Millar Moments: AUGUST - A MONTH OF MANY GOOD THINGS HAPPENING DESPITE THE PANDEMIC AND UNREST

The first of many good things that happened was that Paul and I attended church for the first time since March. We missed the July time when our ward met because we were out of town but, on August 2 , we were able to attend. Of course, we sat 6 feet away from others and wore a mask, but it was so good to be back in the chapel, partake of the sacrament, and be uplifted by a couple of talks. It's amazing how special it was to be there. We, too often, take for granted that which is always available to us.

In front of the home
in Bakersfield just
before leaving.

Just before the middle of the month, Mom's house closed in Bakersfield and so Sam and Kathy brought her to their new home in Alpine, Utah. They took a little detour on their trip home to stop at Mom's old homestead in Gunnison where she grew up.
Once they got her settled into her new environment, the Fuller's and ourselves went down to visit her. She is almost 100 years old and is a little confused as to where she is. I think she knew who we were but couldn't understand that we only lived an hour away. Kathy said, when they got Mom home, Mom asked where Brent was. A little while later she said, "He found me." So sweet. You have to know that his spirit has been with her ever since he passed away and now Rita feels him in her new home, too. It was good to see Mom and to visit with Sam an Kathy. They are angels for sure!!!!

Mom in her new home

Also this month, we met Jon and his family, and Todd, for dinner. We had tried to bring Carly up to make a quilt on Monday, the 10th. Jon's family was planning to come pick her up on Wednesday and I would fixed dinner for everyone. At the last minute, Carly canceled on us so it was decided that we would, at least, meet for dinner. We invited Todd because Kailee and the girls were in Idaho for the week. We ate at P.F.Chang's and had a delightful meal and visit. It was fun to be with everyone, minus Clark. Jon and Todd kept talking about their new business adventures. Each is pursuing 2 different ways to bring income to their families. Surely this is the hand of the Lord and an answer to the many prayer we have offered on their behalf.

I've been busy scanning pictures and documents from all of the things that Sam and Kathy brought up to me of Dad's. I'm hoping to make some sort of a scrapbook showing the long time romance between our Dad and our Mom (Marjean). It's been fun to organize the pictures and now to have them scanned onto my computer. Next will be to organize them into some kind of a story of the two of them. Hopefully when it's done, we can get all my siblings together so we can distribute Dad's things to whomever wants them. The missionary journal will definitely go back to Deon as she found it. Dad's missionary scrapbook will go to Don as Sam had already given it to him. The rest of the pictures, certificates, books, and mementos will be up for grabs to the rest of the family. I'm not even sure what I would want to keep as long as I have things documented in the scrapbook.

Scanning pictures and certificate of Dad and Mom's.
So grateful Ryan set up the scanning app on my computer.

Paul, as always, finds projects in the yard to keep him busy. Last month, he cut down three trees and this month he cut down one more. This one was a crab apple tree in the front of our home. It was growing way too tall and bushy for the area. We were going to trim it up but then decided to just cut it down. By getting rid of the tree, the area really opened up. We can see the street, now, and the morning sun comes into that window. Hopefully the Hydrangea bushes will now bloom. It's been too shady for them to bloom for the last few years. We planted another tree there but it's a decorative tree, not a shade tree.

Aria's preschool started this month
here in Utah....one of the lucky states

As to the pandemic and unrest in our world today.....Utah corona virus cases are on the decline which is a good thing. School started back in Utah but not in all states in the U.S. Much to Katie and Andrea's dismay, Oregon schools will not be opening and all classes will be online. That's such a hard and ineffective way to learn. Andrea will be looking into some classes through BYU to challenge her girls. Katie is holding school in their barn. Though Aubrey will do her school online, the other children will be out in the barn with mom. Katie has invited a friend of each of the three to join them in the barn for school. Katie will monitor their learning as she has done in other years with three of her four children. We are sad for Aubrey who is missing the excitement of her senior year. Her volleyball has been canceled and her student body officer experience will be none existent, if schools don't open soon. The sad thing about all this is that the Oregon cases of corona virus are some of the lowest in the U.S., especially in the counties where the Westovers and Millars live. It's all a political thing.

Taken the day Aria left for her first day of preschool.
Avery was looking forward to some one on one time with her Mom.

California schools are also not opening so many students from there have moved to other states where schools are opened. Carrie, Deon's daughter, has moved here with her two elementary school age children and her high school senior. They will be living with Deon and Gary until the semester is over....sometime in November. We've heard of other families who have moved so their children can participate in sports. Wasatch High School has a great new quarterback and running back, from out of state, and are doing quite well this year.

Speaking of football, the news this month has been the cancellation (or postponement) of most collegiate league football seasons. BYU, being an independent school, has not canceled their season but are struggling to find other teams to play. This is all because of COVID-19. It will be interesting to see what happens if or when the football season actually begins.

Even if school is being held, masks have to be worn by both teacher and students.
If football or any sport begins again, masks will also be the order of the day.
Oh, to get back to a normal, unmasked, life.

