Beach Haven

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.
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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 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.
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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. 

Week of 30 Jan 1984

Lisa was having trouble finding work. Mom was worried about the family finances. She wrote, “They’re in pretty bad shape right now with all the kids back…” At the time, Dan and Crystal were still in school, Lisa moved in during the process of divorce, and I had just returned from serving a full-time mission for the church. She seems to have been down.

​Much of the family was at one stage or another of illness. On that Sunday she wrote, “Crystal had a headache. She was supposed to sing in Primary and had a scripture to read. I went to Choir practice along with Lisa. Fred was at work. Just at the end of choir, Sister Hocker came and got me and said Crystal had passed out during song practice. We went and got her in the bathroom. I got the bishop and Mark Bingham to give her a blessing. I brought her home. She had fever all day up and down, couldn’t eat much except chicken soup.” I think we’ve all had our version of this experience.

Week of 16 Jan 1984

Both Mom and Dad had health issues this week. Dad had slipped on the ice and tore ligaments in his knee. He was on crutches. Mom had a bad cold. They had purchased tickets to see the Harlem Globe Trotters in Ogden, UT that week. Mom didn’t want to waste the $45 per ticket they spent so they went despite the struggles.

They bought some things for the home on Saturday. Mom lists them out. Among other things they included a Tiffany light for the kitchen and new kitchen curtains.

She notes how the missionary homecoming went for me that Sunday in sacrament meeting. “Mike’s homecoming, the service was beautiful and very spiritual. People told us it was the most spiritual they’ve ever been in. Dan gave a prayer. Crystal sang a song with Holly Pincombe and Heather Hoffmeister. Lisa sang and played a pretty Spanish song. Mike and I talked. Rachel Johnson played the flute. Company all day. Lots of fun. It snowed. Kids had a ball outside. Had chili, spaghetti, garlic bread, wheat rolls, Jello salad, and cake.” Good thing she wrote all that down. To be honest, I don’t really remember much of it.
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Week of 2 January 1984

Mom was back to some specifics of logistics for the week. Added me to the car insurance. Added Jessie to their health insurance. Visited Francis Hunsaker in the hospital. Lisa’s picture was in the local paper for her work in dancing instruction. “Gave Mike money for skiing, Dan money for haircut, Lisa money for butter and eggs”. Shows where our various priorities were at the time. “No jobs for Mike or Lisa yet.” Dan introduced the family to some girl he began to date. Mom didn't know this yet, but it was not destined to work out. 

She notes how she and I worked on some genealogy. “Dan broke the truck steering.” Dan, do we see a pattern here?

Week of 9 January 1984

They called for truck parts, but the parts turned out to be for a different year truck. Dad gave the agent of the company supplying the parts an earful. He managed to get the right parts and fix the truck that same week. I’m not sure exactly what this means, but in her entry for this Monday she notes “6 baby puppies today.” They bought a family annual pool pass at the local natatorium in Brigham City and we took advantage of it that week.

I took a sales job and got some training that week. Side note: the job didn’t last long. I’m not a salesperson. Mom was kind enough to buy a $500 stoneware set she didn’t need. Crystal started clogging classes at Lisa’s dance studio.

She notes the passing of Elder Mark E. Peterson this week. He was an Apostle of our church. He held a special place in our family. When I was 10 and we were still living in PA, we went to Palmyra, NY to see some of the church historical sites and attend the pageant that happened there in those days. While we visited the sacred grove of trees where Joseph Smith received a vision of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, there was an outdoor church meeting held. Elder Peterson was the main speaker. We met him after and talked for a moment or two. Since then we tended to follow his talks as a general authority.

Aside from fixing the truck, Dad put in some overtime at work this week. The result was he became tired, didn’t feel very good and became “grumpy and miserable.” Crystal spent some time with family friend Heather Hoffmeister. Mom visited Heather’s grandmother Alma Thrash. That Sunday was the baby blessing for Jessica. I performed the blessing. Mom notes with some sadness that Dad couldn’t be in the circle for the blessing. He was still working through whatever he needed to with the bishop and stake president but was not ready to receive some of the blessings of the gospel in his life personally. 

Week of 19 December 1983

Poor Dan. As the previous entry notes, they purchased a car. Only a week later he lost control on some ice and wrecked it. The damage to the car must not have been so bad as Dan planned on repairing it himself. The damage to the trust they had in his driving was not so unscathed. This wasn’t the first car of theirs he left worse for wears.

As for me returning from my mission, after the initial excitement, she gives notes about some Christmas shopping on my behalf. The weather turned cold, and it was 0-degrees at their home. Lisa’s divorce became final this week. I spent time with a friend, Randy Owens. Curtis came over to visit Lisa. This would have been the first time I met him.

