It is a nice day, the snow is almost gone, the sleds are put away... but the kiddie swimming pool is available. It is so fun to have the grandchildren here!!!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Vermont Adventure
I came home from Vermont with wonderful memories and a terrible cold. Oh well, you can’t have it all perfect and spending a week loving and cuddling 2 cute kids (with colds) I have to say is so worth it! I enjoyed being able to see Emily and Austin’s farm house. A century and a half can really add character. Of course it has been updated but the original rough beams and floor boards give it a wonderful warm feeling. My favorite was the kitchen area, 
so big and bright. Lucy, Gavin, and I put together several puzzles and played games on the island.. it worked out so well. My room was the addition, warm and cozy with my private heater, and the only room with a level floor. I even ventured down into the scary basement to stoke the wood burning furnace, I would put adding another light down there high on my personal priority list.. but then 
getting to wear a head lamp seemed to work out OK, and it was a new and exciting experience… I am not sure I would 
recommend February as a prime vacation time, the snow was deep and I didn’t get to check out the old barns because there was too much snow and ice in front of the doors and I would have had to go on snowshoes! And by the way, Vermont is COLD! But with the snow it was also beautiful, just like a postcard..I loved to just stand and look out the windows, with the field and barns on one side and the forest on the other. We went to Barre to check out Austin’s new office and his new sign. And I discovered that one little shop had the same cute wallets that we had seen in Bozeman and Lydia had admired so 
much.. and that they are made in Canada! 
Small world. To make sure I appreciated the weather in Northfield, they took me up to Montreal, Canada. It was fun, but the wind made the cold a lot more difficult to deal with. I would like to go back in the summer when I can walk around old town. I thought it was interesting – architecturally- that the houses had external stair cases up to the second floor apartment.
It must have been a popular thing because they were like that all over town. Why waste precious heated space with a stair. I also liked the underground shopping area downtown, what a great concept. The Biodome was also a wonderful idea, they figured out that indoor activities are preferable in the frozen north!!! I liked being nice and warm while I watched the animals play. Emily liked her new rug and we found the perfect spot for it. She was able to take off work for a day on Tuesday and we had a very pleasant opportunity to visit and look around Montpelier. We stopped at the chocolate factory and the cheese outlet. We found some great bargains, went out to lunch, and then she took me to the airport. It was a delightful end to a fun week. I got home late on Tuesday, while I waited for Dylan to pick me up (the plane got in early) I was outside .. the 
temperature was above freezing .. it felt like spring!!!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Mom's Out-a Here
I'll soon be on the midnight flight to Burlington via JFK. I'll call Sam and Heather when I get to JFK to see if they're up yet. Lucy and Gavin will pick me up at the airport with the help of their friend Lora since both Emily and Austin are teaching at the time I finally arrive. I sure hope they recognize me since they haven't seen me for 6 months...you know how much Grandma's can change in that amount of time. Oh, they'll know me, I'll be the old lady who looks like she's been up all night!!! It is supposed to be snowy every day so my suit case is full of warm clothing and my snow boots. I am very excited to be in Vermont, after all I'm not going for the weather .... obviously. I'll take pictures, have a fun week...I will be having a great time visiting.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Pictures of the Bunglow
Jef has been out of town since Sunday so the progress on the bunglaow patiently awaits his return! Dylan stopped by on Monday to get the trash out, and 
then stopped again on Tuesday to bring in the garbage cans. That is a big deal since the only way to get them to the street is down the stairs, and then back up to put them away till next time. I spent Monday evening with Kara, James and Anna. Dave was gone snowmobiling with his cousins, Kara made a great dinner, and after dinner she Zoned me while I cuddled with James and watched Anna, the energy ball. It was fun to visit and just relax. Tuesday morning they closed the canyon at 6 AM to do avalanche control, that meant I had to be at the resort before 6. It reminded me of the 'good old days' opening up the Racquet Club at 5:30... I don't miss those particular mornings!!! And since we were there anyway... we opened Gritts at 6:30, it was a long day. By the time I got home I just wanted to curl up with my fuzzy blanket. This morning I was back at Gritts but at least it was a regular 7:30 morning. After work I went over to the Bungalow to take some pictures. Everything was so dusty that I decided it was time to do some cleaning. To bad I took the pictures before I cleaned the floor..it looks even better now!
