Frugality

 

March 24, 2024

Dear Family:

I’ve been looking forward to this week since January 1.  Spring Vacation (in Oregon anyway)----because I don’t teach piano during Spring Vacation.  I do enjoy teaching.  I enjoy it especially when they practice.  But only about 20% practice regularly so it can get grueling.  Glennda and I have spent some time this week contemplating if we should do something together or go somewhere because for the first part of spring vacation Scott is doing his annual march madness vacation in Vegas with his friend Ray. But we still haven’t decided.

However, during the process of discussing our options, we got off a tangent and ended up commiserating about how cheap we are.  We don’t mean to be, but it just is part of us:  1) Glennda spent more time/money/anxiety trying to buy used ‘new to her dining room chairs’ than it would have to buy new chairs.  It ended up that she didn’t like them after going to the trouble of finding the house where they were.  She will probably donate them or sell them.  2) She saves cardboard – especially the ones under the TP at Costco – they are really good for art projects with her grandchildren.    1) Suzanne, I needed a new a project because I had finished my “easter table topper” so I decided to make a new denim purse.  I loved the last one I made, but I decided to make one just a bit bigger.  I used all fabric I had on hand and it only cost me $1 to buy “D” rings.  So good!  2)Then I was trying to go through fabric to throw away fabric that I didn’t like, would never use, am tired of---then I ran into some white terry cloth left over from making 2 little girls’ robes.  Do you think I could throw that away – NO!  I made 7 new wash clothes.  Cheap!! 

While we were telling each other our “I’m so cheap” stories we laughed our heads off.  It is something we can’t seem to change.  My children have gently and lovingly made comments about how frugal I am.  I’m not offended, it is just a fact of my life.  Actually my patriarchal blessing states how I will be a frugal housewife.  (I got my blessing when I was about 16). 

I don’t know whether it is even worth the time to spend on trying to decide WHY.  It very well may be because of financial conditions in our family as I was growing up.  It is a fact that dad was raised on a farm where extra money was non-existent.  Mom was raised by her grandparents in very financially tight circumstances.  Maybe it is genetic.  Maybe it is environmental.  Who knows?   I look at it this way; being frugal  is better than being in debt, better than having guilt because I’ve bought something I couldn’t afford. 

And I also think it has benefited me and my family from the beginning of our family.  I started out making clothes for Amy from outfits that Judy didn’t want anymore.  I could even send photos.  Amy thought it was cool, because she idolized Judy and she thought she was very special.  Because I was raised on a farm (in my early years) I learned to cook from scratch.  No Kraft mac and cheese, no store bought anything except the staples.  Mom was a good cook; simple and meat and potatoes stuff – like farmers eat.  So that’s what I did.  Everything from scratch! After I learned to sew as a teenager I discovered that I loved sewing – it brought a huge feeling of accomplishment and I loved to see my children in clothes that I had made for them.  I used to also make homemade gifts for baby showers – there were lots of baby showers when I was raising the kids.  Then it turned into quilts.  

Mile a Minute Quilt

Judy's fabric in the Center

Trail Mix pattern

Yes I do buy new fabric for most of the gifts that I give to my children and grandchildren and greats.  Every time I buy batting and backing fabric that is new – for sure.  But for some crazy reason I get a tremendous amount of satisfaction from using us scraps.  (I’ve made several quilt tops from scraps; scraps from my old fabric and from Judy’s fabric.) 

If Judy were here she would join in and tell Glennda and I how cheap (thrifty; frugal) we are.  She honestly did try to help us.  The only thing I hope is that it doesn’t embarrass any of you.  I enjoy buying things just everyone, but trying to decide if I REALLY NEED it is another story.

I have watched with interest how people a few years ago got all carried away with TINY HOMES.  Deciding what was only absolutely necessary became a nationwide fad.  It is okay for a while.  I lived in an Airstream for about 6 months.  Truthfully – I loved that airstream.  If I had my way I’d still have it.  It is kind of refreshing to not have so much STUFF!

