The Old Folks At Home

This is thanksgiving month, not just because of the Thanksgiving holiday, but also because of my attitude. I am grateful to be alive! I am never going to be ready to die and leave this world. First of all, there are all of you, my loved ones, whom I enjoy. Then there is the beauty of the world. I was sitting in the sun, looking out the window for one of those brief but happy passing moments. The sun was warm, the sky was blue and the colored leaves were rustling in the breeze. It was truly breathtaking.

I am so thankful that I can enjoy the seasons of the year. Dad teased me when I said that to him. “Even the snow?” I admit I like it a lot more while I am inside looking outside. That isn’t quite true, however, because I do like to play in the snow I just don’t like to slog around in it.

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year and I so enjoy the colored leaves. Thanksgiving is actually the best holiday of the year because there is only the expectation of good food and good company.

Of course, I really like being outside in the flower gardens during the summer and I like having grandkids around during the long days. Children are always a bright note in life’s song.

The house is painted. I think it looks great. Dad’s shed has walls up but no roof. He is planning on building the trusses as he gets time during the next while. Then we will put them on. I will have a new bathroom downstairs but not in time for Thanksgiving. Like all building contractors, our plumber got a great big job that needs to be done on a time schedule. I am content to wait because it is a dream come true. It will have a shower in the back corner against the boy’s room and next to the dryer. The toilet and washbasin will follow the wall along the boy’s room. It is the same sort of pattern as is in the front bathroom upstairs.

Grandpa’s house is sold. It will be a month (maybe longer) before the money comes through. We also found out today that Grady, who is buying the house, wants us to go half on repairing a cast iron drain pipe in the basement that has split. We were selling the house as-is but he is uncomfortable with the pipe so I suppose it was the wise thing to do. Who know what it will cost, however. But it is nice to know the house is going to someone who will take care of it and to someone who also loved Grandpa. It has been heart-rending to go to the house and not have Grandpa there to visit. I took a lot of photos today of the inside of the house. It is not the same, because the people who made it a great place to visit are not there. Laurel and Cydney also took photos a few days ago so we will all have photos to share.

I am thankful for each one of you. I have finally begun to realize how wonderful it is to be with people who accept you as you are. I do know how extraordinary that is and I thank you all. Besides that, I LOVE each one of you. As Tiny Tim says in A Christmas Carol: “God bless us, everyone!”

You know, if I live long enough I might actually grow up.

Love Mom (and Dad)

The Visit Was Great!

The visit was great! It was, of course, too short. I think the game, since it was a barn-burner, must have been lots of fun. We did give the big kids some money for gas.

Julie watched the two little ones during game time. We went to the temple. She had lots of fun with them. They went to the Bean museum in Provo and petted a live turtle. They also saw a legless lizard, which looks like a snake but isn't. They then went to the BYU art museum and had ice cream at the creamery. They were excited that afternoon when we all got together again.

We sent you home some leftovers. I hope the pumpkin pie didn't get too mashed. I am not as great a cook as you are but, sometimes, it just is good to have something you didn't have to fix.

Donovin and Erin are more than precious. I enjoy every second with them. I think they are both going to be geniuses and contribute to the welfare of humankind. We should start keeping all of their creations so, when they are famous, we can show people how early they started. We can also brag that we changed their diapers. I am sure that made a difference, right?

Thanks for helping Erin write a letter to us. We so enjoyed it. We also appreciated the photo.

Erin got a cold. I think she got the same one Bree has. David was thinking that she may have gotten cold while she was with Julie but Julie assured me that they spent most of the time they were together inside one place or another.

Come up! You can take leftovers back to David. (Of course, if he is called out, he won't miss you, but if he isn't, he will.) Anyway, you are still invited. You are always invited because you are just part of my family and there is always heart room for you.

David said part of the reason he is working is because of the trip that Bree says they are still taking. If they are gone for New Year's Eve (and day), do you want to come here? We have fun, eat, play games, make noise at midnight. I would love to see you!

Your birthday is also in December, right? Is it the 16th or 18th? I hope you are planning on having a great birthday. You are younger than I am so the birthday should still be OK. I think I am going to do what my Dad claimed he did. I am going to subtract a year every birthday from now on out. Think it will work? I am the big 65 this year. 

Don't worry about the car payment check. David will send the car payment check up this week. He promised and he keeps his promises to me. They have good credit and payment history at the credit union. Bree reminded him, as they were leaving, that he had promised. She said he needed to take the time, right then, to go do it, but we don't have the same kind of bank here as the one they use. The bank is closed on Saturday and Sunday and there is an ATM charge if you are not using your own bank. I told him if he mailed a check on Monday I would have it by mid-week and that would make Judy happy.

