On Sunday 27 July we watched "Music and the Spoken Word" on BYU-TV.  Eileen enjoyed the Book of Mormon panel discussion that followed.  These can be viewed at the BYU-TV website at the following link:

http://www.byutv.org/show/06254a9a-bcd9-4fe5-b0cb-5193905e7d8b/discussions-on-the-book-of-mormon

Mormon Tabernacle Choir 

Discussions on the Book or Mormon panelists

We attended our Ellijay Branch and enjoyed being back there.  We sustained Brother Terry Dorsey and Sister Autumn Pierce as branch missionaries.  President Gary Futral of the mission presidency was visiting.  He was our stake president when we left on our mission in 2010.

Ellijay Branch meetinghouse

President Gary Futral

Our first speaker was young Brother Rhett Speidel from the Hickory Flat Ward.  He has received his mission call to the Denver South Mission.  He spoke on not using the Lord's name in vain.  He quoted President Hinckley about not taking the Lord's name in vain and the scripture from Exodus 20:7.  Doing this was considered blasphemy in olden times and such a sin was punished with death!  He told of the experience of President Kimball coming out of the operating room on a gurney and chastising a nurse for using the Lord's name in vain.  (President Spencer W. Kimball had undergone surgery in the hospital. A young male nurse had placed him on a gurney and was transporting him. When getting on the elevator, the nurse bumped the gurney and let out an oath using the name of the Lord. President Kimball, only half conscious, said, “Please, Please! That is my Lord whose name you revile.” There was a deathly silence; then the young man whispered with a subdued voice, “I am sorry.” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball,ed. Edward L. Kimball [1982], 198.))

President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008)

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985)

He quoted from James about the tongue. James 3:5-10  "5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!  6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.  7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:  8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.  9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.  10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be."

Our concluding speaker was Brother Ross Penrod from the stake high council (no relation to Sue's bishop Eric Penrod).  He read from the words of hymn #150, "O Thou Kind and Gracious Father," which we had just sung as the intermediate hymn.  Today Rhett will be ordained an elder.  Brother Penrod's two sons also served in the Denver South Mission as did President Boland's parents.  Brother Penrod spoke of a business trip to California where he went running one morning a few hours before a meeting.  It was very hilly and steep.  Going down the hill can be easy and scenic.  The sun was above the clouds though it couldn't be seen.  Similar to the Lord being there even though we can't see Him.  Brother Penrod was sure thankful to get back up the hill.  He equated these experiences to life.  Focused on Exodus 20:7 in the Ten Commandments.  He spoke of the cross-references like "name," "vain," and "taketh."  Leviticus 18:21.  "And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord."  "Profanity," "sacrilege," "swearing," "guiltless."  

Joshua 2:18, 21.  "18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee.  21 And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window."

Mosiah 13:15.  "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."

Mormon 7:7. "And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end."

D&C 58:30.  "Who am I that made man, saith the Lord, that will hold him guiltless that obeys not my commandments?"

Quoted Elder L. Tom Perry on Obedience to the Law. About when he served in WW II.  He would find liberty and safety if he kept the commandments.  The Ten Commandments.  Four of them are still thought to be serious but the other six are generally ignored.

Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

D&C 130:20-21.  "20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated. 21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."

1996 conference talk "Be Ye Clean" by President Hinckley to the priesthood.  "Dirty talk is unbecoming any man holding the priesthood."

D&C 63:34.  "And the saints also shall hardly escape; nevertheless, I, the Lord, am with them, and will come down in heaven from the presence of my Father and consume the wicked with unquenchable fire."

"I am a Child of God."  "Teach Me to Walk in the Light."  We reverence our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ.  Restoration of the Gospel through young Joseph Smith.  We will be found guiltless if we keep the Ten Commandments and can repent if we err.

The closing hymn was #163, "Lord, Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing," with the words by John Fawcett and music by Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), whose "political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological, and educational thought."  Wikipedia.

