I'm Such A Loser!

I don't know how I did it but I lost a sock while changing at the gym.
Sterile uncluttered environment, no place for one sock to run and hide but somehow he did.
I walked in with two socks on and left with one.
While I was in the locker room looking for my sock in walked a couple of gals from water arobics.
I'll just call them Ethel and Lucy since I don't know their names and they're a couple of fun broads.
They were astonished as well and then laughing at me as I left with one sock on.

Three weeks later I went to the movies with my daughters and must have left my new brown suede gloves that my hub gave me for Christmas on the ticket counter.

Went back a couple of days later (I know you're thinking why didn't you do it right then, silly me, got caught up in the movie and just forgot about it)

As I was asking movie ticket boy if my nice gloves were in lost and found, in walked Ethel and Lucy headed to the afternoon matinee.

Ethel - Oh how nice to see you - what are you going to go see?
Me - Nothing today, just looking for a pair of lost gloves.
Lucy - Hmmmm, you lose lots of things don't you?
Me - wondering what is she talking about?
Ethel - Yeah did you ever find your sock?
Me - No and oh yeah, you're right I do lose things.
Lucy - Next thing you know you'll be losing your panties. Hahhhahah
Ethel - Yeah hahhahahahha
Me - Haw haw (but inside I'm not laughing, they could be right)

Man I'm such a loser - I won't even tell you how I left a black glove two weeks ago in a Chicago cab
- ok I just did.
See I'm losing it.
/

Dumb Deer + Falling snow = $Damage

Rakow Road has not been good to my car this past year. First the Bird Poop Plunder then a few weeks ago Deer damage. So how much do you think this bump on the bumper cost?

First one to answer correctly wins a FREE Gold Canyon Candle from me.
(Family members privy to the price are excluded - you get free candles anyway)

Hint: It's still in the shop - 2 weeks and counting. Like an iceberg, you can't see everything underneath.

fyi - I was not the driver when the herd of deer decided to go for a run across a busy road. There would have been more dents then.

I <3 facebook

(Ok I really tried to put this picture at the end of the blog, I've done it before but I can't seem to make it work it now without deleting everything I wrote, sometime I just get so dang mad at these new fangled computer thingeys. I've given up after 20 some odd tries. I can't even get it to load on my facebook. I'm not happy :-(

Anyway - this is Bill Pulsipher back in college at BYU - he liked photograhpy way back when

I love facebook even though I was hesitant at first since my kids have been using it for years. Just sounded like a younger generation thing and I didn't want them thinking I was stalking or being a creeper but when my freinds from AZ were on, I thought what the heck.

I personally don't care for "what style of shoe are you? or what Office character or I've lost a black sheep - be my friend on a farm stuff" So thank you Jonathan for enlightening me with the great "Hide" button. I can zip through FB so much faster now. Like my friend Bernie said, "I just like looking at pictures of everyone".

I have enjoyed reuniting with friends from long ago. I have spent way too many hours these past few weeks yakking on the phone with friends from over 30 years ago. What a blast from the past when my friend Karen and I reminisced looking thru the yearbook. I honestly couldn't remember some Vacaville bulldogs who wrote in my yearbook. By their comments you would have thought we were best friends. HAH How sad is that? I know I was only there for a year and a half, but still.

I love FB, looking at my friends families pictures. I also like looking at my kids friends posts, they are my adopted kids anyway. Everyone is just growing up and that's what it's all about.

On a sadder note I discovered that a roommate from my sophomore year of college passed away. I contacted the other roommates and none of us knew or had stayed in contact with Laurie Pulsipher.

Her brother Bill informed me when we became friends on facebook a couple of months ago.

"I'm great. Bonnie's great. The kids are plugging along. Generally having a great time as always-life is what it is, I might as well enjoy it. Laurie passed away in 1997 from cancer. She has a son in the Coast Guard and a daughter in the Seattle area."

August 6 at 10:25am

"She was very young and it was a sad time for all of us. These experiences make a deep print on our lives as we go through them. Laurie was great through the whole illness, it seemed to bring out the best in her. I miss her a lot, but I am confident that she is ok and we will all get reacquainted later on.
I have enjoyed meeting old friends on ... facebook-have reconnected with most of the old gang and that is a very good thing. Everyone is doing such different and interesting things with their lives. Did you check my 25 thngs note? That will give a brief update on where I'm at lately. Bonnie lived somewhere close the CasaDea(the apartments I lived in) I think although you're right it is a little hazy. Today is our 28th Anniv."

