WOW!

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Most of you who know us, also know that we enjoy musicals, concerts, plays, etc. Well, last night we had our first play of the fall season – and I thought it would be, well, just okay and something to get dressed up for and out of the house on a date. Was I ever surprised. No, astounded! First of all, this was at the Temple of Music & Art downtown Tucson, and we had never been to that theater before. I pictured some rickety sort of broken down place. I was so delighted when I stepped from the car (hubby always drops me at the site saving me the walk from the parking lots which may explain the girth of my derriere, but I digress) to step onto a cute two level patio. Benches and little bistro settings were scattered here and there. Some couples were enjoying a glass of wine before heading into the theater. There is also a venue on an upstairs level that features different types of entertainment. We were running late, so really didn’t have time to check out the area too much, and we headed into the theater. It is a small venue with nicely inclining seating so I really think there is probably not a bad view in the place.
So, even if the play was not all that interesting, the surroundings were fun and I settled in to enjoy a quiet evening. Big mistake. This was not the quiet concert I expected. This is a story teller one man show delivered with style and grace and class and humor and reality. And the music – this man is a fantastic pianist and from the beginning of the first number, I was silently hoping that the kid’s friend, John Jameson (remember that name – you will see him on stage and read his name on compositions – I am sure of it) had seen this play or was going to. The actor/singer/writer/musician told the life story of George Gershwin (albeit a short life) and so intriguing and entertaining was his performance, that it made you want to go and buy a book and read all about George and his brother, Ira Gershwin. The stage was one setting and you felt like an invited guest in a parlor of a historic home where a grand piano graced the room. Backdrops would fade in and out so subtlety that you barely noticed except that it made the music and the story that much deeper. You felt all of the emotions of the guest actor and when it was over, it just left you wanting more. I know, I sound like a play critic here – but if anyone has the chance to see this – do so. You will not be sorry!

St Pius X Catholic Church

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July 2007 015
Originally uploaded by BGPantano

Our Church remodeling is almost completed. All of the pews were refurbished AND padded! We have been away during much of the remodel – Bob’s back surgery, to Mexico for two weekends, then I had sciatic nerve problems for a month and bells palsy for three weeks. We are off to Colorado soon, and will be back in our (new) regular pews after that. I love this Church!! Can’t wait to get back to it. I’ve missed being there.

blecht ….

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Today I get an email from Mexico titled Drink Your Vitamins! And I have been drinking one ounce a day, but I gotta tell ya, that stuff is yucky! Today I watered it down with one ounce of water and it helped. But because my granddaughters said so, I will continue the vitamin drink. Sigh.

my goodbye weekend with a granddaughter …

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pic340How could I ever begin to describe my feelings for this child. She is my first grandchild. At the age of two, she taught me how much fun it was to grandparent. Whenever we have been around each other, she makes certain we have snuggle times. She rests her head on my arms or in my lap and loves for me to rub her back. I have disciplined her one time in the 12+ years that she has been in my life. She was a mere four or five years old as she snuck a silly sponge character under her shirt while we shopped at Ben Franklins. She would have gotten away with it too – but this grandma has the eye of an eagle and noticed the shape of an animal on her tummy! We came home and she had to sit on the stairs in a time out for five minutes. Her grandpa questioned me the entire time, trying to lighten the sentence! I have never had to raise my voice to her or tell her to stop something. We had our back to school supply shopping dates … I attended every school performance she had when she lived here except for one … I watched her play soccer and attended her show at the Pantano Stables while she and other girls lip sank to a song… we did scrapbooking together and made hot dogs in biscuits together. She has been through extraordinarily tough times, but has emerged as a joyful, moral, and engaging young lady. Add to the fact that she is as beautiful inside as she is outside – and what else could I want? She is moving far away in a few days. And my heart is broken. I miss her already.

now, you tell me ….

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Mom’s Lamp 008
Originally uploaded by BGPantano

what laundry room is cuter than this???

