Thanksgiving 2020

I'm thankful that we were able to still enjoy Thanksgiving while doing our part to slow the spread of Covid-19. We dropped off pies for Johnny and Monica (pumpkin for her and apple for him).

Then we had the full Thanksgiving dinner for George, Matt and me. It is a good thing we like leftovers. Also thankful that Scott enjoyed dinner with his roommates and Mary, Mark and boys with the Reynolds family.

 

Thankful Through the Years

Last year I did a blog post about our 31 years of 'We are thankful for...." feathers.  This year I decided that it was finally time to take them out of the zip lock bags and put them in a notebook so that we could easily read them. 

Customize-It sold these great notebooks that were perfect for what I wanted.

We now have 31 years of feathers safely protected, and easily accessible.
I've already read Isabella the feather from when her Daddy was 5 years old, just like she is!  Next she wanted to know what Uncle Scott and Uncle Matt and Aunt Mary had written on their feathers.  So fun to have these sweet treasures to share with her.

 

Perfect!

 It isn't often that you go on a trip, even a short trip, and come home saying that it was just perfect but that is exactly how I would describe our short trip to Salt Lake City to celebrate our 45th Anniversary!  Perfect!.  The weather was sunny and warm with cool evenings.  Every meal we ate was delicious.  The hotel was right in downtown Salt Lake.  We had short visits with Tammy and with Eric & Joanne Monson.  I marked another one off my bucket list by hiking to Ensign Peak. We also drove the Alpine Loop which was all new territory for me. And we got to see the renovations to the Salt Lake Temple in progress. 

Of course in 2020, a mask photo is mandatory.  I'm not sure why as no one is likely to forget this crazy year.

A major renovation is happening at the Salt Lake Temple where we were married 45 years ago.  Part of the plans are to modernize the foundation with the latest in earthquake proofing.  The original foundation is visible behind the two workmen.  It dates from 1862.

The original cornerstones were made of firestone from Red Butte Canyon and were placed in 1853. In 1857, ten years after the pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley, news broke that a potential hostile United States army was coming to Utah. Brigham Young had the temple foundation covered with dirt to hide the construction of temple. The army set camp near Utah Lake, about thirty miles south from the site and only left when the American Civil War started in 1861. When the foundation was uncovered, Brigham Young noticed that the cornerstones were flawed and concluded they wouldn’t be able to support the weight of the temple. He then decided that the foundation should be made entirely of granite, with sixteen feet thick footings.

 After spending time at the temple, we drove up to go on our hike. Ensign Peak is a small mountain peak at the north end of the Salt Lake Valley.

The trail is less than a mile and has some great views back across the valley.

Hiking it has been on my bucket list for several years. Although today was a bit hazy, it was still fun to look out over Salt Lake City.

  

On July 26, 1847, two days after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, Brigham Young and seven other pioneer leaders climbed the hill to survey the valley. From its summit they laid out in their minds the city they intended to build.

Next was a great dinner at an Irish Pub in Park City.  We hadn't been to Park City in more than 20 years.

Don't worry as we were diligent about wearing our masks

And about social distancing....even if I got too close to this bear!

On Friday we drove the  Alpine Loop  which took us to the back side of Mt. Timpanogos.  It is even prettier than the front side!

The fall colors would have been better a few weeks ago but it was still a delightful drive.

After a quick lunch, we visited with our friends, the Monsons. Eric was George's friend from high school in Chicago and they were roommates at BYU when we were dating.  We spent a lot of time with Eric and his wife Joanne when we lived in California from 1977-1978.  It has been 20 years since we saw them but we just picked our friendship right up.  It was so good to visit with them.  We wore masks and socially distanced except for during the photo and none of us spoke when the masks were off.

Last stop before heading to Salt Lake for dinner with Tammy was the cemetery where George's parents are buried.  It is a beautiful spot.

Since it happened to be George's Dad's birthday, we left a small pumpkin on his grave.  Deer come down and eat the pumpkins.  What a lovely tradition started by Tammy!

Yes it was a perfect little get away!

45 Years

 Today is our 45th Wedding Anniversary!

On October 29, 1975, two kids walked into the Salt Lake Temple and when we walked out we were 
 MARRIED!

Our parents had driven from Arkansas and Chicago to share that day with us. And of course George's siblings, John, Karen and Tammy were there too!

Years later, just after George's Mom had passed away, Tammy told us that she saw her dad in a pensive mood and when questioned he remarked that he was thinking of their 'years of doing things together'.

That is exactly what I've been doing for the last few days as I've contemplated 45 years of 'doing things together'.

One of my favorite Kenny Rogers songs is called, 'Through the Years'.  I love the lyrics and they express my feeling as I reflect back on the years.

I can't remember when you weren't there

When I didn't care for anyone but you.

I swear, we've been through everything there is

Can't imagine anything we've missed

Can't imagine anything the two of us can't do

Through the years

You've never let me down

You turned my life around

The sweetest days I've found, I've found with you.

