Insights from Entertaining International Visitors - Danish Edition

We recently played host to a lovely family of four from Esberg, Denmark. Tim knew Anne-Marie Grabe from his mission 20 (!) years ago. She has since married John and had two teenage children, Christoffer and Benjamin. They stayed with us for about 5 days, took a sojourn to the mecca of Salt Lake City for one week, then returned for another week of fun. Here are some of my observations.

1. America is ridiculous in its sizes of everything. One of my favorite moments was when we took them to Costco and they had to take pictures of the couch they were selling - with cup holders! They couldn’t get over the cup holders. And the size of the watermelon we purchased filled them with confusion and dismay. It got to be a running joke about the size of everything - houses, cars, plates of food. “Crazy Americans!”
2. If in Europe you have to walk everywhere, you soon realize that in America, particularly if you are in the Western states, you have to drive everywhere. It took some getting used to. When they were planning their trip, they asked whether traffic would be a problem on the highway between Portland and Salt Lake. As anyone who has taken that trip knows, traffic is not the problem on that drive (just the mind-numbing boredom of central Idaho). We took them to the beach, Astoria, waterfalls in the Columbia Gorge, and Mt. St. Helens. Denmark is a very flat country, so they enjoyed the varied topography and the ability to get above things and look down. 
   
3. It is interesting to see what they wanted to eat that they couldn’t easily get in Denmark. Their main requests were chocolate chip cookies, anything Mexican (especially enchiladas), root beer, and Fruit Loops. They had never seen refried beans. They went home with two big bags of goldfish, 12 boxes of macaroni and cheese, and six cans of green enchilada sauce. As they were packing, they found an old bag of Danish candy that they left behind. It was the yummiest candy I have ever eaten. And I realized that if visitors stay that long, I run out of meals I make for company. We had spaghetti pie twice (by request). 
4. When you host someone in your home who speaks a language you do not, you can’t help but always have the impression that they are talking about you, perhaps negatively. All of them spoke marvelous English, but when they spoke to each other they often switched back to Danish. For the first few days my brain kept switching to Spanish mode - like my mind was desperately trying to understand what was being spoken and was switching to the default mode of the only foreign language I sort of speak. By the end I could pick up a lot by context, and would often just pretend I understood what was going on. Tim still speaks Danish well, so he just loved loved loved having them here.
5. Anywhere you go you are infinitely cooler just being with Danish people. I couldn’t get enough of telling everyone at Target, Costco, Winco, Best Buy, Sports Authority, Marshalls, and Fred Meyer that they were Danish (can you tell that one of their favorite things to do while here was shop?)
6. The world is a crazy small place. At the end of a long narrow forest road south of Mt. St. Helens we stopped at Lava Canyon for a picnic lunch. As we set up, we could hear people coming down the path speaking Danish. They emerged and lo and behold they were people that the Grabes knew from their town in Denmark. One was a school friend of Christoffer, and the mom had been a teacher of Anne-Marie’s. They were also on holiday in the United States, but had no idea that they would be at the same spot at the same time. What are the chances? 

I highly recommend having international visitors to your home if you get the chance. It is a fantastic experience, and they brought us five bottles of Remoulade! We hope that we get the chance to let them return the favor of hosting in the not too distant future. 

Some assorted things Kent and Marilyn have recently learned, and then smiled about

1 – The word of the week is ‘risibly’, meaning:  deserving to be laughed at, eliciting laughter, ludicrous.  

2 – The New York Times recently commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Beatles arrival in the United States, and their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan TV show.  The newspaper ran a full-page memorial, containing the newspapers very first article that introduced the Beatles to America.  The opening paragraph read:  ‘Question - Multiply Elvis Presley by four, subtract six years from his age, add British accents and a sharp sense of humor.  The Answer:  It’s the Beatles (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah)’.

3 - Comedian David Brenner, age 78, frequent guest host of the Tonight Show, with more than 150 appearances, recently passed away.  His family stated that, in his “final request”, he asked that one hundred dollars in small bills be placed in his left sock ‘just in case tipping is recommended where I’m going’.

4 – A recent column in the Sunday NY Times was cleverly titled, ‘Religion for $1,000 Alex’, a take-off on the TV show Jeopardy.  The article pointed out how largely ignorant Americans are about religion.  The closing paragraph read, “we do not want to emulate the long-ago Texas governor who, in one of those stories that may be too good to be true, opposed Spanish instruction in the state because, ‘If English was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for us.’

