Hobbies (The Book Worm)

First of all...when I write a month and year after the title of the book, it represents when I read it...not that it matters...just for my record. A friend told me that Steve Martin had written a good book, "Shopgirl". ( April 2008). So I read it. I don't know whether I was not in the mood for his book or what, but I didn't think it was more than average. Then, while in a Sarasota used-book store, I found another book by Steve Martin, "The Pleasure of My Company". (September 2008) Because I valued the friend's opinion of Steve Martin, I tried this book as well. It took me into the book quite a ways before I finally found myself wondering how it was going to end. It was about a modern-day neurotic yearning to break free.

Hobbies ("Sailing")

It wasn't until we built an apartment, connected to the office, for missionaries, that I knew anything at all about yard sales aka "sailing". Or is that sailing aka "yard sales"? Anyway, I asked people at church to donate anything they needed to get rid of to the cause of furnishing the apartment. Sister Mauri Bell suggested that I go to yard sales, and I told her that I wouldn't have a clue about prices, how to wheel and deal, etc., so she invited me to come along on her excursion the following Saturday. She said that I would have to arrive at 5:55 A.M. because they would leave promptly at 6:00 A.M., whether I was there or not. This was serious business. My first lesson was that you did have to go that early because all the good stuff was gone by 9:00. And, no matter what the price was, you offered half. That was hard for me to do because I don't like to barter. But because we were furnishing an apartment we had to buy virtually everything from beds to potato peelers, so it became easier to dicker on the prices. It was amazing! Brand new twin beds for $25 each, peelers 25 cents, free-standing bookcase $2.00, rice cooker $3.00, pop-corn popper $1.00. The list goes on. I had Paul go with me because I didn't think I could do it by myself and I didn't know how much we could spend. I only wish I had kept track of how much we spent all together to furnish the apartment. After our first Saturday we were hooked. We went almost every Saturday after that for about twenty years. There were "treasures" to be found every week. It became a family tradition, but to bribe the kids to go with us we would get donuts at the local mom and pop donut shop. The double chocolate cake donuts were to die for, even took the place of my favorite donuts from when we lived in Salt Lake. I would say that all of us now have a huge percentage of our things bought from garage sales. It wasn't too long before we were buying presents from yard sales to give to the kids at Christmastime. It replaced our tradition of letting them open one gift on Christmas Eve. It became Garage Sale Christmas Eve. We were buying all year long and saving them until the magical night. But the parents were doing all of the buying, so we eventually brought the kids into the choosing of gifts...they would all buy something for everyone else in the family. It became the highlight of Christmas. Friends heard about it and wanted to come over and watch the unvailing. Though we would buy from the stores and give those gifts on Christmas Day, the Garage Sale Christmas Eve presents would always be the most fun. And our time spent together was the most memorable. One year Annie even said, "Let's not buy regular presents...let's just do the garage sale ones."

It's been a family joke that when I shop yard sales I will shop until I have at least six of everything...one for me and one for each of the kids. A famous and very funny quote from Ben is, "My mom even buys for people who aren't born yet." Well, that may be exaggerating a bit, but I have to admit, not by much. The problem is that right now Annie is the only one with a house, and the rest of the kids don't have storage space enough for me to inflict all these possessions. I have filled up all my storage space and then some, so it really doesn't make sense for me to shop every week anymore. But when I do go I usually say, "We've got to start going every weekend again." We do almost always go when we are out-of-town, however. We even found one when we were in New York with Annie. They blocked off the whole block. I can always find something to buy, even if it's just a book, but I was especially happy that Annie found several treasures. Katy is still in the regular groove so when she comes to San Diego to stay with us on the boat we always go...plug in addresses on the GPS, and away we "sail". We have more fun than should be allowed. She even wanted to write a book about "sailing", but has since put things on a blog instead, with photos and all. Maybe someday I will have her teach me how to do that.

Thoughts on Love

In my reading, I keep finding thoughts that I really like and decided that adding them to my blog would be a good place to store them...a place for me to find them easily and be able to re-read them. I may have several categories when all is said and done, but for now, my first heading will be "Thoughts on Love". Today's quote came from The Ensign, August 2007, by Elder Bruce C. Hafen (Of the Seventy) and Marie K. Hafen, p. 28. "In the little kingdom of a family, each spouse freely gives something the other does not have and without which neither can be complete and return to God's presence. Spouses are not a soloist with an accompanist, nor are they two solos. They are the interdependent parts of a duet, singing together in harmony at a level where no solo can go." And later in the article, same page, a journal entry, which became the last of John Haslem Clark of Manti, Utah, in 1921: "We are alone, We two. We two whom destiny has made one. Long ago, it has been sixty years since we met under the June trees. I kissed you first. How shy and afraid was your girlhood. Not any woman on earth or in heaven could be to me what you are. I would rather you were here, woman, with your gray hair, than any fresh blossom of youth. Where you are is home. Where you are not is homesickness. As I look at you I realize that there is something greater than love, although love is the greatest thing in earth. It is loyalty. For were I driven away in shame you would follow. If I were burning in fever your cool hand would soothe me."

