here for Christmas Eve dinner and gift exchange. The weather has been so cold ever since the first of November that we didn’t go to Melba for Thanksgiving as we had planned and they didn’t come for Christmas.
For Thanksgiving Neldon and Nolan’s family and us had dinner here. We haven’t had temperatures above 20 degrees for over three weeks.
For Christmas Eve we also had a good program taken from the Home Evening Manual. We read scripture and sang the carols as outlined. We received some nice gifts, family pictures, towels, sofa pillows, fire extinguisher for my kitchen and Rays workshop, bath mat, hair brush, and dish rags. I gave Ray some shirts and Levi’s and He gave me a rechargeable portable mixer and some "visions" cookware. Marilyn gave him a portable light.
December 28, 1985 Natalie Bailey married Eric Miles in a home wedding and reception. We attended the wedding and we gave her a quilt and an afghan. For her personal shower Marilyn and I gave her a stainless steel silverware service for 8. They are a good looking couple and we wish them every happiness.
Jeanne and her family came on Monday December 30 and went home on January 2. We has also seen all of our grandchildren during the holidays as they came and went back to school and to work.
Ray has been working at the cycle shop for several days and I am staying in out of the cold and doing what I want to do. At present I am sewing on easy-care pillowcases and crocheting afghans along with washing, ironing, baking bread, etc.
I went back to the doctor to see if my ulcers were healed and had to have more X-rays and to make sure everything was alright I had to have a gastroscopy. That is a test where they look down into your stomach with a light. It showed they were healed but I have a pouch in my stomach from the previous surgery. I still had a lot of heartburn and the Drs’ said it was because of the bile seeping into my stomach. Some nights it’s so bad I have to sleep in my reclining chair. I take medicine but it doesn’t always stop the problem.
On February 5th 1986 my girlhood friend Dora Sabien Stoddard passed away from a sudden illness. They said she had a massive stroke. We visited the family and attended the funeral. Dora and I have been good friends ever since before we were in school. She lived close to the school house and many times have I been in her home. She also came to my home and we attended ball games etc. together when we were in high school. We enjoyed many activities in school, church Seminary and Mutual. She married Verdean Stoddard and we continued our friendship as married people also. I will miss her very much. I can’t express on paper how I felt at her passing but I know she is happy where she is and her husband is there also. Her children had a nice service for her and she has left a good family.
Our former neighbor Elsie Jensen, wife of Reed Jensen, has been very ill with cancer since October 1985. We visited her at her home in February. She has really suffered and now there isn’t much more they can do for her. She is a wonderful person and has raised a good family. All are married except the youngest, Bradley, who is only 15. She wanted so much to get better so she could see him raised but illness has prevented it. It hardly seems possible that she and Dora are both gone from this life.
Ray and I have been attempting to convert a Spanish lady. We were making progress until her friends convinced her she shouldn’t listen but we are still taking her to work the same as Marilyn and we haven’t given up hope yet.
Joan, Norman, Marilyn, Ray and I went to Provo, Utah to see the Ramses II Exhibit. It was interesting and it had some really nice carvings and handmade jewelry on display. We also took Troy, Bonnie, and Todd to lunch and were able to visit with them. As we came back to Sandy, Utah we visited Shelly and her children. She has a lovely home and we enjoyed the visit. We had time to stop in Murray, Utah and there we visited my cousin Ethel Thaxton Erickson. She is going on 91 years of age. She had been tying a quilt and was resting when we got there. She is always quilting something either for herself or for someone else. We talked a little about our Genealogy but she didn’t have anymore if as much as I did. It was an enjoyable day but it was also good to get home as I was very tired.
As Derk and Lisa are expecting their first baby and they are trying to go to school as well we bought a crib and took to Rexburg for them. They were real happy to have it and we spent an enjoyable day visiting with them and Brett also.
We took a trip to Logan to see if we could sell our mobile home and we also went to the temple for some endowments. I got really sick in our second session and wasn’t able to complete the name. I’m still having problems with my stomach. We did make some arrangements for the sale later this month.
We got word form Jeanne that Derk and Lisa have a baby boy born April 12, 1986. They named it Derek Allan Heiner. They are very happy and we’re glad for them.
We went back to Logan to pack up our things and sell the home. Ray and I went to the temple on Friday. Saturday, Marilyn and I packed everything while Ray went to the temple. Lamar and Brenda came down and hauled what we couldn’t put in the suburban. We sold it for $12,000.00 cash. We would like to have kept it but we weren’t able to go down often enough to justify the expense. We couldn’t afford it and a motorhome too.
Our Toronado car has been giving us some problems and Ray was having it worked on. They said we would probably have to have a new motor put in it so instead we traded it off for a 1986 Oldsmobile 98. It’s a white top with Candy Apple red and red plush interior. It’s really a nice car and more comfortable than the other one. It cost $15000 plus the other car and interest.
On May 2, 1986 Trever Bailey married Teressa Helms. The marriage and reception was held at Sweetheart Manor in Burley. It was nice and they make a good looking couple. Trever will graduate from high school this year. The are kinda young but I guess if they want to make a go of marriage they will. We gave them a quilt and an afghan. Also for her bridal shower I gave them a $25.00 gift certificate. That will help buy a few groceries.
We have been planning on a trip in the motorhome back to Nauvoo, Illinois and Ray wanted a car he could tow. He found a Chevrolet Citation where he bought his other car. Our Imperial wasn’t worth much for a trade-in so we sold it outright to Carl and Dona Williams for $1000 and bought the Citation for $3480.00. Now all he needed to complete the outfit was a trailer and hitch. He bought one from Combs Sheet Metal and had it put on.
Dr. Holsinger sent us a letter stating that he was retiring and so now I have to find a new doctor. When I went in to his office after being sick down to Logan he decided I better go to a specialist so he made an appointment for me with Dr. Sinclair at the Twin Falls Clinic. He gave me some medicine but it didn’t help much either and I had to have an acid analysis test. It wasn’t much fun but it showed that my stomach doesn’t produce any acid. That is why the stomach was giving me a problem. Anyway, I quit taking any medicine and for the time being it’s better.
We went to Melba for Jason’s graduation from high school. On the way we stopped in Boise so Ray could attend the priesthood sessions. He did three names. Sunday we went to church and to graduation and after dinner we came home. There was to be two funerals on Tuesday and Ray needed to be here to take care of Cemetery business.
One funeral was for Leara Whittaker Morgan who we had both known for many years. It was a nice service and we’ll miss seeing her.
The other one in the afternoon was for Howard Jensen. He lived across the road from us for many years and I had known him since I was a child because he was a friend of my oldest brother, Leland. He and his wife, Lola raised their family, Reed, Lucille and Loretta when they lived across from us. When they moved to Burley, Reed and his wife, Elsie, lived there for a number of years. Now their son Lloyd and his wife, Kristie, live in the house. So Jensens have lived neighbors to us for a good many years and that has been good.
Along with Jason graduating we had Trever and Natalie also. We didn’t go to their graduation because seating was by ticket and not enough room for us. We gave them each $100.00 as a gift just as we have each of the others who have graduated.
After much deliberation we are have an automatic sprinkler system for our yard installed. That also includes orchard, lawn, flower beds and flower boxes. It has an automatic turn on to put water in the gated pipe to water the garden. It sure saved a lot of work and will be so nice. It cost $3835.00 and was installed by Kimberly Nurseries.
I have made 16 afghans and quilted 1 embroidered quilts and one pieced polyester quilt since Christmas. I have also done some sewing of quilt blocks etc.
I was asked to sing a solo for the Fathers Day program in our ward. I sang "The Bridge Builder". Brenda Bailey accompanied me. I never hear this song but what I think of my father, Ray’s father and Ray. The aren’t bridge builders as such but they have each in their own way been good examples to their families and in the community.
In my spare time I am candlewicking quilt blocks. I have made one set with brown knots on unbleached muslin and I’m planning to set in together with brown and white gingham check.
Another of my friends, Otis Orton, passed away. He had cancer. He was also Derk’s wife, Lisa’s, uncle and they stayed with us from Friday to Sunday afternoon. We enjoyed having them. His family had a very nice service for him and he will be missed from our ward.
June 20 and 21 was an open house for our new Stake Building. It is a very beautiful building and will be nice to attend Conference etc. there. I was asked to help quilt as part of one demonstration they had and on Saturday we took two of our families that we Home Teach to see it.
Our first ward building in Heyburn built in 1936 cost $26,000. It’s hard to imagine that fifty years later a Stake building would cost over a million dollars.
I haven’t kept my journal up as I should have so now in January 1988 I’m trying to catch up and keep it that way.
Joan, Norman, Ray, Marilyn and I started our trip in the motorhome to Nauvoo on July 29, 1986. We had a very nice, interesting trip. I wrote in detail about it in another journal, so I won’t do that in this one.
The first week in September Alfred, Ray and I went in the motorhome to Eugene, Oregon. Elden has lived here for about five years. He has lung cancer and he wasn’t expected to live very long. We didn’t want to wait until he couldn’t communicate with us. It was a beautiful drive up there and back, but a very fast trip. Marilyn stayed with Jeanne while we went. Elden wasn’t in very good shape and it was hard to see him that way. His daughter, Sherry was taking care of him. I hadn’t seen Sherry since 1949 and other than talking to her on the phone I didn’t know her very well. He has two lovely daughters and they are very good to him. Sherry lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado and Pam lives in Beaverton, Oregon. We met Pam at a shopping mall as we were headed back home. She works in a band and couldn’t come out to the house. Alfred had bypass surgery on his heart on July 18, 1986 so we didn’t want him to be away from home too long.
We came home and tried to settle back into our usual routine.
Ray grew a very nice garden so I had some canning to do and also to make some plans for Christmas.
Natalie Bailey married Eric Miles on Dec 29, 1986 at the groom’s home. They had their reception there also. We gave them and afghan and a quilt.
Trever and Teresa had a new baby on December 2, 1986. They named him Travis Jay.
Our anniversary and Christmas wasn’t quite as enjoyable as it usually is. There is so much friction among the boys, especially Nolan and Neldon, that we couldn’t all get together. Neldon was in bed with a back problem anyway.
Ray was given a new assignment to work at the LDS Employment office as assistant manager. This only gives him one day off.
I spend my time sewing, crocheting and quilting. I have embroidered some beautiful quilt blocks and have sewn up many quilt tops.
Neldon had his back operated on in February. He came through the operation real good. It will hamper some of his activities all his life, but not so much he can’t do most things.
The boys kept there argument going until in March Nolan handed in his keys and quit. They settled in by buying his share of the corporation and leaving him on his own to operate Cycle City. It hurt a lot to see them split up a business we had worked all our married life to build, but there was no other way to settle the conflict. It didn’t leave them satisfied or without a feeling of frustration because they killed a friendship that had existed since birth. It will take almost as long to repair that friendship as it had existed. Nolan & Neldon were very close and had spent a lot of time doing things together. They each were responsible for bringing it about so now it will take effort on both their parts to put it back together if they ever do. It’s been almost a year since they parted the company and both businesses have survived. Of course, I don’t want either of them to fail so I hope they can manage to keep going and succeed.
Many thing happened in 1987 and I can only mention the most important. Jason received his mission call to Oklahoma, Tulsa Mission for the hearing impaired. He entered the Mission Training Center in May. He is required to learn sigh language. He left for his area just before Paul arrived home from Hong Kong. Paul arrived home on July 15, 1987.
Brett Heiner and Janna Mauldin were married July 17, 1987 in the Boise Temple. We went to the Temple with Jason and also Brett and Janna. We gave them a quilt and an afghan also. They had a lovely wedding and reception
Natalie and Eric Miles went through the Boise Temple August 25 and had Brandon Sealed to them. He was born August 2, 1986. He is a healthy baby and he looks like his mother did when she was that age. We were able to go to the Temple with them also.
May Wilcox retired from her librarian job at the school and she decided she wanted to take her mother from the nursing home and take care of her. She had become bedfast and slept most of the time. Mary was spending a lot of time at the nursing home anyway. They moved her, but she continued to become less responsive and on August 30, 1987 she passed away. It was a relief to know that Grandma was at last at peace. They fixed her up to where she looked really nice. She was so thin. They had a really nice funeral service for her and of course there were lots of relatives. She would have been 100 years old in December.
There had been many other funerals of friends and relative also. Among them was Julia Payne Whittaker, who was my neighbor when I was a little girl. So I had known her all my life. Marion Moncur also was my cousin and friend all my life. Also Elmer S. Heiner who was our Bishop when Ray and I were married. He also was my neighbor when I was growing up, so I knew him and his family also.
On October 18, 1987 my brother, Elden passed away in Oregon. He had lived more than a year longer than the doctors expected. He was always quite sure he could overcome the cancer, but the last two weeks of his life he went pretty fast. Al, Bea, and I drove up for the funeral. It was so sad to know that he was gone and had never taught his daughters anything about his religion. I know he had the habit of smoking, but he still should have told his daughters about religion and also about his brothers and me.
We celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary on Dec. 14. Most of the kids remembered even though we didn’t do anything special.
For Christmas this year I embroidered the name of each family member, except Ray & I on a bath towel. There are 55 of us now. I also tied a dozen pieced outing flannel quilts for our married children and grandchildren. The ones that didn’t come on Christmas Eve came Christmas Day except Jeanne’s family that came for New Years and it was good to visit with the grandchildren who were traveling to Melba or home again.
I forgot to write that Shelly and Gary Cutler were divorced in 1987. He decided he didn’t want to be married to Shelly and so he left. It was a real blow to her and a shock to all the rest of us. Shelly has picked up the pieces and trying to keep her children and her home together. We helped her buy a piano so she could give lessons to support herself along with her child support from Gary. She’s working hard and I think it will all work out for the best.
Ray and I had to be the speaker for Sacrament meeting on December 20, 1987. I spoke on Christmas and the Prophet Joseph Smith. I really realized a little of what the Prophet went through when we visited Nauvoo and the surrounding area. I also became more aware of my testimony of the gospel and how thankful I am to be a member of this church when I attended the funeral for Elden. He could have done so much more with his life had he been active. I’m glad I have always attended church and tried to do some of the things I’ve been asked to do.
Dr. Smith, who has been my doctor since Dr. Holsinger retired, told me I had Fibrositis which is a disease of the soft tissues around the joints. It is very painful and I’m not able to take medicine that is very strong because of my stomach, so it only takes a little of the pain away.
We have been going to the temple in Logan on Wednesdays as often as we can. I hope I can continue to do this but some weeks I can’t.
October 3, 1987 Trever and Teresa went through the Logan Temple and were sealed with their little boy Travis. We weren’t able to go with them but wished we could have.
We also took a trip in the motorhome with Jeannne’s family. They took their pickup with the camper on it. We went up to Garden Valley, Idaho on a camping and fishing trip. We spent 4 days and had a nice time. We saw a lot of beautiful country as well as having some good fishing for Lynn. It was relaxing and the kids had lots of fun.
Now we are into the year 1988 and we hope to have a good year.
Jeanne’s family spent her birthday with us and we had Joan’s family here for dinner also. We enjoyed their visit. They don’t get to come very often because of their own work and church assignments.
We went to get our temple recommends renewed by the Bishop and while we were there he asked me to be the compassionate service-social relations teacher. I was very reluctant to accept because I don’t feel like I’m a very good teacher, but after visiting a while I told him I would. Bishop Harry Badger set me apart as that teacher the second Sunday in February. My lesson to teach was on the 28th of February. It was on self-respect. The lesson went quite well but I felt like most of the sisters hadn’t read it. Our lessons are much like the priesthood lessons. The manual is to study and our teachers supplement is to ask questions about it. We’ll see how the next one goes.
Jeanne and the kids were here for a few days while Lynn attended a workshop in Pocatello. We enjoyed visiting with her.
I’m still working on my quilts and crocheting. I pieced one set of quilt blocks out of Ray’s out of style neckties. I have it quilted and I think it is pretty. It is definitely an original.
On March 25, 1988, we went in the motorhome up to Jeanne’s. Saturday was our ward temple day at the Boise Temple. Jeanne went with us and we each did two endowments. Sunday we attended their ward. Jeanne is a counselor in Relief Society. She paid me a very nice tribute in her testimony. I feel her father teaches her more spiritually than I do but I do try to help in any way I can.
Monday she and I went shopping. She was buying material to make up for Shelly who is planning on being married again and also for herself and girls. I bought two pieces for me also. We had planned to go to the temple again but it was so cold and stormy my joints were really painful. We spent Tuesday helping Jeanne prepare a family history for our 50th wedding anniversary next December. Wednesday we headed back home so I could attend Relief Society board meeting and Ray would be ready for the employment office on Thursday.
Thursday and Friday, with Marilyn’s help, we cleaned the basement. It looks a lot better, but I’ve still got lots of supplies to use up.
Neldon and Nolan did finally talk out most of their problems and that makes us feel a lot better.
Neldon and Lamar are doing a lot of the work to remodel the Jerome station. When that is finished Bailey Oil Co. will have three convenience stores along with their gas stations. It does increase their business.
April 2 & 3 we watched all the sessions of General Conference on TV. I need to be more diligent at studying the gospel. I have improved over a few years ago but I have a long way to go yet.
April 9 we drove to Utah to the Jordan River Temple. Shelly Cutler and Greg Brinkerhoff were married for time. Shelly doesn’t have her temple divorce from Gary Cutler yet. She looked very happy and it was a nice day. She has three children and Greg has one. They had quite a group at the temple. Lots of young friends who had some of the same experiences.
April 16 was Ray’s 70th birthday and the family was giving him a party. I baked a cake made of white, cherry chip and devils food layers and the frosting was of milk chocolate.. It took three cake mixes and three frosting mixes and when Jeanne came on Saturday she trimmed it with white frosting. It was quite a cake, but it need to be big enough for Saturday night and Sunday too. I roasted a turkey and a ham, made potatoes and dressing. The kids and their partners brought salads and relish plates and rolls and paid for the ice cream that we had bought. There were 46 of us who ate dinner on Saturday night. We set the tables outside and then we had cake and ice cream in the family room. Jeanne put 10 candles that wouldn’t blow out on the cake and we had a good laugh over Ray trying to blow them out. We sat around and told some of the things that happened when the kids were growing up. Jeanne is trying to put together a family history.
Derk, Lisa and their two little boys came on Friday night, also Todd came with them. Jeanne, Lynn, Corrine, Jalaine, Clayton, Andrea, Monica, Lance, Melissa, David and Emily came on Saturday morning. Paul, Brett & Janna came in the afternoon and the rest who live here came at 6:30 when we had dinner. It was a lot of fun and we sure enjoyed having them all come.
Sunday morning there were 22 of us for breakfast and then we all went to our ward for church. I had to teach the Relief Society lesson on "Self-Mastery". I guess it went all right even though I still feel like I should be able to think faster and not stay so close to my manual.
All of us had dinner together after church. There weren’t very many left-overs from the birthday dinner so we made a turkey noodle casserole and added a salad etc. to make a meal. There were only three pieces of cake left after Sunday dinner. Shelly and Greg came up Sunday morning and went to church and had dinner with us.
All our company went home as soon as they could gather everything up. It had been a busy weekend.
We have had some really warm weather, but we have had some very cold and windy weather also. Our fruit trees are in bloom, but we can’t tell if they have frozen or not. Our Tulips have been blown and froze until they don’t look very good either.
April 23rd was Marilyn’s birthday. I ordered her a dress for a present, but it didn’t come so her only present was a boughten birthday cake and a card.
April 27, Ray and I went to Logan and did two endowments apiece. We enjoyed that day also.
I have been cutting out some dresses, blouses and skirts for me for summer wear. I haven’t sewn on them very much yet but hope to now.
May 3 the Bailey brothers and sisters went to Wanda Stimpson’s for her birthday party. We had an enjoyable evening.
May 8 we went to church to the Heyburn first Ward for Glayde and Mary’s mission farewell and then we attended all our meeting at 11:30 at our ward. It made quite a day of meetings but we were glad we could go.
May 11 we went to the temple in Logan and did two more endowments apiece.
May 14 we went to Wanda’s for a supper and last visit with Glayde and Mary. We enjoyed the visit very much and will miss them, but they’ll have a good mission. They are going to the Chicago Temple and will spend five days a week at the Temple. It will be an enjoyable, but busy mission.
We bought our flower plants and are beginning to plant them. On Wednesday I thought I could help Ray, but I only worked a couple of hours and it was so painful I had to quit, so for the rest of the week my joints were so sore I could hardly get around the house.
I finished quilting a blue candlewick blocks quilt. It is beautiful and worth every stitch I put in it.
Jeanne’s family came on Thursday evening on their way to Salt Lake. Shelly has a temple divorce from Gary and she and Greg were being sealed on Friday, May 20, 1988. Ray and I didn’t go this time. I couldn’t have ridden that far even if we had planned to go. They came back on Saturday and went on home to Melba.
Sunday May 22 was my lesson to teach in Relief Society. It was on Deceit, a barrier to spiritual preparedness. Most of it was from a talk by Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Counsel of the Twelve Apostles. It was a very good lesson. I used his tape for part of it and the rest came from our manual. We had a good discussion about the many ways that people can be deceived and to deceive others.
June 8 we had chartered a bus and we went to Lagoon for a family fun day. There were 36 of us on the way down and 39 of us came back. Lisa and her two little boys rode back and went on to Melba with Jeanne & Lynn. We had a lot of fun. There were 51 of us when they ones who lived in Utah came too. We had the Turquoise Terrace reserved for us and it was just far enough away from the noise that we could enjoy it. We took our lunch. I cooked and sliced Turkey roll, Ham, and Turkey Ham for the meat. Every family furnished salads and snack foods, cookies, popcorn, pop etc. We had plenty to eat. An All day pass cost $10.50 for those over 4 yrs old and Ray & mine cost $6.95. They could ride anything they wanted to and as many times. There were lots of people there so they had to wait in line some.
Jeanne’s family all went on home that night, but they came back again on Tuesday headed for Utah to a family reunion.
Wednesday, Ray and I went down to the Logan Temple and did two endowments. The first session we were the witness couple and the second session Seth Bailey was the officiator. It was a nice day.
Friday June 17 Jeanne’s family came back to have a 50th anniversary party for Lynn’s parents. We went to the party in the evening and it was nice. They went home on Saturday.
Sunday was Father’s day. All of the kids came over except Lamar’s family. We had a good visit.
It is so extremely hot it is almost unbearable. It has been a most unusual year. Of course that’s what we said about last winter. It has been hot off and on ever since in March. Usually our real hot weather doesn’t come until July.
Our house has been so warm we decided we would have to put in air conditioning. Our furnace was 37 years old so it meant a new furnace also. They installed all of this the week after the 4th of July. It sure seems nice.
On Tuesday morning July 8 Ray and I got up at six o’clock so we could take a walk before we had breakfast. We walked two miles. I had time to take a shower before getting breakfast. When I went to bend over to get dishes out of the dishwasher I got a catch in my back just above the tail bone. I didn’t think too much of it at the time, but before long I could hardly get out of a chair. It was so painful I could hardly stand the pain when Ray helped me up. It got worse as the day went by and I wasn’t able to do anything Saturday, Sunday or Monday. It eased off a little bit then and I could move easier. I had used the Jacuzzi, the hot pad and even rubbed down with Ben Gay ointment. Tuesday we called the doctor, but I couldn’t get an appointment until Friday. When I went in he had me have X-Ray of my lower back and prescribed some muscle relaxer and told me to go to bed and stay there until Monday when I went back again.
I read two LDS novels while in bed. They were really good stories. Monday, when I went back to the doctor he said I should take the medicine a while longer, but I only took it two more days and was pretty will recovered. I have had pain in my life, but nothing quite like that. I sure don’t want that experience again.
On Wednesday while I was still laid up Ray went down to Provo to go through the temple with Bonnie for her endowments. This was July 13, 1988 in the Provo Temple. We bought her temple clothes and I embroidered her apron. I couldn’t ride that far so I stayed home.
We started to have the roof on our garage and family room repaired. He started in May and did the garage and Ray decided to have the main house reshingled. He said he’d be back in a week, but it was six and then he really didn’t know how to shingle so he finished the family room which is a flat roof and got Dennis Wilcox to shingle the house. He came and they had to remove all the old asphalt shingles. It was quite a job. We had Tyrell and Robbie work a couple of days removing shingles and then a Mark Aleson worked a few hours and Dennis did the rest and completed the shingling on Saturday July 31. It really looks nice and he sure did a good job. Ray did most of the cleanup of old shingles and hauled them to the county landfill. That was hard work. So now we have that much all done. It is still so extremely hot it is hard to work in the middle of the day.
I taught a lesson on "Straightway" in Relief Society. It was on July 24th. I went through the lesson so fast we had time to discuss our heritage a little also. The First Presidency message in the Ensign was on Pioneers and I could recall my Grandma Hansen sailing across the ocean and walking across the plains when she was a small girl and living in a dugout when they got to Utah.
She endured so many hardships. I’d ought to be more like her and strive to do better. She had lots of courage and I’m glad I knew her when I was young. She gave me a quilt top she made for a wedding present. I was her first granddaughter to be married in the temple. She passed away December 24, 1942.
I attend the Heyburn Alumni reunion on July 31, 1988 at West Minico. I was the only one of my class there. It was an enjoyable afternoon. We had a nice lunch and program. I won the door prize which was an "Old Door". Everybody had a good laugh. Wanda & Louis Simpson and Glen Badger were in charge and they were a surprised as anybody that I won it. I told Louis he could put the door back where he got it from. We also went to Heyburn School and received the paintings that were purchased year ago when I was in school and a few years following. It brought back a lot of memories of school days. In the evening they had a good program also. The "Singing K" from Burley were featured and my brother Alfred was the soloist. It was truly a good program.
September 19, 1988
It has been a rather frustrating summer. It has been so hot we decided we needed and air conditioner, but to do that we had to have a new furnace. While putting that all in we also had a run (furnace vent) put into the family room. It cost us $3314.00.
We hired Harlow Cheney to do the carpenter work for a bathroom in the basement. It always amounts to a lot of work, but we found when the old ceiling was taken out that there was a water leak from the upstairs bathroom, so it’s a good thing we made the decision to put one downstairs. Bob Catmull Plumbing did the work for us. They replaced the old pipes, plumbed in the new bathroom, added a run from the furnace for it and vented my clothes dryer, which hadn’t been done in 30 years. We added some carpeting, made a bedding closet out of the closet in the bedroom. It holds all of our extra bedding and pillows. I bought some metal shelves and put my yarn out of boxes on them. Of course it didn’t hold all of my yarn, but it helps so I can see what I have. All in all we have a nice bathroom and a good heating system.
Troy Ashby graduated from college in August and took a job offer in Bath Maine. He’s a long way from home, but it is a good job and he’s glad he went.
The doctor who was ours for most of our children passed away from a massive heart attack on September 1. Dr. Charles A Terhune was 81 and he was a good friend as well as a good doctor.
My brother James, exwife passed away on September 11, one day before her 77th birthday. Clara divorced James before he passed away as a young man in January 1954. Their son was James Roger Thaxton and we went to the funeral so we could make his acquaintance. I had not seen him in over thirty years. He doesn’t resemble his father at all but he seems to be a nice enough young man. It would be good to become better acquainted. He lives in California. I forgot to put in the cost of all our remodeling:
Neil Dille Roofing $350.00
Harlow Cheney Carpentering: $2532.36
Bob Catmull Plumbling: $3450.00
Glen Rogers Electric: $520.70
Dennis Wilcox Shingling: $348.00
We took the motorhome and went to Melba that last week of September. On the way, we went to the Boise Temple and did one endowment. We enjoyed the visit, but it was all too short and on the way home we did two endowments at the temple. The last session we were the witness couple.
Saturday, Oct. 1 and Sunday, Oct. 2 was General Conference broadcast from Salt Lake City. We enjoyed watching it and heard many good messages given by the General Authorities. I need to shape up and do better, but I enjoy sewing much more than studying. That sewing isn’t going to get me where I need to be.
Thursday and Friday, we spent cleaning and rearranging the furniture in the front room. We had to take out the old TV that wouldn’t work and put in a new cabinet for the one that had been in use. It really looked nice when we got finished.
Friday afternoon we were called to meet with Stake President Garner in his office. Ray was called to be the new Stake Patriarch. That is a calling that lasts throughout your life and is a very important one. It requires a lot of faith and study. We also were asked to give the prayers for the Saturday Evening session. Sunday after conference, October 9, 1988, Ray was ordained by President Carl Garner. Our four sons and two sons-in-law stood in the circle. It was a wonderful blessing and good to have so many of our family there. There will have to be some more changes made in our home.
The first thing we had to do was make a study out of the sewing room. I moved all my material etc. to the basement and my sewing machines to the family room. We cleaned and straightened all of the books on the shelves, cleaned drapes and windows and vacuumed. Dee Ray came over and helped move the furniture.
We went to Showkase in Rupert and bought an occasional chair. They didn’t have any more to match so we went to Lee’s Furniture in Burley and found two more alike. We also bought a four drawer file cabinet. They were all delivered Friday and Saturday so with the desk and chair from the family room we had it all arranged.
We have been working on a 50th anniversary party also. Ray and I went down to Jerome to Rose Photography, and had our pictures taken. I was looking for a picture that was taken just before we were married and decided the only way I could find it was to put pictures in the albums so I’ve worked on that enough I found the picture.
I am also trying to put together a quilt for the Deseret Industries.
I crocheted an afghan for Al & Bea to send to his friend Amos Jordan and wife. They had been to Washington DC to visit and wanted to send back a gift. I made it in off white and the flower trellis design. They paid me $75.00 for the yarn and the work. That isn’t enough for just anybody, but they were family and Amos was a good friend too. When they received it they called Al & Bea and told them how pretty it was and how they appreciated it. I have one more to crochet for Al & Bea for Christmas. They furnished the yarn and I’ll make it in the Acres of Diamonds pattern.
I finished my quilt for the Deseret Industries and it turned out real nice.
We only had Nolan and Dawna’s family for Thanksgiving dinner, but we enjoyed it and after all of the work we had done it was good to have a day to relax. Jeanne’s family stopped on Wednesday as they went to Utah and came back on Saturday to stay overnight and attend church with us. It was my day to teach the Relief Society lesson on "Aging is part of God’s plan". It went over very well and I had chosen the right people to give assignments too. I was happy with it and glad it was taken care of. I am finished with lessons for this year.
I went shopping for two red dresses for our party and couldn’t find one for Marilyn or me so I bought some material and patterns. Marilyn’s worked out real well, but mine didn’t look so good so I sent that material and pattern to Jeanne and bought me some more. It was hard to sew too and very frustrating, but after taking it apart and redesigning the pattern it looked pretty good. I bought me a pair of black high healed pumps to wear. It is hard for me to stand in heels, but I’m going to one more time.
We had been having some windows replaced in the front room, Marilyn’s bedroom and the family room. They are double pane and reflective glass. Rupert Glass did the work and it is really neat. Our home should be easier to heat as well as looking nice from the outside. I had to buy new drapes for Marilyn’s room after about 18 years. We also had storm windows on the basement windows and that will be a big help with cleaning and heating.
While these things were going on I finished some quilt tops for Jeanne and Joan out of some of their pieces and my own. There were seven for them and two for me. You would think I would be making progress on my material and I am, it just doesn’t show very much.
We got our announcements printed and our picture picked out. Dawna helped me address some of the announcements and I did the rest. We gave each of the grandchildren and great grandchildren copies too.
Our party was December 10, 1988, beginning at 10:30 for pictures. Rose Photography came from Jerome and took couples, family, groups, etc. At 1 o’clock we all assembled at Prices Caf
We had the decorations catered by McBrides of Rupert. Red poinsettias on white doilies that I crocheted over red tablecloths. Brenda made and decorated the anniversary cake with red trim on white frosting. It was beautiful. She also with Sharon’s help decorated the sheet cakes. Joan and Stella Ashby made the sheet cakes over to the Senior Citizens Center. We had white napkins with gold lettering on them and red punch mints and nuts. Grandchildren and their partners did the serving.
We set up a display of quilts, afghans, wooden toys, pictures of ourselves and children.
Nolan and Dawna gave us the guest book and Heather took care of getting it signed.
Neldon and Sharon gave us a gold frame for our picture and inscribed with the date and 50 years. It was beautiful.
Our guest book has a gold cover and will be a real keepsake also.
We had a program consisting of a son "Love at Home" by Jeanne’s family, Allyson played a piano solo. My brother Alfred sang two numbers, "Winter Wonderland" which he sang 51 years ago when I was queen of the Gold and Green Ball. The other one was "Always". He was accompanied by Lund Christenson. He always sings very will and I enjoy it. Ernest Handy announced the program and told of incidents in mine and Ray’s life. He came up with quite a few memories. We were also asked to say a few words. We had many friends and relatives attend and we received many beautiful cards and a few gifts; vase from Jesse & Cherril Moses, plant from Arvin Hansen and his wife, plant from Al & Bea and two dozen covered hangars from Beatrice and Vernon Merz. We also had corsages and beutineers for each of us and all our kids and their partners stood in the line to greet the guests. It was a wonderful day. I don’t have words to describe all that took place.
Monday December 12, Parish Iron House installed the railings on our front step. Now all the projects are finished as far as the house is concerned.
Wednesday, our anniversary, we drove to Logan and did one session at the temple. We enjoyed that day also.
Friday, I went Christmas shopping and bought ties and sacks for each of the grandchildren. In the afternoon we went to Jerome to pick out our pictures and we ordered what we wanted of them.
I also sent out all of our Christmas cards and thank you notes.
It’s nice to be able to accomplish all these things.
I forgot to mention that on December 5 I bought me a new Singer Sewing machine and cabinet. All in all it cost about $700.00 I haven’t had time to try it out yet, but hope to next week.
For our anniversary Ray gave me a pair of diamond and gold earrings and a pin. They are beautiful, but so expensive.
We had a nice Christmas. Christmas Eve Dee Ray’s family, Nolan’s Family and Sharon’s family were with us. We had a meat and cheese platter made up at Albertson’s food store and then we added baked beans, rolls, salads, chips etc. to make an evening lunch. It all tasted so good and everyone contributed something. Joan’s family was coming, but Troy’s plane was socked in by fog in Main so he didn’t make Salt Lake early enough for them to get home. We read the story of Christ’s girth form the scriptures and sang Christmas Carols for our program. Allyson played the piano for us. We exchanged some gifts from us to the kids and grandkids and we also received some gifts; padded photograph album with 50 years on it from Nolan’s family, four large bath towels from Neldon’s family, gift certificate from Dee’s family, new lid for our cookie jar form Lamar’s family, and a fire extinguisher from Joan’s family. We had an enjoyable evening of visiting as well.
Christmas morning Marilyn ave me some earrings and her dad some white shirts. I gave Ray some books and chocolates and he gave me a book "A Fruitful Season" by Barbara B. Smith.
We attended our Sacrament Meeting in the afternoon and it was a very interesting meeting.
We went to Joan’s for dinner after church so we could visit with their kids while they were home. They showed some home movies that Bonnie had put on a video for them. We enjoyed the visit with their family.
We spent a quiet week between Christmas and New Years.
The weather is so cold we have snow all around us and some on the ground, but it is mostly in the mountains.
New Years day we changed our meeting schedule and now we go form 9:00 to noon. It’s quite a change from afternoon, but we like it.
We have occasion to reflect on all the blessings of the past year and for the years before that. We have lots of things to be thankful for. Our home is old, but so comfortable and now with the things we have done this past year it is even more so.
January 5, Ray and I went to Logan to the temple. We did two endowments. They have a lot more snow in Utah than we have. It snowed on us coming home until we got back to Idaho. We were glad it had only started before we headed home and that we arrived home without any problems. It was a good day because by the next morning we were having a real blizzard. Schools were closed and it was miserable. We can’t complain too loudly because we need the snow so bad to replenish our water supply for the coming year. I have been sewing quilt blocks and have crocheted two afghans as well as read the book I got for Christmas.
I am so glad to be able to so some of the things I want to do and not be under pressure to work away from home.
Lois Barendregt and I are visiting teachers together and we had 100% last year and have done ours already this month. We visit two active and two inactive sisters and we have made a little progress with our inactives; not enough though to get them to church.
Our granddaughter Bonnie Ashby had major surgery last Thursday Jan 5 in Provo, Utah. We are praying that she will recover with no ill effects.
February 19, 1989. We have had so much cold weather since the middle of January there hasn’t been much to write about. The temperature in the daytime didn’t even get up to freezing for about 3 weeks and of course at night it was even much colder than usual. The reported chill factor even reached 32 below zero. We don’t have much snow on the ground here, but they have snow all around us.
Ray and I attended the Logan Temple on February 15, but we only did one endowment. We got a late start so our timing was off for lunch and getting back home.
The weather has moderated some and so the roads are dry except now we are getting some light rain.
Bonnie seems to have recovered quite well from her operation although she’s not really strong yet.
We have all of our pictures from the photographer of our 50th wedding anniversary. The were good pictures and we’re pleased with them.
Our winter has been pretty quiet. Ray has attended the temple every month and I have gone at least once except for May. My muscles have given me quite a bit of pain at time. I have been working to sew up as many blocks into quits as I can and I have also crocheted several afghans.
Bonnie has been transferred to Albuquerque, New Mexico. This is really a new experience for her, but she met a fellow she knew in Provo and so it has been quite exciting. So far the move has been good.
I have taught my Relief Society lesson each month and have gained some satisfaction from that.
We went with Joan and Norman to Melba and attended Jason’s mission report and Corrine’s graduation from high school on the same Sunday, May 2. We had an enjoyable day. Jeanne had all of her own family at home for it.
Natalie and Eric Miles had a new baby boy born on May 19, 1989 in Boise. They seem to be getting along quite well. It is a cute baby and he numbers #10 great grandchildren.
June 14, 1989 was our day to go to Lagoon. We boarded the bus shortly after 7 o’clock. Dee Ray and some of his family drove in their car because they wanted to stay longer than we did. We had a bus full and everyone seemed to enjoy the day. Our grandchildren from Utah joined us there also. We had 59 in attendance. There were four visitors. The only ones who couldn’t attend were Troy, Bonnie, Eric, Brett & Janna and Neldon.
I must go back and include May 9 as the day I had my eyelids operated on. They were becoming so droopy it was decided I needed some of the excess skin removed. Dr. Brad Hobbs operated at Cassia Memorial Hospital. I was back home by noon. My eyes were bandaged for 24 hours and then I could see again. It was not a painful operation. I just didn’t look very presentable for a few days. It wasn’t even as bruised as I thought it would be. I know that comes from having been administered to by Ray and Dee Ray before the operation. I was very thankful for that.
I had a nice Mother’s day with many beautiful cards and visits from all of the kids.
Ray had a nice Father’s day too and he received many cards and gifts also.
June 22, 1989, Ray’s sister Ann passed away. She had been ill from Pancreatic Cancer since November of 1988. We had visited her as we could and it was hard to see her health fail. Ann was always very special to us because she helped us in so many ways. She was a person who always made you feel good about yourself. She always commented on our lovely home, our beautiful flowers, our pretty car. She always had nice things, but she was always glad to see others have nice things too. I remember when we had been married only a few years. We belonged to a "Birthday Club". We were the youngest members of this married group. All of them were people of the area we had know for years. This one evening I went to Edith and Ernest’s for the party and as we arrived Ann met us and said to me "My you look nice, just like you had stepped out of a bandbox". In those days we did not have lots of new clothes, but I was wearing a black dress with a white collar that I had remodeled and she thought it was pretty. She was one to always bolster you up and make you feel good. We well truly miss her. I will especially, because she was always interested and gave me lots of praise for my quilts etc. Her daughters-in-law, Marge and Barbara, have taken such good care of her and she was never hospitalized. Their family’s have been very good to her, but when she was able she had always been very helpful to them.
This spring I was able to plant all of the flowers after Ray made the holes etc. We planted 9 flats of marigolds and 16 flats of petunias, 16 geraniums and one flat white petunias, 2 flats pixie asters. Earlier, Ray planted a pansy bed with some snapdragons and sweet williams. They have so many pretty colors.
In his vegetable garden he also has lots of dahlias, cannas and gladiolas. Our roses are blooming now and we have some beautiful ones.
We also have quite a bit of fruit on our fruit trees and we hope it all becomes mature as time goes by.