We finally got rid of the yucky fluorescent lighting and installed a chandelier like the one in my office. I wouldn’t want to have just a normal laundry room! The shelf above the washer/dryer houses my vanity mirror and the blocks of pastel colors finish it off. All I need are a couple of cute baskets to hold things and that room is completely finished!!

no. thank YOU!

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so, I am looking and looking for my Basha’s Thank you card. Saves me money! I look in my purse and in the car and the glovebox and the console. I check old purses that I have used in the past. Nope, not in any of my office drawers either.

today I install some foam edges on the playhouse toy shelf in the bebes room, and lo and behold. Out falls my Basha’s card from one of Mateo’s books. He must have taken it out of my purse when we were shopping one day. He loves to have a credit card type of item in his hands. He calls it his money! I suspect it was the day we had pizza for dinner at Target!

me & my bright ideas …

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So, I came up with the brilliant notion of designing all of my Christmas cards this year. I now have 17 out of 60 completed. Every one will be completely different, and I admit to all that I am shamelessly exploiting my grandchildren on many of them. Several others will have beautiful photography by the spouse of yours truly. Not sure I would do it again, but I have enough OCD that now I have started – it must be finished!
and, okay – it’s fun, too!!

popcorn, percosiousness & penguins

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I decided to sneak out of work for a couple of hours since it was Bob’s half day off. Picked up Mateo and we were off to the movies. He snacked … he sat backwards … he sang out loud when the notion struck him, and was none to pleased to find that the escalator down from the movie was out of service. He was determined to ride it no matter what. Nothing is as meaningful as looking at life through the eyes of a child. What a refresher!

Saturday, June 2nd

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Tristan spent the weekend again with us. Grandpa, me, and Tristan attended the Bat Mitzvah of Samantha Sherman (one of my accounting client’s daugthter) and later that evening, we attended a really special Hawaiian Luau at the Westward Look Resort. The coconut chicken was wonderful, the conga line was fun, and a good time was had by all.

a weekend with a teenage granddaughter

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Tristan spent last weekend with us. Grandpa picked her up from school and they came home laughing and smacking each other and generally, BOTH acting like teenagers! We shopped. Tristan and Grandpa argued over who had to help with what in the kitchen after dinner. We played with Mateo. Poor Marluce was sick and would barely raise her little head from the sofa to look up. Taking Mateo shopping in Mervyn’s where not a cart was in sight – was really a challenge. He held my hand most of the time, and as we walked by racks of clothing, he would grab a hanger with a shirt in a milli-second! He could be a magician. Then with his back to a rack of men’s shirts, he looked up at me, flatly stated “I’ll be wight back”, and did a tiny little shuffle backwards with his feet, hands at his side, until he completely disappeared in the clothing. All that could be seen was his shoes. He stayed there for a few moments, and then casually walked out and took my hand, as if that was just a normal thing for anyone to do in Mervyn’s. Tristan and I caught up on some much needed Gilmore Girls, when she wasn’t taking goofy photos with her Grandpa’s new camera. Even after she laughed at our pictures, Grandpa still allowed her to drive my car to Honey Mesquite! She thinks she is such big stuff behind the wheel.

I am going to write my story

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Yes, it’s true. I have started several short stories about my life and the people and things in it. I have much to say (what a surprise) and much that needs to be said. It is time to take a few minutes each week and record it on paper. Not sure if anyone is going to find it interesting, but this will be my story, in, mostly, my words and on my terms. The beauty of life and the ugliness of the same life. It will serve as my therapy. Get ready.

day 4 … going home.

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So, here we are on the barren highway 85 migrating from the greens and blues of the Sea of Cortez, to our home in Tucson. And, once again, with mixed emotions. I am still child like enough to wonder why I cannot have it all; and what’s more – have it all right now. I thought this trip would be different, somehow. Not expecting all of the rush of emotions, because after all, we had already met the girls and enjoyed their company and just assumed that I would settle comfortably into the role of Abuelita. Not so. The feelings were that of a hungry person at a sumptious buffet. I could not get enough of their smiles, their eyes, and their love. Marluce was as charming as ever. And though my little grandson of three could cause a bit of havoc from time to time; he always would listen to his grandma and often found comfort in her arms when not every toy or ball of or piece of chalk was available at his crying commands of “mia mia mia” (meaning mio mio mio – “mine mine mine”. It is quite difficult for such a little boy to have to learn to share his grandma – let alone all of the good stuff! He’s trying, but it will take time. And sometimes he just does not have the time to spare. There are stacks to be made taller, and art to chalk on the block wall!!