Well enough about frugality.  I love to see the blossoms on the trees, the daffodils and tulip’s appearances, and little green buds showing up all over this spring.  I have wintered over my geraniums from last year (and the year before).  We will see how they fare.  I was really temped to plant them last week when it was70 degrees, but I remembered that lots of rain comes in late March and April and to be patient.  I remember my grandmother started new geraniums from cuttings in mason jars of water in her south facing windows during the winter in her house in Wellsville.  She had a really hard life, but every time I crochet on a hankie, or look at my braided rugs or a picture that I bought that was a duplicate of one in her house, I think of her and what a great influence she had on me.  Sometime I will tell you about her life and why she is my hero.

Frugality quotes: 

“There is no dignity quite so impressive, and no independence quite so important, as living within your means.”
― Calvin Coolidge

“Frugality is one of the most beautiful and joyful words in the English language, and yet one that we are culturally cut off from understanding and enjoying. The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things.” ― Elise Boulding

 “He who will not economize will have to agonize” ― Confucius

 Wealth can only be accumulated by the earnings of industry and the savings of frugality.-John Tyler

 These quotes always inspire me and validate me, because I find people who think like me.  That is one of the great blessings I have these days, my sister Glennda who thinks like me and is “frugal” like me.

 Enjoy spring, enjoy East next Sunday.  I am so grateful that I was raised on a farm, raised with the teachings of the gospel, and a knowledge that Heavenly Father loves each of us. I’m grateful for Jesus’ sacrifice for all of us.

 

Love Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister and Aunt Suzanne

What do we do with our talents

 

March 16, 2024

Dear Family:

I’ve had many things on my mind this week.  One of which is talents.  But before I talk about talents I wanted to extend my heartfelt sympathy to Sheri.  Her son Garrett, 27 years old, passed away Friday.  I can only imagine the devastation she must feel.  I have lost parents and my dear sister Judy, but to lose one of my 3 children would be unimaginable.  I love you Sheri. I am sure I speak for everyone.

Saturday I took 4 of my 10 piano students to Woodland Heights Assisted Living facility for a mini recital to perform for the residents.  My friend Norma lives there.  But even before she moved there, I had taken my students there to share their talents.  1) It gives them exposure and practice in playing before strangers.  2) It brings joy to people who are lonely, don’t feel their best, and it brings happy memories back in a flash.  I got there a few minutes early and several ladies remembered when I brought them before and when I brought my band to play for them on Valentine ’s Day.  5 of my students couldn’t make it.  That’s okay because I had the 4 that were there play everything they have played recently.  Mikki Steele’s grandson Henry, was the last performer and he wowed them.  He played a Hymn, a prelude, a ragtime tune, William Tell Overture, Superman and Pink Panther.  I had him play last. He likes to play with strength and he got a great ovation.  Then afterwards I had people come up to tell me how it reminded them of when they were young, and great times they remember at piano concerts.  It was a great feeling to share.  That is one of the great things about learning to play piano (a talent) – it is easy to share with others. 

I have been thinking about talents and gifts that we have been blessed with.  I can remember as a girl and a young mother, I thought that I didn’t have a talent.  I thought that I was “a jack of all trades and a master of none.”  I thought well that’s okay, I can do a bunch of things kind of good.  But I was always envious of Judy and Glennda.  Judy had a lovely alto voice and Glennda could draw beautifully even as a girl. As time went by and I watched my children, I remember giving them opportunities in different things.  I thought I’ll see what they are good at.  I remember Brian coming home from 3^rd or 4^th grade and he had discovered Hardy Boys mysteries. He even took his book to a dinner at church!  I remember he didn’t like baseball, but he was excellent at supporting Brad and Amy in their activities.  I remember Amy discovered dancing in the 8^th grade when the Jefferson teachers came to their middle school.  Then with Brad and Brian’s urging she tried out for Gendrils at Grant High School.  She made it and danced all 4 years.  I remember when Brad was in high school he was noticed by his choir teacher and she asked him to learn a song for a solo contest in the school district.  Each year he got better and by his junior year he was taking voice lessons and auditioning for the lead in South Pacific and Annie Get your Gun. 

