Poldark

A series on PBS (thanks to Joan and Tom getting us a PBS passport) that we watched was Poldark. Joan recommended it as she loves it.   Ken liked it better than I did.  Every episode was so intense that it was hard for me to relax and enjoy it.  Because of that, you may not want children to watch it.  But it's a good story and the scenery of England is beautiful.  And now we're through, I miss the characters. and look forward to the next season.  

For other movies or shows that we enjoyed, click here. 

My Favorite Things- Handheld Fan

I love this little handheld fan that I ordered on Amazon.  It is a lifesaver in the summer.  It is rechargeable and works while plugged into a USB port, so you can just set it up on a desk or bedside table.  Or it can just be held and turned on.  It has five speeds and produces a LOT of air.  It is small enough to fit in a purse, always on the ready to cool down a hot grandma!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XW4P6X2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Portable hand-held fan.  One of my favorite things.

To view other of my favorite things, click here.

Should I Finish?

It's no secret that I love to read.  You may have noticed on this blog all of my book reviews (165 of them at present.)  One of my mantras or goals in life is to always be reading a book- or two (my dad liked to read two books at once.  He would go back and forth.)  I actually write onto my "to do" lists the chapters or pages I need to read each day.  I try to read at least two books a month.  So I calculate how many chapters or pages I need to read each day to accomplish that goal.  Writing it on the to do list is really just to give me an excuse to read.  It's on there.  I have to get it done.  But when it's presence on that list becomes a task master-  When it becomes as hard to read as scrub the shower or clean off my vanity (my least favorite job!), then I know I don't like that book.  It has taken the joy out of reading. It is simply another chore.
Another of my goals is to finish a book that I start unless the content is objectional.  So I usually plow my way through a book, even if I'm not enjoying it.
My most recent "plow" book is Mansfield Park by Jane Austen.

 Jane Austen is a great writer who I think is making social commentary as much as she is telling a story.  I appreciate her gift and that commentary on the superficiality of her characters and the society which they are from.  But in other of her books, I've still kind of liked the characters, or at least some of them. And there is always a nice love story in her books.  I like that.
 I'm about seventeen chapters into Mansfield Park.  I hardly like any of the characters.  I kind of like two of them- the two I suspect will one day marry.  But the rest are just selfish, snobbish, and calculating.  The story is just frivolous and irritating. I threw the book down when they spent two chapters trying to decide what play they wanted to put on and schemed to snag the best parts.  Ahhh!  I came in here to my computer to articulate my frustrations.  Sorry.

But the book is a classic.  And there is a reason for that.

  Should I keep plowing or move onto greener pastures?  The desire to keep my goal of finishing all books I start as opposed to life is short and you have lots of good books to read- move on.  What do you think?  What would you do? What shall I do?  (Oh dear.  I am sounding like an Austen character!)

Madam Secretary

Ken and I really enjoyed watching Seasons 1-4 of Madam Secretary on Netflix.  It is about a woman Secretary of State.  She is smart and mature and a good person.  And she love her husband and her family.  I think you would really like it!  We look forward to Season 5.


To see other movies and shows that we enjoyed, click here.

What Color is Your Vacuum? and Very Salty Peanut Butter Cookies

The other night, while out to dinner, a beautiful woman approached our table.  It took me a second, but then I recognized her as one of Kristen's friends from many years ago.  Jaime and Kristen were friends in the middle school years, and then Jaime moved away.  During that time, I was their Merrie Miss leader (11 year old girls.)  It was so fun to see her so mature and grown up.  She had her 12- year-old daughter with her and said she also had an 18- year- old son.
Seeing her brought two funny memories:
1) One day when she and Kristen were about 10 or so, they got together to make cookies and decided on peanut butter cookies.  They put in the ingredients and mixed it together and baked the cookies.  It wasn't until they took their first bite that they realized they had made a BIG mistake.  They had got mixed up on the sugar and salt and put a full two cups of salt in instead of the sugar!!  Those were salty cookies!  Not even the dog would eat them.
2) One afternoon, Jaime was playing at our house.  Michelle is four years younger than Kristen.  Kristen, Jaime, Michelle and I were in the dining room.  Michelle said or did something cute.  Jaime (who was youngest in her family) said to Michelle, "You are so cute.  Will you come home with me and live with me?"  Michelle's instant reply was a question of her own,"What color is your vacuum?"  Don't think we haven't teased her about that a lot through the years.

