Boulder Mountain

On the ride home from Cedar City, we decided to go over Boulder Mountain. We were hoping to see the beautiful leaves but they had mostly faded so we were a bit disappointed. The landscape was breathtaking though. It was extremely windy so our stops to take pictures were very brief as it was cold as well.

It was a great weekend and it was nice to get away for a bit.

Utah Shakespearean Festival-Fall

Last weekend, I went to Cedar City to the Fall Season of the Utah Shakespearean Festival. I took half a day off from work and drove my aunts Kaye and JoAnne down on Friday. Margel couldn't get off work so she came later. Kaye, JoAnne and I saw Tuesdays with Morrie on Friday night. I was based on the book by the same name.

Mitch Albom is a newspaper sports reporter and husband whose busy life is filled with work and travel. He has become so absorbed in his work that it consumes his life.
Morrie Schwartz was Mitch’s favorite college professor at Brandeis University. Although sixteen years have passed since that time, he still remembers his graduation day: he says goodbye to Morrie and notices that he is crying as they hug. Mitch promises to stay in touch with Morrie but fails to do so after college.
Morrie has since been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gherig’s disease. Sensing that death is near, Morrie begins jotting down his ideas and thoughts onto scraps of paper. He also writes his philosophies on life and death. One of Morrie’s friends becomes fascinated with his writings and sends them to a Boston Globe reporter who writes a feature story about Morrie. The story gets the attention of one of the producers of the show Nightline who then does a feature story about Morrie. Mitch happens to see the Nightline show and recognizes his old professor. He calls him to arrange a visit.
During their discussions (every Tuesday for the next few months) they cover many topics, including learning to accept death, loving others and being a better human being. Mitch is so intrigued by Morrie’s philosophies that he starts taking notes and even brings a tape recorder to the second visit. He takes time out of his schedule and faithfully visits Morrie every week. The conversations are powerful and very emotional.
With each meeting, Mitch is learning valuable life lessons but sees Morrie becoming increasingly sick. How long can these conversations continue? What lessons will Mitch take away from his Tuesdays with Morrie?

On Saturday we saw The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged as the matinee. It was very funny. All 37 plays of Shakespearean were represented in one form or another.

Can three guys really cover thirty-seven Shakespeare plays in less than two hours? This fast-firing comedy does just that as it parodies all of the Shakespeare plays (plus the sonnets!) with only three performers in two acts. This play is full of energy as the characters run across the stage and keep you guessing how they will pull off the next play. Clever use of some interesting costumes also adds to the fun.
The play starts with an eccentric version of Romeo and Juliet, followed by a parody of Titus Andronicus (which is portrayed as a cooking show). Next is Othello, which is done as a rap song (the infamous “Othello Rap”). The members of the trio compete in a hilarious football game which summarizes the histories (King John, Richard II, Richard III, Henry IV etc), complete with commentary and details of each character's rise and fall from power.
As the characters are about to come to the end of the first act, they realize they forgot to perform Hamlet. One of the actors becomes nervous and runs out of the theatre with another actor chasing him. The final actor is left to entertain the audience by himself, which he does by telling jokes and calling for the intermission.
After the intermission, the missing two actors return and save their companion from reciting all of the sonnets. All three actors then perform their very abbreviated version of Hamlet (with a little help from the audience), thus “completing” the canon in only an hour and a half!

On Saturday night, we saw The Women in Black. It was a spooky play but very well done. I think it was my favorite one this time.

Arthur Kipps, an attorney, has hired the Actor to help him tell the story about an experience from his youth. It is Kipps’s hope that the telling of this story will somehow “exorcise” the experience from his mind, and give him peace, and rid him of his persistent nightmares. The Actor rehearses Kipps in an old Victorian theatre, convincing Kipps to make an effort to make the story more vivid for his audience. Soon, the two become immersed in the strange tale of Mrs. Drablow and her Eel Marsh House.
The storytelling begins as Kipps is sent to handle the estate of the deceased Mrs. Drablow. He makes the trip to her funeral in a bleak and lonely part of England, the small village of Crythin Gifford where all of his enquiries into the details of the Drablow estate and the family are met with silence.
At the funeral, Kipps alone observes a strange young, ghastly-looking woman dressed in black. Mr. Jerome, the colleague accompanying Kipps to the funeral, did not see the woman in black and reacts powerfully when Kipps mentions her.
The next morning, Mr. Keckwick takes Kipps to Mrs. Drablow’s eerie Eel Marsh house. The house is reached by way of a narrow causeway that is passable only during low tide. As Kipps investigates the house and the surrounding property, he again sees the woman in black, but is unable to follow her. His apprehension and fear grow.
As he cautiously explores the inside of the house, he uncovers a large number of documents and information he must sift through in order to settle Mrs. Drablow’s affairs. His efforts reveal secrets and unexplainable events. Who is this woman in black? Why are the townspeople so hesitant to answer his questions? What happens to haunt Kipps years later? As Kipps and the Actor struggle to tell the story and exorcise both their demons, we learn the chilling answer to these questions.

I had a great time watching the plays and am excited to go again next year.

Fall Utah Shakespearean Festival

Next weekend, we will be going to the Utah Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City. We, meaning my aunts Kaye and JoAnne, and Margel. I have made arrangements to leave work on Friday about noonish and go down to see the evening performance of Tuesdays with Morrie. Margel will come later. On Saturday, we will see The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged and The Women in Black. I'm really looking forward to seeing the Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged as one of my favorite actors down there, David Ivers, is directing it. It should be good.

