1 Short sale

With economic conditions what they are in today's world, a new term has emerged into the public consciousness: short sale. It can have at least two meanings in the world of financial transactions: (1) a seller does not own a security that he or she sells, or (2) a lender allows a property to be sold for less than the amount owed on the mortgage and thus takes a loss.

We're going to give it a new meaning today: A weekend that has just expired when I don't have time to adequately complete an issue of the Cleverly Newsletter by first thing Monday morning. Hence, a shorter newsletter than normal. That's what you're getting this week.

My excuse is a valid one. Our daughter Rachael and her husband Robert spent a long weekend in Las Vegas over the Mother's Day weekend. He was attending a seminar for coaches. She was chilling with the wives of some of the other coaches from Malad and enjoying a few days off from the children. Claudia and I tended their three daughters from Thursday evening through Sunday afternoon, and that takes a lot of energy and a lot of time. So . . . not much of either—energy or time—left over to accomplish other things.

2 Quote of the week

"The morning, . . . the most memorable season of the day, is the awakening hour. Then there is least somnolence in us; and for an hour, at least, some part of us awakes which slumbers all the rest of the day and night. . . . All intelligences awake with the morning. Poetry and art, and the fairest and most memorable actions of men, date from such an hour. Morning is when I am awake and there is a dawn in me."

— Henry David Thoreau, Walden

3 This week in our family

Mon, May 11: Kimball's birthday [Lyle]
Tues, May 12: Kassidy Reher's birthday [Ray]
Tues, May 12: Misty Lynn Ellis's birthday [Gene]
Wed, May 13: Rex & Jackie Sayer married 1978 [Jackie]
Thurs, May 14: Michele Rankin's birthday [Gail]
Thurs, May 14: Ray died 1990
Fri, May 15: Kyle's birthday [Kay]
Fri, May 15: Jennifer Sayer's birthday [Jackie]
Fri, May 15: Anniversary of restoration of Aaronic Priesthood
Sat, May 16: Mallory's birthday [Kay]
Sun, May 17: Megan's birthday [Gail]
Mon, May 18: Jessica's birthday [Lyle]
Mon, May 18: McKay Rhett's birthday [Kay]
Mon, May 18: Next issue of newsletter

4 Bits and tidbits

A mission report
Kay and Karen reported on their blog Called to Serve: "On Tuesday [May 5] we had 11 missionaries go home from their mission and 10 missionaries go back to Bolivia. So we lost 21 missionaries and received 9 new ones. On Tuesday of the change the missionaries going home go to the temple with President and Sister Elmer. Then they go to his house for dinner. At 7:00 in the evening we have a testimony meeting with each missionary going home. Then they all leave that night.

"On Wednesday the new missionaries arrive at 8:00 am from the MTC. They have an orientation that lasts all the morning. While that is going on, the president interviews each new missionary. Then at noon we all walk over to the president's house. Sister Cleverly and I get to go to this luncheon. At 3:00 we go to the Magdallena chapel where all the missionaries come from all of Lima to receive their new assignments and meet their new companions. It is a very fun meeting. The president introduces each new missionary to all the rest of the mission."

5 Our family 50 years ago

Excerpts from the May 1959 diary of Dorothy Batt Cleverly (1915-1982). The full text of her diary can be found online at Dorothy's Idaho Diaries and is updated daily, exactly 50 years to the day after it was originally written. The family at the time lived on a 40-acre farm in the Deer Flat area south of Nampa, Idaho.

Mon, May 11. We got to Grantsville, Utah at 5: A.M. stoped at Bliss & ate. I drove from Hammett to Burley. We went to bed until noon. Ivard was sick all day & vomited.

Tues, May 12. We went out & watched Ken work on mothers house awhile, he has it about done but painting & the plumbing. We left for Salt Lake at 11: & went to Louies & had lunch & visited awhile then we went over to Sara's & visited Alv & Pearl & all of them then Sara fixed us supper & we were just leaving when Marv came so we went over & talked to them awhile & went to Ruth & Rays a little while then we went down to Irvins. Decided not to drive all nite.

Wed, May 13. We got up at 6: & I had a shower & we ate & went over to Irv's store & got a couple cases of stuff. We left for home at 9: A.M. Sure hot.

Thurs, May 14. bought a new 6 can milk cooler

Fri, May 15. Ivard Jackie & I went to bed. We got up at 2:15 & had sandwich & went to Adrian & Ivard practiced base ball with Kids & after they got their clothes from Ad's & we came home & Ray had supper. We ate & Gene did chores. They came & put in our new milk cooler at dark. Ward Teachers came.

Sat, May 16. Kay left at 11: for Adrian in Pick up & went to Ontario with Petersons to 5 Stake Seminary Testimonial & banquet & dance. He got home at midnight.

Sun, May 17. Kay - Gene & Ray went to Priesthood & Ivard & I went to bed. Kids came home after Priesthood because Kay was going to Boise with Gail but he didn't come until this afternoon. I roast ham & scolloped potatoes & we ate at 1:30 & at 3: we went to bed & Gail never even woke us up when he came. At 6: Ivard & I took Kay & Gene to Adrian & we went to Baccalorint. Got home at 10: & slept an hr. & went to work.

6 What in the world

Rainy days
Despite its reputation for being overcast, wet, and rainy, Seattle actually has fewer days of measurable rain during a year than New York City. It does have more overcast days, however. That is according to a special on the states that I saw last week on the History Channel.

My own bit of Internet research, not by any means scientific, came up with an average of 154 rainy days in Seattle and only 111 for New York. That seems to be a contradiction. Any thoughts, anyone?

7 A final word

This week's Final Word is from a May 9 post by Melissa (Kay's family) entitled "Growing a Green Thumb"

I never liked to work in the yard when I was younger. I seriously could have cared less about plants, etc., and weeding at our house was only desired when I needed money. We were paid a penny a weed. Fun times!

Even in our other house I had little interest. I am not sure if this was because I had little kids and a yard that was too big to manage, but anyway I wasn't interested.

Just lately I have decided that I love to work in the yard. It is so therapeutic to pull weeds and plant pretty things. I have to admit I don't know a lot about gardening, but I have learned a lot in the last few years. I actually have gone to the nursery and just asked a lot of questions. We have a local nursery just down the road that has been a lot of help. I find myself checking out everyone's plants as I drive by yards.

I just planted my garden. I have planted peas, lettuce, chives, dill, spinach, and zucchini. I need more room for tomatoes. I might put them in pots and have them grow up a trellis. They were out of control last year and they didn't do very well laying on the ground. I want to plant things that I can use canning. I started canning as well. I can't wait till our peach and apple tree get big enough to get fruit on them. Our peach tree has grown a lot this year.

I might buy a book on raised gardening. Chad has no interest in doing this. I keep hoping he will make me some boxes and fill them with dirt out by our grapes. I would like to can salsa and I don't have room for all the things I want to grow to make it, but if I had a box out by the grapes I might have enough room. I use to visit teach my neighbor who raises all the ingredients for her salsa in her garden. Her salsa is so darn good. We ate it the whole pint in one sitting!