Dad has cut the fields once again and today begins the baling process. We will not get the crop we had with the first cutting as the water got turned off early again this year. It is maddening to have to deal with the “old boys” and their ways.

We got the stairs put up in the back of the barn “upstairs”. Now we can actually move stuff up there if we need to. Dad and Jerry will cement the porches front and back on Wednesday evening. That is one project we have trying to get done for three or four years.

The lamb, larger, now a ewe, thinks she is a dog and runs with Emma and Charlee. To get her into her pen at night one must show her a dog bone treat and she will gladly go into her pen. The duck people have decided that the pond is not too bad a place to go and have to be driven back to their pen at night to protect them from the foxes and the coyotes. If they could be trusted to remain on the pond all night they would be okay, but with the duck people its hard to tell what they get into their minds to do.

Dad has cleared the bottom few acres of sagebrush and we have a hand line that will water the grass mix down there. The ranch looks really good with all the green, it is almost like an english estate with rolling grass, when you look at it from the french doors upstairs.

Dad put electric wire down both sides of the middle area of the fields that need to be groomed. This is the area we put the water and power lines in and it needs to be worked so we can plant a grass mix there. The horses have done a great job of eating down the weeds and helping to make the job easier for dad to get it fixed and planted before winter and our retreat to the Arizona bad lands and the Navajo Nation.

I learned to do stained glass and I think I will really love it. The lady who owns the store called and asked me to work for her and I filled in for several weeks until she and her regular helper worked out their differences. That was interesting. It confirmed to me that I like to do stain glass, but I don’t like to work in a shop that you have to stand around a lot. Even though Wal-Mart has its problems, at least you work work work when you are there and the time goes by quickly. Not saying I’m going back to W-mart, but I did enjoy the people.

Rebecca and her boys came for a month at the beginning of the summer to help out and work “our projects”. She wants her boys to know the ranch, and love it as much as she does. It won’t be long before Craig, “4″ will be driving the truck while grandpa “pa pa” loads the hay. I’m sure we will have to attach blocks to the pedals, but so what, I drove a bus this past spring with blocks on the peddals. The bus barn people had put them on for the lady who normally drives the route. Anyway the boys will get first hand lessons on farm life, if we all live long enough.

John and Erin, Jared and James came down for a weekend and that was fun. I truly miss not seeing my children and how they react with each other and how they enteract with their children, or siblings children. Grandkids are the best.

The summers highlight was witnessing Kimberly’s graduation from Western Governors University, with honors. She also spoke at the commencement exercises. It only took her eighteen years to get there. She is now going to teach sixth grade at Layton Elementary school. She is excited about her new job.

James graduated last December, but officially walked, at our request in April, that was fun.

John will graduate in December and move his little family and extended family back to Massachusetts, I know I will never see them again, only in pictures. But each of us have to do what is best for our families. I just feel sad that his children will never be a part of my life.

Jared was scheduled to graduate in October, but found out he needed to take an additional class. He is now to graduate in April. That gives the family six out of eight with degrees and two to go. All the spouces have their degrees and some with masters, while others are working towards theirs. Education is a good thing.

Rebecca and Keith came with their two boys all the way from Mississippi to be here for Christmas. They got here on Saturday, after taking an extra three hours to check out the rez without realizing what they were doing. Its actuallya straight shot from Gallup to here, but Rebecca decided to take the straight line approach and went through Saw Mill which we haven’t even gone to or through. It is one of the coldest spots on the rez. I think they got to see lots of snow and not to good of roads. Which really means, instead of taking the main road which is paved, they took a dirt road which isn’t even graveled. But they got here. The cousins were so happy to see and play with each other, bringing much joy to their Grammie.

We drove to the south rim of the canyon to look over the side into the deep canyon. It was a cold day so we decided it wouldn’t be the best idea to hike into the canyon at this time. Keith and Reb rode with Jared and Emily and we had the three oldest cousins in our car, it was the best. To hear them laugh and talk to each other was such pleasure for me.

Saturday night was cold and no one except Dad and Rebecca and the three oldest grandchildren wanted to brave the parade. I would have gone but I was making a lemon chiffon pie for us to eat and I was sure the parade would only last ten minutes. When two hours went by and they hadn’t returned, Jared made the comment that he was sure that the indians had talked dad into being in the parade and put lights on his car. Well, it wasn’t exactly like that, but close. Dad and Rebecca were asked to judge the floats. Being outsiders, they wouldn’t be swayed. There was $1500.00 in prize money to be won and so the people organizing the parade didn’t want members of the same clans judging. They watched the parade, it was ten minutes long. They took the kids and walked around the floats, the kids about froze to death, they put the kids into the car and walked around the floats again with the women in charge and then finally made their decissions. They said they departed soon after as they didn’t want to be acosted for their choices. Jared was almost right.

Jared and Emily and the girls decided to leave on Sunday so Jared could make it to a doctors appointment without traveling Christmas eve or day. The little cousins traded Christmas presents and had fun playing with their new treasures. Before Jared and Emily left with the girls, we made a large breakfast and enjoyed just being together. While Jared packed his car and got it warm for their trip, Cadence began to feel puny and act a little puny. Jared got double wal-mart bags and put them by her car seat just in case. Jared later said that the way dad sent them home took three extra hours. He already told me he wouldn’t be coming back to the rez ever. Then to take an extra three hours to get home only added to his commitment. Cadence was sick all the way home. She ruined all her clothes, all her dads shirts and finally they had to find a store to buy her something to put on so she could make it the rest of the way home. Even if the trip was trying to the parents seeing my darling little granddaughters was heavenly for me.

We took Reb and her family to church with us, or I should say we took the Elders in our car and they followed in their car to Lukachukai. I’m sure it was an interesting event in their lives. Indians don’t always start their meetings on time and sunday was no exception. RS and Priesthood was held together because there were no teachers. After the meetings we handed out goodie bags to all the families and those that stayed for another hour heard dad read the “Real Story of Christmas” a tradition for us. I had made english triffle and served everyone. Keith chased Craig outside in the snow and Wesley slept through the whole thing.

Monday we drove to the south rim of the Canyon De Chelly and walked down to the white house ruin. We bundled up thinking it would be cold, but ended up carrying our coats, hats, gloves because it was so warm. The little boys walked the whole way without to much complaining and Craig beat his mother to the top and won a root beer float at the A & W.

We fondued on Christmas Eve and just enjoyed ourselves. The Bardo family was so beat they were all in bed by 8:00 p.m. and sawing logs. The senior missionaries, came by about nine to hear the Christmas story read by dad and I served New Mexican hot chocolate. We enjoyed their company and I enjoyed hearing the story again. Forty years of hearing it never seems to much.

We woke up later than usual, the boys were dancing around by 7:30 a.m. That’s late for us. Usually our children would be up by three or four in the morning. The trick of taking the long walk was the best. It took most of the day to open packages and eat and open some more. It was delightful to watch the boys. We had a wonderful Christmas. We spoke to most of our children and grandchildren and it was such a pleasant time for me. I couldn’t have asked for a better present than having Jared and Rebecca’s familys here. Thanks guys.

Rancho Sierra Vista is 80 acres where Jack and Alaine have settled after a long, long, long life of travel and moving their family and children everywhere AND in retirement have gone, slightly retarded in deciding to farm 80 acres.

Anyway, this is where they will post pictures, updates, information, and supposed progress on barns, cabins, hogons, and (cross fingers, pray really hard, and find a magical lamp that grants wishes) a house.

That’s it for now.

son John