We all love Grandma Colleen

Sunday, February 26th, 2017

The Bear Facts!

scary bedtime story

             THE BEAR FACTS

Once upon a time there was a big family-- a mom, dad, and 8 children. 

One summer day the dad told the family that they were going on a fun trip-- to Yellowstone Park. He said it was bigger than GRA park or even Lagoon, but they would like it. 

The family all worked together to load the big car (station wagon), and even put a tent on the top ( folded of course). 

Away they went....

Are we their yet? the kids cried? 

No said the dad, it will take hours and hours. 

Finally they arrived at a Yuge forest with lots of trees, lakes, waterfalls, a few fires, and lots and lots of animals ( mostly hidden in the forest). There were also  BEARS!!! 

 All the boys helped the dad put up the tent, and all the girls helped the mom cook dinner- such as it was. Then it was time to go to bed.

The mom sprayed lots of mosquito spray on each child, put the leftover food in the big red box, and they had prayer and went to bed in the dark and spooky forest. 

Sometime after midnight, the mom raised up out of a deep sleep to the shaking of the big car. She had been sleeping in the back of it on a mattress. She looked out the window, a few inches away-- into the face of a gigantic  BEAR-- who was trying to claw the window open with his huge claws and teeth! 

The mom screamed  and made a dive for the front seat, just as another bear hopped off the roof. She was trying to  honk the horn to scare the bears, but she mostly awakened all the people in the tent ( and the campground), who came running to see what had happened. 

Needless to say, no one got much sleep the remainder of the night. 

The next morning the family packed up the car and drove to another part of Yellowstone park, away from the bears. 

They parked by a Geyser named Old Faithful, and all the family got out to watch it spray in the air. Not the mom, she stayed in the car to be safe. The back of the car was open for fresh air. 

Along came a mother bear and a baby bear, and guess where the baby bear decided to go? Right-- in the back of the car!! Bears like mother. 

The other people there threw some pebbles at the mother bear and baby to make them leave.  The family could see that they hated to leave, but they ambled slowly away and missed all of the fun with people. 

The family packed up the big car and left Yellowstone Park. Before they left they realized that the bears were not the danger, but the hot pots all around there. 



The two year old had a great time seeing how close he could get to them-- a terrible danger. 

Yellowstone is not for children, the mom said, as they waved goodbye? 

 The End

Next week-- The Snake ( river)

Tu tus and other little know facts

Did you know that my dad, Howard, was a ballerina? 

Here is the true story:

 Some of you may remember that years ago the Wards had to sponsor building funds to pay for the construction of a new chapel. It was during this time, in the late 30's or early 40's, that the ward High Priests were asked to be on a fund raising program. Someone came up with the idea of a ballet, so in proper(?) attire, the men of all sizes and shapes presented their number to a very appreciative crowd. They danced to a well know ballet number, sporting short tu tus, wearing garlands around their heads, waving dainty scarves, and sooner or later falling all over each other. Of course, it brought the house down, and I for one have never forgotten it!  

America's Most Wanted...

 He was charming, a smooth talker, and he knew it. It served him well.

  His name was Quay, and he showed up at Hank's Floral in the late 30's or early 40's looking for work. He said he had experience doing floral work, but would do anything to earn a little money. Hank hired him. and that was how I met him.

 I was 12 or 13 and Uncle Henry ( Hank the Petunia King) had also hired me to work in the floral and nursery. Aunt Della taught me some floral design, and Uncle Henry put me to work transplanting Petunias, or making flats for them. When I wasn't doing that, I tended Paul, Jeanette, David, Judy and Dennis, or swept, cleaned and busied myself in the floral.

 Meanwhile Quay came and went. I was not sure how long he was on the payroll, but I did find out that he was put to work selling flats of flowers and vegetables on a street corner in Salt Lake. The older boys went with him-- and then regaled us with stories of Quay and his " salesmanship"  It seems that no matter what a customer wanted, Quay had just the thing.  If they were out of purple Petunias, then he  sold them cabbage plants with instructions to plant them around the edge for a stunning effect. 

 Or- he would do a bait and switch, always convincing the customer that they were getting a grand deal.  I guess that is when Hank caught on and let him go.

 Time passed,I got a job working for Uncle Leif in his Salt Lake Public Market.  However that  was not the end of Quay It  seems he was on a robbing spree, and was a marked man. He was finally caught, but managed to shoot his hand on purpose to get away again. It was about that time that he was featured as one of the ten most wanted men!!  He made the headlines, and I suppose Henry was interviewed and questioned. Of course he knew nothing about Quay Kilburn,  our own home- grown- floral- designer criminal.

 I lost track of the story after that, but it seemed that he served time in the State Pen, probably trying to talk his way out------

Bathrobes and Vicks...

