Chapter 23
The Aptos Hilton

       Another year, 1986. I don't know where I was all year long, but boy was I “bad”! I didn't keep a journal. I didn't keep letters, even my photo album for that year is not much help, but my guest book was, so on with my story now. I guess maybe I was just too busy having fun. So as I start this chapter in my life I am having a hard time remembering happenings. One thing for sure, this chapter will be much shorter than the previous one.

 
Kyle, Connie, and Kellie
       To start out the year, Connie, Kellie Jo and little Kyle came to stay with us from January 15th until the 29th. Being warm in California we were able to go to the zoo and other places that tiny tots like. Kyle was 1½ and Kellie 3½. At the zoo, Kellie had a temper tantrum in front of the monkey enclosure. A mommy monkey started scolding her. Mommy scared her so bad she forgot why she was having her tantrum, it was really so funny.

       I was still enjoying my ceramic classes once or twice a week. I had started in Sunnyvale. After we moved I just had to find a new place for lessons and supplies. I made a lot of beautiful gifts for friends and family, but much more for myself.

       Kathryn and Richard came in February and spent four days with us. We made the rounds to all the interesting places to go. A lot of these places were new to me too. I love all the old missions up and down the coast. We took them to Monterrey, Carmel, and the Seventeen Mile Drive along the coast and back to Aptos. We got in as much as we could in the four days. Those become our favorite places to take any one that came long enough.


Theresa Sims		 
       By coincidence we met Theresa Sims, a lovely elderly lady that lived down the street from us. Jack went to her home to help take the sacrament to her and her husband one Sunday. He was deaf and she blind. So they did not get out. He would walk up to the gate by our place and turn around and go back. We would speak to him with no answer. He could not hear! Anyway he passed away shorty after we met them. Theresa wanted to start going to church again so we would take her every Sunday. At this time her son, Ray, and his wife Rita were living with them, but they soon moved to a place near by. Her only daughter, Murl, lived a long distance across the bay. She was alone but got along quite well by herself. She did her own cooking and cared for herself. I soon started taking her to her appointments and other places she needed to go. Everytime I would pick her up, she would have me look her over to see if she looked okay. Once in a while she had to much face power on and I would have to brush some of it off and maybe fix her hair a little, other than that she always looked nice. I was away from my own Mother and was unable to do anything for her unless I happened to be in Burley. So I felt very good about being able to help Theresa out. She was the same age as Mother; Mother being twelve days older.

       We had what we called “The Lunch Bunch” that consisted of the ladies from our ward. We would meet for lunch once a month, usually at a different place. With all the close knit villages around, we had a lot of choices. After the first time I took Theresa she enjoyed it, so each month she went with me. She become like a second mother to us.

       We started making improvements in the house and yard. The yard being about the size of a postage stamp. (How I wish our yard was more that size now that we are 84 and in Boise. Our yard seems to be growing and grows healthy weeds). Jack did all of the work between long overtime work shifts. This was a long process and was not all done the first year. It was a continuing effort that lasted all the time that we were there.

       He first put on a new roof, and afterwards decided to put in a sky light above the dining room table and later another one in the big bathroom. This made for a lot of extra work as he had to cut into the new roof. Well, the way I hate prolonged messes I took a vacation to Burley until he got the dining room completed. That was in May, beides I needed to be with Connie and Kellie.I spent time with my mother, my children, grandchildren, and my sisters.


Cindee, Bonnie, Gordon, me, and Connie - Jackson Hole, Wyoming – 1986

 
Yellowstone in May
       Later in May I went to Rexburg to spend a week with Gordon and Bonnie. He took three days off work so he could spend more time with me. During that week we went to the sand dunes by St. Anthony, shopping in Idaho Falls, and to Gordy's Talent Sprout concert. Later in the week Cindee and Connie and her kids came up as well. On Saturday we all took a trip over to Jackson Hole where we spent about three hours before going up through the Tetons and Yellowstone Park. Some of the roads in the higher elevations were still closed and in some places we went, there was eight feet of snow on either side of the road. In the lower elevations we saw hundreds of bison. It was after dark when we came out at West Yellowstone and it was eleven thirty when we got back to Rexburg. Cindee and Connie went home the next day but I stayed a few days longer.