August 7 at 1:04pm

Then last Friday Bill passed away from a heart attack. 51 is just too young in my book. Kind of in shock that we just reconnected and now he's gone. I had told him I was going to look through my old photos and see if I could find any of his sister and now he's gone too. My heart goes out to his family.

Even though such sad news I still love facebook.

Some fun things we did this past summer.

Dupage Children's Museum - We had some time to kill after dropping my mom off at the train station in Naperville. Anna usually gets a free pass to this museum but we had never gone before and alas when we did go we had no coupon. I don't think it was worth the money we paid but everyone with young kids out here should go at least once.

My personal favorite was this bubble making car wash. I like bubbles.
Strolling thru Kettle Morraine state park

Randall Oaks Park and Barnyard ZooOk this snapshot doesn't show you the enormity of this pig. She was the biggest pork I've ever seen.
Strawberry pickin in Woodstock

............................................................Anna and friend Lexi.
Museum of Science and Industry - Harry Potter The Exhibition

Weasley's car is the only thing you can take pictures of which is in the main lobby. Bummer no photography in the exhibit. Ok so I've been a couple of times with different members of the family. My favorite is still pulling up those mandrakes (screaming root babies. hahahh)
Some of my kids have been sorted - Jonathan is Raven claw - Anna and Ellie are Griffendor and I can't remember the rest. The exhibit is off to Boston in Oct. They are following my kids.
My girls love to have fun, well some of them do.
I don't think Ellie was too impressed with it but everyone else loved it.
My Family Hiked the Grand Canyon - Rim to Rim . Had a Great time
See David's earlier post
I don't know how Jonathan got up there, nor do I want to know. Sure makes for a cool shot.
Williamsburg, Va and Jamestown is where Anna and I ventured - see earlier post.
Yay - Josh and Emerald stopped by on their way to Boston U. So we had to take them downtown to Millenial Park and the Shedd aquarium.
Not only are Josh and Emerald in this pic but so is David,Tami,Molly and Anna. Can you find us?
(click on pic to enlarge)
Josh being an engineer major was impressed that you can't see any seems on "The Bean"



Kayaking in Lake in the Hills -

Paddle boating since they only have 2 kayaks to rent out.
Jet skiing on Crystal Lake. I have the nicest seminary student who invited us for a wet ride.

Jet ski's are my favorite toys. Too bad I don't own one. I miss the Lake Powell Days. There is just something about going super duper fast in the water. I LOVE IT!!!

He belongs on a magazine cover for Yamaha. Love his smile that boy of mine.



Have I mentioned "Never a dull moment when Em is around"
We love it when friends and fam come to visit. Scott dropped by for some Chicago style pizza.
Oh how I miss my grandbaby....


We had a busy summer with girls camp,youth conference,high adventure for girls and trips to Chicago. We love living here and we love company so plan a visit.

You're not going to believe this!

Don't read if you can't handle gross and disgusting.

ok here goes.

Driving down Rakow road in Crystal Lake just past the lake, I was stuck at a light.

To my right there's a bunch of bushes and trees, all of a sudden, hundreds and I mean hundreds of birds flew out and up. As I was sitting there stuck in traffic I was mesmerized by how magnificent so many birds can fly together without crashing into each other.

Then all of sudden these hundreds of birds made a sudden turn and swooped down and back towards the trees.

As they swooped, they pooped -- BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

Yep all over my car

. Okay so here's the gross and disgusting part --- It was not white (that would have been yukky too) but a very pretty blue and some were even lime green, like paint balls with a touch of purple streaks.

WHAT THE HECK???

I could not see out my window. If Anna was not with me I know none of you would believe me, but I have a witness.

I had to turn the windshield wipers to even see. The car behind us got splattered even worse or maybe because it was white and showed up more.
They later pulled up beside us when we got to Randall Rd. and we just started laughing at what just occurred.

Never seen anything like this before. Not sure what happened.
My guess is something scared those darn birds as they flew from the trees and literally just scared the crap out of them all at once.

Good thing I wasn't in a convertible.

But blue and green poop with a touch of purple. oooh yuk.

Ask and you shall receive - wait I didn't ask?

Lookeeee here, I done got me a new purse.

Yess sirree folks tis true and it's an authentic Coach one too, not one of those knockoffs from Nairobi .

I have good friends is all I'm goin to say.
Who says Bloggin doesn't pay?

Now just where am I goin to go with my new fangled purse?

Backoff Lolly girl!! Its mine!!!