From: Colleen Stout <colleenestout@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Feb 8, 2017 at 2:32 PMSubject: Bathrobes and Vicks 

I once read a clever piece about a guy who was outraged that his newly married young wife did not know how to take care of an " obviously sick husband". After handing him a glass of water and some Aspirin, she had the audacity to leave him alone while she went to work  No juice,.no cold wash cloth, no heated blanket-- just water. She had no idea how moms were to take care of sick and dying men.  He had a point!

  As a child I was often sick. Now as I look back on it, I feel so sorry for my wonderful parents and plead for their forgiveness. I am so sorry!  I did get the best of care however,  and as the years went by, I am an expert on how to take care of the sick and ailing. I will start with a child-- me!

  First and foremost, you don't leave the ailing one alone in some bedroom. You place  her tenderly on the living room sofa. She needs to be near her caregivers so they can hear her cry about real or imagined needs.  Then she needs to be wrapped in her daddy's large flannel bathrobe,with tassels  and plaid for entertainment. Then  an assortment of clean rags. You don't know about rags? Kleenex had not been invented!

 Next she needs a loving mom whose bathroom medicine cupboard consisted of a jar of Vicks. That is all. Vicks Vapo Rub cures everything, from a sore throat, cough, congestion, cold, earache, headache,aching legs, arms,back,chest---you name it.It probably helped measels, mumps, chicken pox and sunburn too. Not sure. 

 Next it has to be applied with loving maternal hands.They could be a slight bit rough from doing all of that hand laundry, or hanging out frozen clothes on the line or breaking and shoveling kindling wood into the small pot- bellied stove. 

 Next a flannel diaper,heated in a coal stove oven is applied over the affected area. No fancy cloth will do, just a large piece of flannel!! 

 Food for the sick: Cream of Wheat-- of course, and half an orange! What a treat that was, just for the sick and afflicted. They were not cheap. Later maybe a Popsicle or Milk Nickel. There was an icebox but if we had ice cream, it  had to be homemade. The popsicle came from the cafe next door, or maybe I sucked on a piece of ice chipped off the block.

 Next a radio. Yes, an old time radio, which played a succession of dramas all day long, and fun comedy sketches at night. Amos and Andy, The Great Gildersleeve,  or Top musical hits.   They were usually only 15 minutes in length, and were called " Soap  Operas" as the commercials or ads were often for soap, hand, washing, or laundry soaps. I could read the daily log of programs, as soon as I could read, so I knew what was coming on and how to sing along with Duz, Camay, Brilcreme, Rinso White, Palmolive or Lifebouy jingles.

 It was exiting to listen to President Roosevelt and his Fireside Chats-- even at my young age. He and H.V. Kaltenborn talking about important things. 

 Next is a stash of pennies, my parents paid me a penny a glass for water drunk. Oh, and a bank to put them in. I still hear their gentle pleading to " drink some more water and you will be all better!"

 

 Since the  sofa and kitchen were not that far apart, I could ask Mama a million questions while she worked. Like, " what does frustrate mean?"  Or "why are you worried?"  

 Yes, there were other wonder drugs at the time, like Smith Brother's Cough Drops, Argerol ( sp),Mercurochrome, hot water bottles, ( enemas) and Iodine. There were  tweezers and bandages too. They filled an entire small shelf in the medicine cabinet!! The other ones were for tooth powder, brushes, razors and shaving mugs, but I digress. 

 As for nursing skills, it was amazing how the tender care of Mama, plus Daddy's bathrobe and Vicks put me back on the road to health. That and many a " kiss it better!"

 I have not mentioned the most important medical care, prayer. I am sure that there were many fervent prayers uttered  in my behalf and for others laid low with  sickness. I loved to hear them, and KNEW they worked, and I would be well in no time! I was. 

        Colleen Engh Stout

On Wed, Feb 8, 2017 at 3:22 PM, Andrea Pederson   wrote:

I  LOVE this!!!! I was just telling Steve about how you took care of me when I had 2 broken arms. I had a bank that you put pennies into if I would wiggle my fingers. IT WAS SO PAINFUL!!     

I also remember being "set up" on the green couch with a sheet covering it, and having one of the white stools next to me to put things on...esp. water! 

I remember being super sick and not eating for days, and you made me a toasted tuna fish sandwich with margarine on one side, and some dill pickle slices.

It tasted soooo good to me, and every time I was sick after that I requested the same thing...unless of course it was stomach flu that was ailing me...then either Ginger Ale or a popsicle was in order.

I also loved your cool scratchy hands rubbing my fevered brow, or my back when I had the chicken pox...nice and rough from eons of Mama time in hot soapy water, no doubt.

After reading this I want to go back in time and have a sick day with Mama... at home in the old house of course. Just to be so loved and nurtured so sweetly again.

Thank you for being such a loving and caring Mother...you certainly did your best, and made those hard times bearable and special...even sacred.

I love you.

Andrea