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Show Review - Wednesday, May 16, 1984 - Page 2 " ( v s Toys gone but memory lingers on r By MARC ELLA WALKER The boy is 18 and one-hal-f years old and he says, "Mom, what ever happened to my astronaut outfit?" Into your mind comes a vision of a chubby little boy, probably about six, seven or eight years old. The astronaut outfit was more than just a helmet It came down onto the shoulders. It was made of white plastic and it had a yellow face visor that went up and down. This kid always loved hats. When he was the fattest baby you ever saw he would rip the hat off the head of a perfect stranger and sit it on his head. He loved hats even then and it has never abated. He has hats all lined up on the ceiling of his room. Hats of every kind and description including cowboy hats, sailer hats, baseball hats with various things written on them, and his grandpa's old hat. Then, after all this time, he asks where the astronaut hat (helmet plus) is located. It is long gone. It died a normal death for something that is played with a lot and is only made of hard plastic to begin with. I hated to tell him it was gone and we didn't have it anymore. I wished it could still have been there, even if broken, for him to look at again and dream the dreams that once were dreamed when he wore it. all could have a specif Di, keep everything that we eve,' ' so we could hold it and hav ' y grand feeling once again ' When Mom married next door after being a wj. over 10 years she had to CU the house that we had lived i1J-- "' many years and move next i' She had us come up and SK l us things she had saved Th a very soft bristle baby WT' comb, pale blue ? highlights, there was a pair J:' shoes and a hand embro.'"' 'p dress. There was a baby W"; $ some jottings about my 'birth There was a box of letters ' the boy who died in a planed when I was a teenager the the pioneer doll she made me the state celebrated its s in 1947, there was the'l" " storybook doll with one missing, there was the tiny ' plate my Mia Maid teacher for me, there was a certifie d having the most beautiful d''! the doll show. "; No, son, the astronaut gone. I wish we had a pictureV with it on. But we do have pictures of you in many of theo ! hats and we need to get some it'! We don't have the astronaut We do have the memory. Hold," I that, forever, my son. I remember all the times that his Dad and I sat down and went through the toys, throwing away the broken and worn out and saving the good and It has to be done but it is hard to do. I always found it hard to throw an old toy away for them because I knew that behind that battered face, or wheelless truck there was a story, a memory. I am way past my own toy stage now. So far past it that you'd think I couldn't remember that far back. But I can. I remember a huge baby doll. She was so big that she didn't fit well into the green wicker buggy that I had for her. What happened to her? I'd like to see her again. I'd like to see the buggy again. I wonder what became of the little china dishes that sat in the cupboard Daddy made me? What about the little muffin tins and pie plates we made mud pies in with red berries off the bush that the birds liked? There was a black doll. She was chocolate brown and had painted-o- n black curly hair. I loved her. I'd like to tell her so but I don't know where she went. And it wasn't just dolls or toys. It was clothes, too. Where are the little dresses, two of them, that I got for my birthday on the day the war ended in Europe in 1945? Where are the bobby sox, the princess-styl- e green coat, the felt skirt? What happened to the boxes of comic books and movie magazines that I used to keep under the bed to trade with other kids in the neighborhood? Every once in a while, a flash of memory comes back and you miss something you used to have. You miss it a lot and you wish you still had it. I know my parents had to go through that stuff and like us had to throw it away when it was old and worn and not much good anymore. But sometimes I wish they hadn't. Sometimes I wish we No sign as lovely as a tree Surely, one of the prettiest scenes in downtown Pleasant Grove took place last week when the Flowering Plum trees were in bloom on Main Street. Those driving or walking downtown could not help but admire the gorgeous pink blossoms that covered every tree. It brought a warm touch of nature to the business area and thanks should go to the Shade Tree Commission who saw to it that the trees were planted a few years ago. Thanks should also go to those businessmen who allowed the trees to be placed in the sidewalk in front of their shops. However, there is a gap where there are no trees from the City Hall south to 100 South St. Evidently the trees were not placed in this area because the sidewalk was not replaced there. - It would be very nice if the trees could go the full length of the two blocks on both sides of the street. The beauty of such a tree-line- d avenue would add much to the flavor of the community. With a name such as "Pleasant Grove" and the community's desire to be a "pleasant" place to live, it would be in keeping for someone to take upon themselves the project of placing trees in the remainder of the block. Certainly, the city council would be in favor of seeing that the trees were placed in front of the city hall. If the others down the street would do the