It has been a busy summer. Brett and Janna Heiner have a baby boy. He was born on July 28, 1989 in the American Falls hospital. He weighed 9 lbs. 6 oz. They got along fine. He was blessed by Brett Sept 3, 1989 and named Seth Allen Mauldin Heiner. "If he grows to fit the name he’ll be a big man".
Ray was ill, but Marilyn and I went to Rupert 2nd ward on July 2, 1989 where Natalie and Eric did the blessing for their baby. Eric blessed him Cameron L. Miles.
We took the motorhome and spent a few days at Melba. We also went to the Boise Temple. It was so awfully hot we didn’t do much else.
August 4, 1989 we had a Thaxton family reunion over to the Star Ward Park. We weren’t a very big group, but we enjoyed the afternoon. Jeanne, Joan and Nolan’s family were the one from our group. Not a very good attendance. Jeanne, Joan and Karen Ramsey were in charge of it. We had a history of each of the Thaxton children and parents except for Maneta printed up and given to each family there. Most of them were read and enjoyed. We also had a nice lunch and some different prizes. Maurine, Arlynn and Ranelle came over Sunday and had dinner with us and Jeanne’s family. We enjoyed that visit also. That’s the first time they had ever been in my home and we were glad to have them.
The second week in August we went in the motorhome to Melba. From there we went up to Cascade Lake for a couple of days. We camped in a campground and it was really nice. We went up through Horse Shoe Bend and came back around McCall, Cambridge etc. I did a quite a bit of the driving, but I certainly don’t enjoy it. Other than that, we had an enjoyable trip. We also did one session at the temple.
Our garden and orchard have produced abundantly this year, so with Ray’s help I have done a lot of canning. We canned beans, beets, carrots, apricots, cherries, apples, pears, plums, and prunes and tomatoes. Our store room is full and we have lots of eating apples.
It has been a great summer and it is now October and we haven’t had a killing frost yet. It has turned stormy though this last couple of days.
We had a Regional conference meeting held in the Burley High School Auditorium on August 27, 1989. Priesthood leadership was held August 26, 1989 in Jerome, Idaho and they had a dinner after the meeting with their companions. Sharon and I drove down together. It was nice and we saw some people we hadn’t seen in years. Sunday we had reserved seats so we were close to the front. Our visitors from Salt Lake City were President Howard W. Hunter, James E Faust and Rex C Reeves of the Seventy. They gave some very good talks. We don’t have General Authorities at our conferences like we used to so this was special.
We watched conference on TV on Sept 30 and Oct. 1. It was especially good. Maybe it’s because I seem to understand better or else they were more on my level. I have thought a lot about my activity in the church and the positions I’ve held. It goes back to when I was a counselor to Edith Handy in the Young Womens Mutual. I was 20 years old. I have worked in the mutual later as a counselor and also as the President. I was a teacher and a counselor I the Primary Association. I taught in Sunday School and then I was Sunday School chorister for eight years. Later I taught Gospel Doctrine for two years. I first taught a class in remodeling clothes in Relief Society. From there I was Homemaking leader, then I was a counselor to Nola McCombs. I was the Secretary to Ethel Orton. I’ve been homemaking leader more than once. I was over visiting teaching and compassionate service, then I taught the compassionate service lesson in Sunday Relief Society. At present I am still teaching compassionate service & Social Relations lessons. Somewhere along the line, I was a choir director for a short while and Relief Society chorister. These aren’t listed in order or any dates put to them, but I have tried to do my part. I was also a Stake Missionary for two years. I have been a visiting teacher for a long time and I’m also assigned as a home teacher with Ray for the last two years.
I still feel inadequate at being a teacher, but I’m trying to overcome my fearfulness. My mother said when they asked me to be a chorister "Why would they ask me to do that when I didn’t know anything about music?" She would probably say the same thing if she knew I was a Relief Society teacher.
I forgot to mention my birthday and that I received many gifts and visits from each one of my children. It was a nice day and evening.
We finished up all the canning even to making apple juice out of a bushel of apples so now we have some apples left to eat, our potatoes and carrots from the garden also.
We ordered in our supplies to complete our storage. Now all the bottles are full and we feel good about it.
I waited until all the canning was done to go to the doctor. My arms and shoulder were so painful, also I felt like my stomach was out of whack. He sent me for some X-rays on my neck and also to take some samples of blood at the lab and to come back in two weeks.
Before I had the X-rays we went in the motorhome up to Jeanne’s from Tuesday until Friday. We just visited and Ray went with them the temple for two sessions.
On Monday I went in for the X-ray and other exams. When I went to Dr. Smith on Thursday he said I needed more exams because one test showed blood so on Friday he started with a proctology. I was so petrified of the exam it made me very ill. Ray and Neldon administered to me and I came through all right. Next I had to have a barium enema with air contrast. The preparation for this exam was very hard on me. I was so weak I couldn’t help myself or even hold up my head. Ray called the doctor and he told him to give me some turkey or chicken broth. I remembered we had some turkey broth down in the store room. We were sure thankful we did. I have always believed in storage, but didn’t know that item would be so helpful. That X-ray showed I would have to go to a specialist so he already had some records on me. He did a colonoscopy and said that wasn’t the problem. I would have to have my stomach examined. By this time it was Thanksgiving. Jeanne’s family came through on their way to Shelly’s on Wednesday. We three went over to Joan’s for dinner on Thanksgiving. Marilyn and I fixed sweet potatoes, a relish plate and corn for the dinner. We had a nice visit with, Bonnie, Woody & Brandy and Joan & Norman.
On Monday I went down to Twin Falls for the gastroscopy and Dr. Sinclair found and ulcer and a polyp, which he was able to remove, in my stomach. He said that was the cause of the bleeding. The polyp and biopsy he took was examined by a pathologist and there wasn’t any problem with them so now all I have to do is heal up the ulcer.
I know that because I was administered to in the beginning and with other prayers that that is why they didn’t find anything very serious. I am feeling a lot better now.
Derk and Lisa had a baby girl named Haley Jo Heiner born on December 1, 1989.
Brent (Woody) Ashby and Brandy Le Tracy were married December 9, 1989 by Bishop Wayne Helms at the Paul church. They had a nice reception and are a good looking couple.
Ray and I went to Logan Temple and did two endowments apiece on Dec 6, 1989. I hadn’t been for two months. We had a nice day.
We are having a very dry cold spell now. The temperature isn’t up to freezing even in the day time. We have had very little storm yet, but we surely do need some.
We had planned to go to Logan to the temple for our anniversary, but it didn’t work out. Ray didn’t sleep good, so we spent the day at home. Most of our family came over in the evening and we received many beautiful cards and gifts.
Christmas Eve all but four of our family that live here were over. We had a buffet supper, program and gifts. We decorated our tree with Christmas cards and in them was money for each of our family members. I also had 7 quilts made for the married grandchildren and 3 baby quilts for the new baby boys, Seth, Jeffrey & Cameron. I also gave away many afghans to couples and grandchildren. Between the Friday before Christmas we visited with all our family except 4 who were ill with the flu. Friday before new Years, Jeanne’s family came down and there were 21 here Friday night, 19 Saturday night and 21 again Sunday night. There were beds in every room, but the kitchen. I had plenty of bedding for everybody.
Monday, January 1 was Jeanne’s 50th birthday. I prepared a birthday dinner for her and all of her children who could come, also Cal & Ruth Heiner and Joan and Norman. We set the tables for 24 people. It was a turkey dinner and Marilyn and I had made a big birthday cake. It had been a good holiday season and I think everyone enjoyed it. Everybody went home on Monday and Tuesday. We were pretty near back to normal.
We have been blessed in many ways this past year and I’m sure if we continue to strive to do the things we are asked to do we will continue to have many blessings.
This year, 1990, we return to going to church at 1 o’clock in the afternoon.
Sunday morning, January 7, we had almost our first snowfall of the winter, but it started to rain and we was all melted in a couple of hours. We surely need more moisture than we have had so far.
I had won a $50.00 gift certificate from "House of Fabrics" and so when the January sales came on I decided to spend it for material for a bedspread. I spent more that the certificate, but it was a printed pattern that I could quilt. It took me almost six weeks to quilt it and make the dust ruffle, but it is really pretty. It will probably be the only one I’ll make.
February is the month of birthdays for Joan, Sharon and Sylvia. So we had them for dinner on two different nights. Marilyn and I made each a birthday cake. We had them on Monday nights, because that is the time of less conflict with other meetings.
Trever and Teresa had a baby boy born on February 8, 1990. They named him Jason Lamar. He’s a good looking baby and they got along fine.
April 8, 1990, the day before Dee Ray was 47 years old he was ordained a High Priest by Stake President Carl Garner and sustained as second Counselor to Bishop Harry Badger. Although Dee was inactive for many years he has come a long way.
He has had many assignments and he tries to fill them to the best of his ability. He’ll be a good counselor.
After teaching the Compassionate Service lesson on April 22, 1990, I went out the back door of the building to put my books in the car and I fell down the concrete steps and landed on my knees. It was a very painful fall. I didn’t break anything, but I sure bruised my right leg. Needless to say I had to go home and wasn’t able to go to Sacrament Meeting. It could have been a lot worse.
Ray and I have tried to attend the temple in Logan once a month. We haven’t always succeeded and sometimes could only attend one session. It is difficult some days to control my stomach problems.
May 18, Joan, Norman, Ray, Marilyn and myself left in the motorhome for Columbus, Ohio to see Troy. It was a nice trip and we saw many places of interest. We arrived in Columbus on Monday. We went to Hiram, Ohio and visited Dick and Wanda Whittaker at the John Johnston Home. They are enjoying their mission and doing real well. We also visited the Kirtland Temple and Whitney store. On Sunday we saw the Hill Cumorah at Palmyra and also walked through the Sacred Grove. It was beautiful. Because it was Sunday all of the church historical sights were opened until noon and we didn’t have enough time to wait, but we did see all of the locations. From Palmyra we drove to Niagara Falls. We bought some souvenirs and had lunch there. It is a beautiful falls, something we never hoped to see. We had to be back in Columbus on Monday so we didn’t spend much time. The country is beautiful there and we enjoyed much pretty scenery, but it isn’t like home. This is only a short version of our trip, because I wrote most of it down in another notebook. We headed for home and arrived back here on Wednesday, May 30.
June 7, 1990 was our family trip to Lagoon. We chartered a bus and all of us from here rode it. Jeanne and Lynn came from Melba on Tuesday evening. We left right after 7 o’clock with all but one seat filled on the bus. A total of 48. The ones from Utah met us at Lagoon and we had a total of 65 out of 66 members. Troy Ashby was the only one who couldn’t attend. He had flown out for Japan on June 5 for 10 weeks of training with Honda Corporation. Everybody had a good time and we had plenty of food, and also good weather. On the way home our bus stopped on us, but between Lamar, Dee Ray, Neldon and the driver they figured out the problem and we weren’t delayed very long. The driver said he sure was glad our sons know something about trucks.
Some of our family besides Dee Ray have change church positions. Joan has been Relief Society President since the first of the year. Nolan is now Elders Quorum instructor and Neldon has been released as a High Council member. A position he has held for 6 years. Lamar is assistant ward clerk over the computer. All their partners have responsible positions also.
Corrinne Heiner, who has been going to Ricks College met a young man who is a returned missionary and also graduating from Ricks College and they are getting married July 27 in the Boise, Temple. Corrinne went through and received her endowments on July 26 and on the 27th she was sealed to Michael Gregory Small. He is from Hew Hampshire. His parents were here and they are very nice people. The are both very active in church work. Joan, Norman, Ray, Marilyn and myself went up on Friday for the ceremony. Nolan and Dawna with Scot were also there. Scot and Marilyn stayed in the parking lot while the rest of us were in the themple. Jeanne had a family dinner for us at their home. She served about 36 people. Very good dinner. She made Corinne’s wedding dress and dresses for her and the other girls at home. The reception was held at the church. She had a beautifully decorated cake as well as backdrop and table decorations. All the corsages were made of silk flowers. It was a lovely evening. I had quilted a blue quilt and made an afghan, also a bride doll. They didn’t open any other gifts so we didn’t see what they received. Corinne and Mike are going to live in Denton, Texas where he is going to go to college.
All the time in between these events I have been quilting and crocheting as usual. I did do a quite a bit of yard work to help get our flowers planted. It was nice to work outside, which I have always enjoyed doing. Our roses are just beautiful and also our pansies. We haven’t had much rain and it has been very hot, so it is hard to keep things watered. I can’t work in the heat so anything I do to help has to be done early in the morning. Ray has a really good garden, but we don’t have any fruit on the trees, because of the frost. Everything bloomed so beautifully, but it turned cold and froze it all.
Ray has been suffering through a case of "Shingles" which we have never had any experience with before. The "Shingles" are stopped, but he still has some pain. That has curtailed some of our activities also.
Our garden produced pretty well. We had lots of string beans, beets, peas, corn and carrots. Our tomatoes didn’t ripen as good as they should, but the weather wasn’t very cooperative either. We had lots of beautiful flowers and our yard looked nice all summer. We didn’t have much of anything in the way of storms and we haven’t had yet and it is now the first of December. Going back to September we drove up to Jeanne’s and spent part of the week. Ray and I slept in their fifth wheel and Marilyn stayed in the house. We were able to attend the temple for two sessions. We came home on Friday because that was my birthday. Jeanne had made a cake and had ice cream the night before. The kids and Lynn being in school don’t all have lunch at the same time so it was better to do it on Thursday night. We also did a little shopping up there. It was an enjoyable few days.
We had all the rest of the family visit us after we got home.
October 1990 was the wedding of Nicole Bailey and Mark Maier. They were married by Bishop Harry Badger in the "Gazebo" at the Rupert Square. The reception was held at the old Rupert Stakehouse. Brenda had made all the dresses and made and decorated the cake, also made the punch and mints. Nicole’s dress was really beautiful and they make a handsome couple. We wish Mark was a member of the church, but maybe in time. We hope so. Even so it was a nice reception. I had quilted a quilt made with candlewicking designs. It was done in yellow and gold with gingham checks. I also gave them an afghan.
I have been having trouble with my eyes. I couldn’t see when I came into bright sunlight or bright lights of any kind. I went to Dr. Hobbs who is an Opthamologist as well as cosmetic surgeon. He gave me a thorough examination and found that I have growing cataracts and also some glaucoma. I have an appointment for a visual field test on December 12 in Twin Falls. It will require some surgery, but it has to be at a certain stage of development before that can be done. I haven’t been able to drive the car for sometime and the lighting has to be right for me to see.
We had the carpet taken out of the upstairs bathroom and replaced with Linoleum. It looks so nice. We also had a light installed over my sewing machines in the end of the family room. I have enjoyed that very much. We have had some new Formica put on my kitchen cabinets and that has really improved its looks. After the first of the year we hope to change floor coverings at least in the kitchen.
The Book Plaza was having an opening sale of Magic Mill kitchen appliances, mostly grinders and bread mixers, but anyway for our anniversary we decided to buy and auto bread maker. It’s an appliance that you put in the ingredients and it mixes and then bakes the bread automatically. I haven’t had as good a success as I like, but in time I’ll find the right combination of ingredients.
Neldon, Sharon, Ray and I went to Logan to the temple on November 30. It was only one session, but we had an enjoyable day.
I forgot to mention Thanksgiving. We had Joan, Norman, Bonnie, Nolan’s family and Dee’s family and us for dinner. We all had a good visit. Jeanne and her family went on Wednesday down to Utah with the rest of theirs. They came back on Saturday and stayed overnight and went with us to church on Sunday, had dinner and then headed for home.
Bonnie has had to have some more surgery and we hope she’ll recover well from it. Nicole has been very ill since she got married and we’re hoping she can overcome her problems. We held a family fast today in hopes that it will help her. We know that her problems will be taken care of and that it will be for the best. She has been ill a lot the last few years.
Lamar was sustained as the Ward Clerk in our ward today December 2, 1990.
I have been quilting as usual and I have crocheted and assembled 19 decorator dolls for our granddaughters for Christmas. The are all so cute.
Shelly & Gregg Brinkerhoff had a new baby girl born on December 20, 1990. They named her Katherine Elise. On Sunday, December 23, 1990 she went back to the hospital with a severe infection caused by a strep infection. She came awfully close to losing her life.
Christmas Eve all of our family, but Jeanne’s were here. We had supper together and then we had a nice Christmas program. Joan and I sang a duet and others read scriptures and group singing of Christmas carols. On the Christmas tree I had hung a Christmas card with money inside for each member of our family. We received many nice gifts; sweaters, gift certificates, a large figurine of Christ, a counted cross stitch picture of Christ in a gold colored frame, hair spray, a ham which we ate for supper, Almond Roca candy, turkey, 5 lb. Box of chocolates. Except for the worry over Shelly we had a nice evening together. I had prepared 14 tied quilts, some sofa pillows, hot pads and 19 dolls.
Jeanne and Lynn came through on the 27th of December, had lunch with us and then went on down to Salt Lake to see Shelly and to help take care of the new baby and the other children.
During the month of December I found I would have to have cataract surgery on my left eye. It was getting extremely difficult for me to see. I haven’t been able to drive the care since August. That will be done sometime in January.
The year is coming to a close and we hope next year will be even better.. That’s awfully warm for April.-50 at night and 70- 80 in the daytime. We went to the 4th of July parade and had to wear our coats. above zero. I have been confined to the house a lot of the time. We were unable to have church in our new building for two Sundays, but today is February 4 and there is church today. weather again. The weather is really different and changeable this winter, we wonder what summer will be like. and the wind chill was 14. Sunday it was even colder and so I couldn’t go to church, 7 for a high with a wind chill of -32 and the wind from east northeast.October 15, 1998, Ray Marilyn and I went over to the South Central Health Department and got our flu shots.é in Burley. We had a delicious chicken dinner and they visited and seemed to have a good time. Nolan took me for a motorcycle ride in the afternoon. I received many lovely cards and some gifts. A bouquet of flowers, blouse, stuffed animal and pillow, sweater and corduroy pants. It was a very good day and I enjoyed it all.
Now that our canning is done and the old flowers have been pulled up, I am back sewing quilt blocks in between Patriarchal Blessings. October was quite busy, but November has been a little slower.
I broke a tooth out of my upper denture and when I went to get it fixed we decided to get me a new set. These were getting chipped from wear. They cost $700.00 and don’t look much different from my old ones.
Ray has been having pain around his left ear and when he asked Dr. Pates, He told him he needed to see a dentist. We had wondered, before, if maybe that was part of the problem with his ears instead of just almost an earache. Anyway he had infection under his permanent bridge and had to have a root canal and other things done to correct the problem.
Thanksgiving day we had dinner with Joan and Norman. It was nice and we had a very good visit.
Paul, Shelly, Todd and Traci stopped on their way to Melba , so we got to visit with them and their little ones. It was nice of them to stop and visit. The new babies are really cute, both of them.
Jeff, Bonnie and the girls came over to see us too and we enjoyed their visit.
Ray finally got his teeth all fixed and paid for. It is good to have that done.
We bought some books for each family for Christmas and some for Marilyn and myself. Our 60th wedding anniversary was quiet, but we did have visits from Nolan’s family, Neldon’s family, Lamar and Brenda and Joan. Jeanne called on the telephone and we received some very nice cards as well. Marilyn and I served cake and ice cream. I didn’t eat any, but that’s okay. Joan gave her dad some homemade chocolates and me some sugar free chocolates. A family group picture from Nolan’s family. We had a good visit.
Andrea Heiner came home from Russia and we saw her for a few minutes along with Jeanne, Lynn, Brett, Janna and boys. She had been gone 6 months and enjoyed the experience.
Christmas Eve, we had company by family too. Marilyn and I had decorated the front room and family room. I also sent out many Christmas cards to grandchildren, children, relatives and friends. It was a nice Christmas. Ray bought me a dress and I helped him buy a suit. We gave Marilyn a dress, latch hook kit and some paint by number pictures to do.
We had visits from some of Jeanne’s family as they went on to Melba and back. It is nice that they stop and see us.
Dee and part of his family came over on Sunday evening.
Our family gave us a framed picture of 4 different groups of us that were taken at the summer reunion. Neldon and Nolan hung it on the family room wall and I rearranged some of the other pictures after that.
We also received some new pictures from our grandchildren.
We weren’t so busy with Patriarchal blessings in November and December, but now it is a new year and we will probably have more. Jeanne’s birthday was on January 1, 1999 and that always starts the New Year.
We also changed time for going to church so now we go at 9 o’clock on Sundays.
My back has bothered me a lot and I tried to figure out how I could use our Whirlpool Jacuzzi, so I enlisted Nolan’s help to install a bar across, so I could pull myself up out of it. He did it and it works, also he glued some tiles that were loose and regrouted them for me. I was sure glad he could repair all that for us.
All of our kids help us with a lot of repairs or things we can’t do for ourselves and we appreciate it.
Patriarchal blessings have slacked off clear through February, so I have had time to tie several quilts. I also made and donated 2 double bed size and 2 baby quilts for the humanitarian aid program of the church. I also crocheted blocks together for an afghan. Our ward Relief Society agreed to make bibs for the long term care at Minidoka Memorial Hospital and I bought 6 towels and made those and turned them in.
We went over to Burley one Sunday afternoon and Trenton was ordained an Elder. Now he and Holly can take their little ones and go to the temple when they are ready
We had Stake Conference in March and we had a very good Sunday meeting. No special visitors, but all of the talks and music was very good.
Marilyn and I have started cleaning our flower beds and with help from Jeanne, Lynn and Lance, they are pretty well done.
It seems early, but we have had some warm weather and the tulips and daffodils are coming up.
Our winter hasn’t been very stormy except in the mountains. In February it was cold some, but March has been awfully warm for Idaho.
Jeanne and Lynn stopped as they went to Utah and back for spring break and I gave her 5 tied quilts to finish.
Ruth Heiner, with the help of others nominated Jeanne for "Mother of the Year". She didn’t come in first, but she did receive "Merit Mother of the Year". She wouldn’t "blow her own horn", so to speak, so she didn’t come in first. I think she came as close as she wanted to. It was held in Boise on March 4, but because of the need to travel and with my eating schedule, we didn’t go. If I stick to my own schedule, I can keep my "Diabetes" pretty well under control.
March 27, 1999, at our Stake Center we attended Stetzen Ray Bailey’s baptism. They had a nice service and we were glad to be able to attend. He was baptized and confirmed by his father, Thomas Ray Bailey. There were four generations of Baileys in the circle.
April began with General Conference on TV from Salt Lake. We always enjoy all of the talks and messages given by the General Authorities. The music is exceptional also.
April is also a month of birthdays for our family too. We don’t give many gifts, but we try to remember them with birthday cards.
The arthritis in my back is giving me a lot of pain and I can’t seem to do very much work in the yard or even in the house. We have tried to get some help with the yard work, but it’s kinda hard to find. We have a young woman who comes one a week and cleans bathrooms and vacuums and etc. That helps a lot.
Shawn and Cynthia Bailey had a baby boy born to them, May 12, 1999, at Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley. They named him Garrett W. And he was blessed by Shawn on July 4, 1999 in Heyburn Second Ward. There were four generations of Baileys for that too.
We had a lot of our roses winter kill and so we only replaced a few. Jeanne, Lynn, Lance and Monica came down for Memorial day weekend and they caught up a lot of our yard work by planting and transplanting some flowers. The weather hasn’t cooperated very well for growing plants, either too hot or too cold and windy.
I type the blessings as they come along and usually do the washing and ironing. Marilyn helps a lot with the cooking too.
Dr. Pates put me to bed for four or five days, except it took six with muscle relaxers and pain killers and by the time that was up my stomach was acting up, so I had to take medicine for it. It’s been very painful and I’ve not been able to do very much. I don’t even feel like working on the computer or even doing handwork. It is getting a little better thought.
Trenton and Holly Bailey had a baby boy born to them on June 23, 1999 at Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley. They named him Bracken Dee. They have moved from Burley and bought a home in Albion and are getting settled in it.
We applied several months ago to get Marilyn on Social Security Disability and now today we got a reply and she was accepted. This will give her a monthly income beginning in September, 1999. We are glad for that and as long as she can’t hold a job any longer is sure will help.
Tate and Sarah Stout were married Aug 27, 1999. Nolan took Ray down and he said they had a real good day. I was glad I had a few quilts and afghans made ahead, so I had one for them too. I was able to go to the reception that was held on the 28th at the church house. They planned on having an outdoors reception, but the wind came up in the afternoon and they had to move down to the church. It was a nice reception.
Rob La Deaux and Sonda Phillips were married in the Salt Lake Temple on Oct. 1, 1999. I was glad to have a quilt and an afghan for them too. I wasn’t able to attend their open house at Lamar and Brenda’s.
During this time, I had been in the hospital first for 2 pints of blood and then in a couple of days, I was hospitalized for low sodium level and was put on an I.V. tube, also I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. It is a condition that cannot be operated on for me. Dr. Pates said it was too risky. I spent 3 days in intensive care so they could give me a treatment on my heart and then was moved into a regular room. Ray gave me some Priesthood blessing and I was administered to twice, not all in the hospital. I got on my knees and prayed to the Lord for help also and I was blessed for it.
I was home for my birthday and received some books etc. and many telephone calls and cards from family and friends.
Neldon is doing the Patriarchal blessings, because I don’t have the strength to sit at the computer. I’m on oxygen all the time. Even thought I have tube enough to get me anywhere in the house, I also have a portable one for when I need to leave home. I have a home health nurse that comes and checks me one a week and I’m on some strong medication.
Jeanne, Lynn, Lance, and Monica came down and watched conference with us. Shelly and her family were here to and they cooked dinner for us all. It was a good day and the messages were all very good.
I get pretty tired every day and haven’t done much, but everything is going fine. We have arranged for a woman to come once a week and do the cleaning for us. Marilyn does the cooking and the laundry and I do the ironing. I’m not doing a very good job of writing, so I hope it can be read.
Our weather has been beautiful and it has been a good fall. I’m not ready for cold weather anyway.
At the beginning of my illness in July, my friend Mary Ellen Bennett passe away. She was 85 years old. I had known her for a long time and liked her very much.
December 10, 1999 Jason and Margo had a baby girl born to them. This makes them 2 boys and 2 girls. They named her Mabel Jeanne, and they are doing quite well.
While I was in the hospital my friend from school days, Eva Morgan Higley, passed away. I felt really sad, because I didn’t get to see her again and wasn’t able to attend her funeral. She was a really nice woman and I enjoyed visiting with her and now she’s gone.
I was feeling a lot better and had made baby quilts and tied two big quilts. I thought I had finally got on top of my illness, but I was typing a Patriarchal Blessing and got a pain in my back and around my middle. I couldn’t get rid of it, but I continued my typing a finished the blessing for Ray. This was Friday, and Saturday by noon the pain was so bad I couldn’t stand it. I called Dr. Pates and he told me what to do, but before it could take effect, I told Ray to call Dr. Pates and tell him I was going to the emergency room. He met us there and diagnosed me as having "Gastritis" and put me in the hospital. I was hooked up to an I.V. that administered some medication and relieved the pain. When he came in on Monday, he said I needed to have an ultrasound test to help decide what was really the matter. It showed that I had a real attack of gallstones. Dr. Pates talked to me about having the surgeon, Dr. Johnson, come in and see me. My heart is so bad they didn’t know if I could survive an operation. I had an Echocardiogram done on Thursday by the heart specialist and they determined it was pretty "ify" if I could stand an operation, but Pates and Johnson both determined I had to have one. We opted to have an incision done instead of the new procedure for gallstone surgery. Ray, Nolan, Dee Ray and Neldon administered to me on Thursday night and Friday, December 17, in the afternoon, Dr. Johnson did the operation. I had a whole medicine bottle full of stones removed. I was put in intensive care for two days and then in a regular room. I came through it really well and am on the road to recovery. I have to take a lot of medicine and I’ve also lost a lot of weight, but I’m getting along without any pain. I got released to come home the day before Christmas. I had been in the hospital 13 days.
I didn’t get to do any Christmas shopping or anything, it was all done for me. Dr. Pates let me come home on our anniversary for four hours and that was nice.
This is the end of a century and the beginning of a new year. January 2000.
Andrea Heiner and Mark Madson were married Dec 22, 1999 in the Boise, Idaho Temple. She was number 10 of Jeanne and Lynn’s family to be married and they were all in the temple with her. I had made a quilt and an afghan for her, but was unable to go and see her married.
For some reason, memory I guess, I missed writing about Ty & Jaimee’s baby. She was born June 28, 2000 in Ogden, Utah. She was named Brynley.
January 6, 2000, a baby girl, Anna Elizabeth, was born to Brett and Janna. This makes them 3 boys and a girl.
Trenton and Holly went to Logan to go through the temple for their endowments on Jan 21, 2000. The children were sealed to them on January 22, 2000. Dee & Sylvia had all of their family in the temple that day. That is quite and accomplishment.
I’ve recovered from my operation without even a scar. Of course, I still have my ups and downs, but I am grateful for all the blessings I have received, because I have received many from a good doctor and from the Lord.
I had a bout with Bronchitis that hit me pretty hard and I was very ill. I had been to Dr. Pates when I felt it coming on and he gave me some antibiotics. I took those and got better, except it seemed to settle in my ears and they were plugged up. I used some ear drops and stopped the aching, but my right ear broke and run for several days. I tried to see Dr. Patterson, an ear doctor, but couldn’t, so I went back to Dr. Pates and he gave some more antibiotics. My left ear seemed to clear up, but my right ear, I can’t seem to hear out of. This has been about 5 weeks, but I’m going for some help somewhere.
I have accomplished several quilts since the first of the year. I tied 11 that I already had pieced and I have quilted two and am on the third one now. I gave all the tied ones away to grandchildren and kids. They were made from outing flannel.
The quilted one, I will keep as wedding presents. I have also embroidered lots of pillow cases. I haven’t counted them, as I’m not finished.
Ray has given several Patriarchal blessing, so I have typed those also.
We have a young woman named Cathy Andersen who comes on Friday afternoon to vacuum and clean our bathrooms or whatever we need done. She also enjoys quilting, so for a few minutes each time, she puts some stitches in my quilt. She is very good and fast at it.
Before Christmas and before I became so ill I helped Cathy tie a quilt for her son for Christmas and she has more than paid me back for helping her.
Memorial weekend, I had some unexpected company. On Saturday, my cousin, Emma, and her daughter, Julie, came from Bountiful, Utah to spent the day visiting. I hadn’t seen Emma in many years and her daughter was only a little girl. We had a good visit and I gave them each an afghan. It was an enjoyable day.
On Sunday, we took some flowers over for my folks and Ray’s parents graves. My nieces, Arlynn and Ranelle were over there and they were coming over to visit us. Ranelle brought a copy of a picture of my dad and his parents and his sister Saphronia, also some history of my grandparents. It was nice to visit with them and I have them each an afghan. Arlynn has a Book of Remembrance with sheets in it written by my mother and I had seen it when I lived at home, but their dad, Leland got most of my mothers genealogy information. I hope to get a copy from her.
The last of March my cousins, Jeanette Buckley, Heber J. Hansen and Bengta came from Pocatello to go to Oakley and they stopped and visited us. I enjoyed their visit and I gave them an afghan also. In the afternoon two more cousins, Elsa Holling and Wanda Ahlstrom came and visited too. I hadn’t seen those two for many years either. I sure enjoyed their visits and I gave them each an afghan. Wanda is the only one of all who visited who does this handwork. Wanda and Emma are half-sisters. Heber J., Jeannette and Elsa are brother and sisters. Bengta is a cousin to all of us. All, but Bengta is a descendant of grandma Caroline Hansen. Bengta was named after her grandmother, Bengta Hansen. Bengta Hansen was my grandfather’s first wife and my grandmother Caroline was his second wife.
We have hired a man to clean our flowerbeds. He isn’t really a gardener, but he did dig out most of the grass and helped Ray put rock over plastic in front and on the west side of the garage. We bought color bowls of flowers to put in those places. We also bought a dozen rose bushes for the rose garden. Everything is looking pretty good. The weather is changeable and now it is quite warm for this time of year.
We put in begonias and Impatiens in the front window box and also a whiskey barrel we planted with pansies in the corner by the front steps.
Mother’s Day, I received many beautiful cards, a bouquet and a Lily. All of our kids visited either Saturday or Sunday.
I feel very grateful to be able to do what I do and have what I have. My health is precarious, but if I’m careful, I can do quite a bit. I read President Hinckley’s book, "Standing for something" and it was just like he was talking to me. I enjoyed it very much. It was easy to understand and something you could really believe.
My handwriting isn’t very legible.
Sunday Sept. 10, 2000
We have been to Sacrament meeting and had our dinner. One meeting is about all I have the strength to attend at a time. I have been taking my oxygen tank to use for the last month. It helps my strength last.
It has been a year since I started this last go around and when I came home from the hospital in December, I decided I had better finish up some of the projects I had started. It seemed to me the only way to gain some strength was to do something and not just sit. Crocheting seemed to take too much concentration, so I have been embroidering pillowcases and sewing up quilt blocks that I already cut out. This is in addition to what I wrote about before. I quilted on more quilt that was already pieced. It was made from Ray’s neckties plus a few others.
It turned out beautifully and Ray suggested I make it into a bedspread for our bed and I did. It is really colorful and nice.
I also had enough tie pieces to sew tops for 4 more quilts and I’m using plain colored sheets for the back. They are ready to be quilted.
I had cut out all the pieces for a star quilt block made of red and white gingham check. I have to applique it on the sewing machine. There is also one of orchid print with plain orchid to match of the same pattern.
I had pieces cut for a Grandmothers Fan quilt and I have sewed them together and have the background blocks done to put them on. This is enough blocks for two quilts.
I have cut and sewed enough pieces for a Dresden plate quilt. These are all ready to finish on the sewing machine and they will be ready to quilt. I have embroidered many pillowcases and have more to do. I have typed Ray’s Patriarchal Blessings as they have come and also learned to operate this other computer some.
I am extremely grateful that I am able to do these things and to be content to finish some.
I can’t work in the flower beds and it has really been hard to see them not taken care of. The man we hired just isn’t a gardener and things are kinda in a mess, but maybe we can straighten them out. We have two new little grandchildren, one boy and one girl. Trever and Teresa had a baby boy born August 22, 2000. They name him Michael Ray and he was blessed by his father, Trever, on September 3, 2000. We went to his blessing at Paul Third Ward. There was four generations in the circle.
Paul and Shelly Heiner had a baby girl on September 1, 2000. They named her Amanda Jeanne.
I went on a motorcycle ride around the mile with Nolan on Labor Day. It was a beautiful day and Nolan is a good driver as well as having a beautiful motorcycle.
We have had some beautiful roses and they have bloomed lots. I really like beautiful flowers.
My hearing has not improved and I don’t know what to do about it.
Sunday, September 30, 2000, I didn’t feel like going to church, so we all stayed home and listened to it with Ray’s Comtek. By evening it was apparent something was wrong with my eyes. I had been reading a lot that day. "Children of the Promise", is a 5 book series by Dean Hughes. He is an LDS author. I enjoyed the story. Anyway, when Monday morning came I couldn’t eat my breakfast very good. I was having trouble chewing. I went to the doctor and he put me in the hospital, because it looked like I had a mild stroke and needed some tests to find out if I had any blood clots. Dr. Saurey was fill in for Dr. Pates. They did a Cat Scan and determined I didn’t have any clots, but they wanted a carotid artery ultrasound also, and I couldn’t have it until Wednesday. So I had to stay in the hospital until Wednesday afternoon. It wasn’t a stroke, but it was Belles Palsy that left me with paralysis in the left side of my face. I can’t close my left eye and I can’t chew on the left side. All I can do is put ointment in my eye at night and wear an eye patch. The are no tears and my eye gets pretty dry and that’s when it bothers me. It’s hard to do some things with only one eye , so I take the eye patch off whenever I can. They don’t have any solution for this problem, so I just have to wait until it goes away. Dr. Pates said they don’t really know what causes it either. It is frustrating, but it isn’t so painful either. It takes time to get over it. I have stayed home a lot and now the weather has turned cold and I can’t got out much anyway.
I just keep piecing quilt tops and I’m crocheting on an afghan.
I have typed up two Patriarchal Blessings on the new computer, so now we’ll see if I can finish them.
Sunday, February 11, 2001 we went to Sacrament meeting and came home. It was a good service. I hadn’t been for two weeks. The weather has been really cold. I haven’t got over my Bells Palsy and maybe I never will. It has been almost five months now. I even had three acupuncture treatments, but it didn’t help.
The newer computer quit on me, so I have used the older one. I typed 3 blessings in January and last Sunday I typed on my life history.
I have completed 12 quilt tops and now beginning this week I hope to tie two of them. They are made from polyester. When I finish those I hope to go ahead and quilt some of the others. I finished crocheting an afghan for Andrea and now I have put together one that Bonnie’s mother-in-law made, but didn’t want to finish. I have also crocheted another one and hope to continue on some more.
It is much easier to put up with my health problems if I keep busy. I can’t see to do crocheting with small thread and I can’t read very well. My hearing has not improved and will probably get worse. Life goes on and I’m not ready to give up yet.
April 8, 2001. I told about going to tie some quilts and I did try, but I couldn’t see to thread the needles, so I took it off and tried to quilt another one, but I couldn’t see to thread the needles for that either. It was quite disappointing to know that I couldn’t do either of these things. I decided I just as well clean material out of some drawers and make some more quilt tops.
The grim reaper has been in our midst and we have lost some friends to death. One was Melba Egbert and one was Laura Wilcox. The other was Ralph McCombs, who was our Bishop before Ray. These were all quite sudden deaths except they had been in poor health for quite some time.
My Belles Palsy is still with me and I am almost of the opinion it is never going to leave. I gave up not being able to hear and went for another hearing test. I ordered some Digital Widex hearing aids. They will Cost $4800.00. It took two weeks to get them, but so far they have worked real good.
My brother Alfred has been very ill for several months and can’t seem to get any better. His heart is just worn out and the doctors say they can’t do anymore for him. He passed away in the Twin Falls Magic Valley Regional Hospital on March 21, 2001. That leaves me the only on left of the Thaxton children. I had never expected to be the last, but that’s the way it is. He ha a good family and they gave him a good funeral service on March 25, 2001. He is buried in Pleasant View Cemetery in Burley. He had made a CD of his singing a few months ago and Nolan made some copies of it for some of us to have. I’ve listened to it and it is very good music.
Trista and Clint Edwards had a baby girl born on Marcy 23, 2001. She was born in Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley. She will be named Paizley Rian Edwards and will be number 54 of our Great Grandchildren.
We have had two more deaths of our friends. One was Noel Croft, 89 years old and had lived in Heyburn all his life. He was Bishop of Heyburn Ward at one time. The other death was Wilford Wilcox. He and I were in the same class in Heyburn School all of our twelve years. He married on of my best friends, Idella Lee.
Idella and I sang many duets starting in high school and until she and Wilford went on a church mission. When they returned from their mission they moved away from Heyburn and we haven’t seen them very many times since then. Wilford had alzheimers disease like his brother Glayde, who married Ray’s sister, Mary.
We have been fortunate in finding a man to do our gardening. He has cleaned the flower beds and planted the rose bushes. We added 4 more whiskey barrels and he planted all my pots in the ground at the front. He planted snapdragons on the west side of the house and calendulas on the west side of the garage. In the pots he planted petunias and in the barrels he planted geraniums, alyssum, pansies, and marigolds. We also planted some Dianthus, some delphiniums and a peony. Some of my peonies came up from last year, but so far only one has a blossom on it. The bleeding Hearts have bloomed beautifully and also the daffodils and tulips. Ray has Travis, our great grandson, mowing the lawn. We have quite a bit of fruit on the orchard trees, if nothing else happens.
Matt and Jalaine have a baby girl born on April 13, 2001. She was named Claire Grace on May 6, 2001 by her father, Matt.
Paizley Rian Edwards was blessed on May 6, 2001 by her father, Clint. There were 3 generations of priesthood holder in the circle, great grandfather Ray, grandfather Dee Ray and father Clint. The 21 st. of May my cousin, Emma, Julie and Wanda came and spent the day with us. They bought our lunch and we just visited. Bea also came over for awhile. It was a good day, but I was very tired by evening. I finally was able to tie two quilts and I have quilted two. I have also hemmed two of them. Jason, Margo and family were herein April and they are moving to Bloomington, Illinois for him to work. I gave Jason two quilts and a blanket.
