The OLD Folks

It is my personal opinion (Myrna) that wheel chairs could be reinvented to do a better job. Dad has been glad that we didn’t paint the living room before his surgery because there are now paint chips all over the place where the chair has hit the woodwork. (LHT: And the door jambs, walls, doors and furniture.) However, he was able to go to church in the chair on Sunday, May 1, so that was good. I finally figured out how to open and close the thing (after Dad showed me how) so that it is not so difficult on me. I have been secretly blessing (“Stupid chair!”) the thing ever since I brought it home. He could use crutches but he is really not very good at using them. One point of pride: Dad is the athlete and I am not. I can use crutches, he cannot. He says it is because I can dance (or once could). 

If Dad tells you that the doctor told him he could put 20 percent of his weight on his foot, don’t believe him. It was the technician who put the cast on his foot. The doctor said: “No weight bearing!” In fact, he gave him quite a lecture about it and how a bone graft heals. So keep praying that it heals well.

I carried the old computer upstairs for Dad. I would have taken the new one up but it is far more complicated to move and I wasn’t certain I could get it back together correctly. Dad has been faithfully

working on his memories of his mission so that he can get you all a copy. He spends almost as much

time at the computer as I normally do. (LHT: I do my scout work over the telephone.)

Dad has moved, temporarily, into the pink bedroom because it has more room for the wheel chair, crutches and is easier for him to get to the bathroom. He gets sponge baths but can have his hair washed in the kitchen sink. We could wrap his leg with plastic and let him take a shower now but . . .

With David’s long-distance technical help, Julie and I moved the “black-box” for the dish upstairs to the pink bedroom so that Dad would have some company, besides me. We are using the little television that Shawn and Kimberly gave us for Christmas. Eric brought his DVD player and lots of DVDs for Dad to watch. Kirsten sent a book and all of you have been calling and keeping him company. Our new neighbor to the south, Ron Creer, has been to see Dad and so has Russ Bender. Julie has treated me like a shut-in (as well as Dad) and has brought food and, for two weeks, took over the babysitting.

One week, Jim and Eric blessed the sacrament for Dad and the next week Russ and Harold Ealey did.

(LHT: This week I will be teaching my priesthood lesson at church.) All in all, things have gone very well. Thanks to all of you (and I do mean all).

I am taking a month off from the temple. I do feel quite good about it. I did go on Saturday and was in

the youth center. While there, I took care of some children who are grandchildren of one of our fellow

temple workers (Barneys). The mother of the children turned out to be an old neighbor, McMann, who lived next door for a while. The grandparents were the Higgens. When I first started at the temple, she was one of the women who really helped me.

We didn’t get the potatoes planted, so don’t plan on a harvest of those for this year. I have put in a few

things, between rainstorms, and so there will be a few vegetables to enjoy.

All of you get the paper, so you know what I have been doing besides taking care of LHT and teaching

Primary.

LHT: Your mom has taken me for a few rides. We went up the canyon and have been to Mona to look at the new subdivisions and around Nephi. After we went to the doctor’s last week, she took me into Payson’s Wal-Mart. She got a motorized cart for me to ride around in the store. She said she couldn’t keep up with me, as usual. (I walk too fast for her and now I drive the cart too fast for her.)

Dad should get a walking cast on May 25. At least, if the bone graft is healing well, he may. He goes to the doctor that day. That cast will be on for another month or so.

LHT joke of the month.

Why is it that men know so much about the world and how it works but know so little about women?

It’s because Adam was asleep when Eve was created.