same, what a beautiful street it would be. The city parks department does a good job of taking care of the trees, pruning them, fertilizing them and watering them when needed. The trees are virtually expense free and add so much to what this town should stand for. The Review would encourage those in charge to rectify this situation and make the entire block look wonderful by having trees lining both sides of the street. This journey begins with the first mile c&lumn J By MARC HADDOCK 1 don't know if it was the weather, or the fact that my pants were getting too tight. But it was something I just had to do. So I donned my shorts, and running shoes and headed for the track. Then I wheezed my way through a mile and thought about happier days when all of this was a exercise (pardon the pun), rather than an experiment in futility. The problem is my waistline is starting to spread. I guess that happens to a lot of people when they hit my age. But I swore long ago it wasn't going to happen to me - and I made good on that promise for a long time.; As a senior in high school I was a trim 155. And with minor fluc-tuations, I stayed there pretty much for the next 10 years. Oh, I put on about 15 pounds once, during my two years in Mexico, -- after I fell in love with corn tortillas and frijoles. But a mean bout with amoebic dysentery took that extra of) a full mile without stopping I'm not saying it was prettv wasn't fast, either. But il was as it used to be when I'rj'v myself pushing around the third:? with one guy close in front o! net the rest of the field far behind, just knew I could take him in sprint if I could only live to the the race. (Running a mile is It J that.) I won't stop with a mile either Ii week or two I'll hit the road,:: " shoot for the five-- and re M that burn off all that fat I've k H accumulating for the past fewye;,-It'- s something I've set my sif n- - 111 If a journey of a thousand mi starts with one step, then a habit running can start with that pit:', z-onule I put in Saturday. Maybe I'll even run a marathon 5 Wouldn't that be something1 :a I think I'll slip outside right re enjoy the cool spring evening!': ij8' put away another Dr. Pepper whir contemplate just just how kit J I'm going to be. : ..' ."an weight, and I just never gained it back. I was a long distance runner in school - running the mile during track season, and cross country in the fall. And so I'd go back to the track, or the road, or the hills whenever I felt the need to get some exercise. There was no spare tire when I was a poor, starving student, either. ".And as a poor, starving newspaperman handling my first newspaper, I walked to most of my appointments, and kept myself in pretty fair shape. But when less active work came my way, I started to worry. Why, at one job, where I didn't get around much, I found I was putting in up to six miles a day to avoid getting fat. It must have worked, because I spent so much time running off weight that I was declared obsolete, my position was eliminated, and I was back to being poor and starving. Living on home-mad- e bread and food storage kept me right at my optimum 155 pounds. That is, it did until I came to this newspaper, where I sit too much, drink too much Dr. Pepper and find too many reasons to not keep myself fit. But living the junk food life is taking its toll, I'll tell you. And when the pants to every one of my suits started to squeeze too tight, then I decided it was time to do something about. That was six months ago. And Saturday, I hit track and ran (sort County to spend over $12 million According to information sub-mitted to the State Auditor's office, Utah's 29 counties will spend ap-proximately $279 million from their general fund budgets during the 1984 calendar year. This was reported by Utah Foundation, the private tax research organization, and is based on the Foundation analysis and compilation of 1984 county budgets. Budgeted general expenditures in Utah County for 1984 totaled $12,616,143 of $52 per capita. Among the major budgeted items are $7,583,806 for general government, $2,117,151 for law enforcement, $154,680 for fire protection, $705,062 for correction, $175,291 for protective inspection and services, $212,446 for public health and welfare, $1,121,422 for streets and public improvements, $70,779 for parks, recreation and public property, and $143,906 for con-servation and economic depart-ments. The Foundation report shows the projected revenue to finance these expenditures in Utah County this year will come mainly from the property tax - $6,395,182, the local sales tax - $350,000, licenses and permits - $15,000, federal funds -- $1,485,907, state funds - $229,114, service charges - $1,720,640, fines and forfeitures - $596,000, con-tributions and transfers - $800,000 and other revenues - $1,024,270. Last year the property tax levy for county purposes was 10.95 mills ($10.95 per $1,000 assessed valuation). The Foundation report em-phasizes that county budget totals may be changed during the year as budgets are reopened to deal with special problems, such as tax changes, flood and mud slide damages, and other unforeseen spending needs. Furthermore, the Foundation analysis is limited to general fund expenditures and revenues. Excluded are special revenue and spending items, such as capital projects, debt service, etc. Some county budgets also may have to be revised this year as