May 2020

May is one of my favorite months of the year.  From the time I was a child in elementary school I have loved May Day!  Maybe that is why I like flowers so much.  Unfortunately, because of allergies, I enjoy flowers outdoors more than indoors - unless you are talking tulips and I love tulips on the mantel or dinning room table.
May is a birthday month in our family so it has a festive feel to it along with Mother's Day.  Let's talk about that.  Russ' mother, Emma Rose was born on May 10.  She must have really liked the month of May because she has three children born in that month.  Russ and his twin brother, Larry were born on May 10, 1950 and it just so happened to be on their mother's birthday.  They were always told they were born on Mother's Day.  Well, with a little research, It was definitely a Mother's Day for Emma Rose, but the USA celebrated the day officially 4 days later on Sunday, May 14.  With that said, every 7 years it is on Mother's Day and this year, 2020 was one of those years.  It is OK to share that day - it is usually filled with family and we have them over to celebrate the birthday and the daughters and daughters-in-law get to come and have a nice dinner and dessert and not have to cook on that day and feel special because the boys get to come and have Mom fix the dinner.  They do the dishes and it is a win win for them. For me it is a day to honor all Mother's and the greatest tribute I can give to my angel mother is to serve others as she did.

Angel Lemon Pie shell

Birthday Lemon Pie

This year Josh had to work and Ian was in Utah keeping the home fires going and so we celebrated with Julie and Emily and their kids.  It was nice to have our first family gathering since we have been home.  So the highlight of the dinner was dessert.  Russ loves lemon pie and I decided to make a lemon pie instead of Birthday cake.  We have a favorite family lemon pie recipe that I have made for over 40 years.  A good friend sent me a new recipe and I thought I would try it.  IT IS DIVINE!  A new family favorite and actually, so much healthier if that is possible with a dessert! It is Gluten Free.

ANGEL LEMON PIE
4 Egg Whites
1 tsp. Cream of  Tarter
1 cup Sugar
Beat egg whites, cream of tarter and sugar until stiff.  Bake in a buttered 10 inch pie pan at 275* for 1 hour.

While the crust is baking mix the following:
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 Lemons, grated and juiced
In the top of double boiler, cook until thick (it takes about 7 min.) Cool.

In a mixing bowl mix:
2 cups Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Beat until stiff peaks form.

Spread 1/3 of the cream in pie shell.
Spread with Lemon Curd layer.
Top with remaining 2/3 of the cream.
Can top with grated lemon peel or coconut.
Refrigerate at least 3 hours.

May is a month that we celebrate Birthdays and also a month that we remember the lives of very special family members who have returned home to their Father in Heaven.
May 5, 1982 we welcomed our third child, Eric Haney Grimmett.  It was a good time in our life and we were so happy to have him in our family.  We planned a trip to Disney World in Florida in June for our daughter Jaime's third Birthday.  He was only with us here on earth until June 13, 1982.  He passed away as we landed at DFW on our return from Florida.

May 11, 2001 Earl S. Grimmett, Russ' father passed away in Idaho Falls, Idaho.  He waited until after the Birthdays and then passed away peacefully at home.
May 6, 2017 Ruth L. Walton Haney, my mother, was buried in Wasatch Lawn Cemetery in Salt Lake City, UT.

Patriotic Tree

 In May we also remember those who gave their lives in the wars and service to the United States.  We love going to the National Cemetery and seeing the beauty of the flags and paying our respects.

I would love to be in Salt Lake City today to visit the cemeteries where my loved ones are laid to rest.  They are in my heart.




May is the month we were going to visit family and catch up on the past two years with Grandkids.    With Covid-19 it seemed like we really were not home mentally but physically.  It seemed like when a baby is born premature and they stay in the hospital until their due date when they have gained weight and their bodies are more developed.  Our homecoming celebrations were a little delayed, but we had a wonderful surprise on Monday, May 11.  Emily arranged to have a "Parade" at the Church for people to come and see us and welcome us home.  It was such a fun evening.  We had 35 cars come through the line and it was heartwarming and so fun.  I think everyone was so happy to be able to get out of the house and see each other even if it was in their cars.  Our granddaughter Preslee kept the traffic line moving and let people know when she thought they had talked to long and needed to move along in the line!  It is a night we will always remember.