Through the years 

I've never been afraid 

I've loved the life we've made

And I'm so glad I've stayed right here with you

Through the years

I can't remember what I used to do

Who I trusted, whom I listened to before

I swear, you've taught me everything I know

Can't imagine needing someone so

But through the years, it seems to me I need you more and more

Through the years

Through all the good and bad

I knew how much we had

I've always been so glad to be with you

Through the years

It's better everyday

You've kissed my tears away

As long as it's ok, I'll stay with you

Through the years

When everything went wrong

Together we were strong

I know that I belonged

Right here with you

Through the years

I never had a doubt

We'd always work things out

I've learned what life about

By loving you

Through the years.

 

Things I Learned Working for the 2020 Census

 Since July I have been working as an enumerator for the 2020 Census. I have visited hundreds of homes, traveled to northern Idaho, rural Elmore County, Idaho and the Lake Tahoe area in California.  Here are a few things that I have learned.

1. The world is full of really good people.  So many friends and family have made comments about 'getting doors slammed in your face"  but I can testify that the overwhelming majority of people are helpful and friendly. During the really hot days in Boise, I can't tell you the number of people who offered me cold water or invited me inside to rest in their air conditioning.  (FYI, we aren't allowed to go inside homes) 
   In California, I complimented a woman on her mask and she immediately told me that she bought extra so that she could give them away as she handed me one. It's pretty unique huh?  
   
   As the census entered its final phases, when we went to an address where no one was home, we were instructed to look for proxies to help us get an accurate count.  In the Lake Tahoe area where there are many vacation homes, we often had to rely on the one or two full time residents on a street. Many times, these people were willing to walk the block with me and fill me in on which houses were full time residences and which were 2nd homes.  They didn't have to do this and it took up their time but they were so helpful even when I was the 3rd or 4th census worker they had talked to.
   
   
   During my weeks in the Tahoe area, I had been intrigued by the huge pinecones, called 'sugar pine cones' that I saw on the ground.  As I left one home, I noticed that the yard was full of these cones.  I rang the doorbell and asked if I could pick some up to take home with me.  The lady told me that I could and then came out with a large plastic bag and her gardening gloves, had me identify the ones I wanted and then put them in the bag for me so that I wouldn't get the sap all over my hands.

   
   
   
2. I did encounter some GRUMPS who were not so amiable.  Does it really take more effort to be polite to someone who comes to your door? Seriously,  how hard is it to answer the question, "How many people were living here on April 1, 2020?"  Is anyone so busy that they can't take the time necessary to answer that question?  From people like this I learned that it doesn't take a lot more effort to just be NICE!
3. Just as you can't judge a book by its cover, you can't judge the people by the house they live in.  Sometimes I went up to a trailer or less than desirable house and met the nicest people ever.  

Like the one lady who picked a handful of cherry tomatoes for me from the little plant by her front door. Or the mother and daughter that were so chatty that they truly felt like friends by the time I left them.  There was one elderly gentleman in a house that was sort of falling down,  who invited me in for wine and bread!  Sometimes the people in the multi million dollar houses were too rushed to be friendly....but other times they were congenial, offering to identify other vacation homes on their block.

So I have definitely been schooled in my tendency to judge too quickly and by outward appearances rather than to be patient and give each person a chance before I made a judgement.

And just so you know, I didn't take any of the photos of homes in this blog post.  I got them randomly off the Internet so as not to accidentally give out any personal information.

           4.  For many years I have heard George say that your job satisfaction depends a lot on your immediate supervisor.  Without saying more, I can affirm that this is a true statement.

            5.  One challenge of being a census enumerator is finding toilets when you need them.  I have used more construction worker porta-potties in the last weeks than in the last many years.  I learned a side benefit of wearing a mask....they make porta-potties a lot less disgusting! 

            6.  I have learned that in the Lake Tahoe area, BEAR WARNING signs are serious!  At our very first hotel in South Lake Tahoe, I noticed this sign in the parking lot and sort of laughed.  Bears in this city!  Ha Ha!  

After dark I was going out to my car to get something and two men stopped me to say, "There is the bear.  He comes every night about this time."  I am so glad they did, as he was very close to my car.  I'm normally pretty calm, but seeing a bear right behind me would have freaked me out! 

Sorry the photo isn't the best but it was dark.

Bears frequent all the towns around Lake Tahoe.  Thanks to bear proof trash cans,  locals say that bears have gone from being 'dumpster divers to expert burglars' and have taught the skills to their young.  Locals take precautions like electric bear mats and fences.

Bears' mentality seems to be "If I can smell it and I can get it, it's mine".  When a bear manages to get into a home to ransack for food, the destruction left behind can be devastating and even dangerous if they accidentally turn on stoves or break gas pipes.    It has become a real problem and pits the environmentalist against homeowners.  

