February, already!

         Even though our weather has been warmer than usual it is still the season for vacations in tropical climates. Danita and Eldon Wilcox joined the Wilcox side of the family for a couple of weeks on a cruise of the southern Caribbean. They sailed with three of Eldon's brothers and their wives. One might call it a mini-family reunion. To be so far away it was a surprise to meet another couple with Preston, ID roots..

        Austin Straight, son of Avery and Pedro Gomez, was ordained to the office of a priest in the LDS Ward. His grandparents, Doug and Beverly Bruderer, witnessed this event. Doug works in the oil fields around Dickinson, ND, so it took some family scheduling to make these arrangements..

         MaKenzie Wilcox Gunter, a student at Idaho State, placed second at the Snake River Open Track Meet in Pocatello in the pentathlon event. This is McKenzie's first performance since her injury a year ago this January when she broke her Achilles tendon in a similar event. Her parents, Eldon and Danita Wilcox, will be there to watch in the upcoming Mountain States Games. Update for blog readers, Makenzie performed just as well in the aforementioned track and field meet. We need to keep an eye on this young lady as she shares her excitement.

        On January 24^th we were plagued with invisible ice on sidewalks, driveways and parking lots. What appeared to be an overnight rain was the camouflage of a very slippery surface. Several people fell in the church parking lot as they were trying to make their way into the LDS Ward meetinghouse. There are reports of others around the community with trips to the Preston ER for stitches in the resulting wounds.

        George and Bobby Garr, Mink Creek and Lakewood, CA, residents, celebrated their sixty-third wedding anniversary on Jan 18^th. Our congratulaations to this delightful couple! We are so glad they joined our ranks permanently several years ago when they discovered Mink Creek.

          Happy Groundhog's Day, shadow was seen off and on from this mountain spot, even though the day was given to gloom with a sprinkle of rain now and then. We are hoping the critter happened to be out at the same moment the sun was shining.

           The home of Robert and Phee Crosland burnt down to the ground in the wee hours of Jan 31^st. The chimney stands as a sentinel. They woke to flames at 3am. All the family got out, clad in their pj's, but safe. Much gratitude. The whole county is rising to help them move forward after this tragedy. I would imagine there will be something  about it in this coming week's Citizen so I won't go on and on with details.The response of others in this time of need makes  a person realize how wonderful it is to live here.