Sunday, October 16, 2011
Looking good for 60?
This past week I had a flu shot (and subsequent body fat analysis) and had lab work done to test my cholesterol. At both interactions, I was asked for my age to which the response was, "You look good for sixty." So just how bad is sixty supposed to look?
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Twenty eight pages from dates...
I went to my personal history writing class last night. The title was "a sketchy life sketch". Though we normally write vignettes of various incidents in our lives, we were encouraged to sketch out major events in chronological order so that the pieces might make more sense. I have thought that recording just a list of dates and events was a great idea - ever since Cherri mentioned that is what she does, but I STILL haven't done it.
The discussion that followed was so interesting. Debbie said that she had wanted to write the history of a great grandmother who had died with little personal history known. [Of course, I couldn't figure what would motivate someone to write a history with no information but dates.] She said, "I listed all the years she had been alive 1870, 1871, ... Then I inserted major events in her life - birth, baptism, marriage, birth of children, deaths of family members. In a parallel list, I entered historic events - Utah became a state, Spanish-American Ward, Ford Motor Company founded, titanic sinks, first radio broadcast, the great depression, social security act, and so on. Then, I could look find connections and see patterns." Three of her children died within a month and a half, of a disease with a six week incubation period. She was pregnant with a fourth child at the time she lost her three children.
Her husband had died in a mine accident. Debbie checked the Deseret News to see what they had reported about the accident and found detailed descriptions of the accident, the number killed, the funerals, who spoke, and descriptions of the deceased person's injuries. By putting dates and events together, she could piece together a twenty eight page story.
Mary said that once you start writing the history, information surfaces - as though the individual wants their story to be told.
I found it fascinating that doing such writing would become a passion for people. Not me. But maybe I will work on a "sketchy life sketch".
The discussion that followed was so interesting. Debbie said that she had wanted to write the history of a great grandmother who had died with little personal history known. [Of course, I couldn't figure what would motivate someone to write a history with no information but dates.] She said, "I listed all the years she had been alive 1870, 1871, ... Then I inserted major events in her life - birth, baptism, marriage, birth of children, deaths of family members. In a parallel list, I entered historic events - Utah became a state, Spanish-American Ward, Ford Motor Company founded, titanic sinks, first radio broadcast, the great depression, social security act, and so on. Then, I could look find connections and see patterns." Three of her children died within a month and a half, of a disease with a six week incubation period. She was pregnant with a fourth child at the time she lost her three children.
Her husband had died in a mine accident. Debbie checked the Deseret News to see what they had reported about the accident and found detailed descriptions of the accident, the number killed, the funerals, who spoke, and descriptions of the deceased person's injuries. By putting dates and events together, she could piece together a twenty eight page story.
Mary said that once you start writing the history, information surfaces - as though the individual wants their story to be told.
I found it fascinating that doing such writing would become a passion for people. Not me. But maybe I will work on a "sketchy life sketch".
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Conference Weekend
Chelle and Trisha (and families) were here for the weekend. We missed the others! Halle saw the big picture over the piano and got so excited!!!! - Lori, Kim, Greg, Chelle - and that's you, Mom!
Waiting for the games to begin.
Eve
Savannah
Steve and Halle
Making plans for finishing the basement.
Zach helped me go through the Halloween decorations. This skirt from the dressup box was a hit!
Waiting for the games to begin.
Eve
Savannah
Steve and Halle
Making plans for finishing the basement.
Zach helped me go through the Halloween decorations. This skirt from the dressup box was a hit!
Halle
I had Halle come outside to pick tomatoes with me. She got her shoes on, but when she realized I didn't have mine on, she pulled them off. Here is our conversation:
It tickles [plants on her feet].
I did it.
Get these off [the stems]
[I went in to get a pen and paper, so I could record her comments. She grabbed a scoop she had found in the utensil drawer.]
I got this thing [the scoop].
It's working. [Digs in the dirt.]
Me: I thought we were picking tomatoes.
No, I'm not. I'm dumping this on you [dirt from the scoop].
A bee is there.
[She grabs my paper and pen. She starts writing on the paper, making small little lines and telling me what she is writing. It is below.]
Zach, Grandma, Grandpa, Mommy, Daddy, Ben, Chelle.
I made a big thing. Come see it.
[She comes to me and messes up my hair.]
You have crazy hair.
What you doing?
I want it.
What's this mater doing. [She throws it. She pretends to eat it.]
A butterfly. A butterfly.
Where is?
Two butterflies.
Wow. You see one? A white one.
[She rubs my hair again. ] It's crazy, Grandma.
[She giggles as she walks on the dirt.]
I'm going back in [house]. [She returns with her blanket.]
Me: Your blanket will get dirty.
Not dirty. Put in grass. Nothing dirty here.
I don't want to eat tomatoes. They are yucky for me.
Butterfly. Saw again.
Butterfly is again.
Where is.
I see it. Right there.
Be around here.
He went like there.
There Bee.
I saw it again.
Tomatoes. I squish it.
[Car passes with 4 wheelers.] Where's that going?
Me: Maybe the cat will come visit.
We have a cat. [Goes into house to find her stuffed animal. Returns.]
She's soft. [Slurping sounds as cat licks me.]
It tickles [plants on her feet].
I did it.
Get these off [the stems]
[I went in to get a pen and paper, so I could record her comments. She grabbed a scoop she had found in the utensil drawer.]
I got this thing [the scoop].
It's working. [Digs in the dirt.]
Me: I thought we were picking tomatoes.
No, I'm not. I'm dumping this on you [dirt from the scoop].
A bee is there.
[She grabs my paper and pen. She starts writing on the paper, making small little lines and telling me what she is writing. It is below.]
Zach, Grandma, Grandpa, Mommy, Daddy, Ben, Chelle.
I made a big thing. Come see it.
[She comes to me and messes up my hair.]
You have crazy hair.
What you doing?
I want it.
What's this mater doing. [She throws it. She pretends to eat it.]
A butterfly. A butterfly.
Where is?
Two butterflies.
Wow. You see one? A white one.
[She rubs my hair again. ] It's crazy, Grandma.
[She giggles as she walks on the dirt.]
I'm going back in [house]. [She returns with her blanket.]
Me: Your blanket will get dirty.
Not dirty. Put in grass. Nothing dirty here.
I don't want to eat tomatoes. They are yucky for me.
Butterfly. Saw again.
Butterfly is again.
Where is.
I see it. Right there.
Be around here.
He went like there.
There Bee.
I saw it again.
Tomatoes. I squish it.
[Car passes with 4 wheelers.] Where's that going?
Me: Maybe the cat will come visit.
We have a cat. [Goes into house to find her stuffed animal. Returns.]
She's soft. [Slurping sounds as cat licks me.]
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