Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Highland Folkman Update

Just an note from the Southern Folkman's. Dave and I are going to return to Nauvoo for the summer. We will be serving as "parents" to the work crews assigned to the pageant. Approximately 20 young men 17-21 years old either just preparing for missions or just returning. 12-16 hour days setting up and tearing down the stage, lighting, sounds, props etc. plus missionary prep lessons, district meetings, temple baptisms and every other activity praiseworthy or of good report. Kris and her family will be returning as cast members for the first two weeks in July. We will have an apartment furnished for us by Pageant so we are hoping that some of our other children and their families will be able to make the long trip.

David is still working for Lowbook Sales and I am still working with my contractor while trying to establish a new business, roof deicing systems. I have partnered up with Matt and Tiger and the market is fresh and new and there is a great need for what we have. It is just getting the first two or three installations in an area that is difficult. Old problem, new solution ... takes some time to educate the buyer. We do have the new Aspen Grove lodge as an installation but have been battling weather and a construction foreman who doesn't seem to understand that our product goes on after the roof is on the building. He wanted us up there in November when there wasn't even a roof deck on most of the project. It is kind of like installing carpeting when the floor isn't installed. Anyway, we should start in earnest this following week.

Stephanie was recently featured in a chapter of a recently published book written by a guy who is a free-lance writer for Ski Magazine and other sports type perodicals. She is "Dynamite Girl". Her name is changed to Jackie, and she offers the disclaimer that the colorful language and some of the events in her "life story" were subject to literary license, but it is definitely Steph. This guy interviewed her last year and went with her as she did avalanche control, ended up putting her in his book about extreme sports.

We have a gaggle of scholars in the form of extra smart grandkids. Nick, Demi, Avery and Riley all carry 4.0 GPA's (got it from Grandma). Additionally we have three guitar players, one cello, one bass and two mandolin players between them. Nick plays cello and bass in the concert orchestra. Avery and Riley play guitar in their school's jazz band. Riley and Demi also each play the mandolin. David has taken up the mandolin in an effort to keep up the the grandkids. Me, I'm sticking to the bagpipes and hope to improve my skills this summer because some of the young men on the work crew are also the bagpipe players for the pageant and I hope they will let me practice with them. I learned a lot from the players last year and hope to pick up some more this summer.

4 comments:

MaryAnne said...

It's good to hear from you guys! One of these summers we'll have to trek out to Nauvoo and see our talented relatives perform. Sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime, you all are so lucky to be a part of it!

Robert said...

Yes, I may come out too. I want to see Kathy playing the baqpipes -- operative word is "see", not necessarily "hear" . . .

Robert said...

Please post some pictures!

Kevin said...

Yes, I want to see pictures of Kathy with bagpipes, up on the roof deicing all of that Utah weather we've been hearing about.