1962 part 2

47 years ago today we arrived in Salt Lake City. We were so excited to be together again as a family. We vowed we would never be apart again. It was Fall, the colours everywhere were beautiful. The weather was warm and the sun was shining!!!! and there were sunflowers blooming all over the place. I was AMAZED at the mountains. I knew Utah was in the mountains, but we had also heard about the pioneers crossing the plains. Talk about a "reality check"
Alan rented an apartment for us in West Bountiful. (The owners had planted a tree in the front yard that wasn't very big, but it cast enough shade for Lesley to sit under with her doll and play.) Alan had a job, various friends had contributed to furnishing the apartment. Our landlady bought us a beautiful set of dishes, and loaned a "Jenny Lind" bed. Some friends moved into a new home and gave us their old fridge. Grandma filled the fridge and cupboards with groceries including a "half gallon of icecream" something that was unheard of for us. I discovered that milk was sold in GALLON bottles. That's a LOT of milk in one place.
I also learned about "dryers" I could take soaking wet clothes from the washer and put them in the dryer and they dried in 30 minutes. Isn't America wonderful.
Time proved that leaving my family was easy as compared to what I now faced. I was a mile from the grocery store. So? I was used to going to the shops everyday! and we couldn't drive. I would put the children in a stroller and walk. Or, I had a neighbour who was very patient and drove me often. Lettuce was iceberg when I was used to leaf, and BREAD!!!! it took a LONG time for me to adjust. I had a phone but no one to call. No TV but a radio and no idea who was funny. etc.etc. And NO FIREPLACE , where do you sit if you don't have a fire to sit by? Oh, the house was warm, but I missed a fire. And because of Alan's job he went to the Trade Tech in SL twice a week and we had MICE. HORRORS.
The Ward members were wonderful. They welcomed us with open arms. They held a "shower" for me and everyone was so kind. The first week here someone took me to the Elementary school to see the "Halloween Parade". Imagine my amazement when the Principal ran out dressed as Dracula. THAT WAS NOT how Headmasters (Principals) behave in Belfast. :o)
I thought I had challenges, including language. I used words that meant one thing to me and something entirely different to my new friends, they were much more polite than I was in a couple of situations. They had "no clue" what I was saying because of my brogue, and all these years later I still have people laugh.
This is a miscellany of incidents that actually took place over a few months. I had a LOT of learning moments, but I think the biggest was realizing that everyone was trying hard to make me feel welcome and now it was up to me.
I think I could sum it up by saying it was "the best of times it was the worst of times."
Now all these years later (although it hasn't taken all these years for me to recognise it)we can truly say this had been a land choice above all others for us.
I enjoy living in Zion. This Is the Place.

I remember I came to Utah with 3 children and 2 suitcases now look at us!!!!

16th October 1962

I left Belfast with three bairns and two suitcases to emigrate to Utah and join our husband/Daddy there. It was a very emotional time saying goodbye to my Sister-in-law and two nephews and one niece. (I had said my goodbyes to my sister and her family the night before.) My brother accompanied us to Glengall Street where we were to catch the bus for the airport at Nutt's Corner. Unfortunately the airport was fogged in and no flights were leaving so we returned to my brother's home (where we had been living all summer) to try again tomorrow.(Wednesday) Next day my brother and his friend John hired a car and drove us to Shannon Airport in the west of Ireland to get a KLM flight to New York.(I saw more of Ireland the day I left than I had in all my life.) We caught the flight at 2am Thursday morning. So, here I am boarding an airplane at 2am with three toddlers and a cabin of sleeping passengers. After take-off the flight attendant arranged to move us to the front of the cabin, where she fixed a bed on the floor for one child, a bed on the seat on the opposite side of the aisle for another and one laying on the seat next to me. Thus we spent the night, the children slept all the way through. Next morning I was met in N.Y. by my oldest brother John. He and his wife had met the plane the day before when we did not arrive. She had to go home to take care of their boys and John stayed till we arrived. We set out for their home in Alexandria, VA. by car, but had car problems and had to continue by train. Somewhere along the way we got drinks and Archie approached me and said,(in his best Belfast brogue)"Mammy, I don't like this drink with stones in it" (ice). And thus our adventure began.
On the Saturday evening as I tended my brother's boys, we watched "The River of No Return" I decided to call Alan who it turned out was also tending and watching the same movie (tender moment).
We stayed with my brother and his family until Sunday when we left Washington DC by train for Chicago where we boarded the California Zephyr. As we approached Chicago on Monday morning I was chagrined to note it wasn't much different from Belfast. We spent the day in the Mother's lounge (my Stepmother had arranged for Travellers' Aid to meet me and make sure we were ok) until our train left at 3pm.
In the morning we stopped in Denver and the train was washed to prepare for the trip through the Rocky Mountains. As we left Denver and climbed into the mountains I saw the America I was anticipating. The mountains were ablaze with Fall colours and it was beautiful. The children behaved magnificently. The USA was in the middle of the Cuban crisis, so I didn't know if we would soon be a nation at war. We had a programme of the itinerary and about 4pm in the afternoon we crossed over from Colorado into Utah and I cried, I was in Utah. We arrived in Salt Lake about 10pm and there we reunited with our Daddy/husband. What an emotional time that was. Lesley's first remark to her Daddy, "Do you want to keep me?" DID HE WHAT!!!!!