Paul and Shelly Heiner and 4 children are moving to Lawrence, Kansas. He will be establishing a Seminary Institute program. On May 28, Memorial Day weekend, Jeanne, Lynn had a family get together here at our place so everyone could visit with Paul and Shelly before they left. There were 37 of us. Jeanne, with Marilyn’s help and some of her daughters prepared the lunch and we ate on the back lawn. Todd, Jason and Clayton weren’t able to attend. We had a good visit and I had a chance to give Paul and Shelly two quilts and an afghan.
Nolan, Josh and Dr. Pates left on a motorcycle trip June 1. They will be gone two weeks.
The weather is really unpredictable. Friday May 31 was 95° and today, June 3rd it will be about 60° to 65°.
Clayton and Liz heiner have a baby boy born May 29.2001. They name him Hayden Maxwell.
Meagan Nicole Bailey was born to Tate and Sarah on June 13, 2001 in burley Hospital.
I am quite far behind in my journal and I hope I can remember enough to catch it up.
In April we were moved out of our church house and sent to the Stake Center for our meetings. It is difficult for us to go there. Ray has a problem at times driving the car and I haven’t tried since last October. We haven’t been very regular attenders. Now, it’s September and by the middle of October we hope to be back in our own building.
We have had some lovely fruit in our orchard and I am feeling like I might be able to can what we need. Ray, Marilyn and I canned sweet cherries on two different days and they sure look good. This was July 2 & 10. In may we made Rhubarb jam. The apricots were ripe in early August, so we canned those and made apricot and pineapple jam. The next day we made some pear jam.
The last of August Jeanne came down and helped us can the peaches.
In between I had been crocheting blocks to set together for afghans. There were some more deaths, too. "Gib" Barlow who lived south of us. He was our home teacher at different times and Velma, his wife, was my visiting teacher at times, too. We were friends for a quite a few years. Melbert Taylor, who was 93, lived in our ward for many years. His wife, Thelma, was my visiting teacher, too. Their daughter, Juanita, was Jeanne’s best friend. Wendell Cole, who I had known ever since I was small and who was a neighbor, passed away. He was 88, and then I picked up the paper one day and read that Charlene Bradshaw, my cousin, Bob Wynn’s daughter had passed away. That was a real surprise, because she was only 61. I didn’t get to go to any of these viewings, or funeral, because I was too ill.
Instead of being as well as I thought, I overdid and caused fluid to accumulate in my lungs. So I had to take more medicine and lose 10 lbs. of fluid. I had also made my stomach sore from eating green salad, so I have been really ill all of September. I am getting better, but Dr. Pates says I’ve got to take it slow and easy. I’m not able to do much and I don’t go hardly anywhere, but it will get better.
Shelly and Gregg have moved to Melba. Gregg is running a sawmill. They are hoping to build a new home up there.
Brett and Janna moved to Coeur d’alene, Idaho, where he was transferred with his job on September 18th.
We had a terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and New York City, Pentagon, in Washington D.C. They killed a lot of people and caused a lot of damage. So, our nation is in kind of an uproar, and of course we don’t know what will happen next.
My 83rd birthday was on Friday, this year. I received phone calls from Bonnie, shelly, Corrine, Troy and Violet. I received a beautiful bouquet from Neldon and Sharon. Many beautiful cards from the rest and many visits from all. Ray gave me a miniature 1931 Model A Ford Roadster. It is a replica of the car Leland owned when I was about a freshman in high school. It is a convertible with a rumble seat. A fancy little car in those days. All in all I had a very good day.
I have been able to keep up with the Patriarchal Blessings and will be busy with them this week too.
I am having to use oxygen more also.
Ray’s sister, Edith Handy, 93, passed away August 29, 2001 in Rupert, She had been in the long term care section since 1997. She died from complications of old age. She was buried in Heyburn Riverside Cemetery. She lived a long full life and did many things.
Idella Lee Wilcox passed away quickly on Sept. 4, 2001. She was my best friend and it had been awhile since I had seen her. She lived a busy life and did many good things. She lived in Twin Falls and was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Heyburn. She was 83.
Jim Hellewell passed away in Orem, Utah, October 8, 2001. He had alzheimers disease. He was the father of 13 children, three who passed away in their young age. He was in the same class and graduated the same year I did (1936). He was 84.
I was unable to attend any of their services and I will miss all of them.
October 28, 2001. I think I have finally overcome the fluid in my lungs. I still have Belles Palsy and I think it will always effect my face. I had a bout with kidney infection, but I think I’ve overcome it and now I’m ready to do baby quilts. My energy doesn’t last very long, so I can’t work at it very long at a time.
The weather has been quite warm for this time of year and we need some moisture really bad.
We are back in our own church house as of October 21, 2001. It is a beautiful building. We have attended Sacrament meeting both Sundays and hope our health continues to let us attend.
Josh has been helping driving grandpa where he needs to do. Sometimes, Ray can drive the car himself. We all had our flu shots at the Dr.’s. office on October 26, 2001.
We added some case goods to our storage, so now that is full.
Joan has done some of my shopping for my baby quilts. It’s hard for me to have the energy.
Marilyn has some new glasses on October 26, 2001. Her old ones were terribly scratched. They cost $287.50.
Because of my illness, I have read several good books, but I’m ready to make progress on my quilts.
I was able to go to Mill-End Fabrics and they had so many cute baby prints that I got carried away and bought more than I needed, anyway. I have several to tie and now I’m working on getting them bound. I don’t know exactly how many I tied, but I will when I finish.
Things are going as well as can be expected. I still have a little energy problem, but I’m careful and still get something done each day.
Dr. Pates says my diabetes is doing real well and I only check my glucose about two days a week. I have to watch my kidneys, because they don’t quite function good enough. As long as I don’t have any swelling or collect any water in my legs, I guess I’m alright. After all of these years he told Ray his Policythemia Vera was practically nil, so he is going without his medication. This has been for about 3 months now and we hope it continues.
I sent out quite a few Christmas cards, mostly to family, because most of our friends are gone. When I think about it, it seems kinda lonely.
I couldn’t do any Christmas shopping, because the weather has turned too cold and my last check-up showed I had crackles in my lungs.
I have not recorded our last great-grandchildren.
Taylor Nicholas Heiner was born October 29, 2001 to Todd and Traci Heiner in Provo, Utah. They came to see us as they went to Melba for Thanksgiving.
Corinne and Mike Hegan had a baby girl born on December 11, 2001 in Boise, Idaho. We only have her picture, but I’m sure she is cute. We are so happy for Corinne. She wanted a family so bad, but had been told she probably wouldn’t be able to, but that was when she was married to Mike Small.
Heather and Chuck Allred had a baby girl, Ainslee Marie, born December 9, 2001 in Salt Lake City, Utah. We have a picture of her too., and she looks like a healthy, cut baby of course, Dawna says she is.
Corinne named her little girl, Nora Olivia.
Even if I couldn’t do any shopping, we had a nice Christmas. When we went to Rupert to have our blood checked, I went to the Book Store and bought some story books by LDS writers for Marilyn. Joan bought some videos for her from us. Ray bought her a new clock radio from us. Joan took Marilyn shopping and she bought her dad a new belt and four pairs of socks, and a pair of peal earrings for me. I ordered some clothes out of a catalog for me and some of them fit and some didn’t. I asked Nolan and Dawna to buy Ray a suit form Mr. Macs in Salt Lake, but it wasn’t big enough. We had company for Christmas Eve and some Christmas Day. We received some framed pictures, a beautiful wood bowl that Nolan made, some home made candy and sugar free candy for me. Marilyn and I each got a new pair of pants, also, and Marilyn some more videos, hand cream and candy.
I should have written about our anniversary first, but it was nice and we had most of our family come and visit for it. A lot of things have happened in those 63 years. We received many beautiful cards also and phone calls from some of our grandchildren.
New Years, 2002, we expected to see Jeanne and Lynn, but she had to change her plans because all of their kids except Jason came home for her birthday. We spent a pretty quiet day that day.
I have finished tying the quilts and have 12 pink ones bound. There will be 13 blue ones.
I finished some afghans, I started and now I’m crocheting stocking caps. I started them for humanitarian aid, but gave 10 away to grandkids and great grandkids, but I have 12 more for church aid that I’ll give. They are made mostly of left-over yarn. A few of them I knit.
Neldon is setting up a computer that Nolan doesn’t need for me to see if I can do some Genealogy work.
We had a slow month for Patriarchal Blessings, but January is starting up with some. The month of January was taken up with 9 Patriarchal Blessings and in between I worked on my quilt making and crocheting. I didn’t have any stocking caps for humanitarian aid after all. Bonnie and her girls and Brenda took some for their grandchildren, so now if I have any to give, I’ll have to make them. Of course, if our family can use them, that’s where they will go first.
Rob and Sonda La Deaux have a baby boy born on Jan, 26, 2002. He has lots of black hair, which was expected, because Rob is a full blooded Lakota Indian. They named him Noah Robert, and everything is okay for them.
Dawna & Josh went to Salt Lake and traded Ray’s suit for a bigger size, so it’s all take care of and looks good.
It’s been quite cold, so I’ve not been out much, but I bound a quilt and put a border on one I made Joan years ago. I also set the finished blocks together for another one. My energy doesn’t last very long, so it takes me longer to do these things than it used to.
May 5, 2002. Time just keeps moving on and I am behind on my journal. My writing is pretty shaky and as I look back I wonder if anybody else can read it.
We have had a lot of west wind and not much moisture, so it is looking kinda bad for the farmers. Of course this is still early in the season, so we have to have faith that it will get better.
We only had one Patriarchal Blessing in February and nothing else until last week and now it’s picking up again.
I have made some progress on quilting and some are really beautiful when finished.
I have been trying to type on my history, but I get pretty frustrated with the computer, and have to call Neldon.
We have had Phillip Vargas come and clean our flower beds, but it’s a little early to plant the pots yet.
I have read some good books, but the printing has to be pretty dark for me to see. I went to Dr. Hobbs and he says my vision has deteriorated, so now I have to have an eye exam for some new glasses.
Shawn and Cynthia have a baby boy, born on April 2, 2002. They will name him Keegan Robert and they are doing really well
Andrea has graduated from BYU with a degree in dietetics. She still has some intern work to finish.
Scot will graduate on May 18, from ISU in Pocatello. He has two majors, one in finance and one in economics.
Lance will graduate from high school in Melba.
All of our grandchildren will be out of elementary school as of this month.
Josh is on his mission in Cebu, Philippines. I’m sure he is getting started by now.
Ray had a good 84th birthday with visits, cards, phone calls from kids and grandkids. He received books and candy, also a new speaker telephone. It works well and we can both hear what is said by the caller.
July 21, 2002.
We have had a very hot summer, so it has been nice to have air conditioning. I keep having periods of sick spells with my breathing. It gets a little harder all the time for me to stay well. I don’t get away from home very often. I had to put the quilt downstairs that I was working on because my back hurt so bad.
I did get three quilted, but they aren’t bound yet.
We have had several Patriarchal Blessing in a row and I am able to keep those typed up.
I gained a lot of weight and had to take medication to lose it, so now I’m back down to 124 lbs.
Joan does whatever shopping I have to have done and Ray does the grocery shopping. Marilyn does the laundry and cooking. That leaves me with very little to do except my handwork.
Jeanne’s family stop in whenever they come through and we do have company at times.
I had a nice Mothers Day even though I didn’t get to go to church. I received some beautiful cards and all of the kids were here to visit. I also received some new blouses, etc.
I am able to listen to Sacrament meeting on my Comtek and even though I don’t get to church very often, I can hear the messages and music.
I am on oxygen a lot and that makes it hard to go a lot of the time.
September 22, 2002.
I’m behind in my journal again. It has been a busy summer, even tho I do very little.
David Cutler, Shelly’s son surprised us by getting married. He lives in Sandy, Utah and will be 19 next month. I sent him one of my embroidered quilts. I was able to bring the quilt I was quilting for Melissa back upstairs and finish it. It was beautiful. She was married in the Mount Timpanogos Temple, Sept. 19 to Matthew Beckstrand. Jeanne’s family said it was very nice and the temple and temple grounds were just beautiful.
Andrea and Mark Madson moved to Boise, Idaho, so he could attend Boise State University. Their baby boy, Isaac Lee Madson was born August 23, 2002 in Boise. Andrea and baby got along fine and all are doing well.
Lamar & Brenda canned 30 pts. of green beans for us. Jeanne picked our peaches and took them home to can for us. She got 42 qts. She also picked our prunes when they were ready and took them home and canned them for us. There were 21 qts. And she made 1 bottles of jam. Earlier she took 3 large hams and 2 turkeys home and cooked and canned them. The made 12 qts. Joan picked and canned up 17 qts. Tomatoes. Our store room is full and we have plenty to eat.
Jeanne was here and she dug up my calceus, so I can have them in the house. She has also defrosted both freezers and helped arrange them better.
My birthday was Saturday, 21st. All of the kids and their partners took me out to dinner at Price’s Caf
I am sewing on a log cabin quilt block of polyester, I started them out of some scraps of material.
I read a book once in awhile and I’m also embroidering pillowcase, so I manage to keep busy.
I only weigh, between 120 lbs. and 125 lbs. depending on what I am wearing. That is the least I have weighed since I was in high school.
November 10, 2002.
Time goes by too fast and I get behind in my writing. I have sewed up several quilt tops, crocheted 20 stocking caps to donate to Humanitarian Aid, crocheted edges on some of my embroidered pillowcases and now I hope to tie some quilts.
September 29, we had to turn the furnace on, because it was very cold outside. It had been so warm it was a real shock to the system.
We have had some more deaths among our friends. Dick Evans was 95 yrs., died October 14, 2002. He wasn’t a church member, but is wife was. They were the ones we sold our car to when we went into the service station business back in 1941.
Calvin Heiner, Lynn’s father, passed away October 24, 2002. He had a massive stroke about 3 weeks before. He was 81 yrs. old. I didn’t go to his funeral, because it started at 11 o’clock and I assumed it would be a long service and it was. All of Lynn & Jeanne’s family were represented and came over to our house after the family dinner. There were 39 here and I got pretty tired before they left.
My last checkup with Dr. Pates was good. He said I was holding my own. I have driven the car a few times and been able to attend church some, too.
December 29, 2002.
This is almost the end of another year and I’d ought to catch up my journal. We have been having some really cold weather and I didn’t hold my own very long. In fact, I don’t know what caused it, but I got fluid in my lungs and had to go back on oxygen full time. My strength doesn’t last very long at a time.
I put a quilt on the frames, but had to have Joan roll it up and put it downstairs. I had to quit going shopping, so I haven’t been in a store for over two months. I don’t get out of the house, except to see the doctor. I didn’t even get to buy an anniversary card for Ray for our 64th anniversary. All of the kids and their partners came and I had them go downstairs and pick out pillowcases, afghans and a quilt for their families. I also gave pillowcases to our home teachers & visiting teachers. Most of the finished pillowcases are gone now. They made quite a dent in my supply and that’s what I wanted them to do. Because I couldn’t tie that quilt, I decided to sew on one that I had most of the pieces already cut, so I’ve just about got it all put together. Handwork is about all the strength I’ve got.
I also typed the Patriarchal Blessing as they came along.
When I first said I couldn’t eat or sleep, the doctor told me to try Tylenol PM, but that just made it worse and I nearly shook myself apart and was really sick. I also tried Benadryl, but that wasn’t much better, so I just had to put up with it and let it work itself out.
The End
It has been extremely cold, but we haven’t received much moisture. We are going to need a lot in order to have a good year as far as crops are concerned. Of course, if farmers don’t have a good year none of the rest of us do either.
I pray that I can become a better person in doing the things I should this coming year.
I have read a lot of good books in the last year, but they aren’t scriptures. I have read scriptures too, but I don’t understand them as I should, so I need to work harder. I have done 100% visiting teaching and gone home teaching with Ray nearly every month. They were supposed to release me from teaching on Sunday, but they haven’t done it yet. They are just using substitutes.
For Christmas Ray and I bought a new TV and sound system. It is an Optonica TV and the sound system which consists fo amplifier, CD player, tape player and record player are all Sonys. Our VCR we already had, but it is all in one cabinet. It cost us $3626.25. We are already enjoying it.
We began our New Year by going and shopping for carpet and furniture for the living room, study and kitchen. We needed to make all these decisions before I had surgery on my left eye for cataracts. We found all our carpet at Volco in Burley. We shopped Burley for couches and chairs, but didn’t find what we wanted, so we went to Cains in Twin Falls. We picked out 2 sofa-sleepers. One queen size and on full size plus two matching armchairs. They aren’t all the same color, just materials and colors that will go together.
January 11, 1991 Brandy and Woody Ashby had a new baby boy born to them at the Rupert Hospital. Baby, Kalech J. Ashby, was kept at the hospital for a week because of jaundice, etc. He Weighed 6 lbs. 13 oz. At birth. When he was able to be taken home he was doing good.
January 14, 1991 I had surgery at Cassia Memorial hospital. Dr. Brad Hobbs was my doctor. It isn’t a painful operation, just frustrating, because of not being able to see. The restrictions of no bending or lifting, just tub bath and can’t wash my hair was the hardest. I can see better if I stay in the house than when I go out in the bright sun.
That morning while I was waiting to go into surgery, I saw three people walk past my door and as they asked them question and the one answered, I thought her voice sounded familiar. The nurse made a call to the office and said something about Barbara Wynn. I told Ray to go out and talk to them, because she was my cousin. I had been wondering where she lived, but couldn’t find a telephone number for her. He visited with them and told me she was having the same operation and that she was already blind in one eye, because of macular degeneration. A week later she called me on the phone and we visited about her sister and some of the other cousins and what we had been doing. Barbara and her husband, Red, are both retired too. They are also a few years older than I. I was sure glad to find out where she lived and now I can contact her once in awhile.
January 16, 1991 war broke out between United States and Allied Forces against Iraq in the Persian Gulf. We hope it doesn’t last too long and that we don’t lose too many soldiers lives. It will be a struggle to say the least.
We haven’t had much moisture and if it doesn’t change we probably won’t have near enough water for the coming year. February, so far has been very warm.
The last week in January they came and laid all the carpet. It is surely nice. Between Nolan and Neldon they took our old couches and chairs and carpet to use in their basements. It was all too good to throw away. We’ve just had it for over 20 years and very tired of it.
February 4, my brother Al came and started the painting. He took 4 days and painted the living room, hall and study. We had our drapes cleaned for both rooms. It cost $101.00. They came out looking really good. Al wouldn’t let me pay him, because he said I had made him three afghans for nothing. He did a beautiful job and I appreciate it. We bought the paint at Stars Ferry Building supply, it cost $140.33. Our carpet cost $2119.03 We decided we needed some new lamps so we went down to Pay and Pack in Twin Falls and found two indirect floor lamps for $136.81. We rearranged our pictures and now we’re ready for the furniture when it comes.
I tied two baby quilts and sent to Shelly. I am working on some for each of the other great-grandchildren also.
February 13, 1991, Natalie and Eric Miles had a new baby daughter. She weighed 7 lbs. 14½ oz. They are naming her Kimberly Ann.
Our furniture has finally arrived. The big sleeper sofa almost didn’t go through our front door, but after much work it did. We now have 2 sofa sleepers and 2 swing rockers. They look really nice. The price was $2183.98. Now our redecorating is complete.
Jeanne and Lynn came through to go down to Shelley’s. Their family was all getting together to bless Katharine Elyse. She was blessed March 3, 1991 by her father, Gregg Brinkerhoff. Corinne and Mike came by Sunday night and stayed with us. They were moving back from Texas to Boise, Idaho. It was good to see them.
The war in the Persian Gulf ended after six weeks of fighting. There weren’t very many American casualties or loss of lives on our side. We are grateful for that.
In our ward now my Relief Society visiting teaching companion is Nola Evans. We have been friends for over 50 years. So this is nice. Most of the sisters we visit were new to me, but we went in May and visited all 5 for them. It was a good afternoon.
We are gradually getting acquainted in our new ward. It is different even thought we already knew a lot of the people.
Ray had his birthday and all of the kids were here sometime during the evening Jeanne called on the phone.
Mothers Day came and all of the kids came over and Jeanne called on the phone.
Joan and Norman left that day to go to Columbus, Ohio. Troy’s expected marriage didn’t take place. The girl he was going to marry backed out. She said she wasn’t ready yet. It is better to back out a week before than to wish you had two weeks later. It’s hard for Troy to accept, but maybe it was a blessing in disguise.
My eyes were all healed up and I could help Ray get our flowers planted and our yard cleaned up. We changed our design this year and planted orange marigolds and white petunias. Next to the house we planted a bed of mixed petunias. On the east side of the house we planted zinnia, sweet william and white petunia border. There were lots of plants involved.
Marilyn spent a week with Jeanne in Melba and we went down to Salt Lake to go through the Jordan River Temple with Bonnie who was marrying Jeff Belliston June 12, 1991. It was a beautiful wedding and we spent a good day. Nolan & Dawna drove the motorhome for us and we parked it overnight at Dawna’s parents.
I missed putting in that Nicole and Mark Maier’s baby boy was born May 27, 1991. They named him Kit Carson Maier, he weight 8 lbs. 1½ oz. He sure is a good looking baby.
Bessie Thaxton passed away May 19, 1991. She had been quite ill for a long time. They had a nice service and we got to see all of the kids.
Thursday, June 13, we took the motorhome and drove up to Melba. Jason Heiner and Margo Armstrong were married in the Boise Temple June 14, 1991. They had a lovely wedding and we had a good day there. Their reception was that evening and Jeanne had prepared a dinner for all of us in the afternoon. They had a nice reception and they make a cute couple.
Bonnie and Jeff’s reception was June 21, 1991 in Joan’s ward. They had a big reception and received lots of gifts.
We are so happy to see these two grandchildren married in the temple and seem to be so happy. It was good to be able to attend these occasions.
When we drove the motorhome back from Jeanne’s we decided we couldn’t do our own driving again. I’m not a confident enough driver. It seems so big and there are so many big trucks on the road, I could only drive it about 10 miles. Ray got awfully nervous so we may have to park it unless we decide something else.
Jeanne & Lynn came for Bonnies reception, so we had a visit from them.
Most of the summer was pretty quiet. We had a good group here on the fourth of July and had a picnic on the back lawn. We couldn’t attend any of the family reunions. We canned beans, corn, peas and froze some carrots from our garden. We have lots of apples. Ray helped me make applesauce. My back gave me so much pain I finally had to go to a doctor in Rupert, Dr. Don Pates sent me for X-rays and a CT scan of my spine. It showed I have spurs developing on the vertebrae, that’s why all the pain. I can’t seem to take any medicine except what has already been prescribed. Then I had a siege of gout in my left foot and leg. I had some tests for it and after about three weeks it was gone and I could wear my shoe. The results of the CT scan confirmed that I should have an MRI exam. That had to be taken down to Magic Valley Hospital in Twin Falls. It just showed that my upper and lower spine wasn’t in very good shape, but I didn’t want an operation at this time so I’m going to wait. I have to go to a neurosurgeon. He’s the one who can make the final decision. I also have been to Dr. Sinclair in Twin Falls. I’m still trying to get my cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure lowered. He says I’m doing better and to keep it up. He also gave me the names and advice about a neurosurgeon to go to.
We had Lamar and Nolan’s family with us for Thanksgiving. We enjoyed the day and were able to see three of our new great-grandchildren. Tom’s Natalie’s, & Nicole’s. They are all good looking, healthy babies. We surely had a good day and have many blessings to be thankful for. Jeanne’s family all went through to Utah so we saw them coming and going also.
Our anniversary was nice also, we either saw or heard from all of our own children.
For Christmas this year we gave each on of our family money in a Christmas card that was hung on the tree. We gave each of our kids and their partners $100.00 apiece. The married grandchildren and their partner $20.00 apiece. The unmarried grandchildren $15.00. The great grandchildren $10.00 apiece and Marilyn got $20.00. She is still at home and will receive other presents.
We had supper for 47 of us on Christmas Eve and then we had a program and gave them their gifts. We received books, gift certificate, towels, personalized stationary, CD record, plaque, hand painted goose door stop. Christmas morning we exchanged gifts of clothes and books. Marilyn got books, dress, hand painted porcelain doll. Jeanne made the doll and we paid the expenses. The evening was great and Christmas day we enjoyed more company. Jeanne’s family came down on Dec. 29 and stayed until after Jeanne’s birthday dinner on January 1, 1992.
For our Christmas dinner we bought two party trays of meat & cheese plus rolls and for New years day dinner we bought a six foot gourmet sandwich loaf and a birthday cake for Jeanne. We had salads etc. and cookies to go with it all. Everything turned out really nice and we had enjoyed the holidays. The only ones of our family that we didn’t see was Troy and Derk’s family. Everyone is back home safe and we are ready to start a new year with more assignments and more challenges.
I have been sustained and set apart as the compassionate service leader in our ward. Also I have been assigned to teach a lesson from the Book of Mormon in Sunday school class on Jan 19. Shawn received his mission call to Los Vegas, Nevada and he enters the MTC on January 29,1992.
We were able to attend the Boise Temple with Shawn on January 10, 1992. Nolan & Dawna took us up and Jeanne met us there. We all had lunch at "The King’s Table" in Boise, took Jeanne back to her car and then headed home. We also attended his farewell testimonial on January 26, 1992 at the Heyburn Second Ward and now he is in the mission field.
I had a Dr. Appointment with a doctor in Boise on Feb 18. We drove up that day and found out I needed another MRI before he could tell me anything. We went out to Jeanne’s and stayed overnight. We did one session at the temple and then came home. Marilyn had stayed overnight with Joan. We enjoyed the visit with Jeanne and the opportunity to go to the temple.
My appointment for an MRI was for Feb. 24 in Twin Falls and as of today 3-3-92 I haven’t heard the results.
Derk & Lisa had a baby boy Born on February 27, 1992. Mother and baby are doing fine. Jeanne went down on Saturday to help out for a week. Jason and Margo came this far and took her down. They named him Colby Dane.
I have been doing much the same as usual except I did determine I needed to try to sew some pants for Marilyn to wear to work. So far I’ve accomplished 4 pair and 2 blouses for myself. They all fit nice. Hope to sew 2 more pair and some blouses.
We have had extremely warm weather for the month of February. It got as high as 70 degrees. Ray has been working, getting the garden ready. February we had some rain, but we need more, hopefully it will come often enough to keep things growing.
I also was assigned to teach a Gospel Doctrine Lesson from the Book of Mormon on the tree of life in First Nephi Chapters 8-15. I had good participation from the class so all went well.
We spent the week of March 9-12 in Boise. The neurosurgeon did another CT scan and said I didn’t need surgery. I just needed to have an Anti-inflammatory medication. My Clinoril doesn’t seem to be doing the job. I’m having a lot more pain than I’ve had for awhile.
We have had some more rain and a little snow, but nothing that accumulated. This is really a different spring. It is so warm even at nights sometimes. It has got cold enough that it looks like all of our fruit blossoms have been frozen. Time will tell, but it doesn’t look promising. All of our tulips etc. have bloomed and some are gone before Easter.
We watched conference on TV. It was very good. The theme seemed to be service and love for one another.
We had Stake Conference in March and our ward choir furnished the music. It was a good conference. This is the first time we haven’t had any assigned visitor. Ray was the speaker for an early morning your meeting.
We had ward conference in March also and our choir sang. It was a good meeting and the talks were interesting and timely.
Brett and Janna have a baby boy born April 3, 1992. His name is Braden James. He weighed in at 9 lbs. 12 oz. He’s really roly-poly.
Easter Sunday we had a good program. Ray’s birthday, we celebrated with cake & ice cream. Nolan’s family, Neldon’s family were here. Dee & Lamar were both ill and Joan had a meeting.
Lamar has been ill for sometime and is going through some tests by a specialist in Salt Lake.
Sunday April 26, the temperature was 86
May will be a busy month. We are expecting to have two weddings.
Paul Heiner and Shelly Peterson were marrried on May 7, 1992 in the Salt Lake Temple. Nolan and Dawna took us down. While we waited to go in for the wedding we went over to the Church Office Building. We took the elevator to the top floor where we could look out over the city. It’s quite a sight. Paul and Shelly had a nice ceremony and many quests. From there we went out to Dawna’s folks. Nolan and Ray went to do a session at the Jordan River Temple. When they came back we headed for home. It had been a long and tiring day.
Saturday, May 9, Joan, Norman, Marilyn and us went to Melba for a reception for Paul and Shelly. Jeanne had a family dinner for Shelly’s family and us. We stayed for the reception and then came back home. Sunday was Mother’s Day, but Ray was very ill and had to stay in bed while Marilyn and I went to church. They had a good Sacrament Meeting and Mother’s Day program. I was still so tired Marilyn and I didn’t stay to Relief Society. Joan and Norman came over for dinner. Ray was enough better he got up too. All the rest of my family came by during the day. Jeanne sent me a card back with Jason and Margo. They week on their way back to Ogden. Paul and Shelly stopped by too.
That week we spent going to the Dr’s office for Ray and getting his blood problem taken care of.
We were having Troy and Rose Mary’s reception at our home so we hired Worthington Cleaners to come and clean our home. Two women worked three days scrubbing, vacuuming and dusting. We also had the family room chairs, floor and bathroom floor shampooed. It cost us almost $600.00, but it was sure worth it.
Troy Ashby and Rose Mary Zaity were married in our front room May 23, 1992 by Stake President Gene Hansen. He did a real good job. Woody, Brandy, Don, Stella Ashby, Marilyn, Ray, Joan & Norman and myself were here, also Bonnie and Jeff.
Jeanne, Lynn and kids at home came plus Jason, Margo, Todd, Paul, Shelly too. The had a real nice reception, lots of friends and relatives, aunts and uncles on both sides besides cousins.
Jeanne & Lynn stayed overnight, but the rest went back home.
Sunday we went to church, had dinner and Jeanne, Lynn headed for home.
May 31, Ray was to speak at a Young Single Adult Regional fireside in Burley. They called on me to give my testimony and I did.
I do have a testimony. I can’t say exactly when I gained it, but I’ve never doubted that the church was a true one. I told them about going to Salt Lake City to the Church Office Building and shaking hands with the then Church Presidency, Heber J. Grant, David O McKay and I can’t remember the other counselor. This was when I graduated form Seminary in 1936. Stake Conference was held in the Wilson Theatre building in Rupert and we attended two sessions. I told the young people they lived in a special time because they had beautiful buildings to meet in, interviews by Bishops and Stake Presidents and the opportunity to know their leaders. When Ray and I went for our Temple Recommend, the slips were written out by Bishop Elmer Heiner. He didn’t ask any questions, the only comment he made was that if we thought time was going fast it would be faster in the future. Ray’s father took our recommends up to Stake President Richard C. May and we didn’t even go.
When we went to the Salt Lake Temple we were the only couple and was married by the Temple President Stephen L. Chipman. When Ray was called as Bishop he was ordained by President Ezra Taft Benson who at the time was a member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles. And so that is when I met him. My grandmother Hansen came across the ocean and across the plains as a young girl and I know she had a testimony. I have a great heritage and I’m grateful for it. I have a testimony and I’m grateful for all the blessings I have received from serving my Heavenly Father. Ray gave a good talk on prayer and there was probably about 50 young people there.
April 31, they changed our Bishopric. Doyle Price, Vic Claridge and Dee Ray were released. They sustained Ernest Christenson, Darrell Tilley and Loren West. It will seem different, but I’m sure they’ll do well.
I have been trying to get my Cholesterol and triglycerides in my blood down to normal, but haven’t been able to so in June Dr. Sinclair put me on some medication and also gave me a new drug for my fibrositis. The first week all went well, but by the second week I had a very violent reaction and was covered with a very painful itchy rash. I took Benedryl for that, but it took five days before I got it under control. Lotion didn’t even touch the itch. It took three weeks before it was not bothersome, then I came down with laryngitis, I thought, but it turned out to be more like pneumonia. So with some antibiotic and cough syrup I recovered in time for my checkup with Dr. Sinclair. My cholesterol etc. is better, but I still am on medication and diet.
Aug 8, 1992 we had a family reunion in our back yard. They played games, had a picnic lunch and a program. There were only about half of us here, but we had a good time.
August 12, 1992 Jason and Margo had a baby boy. 8 lbs. 4 oz. The named him Blake Armstrong Heiner. He was blessed September 6, 1992 by his father. Jeanne & Lynn came through and stopped coming and going.
We have had a very good garden and have canned and frozen many vegetables, peas, carrots, beets, string beans, corn and squash. We bought apricots, cherries, peaches and pears to can. We had lots of plums so we picked about a bushel and made jelly and juice out of them. The rest we gave to Dee and Sylvia. We shared much of our garden produce with our family.
I went up to the Geriatrics Ward with some more of our Relief Society sisters to hold services with the patients there. I let the singing and also sang a solo, "Faith Unlocks The Door" accompanied by Edit Armacost.
September 6, 1992 they reorganized our Relief Society presidency, and I was sustained as Secretary. Junelle Lind, Margene Bradshaw and Dorothy Allred are the president and counselors. It’s bee quite a long time since I was a secretary before.
My birthday was pretty quiet. Ray had spent three days in the Rupert Hospital the week before so wasn’t feeling up to par yet. In the evening, Neldon, Nolan, Lamar and family came over. Derk Heiner called from Bountiful, Bonnie Belliston called from Provo and Jeanne called from Melba. It was a nice evening and we enjoyed the visit. Shelly Brinkerhoff sent me a card and letter, but it came a little late, the post office sent it to Phoenix, Arizona first.
Our Stake Conference was September 26-27 and it was very good. Our Regional Representative is Elder Karl Nelson. He’s a very good speaker.
Our weather has been really warm, but very dry. We had some frost in August, but none since. Most of our flowers have quit blooming. The season have been so long there are no blooms left.
September 6, 1992, Nicole and Mark Maier had a baby boy. They named him Zackory D. Maier. He weighed 7 lbs. 13 oz. He’s a good looking little boy. He makes 22 great grandchildren.
In October Dr. Sinclair sent me to a nurse practitioner at the Twin Falls clinic. In the course of the physical she told me I had Rawls in my lungs and I needed a chest X-Ray. I asked her if I could come back to Rupert for it because I didn’t want to make trips to Twin Falls. She said to have Dr. Pates check me over first and see if the noises were still there. They were and I had the Chest X-Ray. It showed congestion and he gave me some antibiotics to take. He said I probably had walking Pneumonia. The medicine didn’t help and the infection continued to spread, so Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 28, 1992 I had to go to the emergency room and from there into the hospital. They started tests, X-Rays and antibiotics intravenously; also I was on oxygen. After 2 days there was still no answer and Dr. Pates called in Dr. Homi Vania as a consultant, more blood tests, more X-Rays, CT scan of my lungs, EKG of my heart, but no real answer and the strong antibiotics weren’t doing any good. Saturday, December 5, they did a bronchoscopy and took some biopsies of the tissues. It showed I had Bronchiolitis Obliterous with Obstructing Pneumonitis or an infection of the broncial tubes plus the ends had some scar tissue. It is a very rare disease and no one knows where it comes from or where I could have got it. The medicine I have to take is very strong and has many side effects. It’s called Prednisone and is the only one that might cure the disease. I am also on a 1500 calorie diet for diabetics. I’m not diabetic, but the medicine might cause that to happen, so now I can’t have sugar, salt, fat or foods with cholesterol in them. It makes for a very hard diet to follow, so far I’m doing pretty good. I’m better than I was when I came home from the hospital, but I can’t go out in the cold and shouldn’t be around anybody that has a cold or flu. I don’t have very much strength and so am unable to do anything strenuous. It will be a slow process for me to become well and it may never be cured, but if we can control it, it will help. I believe I have two good doctors taking care of my and I’m sure they’ll do their best.
We went over to Joan’s for Thanksgiving dinner. It was really a good dinner and visit.
I wasn’t able to do much shopping, so only helped get Marilyn some things for Christmas. Ray and I will do ours when I am feeling better.
Christmas Eve we had at home with about 30 of us present. We had a dinner and program and gave our gifts of money to our kids and grandkids, & great grandkids. Allyson played the piano for Christmas carols. I read the Christmas story from the Bible and Ray and I each bore our testimonies to our family. It was a good evening and we all seemed to enjoy it. We were given some family pictures, books, towels and gift certificates.
Christmas day was really quiet, but I need lots of rest.
The medicine doesn’t let me sleep at night so sometimes I only get about two hours and am awake the rest of the time.
This week is another blood test and then another X-Ray. This well go on for awhile I’m sure until I show great improvement.
We have spent a pretty quiet January and February. Jeanne came down and spent three days with us. She did some extra cleaning and anything she could to help.
January 27, 1993 a baby boy, Kellten Lee, was born to Woody and Brandy. They got along fine.
February 24, 1993 a baby girl, Cassandra Sue, was born to Bonnie and Jeff Belliston. They seem to be doing alright too. This makes 24 great grandchildren for us.
I have spent my time tying quilts and crocheting, also some reading. I have had to stay pretty close to home, so I do what I can to content myself. Dr. Vania says I am doing great and he’s excited about my progress. This week I’m to have a chest X-Ray and next week I have an appointment with Dr Vania to hear the results. I am feeling much better, but I still get tired easily.
Tory Bailey won the state championship for High Jumps in Pocatello and was to go to Syracuse, New York for the National Finals. Dee, Sylvia, Trenton, Tory, his coach and some friends left on March 16 by plane. They have a very bad snow storm on the east coast, so they may have rescheduled it, will have to wit and see. They rescheduled the meet in a different location. Tory still did very good, but not as well as he wanted.
I have been discharged from Dr. Vania and am feeling better although I can tell my lungs have been permanently damaged.
I finished up all my quilt tops I wanted to tie and gave away all I had done before I became ill. I crocheted several afghans and have given some of the away to friends. Ray has planted his garden and now in May we have peas, carrots, beets, lettuce, potatoes all coming up. Our fruit trees have bloomed profusely and now we can see the apricots forming and soon other fruit will show up too. We pulled our Rhubarb and froze it too.
Mothers Day was nice. Ray gave me a bouquet of a dozen red roses. Nolan & Dawna gave me a bouquet of spring flowers, Jeanne & Lynn, a tube of hand cream, Joan & Norman, a Cyclamen, Dee & Sylvia a green Bromaid, Lamar & Brenda, a polka dot plant, Neldon & Sharon, a planter of pansies, daisies and alysum. They are all beautiful and also some especially nice cards from them and from Marilyn.
I seem to be able to keep up with my Relief Society Secretary’s position.
I wanted to go outside and work in the flower beds, but I found I don’t have the strength so am have to be contented to stay in the house.
I went over to Payless and to Wal-Mart and bought some material and have been making some dresses for Marilyn and myself. I haven’t done that for at least three years, but if I can’t go outside and I don’t like to shop for dresses, I just as well sew them.
Tory, Tyrell and Clayton all qualified to compete in the state track meet. Tory won his competition with a high jump of 7' 1". He is the first High School athlete to win in both indoor and outdoor track. It was exciting for him. I didn’t ever get Tyrell & Clayton’s scores.
Tory, Tyrell, and Heather all graduate this week from high school. Our grandkids are all growing up and now it’s fun to see our great grandchildren. We got to see Bonnie’s little one last week. She sure is cute as well as all our others. Troy and Rosemary are going to be sealed in the Washington D.C. Temple this week. Joan and Norman went back to Columbus, Ohio to go with them.
This year, as last year, we had the people from Evergreen Nursery in Burley come and plant our glower beds. We used a new petunia, bright pink and white, yellow marigolds, Orange Zinnias and blue Lobelia, plus variegated snapdragons. Up next to the house. It cost us $299.00. Ray also planted some ruffled petunias and some geraniums. Of course he always replaces or adds to his rose bushes.
Now that it’s July, our roses have been beautiful. Earlier our tulips were also just beautiful. It has been a different spring as far as weather. We haven’t had much hot weather; middle 40
When I finished sewing our dresses, I decided to get out the picture albums and get all the pictures taken care of.
Ray’s garden is just great. We have had lots of peas and have given most of them away. We’ve also used and given away a quite a few carrots.
We picked and canned 14 quarts of sweet cherries from our trees.
This is September. The days go by so fast. By now I have canned string beans, frozen corn, canned and dried apricots, canned and dried prunes, canned peaches and pears and applesauce. I also made apricot & pineapple jam.
August 7 & 8, we had our family reunion. Jeanne’s family was in charge. Saturday afternoon we had our dinner together, all on the back lawn. Ray & I bought the meat, made punch and salads, plus some rolls & cookies & ice cream bars. Everybody else brought salad, cookies, potato chips, pickles etc. to go with it. We played some table games and then broke out the picture albums I had worked on. I didn’t have them all finished, but pretty close. They seemed to enjoy them. There were 39 of us.
