Labor Day & Another Utah Visit!

Although here in the US the official end of summer is not until the 21st September, the Labor Day long weekend generally seems to mark the official end of the vacation period and the season.  True to form, the weather seemed to change seasons overnight literally.  After weeks of 'high' temperatures in the 90's F (over 36 C), a cool change blew in and the temperature dropped about 20 degrees to mild conditions with that little nip in the air, and has stayed down.  Autumn is pushing it's way in!  We have felt that summer was very short indeed, as there was still snow falling in the mountains in May, with lots of spring rain.  By the start of the holidays though the warmth was truely here.  After our back to back winters, I loved the summer warmth.  The 'heatwave' that was described on the weather channel was very different from what we would experience in Adelaide.  The sun has a bite to it for sure, but it's cooler in the shade and it cools down overnight.  We slept with windows open and sometimes left the 'air' on if upstairs got very stuffy.  But now it's over it seems!! (There is a push for school to start after Labor Day so the kids don't have to cope with the heat going to school!) 

On Labor Day weekend, 2-5 September, we were planning on camping overnight with the Mercer's at a property they know of in the mountains.  However, there was trouble locating the fire permit for the property and so we had a BBQ by a nearby lake instead.  The lake itself was very beautiful as the sun started to set, while Jeff organised the fire and Rick oversaw the BBQ.  Then storm clouds blew over and it rained on us!!  Undaunted and determined to enjoy the evening, we sheltered under a big tree covering the food with plastic cloths, and slowly the rain shower passed over and we dried off in front of a fire.  It was a lovely evening, roasting marshmellows and making 'smores', shared with our good friends the Mercer's.  We will greatly miss them when we leave..

The kids roasting 'weinies' on the fire!
L-R: Dillon, new aquaintance, Caden & Paige Mercer

Donna & Dillon Mercer

A beautiful sunset at the lake after the rain cleared

Monday was Labor Day.  A public holiday.  The thing about public holiday's that we have observed, is that many shops are still open!  The malls, supermarkets..  An oddity, but also convenient!

Trivia: The supermarket is open on Labor Day...

.. my attention was captured by the large sizes of the items!!  Huge!

We spent a relaxing day at home, I think we have exhausted our travel bugs for the moment, but did meet up with several families at Clement Park for a picnic potluck dinner.  And so, this was a very rejuvinating weekend, which needed to be because on Wednesday, after school, we left for Utah again!

Why? Well, the Denver Temple is currently closed for major renovations, and is not due to reopen until early October.  As part of Tom's mission preparation, he needs to go through the Temple.  At this time, his cousin Mitchell and Uncle Jamie are also arriving in Salt Lake so 'Elder Herrick' can also prepare to enter the MTC in Provo.  Mitchell has been called to serve in the Auckland Tongan speaking Mission and so is here for a couple of months to learn Tongan! 

We enjoyed a wonderful day on Thursday, 8 September, as we first met up with cousins Ben and Mitchell and Uncle Jamie at 'Missionary Mall' where we had some fun missionary shopping which continued into 'Mr Mac' both shops specialising in all the needs of missionaries!! Suits, shirts, socks, shoes, coats, bags and so on.  A one stop shopping experience!  Mitchell was able to get most of what he needed, and Tom now has the bulk of what he needs too!  We also picked up another pair of 'sturdy' shoes to send to Jonathon in France, as he has worn his out already.

Ben in the back, all of us enjoying these two young missionaries shopping!!
 These shoes are recommended to withstand lots and lots of walking!!

Hard work shopping!  Lunch at University Mall, Provo, before heading to Salt Lake.

In the afternoon, Tom went through the Salt Lake Temple with Rick & I, Jamie, Mitchell and Ben.  What a choice experience topped with one of the Apostles, Elder Oaks sitting behind them... (We all shook his hand later!)  In the Temple we learn more about what is needed to return to live with our Heavenly Father, it is a beautiful, sacred place of learning and peace.  We believe in the eternal family unit and it's here, that families can be 'sealed' together for eternity. 

Tom outside the Salt Lake Temple

What a great occasion, shared with family..