Christopher Robin

If you know me, you know I am a long-time Winnie the Pooh fan.  This movie stars the Hundred Acre Woods friends with a grown-up Christopher Robin.  With a powerful message, this is a great movie the whole family can watch together.  We watched it with some of our grandchildren.  Even the four-year-old stayed entertained (except for the scenes that had no Pooh characters in them.)

To see other movies and shows we have enjoyed, click here.

Princes Come For a Weekend Visit

The weekend of March 8th, the Prince family came for a visit.  We LOVE when the Princes come!  They arrived late on Friday night.

Brian grew up skiing with his Grandpa Walker. It is an important tradition to him.  In fact, his whole family went skiing on Grandpa Walker's 90th birthday.  Grandpa Walker stayed active right to the end of his life.  Anyway, Brian wants his kids to learn to ski and continue the tradition.  So, he and Gabbi and Jaron were up early to head to Brianhead for a day of skiing.

The day started for them with a ski lesson for Gabbi and Jaron.  Here is Gabbi getting fitted for skis.

They did great!  By the end of the day, both were skiing down the mountain.

Meanwhile, back here, we offered to tend the little boys so Michelle could go to the temple.  She loved it.

Grandpa took the kids to the park while I took a nap.  He also took them on a long walk down to the golf course bridge and played Pooh sticks with them.  He's a rock star grandpa!  Then Grandpa took a nap while I fed them and got William down for his nap.

When Michelle got home, they all went to the park.

When the skiiers got home, we had Hawaiian Haystacks for dinner, then watched Christopher Robin, the movie.

After church on Sunday, we had French Dip sandwiches, then the Princes had to hurry home to hold choir practice in their home and then for Michelle to hold her Primary presidency meeting.

Before they left, they presented Grandpa with his birthday gift.

And we took pictures with all of the kids.

We really LOVE when the Princes come!

My Favorite Things: Bath and Body Works Body Butter

I 'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love, and I don't care who knows it!  

I have found a body cream that I just love.  It smells divine and I LOVE the texture. It is Bath and Body Works Body Butter.

 For years, I have ordered a cream that I loved from Kawaii.  But shipping was expensive.  So I was so glad to find a local product that I like even better.  For Christmas I received some of this Bath and Body Works Body Butter.   I smooth it on every day.  The scent lasts a long time. I like the Vanilla Bean Noel, but I'm sure all of them are nice.

https://www.bathandbodyworks.com/p/cocoshea-coconut-intense-moisture-body-butter-023630167.html#q=body%2Bbutter&lang=en_US&start=1

I recently ordered this flavor, too- Coconut.  It is wonderful!

Bath and Body Works Body Butter- one of my favorite things.

To view others of our favorite things, click here.

65 Years Young!

Happy 65th birthday to Ken!

We made his favorite soup for lunch  and his favorite apple pie with caramel sauce.

Happy birthday to a very young 65-year-old!

I've Been Heart Attacked!

I was released on Sunday.  On Tuesday, there was a loud knock on the door and we went out to find I had been heart attacked by the Mia Maids.  

And in the light of day.

Thank you, sweet Mia Maids!  I will miss you!!!!

