Well, It is about time we posted again. Our lives have been so busy. We were in American Fork, Utah on July 31 for Granddaughter Alisha King's wedding to Tyler Young in the Mt. Timpanogas Temple. We had planned on going on to Island Park, Idaho with Gina and Jack's families, but Mother Nature had another idea!
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Friday morning, we got a call from my sister, Pat who announced that it looked like our roof had some damage, but no one could find a key to check on the house. We called our good friends, Luther and Wanda Green who said they would check on the house. Later that evening, they got in touch with us to report that about a half of our roof was gone, but they had already started working. There was about a three inch rain along with that high wind, probably a small tornado.
The wedding was all day Friday, so early Saturday morning we started home. We did make several stops getting out of town, fruit stands, telling everyone goodby, etc.
We spent the night in Gallup, as we had on the trip up (we arrived in Utah on Thursday evening) and drove home arriving Sunday evening-- just as the Green family were getting the last pieces of new steel back on top! Jesse Green had asked his father, "Where is Chuck, anyway." Luther answered, "He is sitting on that hill over there with his binoculars watching and will get here about the time we finish! Then of course, he laughed, as Jesse turned to look at the hill. It was pretty close, tho.
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Kitchen (downstairs)
The roof was the beginning and we are working hard pulling up floors, down ceilings, and tossing things that were ruined keeping the road hot to the dump. Also we have gathered steel, insulation, and stuff like that all over an acre or two. One day Chuck was raking the trees, trying to dislodge the 2 x 8s and insulation hanging like moss. He got a trck load
Once in a while, Chuck says, " You think you see us here, but we are really in Idaho, kicking back enjoying the cool and sitting in the hot tub now and then."
We are counting our blessings, thankful for the Green Family who have accomplished miracles


To the east, steel scattered into Walterscheid's pasture. Matthew Green picked up three pannels of steel to drag them back onto our property. Chuck and Billy Traylor tried to turn them over and couldn't lift the stack.
Although this is yukky, we are counting it way down the list, with the death of little 14 month old, Liam; Grampa fighting cancer, and a few other real problems floating around the family, we can handle this.

Happy Birthday Chuck!!!

Today is Chucks Birthday so everyone wish him a Happy Birthday!

Golf in January

Chuck loves to play golf. He also enjoys rubbing it in to family and friends who are still frozen in the ice and snow.

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Demonstrating to Ethan about the club and ball.


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He is reduced to practicing on weeds until the Blair picks him up for 18 holes. It was a beautiful day, about 70 degrees. Jessah and Ethan are helping.

Jessah and CHUCKERS

This is mostly pictures. Jessah, 5, immediately warmed up to Chuck. She tried to call him Grampa, but he just couldn't hear that. Then she called him CHUCKERS, and startled as he is, he can definitely hear that! It is never soft and is usually at the top of her lungs.

This day, she decided to give him a new hairdo! For someone who rarely has a hair out of place, this was a sacrifice! She ordered "Bend over, CHUCKERS."



He said, "I don't bend over without checking what people have in their hands."

He was sooo patient


Life after hairdos.

The Trip East!

Happy New Year

Holiday and Season's greetings.

Chuck and Verna have been so busy visiting that we haven't gotten much done. We have loved your cards and letters, from congratulations to Christmas cards and beyond. We so appreciate your good wishes and love.

Since we married on August 2, 2008, our lives have been jam packed. Fortunately, we haven't figured out how many miles we traveled in the first five months of our marriage, however, we did average the two weeks before Christmas at about 250 miles per day. Considering that was mostly in ice and snow, we were really fortunate.

We had the wonderful privilege of visiting Chuck's Aunt Kate and her son Jim Rinella in Arkansas. Aunt Kate is 98 years old and is wonderful. How we loved their stories of living in Costa Rica as Jim's father, Red Rinella, was employed building the Pan American Hiway. The stories were incredible and both Kate and Jim are great storytellers.

A short visit in Holt, Missouri let Chuck meet Ernie and Donna Hurt who are special to Verna.

Traveling toward Illinois, it was late with blinding snow, so Chuck stopped in Shelbina, Missouri at the only motel. He went in, then came out, announcing, “I am not paying $57 dollars for a motel room.” I got out of the car and said, “I am,” then went inside. He joined me and we were thankful to be out of the storm.

We visited Chuck's brother Harvey who lives in Batonsville, IL. Harvey's wife, Betty, is in a nursing

home near by in Pekin, IL . We had a delightful visit with Harvey and his grandson, Crailin Mogged, then went to visit Betty in the nursing home where Harvey spends all his afternoons. Betty suffers Parkinson's but she is a special artist with very lively insights in her paintings. We enjoyed hearing about Betty's genealogy and her travels in her younger days.

We went to Peoria and were graciously put up for the night by Harvey's son and daughter-in-law, Craig and Belinda Mogged. Their home has a lot of character as do it's owners. Chuck went to bed while Belinda and I discussed family history. Craig came in from work about midnight and cleaned up.

I woke up Chuck so that Craig and Belinda could entertain us with their original songs and music until 4:30 am. They are great! We were so honored by their sharing.