Ok I'll share...... ;-)

9/11 and Coach

I've seen lots of newspaper articles, facebook posts and blogs about where/what everyone was doing when 9/11 hit.

I remembered this story that happened 6 months later.

David and I were on a plane from Phoenix to San Diego for a weekend getaway which was cancelled back in Sept. due to 9/11 .
I sat next to a gal who worked in New York and was on her way to visit her parents.

Me - "Where do you work?"
Sweet young cute sophisticated girl - "In the Corporate headquarters for Coach"

Me - I have nooooooo clue what Coach is other than Coachmen trailers made up near my hometown of Vacaville,CA. (not sure if they still make them there anymore?)

I could tell by the way she was dressed that she didn't work for no trailer company in New York City.

I also could tell by the way she looked at me that I should know what "Coach" was. So feeling stupid, what the heck, I still had to ask "uhhhh what is Coach"?
She informed me that they make designer purses.
hmmmm, coach purses, still not ringing any bells in this K-Mart kid.

She was still sweet enough to talk to me even though I obviously didn't even know the names of designer clothes, jewelry or purses, let alone own any.

Me - "You work in New York City? Where were you on 9/11?"

Coach Cutie - "Our building was right next to the trade centers, huge explosion, pandimonium. Luckily we were all safe. I tried calling my parents but couldn't get through, until about an hour and half later. My parents live in San Diego. Mom answered the phone. I said, "Hi Mom, I'm fine." My mom answered back, ( Now you must use your grandma voice when reading the next line)
"That's nice dear, I'm fine too."

Her mom had no clue what had happened since the three hour time difference and she just woke up.

I thanked her for sharing her "That's nice dear, I'm fine too" story along with schooling me on "Coach" purses. We had a nice laugh over her story and the fact that she never met anyone who had never heard of Coach before. She didn't actually say that to me but I could just tell she was thinking that.
Yeah like I'm ever going to fork over three hundred bucks for a bag.

Can I just Vent!!!

It started yesterday. Minding my own business, listening to the RS lesson in church when the Bishopric counselor opens the back door and calls me out in the hall.

"You haven't spoken in church in over a year and a half"

Me, - "un huh, I just spoke in May when the Bishop called me and the other seminary teachers out of the audience when our 5 youth speakers were done in 5 min. and then I spoke back in Jan. with Emily."

He totally forgot. Yeah that's how good my talks are.

So he persuades me to talk this Sunday in Sacrament meeting. No big deal right?

I just spent a week teaching early morning seminary and am teaching again this week as well. Don't get me wrong - I love teaching seminary. I love my class. I love the regimen of delving into the scriptures each day. It's just the timing. It can be stressful getting up at 5 and teaching at 6 for this nocturnal gal.

Labor DAy - Today I spent the day doing laundry, cleaned the laundry room , trying to clean and organize my desk/office (it's a mess). Plus copying, laminating, cutting out scripture mastery cards - 100 of them. (of which I'm not done)
I also took Anna and her friend to the pool and was there for about 3 hours. 2 hours longer than I wanted to be.

Arrived home and my sweet husband is peeling pears on the back porch. He had a bucket of them from a nice man in our ward. David wanted to can them. He doesn't know how to can.

Me- "We don't have a canner."
David - "We don't have a canner?"
Me - "I always borrowed Anita's"
David "Let's call around and borrow one then"
Me - "Good luck, no one cans around here"
David "I bet they do"
Me - "You call then"
So he did. He found a pressure cooker

Me - "I don't know how to can in a pressure cooker. They scare me. Just go to Walmart and buy one"
So he did. He came home with a ............... You guessed it........... A pressure cooker.

David "But you can do both, wet bath and pressure cook, we can cook lots of beans now"
(Since when do I cook beans that's not out of a can?)

Where am I going to put this beast? My storage room is unbelievably full and I just organized it a month ago. Somehow the stuff grew and grew. I hate walking in there now.

Dinner was late because anyone who cans knows it is time consuming
- peel the pears,
find the jars & lids in the unbelievably full storage room
wash the jars & lids,
fill the jars,
boil the sugar water,
cook the jars and hopefully the lids will seal. (I'm writing this while they are cooking)


While all this washing,filling boiling was taking place one child complained how she couldn't find something and another needed something this evening. Too bad, now I feel like a cruddy mom.

Yep 9 o'clock and I just wanted to scream, oh but now we must read scriptures, say family prayer.

Did I also mention that I'm behind on my book club book?
That's what I was planning on doing this evening after family home evening but that didn't even happen cuz David being the good Dad took Molly on a five mile run. Getting her ready for her race tomorrow.

