A Very Sad Day

As a fourteen year old girl I watched my best friend's mom and always wanted to be just like her.  She was tall, thin, beautiful, and very glamorous.  She was often dressed up in fancy gowns to go to a charity or social event.  Her husband was a doctor - tall, handsome, and had the kindest face of anyone I had ever known. I spent a good part of my teens at their beautiful home.  I remember Glenna would always serve us food to snack on, but she never handed us a plate of cookies, it was always a beautiful tray with exotic cheeses, crackers, fruit, or whatever and it was always arranged so elegantly.  Everything she did was elegant. I remember her always making me feel like I was important.  

Because my best friend had two younger brothers, they always took me on their family vacations.  We spent a week in Colorado in a wonderful cabin overlooking Trout Lake.  Every trip I took with them was incredible.  One year we flew to Telluride Colorado and stayed at this amazing resort called Tammaron (while we were there they were filming a movie with Rock Hudson and Mia Farrow) and skied all week at Purgatory.  Another time we spent two weeks in Kona.  Again, every trip was over the top and more extravagant than I had ever experienced.  Glenna was always busy working for the Kidney Foundation and I believe it was all volunteer work.  She was not only beautiful, but she was so unselfish.   I've kept in touch over the years, but wish I had done a better job.   I  sent them an  invitation for Jenny's wedding, just to let them know. They live in Phoenix and the reception was in Salt Lake City.  At Jenny's reception Glenna walked in.   I was surprised to see her and said, "What are you doing here?"   she said, "You invited me, I have an invitation, I can go to my car and get it for you."  

My parents were friends with Glenna in high school and stayed friends.  Glenna used to talk about my mom beating her out at Homecoming Queen in high school.  Dr. Shapiro was my grandmother's doctor and I remember my grandmother telling me how she just loved him and thought he was so handsome.

Glenna is on the left and my mother is on the right.

They were taken from us yesterday.  It is still a mystery and the Phoenix police are investigating this tragic possible robbery, murder.  I can't begin to imagine what their three children are going through.  My thoughts and prayers are with them.

Balloon Festival - Chateaux D'Oex

My friend Monique and I spent the last weekend in January at the International Balloon Festival.  Friday afternoon we grabbed lunch and ate on the train.  The train ride was so beautiful as we wound our way through the canyon, past Gstaad, and to a town a short train ride from the festival. As we arrived in Chateaux D'Oex it was snowing and we were terribly disappointed when we were told that all the festivities for the evening were cancelled because of the snow.  Luckily, we asked a more official looking person that told us things were not cancelled and pointed us to the hill that would give us the best view.  It was freezing and the clouds made the visibility poor, but the evening was still quite spectacular.  They played ABBA  on the loud speaker that was amazingly clear, skiers with lights skied down the mountains, skydivers flew down from the sky with pyrotechnics, and the fireworks were incredible.  If only the sky had been clearer.

The church on the hill from where we watched the festivities.

A window display of the Festival 

Monique in front of the church on the hill.

A tree on the hill at night.

Saturday we woke up to more snow but headed back to the festival to see some of the balloons.  It was a fun little getaway and the little that we saw made me realize it is a must  do for next year with the family - if the weather is good.

Zermatt in the Winter

We spent a weekend in Zermatt in July and it was beautiful, I was there for the day with Jana in November and the colors were spectacular,

 but nothing compares to how magical it is in the winter time.

We arrived in Zermatt Friday night and when we got off the train it was snowing and beautiful.  We took a crazy, golf cart like taxi to the hotel.  The driver was zipping along the snow covered streets as fast as he could and didn't seem to mind that people were diving into snowbanks to get out of his way.  We checked into our room, which was bigger than our apartment at home.  Two bedrooms, kitchen, family room and the best thing ever- two bathrooms.  We had a delicious four course dinner with the rest of Keith's co-workers at the hotel restaurant and then headed off to bed.  

   

Saturday morning we had a great breakfast at the hotel and then a snowball fight as we headed back to our room.  The weather was not great, and most lifts were closed, so I decided to postpone skiing. The kids and Keith had a great day on the slopes and I walked around town, had a crepe for lunch, and relaxed on my deck that overlooked the creek.  It was cold sitting out there but the view and the sound of the creek was worth it.   That evening we all got together for another great meal of raclette.  After dinner we went back to our room and watched movies all night.

Sunday we woke up to a beautiful, mostly sunny day.  Kelly's feet were killing her from her ski boots and even though Keith offered, I stayed back with her.  Keith and Josh had a perfect day skiing.  Kelly and I watched a movie on my lap top with some friends and then went into town.  It was a gorgeous day and the Matterhorn got clearer as the day went on.

More Sunny Days than Cloudy Ones

We are three weeks into January, the holidays are over, the weather is colder than ever, but for me - the sun is finally coming out.  I don't know if it's getting over the holiday homesickness or that with time things are just getting easier or if it's because my friends Lori and Monique have been giving me the lift I need with our morning walks, but things are definitely getting better.  Keith and the kids have spent the past two Saturdays sledding and skiing without me, but I finally got some good ski clothes and tomorrow we are all headed for Zermatt to go skiing for a few days.

Saturday, January 7, Keith and the kids took the sleds we had bought in France the week earlier and headed for the hills.  They found a place to sled but it wasn't near as great as the place we had gone a few weeks before.  Our weeks seem to fly by with homework, German class, Young women activities and now Josh is beginning a Judo class.

Sunday after church Keith and Josh spent a few hours exploring Thun.

Saturday, January 14, Keith and the kids went skiing for the first time since we've been here.  They had a great day and I got some much needed washing, shopping and cleaning done.  It was sunny and warm and the snow was great but Kelly was most excited about the raclette they had for lunch.