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Show 2 ' w -JIMPAOGOS TIMES , May 4, 2011 h ; - - - I i. ..-- ..I way bombs sound when they blow up. I never could do it but the boys could. When we went to the Saturday matinee at the Para-mount Theater in Ogden in those days, we paid a dime to get in and had a nickel left for a candy bar, or suckers, or popcorn, or jelly beans, or whatever we wanted. We got to see two full feature length films, a serial, news, and lots of cartoons and if we wanted and our mothers did not care, we could stay and see it all through again. The war was with us night and day. Our parents talked about it over the fence, the newspapers wrote and wrote about it, and took lots of pho-tos of it, and the boys on our street made fox holes in the vacant lot and played war all the time. (Except when they played cowboys and Indians which was also a lot of the time.) But now, after surviving several more wars that Ameri-ca has had to participate in and with wars still going on, I don't have that feeling of excitement by Marcella Walker Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful May! I say that not only because it is my birthday month and it is Mother's Day month, but this year both of these days fall on the same day, May 8! It's not that I want to get double the presents, nor dou-ble the hugs, nor double the food, but I sure do enjoy think-ing about it! Every once in a while my birthday falls on Mothers' Day. Now that I am not only a mother, but a grandmother and too, it seems a little more special. We had two born this past year but it was in June and August when they came and not in time for last year's Mother's Day so we'll make up for it this year. I have always loved hav-ing my birthday roll around and it is not because of the presents, or the cards, or the sentimental thoughts, but it is because it is my special day. It was a special day for others, too. The war in Europe in World War II ended on my birthday. We did not have to go to school that day because everyone was enjoying the end of the war. In Ogden, the sirens were going off and people were singing and there were horns honking everywhere and it was great. I got two new dresses that day. I remember standing with my mother out on the front porch, cheering and laughing and waving to everyone in one of the new dresses. I was nine years old on that wonderful day. The war was a big part of our lives in those days. There was rationing of food, gaso-line, and many other things because of the war. We talked about the war in school and at home and on the radio. (There was no TV in those days.) Music in those days was wonderful and each of the military services had their own hymn and we kids learned all the words to all of them and sang them often. The boys played soldier and made nois-es with their mouths of the that I did as a kid. Even then I knew war was awful but we didn't ever see soldiers or sail-ors or Marines die in real life. Now I understand it all. We are still at war in various places, helping our allies or trying to get this whole thing straightened out. But, no fear! I hope to have a great birthday and Mother's Day all in one. I'd like to get presents for each of them but just seeing and hearing from my kids and grandkids and my Honey will be enough for me. I like kisses from them, too! A ,r Y" - .,... fi i t , v something we enjoy thoroughly together. It's something that we love and it's great to share common hobbies and activities. It definitely brings us closer together. This semester we've even been asked to be teachers here at school. So I went from horrid to pretty decent. It's all thanks to my hubby who believed in me and pushed me and then told me I was doing great. He believed in me and eventually I believed in myself and stopped caring what people would think. This life is short. You can only live it once. Sometimes we all need to step outside of our comfort zones. You may be surprised what you're good at and what is fun. by Marissa Moncayo How many of us stay hidden up in our own little comfortable shells? I know that I was one of those who didn't try new things to often. I loved doing new things once I got there and had a friend with me, but some things were too far out of my comfort zone. For instance, hip shaking. I am a Caucasian. I am not one of those with loose hips. I was stiff. I have loved dancing since I can remember. I may not be the best at it, but I've always enjoyed it. When I met my husband, , he came from a different culture.' They dance all the time! I remember the first day I met him he was showing me some of his moves and I stood there awkwardly. I remember telling him how horrid I was at moving my hips, unlike many girls. I was embarrassed and I didn't even want to try in front of him. Eventually I promised to get some lessons from his friends. And believe it or not, I wasn't half bad. Now I'm still not the most loose hipped woman, but at least I'm learning. I love dancing. I am so happy my husband comes from a place where dancing is fun and enjoyed and important, I stepped out of my comfort zone to try something and now I can't imagine life without it. It's Things may take practice and time, but it's worth it. It's worth it to find things in common in any relationship and "Moments" continued on Page 3 Thoughts From The Garden... by Tonya LeMone Nothing in the world is more flexible and ytelding than water I have a love-hat- e relationship with water. From a very young age it has been a well known tact to anyone who knows me that I have a great fear of water especially for recreational use and definitely if the water is over my head, which I might add is not hard to do. I hclicve Lao Tzu when he said, "Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong none can withstand it because they have no way to change it." That being said, hopefully you better understand my feelings toward water. But, to a gardener water is the very essence of the garden. A garden cannot exist without it, and this is where the love part of my love-hat- e relationship with this very essential garden clement comes from. During my younger growing up years, I lived in southern California and my mother felt it necessary that I learn to swim because we spent a better part of each year on the beautiful white sandy beaches of a small coastal town of San Clcmentc. My mother enrolled me in every swimming class at every age level and even private lessons, but the fear always took over when we had to take that jump into the twelve foot end of the pool off the diving board. 