Thanksgiving Trip

Cody and I started out our Thanksgiving visit to my mom's house with a sad affair in Price, Utah. We attended the funeral of a pottery friend of mine, Iris Howe. I actually didn't make it much past her viewing that was held right before the funeral. I was a blubbering mess. There were videos of Iris playing, pictured collaged together, and a very full chapel. I went over to view her body and cried. I spoke with her husband, Aaron, and excused myself as we needed to continue on our way. I really wish we had stayed but knowing Iris, she wouldn't have wanted me to sit around crying but to go on with my life. She was a very "salt of the earth" type person and I am a better person for knowing her.

On the day before Thanksgiving, I went to the Nashville temple to go through the temple for the first time. Such a beautiful building! So small! Of course, We spent Thanksgiving at my parents house. During our visit Cody, Daniel, and Dad power washed the green off of the house and garage. I changed out the calipers on Daniel's truck at the fire station and just really enjoyed being home.

We decided to head north to Nauvoo, IL and spend some time up there visiting church history sites. After living in Alaska for so long, there is a certain attraction to times when people had to be self sufficient. There were demonstrations on how yarn was made, baking bread in a bustle oven, how ropes were made, brick making and pottery. I was fortunate enough to be allowed to throw a pot for the senior missionaries who were giving these demonstrations. Brother Thompson who allowed me to throw the crock is going to see if he can get the pot fired along with the bricks, but has to get it approved. Hopefully, I'll get to see the finished product!

We went though Iowa and met up with the bad weather. Cody and I switched drivers and Cody drove though the night. The next morning we switch drivers again and the bad weather had continued across Nebraska and Wyoming. In Cheyenne, we hit black ice and wrecked the Jeep. I don't know yet if it is totaled. I was the only one really hurt. Cody has banged up knees and Spike is back to normal. I'm on muscle relaxers and ibuprofen. I feel exceptionally bad today but hope to make a full recovery soon.

I feel lousy enough that I'm going to go back to the couch and lie down. We're back in Orem, Ut and don't plan on going anywhere for a while.