I can't be mad at David, how many men peal pears?

Can't be mad at the Bishopric counselor - just doing his job.

Can't be mad at the kids - we all forget or can't find things once in a while.

Now that I've pounded this out on the keyboard, I do feel better.

Thanks for letting me vent. What a dumb thing to be upset about.

Those 4 quarts of pears better be good!!! I know you're laughing..... 4 quarts? yep that's all we got.

My first experience with a prayer being answered ASAP

Back in the day when I was about 18, living with HelenMar Larkin (if anyone knows her let her know I'm looking for her) She was a kind school teacher who let me live with her while I was attending school and working.

I came home from work and decided to get a quick bite to eat before I high tailed off to classes at Solano Community College - for some reason SCC sounds better. Yes I went to SCC.

I reached in the fridge and grabbed the apple pie pan with one slice left and being the efficient health conscience (NOT) gal that I am I also grabbed a can of V8. They kind of balance each other out right?

The can had a tiny silver papery tab not the metal kind, so being miss efficient and not wanting to waste a second, with the pie in my left hand and the can in my right I clenched the tiny silver papery tab with my teeth and pulled it up as I was walking to the table.



Little did I know the physics law of V8 suction can, I'm sure my son knows what science law this is but I was unaware. The can now sucked my bottom lip in the more I pulled up on the silver papery tab and now my whole bottom lip is swallowed up in a teeny tiny hole in the can and I can't get it off, the more I pull the more it suctions my lip inside.

I put the pie down being the level headed person that I am and start pulling with both hands, but noooooo nothing happens only pain because now my whole bottom lip is entirely pinched together and gone.

What am I going to do? Great!! I'm going to have to call 911 and the paramedics will die laughing when they see this girl with a V8 can attached to her face. They will have to get the jaws of life and cut it open, oh wait it's not that big maybe a can opener will do. How embarrassing!!

Before the panic attack set in, I went to the bathroom mirror to get a better assessment of what just happened. I was horrified and thought I need help and who better than God to help so I said out loud "Heavenly Father" and whaalaaa (I know that's not how you spell that french word but you get my meaning)

As soon as I said "Heavenly Father" the suction was released and I got my lip out. That was the fastest I've ever had a prayer answered. I was so relieved that I didn't have to go the hospital and surgically remove a can from my face.

I was left with two red marks on the outside of my mouth, sort of a hickey looking lip. How do you cover that up?
I went to class and my friend Nancy asked, "What happened to your mouth?" "I'm too embarrassed to tell you, except that God answers prayers"

Every time I see a V8 I remember this incident and I'm glad God answered this silly girls prayers so darn quick.

I Love Nauvoo!!!

We go to Nauvoo a couple of times a year and each time I discover something new, this time it was a beauty and an oddity but still a new discovery.
A view from the Smith burial grounds.


I loved the purple flowers growing on the banks of the Mississippi with the lily ponds right behind it. I had never noticed those lavender lovelies before.


For the first time we stayed at the historic Hotel Nauvoo and as everyone who's ever been here knows, they have the best food in town as well. This is the only buffet that I like. (oh wait I do like Holy Chuck A Rama but only with Kate)

I'm a fond lover of music and even the corny "Sunset on the Mississippi" with the older generation performing with the talented Young Performing Missionaries. I guess they are the opening act for Vocal Point - BYU's men's accapella group.
Darn-It was too dark to get good pics of them by the time they performed.
We also ventured to Carthage about 20 miles from Nauvoo where I wanted to do family research at the Hancock County HIstorical Society. Located right behind the Carthage jail. After the tour you can walk across the street to Kibbe Hancock Heritage Museum, where it also houses the historical society and all their many old books, newspapers, scrapbooks, etc. How many times have I been to the jail and never saw this quaint little museum? Yeah that's what I thought- you haven't either unless you're Delray cuz she told me about it.
You can see the museum in the back to the left.
The museum is free and has lots of artifacts not only from the days of Lincoln but from early Mormon times. While I was being helped by the ever so kind and resourceful June (She even stayed an hour after closing time to assist me- I love small towns)
Anna wandered through the museum after she tired of her DSI game. She found this oddity and had to drag me to it in the animal section.
Yes it is a two headed calf. Never have I seen such a thing. Anna said they even had pickled two headed pigs, but I couldn't look. It was past closing time and I was thankful they let us wander around like they did. You just never know what you're going to find when you visit an out of the way place like Nauvoo and Carthage.

