G&G Anniversary Weekend?

Especially this one??? This is what we called fun??

This picture brings back memories of my childhood, when one of my jobs was milking the cows, and one of my fun times was feeding the barn cats the product thereof. Mind you, this was supposed to be strictly verboten, we weren't supposed to be wasting the milk by squirting it at the cats....but dang it, the cats had to eat too, didn't they? Not that some of them deserved it exactly, (like the treacherous feline that snatched my pet bunny rabbit, and dispatched him to bunny heaven before I could catch up to him). Nevertheless, this was a favorite pastime, which disturbed Bossy in no way, and was a source of great delight to both milkER and milkEE. And who misses one squirt? Well, maybe two....or more....

Which brings back other bovine memories ("bovine" is cow-related, grandkids). Did I ever tell you about the time I helped my dad birth a calf that was bent on entering the world the wrong way, feet first? I suppose I was maybe 12 or so, and had gone with Pop to check on the cow, and of course, found her in deep trouble, obviously she needed major help. We were able to assist, since there were two of us, and two feet being presented. Both calf and cow survived this unfortunate event...didn't happen very often, in fact, I don't recall any similar births amongst our farm animals, nature usually takes care of herself.

MILK? one of the finest products available to mankind! (Listen to me, preaching about the advantages of drinking milk, when it's my least favorite beverage in the world, second only to gatorade!) But let me tell you about "saps". This was an old Scottish meal in itself, native to generations of Scotsmen before mine, and often a source of comfort and/or delight to my parents, perhaps even a bit of a necessity when there was nothing else in the larder. (Remember, corn flakes and rice krispies, etc. were not yet invented). Anyhow, here's how to make saps in case any of you are interested. Break up a slice or more of bread into a bowl, sprinkle a little sugar overtop, brown or white, no matter. Then pour warm milk overtop, and prepare to choke it down your thrapple. (That's "throat" in Scots dialect, chilluns). I digress.....they loved this stuff! I suspect the name "saps" started out to be "sops".....and I'm sure it was a favorite food in the olden days in many nations, both bread and milk being readily available throughout the ages of time, or since cows were invented. And flour and yeast. By the way, if you don't know about "sops", look it up in your dictionary, if it's old enough it will be there. Maybe some diligent old-timer even put it on wiki.....

Just a few Sunday afternoon meanderings down memory lane....maybe I should go play "K-k-k-katy, beautiful Katy, you're the only g-g-g-girl that I adore, and when the moon shines over the c-c-c-cow-shed, I'll be waitin' at the k-k-k-kitchen door" for my fans....get this out of my system.

me, food, job, work, ergh.

restaurants typically bake potatoes in foil. that's not baked, it's steamed.in it's own water.

i can't cook fried rice. my mother is a genius at it.

in high school, i would come home at lunch, cook salty spaghetti, a good bunch, eat it straight from the strainer. no sauce.


ten foods i remember my mother making, turkey casserole..soft boiled egg mixed with catsup in a cup..salt and peppered tomato slice on a drive to SLC..smoked cod poached in milk every saturday morning.. roast turkey made in the black enamel roasting pan..turkey rice soup from the turkey stock and various bits of turkey off the carcass..campbells tomato soup, she would make it, with a good amount of milk, i would shred a full slice, or more, of wonder bread into the bowl..home grown boiled peas...chinese fried rice...CINAMMON TOAST...not sure if this was her or me, but, room temp white bread, butter and sugar atop (ok, that was me)..creamed mushrooms..cheddared pearl onion..oohh, boston baked beans, slow baked in our brown clay bean pots..mmmhh, hash, made with leftover mash tato and roast beef..mince, ground beef and onion saute, on mash tato..carrot cake tooo rich for me to eat anymore..tuna casserole, with a can of campbells cream of celery, and cream of mushroom, or cream of chicken, tasted just like turkey,(that crafty old girl), OOOOOHHH, holy shizzing, COLESLAW!!!..MMMM, pasta salad...of course cabbage rolls.. even frozen lasagna on the tinfoil pans, though i'm not usually a lasagna fan..hash browns, scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast, am i at ten yet?

i've been wanting to talk about food, but i often think i'm thinking nonsense.

my only, and best suggestion, FRESH HERBS!! fresh anything.

the end of 1973 Diary

Don't axe me! I don't know why I quit writing as of March 18, 1973.....and didn't start again until 1981 when I journalled on a weekly basis February to September. From then on, beginning in 1982, a daily full page, which continues to the present day. Grandkids, you will all think this is a dreadful bore, it's mostly written for my children, but if you can stand to read it all, then feel free! And if you sometimes feel like crabbing about the shortage of time, demands of daily life, church jobs, and the like, maybe consider some of the challenges your grandparent(s) had to face. I put that "s" there, because, YES, while Dad was occasionally critical of the church's programs and people, he always, consistently, supported me. He was the best non-member worker in our ward! The only demand he ever made, when I was called to new positions, was that he be contacted by the priesthood to give his consent! (He never failed to give it, I could count on that).