John Fawcett (1740-1817)

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)

Gospel Doctrine was held in the chapel which provides more room but makes it more difficult to hear as the teacher stands in front of the front pews, not at the pulpit with the microphone.  Sister Darlene Burgess taught lesson 28, “After the Fire a Still Small Voice," using 1 Kings 17–19.  Sitting near the front, Eileen's microphone picks up Darlene's voice but any comments by class members are not understood.

The purpose of the lesson was to encourage class members to put God first in their lives and to find guidance and comfort in the words of the living prophet and the whisperings of the Holy Ghost.

There were many more quotations from Church leaders in this lesson than normal due to the relevance of the Prophet Elijah to us today.

Elder Gordon B. Hinckley of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said: “I draw strength from a simple statement made concerning the Prophet Elijah, who warned King Ahab of drought and famine to come upon the land. But Ahab scoffed. And the Lord told Elijah to go and hide himself by the brook Cherith, that there he should drink of the brook, and that he would be fed by the ravens. And the scripture records a simple and wonderful statement: ‘So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord.’ (1 Kings 17:5.)

“There was no arguing. There was no excusing. There was no equivocating. Elijah simply ‘went and did according unto the word of the Lord.’ And he was saved from the terrible calamities that befell those who scoffed and argued and questioned” (in General Conference October 1971).

President Gordon B. Hinckley

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said: “I know we can each do something, however small that act may seem to be. We can pay an honest tithe and give our fast and freewill offerings. … And we can watch for other ways to help. To worthy causes and needy people, we can give time if we don’t have money, and we can give love when our time runs out. We can share the loaves we have and trust God that the cruse of oil will not fail."

Elder Holland continued by saying that the widow’s response when Elijah asked her for food was an “expression of faith--as great, under these circumstances, as any I know in the scriptures. … Perhaps uncertain what the cost of her faith would be … , she first took her small loaf to Elijah, obviously trusting that if there were not enough bread left over, at least she and her son would have died in an act of pure charity."  (in General Conference April 1996).

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Prophet and President Ezra Taft Benson taught: “When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims for our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities. …

“May God bless us to put [him] first and, as a result, reap peace in this life and eternal life with a fulness of joy in the life to come” (in General Conference April 1988)

President Ezra Taft Benson (1899-1994)

Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said: “The stirring words of various prophets … urge us to choose, to decide, and not to halt. … Elijah’s message has tremendous relevancy today, for all must finally choose between the gods of this world and the God of eternity” (That My Family Should Partake [1974], 22).

Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926-2004)

When a news reporter asked President Hinckley how he communicates with God, the prophet responded, “I think the best way I could describe the process is to liken it to the experience of Elijah as set forth in the book of First Kings. Elijah spoke to the Lord, and there was a wind, a great wind, and the Lord was not in the wind. And there was an earthquake, and the Lord was not in the earthquake. And there was a fire, and the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire a still, small voice, which I describe as the whisperings of the Spirit” (in General Conference October 1996)

President Ezra Taft Benson taught: “Do you take time to listen to the promptings of the Spirit? Answers to prayer come most often by a still voice and are discerned by our deepest, innermost feelings. I tell you that you can know the will of God concerning yourselves if you will take the time to pray and to listen” (in General Conference October 1977)

Latter-day Saints often talk about the Spirit of Elijah. This phrase refers to the work we do “to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers” (D&C 110:15). This work includes family history research and temple work for the living and the dead. We call it the Spirit of Elijah because Elijah restored the keys of the sealing power of the priesthood to Joseph Smith (D&C 110:13–16). Through this power, sealing ordinances can be performed that unite families for eternity.

The Prophet Joseph Smith said:  “The spirit, power, and calling of Elijah is, that ye have power to hold the key of the revelations, ordinances, oracles, powers and endowments of the fulness of the Melchizedek Priesthood and of the kingdom of God on the earth; and to receive, obtain, and perform all the ordinances belonging to the kingdom of God, even unto the turning of the hearts of the fathers unto the children, and the hearts of the children unto the fathers, even those who are in heaven. …

“I wish you to understand this subject, for it is important; and if you receive it, this is the spirit of Elijah, that we redeem our dead, and connect ourselves with our fathers which are in heaven, and seal up our dead to come forth in the first resurrection; and here we want the power of Elijah to seal those who dwell on earth to those who dwell in heaven. This is the power of Elijah and the keys of the kingdom of Jehovah” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 337–38).