Released From Young Women and a New Calling

This post is a hard one to write.  On Sunday, February 24th, I was released from serving in the Young Women organization in our ward.  Actually, the entire presidency and staff were released.  And the entire presidency and staff of the young men (except the scoutmaster who is irreplaceable!) were released.  And the presidency of the Relief Society was released.  It was a big day in our ward, and personally, a sad day for me.
I have loved serving in the young women program.  I have loved being in the presidency with sisters who I love and admire.  I have loved each and every young woman.  I have thought about them and worried about them and prayed for them and loved them.
When Ken and I were on the airplane flying home from our mission to Japan, I turned to him and asked, "Now that we're heading home, what calling would you like to have?"  He answered that he was willing to do whatever he was called to, but then he named a calling he had always wanted to have.  Within a couple of weeks, he was given that calling- a thank you note from Heavenly Father.  The calling didn't last long, but he held it and enjoyed it for a few months.

Then he asked me the same question.  My answer was that I would like to teach.  I had been in a place where I couldn't even talk, let alone teach.  Teaching sounded fun.  But then I added that I mostly just didn't want to be put out to pasture.  I wanted to serve.  Well, I would have never dreamed that that would be with the young women.  I thought I was too old for that.  But it was perfect for me.  It stretched me and kept me young and active.  And it introduced many people into my life that truly blessed me.
Working in the young women is pretty demanding.  You have Sunday classes and weekly activities.  We also take our young women to the temple for baptisms once a month.
There are young women presidency meetings.  And Mia Maid class presidency meetings to prepare for and hold monthly.  But really, I loved it all.  Well, maybe all except the all- youth, once a month Mutual activities.  Those were too loud and crazy for me.
So I'm sad.  But I feel like the timing is good.  I just got new, wonderful Mia Maids, so it's a good time for them to get a new leader.  I just finished my personal progress award.  I feel like I served well and faithfully and, mostly I loved.  I truly loved these precious young women.  I feel like I did what I was called to do.
In that same appointment with the bishop, I was given a new calling- that of Gospel Doctrine Teacher.  This will stretch me and help me to grow and learn more and to serve adults in my ward.  I am grateful for the opportunity.  I taught my first lesson last week.  It went well.  I was so grateful to wonderful ward members who made such great comments and blessed all with their wisdom.
Though I have for many, many years read my scriptures every day, having to teach made me really study the scriptures.  It was a whole new level of study.  That will be good for me.  I am grateful for the opportunity to teach and am humbly grateful for the 1 1/2 years I got to serve in young women.  I loved it!

We went out to dinner to celebrate our time as a presidency the other night.

Kim-2nd counselor, Me-1st counselor, Charmaine-President, Kayla- Beehive Advisor

How I love these ladies!

Instant Pot Fiasco

I got an instant pot for Christmas.  They are all the rage.  But I was reluctant to have one.  I wasn't sure you could teach an old dog new tricks.  My first episode with the instant pot confirmed my suspicions.  

I decided my first try in this magical new pot would be a beef stew.  I have been making beef stew for years and have truly perfected the recipe
So, using the saute' function, I saute'd my floured and seasoned beef cubes in the pot.  Then I added the other ingredients (vegetables, soups, and seasonings) and water and set the pot to pressure cook, according to the directions.  It started off just fine, but after a few minutes, the pot beeped and then I guess it turned off.  I had left the kitchen (to go the computer to blog!), thinking my dinner was cooking nicely in the other room.  I heard the beeps, but thought it was just part of the cooking process.  When I went into the kitchen much later, assuming my meal was cooked, I found the pot displaying the word BURN!  What?  So I opened the pot to find the food not cooked.  I read the troubleshooting section of the owners manual.  It said that if there was too much starch, the pressure pot would not work.  It said to check the bottom of the pan for starch.  I thought it meant the underneath of the pan.  I checked: nothing.  So I tried again.  Same results.  By now, it was way too late to cook for dinner.  We had crummy leftovers that night for dinner.  By then I figured out that it meant the starch inside the pot.  And yes the floury drippings were stuck on the bottom.  So I dumped the food into a large bowl, put my uncooked stew in the fridge, and soaked, then scrubbed the pot.
The next afternoon, I tried again with a shiny, clean pot.  I poured my stew back into that silver pot.  After it had cooked a few minutes, again it beeped.  This time I went right in to find it displaying BURN again!  Man!  Again, too late for dinner.  So, cursing the stupid thing under by breath,  I dumped the stew in a bowl again and we had salad for dinner.  Yes, salad!  I know! A crummy salad!  I was so frustrated.  I went right in and wrote a "nasty letter" (my Dad always joked about writing a nasty letter.  When we were frustrated he would say, "Write 'em a nasty letter.")  My Dady's voice was loud in my head, and I  emailed the company.  First, they replied that they needed the model number.
Then a full day went by.  I finally received a reply from them when my stew was now cooking in my Le'Cruset pan.  Forget that instant pot.  I should print the reply I got from the Instant Pot company:

