He's Got Class!

Whether you agree with his policies, party affiliations, et al... you have to admit, Barack Obama has class!

When he addressed the U.S. Congress earlier this week I was so touched with his opening when he acknowledged the First Lady of the United States of America.

When his wife, Michelle, blew him a kiss and mouthed 'I love You' I got teary.

I'm still cautiously hopeful!

Lovely February

Ah, February!


The month of Love!




February memories special to me include...

My Mutti passed away February 2, 2002. It is an understatement to say I miss her very much. I send hugs and kisses to heaven for her each day. Sometimes it seems like she's been gone longer than seven years. However, she has given me so many wonderful memories it sometimes seems like I can reach out and hug my beloved Mutti.

Elsie Jean Wilson Blakeley, my Father's Mother was born February 2, 1900. My Grandma Blakeley was the only grandmother I knew. My Grandma Walp passed when I was very young and lived in California, so I didn't know her. Although Grandma Blakeley's first given name was Elsie, she preferred to go by Jean. After all, she couldn't go by Elsie because there was a girl in her primary school named Elsie and she had head lice! Horrors!

Grandma Blakeley was very talented with handicrafts. She would make clothes for our dolls when I was a child. I remember she had a Barbie she would use as a model. Because she was just a model, Grandma's Barbie was in mint condition. I would often hold her Barbie and wish, wish, wish my Barbie was as beautiful. You see, Grandma's Barbie had never been to the *Beauty Salon* so her hair was still perfect. My Barbie had received numerous salon treatments at my novice hand, which meant her hair was, well, not beautiful. Oh how I longed to take Grandma's Barbie home with me.

Grandma also made a quilt for each one of her granddaughters to receive as a wedding gift. Being the late bloomer that I was in the marriage thing, I received my quilt upon her passing. I love it, especially it's imperfectness.

Grandma had a personal *rule* that you would receive a gift from her until you were 19 or married, which ever came first. In my early days I would receive doll clothes; pre-teen years capes knit at her hands (on her new knitting machine, actually); in my later teen years she would give me things for my hope chest... sets of sheets and the like. However one year, the last year I qualified, she gave me a 25lb. bag of sugar! That's right, sugar. I don't know what happened to that big bag of sugar. Hopefully Jane or Charmalee received it prior to our move to Michigan. They didn't go with us because they were married by then.

Grandma Blakeley raised African Violets; her laundry facilities were in her bathroom; she always had beautiful drapes in her homes. She was very particular about her drapes. Every child I know loves to go behind the drapes and hide. If we tried it at Grandma's house we were quickly told to come from behind the drapes and sit like a lady (or gentleman, if the case).

As a general rule, we visited Grandma and Grandpa Blakeley every Sunday (we lived in the same town). In our younger years, Grandma had boxes of dress-up clothes in her closet. The boxes were there for us to play with and play we did! Now that I'm a grandmother, I wish I had all of those wonderful hats, handbags, dresses and jewelry Grandma Blakeley saved for us.

Somehow, Grandma and Grandpa Blakeley would be at our house Christmas mornings waiting for us to wake up and see what Santa had left for us. I never could figure out how they knew that Santa had visited our house before we did!

Grandma Blakeley was a wonderful correspondent with me after Mom and Dad moved us to Michigan and then Germany. She and I exchanged many letters.

Grandma Blakeley had the softest hands of anyone I remember. My Dad is following in her footsteps... his hands are very soft now, too.

Ellen, Val's sister, was also born on February 2, in 1961. Ellen is a great sister-in-law. She is 4 years younger than Val and I. Although Ellen has had her share of challenges and trails in her life, she is a very happy, talented, kind, grateful lady!

The year Val and I were married Ellen was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She underwent surgery to remove the tumor the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I remember it well because it was my first Thanksgiving as a married woman and our year to spend the holiday with the Bagley family. Because Ellen was still in the hospital, Caren spent the day with Ellen. Honey met us at Chuck-a-Rama in Bountiful. He didn't want to stand in line and so he paid for our dinner and left. Val, the kids and I had dinner alone. Needless to say, it was a very 'flat' day for us although we were grateful Ellen survived her surgery.