Prophet Joseph Smith Jr. (1805-1844)

The Relief Society sisters and the priesthood brethren were taught used Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's talk from April's General Conference entitled "The Cost—and Blessings—of Discipleship."  We were counseled to "Be strong. Live the gospel faithfully even if others around you don’t live it at all."

Six different brethren read portions of the talk and I read the last two paragraphs of the talk:

"Friends, especially my young friends, take heart. Pure Christlike love flowing from true righteousness can change the world. I testify that the true and living gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth and you are members of His true and living Church, trying to share it. I bear witness of that gospel and that Church, with a particular witness of restored priesthood keys which unlock the power and efficacy of saving ordinances. I am more certain that those keys have been restored and that those ordinances are once again available through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints than I am certain I stand before you at this pulpit and you sit before me in this conference.

"Be strong. Live the gospel faithfully even if others around you don’t live it at all. Defend your beliefs with courtesy and with compassion, but defend them. A long history of inspired voices, including those you will hear in this conference and the voice you just heard in the person of President Thomas S. Monson, point you toward the path of Christian discipleship. It is a strait path, and it is a narrow path without a great deal of latitude at some points, but it can be thrillingly and successfully traveled, 'with … steadfastness in Christ, … a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.'  In courageously pursuing such a course, you will forge unshakable faith, you will find safety against ill winds that blow, even shafts in the whirlwind, and you will feel the rock-like strength of our Redeemer, upon whom if you build your unflagging discipleship, you cannot fall.  In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen."

President Thomas S. Monson

We went home and got comfortable. I read the April 2014 General Conference talk “Let's Not Take the Wrong Way” by Elder Claudio D. Zivic of the Seventy.  He discussed section 3 of the Doctrine and Covenants.  

“From what is written in verses 1 to 10, I wish to highlight three principles that we should always remember:

1. The works and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated.

2. We must not fear man more than God.

3. There is a need of constant repentance.

"In verse 13, the Lord teaches us four actions that we should never do:

1. Set at naught the counsels of God.

2. Break the most sacred promises made before God.

3. Depend upon our own judgment.

4. Boast in our own wisdom."

Elder Claudio D. Zivic

We then drove to the Echard's for dinner at 2:30.  We had a very nice meal and dessert along with lots of conversation.  We left about 5 pm.  On the way home Sabrina Bayless called and we made an appointment for 6:45 this evening.

We had a nice visit with Sabrina and she gave us a sympathy card.  We had mailed her one as her mom had passed away recently.  We shared the First Presidency message from the July Ensign.  She gave us information about where her daughter Michelle lives which I later passed on to Brother Echard.

July 2014 Ensign

We had enjoyed watching the Atlanta Braves take a 6-1 lead over the San Diego Padres before going to Sabrina's and we saw the end of the game after we got home as they won, 8-3.

I worked for a while on my blog for last week and looked at the Snapfish photo album online that Colleen had made for Geoff from his visit to see Sue.

On Monday 28 July we enjoyed a quiet morning and I talked to Darlene Burgess and Bill Kazy as we had not been able to visit them in their homes this month.

We went into Ellijay to mail the wedding cards with gift cards to Scott Roberts and Sarah Waite in Orem and Provo, Utah.  We knew the Roberts' and the Waite's in Maryland.  I was a member of John Roberts' bishopric in the Severna Park Ward and Boyd Waite was our neighbor and the Annapolis Stake president.  Then we shipped the box that David had sent to us on to Colleen's address in Arizona.

After that we did some shopping at Ingles and Walmart.  Eileen chatted with her dear friend Lynda White who lives in Fremont, California.