Sunday, those that could, came to our ward for church and then we came home to dinner. We set it up on the back lawn and enjoyed visiting. Some who couldn’t come to church joined us for the afternoon. After we cleared the tables, they got out the albums again. We all had a good visit. There were 30 together. Some went home on Saturday night and others came on Sunday, so we saw most of our family one time or another.
Pul and Shelly Heiner came and spent a week with us the last of August. Paul used the Shopsmith and built a baby cradle. Shelly used the sewing machine and made her a new outfit. She will be doing her student teaching. We enjoyed their company.
Trenton Bailey and Hollie Yeamen were married at the "Sweetheart Manor" by President Lynn Bradshaw on August 27, 1993. They had a lovely wedding and reception.
Ray is having so much trouble with his hearing and has a lot of dizziness so we haven’t been anywhere. It’s much easier to stay home and do for ourselves.
Dee Ray and Ray have been painting the house, but the weather turned cold and they didn’t quite get finished with the trim.
We have had a bounteous harvest from our garden and orchard. More apples than we can store, so we have given a lot away and hope to give more.
October 17, 1993 was our Regional Conference held at the Mini-Dome in Pocatello, Idaho. We rode a bus up and back and were fortunate enough we didn’t have to climb the stairs or walk very far to get a seat. It was an exceptionally good meeting. Elder Dallen Oaks, Elder Rex Pineger, Elder Liebert and their wives were the speakers. The priesthood leaders had a meeting on Saturday at the Burley West Stake Center. Ray said it was very good also. We need to be steady in our commitment to keep the commandments.
I seemed to have caught a cold and so missed the next Sunday meetings.
They showed us how to make Quillows in Relief Society Homemaking and so I have made enough for our grandchildren to have for Christmas. I hope to finish my photograph albums for each of our kids for their Christmas. There are so many of us that we can’t give to each individually as we have in the past. Our weather has turned awfully cold, but we haven’t had much storm yet. Our first snow has been on the 22nd of November.
Today, November 23, 1993, I am to sing at the Geriatrics Ward at Rupert, Minidoka Memorial Hospital. It is our Relief Society’s turn to help for the month of November. I will also lead the singing. We have a turn one month out of the year.
A fund raiser was held for Eric Miles on November 27, 1993. He has severe diabetes and has had ever since he and Natalie were married, so now he needs an insulin pump. Surgery is required and it is expensive. We didn’t go to the event, but I did donate two afghans for the auction.
Thanksgiving was November 25, 1993. Nolan’s and Neldon’s family were with us. We had a nice dinner and just visited after that. It seems like it is extremely cold for this time of year. We had daytime temperatures in the twenties. We have had very little moisture, just some clouds and winds.
Again this year I have the same lung infection as last year, except it isn’t near as severe. Of course we caught it before it became too bad and the doctors already knew what it was. I have to take Prednisone and stay out of the cold as much as possible. It makes me shaky at times and I also don’t sleep as well.
We were all prepared for Christmas when it came. I had made 33 quillowes and finished a photograph album for each of our kids. We bought books for each of the great grandchildren. We bought a live Christmas tree and decorated it. It was beautiful.
Christmas Eve there were 35 of us here. We had a sit down meal of turkey, beef, salads etc. Every family brought something for it and Marilyn and I did the rest. We gathered in the front room for a program consisting of the bible story and singing carols and Ray bore his testimony. Everyone seemed to enjoy the gifts and the evening. Christmas day was rather quiet, but we didn’t mind.
We spent the next week getting ready for Jeanne’s family to come for New Years. They came on Friday evening. New Years day which was Jeanne’s 54th birthday, we had dinner with Jeanne’s family at home, Shelly’s family and Joan and Norman. We visited in the afternoon and then Jeanne’s family went over to the Heiners. Brett and Janna also came in the evening.
Sunday, January 2 we all went to church. Our meeting schedule is from 9-12 o’clock. Again we had dinner and Jeanne’s family got ready to go home. The house became quiet and everything settled down.
Monday was a day off for Marilyn so we did an extra big washing and in the afternoon we went to Joan’s for a hair cut. Marilyn has been wanting to go to K Mart and Wal-Mart, two new big stores in our area, and so we took her and let her look around and pick out a few things she wanted and could pay for.
Now on Tuesday, Jan 4, we’re back in our normal routine. We did have a little storm over the weekend and it has turned off quite mild.
Our routine hasn’t changed much. I am still trying to stay out of the cold and just doing easy things.
For homemaking meetings in February I decided one way to give away some of my afghans was to take them there. I gave away 25. Some of the sisters guessed who made them, but some didn’t know me very well and nobody told them I made them. It was a fun evening. I brought back five and decided to rearrange my boxes so I could see some more of my yarn and use it.
Lamar & Brenda’s, Shawn, came home from his mission on February 5, 1994. He had his report on February 13, 1994. We went to Heyburn 2nd for our meetings that day. It seemed like familiar territory for us. It was good to see some of the people we hadn’t seen for quite awhile. He gave a good report and I’m sure he was a real good missionary.
One Sunday in our ward Sunday school class we had a little extra time and Brother Burch called on me to bear my testimony. I do have a testimony that this church is true. I don’t bear it often, but it means a lot to me. I have read the Book of Mormon at least three times. I don’t understand all of it, but I know it wasn’t written by a mere individual. I’ve read enough church history that I know Joseph Smith was a prophet and I’ve heard and seen enough of our prophets since his time to know that they are called of God to be prophets.
March has been a pretty quiet month as far as our comings and goings. Jeanne’s family did come down for their spring break. She also went to the Genealogy library and printed some names from the computer. It’s pretty hard to match up names.
We watched General Conference on TV April 2 and 3, 1994. Elder Marvin J. Ashton had passed away and his funeral was the last of March. He was one of my favorite speakers at conference. To me, he was a great man and he gave very down to earth gospel messages. Because of his death we had a new Apostle appointed in General Conference. He was Elder Robert D. Hales. I have heard him speak many times also. He is very sincere and will do a great job. It was a very inspiring conference even tho President Benson was unable to be there.
March 27, 1994, Paul and Shelly Heiner had a baby boy born to them. He was named Jacob P. Heiner. He weighed 7 lbs 10 oz.
April 21, 1994, Trever and Teresa Bailey had a baby girl. They named her Shealyne Marie. She weighed 7 lbs. + also. They were both blessed by their fathers in their own wards May 1, 1994.
In between these new great grandchildren we had Ray and Marilyn’s birthdays. So it was a little busier month.
Jeanne’s family came through to go to Utah for Paul’s baby to be blessed. They stopped for a little while on the way home.
Ray’s brothers and sisters get together for birthday, but when Ray’s came Ellen Bailey, Keith’s wife, was in the hospital very ill , so the party was canceled.
May 1, Marilyn and I went to our ward to church. Ray didn’t feel well so he stayed home. Sunday afternoon I had some terrible pains in my chest, but I thought it was fibrositis. I didn’t say anything about it and in the night it woke me up again, but not enough to keep me awake very long. Monday morning, May 2, we proceeded to do the laundry, but the first load didn’t drain and I knew something was wrong with the washer. Ray called the repairman and we took that batch out and put it in the bathtub to drain. I had another one of those attacks and used the electric hot pad on my back. It subsided. We got the washer fixed and had our lunch. We rested for awhile, but my chest still hurt and I decided to go to Penney’s and buy me a bigger bra that would relieve the pressure on my ribs. That didn’t help either, so about five o’clock it hit again. We had our supper and Ray tried to take my blood pressure, but I couldn’t stand the pressure on my arm, so he said "You’re going to the emergency room". When we got there my blood pressure was 197 over 121. Dr. Pates put me in the Intensive Care Unit. They hooked me up to oxygen and 2 IV, one for Lidacain and one for Hepren, also EKG etc. Ray and Neldon came and administered to me. Joan was there too. Tuesday, Dr. Vania gave me a stress test, very short and easy, and afterward on the hear monitor it was showing some very definite changes in my heart rhythm. He called Dr. Smith at St. Luke’s in Boise and made arrangements for me to be taken there. Wednesday morning the ambulance took me to St. Luke’s. Dee Ray made arrangements for Marilyn to take off work. Marilyn, Joan and Norman and Ray followed the ambulance to Boise and I was admitted to St. Luke’s. Friday, Dr. Smith did an angiogram and in the evening he showed us the video and thought he could do angioplasty on two of my veins, which were narrowed. He also said he wanted a heart surgeon to review the video. It was all set up for the operation on Saturday morning, May 7, at 1 o’clock, I was taken to the operating room and I knew the surgeon was there as well as Dr. Smith. They began the procedure, but I was becoming very nauseated and the angioplasty wasn’t working. They determined they would have to hurry and do by-pass surgery on my heart. They went out and explained to Ray and the girls what needed to be done, so he could give his consent. Dr. Robert Barnes told me afterward it was pretty scary. It took about 3½ hrs. and as I began to come out of the anesthetic they asked me if I could open my eyes and wiggle my toes. I could do that alright. He told me my heart had stopped twice and they wondered if I might have brain damage, but I didn’t. Sunday, Mother’s Day, when I was awake I discovered I couldn’t say, not one word. I had so many tubes down my throat and nose etc. Ray and all of the kids except Neldon came to see me that day. I was in the intensive care unit and couldn’t visit much, but I knew they were there and they knew I had come through alright. I was on oxygen for 12 days and in intensive care for five. They moved me to a private room. Ray, Jeanne, Marilyn and Corinne came in everyday. Neldon and Sharon came up on Wednesday. Thursday, Bishop Christensen, Pres. Bradshaw, Pres. Fennell and Bishop Claridge and wives all came in also. They had been to the Boise Temple. Al & Bea came in on Friday. Mary Ann and Richard Huber came in on Saturday. Derk and Lisa, Natalie and Eric, Joan and Norman came up on Sunday and Marilyn went home with them, so she could go back to work. Others of my family came up too. I got along fine, except I had a hard time getting my food and medicine to come together. I didn’t know there were so many ways to ruin turkey sandwich, but I just couldn’t get them down. I was released on Tuesday to go to Jeanne’s. Tuesday afternoon I was extremely ill. My stomach and bowels were giving me lots of distress. I didn’t know whether to sit on the toilet or hang my head over the tub. Anyway, I finally got it straightened out and went to eating a liquid diet. On Thursday Jeanne noticed my left leg was becoming swelled and discolored, so she called the doctor’s office. They said I should lay flat and elevate my leg with three pillows and then come back to the hospital on Friday morning. It so happened that Nolan and family were coming up to the track meet, so he came out and took me into the hospital for an ultrasound on my leg. I had quite a blood clot, so into the hospital I went for eight more days. I had to stay in bed with my leg elevated and no unnecessary movement. Joan and Norman came up again on the weekend and I talked Ray into going back home with them. He was getting so tired even though he was comfortable and well fed out to Jeanne’s. Corrine came in everyday. I enjoyed visiting with her and she was very helpful. Natalie visited me three times and I enjoyed visiting with her. Jeanne came in everyday and I enjoyed just visiting with her. This trip into the hospital the food and medicine came together, so I didn’t have any more trouble with that. Thursday, they did an ultrasound on my leg and Dr. Barnes told me I could go home on Saturday, the 28th. Dee and Sylvia and Ray came up in Nolan’s Suburban and got me. Jeanne & Lynn came in and helped make a bed in the car and then they came on down for the weekend. The ride home wasn’t bad at all and I could walk into the house. Jeanne helped Marilyn get things in shape, so we could manage some meals etc. after she went home on Monday. It was Memorial Day and once again I couldn’t decorate the graves. I was just grateful to be able to be able to be home and almost able to take care of myself. Dr. Barnes said I could walk or sit with my leg elevated, but no standing. Heavenly Father answered our prayers, because being a total stranger taken by ambulance to a strange hospital and doctors who were able to take care of my problems. The doctors, nurses, and all were very good to me. I couldn’t ask for any better care. I’m glad to be home. Home Healthcare comes and checks me over and takes a blood test once a week to be sent to Boise. They have to regulate the amount of Cumidin I take for my blood.
After sitting for three weeks with my leg elevated I went back to Dr. Barnes and he told me I could move about, but not to have my leg down for any length of time. I was to go back to Dr. Pates and then come back to Boise in two months.
I spent about a week trying to gather some strength, but I began to have trouble breathing and on July 1st my pulse was very fast. I went to the emergency room in Minidoka Memorial Hospital and once again had to be hospitalized. Dr. Pates said I had congestive heart failure and the "BOOP" had returned.
I was put on Prednisone and many more medications to get my problems under control. I had liquid around my heart as well as my lungs. I was also on oxygen full time. My heart problems cleared up pretty fast, but my lungs gave me a lot of trouble. My left leg swelled up really big again and I had a sonogram to check it out. It showed I had blood seepage in the tissue and that needed to be drawn out with a suction needle. Dr. Brown, a surgeon, did the procedure. It wasn’t painful and my leg began to lose the swelling. It took several days. I was able to shower and go to the bathroom by myself so I didn’t get as weak as I did in Boise.
Ray and Marilyn came up and we watched the fourth of July parade from my hospital room. I had seen Paul and Shelly and Gregg and Shelly the day I came in to the hospital and they also came to the hospital on the way home. I spent eleven days before I was released. I came home with a whole shoe box full of prescriptions to take so I am pretty heavily medicated. I took 29 pills a day in the hospital, they cut it down a little when I came home. I had to have two pints of blood given me so I was on iron to see if I could maintain it. When I had a blood test by Home Health, they were able to cut back on the iron and go off of potassium. In a couple of days I was able to go to the kitchen and help with part of the meals. I managed to go to Sacrament meeting for Tyrell’s farewell. He is going to Uruguay for his mission.
Sharon and Joan sewed me some loose dresses so I could go to church when I felt good enough. Sacrament meeting seems to be as long as I can stay so far.
President Ezra Raft Benson passed away on May 30, 1994. After his funeral and burial the following week Howard W. Hunter was ordained as President of the church and he chose the same counselors as had been there, Gordon B. Hinkley and Thomas S. Monson.
I am now able to do a few more things although I do get tired pretty easily. We froze some corn and canned the peaches from our trees. I can do the ironing and fold clothes. I have also done some vacuuming. I can walk pretty good, but stairs are a problem.
I developed a mouth full of canker sores which I have never had before. I tried a lot of remedies before I finally got them started to heal up. They didn’t bother too much unless I tried to eat, so we had soup everyday for one week and then I ate what I could.
Tory decided to go on a mission and now his call is to Lansing, Michigan and he will leave Oct 19, 1994 for the mission training center.
I forgot to tell about Ellen Bailey passing away. She died at home from an extended illness. She had been suffering from Lupus etc. for nineteen years and there was nothing more they could do. She passed away June 15 and her funeral was June 18, 1994. I was unable to atten because of the blood clot in my leg. But everyone said it was truly a nice service.
Brenda and Nicole helped me can a cooker full of string beans. I froze some plums for jelly because I couldn’t stand long enough to cook them, but later when we need it I’ll be able to.
My strength has improved a quite a bit so now I can attend all three meetings. We watched General Conference on TV on October 1 & 2, 1994. The talks and music was all wonderful. President Hunter is a great spiritual leader.
October 8 & 9, 1994 was Stake Conference. Our visitor from Salt Lake was Elder L. Alden Porter. He is a good speaker also. We had other visitors also, Elder Karl Nelson Regional Representative, President Orr and his wife, Idaho Mission Presidency. It was a really good conference.
I need to back up. We attended Paul 3rd Ward Sacrament meeting September 11, 1994. Norman Ashby was put in as Second Counselor in the Bishopric. Ferrel King is Bishop and Kay Catmull is first Counselor. It was a good meeting also and Norman was ordained a High Priest and set apart right after meeting.
September 21, being my birthday, I had many cards and phone calls from kids and grandkids.
I had a good friend in church on Sunday Sept. 18, and by the next Saturday, Sept. 24 she was dead. She went to Salt Lake City LDS Hospital for angioplasty on her heart and it failed. I have felt so blessed many times that I had a good doctor standing by to remedy my situation. It has been a struggle to regain my strength, but I am so much better than if the angioplasty had been successful.
They are working quite diligently on the new church house being built right behind us. They have all the sidewalks poured and it sure makes a good place for me to walk except it’s cold and windy. Of course they have a lot more than that done. It will be a nice building even though it isn’t as big as we’re used to.
October 16, 1994 was the farewell for Tory at our ward in Rupert. They had a good meeting. We went over to Dee and Sylvia’s for dinner after church. Their house was full to overflowing, but it was a delicious meal. Dee’s family were all there. Tory entered the MTC on October 19, 1994.
Robbie La Deaux has his mission call to Winnipeg, Canada and he enters the MTC on December 16, 1994.
I have managed to attend Presidency meeting and all meetings on Sundays.
October 22, 1994, Nolan and Dawna took Ray, Bishop Tim Hurst and me to the Boise Temple to go through the session with Robbie. It was enjoyable. I managed quite well. I hadn’t been able to go for over two years.
We attended Rob’s farewell in Heyburn Second Ward November 27, 1994. He will be a good missionary and will enter the MTC on Dec. 6 and leave for Winnipeg Canada on Dec. 28, 1994.
Thanksgiving for us was rather quiet as there was just 9 adults here and Woody’s two little boys. Joan cooked the turkey and dressing. Sharon brought 2 pies and salad. Marilyn and I made potatoes, gravy, vegetables and jell-O salad. It was an enjoyable day.
We were sent an invitation to T. Jay Bailey’s, Trever’s oldest boy, for his baptism on Dec 3, 1994. We couldn’t go, but we did send him a card.
We had a quiet Christmas Eve this year, also 9 adults. Joan & Norman, Neldon & Sharon, Shawn, Ray, Marilyn and I. We had a light lunch of deli sandwiches, salad, chips, cookies, nuts and candy. Norman brought a tape of "The Littlest Angel" that we listened to. The rest of the time was spent visiting. I had put the presents I made on tables in Ray’s study so that each one that came could pick what they wanted. I made 21 sets of dishtowels, 19 pr. Embroidered pillowcases, 3 pr. Pillowcases trimmed with rick rack and 11 pr. Pillowcases machine embroidered, 23 embroidered dresser scarves, 35 pr. Mens & boys print pillowcases and 26 pr. Print pillowcases for great grandchildren, also 6 fleece crib quilts. We received some new pictures of kids, grandkids and great grandkids. I had asked Ray to make me a shelf for our pictures and he started, but Nolan took over and finished them and hung them on the wall for our Christmas from them. They look real nice and he did a good job. Neldon and Sharon gave us a planted pot of bulbs and we’re waiting for them to bloom and see what they are for sure. De Ray, Sylvia, Jeanne and Lynn both gave us pictures of their family group. Joan and Norman gave us a ham and a gift certificate from Book Plaza. Marilyn, Ray and I all received LDS books also. It was a good Christmas and we enjoyed visits from most of our grandchildren. Dawna’s father had passed away December 23, so it put a damper on their celebrating. Dawna’s dad was a big, blustery, friendly man, but he had been ill for about 14 years and had changed a lot from when Nolan and Dawna were married.
Troy and Rosemary Ashby had a new baby on December 15, 1994. He weighed 9 lbs. 1 oz., and they named him Eric Nathaniel Ashby. Mother and baby came through fine.
Jeanne and Lynn came down Dec. 28 & 29 and then went home so she wasn’t here for her 55th birthday this year. The first time she hasn’t been home for her birthday, but they had assignments on Sunday in their ward.
We received several thank you cards from our grandkids for their Christmas.
Things are going along quite well with my health, except I still have a definite problem with cholesterol and triglycerides, so that means watch my diet more carefully.
Ray has been kept pretty busy with his Patriarchal blessings. Not many Sundays off.
We haven’t had any storm since before Christmas and it still remains cold and windy.
Friday Jan 6, Ray and I went to the Genealogy Library in Burley and copied some family records on to discs for our computer. Now I’ve got to learn to operate the computer.
February 14, Valentines Day. I’m still struggling with the computer and Genealogy, but I think it’s going better now.
It has turned winter again and is still cold and had some snow.
Trenton and Hollie had a baby girl born on January 21, 1995. She weighed 7 lbs. 6 oz. and was 19½ inches long. Her name is Ceara Brae.
I have been cutting and sewing quilt tops from drapery material that I have saved for many years. Most of it is 100% cotton so it’s just a little heavier than regular cotton. I made four double bed size and donated to the Deseret Industries home craft department. I have some more sewn, but haven’t decided what to do with them and of course I still have more material. Hopefully I can stay with it long enough to put it all together.
Friday evening, February 10, 1995, they closed Hub 66 for rebuilding. We opened it in June 1962 and it has been open 24 hrs. a day since 1953. That’s a long time to see all the changes and challenges that come along. Actually we started in the gas business in Feb. 1941 and except for 3 years since that time we have been in the business. I started working in the office at the Hub in 1964 and retired from there in January 1984. We bought our first computer and I learned to run it in 1978 at 60 years of age. It will seem strange to not see the station there, but it was outdated and the boys needed to have a new more up to date system. It’s located where I was born and grew up on the farm and that has changed to a business and now it will change again. That’s what is called progress and I hope it’s all they expect it to be. It will still be on the property where my roots came from.
Our Relief Society Presidency has been released and a new one sustained so I’m free from that responsibly
Eric Nathaniel Ashby was blessed Feb 5, 1995 in Columbus, Ohio where he was born.
We attended Sacrament meeting in Heyburn 2nd Ward. Ciera Brae Bailey was blessed by her grandfather, Dee Ray Bailey on February 26, 1995.
Jason and Margo Heiner were blessed with a baby boy on Feb. 18, 1995 in Ogden Utah. He was blessed March 26, 1995, by his father and was named Glen Jason Heiner. All new babies and their mothers are doing well.
March 15, 1995, Marilyn Beecher Thaxton, wife of Gerald Thaxton, died as the result of being hit by a car. She was only 48 and that is sad to have her life cut so short.
March 15, 1995, Tate was injured in a car accident. He had a crushed elbow and was flown to Bannock Regional Medical Center in Pocatello. This injury was pretty serious, but they thought he might have a brain concussion also. We are thankful it wasn’t any worse and he is recovering nicely at home.
March has been an eventful month. President Howard W. Hunter passed away March 3, 1995 after only serving for nine months as President of the Church. He was a very good leader.
Gordon B. Hinckley was sustained President March 12, 1995 with Thomas S. Monson, First Counselor and James E. Faust, 2nd Counselor. President Hinckley has worked in the Presidency as counselor for many years, so comes as President with lots of experience.
Lena Baily, Jake Baily’s mother passed away and I sang "In the Garden" as a musical number for that. I’ve known Jake ever since we went to school in Heyburn High.
Tuesday, March 21, 1995, I went to the Geriatrics Ward in Rupert for Relief Society. I led the singing for three songs and I also sang a solo of "As I Have Loved You" for them. Edith Armocast accompanied on the piano for both singing assignments.
We signed some papers that hadn’t been recorded to Phillips 66 Company when we paid off our loan to them in 1963. Now the boys are okayed to get the loan to rebuild the Hub. They demolished it on March 23, 1995.
April 1 & 2, 1995 was General Conference and we watched in on TV. This was the conference for a Solemn Assembly to sustain President Gordon B. Hinckley. It was a great conference and we heard many good talks. Elder Henry B. Eyring was sustained as the new apostle.
April 8, 1995 Allyson Bailey gave a piano recital at the Stake Tabernacle in Rupert, The one we used to attend before they changed boundaries. She did an outstanding job. All of her pieces, 7 in all, were memorized so she didn’t use any music.
I overdid, I guess, when I was going to funerals and singing because I caught cold and have been very sick with it, so far it hasn’t affected my lungs as far as bringing back my genetic disease.
Carolyn Thaxton Peterson, a niece, has stopped and visited me several times and once when she was here I gave her an afghan I had just finished.
I’m still working on the genealogy, the quilt tops and the afghans. As soon as it’s warm enough I hope to go outside and help with some flowers.
I made 34 quilt tops and gave away all but two. That finishes off my left over drapery fabric. So I’ve made a little progress.
It’s time now that I can go outside and help with our yard. Ray does all the vegetable garden and I’m working on flowers, of course he helps with that too. We planted tuberous begonias and Impatiens in the north window box. We planted snapdragons and pansies on the west side and across the front we have white, pink and purple petunias. I have wanted a flower bed on the east side for about 3 years, but have been unable to do it, so this year we finally got the grass killed and I worked the soil so it was pretty clean of roots and then I planted it with orange marigolds, blue Salvia, yellow marigolds border variegated marigolds and blue lobelia. It has grown and flowered beautifully. I dug the grass from our simplicity roses and another group besides the ones under our bedroom windows Ray takes care of the bigger rose garden. I also planted marigolds and lobelia around the end and side of the garage. We had the girls from Evergreen Nursery come and arrange and plant the corners and sides of the driveway. They planted striped grass, pink zinnias, blue salvia, yellow marigolds, blue lobelia and moss roses, or Portulaca. Everything has turned out beautifully.
We have some new great grandchildren also. Jeff and Bonnie Belliston had a baby girl, Hannah born March 17, 1995 in Pleasant Grove, Utah. She was blessed by her father May 7, 1995.
Eric and Natalie Miles had a baby boy born April 17, 1995 in Boise, Idaho. They named him Dylan E. And he was blessed by his father on June 4, 1995.
Gregg and Shelly Brinkerhoff had a baby girl on June 22, 1995 and they named her Sara.
Our Stake was realigned the last of May and we are in Heyburn First and going to the new building that was built on our property that we sold to the church.
Nolan was released from the Bishopric and on June 20, 1995, he was set apart by President Arvin Hansen as a Counselor. Ray, Dee Ray, Neldon all stood in the circle for the setting apart.
Our new Bishopric is Loren West, Gene Price and Rowland Bingham. They will do a good work and the new building is beautiful.
Our 40 acre farm has been changed since we bought it too.
On June 23 Nolan and Dawna took us down to Nephi, Utah to stay overnight. We drove on down and went to the Manti Temple for one session that evening. We have been there before, but neve gone inside the temple. It is a beautiful old temple and we enjoyed the session. Saturday morning, June 24, 1995 we went back to Manti to see Todd Heiner and Traci married. It was a great day and good to see our oldest grandson get married. They looked really happy and we hope it will continue. We came on home after the ceremony. Marilyn had stayed at Joan’s while we were gone.
The "Hub" building is completed and now they are open for business. They call it "Hub Plaza". It is a lot bigger and has a lot of inside activity as well as many more gas & diesel pumps. Everything is as up to date as it can be made. They held a "grand opening" on August 11-12. There were a lot of people coming and going and we hope they are off to a good start.
Sharon, after being Ray’s scribe for seven years has decided to quit, so she can do something else. They gave her a ward position as MIA Maid advisor. I am trying to learn to do that work on our computer. I have to learn the WordPerfect program. So with Sharon, Allyson, Neldon, Nolan helping me I have accomplished two patriarchal blessings. We’ll see how well I do on my own now.
I have also made rhubarb jam, frozen peas, mad cherry jam and canned cherries and canned string beans. With Ray’s help I canned 163 qts. Fruit, 7 qts. Tomatoes, 24 pints beans, 63 bags peas and corn, made 34 bottles jam and 93 bottles of jelly. We had to buy our peaches and pears, but all the rest came from our own garden. Ray has also filled our storage bins with potatoes, carrots, and apples that he has grown.
Nolan had Taylor Made Curbing put around our flower beds on June 6. He said that was to be birthday, anniversary, Christmas, Fathers and Mothers day presents. Of course it cost more than he should have spent, but it sure looks nice. Our flowers were just beautiful this year and most of them froze down on Sept. 21, 1995.
I had a nice birthday, a book form Jeanne, a tablecloth from Joan, gift certificates from Dee & Neldon & Marilyn and a plant form Lamar. I also received some nice cards and phone calls.
Sara, Shelly and Gregg’s baby was blessed by Gregg on Sept. 3 1995.
In addition to our gardening etc. I finished reading the Book of Mormon on Oct. 6, 1995
We got the ground ready on the east side of the house and planted tulip and daffodil bulbs. We had previously cleaned off all our flower beds from the frost. I also dug all the grass from around two of our rose beds and hope next spring they are free of the roots.
We had our first snow on Oct. 22, 1995, but it wasn’t much and it didn’t last more than a day. That was really our first taste of winter, but it has never been as warm again.
I have accomplished a few patriarchal blessings on my own. I broke the first printer Nolan gave us when I tipped it off it’s base and it hit the floor so we had to buy a new printer. It is easier to use and needs less adjusting for blessing than the other, so that has made it easier for me. Some of the operation I don’t know yet, but I’ll get Nolan or Neldon to teach me. Some parts of the blessings are similar, but yet each one is different. I’m learning a lot.
Ray helped me do some housecleaning and I found I’m not the woman I used to be. It was pretty hard and I wasn’t very thorough, but at least we did get some done.
Now I’m ready to do some quilting and I’m still working on the yarn and material in the basement.
Natalie and Eric Miles family moved to Austin, Texas on Nov 3. They moved because of Eric’s health and a good job offer with Motorola Co.
Thanksgiving day, we spent over to Joan’s with Bonnie, Jeff and family. We furnished a salad and vegetable plate. It was the usual Thanksgiving menu. Joan fixed everything else. We had a good visit. Some of Jeanne’s family visited as they went to and from Melba.
I have read Grandpa A. J. Hansen’s autobiography through and know that he was a great man in many ways. He had a firm testimony and held many positions in the church and did many things for his community also. My grandmother was his second wife, he being a polygamist, and I knew her better than him, because she lived in Oakley, Idaho when I was young. She also came and stayed with us a few days at a time. She had a firm testimony and was very spiritual, not that she talked a lot about religion, but by her life. In those days most people didn’t have much money, but she seemed to have even less to live on. Grandpa died in 1932 and Grandma died in 1942.
I could write much more, but I have copies of their histories and they can be read. I learned from his book that one of my mothers half-sisters was buried in Melba, Idaho in May 1925. We told Jeanne about it when we talked to her on the phone.
When Nolan gave us the computer the scriptures were already programmed in, but I had not tried to use them. Marilyn and my visiting teachers gave us a handout for Christmas on how we could better put Christ and his example back into Christmas. I decided to look up the scripture references and print them out so I could give them to our sisters who we home teach and visiting teach. We teach five sisters, but only one is active, so I learned to use the computer and printed it out, that was they didn’t have to look them up, because we weren’t sure they all had scriptures in their home. This might not make sense to you who might read this, but it was interesting to me to figure out how to work the program.
We had quite a shock when we were told that Don Thaxton, 54, died unexpectedly on Dec. 8, 1995. To Catherine, his mothers knowledge, he hadn’t been ill, but she also said he probably wouldn’t tell anyone anyway. They had his funeral on De. 13, 1995 and the services were beautiful. He was not active in the church, but they told about him helping many people. He was an auto mechanic. My brother, Al, sang "I Did It My Way" and the song fit Don very well as well as being well sung.
The Bailey brothers and sisters had their Christmas dinner party at Wanda’s on Dec 9. I made a salad. Wanda, Louis, Glayde, Mary, Keith, Gale, Edith, Ernest, Ray and I with Glayde & Mary’s daughter-in-law, Mellany. Seth was in the hospital in Pocatello with lung problems, but he was released the following Tuesday to go home.
Our anniversary was spent with Ray going to Idaho Falls with Ernest for his doctors appointment and I stayed with Edith at their house. We were glad to help, their health isn’t too good and we felt it wasn’t right for him at 88 to drive to Idaho Falls and her, as confused as she is, at 87 to be alone.
Joan, Neldon Sharon, Allyson, Dee Ray all come over in the evening. It was a good day and we received some beautiful cards.
We have had some cold weather, but no snow to speak of. Our temperatures haven’t been as cold yet as last year at this time, Dec 19, 1995.
Christmas Eve was on Sunday evening. We didn’t make any special plans, but I did have some cookies, chips and dips, candy and popcorn for snacks.
Nolan’s family and Lamar’s family came and visited. Neldon’s family, Dee, Tom and Tracy came over Christmas day. I gave everybody who came an afghan and we each received some gifts. Paul, Shelly, Jake, Jason, Margo, Blake, Glen, Todd and Tracy all came through too. Jeff and Bonnie had been here the week before. Joan and Norman went to Bonnie’s for Christmas. Jeanne & Lynn, Lance and Monica came down after New Years for overnight. All in all I gave away 32 afghans. That took care of some of my supplies.
Jeanne didn’t get to come because of Lisa, Derk’s wife had a blood clot in her leg after having surgery on her knee. We received many cards and letters from our grandchildren and we sent each married couple, kids and grandkids a special card for Christmas.
It was rather quiet Christmas, but that was alright too. Ray and I each had severe sinus infections and were put on cough syrup, antibiotics and nasal spray. My eyes were really affected too, so I had to use eye drops. Marilyn was home for a week with a cold also.
Now it’s into the new year, 1996. We had one friend, Olive Jordan, who passed away. She was 93, so we had known her for a long time. We went to her funeral and Alfred sang there. Even at 74, he still sings beautifully. It was a nice service.
Brett and Hanna had a baby boy born on January 13, 1996 in American Falls, Idaho. He is there third boy and they named him Nataniel Joseph. All are doing well.
January 19, 1996 Don Ashby, Norman’s father, passed way. He was 82 and had been in the nursing home for six years. He had a nice service too.
It has turned winter and we have been snowed in a lot in the last three weeks. It has also turned very cold some days, not even reaching 10
I have also done 6 patriarchal blessings since the first of the year and should have 3 more to do this week.
Troy, Rosemary and Eric flew from Detroit, Michigan for Don Ashby’s funeral, so we were able to have them visit. It was the first time we had seen their baby. He is a healthy cute little boy.
By the last of February, Ray was getting anxious to start the garden. We debated about it because their was wire worm in the potatoes and onions last year. He finally decided we would treat the soil with Diazinon pellets and see if that would take of the problem. Lamar came down and plowed the garden and then Dee Ray rototilled it and Lamar furrowed it out. Ray planted carrots, Peas, beets, lettuce, and radish seed. It didn’t come up very fast, because we had a cold spell. Our fruit trees bloomed a lot and it looked like we would have plenty of fruit, but when it froze so hard it took most of the blossoms.
Ray was out cleaning up tree limbs etc. on the big lawn and I went out to help him, but he was trimming the pink Hawthorn and hurt his back. We had finished gathering up, so he didn’t do anymore that day. After he rested awhile, he decided his back wasn’t any better. We tried different remedies for a few days, but it didn’t help. Dr. Pates put him in the hospital for tests and X-Rays. They couldn’t pinpoint the problem, but he came home on his birthday, April 16, and took it easy until he could go to a neurosurgeon in Idaho Falls, she, Dr. Carlton, Sid he had a ruptured disc in his lower back and that if possible to try healing it without surgery. He was restricted from any type of gardening or doing much bending.
We decided that because he had started the garden with the boys help maybe I could do it. We had planted one row of potatoes before we went to Idaho Falls. The 26th of April I finished planting the potatoes and finished the onions. Dee Ray hilled up the potatoes for me. May 9, Lamar and Brenda came down and planted the corn with his planter. They borrowed our small planter for some of their seeds. Lamar brought the planter back on the 15th of May and planted my string beans. I planted my tomatoes. All of the garden was planted now and I had a few empty rows, so I planted Dahlias, Gladiola bulbs, 2 rows zinnia and aster seeds. I decided to bury geraniums around the garage and some Dianthus in the window boxes. Our tulips and daffodils had already bloomed and were getting dried flowers. On the east side of the house I planted four o’clocks in the back and nasturtium seeds in the curve. The snapdragons and pansies had enough volunteer plants to take care of the west side. I prepared the ground in front, so I could plant petunias and plant marigolds and Salvia on the east side to fill in the spaces. I planted 18 dozen of these plants on Saturday May 25. Next Monday, the 27th, I planted begonias and Impatiens in the flower box in front. It was Marilyn’s day off and she helped me weed the carrots. I had also been typing patriarchal blessings in between.
School is out and Ben came down and worked more Diazinon in potatoes and onions. He also helped my prune roses and clean up the rose garden. Josh came down and rototilled between the rows in the garden and then furrowed them out. I weeded the beets and irrigated the garden. All is growing well, the stand of corn is not as good, but it will produce all we need. I finished cleaning out and pruning other roses. Nolan rototilled corners for planting and along the driveway. I raked it down and it was ready for the girls from Evergreen Nursery to plant that part. They planted zinnias, Salvia, marigolds, lobelia, and moss rose. Nolan also planted roses that had to be replaced. I have been helping Dawna make a quilt of blocks with handkerchiefs of her grandmother, mother and my mother. It was dark green and beige material. I marked the blocks and border after Dawna set it together. Dawna helped me put it onto the frames and it was ready to quilt. I have been pretty busy between patriarchal blessing, quilting and gardening.
Tuesday, July 2, we picked our first peas. Wednesday. July 3, I woke up with a swollen left foot. We didn’t do any celebrating on the fourth, because my foot wasn’t any better, in fact I could hardly walk. Wanda Stimpson came over and helped Marilyn and I pick the peas again. When I got them in the freezer, Ray took me to the emergency room at Minidoka Memorial Hospital. The doctor run some test and diagnosed it as Gout, so now I have more medicine to take. I also had to use crutches for a week. On Monday, July 8, we finished quilting Heather’s quilt and now I needed to bind it. It turned out really pretty. They gave her a bridal shower on July 20, 1996.
This is January 1997, and I realize I have waited to long to catch up my history, so I have to go back and add a few more things that have happened.
In February 1996, they auctioned off the fixtures etc from the old red brick building and then started demolishing it. They finished on March 23, 1996. The ground is all cleaned up and if you didn’t know about it you would never even remember a church house was there. Ray worked out part of his dad’s assessment to build the building. I had gone to church in the old white one room building and when this one was dedicated, I sang in the choir. This was before we started going together. All my years of going to church has been in Heyburn, so we have many memories that go with this building. Myron Wilson, the contractor to remove the structure, brought Ray a brick and a letter to keep as a reminder of when he was Bishop.
April 18, 1996, a baby boy was born to Paul and Shelly Heiner. They live in Sandy, Utah and this is their second little boy. His name is Benjamin Ray.
Shawn Bailey and Cynthia Vavrock were married June 1, 1996 in the Oakland California Temple. Their Reception was held June 7, 1996 at Lamar and Brenda’s in their backyard. We went down and took a quilt and afghan for them.
Benjamin Ray Heiner was blessed May 5, 1996 by his father, Paul. All of Jeanne and Lynn’s family was there.
Mothers day was May 12 and I received flowers, many beautiful cards, gift certificates and phone calls. It was a good day of visiting also.
A baby girl was born July 12, 1996 to Tom and Tracy Bailey. They named her Carly Dee. This makes them a boy and a girl. She was born in Twin Falls, Idaho.
Our garden has grown and produced really well. We have giving produce to anyone who could use it. I picked and canned string beans, canned buttered beets and made beet relish.
Tom and Tracy bought one of the lots across from our garden. They ordered a manufactured home and it was delivered on August 9, 1996. It wasn’t finished on the inside so that took a couple of months.
I also canned the prunes from our tree. August 11, 1996 was Tyrell’s mission report and we went to it and to Lamar and Brenda’s for a pot luck dinner.
Clayton Heiner came down to have a Patriarchal blessing that same day so Jeanne and Lynn’s family was with us too.
August 15, 1996, Norman and Joan took us to the Bountiful Temple in Bountiful, Utah for Heather and Chuck’s wedding. I had never been to that temple and it was a beautiful place for a wedding. We came back home that same day. August 17, 1996 we picked our first ears of corn from the garden.
August 20, my wrist developed a problem. I went to the doctor, because it was swelled and painful. He put it in a splint after it was X-Rayed. I had that to wear for several days, even to the reception.
Jalaine Heiner married Mathew Garner, August 24, 1996, in the Boise Temple, Boise, Idaho. I couldn’t go because of the splint on my arm.
Sunday, August 25, 1996, was Clayton’s missionary farewell. He has been called to Seoul, Korea. Nolan and Dawna took us up to that.
Ray has been having to have blood drawn often, because of his Policythemia Vera, so Dr. Pates got him an appointment with Dr. Francisco in Pocatello. He is a Hematologist. He recommended that he try a new medicine called Hydrea to bring his blood into balance. It is pretty strong medicine and not easy for him to take.
