STONE SOUP

Monday, March 25, 2002 The cupboard is full of nothing to eat The fridge in stocked with condiments. If I had some bacon I’d have bacon and eggs, —if I had some eggs. My father used to speak of hoboing during the great depression. He would jokingly tell of going to a farmhouse and asking the lady in charge If he could use her stove and a pot to make himself some Stone Soup. He would take a stone out of the yard, wash it clean, and put it in the pot. “Could I ‘borrow’ a carrot to give it a little flavor?” The woman is really curious by now. “How about a potato” “Some salt?” The list went on and on... “Maybe a small piece of meat?” When he was finished he would throw away the stone and eat the soup. He would offer some to the kind woman, Tip his hat in ‘thanks’ and be on his way.

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. .

MURKY WATERS

I think I will start throwing in poems I have written...one or two...here and there 08/31/1995 So you think you are a poet? You can make two verses rhyme. You are giddy and you’re singing. And you’re happy all the time. You think you are a poet? You think the world is yours? You think the sun is shining, Through perpetually open doors? I’ll tell you something fellow, Before you’ve gone too far; Before you are committed, Before your soul you mar; Poetry is awful, It’s reflecting on the past, It’s peering in the future, It’s the storm before the mast. It is wading in new waters, They are murky and they’re black; And the tide will draw you under. And you’ll never more look back. It’s reliving your past failures. It’s hoping you are sane. Poetry is suffering, Poetry is pain..

Longing for the open places

Well here it is August 2008 and I haven’t written a poem for years. I have not felt inspired…just sitting here wishing I lived in or at least had a second home in West Yellowstone or Island Park or Brian Head or some such. I fear I will never be happy in “civilization” But what to do when the spouse you love is a “city” girl. Alas I keep praying for wealth enough to help the kids and have enough left over for a second home but I also pray, “Thy will be done!” Maybe happiness for me, in that sense is to be in the next life. I’m going to continue praying though.

Gavin's Blessing

Monday, August 11, 2008 Yesterday was our grandson Gavin’s blessing. His father Greg did the honors in Gavin’s other grandparent Chazen’s home. The Chazen’s bishop presided and afterwards told Greg that it was perhaps the best blessing he had ever heard. After the blessing we had a taco bar provided by the Chazens extended family then the youngsters played volleyball. Judy and I didn’t eat a lot. Tupo Falou’s homecoming was yesterday also and they had a luau type buffet at the clubhouse afterwards so we weren’t very hungry. We ate a little bit at each. Jim and his family came Saturday afternoon and stayed the night. They went back home last night. They took Sierra with them as Chris was leaving for Houston on a 6:00 a.m. flight meaning leaving here at 4:00. Suddenly it was so quiet here I broke down and turned on the TV. Shame on me. Corey and his family of course were at Chazen’s too.

Good night's sleep

Thursday, August 07, 2008 Niki, Alexa and Gavin are in town and until this morning have been staying at our place. (Greg flew in today so they are now staying at Chazen’s.) Everyone has been over to seen the little ones; most of the time it was all at the same time; total chaos. Last night we all went to Tepanyaki in Lehi for dinner. Alexa was a little frightened at first but soon warmed up to the fire and the noise etc. After dinner Diane agreed to take Judy to the airport. She is off to Indianapolis for Drum and Bugle Corp with her mother. She went to get on the midnight flight to Atlanta to make a connection. I was off the hook. I didn’t have to make the trip to the airport. Oh yea! Though I was going to have Austin, Molly and Sierra over night along with Alexa and Gavin, I was sure I would get a good night’s sleep. Wrong! At midnight, Judy called and said the flight was full and she didn’t get on and asked me to check flights in the computer. We finally decided it would be best for her to take the 6:00 a.m. flight to Atlanta and connect to Cincinnati and get a rental car their. That meant I had to get a rent-a-car which, through her coaching, I did on Alamo. Then she thought she needed her Tom Tom to help her navigate to Indianapolis and the hotel there so she asked if I would take it to her. Reluctantly I agreed. Big of me. She met me as I drove up, climbed in and said, “I can’t get through security. How about if I get in and we find a dark spot in the parking terrace and we can sleep in the car until 5:00?” She slept. I twisted and turned until 4:30 when Judy received a text message from Jim asking if she got on the flight. To make a long story short, I got home and into bed at about 5:30, tossed and turned until 7:30, then the kids woke up and started making noise. Such is life.

All together

Monday, August 04, 2008 Niki, Alexa and Gavin are here from Arizona. Chris and Sierra are here so we had to juggle bedrooms. Niki thought it would be best if she and the kids use Sierra’s bedroom upstairs with the trundle bed, so Chris pumped up an air mattress on the basement floor. Saturday night we all went to dinner at the Mayan. Alexa was especially interested in the high divers. All the older kids were fighting over Alexa and Gavin. The whole family was there except Greg. Jim, Diane, Austin and Molly were there as well as Chris and Sierra, Corey, Stacey, Jayden and Bailey and of course Niki, Alexa and Gavin. Don’t forget Judy and me.