August

August 1 - 16

The flowers are looking so beautiful this summer!

FRIDAY --  Early this morning the Egan’s took us all (senior missionaries) to breakfast at the famous “Eaton’s Sugarhouse.” This was their way to host our monthly senior party.  We had our golf clubs loaded and ready to go to Randolph after breakfast, but the Likes asked us to come in an hour earlier for them as they had something going on and needed to leave early.  So, no such luck for an early round of golf.  

It seemed like we were having quite a busy afternoon but most of the visitors came in 1’s and 2’s so not a lot on the tally count.  We were late getting home again.  We were leaving about the same time as Osborn’s were returning from the Temple in Boston.  While we were talking to them, Sister Osborn found her watch on the rear window of the car.  It had been there since they left the temple in Boston.  Another Missionary Blessing!  

SATURDAY --   We were on the early shift today.  There were lots of people coming, I hardly got a chance to sit down all day long.  I had one group of 19 people which included an investigator.  It seemed like I was giving tours all day long.  

SUNDAY  --  Today was fast Sunday.  I took my fast offering and put in the envelope and by the time it was time to turn it in to the Aaronic Priesthood, I had misplaced it.  I back tracked everyplace I thought I had been but still didn’t find it.  I hope someone turned it in for me.   (Senior Moment)  Rhonda played the organ for sacrament meeting so we both sat on the stand.  After we finally got home and had lunch we mostly relaxed. 

MONDAY  --  We took a walk this morning and noticed it is starting to get pretty humid.  The afternoon shift was fairly quiet but I did have a good visit with a German couple.  We almost missed them as they parked in the bus parking area and just walked to the Monument.  I even showed them the restoration movie in German and also gave a Book of Mormon in German.  Our numbers for FHE seem to be growing as several had family or friends that they brought.  Tonight we had 37 people in attendance.  As soon as the lesson was over, Elder Osborn asked me to help him give a blessing to Kaye Nielsen (from Ascutney Ward  and one of our very poor people that always takes home a lot of left over food).  With the numbers growing, sometimes there isn’t much to send home.     

TUESDAY -- This morning, Rhonda and I got up early and went to Carter Country Club in W. Lebanon  to golf.  When we arrived there were cars all over the place so as I went to check in but they were full.  I asked what was going on and they said it was SENIORS Day.  Go figure.   So, we did a little shopping and returned home to relax a little before the missionary meeting.  I actually got to stay for the whole meeting for a change as the visitors were slow again.  We only had 26 visitors on our shift.  In the evening, Harman’s came over to talk about Sargent Steam  machines.   

WEDNESDAY --  Today’s early shift was even slower than yesterday.  I think we must be between vacation seasons or something.  In the afternoon we went back to the Golf course and this time there was hardly anyone there. :)    

THURSDAY --  Today is the usual day to do most of our washing, ironing and cleaning since it is our “day off” from duties at the Memorial.   Just before 1:30, I went with Elder Harman and we met Elders Osborn and Mooney and went to Randolph golfing.   Elder Mooney had a special deal, $18.00 for 18 holes which included a cart.  Pretty good deal!  Elder Osborn and I stood the other two but we lost by one hole playing best ball.  The best thing was that Elder Harman give me a little lesson about moving my shoulder forward and at least for today, it took most of the slice out of my swing so I was happy with the day.  While we were golfing, Rhonda went to W. Lebanon shopping.  I think she is glad to go shopping without me!  When we returned, she had a Little Caesar pizza waiting and I was ready.       

FRIDAY --  Rhonda didn’t sleep much at night so I got up and went for a walk trying not to disturb her as she finally did get to sleep.  We were back to the afternoon shift at the memorial.  We had several visitors but not really rushed but as usual we were late getting home.

Getting ready for the Sharon "Old Home Days" Parade

    

 SATURDAY --  HAPPY BIRTHDAY RHONDA!   I was a wake early so after getting ready for the day, I helped Elder Harman put the  ”obelisk” on the float.  

Early Saturday morning

In line and ready to go!

We were back to the Memorial at 9:00 to blow up balloons for the “Old Home Days” Parade in Sharon.  After inflating the balloons, we rushed back to the apartment to pick up the float and head for the parade.  I drove the Gator pulling the float while Rhonda walked behind playing Church songs on her accordion.  The parade wasn’t too long and we soon hurried back to do our shift at the Memorial.  Things there were very busy.  I didn’t have a chance between visitors to even write down who we had talked to.  At the end of our shift, Rhonda and I sat down with our notes and had to figure out the numbers.  As close as we could count, we had visited and shown the Memorial to 70 people since we came back from the parade.   In the evening, the kids started calling to wish Rhonda Happy Birthday so it was good opportunity to find out how they were doing and a little of what is happening with them.     

