Week of 16 April 1984

This week included the kids going bowling, Mom researching films at the family history library, and a lot of remodeling work on the house. That Sunday was Easter. She was particularly moved by the church choir. Both Curtis and Michelle were with us for a ham dinner that evening, and some game playing.

Week of 23 April 1984

This week, baby Jessica was sick. Hans left for Florida. There were youth roadshows at the church (remember when that was a thing?). It was secretary’s day that week and Mom was treated at work. Her boss took a number of them to lunch. There was a blizzard during the week and temperatures dropped to 30 degrees, then ever further into the 20s. Crystal danced in some variety show at school that week. Mom decided she needed to go on a diet.

Hans eventually came back from the school trip to Florida. She notes all the preparations for Dad’s birthday along with a list of his presents. She goes on to mention that I bought an engagement ring to propose to Michelle. 
​

2 weeks beginning 1 Apr 1984

I bound the time frame this way because Mom entered an undated post that starts “I’m so far behind – see if I can catch up!” Despite feeling ‘so far behind’ immediately following this entry is a normal one dated 15 April.

In this undated section she talks about an exchange student living with them for a month. His name was Hans Becker and was from Germany. Dan and I took him skiing. We also treated him to a dip at Crystal Hot Springs. Dan spent some time with Hans at a BYU language fair. He was also treated to a trip ice skating. Mom notes how he had never done any of these things before.

Jessica had two teeth come up on the bottom gum. Dad spent time with the Stake President in preparation for being rebaptized into the church. They finished painting in Crystal’s bedroom. On the 15th of April she mentions my then future wife, Michelle Thorsted, for the first time. We took Hans to visit our friends who have a large farm and ranch in Montpelier, Idaho so Hans could do some horse riding (another first for him). She noted that Michelle came along. That Sunday we had a large group for supper. Aside from the core family and Hans, Lisa and Jessica joined us as did Michelle. We played Tripoli that evening. 
​

Week of 26 March 1984

Mom worked on removing wall paper from Crystal’s room walls. She found it to have six layers! Dad was also in the work. He was building something Mom called ‘wall units’. Not sure exactly what she means by that. She had a sick day from work that week, but still managed a list of tasks she knocked out at the house after resting in the morning.

That Thursday Mom and Dad had a dinner date. She also notes how Lisa had a date. Dan had a date. Mike (me) went skiing (no date then). That Friday night there was a big wind storm. She notes, “It howled all night.” 
​

Week of 19 March 1984

Based on today’s standards, Mom was a real risk taker with her children. That Monday evening we had a yard cleanup (child labor). When that was over, she and Crystal played a game of lawn darts. For those of us old enough to remember, these things were eventually pulled from the market. For the younger crowd, lawn darts are what they sound like. Think of a dart you throw at a dart board but upsized to about a foot long. Each person lays a mini hoola-hoop on the ground. The opposite team launches one of these large darts into the air hoping to get it to stick in the ground inside the opposing team’s hoop.  You can imagine the potential for impalement. To make it worse, knot head kids like us would put a spin on the game.  An opponent would stand in the mini hoop and would get points for every dart thrown toward their hoop that didn’t cause them to leave the hoop.

This week she had a cast removed from her earlier surgery. She went to Crystal Hot Springs and soaked it for a few hours. She notes how all the “dead skin came off”. Seems I had a lazy Saturday that week. She notes, “Went shopping for paint, wallpaper, bed for Crystal’s room, (and) nitrate for field. Ankle weak from being in cast. Fred worked outside on chicken coups, etc. Dan went to Idaho with Carl. Mike slept in.”
​

Week of 12 March 1984
 
As usual, Mom includes a long list of tasks she and others knocked out this week. Lisa and Crystal offered cleaning services to the senior center. I assume that was in Brigham City. There was a Relief Society birthday event. Mom made cakes and Lisa sang at the event.

Mom describes baby Jessica’s progress as follows:

“Jessica is 5 months, and she rolls over by herself and sits up by herself. She’s real strong, cutting teeth and slobbers a lot.  She does a lot of the same things I did as a baby. She sticks out her tongue and chews her clothes. My mom always said I did the same things.”