Good Reads

Some time back my dear friend from middle school and high school, LeNea Kimball Liddle, asked me to join "Good Reads". It's an InterNet thing where you and your friends can list books you have read and rate them. Also you can list books you would like to read and make comments on books others have read. I thought it was a good idea, but I haven't totally figured out how to go through the process easily. It made me think that this would be a good Blog Topic, so that this reading list would be in one place. Since I finished a book today, I decided that I would just start now, with this current book, and add to the list as I have time. The thing with me and reading is that I read for the pleasure, right this minute. By the next day I may have forgotten the title, the author, and I couldn't tell you about it if you paid me. Sometimes I can't even remember if I liked the book or not. The good thing in talking to some of my friends about this terrible problem is that the same thing happens to them. Whew! I feel much better. I guess it's not really important to remember a book or not. You either just enjoy it while you are reading it or you don't. Lately I have tried to remember to put a "sticky" on the inside cover of a book, with my name and the month and year I finished the book. Then I write one sentence, either saying if I liked the book or not, or wrote something that would trigger a little detail from the story line.

The book I finished this morning, ( August 27, 2008) was: My first Nora Roberts, "Waiting for Nick." On a scale of 1-5 I probably would rate it a 3. Gotta love a romance novel though.

"Sundays at Tiffany's" by James Patterson (July 2008). I loved this book about a little girl who had an imaginary friend. It would make a great movie. Rated 5.

I've enjoyed several of Diane Mott Davidson's books with their clever culinary/who done it titles.
"Chopping Spree" (August 2008). Maybe I'm not enjoying her books as much as I did in the beginning though because of the similarities. A 3.

James Patterson's "The Lake House". (June 2008)

Hobbies (Tippety Tap)

Last January we went to the annual Tucson Square Dance Festival. While we were taking a break from dancing, we watched the men and women do their "clogging". It looked like so much fun!, so right then and there I decided I wanted to take lessons. One good thing about clogging is that you don't need a partner. I had already gotten Paul to square dance with me, so I didn't want to push my luck. I simply told him that I wanted to learn and would he mind. Not at all. And I didn't even hint at his taking the class because, in the first place, I really was fine in taking the class alone; I didn't even feel the need to find a girlfriend to go with me. So a year ago now I took the beginning clogging class. The reason I have labeled it "tippety tap" is that the shoes have a double tap, and therefore make a double tap sound. It was either Paul or Jane who started calling it "tippety tap." Even my little granddaughters will say things like, "Gramma, when are you going to "tippety tap" again? because I want to do it with you." I kind of struggled in the beginning because I am not a quick learner. But I bought the instructor's cd's and started practicing. He left town for the summer, so there were no classes, and if I wanted to advance to the next level, I knew I would have to practice alone with the cd's all summer long. And it's no punishment, believe me. The music is a little annoying, however. I'm not big on country. All right, I meant the music is a lot annoying, but it is what it is. I have three different cd's, some purely going over the steps and some with actual cued dances. I'm not intimidated any more and don't mind dancing, all by myself, with anyone watching. Not that people are running to watch...I just don't mind if they do. It's good exercise, too, for mind and body. One other good thing is that most of the people in my class are "older". I originally would have thought that it would be a young person's hobby because of the fast movement, but not necessarily so. The only bad part is that I have a hard time quitting to go and do laundry, fix meals, get showered for the day, read, etc. anything...it's just too much fun to stop. The kids are having a hayday with my new hobby. It is pretty comicle.

Hobbies (Allemande Left)

About twenty years ago, roughly 1988, we went to a stake square dance activity. The "caller", Dave Walker, who was in our stake, was fabulous and made it so much fun. He announced that they would soon be starting up beginner square dance lessons, so I told Paul that I would really like to take the class. He agreed to it just to make me happy, not because he had any real interest in it. What a guy! Square dancing lessons are a real commitment because you meet once a week for about eight months. If you miss one lesson it's a good idea to go early the next week to catch up. If you miss two lessons in a row, you are in huge trouble. If you miss three or more, you might as well quit; it's just way too hard to catch up. There are 69 beginning calls to learn. Once you get the lessons under your belt you need to dance once or twice a week so you don't forget any of the calls. Because of the huge time commitment, it's difficult at best to take lessons when you have a young family at home. I think that is why most people think that square dancing is for oldsters. It's just that the retired folks have the time, and that they no longer have to worry about getting kids to soccer games or dance lessons or Mutual or help with homework, etc. If they offered square dancing at the colleges and universities, then the young adults would get hooked, and it wouldn't just be all us grey-haired couples dancing up a storm.





