Thursday, November 22, 2018

TURKEY DAY




Today, I am thankful to be alive!
Soooo happy to have survived my crash!
Soooo glad my Savior, my angel grandmother, and my angel friend,
Jane, were watching out for us!

Spending dinner with the Whiteley Clan, at a church
with over 100 people!
McKay & Lori fam will be with Lori's family.
Mike & Heidi fam are going to Mike's parents in Enterprise.
Katie & CJ are in Indianapolis.

Soooo, it will just be the 3 oldest kiddos.
Chris, Camille, & Ashley and fams.
There were only these 3 from 
September 18, 1983 - January 19, 1986.
Good times!

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

THAT ONE FRIDAY NIGHT

Friday, November 16, 2018

My friend, Cathy, had another grandson get married.
Alema Tautu.
His mom and siblings went to Alpine Elementary.
He was at Shelley Elementary in 5th grade.

Alema & Becca
One of the "beautiful couples".  They were featured in
the Utah Valley Bride Magazine!
 

Brad & Cathy

The proud grandparents

The Tautu Family
I taught Telisa, to the right of the bride, and
Tyson, the missionary in the photo being
held by his mom.
Sae, on the right, played football for BYU.
(Rise & Shout)

My friend, Carolyn, and I were going to go to
the reception.  Her daughter, Stephanie (whom I taught
in 5th grade my 4th year teaching), went with us.
We went up to Timpanogos Highway towards AF Canyon
to get on Canyon Road from there, since a lot of
the lower Canyon Road was under construction.

It was about 6:05 p.m.
We were going through this intersection:
The light was green.
About 1/2 to 3/4 of the way through the intersection,
we were hit by a 2016 Red Toyota Tundra traveling west, then turning south.
For whatever reason, he turned into me, as I had the right of way.
(The right turning lane here takes you to Lone Peak High School
and the Mount Timpanogos Temple.)
It was easy to pick out the driver from the people
standing around . . . he was wearing a U of U hoodie!

I went to pick up my phone to call 911, but I couldn't see.
Apparently, my glasses flew off when the airbags came out!
So, I put on my prescription sunglasses so I could see.

Carolyn kept saying she dreamed of being killed in a car accident!
Oh, boy!  She also told paramedics that she was blacking out.
She has something (starts with a "V") that causes her to do that when injured 
or really sick.  Heidi knew what it was.

Steph called 911, then her husband.
I thought, "Who can I call?"
Reid, Laurel, & Chris were halfway to Phoenix
to watch their horse race.
McKay & Lori in Genola.  Camille & Mark in Salt Lake.
Ashley, Jon, & Kim in Saratoga Springs.
I thought of Mike & Heidi.  They live in Cedar Hills.
I called Mike's phone, it went straight to voicemail.
I started to call Heidi when Mike called me back.
Heidi said he wondered why I was calling, since I pretty
much only text.  She told him to call back.
They were on their way home from dinner.
He came up to me.  I was glad to see him.
Heidi stayed with me.  He drove home, and changed the
truck for the van, and put the kids in before returning.

While I was waiting, I text McKay & Lori to tell them.
It was a heads up to let them know that I probably
wouldn't be taking Haley to the BYU game the next day.
(McKay ended up taking her)
They left Cole to watch the girls, and immediately
came up to be with mom.

When the police came to my door, I still had my prescription sunglasses on.
I thought, "Oh, boy.  They'll think I'm drunk!"
Sunglasses in the dark.
They wanted me to roll down the window.  It wouldn't.
I already knew the car door wouldn't open.
I told them I couldn't find my glasses, so I put on my prescription
sunglasses so I could see.  I hoped they wouldn't think I was nuts!

They told me they would have to cut me out.
They opened the back door, which was ok, and put a
sheet up so I wouldn't get hit if glass flew.

When I got out, I saw my glasses on the floor!
They were fine!
That was a huge tender mercy!
My sunglasses broke in October.  Because I have a growth in
my eye, I have to wear sunglasses in the daytime.
My insurance didn't cover the sunglasses, because I had
gotten the new glasses in July.  
They only cover one pair a year!
They were pretty much brand new.

I also saw how bad my car was!
They told me not to look at it!
Seriously???

While waiting, I told the policeman that I needed to sit down,
because I can't balance well standing in one place for too long.
(I'm always first to receptions and viewings)
They said they'd put me in the engine.
No way could I climb up that high!
I asked to sit in the police car.  They hesitated, and said
no . . . the dog's in the car.
I told them I would just go over to the light pole 
and lean against it, in case they needed me!


Here's the lovely photos, from when Ashley and I
went to get my belongings out of the car:

Passenger side


My windshield

Oh, those airbags!

Inside

This is where they cut me out!


Impact



I did not go to the ER for awhile.  I was sitting in the car,
waiting to be cut out, while Carolyn and Steph were on
their way to hospital in an ambulance.
The policeman said to get checked out.  He said the truck
was so big, and had a lot of damage!
(One of the policemen knew Heidi, and was Ashley's age.
They grew up in the same ward.  I recognized his last name.)

