Talmage turns 18 this week.  He just graduated from high school and is planning on going to college in the fall.  He has been working hard to earn money for college which means we don't see him a lot.  Talmage has lots of good qualities.  He is kind; he enjoys his nieces and nephews.  He likes to cook when he has time.  He doesn't say unkind things about others. He bought his own car a few months ago and has been taking good care of it--he really loves having that independence.  He is quite successful in his job and has been promoted recently there. We're happy to have Talmage in our family! Age 5 months Age 1 Age 2 With his good friend, big sister Susanna at the Eagle's Nest in Germany Age 3 Age 4 Age 5 Age 5, holding his birthday presents Age 6 Age 7 Age 8 Baptism day Age 9 Age 9 Age 10 Age 11 Age 12 Age 12 Age 12 Age 13 ...

The world feels full of heavy problems lately.  In addition everything caused by the pandemic and now the protests, a good friend of my brother's family died in a bicycle accident not far from our house. She leaves a huge hole in her husband's and 5 children's lives.  Then Saturday, the husband of a woman in my book group had a massive stroke and is now in the ICU. Saturday for our date, Scott and I got some food from our favorite Mexican restaurant and then drove up to the temple to look at it while we ate.  The temple is closed right now and will be until a solution is found for this coronavirus.  I used to go just about every week and it was a place of peace for me.  It was raining so we stayed in the car. A picture through a rain-splattered windshield We went to the parking lot to the west of the temple and the interesting thing is that quite a few other people were there too, sitting in their cars and looking at the temple.  We counted about 1...

Last weekend we went camping near Goblin Valley so members of my family could go rappelling at Goblin's Lair.  I was apprehensive, I have to admit.  The temperatures were predicted to be in the high 90's and I was not looking forward to being really hot--and it was very hot.  But we went and while the campground experience was pretty bad, I was able to help out during the rappelling and I enjoyed the hike the next day which was not as hot. The campground experience was bad for several reasons: 1.  No picnic tables and we were unprepared with any tables. 2.  Horrible allergies--I stepped out of the car and immediately my nose started itching and running constantly.  I was miserable. It was remarkable how bad it was just in that location and nowhere else.  It's a desert with zero trees. My only explanation is possibly the wildflowers I saw nearby. 3.  Biting gnats.  They were not constant but we all got many bites that continue to itch sev...