I also discovered that different talents are important at different times.  Those talents that our children discover when they are young help them to grow up, learn new things, discover things about themselves and their self-esteem climbs.  Not ever teenager in the same family is going to be good at the same things.  Sometimes shyness or not wanting to be compared to each other enters in.  But I remember Brian watching with such pride as his sister and brother performed.  He even was a dancer/singer in Annie Get your Gun and Amy secured a spot at a young girl in the same production.  I also remember reading some of Brian’s papers in high school and college.  I was totally amazed at his ability to express himself and reach remarkable conclusions.

Why am I retelling all this?  It is because those talents were terrific at that time. They helped my children through the difficult teen years.  They gained experience in tackling something hard and succeeded. As college students, spouses then parents - those experiences helped them whether they realize it or not. I see my grandchildren exposing their children to sports, books, activities and socializing.  What wonderful effort that will see wonderful rewards.

Now back to me being a “jack of all trades and a master of none”, it is very interesting when I think about it.  I remember writing to Michael Schnell when he had to put his talent and love of photography on the shelf for a time, while securing a job to support his family.  I told him at the time that he should never forget about his talent and that very likely later in life he will be able to pour his heart into his talent and his love of photography.  I gave myself as an example.  Mom made sure that I learned to play the piano.  At 8 she taught me basics and kind of let me then teach myself.  When we moved to Portland at age 12 ½, I started piano lessons.  I never did get really good.  I was what you would call an intermediate.  But at age 56 I married a musician.  He plopped me right into a band reading the bass part of the arrangements and playing through a “nano-bass” where the sound came out sounding like an acoustic stand-up bass.  Later he plopped me into playing piano and ‘comping’.  After 13 years it became something that I could hold my head up and smile and be proud.  Even though the marriage didn’t work out, he told me I had more natural talent than he did.  But the difference was, he started at an early age and practiced hours and hours a day.  He became very good and traveled as a professional musician.  He also said, that I shouldn’t be too hard on myself because my parents had no way of knowing that I had that talent. I was raised on a farm for heavens sake. Mom played, so we wanted each of us kids to play.  Marrying Burgess was good for me and helped me learn things about myself that I would never have learned any other way.  Now I have a band and I teach piano.  I’m still not the best piano player around – but I’m much better than I was. I still have difficulty sight reading, but I know my chords (from lessons I took at 12, 13 years of age) and I used playing in Burgess’ band and in my own band.

I also have another talent that my mom encouraged.  When I was a freshman at Gresham High School I took a “Home Economics Class”.  Half of the year was cooking and half of the year was sewing.  I loved the cooking, it was easy because I cooked at home.  But the sewing class opened up avenues of expression that I could never have imagined at the time.  I remember bring home a skirt from my class and I didn’t know how I would sew the hem by hand.  Mom sat down and showed me how to sew a blind hem by hand and my teacher was totally amazed and of course I got an A.  After that I just kept sewing.  Clothes for college, wedding dress for Glennda, suit for Brian when he started passing the sacrament at age 12 (boy was I proud of that suit), dresses for Amy, jeans for all 3, and lots of clothes for my kids.  Then when I started having grandchildren, I brought out my knitting needles and made sweaters and vests for them.  My grandmother had taught me how to knit and purl when I was 10 or 11.  Bless her.  When I moved to Arizona with Burgess I started quilting in earnest.  It was my escape from 12 hours a day of music-music-music.  I have now given some of those early quilts to my family.  But since then I have made quilts when my grandchildren got married. And on and on.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that we just never know what little exposure will turn into a gift/talent that can be made into being “a master of something.”  Our love/talent may be delayed for a while; mine was delayed 40 years.

I enjoy reading quotes from famous and not famous people. 