1 always accomplished the task because I was an obedient child, but was sick for days prior with the anxiety of stepping off into the deep blue. Did I learn to swim? Maybe enough to save a child, but the fear was and is still there. Even as an adult I was determined to learn to swim. My husband offered a neighbor an obscene amount of money if she could teach me to swim. She quickly found out I could swim but could not get over the fear. I took lessons for two summers and learned so much about patience and trust, but still have the fear which keeps me from accomplishing the art of swimming without fear and enjoying the sport. As the gardening season begins (hopefully soon), water once again is a big part of my life, but this is the love part of my love-hat- e relationship with water. As I plant my garden and mow my lawns and wait anxiously for the grey water system to come on, l am troubled by the thought if we were not able to have water or had to haul water in order for our crops to survive. For the last 23 years we have received our water through irrigation turns and then the miracle of a grey water system. What a glorious day it was when we no longer had to set the alarm and water at all hours of the day or night. Our children loved getting up at 2 a.m. to water and do a little skim boarding, but it was hard for us parents who still had to carry on our regular routine with interrupted sleep. We have now come to another cross road in our watering system. We are getting an automated sprinkler system. Now to most people an automated sprinkler system is nothing foreign nor a luxury because it has always just been .there. However, for me it is the greatest thing since brown paper bags. For all these years I have dragged hoses from one end or our half acre to the other end of our half acre timing it so I am not watering in the heat of the day and finishing my watering before 1 leave for work, making sure there are no brown spots on the lawn that first appear as a deep blue green color then overnight they are as brown as if neglected for weeks. For the last week we have had the hardest working men hand digging our yard and installing sprinkler pipes to make my life easier. At the end of the week I was called out of the house to see the new installation. Right there before my eyes was little sprinklers popping out of the ground covering every inch of grass, garden and herb garden without missing a spot and set on a timer to come on while I am fast asleep in my warm bed. Oh, the miracles I have seen in my lifetime! Even though my regard for water for recreational purposes has pretty much stayed the same for the last something, something years my love for water in the garden has increased immensely. I appreciate the labor of those who so carefully dug through our landscaped yard and when leaving at the end of each day, they would tidy up their work so no one could even see signs of grass being moved. I also appreciate the free flowing water we get from our canals at a very low cost, and for a husband who made this a priority on our summer to-d- o list, so as to make my life easier and make it possible to leave and take a little road trip with the "canned-ham- " on her maiden voyage (that will be another story. ...soon). My love-hat- e relationship with water will continue, I am certain of. But, I will also continue to have the respect I always have had for water and still believe that nothing is more flexible or yielding than water, but there is nothing more important to our survival than water. Sec you in the Garden "New Leadership" ' .' s hi ...nr. .i .. ... In ii. il.. i. i.l school is located in the Nebo School District. The significance of this event has tremendous impact on Utah. No statewide office holder in Utah can be elected without winning in Utah County. As Utah County goes, so goes the state of the Republican Party. Right now Senator Hatch is fighting for his political life. He saw what happened to Senator Bennett and he is very attentive to the mood of the delegates who gathered last Saturday. Major news media seem to have a difficult time understanding and representing how the political system in Utah works. It is really pretty simple. The nation has two major political parties, as does Utah. At the national level each party has a platform, which outlines what each party stands for. Each party also has a state platform outlining their beliefs. Each county also has a platform outlining their beliefs. These platforms are voted on by delegates from the respective counties and states. Each party gets to set the rules whereby their candidates for office are selected. Most people recall seeing the national conventions of each major political party broadcast on television. All of that starts right back in local neighborhood meetings where delegates are selected. In Utah the Democrats have had a difficult time distancing themselves from the more liberal national platform. In Utah County the Democratic platform is very conservative compared to the national platform. For example, the national platform clearly supports a woman's right to choose an abortion along with gay and lesbian rights. The local Democratic platform does not support these positions. We see the same thing in organizations like the Utah Education Association. Their platform is much more conservative than the National Education Association platform. The UEA spends a lot of energy trying to distance itself from the national organization. The Republicans in Utah County are hoping the new leadership selected last Saturday will take a more positive tone. The last two years have been filled with a lot of bickering and infighting The Utah delegation has returned from China. Governor Herbert seized the opportunity to take a group of business and government leaders to visit China before Ambassador Huntsman leaves office. The delegation, including a business leader from right here in Pleasant Grove, got a firsthand view of the emerging Chinese nation. China has the same problem the Soviet Union had and still has. They are trying to build a society without the ethical foundation we have enjoyed for so long in America. Lacking that religious foundation, a nation can only progress so far. The Chinese people, along with billions of others around the globe, are yearning to breathe free. Last Saturday new leadership was selected to govern the Utah County Republican party. Hundreds of ordinary people, elected by their neighbors as county delegates, met in the new Maple Mountain High School. The new high by Mark Bezzant April showers have definitely ushered in May flowers and the Royal wedding is now history. The snow pack on Mt. Timpanogos has grown larger than ever. Already our neighbors in northern Utah have experienced flooding while residents here continue to prepare for the inevitable. Using our experience from 1983 and 2005, we will be much better prepared. causing many long time Republicans to step back. The average American wants no part of these extreme positions on either end of the spectrum. Poll after poll suggests that people want elected leaders to work for the common good. Since so many elected leaders in Utah are Republicans and since Utah County is so influential in that party, let's hope that the delegates' selected leaders will govern much like Senator John Valentine has governed. Sr. -- - - I TIMPANOGOS TIMES SUBSCRIPTION : , Name: Check : Check amount: i Make check payable to "Timpanogos Times" . i Mailing Address: CC 1 1 1 year $40 2 year $77 3 year $113 4 year $152 Exp. Date CC Billing Zip. , All credit card subscriptions will be shredded 1 Mail to: 11 S. 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