My brudder Mike

November 27th - it's Mike's birthday today. He would have been 53. I sure miss him. When I hear something funny, I still think "Mike would love this". Every time he called or emailed me he would say "Hey, dis is yor brudder"

I was listening to the radio this morning, and the song "Desperado" came on. (what are the chances?) I haven't heard that song since Sarah sang it at Mike's funeral. By the way, Sarah, thanks for taking on the funeral solos.

With all his challenges, Mike was amazing in so many ways. I agree with Bill, Mike had enough personality for two people! He loved music!!! He was so talented in singing and playing drums. He was also one of the best storytellers I've ever heard. And he was so generous. As Steve said "If Mike had a nickel and you needed a dime, he would find a way to give you fifteen cents!"

The thing so endearing about Mike was how positive he was about our Mom & Dad and his 'seesters'. He chose to hold on to all the good childhood memories.

Mike, you left me with lots of good memories too.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRUDDER!

Counting my blessings

Today everything outside is covered in a blanket of new snow. I'm feeling very blessed to be in a warm house. As I studied the pioneer women a few years ago, I realized that a warm house was a novelty for them. How we take things for granted!

Eliza R Snow recounted the night of a torrential rainstorm in the Salt Lake Valley. The thatched roof over her head began to dissolve. Wet globs of mud mixed with straw were falling all around her. Along with the mud came the mice who had been nesting in the thatch. All Eliza could do was sit on her bed holding her umbrella over her head until morning!

She may not look like it here, but she had a great sense of humor!

House in Huntsville

Thirty six years ago today (November 8th), we moved into our new house in Huntsville. We had a 20 month-old toddler and his three-week old baby brother. Our house seemed so big - over 1,000 sq. feet!

We qualified for a 'farm home loan', but there were stipulations - you had to buy or build outside of Ogden City limits. For weeks we looked for ground in Plain City and Far West. We drove up the canyon and around the Valley. We finally put some interest money down on a building lot in Nordic Valley. Shortly after, custodian Karl DeVries was pushing his broom through the art room at Weber High. He started a conversation with Steve, and found out we were planning to build a house. He said "Well, I have a couple of acres in Huntsville. I'll sell you one."

The next afternoon, Steve and I drove down 6900 East, a seldom-used narrow dirt road with a couple of tire tracks. Steve pointed to a field of snow. "There's the ground, what do you think?"

"But all I can see is snow"

With Songer wisdom, he replied "Well, there's gotta be something holding up that snow."

There was. And we paid $4,500 for it. ( @ 8.5% interest )

Our parents thought we were crazy to want to live 'clear up in Huntsville'. "Think of the drive!" "Think of the snow!"

It became a spiritual experience to live in such a rural and secluded place. One of the first mornings we were here, I glanced out the kitchen window to see the first heavy frost on the ground. The low, early sun pierced through the pine trees and cut a swath of light across the fenced pastures. Minutes later, I noticed that all the different animals had made their way to the warmth of the morning. They were standing in a row of sunlight with frost on their backs and their breath creating a fog around their heads. The quiet beauty of nature was stunning.

So - Happy 36th Anniversary to our Huntsville home!!!

The Creepover

The first to arrive - a fairy, a monkey, a pirate, Little Dead Riding Hood, and Harry Potter.

I must say that Halloween is NOT my favorite holiday. I don't like to be scared, I don't like messy spiderweb decorations, I don't like a bunch of candy in my house . . . But I DO love our grandchildren, and our 'Creepover' is an excuse to have a lot of fun together. You might wonder how our 'Creepover' got started. What I've noticed is . . . if you have a fun party, the expectations are high that you will have it again next year and VOILA! a major tradition has begun!!!

We had the traditional witches brew, and candy in the leaf pile. Actually, there were two leaf piles - one for the older kids and one for the younger ones. Rosalie found one piece of candy and immediately sat down and started to eat it. Meredith found two pieces and gave one to Andrew and one to Rosalie. Yes, the smaller leaf pile was the kinder, gentler leaf pile.

After getting their 'glow' necklaces, they all went on a walk with their Grandpa. What was lurking about in the dark of night? A moving shadow - a creature with glowing eyes!! SCREAMS of terror!!! (Rex was the perfect lurker)

Everyone was glad to get home to play Halloween Bingo. We had beans to mark the bingo cards. In the middle of the game I heard a faint "These are yucky" Rosalie had chewed on a few beans before she realized they weren't candy. Grandpa raced to the rescue and caught the pieces as they were spewed forth.

Then beds were made on the family room floor, and we all snuggled in to watch our traditional "Blackbeard's Ghost"

This year, my favorite part of the Creepover was in the morning. After our cheese pancake breakfast some of the kids went outside to see if there was any candy they may have missed the night before. (they found 7) Andrew came back into the house with a fistful of carrots from the garden. He loves Grandpa's garden carrots!

As we washed them, he glanced outside at his cousins and said "Grandma, I can't believe they're looking for candy when they could just go pull up some carrots."

Later that day, Grandpa came home and was kicking around in the leaves hoping, as in years past, to find an unclaimed Snickers or Baby Ruth. None to be found. I told him "Just go pull up some carrots"

Halloween Night