Home to the Desert

Saturday August 20, was Trek Training for the leaders of the groups bringing youth next year.  There were about 240 of them.  I did the music training and talked about how important music is to bring the spirit and music and dance to lift the spirit and energize tired aching bodies.  It is true!  Bob taught about activities and the pony express and pot gut express.  "Chip and Dale" our funny pot gut express cars died and were put out to pasture so next year we will use the 4X4.  It will still be fun and good.  We drove out to the Dairy Barn to see how the siding work was coming along.  The Evanston Stake, our agent Stake, are putting up aluminum siding.  It looks great.  They have been so good to the mission.

Bob outside the Dairy Barn where he had helped load it with handcarts and port a jons for the winter

Handcarts stacked two stories high in the Dairy Barn!

Evanston Stake men putting the siding on the Dairy Barn

Sunday we sang for our last time at the Singles Ward in Evanston.  It was sad to know that we will not be singing together with this group of missionaries, but we will sing again next year.  New group and new song. 
Monday the 22 we finished packing, cleaning, and winterizing the trailer.  It will be stored in Evanston until next April when we return to finish our mission.  We left the ranch at about noon.  It was a funny feeling, like we were leaving peace and going back into the world.
We drove to Vernal to the temple, only to find it closed for its two week closure.  We seem to hit that with "monotonous regularity"

Debra outside the Vernal Temple  It was very windy

We then headed to the Tabiona Junction to look at some property we have there that we have not seen in 20 years.  We did not have a lot description so we could only guess where it was.  Next year we will be more prepared so we will know where it actually is.  We drove onto Price, Utah to spend the night.  It certainly has grown since the last time we were there.  Bob spent his junior high years in Price and he could hardly believe what has become of the place.  It is big. We got a call from our daughter, Valerie.  She was in the valley for an appointment and we decided to go straight home so we could see her before she headed back to Snowflake.  We left early Tuesday morning and drove through Monticello and got a picture of that temple.  Next year we hope to attend a session there.

Debra at the Monticello Temple

On to Moab, and the four corners area.  I have had that on my bucket list since the fourth grade when my favorite teacher, Mrs. Olsen, gave me a love for dinosaurs and San Juan County where she was from. Teachers really can have a lifelong influence on us.  Thank You great teachers.

Bob in Utah and Arizona, Debra in Colorado and New Mexico.  The Navajo Nation charges $5 per person and limits you to 3 photos?

We hit some big rain storms all the way home until we hit Heber AZ.  We got home to family and a fun welcome home sign that Heidi , Valerie, and their kids had made for us.

Emily and Betsy with Grandma and Grandpa

Jacob and Heather came on Wednesday to surprise Heidi for the 40th birthday on August 25.  It is so good to be home but we will miss Deseret Land and Livestock for about 8 month and then we will return for another great summer helping with the handcart treks.  Till then Happy Trails to You!