Utah/Wyoming Trip

I just returned from a trip to Utah and Wyoming. I flew to Salt Lake on Aug. 24 and returned on Sept. 3. Here are some highlights of the trip.

I visited Sarah and Brent and delivered their wedding present. Here's a picture of the happy couple. They have a nice student apartment in Provo and are anticipating another school year at the Y.

I worked in SLC Monday through Friday on a project. Our customers have requested that we hook up a real PLC (as opposed to a soft PLC) to an AutoMod model so that we can demonstrate that trick. Dan and I spent most of the week poking around at a PLC and trying to figure out ladder logic and how to use the PLC to control our model. I iinitially didn't think I wanted to do ladder logic, but it's actually quite interesting. We're still having a few problems which I'll need to iron out early this week, but it's been a good experience.

Friday I left SLC and went to Afton to visit Mark and Lacy and the kids. Saturday afternoon Kort and Tristen and I went for a ride. Kort has a 2-wheeler, and Tristy was riding his trike. They wanted to take me to the pasture and we started out heading in that direction. I didn't know which pasture or how far, and after we had made it almost to the middle school, I decided that we had better turn around. Korty is an expert biker and was riding circles around us while I hung back with Tristy. His little legs were pumping the trike pedals for all he was worth, and if I got to far ahead of him he would holler out things like "Grandma, don't go so fast!" On the way back to the house we had a bit of hill, and Korty was very kind to help Tristy over the bumps when he got stuck or tired.

Sunday night we had a really violent thunderstorm with lots of wind, and then it settled into rain. Monday morning there was a bit of snow mixed in with the rain. Monday around 11 AM the clouds lifted to show snow on the mountains. This picture is from the back deck, looking at the mountains to the east of town. Star Valley is such a beautiful place.

Monday morning we played in the basement. The boys have lots of indoor toys to get them through the long winter. Korty loves to play with my camera, and took some interesting pictures to add to the ones that I took as well.

Korty with Bullie and Buckie in the background.

Tristen with his dinosaur shirt.

I had to take a "silly" picture before I could get the boys to settle down and do a good picture.

Here's the good picture.

Here's another picture of Tristen.

We had fun playing with Lincoln Logs and building lots of different houses.

This is a shot of Turbo in his Fido Fleece. Turbo is getting up there in years. A couple of weeks ago he was really miserable and when Lacy took him to the vet, he had slipped a disk in his back. But he's all better now and runs around outside. He likes to play tug-o-war with his puppy and his frog. One night he dragged both his toys into my room and was disgusted that I wouldn't get up and play with him in the middle of the night.

Mark is in the height of the hunting season, but he came home for the weekend. His leg gives him a bit of trouble, which I suppose is to be expected. He's okay riding, but hiking up and down the mountain is uncomfortable. Lacy is due in November, and is enduring the last few months of the pregnancy and wondering how she will cope with 3 boys. She's such a whiz at house-keeping, I'm sure she will do well.

Tuesday we went back to SLC and Lacy then drove to St. George to visit with her family. I stopped at my favorite stores in SLC, and also visited the cemetary where Mom and Dad are buried. It's such a peaceful place, with a nice view of the mountains. The last couple of times I have stopped there I have had a hard time finding the graves. I always stop too far east. Last February when Robert and I were there we had to look for a while, especially in the snow; this time I was able to find the headstone a bit faster.

Tuesday evening I met my friend Carolyn for dinner in Bountiful. I also drove around Bountiful and Centerville, and am amazed at how much things have changed. They have torn down the old J.C. Penny's building and replaced it with "The Village" - an apartment complex of close to 200 apartments. They also have a nice new LDS Distribution Center on the border between Bountiful and Centerville, plus lots of new stores and restaurants along 500 West.

I flew home Wednesday, arriving in Manchester at 5 PM, and getting back to Billerica around 6:30. Robert and Nyssa were both happy to see me, and Nyssa spent time sniffing my clothes thoroughly - I assume she smelled Turbo.

I bought a wheat grinder while I was in SLC, and it was delivered on Friday. I have spent the weekend making whole wheat rolls and bread, and it is really tasty. Is there anything better than the smell of bread baking? Nothing I can think of, except the taste of bread warm from the oven. Today's Relief Society lesson was about food storage, and I felt all virtuous because we're building up our supply of essentials like wheat.