December 21, 1980

I haven’t written in my journal now for two weeks and I’m trying to go back over my activities and trying to remember the important things which have taken place.  Between finishing my shopping for Christmas and finishing the preparations for budget hearing my mind is just about blank.  There were about 40 people present the most I have ever seen since I went into office.  I had prepared copies of the budget and handed them out to the people.  The comm’s went through each item and there were a lot of comments and questions.  Ordinarily a budget hearing has never lasted more than half and hour.  This one lasted for 2 ½ hours – the longest one in the history of the county, I’d bet.  On the 16^th, we had the last comm’s   meeting of the year.  It was a sad feeling to know that this group of comm’s would never be together again. In my opinion, this is the most outstanding group I have ever worked with.

On the 19^th we had the county and city Christmas party and it was a huge success – the first time we have ever celebrated together.  But I’ll bet it won’t be the last time.  I spent all day Saturday baking and cleaning plus had Lisa, Amy and Katie while Steve and Jackie went shopping.   But I really did get a lot accomplished.  I wrapped presents on Saturday night.  I had bought Colonial dolls for all the girls and I had them all spread out on the bed at the same time and they were so sweet.  Also I had bought pocket watches for all the boys (my sons) and music boxes for my daughters-in-law.  I intended to give presents this year for keepsakes.  By this time I had all my house decorated for Christmas and it was the same lovely feeling as I usually have.  My tree is a pine and was very nicely shaped and I had the tiny lights on it and it really did look beautiful.  I have been shopping the whole year for Christmas and I have really got a collection together and it is all paid for.  Sunday afternoon I took some goodies that I had prepared to my special interest ladies.  Aunt Dorothy Bertoch, Amy Randall, Bessie Thurston and Maud Rhodes.  Amy went with me.  I did some more last minute shopping then tonight after work I stopped by after work and visited the four ladies on our visiting teaching group.  I left a package of goodies and they seemed to all be happy with their preparations for Christmas.  Dear Diary, I’m so full of the Christmas Spirit this year, I can’t hardly stand it.

 

 (December 25, 1980 is officially the next entry in the journal.  I already posted that at Christmas time 2008. 

In Honor of Tax Season

I found this letter mixed in with Grandma’s things.   She saved it for a long time!  I hope it comes through clearly.  If not, I will figure out how to make it clear.  It is dated February 3, 1960.

October 31, 1980

Halloween was a fun night although, as usual, I had overindulged in buying candy and then I ate it, and put on weight which I immediately have to take off again.  Saturday I spent most of the day getting ready for Sunday and Monday and Tuesday.  Sunday, Steve blessed John Steven and did a very good job too.  Wanda was up and had made Katie a sweet little red and white checked dress for the blessing.  Jackie bought a new dress for Amy and Lisa also.  Mavis and Vickie and her family came up.  Deloy, Lynn and their family were here and Deloy helped Steve bless the baby.  They were the only ones.  I wished Steve would include more – at least a member of the bishopric.  They all came over to my place for dinner afterward and we really had a delicious dinner.  Ham, turkey with all the trimmings and then Jackie had made such a neat Raggedy Andy birthday cake for Amy.  It was Amy’s birthday on Monday so we celebrated that too.  Being Ken’s birthday I wanted him and Rex to come down but they both had to work.

 

Well Dear Diary, we’ve completed our first 100 pages of this journal.  Congratulations!

April 13 & 20, 1980

April 13

 

Today is April 13^th – beautiful but cool.  Enjoyed my meetings, spent the day remaining scriptures, studying lessons and writing in diary.  This is the way the Lord intended the Sabbath day to be remembered plus other worthwhile activities.

 

April 20

 

On Monday I came home and continued in my cleanup activities.  Things at work are sort of at a standstill.  Tuesday night was Commissioner’s meeting.  Comm Thurston was back from Iowa.  We didn’t have a very exciting evening and were through soon after 10:00 p.m.  Which was really unusual.  Garbage problems seem to be on the increase.  Otherwise, Wednesday night was our stake leadership meeting, which was helped at Doris Noyes’ home.  Out next cultural refinement lesson is on the country of Iran, which is a very controversial subject at the present time because of the situation dealing with the US hostages being held at this time by the Iranian government as a result of the oil situation.  It’s like holding a highly explosive bomb in one hand and a bomb in the other.  Thursday night the senior citizens held their Open House for the newly decorated veterans room where they hold their special activities.  It is very lovely and a real credit to the group.  The city and county went together and resented an artificial floral arrangement in honor of the occasion.  It was very beautiful.

I came home and did more work outside.  Friday was non-jury trials for district court.  Heard that Hal Rees, Court Reporter, has a brain tumor – very sad because he is so young and has a young family but I feel like he’s going to come through all right.

Saturday I spent most of the day outside cleaning, raking, and burning.  I forgot to mention that on Wednesday and Thursday, Wendy Worden came in to see me.  She seems a very nice person.  Rex dropped by with $200 to me for his car payment.  I almost flipped my lid as I did not expect but it will surely come in handy to help me catch up.  Sunday, April 20 was a busy one as usual.  Elaine Largent gave a very beautiful lesson on compassionate service.