When the craft fair season started we didn't do as much dancing as we should...stopped all together at one point. Paul thought it would be like riding a bike when going to a dance much later. Not me; I was certain I wouldn't remember a thing and made him take the lessons again. He, of course, did remember everything...or at least he re-learned it quickly. Me...it took a little longer. We were probably away from square dancing for ten years when we took the lessons again. Now we take the beginner class every year just to help others learn. There is a name for us and others who help..."angels". We had some great "angels" when we were learning...Bob and Carol Dohrmann and Bob and Helen Koehler. (As a sideline, we were just invited to Bob and Helen's 60th Wedding Anniversary celebration this past weekend. I consider them very special friends.) This last year we "angeled" the beginning class because we had invited nine couples, and we wanted to support them. Now it is almost time for another beginner class to start. If we find some friends to take lessons then we will "angel" again. If not, we may just go to the dances.





Last month we went to Show Low, Arizona for a square dance festival and spent a couple of nights there. It was a lot of fun, especially since some of our friends from our club were there as well. A bonus to that trip was that we stayed with Stan and MaryCay Farnum, good friends from church who have a "cabin" up there. This month we went to Florida for business and a trip to the dentist for Paul, and while there looked up square dance clubs on the Inter Net. Unfortunately the Sarasota clubs didn't dance in the summer because of the humidity. We kept checking and found a little town an hour away in Arcadia where we could dance. An hour away! We are such nerds! It's fun to dance to different callers, though our Dave Walker is the best! Once you learn to square dance you can dance anywhere in the world because dances are always called in English. Interesting. I'm thinking it would be fun for my friends and family to learn and then we could meet at the festivals and have a grand ol' nerdy time together. It's good exercise, both for the body and the brain, and the social part is fun...square dancers are a very friendly group, so you make lots of friends. (As a matter of fact we went to lunch today with two of our favorites...Bernie and Dottie.)





Part of the real fun in square dancing is the clothes, especially the petticoats. When you "weave the ring" you can swish your skirts left and right, with flair! "Ladies in, Men Sashay"...the girls can lift their skirts in front like doing the "can-can". Love it, love it! Even in the heat of the summer I like to wear the petticoats. I remember back when Jane was in high school and we were dancing that she would get embarrassed to death if I had to pick her up from school wearing my square dance clothes. Oh, the humiliation! I wouldn't be surprised if she and Brian decided to take lessons though.





I highly recommend square dancing for all the reasons that I have mentioned, including the cost. We have only been paying $7 a night, per couple, for a two-hour dance, plus the free hour if you come to the class. You don't run or skip when you square dance; you just need to be able to get around easily with a quick walk. Just try it. Our club doesn't charge for lessons for the first three weeks; so I am betting that is probably the case in other clubs. Check it out. You'll love it! Paul even admits he has a good time. Maybe it's the refreshments. Maybe it's the frozen yogurt afterward. Maybe it's the points he is making with me.

I'm interested to know about hobbies of other people, so I am assuming you would like to know about mine. I am not going to write about my favorite one first, though reading could be my favorite. I just need to start somewhere...and reading it is. First of all, let me give a little bit of background. I don't remember liking to read...ever. Wait a minute; that's not quite true. I remember in my baby-sitting days that I read The Five Little Peppers and Anne of Green Gables and one more that I can't think of right now. I loved those books. But when I had to read for English classes in high school, I refused, for the most part. My loss. I had good examples by my parents, too. I always remember my dad reading the newspaper and magazines. And my mom loved to read books. Her favorite was Les Miserables. She tried to encourage me to read, but it didn't work with me. I was rebellious out of the classroom as well. One day, maybe ten years ago or so, I mentioned to my friend that I never liked to read. She said it was because I had not found the right author or the right book to turn me on to reading, and that the reason she knew that was because she was the same way until she read a book that she loved...and has been reading ever since. It was The Secret Garden by Frances Dodgson Burnett. I know that's a young adult book, but I wanted to love to read, so I took her advice and read the book that changed her from a non-reader into a reader. I absolutely loved that book! When I finished it I wanted to start it all over. When I told my grand daughter, Hannah, who has been an avid reader since before kindergarten, that when I finished that book I wanted to start it all over again, she simply said, "Why didn't you do that Gramma?" Good advice. But instead, I picked up another book by a different author, and loved that one, too. So I got hooked on Dean Koonz and read a big stack of his. Then when one of his kind of turned me off, I just found a new author, and then another. And so it goes...I love to read. My mom would be thrilled. I should read Les Miserables one of these days, in her honor. Miss Beal would be happy as well, and say, "It's about time." Some of my favorite authors are Nicholas Sparks, Mary Higgins Clark, James Patterson, and Richard Paul Evans. I think the only reason I like to walk on the treadmill is because I read while I walk. I read four pages in The Book of Mormon, then an article or few pages in our church magazine, The Ensign, then I read a novel until my hour is up. The only disappointing thing about reading is that I can't remember the stories after I have finished. I have started to put sticky notes in the books to either recommend them or not, and maybe written a sentence or two to help me remember the story. But the important thing is I now love to read.