It was neat having the float parked at our place all weekend

SUNDAY -- Today was one of those days where nothing out of the ordinary seemed to be happening.  We attended Church as usual and then back to the apartment.  In the later evening, we decided to take a walk but didn’t go too far away (up and back the highway) as we were looking for Tululah to take her for a ride on the gator but she didn’t get home until it was way past dark.  Several times in the day I kept wishing I had some carmel popcorn.  So, quite late at night, I finally talked Rhonda into helping me make some.  (There goes the diet again).

     

The Lodge at Camp Joseph

MONDAY --   We were up and out the door early for a change.  We drove to Randolph to take advantage of the “early bird” golf special at the Montague Country Club.  We were the second group out but after “pushing” the guys ahead of us for 4 holes, they let us play through.  From there it was smooth sailing until we ran into some slow ladies who started on the back.  From there we just jumped around until we got our 18 holes in and headed home.  On the afternoon shift, Rhonda met this couple named Caldwell.  They were on a “memory” trip.  The wife was baptized 50 years ago by the missionary who was now her husband.  She was baptized in the font that used to be in the visitor center.  They told her about “relative finder” on the internet so we had to experiment a little.  It is amazing how many people you are related to if you can trace it back far enough.  (roots-fb.cs.byu.edu)  Things at the Memorial were not extremely busy later in the day so we closed 15 minutes early to go to Camp Joseph for the FHE BBQ.  It was a nice affair.  More and more people keep coming each week.

Three of the many "bunk" cabins at Camp Joseph

     

The Camp Joseph "Director's Cabin"

The Pavilion at Camp Joseph

 

TUESDAY  --  I decided I needed to get up and go for my normal walk today.  For our afternoon shift we had a few over 25 people come to the Memorial so it keeps us pretty much on the go but things are slowing a bit from the early summer traffic.  The sister missionaries brought an investigator to show the restoration movie at about 6:30pm.  The movie is 69 minutes and after the movie they sat and talked.  Osborn’s had gone to teach their addiction recovery class so we had to stay at the Memorial with the sisters since there has to be a Priesthood person at the Memorial all the time.  Osborn’s came back from their class and sent us home about 8:20.   

WEDNESDAY --  I woke up early so decided to take a walk but it started to sprinkle so I headed back home after only a mile and a half.  We had the early shift and I spent the first part of the morning working on lining up another parade appearance in Bethel, VT.   The rain soon started and rained almost the entire day. Surprisingly, we had several people who braved the rain and came to the memorial.  Before the day was done, we had accumulated over an inch of rain so things were pretty wet but it is surprising how fast it soaks into this sandy soil.      
 THURSDAY   --   About noon on this "P-day" we left for Woodstock, VT where I had made a golf time using Golf Now.  It was a pretty fancy place but we were able to make reservations for $30.00/each which included a cart for 18 holes.   The drive was very beautiful country scenery all the way.  Once to the golf course we found out that we were paired with 2 ladies from PA.  We soon got to know them and since none of us were too great of golfers it turned out OK.  It certainly was a pleasant, beautiful, sunny day.   It was a very nice course (golf digest says one of the top 100 in America).  After we finished golfing, we drove on to W. Lebanon and did our weekly shopping.      
FRIDAY --  We had the afternoon shift and it was pretty cool and overcast but we did have 25 visitors on our shift.  By closing time it was pretty cool so we headed for home and made some chili to warm up a little.  We sat around the apartment in our sweat shirts.      
SATURDAY --   Our first visitor of the morning was from Maryland who said his grandfather (Perkins) helped erect the monument.   He was going to point him out on the picture but the picture had changed since he was here.  From there on, we were busy with visitors.  At the end of the shift we had to get together and review whom we had talked to and who were members and who were not.  Once we finally got home we were more than hungry so we just changed our clothes and headed to W. Lebanon and picked up some Mexican Food.    (Moe’s)  It was pretty filling and it the spot.  We didn’t have much else to do in town so we bought a bottle of milk and headed back to the apartment.   

The End of July, Oh My!

July 16 - 31

JULY  16 --  WEDNESDAY   It rained most of the night and things were really wet for our morning shift as it continued to drizzle most of the morning.  Rhonda and I did a bus tour shortly after the morning started.  There were several adults on the tour whom I knew from the American Fork area.  One of my AF student-body president's  (Larry Laycock) mother was the one I knew the best.   After the bus tour, there were only a few guests who came the rest of the day.  The sun even came out a little before noon but it didn’t seem to help our visitors.  After or shift ended, we didn’t have anything going so we went to W. Lebanon shopping and got a few groceries.       
THURSDAY    We were up and going quite early for our “day-off”.  We went to Cornish NH to visit the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site.  It is the home of a great American Renaissance sculptor, Augustus Saint-Gaudens. 