7.  A last lesson I've learned during these past few weeks, is that if you have elderly relatives who don't get out much, please visit them.  So many times, I found myself having long conversations with older people.  I could tell that they were lonely.  At least once, I even broke the 'don't go inside' rule to make it easier on an older person and to give us a bit more time to talk.  

8.  Although deserts vistas are stunning and I love beaches, the scenery that gives me the most joy is mountains and lakes and pine trees.  Views like this make my heart sing!

Emerald Bay at Lake Tahoe

Working at my first job in over 40 years has made me feel young, given me new skills, enabled me to see parts of the country I haven't seen before, introduced me to new friends and has put a little extra money in our bank account. I'm grateful for all of that.....

 

Iowa Hill, California

 As we were working to close out the census in California, many of the cases were considered 'the most difficult'.  This could be because of multiple refusals from the occupants of a certain address or because the place was remote or difficult to locate.  

On my next to the last day, I received an address that just said, "Iowa Hill Road" with no number or other information.  Other people had found it, but the occupant refused to answer any questions.  When this happens, the address just keeps coming up until someone is lucky or charming enough to get at least a count of how many live there.  So I plugged "Iowa Hill Road" into my GPS and set off. I knew about the multiple refusals but I didn't know just how remote and difficult to locate this address actually was.  Definitely qualified as the 'most difficult' of cases!

First it was yet another trip over Donner Pass towards Roseville.  Once I got off the freeway, the little road followed a stream bed and actually reminded me of Maui's famous Road to Hana.  It was green and lush vegetation along the edges of a twisty road.

When I came to a State Park, I stopped and asked the park ranger if anyone lived further up the road on Iowa Hill.  He told me that there was a whole community up there.  When I asked him if it were safe for me to go up there as a census worker, he said that it was pretty off the grid but that if I went to the general store I should be fine so off I went.  I thought the road before was narrow and twisty, well this next section was really narrow with switchback curves.  I prayed that I wouldn't meet anyone coming down as I was going up.  I honked my horn on each curve.  I wish I could have gotten a photo of the road but I decided that concentrating on the road was more important that a photo!

Here's one description I read of the road 

Be prepared to blare your horn as you encounter the unknown in tight twisting turns that will literally have you on the edge of death defying cliffs that plunge over 100 stories below. We took the ride in an SUV (not wise) and continuously worried what we’d do if we encountered traffic in the other direction. There’s little room to navigate and passengers looking out their windows see little to no pavement. 

The road 'in' is over the more gentle slope and the road 'up' is on that steep side. And yes the address I was seeking, was at the very top of Iowa Hill! That sign does say a 15% grade! Crazy!

During the gold rush days of the 1850's Iowa Hill was a boom town since there was gold in those hills! By 1856 the mines were producing $100,000 of gold per week. The town had over 140 buildings with a population of close to 10,000, one of the largest towns in California by the 1870s.  Some say it was even considered as the site of the California state capitol! Unfortunately several fires destroyed the town and then hydraulic mining was made illegal.  With all that and the difficult location, Iowa Hill's population declined.  Today there are about 200 who live there.

It seems to be a place where those who want to live 'off the grid' make their homes.  With a road like this one, it isn't destined to be a growing metropolis but it is really beautiful and I loved the adventure of driving up there.

Oh, and I did get a count of how many people lived at the address I was seeking!

Donner Pass

 I just got back from 3 weeks working for the census in California.  Most of that time I was in the Lake Tahoe area which was very pretty, but I also spent some time in Roseville and in the little communities around Donner Pass.

What a spectacularly beautiful area!  My favorite places are in the mountains with lakes and pine trees!

While I loved the scenery, I did not like driving over that pass  (elevation 7227 feet) and I made that drive 4 times.  Two of those times were on a Sunday afternoon when lots of people were driving back to central California from their lake vacations, pulling boats and campers and trailers but still zipping along at 75 miles per hour.  Add to that the semi trucks and it made me very nervous.  

I stopped feeling sorry for myself when I thought of the ill-fated Donner Party that I had heard about in history classes for many years.

When I reviewed the story I learned that about 60 people were trapped by an early snow at Donner Lake about 3 miles from the summit.   That is the lake you can see in the earlier photo.  Of those there were 19 men, 12 women and the rest were children, 6 of whom were babies or toddlers.  Many of these people starved to death or died of exposure.  Winters here are particularly harsh.  One man I talked to said that a couple of years ago they got 7 1/2 feet of snow in one 4 day storm.  Some house have ladders up to their 2nd floor windows to use when snow covers their doors.  

I don't even like to think about what it would be like to be living in make-shift log houses with no food during one of those storms.  We all have heard the stories of cannibalism and shuddered.  I like this historian's thoughts on the matter. 

 Historian Ethan Rarick wrote, "more than the gleaming heroism or sullied villainy, the Donner Party is a story of hard decisions that were neither heroic nor villainous"