Yep.... under fire alert again.... we are known as Bryce Woodlands...

 

Yes, Bryce Woodlands is threatened with fire again.   This happened a couple of years ago, and we were panicking, and here we are once more.  Here's a couple of updates so you can get an idea what we're dealing with...

I hate it when I see smoke - never anything good.

Update:

Fire resources along the southern lines remain in place to buffer any movement to the south, holding and improving existing line to protect the community of Bryce Woodlands. On the western edge, resources scouted for opportunities to go direct in rough, steep terrain characterized by cliff bands and roadless areas. On the northern edge, other crews working with dozers where successful digging direct line, which they hope to hold through the coming Red Flag weather events. A compliment of engines remains in the community of Bryce Woodlands to provide structure protection in the event the fire moves south. Air resources were assisting on all fronts, scouting, communicating hot spots, and providing bucket water drops where firefighters needed support.

On a happier note, we purchased the flooring for the kitchen and this past weekend, Jim took it down south.  I love this flooring.  I think it has such a calming look to it.

Jim and I have been downsizing, and one of the big projects was cleaning out our storage building.  In going through boxes and boxes of "stuff" I came across this letter from Sick Children's Hospital in Toronto...  My mother related the story to me of how this letter came to be.  When I was born, I had that RH factor problem, and had to have blood transfusions.  When I was six years old, this letter came in the mail asking for my parents to bring me back to Sick Kid's hospital for a check up and some testing.  My mum had bought me a new outfit, complete with new socks and panties so I was totally decked out.  The panties she bought for me had rows and rows of ruffles on the backside, and I love them.  When the doctor doing the examination asked me to undress, she noticed that I had put my undies on backwards with the ruffles on the front.  I really liked the ruffles...  She started to laugh and that's where the appointment ended.  I was so angry that this stupid doctor had laughed at me, that all I did after that point was glare at her.  If she asked me to get on the scale, I glared.  If she asked to listen to my heart, I glared... So, she told me to get dressed and go home...  I told this to Jim and to Brad, and both of them said that in all these years, nothing has really changed...  Giggle.

Ben is taking goalie classes this summer and loves it.  This is the first time he's had real amazing instruction...

Brad tells me that his beautiful white gear is kinda scuffed up now... Sigh..

I had cataract surgery a week ago, and am still recooperating.  The surgery is an absolute breeze.

This is after the first check up.  I got switched from the pirate look to a clear covering... Not particularly appealing, but necessary.

Jim belongs to a remote control car club here in Utah, and he entered one of his cars in their competition this past weekend.... AND, he won for "Most Unique"!  Jim built his car all by hand - not a kit or premade.  Was kinda fun...

Jim is third from the left...

My job this week was picking out the flooring that goes in front of the doors and the hearth...This was my first choice...

And, the two that are going in are the darker brown (top picture) and .... this is two that I think look great together...

And, this is the pattern that is going in front of the hearth.  The pattern that is going in front of the door is a straight square instead of the round.

Jim has been focusing his work on completing the kitchen....  The insulation went in previously and this is the first bit of sheetrock that was installed.  I am so stoked.

... and the first pieces of backsplash were installed!  I love this look.  

And.... the first cabinets...This I REALLY love.... I am so excited about the kitchen cabinets going in, you have no idea... Jim worked on this project all week, and then sent me a picture as a surprise.  I was thrilled.

I bought a couple of pieces of Wonderstone for my outside shower.  I really liked these pieces.  I had never heard of wonderstone, but I was told these pieces came from Vernon, Utah... I didn't have a clue where Vernon, Utah was, and had to google it.  It is, apparently, near Tooele, Utah...  And, I actually know where  Tooele is!  But, Wonderstone is a volcanic rock (rhyolite) and it's found in desert regions... I think it's super pretty.

The insulation was picked up on Monday and is sitting in the trailer outside the cabin.  Jim kinda ran out of time and came back to Provo... That project is for next time he is there...

With that, this edition is concluded, and the as always, the adventure continues.  I am hoping and praying the fire is soon under control, and we don't have that worry..

Love, Jim and Cheri

The phoenix, a mythological bird that rises from ashes, uses fire as a symbol of rebirth and transformation. 

...an incredible weekend...

 Well, it seems that Mother Nature is going to start playing nice, finally...  maybe...

This past week started out very differently, but I wouldn't have changed it for the world.  My son, Brad and his son, Ben flew into Salt Lake from Alaska for a week.  Very, very exciting... Did my little heart good. 

We started the day going to Callie's Cafe in Orem...  this was a usual haunt for us when Brad and company lived in Utah, so I thought it was only fitting to swing by for breakfast.  It was lovely...

 After breakfast,  we made a trip to Pure Hockey in Salt Lake to get Ben new goalie equipment.  It was really a fun experience!  

Ben got a new stick and pads and helmet and a plethora of other equipment and left the store happy as a little clam...  One of the most interesting 2 hours of my life.