I'll give my reviews in my next blog.

Love Happens

Saturday night, Margel, Kaylynne, Tonja, and I went to see Love Happens. It starred Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston and was a pretty good movie.

Dr. Burke Ryan (Aaron Eckhart) is a self-help guru who is on the verge of a lucrative multimedia deal. But there's a problem: though he advises his patients to confront their pain, Burke has never come to terms with his wife's death. Eloise Chandler (Jennifer Aniston) has had enough of men and dating, and is busy concentrating on her floral business. When they meet, Burke and Eloise feel an instant attraction, but wonder if they'll be able to let go of their painful pasts and embrace the future.

It's not going to win any awards but I liked it.

Mad Dash Against Cancer

I had mentioned in my previous post that I didn't stay overnight at the scrapbookers weekend. This is why. I was in a 5k. It was held at the American Fork Hospital benefiting the Huntsman Cancer Center there. I enjoy 5ks especially when they are for a good cause.

I averaged about 15 minutes a mile which is my normal. I can't seem to go much faster than that for some reason. The most important thing to me is that I finished. That is my goal for each race I'm in, to finish.

I'm not sure when my next one will be but there is a Halloween one coming up in about 3 weeks that I am planning to do.

Cousins weekend

This weekend, we had a scrapbookers weekend with a few of my cousins. It was held in the Pleasant Grove rec center. My cousins, Margel, Kaylynne, Tonja, her daughter Kalysta, Mitzy, her daughter Jennifer, and Katie were all there. Tonja is the one who heard about it and got us all signed up for it. Thanks Tonja!!

Thanks to Margel, we have pictures. The first picture shows from left to right, Mitzy, Katie, Kalysta, Tonja, and Kaylynne at our table. This must have been taken after I had left.

There was a contest of who could come up with the craziest outfits. The second picture shows me, Margel, Tonja, and Kaylynne modeling our outfits. Guess who won!! We built our outfits around the socks. Pretty crazy, huh!!

The weekend started on Friday and ended on Saturday. Everyone stayed there except for me who had a 5k race the next day. I don't think any of them got too much sleep. Tonja didn't sleep at all. Guess she was too into her scrapbooking to sleep!!

There was a few classes and other contests being held throughout the whole time. They fed us dinner and brunch the next day.

It was a fun time to get together as cousins and catch up with each other. I don't have any sisters but these cousins are the closest people I have to being sisters. I'm grateful that we are so close.

Spider experience

Friday night, we had game night at JoAnne's home in Provo. Kaye, Margel, Marylynn, Mitzy, Katie, Tonja, Alene, and a bunch of kids were there. All of a sudden the kids started screaming about a spider. When we looked at the spider, it looked quite a bit like this. For those who know their spiders, it was a hobo spider. Needless to say, total chaos was happening for quite a while. I still get the willies thinking about it. Anyway, Tonja and Mitzy killed it and we got a better look at it.

I sure hope I don't run into one of those again!! It was a scary looking thing!!

Patrick Swayze 1952-2009

This past week was a sad one in the entertainment world. Patrick Swayze passed away on September 14th from pancreatic cancer. He was just 57 years old. He had been battling the cancer since 2008.

He was an accomplished dancer and actor who starred in such movies as "The Outsiders", "North and South", "Dirty Dancing", and "Ghost". The last two were his best known movies.

Labor Day

Tomorrow is Labor Day so I have the day off from work. I'm not sure what I'm going to do.

Labor Day means that summer is just about over. I don't like that idea. The summer just went by way too fast for my taste!!

The Proposal

Last night, I went to see this movie with my cousins, Margel, Kaylynne, Tonja and her daughter Kalista. They had all seen it and said that I needed to see it. It starred Sandra Bullock who is a favorite actress of mine so I decided to go see it.

Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) is the executive editor-in-chief of a book publishing company, Colden Books, who forces her assistant Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds) to marry her in order to avoid being deported to Canada. He grudgingly accepts, under the condition that he is promoted to the position of editor. When the government investigates, the two are forced to spend the weekend with his parents in Alaska in order to sell the lie. The family suggest they could marry the same weekend, and they reluctantly accept. They start to fall genuinely in love as they spend more and more time together. Because of this, during the wedding ceremony, Margaret decides she cannot do this to Andrew and confesses the business arrangement in front of everyone--including the immigration officer handling their case. She is then told that she has 24 hours to get back to Canada, and thus goes back to New York to pack her things. Upon doing so, however, Andrew shows up at the office and confesses his love for her in front of the entire office staff, proposing marriage all over again.

Except for a couple questionable scenes, I really liked this movie. I will probably buy it when I goes out on DVD. It's definately a chick flick.

Bear Lake 2009

Yesterday, we went to Bear Lake. We includes, Aunt Kaye, Sharolyn, Justin, and her two Granddaughters, Reygan and Kassity, Kevin and Peggy and their kids, Zia, Nora, and Quinn, Zia's friend (didn't get her name), Margel, Kaylynne and her 3 , Jaden, Levi, and Tyson and a couple of their friends. Colin and Tanner, Brent and Katie and their 3 kids, Ayslind, Cyana, and Bowyn, Aunt JoAnne and Uncle Allen, Tonja and her daughter, Kaylysta, Rhett's daughter Madeline. Later, Aunt Marylyn, Mitzy, her daughter Jennifer, Katie and her kids, Ezzeree and Colin came. We had quite a crew there!!

Bear Lake is an annual trip that Kayes family makes to celebrate Brent and Quinns birthdays. We go every year on the last Saturday of August.

