Train Rides

Last summer, we learned that driving to Ogden during rush hour was a two and half hour stint filled with road rage and impatience. As we crawled along with other motorists, we were in awe of the new Front Runner passing all of the cars and envious that we didn't utilize it's services.

We were again faced with the rush hour commute last week as we made dinner plans in Ogden. The stop and go traffic was something that I did not want to endure again. I thought how wonderful it would be to take Trax to down town and then Front Runner to Ogden. The stop in Ogden is just down the street from where my sister in law works so it would be kinda fun to just try it out.
We started off on Trax from Sandy at about 4pm. People on the train were making snide comments about me taking pictures...they must have thought that I was a real tourist.




When we got to the down town station to change trains, I was really impressed with the cool satchels protruding out of the rocks here and there. I thought that it was pretty neat that Trax, Front Runner, Amtrac and Greyhound were all in the same place!






It wouldn't be the city without it's share of colorful people. There is always someone! The above man yelled at me for taking his picture! He screamed that he knew I worked for the State and I had no right to take his picture. I assured him in the thickest southern accent that I could muster up that I didn't work for the State, but I do work for the media!

We got on the Front Runner at the same time that we were supposed to be in Ogden. It had taken an hour to get from Sandy to Downtown. We were confident that it would only be about half an hour away from dinner because of how fast we saw it moving last year.

Well, we were wrong! It was 5 o'clock and I-15 was speeding right along! The train moseyed along the tracks like a Sunday Drive! Cars were flying toward Ogden much faster than the train courtesy of Legacy Highway! I wonder how in the world the transit is making any money at all. A man on the train told us that a monthly pass is about $175.00 for about a two hour ride to his work on 33rd South! We figured that price and a longer commute just doesn't seem to be worth it.

With nothing but dinner to do, we didn't mind this trip and it was actually pretty fun. We met some nice (except for screamy photo-phobic guy) people and I got some really fun pictures! Now we know that if we ever move to Utah that the trains should not be used for anything but leisure. We finally arrived in Ogden an hour late and thank goodness we decided to leave Ogden at 9pm because we caught the last Trax train back to Sandy without even knowing it!

Kate Needs

By googling "your name needs", you can find some funny stuff!
The below are ten of the funniest ones that I found:

1. Kate needs a shave.

2. Kate needs a date.

3. Kate needs a pinup photographer in Chicago!

4. Kate needs to back the hell off of Carly!

5. Kate needs kisses.

6. Kate needs a rehab in a new home.

7. Kate needs a hammer.

8. Kate needs some flowers.

9. Kate needs your advice.

10. Kate needs to think before she speaks!

I sincerely hope that I don't need a shave or a date! But these cracked me up! I had to do it since my friend's "Needs" Blog post was hilarious!!

I hope that you do it too!

Reasons

I just want to thank all of you for your support about my “Decision” post. The conversation with my Grandma helped me to relax and take a breath before I jumped on an airplane. Together we decided to wait to see how my Grandpa was the following day.

Much to my dismay, my phone rang early the next morning. My sister was calling to let me know that Grandpa had past away Saturday morning.

I wouldn’t have made it there in time.

By staying, I’ve had time in the comfort of my own home to grieve and cry and reminisce. I do believe that things work out the way that they do for a reason. Accepting and learning from those reasons are all part of the big test.

So, I’m off to Utah with most of the hurt dealt with in privacy so I may be strong for my Grandma and the rest of my family.

I’m so grateful for my friends! Thank you so much for being here for me! Your kind words have been just what I needed!

Decisions

For the last 24 hours I’ve been killing myself with the decision of whether to fly home to see my Grandpa before he passes away or if I should stay in Arkansas until he does pass.

Going sooner than later would be for totally selfish reasons, allowing me to say goodbye to him. Feeding my own selfishness, because (Grandma assures me) he wouldn’t know if I were there or not. To wait would mean that I have more time to spend helping out in any way that I can, as well as the time off from work to attend the services.

I’ve tried to help Heavenly Father’s schedule since mine happens to be booked solid with the Princess’s end of school tests, a dance performance at the Jr. High School pageant, and a mandatory parent meeting with the dance coach for next year’s dance team selection. I’ve tried to compromise, but I know that He knows what’s best and that I can deal with it. Nonetheless, all of this has made the decision making so difficult.

This man is one of my unsung heroes. He’s my mom’s dad, born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and one tough cookie. Noteworthy these days, he and Grandma have been married for 65 years. They made their life and home in Utah after his honorable discharge from the military in the 1940s. This must have been a hard decision since he and his mother had such a close bond.

I can’t imagine being far from home without the modern technology of the internet, long distance minutes on my cell phone, easy direct flights (getting more costly as the economy suffers) and UPS. Yes, the decision to stay in Utah during the 40s must have been a great sacrifice. He also liked the family lifestyle and the fly fishing.

The loss of his daughter (my mom) also marked the loss of his eye sight thirteen years ago and the loss of his independence as a result.

At the end of the day, my Hero called the airline to see if they have a bereavement discount for flights. He bought three tickets that can be booked, cancelled and rebooked anytime. With the trip purchased and a two hour phone conversation with Grandma, I’ve resolved to waiting until the inevitable comes to pass.

Mother

My sister in law sent me this in an email today and I love it! Had to share:

Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back
to normal after you've had a baby..... somebody
doesn't know that once you're a mother,
'normal' is history.
* * *
Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by
instinct ... somebody never took a three-year-old shopping.
* * *
Somebody said being a mother is boring....
somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.

* * *

Somebody said if you're a 'good' mother,

your child will 'turn out good'...

somebody thinks a child comes with
directions and a guarantee.
* * *
Somebody said you don't need an education to be a
mother.... somebody never helped a fourth grader
with his math.
* * *
Somebody said you can't love the second child as
much as you love the first.... somebody doesn't
have two children.
* * *
Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother
is labor and delivery....
somebody never watched her 'baby' get on the bus
for the first day of kindergarten ...
or on a plane headed for military 'boot camp.'
* * *
Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her
child gets married....somebody doesn't know that
marriage adds a new son or daughter-in- law to a
mother's heartstrings.
* * *
Somebody said a mother's job is done when
her last child leaves home....
somebody never had grandchildren.
* * *
Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so
you don't need to tell her....
somebody isn't a mother.