I will be thinking about all of you this week and I will be missing you if you do not get here. The kids may not know it, but they are lucky to have you. I know the grandkids are lucky to have you but I think they know it. Thanks Grandma!

Love, Myrna

The Boston Baked Boltons

Sorry that this is later than it is supposed to be. Too many computer problems, not enough time in the  day....

Mikaela is preparing to participate in our Ward'sPrimary Program. She has a speaking part and has been practicing her part in the car, wherever we go. She loves being in Primary. We have some wonderful teachers, finally. Mikaela has had four Primary teachers this year alone. The teacher she has is moving in December, so it will be five teachers before the end of the year. I feel sorry for the ones that are turning eight. It is such and important time for them, they need the stability of good teachers. (Mel's on her soapbox.) Anyway, she also was given the "WOW Award" at school for being such a helper to everyone. Mikaela applied to be a Postal Carrier in her Elementary School, Brookside, and was hired. She will take the mail to all the classrooms and then return any mail from the teachers, to the office. She is so excited about the whole thing. She had to have a job interview and pass a spelling test to qualify. She loves her Principal, Ms. Kay and has had some good experiences with her. She is still taking gymnastics, but they changed the time for her lessons to Tuesdays, which makes it really interesting to get to all our events on Tuesdays.

Benjamin is wanting to try out for Lacrosse. He will have to miss the games, because they are on a Sunday, but he still is planning on being to all the practices. He is now in the computer club, the science fiction club and wants to be on the Lacrosse team. I tell him it seems like an odd mixture of talents. He reminds me that it doesn't matter what you do, you just need to enjoy what you are doing. He went on a scouting overnighter to Manadnock at the end of October. I was worried that he would be cold or he would wander off, like he is prone to do, so I made him dress in many layers, and take a whistle. I then made sure that I went over the rules of the buddy system, hugging trees, not wandering around, what do to if it is cold and you can't find shelter, etc. He then said, "Why don't you just come on this hike, that way you can make sure that I do everything that I am supposed to do?" I backed off a bit.

Braden attended the same hike. It tends to be that he hangs out with the scouts his age and was going to be sleeping with them as well, so I told him to keep an eye on Ben. (Which didn't make Ben any more happy with me.) Braden has been to Manadnock before and knew that it is warm at the base, cool at the mid-line and freezing at the summit. It was supposed to rain, so he was amply prepared. He even took an extra blanket. (He said it was for Ben, if he got cold, but we didn't tell Ben that.) They had a great time, and came home to rain and snow. Braden is still in the marching band and will be practicing with them until the end of November. The last home football game is on the 11th of November, after the Veteran's Day Parade. He is tired of marching in the cold and the rain and will be glad when he is just performing in Symphonic Band.

We don't hear as much from Siovhan now that she is feeling a little bit better. She was diagnosed with GERD and has been taking medication for it. It helps a little, but it isn't as effective as we would like it to be. She loves some of her classes and will be glad when her Stats class is over. She is still working as the Family Home Evening Grandma, and she helps out with some of the struggling Family Home Evening groups. Her roommate, Heather, recently went to Hawaii with her family, which made Siovhan long for a warm weather trip. We can't wait 'til next month to see her again. Howard stopped by and saw her on his way through the United States, after a trip from Australia. They went grocery shopping and Howard took her car for the night. She loves it when her parents commandeer her car.

Howard has been traveling. On this last trip he spent time with Andrew, touring the battle sites of D-Day. They did a lot of site seeing in the pouring rain, but they enjoyed what they saw. Andrew has become a photographer, so Howard was asking questions about lighting, settings, and overall photography questions. He wants to launch back into his hobby with a little more thought of what he is taking pictures of, how the light is affecting the shot, and what the subject matter looks like from different angles.

I am still working hard to keep the family glued together, no matter where they are or what they are doing. It is amazing how many things can break down when Howard goes on his trips. I am grateful for our membership in AAA this year. We have needed to have batteries jumped, cars towed and other help. I wasn't sure we would see the benefit of membership, but it has paid for itself four times over this year. I just wish they had something like if for household appliances, which are past their warranty.

The fall colors here have been beautiful. The snow that fell last weekend, and the rain this weekend, have pretty much pulled down all the leaves (much to the boys' sadness). New England is wonderful in the fall. The nights haven't been too cool, the furnace has come on a few times, but for the most part we are doing okay at beating the high oil prices. Hopefully we'll be able to hold off on ordering oil and will get it at a low price. $2.35/gallon for home heating oil was a little high to be paying!

We love you all. Happy Holidays!
Melanie and family

How Did It Go? From Barbara

From: "Barbara Anderson" <bander55@charter.net>

How was your visit? Aren't the little kids great? I love the big kids too, but those little ones are so special. Donovin is unbelievably smart. Erin is too, but not in the same way. It is going to be so much fun watching them develop.