Within the hour, we are now a world away from our daughter and 5 of our grand bebes. So close, and yet so far.

day 3 in Puerto Peñasco

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2007 May Rocky Point 782
Originally uploaded by Connie.

On our way to Sunday Brunch with the lil kids, guess who we ran in to?? We really enjoyed a family meal, shared lots of laughs (mostly about the way I tried to respond to people in Spanish), and relished the “our time” part of the day. Afterwards, Abuelo and Tia Kerri drove over to pick the girls up from Katia’s house. Kerri returned with the softest smile on her face and the words. “I’m in love. How cute are those girls??” Not surprising, given that Kerri is the best I have witnessed at interacting with children. We played with the girls on the beach and then left them to Kerri and Jeffry so they could get acquainted. We went to sight see around the area for a bit, back to the resort to don some dry clothing, and returned to the rv resort to enjoy the sights and sounds of family. Mateo and Marluce soon joined the festivities, and the task of entertaining this Abuelita. This was our last day of family for this trip and I was already wiping tearful eyes as it got closer to going home time.

5-5-07 day 2 in Pto Peñasco

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Our little condo rental was so comfy, but it was time to head out to see the family. Katia’s family had brought a camper to the beach rv resort and rented a space for 2 days. Now other children had joined the family party; Berla, Blueberry (Ramon Jr), Cynthia, and a host of others. We brought the five grandchildren fold out chairs with attached umbrellas, and they were quite the hit. Mateo saw a dark green one amongst 4 pinks, and quickly claimed it as his! He is catching on!! The day was filled with beach and sea and too much food (okay – and a couple of strawberry daiquiri’s). All the kids came into the camper later in the day so we could decorate cupcakes for all of the adults who had April and May birthdays, and Mother’s Day (which is celebrated on May 10th in Mexico).The two birthday girls, Angeles & Itzel donned their birthday crowns and got the party started. Several people also brought gifts for Aracely since she had no party in December for her birthday. Wrapping paper flew and little giggles were heard and lots of both the American Happy Birthday song and the Mexican Happy Birthday song were sung into the darkness of night. Mateo fell asleep in my arms after en exhausting day of playing, gathering shells, and eating cupcakes and frosting. What a life! Fireworks from all around the beach topped of the night and we were soon back at the condo to look at the thousands of photos Grandpa had snapped. Old family, new family, Mexico and Arizona and California family – and this is how it should be. This is what THIS Grandma loves!
Angels can jump, too!
Originally uploaded by Connie.

then comes Itzel …

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We hurriedly put things away and then make the short drive to Katia’s rental home. The ever smiling Aracely greets us at the gate, unlocks it and waves us in. Itzel and Angeles run to greet us while Mateo, awaking from a nap on the sofa, sighs a sleepy sounding “it’s grandma”. After visiting for awhile and drawing rainbows on the fence wall, and entertaining ourselves watching the now quite awake Mateo chasing the girls (mostly Angeles who waits for him to make the first move before engaging in the chase), the three girls are lined up in order of age; shed their play clothes, and one by one, are washed and rinsed and shampooed and rinsed again, in the outdoor shower. With the smallest of the dark eyed beauties wrapped in a huge towel, I carry her in to her bedroom, and here Abuelita Maria takes over. She finishes the drying process, hands Angeles her clean unders, slathers her with lotion from head to toe, picks out her outfit with suggestions from the little one. As I carry Itzel into the house for step two, Angeles is burrowing through a little box of hair adornments and awaits mama Katia’s arrival after finishing the shower routine for Aracely. Katia then sits at the table and starts on the dark curly hair of Angeles, styling and placing hair trims here and there to perfect the halo of curls. Itzel is next with a sideways ponytail and her ever present grin. Aracely is older and has a little more input, but enjoys mama brushing her long, thick hair. Mateo is freshened up and new clothes are donned. Marluce follows Mateo with her tiny brown curls combed perfectly and an itty bitty purple headband put into place. This entire process plays out like a well rehearsed scene from a play. Then Katia moves to her bedroom brushing her beautiful mane of hair and putting on some makeup, and that is when it hits me; This is the Friday afternoon getting ready for the arrival of: dad or daddy to Mateo, da da da to Marluce, and Papa Rick to the three older girls.