Our missionary!

Dinner at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building

There is a lot of information to learn and over the next two days we were able to also attend the Jordan River Temple, Mt Oquirrh Temple and the Mt Timpanogas Temple.  They are all very beautiful befitting the House of the Lord.  It was wonderful to spend this time with Tom before he leaves us for two years.

Outside the River Jordan Temple, Utah

The Oquirrh Mountain Temple, Utah.
 (Only seven minutes away from the Jordan River Temple!!)

 On Saturday morning, we met up with another cousin, Phil Bennallack and his wife Kaylee.  We attended the Temple and had lunch all together. They have just recently moved to live in Provo after living in Sydney.  It was really great to catch up with them too!

The Mt. Timpanogas Temple, Utah
L-R: Tom, Phil, Elder Herrick, Jamie
Front: Kaylee & Michelle

Elder Herrick & his Dad, Jamie. 
The start of a wonderful two years!

Kaylee & Phil Bennallack

Sarah meanwhile, stayed behind in Denver so she wouldn't get behind in her schoolwork or miss out on cheering training.  She is determined to keep her grades up, and one missed assignment seems to impact greatly.  If grades fall below a 'C', the girls are benched!! She stayed with the Mercer's and had fun with Kelsie.  Also, on the Saturday was their first cheerleading competition at Elitch Gardens.  They ended up coming third in their division, so a good start to the season!

We stayed with Ross & Pam Welch again. They are very generous to us.  Their boys are all away at college or working at the moment and so kindly gave up some rooms for us.  It was great to see them again.  We were all so busy however, that it wasn't until Saturday afternoon, while the cousins spent time together, that we got to spend time with them, then went out to dinner where their son Robbie works at the California Pizza.  A great night, with wonderful company.  We left to return to Denver Sunday morning at about 8am.  Many, many thanks Ross & Pam for your kindness and friendship!

A New School Year Begins

Well, Summer Vacation is over! And we find ourselves back to routine.  The first week after coming back from New York gave us just a couple of days rest before Rick started work again as the new school year began.  He took one day to go and set up his room and get organised, then by Wednesday he was back officially, starting with meetings and professional development.  It's a different perspective not being on the leadership side of things!! Just set up your classroom, and turn up!!

For the rest of us, Sarah was back at tumbling for cheerleading.  She is coming along, and it won't be long before she masters that back flip!  I was also busy registering her for school online, since that happened while we were away.  We ended up making a time to see her counsellor, Mr Lantini to work out her schedule.  It turned out, because of cheerleading at 6.00-7.30am, this actually counts as the first period lesson!  She then has a 'free' for second and so doesn't start actual classes until 9.15am!  So this will give her some time in the morning to 'study' and make sure all work is 'done'.  On Thursdays, there is a staff meeting first thing, so the school schedule starts an hour later, which means Sarah doesn't have to be at school until 10am!!  She still gets to catch the yellow school bus home!

Sarah is a Cheerleader!!

On Saturday, 20 August was a photo session on the football oval for the JV Cheer team.  This is the first time the whole team has worn their performing uniform, ie what they would wear for events and for competitions.  They have a couple of different uniforms as well as various 'warm ups'.  This is part of the big expense of cheerleading -  the uniform!!  However, they were all excited and all looked very glamorous for the early hour on Saturday morning!! These photos will appear on programs and promotional materials.



 

The Junior Varsity Cheer Team 2011-2012

An official photo on the Football Field, Columbine HS

Tom meanwhile, had taken himself off with Kelland camping in the mountains.  They drove a couple of hours into the mountains, then hiked for ages until they came to a well known spot by Kelland.  They were completely isolated and out of phone range, in the wilds and carried all the food they needed, and shelter on their backs.  (there is more to be added about this story!)