Anna's first experience with Drunks

I surprised Anna with a trip to Chicago to see Mary Poppins. We then both were surprised with our train adventure.
We caught the 4 o'clock Metra train.

We like to sit on the upper level in the back.
Next stop two young bucks and a chick (how come we don't call em a doe?) get on with a case of beer and a 10 lb bag of ice.
Before they even came up to sit down I heard one of them cussing like mad.
Their 2 other friends were on the wrong side of the tracks and the train left them. haha
Next stop 4 young gals with their vodka in water bottles, beer and something else that looked like apple juice but sure didn't smell like it.
Barrington 4 more glamor gals got on and all sat up top near us.
All wearing Cub shirts/hats.
2 young bucks start sharing beers cuz "We need to make friends." plus the fact that the other 2 weren't there to help them down the booze before the game.
They kept pushing their beer and people were politely turning them down, but they were relentless.
Finally a guy took one and I noticed when we got off that it sat on the floor unopened.
He just took it to shut the guys up.
Apparently you can't take it in the ballpark but you can get plastered before.

Potty mouth young buck - " Sorry if you heard me cussing earlier"
"Hey mom, where you going?"
Me -"Mary Poppins"
PMYB -"Cool, I love theater, Did you see ?" More conversation.
Then the next thing I know this guy is squeezing his entire body up on the 12 inch high shelf that is used for storing brief cases, newspapers, etc. and then coming over on our side of the train.
It was like watching Mission Impossible guy slithering in the vents.
PMYB - to Anna "Hey sweetie wach ya reading?" She answered and then he proceded to tell us all about his great wrestling coaching style.
I then realized he was sharing this with me cuz cute cub girls were on our side of the train.
They weren't impressed.
They all started mouthing off back and forth and he finally went back to his side.
Loud and obnoxious doesn't even describe this scenario and it wasn't even 5 o'clock on a Tuesday.
Remind me next time to never ride the 4 o'clock train when there is a home Cubs game.

So yeah Happy Birthday Anna - Your first experience with drunks, glad I was with you.

So happy when we got to Chicago and walked around first before the play.
Anna saw Potbelly's and decided to eat there without checking anything else out.
Giadorno's was under construction - bummer - but I love Potbelly Sandwiches too.
Then we had to check out the Jean DuBuffet sculpture

Then my camera died.
The rest of the evening was lovely. Disney does an excellent job with their sets,costumes, songs,dancing etc.
I loved Bert the chimney sweeper walking on the ceiling. Amazing.
Dancing naked statues was a bit weird for me, but hey this was for Anna and she didn't seem to mind. Should I be worried?
Luckily the cubs lost and the train ride home was very quiet.
I think the drunks were in the bars consoling one another cuz they sure weren't on the 10:30 train. YAY!!
We got home a little after midnight, She reminded me it was her official birthday.

12:34.56 on 7-8-09 I think the number sequence is so cool (She wasn't really born at that exact time) But what a day to remember.

