Alayna's Farewell

Alayna, a co-worker for many years at our physical therapy office, is moving to Moses Lake, Washington. We'll miss her a lot.
BFFs - Tara, Leslonia, and Alania.

Flaming peaches! Yum.

Alayna and Gayle, ready to devour a sinfully delicious dessert.

Just what she always wanted! (A Roma food strainer.)

Second half of CA Trip

Monday, the 22nd, we drove to Anaheim for my IBC BioProcess International tradeshow, held at the Disneyland Hotel (although we stayed at the DoubleTree on Harbor Blvd.). Gayle stayed till Wednesday and then returned to help Alicia and Jesse. I pulled booth duty for three days. We did enjoy a bit of time together in Anaheim. She returned on Thursday while I was tearing down the exhibit. Friday we stayed at the hotel while I worked remotely. At noon we left for Adrian and Arleen's.



Here's Brit shooting hoops at her after school program. It's great, with lots of activities, recreation, and help with homework. Her middle school is only a few blocks from where they live and right across the street from Azusa high school (go Aztecs!).

Grandma and Brittney sitting on the bench near Adrian's apartment. Grandma brought the new outfit for Brit from Utah.

Here's the Azusa Parkinson clan, waiting to go to the musical called "Wicked," which tells the "rest of the story" about the Wizard of Oz.

After the musical, standing next to the light boxes out front of the Pantages Theater in Hollywood, CA.

On Saturday afternoon we went with Ray and Rachel (Arleen's dad and one of her sisters), along with Adrian and family, up to Oak Glen. This is a beautiful area about a mile in elevation up in the San Bernardino mountains. It is famous for its apple orchards and other fruits, etc. Here we are in front of the Parrish Ranch sign.

While in Oak Glen we visited a park area and Adrian's family posed on a wagon. Saturday night we drove to Vegas and Sunday we wrapped up the trip by getting to Logan in the late afternoon.

Initial Stage of So CA Trip

It's Sunday afternoon. We went to church today with Kevin and Nancee. We've come down to So CA for a meeting I have this coming week in Anaheim. We drove down two cars so we could lend one to Alicia and Jesse because the engine in Jesse's car blew up. Later we'll be spending time with Adrian, Arleen, and Brittney, after my trade show. Alicia and Jesse will be joining us to see the Musical "Wicked" about the witches from Oz. Here are some shots of our trip so far...

The Maxsons are excellent chefs, and enjoy feeding their friends. Here is the spread from our spaghetti meal Thursday evening after we arrived in Saugus. Bryan, Jesse's dad, flew in earlier that day and was with us till today, when he flew back out of Burbank to return to Logan. Alicia isn't in this shot because she was upstairs preparing her material for the investment class she teaches twice a week at College of the Canyons. She struggles to find things to eat because of her "morning sickness" which really lasts all the time.
Here are Kevin and Nancee. After dinner that night we played a fun game somewhat similar to Concentration, but I can't remember its name (I didn't concentrate).
The next day (Friday) Bryan, Jesse, Alicia, Gayle, and I took empty Coke cans with coupons to Universal Studios for discounted admission prices.
One of the statues at the front of the park turned out to be alive. Here Alicia and Gayle pose with him.
I don't particularly care for this shot, but Gayle thought I looked cute with a Woody Woodpecker hat on.
No comment needed here. We went to most areas of the park, but the rides warned against using them if one was an expectant mother, so Alicia chose not to go on those.
Gayle taking a rest.

A mummy was giving me a hard time.
After Universal Studios, we did the Universal City Walk. Gayle decided to get in the mood for the football game we were going to see the next night. This is her game face.
Saturday we did the obligatory beach thing. It's not really obligatory because we all like the beach. Bryan hadn't been to a So CA beach so we did the Santa Monica/Venice "tour." Here are Gayle, Alicia, Jesse, and Bryan at Santa Monica pier. Later we enjoyed talking to a lady at the end of the pier who was from Valencia also, but Valencia, España.
We rested and watched waves from the sand.
I checked out the surf, but we didn't have time for me to go in, and the waves weren't exceptional anyway.
Jesse, Bryan, and me just relaxing.
We watched some wave-catching for awhile, of course. However, this was from the Venice pier, midway through our bike ride. We even saw a guy "shoot the pier" (ride the wave from one side of the pier to the other).
We rented bikes in Santa Monica and had a blast cruising on down to Venice. We stopped along the way to watch some street tumbling, etc. After returning to Santa Monica, we walked over to the 3rd Street Promenade. Here we watched many of the usual performers, including a great 11 yr. old girl singer, the two Argentine flamenco guitarists, and others. This shot shows a Roman gladiator statue that would do humorous poses with passersby. That night in Saugus the Maxsons again treated us. This time it was delicious hamburgers, fresh fruits (including huge, scrumptious mangos), etc. Then we had just enough time to make it over to the COC Cougar football game against the L.A. Valley Monarchs. COC creamed them and it was fun to watch.

First week in new bishopric, etc.

No photos this week! Just a quick update -- I met with Gustavo Flores for a transfer of keys (literally) and information on Labor Day (a rainy day). We did get to see "Errand of Angels," a sister missionary movie that was pretty realistic, with the folks (sometime in the last week or so, I no longer remember when!). Mid-week the new bishopric met and started getting organized. Saturday morning I helped with sister Hagood's move, along with several other brethren and her daughter, Karma Paterno. Then it was yard work much of the day, while Gayle cleaned the office (our normal weeks comprise fairly quotidian experiences). Next we biked for exercise (as if we hadn't had enough). Jared has had his friend here from Oxnard, Kristen Danielle Wright. She left today for home (Monday). Sunday was quite the busy day. It was Fast Sunday (a day we "fast" - no food or drink since Saturday). There was Bishopric meeting, Single Adults Meeting (I conducted and gave the spiritual thought), Fast and Testimony meeting (I conducted), Sunday School, Priesthood (I conducted and played piano for the hymn), and then temple recommend interviews. Later, we had a bishop's youth fireside at the Firths' home and each member of the bishopric spoke briefly before we went to the hospital to see Letisha Richards, who is recovering from an illness. All in all, it is great to be alive and busy!

New Bishopric/Steve and Susan's Mission Report

This week we got a new "commode" in my bathroom. We had a plumber (expensive) come over to work on several drains, and to replace a toilet. At least everything's flowing quite well now. The multiple leaks in the canal behind our house are flowing a little too well also. I helped train some Indian representatives (Mumbai) of a sister company to ours this week. I took them out for Thai food on Thursday and we enjoyed red and green curries and satay with peanut sauce, among other things. Alicia and Jesse are still living with the Maxsons. They had been helping care for Lavelle, Sandy's mom. Lavelle passed away and the funeral was held up in Deweyville, UT. Gayle and I drove over Saturday for the viewing and funeral.

Sandy Maxson, Larry Behrmann, and Cheryl Cook, the three children of Hazel Lavelle Behrmann, who died at age 90.

Yesterday I was set apart as the new first counselor to Bishop Mark Firth. The second counselor is Bart Griffiths. We look forward to serving together. Several of our family members were able to attend the sacrament meeting where the changes occurred, since they had come for Stephen and Susan's mission report later that day.

After Church we went back to the grandparents' home for a nice meal. Here's Joni with her son Drake.
Jared likes kids too. He later brought over his friend, Kristen, who is visiting from CA.
Trish was up with Kelly, and here they are while doing domestic duty.
Stephen and Susan as they are being introduced prior to their talks at grandpa and grandma's study group meeting. We all thoroughly enjoyed the mission experiences and testimonies.