05-04-07 day one in Puerto Peñasco

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view from condo terrace
Originally uploaded by Connie.

Another weekend trip to Puerto Peñasco. I found a one bedroom condo to rent for three nights and four days. My fears of what the condo may be quickly subside as we pull into the parking lot of the Sonoran Sea Resort. The condo is a private party ownership and all that you need is there. The entire wall of the living area is the biggest sliding patio door that I have ever seen The view of the Sea is breathtaking. She calls us outdoors to feel the mist from the sea and enjoy the sound of the waves. At once, we feel at home.

mateo takes a little "me" time

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april 30, 2007
Originally uploaded by Connie.

and listens to the XM radio station for kids. He had played with the “ticket” tape, the new sand box that is going to Mexico, and the cupcake pans. That’s enough to wear ANY kid out. How cute are his little beach bum flip flops?!?

Late in the afternoon, he flashed a toothy grin, eyes squinted shut, asking for leche, He thanked grandma, situated a pillow just right on the sofa, crawled up to lie down, asks “where is my blanket?” I retrieved one of Marluce’s blankets, placed it over him while one hand twirls his hair and one hand holds the sippy cup – zzzzzzzz in less than five minutes!

why? Because we’re worth it!

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Ahhhhh…just look at that view! We will be staying at the Sonoran Sea Resort Condos (a privately owned condo rental) beginning Friday, May 4 and will be back home on Monday, May 7th. Going to celebrate two granddaughter’s birthdays and to enjoy the Mexico family! This was not any more than a regular hotel and since it is a condo, it will be more relaxing and home like. I gotta get me one of these!!

and here they are!

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Birthday Goodies_20070427_1607
Originally uploaded by BGPantano.

Mateo’s tiny foot in abuela’s hand, Chase, Angeles, baby Karen

Tristan, Arecely, Itzel, Jeffry’s baby hand in his daddy’s hand.

Kerri Anne, Mateo, Leah holding Quinn, Marluce in her first ponytail!

If anybody sees square frames like these, let me know where! These were originally framed prints at Target. I took the little prints out and put my own photos in. The little 4×4 frame came with the inset color panels. I love all of the colors and should have gotten them all last year when I found them!!

This is gonna be fun!

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Birthday Goodies_20070427_1593
Originally uploaded by BGPantano.

I found this little play table for the 5 grandkids in Mexico! It can hold sand or water – and since they live on the beach, the sand is o’plenty. They have plenty of little sand pails, shovels, rakes, sand cars, etc. and hopefully enough to go around. I also finished the baby wall and got it all up to date with the latest grandbabies!

Sunday lunch at the Mundle home …

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What a nice day.
We attended the Mundle home lunch and sat out on the back patio. We visited and laughed and heard stories and laughed some more. We always feel at home there. And, try as I might, I can never get my little backyard cluster of flower pots to look like Maggie’s – still trying though. Came home with so much left over salad bar food, that Maria and Bettina and Tonia came over and ate salad and visited some more. Pat and Savannah stopped by and made a salad to go! This is the way to begin your week – with friends and family that you love.