It's All About FRIENDS

Molly's friend Jessie invited her to running camp at Eastern Illinois University
(Sorry I don't have a pic of Jessie running, this was from Molly's birthday party) David was thrilled that Molly was going to have to get up early and run, then run again, have some fun then run again. Of course Molly wasn't too happy but Jessie is such a good friend and sweet kid that she couldn't resist.
(They are out there somewhere. I love the cross country courses out here, well I watch them run, I don't run it) Last year pic.
Eastern Illinois is 4 hours away and it is south to us - not sure why it is called Eastern, we sure have all the points on the compass covered out here when it comes to colleges. Since it was such a long drive I invited my friend Tina along to keep me company plus I wanted to stop in Champaign to check out the historical library since both Tina and I have ancestors that were in that area a hundred zillion years ago.
An hour outside of Charlotte -that's where EIU is I noticed my fancy dancy warning sign informing me that my right front tire was low on pressure. Tina joked that she ate one too many tacos. by the time we arrived at the campus it was totally flat, luckily I made it to the visitors parking lot. A nice medical staff lady gave us all and the luggage a ride to the dorms. She then asked the dorm girl to get us some help. We checked the girls in with 5 min. to spare. Went back to dorm helper girl who said, "Maintenance can't help but here is the number to the towing company." I'm thinking I don't need a tow truck, I need help getting the flat off and a ride back to my car, you know like in the golf carts that we saw riding around campus. No can do. After I say, no thank you to the tow truck number, she then says, "If there is anything we can do to help, let me know" Me thinking. YEAH, I NEED HELP GETTING THE FLAT OFF AND THE SPARE ON, THAT'S WHAT I NEED HELP WITH AND YOUR MAINTENANCE PEOPLE COULD CARE LESS, SO WHAT'S THE POINT IN SAYING SUCH A THING, SILLY GIRL. DID YOU JUST HEAR WHAT YOU SAID? We just smiled and high tailed it across campus and stopped at the lovely theater place to use the restroom (lots of mirrors - weird) The toilet I used wouldn't stop flushing - so there maintenance guy that won't help us, go fix the toilet. honestly I didn't do anything, it just wouldn't stop flushing.
Tina is a good friend to have around when in need and I was in need having never changed a tire before, I know can you believe it, 34 years of driving? I've been lucky. I got out the owners manual and we started in on getting the spare out and let me tell you it is not easy. Cable connected to some do hickey and you have to twist it to an angle to release tire holder. weird. I tried, she tried. Luckily Nice Nick from Naperville was heading home after class and saw we were in distress. He's had experience working on cars but never saw one like this before. Eventually he was smarter than the spare tire and got it off. HALLELUJAH. He then was kind enough to jack the car up and take the flat off.
He was also a good sport to let me take his pic.
I might add that my car had this really cool packet in the jack compartment with gloves and a poncho, so I'm thinking there must be a head lady working at Saturn who thought of this nifty idea.Then the nice people at Diepholz Chevrolet dealership took the bolt out of my flat, patched it and we were on our way.
Three hours behind schedule, library closed at 5 we got there at 6, then home at 10 that night. Tina and I were together 13 hours straight and let me tell you, she kept me entertained all 13 hours. I'm so glad she went with me, what a nice friend. Molly has a nice friend, I have a nice friend. It's All About Friends!!
(sorry I don't have a pic of Tina that day, I don't think she'd appreciate the one I have of her backside helping Nick the nice guy from Naperville)

How I met my Father

Being that tomorrow is Fathers Day I've been thinking a lot about my father lately. I was a senior in High school -1977, when I approached my mom asking to get in contact with my father because I wanted to meet him. She called him and he was hesitant in meeting me, for some reason he thought I needed money or was in some kind of trouble. I honestly just wanted to meet him, this deep desire to know who he was and what he was like was nagging me.

My freshman year of college I rented a room from a school teacher in Vacaville, CA and I got the courage to call my father at his work in Fresno, CA. Now what does one say when speaking on the phone for the first time to your birth father? awkward. What do you call him? Can't say "Hi mothers old boyfriend or Hey Doug, how ya doin? It's me your long lost daughter" Can't say Dad probably because I already had 2 step Dads and I wanted to treat my birth father different from them. Don't even try "Father" that's too formal and might just scare him. So I went with "Uhhhhhhhh, Mr. Welton this is Tami and I want to let you know that I really want to meet you, it's not my mom instigating this meeting, it's all my doing." So yeah those were my first words to my father "Mr. Welton" Most kids say Dada, but not me, I went straight formality.

He made arrangements to pick me up that Thursday night and drive with him to Reno for a business trip. We talked all three hours of the journey(well I did most of the talking, he's a quiet guy) I do remember him slamming my religion, luckily he doesn't feel that way anymore. He was concerned that I was out on my own at age 18, going to school and working. He told me about his family of which his 3 other kids knew nothing of me, but I knew of them from my Mom back when I was 8.
We got to Reno around 1 or 2 in the morning and stayed in separate rooms at a hotel. The next morning he called at 6:30 and I was awake just thinking about everything, we had almost 19 yrs. of catching up to do. He couldn't sleep either, he showed me a photo album of his family. I could tell he was very proud and loved his kids and wanted the best for them.

When arriving back in Vacaville he asked where a jewelry store was. He noticed I didn't wear a watch and wanted to buy me one. He picked out a Seiko watch and I still remember the price $120.00. I felt like Cinderella. I had never owned such an expensive piece of jewelry. I still have the watch even though it doesn't work. It sits in my old jewelry box and every once in a while I pull it out and think "I really should get this fixed"

He also gave me a check which was totally unexpected and kind of him. Unfortunately others found out I had a little cash, they asked to borrow some and needless to say never saw that moola ever again.
.
My father paid for my mom to come to my college graduation in 1982 at BYU and this is the only picture I have of us.
So that's how I met my father Douglas B. Welton. All around generous good guy, quiet, homebody, golfer (he plays every tues. with his brothers), and loyal to his family.