Saturday's Smile!!

My Very First Painting Ever!!

I went to the painting class here in my apartment building tonight!!  Soooo much fun!!  This is my very first painting ever!!  LOL!!  The teacher said I was going too fast!!  LOL!!  I love my sky!!  Not so much the water and the waves!!

This is a once a month activity!!  I can't wait until the last Friday in August!!

Happy Pioneer Day!!

Now that I am back in Utah, I have the privilege of getting to celebrate Pioneer Day! Pioneer Day is an official holiday celebrated on July 24 in the State of Utah with some celebrations taking place in regions of surrounding states originally settled by Mormon pioneers. 

It commemorates the entry of Brigham Young and the first group of Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847, where the Latter-day Saints settled after being forced from Nauvoo, Illinois, and other locations in the eastern United States.  Parades, fireworks, rodeos, and other festivities help commemorate the event. Similar to July 4, many local and all state-run government offices and many businesses are closed on Pioneer Day.

While the holiday has strong links to the LDS Church, it is officially a celebration for everyone, regardless of faith and nationality, who immigrated to the Salt Lake Valley during the pioneer era, which is generally considered to have ended with the 1869 arrival of the Transcontinental Railroad.

Genealogy and finding my ancestors is one of my favorite things to do!!  Now that I am here in Utah I can go into Salt Lake City to the Mother-load of Genealogy knowledge!!

It will be fun to walk through the stacks and microfiche and just take in the history of millions and millions of folks!!

May we all remember our ancestors that came from all over the world and gave so much to help establish this wonderful country!!

Saturday's Smile - Late Again!!

My New Apartment - 4th Floor

Saturday's Smile Two Days Late!!

I wish it had been this pleasant!!  I thought I would be smart and hire a "real" moving company.  Rated the best!!  Ha!!  They were supposed to be here Saturday morning, changed to Saturday afternoon, changed to Saturday night, changed to Sunday morning early, changed to Sunday morning late and finally showing up about 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon.  Only to tell me it was going to cost two-and-a -half times more to move me than I was quoted!!  $10,00.00!!!  For 4 pieces of furniture and boxes of fabric!!  What?!?!? 

Well, you are held hostage at that point so I compromised and about 1/3 of my stuff left last evening around 6.  Now what?

Oh, well, it's a new day, I am healthy and happy and ready for my new adventure!!  See you on Saturday after I land safely in Utah if not before!!

A New Reality is in the Works for Me . . .

 My sweet little brother, Kelly, died suddenly and with no notice whatsoever 5 months ago today.  I am still reeling!!

I have known him all his life.  He came to live with me in September, 2015 after Heavenly Father inspired me to call him and see if he would like to be roommates and take care of each other in our remaining years.  He was one of my most favorite people in the whole wide world.  He was a great companion and funny as all get out - I was always laughing at some he said or did.

For the first 5 weeks after he died, I sat in my rocker and stared out the window crying, not really sure what to do next.  So I started praying earnestly, asking Heaven Father what to do next now that my mission to take care of Kelly (and he me) until he left, wayyyyy too early by the way, was complete.

I kept hearing in my heart, get closer to a Temple.  So for those of you that don't know, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints.  Our Temples are very precious to us.  So, my journey to get closer to a Temple began with no further direction.  But everything fell into place, with Heavenly Father in the details, and this coming Friday. I am leaving our sweet home in the hands of a Realtor and moving to South Jordan, UT to be closer to a Temple.

Seven years ago our house looked like this:

Today our home looks like this:

We alway joked  that when the first of us died, the other one would sell our home and move forward with their life.  If I died first, Kelly was going to sell the house, move to Florence, Italy for the rest of his life. :-)

Kelly died first, so I am moving closer to a Temple.  Less than a mile from my new apartment!!

And there is an indoor swimming pool!!  God is in the details!!  Life is bitter sweet right now!!  But I know Kelly would be pleased with the new journey I am pursuing!!  I love you, Kel!!

Saturday's Smile!!

I am Proud to be an American!!

      

                                    HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!