Jef's hard work has turned out beautifully, we are really pleased with it so far but there are some more things to finish on the columns and then we'd like to refinish the woodwork in the livingroom and dining room..and then there is the ceiling... and the floor... and the attic... and the wiring... We are not worried about being bored.
then stopped again on Tuesday to bring in the garbage cans. That is a big deal since the only way to get them to the street is down the stairs, and then back up to put them away till next time. I spent Monday evening with Kara, James and Anna. Dave was gone snowmobiling with his cousins, Kara made a great dinner, and after dinner she Zoned me while I cuddled with James and watched Anna, the energy ball. It was fun to visit and just relax. Tuesday morning they closed the canyon at 6 AM to do avalanche control, that meant I had to be at the resort before 6. It reminded me of the 'good old days' opening up the Racquet Club at 5:30... I don't miss those particular mornings!!! And since we were there anyway... we opened Gritts at 6:30, it was a long day. By the time I got home I just wanted to curl up with my fuzzy blanket. This morning I was back at Gritts but at least it was a regular 7:30 morning. After work I went over to the Bungalow to take some pictures. Everything was so dusty that I decided it was time to do some cleaning. To bad I took the pictures before I cleaned the floor..it looks even better now!
Jef's hard work has turned out beautifully, we are really pleased with it so far but there are some more things to finish on the columns and then we'd like to refinish the woodwork in the livingroom and dining room..and then there is the ceiling... and the floor... and the attic... and the wiring... We are not worried about being bored.
Monday, February 9, 2009
February 9th
I am in the Recruiting Office today. I worked up in Employee Services on Saturday and as a cashier at Gritts on Sunday. I have to really concentrate on where I am supposed to be next! When I fill in weekends for my departments it really makes for a long week!!! Recruiting is very quiet today, I just have a couple of jobs out there but they are not posted on line so I am in wait mode to hear from the managers about whether they want to hire someone or just limp along for the rest of the season. They will need to decide by Friday since I will be out of town, enjoying the season in Vermont after the 16th for a week or so. Even though I am taking the midnight flight from Salt Lake I am so excited to get to see Emily's new house and play with the kids for a while. I am so ready to vacation!
Jef is in Texas this week, working. It has been his first trip since the first of December and it has been very nice having him home, or should I say at the Bunglow, working on projects there. It will probably slow down a little but I think he'll try to work from here more so that he can continue to make progress on the Bungalow.
I have set a date for Grandpa Nix's 90th birthday party. Saturday August 15th..plenty of time to make travel arrangements. We are hoping that the whole family can be there, that's why we made it a 90th year celebration as opposed to a birthday party because December is a much more difficult time for everyone to travel. Now that the date is set it is time to get started on the details... suggestions are welcome!
Jef is in Texas this week, working. It has been his first trip since the first of December and it has been very nice having him home, or should I say at the Bunglow, working on projects there. It will probably slow down a little but I think he'll try to work from here more so that he can continue to make progress on the Bungalow.
I have set a date for Grandpa Nix's 90th birthday party. Saturday August 15th..plenty of time to make travel arrangements. We are hoping that the whole family can be there, that's why we made it a 90th year celebration as opposed to a birthday party because December is a much more difficult time for everyone to travel. Now that the date is set it is time to get started on the details... suggestions are welcome!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
January 17th
Halfway through January, that is simply incredible!!
We don’t spend much time at the ‘old’ house, after work Jef and I meet at the bungalow. I make some dinner and he gets to work. Dylan comes over during the day between classes and works on some projects and sometimes helps us in the evenings.