He was a sculptor, made portrait reliefs and made cameos and designed coins for the USA.  It was a beautiful setting and very informative.  After our “art” lesson, we decided to golf at the Carter Country Club (just happened to have our golf clubs handy).  



 

FRIDAY --  I went for my usual 3 mile walk around the elementary school before going to the Memorial for the afternoon.  Once there, I started hand watering the new grass that was planted. 

It was looking pretty dry and I seem to be about the only one who does the hand watering.  Visitors were scattered through-out the day but nothing very steady until quitting time (as usual) when two  groups arrived.  It was an extra 40 minutes before we could leave.
SATURDAY  --  Today, Osborn’s asked us to trade to the afternoon shift and then stay and join them and some ward members for dinner.  Guests were:  Moroni Johnson’s, Butler’s (Randolph postmaster) and Crane’s (KOA/Florida people).  It was a nice night but I missed a lot of the conversation and the first part of the dinner as I had guests in the visitor center.  The food was great and the company good but I’m not sure it was worth it as we were so late getting home.  It was nearly 10:00pm.   
SUNDAY --  We had Church as usual and with no assignment, went home and had a good low fat lunch.  Then, I got the bug for caramel-popcorn.  It was so good, I really blew all the no-fat diet to pieces.  Later in the afternoon, we took a ride through some of the back roads around the area.  Went through some of Vermont and then crossed the Connecticut River, around Hartford, NH, past Dartmouth golf course and hospital and then back to VT.  On the back roads again, we stopped at the Quechee Gorge and hiked the trail in the opposite direction we had previously gone.  We went up to the dam where they had some type of power/turbine type equipment.  From there, we made our way home by dark.  It was a nice ride and outing.  

Reservoir that spills down Quechee Gorge

MONDAY  --  Once we got to the Memorial there were people all  over and the Likes were trying to hand off some of the people they had been talking to so things were pretty confusing.  It took quite a while before I even got a chance to go to the office and record what visitors I had talked too.  Visitors still kept coming off and on so I tried to water the new grass in between visitors.  About the next thing I knew, it was time for Family Home Evening.      
TUESDAY   The morning started off early as John Jesse (former Alpine Elem. Principal) was here visiting his daughter (Talbot) and asked me if I would go golfing with him.  He picked me up and we went to Randolph.  He had his grandson with him so they rode in the cart and I walked 9 holes.  It was a good outing and I even hit the ball fairly well.  Home and got ready for the 1:30 missionary meeting.  Within 10 minutes the buzzer sounded so I again missed most of the meeting attending to visitors.  After the meeting, visitors were not too plentiful so I took a side trip with Elder Osborn down to Daniel Mack’s foundation to see additional portions of the old turnpike road, etc.  We also spent some time marking Moroni 10 in more copies of the Book of Mormon.   Things were pretty quiet until 6:45 when guests started to arrive.  I try not to complain about the late arrivals but it is really ironic how they plan to just get here before we close up.

On the trail through the "Flume"

WEDNESDAY    Things were pretty slow all day but for some reason I had a good day.  One of my few visitors was a kid whose grandfather lived in Richfield (Perry Butler) and he knew all about the cattle range, etc.   It was just fun to talk to him and catch up on some of the latest scoop from the old home town.  On our way home, we noticed a sign at Sandy’s drive-in , which is a block from our apartment,  advertising "cruise night".  We walked over but the night didn’t start until 5:00pm but the kid said you could order your food now, pay for it and then pick it up at 5:00pm so we decided to do that.  Hamburgers and French fries for 50 cents each is unheard of around here.  Besides that, they were really good for a change.  
THURSDAY  -  Happy Pioneer Day!  Today for our day off, we decided to take a tour of the White Mountains in New Hampshire.   Osborn’s had told us about “The Flume” so we found it on the map and started in that direction.  It was $15/person to hike but we decided we will not be this way again so go for it.  It was an interesting hike along side of the mountain, many times right over the stream of water.  The Flume was really a large channel cut thru the rock over many, many years.  Osborn’s also told us they rode a cog railway to the top of Mt. Washington.  We hurried as fast as we could and got there 15 minutes before the last train of the day!   The cog train was pretty neat and the trip to the top of the mountain took about 40 minutes running time.   The top of Mt. Washington is 6288 feet.  When we got there, we were in the clouds and the wind was blowing quite hard.  We were glad we had light jackets as the temperature on the top was 29 degrees colder than on the ground where the train trip started.  It was an interesting stop.  We got off the mountain at 7:20pm and were soon headed for home.  