5 -  Donald Rumsfeld (Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense under Gerald Ford, and Secretary of Defense under George W. Bush), both the youngest and oldest Secretary of Defense, sends a similar letter with his tax returns to the IRS every year.  It reads, “this note is to alert you folks that I know that I do not know whether or not my tax returns are accurate.” 

6 - The local Idaho Falls newspaper is the Post Register.  Recently it contained an article entitled, ‘Lunar Eclipse to Cover Western Hemisphere’.  The article, about a future event began, “North and South America, get ready for the first eclipse of the year…on Tuesday morning”.  The article was printed the next day, on Wednesday, the day following the eclipse.  We will call this a predictable, ‘risibly’ article from our small town local newspaper.

Our Travel Review

BY: Brinn & Ramona Granat

When traveling with our FOUR kids (just for you Kirse) we have come to the understanding that some adjustments will have to be made.

1. The size of our accommodations (it’s hard to cram 6 people in a tiny hotel room).

2. Ease of eating out with kids or the complexity of it depending where you go, which takes us to our next difficulty,  

3. Type of food that we want to eat vs the type of food the kids will eat (kid food wins out most of the time, unfortunately).

4. Price of food while out every meal for the duration of your vacation, even eating out cheap adds up.

5. Drive time, how long can you endure sitting in a car singing nursery rhymes, constant potty breaks, kid movies (it’s odd the number of movies that I have listened to numerous times in the car but have never actually seen), listening to whining or illogical arguments from kids, sore muscles from craning your neck back to interact with the kids, and car sickness.

We actually like traveling with our kids.  Some of our family adventures have included Mt. Rushmore, St. George, Boise, McCall, Coeur D’Alene, Kalispell, Alberta, Memphis, Nashville, Oregon Coast and most recently Vancouver Washington.  I do have to say that even though I did enjoy our low budget accommodations at America’s Best Inn (no really, it was adequate, quiet and it had a nice breakfast spread), our most recent trip to Vancouver Washington superseded our expectations.  Here is a copy of our review:

May’s Garden Inn: Bed and Breakfast

Guest Score:                                                              

                                                                         5 star Review

All of our expectations were exceeded at our most recent stay at the May’s Garden Inn in Vancouver Washington.  It started out with a very warm and personalized welcome. We were greeted by name and the staff even took the extra effort in making us a welcome poster.

Our two bedrooms and one private bath were more than enough space and exceptionally accommodating.  Beds were comfy and there was an abundance of extra blankets and pillows at our disposal.  Rooms were clean, water pressure was good, I cannot say enough about a shower with adequate water pressure.  Décor was a mix of homey and eclectic pieces; some of the original pieces were truly spectacular.  It made you feel comfortable, not overly staged or sterile like you get at some big name hotels. 

The food.  I am shocked I didn’t gain a few double digits from this trip.  Breakfast each morning with bagels and cream cheese one day, buttermilk pancakes the next, followed by French toast.  You will be planning your next meal while still eating your current meal- yes this is how this place rolls.  Thai take out from the food carts, gourmet pizza, fish tacos, the Gouda and Havarti…it will leave your taste buds tingling and your belly full.  They will even allow you to sample the Boston cream pie before it’s fully assembled!

Hands on Concierge service. Enough said.  No really, their Concierge will even drive the car for you- which is a huge plus for us because it eliminates the possibility of getting lost and it also allows you to look around and enjoy the epic beauty that surrounds you.  Plus their Concierge has her doctorate in History so not only are you getting all the facts but you are also getting an education.

We highly recommend upgrading to the Entertainment package.  It includes activities like band concerts, vocal performances, basketball games, a variety show, and many introductions to shows like the IT crowd and youtube hits like the FiveGuys “Oh My DAYHEM review… not to mention that there is an onsite basketball court and playground for the kiddies.

Can’t rave enough about how much we enjoyed our stay and we would highly recommend the May’s Garden Inn: Bed and Breakfast to all of our friends and family.

From the Home Office in Medford, OR, A Letterman Tribute: Lifelong Pants and Canned Hams

This is a family blog post, dedicated to David Letterman.  With his recent retirement announcement, it seemed like a family tribute would be fitting, as he has been a nightly family member for 32 years.

Marilyn and Kent / Grammy and Skipper

Somehow, Marilyn and Kent found out about Letterman’s 1982 NBC morning comedy show (90 total am shows), and began taping it for viewing after the kids went to bed.  We continue to do so today.  We even competed with his morning TV audience for a Letterman home visit, using Whitney’s birth announcement as the ‘hook’.