Cindee with her
diploma		 
       Cindee graduated from the Collage of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls with a degree in Applied Bookkeeping. I was so proud to watch her get her diploma. She worked so hard for it and it had really paid off for her.

       When I came home I brought my granddaughter Raydon back with me. We stopped overnight at a quaint motel near Truckee, Nevada, and got home June 3rd. She and I spent a lot of time at the beach. She loved the beach and the park pool. She was 12, and a child that had to be entertained all the time. I let her dress up in my clown suit for the Aptos Biggest Little 4th of July Parade. I took her to the Board Walk in Santa Cruz and went shopping, We were doing something all the time.

       The house was still a mess. Eventually the skylight was finished with the beautiful chandelier we brought from Sunnyvale hanging right in the middle of it. It was so beautiful and let in the sunshine! We covered the brown paneled walls with wall paper, painted the inside of the whole house, put in new windows and doors, (the new doors were regular size). We closed in two doors altogether. He got a great buy on a greenhouse window and replaced the small kitchen widow which gave us a large window for plants. We had the kitchen rebuilt and put new tiling on some of the floors. I helped too on a lot of these projects, I wasn't sitting around watching. I think the last improvement was the beautiful fifteen beveled glass front door. Oh how I hated leaving that there! Our home no longer looked like the mobile home that we bought.

 
My Diamite kickoff

Raydon at the
Golden Gate Bridge		 
       We were still involved with Diamite Products and had training meetings once in a while. John and Jackie came by once in a while, as did Ann and Bob and other friends. We still experienced frequent earthquakes just to let us know they were not going to stop.

       My niece Ronda Read and her friend Manitza Davila (from Columbia South America) came on July 17th. The four of us girls left early one morning and drove over to Fremont to ride BART to San Francisco. What fun we had. Raydon was afraid that some one might grab her, she hung pretty tight to me all the time we were there. (There were some pretty peculiar characters everywhere you looked). We walked all over, spending time in China Town, where we had lunch. I tried calamari (squid). I did not like it!!! Any way the time went fast, I for one had a wonderful time, I hope every one else did too.

 
Me and Marjorie
       We took them all back when we left for Burley on July 24th. On the 26th Jack and I went to my 40th Class Reunion in Burley. I did not want to go. Jack sent in our reservations anyway and took me. It was held in the Elks Lodge. When we pulled in, I still didn't want to go in. But I did and how glad I was that I did. It was so much fun meeting with so many of my good friends from all through school. The prior reunions that I had attended, the kids still thought they were big shots. By the 40th I guess they had found out that they were no better than the rest of us. We had a great dinner, and program, and I think we danced to live music.

       Jack had to go back home and I stayed in Burley. On Thursday August 7th Jay picked Jack up at the Salt Lake Airport and he rode up to Burley for the Frost Family Reunion with them which was Saturday the 9th. It was held out to Pella. Marian and her family were in charge and they always did a great job. Diann won the quilt. The evening was spent out to Turners with a BBQ and boat rides and water skiing for the brave.

       We hung around Burley a few days and went to Salt Lake to Jackson's on the 13th. Jack spent two days in the Genealogy Library while Thelma and I went shopping at the Crossroads Mall. We went over to the Church Office Building where Ronda worked and she showed us around. I loved going to the top and looking down over the temple grounds below. Later we went to the Distribution Center. We spent some time with Eunice and her family as well. On our last evening in Salt Lake, we and Thelma and Jay went to the famous Mulboons for dinner. The morning of the 16th we loaded up and headed for home.


Me at 60 or there about		 
       That was our Vacation for 1986. It was spent with my beloved family, nothing can compare to family time. We got home in time for my 60th birthday. Age is an issue of mind over matter, if you don't mind, it doesn't matter. I don't mind. I feel young, so I guess that is all that matters.

       The rest of the year was uneventful but for our usual doings, and visitors. Lorna and Kenneth came in October for three days. We really had a good time showing them all our favorite places. While out on Seventeen Mile Drive, Kenneth had to stop and take out a golf club, walk onto the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course and hit one ball so he could brag that he played on Pebble Beach where all the rich and famous play. Brad came over for one evening, he was living over in the East Bay going to Chiropractic School.

       We celebrated our 9th Wedding Anniversary at a nice restaurant on November 25th. Jackie and John Guy had Thanksgiving dinner with us on the 27th, So much food in so little time.