backyard glory

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Bob made a little collage of some of my flowers in the backyard. With the lawn getting so nice and lush, and the flowers scattered around in colorful pottery, the backyard is really coming along. We are installing small metal fencing on the top of the block wall to mask a bit of the equipment from the lot next to our yard. Painting it with the colors in my block wall, also. I love the look and cannot wait to have it finished. Last, will be to make a playful area for the grand kids behind the shed. There is almost 6 feet width and 10 foot length that we can somehow shade a bit and make a play area. I was thinking of doing a little mural on the shed wall with a tree and a tire swing, etc. However, the trees came out – shall we say – not so good. I will have to look around and use my imagination and start over. I want the grand kids to feel at home when they finally get to America and to have a place that they will enjoy. I think they will!

the days are long, relaxing future memories

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Later in the afternoon, Ramon, (Berta’s son who lives in Puerto Peñasco) stops by with fresh shrimp from the local fish market. Katia joins him outside as they clean the shrimp, and cook up a delicious appetizer for whoever wants to indulge. Other family members come and go during the day and into the evening. Everyone is very cordial and happy and patronize me with lovely smiles as I repeat to each new guest “no habla Espanol”

what a trip.

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Something about Puerto Peñasco changes your perspective on life. The house is hectic with 7 (yes,, I said 7 – there were two cousins there to spend time with the family) kids running in and out of the house, each time bringing with them a little more sand for the floor. Giggles and screams and sometimes little arguments involving screaming and hitting and just little children noises in general become the background to all that happens around them. The noise level is high, the Little Mermaid dvd plays on the television, children are asking me things that I cannot answer since I do not know Spanish. (that has to change!) And somehow, in the midst of the chaos, the giggles, the Little Mermaid, and the noise in general – the mood is surprisingly relaxing. Katia’s Grandma Maria makes homemade tortilla soup and then you float these little crunchy noodles in them and it is heaven in a little cup. Maria’s sister, Berta, is visiting from Hermosillo as well as Berta’s son Chuy, his wife, Auxi, and two daughters Bella & Cynthia. Meals are like clockwork. No one asks Maria to get the kids lunch. She quietly gets out 7 little bowls and ladles the soup in each one. Places the Dora place mats in front of each chair and then calls the kids to sit. While the soup is slurped (hard to get those noodles in your mouth in one bite) Berta and Maria get some small plates and dish up refried beans for each child. The kids do not whine or complain or ask what something is. They are grateful for their meal and simply enjoy. One by one as they finish, they scoop up their plates and drop them into the kitchen sink. Then Maria and Berta wipe the table and serve the adults much the same way. After that, Maria feeds Marluce and finally, herself. Other meals are handled much the same way – no one asking anyone to do something. When Maria sits down at the table to start preparing for dinner, Berta quietly gets something from the refrigerator and begins her preparation while Auxi joins them with yet another part of the meal to prepare. Everything they do in the kitchen is similar to a ballet – every step carefully choreographed. It is a wonder to watch.

Gardner Family Picture

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Gardner Family Picture
Originally uploaded by BGPantano.

A whole new world awaits …
Aracely – 9 years
Angeles – 3 years (10 months older than Mateo)
Ricky
Mateo – 3 years
Marluce – 1 year
Katia
Itzel – 5 years

Wow. I am so proud of Ricky & Katia for taking this on. They have a true perspective of what family means.

Puerto Peñasco

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IMG_0920
Originally uploaded by BGPantano.

… Rocky Point Mexico to Arizonians. Blue skies, ocean breezes, (okay, sometimes ocean winds!), Jimmy Buffet on the cd player – what could be better than that? We made our way to the hotel Peñasco el Sol and into a lovely suite with arches and sea colors, and not much hot water or water pressure, which is common there, but somehow, it is just not that big of a deal. As the elevator door opens to the lobby, we catch our first glimpse of the newest members of the family. The dark hair and the perfect skin and the smiling eyes are unmistakeably Katia’s! We are showered with hugs and kisses and greetings in Spanish. Kisses on the cheek are accompanied with “Buenos Tardes” – good afternoon. Already we are in love!

my favorite garden nursery – EVER!