(An advertising theme discussion for an upcoming series of TV commercials)

- Ad man (convincingly) – “I tell you JP it’s great Americana.  An interview with a cheery family of seven…five kids under age eight…living, if you can believe, in Idaho.

Now picture one of our white baby cribs, sparkling in the background.

JP – (exasperated) – OK, OK, I’ve got it in my mind but what’s the grabber, what’s our gimmick?

Ad man (excitedly) – Our crib looks new and it’s in its eighth year of continuous use!

JP – I like it.  The idea’s got promise but…(pausing)…there’s one fatal flaw.  I know you couldn’t make up a story like this, but will the public ever believe it.

__________

On September 18, 1985 Letterman began his nightly Top Ten Lists (the first one was the top ten words that almost rhyme with peas).  Somehow, someway, by some means, his top ten lists became the way family members organized their thoughts when:  giving a presentation;  speaking at high school graduation ;  campaigning for school office;  writing for the school newspaper;  announcing a wedding;  communicating with classmates at reunion time;  writing a college admissions essay;  upon departure from a foreign country after two years;  etc. etc. etc.  Here is a very tiny sample:

a.  Top Ten Favorite Mom Sayings (on a hand made Mother’s Day card, that has been on the refrigerator since 1989) – ‘It’s December 26.  Don’t you think this will make a good present for next year?’

b.  Top Ten Thing’s Learned Since High School  -  ‘If you and your wife leave idyllic southern Oregon after 25 years, and move to Idaho Falls, even to be nearer the kids and grandkids, expect people familiar with the climate to look at you and think to themselves, ‘decision making is not their strong suit’.

c.  Top Ten Reasons For Admittance Into Brown – ‘a strong desire to attend a college where it is just a short walk to another state.’

d.  Top Ten Reasons Why Kirse and Tim Should Get Married – ‘With their History and Art college degrees, they become the most unemployable couple in America.’

e.  Top Ten Reasons To Vote For Brinn – ‘chocolate milk in all the water fountains.’

f.  Top Ten Signs I’ve Been in Argentina Too Long – ‘while my companion was sleeping he awoke suddenly and asked, ‘what was that?’  I calmed him by saying, ‘don’t worry it was only gunshots.’

McKenna

I remember when going on first dates I would always ask the gentleman a very simple question.  The question was Leno or Letterman?  Depending on their answer I would decide if a second date was going to happen or not.  Also, I remember going to New York City and I loved being able to take pictures in front of the Ed Sullivan Theater and I even got Rupert from Hello Deli's autograph.  I felt oh so cool.  Good times with Letterman, especially watching it with my family while growing up.  To this day I still love a good top ten list.  Thanks Dave!

Whitney

So I had the rare fortune to grow up a Granat - this basically meant several things.  We were loud, funny, friendly, clever and always and forever die hard David Letterman fans. It wasn't ever a choice it just was.  Not that any of us would have made a different choice anyway.  From as long as I can remember Letterman was an honorary uncle that we discussed and talked about like a great family friend.  I remember all receiving Late Night with David Letterman sweatshirts one Christmas - which wouldn't thrill the average kids aged 6-16 (or somewhere around those ages), but for us Granat's it was perfection.  We also received Late Show with David Letterman attire when he switched networks.  I remember how annoyed we all were when that other guy took over the Tonight Show after Johnny, and took it more personally then perhaps we should have.

I also along with other siblings am sure I played the same "Leno or Letterman" question when first dating new people.  And let me tell you that if you answered incorrectly, or weren't willing to change your ways - there wasn't a future.  Ha!  But Seriously!   On my first trip to NYC it was imperative that I meet as many of the Late Show family - and was fortunate to meet several of them including Rupert G.

He has been on the air pretty much my whole life, and it is crazy and sad that he is retiring, but I am grateful for the opportunity to grow up in a household that was full of his humor, fun, and brilliance.  Thank you for the laughs Mr. Letterman.

