Pumpkins

 Happy Halloween

My Fair Lady

 I could have danced all night!!!  Well, I actually sang all night!!  Well, to be honest, I sang in my head all night because I didn't think the people around me would appreciate me singing along.  My Fair Lady was wonderful.  It made me go right back to 1968 when I was a cockney and danced in the ballroom scene in the Orange Coast summer production.  Funny how music can do that.  More that 50 years and it seemed like yesterday.

Roadtrip-Idaho and Utah

 I hadn't been back to Twin Falls Since Dad died, so I thought it was probably time.  I planned a trip up through Nevada, stayed with Mary in Twin for a day or two and then over to Utah and down to stay with Todd and Kathy.  I left with very little in my wayback.

I decided to be a little adventurous and stay in downtown Ely at Hotel Nevada.  Very interesting!!  

Gambling downstairs, a Denny's attached, small rooms, and not in the best part of town.  Probably won't stay there again!

It was way cold when I got up, so I decided to wait awhile for my walk!

It warmed up with the sun so by the time I was out, I was in shirt sleeves!

On to Idaho

I had a wonderful time visiting with Mary. We did a lot of reminiscing, especially about all the old restaurants we frequented with dad.  His favorites were an Italian place downtown called Aroma, and a little Mexican hole-in-the-wall called La Casita.  And let's not forget the greasy spoon, Addison West.  I believe all three have gone out of business, gone but not forgotten!  

While she was at work, I took a trip down memory lane.

This is the house that Milo built.  When dad retired from Douglas, he moved back to Twin and build this house.  It's very much in a California style...wood siding, one story, no basement, large raised deck in the back. This is where we would stay every summer for the "Birthdays".  So many fun memories.

Swensens is a family owned grocery store down the street from dads.  The thing I remember most is buying lots of Captain Crunch Peanut Better to take home because we couldn't find it here.  Also, this is where we would get big boxes of frozen raspberries to make jam during our canning trips.

Almost every time we went to Idaho to visit dad, we would go fishing.  We would go over to grandpa's to find poles and then to the "bait shop" to get worms and our fishing licenses.  It was painted camouflage and sold anything you needed for a successful fishing trip.  A couple of years ago, Amy and her family were driving through Twin and she mentioned the "camo" shop.  The kids all looked at her like she was crazy.  It seems that in the last few years, it has turned into a smoke and vape shop!!!

When dad moved to Twin, he bought The General Building Supply.  I think was was more a hobby than a business for him.  When we would be up visiting, my kids couldn't get over him walking in, taking money from the register, and then walking back out.  A few years after dad's death, we sold it to a power equipment business.

Just after dad died.

And now!

I stopped by and talked with the new owner.  The entire inside of the store has been renovated.  No more bins of nuts and bolts.  And he said they were just about to bulldoze the back lumber racks.  Anyone want a neon General Building Supply sign?  Free for the taking!!

My next stop was Grandma and Grandpa Busby's house.  This was the view from the front of the house on Addison...

...but we never went in that door.  This back door was the one we always used.  It was a duplex with garndma and grandpa living in the main part... 

...and Aunt Dorlene living in the smaller house connected to the side.

And this is where we spent so many summer evenings.  Grandma would cook in the little kitchen under the patio.  The back door was grandpa's workshop where he would fiddle around and polish rocks.

I loved it there.  I always felt welcomed and loved.  So, Many, Memories,  It's sad that it's no longer in the family.

Grandma and Grandpa Thomas lived just a little way away on Poplar.  I don't have very many memories from there because they dies so early and we didn't take many trips up when I was little.  I do remember sleeping on the porch on warm evenings.  It was surrounded by evergreens, so I always felt enclosed.

This is the house now.  Same porch.  Same roofline.  

I wish I had seen this picture before my trip.  I would have recreated the same angle, but it's recognizably the same side of the house.

And this is the infamous garage that mom and dad used to "sneak" the car out, pushing it so the engine noise would wake up grandma and grandpa. 

That afternoon, Mary took me to see the temple and then on to Sunset Memorial Cemetery.  We visited dad, grandma and grandpa Busby in the mausoleum and than found Aunt Esta Faye and Grandma and Grandpa Thomas outside.

On to Utah...

There really wasn't a special reason for my trip, I just missed the kids.  So we had a lot of nice, quiet family time.  I did get in a couple of river walks that are always beautiful and relaxing.

And Todd, Kathy, and I took a ride up into the mountains to see the beautiful colors of the trees.  Breath taking colors everywhere you looked.

We had the famous "Danny's tacos" one night, and I must say, they are delicious!

And one day we had lunch near Amy's old stomping grounds, the Purple Turtle.

My last day was spent shopping, filling up my empty wayback.  

This umbrella installation was at River Woods.

And not for the first time, as I was driving away, Ann reminded me of what a beautiful world we live in.  It was a spectacular way to end a spectacular trip.  Thanks Ann.