Backyard with a wild side

My wife Kay hand-wrote in her personal journal 9/18/1980: “... the biggest news!  We moved!  ...  One evening, after Ned and [realtor] Wayne Pope [Avenues barber who gave Russell Nelson’s son his first haircut] had been looking, Ned came home very excited and wanted me to see another [near] Holladay home.  9:30 PM ... we loaded the [3] kids in the car and went tearing out there.  ...  I was immediately impressed with the spaciousness and openness of the main floor, deck and huge back yard [with a wild perimeter, in our view] ...  The next day was Sunday ...  Mom and Dad were immediately impressed with the same features ... and back yard.  ...”

Our home on H St sold quickly for 3 times our purchase price, and we bought the home in East Mill Creek, north of Holladay.  “The kids started school there on Aug. 25th”, a week before we moved — rough few days for Kay.  Soon after the move, little friends on the block were running “all over the neighborhood and through our house and backyard all the time.  It’s quite a dramatic change for us.  Our boys love it, though.”  ...

“For Halloween, we let our boys invite all their new friends over for a party and [wild backyard] spider web hunt.  To our amazement, 25 kids showed up!  A couple of them weren’t even invited.”  Afterward we realized it was too much.  “The kids were all so hyper and hard to control, but in general it was fun, and I’m glad we did it ...” in our home and backyard with a wild side. 

Light at the end of a tunnel

It’s coming, and I’m starting to see some organization in my new home, a studio apartment in the land of Bountiful.  Taking several weeks for a slow move was my choice over hiring two muscle men and a box truck for one day.  Never again!  ( I will hire next time.)

We have traveled through numerous tunnels by car and train, and through others metaphorically.  Every one (even at night) had light at the end — always a welcome sight.  However, entering the tunnel, such as a move to a new home or career, was often dark and scary.  On the part of my daring wife Kay & me, it required faith in the light at the end ... and in the guidance of the Spirit to help us through when we knew there was no turning back.

Submitting our “papers” and selling our frontier home were leaps of faith in order to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  With our assignment to Detroit, the quick sale of our property, and an apartment in our daughter’s basement nearby, we began to see the light at the end of that tunnel.  There was no turning back, and we were grateful for the heavenly light that surely came. 

Soundtrack for the day

Sounds from New York City inspired me today, including a promotional wish from WQXR Classical radio station, “... adding good music to the soundtrack for your day.” (paraphrased)

I thank God for the soundtrack of every day blessed with birds, rain, fluttering US flags, Hill AFB fighter jets, children at play, flowing creek, uplifting music, kind words, and the sound of silence.

Today was rich with interesting and pleasing sounds.  If I lose my hearing, I will treasure such as recordings to replay in my mind.

Picturing your day as a movie with audio, what’s in your soundtrack and memory?

Janath, Daughter of God

While my parents directed the visitors’ center in Illinois, my mother wrote the history, Nauvoo Panorama, copyright 1991, by Nauvoo Restoration Inc.  I quote from the author bio:

“Janath R. Cannon has served in a number of positions in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including eighteen years as a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  She was also a counselor [with President Barbara B. Smith] in the general presidency of the Relief Society — the women’s organization of the Church.  With her husband, Edwin Q. Cannon, Jr., she has served the Church in both Europe and Africa.  A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Wellesley College [private school in Wellesley MA, ‘founded in 1870 & known for its humanities programs’], she is both a writer and an editor and has been involved with a number of articles and books on LDS Church History [including Women of Covenant: The Story of Relief Society] ...  The Cannons are the parents of six children.”

“An author bio is a paragraph or so about you ... information you wish to share with readers. It's how readers get to know you beyond the pages of your book.”

(April 2, 2020, self-publishingschool.com)

What would you wish to share about your mother?  In my view, especially with my wife Kay and our mothers, it’s all about love.

Trail Mix

“Happy trails” have provided me with indelible memories throughout my life.  As a Boy Scout I was blessed to be led by two uncles (Cannon Family) who took our troops on the most amazing adventures, including hiking and camping in Zion Narrows, Grand Canyon, Arches, and High Uintas Wilderness.  My two years in Argentina had a good share of preparation-day trail experience.  Cristo Redentor statue at top of the Andes was the highest.

Marriage into Kay’s Hinckley Family engaged me in a wonderful mix of trails in my adult life, with and without our five children.  Visiting beloved British Columbia in a group of three couples ... unforgettable!  And of course, my four years as Scoutmaster with our sons involved precious experiences on the Scouting trail (and sometimes accidentally off the trail ... like our first hike up Mt  Olympus).

As empty nesters, we two thoroughly enjoyed visits to our out-of-state and Utah families, where we explored trails with lively grandchildren.  Trails on the Oregon Coast totally captivated us as a couple traveling alone ... in love.  Kay & I continue following the trail of life, together in eternal ways, being blessed with a marvelous mix of memories to be shared with posterity.  We’ve only just begun to write the stories.

 

Brain Fog Going Forward

This one is for Ned ... just for the record of moving from Ogden to Bountiful this month.  How am I doing?  Progressing, despite losing things in my new smaller studio apartment, travel kit, and car.  I like to think my angels are helping me find and place things in proper order ... and overcome normal brain fog ... going forward.

Although my dear wife Kay is way ahead of me in regards to planning, keeping track of things, and finishing projects, she is nevertheless with me, cheering me on, going forward as my eternal companion ... with love.

I recently learned about “brain fog grief” commonly experienced after the death of a loved one.  It helps me understand how moving one’s home may compound the problem (in addition to pandemic, taxes, and normal aging).  My “entire cognitive capacity” (as Refuge In Grief described it) may come back to a “recognizable form” after my brain adjusts to a changed world.  It takes some people several years to recover from the trauma of a stressful situation.

Going forward, I pray, ponder, pace myself, use iPhone Notes & Calendar (and my angels) as memory prompts, work, rest, and enjoy the ride with good music.  And as my watch just reminded me, “Even a minute of breathing can help you concentrate.”  There’s a thought.  Thanks ... for the memories.

Home for Easter

Sunday was heavenly in every respect.  On this Easter, we were blessed with talks heard worldwide about Jesus Christ, who conquered death so all who are born will be resurrected to gain everlasting life.  Because of Him who lives and loves us without end, my wife Kay & I can reunite with our family at Home ... together forever.  

My angel companion Kay & I stand firm in our testimony of and gratitude for Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness.  It eternally is about true love.