September 19-25, 1981

Also, during this week, I felt quite upset over Ken and his problems with the girls.  The man Val is living with at this time went up to Ken’s the other night and wants to adopt the girls and he isn’t even married to Val yet.  This got Ken all upset and of course, I was upset also.

On Friday evening, Betty, Frankie (Stone) and I went to Coalville to Stan Peterson’s reception.  It was also very lovely.  The second generations of Person girls were there – Lois, Jesse and Elaine.  Saturday I spent the day cleaning, getting ready for when Verla will be here and Sunday I did few odds and ends.  During the week I was really busy at work with the budget.  We don’t have the mill levy back yet and so w4e are sort of on pins and needles.  On Thursday evening we had a water ditch meeting and its kind of a sticky situation where Rell Argyle is concerned.  He’s trying to build a house up Line Creek and there’s a great bother about whether it’s legal or not. 

I attended the Old Testament class on Wed. night at 6 o’clock over at the seminary.  I’m really going to enjoy this.

August 28-30, 1981

August 28

Today was a court day and Betty and Spike got their divorce finalized but I didn’t go to court.  Janice went instead.  I just felt like I couldn’t’ and I was glad I didn’t.  Steve and Jackie went down to the temple again tonight with Max and Lyletta Searle.  Better Green’s mother had died on Wednesday.  We all went together and bought her a beautiful planter.

 August 29

I was taking an extra few minutes in bed this morning planning my day.  The telephone rang right after 8:00 a.m.  It was Alice Norman.  She talked me into meeting them in Brigham City and going to the Price reunion in Paradise.  I was really glad she did because I didn’t really enjoy myself and everyone seemed glad to get together once again.  Two or three people that I was really pleased to see were Gladys Heninger and Ruth Allen Brunker.  It seemed so good to talk to her again.  And then Aunt Irva James was there and she seemed to be improved somewhat and one thing for sure – she does not lose her sense of humor.  John Price and his wife Lucy have been appointed to be ordinance workers in the Jordan River Temple.

 August 30

In Sacrament meeting this morning Regina Haslam, Woodrow and Twila Giles got up and announced they had been called on a mission.  Regina to New York and Woodrow and Twila to Ontario, Canada.  I was really thrilled for them.  Then Peg and Jerry Allen and Michelle & Norman Noyes spoke and on temple marriage.  It was really an extra special meeting.

August 20-22, 1981

August 20 Conrad Nelson called me up to see if I would meet with the Bishopric at 7:40 tonight. I did and I was asked if I would accept the job of leader in the single adults transition program – whatever that is. It is similar to the Special Interest program but involves that and much more. It sounds very challenging but I said I would accept it and do my best and I know if I’ll do that, the Lord will bless me in my efforts.

August 21 Hip! Hip! Hooray! And all that old jazz. Finally all the Mill Levy sheets are in but not Mt. Green sewer district and I got them off in the mail. Tonight we went (Betty Mecham and I) to the soil district banquet at the City park. We always enjoy it. They had lamb and been and all the vegetables and fruits that go along with it this time of the year. After that we went to Porterville and attended the wedding reception of Deanna Harames daughter and Irma Carter’s son. The Porterville chapel is such a lovely place to have a reception. Betty and I really enjoy going places together.

August 22 Today I had to do a lot of work toward the preparation of my lesson for tomorrow. I borrowed a sample of Batik from Helen Smedley and I went down to pick it up. They have a truly gorgeous home and the furnishings and décor are exquisite. Mrs. Smedley is a lovely person and so willing to share what she has.

July 12-17, 1981

Sunday July 12

I studied for my Sunday School and Relief Society lessons and walked over to the church and back.  I really felt good.  I spent the afternoon writing in my journal, writing some letters and cards and making some telephone calls.

 Monday July 13

I’m going to write here about the new construction being added to our church house.  (left blank…I guess she forgot!) 

 Friday July 17

It was just about one year ago today when we boarded the plane to go back on the American Heritage tour – Betty Mecham, Betty & Wally Green and myself.  I used money that I should have used to complete projects around the house.  I have several half-finished ones.  But I wouldn’t have missed that trip for anything – we have had as much enjoyment out of watching the pictures and remembering the different places and things we did as when we actually did them.  There were many spiritual experiences that were really testimony builders.

March 2, 1981

This morning as I woke up I thought back to the day when I was born.  I wondered what time of day it was and what day of the week and what kind of a time my mother had.  It was commissioner’s meeting and a very busy one.  This afternoon that sneaky Janis Widdison and Betty Green came in with a birthday cake at 3 o’clock and they all same “Happy Birthday” to me.  Betty Green said it sounded so great that they should organize a courthouse choir.  Then tonight I went over to Steve and Jackie’s for supper and after that, Lynn, Deloy and family came up and we had ice cream and Jackie had made a beautiful birthday cake for me.  Also Wanda and Melissa came over.  This made a lovely ending to my sixty-fourth birthday.

The remainder of the week was taken up with going to work, coming home.  I went down to Dr. Tanner on Wednesday.  He looked at my back and was very pleased with the way it is healing.  Bette Mecham went down with me and drove the car for me.  I thought that this was really sweet of her.  In spite of the fact that she and Spike are separated she remains one of my best friends.  She is one of the most sincere persons I have ever met.  I believe I could ask her for anything and he would do it for me and that is saying a lot in this day and age.

Saturday evening I stayed with the girls while Steve and Jackie went to Stake Conference.  Brother LeGrande Richards was present and announced that the next day they were going to divide the stake.

