Oktoberfest

The canyon has patches of orange and gold, it's just barely chilly, and yodelers, beer, and bratwurst fill Snowbird's Oktoberfest tent. Even the 1996 world yo-yo champion was there to perform. Time for a party!


Sunday dinner was partytime at Dave and Gretta's Iron Blosam time share. Grandma Rose, Grandpa Cliff, and Grandma Carol arrived, canes and walkers forgotten in the festive moment. Grandma Rose read the paper next to the sunny window, as Farmer's Market corn-on-the-cob simmered, fresh peaches and raspberries were sugared, and the roast was lifted from the crockpot. Michael called from BYU, asking "What's up?" When we assured him the whole gang was gathering, he came, too. Michael had little enthusiasm about posing for his mom's blog, and first offered just the back of his head. He then relented and shared his handsome profile! Jenny, awesomely industrious, was able to fit in a bit of nursing homework even as the rest of us lazed about after dinner.

Every night this week, Dave and Gretta stayed at the Iron Blosam condo and tried a different restaurant--the Wildflower at Iron Blosam, the Aerie, El Chanate, the Steak Pit, the Lodge Bistro. Our favorite dinner, we agreed, was scallops and trout at the Lodge Bistro, with pools of honey-mustard and tomato coulis, followed by a chocolate orange creme brulee!

On Thursday, Gretta flew to Phoenix to take a deposition in a bankruptcy case. She had a couple of precious hours, before her plane returned to SLC, to wander through the Heard Museum, one of the great Indian (Native American) museums of the world. Gretta agrees with Michael that museum cafes have fabulous food. Michael spent his undergraduate years eating at BYU's art museum cafe, and Gretta had a great lunch of shrimp caesar salad and a lime tart at the Heard Museum cafe.
Too many good things piled up on the same day. In order to take the deposition in Phoenix, Gretta had to miss the Women Tech Council awards luncheon at Little America. WTC is an organization formed in October 2007 which now has over 230 members. The luncheon was co-sponsored by the MountainWest Venture Capital Network, SLC's largest association for lawyers and businesspeople in the venture capital/mergers and acquistions industry. Gretta is a board member and membership chairman for WTC, and all board members were presented special awards at the luncheon, before the 300 guests. The award was in the form of a specially-commissioned statue. The luncheon also honored 15 outstanding women in Utah technology.
So far as we know, all is well with other members of the Spendlove family. Janice and Vince survived the hurricane in Houston, although part of the roof blew off Vince's office building and the Morelands did without electricity for nearly three days. They are still among the few in their neighborhood with power, and the grocery stores are closed. Grandma Cliff and Grandma Carol are off to Hawaii on a cruise with Alan Dale and Lindy. Lisa's and Camille's families are enjoying the new school year, with new clothes, new friends and (mostly) good teachers. Some of the biggest changes are that Grant is in an accelerated learning program at a new school which is, alas, not as social as his old school, and Annelise has started first grade and has her own desk (not a table like kindergarten)!