To be continued......

Goodmorning Utah!!!!

This is actually the rising sun in St. George, Utah.
We went to Southern Utah for 4 days with a day in the middle to visit Las Vegas for Hannah's blessing.
We visited one of our favorite places.



Zion National Park.
We had to wait 20 minutes in line to enter the Park and since the parking lot was full we were not able to get the shuttle so just drove through the tunnel to the "checkerboard mesa". We met a nice couple from Ohio. I confess, I was disappointed that the fall colors were not rampant. Maybe we need to go next weekend. :o)

Then on Sunday morning we went to meet Hannah.
What a beautiful girl, she is a keeper.


This is our baby, with his baby, and her baby, and Grandpa. Four generations.!!



Hannah enjoyed G'pa singing "My Sweet Lady"



A great time!! but there is no place like home.
But then "Home is where the Heart is"

Utah's Best Kept Secret....

.....at least as far as I am concerned it is.

Yesterday we drove to Pine Valley, Utah. For those who do NOT know it is 40 miles from St. George. Drive north on highway 18 and turn right. Here we are in the midst of sagebrush and red sand and rocks and suddenly the road widens and there is a beautiful verdant valley with a settlement up against the mountains. No stores, no gas stations, one LDS Church.

The church has been replicated and is displayed in the Pioneer Park at "This is the Place".
A State Park and a reservoir with people fishing.

The Church was built by a Scotsman who knew how to build ships but not a building, so he was told to build an upside down boat. We took a tour of the building and saw into the roof and the workmanship involved. If you look at the ceiling line you can see the curvature as in a boat. We will plan to attend Church here next time we are in St. George.

We also visited the cemetery there. At first it looked overgrown and neglected but it is anything but. It is designed to lie among the sagebrush and is well visited and tended, with newer graves among the pioneer ones. Although I say it is Utah's best kept secret at least two of my children have visited there and many out of staters have also found out about it and there are quite a few (a lot) of new homes of the ostentatious caliber. Most of the people are summer residents although there are about 50-60 families that live there year round. You would have to make a VERY complete and comprehensive shopping list.
A beautiful place and to crown it all IT RAINED :o)

UTAH....revisited

OR......
.... What do you do in the Summer time when all the world is green.?

I love the summertime when we get to participate in our Nation's birthday and go to the parade in Kaysville with Lilian and her family, and have a family BBQ at David's and then watch fireworks and sing patriotic songs.
Later in July we celebrate the pioneers entering the Salt Lake Valley. I can NEVER get past the 24th without having compassion for the women pioneers in their long skirts trailing the ground and having to cook over hot fires etc. No A/C for them. Not even any shade. Doesn't your heart go out to them? I do not forget the men, I just think of those long skirts.
We love to go to Cherry Hill and celebrate two family birthdays.