I rode in Margels car with Kaye and Tyson. We found a quicker way to go. We go up through Evanston through Woodruff and Randolph. It saves about a hour over the other way through Logan canyon.

Bear Lake is so beautiful!! Thanks to the talents of Margel and Tonja, I was able to get these pictures. The water is very cold but once you dunk your head, it isn't too bad. We got up there around noon and stayed until close to 9 pm.

I brought my mat to float on. In the last picture you can see me and Kaylynne. My mat is the orange one. I recommend using one.

I wish we could have stayed longer, even camped out. Oh well, maybe next year.

Oquirrh Mountain Temple dedication

Today, I went to the dedication of the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. It's the newest temple in Utah and is located in the southwestern part of the Salt Lake Valley. It makes the 13th temple in Utah and the 130th temple worldwide.

I was able to see the dedication in our stake center which was broadcasted from the temple. Regular church meetings were cancelled so that everyone would get a chance to go. There were a total of 9 different sessions. President Monson was presiding and conducting the meeting. President Eyring, Elder Ballard, a couple of 70s, and Sister Allred from the General Relief Society were all there and we were able to hear from all of them. President Eyring actually read the dedicatory prayer that was written by President Monson. I am so glad that I was able to go and be a part of this historic occasion. Elder Ballard said that there are now 10 temples within 2 hours from Salt Lake. How amazing is that!!

Utah Shakespearean Festival

As I mentioned in my post from last week, my dad and I went down to Cedar City to the Utah Shakespearean Festival. It was great as usual. The plays get better and better every year. We saw The Secret Garden, Henry V, Comedy of Errors, As You Like It, Private Lives, and Foxfire. They were all really good but my favorites were As You Like It, Henry V, and The Secret Garden.

Here are the synopsis of each play. The festival website had great ones so I've included them.

The Secret Garden was a musical based on the well known children's book by the same name.

Mary Lennox, a ten-year-old girl who loses her parents to a cholera epidemic in India (“Opening Dream”), is sent to live with her uncle Archibald Craven, at Misselthwaite Manor in England (“There’s a Girl”). He is the widower of Mary’s Aunt Lily who died many years earlier. He is a hunchback and is still grieving over his wife’s death.
His brother, Dr. Neville Craven, is largely responsible for the management of the manor, along with the housekeeper, Mrs. Medlock. Mary receives a cold welcome upon arrival (“The House Upon the Hill”), and she has trouble sleeping her first night (“I Heard Someone Crying”). She, Archibald, Lily, and the Dreamers lament the loss of loved ones.
The next morning Mary meets Martha, a young chambermaid, who tells her about the grounds, a hidden garden in particular, and encourages her to play outside (“If I Had a Fine White Horse”). Meanwhile, Archibald reminisces about how he met Lily (“A Girl in the Valley”).
As Mary explores the grounds, she meets Ben Weatherstaff, the head gardener, and Dickon, Martha’s brother. Through a series of songs (“It’s a Maze,” “Winter’s on the Wing,” and “Show Me the Key”), Mary learns the history of the hidden garden and its lost key. She befriends a robin who shows her the location of the missing key, but not the door.
Neville tries to persuade Archibald to send Mary away to school and for him to find happiness elsewhere, if not at Misselthwaite. Archibald resists, and meets with Mary, who asks him for “A Bit of Earth.” As a storm approaches (“Storm I”), both Archibald and Neville realize how much Mary reminds them of Lily (“Lily’s Eyes”), with whom both men were in love.
In her wanderings throughout the manor, Mary again hears someone crying (“Storm II”) and discovers Colin, her bed-ridden cousin. She learns that his mother Lily died when Colin was born and he is terrified that he, too, will become a hunchback like his father. He tells her of his dreams about “A Round-Shouldered Man” who takes him on adventures.
As the children are becoming friends, Mrs. Medlock and Neville enter and angrily threaten Mary to stay away from Colin. In her frustration, she rushes outside into the climax of the storm, and with the help of the Dreamers, finds the door to the garden (“Final Storm”).

Mary envisions having a secret place to go to be herself (“The Girl I Mean To Be”), but Neville is again campaigning to have her sent away to school because she is disrupting his “treatment” for Colin. Archibald again refuses and relates a dream he had of Lily and Mary together in the garden. The brothers individually reflect on Lily, while a flashback shows Rose, Mary’s mother, and Lily arguing over the forthcoming marriage of her and Archibald (“Quartet”).
Archibald finally permits Neville to investigate a few schools for Mary and leaves for Paris, stopping to look in on the sleeping Colin (“Race You to the Top of the Morning”).
By this time, Mary has found the door to the garden but believes everything inside to be dead. Dickon tells her that the garden is just dormant and offers his help in waking it up (“Wick”). Mary tells Colin about the garden and tries to convince him to come outside to see it. He is reluctant until he has a vision of his mother inviting him to her garden (“Come to My Garden/Lift Me Up”).
Late one night, Mary, Dickon, and Martha covertly bring Colin to the garden in a wheelchair. As they spend time there the exercise and fresh air help Colin regain his health (“Come Spirit, Come Charm”). The Dreamers share in the joy of the moment (“A Bit of Earth (reprise)”).
Not long after, Mary is in danger of being sent away to boarding school by Neville (“Disappear”), but is buoyed up by Martha who tells her to “Hold On” to everything and everybody to which she has grown close. She writes to Archibald and asks him to come home (“Letter Song”).
In Paris, Archibald still struggles to find peace in his life (“Where in the World”), but Lily’s ghost persuades him to return home to Misselthwaite Manor (“How Could I Ever Know”). Entering the garden on his arrival, he discovers Colin in complete health, running and playing with the others. Archibald, now a changed man, invites Mary to be his own, and the Dreamers bid all to “stay here in the garden” (“Finale”).

