Free to Good Home...

I'm kind of kidding. Last Friday, the boys and I went skiing again. We were joined by Brent and Cory; Lynn, Preston and Gentry; Cathy, Brian, Brandon and Katelyn; and Rob. We loaded the gear and passengers into the Suburban, Brent's minivan, and Rob's work truck, and headed for Targhee. Cathy and Brian planned on meeting us at the resort. I invited Lynn to drive the Suburban, since the roads were slick.

As we got on the highway, it felt like the engine was starving for fuel, it didn't want to go over 40 miles an hour very badly. We made it to Newdale, which isn't even halfway to Targhee, and decided to call in the cavalry for reinforcements: Rob, Tyler and Parker, who were ahead of us; they turned around and came back. We loaded the skis into the back of the truck. Just as we were figuring out where to fit the people, Grant and Reiker Ricks pulled up, so Hayden rode with them. The rest of us got in the truck and Brent's van. We left the Suburban parked in a farmer's yard.

Hayden came home with the Ricks' at 2:30 p.m. so they could do baptisms for the dead at 4:30 p.m. in the Rexburg Temple. The rest of us skied until closing, drove back to Newdale, picked up the Suburban, and limped home. We (the expert diagnostic committee made up of Tyler, Lynn, Brent and your's truly) think we narrowed the problem down to a fuel filter or maybe a vacuum issue. It kind of felt like Paul was sending a message, "Remember how much you depended on me?" He would have popped the hood and had the problem diagnosed in five minutes, and most likely had it fixed right there in the farmer's field.

So, until I take it to the dealer, the crippled beast sits in the driveway, awaiting its fate: repair (if reasonable) or retirement (it is fourteen years old, after all. Isn't that like a hundred forty in human years?)

Let me take this opportunity to thank everyone who came to the viewing and funeral last week. It was wonderful to see so many family and friends. We have been blessed by the outpouring of love we have felt through this difficult time. I knew I married a wonderful man, but I had no idea the extent to which his life and example impacted the people around him. Thank you for sharing with us.