Not the best (but definitely the most blessed) day this week

Paul, JJ, Supe and Moss went for a little mountain bike ride this morning. Moss and Supe had come from home and work to meet Paul and JJ there. After the ride (Paul and Moss thought it was quite a bit harder ride and Supe and JJ did) JJ and Paul headed home together. When they were about a block from home Paul started feeling like he had some really bad heartburn. It was so bad that when he got inside, he didn't bother heading upstairs, but just laid down on Supe's bed. Then it started feeling like a lot more than heartburn and he called for JJ to come back down and give him some help. (I had just returned from a walk up on the Red Hill.) Then he started feeling really bad and vomited and decided he was having a heart attack. We got some aspirin into him and JJ gave him a perfect, quick blessing and then we loaded him up in the car and headed to the ER. We ended up next to a police car on the Boulevard and JJ motioned to him and asked if he could give us an escort to the hospital, but he said they can't do that anymore...so I just started driving Italian (not quite that scary) and got by slowpoke drivers and through red lights without any problem. They got him right into the heart doctor and they went right to work taking him to the cath lab and determining he needed a stint and putting it in. He's feeling no chest pain, but does have a really sore leg where they fed the tube to insert the stint up through the femoral artery starting near the groin. They are taking really good care of that little incision because it's very dangerous if it opens up and he starts bleeding. He's on some meds to make the blood "slippery" so that it doesn't stick to the stint and clog things up again. He will be there a few days, hopefully moving from the ICU to the Cardio Unit and making contact with the cardio rehab people to see where we will go from there. The doctor who did the stint said that all of that was taken care of in record time which is very good as far as minimizing any damage to the heart and that Paul has a very strong heart and is in really good shape making recovery go much more smoothly in all probability. We feel so blessed that this didn't happen at Scout Camp out in the boonies last week, or on our hike in Zion the week before or at our family camp that was planned for this coming week end (with hiking and mountain biking on the agenda). Any of those locations would have spelled BAD NEWS in this situation. We have postponed the family camp for a little bit, at least until Paul can sit up and take a better picture than the one posted here! We had lots of good support from family at the hospital and also via telephone from the ward. The ward youth had planned a combined activity at the lake boating tonight, but they decided to cancel and the scout troop and leaders, in full uniform, came to visit Paul, two by two, at the hospital instead. Thanks everyone for your support and prayers. We love you all.

Week as a scout widow coming to an end

I had a pretty big "should do" list to take care of while Paul was gone to Scout Camp. Some of the list items got done and some got put off for later in lieu of doing something more fun. Today one of the best things on the list did get done. Supe and I went to Riley and Melissa's wedding. It was so nice to see most all of the Lewis gang there and to share in the joy of the occasion. Looks like Riley got a pretty sweet girl from a nice family. We went to the wedding and the reception. I felt kind of like a sore thumb there without Paul. I'm not used to going to stuff like that without him. In the afternoon, between wedding and reception, I invited myself to go to the lake with Supe and Jamie for their training swim. Leo would've come, but had to work. (This was one of those more fun things I did instead of staying home and doing the bank statements.) Supe and Jamie swam off like fish way out to the little rock and then around the island and back to the little rock and back to shore. I had plans to read and tan, but once I got into that cool blue water I just didn't want to get out. If was so pretty out there and felt like back in the days of heading to the beach in the summer. I have to get out there again some time with Paul and some of the rest of the family if Supe will lend us his state parks pass. It was an all around really nice day.

Genghis loads up to go to the vet

Today was the day for Genghis to go to the vet for his annual check up and to get his shots. When I got out his little travel house, he got right in and got comfortable...until we got in the car. He does not like riding for some reason and howls the whole time until the car stops. He was pretty nervous at the vet, but sat quietly, shedding lots of hair, and didn't growl at the vet like he does sometimes. He was pronounced healthy and very handsome, 13.7 lbs....and then howled all the way home again. We love you Genghis - and wish you a late happy birthday #3 on July 5th!

Borrowkids beat the heat too

Another hot day - another chance to beat the heat - this time with the Borrowkids. I borrowed them while Ferf and Ryan went to the hospital for Ferf to have a test to determine if she has an ulcer - she does not. We hung out in the water and then checked out Never Ending Story and rested up until the folks got back. Then Moss, Christie and Brenden dropped by and we all visited and those who were hungry had dinner. It was fun and we are glad to find out Ferf does not have an ulcer - probably some gallbladder issue instead - they'll be looking into it.

Cooling off at the Town Square

The Smitherenes came over for a little bit this afternoon and we headed down to the best cooling off spot in town - The Town Square. It was so nice. Zade had to warm up a little to the idea of cooling off...he never did warm up to the splash pad, but he did have fun dipping and splashing with the little bootie cup that we found. Kaebri shot it up into the air on a water spout before Zade got hold of it and I saw Tasia take one little sip out of it before she decided it was really a hair wetting device. We stopped by the library first and picked out Lady and the Tramp II to watch back at the house while grandma made a healthy dinner of corn dogs, mac 'n' cheese and such. We all had fun and beat the heat for a little while!

Burned spot on the Red Hill

Old cement tank thing is at the top of the photo

Looking down on that little amphitheater

I finally saw where the fire was up on the Red Hill on a walk this morning. It's too beastly hot to walk up there right now, but I did go a little way - enough to see this. It's lame if someone started it, but maybe it burned up some Tamarisk and some trash. Another lame thing is that the Red Cliffs Reserve people have been up on the hill putting their little rock barriers all over the trail trying to get people to stay off for their revegitation projects. There weren't any plants growing in the middle of the trail anyway so what difference does it make? Are they trying to do away with the trail? Fat chance. I paid them no mind and finished my walk as I deemed proper and didn't kill one plant in the process. (These are phone pictures and not too good for quality and won't enlarge.)