Henry V One of our favorite actors, Brian Vaughn played the lead.

Soon after his accession to the throne of England, Henry V decides to increase his popularity and keep his nobles busy by engaging in foreign conquest. Assured that according to ancient Salic law he is the rightful heir to the throne of France, the king provides for England’s defence against attack by Scotland and begins his campaign against France by demanding certain French domains. Lewis, the dauphin of France responds by sending Henry a gift of tennis balls, an insult referring to Henry’s wayward youth. Furious, the king dismisses the French emissary with the grim remark that the dauphin shall soon see his tennis balls turned into “gunstones.”
Meanwhile, in another part of London we learn that Pistol, the king’s friend in his younger and wilder days, has married Mistress Quickly; and Falstaff, another old friend and comrade, has died broken-hearted because the king has deserted him.
With great enthusiasm for their king and his cause, the English people prepare for the expedition to France. Simultaneously, Henry, learning of a plot to murder him as he embarks, has the three conspirators arrested and put to death. Then he hastens to France with his army, where he has already sent an ambassador to Charles VI, king of France, demanding his crown, under penalty of war. The king answers Henry’s demand with the offer of his daughter Katherine’s hand and a dowry so small as to be insulting. Arriving in France, the English set siege to and win surrender of the city of Harfleur and spend the night there before pressing on to Calais.
In the meantime, Princess Katherine prepares to meet King Henry by learning some English words from her attendant, Alice, who has lived in England.
Weakened by sickness and privations, and outnumbered five to one, the English army encamps at Agincourt and readies for battle. Henry, insisting that his soldiers respect property and the French people, orders Bardolph, another comrade from his tavern days, hanged for robbing a church. Meanwhile, the French, confident of success, boast of the victory that will be theirs on the morrow.
Realizing the disadvantaged position he and his army are in, Henry disguises himself in a long cloak and goes among his soldiers to ascertain their morale the night before battle. The next morning the courageous English king delivers his famous St. Crispin’s Day speech and so inspires his troops that they achieve an unexpected and overwhelming victory over the massive French forces, with little loss of English life.
After sailing home and giving thanks for his victory, Henry returns to the French court, where he is kindly welcomed. In an interview with Katherine, he manages to convey to her, despite their difficulties with each other’s language, the plain fact that he loves her, to which she responds so satisfactorily that he insists on sealing their compact with a kiss, even though doing so is contrary to French custom. His peace terms, which include the throne of France and the hand of Katherine, are granted, and the hard-won reign of Henry V, king of England and of France, begins.

Comedy of Errors

Egeon, a merchant from Syracuse, is apprehended in Ephesus and condemned to death for violating a law that bars commerce and travel between the two cities. The only way he can avoid the penalty is to ransom his life for one hundred marks, a sum he neither has nor has any way of raising. Solinus, duke of Ephesus, asks the old man why he was traveling in the hostile city, and Egeon responds with his sad tale:
Over a quarter of a century earlier, Egeon and his wife, Emilia, became the parents of twin sons, and they soon followed that by buying another pair of twin boys, born “that same hour,” to be slaves for their own sons. They named both sons Antipholus and both slaves Dromio. In a shipwreck several years later, the family was separated. Egeon, with one twin son and his slave, was rescued by one ship; and his wife and the other two twins were rescued by another. Eighteen years later, the Antipholus raised by Egeon left Syracuse, along with his slave Dromio, to search the world over for his lost twin brother. When Antipholus and Dromio did not return after five years, his aged father set out on his own search, wandering vainly, only to be arrested and condemned to death in Ephesus on his way home.
Duke Solinus is moved by the sad tale and grants Egeon a reprieve until sunset to borrow the money required for his freedom.
Meanwhile, unknown to any of the other characters, the Antipholus raised by Egeon (now known as Antipholus of Syracuse) arrives in Ephesus with his slave, Dromio of Syracuse. Also unknown to anybody (but the audience) is the fact that the other Antipholus (now known as Antipholus of Ephesus) is already living in the city with his wife, Adriana, and the other slave, Dromio of Ephesus.
The stage is set and the series of “comedic errors” begins immediately and mounts throughout the play: Antipholus of Syracuse meets Dromio of Ephesus on the street and abuses him soundly because the slave tries to get Antipholus (the wrong master) to go “home” with him for dinner. Adriana locks her real husband out of their home because she is already in the house with his confused twin, Antipholus of Syracuse, whom she assumes is her husband. Antipholus of Ephesus refuses to pay Angelo the goldsmith for a gold chain he ordered, thinking he did not receive it (the chain was delivered to his surprised twin). Angelo wants his money and has Antipholus of Ephesus arrested. It is now Dromio of Syracuse (who is accused as being responsible for this) who is beaten by Antipholus of Ephesus (again, the wrong master).
As the situation grows more and more bewildering, with everyone certain that everyone else is totally mad, the duke is preparing for Egeon’s impending execution. Antipholus of Ephesus goes to the duke and, thinking himself terribly wronged, demands that he intercede for him. Egeon sees his son and thinks he is saved; but, of course, Antipholus of Ephesus is the other twin and hasn’t seen his father since he was a child and does not recognize him.
Finally, Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse take refuge in an abbey, only to emerge to face the other two twins, as well as Egeon, who, all at once, has found not just one son, but two. Then, to complete the reunion, the abbess reveals that she too has been living under disguise and is actually Egeon’s wife, Emilia. Egeon’s life is ransomed, the family embraces, as do the Dromio twins, and all ends in happiness, with Emilia inviting all to discuss this “one day’s error” and “make full satisfaction.”