Eileen and Lynda in Williamsburg

In the evening we began packing the car for our trip tomorrow.  I finished working on my blog entry for the week of 20 July and published it.

On Tuesday 29 July we were up early, finished packing and went into Ellijay for Eileen's appointment at 8 am at the beauty parlor and I went to the barber for a haircut.  It had been seven weeks since I had a haircut in Florida.  I had my haircut done by Stacey who said "yes" to my two Book of Mormon questions!

City Barber Shop in Ellijay

We stopped at Hallmark at exit 20 of I-575 in Canton to get several greeting cards and a package of Asher's Sugar-free Raspberry Chocolate jellies.  Then at exit 19 we went to Bed Bath & Beyond for two wedding gift cards.

After getting through Atlanta fairly easily, we got off at exit 218 of I-75 to have lunch at Cracker Barrel in McDonough.  Our first time at that one!  The food was good, especially my half-pound bacon cheeseburger. I did complain to the manager that the music in the restrooms was much too loud.  He said he would turn it down :)

Ben at Cracker Barrel

The cash register counter

Above the fireplace

One of the many posters from bygone days

We drove and drove, making good time.  We filled up at Sam's Club in Valdosta for $3.239.  We saw palindrome 78687 on our odometer at exit 430 on I-75 in Florida.  We get off at exit 404 and reached Russ's at 5:43 pm.

Russ's place in Brooker

We had a quiet evening after eating as Eileen watched the DIY network and I read and sent some e-mails.

On Wednesday 30 July we paid the price for having some cherry vanilla frozen yogurt late last night as both our blood sugars were up :(

We had breakfast at the Gainesville Cracker Barrel and I gave the manager the $5 tip for Alicia that I had forgotten to leave on 1 July.

Gainesville Old-Fashioned McDonald's

As we drove down the Florida Turnpike we saw the palindrome 78887 on our odometer.  We reached Sunrise about 2:45 pm.  I unpacked the car completely in case we had to provide transportation and fit luggage in the trunk.  Megan arrived just after we did.

We enjoyed supper with Russ and Gail, Steve and Jane, and Matt and Kristen with Brooke and Cooper at Lester's Diner in Sunrise.  See lestersdiner.com.  Jane is Eileen's sister and she and Steve flew down from New Jersey for Sue's memorial service.

Steve, Jane, Gail, Russ, Cooper, Matt,
Brooke, Kristen, and Eileen

Lester's Menu

Afterwards we enjoyed visiting with Russ, Gail, Steve, and Jane at Russ and Gail's where Steve and Jane would be staying.

On Thursday 31 July I checked my e-mail first thing in the morning and for the sixth day in a row I did not receive my e-mail from the New York Times!  I have called and spoken to someone there twice, first on Monday and then yesterday.  I spoke to Socorro today and found that my e-mail address that they use to look up my account was still uncorrected!  She said she corrected it and I have confidence that she did, but the last two gals also said that they corrected it!  We'll see if I get my correct e-mail tomorrow.  She sent me the Times Digest for the last six days but it wasn't the right thing.  They looked like snapshots of the newspaper itself.

Several times during the day I wished Eileen "happy anniversary" as we met 55 years ago on the last Thursday of July in front of the New York Public Library when we were both attending the IOOF (Odd Fellows) United Nations Pilgrimage!

New York Public Library

New York Public Library

We picked up Jane and we went to Floral Promotions to order flowers for the chapel on Saturday.  Then I took Eileen and Jane (Eileen's sister) shopping at Dress Barn and SAS shoes.  I got gas at Costco for $3.419.  We dropped off the Family Ordinance Request (FOR) forms of Sue's at Bishop Penrod's home for the Plantation Ward youth temple trip this evening.  

Tom, Heather (our youngest daughter), and Liam arrived and Megan picked them up.  They are staying at Kristen's.  Colleen (our middle daughter) and the boys are driving south on I-95.  We are at the airport to pick up Sean (he is due at 3:56 pm).  They are staying at the Wyndham Palm-Aire resort that Colleen and the boys stayed at last time.  William (our youngest son) and Erin are due in about an hour.  They have reserved a rental car and will be staying at the Renaissance.