To thoroughly diagnose your Instant Pot please perform the following quick water test:

-Ensure the steam release valve and float valve are unobstructed and clean, also that your sealing ring is properly fitted in place
-Insert the inner pot into the cooker base and add 3 cups of cold water
-Put the lid on in the secured position
-Position the steam release valve towards the "Sealing" symbol
- Press the "Steam" button and adjust the time using the “+” or “-” buttons to 5 minutes

Please use a separate timer to see:

-How long it takes for steam to start coming out of the float valve hole
-How long it takes for the float valve to pop up
-When the countdown begins

Please note the following:

-Before the float valve rises, it is normal to notice steam leaking from the float valve’s slot
-The float valve should rise within 15 minutes, if not please stop the test and contact us with the video
-Steam leaking intermittently from the steam release valve is normal
-If steam leaks continuously from the steam release valve or anywhere else, please stop the test and contact us with the video

In addition, if you could please confirm if the "BURN" code is displayed after the water test, and attach a short 10 second video if it is.  

 No apology.  What?  This is crazy!  I wanted to ask how much they were going to pay me to do their quality control!!
So, instead, the next night, I found a recipe online specifically to be cooked in the instant pot that I had all the ingredients for: Sweet and Sour Chicken.  I made the chicken.  It turned out great.
So I guess you can't cook your own recipes in this magic pot.  And you have to thicken AFTER you cook not before. And you must not be an old dog!  Live and learn.  By the way, the stew was delicious, despite what the Instant Pot thought.  Burn!  Whatever.

I have since made several delicious meals in the Instant Pot.  I'm nothing, if not determined.  They have all turned out great.  I will post the recipes at hungryhintons.blogspot.com.  A couple of them are already posted there.  This old dog signing off!

Far From the Cactus Flat

Far from Cactus Flats by Lyman Hafen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Written by a local writer, I enjoyed this history of the Arizona Strip. Interwoven into the history is the story of Lincoln Bundy, a young man from the Arizona strip who became a fighter pilot and was shot down in WWII. Though a bit disjointed because it went back and forth between history and Bundy’s story, it was well written. I know many of the people mentioned in this book, including many of the huge Bundy clan. We have served in the church with many mentioned, and prayed right along with them for rain for their dry land- the source of their income. I have gained, I guess you would say, a reverence for that area and for the people that live/lived there through reading this book. It also made me much more appreciative of those who gave their lives in WWII so that I could have freedom.



View all my reviews

Snow Day #2

Prior to Thursday, February 21st, there were predictions that we would get a lot of snow through the night and all the next day.  The mayor of the city sent out, through the media, warnings to try to plan to stay home, if possible, on Thursday.  Schools were closed or planned delayed start times.  St. George has only one snow plow, so any snow at all can be dangerous.  It did snow all night long and through much of Thursday, but not much accumulated and most of it melted quickly.

I went to the temple on Wednesday evening.  When I came out about 8:00pm, I found that quite a bit of snow had come down and it was snowing pretty hard.  It was a wet snow. The entrance to the temple starts at street level and goes up to the doors.  The bottom part of that hill was very slick and scary.  

I even pulled out my boots to wear.  I haven't worn them since Japan !

Out our back the next morning.

And the front

I know this isn't thrilling to most, but it is quite the event in St. George!