All's Well That Ends Well

As the play opens, Orlando, a young squire, is quarreling with his older brother, Oliver, over the younger’s inheritance. Oliver inexplicably hates his younger brother and has deprived him of his inheritance and of his chances for an education suiting a well-born young man. As Orlando demands his inheritance and leaves, Oliver and the court wrestler, Charles, plot his death in a contrived wrestling match to be conducted the next day. Oliver and Charles also discuss how the good Duke Senior has been deprived of his dominions by his younger brother, Frederick, and has taken to the idyllic Forest of Arden with a few faithful courtiers. This merry band of outlaws, including the melancholy Jaques, lives there simply, happily, and in freedom, although sometimes hungry and chilled by the harshness of wind and weather.
The next day, Rosalind, who is Duke Senior’s daughter, and her best friend Celia, who is Duke Frederick’s daughter, watch Orlando surprisingly win the mismatched wrestling competition, and Orlando and Rosalind fall in love at first sight. However, the next day Duke Frederick, in a fit of spite, banishes Rosalind from the court. Drawn by friendship and love, Celia goes with her and also takes Touchstone, the court jester. Disguised (Rosalind as a boy, Ganymede, and Celia as a girl, Aliena), the two women, along with Touchstone, flee to the Forest of Arden where they buy a small cottage and search for Rosalind’s father, the good Duke Senior. To their surprise and Rosalind’s joy, the three learn that Orlando (along with his servant Adam) has also fled the court, in his case to avoid another plot against his life by his evil brother, Oliver. Back at court, Duke Frederick orders Oliver to search for Orlando, Rosalind, and Celia.
Orlando, who has joined with Duke Senior and his band, now decks the forest trees with love poems to his secret love, Rosalind—much to Celia’s amusement and to Rosalind’s liking. However, when he accidentally meets her in the forest, he is fooled by her disguise and believes her indeed to be a boy. She, on the other hand, knows who he is and offers to “cure” him of his lovesickness by “pretending” to be Rosalind and allowing him to “court” her.
Meanwhile Touchstone, who wants to marry an ugly woman so she will always be faithful to him, courts the country maid, Audrey; Oliver, who was saved by Orlando from a lion, reforms and falls instantly in love with Celia; Silvius, a young shepherd, desperately pursues Phebe; and Phebe falls head over heels in love with--who else?--Rosalind disguised as Ganymede. The various exiles and lovers begin to gather in the forest; however, Rosalind leaves them, promising she will return tomorrow and satisfy everyone, including the deluded Orlando and Phebe.
True to her promise, Rosalind returns and eventually reveals her true identity to Orlando (and a surprised Phebe); and, by the play’s end, all the love affairs are happily resolved. The multiple weddings of Orlando/Rosalind, Oliver/Celia, Touchstone/Audrey, and Silvius/Phebe are presided over by Hymen, god of marriage; and, finally, in the midst of the celebrations, the newlyweds learn that Duke Frederick has repented and has restored all possessions and estates to their rightful owners.

Private Lives

In an upscale Paris hotel Elyot Chase steps out on his terrace with his new wife Sibyl. They talk about how happy they will be as a married couple (much more than he was with his previous wife, Amanda). Their conversation leads them back inside while in the honeymoon suite next door, Victor, a man a few years older than Elyot, walks out onto his terrace. He calls for his wife, Amanda, to join him outside. It quickly becomes clear that this is the same Amanda who was previously married to Elyot, and that the former couple are in neighboring suites for their honeymoons with second spouses.
A short time later, Amanda and Elyot are surprised to encounter each other while on their respective terraces. Their strained conversation is cut short, and they both return to their spouses to try and convince them to leave the hotel immediately. Both conversations end in bitter arguments, and eventually Elyot and Amanda are back outside talking and drinking cocktails on Elyot's terrace.
After realizing they are still in love with each other and should never have divorced, they abandon their new spouses to run off together. They escape to Amanda’s apartment in Paris. After they have left, Victor and Sibyl end up meeting on their respective balconies and begin chatting.
At Amanda’s apartment the next day Elyot and Amanda are finishing their evening meal. They talk about their hasty escape from their respective honeymoons and why their relationship failed the first time. The couple is soon caught up in the same violent arguments that originally plagued their turbulent marriage. They seem to be drawn to each other simply for the thrill of the fight.
Amanda and Elyot continue arguing when, at the climax of their fight, their weary and jaded spouses, Sibyl and Victor, show up. With passions and jealousies escalating, how will these couples fare? Who ends up with whom in this amusing rollick?

