Finding Joy in Daily Life

In a ward in Alexandria, Virginia, the speakers' talks were on guilt and how it can be healthy or destructive. At times, I thought they were both speaking only to me; it was as if they were focused right on me and no one else. Both speakers were lawyers and they were organized, spritual, and helpful. At the end of Hannah Smith's talk, she reminded us all that we are here to have JOY each day. Of course, I've heard that so many times in all kinds of church meetings, but it really resonated with me that day. I made a decision that I would find JOY each day. And, I have tried to do that since that day long ago...well, okay three weeks!

So, let me tell you about JOY Friday, Nov 15; we were having some very dear friends for dinner - Jim & Hermoine Erickson, Al & Ellen Hale - and I was in the kitchen fixing a salad. I love our kitchen: it's clean, very well organized, and has lots of workable space. (Sometimes I think of the kitchen where my mother fixed her fabulous meals and I want to weep because she had such a tiny space to work with and yet, her meals were so delicious with so many choices.) I realized while putting that shrimp/lime jello salad together that I was grateful for so many things, and I felt absolute JOY. It was a wonderful moment.

Later that night, seated around the table enjoying a marvelous meal prepared by Allen, with our dear friends, we were having such a great time - oh, the stories - I felt JOY again. We laughed so hard and I loved being in their presence; good, positive, hard-working people whom I love very much. It was definitely a day of JOY.

Just as a side note, one of the very funny stories was about a friend of Al's who was very close to dying with heart trouble when he was given a new heart belonging to a young woman. At the class reunion, Al asked the man's wife how he was doing, and she said, "Really well." Al said, "Have you moticed anything different about him?" And, the wife said, "Well, yes. Whenever we're shopping, he always want to stop and look at purses and shoes!" We all had a good laugh over that. Jim Erickson then said that his oldest son isn't married and the first thing he asks a girl is how many pairs of shoes she has...if it's close to 200, he's not interested.

Food, Glorious Food

Zagat; the ultimate in rating restaurants in New York rates it high; Allen rates it low.

So far, we have eaten at two restaurants that are rated in the Zagat rating book. So far, Allen has been very disappointed in both!

First, was a little teeny place that has been in business for 50 years. I just looked at their website and scrolling through the gossip section was a list of famous people (Bill Clinton, Tom Cruise and wife, Kate Hudson, Lance Armstrong; the list goes on and on)who have eaten there. It's really quite the hot little place to enjoy a frozen hot chocolate and other interesting items. You can look at the menu here:http://www.serendipity3.com/main.htm. At any rate, Allen, Loni, and Kristi ate there and none of us was very impressed with our food.

The next place was a very famous pizza place that has also been in business for a long time. It's right by the Brooklyn Bridge and is called Grimaldi's Pizzeria:http://www.grimaldis.com/.
Their pizza is very unique. I watched it being put together. They spread the dough - not roll - but spread by hand, then put on about 6-8 chunks of mozaralla - not shredded - add a small - very small amount of tomato sauce - a little bit of olive oil, and the toppings. It's not cooked in a pan but directly on the coal-fired oven floor. It's very unique. Allen thought it tasted like a piece of cardboard. It reminded me of pizza we had on the isle of Capri when we were in Italy. It is a more authentic pizza and not the Americanized version. We heard about this place from a couple of people who recommended it highly. One tourist told us that a columnist for the New York Times said she had to eat there while she was in New York.

So much for popular and highly rated eateries. We'll probably just stick to the hot dog stand on every corner or the Dallas Barbecue where you can get 2 chicken dinners for ten dollars before six.

Ah, but the pastries...now that's another story for another day.

I love going to church all over the world!

In 1995, while on a tour with Ricks faculty members, Allen and I were at an LDS church service in a hotel room in Russia. There were hardly any members there, but among the few people there, was a woman who had been my babysitter in Pocatello, Idaho. She was taking a tour of Russia and had heard about the LDS meeting being held in her hotel. So, while I had not seen this lady in about 40 years, we met at church in Russia!

One day, I walked into sacrament meeting in Lake Havasu, Arizona, and sitting on the back row was a former visiting teaching companion.

Last week, at a ward in Harlem, New York, Allen met a former student of his from Ricks College.

And today, walking into the Manhattan ward, there was an awesome young man from Rexburg, Idaho. Following that sacrament meeting, his sister was coming in for the Singles Ward sacrament meeting. So, I saw 2 people from Rexburg. Also in the ward, but I didn't see him is John Hancey, also from Rexburg. Adam Sparhawk told me that one of the Porters from Porter Bookstore in Rexburg had just recently moved out of that ward.

It's so fun to make connections. I love that. And, I guess I should add; I love our church!

How to Spend a Rainy Saturday in NYC

It's raining and you don't want to be outside in New York City? Then head to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Actually, even if it is not raining, you should head to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. However, here is my tip for the day...

Do NOT go after lunch when you are ready for your nap.

Do NOT go if you have walked all morning and your legs are totally tired.