After dropping Sean off at the resort where he linked up with Colleen and the boys, we drove to Whole Foods (the rain pouring almost the entire time) and got some food for Kristen's to go with the pizza.  Eileen talked to William and they arrived safely.  We got to Kristen's at 6 pm and everyone was there by 6:40.

I finished reading "The Story of 'Mormonism'" by James E. Talmage (1862-1933) which I began on 25 April.  Elder Talmage was a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles from 1911-1933.  I have read his work "Jesus the Christ" a couple of times over the years.

Elder James E. Talmage
Circa 1875-1890

On Friday 1 August we were up and enjoyed company from Colleen, Tom, Heather, and Liam, and Megan.  I found several articles online that I wanted to save and send to Colleen.

The gal at the N. Y. Times yesterday must have done something right.  I have been getting a number of N. Y. Times e-mails including the one in the morning that I was used to receiving!  I'm getting an afternoon version and a New York City version!

I read "What Are You Thinking?" by Elder W. Craig Zwick of the Seventy from the April 2014 General Conference.  He stated, "I plead with you to practice asking this question, with tender regard for another’s experience: 'What are you thinking?'"

Elder W. Craig Zwick

Eileen made her delicious crawfish étouffée for supper at Russ and Gail's.

Crawfish étouffée

Heather showed us the free loyalty card app on our iPhones.  So we have all of them listed on that app now on our iPhones.  We'll make sure they work before removing the little plastic pieces from our pocket/purse.  

It rains every afternoon in the "Sunshine State" and we took the crawfish étouffée to Russ and Gail's before the rain hit.  The sky was very dark with thunder and lightning.  We call it "liquid sunshine."

We thought we'd just have the six old folks at Russ (Eileen's brother) and Gail's, but David (we were especially glad he came), Colleen, Tom, Heather, Liam, William, Erin, Megan, Matt (Kristen's husband), Kristen (Russ and Gail's daughter),  Brooke, and Cooper came, too.  Sean kept Spencer, Ashton, and Tanner at their resort so Colleen could be a daughter rather than a mom this evening.

Kristen, Jane, Steve, Russ, and Eileen

Matt, David, and Megan

Cooper, Liam, Brooke, and Erin

Heather, Tom, and Colleen

Cooper, Liam, and Brooke

Cooper and Liam

Russ, Eileen, Steve, Kristen, and Jane

Gail, Megan, and William

Tom, Liam, and Eileen

William and Erin

Matt, David, Megan, and Gail

I read chapter 4, "Free Agency," in Gospel Doctrine by President Joseph F. Smith.

President Joseph F. Smith (1838-1918)

The crawfish étouffée was delicious and fairly spicy.  Russ cooked spare ribs on the grill and they were very good.  The kids had gotten sub sandwiches for themselves.  There were several barbecue sauces and Eileen especially liked the Sticky Fingers Smokehouse Carolina Classic.  

The Bosse's (Matt and Kristen) and Dowd's (Tom and Heather) left with their little ones.  The rest of us sat around chatting, reading (me), and watching the TV (Russ and Steve).

On Saturday 2 August we were up early to get ready for Sue's memorial service.  At the church the flowers arrived from the florist and a very nice arrangement came from Sue's former employer.  A book was on display where people first came in for them to write their thoughts, and a table was set up with the programs and directions to Kristen's after the service.  In the chapel scenes from Sue's life and family were displayed as a slide show on the white wall behind the pulpit.

The service was very nice and the chapel was full.  Sister Richards gave the invocation and Brother Michaud the benediction.  Brother Steve Frahm gave the eulogy with a lot of information that we had provided and a letter from Sue's employer about what a wonderful secretary she had been at his law firm.

