Landscaping continued

Some more pictures of the various flowers and sites of the landscaping.

This was totally done by Tia and Scott, her vision.

Landscaping part 2

We have also been trying to put in a surface well.

Landscaping by Jeff, Brittany, Tia and Scott Summer of 2013

We have been doing major landscaping this summer with Jeff, Britt, Tia and Scott's help and ideas and hard work. The next few blogs will show the work in progress, including the garden we put in Frisby's place.

Marie and I Roadshows

Marie and I in Stake Roadshows

When we were young and in high school Marie and I basically lived in the same ward. Because of that we were always able to participate in church activities together many times. I can remember a lot of those activities and have been so richly blessed because of them. They included things like Seminary activities, ward firesides, mutual activities, stake activities, school activities and local activities not necessarily related to church.

Some of those stake activities that really have stuck in my memory was participating in ward and stake road shows. Road Shows and plays almost seem to be an event of the past and not really used much now in the church. We were in several of them together but just as our romantic feelings were starting to build toward each other there was a stake play that was to be held that year. I think some of our leaders had noticed our mutual attraction to each other and may have had something to do with what we were asked to do during the play. I really don’t remember how we got involved with it but none-the-less it was pretty fun. There is an old song that says something to the effect that “I can do anything better than you can, I can do anything better than you”, “No you can’t”, “yes I can”.” We were asked to sing this before the play on the edge of the stage in front of the curtains while the last few preparations were being completed by the cast. She was dressed in a really cute frilly dress and I have no idea how I was dressed since she was what kept my attention all of that time during practices and the performance. It was a lot of fun and even though I don’t remember the words or what we sang for the rest of the song I will never forget watching that very cute girl who was doing the acting with me. She did then and still does now hold my heart and my attention.

We were later in several other shows together and even learned several dances when we were suppose to go to Salt Lake City and dance in an all church dance festival. That one I will always regret because I became very ill the night before and was not able to go to the dance with everyone else. I am sure the illness was caused by nerves but it was real and I was sick enough that I couldn’t go. I never was a very good dancer.

I mentioned some of the other activities we were in together and one that I remember fairly well is when we got to work together in the Seminary Council. We planned a Christmas party for the seminary students that was a caroling hay ride and then a bunch of refreshments that were served at the end of the ride up in snow draw below the airport. That was a fun ride and fun party.

Marie and Trudy Visit the Farm

Marie & Trudy: Visit during hay raking

In the summer of 1969 I was on the tractor in the field west of our house raking hay that had been cut just a couple of days prior to that day. We would first cut the hay and then let it dry for a couple of days and then rake it into furrows so that we could then bale it with the baler. Of course after it was baled we would then take the wagon into the field and load the bales onto the wagon and haul the bales to the stack yard east of the barn. It was always hard work and not so much fun doing it since we were either on the tractor or on foot lifting bales during this process. We didn’t have enclosed tractors with air-conditioning so being on the tractor really was usually hot and uncomfortable. (However that being said I was really glad I came along after the tractor had at least been invented since walking behind the team of horses was even a lot lore difficult which is what my father and his brothers had done.)

This particular day however was a little more enjoyable because as I was raking the hay with the tractor I noticed two pretty cute girls riding their bikes along the road above the field and watching me work. The one was a particularly fun one to have there since I really liked her and didn’t mind at all looking at her as I worked. They were both blonde and about the same size and age. I later found out that the other girl was a friend of the one I liked. She was from Mapleton and they were best friends when they lived just a few houses apart from each other in Mapleton. Marie and Trudy were their names and Marie was the one in whom I was particularly interested.

Later after Marie and I were married and Trudy had married Richard Childs we lived again just a few houses apart from each other in Mapleton.

The part of this story that is harder to tell is that now although we still consider Trudy to be a friend we both ache for her because of the choices she has made and the results of those choices. She is currently in prison and has been hooked on drugs for several years. Richard died due to complications with his health from Parkinsons Disease. We have often wondered if Trudy’s problems with drugs came during those last years when his medications were becoming more and more heavy and the load of having to take care of him and the ranch and her horses more and more difficult for her.