I am really sorry David has to work on Thanksgiving. I was looking forward to getting out of this town for a while (yes, I was planning on coming). Maybe Bree and I and the kids ought to come up anyway. No, that would be mean.

Write me.

Love Barbara

Thanks, Todd, for Newsletter Photos

Thanks to those of you who sent your newsletter items. If you are going to
get it by Thanksgiving, the rest of you will need to get on the ball. It is
almost time for the December news and we are still working on November.
Those who sent November news did not send photos. Do you want to send some
posthaste? I am printing on Wednesday.

Todd and Amy may have a new baby by then and none of you will know when, why or how because we haven't got anything printed.

Love, Mom

David said he bought tires for the car when I asked him if I needed me to help make a car payment. I wouldn’t know that he was late except the credit union called and asked if I wanted to transfer some funds since I am co-signer. David said he did not need help but would be late because of the tires. I spent the first half of my married life juggling payments so I do not judge and understand. I also understand that tires for a needed vehicle might seem like the best option at the time.

For their anniversary present we are going to send them to the BYU game. We are paying for the gas, the tickets, and some treats for the game. Bree may not be the fan that David is but will, we were thinking, enjoy the time.

As for our talk, we all have to decide what is important in life and then do it. If Bree and the kids are important, then it is worth the sacrifice for David to continue to love through the bad as well as the good. It is also a two-way street. His little family is important to David. I told David that he and his family were also important to me and to Leonard. All of my family is important to me and I would do a great deal to have them be happy. Bree wants to be the person that she THINKS we want her to be. She has to know her own worth and value. We all do. I need to think that I have value and so do you.

Are we all willing to ALWAYS tell the truth, even when it is unpleasant. You can't judge someone else unless you can live that way yourself. I am not always willing to upset people by being honest. Sometimes I just avoid answering the question so that I don't have to upset anyone and don't have to lie. It is called avoidance. I think that is also dishonest.

David really loves Bree. We all do. I pray each day that all will be well for all those I love, and I do mean all. Each child, each spouse, each grandchild has great worth. You also have great worth. Hang in there. Grandma. Remember that I love you and that we are in this together. Who knew that being the parent of adults would be as interesting as being the parents of toddlers is?

Love, Myrna

Is this you, Garth?

Myrna: Is this you, Garth?

Walking Clubs in Utah

*CASTLE COUNTRY WANDERERS 

1645 E CASTLE CIRCLE
PRICE UT, 84501-0000

GARTH CHILDS - 801-687-9072

Garth: I dont rember the address but, yes, while I was in the Guard I was a member of this walking club. (We started it when we came back from Deseret Storm.) The Guard unit sponsored several walks around the area. Haven't done very much with them for several years. How did you happen to find this?
Myrna: I was trying to find a reference for the paper about walking clubs.

Questions for Barbara

Does Erin like the new school and has she adjusted to the change?

Is Bree going to get the money for selling all the homes? Did she make the sale completely or was it partially a company thing so that they will take the money and she won't get it? I have been hoping that the money will really come through for them.

In addition, I was wondering if you could open the newsletter from the Trauntvein family that I sent to you. Would you prefer a hard copy?

Love you, Myrna

Louise Edwards Nelson

Myrna, We spoke briefly at your father's funeral. I am Louise Edwards Nelson. My father was Vernon Edwards, your grandma Pitts' brother.

My father was killed in a farm accident when I was 16 years old. I am ashamed to realize recently that none of my children or my brothers children ever knew their grandfather Edwards, and never will know anything about him if I do not try to gather and put together something.

My father was always one to make sure that we kept in touch with family, but I am sorry to say that after he was killed we did not stay in close touch with his side of the family with the exception of brothers and sisters.

They tell me that you are the genelogist in your family and that you may have some information that I could use. I am hoping. What I am looking for is any information or stories about your grandmother Pitts family when she was young and the children were growing up out in the Uintah Basin. Anything that Tom Pitts may have written or told about their early marriage and freighting between Myton and Helper.

Your father was only nine years younger than my father. I know that they worked together as they got older and if you have any mention of my father there, or any stories of when they were kids, I would really appreciate hearing them.

Uncle Charles was 15 years younger that my dad so he knows nothing of my dad's childhood.

Please let me know if you might have anything that I could use in my father's history or if you know of anyone that might.

Thank You Louise Nelson lnelson@networld.com

Louise: I do have some things. I was wondering if you would mind being a bit patient with me. The sisters and I are trying to empty out Dad's house so that we can sell it. I think we are planning to be done somewhere around the first week of December. Give me a bit of time and I will get some things together for you.

The Boltons Came to Ohio II