#51 "No Old People"

Thank you for your prayers.  I really am surviving quite well for an elderly person.  

I had my hair done this week.  My hair dresser works in the Hilton Hotel, and is a beautiful blond Turk married to an Italian.  She also lives in our neighborhood.  I told her that we never see older people out and about.  Where are they?  We have numerous side-walk cafes surrounding us and they are always full of younger looking people.  I rarely see anyone very old.  She said all the old people are dead.  She said Turks don't live very long.  So I guess I’m a rarity here. 

Dad mentioned our trip to Istanbul.  I don’t know if I can describe how hard it was for me.  I kept thinking if I survive this, I’ll survive anything.  We walked with gale-force driving rain for blocks and blocks, in a dress and dress shoes.  I don’t know why it wasn’t snow, because it was freezing.  I wasn’t with Dad when his umbrella broke.  I was out purchasing pastries and bread for the dinner with the GA to take to the Mission Home.  I couldn’t even put up my umbrella because the rain and winds were too heavy.  I just walked with the purchases and took each step wondering if it would be the last one.  The sidewalks are uneven, sometimes non-existent and hilly.  The MP and wife had gone to the airport to get the visitors.  I was helping out while they were gone. 

When I arrived at the Mission Home I deposited stuff in the kitchen and then took off my clothes, ironed my skirt and scarf, put my shoes on the radiator heater, and hung my drenched coat over a chair.  Later dad came in, and went through the same routine with his stuff.  The MP and others arrived about 2 hours later.  They were delayed because traffic was awful coming from the airport. 

We had a very good dinner.  I’d helped cut and dice the night before when the MP and wife and invited us to their home.  Dad and MP watched a recording of BYU football, and the wife and I worked in the kitchen.  She is a very good cook.  Hopefully I can create some of her meals when we return.

BTW… The MP said we can’t leave here until we find replacements.  Will you please put an ad in the paper? 

As I’m writing this the YV's are in the living room skyping someone.  I gave dinner to them and an YA today….spaghetti.  I’m so good at that!

I hope the Cleggs and Browns enjoyed Arizona.  I’m proud of Marinn’s team.  I hear progress is being made on our bathroom.    

Another BTW… For the first time our plane was searched for suspicious objects.  A woman tried to change seats with me when we first got on the airplane.  I declined because I’d delibertly chosen an aisle seat.  It turned out that she didn’t even have a boarding pass.  I don’t know how she got on the plane.  Luckily I hadn’t traded seats with her.  Finally they ejected her from the airplane, and did the airplane search.  We all had to take down our stuff from the bins, and they searched.  They didn’t find anything, and we were cleared for departure.

Well, I love you all and hope things are going well in the frigid land of Utah, and the warmth of Arizona.

Love,

Mother