Foxfire

Annie Nations is doing her chores on her cabin porch in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia and anticipating a visit from her son, Dillard. Annie and her husband, Hector, built Stony Lonesome, their quiet homestead, but Dillard, their son, long ago rejected the idea of being a farmer like his father. Much to Hector’s chagrin, he makes his living as a country singer and has only a small family who rarely come to visit.
Prince Carpenter, a local real estate man, comes by to talk. He offers to buy the farm from Annie, as he has bought the land of most of her neighbors. She struggles to know what to do.
Holly Burrell, a family friend, also comes to visit Annie when Dillard shows up unexpectedly before a concert he is playing in the nearby town. They talk Annie into going to his show that night. After Holly leaves, Dillard tries to persuade Annie into moving closer to him so he can help care for her. During their conversation, she senses something is wrong with Dillard.
At the concert Dillard puts on a flashy show in a good ol’ boy style that annoys Holly. Afterwards, Dillard surprises Annie and Holly by showing back up at Stony Lonesome. As they talk, he tells Holly that he wants Annie to move to Florida with him, but she sees Annie’s love for her home and the roots she has made there.
Dillard confronts conflicts of his own, while Annie faces the decision of whether to stay or go. Is it time to leave her home and its memories of her husband and family? As flashbacks throughout the show help portray important times in the Nations’s family, all can relate to the joy of relationships and the struggle of holding onto one’s own roots.

It was a lot of fun and it went by so fast as it usually does.

Utah Shakespearean Festival

Well, it's that time of year again. My dad and I are going to Cedar City, which is about a 3 hour drive, to go to the Shakespearean Festival. We leave tomorrow morning and will be seeing 2 plays a day for the next 3 days. We've been going for quite a few years now and it just gets better and better. We can never decided on which one to see so we go to all of them. My Grandma Gardner (my mom's mother) was a big Shakespeare fan and could quote huge lines. She went to the very first Utah Shakespearean Festival back in 1962 and someone from her family has gone to it about every year since then, I'll blog more about it next week.

The Grasshopper Incident (pretty funny)

This past week, I had a pretty interesting encounter with a grasshopper. At work, I've been rolling my windows in my car down about an inch or so to keep from getting too hot. I also have an auto shade that I put up in my windsheild. Well, I got into my car to go home one day after work. I was sitting in my front seat taking the auto shade and folding it when all of a sudden I see something jump towards me and go down my shirt!! Needless to say, I got out and was jumping around trying to get it out. Little did I know that my encounter with this critter was far from over. I thought I got it out even thought I couldn't see it. I got back into my car and headed home. Well, I got about half way home and felt something strange in my shirt. I was not in a position that I could pull over but I lifted my shirt a little and out comes this grasshopper!! It jumped out at me again!! It must have been funny to see me trying to fight this thing. I'm sure it would have made a great video!! Well, I got home and looked around for it again but couldn't find it. I didn't think too much of it until the next day when I got to work. I looked at my back window and lo and behold, it was there!! I was able to get it out finally!! It made for a funny story with my co-workers!! I'm just glad that it wasn't a bee or anything that stings. Now, I've made a conscious decision not to leave my windows down even a little bit.

How do you spell relief?

I got to speak in sacrament meeting today. I totally do not enjoy public speaking!! Talk about nervous!! I spent the whole week last week worried about my talk today. I didn't sleep hardly at all last night. No matter how many times I have spoken in sacrament meeting, I never seem to get rid of the nervousness.

My dad tells me that I did very well and several ward members did as well. I felt like I was too nervous.

I hope it will be a while before I have to give another talk.

Don't answer your phone on Sunday afternoons

A word to the wise. Don't answer your phone on Sunday afternoons. Just let it ring. I made the mistake of answering it and was asked to give a talk in sacrament meeting next week. I was hoping that as long as I kept my mouth shut I was going to be safe. I do not like to speak in public so I'm going to worry about this all week. Wish me luck!!

Gleason Family Reunion

Sorry no image for this one.

Yesterday afternoon, the Thomas Gleason Reunion was held at my cousin Rhetts house in Provo. Thomas Gleason was my great grandfather on my mothers mothers side. My aunts Kaye, JoAnne, Marylyn, and Lois were there as well as several of my cousins. Also, Jack and Alene, who are cousins of my mother and her sisters, were there with some of their family. It was great getting reacquanted with them.

Highland Fling 5k

Yesterday morning, I was in the Highland Fling 5k. It started at 7 AM so it was an early morning for me. It's much cooler to race earlier in the morning. It was a nice course mostly flat or very little incline to it. I didn't do my best time but not my worst either. I averaged about 15 minutes a mile which is not too bad but it's something I can improve on. I'm not sure when my next one will be. There are a couple next week but I'm having a hard time finding out much info on them.

Happy Pioneer Day!!

Here is a picture that my cousin Margel took of our fireworks from Friday. I hope she doesn't mind me using it. I thought it was pretty cool.

Quite a number of our family were at my Aunt Kayes house to watch fireworks. It was good to be together to celebrate.

Pioneer Days

This past Friday, July 24th, was Pioneer Day. Every July 24th, we celebrate the arrival of the Mormon pioneers back in 1847.

The following hymns remind me of the pioneers and what they did for me.

Carry On

1. Firm as the mountains around us,Stalwart and brave we standOn the rock our fathers plantedFor us in this goodly land—The rock of honor and virtue,Of faith in the living God.They raised his banner triumphant—Over the desert sod.
[Chorus]And we hear the desert singing:Carry on, carry on, carry on!Hills and vales and mountains ringing:Carry on, carry on, carry on!Holding aloft our colors,We march in the glorious dawn.O youth of the noble birthright,Carry on, carry on, carry on!
2. We’ll build on the rock they plantedA palace to the King.Into its shining corridors,Our songs of praise we’ll bring,For the heritage they left us,Not of gold or of worldly wealth,But a blessing everlastingOf love and joy and health.
Text: Ruth May Fox, 1853–1958. © 1948 IRI
Music: Alfred M. Durham, 1872–1957. © 1948 IRI