Phil, Lisa, Dirk and Lori Brinkerhoff

 I took as many pictures as I could as we were talking to people.  Sometimes I would get talking a forget to snap the picture, but this is a good sampling of the people who came. 

Richard and Judy Carroll

Bryan and Hillary Boyer

Jennie Williams

 Many friends have moved away from Arlington while we were gone and drove back to see us.  It was so nice to see so many friends.

Jim and Jeanette Borst

Chuck and Karen Spitzer

Barbara, Patti and Kay

Stephen and Keven Crawford

Nicole and Brooke

Rob and Emily Escobar

 Rivon and Ed Woolf

Ron and Maxine Hoff

Tii and Mary Lolotai

Wilson and Gifty

Emily and Julie

We enjoyed our time with Emily, Logan and Preslee.  They spent about 4 weeks with us and have now returned to Utah. 
Preslee and I spent a lot of time cooking in the kitchen together and had fun doing 3 Facebook live events.  We made Salsa, Caramel dip, Chocolate fondue, Schnitzel, Apple Strudel, and Cinnamon Rolls.

 Ian returned to Texas to drive them home and after a month of being here, their car was filled to capacity.  Too many trips to Town Talk Food and Aldi - two of Emily's favorite places that are not available in Utah.  Logan decided he like my lamp shade and he dismantled the lamp and asked if he could take the shade home since the lamp was broken.  Apparently he used it over his head to block the light when he slept on the way home - or that was the plan but he never actually slept while they were driving!

 I continued making masks for the family and also for a Just Serve Community Project for South Western Medical Center.  I was given kits that had been put together by volunteers from our Church and then we sewed them.  Our Church Relief Society did about 500 masks.  It is nice to be able to serve.

Senior Hair Cut

May is also the end of the school year for our Texas Grandsons.  They finally announced that there will be a graduation at the Cowboy Stadium on June 6 and so Shannon needed some Senior pictures taken before he had to turn in his ROTC uniform.  Grandma resumed her duties of Barber and we gave him a military cut.  As you can see - it was a lot of hair that had to come off.  I just wish someone would cut my hair.  I keep the boys in shape, but not ready to attempt my own hair yet.

So we come to the close of the month with a very rainy week.  I have enjoyed sitting at my computer looking out the window and watching the rain in my backyard.  At least the rain is keeping everything green.  We have to watch the water levels, because when it rains too much we have to start the pumps so that we don't flood. 

Being inside so long also gets me in the project mode.  We decided we should replace the original 45 year old wool orange/gold shag carpet - yes, straight out of the 70's in our two guest bedrooms.  Our kids have been trying to get us to do that for a long time.  It would not wear out and I am not good at parting with things until they wear out.  So, we went and picked out new carpet.  So of course, I looked at the walls and decided we needed to do a little painting before the new carpet was laid.

 I told Russ this was my project and he would not have to help.  He was not thrilled that I came up with a new project.  In the end, he could not miss out on the fun and he helped me paint the wall and the closet. 

 Original carpet that finally had to go.  The installers came and pulled up the old carpet and then had another job to do and so they returned about 4 hours later.  That was perfect because it game me time to clean the cement floor and disinfect it before they put the new carpet in. 

 The new cream wall with the new carpet.  It is amazing what a little change does to make it a whole new room.  There really is a big difference in the cushion and softness.

 This is our Texas bedroom.  There is something about being in Texas that we go all in.  I don't think people do Utah or Idaho rooms unless you count all of the deer heads that they hang on the walls! 
It is a happy room to me and I enjoy it when guests come and stay in it. 

So, all of the floors have been replaced in our home now and so we will have to look at other things we can decide to make a project of.  Russ was glad he did not have to worry about these projects for the past two years. 

Sunday, May 31 we will be speaking in our Church Devotional to report our mission.  It is not what we had planned as I was looking forward to inviting friends and family to come to our Church and then have everyone over for Apple Strudel and food.  The party will have to wait, but it will be recorded and on a YouTube link.  I will send it out on Sunday for those who would like to hear our report.  If you want to be removed from this Blog email, just let me know and I will remove your name.  I will add to it about monthly - it is good therapy and a way for me to record my life happenings.  Thank you for reading and sharing in these experiences. 