I love to go to Dairy Queen late at night and eat ice cream.
I sometimes go to watch Michael and Jeffrey play softball. There is a certain amount of laziness in the air.
As we have travelled around in other States and we see people playing ball etc. we always think, "this is America" One time as we returned from a trip to England we got on the plane at Gatwick and the cabin was resounding with the Tabernacle Choir's recording of "Oh beautiful for Spacious Skies" our hearts were touched and we were ready to return "HOME"
Becca can sum it up for all of us I'm sure.



So, what do you like to do in the summertime?

My Daddy

As I have contemplated writing about my father today he has been brought into sharp focus. He was a wonderful man. This picture shows him as I remember him when I was a child. He took me to the pictures (movies) to see "Snow White". He also took me to see the 3D movie "House of Wax" a scary movie that I still remember. :o) He and my Mother used to take us for long walks. I remember asking him where we were going? he said "Home". I was upset because we had just started out. But he explained that we were "going home" it would be several hours before we got there but we were "going home" that was ok with me. :o)
As a teenager after my Mother passed away he encouraged me to learn to cook. He bought me a box of chocolates when I went on a trip to Yorkshire to visit Alan. We were friends. He taught me how to pray. He taught me to talk to "the Father" as one man talks to another. When we would go out together to the pictures, to shop or to church I always took his arm. He was a gentleman. He would give his seat on the bus to any lady and "doff" his hat. He wore a cap to work (as in the picture) but always a hat going to Church or for dress.
He loved the Lord and had a strong fervent and enduring testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He honored his priesthood and was always on the Lord's errand.
This picture was taken the day I married Alan. Alan was in the army so I stayed at home with daddy and Brian, while Alan served in Egypt. Joe was on his mission. A few months later I moved to Colchester in England to be with Alan and Daddy visited us there and took us to see, "Gunfight at O.K. Corral".
He was an avid genealogist and sat in many cold Parish Churches looking in the records. He married Norah Moss and eventually moved to Utah.


This last picture was taken about two years before he died. He loved his family. He grew up in Belfast as an "only, lonely child" Actually he had two brothers and two sisters, but one brother and both sisters died in childhood. His older brother Robert was 12 years older than him and apparently wasn't around much. Daddy was born on the 4th July 1902 (he always said America was celebrating HIS birthday.)And was named after the Prophet Joseph. :o) He turned 12 on Saturday July 4th 1914 and started work in the mill on Monday the 6th. He started out sweeping floors and as he swept he sang. The noise of the machines was tremendous so he sang all the louder. The foreman was not impressed, he scolded him for singing, he thought he was hurt from the machines.
He loved and honored his Mother and took care of her all of her life.
He loved his family. A few days before he passed away, I think he knew what was about to unfold, he called upon the Lord "to bless my family for I love them". And he did, and he does. We sometimes refer to him as "wee Joe" and I always imagine him and my Mother watching my family as we love and live together.
I love my Daddy. He taught me so much. I hope I do a good job of honoring his name.

UTAH... This is the Place

I recently returned to Utah after a trip to California. We entered through St. George. Everytime we cross the Utah State line I sing various bits of hymns as in, "Firm as the Mountains Around Us" or "Utah, We love Thee". I say bits because inevitably I only sing one or two lines before I am crying. :o) I LOVE UTAH. When I cross the border, I AM HOME. Driving north on I-15 I look upon the green fields with pleasure and gratitude and recognition, I'm in UTAH. I always notice there are lots of "Utah" plates, I AM HOME. Even when flying into Salt Lake City I know when I am in Utah airspace, I'M HOME. Back in 1962, Lesley (4), Archie (2 1/2) and Timothy (15 months) and I traveled from Washington DC to Chicago by train, and from Chicago to SLC on the California Zephyr. On the afternoon of the 3rd day as we crossed from Colorado into Utah there was a line painted on the canyon wall "Utah/Colorado", I cried. I was in Utah for the first time. "Now, therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citzens with the Saints" Eph. 2:19 I just found out we have a new State song,I asked my Granddaughter Emily to sing the last verse for me.