Island Park, Idaho

As Theron always says, "Something better than having a home in Island Park, is having a friend with a home in Island Park."  We have two friends and both cabins are very nice.  Brett and Lori Simonsen just purchased a new cabin in Island Park and were anxious for us to bring our ATV up and ride and stay with them.  The week after Afton, Wyoming, we traveled to Island Park, Idaho.  Of course, with all good things come some work for our keep.  Theron helped Brett haul some logs.

Now when we talk about "cabin" we are talking a large home that sits perfectly by a creek.

What a wonderful time we had staying with Simonsen's and Browns and then having Davis' come up the last day we were there to see them again.  These are all our Yuma buddies (Steve's friends that have been taken over by us.).

 The kayaking crew.

This is wonderfully beautiful country.  The trails are fantastic and Theron really enjoyed kayaking the river.  We are always grateful that we can still enjoy these activities and having fun.

Family - Janeil and Carolyn

Just a week before we left for Star Valley, mom called and told me Janeil, my sister, was in the hospital with pneumonia.  (Janeil is about 10 years younger than me, but she looks 30 years older than I do.)  That wasn't surprising because she had been in the hospital before for similar things.  However, this time, the doctors found a large, small-cell carcinoma on her right lung.  Not only this tumor, but also it had metastasized to her brain where they found about 20 small tumors.  It has also metastasized to her liver and lymph nodes.  She is in a stage 4 cancer condition.

Janeil has been a heavy smoker her whole life and now it is catching up with her.  We stopped in to see her and wish her as well as we could.  She is making some rather difficult decisions right now.  She has opted for radiation for the brain tumors.  This will not cure anything, but it might slow down the growth.  Then, she will start on chemotherapy which again will not cure anything, but might slow down the progress.

The long of the story is that her daughters Ashley and Kelsey both talked to her and were about as rude and nasty as anyone I had seen.  For the last little while since I found out, we have been praying for comfort to be with her and some peace.  Well, just last week Ashley took Janeil to her chemo treatment and then moved her into her apartment.  Kelsey is going to move all of her stuff to a storage shed so Janeil can give up her apartment.  I think this is a comfort to her, because none of the family expected these two daughters to step up and take care of her.  Strange how prayers are answered and my perspective has changed on these matters.
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I wanted to save this picture of Carolyn and Dubby and their three boys- Mark, Craig and Lanny.  Carolyn was my escort in the Temple when I went through for my endowments and Dubby was one of our witnesses.  They have always held a tender spot in my heart and this is one way I can remember them.

Star Valley, Wyoming

After eight years, Theron, who is Facebook friends with everyone, got an invitation from one of our young Jamaican missionaries to come horseback riding in Afton, Wyoming.  It was an invite we could not pass up.


Whitey Gardner, now a married guy, highway patrolman, father, etc., was one of our specially remembered missionaries.  He was an assistant to the president and just a wonderful missionary.  He now has two little boys and his parents have horses and a ranch in Star Valley, Wyoming.

On a bright Monday morning, we left Adrian's and traveled north.  After settling into a motel, Whitey took us hiking to Intermittent Springs.  Now this is a unique area.  The springs turn on every 15-18 minutes and run for about 15 minutes and then turn off.  It's quite a site to see no water flow and then all at once lots of water flow.  We had a milk can dinner with his family that night and a robust game of cornhole.

The next day, bright and early for us at 8, we went to the corrals, gathered up the horses, saddled them, trailered them, and drove about 20 miles up a canyon.  At the head of the canyon, we mounted up for a 3000 foot climb and a several hour ride.  I haven't been on a horse since I was 12 or 13.  My legs don't spread like that anymore and my body doesn't bounce like that anymore.  I was very grateful for the stopping time and the opportunity to walk a ways. 

 When you finish a days ride, you have to give the horses a treat and they want to eat and eat.  You would think they had worked all day long.

We rode to Balls Ridge, had a little lunch and then mounted to go home.  Well, some of us rode all the way, but not me.  After about 20 minutes in the downhill, I was seasick.  I guess the downward motion and back and forth made me queasy.  I walked 3.5 miles downhill and my horse had a good break and followed Whitey.

That night, we were both exhausted, dirty and bowlegged.  I hurt for several days.  A great trip, but my horse riding days are over.

This is the new Temple in Afton.