The semester began officially on 22 August 2011, with all the anticipation a new year brings.  For myself, I am still getting very confused at this terminology.  When referring to 'last year' in my mind, I think of Adelaide, not left yet, but it's actually last semester!  By the end of the first week, a routine of sorts had been re-established to look something like this:
5.00am Sarah's alarm sounds on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  5.30am, mine goes off.  5.45am we drive out to school in the dark! Back home, I can't go back to bed so use the quiet for reading or sometimes painting! By 7.15ish Rick is ready to go to school, a five minute drive, and by 8.00am Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I meet up with Cheryl from two doors down to go to the gym!! Tuesday and Thursday mornings are a bit more leisurely with Sarah starting at 9.00 and 10.00am. I try and walk on these days. Sarah has tumbling on Tuesday evenings and I have Cub Scouts on Thursday's.

 Meanwhile Tom lost most of his hours due to the summer break and so takes what he can get.  He usually spends about two hours a day studying, then goes to the gym and then hangs out with me!!  We are slowly ticking off the missionary to-do list in preparation for him reporting on the 26 October.  For myself, besides the usual 'housy' things, I have been spending my time blogging occasionally, painting and more painting and researching Family History, with the occasional 'lunch' thrown in, all of which I really enjoy and make the hours vanish very quickly! I look forward to Watercolour classes starting up in a couple of weeks - in fact I'm pretty excited about it!!  My life will be vastly different next year when we resume our jobs and general busyness!!


Exercise: Shape painting using a 2" brush only



Exercise: Misty Mountains. Wet on Wet using 2" brush & liner

Exercise: Distant Mountains. Wet on Wet again. (I'm happy with this one.)

A first attempt at waterfalls.  Adding colour on white to highlight moving water. (tricky!)

The only thing to mar the start of the school year, was a young man in some of Sarah's classes, and a very good friend of Kelsey's called Brad, who took his own life.  This was an extremely sad and upsetting thing to happen.  I relived the death of my brother and grieved too for this family that I did not know, and the girls went through a terrible week until the funeral, which did bring a sense of closure but not forgetfulness.  A great loss and renewed determination to look out for, and to look after friends.


Entering the Buell Theatre, Downtown Denver

To finish the month of August off, we were able to see the musical performance of 'Les Miserable' at the Buell Theatre downtown.  Our good friend Jeff Mercer was able to get a large group from our ward tickets at a group concession price.  We have seen Les Miserable before at the Festival Theatre with outstanding performances, especially by Debbie Byrne, and also the school production where Karlie played young Cosette.  This was also outstanding but with a few variations.  The standard of performance and special effects was very impressive, although I would have to say that this is would have to be the most raunchiest version I've seen!


 





I just love the music from Les Miserable, my favourite would have to be 'I dreamed a dream' sung by Fontaine, but I left the theatre singing 'Can you hear the people shout!'  So stirring! Fantastic! 



New York - The Big Apple (City Tour continues!)

New York City traffic, congested, loud and noisy!!

Saturday, 13 August 2011

This morning, we were pleased with ourselves at how efficiently we got into the city, namely Times Square, for a good start on what looked like a huge day of sightseeing.  However, once there, to my dismay, I discovered I had left our bus tickets back at the apartment on the bed...  oops!  A very deflating moment as duplicates could not be made, only necessitating a return to retrieve them.  I was prepared to do that to redeem myself, but Rick insisted.  What a good man!

Meanwhile, Tom, Sarah & I killed time by indulging in a Macca's breakfast then set off to see if we could do an NBC Studio Tour while we waited for Rick.  We were not able to at that time, so booked a time for late afternoon.  Instead we went to see the Harry Potter Exhibition.  It really is amazing to see all the props and costumes that were used in all the films.  Interesting to see how small Harry's first costumes were in the original movie.  This exhibition would be quite meaningless to anyone who hasn't seen the movies, but to those enthusiasts who have, it was very impressive! (Thank you again, City Pass!)  Rick joined us as we were about half way through it, so he didn't take as long as we thought.

We were initially going to do the Uptown Tour which passes by Central Park, Harlem and the Temple, but due to the now later time, we boarded the Downtown bus to get to the Statue of Liberty Ferry.  To get there was a repeat for three of us, but great for Tom! 

Bus Tour Downtown passing through SoHo.  This tour guide had an amazing memory for facts and trivia!

