Totally taken care of!

 

These are the people who installed our new furnace and air conditioner.  Part of the sales pitch that goes for all new furnaces and conditioners is that UP&L will give you a $2400+ rebate for installing an energy saving furnace and air conditioning units.  When everything was done, they went over how easy it would be for me to go on line and sign up for the rebate for the furnace, air conditioner and the new thermostat.  It all sounded simple and easy.  Neal asked me if I would be in charge of registering everything for the rebates and I agreed.

I got on line and started out doing exactly what they had told me.  As I pushed 'enter' for the website a notice came up that the website was no longer available.  I tried a number of ways to get to the rebate site but to no avail, so I called Thompson's for assistance.  The secretary told me that UP&L had changed their website and what the new site was.  I went back and typed in the new address and sure enough UP&L came up but, where to go from there?  Nothing was clear.  I struggled with it for a few hours and finally gave up.  The next week I called my neighbor and friend, Mindy L., and asked her if she could come over and help walk me through the computer rebate maze.  They had purchased the very same units we had just 6 months prior and she said it was easy to do.  She came over last Friday and we sat at my computer for over an hour and nothing worked.  She couldn't believe how easy it had been for her and now this new system was almost impossible to navigate through - and I will add here that she is very computer savvy!  We finally gave up and I called Thompson's back again and talked with the secretary about the trouble we were having.  I put her on speaker and she tried to walk us through it but it just didn't work so she finally said that if I came down to the office on Tuesday the 17th she would be happy to help me with it.  Sounded like a perfect and grand idea.

Tuesday morning I drove down to Thompson's, which is only 3 miles from our home.  I walked in and a young man came out and asked how he could help.  I said that I couldn't figure out the rebate maze and he said he would be glad to help me.  I really thought they were going to sit me down at a computer and walk me through it but he didn't!  He had me sit by him and he did the whole process for me!  All the time he was working on it he was saying how UP&L had changed their system and how incredibly confusing the process was now compared to how it used to be.  This young man not only made me feel "not stupid" but how frustrated so many of their customers had been with the new system.  He not only completed the whole process for me but he also did the thermostat paper work that has to be sent in.  He put that paper work in an envelope, sealed and put a stamp on it!  All I had to do was drop it in the mail box.   The whole process took about 30 minutes and I walked out of there with everything done.  

I was so relieved and happy and I felt like they deserved a reward for their kindness and time spent on me.  I drove right to Sees and got them a box of chocolates and took it back to them with a HUGE THANK YOU!  Even gave the young man a hug.  It was a BLUE letter day (don't want to say red).  I'll add here that the young man had a BYU logo on his desk!!!  PLUS, PLUS!!!

Sometimes there are advantages to being a nice, cute little senior and not being afraid to ask for help.  Ahhh yes, life is good!

Close up of Chip and/or Dale

 How dang cute is this little guy.  I noticed him or her feeding and went outside right by the fence and he just kept eating while I was take a snap shot of him.  He didn't seem concerned at all.  I am now in love with squirrels!  I'm hoping they are nesting and will have some babies!  

Chip and Dale

 My new year began with finding out that we had two bushy tailed squirrels living in our backyard trees.  What a fun surprise.  Every morning and evening Neal and I watch those cute little critters jump from limb to limb and tree to tree.  They are extremely agile and very, very fast.  I had to name them so I chose Chip and Dale.  I know, not very original but those were the names that came to me so it had to be.  However I think one of them is probably a female so it could be Chip and Dalia or Chipalene and Dale!  I ran a bunch of errands yesterday and stopped at The Bird House in Sugarhouse and asked what they had for squirrels.  I ended up buying a feeder and a big bag of peanuts.  When I got home, Neal and I drove around to the back of the lot with boots, ladder and gloves.  Climbed the wall and up to the tree where we hung the feeder full of peanuts.  It has been such fun watching Chip and Dale figure out how to get the peanuts out of the feeder and then watch them shell and eat their treat.  

This is a picture of their entrance into their nest.  There are 5 different holes in this tree.  From what I've read, squirrels usually gain entrance to an old tree from what a woodpecker may have left behind.  I've seen Chip and Dale go in and out so I know they are nesting in there.