a result of a State Supreme Court decision and legislation enacted by --See County Page 12 letters to 1 the editor J Take pride in flag I 8 to become soiled, torn or dama? Cor in any way. Let us take pnde y, displaying our flag that it n? ;t represent our country's pride to y that pass by. ,( Bonitalfc S'a Pleasant Grove, I. p. Editor: Where is the pride in our country's flag? Whenever I drive past a place that is displaying our country's flag ripped, torn and badly soiled, I remind myself of the many men and women that have died to protect our country's flag and what it stands for. Its bright colors and striking design stand for our country's land, its people, its government, and its ideals. The United States code is embodied in Public Law No. 623 (1942), which was amended by legislation passed in 1942, 1953, and 1976. In general terms the code sets the following rules: "Display of the flay is a sign of respect and love of our country. The flag should not be flown in bad weather (unless it is made of material). Courtesy and common sense suggest that a flag should be spotlighted at night, which the amended code recommends." Our flag should never be allowed CUP lacks trust It's not hard to understand why the leaders of our local communities don't have much trust in the good will of the Central Utah Water Conservancy District when, by ap-pearances at least, Central Utah Project officials continue to offer concessions they can't provide. The most recent example came last week when a representative for Lehi City appeared at the CUWCD board meeting asking" lot a turnout on the Jordan Aqueduct-Reac- h 4 so Lehi could use the pipeline lo bring some of the city-owne- d water in Deer Creek Reservoir to the city. It was obvious that the district's board of directors was puzzled that the city would even make such a request, especially after one board member pointed out that the Salt Lake Water Conservancy District intended to buy the J-- 4 pipeline when it was completed so it could be used for more than CUP water at a price tag totallying $88 million. Robert Hilbert, who serves on the CUP board and is manager of the Salt Lake County group, was emphatic that that the Salt Lake County district didn't want and wouldn't pay for a pipeline that had been tapped before it reached its destination. And that's the district's prerogative. But Lehi Mayor George Tripp, who made the request, was working under other assumptions - mainly the assumption that the turnout was one of the measures that the CUWCD would approve in return for Lehi's granting an easement across a city water line. The district had to have the easement before the J-- 4 could be built. At least he felt staff members had made that assurance when the city signed the easement. But when he went to the Bureau of Reclamation, who is building the pipeline, to make good on what he thought was a gentleman's agreement, he was referred to the board. And while the board referred the matter to a committee for further study, there is little doubt that the request will be granted. The Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District will call the shots on this issue, since they are carrying $88 million in leverage. The problem isn't that the board acted wrongly, but that Lehi officials were led to believe the board would give them something it had no intention of delivering. And those assurances came, not from the board, but from the in-dividuals bartering for the easements over city-owne- d water lines. And to add to the discomfort, it's not the first time it's happened. The CUWCD is dealing with a group of parents in Salt Lake County who felt like CUP staff members promised them some help in building a park over an earth-covere- d storage tank when the district's directors had no intention of giving any such help. The misunderstandings may not be intentional, but they are there. And as long as people dealing with the CUP get promises from the individuals who don't make the decisions only to be turned down by the people who have the power, the district will continue to have a hard time instilling trust in the public. peasant (Sroue nii U S P S No. UK 11 South Main. Pleasant Grovr. L'ufc HOC Published weekly by Newlah. Inc. Telephone Numbers Advertising Circulation '"' g News L Publisher BreltR-- Editors M.rcHW Marcella!' Subscription price 19 .SOpn)"' Second class postageH Pleasant Grove Post 0"' PimiMfrSendaajw'1"', p I) Bn7. American Fort- ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES Fffj j Grand U Opening Gift ideas galoreNC QJL Let us help you with your decorating ideas. Also look ahead Father's Day gifts. Old and new at affordable prices. Come see u in rear. Joshua Alexander won our Grand Opening drawing of an oaK chest of drawers (Federal period) valued at $145.00. BUY SELL TRADE 756-265- 9 59 East Main American Fork, Utah Linda Parks Res. 756-785- 2 A A IGLASSMANI 7 AUTO & TRUCK GLASS f "WE COME TO YOU" , SLIDING JRUCK WINDOWS RPonti131!. Windshields Side Windows Spend - Back Windows Leaks Fixed SERVING ALL OF , " utah county Insurance Claims AMERICAN FORK 51IESL. j 756-2162- 1 fT1 Weekdays 9 to 6 h Dale R. Tate, M.D. announces the opening of an office for the practice of internal medicine at 120 North 1220 East Suite 11 28 North 100 East American Fork, Utah Pleasant Grove, Utah Telephone (801) 756-600- 8 Telephone (801) 785-358- 1 Office Hours By Appointment - - - - ' : |