Come, Come Ye Saints

1. Come, come, ye Saints, no toil nor labor fear;But with joy wend your way.Though hard to you this journey may appear,Grace shall be as your day.’Tis better far for us to striveOur useless cares from us to drive;Do this, and joy your hearts will swell—All is well! All is well!
2. Why should we mourn or think our lot is hard?’Tis not so; all is right.Why should we think to earn a great rewardIf we now shun the fight?Gird up your loins; fresh courage take.Our God will never us forsake;And soon we’ll have this tale to tell—All is well! All is well!
3. We’ll find the place which God for us prepared,Far away in the West,Where none shall come to hurt or make afraid;There the Saints will be blessed.We’ll make the air with music ring,Shout praises to our God and King;Above the rest these words we’ll tell—All is well! All is well!
4. And should we die before our journey’s through,Happy day! All is well!We then are free from toil and sorrow, too;With the just we shall dwell!But if our lives are spared againTo see the Saints their rest obtain,Oh, how we’ll make this chorus swell—All is well! All is well!
Text: William Clayton, 1814–1879
Music: English folk song

First Moon Landing

Today marked the 40th annivesary of the first moonwalk. That's right at
9:30 p.m. Houston time on July 20, 1969. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin put on their bulky moon suits and prepare to take the first steps on the moon.
Armstrong is the first to wriggle out of a square hole in the Eagle. Once outside, he lowers a small drawbridge that holds a TV camera. Now the world can watch as he backs down the ladder.
Back on the home planet, 600 million people watch on television. Armstrong touches the moon's surface and says, "That's one small step for man… one giant leap for mankind."
Aldrin climbs out next. "Beautiful! Beautiful!" he says. "Magnificent desolation." He and Armstrong struggle to plant an American flag on the moon's surface. They get it standing, barely, and take pictures. President Nixon calls and congratulates them. Finally, they gather 50 pounds of rocks and set up experiments.
After about two hours, Aldrin and Armstrong crawl back into the Eagle. Both men have now been awake for 22 straight hours. They are supposed to rest before the complicated rendezvous with Collins, who is circling the moon every two hours. But they can't. There is little heat in the paper-thin LM, and they shiver with cold.
After less than a day on the lunar surface, it is time to go. Using its one small engine, the top part of the Eagle rises up. Dust blows everywhere. "I looked up long enough to see the flag fall over," Aldrin recalls.
Armstrong and Aldrin rendezvous with Collins in the Command Module. Once all three astronauts are back onboard Columbia, they release the Eagle. It falls away and crashes on the moon. Columbia then heads back towards Earth.

It must have been something being able to see this on TV back then.

Walter Cronkite

This past week, the world lost one of the greatest newsman of all time, Walter Cronkite. He was known as Uncle Walter as many people turned in to him to watch the news. Many people referred to him as "the most trusted man in America". I remember growing up watching him on the evening news.

Cronkite was the face of the "CBS Evening News" from 1962 to 1981, when stories ranged from the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to racial and anti-war riots, Watergate and the Iranian hostage crisis.

It was Cronkite who read the bulletins coming from Dallas when Kennedy was shot Nov. 22, 1963, interrupting a live CBS-TV broadcast of a soap opera.

Cronkite died just three days before the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, just another moment of history linked with his reporting.

A few years ago, I was able to see him in Salt Lake as he took part in the Tabernacle Choirs annual Christmas program. It was a great experience that I'll always remember.

So it's farewell for another one of the "good guys"

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Last night, I went with some of my cousins to see the latest Harry Potter movie. Those that went were Margel, Kaylynne and her 3 boys Jaden, Levi, and Tyson, Tonja, and her daughter Kalista, and Katie. We went to Jordon Commons in Salt Lake to see it. The movie started at 9 which is late for me as I have early church on Sundays but I couldn't wait to see it. The movie was very good and the reviews are rating it very high. I highly recommend seeing this movie. It was quite a bit darker than any of the other movies but that's how it is in the book. I was kept on the edge of my seat the whole movie. I want to see it again while it's still in the theaters. I classify it as a buyer, meaning that I will definately buy this movie when it comes out on DVD.

American Fork Steel Days 5k

Yesterday morning, I was in the American Fork Steel Days 5k. This is the 7th 5K I've been in this year. It started at 7 AM which is good because later it got up to 100 degrees. It started at the AF Fire Station. Then it went down 2nd North until 4th East. Then we went north on 4th East up a very steep hill. Then we turned west and ended up on 1st East and back down to the Fire House. It was a good route even with the steep hill climb. Several people I knew either from my ward or from the rec center where I work out were there. My sister in law, Kim, was there also. It was good to see them all there. I ended up doing one of my better times on this race. One of my good friends in my ward took pictures of me going over the finish line. I'll have to post them sometime so people will believe that I actually do enter these races.

After the 5k, I watched the parade. It was a good parade, not too long. There was not a lot of commercial stuff which tends to drag parades out.

Diet

Oh, if this could be true!! As many of you readers are aware, I've been working on my diet and working out. It's been quite a struggle as many of you know.

The other night, I found a quote by Erma Bombeck that I totally love!!

"I've been on a constant diet for the last two decades. I've lost a total for 789 pound. By all accounts, I should be hanging from a charm bracelet"

Dads Birthday

Last Tuesday, July 7th, was my dads birthday. Our family took him to Texas Roadhouse Restaurant at 106th S by the Southtowne Mall. The food was really good and there was a variety of food choices.

Afterwards, we went back to our house for cake and ice cream and to give him our gifts for him.

