Now Comes New

My new dad, and mom needed to go live in Logan and so us three girls went with.
 We lived in a house that was a bungalow style. It was three bedrooms and there were two downstairs but we rented them out to renters as there was a full basement. I had to share with my younger sister Chimera. She was annoying to share with. She had a bed wetting problem and she would insist on sleeping on the top bunk. Need I say more? There was a small school we attended called Ellis. The school was nice enough. I made a couple of friends. I was in the Third Grade. My problem was not kids. It was Math. I was so bad at Math and I tried and tried but it was the late 1970's and in those days, the teachers sat in front of you, told you what the world was like and you did homework and that was that. I wanted to be an astronaut. I wanted to fly. I recall I would draw a lot and they were always flying things. I would draw cars that flew. I day dreamed a lot too. I did not want to be there. I was always reading about far away places and people and my mind was always off in another place. Especially when it came to Math Time in the class room. I was determined to try to do just enough Math to get good grades. My reading was outstanding. Where I failed in Math was given to me a thousand fold in reading and comprehension skills. Why the Education Gods did not want me to learn Math, would be forever a mystery for me. And a struggle. I would have to separate from the class during reading and I would be put in front of this big screen and the film would start, revealing a word at a time. There would be a story we would have to read, and the sentence would come up but depending on how fast the teacher put up the speed of the words coming on the screen, I would have to read them. Then, after, a series of questions and then the next story. I was so bored. The stories were ok but reading was so slow. I would tell the teacher how boring it was, and I would end up  wanting to do other things. Sharing with someone in class was torture for me too.
  It was not because I did not like to share, I was a really nice kid. I just hated sharing with other kids because I did not want germs touching me. I loved and hated school. One thing I hated was the fact that it was so dirty and I would think... I am going to get a disease and die here in the school and no one will notice it is from all these germs. I cleaned out my desk and cleaned the top of my desk every day. One day, because it was so cold outside, and Logan is far more cold than Provo, I asked the teacher if I would be able to stay inside recess and clean the table tops. She liked that and I did. Then after, I sat at my desk and read "Johnny Tremain" a story about a boy who helped Paul Revere in the Revolution. Sometimes I read encyclopedias and other times I was forced to go outside and try to play with my friends.
 There was one girl I quite liked. She was really a nice girl named L But, we did not keep in touch.
My older sister had many friends. One day she was walking home from seeing her friends when a guy started following her and when she walked faster, so did he. She did not make it quite home when she ran to the steps of a strangers house and knocked on teh door and went inside. She came home a little late and told my mom about it. My sister did not get a good description of the man, she was in the 5th grade and really scared.
About two weeks later, I was walking home. I too had a similar experience only, I ran and I stopped running and he kept his distance behind me but again, he was there. I could not see his face, also, but I could see he was wearing thick rimmed eye glasses and he had a long black coat. He wore a hat, like a business hat. I came upon a house but the lady was in my mom's ward. I did not have to go into strangers house, like my sister. I called mom. She came in a car to get me. we drove up and down a couple of streets to find him and could not but we did call the police. After that mom or dad drove us to school.
 I was teased a lot in school for being so tall. My fellow students said really cruel things to me especially the boys. So, a couple of days before my birthday, I decided to knock down those boys in a battle of "King of the Hill" I am not sure if anyone is aware of how to play but the rules are simple and the game is too. The snow that is packed at one side of a play ground to clear for children to play is the object of the game. Getting to the top of  of the mound of snow and pushing off everyone that comes to the top is your goal, to be King. Now, I thought I made this game up because once I was standing on the snow mount and some smaller boys came up to my friend and I. Tired of them bullying me and my friend, when they came up and were once again being rude, I shoved them off the hill and I said I was King of the Hill and it was mine and to back off. Of course that got more kids thinking how cool a game. I did not know it would be such a hit, but it was. My friend and I wanted to keep the Hill as Ours and on this day, the battle was fierce. The Battle was tough. I was wearing a new silk shirt my mom bought me. I looked so pretty that day. I had forgotten to wear pants. What can I say, I was Tomboy sometimes and other times I was a girly- girl. I wore a wool brown skirt with brown thick tights and a cream silk and light blue shirt and I made my hair pretty. I wore brown boots and my orange and brown coat and went to school. Playing King of the hill was hard in a skirt. I got to the top of the snow Hill which was packed snow and smooth. It had become ice. I fell at the top and hit my chin on the packed snow.  My jaw was swollen for three weeks and I was in so much pain. I fell so hard that I had a black eye from the fall. The next day was picture day and my birthday. The rest of the day I was in pain and I did not call home but I did just lay my head on the desk. My mom saw my chin and gasped, "What Happened???" I told her about how I was trying to throw the boys off the hill with bonnie and how we were playing King of The Hill. My mom did not appreciate games and power and the need to be the King of the Hill like I did. she did not understand it at all. As I look back, I even think she said something about how I should not ever even be on the hill in the first place. And went as far as saying I should just do something else. I was so shocked. I was not going to give up my power of the Hill. That Hill was mine. Those boys had no right to it and I made up the game. (Well, That was in my mind, and sadly, Mom disagreed)
 The next day, I got a picture taken. Swollen Jaw, scratches and all.