·        “Talent you have naturally.  Skill is only developed by hours and hours and hours of beating on your craft.”  Will Smith

·        “Your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God”. Leo Buscaglia

·        “I have no special talent.  I am only passionately curious.”  Albert Einstein

·        “Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.” John Wooden

·        “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me”.  Erma Bombeck

 

I realize that we all have something to offer to this world.  Heavenly Father sent us here (luckily in this family to members) to learn, grow, develop talents and help others; our children, our siblings, our parents, our associates, our friends and others.  Our talents help us along the way.  One of the great pleasures I have at this stage of my life is bringing music to people.  My band isn’t famous, it isn’t current and it isn’t going to be; but the older people that hear my music smile, remember and I see joy in their faces.  It is an extra plus when they come up to me after and want to tell me a story or thank me for helping them remember or compliment me.  At this age what could be better.

Have a wonderful week.

Love Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister and Aunt Suzanne

Legendary Ice/Snow/Wind Storm in Portland

 

January 14, 2024

Dear Family:

Portland and surrounding area are stuck in a deep freeze until Wednesday.  Wednesday things are supposed to warm up and allow the roads, pipes, etc., to thaw.  There is about 1 ½ inches of ice pellets the color of snow on the ground. 

Backyard 1 15 24 - Tigard OR

Street 1 15 24

But worse Saturday while the ice pellets were raining down was the wind.  There are thousands of trees down all over and live electrical lines sparking all over.  People were trapped in their homes, some were injured or killed, roads were blocked and trees crashed into homes.

Glennda trying to keep warm while painting - she is resourceful and color coordinated.  Scott and I think she looks like Mrs Santa complete with a star ornament in the background.

Luckily Amy’s family including Tanner etc., Taylor’s family, Don, and Haley’s family and I are safe.  Brad reported that they awoke to -14 degrees on Saturday and their pipes are fine. Glennda has been without power for over about 30 hours and it is in the 40’s inside their home. 

Scott trying to keep warm in a house that's 40 degree inside - Corbett Or

Their fireplace can’t keep only directly in front of it warm.  I have never lost power and no pipes are frozen.   I just took a cast iron skillet of corn bread out of the oven to go with my soup that I made 2 days ago.  Yesterday I got an email from NW Natural Gas requesting customers to reduce their thermometers and related gas appliances.  Today I got a message that it helped and they were able to repair the issue that caused the caution.

The only time I remember anything like this was in 1964 when I was living in an apartment at 26^th and E Burnside working as a legal secretary downtown Portland.  The pipes above my apartment burst and poured down the walls drenching all my clothes in the closet.

I got a fabulous phone call last night about 7pm.  Just prior to that I got a “friend” request  from Mark Anderson.  Brad, Brian & Amy will recall Mark and all the times I bundled them up and we went to his basketball games. I taught him and Dave Franck, and Brad Paskett, and Ron Evans in Sunday School.  Dave’s mom wasn’t able to go to his games and was ill.  So our family supported him at church, and at school.  Anyway we spent 1 ½ hours reminiscing and catching up last night.  It was the kind of conversation that I love to hear in person (rather than to hear it at my funeral after I’m gone.)  He expressed his gratitude for all I did for him.  It just goes to show when you offer service to others it may or may not come back, but this came back and I was so grateful that I can hardly even express it.  He and Leslie live near Clearfield (near the Air Base) and he is 63 and they have 4 grown children and 3 or 4 grandchildren.  We have vowed to find a way to connect in person this year.

I have already reached out to Brad, Amy and Brian about this…..Yesterday when I was looking at B and Cooper and McKay play in the snow and watch Taylor scoot them down the hill on a sled…..it reminded me of our ice storms when my kids were young. 

Memory #1 – We had an ice storm that covered the streets with about an inch or two of ice and icicles where hanging off the dormer out of Amy’s windows. Amy was 6 months old, Brian was 3 and Brad was 5.  Amy had pull down blinds in her 3 windows with little wooden slats that you could pull out.  I was downstairs making breakfast and Brad and Brian were playing with the icicles out of Amy’s windows with the wooden slate, knocking them off. I won’t say how it happened because my version isn’t the same and Brad and Brian’s version, but somehow Brian went out the window and slid down the roof and landed on the concrete walkway.  Next thing I knew, Brian was ringing the doorbell in his blanket sleeper (Magilla).  I was shocked and couldn’t immediately understand how he was outside.  He only bit it tongue and his ribs were a little sore.  I called the doctor and he said, “Can you get to emergency”? I said NO, and he said, Neither can I.”  So, I was to watch him and make sure he didn’t go to sleep.  We have laughed and talked about that episode ever since. 