Update:
The 2 long attic walls are in place. Looks easier than it was since we had to pry up the roof rafters in some places to get the new walls standing straight (they may be the only actually straight walls in the whole house at this point.) It makes the space look really huge and we have modified our original plan… we will put in a wall to separate the space and have one bedroom (about 14’ square) 
with a family room (about that same size) at the top of the stairs. Putting in a bathroom will mean that we have to do some major roof remodel so that will have to be done later..
Jef has been working on putting the wing walls back in the living room (someone took them out years ago) and adding 2 columns. Even just roughed in it makes a big difference in the space, we really like it. Of course this also includes a beam that allows us to remove the supporting beam in the attic. I think Jef is enjoying himself, it is no doubt way over engineered but he is having such a good time building it. We also made 2 interesting discoveries.. first was that the house is made of adobe bricks with plaster walls on the inside and r
egular bricks on the outside.. and second that the living room and entry/dining room were originally separated by large pocket doors. That’s what happens when you start tearing things apart.
Probably the next project will need to be putting in a stair to the attic (the ladder is OK but we need a larger opening),
running the electrical wiring (the old wiring is original to the house and very scary), and getting the wires run for the TV and internet so Dylan can move in to the house and be able to do his homework on line. It is so close to the university that he goes over and makes himself some food and works on a few things before he goes back over to the school.
I have taken my rug project to the bungalow so that I can work on it during the moments that I am not holding up boards or handing screws or drills to the work crew. This rug is something new and different for me, instead of braiding, it is woven, and instead of wool or polyester this one is made of cotton fabric. Since this is my first one I am anxious to see how it turns out when I take it off the frame. It is looking good, I have high hopes that it will work out when all is said and done. So does Emily since it would be her (somewhat late) Christmas present…
We don’t spend much time at the ‘old’ house, after work Jef and I meet at the bungalow. I make some dinner and he gets to work. Dylan comes over during the day between classes and works on some projects and sometimes helps us in the evenings.
Update:
The 2 long attic walls are in place. Looks easier than it was since we had to pry up the roof rafters in some places to get the new walls standing straight (they may be the only actually straight walls in the whole house at this point.) It makes the space look really huge and we have modified our original plan… we will put in a wall to separate the space and have one bedroom (about 14’ square) 
with a family room (about that same size) at the top of the stairs. Putting in a bathroom will mean that we have to do some major roof remodel so that will have to be done later..
Jef has been working on putting the wing walls back in the living room (someone took them out years ago) and adding 2 columns. Even just roughed in it makes a big difference in the space, we really like it. Of course this also includes a beam that allows us to remove the supporting beam in the attic. I think Jef is enjoying himself, it is no doubt way over engineered but he is having such a good time building it. We also made 2 interesting discoveries.. first was that the house is made of adobe bricks with plaster walls on the inside and r
egular bricks on the outside.. and second that the living room and entry/dining room were originally separated by large pocket doors. That’s what happens when you start tearing things apart.Probably the next project will need to be putting in a stair to the attic (the ladder is OK but we need a larger opening),
running the electrical wiring (the old wiring is original to the house and very scary), and getting the wires run for the TV and internet so Dylan can move in to the house and be able to do his homework on line. It is so close to the university that he goes over and makes himself some food and works on a few things before he goes back over to the school.
I have taken my rug project to the bungalow so that I can work on it during the moments that I am not holding up boards or handing screws or drills to the work crew. This rug is something new and different for me, instead of braiding, it is woven, and instead of wool or polyester this one is made of cotton fabric. Since this is my first one I am anxious to see how it turns out when I take it off the frame. It is looking good, I have high hopes that it will work out when all is said and done. So does Emily since it would be her (somewhat late) Christmas present…
Sunday, December 28, 2008
January's around the corner!
