From Palo Alto to Provo, Utah

 What a week it has been packing and driving to Utah!

I paid little attention to what has been going on in the nation or world as I finished my packing, said good-bye to many favorite people and places, watched as the movers emptied my house, and then started out for my new home to join my posterity! Monday was the only sunny (but very windy) day the last week of January, so my oldest son Peter and I hiked at Palo Alto Foothills Park where we have spent so many wonderful times over the years.

The first rains since April give the promise of green

Over the years we have also spent many days at San Gregorio (and many other) beaches. It was cold, windy, with wild surf, 

foam blowing everywhere...

We continued to video-tape significant places of my/our life and say farewell to many neighbor and community friends

                                        Supper with Hank and Colette Taylor

Thursday, January 28, when the movers left, my house was almost empty: no more parties, holidays to celebrate, no more meals to prepare, shows to watch, nights to sleep. 3538 Evergreen will soon belong to new owners. But a house is no longer a home without the people you love! It felt strange but OK to leave.

I locked the door for the last time, spent the night with dear friends Nanci and Darryl Thomander, and set off Friday morning for Reno. We waited a day to avoid the hazardous blizzard in the Sierra, and made it over Donner Pass without chains, the many-feet high snow piled beside the road. It was slow-going as the road had been closed for a while earlier, but was a winter wonderland! It brought back many wonderful ski trips and cozy cabins with family and friends.

We were grateful to arrive mid-afternoon to stay the night with friend Marilyn Johnson in Reno, Nevada. We took a nice walk near-by.

Next morning we set off across the many miles of usually desolate, brown, rocky, sagebrush covered Nevada

Most of eastern Nevada and western Utah was a huge lake, Bonneville, millennia ago. Now, what remains are salt flats and jagged mountains. We are grateful to arrive in Salt Lake City and then Provo. I was able to see for myself the house I'd only seen on-line, and which I will buy when my Palo Alto home sells.

Sunday afternoon I was thrilled to see almost all my kids and 17 grand kids for an outdoor potluck lunch. I was too busy talking to take many photos and we are trying to be Covid-safe. So far no one has been infected, at least not that we know of. Here are some of them.

All that pasture and land next door belongs to Steve Young. We hope it stays that way!

My new home will be on the next street, behind the house with the brown roof, with a great view of the mountains.

That is Mount Timpanogos behind the home of Stake President Jackson, who was mission president in Madrid while I was a missionary in 2012-13. Their home is almost across the street from my new house.

So this is the start of a new adventure. I feel blessed to finally be with family after almost a year without even one visit from any of them.

More on the news front next time. I'm still waiting to get vaccinated.