August 27, 1996, a baby boy was born to Todd and Tracie Heiner. He was born in Provo, Utah. His name is Chase Thomas Heiner.
I was having a problem with my joints and so the doctor increased my medication and Ray’s medication is up one week and down the next for his blood. Clayton Heiner entered the MTC on September 4, 1996.
Chase Thomas Heiner was blessed by his father, Todd, on September 29, 1996, in Provo, Utah.
Carie Dee Bailey was blessed by her grandfather, Dee Ray, on September 29, 1996 in Heyburn first Ward, Heyburn, Idaho.
My birthday September 21 was enjoyable. I received cards, flowers etc, from kids and grandkids.
September 22, 1996, it froze for the first time. And took all the flowers and garden plants that were left.
We always look forward to General Conference in October. This year was no exception except that Ray was very ill. Dr. did some X-rays and test. He was put on antibiotics, but his fever and pulse, plus blood pressure was not normal. He was in bed, had shakes and very unsteady. Marilyn and I watched conference and video taped it when Ray could see it later. I was very worried and did everything I could to make him comfortable. It took about a week for him to feel better.
October 8, I pulled and put away all my flower bulbs. I had nearly 3/4 bushel of Gladiolas besides some Dahlia bulbs.
Our weather has turned a lot colder and it’s time to dig the potatoes and pick the apples. Ray was able to help dig the potatoes and then he dug the carrots. It still stayed cold and the week end of Stake Conference, 26 and 27 we had a skiff of snow. Ray and I had an interview with Elder Max Craner of the Area Presidency on Sunday morning in regards to him being a Patriarch.
October 29 we cleaned all the old and frozen flowers from our flower beds and piled them up to burn, only we didn’t get to burn the rubbish because it turned stormy and it was too wet.
In September, I was thinking about a family reunion and realized my dad’s birthday fell on Thanksgiving this year. I contacted Alfred and asked if he would help me plan one and if he thought we could do it. He and Bea said yes, so with Ray’s help also we started to formulate a party. I typed and printed out an invitation and asked the other members for there input and suggestions. It would be our dad’s 125th birthday. We didn’t get much response but we went ahead anyway. We met together several times and planned what we thought we could expect and what we wanted to do and sent another letter out.
In the meantime, in our family, Clayton Heiner flew out to Seoul, Korea for his mission. Lamar was ordained a High Priest by his father, Ray, on November 10, 1996. Now all four son have been ordained High Priests by their dad.
November 10, 1996, Tory Bailey reported his mission to Lansing, Michigan. I’m sure he served a good mission and was a good missionary also.
After much planning, assigning and work we came to Thanksgiving day and the reunion. We started at nine o’clock with the boys to help set up the tables and chairs. I had bought and prepared some table decorations of streamers and stand up turkeys. Al and Bea helped set up displays and photographed pictures, histories, genealogy etc. I quilted one quilt and made 3 afghans to give away as door prizes plus Dawna made photograph albums and Joan brought some knit and sewn items. We displayed a chair our dad made, his rawhide ropes he braided, his bull whip he made, and the saddle he used to ride his horse. Al’s family made a video of pictures of our dad’s life and Patty Naylor read history that Al and I wrote. Alfred sand a solo, "Impossible Dream", I sang "The Bridge Builder" and Al and I sang two duets, "I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" and "Maggie, When You and I Were Young". Ranelle O’Dell sang "Turn Around" and Misty Peterson sang also. It was an enjoyable program. Dee Ray was master of ceremonies and he had everyone introduce themselves and their families.
We served a Thanksgiving dinner of Turkey, potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, relish plates, corn, pumpkin bars and ice cream and rolls.
Al and I expressed our gratitude for all the help and support we had and for being a family. We had 97 people in attendance. Some families weren’t represented except with some pictures. James, Marion and Elden. We enjoyed the day even thought the weather was no too good. It was cold, wet and snowy. It all happened on November 28, 1996. It will probably be the last Al and I plan.
Friday, Dec. 6, 1941, we moved into this home and now as that time rolls around again we remember how it was then and reflect on how many changes there have been. It was so cold and windy that day. We had a skiff of snow and now today we have the same except our house is much warmer and more comfortable.
Sunday, December 15, 1996, was Rob La Deaux’s mission report. He was a good missionary and had lots of good experiences. He has come a long way and been in Lamar and Brenda’s family ever since he was seven yrs. old.
Sunday afternoon, we went to Paul 3rd Ward meetings for Wanda and Louis Stimpson’s missionary farewell. They are going to serve in the San Antonio, Texas mission and will enter the missionary Training Center on Dec,. 18, 1996.This particular Sunday was quite a missionary day.
Friday, December 20 it was beginning to snow and we had 6-8 inches before it stopped.
Ray is not feeling a bit well and so Nolan is driving us to the grocery store etc, because of the roads.
We have had a very quiet Christmas. We have also had some kids and grandkids come by for a little while.
The snow has melted and some water has seeped into the basement, only enough to wet the carpet under the window in the laundry room.. Now we are back to 50
January 1, 1997, and it’s Jeannie’s 57th birthday. She didn’t get to come down until the 3rd to visit. Jason, Margo and their two boys came also for Sat. Night. We had a good visit even if it was very short.
January 7, 1997, the weather is so mild Russ Johnson came and pruned our orchard and roses and cleaned up the twigs. It cost us $105.00, but it was worth it.
January 11, we had a real blizzard and very cold. It was 24
I was sick with Diarrhea on Sunday night Jan. 19, by Monday I wasn’t any better and had to go to Dr. Pates. He put me in the hospital for blood tests and X-rays. It showed I had diverticulitis, so now my diet is even more restricted. I only had to stay one night.
I decided to put a quilt on the frames and I just tied it. It turned out to be a nice quilt. I made up a design to draw on a plain sheet to quilt and put it on the frame.
I have had a break from typing Patriarchal Blessings since the middle of December, but now it’s starting back again.
Edith, Ray’s sister, has been confused for quite some time, but now Ernest is not well and his heart is wearing out. We help here when we can. Mary’s husband, Glayde, has alzheimers disease and he doesn’t act anything like himself. Mary has had to put him in the nursing home as of March 1, 1997.
I forgot to mention some deaths among our friends. My cousin Barbara Scharling married Wilbur (Red) Wynn in 1938 and he passed away Feb. 4, 1997, at age 86. They lived up near Oakley. I couldn’t go to his graveside services, because it was too cold, but I did go out and visit Barb a week later. She is almost blind, because of macular degeneration of her eyes.
Rhoda Dayley, 91, died February 18, 1997. She was a member of our ward and we had known her for many years. She was a great lady.
Larry Burbank, 60, died of cancer February 19, 1997. He had been in our ward and we had known him and his family since he came here. He was very well known and also did some electrical wiring in our home. I finished quilting my quilt and put another on the frame. It is one I pieced a long time ago and is a large quilt, but easy to sew on.
We started making plans to upgrade our drapes etc. in the living room and family room. It was the last drapery jobs I did and they have hung there since 1970 and now they are wearing out. We thought we wanted to buy horizontal blinds and side drapes. We picked out blinds for the family room and had them installed by Lee’s Furniture. They cost $977.25. We ordered drapes and sheers for the front room, but they haven’t come yet. We finally bought valances and side drapes from K Mart. They cost $199.92, so not near as expensive as at the furniture store.
It has been warmer again, so they sprayed the orchard trees with dormant oil. The apricots have bloomed, but they have also frozen, so we probably won’t have any apricots this year. Can’t tell about the other fruit yet.
Dawna took Sharon and I to the show of "Camelot" in Oakley. It was done very well by local talent, but it was a little bit long to sit through.
The weather is very unpredictable so we haven’t done any gardening yet. It has been rather windy too.
I have had quite a cough and the Dr. gave me an antibiotic and some cough medicine by phone. I went in for an appointment with Ray on April 8. He said I must have had bronchitis, but it wasn’t in my lungs yet. Ray is still having his blood monitored and it isn’t getting leveled out, so he had to have two pints drawn on April 9.
I finished quilting the last quilt and because I had one panel of drapery left over in the family room, I made a door valance and cushions for our rocking chair.
April 16, was Ray’s 79th birthday. We spent a quiet day, but he received some cards from grandkids and cards from the rest of us. I wanted to take him out to lunch, but we bought it and came home to eat it instead.
We watched all of the sessions of conference from home on April 5&6. It was very good and the talks were about our heritage and enduring to the end. It made me think about my grandma Hansen’s life history and how she came from Denmark with her parents on a ship back in 1866. She entered the United States in Connecticut and rode the train through part of Canada to Wyoming, Nebraska and from there by wagon to Salt Lake City, Utah. They buried her brother and sister on the prairie. She had a strong testimony and had great faith all of her life. She lived in Oakley when I was a little girl and I had been in her home and she in ours, many times.
As I mentioned before, Ernest Handy has not been well and he passed away April 14, 1997. His funeral was April 18, 1997 in the Heyburn First Ward church building and buried in Riverside Cemetery, Heyburn, Idaho I had known Ernest when he drove school bus for Heyburn School, when I was about a second grader and then when I married Ray we became brother and sister-in-law. He lived a full life and was acquainted with many people. He was also very interested in history, so he could tell you about many of the old settlers of Heyburn. Edith is so confused it is hard for her to put it all together, but she has two women who take turns taking care of her and they are very good to her. Of course, her own kids help a lot too.
We also added new light fixtures to our family room. 2 chandeliers were broken on the other ones and we couldn’t match them, so as we went to Twin Falls for a visual field test on my eyes, we stopped at Grovers and bought new fixtures. Dee Ray came over and installed them for us. They cost $169.00.
Edith Handy wasn’t able to stay in her own home. She was falling down too often and it took more than one person to lift her up. Her doctor told the family they would have to put her in a long term facility, so she is at Minidoka Memorial Long term care. She is just as confused there as she was at home, except she is in a wheel chair all the time.
We finally got the sheers and drapes for our living room and they are really nice. They cost nearly $1900.00. We had our captain chairs in the kitchen reupholstered with material, instead of vinyl and they cost $55.95. Now we have most of the upgrading done on our home.
Ray has planted the vegetable garden and some of it is already up. It looks like we will have peaches, pears, prunes, cherries, apples and plums in our orchard.
We have both worked on the flower beds this year and have planted most of the flowers we want. We decided to cut back and not plant the corners and sides of the driveway like we have before. It seems like it is pretty hard work for me as well as him.
For Mothers day I got some metal shelves and also some perennial plants for the east side of the house. I also received flowers, perfume, cake, cards and visits.
I am working on straightening up the basement and trying to see what is finished and how much I have to work on. I find that it is plenty and I’ll probably never get it all done, but it should look better.
This is graduation time and Trista, Andrea and Josh are all High School Graduates.
Jeanne, Lynn and family came from Melba on May 31, Saturday, and went home Monday morning, June 2. It was a short visit and not very satisfying. Brett, Janna and boys came down from Pocatello on Saturday and visited too. Lynn bought a rototiller from Cycle City and he borrowed the pickup and Jeanne and him went back to Melba on Saturday evening and back on Sunday morning in time to attend church with us. We had dinner and visited a little before they went over to Heiners. Neldon, Sharon and Joan came and visited a while and then Jeanne’s family came back. They found they had to leave Monday morning early, because Jeanne had to report for Jury duty by nine o’clock.
Ray got a chance to go to Bancroft to see Seth and Madge. Keith, Gayle, Mary, Norman and Ray all went in Keith’s car. Seth is having a few health problems and was to go to his doctor in Pocatello for a checkup on Wednesday. He was advised to have a 5 bypass surgery on his heart as soon as possible.
Ray has a nice garden and spends time in it and I’m just doing the usual things, washing, ironing, cooking, typing patriarchal blessings and sewing on quilt tops.
We also finished planting petunias on the west side of the garage.
Marilyn and I went to a bridal shower for Trista, Saturday, June 7. She received many nice gifts for her kitchen.
We thought we had finished all of our repairs to the house, but decided to put new windows and a new door and storm door to the garage. It cost us $823.00. They are so different, it’s a surprise every time we look at them. Ray also decided we needed to finish painting the trim on our house, so we had that done and it cost $400.00. I think everything is in good repair except we may have to redo our water system, because of the City of Heyburn’s charges for watering our yard, garden and orchard.
We have had two funerals from our ward, one was for Laura Dayley, who had cancer and was only 53. I didn’t know her real well, but I thought she was an awfully nice person. The other one was Alice Cheney, who we had known for a long time. She had been ill for many years and was blind, but she did a lot of good things and was very kind and considerate.
Ray’s brother, Seth, had bypass surgery and is having trouble with his asthma, so it will take some time for him to recover.
Edith seems more confused all the time and Glayde doesn’t know any of us. It’s hard to go visit them, but we do when we can.
It has been a rather discouraging year for me so far. I tried a different arthritis medicine and it really hurt my stomach. I’ve been trying for a month to get it regulated again. Dr. Pates said I couldn’t take any more of those kinds of medicine and would have to take just extra strength Tylenol. My joints aren’t any worse, but I don’t have much strength. I feel bad, because I can’t do anything outside and sometimes only a little in the house as far as cleaning is concerned. We had so much snow fall in the mountains and so much rain in the valley this spring, that the Snake River is higher and over it’s banks more than ever before. Some of our friends who live close to the river are having trouble with flooding in their homes. Now after about three weeks the water is starting to recede and they can begin to dry out. It has been bad, but could have been worse.
Trista Bailey and Clint Edwards were married June 21, 1997, by Bishop Loren West, in Dee Ray’s back yard. She made a beautiful bride and they make a nice looking couple. It was nice, but it could have ben better if they were married in the temple. We hope that happens in the future.
Mark and Nicole Maier were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on June 23, 1997. They have two little boys, Kit and Zack. All of Lamar’s family were in the temple with them.
July 5, 1997, Cameron Miles, son of Natalie and Eric Miles, was baptized by Lamar at the Rupert West Stake Center. Natalie and Eric were here from Texas and so that relative could attend they had it done.
I finally gave up and went to the doctor again on July 7. I had been feeling weaker and more nauseated all the time. He sent me for a blood test at the lab and it showed my sugar level as extremely high. I had another blood test Tuesday morning and another appointment that afternoon. So now I have been diagnosed as having "Diabetes". More medicine, more tests and more diet changes. I find it pretty hard to cope with all of it, but I’ll put up a good fight and hope to get on top of it.
We have had some bad news and some good news in the last month. Rosemary is suing Troy for divorce and Corinne has sued Mike for divorce. Both of these marriage have been in different temples, but the ones suing are not satisfied and they may have good reasons for it. I can’t answer that, nor neither am I the judge. It came as a surprise to us. It’s their decision and hope for the best for all concerned.
Tyrell and Jaimee Hoxford were married in the Bountiful Temple on September 4, 1997. We went to the church for their reception. It was very nice and they make a good looking couple. We wish them well.
We have had a short visit two or three times from Jeanne and Lynn and family. Seth, a great grandson to us of Brett and Janna Heiner, was baptized in Pocatello, Idaho on September 6, 1997.
We have also done some canning of prunes and peaches, pears and will probably do a few more this week.
I have sewn up several quilt tops so far and gave 5 to the Deseret Industries. Jeanne and Joan have each taken some too, but I’m not near finished yet.
Ray has given several patriarchal blessings and I have taken them off and we’ve completed them. He was asked by the Rupert Stake President to help his Patriarch, who has had to have some major surgery, so that added some to Ray’s work.
Some of our grandkids have been getting ready for college. Scot is going to ISU at Pocatello, Josh is going to Walla Walla Community College in northern Idaho. Andrea is enrolled at BYU in Provo, Utah. Tory, Tyrell, Jaimee are going back to Weber State in Ogden, Utah. Heather’s husband, Chuck is going to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. Allyson will start back at Utah State in Logan. We hope they all do well in their studies.
After bing ill and having surgery etc, Maurine, Leland’s wife died in Orem Utah September 8, 1997. She had lived there about 20 years and near her daughters, Arlynn and Ranelle and family. They had taken good care of her, but her health continued to deteriorate. Her funeral was in Provo, but one was also held in Burley at Hansen Mortuary and she was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Heyburn. It was a nice service and a family dinner was held in our church after the burial. We had a chance to visit with some of the family.
September 13, 1997, Clint Edwards, Trista’s husband was baptized by Dee Ray in Rupert West Stake. It was a nice evening for them and their family. It was also Trista’s and Trenton’s birthday. We were glad we were able to attend.
Saturday night before my birthday on Sunday, Jeanne and Joan prepared a birthday dinner for me and all of our children were in attendance. I received cards and gifts from most of them and from some of my grandchildren. It was the first party I remember being given just for me. It was nice and we all enjoyed the evening.
I had to have laser surgery on my left eye because of damage to my optic nerve. Dr. Hobbs said it was the only way to try to stop the progression of losing vision in that eye. So far it has gone well. Sharon drove us down to Twin Falls and we sure appreciated her help, because neither of us can drive that far.
We have been gathering up our apples as they fell and now as soon as we can, we need to can them.
Ray has had a group of blessings to give and that takes priority to get done.
In between, I am still sewing quilt tops. Ray’s hearing is giving him a lot of trouble, so he has ordered some new aids and is trying to get used to them.
October 4&5 is general conference from Salt Lake City and we have enjoyed watching it. We are grateful to be able to see and hear it on TV.
I am grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and it has been a great comfort in my life. Ray has given me many blessings that have helped me to overcome to dome degree my health problems. I pray I can continue to do the things I need to do and help him to do his work also.
Nolan came by on Saturday afternoon and we all went out and picked our apples. We had many beautiful Red Delicious apples and also quite a few Citreon (a yellow-green apple). We had picked and canned all of the McIntosh apples. It’s hard to can fruit without sugar so I’ve given up and hope I can eventually have some sugar.
I can eat the fruit raw and as I have always eaten lots of fruit, that isn’t a problem. I can’t keep my glucose level quite as low as the doctor wants. We gave a lot of the apples away, because we just couldn’t use them all.
We have been quite busy with Patriarchal Blessings. I’m still sewing quilt tops and I’m embroidering pillow cases because I like to. Everything seemed to be going quite well with our health until the day before Thanksgiving. Wednesday I had planned to do some baking, but I had extreme pain in my stomach, so I ended up in the doctors office. He thought I might have a kinked bowel and put me on a liquid diet. I felt better as the day progressed and Thursday morning I ate my breakfast. It only took about an hour before I knew I shouldn’t have eaten, anyway I went ahead and cooked dinner. We had invited Neldon, Sharon and Allyson to eat with us, but I decided I’d better drink my dinner. I felt alright until about 5 o’clock, but when I went to the bathroom, I passed a lot of bright red blood, then I knew I’d better get to the emergency room. Dr. Pates thought I might have a bleeding ulcer and put me in the hospital. They had a hard time putting an I.V. in my arm and I had to have a tube down my nose to my stomach. It was quite painful and very uncomfortable. Friday, they run some more test, including a gastroscopy and a proctoscopy, took a biopsy of my stomach. It didn’t show just exactly what was strong, so I cam home on Saturday afternoon and went back to Dr. Goldsmith, who did the tests on Monday. He said I needed to go to a specialist in Twin Falls. Joan drove us down there on December 8, 1997. I had that gastroscopy over again. They took more biopsies and stretched the closing of my stomach where I was operated on before. This was to help my stomach empty out better. Ray went to a cardiologist the same day in Twin Falls, and he was told for a man of 79 years, he was in real good shape. He only takes ½ a pill to regulate his heart beat a day. Of course, he still has is blood problem to contend with, but it’s pretty well under control. I haven’t heard whether the biopsies show any problem, but they must not have.
December 8, 1997, Jason and Margo had a baby girl born to them. They named her Judeth Lyne and she was blessed by her daddy on December 21, 1997.
December 14, 1997, was our 59th wedding anniversary. Jeanne and Joan arranged a dinner for us that evening. All of our kids were here except Dee and Sylvia. We enjoyed the evening and received many nice cards and telephone calls.
We had been doing our Christmas shopping earlier so didn’t have much left to do. We sent Christmas cards to each of our grandchildren and some to relatives and friends.
I insisted that Ray buy him a new winter coat and some new shirts. He bought me a dress and some jewelry. We also bought some church books. We bought a new artificial Christmas tree and decorated the front room with lights etc.
It was most discouraging to me not to be able to enjoy Christmas candy etc., but I got through it and I’m glad it’s over for this year. We bought books for each of the families and Marilyn. She also got a new coat, shoes and clothes. So it was a good Christmas, after all.
Because of Jeanne’s work schedule and her family being home, we didn’t get to see her on her birthday, but we called her and visited them. We went over to Joan’s for dinner and it was nice.
We had some rather disturbing news from Brother Dayley of the Deseret Industries. He said Marilyn had worked there long enough and he was letting her go as of January 16, 1998. We tried through Bishop West and President Hansen to change his mind, but he wouldn’t listen, so she is now out of work and at home. It is a little difficult for her, she has worked for so long and been with other people, to be just at home without much to do.
The weather turned off quite warm, so we went out and cleaned some flower beds so the tulips etc. could come up.
I have embroidered 17 pair of pillowcases and have gone to tying some quilts in between typing Patriarchal Blessings.
Stake Conference was March 8, 1998. We only had to attend on Sunday this time, because the Saturday evening was for ward leaders. It was a good meeting Sunday and they had a male chorus that did the special music. Neldon sang in it.
We have had a lot of west wind and it has been cold. Marilyn and I have tried to walk a half a mile everyday. I need to walk because it is supposed to help keep my glucose count down. I have been doing much better, but I don’t eat any cookies of cakes, etc. I have found some good tasting sugar-free candy and that helps. I’ve also found I need to eat less potatoes and apples.
Ray has been kept busy from 10th of March to 31st, he did 10 blessings and that keeps me pretty busy too.
March 20, they had a 50 year celebration for the Heyburn 2nd Ward. The Bishops were honored and all are still active except one who has passed away. It was an enjoyable evening and nice to visit with people we haven’t seen for quite a while. There have been nine Bishops.
March 22, 1998, was an open house for the Stake Tabernacle we used to go to in Rupert, They have added on before, but now have remodeled again. It was started in 1937 and completed in 1941. Many events have we attended in that building before we were organized int Paul Stake. When it was built members donated time as well as money to pay for it. We couldn’t go to it because Ray had blessing scheduled for that night. Elder John A. Widsoe of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles dedicated it in 1941, just one week before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in World War II.
We watched General Conference on TV April 4&5, and as usual all of the talks were very good and we were given much counsel to follow. The music was also beautiful. In between sessions on Sunday they showed a video of President Hinkley’s trip to Africa.
Mary’s husband, Glayde, has pneumonia and he passed away April 10, 1998 in Buhl, Idaho at a long term care facility. Mary didn’t get there before he passed away, but was there soon after. Now he is at peace and out of all the tribulation of Alzheimers disease. His funeral was April 14 and Mary had planned a very nice service for him. The music was good and or course, Glayde always enjoyed music, also the talks were well given and suited Glayde very well. Now Mary doesn’t have to worry either.
April 14, 1998, Trenton and Holly Bailey had a baby boy. They named him Ezra McKay Bailey. He was born at Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley and weighed 8 lbs.
April 16, 1998 was Ray’s 80th birthday. Joan visited in the afternoon. Nolan, Dawna, Neldon and Sharon spent the evening with us and they all had birthday cake and ice cream. Dee Ray called, but he had to take the missionaries to their appointments, so he came over the next night.
We changed from US West Communication to Project Mutual Telephone on April 13 and we also changed for TCI Cablevision to Project Mutual. Our telephone number is 679-8224.
I had dug up weeds etc. to make our flower bed in front better and so we needed to add some dirt to it. We went out to Triple C Concrete pit and got some in the bed of the pickup and then we unloaded it. Marilyn and I are cleaning more weeds out of the flowers on the east side of the house and Ray has cleaned his roses out. Pretty soon we’ll be able to plant some more flowers for summer. We planted some more perennials on the east side and now it’s pretty well filled in. The four o’clocks keep reseeding next to the house. We planted a new bunch of pansies in front and petunias. We planted geraniums, marigold, zinnias, and added some snapdragons to fill the empty places. Of course, we had begonias and Impatiens in the window box.
May 5, 1998, Jalaine and Matt Garner had a baby boy. Both came through real well and we’re happy about that. They named him Heber Vaughn.
Mothers day was May 10th. I received visits, cards, flowers etc. and it was a very nice day. Our riding lawn mower has broken down twice and it gets harder to fix each time. I encouraged Ray to go to Cycle City and look at one that maybe, if necessary, I could operate too. He bought one from Nolan and sold the old one to Nolan’s hired man. The old one didn’t owe us anything, because we had it for a long time and it was used when we bought it. The new one cost $3900.00.
May 27, 1998, Trever and Teresa Bailey had a baby boy born in Provo, Utah. He was named Jared Wayne, and they are doing good also.
May 30, 1998, Jalaine and Matt blessed their baby. They live in Nampa, Idaho.
June 6, 1998, we had a birthday party for Edith Handy, Ray’s oldest sister. She lives in Minidoka Memorial Geriatrics long term care. She is very confused and probably won’t remember we were there. She is being well taken care of and doesn’t have and pain, nor problems with being there, for that we can be thankful.
Sunday, June 7, 1998, Trenton and Holly’s baby boy was blessed by his grandfather, Dee Yeaman, over in Burley.
We turned the vegetable garden over to Dee Ray and Tom, but I still have plenty to do to keep up with flower beds and also typing Patriarchal Blessings. We seem to keep pretty busy with those.
July 2, Marilyn and I made Rhubarb and Apricot jam. It sure looks good, but of course I can’t have any.
July 5, 1998, Trever & Teresa blessed their baby. Dee Ray, Sylvia and all of their family were in Utah for that.
We bought some netting to cover our cherry trees, which have more fruit on that they have ever had. It sure thwarted the birds from eating them.
We had a real hail storm and it damaged our fruit, shredded my flowers and knocked twigs out of the trees. Everything will survive though.
July 13, 1998 Ray, Marilyn and I picked our Semi Sweet cherries and a couple days later we canned them. The bing cherries, we picked and canned about two weeks later.
I finished binding the six quilts that I had pieced and tied earlier in the year. I also finished the eleven baby quilts that I tied. That give me a few more baby quilts than I need right now, but I have used four and will need two more before long.
Nolan bought him a brand new Honda motorcycle in preparation for a couple of trips this year. He came by on Sunday evening, August 2 and took me for a ride around the neighborhood. It is really a nice cycle and I hadn’t ridden behind him for many years.
August 12, 1998, Andrea Heiner flew from Salt Lake Airport to Perth, Russia to spend until Christmas time, teaching kindergarten there. She qualified through BYU in Provo and she was excited about the opportunity. She’ll do well and I hope she is safe and protected.
Our elm trees that have been in our yard, two since the time we moved here, are so old and falling apart. Every time the wind blows they lose twigs and branches and it gets harder for Ray to clean them up. We made arrangements for "Our Father’s Tree Service" to remove and clean up all five of them. He started work on August 14. It took almost two weeks and cost us $1900.00. We sure look naked without those big trees. We had Dee Yeaman come with his backhoe and dump truck to take out the old shrubs etc. and clean up what was left. That cost $100.00. When this was all done, Evergreen Nursery planted 7 hone locust on the west side of the big lawn and 2 greenpeace linden trees on the back lawn. If they grow well we’ll have some more nice trees.
Marilyn and I picked our summer apples and canned them and then we picked apricots and canned them.
We have two peach trees. Ray, Marilyn and I picked those peaches and we canned 56 quarts and also made some jam, so it’s been a good harvest so far.
Marilyn and I cleaned our store room and made room for some canned goods we planned to buy. We took out and sorted all the empty bottles, as well as rearranged the shelves.
Sunday, August 30, 1998, Nolan took us to Melba for Clayton’s mission report and homecoming. He flew back to Boise on August 18. He enjoyed a good mission and he served well in Korea.
Jeanne & Joan planned a family reunion to celebrate Ray & my 80th birthdays and also our 60th wedding anniversary. They held it at the Paul Stake Ball Park. The have a good sized shelter with tables enough for everybody. There was a playground with lost of equipment for the kids and also plenty of grass for ball games etc. We had salads, chicken, rolls, baked beans, watermelon and cookies to eat and Tortilla chips. We ate and visited and for a program each of the children told something bout their childhood and how they felt about life in general. Ray and I also responded with experiences we had . It was an enjoyable afternoon and we also had a photographer take pictures. We counted about 74 of our family there.
September 8, 1998, Paul and Shelly had a baby girl born to them They named her Audrey Anne Heiner.
September 14, 1998, Todd and Traci had a baby boy born to them. They named him Schafer Heiner.
We had picked our prunes, so September 17, we canned them and also made some jam.
Trista and Clint went to the Timpanogos Temple and were sealed on September 19, 1998.
September 21, 1998, was my eightieth birthday. We spent a quiet day, but in the evening most of the kids came down or called and brought some lovely cards etc.
Marilyn helped me clean the store room and from there we determined what we needed to add to have our years supply. We ordered our canned good from Swensen’s Market and put them away. So now our food supply is almost finished, except for canning some apples and storing some in the bins. We will do that later this month.
We watched General Conference on TV October 3 and 4. The Talks were all so interesting and easy to understand. The music was also beautiful.
When I was a Junior in high school, I was accepted into the National Honor Society. Your membership was based on Grades, Character, School spirit, and Personality. You were nominated by members of the Senior Class.
Our graduation class of 1936 had 19 members. We had Baccalaureate Exercises on Sunday Afternoon in our church house and Graduation the following Friday night in the School House. I sang a vocal solo on the program. My Graduation dress was yellow silk, and my dress for Baccalaureate was a white silk with a jacket. These were about my first boughten clothes, and we sent for them from a catalog. In previous years the graduating class was honored with a dance after the exercises, but the faculty decided against that for us, so we were a little upset but couldn't do much about it.
I haven't thought too much about my singing until I started to write this, but I had that opportunity many different times and in many different programs: at Stake Conference, which we held in the Rupert Theater, at a missionary farewell, scout banquets, Sacrament meetings, Sunday School, road shows, weddings, and funerals.
In the spring of 1936, Alfred and I started practicing with an MIA stake chorus that was to go to Salt Lake City to a June Conference Music Festival. We had to learn several songs for the performance. We sang in the Tabernacle. There were about 700 young people of our own age. It was a real thrill.
The summer after graduation was spent picking berries and any other odd jobs that needed doing at home. The only camping trip I was ever on was with Marie King and her folks. They went salmon fishing up to Wood River, It was a good trip and lots of fun. I had a few dates for shows and Saturday night dances.
When fall came and the crops were harvested, my brother Marion's wife Catherine, encouraged me to get a job as a clerk at M. H. King Co. It was Christmas time and I worked in the toy department. After Christmas I worked upstairs, I enjoyed that. It wasn't self-service like it is now. We had a counter to watch and sell items and take the money for, but the boss decided I had too many friends come in on Saturday night to see if I was going to the dance, and he fired me. I only got paid 20 cents an hour. Saturday night was a big night at the Y-Dell Dance hall, and everybody enjoyed a good time. We didn't dance with the same one more than twice unless it was our date, and some times even then it wasn't much more than that. Leonard took me to work and back each day, and he would take me to the dance, unless I had a date. Sometimes he had a date and would take me along anyway. He went to a lot of the dances on Saturday night.
The spring of 1937 I was called as a counselor in the Mutual Improvement Association. The President was Edith Handy, and Claire Holmes was the other counselor. Marie King and I went to June Conference in Salt Lake City. We stayed with the Marshall family who used to live in Heyburn, and we attended meetings on the temple grounds. I remember going to the Sunday morning session in the Tabernacle and hearing them present the Mutual theme. The song that was sung by a quartette was "King Of Glory, He that Hath Clean Hands and a Pure Heart".
It was this summer that Elden and his wife, Ann, and baby Sherry came home from California for a visit. It was the first time since they were married, and it was good to see them. One Sunday afternoon, Ray Bailey came over to pick up Ann to go over to his folks to visit them (she was his cousin). Her father and his mother were brother and sister. While he was waiting for her to get ready to go, I asked him if he was going to the MIA officer's and teachers' party the following Friday night. He told me, "No". Later he said he thought I was trying to get him to take me. He was secretary to the Young Men's President.
In September of 1937 a group of us girls and boys were in Stake Conference in Rupert. It was the afternoon session and held in the Rupert Theater building. As we were leaving, Ray asked if I would go to the Sunday Evening program. It was presented by the Young Men and Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association and I told him I would go with him. That evening as we were going to the Rupert First Ward for the program, we stopped at the stop sign in front of the building, and a policeman pulled up behind us. Through his loud speaker on the car he said "Go to the nearest service station and get the taillight fixed on your car". Ray explained we were going to the meeting, and asked if we could get it fixed later, but the policeman wouldn't let him, so we went to get it fixed. By the time the man finished it, it was too late to go to the church so we went to the movie. That was the first movie on Sunday night, and the only one I can remember, we ever went to. That was our first date.
Because there wasn't much opportunity to work and I wasn't going to college, I had the chance to go to Pocatello and work as a live-in maid for an LDS family. They had a large home, and I had a room in the basement. It was small but the first bedroom of my own I had ever had. I was responsible for getting breakfast, waking up all the children and seeing that those who went to school were ready. Of course, the rest of the day was spent doing housework and tending the two pre-school boys. He was a contractor, as well as a counselor in the bishopric. They did some entertaining and I had to wait on the table and of course, do the dishes. I only worked a couple of months because my mother fell and broke her hip and was taken to Salt Lake City to the hospital. I was needed at home more than I needed to work away.
In February 1938, I was voted queen of our ward Gold and Green Ball. Each ward presented a number for the floor show at the Stake Gold and Green Ball. It was held at the Y-Dell Ballroom in Burley. Our number was called "Winter Wonderland". We made a sleigh with a big white ball in the center. The sleigh was pulled by four boys and four girls in white skater's costumes. Their shoes had wooden skates so they wouldn't scratch the floor. As the sleigh was pulled to the center of the floor, the ball opened up; and I stood up in the center, dressed in a white formal. From the ceiling of the ballroom, small pieces of white paper filtered down to create a snow scene. My brother Alfred Thaxton, sang the theme song, "Winter Wonderland", as this scene was acted out. We made all the white costumes, wooden skates and sleigh and the edges were very well sanded and waxed so they could be pulled easily. We didn't win the prize, but it was a good try. We also had to learn a special dance for the floor show. My partner was John King. I was going with Ray, but because he didn't dance, I had to have a different partner.
When summer came, my brother Jim and his wife Clara, were expecting their first baby. It was a boy born in July in Burley,Idaho. When Clara was able to go home to Pocatello, I went with them and stayed two weeks to do the housekeeping. I picked and canned berries and all the usual work. When I came home from there, I got a job on "Silk-Stocking Row", as we called it. That was the street in Burley where most of the businessmen lived. We worked for a dollar a day, and we did everything from washing clothes to babysitting. One day I ironed 20 white shirts and did vacuuming for a dollar. I was sent over to a house to take care of a little girl with chicken pox, and I was sure I had them when I was a child, but two weeks later I had them myself.
When Ray proposed and I accepted, we didn't make an announcement in the paper of our plans, we just proceeded to get ready. Ray didn't have a steady job, so he decided to try his luck in Utah where his brother Seth, lived. I spent the summer canning fruit, etc. sewing, quilting, and doing housework in Burley.
When Ray came back in August, we decided to get married in November. He didn't have any success getting a job in Utah, but we decided that through the harvest we could manage some money. There weren't many opportunities to work and so we had very little money, but we went ahead anyway. We were both officers in the Mutual and as we went to the meeting on the 14th of November, I told Ray I wasn't feeling very well, and the pain in my side became a little more pronounced as the evening went on. We made it through the meeting and went home. I told my folks I didn't feel good and that I had a pain down the right side. They decided we'd better call the doctor, so Ray, the folks, and I ended up over at the Cottage Hospital; and I was operated on for appendicitis. That changed our plans for marriage in November. While I was in the hospital, Ray brought me my engagement ring. On the night before I was to be released from the hospital, I began to run a temperature, and the doctor said I couldn't go home until they figured out why. But the next morning when the nurse began to give me a bath, she noticed some spots on my back; and then they knew I was coming down with Chicken Pox. The doctor sent me home, and then he came to the house to take the bandages off and the stitches out. Of course, there was chicken pox under the tape; and it almost took skin and all when he removed it.
I recovered quite fast, and we went ahead with plans for December 14 in the Salt Lake Temple. We didn't get much encouragement for a temple wedding, There was no pressure put on us to go. Our parents didn't go to the temple because transportation wasn't readily available. The nearest temple was in Salt Lake City, Utah. It seemed the natural place for us to be married, maybe because Marie King was planning hers for when Eugene Jenks came home from his mission. When we went to Bishop Heiner for our recommend, they were having a bishop's meeting. We went in together, and he put our names and signed his to the recommend without even asking any questions. The only comment he made was that "if we thought the last ten years had gone fast, the next ten would go faster". In fact, people were coming and going out of the office. We didn't even go to the stake president for his signature. Ray's father took our recommend up to him to sign. I sometimes wonder why we felt we should go to the temple when our parents and our leaders were so indifferent about it. A couple of days before we were to go, Ray talked his parents into going, and my mother and Marie King went with me. We went to Salt Lake on Tuesday afternoon. Ray and his parents stayed with his brother Seth in Magna, mama, Marie and I stayed at Uncle Jule's and Aunt Emma's home in Salt Lake. On Wednesday we were to be at the temple by nine o'clock, and we also had to have a marriage license. Ray had car trouble, and was a little late picking me up, but we went to the courthouse and as soon as we got in the door, the people there said, "Oh, you want a marriage license." They really ushered us around to get it. Ray"s father had to sign for him because he wasn't yet twenty one years old.
We were a little late getting to the temple, but my Aunt Martha, mama's sister, was there on time, and she told them we were coming; and they waited for us. We were the only couple going through to be married that day, and they treated us royally. We couldn't have had a more beautiful wedding. We were married by President Stephen L. Chipman.
Uncle Jule, Aunt Emma, and little Emma, who was my age, gave us a reception at their home that evening. Most of the guests were my relatives in Salt Lake City, and they gave us some nice gifts. We had rented a room in a motel uptown for our first night together. Thursday we gathered everybody up and headed for home. It was a snowy day in Utah, but when we got back to Idaho the roads were clear. We left our folks at their homes and went on to Twin Falls to pick up the trailer that Ray had purchased for us to live in. It was being made in Twin Falls and wasn't quite finished when we got there. We waited for them to get it ready, and then we hooked on to it and started back to Rupert. The lights went out on the car, but it was a moonlit night so we continued on home. It wasn't very big, only 8 x 14, but it was very compact; and we had all the furniture in it that we needed. The paint in the inside was still wet so we couldn't sleep in it that night. We stopped at my folks and gathered up some bedding and pulled the trailer on up to Ray's folks, took the mattress off the bed and put it on the floor in the front room, and that's where we spent our second night.
The next day we parked it down in the pasture next to Edith and Ernest Handy's. Ray did the chores for our milk and eggs because Ernest was working away from home at that time. The trailer didn't look like much to most people, but it was ours, and we were comfortable and happy. We didn't own a car. The car we used was Ray's folks. We were only 1/4 mile from town and church so we could walk to our meetings and besides we didn't have any money to spend, and Ray had very little work. Leonard and Alfred gave us a 50 lb. sack of flour and my folks gave us some meat, and Ray's folks gave us groceries, so along with the fruit and vegetables I had canned, we got along quite well. I should describe the trailer. In the front end was a sink with cupboards on both sides and underneath. There was a small cookstove with an oven on one side, and a folding table and two chairs on the other. In the back end was a fold-out couch that made into a bed, and underneath was storage room. Then it had a chest of drawers and a closet. We had room for everything we had. Edith and Ann gave me a shower in the afternoon at the church. We were given many things to help us get started.
When spring came, we moved the trailer up to the orchard at Bailey's so Ray could begin farming. We lived there about two months and then sold the trailer and moved into Edith and Ernest’s home. They moved to where Ernest was working, and we rented the house for $18.00 a month.