 
Christmastime
       We ended the wonderful “Year of the Family” by going back to Burley for our Frost Christmas Dinner and Party on December 5th. This was the first year that we were able to attend. Marian and Doug were the hosts and what a gala event it was. Marian always goes way out to entertain. We had so much fun with our gift exchange. We stayed at their home that night.

       We were back in Aptos for Jack's 60thbirthday and Christmas. We had the usual dinners. Ann and Bob Rogers had Christmas dinners for our dance gang almost every year. We also attended our ward dinner and party.

       And then there was New Year's Eve. Did I say something about too much food? I was just as bad in1987 as the year before. No journal and not much to go on, only regrets! Since I no longer was employed at Syntex, I no longer had the funds being put in the credit Union. So, there are no more great vacations to write about. One thing that hadn't changed, we still enjoyed our guests.



LaPreal and me		 
       LaPreal and Harold Hull were our first guests of the year as they arrived January 18th from Selah, Washington. They didn't bunk at our place, as Harold had a son and family living there in Santa Cruz. But they did spend quality time with us. LaPreal, having a degree in home interior design, was very impressed with our home. She had previously given me a lot of pointers on the subject as I was asked to give a class on design in Relief Society, I don't know why, I was no expert, but with her help, I did a good job. We took them around our favorite places but mostly spent time visiting. LaPreal and I relived the good old days in Burley. She and I went antique shopping over at Santa Cruz and she helped me pick out my antique china hutch. I lent her a skirt and she went to church with me while Harold was spending time with his family.

       That year we spent a lot more time fixing up our home and yard. I joined in with a group of ladies from the park and formed a water aerobics class at the pool. We invited a person from the YWCA to help get us started. We met three times a week. We had a lot of fun while doing our bodies a lot of good. Later a few of the guys started coming, that was okay, they needed to shape up too. After our workouts and “fun” we would sit in the jacuzzi and gab. One day when I got out of the hot water, I found myself being picked up off the cement and lifted into a chair, but I slid right out of the chair. I guess I stayed in the hot water too long. It was too much for me and I passed out cold. I was very careful after that as to how long I stayed in the jacuzzi. That class was one thing that I truly missed when we moved to Boise.

 
The Relief Society Presidency:
Me, Wanda Salden, and
Joyce Jenerjohn
       I was put in as Second Counselor in the Relief Society Presidency. Wanda Salden was the President and Joyce Jenerjohn was the First Counselor. The three of us got along very well, as one in our calling. I loved those sisters. But the sad part was that I had to give up my little Sunbeam Class to someone else. Most of them remembered me when they saw me at church.

       On the subject of my little Sunbeam angels, I tried to teach them little songs along with the lessons each week and I cannot sing. But those little ones love you unconditionaly and my terrible voice did not matter to them. One day one of the daddy's came and sat in on the class, and I thought oh dear what do I do? I decided that I would go ahead and teach the song. That daddy sat there and actually snickered!



The grand prize float		 
       In March we had two very lovely visitors. My niece Teresa Frost and her friend Gayla Black, both nurses from Salt Lake city. They brightened our home with their sweet spirits.

 
Granny Care Bear
       Every year when the begonias are in bloom, Capitola sponsors the Begonia Festival where they float beautiful begonia covered floats down the Soquel Creek in downtown Capitola. Every year I had wanted to go, but it was always on Sunday. This year was their 34th annual float and I really wanted to go. I skipped church and stood alone (among strangers) on the bridge going over the creek and watched 15 beautiful flower covered floats go by, and I didn't feel one bit guilty.

       I got into making teddy bears. I started by making those darling Care Bears for the grandchildren, and I couldn't stop. I even made myself a gray Granny Care Bear.


Kyle and Kellie at Easter		 
       Connie, Kellie and Kyle came for two weeks in April during Easter. We had all kinds of fun coloring eggs. On Eater Sunday I went out early to hide the eggs around the yard for them to hunt when they got up, or so I thought. I turned around and there was Kyle following me and picking them up as fast as I put them down. I had to usher him back in the house and start all over so Kellie could get in on the fun. I took them to the Primary Easter Party and they really had fun. Those little tykes had so much fun running through the swinging doors between our kitchen and the living room. I can still hear them giggling. What fun. The next time they come there were no swinging doors. We closed them off.

