I love this picture - for so many reasons. First, because I love you.  Second, because I love Redfish Lake - but mostly, because I love that our family has had years of a strong foundation underneath it. This picture is such a sweet moment - one that shows you were not just a Grandpa. You have been so much more. It's like a little flash I get into your life - you were just like us! I like to sit and try to figure out what you were talking about.... :)  Were you arguing, or just catching up... I can't imagine you and Grandma arguing... so it had to be something else :)

Those years, that you put in as a father and husband are directly related to my life.  You taught my dad how to be a dad. And you taught him how to be a husband. You have always been so good to Grandma. I know there must have been times that were hard, because we are all human, and I remember at one of your anniversary celebrations you talking about how marriage is hard, and at times you have to grab someone to keep them from walking out the door.  I was a teenager at the time, but I still remember you saying it. 

You have been so good to all of us.  You have given us the best thing that you could - yourself. Your presence.  We are all so lucky to have things like Redfish Lake.  And we don't just love it because of the cold water. We love it because of who we share it with.  I am so blessed that you have been there - a presence in my life.  By example, you have taught us what a family is.  You have shown us what it means.  No one will ever doubt that you loved us. And we are all better for it.

Thank you - I love you too.

Adnarim

Something Dead

On the 80th birthday party weekend I was setting up the projector screen and the slide projector in my basement. Mom & Dad Sherri and David was there and we started to look at some of the slides to make sure I knew what I was doing. David kept chanting in the background show me something dead , show me something dead. Alot of the slides are of camping and hunting trips and family reunions on the river. And if the slides of the salmon fishing that took place on the river were proof enough. The wall family caught there share of salmon. But one of the pictures that I thought was interesting was this one of David and something dead.

I remember hunting pheasants in Rupert, pheasants seemed to be hiding in every clump of weeds you could find. I don't think we thought about it then but we didn't need hunting dogs we had the Wall boys. David, Me, Matt, Steve & Jeff and I think we were as good as any dog, they just turned us loose and we broke through any brush we could, hoping to chase out any legal rooster we could find.

But back to the picture of David with the pheasants, look at the shotgun I think in todays world that is an expensive shotgun let alone how many years ago when it was purchased. That gun is still in the Wall family. I called and asked Dad how much he spent for it 400.00 dollars it is Italian made and the model is a Daikon.

enjoy the pictures

Curtis

From Short Pants to a Suit

It has been fun to look a the slides I have from my dad, I thought it was going to be a bigger project than it was to convert the pictures to my computer. Like I have always said "Give the toughest job to the laziest person and he will find the easiest way to get it done. "

After finding a picture of my dad in short pants, ( and I had never thought about it before ) I think one of my favorite pictures of my dad is one I found of him in a suit. I am not sure where they are, but I think it is in Salt Lake, I think on the temple grounds. Susan has always said from the day she married me part of the reason was because dad was so good looking and she just hoped I would be like him.

Dad you are one sharp dresser

Curtis

grampa and short pants

The other day at the 80th birthday party for grampa ( By the way thank you everybody for coming ) a conversation started about grampa and short pants. Stacey who knew the correct story asked Megan and Melissa if they knew why grampa didn't ever wear short pants, in unison they answered because grampa had been bitten by a rattlesnake and had some scars on his leg. Grandma was in the group having the conversation heard the answer and started laughing with Stacey

We are not sure how the story started but Megan & Melissa were convinced they had been told the story about the rattlesnake. I think if Melissa would have asked that question in her game at the party, I think most of my family would have answered the same way. Megan thinks that grampa told her that story sometime in her life, maybe it was early morning dounuts that Megan and Grampa always seemed to enjoy when they had the chance to go. I will have to ask Megan to Blog about that memory.

Here is the true story for you who do not know ( the information came from Grandma ). When Grampa was 8 years old he was out at the Parker farm riding sheep, I am guessing it was rodeo style. He got bucked off and got a deep bruise in his leg. Shortly after that he got chicken pox. and the bone in the leg became infected. There was a miracle doctor in Soda Springs named Dr.Cackle, ( I am guessin at the spelling ) he started to treat grampa for the infection. Then they started to take grampa to Boise to a specialist and I think it was there that they wanted to amputate grampa's leg, but his dad, my grampa said no.

I would have to imagine in those days it was a struggle to find the medical attention you needed. and to go see a doctor in Soda Springs and Boise from Rupert. I am thankful it all turned out in the end

Now to make this story come full circle.

I had Mom and Dad bring me Grampa's slides. I set up in the basement with a screen hanging from the ceiling and the slide projector on a table and my digital camera mounted on a tripod. I have gone through all the slides and have moved about 400 of the 1300 slides to my computer. I found Grampa in short pants in a couple of pictures here is the one I like best. It is at the Piling hole fishing hole with lower Stanley in the forground. I am thinking that Grampa saw some salmon rolling in the hole and he just happened to have his fishing pole, short pants and white canvas tennis shoes handy. I can see him wading out to casting distance from the hole and picking up nice trout and the Salmon. But as you can see David & Sherri were there and if they can remember a different story of the fishing expereince that day you are welcome to post it.

That's My Grandpa

What a fun weekend we all shared for your birthday! It was great to see you and Grandma. I got the chance to create a short memory video for your party. It was a lot of fun to look through those pictures and honor your life so far. Thanks for letting me do that for you. It meant a lot to me and I got to know you even better through all of those pictures. Also a few more thanks...

Thanks for loving Grandma soo much. Your example of marriage will always be something that I hope to pattern my own marriage after. You two look for ways to serve and take care of each other. And you are not shy about kissing her and holding her hand. How cute of You!

Thanks for teaching my Dad to be who he is. His honesty, work ethic and kindness towards others didn't come by accident.

Thanks for teaching us about Redfish Lake!

Thanks for smelling like Old Spice - I love it! I even try to buy Trevor the same stuff so that he can smell like you!

Thanks for your warm smile. It is so welcoming and loving. I can see it now.

Thanks for being so sweet to Easton. He is a little bit nervous around you, becasue he doesn't know you very well. But you didn't give up. You kept teasing and talking to himuntil he got to know you a little bit better. That meant a lot to me.

Thanks for not being afraid to tell us that you LOVE us. Not all men do that as often as you do.

Thanks for wearing flannel - It feel so good when I hug you.

Thanks for being my Grandpa. I am not just saying that.I really feel lucky to have you in my life.

I Love you!
Melissa

The Price of Rice in China and the Price of Potatos in Idah

A few years ago when we had gone to Grandma and Grandpa's house, Grandpa was reading the newspaper like he always does in the living room. I had gone in to talk to him. I had asked what section he was reading and he was reading the commodities section. I had asked him what the price of rice was in China. He pretended to know what the answer was and told me. Ever since then whenever I see him or talk to him on the phone I ask him what the price of rice is in China. He would always tell me that he didn't know the price of rice in China was but that he knows the price of potatos in Idaho are and we would have a conversation on that topic for awhile. So whenever I call to talk to Grandma and Grandpa and I ask those questions right away, he automatically knows that it is me calling to talk to him.