Our next adventure was going to Dreamwalk... It's really an in interesting place... kind of a sci-fi,

experience of art and music and animatronics...  very interactive, lots of adventures and fun. I highly recommend this one for all ages.  

Here's me and one of the characters.. they are not scary creatures - all very friendly.. 

Coy joined us for this adventure and I know the boys had a blast...  What was supposed to take an hour and a half, ended up taking 3 hours and this grandma was totally pooped out with that much walking..  I left early and the boys continued on.

With the new hockey gear, the boys took a visit to The Peaks skating arena...  Coy was right wing, Ben was goalie and Brad was having fun.  A great experience for the kids.

Tuesday lunch, the boys wanted to go to Olive Garden for lunch, so they picked me up from work and off we went.

With our new professional hockey team now in Utah, the boys had to take a visit to the Delta Center and pick up some swag.  I think they enjoyed it.

Brad brought me an Alaskan ulu.  It's a type of knife used by Inuit peoples to cut meat and skin animals etc.  This one was made by a friend of Brad's and the handle is made of walrus tusk.  It is absolutely beautiful... and, will make a beautiful addition to our cabin...

My granddaughter Mahayla graduated from Grade 8 and she made us so proud... She not only made honour roll, but was in the top 10% of students!

She's growing up with or without our permission...

Where did the time go?

This is one of my favourite pictures...  Such joy and happiness ... playing in a mud puddle.  It was Jim's decision to let her splash in the puddle... I just made sure her clothes were washed before sending her back home.

The work on the cabin continues.  The big move now is to complete the insulation in the ceiling which will be blown in, and on the walls, which is rolled..  It's a huge job.

There is a piece of  foam sheet insulation that goes in first and then the blown insulation goes in, being caught by a piece of mesh to hold it all in place.  Tongue and groove wood will cover it all up. I bought 43 bales of insulation this past week and Ben is going to pick them up this next week.  I also bought the oak flooring for the kitchen...  The guy who was supposed to install the flooring in the kitchen didn't show up - this doesn't surprise me... So, Jim and Ben are going to do the installation.  This is a big problem here on the mountain... contractors just don't show up...  sad.

If you remember, last fall, a bird got into the pipe going from the roof and down the line.  Well, the inside of the pipe was totally destroyed and this visit, Jim tried to fix the problem, but the pieces were too destroyed.  So, he is going to have to buy new parts and start from scratch.  He got down to the 40's at night and it was a little frosty inside, so Jim did a patch job... and it worked.

The gentleman who did the ceramic work in the bathroom came by Friday morning.  He is going to be installing wood grain looking ceramics in front of the wood burning stove (half round piece) and a piece by the front door.  I am excited to have this done.

...still a little bit of snow left, but not so much to stop travel.  Just seems weird to have snow in June.

I am always absolutely thrilled when insulation goes up in my kitchen... Jim has decided to make a concentrated effort to work finishing the kitchen and  love it!

...and, I'm thrilled when sheet rock goes up!!!  AND, mudding and taping!!!

Jim sent me this picture and I giggled to myself.  He was trying to find the stud behind the sheet rock..  After several tries, he finally found it!  Giggle. He said, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."

And, with his trying, he had a little booboo.

Jim called me Thursday night and told me that the WIFI was out in the cabin.  We called the company and they sent a repair man out to fix it.  Apparently, a little mouse decided we didn't need WIFI and he chewed through the line...  It was suggested we get a cat... I suggest we get traps.

Jim also started working on the cabinets in the kitchen... It's been a little interesting cooking meals without a full kitchen, but we managed.  But, it sure will be wonderful having a full kitchen soon.  I am so excited for this change.  Jim does beautiful work and I am so proud of him.

It looks absolutely beautiful... Jim is such a perfectionist - his work is amazing.

..more kitchen pictures.

I found this door, and I wasn't sure where it should go.  It's made of bamboo.  Jim suggested it belongs as the door to the furnace room, so at this point, it has a home.

Being that this is the first visit to the cabin this year, the first thing that Jim had to do was turn the water on... and, when he did this, water was shooting out.  We found out that during the winter, the water meter had split and had to be replaced.  I called the company and they told me that this has been a common theme this year, and they were out the next morning to replace the broken part.

I went to Habitat a week or so ago and saw these ballusters... exactly the ones we have used on the deck.  They usually sell for around $10.00 each at Lowe's and these ones were $1.00...  There were about 15 or so of them, so I was thrilled with the savings.

And, my little tree garden did not fair too well over the winter.  My white pine and blue spruce survived nicely, but my lilacs crossed the rainbow bridge.... 

... and my aspens are struggling.  The top of the trees look dead, but there is new growth on the bottom so I don't know what is happening with them... I'm hoping for the best.

With that, this episode comes to an end... The adventure continues.

Love, Jim and Cheri

If at first you don’t succeed, that’s about average for a construction project.