Dad and the famous pancakes

My nephew Michael holds the record for eating the most of Dad's pancakes (27 at one breakfast sitting)... but Christian is closing in..I can never make them as good as Dad..his are so light and thin. He especially makes good homemade noodles, but what I remember him most for is bread and milk and green onions...in the evenings.
Last week on Father's Day, I spoke in Sacrament Meeting... actually, Father's Day is my favorite holiday (I was born on Father's Day). At the end of my talk, I read a poem I wrote for him. I admit, it's a bit corny, but it fits him.

Poem for Dad

What Does Your Father Wear?
Anne Call House 2008

They dressed him in a long white gown in 1921
Henry and Violet Call welcomed their first son
They dressed him in overalls to do his chores
But if he went swimming, he only wore his drawers

He bought cardigans and loafers, properly equipped
As a Utah State student on academic scholarship
But a military uniform now wraps his slender frame
Marching boots and camouflage were Richard’s fashion game

It was in this officer’s uniform before he went to war
He married Lorene Donaldson in 1944
Now a soldier wears the soldier’s clothes, but right next to his skin,
He wore the temple covenants and the promises therein

The battle’s done the war is won freedom now rings clear
With civilian clothes upon his back he starts his new career
He climbs into his suit each day he climbs into his job
He climbs the ladder of success with kids and cats and dogs

He surely liked the dogs we had, but not so much the cats
Shedding long hairs on his shirts and pants and hats
As I look back and remember Dad I think it’s a toss-up
Do I think of all those suits on Dad or now hanging in the closet?

He was no slave to fashion, but wore respectable attire
A Soil Conservationist 30 years then happily retired
Now those suits just go to church, and everyone knows
He's more comfortable now back in his farmer’s clothes

Levis and red suspenders are now his special charm
He bought them when he bought his 200 acre farm
Now he mostly wears the dirt stirred up by plow and wind
And wears the sweat of honest work before the light begins

My dad is dressed in admiration by all those he knows
Clothed in layers of matching love that exponentially grows
He’s 87 now and still works on his farm each day
He wears a look of contentedness-- it fits him well, I’d say

But when the time has come and God sends for my father
I hope the angels and St. Peter will listen to me, his daughter
Don’t dress him in robes and fancy stuff,
White would be alright I guess but that won’t be enough.

Wearing crowns and flowing gowns – he’ll have none of those
My dad’s at heart a humble man needs only simple clothes
So let him in through heaven’s gates he’ll be the same charmer
Yes let him in, dressed in white, but as a working farmer

Jay's kids, my cousins

Tammy and Nathan
Paula and Larry
Brent and Laurel
Robin and Jeffrey
Jay Wood Call -- 80th Birthday!

Jay Wood Call

This is my Uncle Jay. EVERYONE loves Jay. This photo was taken a few years ago at a Call Family reunion. Notice Jay's smile? He has the trademake Call Brother's smile. Richard has is, Steve has it, and H.D. really has it -- and Elizabeth had it in spades.

Happy 80th Birthday Uncle Jay!

(Click on photo to enlarge)

Today I drove up to Logan with Susan to my Uncle Jay's SURPRISE 80th birthday party. He is such a wonderful man and has raised a marvelous and successful family. Seated from left to right, are is four children: Jeffrey, Laurel, (Jay), Larry and Nathan. Behind them are their spouses and a few grandchildren sprinked in. His brothers Steve and H.D. also drove up, and many, many friends and neighbors came. Jeffrey is a doctor in Ogden, Laurel is a nurse by training, but now works in banking in Salt Lake, Larry is a dentist and flew in from Alaska for the event, and Nathan is a doctor in Logan. My Uncle Jay is a doctor also -- a veterinarian. Shout for "Dr. Call" in this bunch, and 4 will answer!

The Special Bed

I had a wonderful visit with Liz Stanley, my cousin Besti's 2nd daughter last week. She lives in Salt Lake now in a darling refurbished house in the Avenues. This bed is an antique. My dad and his sister Elizabeth were born in this very bed in 1921 and 1922 in Bountiful. It is made of beautiful wood and hand-carved inlays. When Aunt Elizabeth died in October, Liz's house became its new home. This is Liz and Henry----named after my grandfather, the same as listed in the posts below. Keep good care of that bed Honey! What a treasure.