Now for some really exciting news....Charlotte has been accepted to BYU Provo to study this winter. We are so excited to have her this close for a whole semester. Jillian and Maggie are in Rexburg at BYU-I for the semester, studying mostly online. The plans are that Andrea and Casey will bring the family here for Thanksgiving. They will leave Charlotte's college things in our basement until January when Charlotte starts school. She will fly in and we'll help get her set up in her apartment.

Speaking of college, Braydon is now down in St. George ready to start college at Dixie State University. We are so proud of him for keeping his grades up so he could get accepted to a university and actually go to school. Maybe he'll set the example for the rest of our grandsons.

A few weeks ago, we decided to find a place where we could get away for a couple of days as a reprieve for all that is happening in our world today. We found a two bedroom unit at a the Worldmark at Wolf Creek. It is in Eden, Utah which is only an hour and a half drive from Heber. We booked the unit and then took a day trip up there to see the area and find out what there would be to do. We drove all around and even up to the top of Powder Mountain, a popular ski resort. Just before leaving we stopped for lunch at the Mad Moose Cafe and had a delicious lunch.

We were glad we made that trip earlier so when we got there the last week of August, we knew the area and what we could do. Todd and Kailee and their girls joined us. We barbecued hamburgers to go with corn on the cob from our garden, on Monday night. It was, then, off to the Mad Moose Cafe for huckleberry ice cream. We had noticed they served ice cream when we went to lunch there a couple of weeks earlier.

Having fun jumping onto their bed on the floor

The beautiful lake

The next day, we drove to the Pineview reservoir to let the girls play in the lake. Aria loved it but Avery not so much. After lunch, it was time to hit the pool at the resort. Again, Aria loved it and Avery, who was very tired, didn't. She ended up being taken back to the room for a nap. Aria would have played all day in the pool but we were given only a two hour time to swim. (The resort had to limit the number of persons in the pool area due to COVID 19 restrictions.) Todd and Kailee went golfing in the late afternoon while we watched the girls. It was dinner and, then, time to play 'Cover you Assets', a fun game that even Aria can play. That night Paul won the game even though he was loopy from a muscle relaxant he had taken a bit earlier. It was strange that he could win 'under the influence' as normally he comes in last or next to the last when we've played this game before.

Playing in the sand at the sand volleyball court.

The card game, Cover Your Assets.

Todd and Kailee left on Wednesday morning so they could get Aria back in time for her preschool. We were scheduled to stay another day but Paul's back was hurting so much that we left an hour after Todd and Kailee left. We decided that sleeping in our own bed would be best for his back. It was a fun 48 hours, though.

Now about Paul's back.....at the beginning of the summer he hurt it while hoeing the garden. It seemed to get better until he strained it lifting heavy things to help Deon and Gary in their move. Though it hurt, he continued to work in the yard. Mowing and weeding didn't seem to bother it but cutting down 4 trees didn't do it any favors, especially digging out one of the stumps. Because he couldn't get any relief from the pain, he went to see our friend who is a physical therapist. He told him to take it easy and pace himself while working in the yard. He gave him some exercises to do and then sent him home. Paul came home, finished mowing the lawn, and then decided he needed to plant a tree. The hole he had to dig was huge and involved cutting out some large roots. He got the tree planted but that night he was in lots of pain. We were looking forward to Sunday rest and then a vacation of rest for the next 4 days. We lasted only 2 days on our trip because of back pain and spasms. He has since visited our doctor, had an MRI, and revisited the doctor who read us the results. Luckily there is no structural damage other than the normal aging effects on the spine. Since there is not any significant thing wrong with his back, this pain he is experiencing must be a muscle or tendon strain. He is going to physical therapy tomorrow and hopefully can find some relief soon.

When we were in Provo on the last Thursday of the month, we just happened to stop by the fruit stand where we always get our peaches. We were told that peaches were in short supply this year but that they might have a few boxes of Lemon Elberta peaches the next morning. We picked up the Fullers at 8:15 on Friday and headed down to buy peaches. We each were able to get 3 boxes. Because of the shortage the price was up $5 a box and the peaches aren't premium as there is a lot of scaring on them. It's 2020, so what would one expect but to have a shortage of peaches to go along with all the other abnormalities of the year.

In addition to peaches, we went to 3 stores trying to find bottles for Deon and canning lids for me. We found 3 dozen bottles but there is not a canning lid on any shelf in Provo, Orem, or Heber. Luckily I had bought some lids last fall and had enough for what I would need. I ended up canning 26 bottles of peaches and 14 jars of applesauce from some apples the McQuires brought over to us. Here's hoping I can find some more peaches to make into slush, a Millar favorite.

The last thing that happened in this month was celebrating Todd's birthday on Sunday, the 30th. We had filets which were delicious, thanks to Todd cooking them to perfection. We paired the steaks with garlic shrimp and sided the dinner with stuffed potatoes, corn on the cob, and asparagus. It was a delicious meal. Of course, we had to have Dairy Queen's ice cream cake for dessert, one of Todd's favorite.