My Grandparents celebrated their 60th Anniversary this past weekend and I was privileged to attend and present some memories from my family, since I was the only one able to make it to the celebration. Included are the short versions of those memories as well as some pictures of Grandma and Grandpa and others. Sorry, no one took the camera from me to take my picture.
From Dad: Through the course of my life, I have had occasion to wonder where I got my curiosity from. I can recall this time when my parents loaded us all into the car (I’m certain it was because they needed to distract us, me in particular). They drove us out of town to this place where the bedrock was exposed and there were fossils visible. Nearby there was this very deep hole in the ground. I remember looking down and down and down. I couldn’t see the end of it. I remember looking down that hole and thinking about a lot of things, the same way I am able to look up to the sky and night and let my curiosity lead me. It takes a special kind of parent to take their kids to such a place in the world, one of the rarest places on earth.
From Mom: I remember an Easter Egg hunt- everyone, the grandkids were wearing similar shirts. It would have been when Jabon and Jershon were very little. It was in the Eagar’s backyard. That was sure a lot of fun. I think we even have pictures from that egg hunt. To see all the little cousins playing together, looking for eggs (with help from their parents of course). I think it was Aunt Barb who found the golden egg.
From Jabon: More recently I had the opportunity to convert a few tapes of Come Dance With Us to digital format and to use some audio mastering software to tidy up the recordings. This has been incredible for me as I have never seen them play live for a dance. Theirs is a legacy of music that I am only just learning the story.
From Jershon: When I think of Grandpa and Grandma, I think of their kitchen. It is always so cozy, a country kitchen style. Grandma could chop carrots in her hands and never look down, she was that good. I also remember driving out one Christmas and visiting, it was just so neat to spend time at Grandpa and Grandma’s.
From Me: It was my first Christmas right after my mission. I moved out here to Utah two weeks before Christmas. I would be alone for Christmas. I decided to visit Grandpa and Grandma and when I arrived I was shocked to see that there were no decorations in place. I told Grandma she needed to get “on it” and start decorating. She pointed to where her few decorations were waiting and told me to get “on it” and start putting them up. I did and we shared a wonderful visit. It meant a lot to me to be a part of their Christmas and to be able to help them decorate.
From Brighton: One year at the Cougar Ranch I was up there and I remember fixing up this old motorcycle some people called it a tote goat. Anyhow, it was broken but after a few hours of tinkering I had it up and running. I remember how proud Grandpa and Grandma were of me. There were always supportive of my tinkering and things to do with mechanics. That same year, I had to leave my car at the Cougar Ranch because the engine blew. I came back a couple weeks later with my buddy and we loaded it up onto a car carrier to tow back to Colorado. Grandpa and Grandma drove that long drive down just to see me and take me out to eat.
From Ethan: I remember always being interested in the guitar. I always yearned to be able to play the guitar with the ease that Grandma and Grandpa did. I love how much music mattered to them. Music has become a huge part of my life and I write songs often. I especially remember that one year they visited us after we moved to Colorado. We all sat down on the floor in a circle and sang songs together. I’ve always liked being around the Eagar’s because no one looks at me twice for my red hair.
From Elin: My most recent and fondest memory was right after I joined the Navy. I went out and visited and I was honored to hear Grandpa share some of his experiences from being in the Navy. I remember one story he told in particular. He talked about how he was about done with things and so the Navy offered to send him to the prestigious Juliard School of Music back east. It was his dream come true. The catch was that they could only have two kids. At that time the already had two kids, so they would have had to stop. Grandpa told me that Grandma had said she would give up her dreams of so many children to watch Grandpa fulfill his dream to pursue music. Grandpa say “no, no” and that they had already talked about having a big family. He didn’t think twice about that choice and has forever stood by his decision. Both were willing to sacrifice their dreams for the other, now that is true love!
Many people complain that Halloween is a pointless holiday. These same people gripe about how it's simply an excuse for kids to be spoiled with candy. "It's a dentists' conspiracy!" they cry as children sized ghosts and goblins rove into the neighborhoods. So look into my nephew's eyes and tell him that Halloween is pointless!
However, I have come to appreciate the real meaning of All Hallows Eve or whatever you want to call the original tradition. Speaking or origins, we'll get to that in a moment.
First, its the one time of the year that you can get away with having dust and cobwebs. In that spirit, I added to my collection of spiders and spider webs in hopes of inviting more 8 legged arachnids into my home to decorate. Unfortunately, Tyler spied the open window and closed it. He stepped on my hired help and deported them to their octagonal eternity.
Second, this is the season for dress-up. It's the one time of the year when all non theater productions people get to put on the threads of a character and paint themselves up to look like whatever dream or walking nightmare they deem most appropriate. Sadly, in the case of some people, they select to remain as hideous as nature finds them and thus, they refuse to honor the holiday. Sadly, my sweet Tyler falls into this category. That usually puts him on Candy duty, while I handle all things 'fun and games' in my alter-ego of choice. Of course, my niece didn't mind that most of the grown-ups weren't in full costume. That way, the attention was all hers for the taking.
Lastly, and more importantly, the original basis for this holiday and celebration, be it Pagan, Christian or other general harvest time festivity (if you ask a Christian, they will say it was a Christian holiday and if you ask a Pagan, they tell you it is their tradition) is to honor or give homage to those departed this realm of the living. All I can say is the however this tradition came about, I'm grateful. It seems all Christian holiday traditions are laden with Pagan significance. Be that as it may, some people carve pumpkins to honor or provide a frame or visage for their departed ones to haunt, while others simply dig into genealogy and family history charts as they read stories of Great Grandma so-and-so. I simply carved a pumpkin or two to honor Winnie the Pooh, the Road Runner and Wiley Coyote. Things from my childhood that society has sought to replace with other critters and creatures. Thus, for one night, my candle burned to animate the chase of one runner and one very accident prone coyote!
Oh, and to anyone browsing these pictures and unaware of my favorite TV show, I dressed up as Abby from NCIS. If you get the time and have the inkling, I HIGHLY recommend you catch one of their episodes either online, or just steal a friend's DVD of the back seasons. Grab a Caf Pow and get to it!