April 1, 2 and 5, 1980

Tonight they had a spring social, which was very lovely.  It was done on the Sesquicentennial (150 years since the church was organized.)  The program was very entertaining.  They showed pictures of former bishops and events in the previous years.  On Wednesday a stage play “Because of Elizabeth” was presented at the high school.  It was put on by the stake and was the story of a young girl who was born in England and joined the church and traveled to America to Nauvoo and then to Utah.  It was nobly cast and preformed – a real credit to Morgan Stake.  Friday at noon the “Courthouse Family” had a potluck luncheon and it was very successful.  I took a macaroni shrimp salad that everyone liked.  We really had an enjoyable time.  It’s a real good group of people to work with.  No one drinks on the job, very few smoke and if they do they are very considerate.  On Friday night I went over and stayed with the girls while Steve took Jackie out to eat and shop.  Saturday being General Conference I listened to Conference proceedings.  The messages were beautiful and clear.  I was getting ready also for Easter Sunday.  They girls came over and stayed while Steve and Jackie went to town.  We made hot roll sand colored Easter eggs and had a ball.  Wanda was up and she brought a sweater for Lisa and Amy that she had knitted.  The girls thought they were beautiful and they were.  Later in the day Steve and Jackie brought Wanda and I an Easter corsage.  Very lovely.  Easter morning dawned clear and cold.  It was a lovely day – too cold for picnics however.  First the conference messages came from Independence, MO where the church was organized.  It was a special feeling to hear President Kimball’s’ dedicatory prayer in the log cabin where the church was organized.  It was so sincere, simple and humble.  The other conference messages were very inspirational from the Tabernacle in SLC.  Here at home we were listening to conference then Deloy went home and brought their motorbikes up and rode down around the bottoms.  They were all here – Deloy and his family – Steve and his family – Ken and his two girls and Rex and Benjie.

More Photo Fun!

So here we all are on a Christmas morning at Grandma Mary’s.    I am guessing it is about 1978 or 1979 because John is missing, but I think that is Joey on my lap.  Am I right?  Nice bangs everyone!

Back row: Kema, Josh, Jamie, Macey, Amy

Front row: Ben, Sher, Katie, me and Joey (I think)

Here we are again.  This is definitely an earlier photo judging by how small Katie is. I am guessing 1978 again.  Sorry about the quality.  Photos from 30 years ago weren’t really designed to look good digitally.

In order: Josh, Janice, Lisa behind Kema, Katie in front of Kema, Sher, Amy

Has anyone heard from Janice lately? (or ever for that matter!)

December 25, 1980

(I am going to skip ahead in the journal and include a Christmas entry.  Merry Christmas to everyone!)

“Glorious” is the only world that can describe our Christmas.  I had filled all the stockings with care before I went to bed.  I was up at 5:00 am.m to put the ham in the oven.  Steve called me at 6:00 to come and watch the girls open their presents which was a ball.  The gifts they got were sensible and practical and the girls were delighted.  I came home took the turkey and put it in the oven then I went down to Deloy’s for our traditional breakfast.  We had an enjoyable time.  They gave me a fire extinguisher and Lynn had made me a recipe holder in the shape of an old fashioned iron.  I love it.  It is not only useful but something to keep for always.  Steven and Jackie and the girls gave me a picture frame for all my pictures and a little pot to hear my soup, etc. over at work.  While I was down to Deloy’s, Ken called me.  He was here with Macey and Jamie so I came home and he had  a snack while he was here because he went to work at 1:00 p.m.  He brought me a set of stoneware bowls and cups – very pretty and useful.  Macy and Jamie wanted to stay so they were h ere from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. I was delighted.  At four o’clock we were all here except Ken.  Rex came and brought me a snuggle comforter- very nice.  We had a lovely dinner if I do say so myself (I prepared it.)  The thing that made the day so delightful for me is that everyone was so delighted with the gifts which I gave them.  I got pocket watches for the boys and pocket knives with their initials on them.  They all said that is something they had always wanted.  I got music boxes for Lynn and Jackie which I believe pleased them.  To my grandaughters, I gave everyone a colonial doll like the first doll I received.  They all loved them.  Then to the girls in school, I got an umbrella which they were delighted with.  To the other girls I gave a toy and also to my grandsons.  Everyone stayed until about 6:30 or 7:00 o’clock.  Like I stated at the first Dear Diary, the only word that can describe this Christmas is “Glorious.”  When Steve took Jamie and Macey home Val sent a present home and it was a macrame owl done in orange and brown perfect for my dining room.

(Now that you have read one of Grandma’s memories, what is one of your Christmas memories?  I mostly remember the stockings hung above the fireplace.  Remember the year she had a fire in the wood-buring stove and cooked all the oranges and melted all the marshmallow/chocolate Santas?  Look at the fine print below this post and you will see the word “comment” followed by a number.  Click on comment and you will be able to leave a comment for everyone to read. )

January 26, 1980

This week has passed swiftly.  Over at work, we have just about wound up our yearly, quarterly, and monthly reports.  We are getting ready for and looking forward to going to St. George to count convention on Feb 5 to 8.  The weather has been like spring during the daytime – colder at night around 10 degrees (F).  Nothing very exciting has happened in my family.  Rex came down.  He looks good.  He is enjoying his work with the seismic outfit searching for oil.  He has moved to Heber City to be closer to his work and then will possibly move with them when they move to a different location.  Susan Little Porter’s baby was born during the month just a day before Joshua (her boy’s) first birthday.  They are so excited and happy and I am for them.  The baby’s a girl – 8lbs.  Lisa, Amy and Katie stayed with me Friday night.  Steve and Jackie were going to go to the temple on Saturday morning and then didn’t because Jackie didn’t feel good.  It’s wonderful the imaginations the kids have and the way they use them.  They can whomp up all sorts of situations when they start playing.  Sunday morning it started to snow. I swept my car off 6 times during the day as I went to Relief Society, Sunday School and Sacrament Meeting.  By night we had about 6 inches.