Brinn

In reflecting back to my childhood a couple things stand out in my mind in regards to David Letterman.  I remember the sweatshirts of course that I think we all got when his show was Late Night with David Letterman, before the Late Show with David Letterman.  We were all so proud to show these off in and out of the home.  If I'm not mistaken when I ran for Vice President of Hoover elementary despite the "Brintendo" campaign that was used, I believe I also had a top 10 list for things I would do for the school when I gave my speech to influence the student body in the voting process.  I won and I'm sure it was a combination of the Brintendo theme as well as what we all know to be the cleverness of a good top 10 list.  In high school our family also contributed to many a top 10's in the South Medford High School South Paw as well.  Fast forward to the mission years I was able to track down a top 10 list I created when exiting the mission field.  Definitely funny to read and reflect back of that time in my life.  Letterman will definitely be missed and it is disappointing to learn of his retirement, but his memory, quick wit and humor will never be forgotten.

Dalan

My earliest memories of watching Dave is around 1983 in Redlands, CA.  I remember Mom used to record the 12:30am "Late Night" show (on our classic Betamax VCR!) and would often watch it back the following day.  If I was lucky she would be watching it around the time I came home from school.

As a kid, I loved the crazy and silly bits of the old "Late Night" show. The Monkey-Cam, The Guy Under the Seats, the suit made out of Alka-Seltzer.  All classic bits that an 8 year old could really connect with (check 'em out on youtube!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89GrBnmYwXY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAu0USchCrI

And, ironically as it would turn out in the years ahead, I loved it when Jay Leno would be a guest on that show and read from the TV Guide or share "What's my beef".  Some of those early Leno/Lettermen bits still pop into my head and make me smile to this day.  

During my freshman year of college Dave got his new "Late Show" show, and since I was now in the Mountain time zone that meant I could watch Dave not one, but two whole hours earlier.  I was a big fan of the new show, making sure my roommates knew that they could watch whatever they wanted on my TV, except when "Late Show" was on.

During my adventures in the South American country of Uruguay I would often sport my very own "Late Show" T-shirt and took pride in the fact that I was most likely the only one in the whole country (maybe the whole southern hemisphere?) to have that shirt.

I've been a fan forever. During the first Late Night Wars, I was there. When Johnny Carson visited Dave's show and Dave offered him his desk, I was there. When Dave was out with quintuple bypass surgery or shingles, I was there. 

He's been such a big part of my life that when I got married I wanted our honeymoon to be in NYC so we could see his show.  Alas the writer's strike of 2007 made it so there were no shows during our honeymoon trip. But that didn't stop us from visiting the theater and getting a sandwich from Rupert.

I did get to his show once. It was a Friday night show that Dave was taping on a Thursday. As he came out to warm up the crowd he explained that he needed a Friday energy and we should all act like it was Friday. He then emphasized "There's nothing illegal about it"  with his classic dry sardonic delivery. I remember that line because it got a big laugh, but it wasn't a joke for the show, just for us in the audience.  Even before the cameras came on he was clever, funny, and a real showman. And that is the way I'll always remember him.

Well, that and throwing footballs at a meatball on top of a Christmas tree every year. That stuff is classic! Luckily we'll get to see it one more time.

Oh--Here's some pics.  One is me wearing my "Late Show" shirt in Uruguay and the other is a fun collection of Letterman themed books currently living on my bookshelf.

Lauren
Okay - here goes! I do love me some Dave!! I remember Dave talking about "Big Ass Hams," and when he drank a whole bowl of eggnog. And Barry White doing a Top Ten list. I wish I had been able to go to his show and am jealous of my siblings who got to go. I will miss The CBS Orchestra and good ole Paul Shaffer. RIP the Late Show with David Letterman!!

Kirse
Where do I begin with my personal Letterman history? I have been watching his program as long as I can remember. Of course there was the Christmas that our pajamas were Late Night sweatshirts, and the school election campaigning where I used a Top Ten List. Or the Top Tens I added to the school paper when I was the editor, and the device for my graduation speech. Or the fact that I got a TV in college for the sole reason of watching David Letterman. 

The first phone conversation I ever had with Tim before we started dating we discussed Letterman and his virtues over Leno. We had a Top Ten list at our wedding. We continue to use the Top Ten feature for our Christmas card letter. When we moved to Boston, the first thing I did was send away for Late Show tickets. We traveled by train to NYC that fall, and I sat in the audience transfixed, as if in a daze, not believing that I was seeing the show in person. I don’t think I clapped or laughed once, so stunned was I. After the show we met Rupert at the Hello Deli, where I blurted out “Rupert, I love you.” He said thanks. 