It seemed like a long summer because Ray was working on the farm from early morning till late at night. I didn't have any transportation and really didn't need any because I didn't have any place to go. We had only enough furniture to be comfortable, no appliances such as washing machine or sewing machine, no need for a vacuum since there was no carpeting. I did my washing either at my mother's or Ray's mother's and on the same day as they washed. I went to my mother's to do my sewing, which didn't amount to much. I was expecting our first baby and had to wait until we could harvest some crops to have the money to buy material for diapers, etc. We had some friends, Wilford and Idella Wilcox, Verdean and Dora Stoddard who had been married longer, and each had a child of their own. They each had a car and would come and visit us, or pick us up and go visit the other couple.
After the crops were harvested, we moved down to George Stalnaker's home. They were spending the winter in California and needed someone to take care of their home and milk their herd of cows and feed the pigs. It didn't pay us much money, but it was a winter job, and jobs were hard to find. Ray's brother, Charles, was also gone for the winter and he loaned us his car to use.
We were expecting the baby around the first of January. The last day of December was on Sunday. I didn't feel like going to church, but by afternoon the day was becoming kinda long so we called up Verdean and Dora, Wilford and Idella, Eugene and Marie Jenks, John and Mildred King and decided we'd see the New Year in together. We toasted some cheese sandwiches and fixed oyster stew and enjoyed visiting. They all went home about 1:30 o'clock and we went to bed. About 3 o'clock in the morning I began to have labor pains, and we knew it was time for the expected baby. About six o'clock we went over to the hospital. At 3:30 o'clock that afternoon we were the parents of a baby girl. We named her Irma Jeanne. I stayed in the hospital for ten days, and Ray had made arrangements for Wilford and Idella to stay with us so she could take care of me and the baby for a week. When babies were born then, we were kept in bed for ten days and brought home in an ambulance. The babies were two weeks old before we were allowed to be up any length of time. Jeanne was a healthy baby, and was getting along quite well when they finally let me up to do my own work.
We had to begin preparing for another move because Ray was going back to farming and the Stalnaker's were coming home. We decided to build a two room house in the pasture up at Ray's folks. My brother, Leland, helped Ray and they built it. The motel we stayed in when we were married had a wall bed in it, so we decided to put one in our house, that way, we had a living room, and at night it would be a bedroom. On that wall the bed was in the middle and clothes closets on each side. It wasn't a big house but it was comfortable, new and ours.
Summer was uneventful except we knew we were expecting another baby. We knew when the crops were harvested this year we were going to have to find some other way of making a living. To pay rent for a farm wasn't leaving us enough money to live on and we didn't have money to buy one. I was having a few complications in carrying the baby; and when January came, the doctor was watching me very closely. I went in for my checkup the first week in February; and he told me if my blood pressure continued to rise, they would have to take the baby. February 5 they admitted me to the hospital, the doctor said we couldn't take any more chances--it was going to have to be born that day. I was given the usual medicine and shots that were used at that time, and at 6 o'clock in the evening we had another little girl. She was one month premature and weighed 5 lb 3/4 oz. I stayed in the hospital ten days and was taken by ambulance to my folk's home so my mother could take care of me and the baby we named Joan. Jeanne was being taken care of by Grandma Bailey. Joan was very small, and the doctor had me weigh her everyday to see that she gained weight. She had the problem of choking real easy, and he was concerned about it. Babies that are born at nine months have a thymus gland that disappears naturally, but in a premature baby like Joan, it sometimes gives them a problem. When she was three weeks old, he had me watch her breathing constantly, all night as well, and it was decided we'd have to take her to Salt Lake City to an x-ray specialist. My brother Leonard took Ray and I and Joan to Salt Lake. After the x-ray treatment, which only lasted a matter of seconds, she never choked again. When she was a month old, she had gained to nine pounds and was a very healthy baby. I was finally able to go back to our own home. and we were all together under one roof at last.
It was while I was in the hospital and Ray was looking for work that he came up with the idea of buying a gas station to operate. We had two milk cows and two calves. The cows were given to us by our parents when we got married and we decided to sell them to get the money to buy the station. We also sold our car to Dick and Nola Evans for what we still owed on it. Our parents didn't exactly approve of us selling the cows because they were both farmers and felt like we were giving up the only security we had for any kind of a living. Ray began almost immediately in the service station, and he was gone from early morning until late at night. It became a routine of life. I still had to go home to my folks to wash and sew. One morning the car stalled and it was very cold weather. I had Jeanne about 1 ½ years and Joan about 6 months old. I couldn't leave them in the car alone so I carried Joan and Jeanne part of the time to the nearest house so I could call for help. I finally got home and started on my projects. It would take all day to get them done because in doing mine, I also helped my mother do hers. The water had to be pumped by hand and heated on the stove in a big copper bottomed boiler that took up half of the top of the cookstove.
It was a lot of lifting and carrying of water and wet clothes. We had to make our clothes last a week. We couldn't wash two or three times a week so it made a big day when we did. I did a lot of canning and picking of berries, cherries, and vegetables from our parents orchards and gardens.
In November of 1941 we heard of a 40 acre farm with a large house for sale at $3000.00. There wasn't much of anything but sand dunes around the house, but we thought it was a chance to have our own ground and it was a lot closer to Ray's business, so we made arrangements to buy it. We sold our little house to Ray's brother, Norman, and moved our few belongings into the new home on December 6 1941. It had two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, very large front room, a back porch and one small room off of it. We were the first of any of our family to have a home with a bathroom. We bought with the house a bedroom set, a dining room table and chairs, a davenport, and one end of the living room had a wool rug on it. The rest was linoleum. There weren't any closets in the bedrooms--they were located in the hall between the bedrooms and opposite the bathroom. It was more closet space than we had ever had in all our lives. The kitchen was very small with a sink in one end, a cookstove in the middle, and cabinets on the other end. It was about six by eight feet. The living room had lots of tall windows and only a coal heater in the end. The winter was cold, and we had to stay in the end by the stove to keep warm. We were grateful to have a job, a home, and that we were all healthy. Ray's father made the comment, " that we would never be able to pay for all of that in our lifetime".
When summer came, it was hard to find anyone to work in the service station while Ray made deliveries to the farmers, so we hired a babysitter and I worked at the station. My first experience of waiting on cars was really humorous. Ray showed me on our pickup where the dipstick to check the oil was and gave me a few general instructions, and then he left to make some deliveries. This was something entirely new in my life. Soon after he left, a couple of girls came in and they wanted their oil checked. I found the dipstick alright, and they had their own can of oil, but I couldn't remember where the oil cap was to put the oil in and they didn't know as much as I did. Anyway, I poured the can of oil down into the little hole the dipstick came out of. If you don't think that requires a steady hand, you better try it sometime. Ray had a good laugh over it and of course, I never forgot where the oil cap was after that. I learned how to put a car on the hoist to grease it, and change the oil, and even how to fix flat tires. We had a pump installed in the back of the station for diesel, and that's how the truck business began. I waited on some of those and climbed the ladder to fill the tanks and wash the windows of the trucks. It was quite an experience, but when fall came we were able to find some help and I was glad to go back to being a housewife again. I was also expecting our third baby that time. Sometime during that summer we managed to make a down payment on an electric Singer sewing machine. I don't remember when we bought our washing machine, but it was a Speed Queen and it had double rinse tubs, also we had a used refrigerator in the back porch. It seems we had conveniences that we had hoped for when we got married. I was washing in the back porch and Jeanne and Joan were in the house, when I came in to check on them, there they stood in the kitchen. Jeanne had given Joan a hair cut. She had cut all through the middle and left a little long hair on each side. I didn't dare laugh, but I couldn't scold them either because Joan looked so funny. She didn't have much hair to begin with.
Our third baby decided to arrive about three weeks early because I had some of the same problems I had with Joan. When that day arrived, April 9, 1943, I asked our neighbor, Lola Jensen, if she would send Reed on his bicycle down to the corner to call Ray on the phone and have him come home. Ray almost got home before Reed got back on his bicycle. Anyway. we went to the Rupert Hospital and the baby was born before Doctor Moelmer could get there, and I didn't get into the delivery room. The baby was a 6 lb boy, and we named him Dee Ray. I was only in the hospital 36 hours and it cost us $38.00. Again I came home in the ambulance to stay in bed for ten days. My mother was staying with us to take care of the girls and us. Dee Ray was small but healthy, and we recovered quite rapidly and went about our business of taking care of ourselves pretty fast. Spring came early that year, and we decided it was time to try our hand at gardening and yard work. Even though we had forty acres, we weren't really equipped to do much farming. Our biggest problem was how to get water down to the house because the soil was so sandy and we didn't have much of a ditch to carry it from the main lateral, which was down on the end of the property. In fact, that ditch was the plague of our lives for many years. Because the soil was sandy and it was a long way to the yard, it would break easily and we would grab a shovel and some gunny sacks or fertilizer sacks to fill with sand and pile on top of each other to mend the ditch. You couldn't shovel dirt alone fast enough to stop the water from washing the hole bigger. Needless to say, we didn't raise a very good garden for a year or longer. I've got ahead of my story because it took until longer than that before we got water we could use like we needed it.
There was an old barn and some sheds on the property when we moved there and we decided we needed to build a granary over a basement to put our pump in for our house. The pump was under the house but the back was just open enough that the pump would freeze in the winter. In this basement we could store potatoes etc. for our supplies. I was out helping Ray put down a sand point for the pump and that left the three kids in the house.
Dee Ray was only about three weeks old and was asleep in the cradle, which was a swinging one on a stand in our bedroom, he began to fuss so Jeanne decided to see what his problem was and when I came back in the house, she had him out on our bed to change his diaper. I don't know how she got him out of that cradle without dropping him because it was as tall as she was, but he wasn't hurt and she was only concerned that he was fussing about something. Dee Ray had a lot of earaches when he was three months old and it took some time for us to clear that up. I also was expecting another baby and we had to put him on the bottle. The doctor had us put him on cow's milk, but it didn't agree with him too well. Even though we did everything the doctor said he couldn't digest it and so he didn't gain weight like he should have. I had never had a baby on a formula so I didn't know one, and the doctor didn't think it was necessary for Dee. Just before our forth baby was born, we moved Al's wife Bea and baby in to stay with us and take care of the family while I was in the hospital. Al was in the Air Force overseas so Bea couldn't go with him. While she was with us, we took the formula she gave Patty and put Dee on it. Then he began to perk up and gain weight. This was the summer that I began wearing glasses and I've never been without them.
We had lots of room around our house but it wasn't very neat. In fact, it was mostly weeds, sand and cut down trees. Every summer we tried to clean it up a little more. We built a chicken coop on to the granary and when it was finished the back yard looked a little better. There was a pile of wood beside the house and it needed to be moved. The only equipment we had was a two-wheeled trailer so me and the kids proceeded to put wood in it and pull it out by hand to the granary to pile it up. After much tugging and pulling and many trips we got it cleaned up, so we made a little more improvement in the looks of our yard. Dee was three months old when we went to an evening session at the Logan Temple where Mary Bailey and Glayde Wilcox were married. That was the first time since we were married that we had been able to attend the Temple.
Again I went to the Rupert Hospital to have our fourth baby on April 23, 1944. She was born before they got me to the delivery room, because the Doctor decided he needed to go home, but he didn't get gone soon enough and she was born in the bed. We named her Marilyn. She was a healthy, easily tended baby. I came home from the hospital in an ambulance, but I didn't stay in bed the full ten days. It seemed like all my time was spent washing, ironing, cooking, and sewing, but there were many other things to do, too. Ray worked long hours, but we did manage to hire a babysitter and take in a movie once in a while.
There was the usual housework, canning and trying to grow a small garden and a few flowers. We attended church quite regularly, although Ray worked a lot of Sundays.
This small kitchen we had was a problem, and we talked about how to solve it. Ray didn't have any time to do anything about it and we really didn't have the money to hire a carpenter to remodel it. I was expecting another baby, and the fact that when we opened the oven door it was so close to the opposite wall, I was always afraid one of the little ones would get burned. Besides, it was very inconvenient. The porch that joined on to the kitchen was almost twice as big, and the little room to the east could be used easier, also. One night when we were talking about it, I asked Ray if I would be alright if I tried to take the wall out. He said he guessed I could. Next morning he went off to work as usual, and so I started to examine the wall. The door between the rooms wasn't hard to get off, and so pretty soon I had a good start. The kids were all under five years old, but they helped, too. That part of the house had been added on, and the inside wall was tongue and groove wood, so when you took off the top board, it wasn't to hard to pry the next ones. The other side of the wall was lathe and plaster. My biggest problem was that the electric wiring was also in this wall. I only had a hammer, prybar, and hand saw for equipment. Ray didn't usually come home for lunch so we had a long day to work
on it. When he came home that night about 10'oclock, he came in the back door on the west side and could see clear through into the front room. He said "What in the world have you been doing?". I said, "You told me I could see what I could do, and I did it." The next day I had to finish what I started. It didn't look all that great because it left it like an unfinished seam, but it sure felt good to have a little more room and the table and chairs in the kitchen instead of the living room. We hired J. B. Fairchild, to come down and do a little work to make it look better, and it was quite an improvement. As I mentioned, I always canned lots of fruit and vegetables, and knowing the new baby was expected in September, I finished all my canning the first week and waited until the 28th of September for his arrival. When I went to the hospital this time, Dr. O.A. Moelmer said, "I think I'll have you walk to the delivery room--it seems you know how to get them here in a hurry." So that’s what I did. That was the only time I saw the delivery room in the Rupert Hospital. Grandma Bailey came down and helped with the washing and housework for a couple of days when I came home from the hospital.
As our family was growing and we only had small bedrooms, we thought the best way and least cost would be to put the house over a full basement. It sat back where our back lawn is now, so it was a quite a way from the road. We hired Horace Reeves, our neighbor, to bring his team of horses down and dig the hole for the basement. Ray helped whenever he could. It was pretty hard to do because the ground was so sandy it caved back in about as fast as they dug it out. Eventually, after a lot of hard work, they got it dug and started to put in the forms. When they poured the walls, it wasn't already mixed cement. It had to be mixed in a mixer and poured from a wheelbarrow as fast as they could work. We had quite a crew of men to do it. That was as far as we could go that summer, and so it cured, and hoped it would be alright until we had enough money to go further.
Jeanne and Joan came down with the measles about the middle of the summer. Joan was extremely ill. Dr. Terhune came out to the house and gave Dee Ray, Marilyn, and Lamar a shot so they didn't have them so bad. It was six weeks before we could go anywhere. The weather was so hot and dry, and it was very hard to keep those who were sick comfortable.
We read about a new way to keep meat and vegetables, etc. Because we had a full basement, we made plans to buy this chest-type freezer. I froze corn on the cob and put down fruit in small boxes, especially sliced peaches, and then we had some meat, too.
We didn't have carpeting, only linoleum, to cover the floors. Of course, this required washing and waxing. One way to make them look better was to varnish them. I moved the beds out of the kid's bedroom and varnished the floor with the idea that by night it would be dry, and we could put them back in place. It didn't dry very good, and the kids were put to bed in the front room, They were tumbling and playing around when Marilyn, who was a little chunky, began to cough and have the croup. Ray and I worked for over an hour doing everything we had ever heard of to get her to breathe and to break that cough. She was wringing wet with sweat and limp as a rag when we got it broke and she could breathe normally. We were almost as worn out as she was.
Jeanne and Joan had their tonsils out in 1946. Jeanne came along fine, but Joan had to be taken to the hospital and her throat packed because her throat started to bleed. After that she healed up alright, too.
Jeanne started first grade in September of this year, 1946. It was a new experience to have our first one go to school, but she did very well. In February of 1947, we made arrangements to have the house moved over onto the basement. When the movers came, they said all we needed to take was the clothes we would need for the day because we'd be back in the house by night. Ray took me and the four kids out to my folks, and we had Jeanne come out there on the school bus. When evening came, we checked on the house, but it was only partly lifted up and we could hardly get in the back door to get some clothes because the house was sitting one side higher than the other. Grandpa and Grandma Thaxton didn't have much room--two small bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen and front room. For seven people to move in with them made it really crowded. We made out the couch in the front room and that was where the four kids slept, crosswise on the bed. Lamar, being a little over a year, slept with us. It was five months before we were able to move back home. Needless to say, it was an expensive remodeling job, and we went back into a house that was nothing like we moved out of. While we lived at the Thaxton's, the kids all had the chicken pox and the mumps right after.
Joan seemed to have all the diseases harder than the rest. Marilyn had attacks of croup that were really bad, and I didn't feel as well as I should. I went to the Doctor for a checkup and was treated for anemia, which is a condition of not enough red blood cells in the blood. That was the beginning of many years of this blood condition, in fact, off and on the rest of my life.
We used a lot of our own supplies from home and also bought most of the groceries while we lived with my folks. Each time we would bring corn on the cob or sliced peaches from the freezer, my dad would say we were spoiling him because he really enjoyed the food.
I mentioned the house was different. The hall was torn out and rebuilt, and closets put in the bedrooms, also drawers in the bathroom, and a bedding closet in the small bedroom. The kitchen was completely changed. I had new cabinets, new windows, and the walls were all plaster. It wasn't all completed when we came home, but it was done enough that we could move into the basement. What furniture we had already had been moved into the basement so they could work upstairs and so we could cook and wash and sleep there even though it wasn't finished. Ray didn't sleep very well because he couldn't stand the basement, and it was costing so much more than we expected, that financially we didn't know how we could pay for it. We decided we would have to get a loan, so we borrowed $4,700.00 from Utah Mortgage and Loan Co. That doesn't sound like much for all the changes that were made, but in those days it was a lot of money. The floors were pretty dirty where they had spilled plaster, but I managed to scrub and scrape enough of it off that we could move upstairs. I painted the entire upstairs and each room because it was new plaster and had to have sealer, undercoating, and a finish coat. We couldn't afford any new floor covering so we made do with the old.
I know it sounds like all we did was work, and that was about right. It was hard times--we only had ourselves to do the work and build a business, and it was still long hours. Even though we spent long hours to make a living, we were happy. We also had some positions in the church. I had been a Primary secretary and then a counselor, and we always attended Sunday School and Sacrament Meeting. We made arrangements for a babysitter and attended the Special Interest Group in Mutual. I participated in a women's chorus and also in the choir at different periods of time.
Now that we had the house remodeled and pretty well finished, it was time once again to try to do something about the yard. We only had patches of grass, and the yard on the west was mostly alfalfa. We hired a man to bring his team and fresno over and level the ground around the house and to the road on the west and north. It made a big yard, but we couldn't leave it like it was. We put down a well south of the house and planted the yard in grass.
It was hard work to keep it anywhere near watered. The ground was so sandy, and the wind would blow, and the pump would run out of water. So, it wasn't easy to get it to grow. Little by little, it started to come up and begin to turn green. If anybody had struggled like I did to keep that grass from burning up, they would know why I have always said they couldn't plow it up unless I was dead and gone. When it was time to start mowing that grass which, of course was the following summer, we bought a garden tractor with a mower attachment. We also had the equipment to plow, harrow, and cultivate a garden. It wasn't so hard to get the garden planted, but we still had to get the water from the lateral up in the field. We did manage to grow a pretty good garden, but the berry plants didn't survive too well because they take a lot of water. We also raised chickens and pigs. After attempting to have a milk cow and finding it a real problem to get her milked, we sold her and bought milk from Howard and Lola Jensen.
One reason we decided on the chicken project was because we had been instructed to have a two years supply of food, etc., on hand. We hoped the added income would help us achieve this goal. It provided us with eggs, fried chickens, and a job. Money, over and above the feed, was very little. Farming wasn't too successful either because we didn't have enough equipment so we rented it out to different neighbors.
Number 6 was added to our family on June 2 1948. We named him Nolan. He arrived at Cottage Hospital in the delivery room, but before Dr. Terhune got there. The nurse who was helping me really got a scotch blessing from the Doctor. Nolan was healthy and we went home in the car in five days. We had a hired girl but I didn't have to spend as much time in bed as with the other children.
In August of 1948 we left Nolan with Ray's sister Mary, and hired Arlene Handy to stay with the rest of the kids and we took my mother and father down to Southern Utah. My father's first wife and baby boy were buried in Tropic, Utah, and he was concerned about getting a headstone for their graves. We helped him get it placed and they showed us around. We took them to look up an old friend, and he told them about people that they knew when they lived there many years ago. We went through Bryce Canyon, and my dad was really happy to see the places he had known as a young man and we were glad to take them. We also took them to see relatives on his side that he hadn't seen in many years, so he got to do some visiting of people that he never expected to see again.
The winter of 1948 was one we will probably never forget. In the fall we bought a Bendix automatic washer and an ironer. I didn't have to stand over the washer and I could sit down to iron. It was really a great time-saver and improvement. When the weather turned cold, we put clotheslines in the basement to hang the clothes up. We had snow and cold weather before Christmas; but after the first of the year, we really had snow. We were snowed in. The roads were blocked, and the drifts were five feet deep.
We couldn't get our car out of the driveway, and the only way Ray could get to work was to walk. The snow plows would clear the roads and we would get fuel oil for the stove, and we got the car out once. We left it up on the highway and walked to it and back. Of course, the children and I didn't leave the house. If the roads were plowed out in the daytime, by night they could be blocked again. It was the most snow we had since I was going to High School. The farmers couldn't get their milk hauled unless they rigged up a sleigh and took it up to the main road. There was no danger of it becoming sour. It was too cold for that. Joan's birthday was February 5, and she wanted a birthday party. So we planned one, hoping the weather would be good; but only one little boy came. He had to walk on top of the drifts from the highway. They had fun, but it was a little disappointing. We were grateful we had a warm house, plenty of food, and no sickness. It seemed like a long winter but it did turn into spring.
I don't remember which year it was we raised sugar beets, but we did, and we had them thinned by a crew from the prisoner of war camp. When we harvested beets, they were done by hand. Each beet was picked up with a long bladed knife that had a hook on the end. You held it in one hand and chopped the leaves off with the knife, and then threw them into a pile. The truck came along and you stopped and threw the beets from the pile into the truck. Before trucks and when I was at home, we used a team and wagon. When they invented the tractor, it was quite an improvement over horse and wagon.
The spring of 1949 we thought maybe we could do as well on the farm if we bought a used tractor and farmed it ourselves. Ray was operating the station 24 hours a day. He had a driver on the truck and had some help in the station. He worked nights and on the farm in the morning. While he slept in the afternoon before going to work, I would run the tractor. I learned to plow, harrow, plant, and corrugate grain. That was our main crop but we had some corn, too. I spent the summer, along with the chores, irrigating the grain. This was the year the ditch broke the most and we mended it with sandbags. We did have some good crops.
One day when I was out harrowing I saw a man coming across the field. Across the road from us was vacant property and it was full of sand hills from the wind. This man, a Mr. Parea, had his car stuck in the sand and he came for some help. When he got close and I got off the tractor, he said "You’re a girl." and I said "Yes I am." He explained what he needed but he was embarrassed to ask me to help him. I told him I'd try, so I unhooked the harrow and went over where his car was stuck. I already had a chain on the tractor, so I hooked onto the car and pulled it out. He was ever so grateful and offered to pay me but I didn't take any money. He was there to get sand to mix with the heavy dirt in his flower beds over to Burley.
When I was home and we had deep snow I had seen my dad with his team of horses pull many a car that was stuck and lots of times it was in the middle of the night. He never took any money for it either.
Soon after the trip we took to Utah, my father's health seemed to fail. The Doctor said he had an enlarged heart, and that he would have to quit working. It was very hard for him to have someone else do the chores and take over his farm. My brother, Leonard, and his wife and family lived right next to them in a little house. Leonard had always helped dad, so he took over the work. In June, my brothers and Maneta and their families all came home for a family reunion. It was the first time we had all been together since we had grown up. We took pictures and had dinner and visited. My dad wasn't very well then. On August 16, 1949, he passed away from a stroke, He would have been 78 years old in November. We buried him in Riverside Cemetery in Heyburn.
February of 1950 we took Ray's mother and father and went to California. Bill Bischoff and his wife stayed with the kids. Bill also worked at the station. We got down to Maneta's home, and she was gone so we spent the time with Ray's Uncle Sam and Aunt Hannah and my niece, Violet, and her family. We went from Los Angeles to Sacramento and visited with my brother, Jim, and his family. We really enjoyed the trip.
We have never found ourselves without plenty to do either in business, farming or church positions.
Spring of 1950 we planted the thirty acres to potatoes. The ground had been leveled and the ditch changed. Gerald Handy did the irrigating and we raised some beautiful potatoes.
For the past few years we had an oil stove for heat, but we decided to have an oil furnace installed, and we hoped to get enough from the potatoes to pay for it. They started harvesting the potatoes--some were picked by hand, and some were dug and run over a harvester. It was the forerunner of the spud harvesters of today. We were expecting our seventh, so I stayed pretty close to the house. They finished installing the furnace on Saturday, October 28. The house seemed like a mess, but I thought on Monday I could get it straightened up. Monday morning Ellen Bailey helped me move the furniture into the middle of the floor; and then she went out to work on the harvester, leaving her little boy, Earl, to play with Nolan. I started the washer and did some cleaning, but before I could get clothes on the line, it was raining slightly. It rained off and on all day, and they hauled potatoes until about midnight. When Ray came home, we went to bed; but before we got to sleep, I told Ray we'd better get our clothes on and go to the hospital. He asked me if he had time to shave and I said "No, we'd better hurry". We made it to the hospital and our seventh was born at 1:40 o'clock on October 31, 1950. We named him Neldon. Dr.Terhune was out of town so Dr. Davis took his place. I was in the hospital for five days.
I came home on Saturday and as the kids were getting their baths before going to bed, it was noticed that Nolan had a slight fever. I began to check him over and found that he was coming down with chicken pox. He didn't have them very bad, but Neldon had them at two weeks of age. He really only had a couple on him so he wasn't sick either. Neldon was healthy and so was I, even though I had walked down to the end of the field to get Nolan and Earl, the day before Neldon was born and I felt like a circus tent moving around. It didn't take long for us to be a normal household again. It was so nice to have heat all through the house, and we really spent a comfortable winter.
We had our ups and downs in business and in the spring of 1951, it looked like we couldn't continue. We were unable to pay the gas company for our supplies at the station, and we couldn't collect all that was owed to us, so we were broke and had to start over. Grandpa and Grandma Bailey thought we had it so good that we'd starve to death without the business, but I told them I had lived through a depression, and I knew how to get along with very little money.
The kids had outgrown the one bedroom upstairs and so we moved Jeanne, Joan, and Marilyn into one room and Dee Ray and Lamar into another. We didn't have enough beds but we had a frame, and Howard and Lola Jensen gave us an old mattress to use and we put it on some boards. We had bunk beds upstairs so we took one bunk downstairs for Marilyn.
Jeanne, Dee Ray and I made her a mattress by filling a bag I made with clean straw. I had some feather ticks my mother had made and these made the beds a little better. They weren't the best beds but they would do until we could afford better ones.
Ray found a job as a car salesman for Sampson Motor Co. in Burley. He made $300.00 a month and had to buy his own Hudson for a demonstrator. The car payment was $98.00, so we had about $200.00 left to live on. He sold cars for about a year, and then he had a job at Feeders Grain and then a job at Moron Fertilizer. In August of 1952 he took the night shift at a new Phillips service station in Burley. This kind of work was his first love. While he worked at the grain company was the only time we had regular working hours. I knew when he had to be to work, and when he got off, and how much money we had. To help out our finances, I got a job cutting potatoes for about a month in the spring. I did this for three different years.
In June of 1953 Ray leased a station in Rupert from Phillips Petroleum Co. C. E. Smith was the jobber who he bought product from. He was back in the service station business for himself.
We settled back into the routine of long hours and doing everything for ourselves to make a go of it. We had learned one valuable lesson from before and that was not to put money on the books but to have good cash customers. Just having a service station and not trucking accounts, made it easier to do. It took a while to get it going, but with perseverance and ambition, it started to pay off.
My brother James, lived in Sacramento, California. He and his wife Clara, were divorced; and their son Jimmy lived with her. My brother became ill at Christmas time but because he had ulcers, he figured they were acting up. When he finally went to the doctor, he had a ruptured appendix. They operated on him but couldn't save him because peritonitis had already filled him with infection and he passed away January 3, 1954. Leonard, Marion, Alfred, my mother and I went down but he had already passed away when we got there. They had some services in California but his body was brought back and we had funeral services over to Payne Mortuary in Burley and he was buried in Pleasant View Cemetery in Burley, Idaho.
In 1955 we took our first real vacation by ourselves. We went to Yellowstone Park. We were gone three days and vowed then we would take one every year. That part we didn't stick with. We had a used Hudson we bought. We had bought our first living room set and bedroom sets before we left, but we left the kids on their own and really enjoyed ourselves. Neldon had a broken elbow from falling from a wheelbarrow.
We continued to have chickens, and we always got little chicks early in the spring, and then we had fryers ready to eat by the last of June. Sometimes Ray wasn't available to chop their heads off, so I had to, until Dee and Lamar got big enough to do it. When we killed and put chickens in the freezer, Jeanne and I did most of the skinning. Dee and Lamar caught and cut their heads off, and Joan did a lot of the washing of them in the house. I always had to clean them outside because I couldn't stand the smell. The only ones I picked was the half dozen I sold to my mother. She didn't like hers skinned. Dee Ray had to try his hand at picking, also. It was always a relief to have the roosters taken care of, and then we only had the hens to lay the eggs. Of course, we had to clean the coop once in awhile, which was a chore; but there weren't many ways to make a living that didn't have a few disadvantages.
We had rented the farm ground out to different people the last few years; and it was becoming apparent that there wasn't much money being made by having chickens, cows, pigs, or farming, so we bent our labors in different channels.
One Sunday afternoon, Joan and her girlfriend, Beth Hunsaker, were making taffy candy, Joan started to move the candy off the stove and the handle of the frying pan twisted and poured the hot taffy down the front of her skirt and legs onto her feet. I attempted to get the taffy loose with water, but it took skin off, too. I called Dr. Terhune, and he said to bring her to the hospital. They cleaned it off the best they could and swathed her legs in bandages. She was in the hospital for a couple of days and then in bed for about three months. One place on her foot had to have skin grafting done so she was in the hospital again. It was a very serious burn and very painful. It was a very expensive batch of taffy, besides all the misery Joan went through. It cost $200.00 for her Doctor bill.
We had a few minor accidents as the kids were growing up. Dee Ray was making a swing and the rope broke. Jeanne and I carried him into the house and then took him to the hospital and they found his back was badly bruised. Dee was teasing Joan, she went to chase him and tripped over a foot stool. The result was three ribs pulled loose, which was also very painful. The only broken bone anybody had was Neldon when he was three years old. For a family of seven active kids, we really had very few problems with their health. Of course, Nolan cut his feet a few times because he didn't want to wear his shoes, so I kept a bottle of peroxide, ointments and bandages handy.
In the spring of 1956, my mother fell and crushed a vertebrae in her spine. She was put in a body cast and so was unable to do for herself. We fixed the small bedroom upstairs for her and I took care of her for about three months and then she was able to go back home.
I was having a few problems with my health, Dr. Terhune said I was going to have to have major surgery. All of the children were in school except Neldon. I did some extra sewing and baking, and on Monday October, 30, 1956, I had the surgery. So I spent Neldon's sixth birthday in the hospital and Ray had to get the birthday and Halloween treats for the kids. Neldon went with his dad to the station in the daytime until I came home on Saturday from the hospital. It took me about three weeks before I was able to do much work, but Jeanne and Joan did very well at taking care of the house.
Money had never been plentiful and the older the kids got, the more it took. In February of 1957 I applied for a job making draperies for J. C. Penney Co. I could do this work and still be at home. It was slow starting at first but every little bit helped. A little later in the spring, there was an ad for a maid at the Y-Dell Motel, so I applied for that. It wasn't hard work and usually I left about the time the kids went to school and was home when they got home. Of course, in the summer they had to take care of themselves. I had to work some Sundays and holidays, which I didn't like. I worked at the motel for one year and made some drapes, too. One day my mother, who lived alone, fell and was unable to get back up on her feet, so she lay on the floor for several hours before Leonard found her. She was taken to the hospital and examined, but there didn't seem to be any injuries. Anyway, she was unable to walk, and we tried to hire a lady to live in with her and take care of her. It was quite a problem so I quit my job at the motel; and once again, we made the little room into a room for Grandma. I moved all of her belongings we could into our house and I took care of her. She was in a wheelchair, and it was a little difficult to wheel her around, but we managed. I didn't do this without a few misgivings because she wasn't easy to get along with. It was a matter of not having any choice and I was the one to do it.
Jeanne graduated from High School in May of 1958. She wanted to go to business college. We made arrangements for her and Darlene Bailey to go to Twin Falls Business College. They rented an apartment and went to college during the week. Friday nights we'd bring them home and take them back on Monday morning. From June 1958, until March 1959, I washed , ironed, sewed and what have you for eleven people and made draperies on the side. As the State was buying a good part of Mother's farm and what was left belonged to Leonard, when he payed the rest of the family for it, it was decided she should have enough money to build a room on our house for her. We hired some builders and they made a room with a bath and bedroom combination. In December 1958 we moved her into the new room. It was carpeted, draped and seemed to be comfortable, but I couldn't seem to make my mother happy with it.
Jeanne became engaged to Lynn Heiner and they set a wedding date for March, so now there was a wedding to prepare for--dresses to make, etc. She graduated from college in March 1959 and on March 4, 1959, they were married in the Idaho Falls Temple. It was a beautiful wedding and reception and we were happy for them. They moved to Provo, Utah for Lynn to go to college but soon came back to Heyburn so Lynn could work in his father's business, and Jeanne got a job as a legal secretary.
May of 1959 Joan graduated from High School. She won a scholarship to Darrell's College of Beauty in Salt Lake City, Utah. We made arrangements for her to live in Salt Lake and go to school.
It seemed like our farm was too small for anybody to rent and we had already sold the lower acreage to Horace Reeves, we decided to change it to a subdivision. There was a lot of problem that came with that decision, but we put in a central water system and sold some lots for houses.
Summer came and went and as fall began, it seemed harder for me to keep up with caring for my mother. My sister, Maneta and her husband Guy, came up from California for a visit and she thought maybe Ray and I could take a vacation; but because of business and school and the boys trying to work, too, we couldn't leave. They stayed with us for about three weeks and she said she was almost glad I couldn't leave because she couldn't keep up with it all.
Late in the fall, my brother, Leland, came out and put in a bell from Grandma's bed into our house. Previous to this, she just rang the telephone; but it seemed to be better if she could just ring the bell when I was needed. After the holidays were over, her health wasn't as good, and for ten days I didn't get more than a half-hours sleep at a time. Dr. Terhune advised me to put her in the nursing home, because I wasn't physically able to do it any longer, and so I told my brothers what I needed to do. She had lived with our family for almost two years.
Jeanne and Lynn were living in Heyburn and their first baby, Shelly, was born January 30, 1960.
I practiced once a week with a group of Singing Mothers, a Relief Society Chorus, and in October for general conference we sang in the Tabernacle. It was a great experience and I truly enjoyed it.
Joan graduated from college in March and moved back home to get a job in Burley as a beauty operator. Joan and Norman Ashby were married in the Idaho Falls Temple on December 8, 1960. It was a beautiful wedding and reception. Joan made her own wedding dress and most of the other dresses, too. They lived in Burley, where Norman was a lineman for the City of Burley; and Joan worked in a beauty shop.
Todd, was born to Jeanne and Lynn on April 9, 1961. Jeanne stayed with us for a few days and I helped take care of them.
When we first went into the gas business, there was talk of an interstate highway being built; and it would go through my dad's farm. Ray had talked to him about buying a location from him. He passed away before it ever became a reality, but Leonard owned the land, and it wasn't big enough for a farm anymore so he sold it to us. This was a dream of Ray's for many years to have a station on that highway. In 1961 he began promoting the idea and he sold Phillips Petroleum Co. on it. He became a jobber and they loaned us the money to build the "Hub 66 Service."
My mother had been living in the nursing home and getting along quite well; but in September of 1961 she had a stroke that left her an invalid, not knowing anyone and unable to do anything for herself. She lived in this condition until May 12, 1962. We buried her beside my father in the Riverside Cemetery.
Joan and Norman became the parents of a boy they named Troy, on April 30, 1962. They stayed with us for a few days so I could help take care of them, and they moved back home the day my mother died. The next day was Mother's day and we had a program in the church meeting. It was good to know that my mother was at rest and out of her suffering.
While they were building the "Hub" and also building houses in the subdivision, Ray went out of the station in Rupert, and did some carpenter work. He was ready to open the station June 27, 1962. The interstate highway wasn't completed past the station, but we planned a road and lighted it so we could draw traffic to the station. Soon after we opened the station, it became apparent that we would need diesel fuel for truckers. Plans were made and we added a pump at the back of the station for trucks. Business continued to grow better and in July 1963 I began helping with the bookkeeping. I didn't go everyday. I was only helping with handling the credit cards and odd jobs. I was still making draperies and helping Neldon and Nolan with a paper route. January 1, 1964, Ray had me make up a sheet on a pad of paper that would keep track of our transactions with Phillips Petroleum Co. This was really the beginning of my work in the office. Ray worked lots of hours and sometimes the help wasn't too dependable.
Between helping Ray, making drapes, paper routes etc., I helped Jeanne when Dirk was born, January 10 1963, and Joan when Bonnie Sue was born May 28, 1963.
We did manage to take a trip to California to see Maneta and Guy in November 1964 and in August of 1965 we went to Oregon, to see Elden and Ann. This was the first time for us to go to Oregon. It was a joyful vacation. We stayed in motels as we traveled for less than a week. We determined we didn't like the fog and gray clouds of Coos Bay, Oregon, other than that it was a good visit. We also visited Aunt Hannah and Ray's cousins Chad and Jack and their wives. We hadn't seen any of them for years. They lived in Eugene, Oregon. When we went to look up Elden at Bend, Oregon, where his welding business was located, we were without coats but he came out from welding a boiler and he was dressed in coveralls and heavier clothes. We enjoyed our visit and then headed home.
Brett, was added to Jeanne and Lynn's family on April 9, 1964. Now, we had Dee Ray, Todd, and Brett all sharing the same birthday.
Lamar graduated from High School in May of 1964. He worked at the station after school during his senior year and until December of 1965. Lamar was called on a church building mission and left for Connecticut on January 4 1965. He returned home in June.
Dee Ray married Sylvia Hall on July 23, 1965. They were married at the Heyburn Church with a reception following. They lived in Rupert and we were happy for them. Thomas Ray was born February 29, 1966.
In the spring of 1966, Ray was having trouble with gallstone attacks. Dr. Terhune said he may have to have an operation. We decided I had better know a little more about the business, so I delved into the bookkeeping a little deeper. Ray was the sole owner and we had nobody else to rely on if he couldn't be there. Help was still very undependable and it was hard going. By this time I had given up the drapery business because I had developed some Arthritis in my back.
Brent, was added to Joan and Norman's family on March 30, 1966. ( his nickname has always been Woody)
Nolan graduated from High School in May 1966, with the intention of going to Rick's College in the fall.
After three bad attacks of gallstones, Ray was operated on June 4, 1966. I had to learn how to do the daybooks and go to the bank, etc, while he was in the hospital. It wasn't easy to keep track of business, be at the hospital and see that the boys all had a way to work, and the things that have to be done in running a home. Marilyn was also working in the hospital laundry and kitchen. We managed pretty well to keep it all together.
Lamar married Brenda Parish on June 23, 1966, in the Salt Lake Temple. Ray had recovered enough from his operation for us to go too. Joan and Norman also went with us. Jeanne and Lynn had a new little boy on June 17, 1966, which was their fifth child. They named him Paul.
We were unable to take Nolan to college when it started, but the first time he came home for a weekend in September, we took Sunday afternoon and took him back. By the time we got home that night, I was breaking out with "hives". I was very sick for three weeks. I had hives very bad. I couldn't wear any thing but pajamas and a robe. My feet were swollen and I could hardly stand my glasses on. Dr. Terhune said it was from total exhaustion. I finally was able to go back to helping again.
By April 1967, the interstate had been completed past the station. Phillips Petroleum Co. wanted us to buy the plant in Hazelton. This meant we would have to have a delivery truck and driver for farm delivery. Ray hired W. E. (Mick) Aldridge. He had known Mick ever since he started the station in Rupert. Mick had also done carpentry for us, but he wanted to drive the truck. We were back in the delivery business like we were in Burley. In the fall of 1967 we also needed a warehouse for oils, tires, etc. Because Mick was a builder and the deliveries weren't many, he built the warehouse and we put an office in one corner for me. On October 27, 1967, Lamar and Brenda were the parents of a baby girl. She was born in the hospital in Burley and they named her Natalie. It was nice to have another little girl in the family and she did very well, as did Brenda.