Once there, there was a very very long line! Over an hour long! So, Rick & I waited  with our tickets while Tom & Sarah went of to have a look at Ground Zero which wasn't very far away..  The thing about lines, is that you get to become quite well aquainted with someone either in front or behind you.  We have met some very nice and interesting people this way, and we all come from such diverse places but with the common goal of seeing the sights!!  After quite some time, we had made good progress and could see the end in sight, the kids returned and also Rick with a huge box of New York Pizza!  Lunch!  The pizzas are so big! Huge! The slices are not cut in squares as I would expect a 'party' size to be in Australia, but wedges or pies as the New Yorkers call them.!  A bit sloppy to eat, but amazingly delicious, especially out of the box!

The New York 'Pie'

By and by we were 'herded' into the loading bay. Yes, just like sheep!!  But then we were away.  Rick & Tom went out on top, and Sarah & I found ourselves an inside bench to sit on, to rest our weary, standing-in-line legs.  However, we were on the opposite site of the vessel to the Statue of Liberty so didn't see it until we were really close.  We had a great view of the harbour and the Staten Island ferry though!  The Tour boat stopped at the Statue of Liberty, and we could have disembarked and had a good walk around it, but all decided we didn't want to line up again to re-board.  So stayed put at the front and enjoyed the great views.  (If I was more savvy, I would be using nautical terms here!!)  The Statue of Liberty is such a famous landmark, it really is quite something to see first hand! 


I was too busy watching the Staten Is Ferry,
 that I didn't see the Statue of Liberty until we were there! 








   


Georgeous Sarah!

 


Lady Liberty

 


Evidence, I was here!!

 

Next, we anchored at Ellis Island, but we opted again to just view it from the vessel.  To think this is where so many early Americans first spent their time in this new free land.  It must have been a time of great anxiety and insecurity for them..

Here we all are, docked at Ellis Island...

... enjoying the day!!

 

Once back on Manhatten Island, we walked up to see what we could of Ground Zero.  Tom & Sarah were not able to access the Memorial Museum, but with the City Pass, Voila!!  Ground Zero itself, that is, the footprints where the Twim Towers once stood is still fenced off and covered from view from the public, awaiting the dedication of the area this coming 11th September.  But you can see very clearly the new tower that is being built on the same parcel of space, now just taller than all surrounding buildings. About seventy floors are completed so far.  It's a clever octogon shape to represent both towers that fell.  The Memorial Museum is a very poignant reminder with movie clips, testimonials, photos and memoribilia of that fateful day.  It was very sobering to consider the great trauma and loss experienced by so many, without warning that morning ten years ago.   The new area will be a beautiful place for families, friends and the people of New York, as well as visitors, to mourn and remember those that lost their lives that day.. 

Coming into dock at Lower Manhatten. 
The new Trade Centre dominates as it slowly rises above all other buildings.

Ground Zero. 
As much as you can see it until the dedication on September the 11th, the 10th year anniversary.

The wall plaque outside the Memorial Museum dedicated to the Fire Dept of New York.

A Flag of Honour.
The names of the nearly 3,000 people who perished make up the stripes of the flag.

Trivia!  This shows a steam vent from the subway, in a flue due to the construction site.

Back on the bus, it was another hour to finish the tour, before we were back at Times Square.  By this time, it's getting well on in the afternoon.  We decided to take the subway to Central Park.  I really wanted to experience it, and didn't want to leave NY without seeing it!  As we came out of the subway station, we came across someone promoting bike rides.  Well again, thanks to the City Pass, we could do this (but with a different company!)  So, a few streets away, we found the Bike Hire place and were able to spend the next hour riding around some of Central Park.  What a beautiful place.  It always looks appealing on TV and the movies, but it really is!!! And also very busy with lots of people walking, riding, skating.  We stopped and watched a group dancing on skates to Reggae music.  Fantastic!  It was very impressive to watch. 

Riding in Central Park, NYC!! Whoo Hoo!

Tom, Rick & Sarah in front of me.
This is an immensely enjoyable ride!

