Next Stop, South Towne Ranch!

We have placed a deposit on an apartment at South Towne Ranch Retirement Community in Sandy, Utah (10600 South and 300 East). We have been to lunch (main meal) twice...once, today with our friend from Cedar City (Caroline). Caroline had looked at apartments here in December, but had no idea that we had put a deposit on one...she is thinking about joining us if whe gets her house in Cedar sold...we need to pay off our car and wait out our lease on our apartment (also, plan to sell the property at Zion). I took pictures today so you can all see what a beautiful place this is. They have a travel program for residents...kind of like a timeshare...when you visit one of the 300+ locations they have around the country. (also have a guest room/apartment if we have out of town guests...$50 per night...includes 3 meals per day). We will be only 3 blocks from the Dimple Dell Recreation Center (beautiful pool, exercise facilities, etc. ...I'll post pictures another time). I didn't get pictures of the activities room at South Towne....there is some exercise equipment there and room for quilting, sewing, parties, bingo, etc.

A view of the back of the building with the beautiful mountains in the background...

another view of the grounds and paths...a creek and pond with malard ducks is at the far end of this picture.

This is the entry hall.

more of the entry hall...dining area is behind me as I took this picture.

This is the Dining area. Note how light is is with all the skylights and the fireplace on the far wall.

This is the private Family Dining Room used by anyone who has a family gathering or visitors or special occassion to share with friends or family.

This is the "Chapel" (they had used this room for another gathering and had pushed the loveseat "pews" to the sides). We ate lunch with one of the LDS Branch members today, she told us all about the Branch...they have all the meetings, but shorten them so that the meetings are over in 2 hours instead of three. Many of the members of the branch are former General Authorities (now Emeritus).

We are feeling very fortunate to have found such a beautiful retirement community, and the people are very nice and friendly. We are feeling good obout our choice and hope that we will be able to follow through with our plans. More photos...

South Towne Ranch (continued)

A puzzle in progress on the mezzanine, overlooking the entry hall.

Don enjoying the Pool Table in the Game Loft on the second level.

This is the Library.

This is the Beauty Salon.

This is the Big Screen TV room.

We Thank Thee, Oh God, for a Prophet

I had just finished watching the figure skating competition tonight (8 pm), when there was an announcement that President Hinckley (our dear prophet) had passed away peacefully at his home about an hour before...at 97 we can hardly say this was unexpected, but I can't begin to explain how suddenly empty I felt. How grateful I am for the gospel in our lives and the understanding we have of the nature of life and eternity. What a good, kind man he was; what an example of a life well lived; how we will miss him...his energy and his humor...the twinkle in his eye (especially the one he reserved for his beloved wife, Marjory)...it is good to know that the twinkle was surely there as they met once again and embraced. I surely know that he was a prophet of God and his wit and wisdom will live on in my life; may we all aspire to live in accordance with his example and teachings and may we take comfort in knowing that God will provide a new spokesman, prophet and seer to guide and direct us in these days of turmoil before the coming of our Lord and Savior.

Catching Up

Sorry it's been so long since I "blogged"; I'll try to catch up now while I can, maybe, catch my breath before the next wave comes crashing in. We have been in a whirlwind of doctors' appointments since we moved into the apartment...Don has mostly lost the use of his right hand (he can stil bring the thumb to the index finger to grasp objects, but no strength to keep holding on; also, can't straighten the four fingers). CAT scans, MRIs, electrodiagnostic testing and consultations with neurologist and neurosurgeon at the U of U have yielded no firm answers that are consistent with the location of the spinal damage that is evident in all the scans, etc. The doctors even thought that he might have a tumor somewhere since he has also lost almost 25 lbs. in the last 3 months (without wanting/trying to). With that in mind he has had his blood and urine tested and retested; a colonoscopy; an upper GI series done and chest xray; more CAT scans and MRIs and consultations. At this point he is experiencing numbness and tingling in his arm and also in his toes so the neursurgeon thinks it is time to act on the information they have...spinal calcification and collapsing discs need to be dealt with before he looses any more limb function...He will have surgery on Feb. 5th (the first of three possible procedures...and the least complicated) to relieve pressure on the nerves to the hand (we hope). Dr. Apfelbaum is a "legend" we are told; the best in the west (all he does is necks) for cervical spinal problems. This first surgery is usually done on an outpatient basis, but he will keep Don overnight to evaluate how well he will tolerate surgery before they attempt another procedure. I'll keep you posted on how he does and what is next. All prayers on his behalf will be welcomed and appreciated. Enough of the medical journal for now. We were so pleasantly surprised to have Jessica and Kami stop in with Mindy and Billy and family...a BIG THANKS to all who made that possible. Their visit was all too short, just a few hours and dinner (Spencer and Nancy and kids joined us). With Don's health problems and Spencer leaving for Kuwait next month and Jess and Kami returning to Korea, who knows how long it will be before we can get that group together again. Congratulations to Betsy on her marriage and to Aaron and Chrys on their engagement (we are looking forward to their wedding in May). Not much more news for now...and no pictures this time...I'll try to do better in my next post. Love to all, Carol (Mom)

Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night!

Everyone here is enjoying the beautiful Christmas season.
Callie thinks she deserves a place under the Christmas tree.
(This is her spot when she is not curled up on my bed)

She even tolerates my red plaid Christmas Cat.

It's almost nap time.

But before we go, Callie visits me in the bathroom

where she take her final bow.

Hoping everyone has a really joyous Christmas Day, we'll be

Thinking about all of you with love and missing you !!

A strike ! A spare ! A gutter ball! Birthday Fun was had by All!

Last Saturday we went to Josh's Birthday Party. He and his friends went bowling. Thought you'd like to see how that went :)

What form!

What determination! (willing the ball
to hit the target)

Victory vs. Defeat ? (actually, Vanessa

celebrated every ball that made it to the pins;

Josh couldn't believe she was celebrating even when

there were no pins down)

It was great fun to see the kids at play, and the cake was good too!

Update

Just a quick update before we continue moving furniture into storage....."no stones" for Dad, and the pain hasn't returned. Could be an ulcer, the doctor says, but since it hasn't returned and didn't seem to be associated with mealtime, that seems to be unlikely.