My reason for writing this story is to show how choices can lead to two totally different lives. One of sorrow and anger and the other of happiness and love. We so love our grandchildren as does Trudy and we are so blessed to be able to see them and to be with them and hope where she cannot at this time. I am thankful that Marie had the standards that she has and has helped me through the years to also live those same standards that I had held as well. We have been so richly blessed because of the gospel and our temple covenants in our marriage. I hope that our children and grandchildren can always have those same blessings as well.

My first BYU game at work and what a first

So my first game at BYU where I am now working doing custodial for the Marriott Center and Lavell Edwards Stadium has been a very memorable one and also a very historical one. 

We started cleaning the stadium around three weeks ago but the main push has been this week due to education week at the Marriott and other events like MTC devotionals and Freshman orientation activities. 

I work the afternoon shift from 12:30 to 9:00 pm usually but this week was different. Thursday night they had a party at the stadium and I was there till 10 pm that night. Then Friday they still had vendors and workmen in the stadium until 11:00 pm and of course the game day was a total different experience even if it had not been plagued with a beautiful downpour of rain.

These pictures are almost identical taken Friday night on my way from the Marriott Center to the Stadium. One of the student employees commented Monday that the game was going to be rained out or at least that was what the weather was being predicted to be like.

Well it was dry and hot most of the week but when I saw this I thought that he might just be right.

Then after going to work at 9 am on the game day and working on top of the fourth floor in the blazing sunlight I was quite shocked (as were a lot of other people) that this is what would hit just before the game was to start. I talked to some Texans who commented that BYU must not have been living right since they had their first two games delayed by rain. (I wished I could have seen them after the game and been able to say that maybe they were living right after all.)

Tia and Scott are somewhere up in that crowd on the far side.

There were so many people and I had tried to capture the dark cloud as it raced over the stadium at probably 60 miles an hour as the rain started and the fans were forced to leave the stadium seats.

It rained again during the fourth quarter but not nearly as bad.

Here is a report from the news on the game, they didn't say much about the 2 hour delay.

"The teams had to wait out a lengthy weather delay after a storm rolled through the area, complete with a gusty wind and violent rain. When lightning began to flash near the stadium, the kickoff was pushed back 1 hour, 47 minutes.

It's the second straight game BYU had to wait out a lengthy delay.

Hill and the Cougars came out of the locker room ready to go to work, taking the opening drive and marching down the field, before stalling out and settling for a field goal.

He was just warming up. So effective was Hill with his legs that he had 166 yards rushing at halftime.

When Texas tried to focus on the run to start the second half, Hill simply turned to the air, throwing a few down the field to keep the Longhorns honest. He finished 9 of 26 for 129 yards. He also threw an interception.

After a 19-16 loss at Virginia to open the season, the Cougars shuffled around their offensive line. It seemed to do the trick, paving the way for BYU's rushing attack. The previous record for most yards rushing in a game was 465 against Montana in 1958.

That total was eclipsed on Williams' 34-yard run in the third quarter that led to a 24-yard field goal from Justin Sorensen -- his fourth of the night -- to make it a 40-21 game.

The defense certainly did its part, too, thwarting the Longhorns three times on fourth down in the final quarter.

BYU receiver Cody Hoffman was back on the field after missing last week with a hamstring injury. He had two catches to move closer to Dennis Pitta's team record for most career receptions.

The loss snapped the Longhorns' streak of 13 straight wins against non-conference opponents. Texas' speedy Daje Johnson hurt his left ankle in the first half and only had two carries for 4 yards.

"We just didn't execute as well, and they played good," Davis said."

Small town tradition

Mapleton 24th of July Parade. A grand old tradition that just keeps growing. Here are a few images of friends from the ward who were in the parade.

Kyle Ray Poulson 08/03/2013

Loren blessed Kyle Ray on August 3, 2013 in our Mapleton 14th Ward building. Participating in the blessing were Loren, Case Lawrence (Bishopric 2nd Counselor), Kent (grandpa Poulson), Ben Poulson, Jeffrey Averett, Travis Hawkins.  Other family members were also there.