Much love,
Linda Grimmett

April 6- May 3, 2020 The month in review

This week would have been the week we returned home from our mission.  As we ponder and reflect upon the past 6 weeks, it is still surreal and hard to put closure on.  We reminded ourselves almost daily, what we "would have been doing" if we had still been in Vienna.  We had a lot planned for the final 6 weeks and yet, most of it does not seem really very important in the scheme of things.  We have been able to follow the missionaries we left behind and have been able to see miracles happening.  They have rallied and accepted the challenge to find new ways of contacting people and serving and helping others.  It is heartwarming to read and see what has been happening.
"The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done." Joseph Smith Jr

 They have worked on developing new talents and have shared them with others.  They have shared their testimonies on Facebook and Insta-gram and are reaching hundreds of people they would not have ever met.  They have stayed busy with lessons using technology and brought joy and comfort to many who are struggling with isolation and loneliness. They continue to teach English and German classes in a virtual classroom. It has not been easy for many of them as they are confined to their apartments, but they are making the best of it and more as they continue to serve and help the work move forward.  We have seen the gospel message shared to people from all over the world in ways we could never have imagined.  The Lord is in control and continues to triumph amid all of the turmoil.  Those who have gone home have found it a greater trial to be home bound and not with a companion or actively involved in the work they have been doing for the past months of their lives.  It has been a transition for thousands of missionaries as they have returned home and some relocated or reassigned.





So, one of the first things we did upon our return was for me to make Masks for our protection.

Logan with mask

Logan's original design

I have tried a few different styles and they are getting better.  With restrictions of stores being lifted, they are requiring us to wear masks when we are out in many stores.  I am glad I saved some of my fabric and did not give all of it away when we left on our mission.  I gave away about 5 large boxes of fabric.  I am grateful I have the  skill and sewing machine to make the masks.  I am down to my last machine needle as I broke a few in the process, but so far we are sewing what we need.



Spring in Texas means Bluebonnets along the highways, in the fields and in many parks.  We took a drive and enjoyed the beauty of the season. 

Oh, to be in Texas!

We stayed in the car and were about the only people on the back roads and enjoyed just getting out and seeing the old familiar sights.

Emily and her family decided to come from Utah and stay with us for awhile.  She has always loved the Bluebonnets and likes to take pictures in them.  This has been a tradition for many years.  With school out and her employer having her work from home, she wanted to be home in Texas.

The lone poppy

Preslee and Emily

Ring of Pink

Grandpa taking it all in!

We did not have to go far to get these pictures.  We just walked down the street to our neighborhood park and it was filled with flowers.  We like to walk to this park every day to get some exercise.

We have taken lots of walks and have enjoyed the time with Preslee and Logan.

Preslee with the Goats

Another favorite activity when they visit grandma is to walk to see the ducks and the goats.  They are always glad to have people come and visit.

We are glad we could enjoy this past week because the Texas summer is upon us. GLAD - we also watched the movie Pollyanna and remembered the Glad Game.  Life really is about perspective.  In the words of one of our missionaries, Elder Bryant, "We are here on this Earth to have joy! We are here to be happy! and unfortunately, during this probationary period, we will always h ave trials and hardships.  So what are you going to do? We can focus on our problems and let them cover up everything else in life, or we can choose to acknowledge them, and choose to be happy nonetheless, instead of trying to find a reason for why everything isn't going our way, we can look for all of the good that is present."
Ask yourself - What does the Good Life mean?  Has your perspective changed in the past 6 weeks?  What good has come from this time in your life?

A walk to downtown

As we look back on this past month, we are grateful for the time to get our home in order and to spend some time with family.  We have had good health.  We have found that it is hard work taking care of our yard and think the "mission life" has a lot of advantages. Life is definitely on a slower pace.  We sleep more, we study, read, watch TV again and keep in touch with family and missionaries.  We have been navigating the never ending flow of paperwork and phone calls for Medicare benefits and Insurance issues.  All in a days work.