       In June, Jack's sister Pat from Seattle, Washington and her friend Yuovne Nelson were here on the 5th 6 th and 7th Us girls did our thing while Jack worked. We went the usual places and ate out a lot. Before they left, Yuovne bought my beloved granny care bear and took it to live in Seattle. I was always going to make me an other one, but never did.

       What a joy it was to have Anne and Bob Rogers come from Hayward, to spend the day with us on June 10th. Jack's son Jack was back in California, so he popped in on us once in a while too.

 
Melynda and me in
our pioneer costumes
       Also in June, it was Melynda's turn to come and stay the summer. She wanted to come so bad she bummed a ride as far as Pleasanton, California with Duane Larson (Diann Harper's husband) and his little boys. We drove over to Larsons to pick her up. The poor little thing was so car sick. That was June 24th and she was only 10 years old. Melynda was not as demanding as Raydon had been the previous year so it was a completely different situation. We did a lot of crafts and she loved to read, so there was a lot of quiet time. We went to the beach and she loved swimming in the pool. I made costumes that consisted of pioneer bonnets and aprons for both of us and we helped the ward celebrate the 24th of July. I took her to Marine World for a day of fun and out to lunch.

       While she was there Jack's brother, George (Al) and his wife Marge came on the 26th from Federal Way Washington. Melynda was very uncomfortable with them and so was I. After a month of fun, Jacks vacation started July 29th so we decided to make it more interesting than the boring route through Nevada when we took her home. We drove up thorough northern California over across Oregon and into Idaho. The trip was longer but much more enjoyable. We got home in plenty of time for the Family Reunion.


My last grandchild, Loren		 
       June had been a busy month. Loren Vance Buttars come into the world on June 28th in Rexburg, Idaho to complete Gordon and Bonnie's family. He was a precious bundle right from the arms of his Heavenly Father. We didn't get to see him until we went up for the family reunion. He was so adorable with his dark eyes and hair. He also completed our family as he was the last of our grandchildren to be born. Loren was blessed by his father on August 2nd and Jack was able to participate in the blessing. I am so glad that we were able to be there for that sacred event.

       The Frost Family Reunion was August 8th at the Pella Ward pavilion. Irma and her family were in charge and they did a great job. There were 120 family members that attended. Thelma won the quilt. I kept a big picture scrap book for years and years of all the reunions. I ran around with my camera and got pictures of everyone and everything. When my generation turned the reunion over to the next generation I handed the book over to Gayle. If I had it now I could comment more on the reunions. After the reunion we hung around and went to the Cassia County Fair with Turners an Jackson's. I loved those days, it was so much like when we were kids.

 
With Jacksons in Heber City
       We went back to Salt Lake with Jacksons, and on the 13th of August we and Thelma and Jay drove over to Heber City and boarded the Old Heber Creeper for an all day train ride up through Provo Canyon. That was really interesting and the scenery was great, in some places it was kind of scary. The train was very old and unique as it rattled and chugged up and down the hills and around the steep curves. It was a rewarding day. Thelma and I had so much fun. We went back to Salt Lake and soon had to leave for home as Jack's vacation ended Sunday August 16th.

       Thanksgiving was so special that year. We drove to Burley again to have Thanksgiving with all my children and grandchildren at Connie's house in Heyburn. The dinner was the traditional, with all the trimmings. The little cousins had a great time playing together. A very funny thing happened just before dinner. Tim showed up in his deputy uniform. Connie's boyfriend went into the kitchen and asked, “Who's that?” Connie' explained that he was her brother. He left and Connie never saw him again.

       We stayed around for our annual Frost Christmas Dinner and Party. That year it was at Irma and Don's. We all just enjoy each other so much and the good food. The gift exchange was and still is the highlight of the evening. It is so fun to sit around and tell stories on each other.

       On our way home we stopped in Reno for the night. We stayed at the Bally Hotel where we took in a fabulous dinner show. I felt so cool. Our room was on the fourth or fifth floor and we could hear the noise from the casino. As we returned home we ran into snow on the Donner Pass and had to chain up.

       As that year came to a close I look back at all the nice people that came to see us and the fun things we did throughout the year. I am sure we took a few little weekend trips to Morro Bay and our other favorite places. So on to another year.