David's Uncle Darrell was glad to receive visitors in SLC

Grandmas Letters Inspired Me

While visiting mother I read some of my grandmother Meacham's letters which she had faithfully kept all these years. It was very enjoyable. Since I don't write letters I thought this may be a good way to keep in touch and Ben is always getting after me for not blogging.

We just got back from an event filled 2 weeks. We took Craig to Great basin national park and explored the Lehman caves in Nevada. We next went to Utah and stayed a bit with Liz and Ryan and then to Draper to get ready for Marae and Ryan's wedding and luncheon for close friends and relatives. After the lovely wedding and luncheon athey left to catch a plane to spend their honeymoon in New Hampshire in the exra home of grandparents from Maine. They are staying with Ben's grandfather in Highland, Utah for a couple weeks before they go to London for Ben's master program in Mid Eastern studies I believe.
Friday, we had a picnic at Ryan and Liz's moms in Benjamin, utah. The children had a great time in their yard with water slides, baseball, toys, sand box, horses, etc. We do appreciate her kindness in letting us enjoy it. Jaxson asked when we were going to Davey's grandmother's again. We then hurried up to the mountains for a hike to a waterfall and pool the children played in. The weather was perfect. Then to Liz and Ryans for supper. It was delicious.

Saturday we went to Lagoon to spend the whole day together. It was fun to run into my Cousin Joyce and Thale Ostler and visit with them a bit. Also we got to spend time with Tommy our newest 1 month old baby grandson.

Church was attended in Draper and Monday after helping Liz learn how to can green beans and Chicken and meat we headed for Zions National Park to camp. It was lovely and peaceful. Then on to Micheline and Brets for the weekend. We got to attend Lindseys baptism and then went to the lake to meet her cousins family and Barben grandparents who had attended her cousins baptism in Cedar City athe same day. After church Sunday we went to grandmother Meachams and were able to get her computer set up that her hometeacher had so graciously given her. After supper I went through her genealogy and enjoyed that. Monday we met Ben for lunch at Sizzlers to use up the coupons Liz gave her dad. We enjoyed seeing him before we took Craig to BYU Idaho. We were happy to meet his nice roomates.

The Genealogy Club Was Formed

At the suggestion of Isabella Favero we started a genealogy club. Grandma thought it a splendid idea. The first meeting was at the Favero's house in Carson City. Grandmother decided that we would feature a different person each year to do research on.

Since her great Grandfather George Bellu Meacham lived in Reno, Nevada at one time we decided to feature him through August of 2009. Aunt Billie and Uncle Gordon Meacham had mentioned that he drove a 20 Mule Team for the Borax company. While in Reno for Grandpa's heart surgery Grandma took a couple of hours to go to the library to find more info. She found that usually single young men drove the large team of mules for tne arduous journey. The mule train was only with Borax between 1883-1889 until the growth of the railroad and new deposits were found. George Bellu would have been a young man at the time and the muleskinners were characteristically single men. They were solitary men used to enduring extreme hardships. During this time not a single wagon broke down nor a single animal was lost. For their efforts, muleskinners earned from $100 to $120 per month - very high wages for the time. The borax load had to be hauled 165 miles up and out of Death Valley, over the steep Panamint Mountains and across the desert to the nearest railroad junction at Mojave. The 20-day round trip started 190 feet below sea level and climbed to an elevation of 2000 feet before it was over. The heat, desolation and rattlesnakes presented ominous obstacles for both man and mule and occasionally the brakes gave way down a steep mountain grad and the heavy rig would thunder down the trail hard on the heels of the frantic mules. Special training for the mules was important. They each had their own jobs and the "sixes" and "eights" -were the pairs trained to leap over the chain when the mule train turned a corner. It was an omnious job to go around a curve and not being able to see if someone was coming up the other side.
After the use of the 20 Mule team was passed for hauling borax the teams appeared at special events ranging from St.Louis World's Fair in 1904 to President Woodrow Wilson's inauguration in 1916.
Borax is made partly from volcanic ash. Other uses for borax includeglass, detergents, for automobiles, cosmetics and medicines, building materials, flame retardants, agriculture,etc. We would be amazed at all the various uses. Uncle Jon
said that it is the salmon eggs for fishing.
At our second genealogy meeting at Grandma and Grandpa Lindsey's we made GAK from Borax. It is fun to play with and easy to make.
Mix 2 cups regular Elmer's glue or similar type
1 1/2 cups water (or until not sticky
Mix 1/3 cups water
1 T. borax
Add to glue mixture - color with food coloring if desired.

