Life Story -- Good Feelings -- Grandma Anna

Written Thursday February 14th, 2008

What makes you feel good?  Occasion, food, person, etc.

Birthdays, Anniversaries, Valentines Day - My husband always remembers these days and gives me the nicest cards.  Today the card read on the front "To the Woman I Love" with pretty flowers all around it.  Inside it reads "I love waking up next to you.  I love sharing that on the way out the door kiss that starts my morning off right.  I love thinking about you during the day... And I love knowing that no matter how crazy things get,  not a day goes by when I don't appreciate how lucky I am to share my life with such an incredible woman.  Happy Valentine's Day.  Will all my love, Sweety Bill."
Now I don't know where he gets these cards, but they all want me to do better.  So the person that makes me feel good is my Eternal Mate of 56 years, and this will be 58.


Soups always make me feel good.  I have several kinds of soup that I love.  Posse Stew, Bill's Norwegian Stew, Vegetable Stew, Chicken with rice soup, and there are others.  Tomato, potato, etc.

Miss E hasn't pierced her ears.
I don't want her to feel like she has to.
I told her that her Grandma never pierced her ears.
I decided I wanted her to know the reason behind this decision.
I asked Grandpa for the inside story.
Here is what I found out:

The reason Grandma did not pierce her ears is:  When we grew up no one in polite society pierced their ears or anything else!  Piercing was not done.   Grandma never did change her attitude toward piercing.

Earrings had little screw findings on the back that would be tightened enough to hold the earrings in place and then later there were spring clips that held them in place.

Common piercing of ears did not start until the 1970's and then it was mostly the younger women that had their ears pierced and never men.

Life Story - School - Grandma Anna

Written Wednesday February 13, 2008

How did you feel about school?

I started the 1st grade when I was 4 years old.  We didn't have kindergarten.  The first grade teacher came by our house to see how old I was.  She said if I could count 2+2, 4+4. 8+8, and 10+10  I could go to school.  I put my hands behind my back and added them with my fingers and she said I could go.  It took me a few years to catchy up with the older children and there were somethings I never did catch up with them.  But I studied as hard as I could because by the time I was in High School I wanted to be on the honor roll.  Sometimes I made the A Honor Roll and sometimes the B Honor Roll.  And sometimes none.  I would like to have gone to college but there were no jobs and we could not afford it.  But just 2 weeks after Graduation, when I was 16, I visited my family in Tuscon and learned that I had Tuberculosis.  I was put in the St. Mary's Sanitarium for quite a while.  Then I finally came  home and rested until I was well.

Life Story - Setting Goals - Grandma Anna

Written Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Describe your feelings about setting goals and attaining them.  What was a large goal that you set were able to accomplish and how did it make you feel?

I like to set goals.  Some times I keep them and sometimes I don't but when I don't set goals I don't accomplish anything.  I set a goal last year to read the Book of Mormon and the Old Testament.  I finished the Book of Mormon but almost finished the Old Testament but not quite so I just read the headings and know what it was about.  But it took me a long time to read Isaiah since I had a supplement to go with it but I made it.

Life Story - Fears - Grandma Anna

Written Monday, February 11, 2008

What are you afraid of?  Why?

The dark when I'm alone.  I can't tell you why but I have always been this way.  I am better now though.  There was an article in the Improvement Era which is now the Ensign (pronounced N-sign as directed in the Ensign for about a year or more and people never looked at it.  In my classes I have taught in church I always bring that up but people seem to have their own opinions). The article was by President Hugh B Baron and he said when he was getting ready to leave for the service, his mother knowing of his problems told him to remember his prayers morning and night and ask the Lord to watch over him and cast Satan away from him.  And he said it worked.  So I have tried that and as long as my prayers are sincere it works.

Life Story - Favorite Smells - Grandma Anna

Written Sunday, February 10, 2008

What are some of your favorite smells?  Why?




Onions cooking (When I was primary Teacher and Counselor to Larue Wait) We were told at a meeting that if we were late getting home from Primary (which was held on Tuesday or Wednesday) just put an onion in the fry oven while we fixed a meal and everyone would be happy with the meal when it was finally served. 











I also love the some beautiful smelling perfumes such as "Oscar de la Renta".  And there are also some flowers that have soft smells.  I think some of the perfumes and flowers today are not like they used to be, they are made pretty cheap now.  The smell might last 20 to 30 minutes. 




Another smell my family and I love is at Christmas time the spices smell so good and linger in the house for more than one day.

Recipes - Grandma Anna's Carrot Cake

Here is a great recipe for Carrot Cake.  My mom says this is her absolute favorite.  When my birthday was on Easter, she made this cake for me.  I remember one time that she made it in the shape of a rabbit.  I'll have to find the picture.  I remember seeing it sometime recently in our box of photos.

Carrot Cake

3 cups shredded carrots
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
(1 cup nuts (optional)

Put carrots in mixing bowl.  Add dry ingredients.  Stir a little.  Add cooking oil, stir.  Add vanilla and eggs and mix about 2 minutes.  Add nuts.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 60 minutes.