After ten years of making draperies for J. C. Penney Co., Thaxton Paint and others, I quit and did bookkeeping full time. I was having some problems with my lower back and left arm. I had some x-rays, and it showed I had osteoarthritis-- too much lifting and sitting at a sewing machine.
March 1, 1968, Dee Ray and Sylvia became the parents of another little boy they named Trevor Dee. He was born in the Rupert Hospital and everything went well for them.
March 20, 1968, Jeanne and Lynn added a new little baby boy to their family. They named him Jason and they did very well also.
In April of 1968 our next opportunity to expand was to buy the Enco plant in Acequia from Vernard Comstock. This added a bit more to our delivery business. We also dismantled the plant in Hazelton and moved tanks and all up to the "Hub 66" property. Truck business at the station was increasing and the one pump in back was inadequate. Diesel pumps were added between the station and warehouse. In July of 1968 it was a great day when the office was finished and we bought new desks and all the equipment necessary for it.
Having dependable help has always been a plague to the service station business. I had helped on the front and washed a car or two, but the day I drove the gas truck was something else. Mick had the day off and the Heyburn store ran out of gas. Ray was working alone and I had the choice of working the front or driving the truck. I was scared of the truck, but more scared of taking care of the station. I loaded the truck and headed out the back way. I wasn't to sure how to shift it, but I got it rolling and down to Heyburn.
I unloaded it at the store and made out the ticket, unhooked the hoses, put them in the truck and headed back the same way I came. It didn't take too long, but it seemed like forever before I got back to the office.
Between the growing station business and the added delivery business, we decided to hire a manager for the Hub. Ray looked around and finally hired Gary Ward in September 1967. He held the position for a year, but it didn't prove to be very satisfactory so we ended that agreement in June of 1968.
In July of 1968, C. E. Smith, who was the jobber when Ray first started with Phillips Petroleum Co., wanted to sell his business in Rupert, so Ray borrowed enough money to buy him out. It consisted of a plant and service station and the lease on another station. It added a lot of delivery business for us. This made us the only Phillips jobber in Minidoka County. We had been in our new office for awhile and now more equipment was added. After Gary Ward's service was terminated, we needed someone else. Lamar was working part time at the station and part time at the Post Office. He wanted to try managing the station. We talked about it, but encouraged him to stay with the post office. We felt that if the boys could get jobs in other places of business, maybe they wouldn't have the struggle and work as many hours as we did. He was determined, so we gave in and gave him the job. He worked very hard and business was very good, but help has always been a problem.
As long as I can remember, my brother Leonard, had a bad cough. Early in the summer of 1968 he had a heart attack and the Doctor said he would have to give up his farming. He was in the hospital for several days and then went home. He didn't recover very well and in July he had another attack. It was decided he had emphysema as well as an enlarged heart. He passed away in Cassia Memorial Hospital on August 10, 1968. Leonard was only 61 years old. He was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Heyburn.
On February 27, 1969, my oldest brother Leland, met with an accident as he was leaving from work at Burley Processing Co.. He was walking across the railroad tracks and was struck by the train. It nearly severed his leg. He was rushed to the hospital and operated on, but he only lived a few hours. Leland was 65 years old and getting ready to retire. He was buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Heyburn.
Neldon graduated from high school in May of 1969. He enrolled at L. D. S. Business College in Salt Lake City, Utah in September. Nolan, after attending Ricks College for a year and a half and working at home summers, decided to go to Salt Lake City and look for a job. They both got jobs at different service stations and lived in Salt Lake City until September 1972.
I had been to California to see my sister, Maneta, three or four times and she and her husband, Guy, had been in our home two different times. They were at our home once for three weeks, and the last time for three months.
She developed Rheumatoid Arthritis and also Asthma. Because the air was so full of smog in California, the Doctor prescribed that she come to Idaho for her Asthma. They left our home and she seemed to be much better; but she never regained her health. She passed away on February 19, 1970 in California. My brother, Alfred and I flew by airplane to California for her funeral. That was the first and only airplane ride to this time. Her husband, Guy, passed away on February 4, 1973, from a heart attack; but we were unable to go to his funeral. They were both buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
I developed Rheumatoid Arthritis and the work load at the office was just about more than I could handle alone so we hired Olga McBride to help me. This proved to be a very good arrangement. I could do everything she could do, and she could do everything I did, except pay the bills. It gave me a chance to have a day off once in a while and usually neither one of us worked all day. I enjoyed her help for five years and then she moved away.
Early in the summer of 1969 we took the opportunity to have Mick Aldridge and Sid Braegger build us a two car cinder block garage. That left a space between garage and master bedroom at the south end of our house. We had used the bedroom and bath built for my mother as Ray and my bedroom. It wasn't connected to our main house except with outside doors and a concrete patio. In September 1969 I talked Ray into making a family room in this space. This would connect our room, garage and house altogether and give our growing family a place to be together. We hired Harlow Cheney to do the carpenter work. Mick, didn't want the job. His answer was "we didn't need that much room", actually he knew it wasn't easy to add to an old house. It took until March 1970 to complete the job, but he built a fireplace in the west end and opened up the wall on the north so we could go upstairs besides all the new windows, paneling etc. We had Christmas dinner with all of our family and Grandpa and Grandma Bailey in the family room even though it wasn't all finished. Harlow constructed two banquet tables out of plywood with folding legs for us, also later on we bought three banquet tables and 24 folding chairs plus shelving for the basement. Our family room is 15 ft. wide by 34 feet long and that was room enough for all three tables etc.
Lamar and Brenda's second daughter was born December 29, 1969, at Cassia Memorial Hospital. I helped her a little bit after she came home from the hospital. They named her Nicole.
During this time Jeanne, Lynn and their family of six children moved to Cambridge, Idaho, where Lynn was hired as a music teacher.
Nolan married Dawna Bringhurst on August 25, 1972. They were married in our home. There was just Dawna's parents, Hugh and Blanche Bringhurst from Utah, Grandpa and Grandma Bailey, Ray and I and Marilyn in attendance. Bishop Desmond Welch married them and JoAnn Masoner played some wedding music on the piano. Marilyn and I fixed a plain lunch for all of us and then Nolan and Dawna left on a motorcycle trip. The Bringhursts were staying at a Motel and that evening was spent with them showing them around Burley and vicinity.
I'm ahead of my story so now I need to go back and put in some other events.
Jeanne and Lynn spent the summer with us so Lynn could go to summer school in Pocatello. August 9, 1971, Corinne was born at Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley. Shelley finally had a sister after 5 brothers and she was excited. They stayed with us for 4 or 5 days and then went back to Cambridge to get ready for school.
September 13, 1971, a boy, Trenton, was born to Dee and Sylvia at Minidoka Memorial Hospital in Rupert. This is their third son.
Neldon married Sharon Jensen in the Logan Temple on October 24, 1972.
We gave each of them wedding receptions in our home at different times. Ray and I also attended one in Utah for Nolan and Dawna and one in Downey for Neldon and Sharon.
Ray was sustained as Bishop of the Heyburn Second Ward on September 19, 1972. Now I had one more responsibility to support him in this calling. I had tried to support him in all his duties previous to this, as well as in business, but this was an even bigger assignment.
I was having trouble with my stomach, but I thought it was caused from having so much pain from arthritis and then having to take Iron for my blood condition. It was giving me a bad time and in January of 1973 I was very ill with what I thought was flu, but in February I was sick again with the same thing. I went to Dr. Holsinger (Dr. Terhune had retired from practice) for another check-up in March and he had me take a bunch of tests and x-rays. They weren't to give me the results until Monday and we had planned to go up to Jeanne's in Cambridge on Friday and come back Saturday. The Dr. called me in on Friday and said I had to have major surgery on my stomach and that I would need to be in the hospital on Saturday. He said I couldn't get by with my stomach in that condition because it could not get better, only worse. He said x-rays showed I had ulcers years before and the scar tissue was closing the outlet of my stomach. We went to Cambridge and I entered the hospital late on Saturday night. They operated on me Tuesday March 10, 1973 and removed half of my stomach. I was in the hospital two weeks and then came home. I recovered quite well but had to be very careful what and when I ate. (It is still that way today, all these years after, and will be as long as I live). I was off work for a month, but because Olga was still working, I didn't work everyday for a while. It took nearly two years after my surgery for me to adjust to the food that I must eat and not eat anything and everything. I lost about 30 lbs which didn't make me feel bad.
We did take another trip I haven't told about, and it happened before some of these other things.
We bought a Dodge Monaco four door sedan in August 1967. Seth and Doris, Ray and I, went to Southern Utah on a vacation in it. We went to Zion's National Park, Bryce Canyon, and Tropic, Utah where my folks lived when they were first married. We drove to Grand Canyon, Lake Powell and Paige Arizona, and came back through Ephraim. We also stopped at Manti, Utah to see the Temple but it was closed. We saw a lot of beautiful country and had an enjoyable time. Seth always referred to Ray as his "Dad" would pay the bill, but we pretty much each payed our own way.
In June 1968, Ray and I took a trip to Montana by ourselves, not to see any thing in particular but to relax and enjoy the scenery. We came back by way of Salmon, Idaho and followed through the mountains along the Salmon River and it was such a beautiful drive. It wasn't a long vacation but it was restful and very enjoyable for us.
A baby boy, they named Shawn, was born to Lamar and Brenda on December 3 1972, at Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley, Idaho. He was not so easily tended as some because he had a lot of colic. He gradually adjusted and became a more healthy and happy baby.
In July 1973 we bought a Dodge crew cab pickup and a fifth wheel trailer. We took that up to Cambridge to visit Jeanne, Lynn and family. In August 1974, we took Seth and Doris with us and went to the World's Fair in Spokane, Washington. We stayed the first night with Jeanne and Lynn and attended their Stake Conference in Weiser on Sunday. We left on Monday to continue our vacation. We saw a lot of beautiful country and enjoyed the fair also. I drove the pickup with the trailer through a lot of that country.
We had bought a transport for hauling all our gas and diesel fuel in 1970. Bill Davidson was the first driver. When he decided to quit and because we had three sons in the business, the job of driver was given to Lamar.
We went in the pickup and trailer to Jeanne's in October 1974. While we were there, Jalaine, was born in Weiser, Idaho. She was born October 17, 1974. They used our pickup to take Jeanne to the hospital. Marilyn's vacation time was almost over so we only got to stay until Jeanne came home from the hospital. We always came home to go back to work and keep things going.
Heather Marie, was born to Nolan and Dawna on December 21, 1974, in Burley Idaho. They came home from the hospital in time for Christmas Eve. She was a large healthy baby and grew steadily.
Tyrell, was born to Lamar And Brenda on December 26, 1974 at Cassia Memorial Hospital, in Burley. He was a healthy baby also.
The opportunity to expand still presented itself and in February 1975, we purchased the Malta, Idaho plant from Phillips Petroleum Co. Clair Robinson was hired as the driver and manager of that plant.
May 22, 1975, Nolan and Dawna were sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple. Heather was sealed to them then also. She was less than a year old. The Sister Officiator who brought her to the sealing room could hardly carry her. She was a small woman and Heather was good-sized for her age. Most of our family was there together. It was a very nice day and everything went well.
Tory was born to Dee Ray and Sylvia at Minidoka Memorial Hospital in Rupert on May 24, 1975. He was a large healthy baby. Dee Ray stayed home for a week and took care of his family.
Dee Ray and Sylvia were sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple on their tenth anniversary July 23, 1975. They had four little boys sealed to them, Thom, Trever, Trenton and Tory. Everyone was dressed in white and they looked so nice. Most of our family was there that day and we enjoyed it.
Now all of our married children had been through the temple and I was privileged to be the mother attending each of our daughters and daughter-in -laws as they went through the temple.
In May 1975 Dee Ray joined us in the business, so that made all four sons in the gas business.
In October 1975 after much discussion, we bought the plant and delivery business in Jerome. There was also a station with it. It was a big challenge. I went to Jerome several times to learn the bookkeeping and accounts. They had a real complicated bookkeeping system so as I became acquainted with the accounts, I pared it down to be much simpler. I also sent out the statements, etc. We eventually added the accounts to the Heyburn office and had a manager and driver in Jerome.
In 1976 the plant and delivery business in Gooding was for sale, so we tackled it and increased our business also. There was a service station and also a plant in Hagerman, Idaho that went with it. These outlets, Malta, Hazelton, Jerome, and Gooding were all Phillips Petroleum Co. distributors.
Scot was born to Nolan and Dawna at Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley, Idaho on December 17, 1976. He was a large baby and demanding when he was hungry, other than that he was a good, well-built baby boy.
W. E. "Mick" Aldridge, who had been with us became ill in 1975. He needed an operation and didn't recover from it very well and so in February 1976, he passed away. We had become good friends with Mick and Vona and he was missed. Burnel Seamons had also been a delivery driver for us with Mick, so we weren't without help.
Clayton was born to Jeanne and Lynn in Weiser, Idaho Hospital on January 14, 1977. I went by myself and drove the Imperial to Cambridge, Idaho. I stayed with Jeanne to help for about four days. Clayton was a very fussy baby because he wouldn't take a bottle and Jeanne didn't hardly have enough milk for him to nurse. I did some extra baking etc. while there and then drove home. It was snowy weather up in that country and when it snows it really puts it down, but I had a good dependable car and didn't have any trouble. Clayton was his mama's baby for a long time, nobody else could tend him.
Allyson was born to Neldon and Sharon at Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley, Idaho on April 26, 1977. She weighed 5 lbs. 1 oz. She was rather small but gained steadily and was a good baby. She was their first and only child and was greatly appreciated.
Tate was born to Dee Ray and Sylvia at Minidoka Memorial Hospital Rupert, Idaho on July 15, 1977. He was a large baby and quite contented. We had hoped for a girl for Sylvia but he was a handsome little boy and also their fifth boy,
Andrea was born to Jeanne and Lynn on January 15, 1979 at Weiser, Idaho. She was a beautiful little dark-headed girl. I didn't get to help with her because the weather didn't cooperate.
Joshua was born April 22, 1979 at Cassia Memorial Hospital in Burley, Idaho. He was Nolan and Dawna's third child and second son. He was a good baby also and a large well-built one.
Trista was born to Dee Ray and Sylvia at Minidoka Memorial Hospital in Rupert, Idaho on September 13, 1979. She was royally welcomed into that family as she had five brothers and was born on Trenton's eighth birthday.
If anybody counted up the grandchildren they can see the boys out numbered the girls 2-1. We have appreciated and enjoyed everyone of them as much as they would let us. I helped with most of them when they came home from the hospital and I enjoyed that. Sylvia and Dawna both had large babies when they were born and they were healthy as well as the others.
I'm sure there's many short trips and activities I've forgotten in those few years but we kept the business going and every one worked hard.
One other important addition to our business happened in July 1978. We bought a motorcycle business called "Cycle City" in Burley. Nolan and Neldon went to work over there to run it. I didn't do any of the books for that business. They were taken care of by the boys.
We were all spread out with our own responsibilities and each tried to do what was wanted and needed.
For my sixty-first I was given a journal by Ray. I had never kept a journal and so the history up to this point was from memory and that is why it isn't all in sequence.
My birthday was spent like most other days except I didn't stay in the office. Some of our children came in the evening to visit and bring presents which was very much appreciated and enjoyed. It isn't the amount of money spent but the effort and the thought that counts.
For the past nine months I have been teaching the Gospel Doctrine Class in Sunday School. It is a big job and studying the scriptures is something I haven't done as I should. It is a study of the Doctrine and Covenants and Church History. I know now that Joseph Smith was a Prophet. I have always believed that the head of our church was a Prophet of God, but they were living people and you could see and hear them. Now that I have studied Church History more I can realize a little of what the early saints went through.
Usually I get up at five o'clock in the morning, get myself ready for work and study until time to take Marilyn to work, that gives me a few minutes each day to read. It takes a lot more time than that to be prepared for Sunday but it's a start. Some Sundays the lesson goes well and other times there is not much discussion.
I am also a visiting teacher for Relief Society and the messages we take to our sisters in our district are very important.
I am the quilt director for Relief Society and so I am piecing a quilt to be worked on the second Tuesday in October. It takes many hours to get one ready. I enjoy doing it and I hope the sisters in the ward appreciate it. We don't have very many who are interested in learning to quilt, especially getting one ready to put on the frames. We have been told for a long time that we need to know how to make use of material and how to clothe ourselves. The art of sewing is a skill whether it be to wear or to use for bedding. I was taught at a very young age how to make use of used clothing and new material as well. It is a real challenge to make something usable from scraps. I have made several beautiful pieced quilts and I hope to make many more. I know how hard it was for us to clothe our children when they were growing up and I've always been grateful for the ability to make things. As the prices of things become higher I can see that it's not going to be easy to have things as in the past few years. We may find it very important to be able to sew and cook from scratch instead of buying things ready made and ready packaged.
Last night, September 29, 1979, we went to the baptism of Trenton and today Trenton was confirmed and Trista was blessed in Sacrament Meeting by their Grandfather. I suppose in another Sacrament Meeting Corinne is being confirmed by her daddy today.
In just a few days it will be a year since we installed the computer in our office. It has been a year of hard work, disappointments and challenge. It is interesting to run the Computer, to see the information and the advantages over the old posting machine. The disappointments come when it breaks down and we get behind in our work. The machine is only as accurate as we who put the information in is accurate. Mistakes can be made but they can also be corrected. Mechanical things have a tendency to break down and wear out so we have to be prepared for this. It takes extra work after a breakdown but when it runs smooth it is really a pleasure. If we never had any downs we wouldn't appreciate all the good things we have.
Last Friday September 28, 1979, Idella Wilcox and I sang for a funeral service. Neither of us knew the young man who had been killed in an automobile accident and there were only a half dozen people in the audience that were familiar faces but Bishop Glayde Wilcox asked us to sing and we couldn't say "No". When we arrived at the Chapel and shook hands with the Bishop we realized that a great responsibility was on his shoulders to conduct a funeral for an inactive member.
I have seen Ray go through the same turmoil as did Bishop Wilcox. So for Idella and I to be asked was easy to do compared to Bishop's position. I am grateful for the talent to sing and for the opportunities it brings into my life. Idella and I have sung together many times in the last forty-five years and usually without to much time to practice.
The first Tuesday in October is the beginning of the new year of lessons for Relief Society. It is the Spiritual Living lesson and I come home with the determination to study harder and be more prepared for my Sunday School lesson. I feel very inadequate as a teacher and I'm going to have to work harder to overcome that feeling.
We had many crab apples on our flowering tree and felt it a real waste to not use them, so between Marilyn, Ray and I we made several batches of Jelly. It was really good and we are going to enjoy it.
Thursday Ray and I went to the Logan Temple and did two endowments apiece. We leave as soon as Marilyn goes to work and then one of the girls brings her home. After we came out of the Temple we decided to look at mobile homes. We thought if we could buy one and put it in a trailer park it would be a place for us to stay overnight and we could do more Temple Work. We found a three bedroom home and the trailer park that was recommended was in Nibley, just three miles from Logan. We came on home with the idea of thinking it over for a week and then making the decision. It seems very hard to stay awake during the presentation of the film in the Temple and if we had a place to stay overnight we wouldn't need to leave so early, also Marilyn could go with us and stay at the trailer while we were at the Temple.
Tuesday October 9, was homemaking day. Ray helped me put the quilt I had made on the frames and there were a few of us worked on it. There were many comments on the beautiful top. It is easy to quilt and should go quite fast.
Friday October 12, was the ward harvest social. It was well attended. They had a good dinner, hobby display and an outstanding melodrama.
Sunday October 14 our Gospel Doctrine class discussed the Law of Tithing and our other offerings. We have always believed in paying a full tithing and we know we are blessed because we do. We try to be generous in our other donations also. The money given for donations to the church is a worthy cause and it is never missed.
We watched General Conference on T. V. the first of the month and went to the stake house to listen to the welfare session p.m. Saturday at 7 o'clock in the morning. This was a direct wire from Salt Lake City, the first time it had ever been broadcast and then we came home and watched the other sessions. There is much we should be doing and we need to try a little harder to do the things we are counseled to do.
The week of October 15, we spent buying supplies for our mobile home. Tuesday we went to Logan to the Temple and did two sessions. The first session Ray and I were the witness couple. Each time we go it becomes easier to remember those things we are being taught. We went to the mobile home salesman and payed for the home which cost us $17,290.00, delivered to the lot and hooked up ready to live in. We went and checked it over and put in some bedding we had brought with us. It seemed very nice. We prepared to buy kitchen, bedroom and bathroom supplies and to return Friday to move in. The weather had turned really stormy and cold. We loaded everything in the Imperial and set out for Logan Friday about 3:30 0'clock. It rained and snowed on us all the way. We had to hurry to unload the car so we wouldn't get so wet. We started to unpack the boxes, wash the dishes etc. and put them in the proper places and also to fix some supper. We spent a comfortable night and Saturday morning while Marilyn and I finished putting things away and making a list of what else we needed, Ray went to the Temple to do one endowment. When he returned we decided we better head for home because it was still stormy. The nearer we got to Idaho the better the weather became, so it turned out to be a good trip and we had accomplished what we wanted to do. Thursday the 25th we bought two easy-chairs, a portable T. V. and stand and some lamps for our mobile home. Friday, when Marilyn got off work we were all loaded in our van and went to Logan. We unloaded the van and Ray and I changed clothes and went to the Temple for an endowment session. Saturday morning Ray went to the Temple and did two more sessions and a sealing session. Marilyn and I finished putting things away and I studied my lesson for Sunday and worked on some crocheting until Ray came home for lunch.
We again headed home but we went by way of Downey, Idaho to meet Neldon and Nolan and their wives. There we changed vehicles, they went on to Salt Lake City, to catch a plane for a convention in California. We got in the Imperial and came on home to clean the house and be ready for Sunday.
Our Sunday School lesson went well and I felt that we all understood why we have "adversity" in our lives.
Wednesday, 13th of November we went to Logan and did one endowment and three names on Thursday morning. It was a beautiful day and we felt we had accomplished much.
Thursday, Thanksgiving Day we had 28 for dinner and Lamar and Dee's family came later to visit. Jeanne, Lynn and family came from Melba on Wednesday evening and went back late Thursday night. It was a nice day and they all seemed to have a good visit.
I haven't been feeling very good at times. I thought it was because of trying to do too many things. I had appliqued another quilt top for the Relief Society and the two quilts were to be ready by Christmas. It is all in addition to going to the temple and my regular work etc.
It has persisted too long and I finally went to the doctor. I am anemic again and need to take iron but I am also having to have some x-rays Monday and Tuesday at the hospital. The x-rays turned out to be negative so my only problem was lack of iron.
I hadn't given any time to preparing for Christmas so on Saturday morning December 1 Marilyn and I went shopping. Ray had gone to the Temple in Logan for a Priesthood Endowment session. We got the shopping for the grandchildren done and for some of the December birthdays.
When you work in a business and you are responsible for so many things, the tensions and frustrations seem to build up and when our anniversary came around we decided to go to Logan. Marilyn stayed overnight with Joan's family and we left on Friday. We only went down and relaxed. It seemed so good to just be together and not have so many deadlines or listen to any problems. We came home on Saturday ready to go back to the grind of things to be done.
I have never liked to shop for my own Christmas present but Ray and I decided we should buy some clothes. We went and picked a suit, a jacket, two pairs of slacks, two shirts and some ties for him. I picked out two dresses, a pant suit, a five piece outfit consisting of a skirt, slacks, jacket and two blouses, then we each picked a gift we could put under the tree, mine was a gold chain necklace and earrings and an electric slicer.
All of our family was home for Christmas Eve. Jeanne and Lynn's family came on Sunday. Monday we cooked a turkey, pies and we made salads. Monday night all the family gathered and we had Christmas Eve dinner. There were 42 of us. Each family brought food for the dinner and we had all we could eat. It was very good. After we cleaned up the dishes we gathered in the living-room for a program. Ray read the Christmas story from the Bible and then some of the grandchildren sang and played the piano. All of us joined in singing Christmas carols. We went down to the family room so the little kids could break the "Pinata", which we had filled with candy. Woody, Tommy and Paul passed out the presents that had been put under the tree and it was real exiting to see what everyone was given. The tradition of drawing names among the families and also of making most of them makes it a lot of fun. Ray and I received many beautiful things, a wooden breadbox, dishtowels, duffle bags, monogrammed handkerchiefs, Indian Wall hanging, copper picture of a lion, macrame hanger with a round glass in the bottom, towels and wash-clothes, a ceramic replica of the Salt Lake Temple, and a spacecraft toy box with a rag doll which the grandkids will really enjoy. There were many beautiful as well as useful presents exchanged. We had a very enjoyable evening as a family, nothing said or done to mar the fun of a family gathering all under one roof.
Christmas morning we got up the same time as Jeanne's family and watched them open their gifts and we opened the rest of ours.
I forget to mention before that Sharon spent one afternoon wrapping the gifts for the grandchildren. It was a big help to me. Marilyn and I also tied two flannel quilts for Todd and Shelly, who are going to College at Rick's in Rexburg.
The rest of Christmas day we spent visiting with family who came by. The house looked like a cyclone had struck it but Christmas comes but once a year and we could clean up the mess tomorrow.
Jeanne's family left for home on Wednesday and we thought we could go to Melba to visit for Jeanne's birthday on January 1 1980but Ray came down with a bad cold and then he seemed to have the Stomach flu and it was a good thing we were at home.
January 3, 1980, a Thursday, I got very sick to my stomach and my joints were very painful. I could hardly lay down or sit up. Ray made arrangements for Brother Jim Hellewell to teach my class. These last two months have had more ups and downs as far as going to church is concerned than I have had for a whole year. It's about time things straightened out so I can go ahead and do those things I'm supposed to do.
Wednesday January 16, 1980, Ray, Marilyn and I left for Logan. The weather was pretty good. We arranged to have a telephone installed in the mobile home, bought some material for some quilts for Relief Society, did two endowments apiece and then Ray went again on Friday. The telephone was installed on Friday afternoon and the number was 752-3594. We did two more endowments that evening. They were predicting a real bad storm so we checked with Neldon to see how things were and He said the roads were really bad. We decided to finish my shopping for the quilts and for enough material for a tied one for February Home making meeting. We checked the weather and road report and decided we better head for home before another one came.
Joan entered the hospital on January 20, 1980, for a gallstone operation. she came through that very well and I have spent a little time with her.
January 26-27th was Stake Conference. Heyburn 1st, Heyburn 2nd, Paul 3 rd Ward choirs provided the music. We sang the prelude music which was, "Hark, Listen to the Trumpeters", "Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice", and "As the Dew from Heaven Distilling". Opening number was "The King of Love my Shepherd Is", and the closing was " Let there Be Peace On Earth". There were four of us who sang a special part in the last number, Audra Patterson, Glayde Wilcox, Emery Wiser, and myself. It was a good choir and well conducted as well as accompanied. It was a good conference, about home and family and what we should be doing.
The month of February I have spent making three quilt tops for the Relief Society to be finished and sold and the money to go into the Ward Budget. Many hours have I worked on them and they are beautiful. Of course, I have also worked and studied for my Sunday School class. We did manage to go to Melba and visit Jeanne and family.
March 2, 1980, was the beginning of a new program in the church. It was called the block plan. We go to church at 9'oclock have Relief Society, Sunday School and then Sacrament Meeting and are finished at 12 o'clock noon. Our attendance was up a lot I know my class was bigger. We are studying the early saints and their coming to the Salt Lake valley. We held our class in the Chapel and I had to use the microphone at the pulpit so everyone could hear. The saints had many trials and tribulations and I'm glad I was born now instead of earlier. In reading my Grandmother Hansen's history, she endured many hardships as a pioneer and later as a second wife of a polygamist.
March 10th Ray and I went to Logan and the next day we went on to Salt Lake City to the Salt Lake Medical Clinic. We had time before Ray's appointment so we went to the Bennion Care Center to see my Aunt Martha. She is the last of my mothers family. I hadn't seen her for several years but she looked pretty good even though she has some health problems. She was glad to see us and we were glad we went.
We also went to Temple Square and saw the new Visitors Center. It is beautiful and we hope to go back when we have more time.
After Ray's appointment we drove back to Logan and came back home the next day. I had to be back in time to put the quilts on the frames for Relief Society homemaking evening. We didn't get very far on the quilting so Brenda, because she had a pickup there, moved the quilts home so we could have help to finish them. Brenda did one, Linda Cutler took one and I did the other one.
March 20, we went to Logan and the next morning we went to the Temple and did one session where we were the witness couple and then we went to be with one of the girls from the ward who was getting married that day. We had lunch with the family and then came home that same day.
It was our Bishop's Bazaar that Friday evening. Jeanne and family were here to visit but they went to the Heiner's for that evening. The crocheted Afghan I donated went tor $65.00 and the two tied quilts sold for over two hundred dollars each. Saturday we just visited with the kids.
Sunday, our lesson was on Wilford Woodruff and we used it as a question and answer session on paper. I think we all learned that He was a great Prophet.
April 2, 1980, Ray and I left for Logan and Marilyn stayed with Joan. Ray had a Doctor's appointment on April3. He had to enter the hospital that day and have a large bladder stone and prostate gland operation the next day. After he was admitted to L.D.S. hospital I went with Dawna to stay at the Bringhurst's. They took me to the hospital each day and because he had no complications he was released on the following Tuesday. We had watched General Conference as best we could over the weekend.
We went back to Logan to spend a few days until he felt well enough to come on home.
We bought an electric lawn mower and a vacuum while we were there. Sunday afternoon I drove us home from Logan.
The three quilts were finished quilting and I bound those, made an afghan and sent to the Bringhurst's to show my appreciation for their hospitality.
We spent April 22 & 23 in District Court in Rupert trying to settle a property dispute with C. E, Smith. This has been waiting for over a year and a half and it isn't settled yet.
Thursday afternoon April 24, we all three went back to Logan. Friday, Marilyn and I mowed the lawn and cleaned up the flower beds. The soil there is different than ours in Heyburn. It has lots of rock in it and that makes it hard to dig so we didn't get anything planted.
Nolan and Dee Ray used the tractor and dug out the shrubs on the west side of our house. I leveled out the dirt and we have planted most of our garden. The tulips and daffodils have really bloomed and they are beautiful.
The Sunday School lesson on President Heber J Grant went really good this morning. He was President in 1918-1945. He taught many great truths of the Gospel, as all our Prophets do.
May 5, 1980, we went back to Logan. Tuesday morning we went into Salt Lake City for his checkup at the Clinic. Doctor Ned Mangulson gave him a clean bill of health for which we are very grateful.
We went to the nursing home again to see Aunt Martha but she was asleep and I couldn't seem to wake her up enough that she knew I was there. That was the last I saw her before she died.
Wednesday morning we went to the Temple and did two endowments and again we were the witness couple. We had our lunch at the Temple between sessions. Later we did some shopping and bought a few plants. It rained every day we were there but we did manage to get them planted before we came home.
May 14 & 15 we went to Melba and visited Jeanne and family. They were having a band and chorus concert at the school. It was very good and we had a very good visit.
May 16, was Seminary Graduation at the Paul Stake House. Troy was a member of the graduating class along with several from our ward. They had a nice program.
Saturday was the Aaronic Priesthood Outing and that left Marilyn and I at home. I spent the day studying, baking bread, washing and working in the flower garden. I have always wanted some beautiful peonies and this year they really look good as do our roses. The Lilacs are in full bloom and they are beautiful too. We counted on having our own flowers for Decoration Day, but the wind and the rain ruined what few we had in bloom.
We went to Logan to do some work and make arrangements for a storage building, air conditioner and front step also yard work and temple work.
Marilyn and I did a lot of work to clean up around the flower beds.
We dug up the weeds from around the tennis court and one side of the big garage. We dug up the irises and transplanted them, put up some trellises for the climbing roses and cleaned the last flower bed. The last trip to empty the grass and weeds from the wheelbarrow that Marilyn was pushing caused the handle to finish breaking and she fell down and cut a big gash in her upper lip. I rushed her to the emergency room at the hospital and it took sixteen stitches to close the wound. It was a really bad cut but is healing good and it looks like it won't even leave a scar. She only had one more day to work before her two week vacation began. She couldn't go to work on Friday so it started a day early.
We went to Melba Wednesday and Thursday to visit Jeanne's family. On Tuesday I was called and told my Aunt Martha had passed away and she would be buried in Rexburg, Idaho Cemetery on June 20, 1980. She was the last of my mother's immediate family. I felt that I should go to her grave side services and so Ray and I went to Rexburg on Friday. She was buried next to her mother and father, also buried there were Grandpa Hansen's other three wives. I had never been to that cemetery before and I didn't know all the wives were buried by Grandpa. Aunt Martha was my mothers youngest sister. She was real critical and hard to get along with and she hurt many peoples feelings but she had many talents and raised eight children. I have thought many times about her disposition and also my mothers which they were quite a lot alike and I think of the circumstances of how they were raised. Their mother was the second of four wives of Grandpa Hansen. When polygamy was abolished, he chose to live with the third wife. Grandma Hansen was left to raise her children with very little support. My mother was the oldest and it didn't affect her like it did those who were younger. My mother was nineteen years old when Aunt Martha was born and so she wasn't raised in a close mother-father relationship. My mother wasn't either really because in a polygamist family the father was away at least three-fourths of the time, no matter which wife he was with. I don't believe the children, especially girls relate to a husband-wife relationship as well when they are raised under these circumstances. There were only a dozen at that service, partly because she had hurt so many feelings, but we have to forget and forgive and try to understand and look at the good instead of remembering little irritations. I was glad we went.
I am grateful that my relationship with my husband is happy and that we enjoy each others company and that of our children and grandchildren.
I have finally learned how to put the inventory program in the computer and it is finished as of the first of June. Neldon is working to get out a balance sheet, profit and loss statement for the business.
Our court suit with C.E. Smith was finally settled and we received our share of the money. In our case we have always tried to be honest and that's what payed off.
Last night June 21 and today June 22 was our Stake Conference. Our general authority was Elder Derek B Cuthbert of the First Council of Seventy. We are told that our family is the most important thing in our life. We are responsible to teach them and make a celestial family.
This is the second week of Marilyn's vacation. Tuesday morning we got ready to go to Logan. When we arrived the grass was unmowed and burning from lack of water. The yard looked pretty sad. We got the water going and relaxed for the rest of the evening. Wednesday, Ray and I went to the temple and did two sessions and were the witness couple for one. Six of the young men from our ward were coming down to do baptisms so Ray met them at the temple and did one more endowment.
Thursday morning we got up and went for a drive to Bear Lake and on up to Seth and Doris Bailey's in Bancroft. On the way we stopped at Paris, Idaho and visited the beautiful historic tabernacle. It was built in the 1870's and has been used continuously since then. It still has the original furnishings and will seat approximately 3000 people. It is still used for their Stake Conferences. It was beautiful and very interesting. We also stopped and visited Darlene Bailey Clegg in Soda Springs. Doris isn't very well, so we only visited at the Post Office where he works. We saw some beautiful scenery and had an enjoyable day. Friday Ray and I attended the temple and did two more endowments apiece. Saturday, Ray went to the Priesthood sessions at the temple and then we came back home.
The first two weeks of July I spent long hours at the office because Jeane Hawker was on vacation.
Sunday, July 13, 1980 all of our family went to Melba for a farewell testimonial for Todd Heiner. We took a picnic lunch and put with Jeanne's for their family. They had a good Sacrament Meeting. The program was given by Todd and his family. We had an enjoyable day visiting with them. Tuesday, July 15, Jeanne's family came from Melba on their way to take Todd through the Logan Temple before entering the Mission Training Center. Wednesday I finished my work early so I could go with Ray to Logan. We went through the Temple with Todd and then all gathered at our mobile home for chicken and french fries. We had an enjoyable time. I came on home with Joan and Norman so I could be with Marilyn and be back to work next day.
Sunday July 13, 1980 Shelly became engaged to Gary Cutler from Cambridge, Idaho.
Saturday July 19, 1980 we had a Thaxton family reunion at the Heyburn Ga-Lawn Park. We had a picnic lunch and then a program at the Ward Cultural Hall. Dee Ray Bailey and Arlene High were in charge. Most of the families were represented and we had a good visit.
Lynn and Jeanne have bought a home in Melba and need to be moved in by August 1. It is an older home and needs a lot of work done on it.
Marilyn had a weeks vacation in August, so we spent part of that time in Melba. We took the pickup and fifth-wheel trailer. Jeanne, Shelly and I went shopping in Boise for the material for dresses for Shelly's wedding. I had never driven in Boise and didn't know my way around, so it was quite an experience. We didn't get home until about 10'0'clock and Ray thought we were lost. Ray worked with Lynn on the house and Jeanne and I bought more material, etc. and then canned some corn. We came home on Friday so we could get ready for our Sunday meetings.
September is the beginning of new lessons and ours will be "the Old Testament". It will be a real challenge to me and I'm not sure I can do the job. It will require a lot of reading and deep study.
All the kids are back in school and Troy Ashby has gone down to Brigham Young University to College.
Todd Heiner is to leave the Mission Training Center on the 16th of September for Venezuela. Jeanne and family went to see him off and then went back home.
Friday September 19, Gary and Shelly came through on their way to Logan to be married. Saturday morning September 20, 1980, they were married in the Logan Temple. It was a nice session and there were several of us there. Gary's parents sponsored a luncheon at "the Loft House", afterward. They spent their first night in our mobile home and then went on to Hawaii for a honeymoon.
Sunday September 21, was my birthday. Jeanne and Lynn didn't stay over because they were needed at home but all the rest of the family did visit sometime in the day.
September 22 is the last week of Marilyn's vacation. Tuesday we canned peaches that we had picked from our own tree. Wednesday we went down to Logan by way of Bancroft, where we visited Seth and Doris. We then drove through the canyon and saw the beautiful fall colors. The next day we drove down to Brigham City and saw more beautiful fall colors and visited the Old Tabernacle there. It was built in the 1900's and it still has the original furnishings etc. It is still used for Conferences and special meetings.
Friday morning we went to the Temple early and did three endowments apiece. We fixed dinner and then went for a drive around the valley.
Saturday Morning Ray did two more sessions and I did my studying, handwork, laundry etc. and prepared to return home.
Saturday night was the direct wire from Salt Lake City at our Stakehouse. It was presided over by President Spencer W Kimball. The theme was "Learn and then Teach". I was singing in a sextette for the middle of the program. Our members were, Edith Armacost, Ellen Bailey, Leah Johnson, Helen Price, Flossie Kay and myself accompanied by Sue Christenson.
Sunday School class lesson was on the creation and I didn't feel like it went very well. In fact, I felt like I wasn't smart enough to teach those who knew more about the scriptures than I did. I'll try it one more Sunday.
This week I have been binding quilts and doing odds and ends because it is the end of one month and the beginning of another. The statements are mailed and we are getting ready to go to Melba for Shelly's reception. Friday October 3, some of Dee Ray's family, Joan, Norman, Bonnie, Ray and I went in the Van to the reception. It was a long day but we were glad we could all go and be there.
October 3 & 4 we watched General Conference on T. V. from Salt Lake City. President Spencer W Kimball spoke on family life and morals. It's very important that we choose good over evil and keep the commandments.
October 16, 1980 Nolan and Dawna became the parents of a baby boy. He weighed 11 lbs 5 oz and was 22 inches long. He is a very good looking boy. They named him Benjamin.
Sunday October 19, 1980 Ray was released from being the Bishop of the Heyburn Second Ward. He served 8 years and one month. We sustained Laron Waite as Bishop, Marvel Lind as first counselor and Larry Burbank as second counselor. It will seem different not to have the responsibility.
Friday October 24 we went to Logan. Ray and I went and did one endowment apiece. Saturday morning Ray went to the priesthood session and did two endowments and we returned home Saturday afternoon.
Sunday we all went to church in the same car, the first time in more than eight years.
This is the last week in October and it has been spent getting the odds and ends done in the computer for the end of the fiscal year of the business.
Sunday night November 2, we held a Ray Bailey family home evening. Ray showed a film and we served cream puffs for dessert. Marilyn and I made them on Saturday. Ray was also sustained as teacher of the High Priests Group in our ward. Nolan and Dawna had their baby Benjamin P. Bailey blessed by his grandfather in Sacrament Meeting.
