Christmas-New Years

David and I had to go back to MN on New Years Eve, so we celebrated New years with the Ogden relatives, Tom, Fran, Dennis, Ryan and Trevor on Friday. It was fun. Dennis had just gotten back from his trip so he told us a lot of great stories. And Sarah brought her new boyfriend. There were too many people to sit at the table so Ryan, Trevor and Carl had to eat somewhere else. Blake had to work so couldn’t come. Dad slid over to sit with Mamiyo and kept making faces at Dan. Patty brought him the best present: an animated stuffed toy, just like the one she had at Christmas! He’s been playing that thing nearly non-stop. So, David and I put tape over the speaker…too noisy! He really likes it though and it’s easy to operate—just one push and his ears flap. He was bouncing his leg in tune with the song (or maybe the movements?) I have to get him some more but hope we can disable the sound.

Don was in town too, but had to leave before everyone came. Dad recognized him and said, “Oh, it’s been a long time…!” but then he couldn’t remember his name and thought he was one of his cousins from Banbridge Island, WA. Those cousins are all gone now and would be in their 90s if they were still alive. He thought Blake was one of them too!

On the last day we were there, we wanted to take dad out so we asked him what he wanted to do. He pointed to the mountains and said, “let’s go up there!” He was really energetic and kept pointing the way. When we headed up little cottonwood, he said “Go to Snowbird!” He really knows that place. In fact, when we passed the first exit, he got upset. But we ended up in the usual place where the tram takes off. We ate lunch at the Fork Lift so he could have a highball and watch the skiers. He really likes to watch people and likes to be among the skiers just like an ordinary person.

He kept forgetting that we were leaving and was a little dismayed when we said we were going right now. So I showed him the photos of Jody and said that now she’ll be coming. He said, “Oh! I haven’t seen her in a long time!”, and smiled and nodded like everything would be ok. It was a good way to leave.