Shon in 2007

On April 6th, 1970, Wayne and I welcomed our new baby son. Oh he was beautiful and perfect in every way. He had golden hair that the nurses found delight in, and each time they would bring him in, he would have a new hairdo. He was a very good baby and such a blessing to us. He had the biggest blue eyes. How did that happen? Wayne's eyes are brown and mine are green. Each time one of our children was born, we would pick out a song that was just for them and we would sing it to them throughout their life. Shon's was "Close to you" by the Carpenters. On the day that you were born the angels got together and decided to create a dream come true, so they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold and starlight in your eyes of blue... etc. He is 38 now and we still sing it to him. He is such a smart and talented young man, one of those guys that can fix anything or else figure out how to, and we are so proud of him. Happy Birthday Shon, we love you tons.

You may have several recipes for a spinach salad and dressing, and most of them are very good, but this is my favorite. It's easy and the dressing is much better if made the day before.

Dressing:
2 T mustard (I actually like honey mustard)
1 T poppy seeds
1/3 c. white sugar
3/4 canola oil
1/3 c. vinegar
3/4 t. salt
pinch of pepper
Put in a jar with a lid and shake, shake, shake

Salad:
1 bag BABYspinach
1 head bib lettuce (The combination of spinach and lettuce make it better than just spinach)
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 pound bacon fried crisp and chopped
3/4 pound grated swiss cheese
1 red onion chopped (or use less to taste)
2 cans Mandarin oranges or fresh cut strawberries
1 c. slivered almonds (put them in a fry pan with 1/3 cup sugar and carmelize them and cool)

Put dressing on salad just before serving.

I am STILL thinking about old things, of the things that are "GONE", the things that I loved and can't get any more. I have a partially used bottle of Postum and when that is gone, it will only be a memory. Did you know that Kraft Foods quit making it? I loved Product 19 cereal and it just disappeared from the grocery shelves. I think you can get it on the east coast in some places but not here.

I LOVED Quench pop. I used to be able to get it in Powell, Wyoming at the golf course and now I can't find it at all. It was made from pummelo grapefruit and had the most refreshing flavor. It was like Squirt.... but better. I use to love a lotion called Cara Nome that you could get at the Rexall Drug but that is no more, and Wayne used to wear an after shave called "Black Watch" that smelled soooo good and that is now only a memory. I wish that when companies decide to stop making a product they would tell us (me) first so I could stock up. When I was a young girl I used to like "Evening in Paris" perfume but maybe it's good that I can't find that any more. I think it was a cheapy fragrance. Ah sweet memories!! Maybe I should stop waxing nostalgic and just look to the future, but what fun is that?

My antique iron rack from an old SLC restaurant

My antique sideboard....I will change out the knobs

Here are a few of my favorite hatpins

I've really never thought of myself as a "collector". I throw things out and then think, "I should have kept that." I change out my decor fairly often and really don't like clutter at all. I have realized that I am pretty sentimental though, and feel a connection to old things. My favorite piece of furniture is an old sideboard cupboard that I got at a garage sale. It just spoke to me and I HAD to have it. I didn't have all the money to buy it at the time, but the man who owned it took half down and said he'd hold it until the next day. He kept his word even though he had several people offer him more than I paid. I also have an old iron rack and shelf from an antique store in Salt Lake and I have several smaller antiques such as pitchers, a scale, watering cans, and antique hatpins. I really love them all and often wish I knew the stories behind them. I notice my daughters like these things too. They have more modern leanings and mix those items with their antiques. My likes are more traditional, and there is something about good "old" things that make a home feel warm and inviting. When I started collecting hatpins, you could get one for about $50.00. Now I think my collecting days are over because you rarely find a good one for under several hundred dollars. If you have any you want to get rid of, please let me know.

Due to a job change, we moved back to Utah 5 years ago. I had been praying to find the right area to move to. We found a house that was partially done and bought it (as is) so that Wayne could finish it out. We built the deck, the fence, finished the basement, built my craft room and put in a yard. We found the perfect neighborhood with warm and kind neighbors. We live 20 minutes from Amy in one direction, 20 minutes from Colett in another direction, and 20 minutes from my sister Margaret in yet another direction. The beautiful mountains surround us and I never get tired of the view. I miss my son and friends in Montana and my parents and our brothers and sisters in Montana and Wyoming, but we manage to see them about every 3 months. Oh, if only I could jump in my rocket and land in Wyoming or Montana in just minutes, it would be perfect. Wayne has a great job here and wonderful people to work with but he's not as enthusiastic as I am to be here. He misses his friends, siblings and Shon's family and would probably move back to Billings if he had just the right job. We don't fish or hunt here and his golf

game is not as polished as it was in Billings.