I believe Jessie has managed to advance from there. 😊

​Mom also notes there was continued snow this week. She was clearly ready for the snow to stop and spring to get started.

Week of 5 March 1984

Things were mixed this week for Mom. It was her 43rd birthday. The relationship between her and Dad was struggling. She was being cold to him as he was not always around and had no real reason for when he was away. He was feeling guilty because all we kids had gone out of our way to give her a good birthday with presents, cards and the like. Dad had done nothing. Mom bought a few things for herself and told Dad they were from him. He told her he felt guilty and that he was feeling like a bad example for the rest of us.
​
There was a strange phone call in the middle of the night once this week. It was a man’s voice making crude remarks. Mom and Lisa assumed it was her ex-husband seeking some sort of sick revenge for the marriage breakup. It only happened that one night. Just in case, I slept on the couch and would answer any other phone calls to come in. 

Week of 27 February 1984

Grammy Beach (Mom’s mother-in-law) came home from the hospital. Mom herself was recuperating from foot surgery. She noted “really had at work today on crutches, arms and back and shoulders sore from putting weight on crutches.” She suffered from a touch of flu that week as well.

That Friday night she heard two loud booms. It turned out that there were explosions out at Thiokol where Dad worked. She was glad he was in CA for the Navy Reserve so not onsite when it happened. The building that blew up was just behind the building Mom worked in. Several people were hurt, but thankfully nobody killed. She wrote, “overhead cranes loose from M-52, M-53 doors blown off and air sucked out of building, people couldn’t breath, ran outside, many acts of heroism. News media had it all screwed up. Said 35 people killed, not true.”
​

Week of 20 February 1984

Mom talked with her mother (Grammy Miller) this week. Learned my other grandmother (Grammy Beach) had a fall that week and was in the hospital. Another relative, Florence Gower Heckman, died of a heart attack at the young age of 46.

The previous week she mentioned an upcoming surgery with no specifics. This time she noted the specifics. “Went to Logan and had foot operated on. Took wedge shaped piece of bone out of top of foot. Wired 2 bones together. Have to be in cast for 1 month. On crutches for a week.”

That note was on Friday. On Saturday she notes that she was in pain all day. She says ‘the kids’ did the housework and waited on her. Curtis came over and helped. We all played games that night. She talked to Dad by phone. He was in San Diego for the Navy and staying at the house of ‘Uncle Ted’. Ted is Dad’s uncle. When Michelle and I lived in San Diego a few years after this, we got to know him and his wife. On Sunday she complained that we kids all left her and went to a missionary farewell in Brigham City. Despite our telling her not to go to work on Monday because of the pain she said, “But must, will take it easy today.”
​

Week of 13 February 1984

It was Valentines Day and Dad gave the kids a present in the form of a new puppy. She noted he had forgotten a present for her. Way to blow it Dad! After a list of ‘stuff done’ as she does so often in her journal, Mom alluded to an upcoming medical ‘to do’ in her typical way of downplaying things. “Went to hospital and had blood work done for next week’s surgery.” That was it. She went right back to talking about more things she had to do.

She dropped Dad off in Kaysville so he could join a friend named Bill on a ride to California. I assume this was a Navy Reserve buddy and they had some sort of training or something. That was typical for any trips he made to CA back then. She doesn’t say either way. 
​

Week of 6 Feb 1984

Crystal started this week with tonsilitis. She had difficulty swallowing pills so Mom had to crush them before she could take the medicine prescription. By mid-week the tests came back, and it wasn’t tonsilitis, but strep throat. Little Jessica was also sick with a fever. Lisa took her to the doctor, and she had an ear infection. Mom also had a soar throat and worried she also had strep. Dad had a different issue. He had been having leg pain, so he went to the doctor that week also.
​
That same week I went skiing and got a job at Crystal Hot Springs. She didn’t know it yet, but my first day on the job I met Michelle who eventually became my wife. Side note, this week I'm posting this entry will mark our 40th anniversary. I don’t know how Michelle’s managed to keep her sanity. On that Saturday Mom and I went to the temple for a few sessions. Also, at this point Curtis was a more regular part of her notes. That Sunday evening Mom, Dad, Lisa and Curtis played pinochle.