This was a picture I took at The Bird House place.  I had just closed the door in my car and happened to notice this happy little guy scrounging around for food.  I notice that the owners had hung a little nesting house for the squirrels up in a tree close by.  I'm sure they leave food for them every day.

They were very helpful to me when I went in the store and told them what I wanted to do.  Now I know where to go for more food and anything else I might need for my new friends.

So this is the feeder and the big bag of peanuts.  

Neal hanging the feeder just below their nesting area, but high enough so that we can easily see it from our windows.

It didn't take long for them to discover it and have already taken some peanuts out.  It is so fun to watch them figure out how to get the nuts out and then watch them as they sit on the branch and shell them and eat.  I'm sure when Spring comes and the leaves pop out, we won't have a clear visual of them but we will certainly enjoy them for as long as we can and will continue to feed them.

Happy New Year 2023

 I've never been much of a Happy New Year celebrator but I'll say it just because it is tradition to wish people a happy new year.  I always had dates for New Years and always loved the dancing and having fun, but the actual blowing horns, wearing hats and throwing confetti always seemed stupid to me.  I'm sure I'm in the minority about New Years celebrations.  It kind of goes hand in hand with Halloween.  Don't get either one of them.

Neal and I ended 2022 with COVID.  Yup.  We finally got hit with it.  We think it may have come from Ron and Judy.  They had been at our house just before Christmas and then found out a couple days later that they had COVID.  Christmas Eve was when it hit me with a vengeance.  I had a fever, ached all over and couldn't get warm. I had the heating pad on me most of the night.  Christmas morning I felt a little better.  Neal and I were singing in a double quartet so we both needed to be at church Sunday morning.  I literally prayed that my voice would hold out and that I could get through the meeting.  Prayers are answered and we both made it through the meeting and were able to sing.  

We did go out to Maren's that afternoon for a couple of hours and then back home for the rest of the day.  Monday, we went out to Annie's for dinner and games and to say goodbye to Abby and Emmi.  I've already written about the journey for Emmi and Abby to get home.  While Annie, Abby and I were driving to California, Neal called me and said he was really sick and running a fever.  I just figured he had my cold.  Toward the end of the week I finally dug out our COVID tests and both Neal and I were positive for COVID.  The sad thing is that we had been around Annie's family and Maren's family.  So far the only person that we know of who now has COVID is Mallory.  She tested positive yesterday.  I feel terrible that she got it and more than likely from me.  I am grateful that we had the shots.  I think that is what kept both Neal and I from getting lung issues or being hospitalized.  So that is how we said goodbye to 2022 and welcomed 2023.  

We also welcomed in a massive bunch of snow storms to start the new year.

It is January 6th and we are still having storms rolling through.  We have been in a scary water shortage for the last few years so all of this moisture is welcome.  We need the storms to keep coming through and dumping snow in the mountains.  

Emmi is on her way - Abby's flight gets cancelled

 Abby's flight to LA on Southwest got cancelled and there would be no more flights with SW until the 31st!!  Annie searched the other airlines trying to find a flight for Abby and nothing was available.  There were just no options to get Abby back to California.  So I got a call from Lynda Ann after midnight telling me the situation and asking me if I would be willing to drive with her and Abby to California that next morning!  I told her I could do that.  Annie was able to rent a car for $125.00 and preparations went into motion to leave the next morning to get Abby back to Calif.  They picked me up at 9:30 and we headed out.  It just happened that there wasn't any major snow storms going on.  We did have a lot of rain and some slush through most of Utah until we got past Cedar City and then it got better.  Annie drove all the way on about 3 hours of sleep the night before.  Abby talked all about her mission and her testimony of the gospel and Jesus Christ.  It was an amazing trip and the time went by incredibly fast.  We arrive in LA about 9:30 and fell into bed.  The next day was spent driving all around Abby's mission area and viewing the parks and places she had told us about.  We met up with one of her friends for lunch and then met up with Antonio for dinner.  It was a perfect day and almost perfect temperature.  

The next morning, Annie and I got up at 3:30 and left LA at 4:15.  Again she drove all the way home.  We were blessed again with a window of good weather and dry roads.  We arrived in Salt Lake at 1:30 taking us 9 hours and 15 minutes to get home.  It was a fast turn around trip but it worked out beautifully and we all felt blessed and well taken care of.