Stopping for a breather, and to get our bearings..

These park photos were a bit flukey as I was trying to keep
my balance on the bike and hold the camera.  I'm amazed I
even made it into this picture!!

There is something very exhiliarating being on a bike for pure pleasure.  Not because you need to get somewhere, or for exercise, but just for pleasure.  This was great!  We rode around and then guessed when we needed to double back to return the bikes, and realised we had gone further than we thought and got a bit lost as we wound ourselves out of the maze of trail we had made!  We were a few minutes late, but that was ok..  Great Fun!


We decided we needed some real food, so went to Applebees.  Delicious and extremely satisfying, but we did need to rush a bit so we could make the NBC Studio Tour on time, which we did... Just!!

Now this was very interesting!  We were able to see the sets where 'Tonight Live' was taped, also the 'Dr Oz' set, and where the news, weather and sports are broadcast.  The set areas are smaller than I imagined, and I guess that's the magic of film & TV.  The tour went for about one and half hours concluding with a couple of people from the group to have a go at reading the news and presenting the weather.  It seems apt that Tom got to present the weather!  That was funny to watch as he lost sight of the telepromtor and improvised instead!  It was actually taped, but we didn't get a copy.  We were told though, that it was broadcast into the Studio Cafetaria for the entertainment of the diners!!  That was a fun tour!

From here, we were in perfect time to board the Night Tour.  This was a similar tour to the Downtown tour, but with variations, and in particular went over the Brooklyn Bridge to the Brooklyn business area and past 'Project' housing areas of lower Manhatten.  Again, it took about 2 hours, but well worth seeing the city lights at night, especially going over the Brooklyn Bridge and seeing NYC from Brooklyn.  Our tour guides have all been so knowledgable about the city, with lots of trivia facts.  Very worthwhile.


Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, looking back over Manhatten



Us...

Tom ...

 ... and Sarah, with Manhatten behind. 
(My poor photography could only get either the city or us, not both..)

Well, our New York experience was coming to a close, but not before we bought some 'I love NY' t-shirts and had a hand-bag vendor try and sell to us.  The price was too high, and so we spent some time trying to locate some more that we had seen from the bus.  These products are not all above board, and they sell them on the street on large sheets that can be easily gathered up if law enforcement is seen!  Our understanding is that they are not stolen, just 'knock-off's' of the brand name, and therefore not licenced to sell.  What people do to make money, it was interesting to see.  The same activity was in Chinatown..

We finally ran out of steam and headed for the subway 'home'.  I really like New York, and recommend it as a destination.  It's huge, it's busy, it's very crowded and full of life.  It really is the city that never sleeps, and is so easy to negotiate and get around.  We found the people generally friendly and helpful.  I'm not sure if I could live right in the city, but you certainly do not need a car here. 

Travelling back very late on the Subway,  but we never felt unsafe!

 

Our flight was for 7.00am in the morning and the shuttle was coming at the crazy time of 3.30am to pick us up!  What was that I mentioned about the city that never sleeps?!!  It tried hard to rain while we were on the Night Tour, and as a precaution, we were issued with plastic ponchos.  The rain held off, but once back to the apartment, down it came!!  We were indeed very fortunate with the weather, not excessively hot, and not wet! We leisurely packed up, I watched a movie and slept maybe for a couple of hours and then it was time to go.  Consequently, we got to the airport before the airline check ins were opened!  There were a few people sleeping in seats, and I attempted unsuccessfully to join them!!  Eventually, the airport became 'awake' and we found sustinance and were able to board the flight to Denver.  Now, I think we all slept most of the way!! 

A very wet, early morning at Newark Airport

Arriving in Denver is so different to New York.  Here, the Airport, as mentioned previously is in wide open spaces.  Gone are the crowds and the noise.  It's a peaceful, pretty place with the mountains as a backdrop, very soothing for weary sleep devrived travellers..

One final point of trivia! 
This is the train at the Denver International Airport. We are at the very back of it giving us a great view of the tunnel.  The train runs between the Gates and the Baggage areas of the Airport.  It's nice to be home..