Memory #2 – When they were older, and we had ice storms, they played hockey in the street in front of the house.  Brent Peterson a Winter Hawks player who lived with the Francks, had taken a liking to the boys and gave them hockey sticks and pucks.  So why not play hockey on the ice!!!!

Memory #3 – When the power went out,  that was the time to bring out the camping recipes and cook on the wood stove and I even did Dutch Oven cooking on our concrete front porch.  Fun times!!  Rich had done a really good job of installing a wood stove in our fireplace in the front room. (That was the rage back then – survival you know.)  It would heat the whole house and we took advantage and cooked on it too.

I told Amy yesterday that I wish we had had cell phones back in those days to snap photos any old time.  Back then it cost money to have the film developed and so photos were taken quite frugally.  I would love to have pictures of those fun times.

Well, my message today is “Never hesitate to help someone who might need it.”  Mosiah 2:17 “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”  (I believe that was a scripture mastery scripture from the teaching seminary days.)  I love that scripture.

Have a wonderful, safe, warm week.  I always find a way to keep busy and in the last two days, I have done 3 loads of laundry, put the 3 layers of a new quilt together to get ready to quilt, cleaned out my junk drawer, cleaned out 4 drawers in my office, moved my office to the dining room, sorted out my plastic storage ware, sorted old cards, sorted photos, baked a skillet of corn bread to go with my soup, and finally started organizing, cleaning out my laptop which was what I was supposed to do in the first place.  I kept getting sidetracked!!.  Now I’ve got tons of new work identified with the sorting.  No rest for the wicked.

Love Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister and Aunt Suzanne

Christmas recipes and memories

 

December 10, 2023

 

Dear Family:

Enjoy preparing for your Christmas and your Christmas traditions.  Brad tells me that all the Schnell families are coming to Spokane the night of Christmas or the day after.  Great idea.  Megan tells me that Michael's family is coming for Christmas and then a day or so later they are having a Meek family reunion with Marissa/Clark and Megan's sister Marrja's family all coming.  They've rented a house for the special occasion.  

I'm thinking that Chuck will be looking down from heaven and smiling.  I couldn't be happier for them.

I wonder why families started making these or their special recipes for the holidays?  Was it because during the depression there was no money to buy gifts so a mother found a way to acquire the ingredients for these special treats? Was it because the mom wanted to start making special "treat" traditions for her family? Was it because making things for her family was her "Love Language"?

 I don't know, but my mom made fudge, caramels and divinity if there was a clear day.  (Never make divinity when it is raining - it won't set up.)  I do know that I wanted to create wonderful memories for my children so I made these treats.  I added the "Krispie Candy" or Scotch a roos.  There was candy around all month.  My kids didn't like fruitcake, but I did, so I usually made fruitcake, and cookies as well.  (I also included the recipe for  Carmel Corn that Brian brought home from Primary in 1978.  I kept his handwritten version for 50 years and just tossed it a couple years ago.  Actually it was hard to do that.

 You may want these recipes, you may not.  But I thought that you should have the choice.   When I was young, there weren't these fancy especially made "Stocking" to hang from the 

mantle.  First of all, we didn't have a mantle in our small house on the farm.  We put our stockings (we chose one out of our drawer or we begged one from Dad) on the ouch.  In the morning there was an orange  in the toe of the stocking and hard candy, a candy cane and mixed nuts in the shell.  When we lived on the farm, we raised what we ate, or sold what we raised for money to purchase flour, sugar etc.  Mom always got $25 from her father (who lived by himself in an apartment on South Temple) in Salt Lake City.  She found a way to make $25 stretch to buy a turkey and gifts for the 4 little girls.