Recently I have been showing my kids fuzzy You-Tube clips - “What About That Guy?”, Stupid Pet Tricks, Stupid Human Tricks, Dave in the drive-thru, the Velcro suit, adventures with Rupert and Mujibur and Sirajul. They laugh and laugh. I have taught them the Dave comedy rule - that repetition makes things funnier and more absurd. I’m hopeful that with this retirement there will be some sort of “Best of” compilations that I can buy, so I can show my kids the genius of David Letterman for years to come. And we will continue to repeatedly enjoy him, which will make him funnier and funnier. Particularly the word “Pants.” 

Cache Valley History

By: McKenna Magalogo

Back in January we attended a different chapel in Logan. It was really old and had some interesting features, like a pioneer painting and a balcony in the chapel. It was there that my interest was piqued. I wondered what other old buildings are in town and what are their stories? So the investigative journalist kicked in and began to research. Here is my story.

I began by checking out tons of books from the library, I marked all the buildings I wanted to find and take pictures of. Finally we planned out an adventurous day with the kids and we went all over town discovering some of these older buildings.
So with that I present Cache Valley Historic Buildings:

Here is the first chapel that started it all.

 

Here is a photo of John T. Cain's home in Logan

 

 Here is a picture of the same home from 1910

Many buildings were affected by the 1962 earthquake in Logan. The third story of the store Levens was removed.

Because of this when you go to the second story of this building there is a phantom staircase that goes to nothing. The kids thought this was pretty fun.

 Now a restaurant, this was the site for many travelers to come and go from Logan

 Here is the Passenger Station back in 1890

 In 1891 JR Edwards was a Saloon

 An old chapel in town

Thatcher Home: Moses Thatcher began the first Opera House in Logan, after it burned down he opened the Eccles Theater. This was his home.

 Moses Thatcher Jr.'s home

This was the most expensive home built in Logan. Built for $75,000 in 1907 with lumber imported from Oregon. David Eccles was one of the first multi-millionaires in Utah. This is my favorite house in Logan.

 Here is a shot of the home from 1907

Second Temple in Utah: The Logan Temple was dedicated in 1884

This was something interesting I came across in my reading. When the Logan Temple was remodeled in 1977 they found names written in the walls of people who helped build the original temple. Pretty neat.

 Here is a close up shot

 The Bluebird restaurant on Main Street. It has been in business since 1914.

Interior of Bluebird Restaurant

 In the upstairs of the restaurant, a dumbwaiter

 Now a Skating Rink, this used to be a dance hall in the 1920s

 This is what remains of the Union Roller Mills that began in 1865

 Old home in historic Logan

Another old home near Main Street

Utah State University: Began in 1888

And that is what I learned about Logan and some of its historic buildings. Thanks to the Logan library and Elise for being so into this project that she practically memorized the pictures in the books and helped me find them around town.

I Learned It By Watching You!

 I believe it is a universal fear that we will one day become our parents and that their quirks will become our very own. This "fear" has turned into a reality. I have become my mother and to a degree my dad as well.

I used to be so embarrassed by my mom's over sharing and long conversations with strangers. Her willingness to take on every project and party and accomplish it with what appeared to be minimal effort. My mothers ability to get great customer service and items for free through her humor and civility must have seeped into my brain or possibly it's part of my DNA.

I find myself over-sharing all the time - "I am buying all of these Hershey kisses because I am making 6 dozen cookies..." or "Yeah a girl needs her diet coke..." or whatever. I am assuming that people don't really care, but I can't help myself from talking to strangers and involving them in my life if only for a moment. I have found that people remember me and treat me well on future visits and I also receive free items or discounts on items all the time. I know that my sisters have this same disease of over-sharing. We can't help
 ourselves. I don't know about my brothers. We need to discuss it the next time we are together for sure.


I also teach (church) similar to my mom and dad as well. Through what I hope is spirituality mixed with humor. I also say what I think and don't always keep my opinions to myself. This usually serves me well and I learned it by observing my parents. (More my mom - my dad has a bit more decorum and knows when his opinion will not be welcome - Ha)

I was never embarrassed by our fabulous parties my mom threw for us kids whether as our room mother or for our birthdays and our weddings. I find myself organizing and decorating for parties as my mom might. I was recently in charge of a Relief Society (Women's Organization) dinner and it was super fun and turned out great. Not everyone would go to the effort I did for a church party. But I learned from my mother the importance of doing your best. It's helpful that she lives close enough that I can borrow things as well.

So in short - don't fear becoming your parents. Embrace it! I am luckier than most as my parents are pretty awesome so it isn't much of a hardship. Hopefully, I will embarrass and teach Bailey to follow in my footsteps.