It was nice to get together as a family to celebrate Dads big day. I'm so grateful for my dad and for everthing he has done for me. He's the best dad ever and I'm so proud to be his daughter!! I hope that he enjoyed his birthday.

The first week in July is very busy for our family. Along with Dads birthday on the 7th, Moms birthday was on the 1st. We also had the 4th of July. It's been just a great big party!!

Happy 4th of July (a day late)

Happy 4th of July everyone!! Hope everyone had a nice and safe holiday. Last night, our family got together, had a bbq, and lit fireworks. We had the old standby, bbq hamburgers (yum!!). When it got dark, we started lighting fireworks. It's become tradition in our family that every 4th we stay home and do our own fireworks.

I am so grateful to be an American and to have been born in a free country!! There are so many countries in the world who do not have even half of the freedoms we have as Americans. I'm so grateful for those who have sacrificed and died in order for us to have a free nation.

This time of year always reminds me of the following song by Lee Greenwood.

God Bless The USA
by Lee Greenwood

If tomorrow all the things were gone,I’d worked for all my life.And I had to start again,with just my children and my wife.
I’d thank my lucky stars,to be livin here today.‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom,and they can’t take that away.
And I’m proud to be an American,where at least I know I’m free.And I wont forget the men who died,who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,next to you and defend her still today.‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,God bless the USA.

From the lakes of Minnesota,to the hills of Tennessee.Across the plains of Texas,From sea to shining sea.
From Detroit down to Houston,and New York to L.A.Well there's pride in every American heart,and its time we stand and say.
That I’m proud to be an American,where at least I know I’m free.And I wont forget the men who died,who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,next to you and defend her still today.‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,God bless the USA.

And I’m proud to be and American,where at least I know I’m free.And I wont forget the men who died,who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,next to you and defend her still today.‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,God bless the USA.

I am so proud to be an American. We need to always remember what a wonderful country we live in.

Freedom Festival 5k

Yesterday morning, I went and did the Freedom Festival 5k in Provo. The weather was perfect, not too hot, not too cool. It wasn't rainy at all which was good. The race started at 7 AM which is earlier than the other 5K I've been in this year. The route included going down the parade route on Univesity Avenue so we had people watching us. The last mile or so had a fairly steep hill to climb which was a bit tough. I guess I need to work on getting up hills better. My time was 47:34 which isn't my best time but isn't my worse time either. I need to keep in mind that there was quite a climb which slowed me down. I'm so glad that I did it. I love doing these 5k races. I think my next one I'll do with be in a couple weeks so I have time to recover.

Neighborhood Housefire

This past Friday, July 3rd, our normally quiet neighborhood had some excitement. A house about 4 blocks down from our house caught on fire. My dad happened to look out our window and saw a huge dark ball of smoke. We ran down to see what was happening, along with most of the neighborhood, and saw the house fully engulfed in flames. We found out that it was the home of one of our families in our ward. They have lived in the house for several years. No one was in the house when it started which was a good thing. There were several fire engines, police cars, and even an ambulance there. This first picture has the ladder truck which they used to spray water on the house. Unfortunately, the house is a complete loss. The family was left with just the clothes on their back. This is a family of six with 4 teenagers and the parents that are left with pretty much nothing. It was amazing to see everyone there trying to support this family in this difficult time. The fire investigator is still investigating the fire but he is thinking their was a short in their power strip for their computer. It was so surprising to see something like this in our neighborhood. Never in a million years did I think any of this would happen in our neighborhood!! My thoughts and prayers are with this family.

Death of 2 American Icons

On June 25th, we lost 2 American icons, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson.

Farrah Fawcett passed away last Thursday morning due to complications from cancer She was 62 years old. She was an actress who first rose to fame as one of the original angels in the 1970's TV series, Charlies Angels. She also was in several made for TV movies. I always thought it was cool that we shared the same birthday.

Michael Jackson passed away unexpectedly last Thursday afternoon. He was just 50 years old. They are still trying to determine what he caused his death. He was a pop star known as the "King of Pop" His "Thriller" album, released in 1982, is still the top seller of all time. He started singing at the age of 5 with his brothers then had a great solo career. His later years was full of controvery but I can't help but remember his pure talent especially from the 80's.

Happy Fathers Day

Today was Fathers Day. Here is a picture of my dad on our trip to Alaska last fall. I have the best dad I could ever ask for. I'm so thankful for everything he has done for me. He has taught me so much over the years through his example. He is also one of the smartest people I know. I once asked him why he is so smart. He told me that he reads alot. That's the truth. He does read alot. Most of the time when I come home from work he is reading. For as long as I can remember, he has been a reader. He taught me to respect my mother not only by words but also by action. He would never let any of us kids talk to our mother in any way that wasn't respectful. All of us kids knew we were in trouble if he heard any of us sass our mother. He is also a kid at heart especially around the 4th of July. Those who know him understand what I mean by that. I love my dad and hope I can be a better daughter to him. Happy Fathers Day, Dad!! I love ya!!

Last night, our family all got together and went out to dinner. Everyone was there, Dad, Rob, Natalee, Tobyn, Kordell, Ruthie, Alton, Kim, and I. We don't get together too often so it was really nice to catch up. We went to Tocanos, a Brazilan restaurant, in Provo. It was really good food!! Let me tell you, I've got a lot of working out to do to counteract what I ate!! I love getting together with my family. We really need to get together more often.

I also want to wish all of the dads out there a very Happy Fathers Day. Thank you for all you do.