It has been beautiful fall weather this past week, warm enough in the day to go without a coat.
Tuesday, November 4, was election day. Our new President is Ronald Reagan with George Bush as Vice President. He won by a landslide and we are hoping he will be able to help the economy become better.
Thursday afternoon we went to Logan. Marilyn took the day off so we could go. Ray went on Friday and did two endowments, I couldn't go because I was just getting over the hives. Saturday morning we went to the temple to go through with members of our ward, Seth and Leila Baird. They were married in the Temple but Seth had never been back. We have been friends for many years and Ray had helped Seth to become active again. Some of their family and relatives also went with them.
The weather was beautiful and we returned home in the afternoon.
The Sunday School lesson was on Noah and the flood and it went well and I felt good about it. In Sacrament Meeting they released me and sustained Carl Williams as the teacher. I plan to continue to study so that I can learn more about the Old Testament.
Wednesday evening we went down to Harry and Carol Badger's for a dinner. This was for the outgoing Bishopric and the clerks. We had a nice ham dinner that we all brought and enjoyed as well as visiting.
I have been making Christmas gifts in my spare time. I have made terry-cloth hand towels for kitchen use, pillowcases with their name embroidered on them for each family member.
My brother Marion, is in the hospital with double pneumonia. I have visited him and his wife each day. It seems like he has had his share of illness and you wonder why he has to suffer so much. Sunday he was very uncomfortable and Monday when I went in he was asleep. About 4:30 o'clock his condition was worse and we didn't expect him to last through the night but he rallied some. The doctor thought he had developed a blood clot in his lung. Tuesday morning his pulse and blood pressure was very erratic and by 11:30 o'clock the doctor told Catherine it was only a matter of time. We watched his breathing become slower until by 3: o'clock he was gone. Catherine, Karen, Don, Alfred and I were there at the end. Marion is now at rest and away from the illnesses that had plagued his life for the last twenty-five years. I can imagine it was very hard for him to endure because he was a very proud, independent person. He was a good farmer, a lover of horses that he was very proud of and very particular about. He loved to dance and he loved his wife and children. He was very proud of his four grandchildren. To have to be so nearly helpless for so long must have tried his patience almost beyond his strength. Catherine said he never complained and he never gave up trying to do for himself. He passed away November 25, 1980 and was buried November 29, 1980 in Pleasant View Cemetery, Burley, Idaho. Marion and my brother James are buried pretty close together considering that James was buried in January 1954 at the age of 46. Marion was 69 years old. It was a very nice funeral service. Alfred sang two solos that were beautifully done. He sings even better than he used to. Dee Ray was a pall-bearer. Now there is only Alfred, Elden and I left of the Thaxton family.
Two of my cousins, Ethel Erickson 85 yrs and her brother Walter Thaxton 80 years old from Murray, Utah came for the services. We enjoyed having them stay with us and we took them back to catch their bus on Sunday afternoon. There aren't very many of my generation of Thaxton's left. Ethel and I couldn't come up with very many names considering the large families.
Thanksgiving Day November 27, 1980, we had a family dinner for Jeanne's family, Dee Ray's family and Neldon's family. We had a nice turkey dinner and enjoyed visiting together. Joan's family and Lamar's family came later in the day to visit. We as a family have a lot to be thankful for. All of the grandchildren are healthy, happy children. All of our children are healthy and they have nice comfortable homes and good jobs. They all work hard and are active in the church with many varied positions.
Saturday December 6, marked our 39 years of living in this house. The weather this year was much the same as then, a skiff of snow and very cold. Of course, we have remodeled and added on to the house and made many improvements in the yard. Life has been very good for us. We have had many trials and many blessings. Our home may be old but it is very comfortable and we have plenty of room.
We had family home evening on the first Sunday of December for those who could come and we showed two church films. I read an excerpt from Ray's journal and we had refreshments.
December 14, was our 42nd Wedding Anniversary. It was a quiet day. We went to our church meetings and Ray spoke in Sacrament Meeting and later in the day most of the kids came and visited. Jeanne called on the phone.
Natalie, Trever, Tommy all played in the Minico Junior High Band and Bonnie sings in the Dorian Choir at Minico High School so we attended their Christmas concerts.
We are looking forward this week to Christmas Eve and a family get-together. Marilyn and I made the dessert for dinner and also some fudge and divinity. Wednesday Jeanne's family plus Gary and Shelly arrived. I cooked Ham and Turkey and everybody else brought something for the dinner. There were 43 of us at the tables. Everyone was present except Todd, who is on a mission in Venezuela. After dinner, we went to the living room and had a Christmas program. Ray read the Bible story and some of the grandchildren gave parts on the program and we sang Christmas Carols as a group. Our gifts were taken to the family room to open, most of them were homemade, as we wanted them to show their talents and use their imagination. Ray made each of the families a wooden car, which was his first with his Shopsmith equipment.
Christmas Morning we watched Jeanne's family open their gifts and we opened ours. We spent a fairly easy day just visiting with the kids. They stayed with us until Saturday and then we cleaned up the house and got ready for Sunday. As I thought about it in all the time we all visited there was not an argument or a cross word spoken. Kids and grandkids got along really well.
I did some substitute teaching in the Gospel Doctrine class for a couple of weeks and it was on Jacob and his son Joseph who was sold into Egypt. It is a familiar story but the lesson we were to learn was that Joseph knew the Lord was with him and he remained faithful through all his trials.
We had family home evening on January 4, 1981. All of the family that live around here were present except Woody, who was staying with a friend. Ray played a conference tape by Rex E. Pinegar, a general authority. He encouraged all the young men to prepare to go on a mission and to start their preparation early. Ray encouraged all of us to keep a journal and write our life history. I read an excerpt from my journal and we had refreshments of Christmas candy and popcorn.
I have finished reading " Spencer W. Kimball" written by his son and grandson. It was a very good book and he is a very great man. You can't help but believe that he is a prophet of God. Before Christmas I read the book "Camilla", which is President Kimball's wife. She is a great lady. They have both endured many trials both financially as well as physically.
January 14, 1981, the Ward had a party for the outgoing Bishopric. It was a nice evening of visiting.
January 22, Ray, Marilyn and I packed up and went to Logan. We got there early enough that Ray and I went to the Temple for one endowment apiece. Friday morning we went back to the Temple and did two more endowments. The second session we were the witness couple. The rest of the day we spent looking around and relaxing. Saturday morning Ray went to the Temple early and Marilyn and I got things ready for us to go back home.
Saturday afternoon after we got home we went down to the church for a Fiftieth Wedding anniversary party for Seth and Leila Baird.
Saturday Evening was a Stake Conference Meeting for all adults over 16 years of age. There were some very good talks and instructions given on missionary work. Sunday was Stake Conference at the Stake Tabernacle. It was also on Missionary work. Besides the visiting authorities, who were Elder Boyd Henderson, a regional representative and Elder Robert E. Lee, of the Idaho Boise Mission, the talks I really enjoyed were the ones by President Keith C. Merrill and Harold Hurst.
We have finally had a snow storm. It put down a couple of inches on the floor and considerably more in the mountains, of course that is where we need it.
Sunday February 1, 1981, we had family home evening. Ray showed the film "In This Holy Place", and he and I sang a duet "Love at Home". It was an exceptionally good film and we didn't do to badly either. Joan played the piano for us and Dee and Sylvia served the refreshments. It was a nice evening.
The Relief Society lesson Sunday was on Celestial Marriage and Eternal Families. I thought how privileged I was to be able to go to the Temple and be the mother for each of the
six girls. The other four mothers don't know what they missed by not being able to attend with their daughters. I have thought of that nearly every time I see a couple married in the Temple.
These last two or three weeks have been taken pretty easy. I have been tying or quilting quilts and crocheting. February 26, 1981 we went down to Logan. We did two endowments on Thursday evening, Friday we did three more and Saturday Ray went to two priesthood sessions. It was really nice weather. Thursday night we had a skiff of snow but by the time we came out of the Temple on Friday it had all melted. The rest of the time it was sunny and quite warm for this time of year. We drove Ray's new car he bought a couple of weeks ago. It is an Oldsmobile diesel Toronado front wheel drive. It is a very nice car and will get a lot better mileage than my Imperial. It is very comfortable to ride in too.
We really haven't had any winter yet. The temperature gets up between 50 and 60 degrees everyday. The tulips are about 3 inches tall and the rose bushes are getting green on the stems. I'm afraid our winter weather is going to come when we need to plant a garden.
Sunday Night, March 1 we had our family home evening. Ray showed the film strip "Father Consider Thy Ways", and we had some group singing and I gave the opening prayer. Lamar and Brenda furnished the refreshments of doughnuts and they were very good. Everyone was present except Jeanne's family.
Our Bishop's Bazaar was held March 13th. I donated an afghan that sold for a $110.00 and Marilyn donated a latch pillow, but it didn't sell for very much. We bought a quilt that I had pieced for the Relief Society, a Dresden Plate pattern. It was a very well attended and enjoyable evening.
March 26, the three of us went back to Logan. Thursday evening we did two endowments, Friday we did three endowments and we were witness couple for one session. It was really stormy Thursday and Friday but Saturday when we came home it was quits nice.
Sunday morning in Sister Helen Weidel's Gospel Doctrine class, I sang the song "He That Hath Clean Hands and a Pure Heart". That song goes back a long way in my life. It was first introduced as the theme in June Conference for M. I. A. Officers in the Salt Lake Tabernacle in 1937. I was a counselor at that time. When we introduced it in our Ward Meeting, I sang in a quartette and I have also sung it in a choir arrangement. Tuesday Ray and I went to Bancroft and visited Seth. Doris is in a nursing home because of a brain disease, called Alzheimers, that has caused her to lose her memory. It is a sad situation. She can never come back home and she could live a long time in this condition. His daughter Carol Anne and her daughter Terri and baby were there, also Kay and his little girl, so we had a nice visit with them.
Saturday and Sunday, April 4th and 5th, we watched General Conference on T. V.. There was some very good counsel given there on Marriage, Obedience, Studying the Scriptures etc. The music was beautiful too. I hope that I can be a better wife, mother, and member of the church.
Sunday Evening we had family home evening. We just had a general discussion of things we could do this summer and made some plans for a family party and reunion later. Nolan and Dawna served "Eclairs" for refreshments, which were very good. Nolan gave the opening prayer, Bonnie and Joan led us in the song "Love at Home". Norman was the only one unable to attend, except Jeanne's family and Troy.
April is a month of birthdays beginning with Dee Ray, Todd, Brett, all on the ninth. Ray's is the 16th and most of the family was here that night. Joshua was 2 on the 22nd, Marilyn's is the 23rd, Allyson was 4 on the 26th. Lynn's is the 28th, and Troy will be 19 on the 30th.
We started the first of the month to do some yard work. Ray planted two fruit trees, 32 rose bushes and I just tried to clean the grass out of peonies and roses.
On the 21st Ray and I drove up to Melba to see Jeanne. They have accomplished a quite a bit on their home but have still got a long way to go. We had an enjoyable day and a good visit.
On the 22nd after Marilyn got off work we headed for Logan. It was really nice and so we started to clean the yard. Marilyn's birthday was the 23rd so we finished the yard and went up town to do some shopping. Ray bought a swag lamp for our front room and we bought Marilyn's birthday dinner complete with a cake. After we ate we went for a drive around the valley. Friday morning we went to the Temple and did three endowments apiece, in the last session we were the witness couple. Saturday Ray went to the priesthood sessions at the Temple and Marilyn and I got the vacuuming and washing done ready to come back home. We packed up and drove down to Ogden to the Union Depot to see the renovated steam engines that were on display. These were the big coal-fired train engines that they used many years ago to pull the freight and passengers on the railroad. They have replaced these with diesel engines now. We got back to Heyburn about 5 o'clock.
Sunday afternoon we went and had ice cream and birthday cake with Allyson. It started to rain and rained really hard off and on through the night. It really makes things look clean and green. Our tulips are just blooming beautifully. The pear tree and the peach trees are in full bloom too.
For a little over a year Ray and his brothers and sisters have been taking turns taking care of their mother, Grandma Bailey. She has spent at least one night a week with us, we usually get her about time to eat supper and then take her home the next morning. She is 93 years old and physically she does really well. She is very forgetful and sometimes doesn't know where she is or just who you are. She can't remember when she was at your home last or whether she has eaten any lunch. She is still so independent it's hard to do what needs to be done for her.
I have accomplished a little bit in the yard but we only have a good day and then a cold day. I guess that is alright otherwise I would overdo and be really laid up with Arthritis. It has been pretty painful.
I can't find in all these entries where I wrote about Lamar and Brenda deciding to take an Indian boy as a foster child. He came in August 1980, one week after he turned seven and he fit right in. His name was Robbie LaDeaux. His mother is an invalid and couldn't take care of her two young sons. She lived in California. It was through L.D.S. social services that he came to Lamar's. His birthday is July 31, 1973.
May 9, 1981, we had a family party on the back lawn. Dee and Sylvia arranged a wiener roast and the kids just enjoyed eating and playing. All were present except Jeanne's family. Lamar and Brenda's, foster child, Robbie was going home for the summer but his mother called and asked if he could stay because she is unable to care for him. So instead of a farewell party for him, it was to keep him here.
May 10,was Mother’s Day. We had a good program at Sunday School and a good Sacrament Meeting. The token for Mother’s was an impatient plant. Jeanne called on the phone and all the other kids came over in the afternoon. I received some beautiful cards, family pictures, chocolates, book of Mother’s day poems, perfume and ceramic pitcher and bowl, and Marilyn gave me some money to buy something I wanted.
Weather wise it was a dreary day and it finally rained but now, Monday morning the wind is really blowing.
The weather hasn’t cooperated too well so we have only been able to work in the yard and garden as it permitted.
May 22 we took the fifth wheel and went to Melba for the week-end. It had been quite windy but it slowed down and we had a good drive. Saturday afternoon we all went to Swan Falls and had a wiener roast. Sunday morning we went to church in Melba and also attended the ordination of Lynn to be a High Priest.
Sunday Afternoon was High School graduation for Dirk. He was one of the top ten of his graduating class. It was a nice program. It rained some on Sunday but we walked to most of the meetings because they only live about two blocks from everything. Dirk has lots of friends and he opened many gifts.
Monday morning we went to see the parade and hear the band for the Memorial Day observance. We headed home and arrived about five o’clock.
Tuesday evening we went to the Church Farm to thin beets. It just took an hour and a half to do our share.
Wednesday evening May 27 we attended graduation exercises for Bonnie. She was a Co-valedictorian. She gave a very good talk and it was a good program. It is quite an honor to be that high in a graduating class of 292 people.
We are proud of all our grandchildren and their accomplishments.
Thursday, we planted the petunias along the driveway. Ray decided he should go down to Logan and check on things there. After he left I planted some more plants and got Tommy and Trevor to help me with some digging so I could get some more done.
Friday, morning early Ray called from Logan and told me He was very ill so I called the Doctor for some prescriptions and called Nolan, because He was supposed to have the day off and we went down after Ray. Ray was better when we got there but we turned around and hurried back home so he could see the Doctor.
Nolan drove the Tornado and I drove the Imperial. Ray had an ear infection which he suspected and it upset his equilibrium.
Saturday, I went out to the office to do some of the work I didn’t get to do Friday and then I came home and did some more work in the yard.
Sunday we had our usual meetings. Dee Ray brought home the video film they showed at a fireside called "Uncle Ben". All of the family came over to see it and we had cookies and Ice Cream afterward. It is a film that portrays how an alcoholic "Uncle Ben", overcame the habit so he could raise his sister’s children when they were left as orphans. It was a very good story and from it we know that people can overcome a bad habit if they try hard enough.
Monday morning Marilyn, Tommy, and I finished cleaning around the rosebushes and Tuesday morning I finished planting the Petunias, so now we have all the plants put in the ground and our yard is looking good. Ray was told by the Doctor not to do any spading so he couldn’t help like he planned to.
Tuesday Afternoon we put together the sandwiches and salads for our outing the next day. Jeanne and her family came in the evening. It was also Nolan’s birthday.
June 3 1981, at 7o’clock in the morning we began to load into a chartered bus that took all of our family to Lagoon for the day. Shelley and Gary drove down in their car because they were going to stay in Utah for a few more days. There were 41 who rode the bus. Trista and Benjamin were left with baby sitters at home.
We arrived at Lagoon at 10:30 and we had all day passes for everybody. It was raining when we arrived and everybody got slightly wet but it didn’t dampen the kids excitement for the different rides. We all had lunch about 12:30. We had brought fried chicken, and everybody furnished salads etc. to go with it. We had plenty of good food. After lunch they all headed for the amusement park to do whatever they wanted . The sun had come out and it turned out to be a beautiful day. Everybody enjoyed themselves and about 5 o’clock we began to pack up our things and meet at the bus. I was carrying a bag of chips etc. and holding on to Josh’s hand as we walked. He seemed to be getting tired but I couldn’t carry him. I asked him if he could walk and he said "I’m walking". Just outside the gate Norman saw us coming back so he picked him up and carried him the rest of the way. He was asleep on Norman’s shoulder before he got to the bus. We ate homemade cookies and popcorn both before we got there and on the way back. The money for Tuesday was well spent and something the kids will never forget. It was an all day treat from Grandpa and Grandma.
Ray and I talked about how much fun the kids had and how there was no quarreling or crying in all these hours. Each one had someone else to do what they wanted to do and no one was left out. It was an enjoyable day from beginning to end.
Jeanne’s family stayed until Friday and then went home. Thursday afternoon Jeanne and I went to town and bought enough material for a gingham check quilt. She wanted something to embroider so we marked a pattern for a Star quilt so she could learn how before she went home. We had a good visit.
Saturday Shelly and Gary came through on their way back to Cambridge and left us the key to the mobile home in Nibley, Utah.
Marilyn had Wednesday June 10, off work and we took the opportunity to do some house cleaning. It’s pretty painful for me because of Arthritis but I knew it needed to be done. I finished the rest of the house and my work for the rest of the week. I felt good that it was done even that good. It took a few days for the pain to go away.
Marilyn started her vacation and we straightened up the house and headed for our mobile home. We went through Bancroft and visited Seth. Doris is in the nursing home because of Alzheimers disease. Seth is doing as good as he can and Doris is taken good care of. We had a pipe break in our mobile home and so we were anxious to see if everything was fixed. It was well taken care of. Wednesday morning we got up to have breakfast and the stove wouldn’t light, so we ate cold cereal. We took a trip out to the Golden Spike Monument. It is near Corinne, Utah and was quite interesting. The two train engines that met when the railroad was brought from the east and from the west have been restored and are standing on the track where the last spike was driven connecting the rails. We saw a movie of the building of the railroad and there were other exhibits.
We drove back to Logan and did a little shopping. We bought the 1981 April Conference tapes etc..
After we had lunch we drove up the Blacksmith Canyon to Hardware Ranch. It was a beautiful drive. The hills are green and the stream of water flowed and tumbled down the canyon. There was lots of places to pull off and camp or fish. A beautiful smooth road and not too much traffic. Thursday morning we decided to take a drive up through Bear Lake and over to Evanston Wyoming. We saw a lot of different scenery and it was a nice drive. At Evanston there was a lot of building and industry going on. You could see the oil rigs that were in use and where they were drilling. We made the loop and came back by way of Ogden. Friday we cleaned up the house and came home so we could take care of Grandma Bailey and get ready for Sunday. Saturday night and Sunday were Stake Conference meetings. Our visiting authority was Elder Dean L. Larsen of the First Counsel of Seventy. The theme of the conference was Activating the inactive members of the church. Heyburn Ist, Heyburn 2nd and Paul 3rd ward choirs furnished the music. I sang with them. The prelude was, Father in Heaven, Dedication, and Come Follow Me. Our special numbers were Jesus, Savior, and Father bless our Sacred Homes. It was a good conference with good talks and good music.
Ray and I were presented with one of the bouquets that is furnished by the Relief Society for conference.
Sunday was also Father's Day. Most of the kids and grandkids came and spent some time with us.
Monday it was back to work and to catch up on the weeks business. Marilyn didn't have to work after all so I took her back home and went back to work. I worked Monday through Thursday morning this week so that I could catch and learn how to do Jean's job while she will be on vacation. The programs in the computer have changed some and I find it a little bit different than when we started out.
Marilyn was given Friday off, so we went again to Logan. Thursday afternoon we did one endowment each. Friday morning we went down to the temple but it was so crowded in the parking lot we decided to go back home until noon and then we went back and did two endowments each. Ray went Saturday morning to the Priesthood sessions and Marilyn put things back in order so we could go back home and get ready for Sunday.
July 3rd and 4th was the Bailey Family Reunion at the Oakley Stake camp. Friday evening we took Grandma Bailey and went up for the evening wiener roast. They had a pretty good group and it was good to get together. Most of the members stayed the night but we brought Grandma back home. She is so confused we thought it would be best. Saturday morning we were going to go back but Ray had a bad cold and Grandma couldn't remember the night before so we spent the day at home. It was a pretty quiet day but we didn't mind. In the evening we watched Allyson with her fireworks and also some of Dee Ray's.
Monday morning started the week of working alone. Everything went pretty well, in fact I was quite pleased at my week's work and that everything was caught up and that I had time to spare during the week.
I had a real surprise on Tuesday when my brother Elden drove in from Eugene, Oregon. It had been at least ten years since he had been here. He came by himself and it was so good to see him. Wednesday evening, Ray, I, Catherine, Elden and Al and Bea all had supper at Al's home in Burley. I took a salad and a relish plate for the chicken dinner. We had a good visit and Thursday evening Elden had supper with us and then Friday morning he headed back home. Ray and I talked about what a shame that he and Ann have no interest in going to church and how now that they are retired they could do so much good for others as well as for themselves.
It's good for us to be involved with other people in the church and how lucky and blessed we are because of it.
Today, July 12, in Sacrament Meeting Brenda was released as Bee Hive advisor and Sharon was sustained in her place. Sylvia was sustained as the Mia Maid advisor. They will be good in their positions. Brenda was a good leader but her health is a problem right now and we hope it soon improves. We also held our family home evening. Just the four boys and their families were present. Ray taught the lesson on the Holy Ghost. Lamar and Brenda's children each played a piano solo. We had group singing and the opening prayer was given by Neldon and the closing by Sharon. Sharon and Neldon also served refreshments of chocolate brownies, that was very good.
July 17, completed my two weeks of office work and I felt real good at having everything in order for Monday when Jean returned.
Sunday, July 19, Jeanne and friends came through to go to Rexburg for a piano workshop. Lynn and the grandkids came down Wednesday to pick up the fifth-wheel and pickup so all of them could attend the Heiner family reunion in Rexburg for the rest of the week. Marilyn and I hurried and prepared supper for them so they could be on their way. Friday, July 24th we watched the parade over K. S. L. Salt Lake City. It was a good parade and then Marilyn baked cookies and some bread. Friday evening we went down to the church and watched the parade put on by our Ward, because we were taking care of Grandma Bailey we came back home to eat supper.
Saturday, July 25th, was the meeting for the Alumni of Heyburn High School. I went down to the school house for the luncheon and meeting in the afternoon. I saw several people I hadn't seen in several years. In the evening they had a program and dance. Idella Lee Wilcox and I sang a medley of old familiar songs. Sue Christenson accompanied us. They also honored Ernest Handy, our brother-in-law, who was a graduate in 1927 for his accomplishments and also Mrs Ruth Reid who was a former teacher. She also taught Marilyn over to the Opportunity School and she was the one who got her placed in a job at the hospital. It was a good program and a good evening of visiting and seeing old friends.
Today, Sunday, hasn't been too good between sore joints and a week stomach I wasn't able to attend church.
Troy Ashby received his mission call. He will go to the Columbus, Ohio mission September 10, 1981. He will be busy making his preparations to leave for this assignment.
Sunday evening, Jeanne and her family returned from their reunion and stayed overnight with us and leaving about noon for home.
Tuesday Bonnie Ashby had her wisdom teeth removed by an oral surgeon in Twin Falls. Joan had some other appointments in the afternoon so rather than Bonnie staying alone she spent the afternoon with us.
I completed the twelve embroidered gingham check blocks for my quilt and pieced it together this week, It is red and white and will be beautiful when I quilt it.
Friday, July 31, was Robbie LaDeaux's birthday. His mother who is in a wheel chair flew in from California to visit with him and to stay with Lamar and Brenda for awhile. Saturday night Lamar baptized him a member of the church and Ray confirmed him on Sunday.
Our lesson in Relief Society was on Testimony and its importance. I don't express mine very often but I do have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that Spencer W. Kimball is a living prophet today. I know that the church is true and that I'm grateful for all the blessings that are mine because I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Our Sunday School lesson was about Samson and the book of Ruth. I was asked to sing the "Song of Ruth" as a special number. Ruth was a very loyal, obedient, humble person and it is an inspiring and interesting story.
So far this summer we have frozen 35 bags of peas, canned 40 pints of green beans and 18 quarts of beet pickles. All of these came from our own garden.
In between working at the office I have been putting together quilt blocks that I started many years ago. I am trying to finish up some of the things that I have had rat-holed, as Jeanne says, so I can start something new. There is a lot of history goes into a pieced quilt because some of the pieces go back to when I was first married. They are scraps from girl's dresses, boy's shirts and many other sewing projects. It is interesting and fun to see how you can make them fit together.
Tuesday, August 18, the three of us went to Logan. Wednesday morning we got up and went to the temple and did two endowments. We went home and had lunch and at four o'clock we went back to the temple to go through with Troy. He was going through for his endowments in preparation for going on his mission. After the session we picked up some Kentucky Fried Chicken and potato salad for all of us. We returned home and served supper to Don and Stella Ashby, Troy, Bonnie, Joan, Norman Dee Ray, Sylvia, Marilyn, Ray and I. We visited as we ate and then all the rest headed back home. Thursday morning we went to the temple and did two more endowments. After we cooked dinner we drove down to Ogden to pick up a generator for the Cycle Shop. Friday morning we gathered up all our things so we could return home in time to pick up Grandma Bailey and have supper. It is a good break from our routine to go to Logan and do temple work and relax. It was an enjoyable week but we were also glad to be back home and resume our other duties.
This week of August 24th we hooked on to the fifth-wheel and went to Melba to spend some time with Jeanne. They have made quite a bit of progress on their home. She has some really nice cabinets in her kitchen and it is a good arrangement. Tuesday we went shopping for material for some school clothes for the girls. Wednesday Ray, Marilyn and I drove up to Cambridge to see Shelly and Gary. They are getting along fine and have a two bedroom mobile home they are going to move into. We enjoyed the day. Wednesday evening I went with Jeanne to Relief Society homemaking activities. Thursday we headed home and brought Dirk with us so he could go on up to Rick's College. Friday I went to work and spent the rest of the day getting things in order. Saturday morning at 6 o'clock Dirk and Bonnie left to take their things to Rexburg. Marilyn and I prepared Jell-O and Macaroni salads for family home evening. We were expecting all the family home for supper. Jeanne's family didn't make it for supper but they were here for bedtime. Everybody was present except Todd, Shelly and Gary. We had an enjoyable chicken dinner with salads on our back lawn. The weather was beautiful and we had a good visit.
Sunday morning we went to Priesthood and Relief Society in our Ward and then we attended Sacrament meeting in the Paul Ward. It was a farewell testimonial for Troy Ashby. They had a good meeting consisting of talks by all of them, piano and organ duet by Bonnie and Dixie Kloepfer, Bonnie's friend. Don Ashby gave the opening prayer and Ray gave the closing prayer.
Jeanne's family and Dee's family had dinner with us and then they went about their other activities. Joan and Norman took Bonnie and Dirk back to Rexburg to start college. Jeanne's family left for home because there school starts Monday too.
Today, Monday August 31, 1981, is the beginning of the school year. We have three first graders in our group, Tory, Tyrell and Heather.
Sunday September 6, I taught the Spiritual Living lesson in Relief Society. I substituted for Joann Masoner. The lesson was taken from Brother Gordon B. Hinckley talk on forgiveness. He said that forgiveness is of the utmost importance to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a very good lesson and we had a good discussion from the sisters. I had never taught a lesson in Relief Society before and I am not the best but I did try.
This week my stomach has given me problems so I quit taking all of my Arthritis medicine and I am trying to get along without it. I am also trying to walk part of a mile every morning at 5:30 o'clock. I have been doing this for about a month. I can only manage about S mornings a week. I have canned tomatoes and pears from our garden and orchard and will do some more as they ripen.
Sunday, September 13, I sang a special number in Relief Society. It was titled "Learn and then Teach". It was published in the September 1980 Ensign and was written especially for the Women's Fireside in October 1980. Joann Masoner was my accompanist and several said it was very well done.
Today, they also sustained and set apart Marilyn to be an assistant Nursery Leader. She has done this once before and she does enjoy the little children.
I have canned 24 quarts of tomatoes fresh and 28 quarts of tomato juice, 21 quarts of peaches and pears, made Zucchini bread and Apple cake. This has come from our garden and orchard. I still have some apples and peaches to take care of.
We have enjoyed a beautiful summer and our yard has looked so nice, thanks to Ray's efforts. Everything is growing so well.
Monday, September 21, was my birthday. Some of the kids came on Sunday but most were here Monday evening. Ray gave me some cologne, Marilyn bought our supper, Dee and Sylvia had a bouquet delivered, Joan and Norman gave me a book, Lamar and Brenda a Photo Rack, Nolan And Dawna a rubber plant, Neldon and Sharon an embroidered pillow and Jeanne and Lynn sent me a box of homemade Peanut brittle. I enjoyed everything.
Thursday 24, we went down to Logan. We did two Endowment sessions Thursday and two Friday. Friday when we were getting to go we couldn't get any hot water in the bathroom so Ray spent the morning to get that fixed. After we did our temple work and had supper we went to Cache Valley Mall and bought some shoes for Ray and I. Saturday, Ray went to the Priesthood session and Marilyn and I did the washing etc. before we got dinner and came home. The weather had been stormy and there was some frost. I'm not looking forward to winter because my joints are still giving me a lot of pain. I have been without medication except for an irritated stomach for a month, now I'm trying to go back to Motrin. I have to make sure my stomach is healed up before I can take aspirin again.
This last week in September I have been trying to organize the basement. We decided to take the extra wooden chairs and a big red easy chair out to Deseret Industries, that gave me room to put up some metal shelves and put boxes of material and yarn on them.
Tuesday, Sister Helen Weidel was telling us she was getting some donations together to send to the San Antonio Mission to help them with a bazaar so I donated an afghan and two pairs of pillowcases. She said it was a very small branch in the mission and it was the only way they could raise money to operate their branch on. I have contributed handwork to other fund-raising projects so it was no problem to give some for her to send.
Saturday morning October 2, Ray and I went to the Paul Stake house and listened by direct wire to the welfare session of General Conference on T. V. We watched all the sessions Saturday and Sunday. They were all very good talks and I need to be more diligent in studying the scriptures and reading the Church Magazines.
Bonnie and Dirk were both home from college this weekend. Joan, Norman and Bonnie were going to Salt Lake City today October 5, to see Troy off for his mission.
Dirk had been home to Melba and he and two of his friends stopped by Sunday on there way back to school.
We harvested some of the crab apples from our flowering tree and made 40 bottles of jelly. They were odds and ends of bottles so no exact amount. We gave some to each of the girls for jelly and still had lots left so I made another batch for syrup. it made 14 pints and 5 little glasses. there is still some on the tree but I guess they will have to stay there.
Since I gave away my pillowcases I decided I’d better embroidery some more so I have been finishing some of those. I also set together three sets of embroidered quilt blocks.
I enjoy having the time to the handwork I have accumulated to do.
October 16, Wilford and Idella Wilcox, Ray and I were assigned to put up a display on "Financial Management" as part of the home storage and preparedness program of the church. This was part of our Ward Harvest Social. They served a very good roast beef dinner and all of the food was from ward members garden or storage. It was well attended and enjoyable.
My stomach and joints are still giving me a lot of trouble and I'm going to have to go back to the Doctor. I felt better Monday so I put off going to the Doctor. Each day has been a little bit better. Thursday we went to Logan and did one session and then on Friday we did three more sessions. We were the witness couple for two sessions. Friday when we got back Marilyn said Joan had called to tell us that Jeanne had a new baby daughter. We called Jeanne at the hospital in Nampa and talked to her. She said it was born Thursday October 22, at 7:15 and weighed 7 and a half pounds. They were both doing real well and were happy they were there.
After we ate lunch and Ray did some work on the house we had another phone call telling us that Grandma Bailey was in the hospital. We debated about going home but decided to wait until after Ray went to the temple on Saturday for a priesthood session. We arrived back home in Heyburn about 12:30 o'clock in the afternoon. Ray went to the hospital to check on his mother and I put on the baby quilt I was going to make for Jeanne.
Sunday evening we checked with Jeanne to see how she was and to tell her I would be coming up on Tuesday. I did up my work at the office on Monday morning and in the afternoon I baked a batch of bread, did some washing and finished quilting the baby quilt. Tuesday we got up and packed the fifth-wheel and headed for Melba. Marilyn went to work and Sylvia was going to bring her home.
It was a nice drive to Melba and Ray and I had a chance to discuss and visit about a few things. It was really beautiful weather. We got to Jeanne's about noon and ate lunch with them. Ray unhooked the pickup and made sure everything was hooked up to the camper but he forgot to check where the keys were before he locked the door. He had to leave in order to be back home before it got very late because Marilyn was home alone. Lynn and Paul had to take the door off the trailer and unlock it when they came home from school. When I got my sewing bag out, I found the other set so now I had both sets of keys.
It was quite a schedule to help Jeanne but all went well. The boys who went to Seminary had to have breakfast at about 7:15 and then the rest would eat and leave for school by at least 8:30. By the time the dishes were done there was only about an hour before dinner had to be started because Jalaine got home for lunch about ll o'clock and then it took until 12:30 before everybody was fed. Supper took almost as long except they didn't usually eat until 6:olclock. Friday Ray and Marilyn came up.
The nights had been quite cold and I had a little trouble sleeping but I got along quite well considering all the cooking, dish washing and laundry, Saturday night was Hallowe'en and it seemed like every kid in Melba was out trick or treating. Sunday they all went to church. Jeanne, Marilyn and I only went to Sacrament meeting. Lynn and Ray blessed the baby and gave it the name of Monica. After Church Marilyn and I got dinner and did the dishes while Ray hooked up the trailer so we could come home. We were home by 7:olclock and glad to be back.
On Thursday while I was gone Ray's sisters, Mary and Wanda moved Grandma Bailey into the Burley Care Center nursing home. They decided nobody could take care of her in their home and she isn't able to go back to her own. She is very unhappy there and it is almost impossible to visit her because she gets upset at not being home even though she is too confused to know where she is,
The month of November is here and we got the statements out without a hitch. Wednesday November 4th, I helped serve the luncheon at Relief Society. This is the first homemaking day I have been able to attend because it falls so close to the first of the month. They had a very good group and we served a good luncheon. It is also very tiring for me and I always come home with the leg ache.
Monday evening November 9, Gary called to tell us that they have a new baby girl. She weighed 8 lbs and 13 ounces. They are naming her Melissa. This is our first great grandchild.
Grandma Bailey has been in the nursing home for two weeks but she isn't any better. Ray and I have been trying to decide whether we could take care of her. Most of the family don't want us to because it will be quite a job. It is so depressing to have her so confused and unhappy. Mary and Ray visited over the phone and decided there was nothing to lose by moving her to our place. November 11, Wednesday, Ray and I moved her dresser, end table, lamp, rocking chair, some books down to our place and he went over to bring her home.
This is Sunday November 15. I stayed home with Grandma while Ray went to church. So far she has adjusted pretty well. Yesterday Mary came and gave her a bath and did her hair. Seth came down from Bancroft to see her. Ann, Don, Edith. Ernest came to see her and she felt good about that, Maybe between all of us we can make her remaining days a little easier for her. Of course we don't know how long this will last but at least we'll try as along as she is able to be as well as she is.
Grandma started complaining about a pain in her left side and it is making her quite miserable. Monday it is even worse and so we gave her some Bufferin for the pain and I slept on the couch in the front room so I could hear her if she needed to get up in the night. Tuesday Ann, Ray and I took her to the Doctor. He gave her a mild pain pill and said for us to watch for a rash. She didn't develop any more symptoms. Saturday night November 21, she had diarrhea and all day Sunday it continued to get worse. Monday she was so exhausted she slept all day and all night. The Doctor gave her another prescription for this problem but after ten days it hasn't gotten any better.
Mary Wilcox took her on Wednesday to stay with her for a few days.
November 26, was Thanksgiving Day. Jeanne and her family came on Wednesday night to stay but they were having dinner with Lynn's relatives. We had Joan's family, Lamar's family and Neldon's family for dinner. There were eighteen of us and we had a good dinner. Turkey and all the trimmings.
Dee Ray's family, Jeanne's family, Joan's family were here in the evening to visit. We had a real nice day. The weather was cold but clear.
Friday morning it was snowing a little. We had dinner of Thanksgiving leftovers and Jeanne's family headed for home. By Friday night Ray was coming down with a cold. It developed into a bad one and he was unable to attend church Sunday.
Ray's cold stayed with him for a week and we were unable to move Grandma Bailey back home until December 6th. She isn't very well and takes a lot of care. It requires that I stay home more. Edith, Ann and Mary come here and stay enough for me to go to the office and do my work. I did most of my Christmas shopping while she was over to Mary's. I have made 10 nightgowns, 10 pairs of pajamas for the grandchildren. The older boys I bought pullover shirts and the little babies I bought dresses.
Marilyn has had a cold and missed a couple days of work. it is very unusual for her to have such a bad cold.
Our 43rd Wedding Anniversary was pretty quiet. Most of the kids came and visited in the evening.
I came down with the cold and I was pretty miserable for a day but it didn't last long. Of course with Grandma to take care of I had to get over it. She seems to be gradually getting better except for her memory and fearfulness.
Jeanne and Lynn called December 16, and told us Dirk had his mission call. He will go to Kentucky, Louisville and enter the mission home on February 11, 1982. That will make 3 grandsons on missions.
I made all the arrangements to have all of the family home for Christmas Eve dinner. Gary, Shelly and Melissa came down on Sunday before Christmas to spend the week. They are staying with Cal and Ruth Heiner. They brought the baby over on Monday morning for us to see her. She is really a cute baby and seems to be very contented. Wednesday afternoon they brought her over and I tended her while they did some shopping. We got along quite well except Grandma Bailey was really confused and hard to make understand.
December 24, Jeanne's family came from Melba. In the afternoon Gary and Shelly arrived and they succeeded in getting a five generation picture which included Great Grandma Bailey, Ray, Jeanne, Shelly and Melissa. After the picture was taken Mary came and got her mother and took her to stay with them until Mary had to go back to school.
Christmas Eve all the family was present except two missionaries, Sylvia and Tory who were home with colds. We set the tables for 39 people and had Turkey, Ham, Salads, that were brought by the families, rolls brought by Jeanne, relish plates, pie and Ice cream that Marilyn and I made. After Dinner we had a short program beginning with the Christmas story read by Ray and program numbers by grandchildren. We concluded with singing Christmas carols.
The older grandchildren passed out the presents and they opened the presents and they were all enjoyed. Ray and I received Towel sets, pillow slips, embroidered and framed Wall Plaque, family portrait pictures, pictures of grandchildren, footstool, philodendron plant, subscription to National Geographic, soap, face creams and some games.
We gave each of the families a quilt, an afghan and one half of a beef for their freezers. It was an enjoyable evening, everyone had a good time and there was no cross words or crying the whole evening..
Christmas morning we watched Jeanne's family enjoy their Santa Claus visit and then we opened our gifts to each other. Marilyn had some latch hook and needlepoint kits, book, new dress and jewelry. Ray gave me a new Hamilton Beach blender, a new Sunbeam mixmaster and a three piece plaid suit. Marilyn gave me a dust buster. I gave Ray some books, conference tapes and lens attachment for his camera. Marilyn gave him a chenille sweater.
We fixed breakfast for all of us and also dinner in the middle of the afternoon. The rest of the day was spent visiting. Saturday Morning Jeanne began gathering and packing things so they could head home right after lunch. It was cold, windy and miserable. The roads were slick but they managed to get everything packed up and headed home about three o'clock. We finished cleaning up the house and made preparations for Sunday. Sunday we had a special Sacrament meeting at the Stake center. They were realigning our Wards. The only change in our boundary was one block which took away a few people including the first counselor in our
