A few thoughts… September 2010

Hola from Logan.

No pictures, just typing…

So much happening, so little memory! We'll just run through the family and see what pops back in my mind...

Midnight- Fired from her watch dog duty. Trying to earn back her reputation as guard of guards, barker of barkers. She was fired on an average night. John went outside at about 11pm to turn off the sprinkler. Midnight barked at him. good. Then, five minutes later, the doorbell rings... (11:05pm) No one there. But, strewn across the entire lawn is a trail of yarn. Starting at the front door, down the steps, around the tree, over and under the lawn furniture, back to the studio landing, out to the tree, to the tramp, over and under, back to the trees, back to the sprinkler then to the mail box.... Yes, an elaborate answer to a homecoming date and Midnight didn't make a peep to let me know anybody was doing this to our lawn. Not a peep. Fired! What good is a watch dog if it doesn't watch and only dogs... I don't know.

I did find out later that this blond bombshell loves animals and enticed midnight to not bark a sound. So much for being faithful to her master. fired. Again. Now trying to earn her job back by barking at all things trivial.

Kristina-begging for john to rehire midnight. Okay, okay, already! Kristina loves middle school. Kristina loves young women. (SHe's a Beehive!) Kristina loves math. Kristina loves reading the "Red Pyramid". Kristina loves walking to the bus. Kristina loves the violin and her teacher. (We have managed to acquire the best teacher in the valley. Patient, good with kids, talented, fun loving, inspiring) Oh, did I say that Roxanne is teaching Kristina the Violin?

We have three birthday signs hanging in our dining room. Yes, it has been birthday season.

Daniel has recovered from surgery. Nice scar on his leg. Well crafted. He is now preparing for the school musical and has had a great homecoming date with the aforementioned bombshell. He is still the shortest of the men living in the carter house by 2 mm. We list it metrically, sounds so much greater than reality. He is also selling cookie dough and happening books for various school fundraisers. cookies anyone?

Christopher hasn't been seen for about 18 months. I'm sure he'll show up sometime. We did get a call from someone that knew him and said his driver's license was about to expire. Parents then madly learned how to deal with the new laws that require in person visits for license renewal. No problem-with a notarized form and a few drops of blood you can get it renewed in 6-8 weeks. Oh, and you can't go to your local department of motor vehicles, you have to go to West Valley where they handle things like this. (so the first caller said, but not the second, or the third, but the fourth tended to agree, but not the fifth). final decision. Send the birthcertificate to the said absentee and have them apply for a driver's license in their appropriate state. (Confusion). We opted to mail the notarized form, and submit verfifed documentation to the system. And, miracles upon miracles, we had a licensed returned to us in 3 days. Mailed on monday, arrived in slc on tuesday, processed, mailed and back with a license on thursday. Overnighted to those that know his whereabout and in his possession by birthday. (well, almost... If we hadn't stop to sing to him we might have made the post office cut off...)

Roxanne, let's see, can I still write about her though she's moved out. No. Roxy, where are you? She is a delightful encounter at every moment.

Karen. Working hard. Arranged music for Christopher's birthday. Too low, christopher says, come on mom, I'm a tenor! If Daniel can sing it, it's too low for me! She loved seeing her brother (Mike) and his wife Debbie. What a delight to have them 20 minutes away instead of across the ocean. And such cute cars they have!

John- Been restoring the house. Yes, we have moved from painting to restoring. The term more aptly deserves the time given the job. The windows in the house are old double hung rope weighted. Every window had a broken cord, so, john has taken them apart one by one, rebuilt the sashes, reglazed and repainted each one. He breaks upward of 25 percent of the windows.. (actually more, but who's really counting the 11 broken pains out of 32 in the living room, 4 out of 18 in the east living room, 2 out of 9 in the dining room, and who knows how many in the bed room and kitchen.) John should learn to cut his own glass. The siding has been returned to it's unpainted state in prep for the new coat of paint. There are only 1 and a half sides left unpainted. Who knows, by tomorrow night, maybe only 1 side. but it still needs paint removal and window rebuilding.... oh well... maybe by conference weekend it will all be done. John is also back on the high council. Talk on 3rd sundays. It is great, because he brings Karen and Daniel to sing music. People love that.... diverts their attention from John, who is rusty.... He prepares talks, but never gives them like he writes them....

Other stuff... Nice visit by Keith and Barbara for a celebrate america show. All young kids, could have called it celibate america. Lots of other stuff, too, but I can't remember.

Love to you all!! The Carters