Two PT Cruisers Now in Long Beach - February 15, 2024

Long story…but we now have two PT Cruisers in Long Beach, California (in addition to the two we have in Idaho and the one we have in Colorado)…the lighter grey 2007 PT Cruiser my husband Dan took to the auto shop in September and when he returned to Long Beach in December it was still not fixed so we bought the blueish-black 2002 PT Cruiser for $1200 so he would have transportation right after Christmas.  Well…finally…on 2/15/24, the grey one was ready to pick up…six months in the shop!!!

Read more about all of our PT Cruisers - Click On This Link

Valentine’s Day 2024 at the Katella!

My husband Dan and I celebrated Valentines Day 2024 by going to the Katella Deli …the restaurant where we celebrated getting engaged 45 years ago…we told a few people as we entered the restaurant that on the day we got engaged we went to The Katella to celebrate and someone surprised us by paying for our dinner tonight!  2/14/2024

My cousin Cherie made this cake in the photo below for me and my husband Dan.  We don’t remember when she made it though.  It seems appropriate since Dan and I celebrated Valentine’s Day 2024 together and almost 45 years of marriage in 2024.

My Sister Lynnellen’s 65th Birthday - February 18, 2024

Sad…my sister Lynnellen’s 65th birthday is today Feb 18, 2024…since I was in southern California for a funeral I hoped to see her and contacted her and left a card and gift in her mailbox, but no response…she has not spoken to me (there have been texts) since before my dad died over two years ago…I was hoping so much to see her again…I guess it is not meant to be…

This is what was insider the gift bag for my sister Lynnellen

The silence is what hurts the most……

Jo Ann Skied 27 Runs in Sun Valley on Thursday, January 18, 2024

 I had the best time on Thursday, January 18, 2024 since I skied and skied all day long.  Here’s a sumary of where and what I did.

I began my morning by boarding the blue bus in Elkhorn Springs at 8:30 am and headed to Dollar Mountain.  I was there in about six minutes, so I just took my time getting my boots tight and my helmet and goggles and jacket on and I got my skis ready.

Then, at 8:55 am, I headed for the lift which opened right at 9 am.  I usually go on the Quarter Dollar lift to warm up when I go to Dollar Mountain, but Quarter Dollar was closed, so I just went on the Dollar lift.

I was the third person up to the top!

I skied Sepp’s Bowl which was so fun  and then I went to the little terrain park on Poverty Flats.

I head back up the Dollar lift five more times and did New Bowl and then the terrain park jumps, Dollar Face and the run next to the terrain park, and then did everything I did the first time again:  Sepp’s Bowl, Poverty Flats, New Bowl, the run next to the terrain park, Dollar Face, more terrain park and then the run next to the magic carpet.

Then, I headed to the bus stop and got on the bus to Warm Springs.

When I got to Warm Springs, I took the Challenger lift to the half way point and skied the first part of lower Warm Springs and then I took the cat track to the Hemingway Run.  That was hard by the way…

Then I went back up the Challenger lift to the the halfway point and skied lower Warm Springs.

Then I took a break and after the break I went up the new Flying Squirrel lift and did the very end of Upper College and then I took the Olympic Lane cat track to Gun Tower Lane by the gondola and then took Gun Tower Lane to lower Broadway. 

Lower Broadway, as usual, was so fun!

Then I went up the lift which is at the bottom of lower Broadway and went down GunTower Lane again, but this time I took the Seattle Ridge lift tot he top of Seattle Ridge.

I stopped in the Seatlle Ridge lodge to use the restroom and drink water, and then I skied Christin’s Silver which was really hard and after that I skied the rest of Upper Broadway and went back up the lift.  Then I skied Leigh’s Lane to Upper Broadway and skied to lower Broadway and skied lower Broadway for a second time.

After taking the lift at the bottom of Lower Broadway up to the Gondlola, I decided to take the Christmas lift up to the top.  

It was super windy at the top so I began skiing down right away and I skied upper College to lower College to the cat track that took me to the end of mid river run and then skied lower River Run.

When I got to the bottom, I did a quick restroom break and then I did one more run on Lower River Run!

I then headed to the bus stop and waited for the Red bus and at 4:09 pm I headed home.

What an amazing day!!!

My Parents’ Plaque Is Finally Up and Correct

Forest Lawn finally got the plaque corrected….summary of what happened:  there was a lot of discussion by my siblings about what should be on my father’s plaque and it was finally decided it would just mirror my mother’s.  It took so long that I asked for an addition, but Forest Lawn messed up and it was wrong.  I felt so bad since me asking for an addition caused the error.  I asked if they could correct it and finally they did.

There was a disagreement with my siblings about what would be on the plaque on my father’s grave.  Billy first told me it was okay to write anything I wanted, but when Lynnellen disapproved of what I came up with, Billy just stepped in and mirrored what was on my Mom’s.  

When I visit my parents at Forest Lawn, when I see the plaque, I will only remember Lynnellen criticizing me for what I wanted the plaque to say.  I will also remember the “wrong” plaque that is no longer there since the error occurred because I asked if there was room for “Uncle” and “Brother.”

Incorrect Plaque left out “Grandfather”

This is what I wanted on the plaque:

Here’s the “back and forth conversation” about what the plaque should say:

(I showed Lynnellen and Billy this example sent by my cousin Donna trying to explain that the headstone tells those who see it in the future the story of one’s life.  They still did understand how important this was to me.)

(I feel different now  - I will still visit my parents at Forest Lawn, but this plaque discussion will forever be somewhat of a painful memory.)

Night Skiing! New Year’s Eve 2023

What an amazing New Year’s Eve!  Celebrating with night skiing on Dollar Mountain in Sun Valley was the best.  It was also incredible when there were fireworks and skiing with flares at the end!