LYNN IS IN TOWN

Saturday, August 23, 2008 Last night we finally got to meet Chris’ girlfriend Lynn Shoemaker. She flew in, Chris picked her up and they drove to Snow Bird. She wanted to see the mountains. Later she and Judy and Chris and Sierra and I had a good visit. This morning the three of them; including Sierra drove the Alpine Loop and were going to have brunch at Sundance Ski Resort but that didn’t work out so they waited for lunch. They had problems in the kitchen and lunch got delayed. I asked Sierra when Lynn and Chris were going to get married. She said after the court stuff is over in Houston. I asked her when that would be and she said October. Sunday, August 24, 2008 This morning in church as well as singing the prelude, our choir which Judy leads, sang Consider the Lilies as a rest hymn. Chris, Lynn and Sierra were there. Diane, Austin and Molly as well as Corey and his family came over for dinner tonight and of course to meet Lynn. Jim is in Baltimore working. I think all are favorably impressed with Lynn and she is already acting like one of the family. She acted quite apprehensive when Judy and I first met her. I think she wanted to make a good first impression. Little did she know that she just has to act herself around the Jepsons.

Hot Rod Driver Angie

Friday, August 22, 2008 Last night after dark, Judy and I were putzing around upstairs when the doorbell rang. It was my cousin Sherilyn. I invited her in but she seemed quite frustrated. She asked very strongly if I would go out to her car with her. Her youngest, sixteen year old Angie was behind the wheel. Sherilyn said that Angie “has her driving test tomorrow and is afraid she won’t pass the parallel parking portion.” They had been in the parking lot of the church, behind our house practicing parallel parking between two cones they had taken with them, and had finally given up in frustration. That’s where I came in. Sherilyn asked if I would teach Angie how to parallel park. I reluctantly agreed. I have never been the type to tell others what to do or how to do it. Sherilyn got in the back seat of their huge-mongous White Ford Taurus and I got in the front next to Angie. Poor little Angie, as cute as she is, is not the tallest girl in the world and could hardly see over the steering wheel. I could hardly see over the steering wheel! We set up the cones; too close together at first, and I stood outside next to the front cone because it was so small she couldn't see it. She drove around and approached them from the rear and I gave her instructions and encouragement through the open windows and she tried over and over, some times sort of good and other times not so good, but eventually after enough tries she got pretty good at it. To show how hard it was in the huge car, I even tried it once and did a poor job. After a half hour or so of her getting bitten by mosquitoes, we quit. I told her that she should be fine in the smaller car she would be taking the test in. After getting her e-mail address from her I sent her the following. So Angie, how did the driving test go today? I hope you passed with flying colors! Crazy Cousin Fred She answered with: Hey!! You were able to read my hand writting. I am very impressed!!!! My test was good. I passed!! Thank you so much for your help!!!!!

You've got to be kidding!!!!!

Thursday, August 21, 2008 Now remember, I jotter-wog (water jog-I made up the term jotter-wog) on a regular basis and twist and turn and try to stay loosened up, and I even push it pretty hard, but this is nuts. Tuesday at a little after seven in the morning, I happened onto Wendy Granata’s water aerobics class at our community pool. Big mistake and even stupider, this morning at seven I forced myself out of my comfortable bed and went over and did it voluntarily. That woman is trying to kill us. I explained to her that she is not in my will and would gain nothing materialistically out my death but she just laughed and pushed us on. I can’t believe that anything that looks so mild mannered can be so exhausting. Even the warming up at the beginning and the cooling off at the end hurt. Oof. After stretching and pulling and walking fast against resistance and every other known legal form of torture, I dragged myself out of the pool, didn’t even do a decent job of toweling myself off; went home acted macho long enough for Judy to tottle off to work then plopped myself onto the bed and fell unconscious for two hours. We have been instructed to bring our “noodles” to class next time; next Tuesday. My mind is imagining what she intends to do to us with noodles. I do remember the phrase: whipping you with a wet noodle. I am afraid; very afraid!

Oh memories - part of getting old

ASPIRATIONS Fred Jepson Friday, August 15, 2003 This place reminds me of my youth And tender times so long ago When I would wander through green fields Before the coming of the snow. But snow did come and I grew old And summer days gave way to storm The wonders of a young man’s dreams Became less bright and not so warm. The dreams I held of conquering all Were shelved in some forgotten hole The labors of a working man In years to come soon take their toll— I’ve run across them once, or twice; Those dreams I had in bygone years. I searched them close then gave a sigh For things that once I held so dear. And after I had read my fill I folded them with tender care And put them back into their place And sank back in my rocking chair.

This party or that party

Saturday, August, 16, 2008 Today Judy and I had the choice of either going to a neighborhood party at the pavilion, put on by the ward or going to a party/dinner put on by our old ward with previous members being invited. I preferred to go to our neighborhood party but Judy wanted to go to the other. As usual we did it Judy’s way. It was ok and it was nice to reacquaint ourselves with old friends but I still wish we had done the other. What would have been best of course is if we could have done both; it having had been on different week-ends or some such. In church today I had two people come up to me and ask why we weren’t there and said they missed hearing me sing to the karaoke machine. One of them said that I was the best doing it last year. Like I said, I wish we could have done both!

emotional good-bye

Saturday, August, 16, 2008 Alexa, Gavin, Greg and Niki left today on a plane to go back to their home in Arizona. I think it was a blessing for Judy and me that we had them at our place first and that they left from Greg’s parent’s after a good long visit with them. That way it wasn’t such an emotional shock for us as it was for Lynn and Dave. They; Lynn especially were in tears even before Judy and I showed up to take the kids to the airport. At Niki’s discreet suggestion, Judy and I got back in and waited in the mini-van while they said their final goodbyes, though they followed them to the car and the emotional good-byes continued in the driveway. Judy and I held our composure which, I hope at least, made it easier on them to say good bye to us at the airport. It is not so traumatic for us as we can fly free whenever we wish and can drop in on them time to visit. For more on their visit see their blog listed to the right.

Kids at the pool

At 3:30 or so Corey and his family and Niki and her kids came over for a barbeque and visit. Greg came a little later after an appointment in Orem. Corey cooked hotdogs and hamburgers on the grill and Judy made the accoutrements. I had earlier boiled potatoes and eggs for potato salad. After dinner we adjourned to the pool. I think our nine-year-old grandson, Jayden must not have been feeling very well; at least he wasn’t later in the evening. After just a short time in the big pool, he went to the kiddy hot tub and was there until we all got out to go home. At one point Stacey went to check up on Jayden. When she said something to him, he made a motion with his head for her to go away and then made another head motion toward the cute little girl he was sitting next to and I guess having a conversation with. Stacey took the hint and left. She told the rest of us what had transpired and after a good giggle we decided not to go home for an extra fifteen minutes or so. When he and Corey were in the shower afterwards, Jayden said, “I was that close!” Interestingly enough just a short time before; the day before or so, he asked his parents when boys start having girlfriends. They responded, “In the third grade!” knowing he was going into the third grade starting next week. Later at home they talked to him about how the church says you should not date until age sixteen. Greg and Niki’s two-year-old Alexa is starting to feel comfortable in the pool. Before, she pretty much clung to her mom or dad. At the very end today she was jumping off the edge. Greg’s roughhousing with her helped her open up I think. Bailey made sure she got her share of roughhousing with Greg also. .