It is going to be January before you know it and so it is time for me to get into letter writing mode. The mountains look beautiful all covered with snow and I enjoyed the move over to Christmas Music. With the general economic downturn my job at Snowbird has evolved somewhat. We are working with a much smaller employee base, and since we are not actively recruiting new employees at this time our office has been working at the resort where ever we are needed. It is very different driving to the resort every day, work in the Employee Services office one day, Public Safety one day, and 3 days as a cashier at the General Gritts store. I have enjoyed the change of scene but working as a cashier really wears me out ... 8 hours on my feet means that by the time I make it home I am really ready to call it a day. I really miss my nice office and I will be glad when we return to our normal schedule.. someday.
It has been an interesting year, some good things, some not so pleasant. Probably the most difficult was in August as we gathered the family together for Christina’s wedding in Montana. Her fiancé was killed in an accident only 2 days before the wedding so we gathered to mourn rather than celebrating their lives together. It was a very hard time for us as we watched Christina’s devastation and tried to help and support her. She decided to remain in Montana, reshaping her dreams there surrounded by good friends and fond memories. It has not been easy for her but she is coping, and she will be fine given time. We try to keep close track of her and visit her as often as we can. That is one thing nice about coming from a large family, someone is always planning a trip to Montana!
Jef and I are very excited that we have found a wonderful home to purchase in the Sugar House area of Salt Lake. We have wanted to be able to live in that area. That is where we lived after we were married until we built our home on Brighton Point. It is a classic California Bungalow style
home built in 1910 and we loved it because in that 100 or so years it has not been changed dramatically so much of the woodwork and features retain that original charm. It was easy to fall in love with the leaded glass windows and large front porch. Yes, there are a few things we will need to repair and restore (including those windows) but we see that as a new and fun project. We will keep both houses, we can live in one 
and fix the other for a while. I am so ready to downsize now that I don’t have my house full of children to help me with the cleaning and yard work. It will be a little longer commute for me to get to work but it is really not bad. Jef’s commute to the airport will be shorter though. Jef has taken off work for the last couple of weeks to work on the house and Dylan has been helping him as often as he can around his snowboarding schedule. At the rate our list of repairs and remodels grows it will probably be a while before we could actually move. We wanted Dylan to move in since it is close to the Universit of Utah but that can't happen until we get internet service there because it is such a large part of his schoolwork, and you can't get the internet working until you get the lines run ... etc
It has been an interesting year, some good things, some not so pleasant. Probably the most difficult was in August as we gathered the family together for Christina’s wedding in Montana. Her fiancé was killed in an accident only 2 days before the wedding so we gathered to mourn rather than celebrating their lives together. It was a very hard time for us as we watched Christina’s devastation and tried to help and support her. She decided to remain in Montana, reshaping her dreams there surrounded by good friends and fond memories. It has not been easy for her but she is coping, and she will be fine given time. We try to keep close track of her and visit her as often as we can. That is one thing nice about coming from a large family, someone is always planning a trip to Montana!
Jef and I are very excited that we have found a wonderful home to purchase in the Sugar House area of Salt Lake. We have wanted to be able to live in that area. That is where we lived after we were married until we built our home on Brighton Point. It is a classic California Bungalow style
home built in 1910 and we loved it because in that 100 or so years it has not been changed dramatically so much of the woodwork and features retain that original charm. It was easy to fall in love with the leaded glass windows and large front porch. Yes, there are a few things we will need to repair and restore (including those windows) but we see that as a new and fun project. We will keep both houses, we can live in one 
and fix the other for a while. I am so ready to downsize now that I don’t have my house full of children to help me with the cleaning and yard work. It will be a little longer commute for me to get to work but it is really not bad. Jef’s commute to the airport will be shorter though. Jef has taken off work for the last couple of weeks to work on the house and Dylan has been helping him as often as he can around his snowboarding schedule. At the rate our list of repairs and remodels grows it will probably be a while before we could actually move. We wanted Dylan to move in since it is close to the Universit of Utah but that can't happen until we get internet service there because it is such a large part of his schoolwork, and you can't get the internet working until you get the lines run ... etcWe wanted to have Christmas in the new house, well that didn't work
, but we did have our family Christmas party there and it worked out great since there isn't any furniture so we had lots of space. Rosalie got everything set up and made dinner for us. She really came through since I had to work at Gritts that day. Everything looked so festive and the food was GREAT. We decorated gingerbread houses and played games. Grandpa and Grandma Pat come up to join us, and we 
celebrated Grandpa's 89th birthday. Jef says that maybe we should just not furnish the house and use it for the party house... I'm not so sure I go along with that plan. Lydia and Jeffrey and the kids were there along with Dave & Kara and the kids. I told the renters downstair that we were having 16 people over on Christmas Eve, that many people on old squeaky floors can really put in dent in their quiet evening! They seemed OK with it, at least they didn't complain..