On Father's Day

Here are 4 Fathers & Sons...

Cyril Call -- lived in Vermont, but ended up in Utah. He was born just 3 years after the US Constitution was signed! He joined the church in 1831, a year and a half after the church was restored. He and his son Anson knew Joseph Smith and Brigham Young very well. His house in Illinois was burned the ground in what we would today call a hate crime. He had 13 children and came out with the early pioneers.

Anson Call -- Brigham Young sent him to Utah as a captain over 100 wagons and settled in Bountiful, area, then settled many other areas in Utah, Idaho, and Colorado. He had 24 (yeah really) children..his youngest son was my gr. grandfather.

David Call -- was a kind, soft spoken man, my father tells me. He had nine children. His 2nd son Henry was my beloved grandfather.

Henry D. Call -- lived on a farm in Layton and was a school principal in Clinton for 43 years! Thousands of people around here still know Mr. Call and LOVE him. He fought in WWI in France. He raised my dad and my Aunt Elizabeth, and Uncles Steve, Jay and H.D. on a farm in West Layton. All my brothers and all my 24 cousins just LOVED my GRANDPA CALL.

HAPPY FATHER's DAY!

Gary Michael House, 1969

Hey Melissa, Hey Christian!

Your dad was not always the 'old guy'...Here is a picture of him in Honduras on his mission (P-day of course)...... You're lucky to have a dad like him..

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

The King of the Sycamore Ranch....the Beloved of all his family....the Boss of Manuel.... and

MY DAD.... TO let you know how special you are to me, I even managed to be BORN on Father's Day!

How Sweet is that?

I love you,

Anne

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Here is Melissa taking Dad's blood pressure... Happy FATHER'S DAY my darling father! I have been working on a poem about you..maybe I'll finish it on Sunday and you can read it... You can have a sneak peek now, but it's not done....

POEM ABOUT MY DAD rough cut, not done... called

"What Does Your Father Wear?"

oops, sorry, it wouldn't load..I'll get it to work tomorrow...

Christian on a Cycle

Tragedy and Drama in my Classroom

This beautiful young lady, Karina, accidentally got her finger severed in my classroom door.
It was a terrible situation. Just before class started, I heard a slam and a scream, then I saw Karina with her hand bleeding. She was in shock already. There was SO MUCH BLOOD on the door, on the floor, and on the walls.....all I could do was to put pressure on her finger to stave off the bleeding and holler in to the math teacher, Mr. Rippon, to tell him I had an emergency and to call ahead to warn the office, then to get someone to cover my class.... and HURRY! I told Karina.... "LET'S RUN!!"
We ran together from one end of the school upstairs, then down the stairs and to the office trailing blood everywhere. When we got to the office, the personnel cleaned up both of us (my hand was soaked from my fingertips to my elbow, and covered my white blouse). It was hard to tell who was injured.

I returned to the classroom and found that the students in my room were traumatized and some had gotten sick; because, among other things, the finger was still on the floor. (It was a beautiful finger..with a fake fingernail, nicely polished)

I picked it up and put it in an envelope and handed it over to the principal, Mr. Wilson. She was hurried into Officer Hunt's squad car with Mr. Wilson and driven to McKay-Dee Hospital 2 miles away.

I called her that night and talked to her. She was in good spirits. I told her I was impressed at how composed and brave she was, that she didn't even cry. She told me that she only cried when the ER doctor told her had to give her shots so he could shave off the bone because it was sticking out. Her mother had arrived by then.

I told her that in the future, when she has manicures, she is to tell the lady to only charge her for nine fingers, not ten.......10% off every time! I bought her a special balloon for when she returned five days later. She's really been a sweetheart about the whole situation.

Going to Work

One day I had to drop Christian off at work and snapped this photo at Larry Miller's new Megaplex Theater in Ogden at "The Junction". He likes his job and is learning how to work. He gets to see the new movies before the public, he can get his parents (or a date) in free with him...

Tomorrow we're all going to see Indiana Jones