So here goes, the last 18 days of the 1973 attempt to diarize! (made up that word)

March 1: Worked out 3 alternates for E.L.A. (1) Disband immediately. (2) Hire new secretary. (3) Move office to my home, and go on 1/2 time. Getting lots of calls, ELA wondering what meeting is all about. They'll have to be there to find out!
March 2: Made out all accounts and mailed them off. Got my hair cut, shampooed and set. Getting ready to go to Calgary for Regional meetings. Leaving at 3:30 p.m. Dora Bennett going with us, meeting tonight 8 p.m. at Willowpark chapel. Linda phoned, all excited about going to Harrison Hot Springs for weekend. Got away for Calgary about 3:40, went to White Spot for hurried supper, then on to meeting at 8. To Judy and Dave's by 11 p.m. for overnite.
March 3: Regional meetings in Calgary went 8 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Dad drove Judy and I, me to my meetings, Jude to work, then he went on to Robbie's with guitar and TV for Rob. I had Sports Camp meeting after Regionals. Back to J's, left for home about quarter to 4. Good trip.
March 4: Fast Sunday today, didn't have a chance to get groceries this weekend, so we didn't have our usual roast for dinner. Debbie at Sefcik's for their Sunday dinner and family hour.
March 5: Randy to Dr. Rossall, then for ecg and x-rays, he doesn't anticipate any changes. Took R. to A@W on the way home. Went to interview Avis Design in the afternoon for a Beacon story. Doris came over and picked it up, gave me $30 for the last 3 stories. Family Hour at night, starting reading and self-improvement projects, everybody chose something different to work on.
March 6: Red Deer visit for MIA. Leaving from Whyte Ave building at 5 p.m. in Anita's car. Wrote long letters to Linda and Granny and Grampa Naylor. Picked up library card at Idylwylde. Took detailed info over to Charlie Clark, president of ELA, for upcoming meeting. Red Deer ward treated us really royally, had a lovely lunch after meeting for us, sandwiches and punch. They expected the whole board, only Anita and I went! (ed.note...this was the day her son Cy Peterson, fell off the bars and broke his neck back in Edmonton, we rushed back home soon as she got the word. He was paralyzed from then on.)
March 7: Went over to the Stake Center and painted the "house" Karl Sommerfeldt built for House Talk. (Certainly isn't very good, in my opinion). Painted it with fluorescent paint. Then while one side dried, we had our very first Aaronic Priesthood MIA committee meeting, church history in the making with women part of the Priesthood!!
March 8: Dress Rehearsal for House Talk tonight. Did office work all day. Anita called after the rehearsal, they had put up the "house" and it was simply terrible. She says we have to do something about it, I told her I will go over there in the morning and rebuild it with a bunch of lath we have in the garage.
March 9: What a job! Took me 3 hours to rebuild the house, started shortly after 9 with hammer and saw. Anita came at noon and helped me with the painting and between us and Peter (Kabel) we got it up stage rear. Made big crepe paper flowers for all along the top and for the window boxes. Looked pretty good. However House Talk performance was perfectly terrible, complete SNAFU.
March 10: Brother Sandy here overnite, also Barbara. Granny, Jack and Jean, Lori, Bruce, Sandy and Barbara here for a big Chinese dinner which I made. Went over really big! Barb, our three boys, Deb, Steve, and I went to House Talk at night, this time it was excellent, thank goodness after last night's fiasco.
March 11: Took A.B. out to the airport to catch the 9:45 a.m. plane back home. Then took Barbara to her house. I missed Sunday School, but everyone else went, except Deb, she had a cold.
March 12: Wrote Linda. She didn't write last week, they must've had a great weekend in Vancouver. Had FHE at nite, made tithing charts. This seems to be a big problem area for the kids. Sent out letters to management inviting them to the emergency meeting on Tuesday night at the Bonaventure.
March 13: Came up with another possible solution to ELA problems. That of me going on a stand-by status, office in my basement, with honorarium of $600 annually. No regular office hours, for first year to take over the office equipment instead of money, charge $50 a month rent. Evaluated equipment at $600, this is plenty high, actually. The mimeograph broke down today, pencil stuck in it. A.B. Dick guy came and repaired it.
March 14: Didn't visit a ward, since we had A.P./MIA committee meeting again. McMurray, Bennett and Davies were all there, plus Pres. Prince and all us MIA bunch. Things are starting to fall into place. Had executive meeting following. to re-hash Parent and Youth (House Talk) and plan Leadership. Sure ticked off the Production Committee!
March 15: I'm in charge MIA board meeting tonight, so pretty well spent the day planning my agenda, making leadership invitations and written ward visit report forms, large calendars for March, April and May. They worked quite well, I think, we had good attendance and I think the meeting was OK.
March 16: Relief Society Anniversary party! Turkey to cook, a whopper, plus extra dressing and gravy. Loretta McMurray borrowed my big pots for turnips, Marie B. my pink plastic tablecloths for the party. It was terrific, such a nice dinner, and Jean Key's skit was really good. Left about 9:30 p.m.
March 17: Left at 4:30 a.m. for Calgary for Regional Basketball at Lord Beaverbrook High School. Got there at 7:00 a.m., had breakfast. A good day, Marjorie and David Smith were there! Our girls won both Jr. and Sr. trophies.
March 18: We had visited Quintons till after midnight last night, then back to Judy and Dave's to sleep. Robbie there for the weekend. Back to Edmonton about 11 a.m. Debbie had dinner all ready for us! Woo hoo!

Heheh! That's all there is, folks. The rest of the book is EMPTY. Aren't you glad. I hope my kids are reading this.

ermmhh.

From: "Marion"
To: "jeffreynaylor"
Subject: Scans of my apartment
Date: Wednesday, November 04, 2009 6:52 PM

Doing a virtual tour of my new apartment for BLOG.