DO go early in the morning when you are fresh and well rested.

So, having said that, can you guess when we went? Can you guess how it was not so profitable for me on that rainy Saturday? It's an incredible museum with amazing exhibits...too bad I couldn't appreciate them. Oh, well, next time!

I love America!

In August 1965, Allen and I were going to summer school at Idaho State University. There were about two weeks left in the term. One morning, my mom called to say that they were leaving for New York City in one hour. It was rather sudden, which totally describes my father and his spur of the moment great ideas. My mother described how she had to hurry as dad had just let her know of these plans, and she had much to do to get her and my 2 younger brothers ready for the grand adventure. Then, as an afterthought, she asked, "Would you and Allen like to come along?" She was, I'm sure, just being her usual nice self and knew that we couldn't go as we were both in summer school, so she was safe in asking. I told her no because I still had two papers to write, etc., etc, etc. When I hung up the phone, Allen asked me what mom had invited us to do. When I told him about the offer of going to New York, he said, "Call her back and tell her we'll go."

And, so, that is how in the hottest part of the summer, my dad, my mom, my 2 brothers - age 11 and 15- Allen and I and my trusty little portable typewriter, drove in a sedan (no air conditioning) across the country to New York. There were six of us jammed in that car and this was long before the days of hand-held games, books on tape, music CDs, or anything other than ourselves to amuse us.

On Thursday of this week, Allen and I returned to visit the Statue of Liberty, and there we reflected on that long-ago trip. We talked about how my parents probably hadn't really planned on us tagging along; what an added expense and added bodies in the car! But, so like them, they never said a word and just lovingly took us with them. It was that trip 43 years ago when I first remember seeing the Statue of Liberty. It struck me then, as it does now....how grateful I am to live in America. And, as Allen and I talked about my parents, we both felt a debt of enormous gratitude for their goodness, their generosity, their love. Thank you, dear dad and mom, for that trip of a lifetime and for teaching me of the blessing of living in AMERICA!

Fun with Kristi

Too much to write; too much to say; so here's an abbreviated version:

temple session,
church in Harlem; awesome; met a former student of Allen's who was visiting from IF
walking the streets with Doc Kristi who came from Long Island

Ground Zero
Broadway musical
Central Park
trying to get tickets to Yankees next-to-last game, but couldn't afford $500 tickets

I'm so thankful we have more than just a weekend to enjoy this incredible city. Still have places to visit, things to see, things to do.

16,255 steps

Today, we decided to go to St. George. So we did! I've always loved St. George. So we took a FREE ferry ride to St. George, New York, which is a teeny little town on Staten Island. (Hey, who says you can't get anything for free anymore?) Here we are in NYC, with its high prices, and they give you a free ride right by the Statue of Liberty!

Here's what we did on Wednesday:

walked 16,255 steps - oh, my aching feet!

went to the delightful Chelsea Markets. I wanted my grandchildren there to see the cupcakes! Oh, they are so clever.... The frosting is about 6 inches high and decorated as all kinds of animals.

Walked along Hudson Pier

Went to Times Square and looked for a t-shirt that says: i love NY - didn't get, YET.

Rode the subway to get acclimated. (Allen's got it down now.)

Walked some more.

Walked through Greenwich Village.

Walked some more.

Bought some allergy medicine for Allen.

Rode the free ferry to Staten Island and passed the Statue of Liberty which reminded me what a great country we live in.

Walked a little more!

NEWS FROM THE CITY: Did you see in the news that some plate glass fell from a high-rise construction area causing glass to rain down? Watch out for those high-rise buildings, or in other words, don't go walking in NYC!

NEWS FROM JORDAN: Jordan google mapped our apartment and saw exactly where we are. If you want to get a view of our building - we are on the 15th floor, the address is 405 W 23rd street, NY, NY. (It's in an area called Chelsea which is in the burrough of Manhattan.)

COST OF LIVING IN NEW YORK: we called a number that advertised apts for rent: studio apartment (probably about 600 sq feet) 3200 a month. One bedroom apt 4500 a month. So, we decided NOT to move here permanently.

SIGN IN THE CITY: right by our building, on the corner is a sign that says:

NO HONKING ALLOWED - $350.00 fine for violators.

We are having fun. Wish we could all share in the fun, but we will share it with Kristi on Saturday and Sunday. Love from NYC!

We've arrived!

The grand adventure has begun! And, here we are in the middle of "The Greatest City in the World," (according to the Late Show with David Letterman).

Have you ever wanted to do something, but it seemed too crazy to really happen? Well, thanks to Allen and the Internet, (maybe I should be thanking Al Gore instead), we are in an apartment in Chelsea, (Manhattan) New York for three weeks. The owners of this aparment are driving our car somewhere out West and will eventually end up at our lovely home in St. George, Utah.

Here's what I've learned so far: Himalayan food is not my favorite; it's very cold already in Frisco, Colorado; I didn't pack the 'right stuff'; and there's lots to do with so little time to do it.

We'll keep you posted!