Sisters Jennifer and Rachel Penrod sang a musical number followed by Bishop Eric Penrod speaking about the plan of salvation and President Scott Richards, the stake president who had been Sue's bishop when I baptized Megan in 1998, providing concluding remarks about Sue, David, and Megan.

Sister Audrey Frahm played the organ (and piano for the musical number) and Sister Jennifer Penrod led the music.

It is hoped some seeds were planted amongst the non-member congregation.  There are very nice paintings of the Savior in the church.

Laura, Eileen, and Jennifer Penrod in the chapel

Laura, Eileen, and Jennifer Penrod
with Bishop Eric Penrod in the background

All of the family and many of the congregation went to Kristen's for refreshments.  Not only had Kristen ordered lots of food, but Barbara Stuart had also provided several trays of hot entrees.  The scenes from Sue's life and family were being shown on the large TV screen as they had been at church.

Matt and Kristen Bosse's

A few hours later only family remained although Sue and Matthew's doctor from years ago, Dr. Lisa Serota, came by.  After she left we watched the New York Yankee - Boston Red Sox baseball game on the big screen in the family room.  The Yankees won, 6-4.

We took lots of family photos as we enjoyed each other's company.

Gail, Cooper, Erin, and William

Jane and Russ

Heather, Erin, and William

Jane and Eileen

Kristen's flowers

Flowers on the left and right that Eileen bought
and the arrangement in the middle from Sue's employer

Part of the arrangements that Eileen bought

An arrangement that Eileen bought

Another perspective 

Received at home by David

Received at home by David

Heather holding Liam, Brooke and Kristen,
Colleen, Tanner, Ashton, Spencer, William, and Megan

Matt, Kristen holding Cooper, Brooke, Tom holding Liam,
Sean, Colleen, Ashton, Tanner, Spencer, William, and Erin

William, Erin, Heather, and Tom

Kristen, Megan, and William

Heather holding Liam, Brooke, Kristen holding Cooper,
Colleen, Tanner, Ashton, William, Megan, and Spencer

Heather holding Liam, Brooke, Kristen,
Colleen, Tanner, Ashton, William, Megan, and Spencer

Colleen and Megan

Matt, Kristen holding Cooper, Brooke, Heather, Tom holding Liam upside down,
Sean, Colleen, Ashton, Tanner, Spencer, William, and Erin

Matt, Kristen holding Cooper, Brooke, Heather, Tom holding Liam rightside up,
Sean, Colleen, Ashton, Tanner, Spencer, William, and Erin

Heather holding Liam, Brooke, Kristen holding Cooper,
Colleen, Tanner, Ashton, William, Megan, and Spencer

Boys in the backyard

William, Erin, Megan, Kristen, and Matt

 William's birthday was on 13 August, so the family celebrated his birthday while we were all together at Matt and Kristen's.  Ryan (Russ and Gail's son) now appears in some of the pictures.

Tanner, Matt holding Cooper, Tanner, Ryan, and William

Brooke, Tanner, and William

Brooke, Spencer, Tanner, Matt holding Cooper, Tanner, Ryan, and William

Megan, Colleen, Brooke, Tanner, Matt holding Cooper, Ashton, and Ryan

Tanner, Matt holding Cooper, Tanner, Ryan, William, and Kristen

William blows out the candles

William blows out the candles

Ashton, William, Kristen prepares to cut the cake, Spencer, and Erin

Ashton, William, Kristen cutting the cake, Spencer, and Erin

Liam had a good time playing outside on the patio furniture.

Liam Dowd

Liam Dowd

Liam Dowd

David rode home with us arriving at about 10:30 pm.

I finished "Bar-20 Days" by Clarence E. Mulford, a series of Hopalong Cassidy stories, that I began on 11 April.  I had also read "Hopalong Cassidy's Rustler Round-Up" by Mulford on my iPhone.  I have also read "Hopalong Cassidy," "Bar-20", and "The Coming of Cassidy" in paperback, all Hopalong Cassidy novels that are said to have "defined the American Cowboy".

Clarence E. Mulford (1883-1956)