Ascending the steep grade

 

Wow! I wasn't expecting such a cold wind in July

FRIDAY --  We were up and going earlier than usual as we had to get to town (W. Lebanon) and do some shopping so we could get back and be ready for work for the afternoon.  Once at the Memorial, we were busy all day.  In fact, some of the time we had too many people there.  There was a bus tour that came at 4:00pm which took all the rooms in the building as well as two other groups which arrived about the same time.  It was hard to juggle places for them to go.  Rhonda ended up taking some non-member ladies and just sitting at the Monument talking to them waiting for a place for them to go.  We hardly had the place cleared and everyone accounted for when it was time to lock up but before I could get that done, more guests arrived at 6:58pm.  Once they finally got around to coming in, Sister Osborn decided she could give them the tour and we could go home (about 7:30).  

Getting ready to start the Pioneer Kids Parade

SATURDAY --  As we were about to leave for the morning, Elder Osborn called and wanted me to bring the clippers to trim his hair.  When we arrived, there were visitors already waiting but Rhonda took them and I hurried and cut hair.  When things quieted down, Elder Likes and I went to the FM shop and put the memorial float together to have it in the Pioneer Day Parade which was being held around the Memorial.  Osborn’s had balloons for all the kids on their bikes/trikes/etc.  Once they finally got the parade going, there were no spectators.  All the parents had to push their kids bikes, etc. up the incline to get around the visitors center.  Anyway, it turned out OK.  After the parade ended, we had to hustle and get the float put away so the Likes could change their clothes and come relieve us for the afternoon.  We went back to the apt. and Rhonda made some cupcakes for the ward dinner at 5:00pm at the Memorial.  A fun "Pioneer Day" celebration! 

Rhonda felt a little like the "Pied Piper"

Our 1st "All Participants"/no spectators Parade

 SUNDAY  --  Today we were scheduled to open the Memorial right after the Church block.  When we arrived, there were already three or four cars waiting in the parking lot.  As a result, we hardly had time to catch our breath before we started taking people through the visitor center.  There was hardly any down time all afternoon as people kept coming in a pretty steady stream, even until after the supposed closing time.  Then to complicate things a little more, Bishop Wilson scheduled his BYC to meet at the visitor center and to see a movie.  Osborn’s were gone so we had to try to juggle our tours with the bishop’s needs.   As a result of all that was going on, we were again quite late getting home.  By that time, I was glad for my bowl of cereal with the few fresh strawberries in it.

MONDAY --   We woke up to a steady rain and it lasted for several hours.  There was enough thunder and lightning to knock the internet and TV out of service for a while.  When we reported for the afternoon shift, there was one couple who had just arrived with a trailer house who were the only visitors we had for quite a while.  They had the tour, saw movies and went to the foundations to take up some of my time.  We eventually had a few more visitors come but not rushed.  I was on tap for the FHE program.  I basically volunteered a few weeks ago when I told Elder Osborn I thought some of the new converts needed a lesson on Prayer.  So, that was my topic.  Several  people in attendance complemented me and said it was just what the group needed.       

TUESDAY --  Our morning started with the Mission Zone Conference here in the South Royalton Ward Chapel.  We stayed for the morning session, had a spaghetti lunch and then had the afternoon shift at the Memorial.  Things there were a little slow but I did have several small groups who were non-members and we had a good discussion.  I again gave away several copies of the Book of Mormon with promised that they would read them.  Still planting seeds.  We also had a number of the missionary drivers (adults who had to drive the missionaries to the conference) come and spend a good part of the day watching movies to help pass their time away.

Sister Jessica Vanderhoff - a former student from Willowcreek

WEDNESDAY  --  We had the early shift at the Memorial but when we got here, things were all tore up in the office as they were going to re-carpet.  As a result, we spent most of the day hanging out in the visitor center.    Long story short, they didn’t order the pad for the carpet so have to move everything back and wait to order the pad.    
THURSDAY --  We watched the weatherman say it was going to be thunder storms on and off today so we decided to take a car trip.  We drove South down Interstate 91 to  Brattleboro and then west to Whitingham, VT.  This is where Brigham Young was born.  We saw the monument, State marker telling of B. Young’s birth.  We also saw a sign in a yard that said B. Young was born on the site.  I doubt the house in the background was the original house.  After our visits, we continued west until the very western border of VT, (Bennington) and from there north to Rutland.  We did drive through a pretty good storm but by the time we hit Rutland, the sky was clear and sunshine.   I spent a good part of the night reading the Rough Stone Rolling book.   Rhonda is cutting-out and making Christmas shirts for the grandchildren.  

Road-side Marker for Brigham Young Bithplace

Brigham Young Monument

Brigham Young Marker at birth site

View from farm where Brigham Young was born