We visited Fairfield, Iowa where Chuck lived many years. His friends, Wes and Nonie Shaffer and their daughter visited with us and fixed us a great meal. We had a delightful visit. Also in Fairfield, we had a short visit with Chuck's youngest daughter, Karen Swanson along with her husband David and three of their four children. They are a lovely family, very busy with all their activities. (Sorry, we forgot to take pictures)

We drove by Gilman High School where Chuck told some of his high school stories. There had been several ice storms, one on top of the other, so the scenery was a beautiful fairyland. Each blade of grass was the size of my finger—it was like walking on rocks! Sadly, the ice was doing a lot of damage, especially to the trees. Many were without electricity. The roads were icy as well, but to this desert dweller it was so beautiful.

We stopped to visit Chuck's sister-in-law, Pat, in Piper City, Illinois and had a great visit. Pat is the widow of Chuck's brother Bob. She is a nurse and has been very involved with politics this year. We also got to visit her son, Scott, and enjoyed his mischief. He kept us laughing about very serious subjects, including his wife's courageous battles with breast cancer.

We arrived at Harry and Virginia's (Mogged) home where they had a wonderful hot dinner waiting for us. Harry is Chuck's younger brother . I loved visiting with both, tho Virginia and I had much in common, with our interests in family and family history. We had a wonderful visit and spent two nights with them. Chuck's also younger brother, Glenn stopped in for a short visit.

(Harry, Verna, Glen, and Virginia Mogged)

I love watching Chuck when he and his brothers are together; his face glows. All have a noble bearing and are a tribute to great parents. Of course there was a lot of good natured teasing. Every one went out of their way to make me feel welcome. In this picture, Chuck had to stand on his toes to be as tall as his 'little brothers'.

The next day we traveled to brother Roy with his wife Marian and grandson, Chris who also had a wonderful meal waiting.

Roy has been battling cancer, also. He is doing well, now.

I will post more about the trip.

Another Adventure

This adventure started out with a rare, calm night at home watching a movie. I walked down the hall, past the pantry which is a junk room right now. As I stepped on the stairway, my mind played back the scene. 'Oh, no, Did I just see a snake in the hall? Yes, I did.' It had a diamond shaped head, but it was small and juvenile harmless snakes can appear to have a diamond shaped head, but the eyes weren't visible. I called Chuck. He came running -- then I was yelling, "Stop."

"Is that what I think it is?"

"It is a snake, but I can't tell what kind."

He grabbed a broom and pinned it. Then there was no doubt it was a rattlesnake. Fortunately he had a five pound hammer sitting on his side of the situation, he played hero and dispatched Mr. Snake to the next world.

He said it is a little difficult getting used to some inhabitants in this house. (That may include me, sometimes)

Adventures

My granddaughter, Dawn Walterscheid, (who is responsible for most of our blog, because what I started was "boring") said if I didn't start posting our adventures, she would make some up. I'm sorry, but you can't make up the kind of adventures WE have.

For instance: One day we were driving to Carlsbad from Phoenix. When we got to Lordsburg, NM, Chuck said, " I read where the son of Sacagawea killed a grizzly bear near here. I would like to find out more about it." (He is especially interested because three of his grandchildren are descendants of Sacagawea.) So -- we drove to the tourist information office just outside of town.

Of course the lady knew the story. There is a monument just outside of town. The road isn't too bad, she had visited it a couple of years ago-- only about 30 miles. She gave us directions. Chuck does not know his little Chyrsler Seabring isn't an all terrain vehicle.

Off we go. For those of you who do not know about Lordsburg, it is one of those areas, flat as in "on a clear day you can see the back of your head." At least that is what I thought before this experience! What a surprise.
Two hundred and fifty miles later we finally found our way back to Lordsburg. We had been through some incredibly beautiful and rough terrain. Constant signs along the road were warning to be on the lookout for Smugglers and Illegal immigrants were a little surprising. We passed several Border Patrol pickups pulling horse trailers -- leaving! We drove on, getting lost a few times, one road ended in a little creek with two foot boulders lining the bottom. We might have crossed there if the car could leap from one rock to the other! Where we were was definitely NOT on the map, though once in awhile one of the dirt roads had a street sign such as "Geronimo" and "Batallion". We did find the monument, it was interesting. The event had happened in 1846. Pomp was guiding the Mormon Batallion when he was attacked by three grizzlys, he had killed one, but the others got away.


We really think we may have been in Mexico part of our journey.

Chuck decided not to go back the way we came because that road was so rough... Arriving in Douglas, Arizona, we found the town blocked off because it was Halloween. Children were trick or treating down main street and I think they had a parade as well. We did find something to eat -- no we didn't joining the kids' trick or treating. (we didn't have costumes) a bathroom and directions!!! At least the directions were to I-10.

As we drove back to Lordsburg, the speedometer registered that we had traveled 250 miles after our first visit to the city, at least the roads weren't 'boring' asphalt!









Maybe a tank could get across THAT road, probably not cows, though.

We had a lot of laughs, and finally got home about 2 am. We used to think we were old!