We took a trip to Pennsylvania to visit family over the holiday. She notes that we left that Thursday about 1:00am. I’m sure the parents would have had to work a full day before we could leave. Given the hour it would seem like Dad was working the swing shift and we had to wait for him. Going through Wyoming she noted that it was 70-degrees below zero. Perhaps she meant seven. I’ve been through Wyoming many times in the winter and that sounds more likely. In Wyoming the gas line froze, and they had to put some dry-gas in the tank to get the engine started. In Iowa, the snow was blowing, causing low visibility. There was similar weather in Illinois and Indiana. We arrived at her parents’ home about 10:30pm Christmas Eve. Grammy Miller had an open house for us over the holiday. Only a few people came because of an ice storm. Mom managed to get some genealogy done over the week. She mentions the names of people I remember and events that were common while I was growing up. For example, they played pinochle at the home of my Dad’s parents with old friends, Kate and Nick Morgan. 
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Week of 12 December 1983

​As  you might guess, much of this week was taken up with Christmas preparation activities. Shopping, decorations, crafts, cards, and a long list of things Mom did. The other preparation list related to my (Michael Beach) imminent return from my church mission to Spain. She did a lot of cooking for various parties this week as well.

That week they bought a 1978 Ford Fiesta for $2000. That week Lisa’s almost-ex was attempting to find her in SLC. Mom was thankful Lisa had returned to Honeyville so he couldn’t find her. Lisa was adamant that she did not want to get back with him. Mom was happy that was her position. He turned up at a hospital in Ogden with symptoms of an overdose. The hospital called to see if Lisa had any interest in going to the hospital. She said no. Mom noted “He’s trying the sympathy route.” After sharing some negative opinions of him she then points out, “Curtis came over. He’s a great kid.”

On Saturday of this week she writes, “Mike gets home tonight” then in large letters “Can’t wait!” Anyone who has ever sent out a missionary will understand that sentiment. That part must have been written during the day. After picking me up she writes that the plane was 40 minutes late. The airline apparently lost my large suitcase. I honestly don’t remember that. It was after midnight by the time we got home. It was 17 December but we decided to have our Christmas then and not wait, so presents were opened. She says we didn’t get to bed until about 2am.

On Sunday, after only 4 hours of sleep, Dad took me to the Stake Center to be released. There was a special Sunday School program that day. I was asked to give my testimony in Sacrament meeting. Vangie and her husband came up for Christmas dinner. More presents got exchanged and we watched a Christmas fireside on TV. Her last word for the day was “relaxed.”

Week of 5 December 1983

This week is the first I’ve seen mention of Curtis. He was among family helping Lisa pack and move her things. They all enjoyed lunch at the McDonalds inside Crossroads Plaza. Here’s a look at how things have changed. Mom grumbled about spending $16 on six people for lunch (not counting baby Jessica). Later that day they put up the Christmas tree. Her last note of that Saturday read, “tired – a full day.” Of course, that didn’t stop her from sharing another long list of stuff she did on Sunday.

The next several sentences on Sunday are telling about how life was for Mom at that point. “Most of the snow is going away. Feel very homesick for my family lately. Must be because it’s the holidays and we’re going to visit in a couple of weeks. Mike gets home in 6 days. Just can’t believe it. It seems forever. Dan needs a haircut. He don’t want one. Worked on Santas.”
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Week of 7 November 1983

This week is just a list of shopping that happened, and tasks Mom set up for herself. There were some visits going on. For example, Lisa took baby Jessica to visit family friends Don and Alma Thrash, and picked Crystal up from visiting the Hoffmeister family. She got a letter from me while on my church mission in Spain, fixed a jacket, and did some crocheting.

Week of 14 November 1983

Unlike the previous week, Mom wrote more specifics this week. She didn’t just talk about shopping, she included items bought for specific people. She and Lisa both got perms. “It sure feels great to look better” she notes. After a long list of chores, and extra expenses helping Lisa get back on her feet, she mentions they had their second snow storm of the year. Dan was at work with their old car. She hoped he didn’t get into an accident coming down the canyon on his commute home. As it turned out, Dan called that the canyon had been closed and he would be stay all night at ‘Sherwood Hills’. Dad managed to make it home in the Datsun truck that was not running well. He didn’t have to navigate any canyons on his route. Dan finally got home by 2p the next day (Sunday). It snowed all that day as well.
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Week of 21 October 1983

My age is showing. Last time I posted I mentioned Mom putting in something about me transferring to Seville and a 2-week medical checkup for Lisa and Jessica. These things actually happened the week of 21 Oct, not 17 Oct. In fact, I was so far off that I identified it as the week of 14 October. I guess I was losing it that week.

Week of 31 October 1983

No mention of Halloween. Dad no luck on the deer hunt this week. Dan got a job at Sherwood Hills washing dishes. The clutch went out on their truck so they bought a used truck from the Baker family in Honeyville. It was a ’66 International and only cost them $200. There was a long list of food created early for Christmas between Mom and Lisa. They attended the wedding of Dan Peterson. He’s a guy I went to high school with.

Lisa’s mother-in-law contacted her and shared her then-husband’s address. She also offered to help pay for the divorce. 
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