This isn't my story but I will add these pictures of Abby and Antonio.  

There was one crazy incident that happened that I will do my best to try and explain.  We were within 5 minutes of Abby place and we were talking and laughing and Annie missed the exit.  It was determined that because we had missed the exit it was going to now take us 30 more minutes because there was an accident ahead on the freeway.  As we slowed down for all the traffic and came to a stop, we noticed that the ON RAMP was to the right side of us and it was blocked off and cars were turning around and headed back up the on ramp.  So Abby and I totally talked Annie into driving over the area between the freeway and the on ramp and following the other cars back up the on ramp.  When we did it, we noticed the cars behind us doing following our lead!  We were laughing so dang hard.  This picture is looking back down the on ramp freeway entrance and the cars following us back the wrong way.  

We made it safely to Abby's!!

Time with Emmi and Abby

 Both the girls were only here for a short visit and then would be heading home.  Emmi, the day after Christmas and Abby the day after that.  Emmi had a hair appointment with Dave the week in between our party and Christmas.  I met her and Annie at the Original Pancake House for breakfast. 

Emmi had flight reservations for 6:00 a.m. on the 26th.  But found out her flight had been cancelled which gave her one more day with us.  Now, it looked like Emmi would be flying to Georgia the morning of the 27th and Abby back to LA the afternoon of the 27th.  The kids wanted Neal and I to come out on the 26th for dinner and games.  So Monday afternoon we went out to Stansbury where we played games until 9:30 and had Papa Murphy's pizza for dinner.  Such a fun, fun evening.  

Of course we had to take some pictures before leaving.  Always sad saying 'goodbye'.  

Again, I thought this would be the last time I would see Emmi and Abby for a while.  But . . . . 

Family Christmas Gathering

 We had all the family come for our Christmas Dinner the Sunday before Christmas.  Everyone came about 3:00.  We had the usual Honey Baked Ham, baked potatoes, salads, veggies, and desserts.  After dinner we opened presents and Neal gave each family their Christmas Book.  Mindy and her family left but Maren and Lynda's family stayed and we played games until late.  It was a very fun day and evening.

Fun random pictures of the evening.

So fun to have both Abby and Emmi home for the Holidays!

Poor Greg.  I always seem to have a project of some sort that needs to be done when he comes.  He had already been up and fixed the lighting in our walk in closet and then climbed up the ladder and replaced the lights in our front room chandelier.

As usual, Neal and I were spoiled with gifts from our children.  It was a great evening.  

A New Furnace and AC / Neal Sells His BMW

 Just prior to Christmas (like about 2 weeks prior) our furnace died.  We woke up on a Sunday morning to a very, very cold house.  Some time during the night the furnace gave up the ghost and refused to offer anymore warmth to us or the home.  After some calls were made and making a decision between one very aggressive salesman and one very pleasant salesman, we made the made the right decision and went with the John, the very nice and not pushy salesman.  We had to not only replace the furnace but also the air conditioning - all at the tune of $13,000+.  We both gulped and gave them the go ahead.  After being without heat in our home for over a week and a half, we were both ready to pay whatever amount we had to, to feel warm again!  Our house got down to 53 degrees.  We had a space heater in the master bedroom and one in Neal's office.  We would hustle from one room to the next, closing the doors quickly behind us to keep what little heat the space heaters were providing, locked in those two rooms.  This is the old furnace just before it was taken apart and hauled out.

And this is our new furnace all installed and keeping us toasty warm!

The best part of the story is that the furnace installers figured out why our basement was always so cold and they were able to put in air returns in the proper places.  Now the furnace is able to operate efficiently and heat all floors of our home evenly.  I didn't take a picture of the new air conditioner that works with the furnace to heat the home in the winter and cool in the summer.  