I remember getting a green wallet with brown acorn nuts on it one year.  Another year I got a skirt that Mom had made from one of her velvet formals when she was a girl.  (I remember she said she sat up all Christmas Eve trying to put a zipper in the velvet skirt.  (And she let me know that she was up all night with it.) When we finally moved to LaGrande and then Portland, Dad had a job and so our Christmases weren't so sparse.

But the thing I remember most is the wonderful smells and the wonderful food; Mom's homemade rolls, candied yams, corn, turkey, and mashed potatoes and gravy with stuffing. She made pie and carrot pudding.  Now that I look at the carrot pudding recipe I see that it made from very common staples that were always on hand.  Canned milk (evaporated milk) was commonly kept in kitchens back then and was used in pumpkin pie and caramel sauce for the pudding.  One thing she did make ahead was a special Christmas bread.  It was white with candied fruit in it and frosted.  Glennda and Judy loved it.

 What surprised me was that mom made all that stuff in one day.  We were all helpers; breaking the homemade bread up into little pieces, peeling potatoes, slicing yams.  She put the pudding on to steam for 3 hours first and then we all worked to help with the rest.  She always made her rolls.  (I'll attach that old recipe.  As you know I started using the Monkey bread recipe instead, but I used Mom's roll recipe for years and made cinnamon rolls with it as well.)  Dad didn't help because he was really busy milking the cows morning and night and feeding them in the shed/barn.  Eggs needed to be gathered as well.  

 I was 12 when we moved to Portland.  Mom made a friend named Lucille Simmers. Lucille gave mom a recipe for GOOD RED PUNCH.  It was made with Kool-aid, Sugar, Pineapple Juice and 7up.  Judy loved it.  But after we girls started putting on the special events with our families we changed the good red punch to Cranberry Juice with 7up.  It tasted just as good.

Next week I'll talk about the Christmas Eve Pageants that we 3 girls started and kept up with for a long time.  I think I even have some of the programs. 

All the time I've been writing this letter I've been smiling.  I loved helping mom with my little sisters.  I loved making wonderful "food" traditions for my family.  I loved getting our 3 families together for Christmas eve.  Some years Mom, Dad and Jay came from out of town or others heard about it and wanted to join.  I think Bill, Sally, Rob, Haley and Mandy came one year.  Good times were had by all.

I will miss getting together with Judy and Glennda to recreate these wonderful goodies like we did a couple years before Judy passed away.  We had so much fun and Don and Scott joined in for tasting and comments.  Glennda and I just don't have the heart to do it without her. 

I will admit that I got a call from Brad and Glennda since Thanksgiving saying that they missed my Monkey Bread at their Thanksgiving Dinner.  Mom’s like those kind of compliments!!

 Have a wonderful week.  Thanks for posting the photos on Facebook and Instagram.  I love them. 

 

Love Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister and Aunt Suzanne  

 

 

HOME MADE CARAMELS

Easy but follow directions exactly.

 

2 cups cream                                                                                                1 teaspoon vanilla (add at end)

2 cups sugar

1 ½ cup Light Karo syrup

1 Cup butter

 

In cast iron (preferably) or other heavy 6 quart pan, add the above ingredients (except vanilla).  Heat over medium heat to hard ball stage (232 degrees).  STIRRING CONSTANTLY FROM BEGINNING TO END TO PREVENT SKORTCHING.  SKORTCHING MAKES UGLY CARAMELS.   I don’t use a thermometer.  Test frequently in water once it starts turning golden.  Your test dropped into cold water will hold shape and sounds “click” when dropped on the counter.  Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 cup nuts if desired.  Put into 9x13 inch buttered pan.

 

I put chopped nuts in the pan before pouring cooked caramel liquid.  If you want to use whole nuts.  Add them after you have poured caramel mixture in the pan.

 

When cooled, put out of pan onto cutting board.  Cut with large knife into squares and wrap in waxed paper squares.