Paul made it off to Scout Camp...life goes on

Finally all the chaos of getting everyone off to Scout Camp has subsided...and life goes on. It was hectic (you don't even want to know the whole story) trying to finalize which cars would be going and getting the tour permit and it was also a PITB getting the parents to get their boys physicals and getting the physical forms and health insurance stuff COMPLETELY filled out. "Does he really have to see a doctor - it looks like I can just check off all these boxes myself, don't you think?" Finally, at 5:30 am this morning Paul got out the door, hopefully with everything he will need. I got word from him that they had arrived, only to find that the person in charge of paying the final payment hadn't done it. Guess the Scoutmaster gets to cover the gas and the camp fee until he can get reimbursed. I don't know why I ever think it will be any different. Call on Friday last week, Scout - "Bro. Lillywhite, what time should I be at your house tomorrow morning?" Bro. Lillywhite - "No ------, camp doesn't start tomorrow. We leave on Monday morning at 5:30....that's am, and we are meeting at the church. Remember, Monday morning - not tomorrow morning - at the church! Don't come to my house at 5:30 am tomorrow!" Scout - "OK, I get it." Hope Paul will be able to relax and have a good time with a bunch of cute, but really dense 12-17 year olds.

Since I was up anyway I decided to get those apricots taken care of. I had already made some freezer jam and decided to follow Bryan's advice and make "stewed apricots" like his Grandma used to make, only different. (There's really no way to know how she made them since she doesn't even know.) After many apricots, some water, lots of sugar, chunk pineapple and juice, more apricots, crushed pineapple without juice, more sugar and some pectin I have created what I call Pineapple/Apricot Compote. If it doesn't end up being very good at being a compote (what is a compote anyway?) it can be downgraded to Pineapple/Apricot Compost. (I did have some for lunch with cottage cheese and toast and it wasn't half bad.) The apricots are done, the business paperwork and business and family bills paid and laundry drying on the line, cat let in and out too many times to count (he wants me to make it not so hot for him somehow) and part of the dishwasher taken apart/flushed of hard water deposits and hopefully put back together correctly. After that I did manage to get out of my nightgown and showered before lunch. Now I will get busy and get something done on that list I have lined out in my planner.

Legoday & birthday

We got to visit with Lou and Bryan and kiddies a couple of times this week. Wednesday was for mom and dad to be able to get to the temple and Thursday was for Ellie's #4 birthday celebration. Brady was in Lego heaven. After the temple Bryan and Brady managed to find enough of the right parts to put a tank together. Ellie had babies to tend and jewelry to model. It was a relaxing afternoon/evening.

Thursday evening Paul, Grandma Kurtz and I drove up to Enoch to join the birthday celebration along with Bryan's mom and dad. We had yummy dinner and then enjoyed presents, cake and ice cream. The cake, as is the tradition, was a masterpiece you weren't sure you should ruin by eating (who knew they made pink Whoppers?). Ellie got lots of fun stuff and Brady was happy to assist her in the present opening process. She could hardly decide which thing to play with first. I'm sure she will have a good time getting to know all of her new plunder. Thanks for letting us join the fun. Happy #4 Ellie!

Hiking, rapelling, scrambing, rock diving, wading...what a fun day!

Monday morning started with a take off time of 6:30 am. We got to Zion and picked up the permit and then headed off to the trail head for Birch Hollow. We soon arrived at the first of 11 or so rappels. It was a tricky one with a couple of overhangs, but under the expert tutelage of 3 climbing guides (giving their services for free thank goodness) we all got down just fine on that one and on all the rest. The longest one was just under 100 feet.

Here I am going off the first one

Here's part of the really long one

This one had a cool boulder stuck part way down

We had several chances to just scramble, chimney or dive down some of the short drops during the hike too.

Here's Jamie taking one of the water jumps

The combination of lots of really fun (and funny) people - Supe, JJ, Jamie, Leo (our photographer), Raymond, Paul, Bonnie and Wayne - made for a great day and we got out around 4:30 I think.

People went up to bring back the cars while the rest waited at Zion. Then we went to a park, where Moss, Christie and Brenden met up with us, and had dinner and birthday pie - a day early - for Supe. It was such and fun day. We were all kind of sorry that the rappelling didn't last longer. It seemed like we were just getting over having the fantods and getting pretty confident when they ended. I have to say that some of the scrambling, chimneying and diving off rocks to the pools below were more scary to me than the rappelling was. Thanks JJ, Leo, Supe and Jamie for a really fun day with your skills making it possible. Thanks Wayne for being a good sport about being invited and then having to drive, buy a park pass and losing your watch. At least Paul did rescue your glasses (and find another pair besides) thank goodness! Thanks to Moss and Christie for coming up with ice cream to go with the pie!

Our route of travel

It looks farther than it is. We decided it was probably 8-10 miles. Wading in the Narrows was the hardest part for me. People must have thought I was a drunk the way I was stumbling around. I think I did furnish Leo and Jamie with quite a few laughs since they were the ones bringing up the rear. We ran into very few people until we got down close to and into the Zion Narrows. We didn't see anyone until we were into the Zion boundaries.