Real Life Live: Utah Rocks!

The boys and I drove up to Utah a couple of weeks ago to get out of the heat, to see family and to get out of the heat. Eric had a business trip to San Diego so I figured what the heck -take a little drive north. We had LOTS of fun in Hurricane with Val & family. We went to the new Washington Rec Center and swam at their great new pool, we shopped at Tai Pan and John was nice enough to watch the kids while Val and I went and saw The Sound of Music at Tuacahn. We knew all the words to all the songs and we knew that if Liesl and Gretyl broke a leg onstage and they needed some quick replacements, we could do it thanks to all of our childhood experience at Los Ayres Ballet Studio. Alas, it was not to be but we had oodles of fun anyway! So after a few days in Hurricane we headed north yet again and traveled to Grandpa Brian's in Panguitch (population 2000). Now I don't know if you have ever been to Panguitch, but they do things a little differenly around there. Nonetheless, it is a place where kids can run free and be one with nature and all that good stuff. There really is something special about small towns. For instance, we went to the grocery store while we were there. It's called Joe's Market and when we walked in you'll never guess who we met....Joe, the owner of Joe's Market. I don't know about you but I've never met Frye or Safeway or Albertson before. It was nice to know that the guy that owned the market really was at the market. (Joe did say that he probably should have named it Zion because he owes them for the next 40 years...too bad!) Grandpa Brian and his family own a restaurant in Panguitch called Foy's Country Corner Cafe and as a patron of that establishment, I can tell you that the house omelet is the tastiest omelet I have ever had. I was amazed at how many people walked into that restaurant and peaked their head into the kitchen to say hello to Brian's 90-year-old mother Mary (who is still the head cook - although it seems like they might be breaking some labor laws or something). There is just something special about a little place where "everybody knows your name. And their always glad you came." (SING IT!) So thanks Grandpa Brian for letting us invade your house and your restaurant and your town. We had such a great time and we hope you let us come back again soon!

Our little fishing trip was a HUGE success!