 

It takes about 45 minutes beginning to end.

 Suzanne Short

Carmel Popcorn (written to edit Brian’s handwritten version from 1978 in a Primary class)

 

Melt one cube butter

Add two cups brown sugar

Add ½ C Karo syrup

Bring all to good boil

Add:  ¼ t cream tartar and ½ t baking soda

Stir and pour all over popcorn

Happy Birthday to Brad

 

October 22, 2023

Dear Family:

I wasn’t going to write this week, but today is Brad’s birthday.  McKay was born on 23^rd, Monday,  (on William Schnell’s -Brad’s grandpa-  birthday (October 23).   Tuesday the 24th is Glennda’s birthday.  Coincidentally my dad, Glenn Short was born on October 21- he would be 104.  Their family moved from Far West Utah (near Ogden) when he was 1 month old, to Heyburn Idaho.  All their possessions were on a rail car.  So many birthdays!!! So much to know!!!

 

So a bit about memories of Brad; I told Brad yesterday that Aunt Judy got a ticket while she was driving to the hospital to see Brad after he was born.  While I was pregnant, I had knitted him a little sweater (it was white and green).  Back then you never knew if you were having a girl or boy, so I thought I was safe with white and green.  It fit him for about 1 week.  So then I knitted him another blue sweater and cap that he wore for a much longer time.  I remember taking a photo of him in the sweater in front of our duplex when we lived on 57^th in the top half of a house when he was just walking.  Brad learned to count after he learned to walk and talk as we climbed the stairs to our home.

Brad was adventurous and fearless.  I had to keep his hand in mine always so that he wouldn’t run away.  His grandmother Schnell gave him a yellow blanket when he was born.  It had yellow satin thick binding around it and he was attached to that and his pacifier.  I had been trying to get him to toss the pacifier.  When he was about 2, we were driving home from Gresham and he spotted cows in the field.  I suggested that he give his pacifier to the cows and he threw it out the window.  That was a tough night, but he never wanted it again.

Aunt Judy bought him a little blue plastic horse with red wheels that he loved to ride around the house on.  He thinks I broke a wooden spoon on him, trying to get him to mind me,  but I really whacked the horse so that it would scare him into minding.  But the spoon broke.  He is convinced to this day that I broke it on him.  I remember he had diarrhea all one summer when we lived across the street from Normandale Park.  The little blue horse got washed frequently. Finally the doctor found something that stopped it and we were all thankful.  Brad had a lot of ear infections and colds.  Back then they put tubes in toddlers’ ears to stop ear infections, but Brad’s doctor wouldn’t do it.  So he has hearing loss now as a result.  Well enough about Brad…… (Except…… you need to know that Brad took his cousin Haley to the Senior Prom.  I thought that was terrific.)

Happy Birthday McKay and Glennda!

Glennda is being held by her dad Glenn Short. I would guess that this is Spring 1952 ? 

Thank you Kenlee….for posting all the photos of your family’s outings.  I love them.  Thanks Riley for posting Cole at the Las Vegas airport.  Thanks Brad for the calls.  Love them.  Thanks Hayden for helping me decide on the right cords for my iPhone to buy on Amazon.  Thanks Glennda and Scott for the wonderful lunch at Spaghetti factory on Friday. 

I love you all.

Family first.

Love Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister and Aunt Suzanne

 

October 15, 2023

Dear Family:

Birthdays this month:

               McKay 10/23 – I can’t believe he will be 3.  Glennda’s birthday is 10/24 and Brad’ birthday is 10/22.  Happy Birthday you guys.

I’m not going to be writing every week from now on, but maybe every other week or once a month.  I don’t want to grind a good thing into the ground.  But this week I’ve been thinking about something that is worth talking about:  What we pass down to our children or what we learn or inherit from our parents.   The reason this subject came to my mind was all Mike Grubbe’s fault.  He texted me a photo of Amy sewing on her Singer Featherweight Sewing Machine that I got for her when she was 12 or 14??  He thanked me for teaching her skills that benefited her family. 