Heidi, who is an RN, took me to the ER.
She was sitting behind me, while the doctor examined me.
She was trying not to laugh, as I was being felt all over!
My injuries were my right breast, which I think was caused by the
airbag; and left side of the abdomen where the seatbelt was.
Each day, the bruising gets bigger and darker!
(By the way, a lot of rips and tears in my clothing,
garments weren't touched!)










I never knew how much fun it is dealing with insurance!
I need a rental car!  Can't get one.
The guy's insurance company said they hadn't
heard his side of the story yet.
My car's value is $5700.
Not bad for owning the car for 10 years, and only
about 86,000 miles on it!

I got a rental car on Wednesday, the 21st.
A Nissan Crossover.
A whole new set of problems.

We spent about 10 minutes in the driveway on
Thanksgiving Day, trying to figure out how to turn
on the wipers.
Couldn't figure out how to open the little
door for gas.

On "Black Friday", McKay & Cole went with me
car shopping at Ken Garff.
After about an hour, Cole text Courtney
to rescue him!

The first car is the one I wanted.
A Chevrolet Cruze.

My first car was a Plymouth Sport Fury.
White.
7 years.
2.  Chevrolet Cavalier.
Navy blue.
7 years.
3.  Chevrolet Cavalier.
Dark red.
7 years.
4.  Chevrolet Cavalier.
Silver.
7 years.
5.  Chevrolet Cobalt.
(Cobalt replaced the Cavalier.)
Dark red.
10 years.

The 2 choices were white, and hot red.
They were going to trade with a dealership
in Salt Lake City the next day (Saturday)
Come to find out, they don't trade cars on Saturday.
(Good thing I didn't return the rental that day!)
Wasn't ready Monday.
Took the rental to the Jazz game.
Finally, they delivered my car on 
Tuesday morning.
2019 Chevrolet Cruze.
Gray.

My first car cost $2000!
This one . . . nope.
I have gone from just AM radio to a system
that when I connect to my phone, 
everything appears on my screen!



I don't want to experience this again!

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

WHAT ARE YOU FOR? ELECTIONS 2018




IF ONLY . . .



I VOTED BY MAIL THIS YEAR.
EASY PEASY!
BUT, I DIDN'T GET MY BELOVED STICKER!

SO, THIS WILL HAVE TO DO: 


Sunday, November 4, 2018

HANNAH

I received this message on my "Facebook Messenger." It is sooo sweet! Hannah was my "swimmer." She was sooo good! Now, she coaches the Lone Peak swim team, that took STATE last year! She is expecting her 3rd girl.
(I copied this, and can't figure out how to change it . . . unless I retype it!

Miss Mitchell, I just read your blog. I wanted to let you know how important you are to me and how much of an impact you left. I will always remember you, your classroom, and what I learned. Some incredible experiences I have are from you. You are at the very top of my favorite teacher list. I am sad to see you go because of the love you have for all of your students, but I am happy to know that you will be able to heal. You will never be forgotten; you have left a mark in the heart of us Alpiner's and have showed us what real love and caring is. You have inspired many to pursue teaching; one of which is me =] Thank you for all that you have done for me and for all your students.

--Hannah

Saturday, November 3, 2018

3-PEAT . . . STATE VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONS

Three in a row.
Lone Peak High School
State Volleyball Champions!

THAT EXTRA HOUR


We dealt with this in March
for Mountain Standard Time.

Mountain Standard Time 
vs
Daylight Savings Time

Which is your favorite???

I love Daylight Savings Time!
I love, love, love having it be lighter in the evening!
But, I don't like losing the "hour of sleep".

Mountain Standard Time???
I love having that extra hour back!
I don't like it being dark so early at night!

Daylight Savings Time has been around a little over
100 years.
It was created to save energy, and make
better use of daylight hours.

Only 2 states, Arizona and Hawaii,
and the US Territories,
do not observe Daylight Savings Time.
All get plenty of sun, being closer to the equator.
Only the Navajo Nation in Arizona observe
Daylight Savings Time.

When I was growing up, the time changes were always
the same.  
The beginning of April & October.
(This was great with the LDS General Conference
at the same time.)

In January of 1974, President Nixon put into place
an Emergency Daylight Savings Time.
This lasted from January 6, 1974 - April 27, 1975.
I'll never forget sitting in my 1st period class (Spanish)
as a high school sophomore, looking out the window
at a full moon at "dawn" . . . 8:30 a.m.

Later, it was changed to the beginning of April and
the end of October.
I really like this!!!
My birthday is October 26.
My niece, Heidi, is October 25.
When we had a birthday on a Saturday, we moved
the clocks back before we went to bed.
Extra hour of birthday!
When the birthday was Sunday, that's when the
time really changes.
Extra hour of birthday!

Now, the time changes at the beginning of March,
and the Sunday after Halloween.
(To help the trick-or-treaters, I guess)

Ways to remember which direction the time goes:

And . . . that great song by Cher:



Mountain Standard Time 
is going quite well.

Thursday, November 1, 2018