We were also thankful for all of the other blessings we received in life. Like me... I was so grateful for the blessing of my sweet husband!

Ellen is a survivor. Not only did she survive brain surgery, she also survived chemotherapy, a divorce, the death of her second husband and the death of her youngest daughter, Kendra (Boo) Smith.

The Bagleys and the Hilles love getting together as often as possible. However, they live in south Salt Lake County and we live in north Davis County, so we don't get to see each other as often as we would like. When we do get together, we have wonderful times, laugh much and wish it happened more often.

Miss Abbigail Jean Bagley, one of my sweet granddaughters was born February 17, 2005. Abbi is petite like her Mommy and has beautiful blue eyes. She gives wonderful hugs, too. She has an older sister, Alona, and a younger brother, Kacen. Abbi also has a baby brother on his way... Jesse, debuting in June!

Learning is one of her favorite things to do. She also loves her baby dolls. A few weeks ago when I asked her what she wanted for her birthday she told me very succinctly "I'm going to get a scooter and a Barbie for my birthday." Some of my favorite memories of Abbi include...


Almost weekly visits to her house in Magna when she was a toddler. Being shy and demure, it wasn't uncommon for Abbi to sit on her Mommy's lap and watch her sister interact and play with Grandpa and I. Alona loved to make houses with the sofa cushions and pillows and Grandpa would always help construct them. One evening they built a house with Alona inside. Abbi got down on the floor with us and I *knocked* on Alona's door. When Alona answered the knock Abbi was so excited and laughed. It was so fun to see the look on Abbi's face and hear her cute laugh!

When Abbi was learning to talk it wasn't uncommon for her to drop the first and sometimes second letter(s) of many words. It is also not uncommon for me to wear my reading glasses on my head so they are available when needed. One day while visiting them in Provo, Abbi asked me for my (gl)asses. That's right, the gl were silent that day! Heather was out of the room when this request was uttered by Miss Abbigail and so when she returned I mentioned 'the incident'. Heather said something to the effect "Yeah, it's funny when she says castle, too!" Other words were cute too, including Ampa for Grandpa. Some words, you wish would stick! I love Miss Abbi!

Of course we can't forget Valentine's Day! My Valentine and I love to share cards and sometimes gifts on the day of Love. My favorite part is Val-entine kisses. My Valentine has such kissable lips!

As usual, Val does an awesome job decorating for the holiday, too!

My sister Barbara and her man Greg (he's some good eye candy, for sure!) usually come to Utah (from San Diego, CA) each year in February, the Tuesday after President's Day. They enjoy a week of skiing, snowmobiling and visiting friends and family. I always look forward to seeing her during this annual pilgrimage. Can't wait to see them this year.

Well, that's it for another Bagley Brief... that isn't brief. :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Cure for Cabin Fever

Yesterday was a beautiful, bittersweet day.

The second day of February is the anniversary of my sweet Mother's passing.

Charmalee Jane Walp Blakeley was born November 12, 1931. At the age of 71 she passed away and left a hole in my heart.


Gertie, my sister, treated my Dad and I to lunch at Jeremiah's, in Ogden. After lunch we took advantage of the beautiful winter sunshine and went for a drive!

We drove through the former Defense Depot Ogden so Dad could see the changes that have occurred there. DDO is where he officed when he worked in Utah in the 70s. The once government installation has since been privatized and many new office buildings have been built. Dad hasn't been there since DDO changed hands, so it was a nice drive-by for him.

After driving through DDO we headed eastward and upward!

We drove up 12th Street, the street where Dad grew up. The location of his former home is now a florist shop. Which, when you think about it, is a fitting replacement for the land. My grandparents were gardeners, nurserymen and florists! My Dad has been a fine gardener and operated a landscaping business during my formative years.

Continuing east on 12th Street evoked many memories for Dad, Gertie and I. Uncle Eric's stately English Tudor home is no longer 'up the street' from Dad's childhood home. The road is much wider (5 lanes) and there is commerce aplenty.