Sadly, The actual photo I have of that day is not with me right now. This was taken a year later.

The Summer Before Third Grade

My mom had been trying to get into Wymount Terrace Apartments. We had been on a waiting list, and well, Mom was going to marry that Coach from Snow College? Well, She backed out of the marriage and just a couple weeks before going to marry. So, we were in an apartment for a very short time in Roman Gardens. Mom met a guy living in King Henry. Mom eloped when we moved to Wymount and when we came back from Vacation, they were married. This was a shock to me and my sisters. Mom has a different memory of her elopement and somehow thinks us girl were involved with the eloping bit, but that is what happened. Eloping means going off and getting married without anyone knowing, and so mom did that. But, you can talk to her and get a different story if you please. D says "Mom remember the time you sent us to Disneyland so you can take off and get married behind our backs?" but for some reason she never got in trouble for saying it that way. I get reprimanded when I say anything about it. So, I don't. Not to mom anyway.

Now, it is not a big deal. As a matter of fact, I quite love the guy. Back then though, I thought why is my mom marrying him? 

 I tried running away, on my bike, but got as far as 1250 North when my new dad pulled me over and caught me and I told an elderly couple I was being kidnapped. That, looking back was so bad. But, a the time I thought this guy was stealing my mom. 

 Well, the couple did not know what do to, and eventually I went home with my new dad. 

 We moved out and into King Henry for a couple of months until my dad could find a place. 

We moved to Logan where my dad decided to teach. Logan and USU was good, and it was a nice place to live, but I tell you, I missed my dear friend, Heather. 

My mom would allow me to go on a Gray Hound bus to Provo, from time to time to visit my dear friend. 

But, it was a hard time for all of us.

The Wrap Up

  Still in Second grade, there were something that I distinctly recall in my memory that I have to add. 
  First was that the Christmas of that year, Christmas 1977, I went with my mom and sisters to Colorado in the mountains, near Hotchkiss in the  Colorado Rockies. I loved going there. It was fun. My grandpa lived here a little while before he moved to La Sal. My grandpa had lived in the region for about 12 years, as he had moved from Alaska after my mom graduated from High School. 
  I got a bike that year from Santa Claus. It was purple Schwinn with a white long banana seat. What happened to the pictures of me on the bike, I do not know but, I wish I had them.
 We bought our milk from the Kiltcher Family. They had moved to Payson and Atz was running a boy's Ranch there for a while. He was teaching the kids how to work in the Horse Ranch and staying off drugs. We would buy our fresh milk from them. We would see them from time to time. 
   I got baptized when I was 8 years old and in the Second Grade. My Grandpa was not there at my Baptism. I really wanted him and my uncles and aunts there. Alas, they did not come. 
  My mom hired a 6th Grader boy to baby sit us for two hours, but D, being smarter and better babysitter than he, and only in Third grade, fired him and sent him home. 
 I was playing on the Merri - Go- Round when I fell off and skidded and was dragged under it. When the kids finally stopped, and realized I was under it, I was somewhat stuck, so they did not move me until my mom came and helped me out. I was badly bruised and no broken bones, but my om had to take me to the ER to make sure that there was nothing wrong with me
 I mentioned Charlie before when we lived in California. He came to visit us for a little while and that was the last I saw of him. 
  Also, mom was dating a guy from Ephriam, Utah. He was the Basket Ball coach for Snow College, so we would go visit him from time to time. He had three older sons. We would laugh of the thought of our parents marry-ing... Just like the Brady Bunch. 
    I was a bear in a play, an adaptation to The Jungle Book. My mom watched every single one of the performances. 
 I took tap and ballet classes with Heather. We had a blast dancing. 
That about wraps up the Second Grade
 

My Sister, The Magician

D,as I have mentioned earlier, was 18 months older than me, but it seemed she was about 15 years older than myself in many other areas. She was my protector, she was my older wiser version of me and when my mom could not talk sense into me, D could say it in terms that made sense to me. Sometimes, she was more strict than mom. Other times she was more like a best friend and I would forget she was my sister. Wow, How I idolized her. I seriously thought of her as my hero. I adored her and she loved me very much, too. She knew how I felt before anything was said. She was going through the same thing as I, but for some reason, I was more little girl-ish on some things, and I still am. And she is always still more logical and rational than myself.

 Well, why would I talk about her now? One day, mom had to get milk at the store and D and I did not want Chimera with us, and so mom took Chimera. It was D and I alone for about 15 minutes, We lived in the Basement apartment of the Kilchers. I got scared, and to distract me, D did a dime trick. She told me she was a magician. She told me she could make the dime disappear. She did. By swallowing it and chocking on it. My mom walked in right as she swallowed it, and started chocking. I thought it was disgusting and gross when she ran the bathroom and threw it up, but then asked her if she could make any other money disappear and throw it up. 

 I was easily entertained. My mom however, did not let D entertain me like that again. So, I have that one time to relish. My sister now is a magician still. She makes all my sadness go away when I visit her. I love her with all my heart. Isn't that how sisters are supposed to be?