We also practiced adding names to the computer program PAF personal ancestral file which can be downloaded for free from the LDS.org family search site. They were able to give the names and dates and places for themselves and younger family members to link them to the family.
We made genealogy buttons or pins as designed by Bret Barben the younger. Each meeting will feature a new design by a new designer.

George Bellu Meacham is buried in Bishop, California. If anyone wants to visit his grave there is a directory in the cemetery to helpfind his grave. George Meacham, Grandma's father was named after his grandfather George Bellu Meacham. If anyone has a photo of George Bellu it would be greatly appreciated as we have not yet seen one.

Happy Birthday to a Great Mom

Just wanted to wish you happy birthday publically and express my love and gratitude for all you have taught me and the fun life I had growing up on the farm. I am so grateful that your health is good at age 87 and we are so glad you can still make it on your own and enjoy many friends in that wonderful place, Provo, Utah.

I've Been Tagged

Rules_ Each player answers the questions themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 people and posts their names then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let them know you've answered the questions on their blog.
strong>5 things I've done in the past 10 years
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1. Got caught in the Atlanta, Georgia airport when the whole airport was evacuated for a false alarm after 9/11. It was so fun and nothing exciting like that happens here.
2. Sent 4 boys and 1 girl on a mission and attended 3 temple marriages for our kids.
3. Organized a high school reunion and quite a few family reunions.
4. Found dates and places for most families in the Doak book so the families could have work done in the temple and sealed together.
5. Remodeled or finished 4 houses, contracted one to be built and had an old dream house moved and moved into most of them.

5 things I wish I could do today!

1. See all the family.
2. Bring many people to my knowledge of Christ and the many miraculous happenings in my life that are way too numerous to mention a hundredth part.
3. Get a confirmation about what is right for us to do and all the family in the coming year.
4. Spend more time with my wonderful mother.
5. Let everyone know of their great worth and how much they are loved by a loving Father in Heaven.

5 foods I wouldn't live without.

1. Desserts
2. Cucumbers and other vegetables
3. Raw milk
4. Nuts
5. Plucots (my newest favorite fruit) Plums and apricots crossed.

5 things I'd do if I were a milionaire.
1. Finish my dream of energy efficient, affordable, attractive classic homes
2. Have a guest park where guests could view gardens, orchards, and farm animals. Musicals and entertainment would be mostly done by desendants of AA Doak and Emma Elizabeth Howard. Lodging and meals could be available for those wanting to remember the OLD West.
A shop where gifts, fresh vegetables in season, homemade old fashioned candies and cookies could be sold as well handmade articles made from natural fabrics woul be on the premise. Trail riding and perhaps wagon riding would be available.
3. Make sure all our relatives have what they need.
4.Visit lots of family history sights and probably Ireland.
5.Get a horse trailer and get all the horses well trained for riding.

5 places I have lived.

1. Idaho
2. Alaska
3. Washington
4. Kentucky
5. Wyoming

5 people I tag I didn't know who would want to do this but if you read this and will take time to do it you are tagged from me. I wanted to tag Jenny but don't know if you want to do this. If you are too busy and have been tagged it's fine not to do it. Do I ever understand.

1. Elise Lindsey
2. Trudy Meacham
3. Natalie Meacham
4. Kylee Bills
5. Ben Lindsey

The heart surgery went so well and we are grateful for the prayers of the family. The many grandchildren joined in fasting and prayer.
Here is Bella and Athena visiting the hospital. Thanks Larisa and Kirsten and families for your love and attention and all the rest of the family. Interestingly enough Bella had heart surgery early this year and knew all about what to expect. She was with us in the hospital during the surgery. David's valve was replaced by a bovine valve or cow's valve. David has been helping around the house and is now officially retired. We are celebrating his retirement when Craig gets off his mission in December by taking a trip to Florida and meeting him there.