From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove
Happy New Year!
2014 finds us somewhat healthy and most always happy here at the Fortress. I'm hoping all is well with you and yours at the start of this new year.
I'm an old fuddy dud when it comes to bringing in the new year. I was in bed asleep as the old year slipped away and the new year dawned. My neighbors made sure I didn't stay asleep though. It sounded like the Battle for Britain outside the windows. Large explosions echoed through the valley as fireworks lit up the night sky. Those without fireworks made up for it by banging pots and pans on their patios, decks and driveways. Since I was already awake, I decided to get up and use the bathroom - save me a trip later in the night. "So this is what the apocalypse will sound like," I thought as I washed my hands. Things settled down as soon as the teenagers finished off their bottle rockets and went inside. It was too cold to stay outside - a blessing for those of us wanting to say goodbye to 2013 with a good night's sleep.
I rummaged through one of my photo albums for today's New Year blogpost. It's an assortment of family shots that I hope you enjoy.
Happy New Year 2014!
Simply,
Victor
 |
Janice and Jon's Senior Pictures. Steven's High School
 |
| And here he is a few years later in his hard rock band Sibling Rivalry. He is seated in the center of the pack. We took comfort in the fact that he wore a cross as an earring. You take anything you can get when it gets this bad :) |
Sibling Rivalry broke up after a few years. Jon has since moved on, married, and produced a Williamson heir. He is the funniest of the Williamson siblings and blessed or cursed (depending on how you look at things) with most laid back personality imaginable. Where he got that, we don't know.
This is JD DelGrosso, husband to my sister Kim, on the slopes near their home in Frisco, Colorado. This picture was taken in the early 1980's.
Jilane is seen here with suitcase in hand in front of Kim and JD's log cabin home in Frisco. Forrest, Brandon, Amber and Ashley can brag of their humble log cabin upbringing in the high forests of Colorado.
I'm assuming Jilane is walking toward the car pictured above. This was our Rambler SST stationwagon. Luella and Annette are in the front seat. Again, early 1980's.
Luella's handwriting on the back of the photo above tells it all. This was taken in 1977.
Lisa showing off the hole in her mouth where a second earlier there had once been a tooth. What an awesome brother I was to document this moment for prosperity's sake. This may be the only picture we have our our 38th Street upstairs bathroom.
Lisa took the tooth pulling rather well based on her appearance. Either that or she's thinking about the quarter the tooth fairy will leave for her in the night. We didn't have a lot of money in those days, so a quarter was a big deal. You could buy two dozen red vines for that!
We jump forward a few years to see Lisa in her softball uniform. Wouldn't it be awesome to have her recreate this photo today?
The youngest Williamson sitting on the bench under our 38th Street home's picture window. Annette steadies the bench with one hand. She knew how wobbly it was. Those who thought the bench was there for sitting soon found out how wrong they were!
Lisa and Annette on our couch with Uncle John.
I usually don't post pictures of myself. The family love to ridicule my glasses. I keep reminding them that they were in style back then but they refuse to believe me. Yes, that's me on the grounds of the Provo LDS Temple. I was a custodian in the Temple toward the end of my BYU days.
Found this good picture of Nicole Burrows celebrating her 2nd Christmas. Nicole is my sister Janice's firstborn daughter.
A good photograph of the Mattson family visiting Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. Left to right: Joe, Angie, Bev holding Candace, John, Camille, Jake and Gina. Kirk is missing.
Uncle John with sons Joe and Jake.
An finally a quiet shot with Jake, Camille and Bev in the visitors center. That must be Candace asleep or playing under the bench.
