Seventy Six!

Once again, that magical date rolled around, and once again the family gathered to celebrate.  SK has indeed turned seventy six.  His hair is white and thinner than in past years and his hearing is less than spectacular, but he gets around with ease and still finds all kinds of things to be enthused about....like bowling at Eliza's Birthday party!




Lia gave him a pickleball paddle for his birthday on Monday.  He set out at 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday to observe the game at the Murray City Park, a 30-minute drive from Lia's home in North Salt Lake.  He got home somewhere between 10 and 11 a.m.  He was excited and eager to go back the next day.  He had watched the game being played, asked questions and then was drawn into a few games.

He has played every day since then, and it's Friday.  He is sunburned.  At this writing (8:30 p.m.) he is at the Woods Cross Pickleball courts.  His Fitbit indicates that he is putting several miles a day on his body.  He thinks it is wonderful.  Yes, I think he is hooked.

From August 20 to the 23rd, I joined Erin and her daughter Lauren, Melissa and SK's sister Carolyn at BYU's Education Week.  We stayed in the dorms, we hiked all over campus attending some amazing lectures, we shopped in the bookstore (one of my favorite places to shop), we ventured off campus in the evenings to find delectable meals, we ate BYU mint brownies, and we (along with Lia) attended a university production of "Beauty and the Beast."  It was grand fun.

When it ended, Erin stayed to help Lauren get checked in to her dorm, and Melissa and I came back to Lia's home.  Derek drove up Saturday and joined us for a couple of days.  We all went to dinner at Carolyn's home on Sunday evening, where we celebrated SK's birthday.  Carolyn and Sam and their son Chris were delightful to visit with, and the meal - which Melissa took charge of, was wonderful.

On his actual birthday Monday, Derek, Erin, Lauren, Melissa, Lia, and SK saw a movie that was liked by all, and then bekah and I met them for lunch in Sandy.  Mary, his sister called and also sent a gift.  All in all, I don't think it could have been nicer.

 Looking at the menu at Joe's Crab Shack is a serious task.
 From Left:  Lauren, SK, Derek, Erin, Melissa, Me, Lia, Bekah.
 It didn't take Lauren long to figure that menu out!

SK and Derek posing as dread pirates.

For some, the mere thought of being seventy six causes heartburn, if not dread.  For SK, it's just another day of many.  Another great day.


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