So what have I learned during this time that can make a difference in the future.  We continue to have tender mercies and blessings in our everyday lives.  We are grateful most things in our home continued to work while we were gone.  Now that we are home, several things have just worn out and have needed to be replaced or repaired.  That's how life is, one big cycle.  I continue to be amazed and grateful for the inspiration, revelation and guidance I have received as I have acted with faith and asked Heavenly Father for help.  I have read two books this past two weeks that have enriched my understanding and relationship with Jesus Christ.  I highly recommend the reads:  Because of the Messiah in a Manger by Brad Wilcox and a book written for teenagers but very insightful as well, ALMIGHTY by David Butler.  It is one thing to read a book and another to actually put it in action and trust in faith.
 Lessons learned with plumbing:
With extra people in the house it can stress the plumbing pipes especially in the Spring in Texas with tree roots that seem to grow in the pipes.  We have a unique situation that there is no clean out drain and so we have to have a plumber get on the roof and go down through the vent pipe.  Many plumbers will not even do the job.  One plumber told me to take a high powered hose and put it in the pipe and it can unclog the pipe.  We have done that several times and it has worked.  If it is really bad, it does not work and a plumber has to come.  So, it has been two years since we have had to clean out the drain pipes.  We forgot a very critical part of the process.  Emily and I were on the roof with the hose and Russ was at the turn off valve to turn it on and off.  We gave him the go ahead and immediately realized that no one was inside to see what happened and to tell us when to turn it off.  We turned off the water and ran into the house to find it had erupted like a volcano inside of the bathroom - you guessed it, sewer water including lots of toilet paper was everywhere.  (I will spare the details) Before we could proceed, the mess had to be cleaned up.  With gloves and disinfectant I began the cleanup.  So, we are ready to try again, this time with Emily on the roof, Russ at the switch and me inside to bail water out of the toilet into 5 gallon buckets and to give the yell to turn off the water.  We hauled about 15 five gallon buckets of water and Russ said we are calling the plumber.  I really did not want to call the plumber when I could see we were making progress.  If I knew then what I know now, we should have called the plumber to save our bodies.  That was a lot of water to carry out and it is hard on our backs.  So I am standing in the bathroom ready for one more try and I paused and said a prayer.  I asked for Heavenly Father to accept the efforts that had already been made and to give us strength to finish the job so that the drain would be clear.  We started again and I just kept telling the drain to let go and to be clear.  Suddenly there was a swish and gurgle and the drain cleared and I did not have to bale anymore water and we let it run for about 5 minutes.  I was so thankful for the success.  Just as in life, that is not the end of the story.  There is still something (tree roots) blocking the drain so that it is not working at its full potential.  This journey of life is not a sprint or a one time event to accept Jesus Christ in our lives.  It is a marathon and we are given trials and tests and road blocks and tree roots along the way to help us grow and more importantly to turn to Christ for help.  It is in those times that true growth comes.  Those experiences prepare us for the next ones along the way.  I could not just ask and expect the clog to be gone.  After hours of work - dirty work - their was relief.  It did not mean there would not still be problems, but we would be more prepared to handle them and not in an emergency situation.

I have prayed to know how to help my Grandson.  He deals with mental health issues and can be calm and loving or angry and unmanageable.  I have been trying to help with his diet and environmental things.  He feels  like he has no rights as a child and that he is abused by others when they ask him to do something.  I was studying in Mosiah about King Benjamin and his advice to parents on their responsibility as parents.  I have talked with him and we have a good relationship.  I cook him breakfast every morning and again - food seems to be the way to his heart.  So it came to me to write him a letter and ask him to study some scripture passages and to write his feelings and then we would talk about it and share our thoughts.  He was not interested at first and then I read it with him and then I down loaded the LDS Library on his phone.  I left him to do what he wanted.  At the end of the day just he and I were up and we sat and had a nice talk about things he is interested in.  He has the same basic needs that we all have and just wants to be heard and listened to. Unfortunately, he never shuts down and can talk on and on and on.   At the end of our conversation he said, I will have the answers to your questions tomorrow.  He is at least thinking about it.  He still can choose what he wants to do and I am trying to help him see the consequences of the choices he makes and not to blame everyone else for his behaviors or actions.  I do feel that as I pray and ask for guidance I have received inspiration and help to navigate through each day.

I hope the World is learning from this experience and that "Normal" will have a whole new look.  I hope we do not return to all of the things we used to do. We look forward to seeing what the future brings and hope to be able to see the rest of our family soon. 

Today is Cinco de Mayo Taco Tuesday!  In Texas that is a big deal and we are looking forward to Tacos, salsa, rice and beans and all things Tex-Mex!  Enjoy your day!

Viel Liebe,
The Grimmett's