Jef is traveling as usual, and spent the last half of November in Ghana, West Africa, he tells me that they named a school after him in Ghana so there is now a Jef Fisher Primary School (if you take the opportunity to go over and check it out I am sure he’ll be very happy to meet you and give you a guided tour!)
Otherwise things are pretty normal. Dylan is attending the University of Utah, working, spending time with his girlfriend, helping Jef when he can, and sleeping very occasionally. Rosalie and James are doing well, they are renting a home in Sugar House,
it is nice to be practically neighbors! Lydia is still in school in Arizona and Jeffrey is working at a job he likes very much. Sarah, Collin, and Mason just keep getting older and cuter. Dylan and I spent the Thanksgiving Holiday with them since Jef was in Africa and we wanted to go someplace fun. Sam and Heather are still in Brooklyn, Sam is working on building a bridge and Heather is enjoying using her hard earned degree in Landscape Architecture.
Dave & Kara are busy trying to keep up with Anna and enjoying their new baby boy, James, born on December 3rd. Emily and Austin seem to love Vermont more all the time, and Lucy and Gavin are doing well, although I don’t get out there often enough either. With the family so spread out I am so thankful for cel phones and email!
Once again we are so thankful for the love and support of friends and family. We all hope that you had a wonderful Christmas season and a great year ahead!
, but we did have our family Christmas party there and it worked out great since there isn't any furniture so we had lots of space. Rosalie got everything set up and made dinner for us. She really came through since I had to work at Gritts that day. Everything looked so festive and the food was GREAT. We decorated gingerbread houses and played games. Grandpa and Grandma Pat come up to join us, and we 
celebrated Grandpa's 89th birthday. Jef says that maybe we should just not furnish the house and use it for the party house... I'm not so sure I go along with that plan. Lydia and Jeffrey and the kids were there along with Dave & Kara and the kids. I told the renters downstair that we were having 16 people over on Christmas Eve, that many people on old squeaky floors can really put in dent in their quiet evening! They seemed OK with it, at least they didn't complain..Jef is traveling as usual, and spent the last half of November in Ghana, West Africa, he tells me that they named a school after him in Ghana so there is now a Jef Fisher Primary School (if you take the opportunity to go over and check it out I am sure he’ll be very happy to meet you and give you a guided tour!)
Otherwise things are pretty normal. Dylan is attending the University of Utah, working, spending time with his girlfriend, helping Jef when he can, and sleeping very occasionally. Rosalie and James are doing well, they are renting a home in Sugar House,
it is nice to be practically neighbors! Lydia is still in school in Arizona and Jeffrey is working at a job he likes very much. Sarah, Collin, and Mason just keep getting older and cuter. Dylan and I spent the Thanksgiving Holiday with them since Jef was in Africa and we wanted to go someplace fun. Sam and Heather are still in Brooklyn, Sam is working on building a bridge and Heather is enjoying using her hard earned degree in Landscape Architecture.
Dave & Kara are busy trying to keep up with Anna and enjoying their new baby boy, James, born on December 3rd. Emily and Austin seem to love Vermont more all the time, and Lucy and Gavin are doing well, although I don’t get out there often enough either. With the family so spread out I am so thankful for cel phones and email!Once again we are so thankful for the love and support of friends and family. We all hope that you had a wonderful Christmas season and a great year ahead!
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