After all this new stuff was installed we had to figure out how we were going to pay for everything.  We had a couple options.  While we were working through the options (we had a couple weeks from the furnace people to get them paid), Neal had a friend of his come and take pictures of the BMW and get it on KSL.  Neal was asking $7900 for the BMW.  As soon as it was posted on KSL, he had hundreds of hits and many people interested in it.  One young man from Logan was the most persistent.  He drove down from Logan with his mother and his grandfather.  They took the car for a spin, checked it inside and out and the young man offered Neal $6,000.  Neal told him that he wouldn't let it go for that so the kid asked him if he would be willing to take $7,000 and Neal told him he would.  The kid had $6,000 in cash and went to his grandpa and got the other thousand and handed Neal $7,000 in cash.  Of course after the bill of sale and title were all taken care of, Neal made a trip to the bank with the cash.

In the mean time, we had borrowed the $13,000 from Granite Credit Union to pay for the furnace and air conditioner.  So after just three days we were able to go back to Granite and with the sale of the BMW and some of our savings, we were able to pay the loan off with only a $15.00 interest payment for the five days we had the loan.  

It was amazing to us how everything just fell into place so quickly and we were left debt free!!  Blessings, blessings, blessings.  Mostly we are blessed to have a heated home during these cold winter months.  We have so much to be thankful for living in America and having the wealth that we do.  

Maxfield Family Christmas Dinner

Sunday night, Neal and I went to the Maxfield Family Christmas Dinner hosted by Nita.  The dinner was delicious and the very festive.  This year, we didn't exchange presents, instead we donated money to Norman in Africa to help them buy rice and other needs for the families there.  Norm called while we were all gathered and thanked us for the donation and that they were able to give each family in the branch 50 pounds worth of rice.  They were also able to buy school supplies for the children.

 

Time for a New "Do"

 I had an appointment with David and went with the idea of getting a new "do".  Just wanted something different.  Sometimes one needs a change.  I saw a picture of a hair style that I thought would suit me.  I also want to get rid of my bangs so this is what Dave and I settled on.

And, by the way, all natural color!  David was finally able to cut off the last of the colored hair.  

New Furnace

 Our furnace just quit working a week and a half ago so Neal and I have been living in our bedroom and his office for the past almost two weeks.  Thank goodness for space heaters.  Our house has been in the 50's everywhere but those two rooms.  It has been just plain cold. Brrrrrrr

We had two companies bidding for our business.  The one guy, named Erik, was very pushy and overly aggressive.  The other guy, John, just presented what we needed and said it was up to us.  Neal and I spent most of the whole day talking to Erik and then the same evening with John.  The very next morning at 7:00 Erik was standing on our front porch ready to put in a new furnace.  Well, we had just barely rolled out of bed when the doorbell rang and we actually made him wait out on the front porch for about 20 minutes.  That kind of sealed the deal for John.  I don't like being pushed into a corner and feeling like I have to make an immediate decision.  Anyway, we gave Erik another couple hours and Neal finally had to tell him that we were going with the other company.  Erik was not a happy camper.  But he was just over the top trying to convince us to go with him.  So as I type this, we have workers in our basement and outside the house installing a new furnace and a new air conditioning at the high price of . . . . well let's just say it prevented Neal from going to the Rose Bowl to see Utah play and will slow our spending down considerably until we get it paid for.  Not good timing to have it come just before Christmas, but is there ever a good time?  Probably not.  Here is a picture of the old tired out furnace.

I'll be posting all the new equipment when it gets completely installed.  I think it will be gold plated!!

Annual Christmas Lunch

 Even though we don't have Lila Mae with us any more, it is important to Lynda Ann, her girls, me and Susan to continue to get together for lunch and shopping.  Well, in reality, we don't do that much shopping we mostly just want to connect as often as we can.  We get together for birthdays and Christmas.  Which between all our birthdays and the holidays we usually get together about once a month, which is good.  That connection is so important.  I felt like Lila Mae was with us at our Christmas lunch.  The love I felt looking at Annie, Mallory and Susan and feeling Lila Mae, was almost overwhelming.  It was a beautiful moment.  It is such a void to have Lila Mae gone.  

Loves my family!

Winter

 The weatherman keeps predicting storm after storm after storm.  We've had a couple days of snow and rain and last night and today we received a significant amount.  I had to take a picture of our bushes with the little red berries still on the branches.  It looked almost like a white Christmas tree with red ornaments.  It was very pretty.