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Mesquite Nursery March 2007 026
Originally uploaded by Connie.

Mesquite Growers is a great place to relax – don’t go there just to buy flowers! They have street signs up to show you where everything is located. Brightly colored eye candy for sale. All sorts of things in little nooks and crannies. Of course, I never leave empty handed, but I can spend hours just walking around to see it all. Hmmm. Think I’ll go back next week!

Marluce is turning One!

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2007 Marluce First Birthday Party 023
Originally uploaded by Connie.

We celebrated her birthday early with a Sunday brunch at our house. I got to decorate in pinks and yellows and lavendars and greens – all pastel girly colors. It was a beautiful day and wonderful family time.

In the evening, hubby and I had a date to see the Broadway Show “RENT”. The voices were wonderful. I will have to say, that I missed a lot of what the show was about, and then when I heard that one of the characters would die of aids in the show, we made our way out. I didn’t want to end such a great day on a sad note.

rainy days in Tucson …

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I have been working so much on accounting and odds and ends in the house, that I have not had any time to blog. The past two days have been quite rainy here – and I love it. We planted tomatoes and flowers last weekend and the rains come at just the right time.

I have managed to create some greeting cards (scraps of life) for three birthdays! They are time consuming and have no rhyme or reason to the way I create them, but it is fun and relaxing for me.

Latest Mateoism … took him shopping with me to Target, He was settled in the cart, he and I both washed the seat and bar with sanitizer, Off we went and as soon as I rolled him into the store, he pulls the sippy cup from his mouth, takes a good look around, and announces “we need soap!”

Mateo & Marluce visit for a weekend …

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While Ricky and Katia took a weekend trip to California, the grand babies spent the weekend with Grandma & Grandpa. We spent a lot of time in the backyard since the weather was perfect. Marluce was fed in her booster seat on the back patio while she squealed with delight every time her big brother ran past her. She thinks he is just there to entertain her and she absolutely adores him. She did not like to touch the grass, so she played in her play yard with her toys and watched the birds and listened to the outdoor noises. It was fun to watch her reaction to a dog bark or a plane fly over. Mateo was on the go every minute of the day, and kept me on my toes. When he wasn’t hopping and jumping and running and turning on and off the water outside, he was conversing in new “Mateo-isms” … when I said it was time for a nap, he replied “don’t say that, Grandma!” … when he couldn’t get me to do what he wanted, he would start asking in Spanish, apparently thinking I did not understand English. At the end of the day, Grandpa came home from work and he and Mateo relaxed on the back yard swing as Mateo looked in the sky and exclaimed in hushed tones “beautiful stars in the sky!”

1955-1956 a snippet of a husband’s childhood

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by Bob Gardner – written to me in an email 03/14/2007

Chugwater Wyoming population in 2010 – 212

I was three or four. We lived in a farmhouse in Chugwater, Wyoming. Linda was seven or eight. The rooms were huge. Linda and I ran the length of the house without fear if hitting anything. I recall sitting in my wagon and Linda would push me as fast as she could and we would scream from room to room; through large doorways and into the living room. Mom and Dad would laugh as the dogs would run and bark at us while we ran. I remember worrying about smashing in to the large glass doors in the house but it never happened.

Nothing bad ever seemed to have happened there. We had no running water; only a well with a pump out front which we used for dishes. I remember more than once men waking through our property and asking for a drink from our well, Mom would let them drink [from the well], but for our drinking water, we would walk for what seemed like miles down to the clear spring near the river which ran out back behind our house. We dipped water out of the clear spring and brought it home in large gallon jars that Mom brought home from the restaurant she worked at. The water then had to be boiled for drinking.

I loved that house. Dad would come home, and Linda, Mom and I would go to the river and swim. (Well, I would wade.) Linda would paddle and Mom and Dad would swim. I felt very protected there. Mom was happy. Dad was normal and Linda and I were the best of friends.

One day the river ran dry and the fish in the river lay there dead and dying. We had to move, and left what seemed to me to be a paradise behind.