It touched my heart and got me to thinking about all the things I learned from my parents.  It also got me to thinking about what I’ve passed down or taught my children.  Amy thanks me regularly and so does Mike for the things that I taught her when I was raising her.  I appreciate that so very much.  I know that Brad and Brian view cleanliness and neatness pretty much the same way I do.  (I won’t try to tell you that I don’t let things go sometimes. I do. )  Of course, the gospel and going to church was a big part of our lives.  That in itself makes a huge impact on a child’s life.

But I wish I had told my dad that I cherished the virtue of “Hard Work” that he taught me.  He didn’t set me down and say, “OK I’m going to teach you to work hard.”  It was just our way of life.  It was his way of life.  It was how he was raised – working on a farm. It was what he expected from me.   I wish I had told my mom thank you for helping me learn to sew, teaching me how to clean, can, bake, and to be honest.  They both insisted on complete honesty.  I wish I had told my Grandma Mary Leishman “Thank You” for teaching me to crochet and knit.  I wish I had known my Grandma Short better.  I would have told her that I admired her quilts and her work ethic. 

So, I’m going to ask my grandchildren to think about what you have learned from your parents and thank them. I have noticed little things when I’ve been around you.  I’d be happy to share it with you if you want to know.  You can text or email me or call me and I’ll tell you what I think.  Maybe your parents can see it and will tell you too.

Heavenly Father gave us families.  What a perfect formula if parents are conscientious, care and love their children.  Those wonderful qualities that they got from their parents will continue to be passed on.  I recently picked up my mom’s story.  She gave thanks in words for her grandparents who raised her to: Obey, Go to Church, Not sass back, to be honest, to be an A+ student, to love to read, and to practice the piano.  She had great regrets that she wasn’t around her father to learn from him.  She was afraid of him and didn’t understand him until she got Multiple Sclerosis just like he had. She hopes that he understands now and forgives her.

I don’t have any gems of wisdom to share today.  But I want you to know that I am open and honest in my relationship with you. I enjoy sharing my life with you.  I love you all so very much and I will continue to pass along little things that I think might spark a new thought or action in your life.

I am sharing a photo of a gig that I played this weekend.  I hope I can continue playing for the enjoyment of audiences for a long time yet. It brings me joy and I enjoy the socializing with audiences and band mates.

Have a great week.

Love Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister, and Aunt Suzanne

 

War in Israel

 October 8 2023

Dear Family:

War has returned to Israel.  This is a worry.  I have friends (Ray and Rene' Summers) on a 2 month cruise.  They are in the Mediterranean and had a tour through the Holy Land started with a tour guide and they were called back to the ship because of the War. 

https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-gaza-attack-10-08-23/index.html

 (I remember a 1960 movie based on the war that happened there in the 40's - EXODUS was the name of a ship that carried Jewish refugees to Palestine.) It's been so long since I've seen it, I would need to watch it again to remember it.

Nothing of note is going on with me.  This entry in my weekly letter project will be a short one.

The Mariners did not make the playoffs.  So I am following the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Mariners traded away their best closing pitcher to Arizona, (Paul Sewald) and he was a star yesterday for Arizona.  So we'll see how long the Diamondbacks last. 

Haley and Steve are official snowbirds now.  I am admiring their adventure - not jealous or envious - been there - done that.  But their style makes me smile.

I told you that I would report about my efforts to take better care of myself.  I'm walking more and longer.  That's a start.

I have two gigs next weekend and we are putting 3 new tunes in our library.  These were from my era:  California Girls, Ko Ko Mo (by the beach boys 1960's) and Mr. Sandman (1954).  That's a start.  I've been working on this project for several months now and after several trials at rehearsals, several revisions to make the sound the same volume and similar rhythms - we are finally close.

I'll leave you with my a note from my favorite prophet, President Hinckley:  "Ye are the light of the world"  Matthew 5:14.  "No man or woman proceeds alone.  All of us are largely the products of the lives which touch upon our lives."

Have a great week.  And I love you

Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister and Aunt Suzanne