August 17, 1980

This past week has gone by like lightening. We got the mill levy sheets sent in. Now we will wait for the results from the state tax commission. It’s just work, work, work and the evenings have been the same. I have put up dill pickles and apples for pie. I have picked up strawberries from my own patch and they are delicious. Thursday evening I went with Betty Mecham to the SCD banquet (??) over at the park and it was delicious, then we attended Lorna Mecham’s wedding reception. They held it at home and it was lovely, just missed the rain by about an hour. Friday night I was back over to the park to a stake Special Interest cookout and that was good too. Saturday I helped from 10:00 am to 2:00 to prepare for a Hawaiian Luau sponsored by the Relief Society on the back lawn of the church then I came home, picked apples over to Pat’s and spent the rest of the day canning. When it came time for the Luau, my back hurt so bad and my hands so swollen, I stayed home with the girls while Steve and Jackie went. They couldn’t find a babysitter. During the past week no events of any consequence, no events of any consequence occurred which comes to my mind at the present time. We had two frosty mornings, which didn’t do any damage. We had commissioner’s meeting on Tuesday evening. The main issue was the ambulance service. We had so many there we had to go to the courtrooms. A lot of comments were made from the various individuals. At this time, it may be a good idea to comment on conditions around the county. The main issues are the ambulance service and the roads. They are hassling over the appointment of someone to supervise the ambulance program and they can’t seem to get together something that will satisfy the city and the county. The requirements are getting so stuff that one almost has to have an MD Degree to qualify. On the roads, the money just won’t go around to do all the work that is required to keep them in good shape. It makes one wonder what will happen in a bout 5 years from now.

July 1980

(I’ve taken a bit of a guess that this picture goes with this story.  This is Grandma Mary with the brother’s and sisters who survived into adulthood.  Left to right:  Mary, Uncle Lloyd Olsen,  Aunt Mildred Norman, Uncle Marion Olsen, and Uncle Frank Olsen, and Aunt Alice Norman.)

I had convinced myself I wouldn’t be able to go to the Olsen Reunion in Paradise on Saturday, but I talked to Mildred and she convinced me that I could. Wanda came up on Friday and in the late evening I got her to go with me to the drive-in and get a drink.  We had a real, old-time visit and surely did enjoy ourselves.  Wanda has not been feeling well lately but she looks so pretty with her blond hair and pretty clothes.  She looks and acts so young for her age.  Well, anyway, I decided to go to Cache Valley and so I left home about one o’clock.  I had gotten up early in the morning and made a lovely big batch of dinner rolls.  I made it to Paradise by 3:00.  There I found two cars of Canadian Olsen’s had arrived: Ada, Ida, Reed, Nora, Johannah, Irvin and Alice, and a number of their daughters.  We went up East Canyon (in Paradise) and had a reunion around the campfire.  There must have been around sixty people present.  We had an organizational meeting and got permanent meeting committee and named four directors: Mildred, Historian, Ada to represent the Canadian Olsens, Jessie Savage to represent the Christopher Olsen family and Alice Norman and Lloyd Olsen to represent the Gideon Olsen Jr. Family.  This gives the whole organization a feeling of permanency and solidarity.  After the business meeting we had a delicious lunch served smorgasbord and what delicious food!  Everything we could ever desire.  My rolls were well received.  After lunch we all enjoyed visiting and getting acquainted.  A group of us got in the back of Marion’s truck and went up to the dam and then farther up.  When Marion pointed out the location of the old mining town of LaPlatte where Grandfather Olsen used to do his logging in the winter and many of the old-timers did mining.  Then we rode down the canyon to the old lyme kiln where Grandfather hid out from the federal authorities when they were living in p0lygamy.  When we got back to the main group, Garth Norman had arranged a program and we had an enjoyable time listening to the reminiscences of the Canadians and of the Olsen as the stories unfolded of days gone by.

I stayed in Paradise all night, also Ada and Johannah.  We had a nice visit again before we went to bed.  I got up early and came home and attended church in Morgan.  From Sunday until Wednesday night I spent every minute preparing to leave on our tour back east.  We had so much to do at work of the things which needed to be done before I left.  Also things to be done at home.  We had to be very selective because we could only take one suitcase and a carry-on on the plane (plus our purse) to pack enough clothes to last for 2 weeks.  It took some planning.  On Monday night Jackie and I went visiting teaching.  Tuesday night I had comm’s meeting.  On Wednesday I went and had my hair done in the morning and on Wednesday night I finished my packing, plus we had to meet for our visiting teaching interviews and then I had a visit from my home teachers but I finally finished my packing in preparation to leave in the morning!

(The account of this trip is written in another journal entitled_____)

 

(She left this blank!  Now I have to search though my boxes and see if I can find this journal!)

February 22-24, 1980

Betty Mecham invited me to go to a Senior Citizen dinner with her to the Spring Chicken Inn.  The dinner was delicious but I don’t see how the old people put away so much food.  There was approx. 150 present – very enjoyable but very depressing to see so many old people together.  It makes a person feel old too and that’s not the way I like to feel.

Janis W. was ill Thursday afternoon and Friday with the flu.  I was afraid I was going to come down with it on Saturday when they were holding the ward reunion.  Alice Norman had called me on Friday night about 9:30 to see if I would come and go up to Cache Valley with them to the old folk’s party at Paradise.  It has happened that way quite often.  It ended up that I didn’t go either place.  We had a heavy fall of snow on the ground Saturday morning, but then that is to be expected this time of the year and that is what we need to fill up the reservoirs.

 

In addition to today’s post, I am adding onto the “geneology page” (Look on the right side of this page for the link.)