After the fireworks conclusion to December, 'most every year, January begins with a little R and R. That means mostly Rest for me, but the second R probably stands for Recreation for Roger! His routine of golf, softball, pickle ball and running every week continued in January.
He and his buddy, Karl, drove about 1 1/2 hours toward Las Vegas, then off the beaten trail, to golf at Coyote Springs Golf Club.
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Basically out in the middle of nowhere, west of where Howard Hughes (so long ago) developed a resort in the desert, lies this pristine golf course. Challenging and beautiful, golfers who know about it, love it!
Yummy lunches took on greater importance in January - another indicator of the R and R.
We received a sad phone call from my cousin Scott, Bedke, in Burley, Idaho, early Sunday morning, January 18 - my dear and beloved Aunt Nedra passed away. She was 93, and, of course, what we all think when someone old dies, she had a good life and it's time to move on to the next world. It's true, what a glorious reunion she will have with her bigger-than-life, amazing husband, Ray, her mom and dad, all her siblings (including her brother, my dad), her first child, Derrik, and all of the others gone before her. But, oh, how sad I am to know I won't get to be with her, hug her and drink in the inspiration and love I always feel when I am around her until the next life! Ever since I was a little girl, when she showered me with attention, taking me to the matinee movies at the grand Capital Theater in Logan and for special treats of ice cream cones and Bluebird candies, I have adored and idolized her. There is truly a special bond between us. She was "My Nedra"! Then I heard at her funeral from some of the speakers and in visiting with others there, there were many others - her children, her grandchildren, her friends - that they felt the same way! She had that ability to make you feel like you were the most special person in the world! I wrote about some of her amazing qualities in a letter from my siblings and me to her kids that is down below. Oh, how I will miss her!
Last August was the last time I got to be with my Aunt Nedra at a memorial for my Aunt Gary in SLC.
My sibling and I gave her family a pretty Bonzai tree . . .
. . . and a small box of See's chocolates to each of her 5 kids - they were a passionate favorite of hers!
Have you ever had fried pickles? On the long trip to Burley for Nedra's funeral, we stopped at the new Bar Dub Grill in Nephi for a snack. Yum!
We arrived at the viewing the night before the funeral as it was ending and we got some great time to chat with her kids and spouses.
Some of the Bedke grandchildren and great-grandchildren sang for Nedra at the funeral.
Nedra's children, Scott, Erik, Alex, Leslie and Bryce are with their spouses at the cemetery. They are such great kids!
Roger took a pic of Tom, Joan, Kay, Ken and I at the cemetery.
Back at the church for a lovely late lunch, my sisters and I lined up for a pic. My brother, John, and his darling wife, Cindy, were at the funeral but had to leave for Idaho Falls to meet up with their son and wife.
Here are our good-lookin' spouses - Tom, Hal, Ken and Roger!
All of my cousins on the Gabrielsen side were there but Ellen, who lives in Pennsylvania, and Diane, who lives in Kansas.
The new Burley Temple
I thought I would throw in a happy pic of our daughter, Missy's family, who took a quick trip the end of January to "the happiest place on earth"!
Our last little activity in January was attending a 60th Wedding Anniversary celebration for our friends, Sherry and Warde Scoffield. They are one of many special couples here in Sunbrook. We are so lucky to have so many special friends to live amongst in St. George! Everyone looks out for each other and the acts of service are many and quietly performed.
So, January ended as quietly as it began! Winter weather is even milder than usual. Life's daily routines are slipping quietly by and there is much time for reflection of the past and gratitude for the present. We are so blessed!
