July 24 is Pioneer Day, and a holiday in Utah, celebrating the Mormon Pioneers entering the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. I spent the day mostly sleeping! Which is funny, because I spent the day on July 4 mostly doing genealogy, an activity that seems to "go with" today better!
I drove Josie to the Provo Court House where there was a rally in support of Palestine, and they were walking to Pioneer Park and then having speakers and stuff. They didn't get too heckled, although they did get heckled--just not too badly. While she was there baking in the hot sun, I was sleeping. Bruce was of course sleeping too, because he works at night.
But we did have pie (or little mini pie tarts) for pie-o-neer day. And on Sunday I had the rare treat of subbing for Primary music, so I sang pioneer songs that day. The children were lovely and such willing participants. They have really good music leaders, and they have already learned to be fully engaged, so it was a lot of fun to sing with them!
I had three funerals over the weekend. Friday for Darl Johnson from our north Orem ward. He had some type of cancer, and his funeral was lovely. Five of his granddaughters sang "My daddy's hands" only "My grandpa's hands," and his five daughters all spoke. It was a fine tribute. I was sitting with Jake Thomas (his wife Noel was in the kitchen, but also sitting there for a bit) and on the other side of Jake was Stan McBean. We all left through the quick get away door, and I thought it was pretty funny, because we all drive red cars, which I only realized as we were firing up our engines! So the first cars out of the parking lot were all the red ones.
Mary J. reminded me that she and I were extras together in something--she could not remember what. And neither can I! I had forgotten all about it, but once she reminded me, I remembered that she had asked me, since I was frequently being an extra in those days of Josie's acting years, if she could come too. So one time, there was a call for adults, and I picked her up and we went. I know we went somewhere up Provo Canyon, but I can't remember what it was for, either.
Saturday was John Wright's funeral. He was my library colleague for these past 23 years, and after he was beset with lung cancer (!!) four years ago, he has been slowly going downhill. His one desire was to get in enough years to retire with full benefits to leave his wife in good financial shape, and he made it. He did have to do a couple of months of FMLA leave, and then he retired earlier this year, a few months ago. He was so so skinny. Such a nice, kind person. His oldest son had died in a bizarre accident, which I wrote about here. They died exactly 11 months apart.
John's funeral was so lovely. His children are all very musical, and we had singing and violins and oboe and cello and piano. I was so surprised because his daughter Alyssa, who was my employee for four or five years, is soooo good. She played oboe and piano and was the arranger of one of the pieces, and I. Had. No. Clue. She was not a music major, and she is also very quiet, and when we needed musicians, she let the music majors shine. She is amazing, and I never knew it! (Well, I knew she was an amazing employee. I didn't know she was an amazing musician.)
Tuesday was Skip Tandy's funeral. He was our first friend in our new neighborhood. He was such a lovely, friendly man. His three surviving sons spoke--they had one son who died in 1997 at age 27. Skip had Alzheimer's, and actually went pretty fast. I had begun to worry about him, sometimes passing him walking way far from home, or crossing busy streets not at the light...his family worried, too, and so for two months he has been in a memory care facility. But only two months--that was a merciful release for him.
I have been preoccupied with my right knee, which decided a few weeks ago to go on strike. Wow. That is not fun. I am so thankful it is getting better, though I still have to do stairs with both feet on a stair, leading with the right on the way down, and the left on the way up. Fun Times!! Getting old and having one's body wear out is such a kick!
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