We continued up the canyon to the beautiful Ogden Valley. On the way, passing this beautiful waterfall (although in the spirit of full disclosure, I took this photo on our way back down the canyon!) Of course this photo doesn't capture the true, natural beauty and thunderous sounds of this waterfall. Water falls from the middle and the outer sections, both sides, are ice formations.

Driving up the winding canyon inspired many memories... Grey Wolf Lodge, The Hermitage (which I learned my Grandmother Blakeley's family operated prior to a destroying fire), the ATK Conference Center (I wanted to live there when I was a child), Wheeler Canyon where my Dad would end his ski days in his youth, and Gertie looked for the wicked witch's home; and then the beautiful valley and Pineview Reservoir!

After a pit stop at a local Maverik, we headed up to Powder Mountain!

My affinity for Powder Mountain, a ski resort, is multi-layered.

The original owner and developer of Powder Mountain was the same man who delivered me! Dr. Cobabe (I'll have to look-up his first name) and his family owned the land for many years and went on to develop the ski resort.

Our family had annual family passes at Powder Mountain the first years of operation until we moved away from Utah... for about 4 years.

My older sisters, Jane and Charmalee, and I worked there for a few seasons.

My sister Jane and her little family lived there for a few seasons.

As a family, we were stranded at Powder Mountain one winter weekend because of an avalanche. We had to spend two nights along with about 12 other people. The day after the avalanche we were able to dig out the chair lift and ski to our hearts content that day. Imagine skiing unfettered with only 21 other people to share the entire mountain with. I remember the quiet beauty of the day. The day after our exclusive ski day we walked out and over the mound of snow that had us stranded in a winter Eden. I don't remember how we got our cars back but we did!

Our parents allowed us one day each year that we could skip school and go skiing. One year Charmalee and I and two friends *borrowed* my Dad's old Chevy truck and headed to Powder Mountain for skiing. Of course Charmalee was driving because I didn't know how to drive a stick shift. Well, we should have stopped while we were ahead. As we were getting on the freeway, via the Roy on ramp, one of the doors popped open. Undaunted, we forged ahead. The next incident was when I twisted my knee on my forced last run, only 50 yards from the lodge. Poor me! With the day winding down, we gathered up our belongings and headed down the canyon for home. Now, if you've ever been to Powder Mountain you know how steep and winding the canyon is, making it a tricky drive. Well, as we were headed down the canyon Charmalee was rounding a curve and the next thing I knew we were careening out of control and rolled. When the truck stopped, the truck was on it's side but we were all alive relatively whole. Of course, having 4 people in the cab of a truck didn't leave much room for us to be jostled about and incur more injuries. To add to the gloom of the accident, I'll never forget my parents walking in the emergency room doors of McKay Dee hospital. They had come to collect us, Dad walking very slowly and stooped over... He was recovering from a very recent surgery....I felt so bad!

See what I mean... multi layers!

This photo was taken from the top of the ridge near the upper lodge, looking to the southwest. Gertie and I hopped out of the car to take some photos while Dad stayed inside, enjoying the breathtaking views laced with a lifetime of memories.

I couldn't help but think about my Mom at that specific moment... On those days she and I would be out and about running errands and shopping, she would opt to stay in the car too. "Just park me in the sunshine" she would say as she snuggled into her seat basking in the sun rays! I wish I could sit in the sun rays with her on these beautiful winter days!

After our trek up to the mountain we drove back down and continued our drive through the valley, headed to the Trappist Monastery to buy some local honey. Gertie and I visited with the attending Monk for a few minutes. He has been at the monastery since it opened in 1947. He looks to be about the same age as Dad, maybe a bit older. Interestingly, he is from Kentucky and came to Utah in 1947 to pledge his life to God. In 1949, Dad went to Kentucky to serve God and his countrymen as a Mormon Missionary!

After the stop at the monastery we headed home.

It was a wonderful way to spend the day with my sweet Dad and Gertie, recalling memories of my youth and feeling very grateful for my parents and family!