From the San Luis Valley

Oh hi handsome Jacob!

I’m writing to you from a mediocre hotel on the rough side of alameda Colorado. As you know, this is the area where my dad was raised. It’s also where my aunt Stella was raised. We came down yesterday. It was a really pretty drive. The cottonwood an aspen trees are super bright yellow. It seems like the light is coming from them they’re so bright 

We ate at the same place in montrose Colorado we did last month when we went camping with mom. In fact we came the same way we did that trip.

Today we went went with aunt Stella to several places in the valley. She wants to go see her relatives in the small cemeteries in manassa Colorado. One was an old, dry cemetery that haven’t been used for generations. Her grandparents are buried there and she has an aunt that died as a baby. That little girl never had a gravestone so aunt Stella bought her one last year. This was the first chance that she’s been able to see it in person. We cleaned up the headstones and aunt Stella planted some flower seeds and put down some artificial flowers around the stones.

Then we took her to visit two of her high school girlfriends. I don’t think I recognize how old my sweet aunt is, but here school chums are really old, whoa.

After that, we drove around to see some of the places my dad grew up. The building in the picture was where my dad was baptized when he was 19 in 1949. Aunt Stella was baptized there too. The pink house in the picture was my great grandma lived. My dad spent a lot of time there while he was growing up. When I was a kid, we would all go and stay with her, we’d do a project like painting or yard work too. It’s sad to see it starting to run down so bad. We went to see the ranch where my dad stayed with his uncle. I can’t really describe the memories I have, both direct memories and stories from my dad that I remember.

Time and family are ready interesting things for me to ponder. It’s almost like looking at the stars on a clear dark night. When aunt Stella was talking about her grandparents and I was thinking about the way my dad grew up, it was hard for me to comprehend how different and how difficult life was back then. I felt connected through those stories to those people in a way that was more profound than just stories. That side of the family was always kind of the odd family out. In this valley, if you’re Hispanic, you are catholic, if you’re white, you are Mormon. We’ll, my aunt and great grandma are Salizars. If you remember Antonio’s story, he was the only Hispanic family to be converted. So amongst their countrymen they were shunned for their Mormonism. And amongst their church members, they were different due to their race. Aunt Stella did say how nice the lds folks always were to their family, and there seems to be so many strong and faithful members in that family.

After we were done looking around, we took a trip to Taos over the boarder in New Mexico. Remember, Taos is Spanish for McDonald’s? Yea, there. We looked around for a while then went to eat. We had some pretty decent New Mexican food. After dinner, my sisters wanted to go shopping at the gift shops. I ended up buying your mom a very cool Dia Del Muertas themed table runner that was way too expensive. I’ll probably be in trouble when I get home, but I succumbed to peer pressure from my aunt and sisters. And I do think mom will like it.

We sent you three post cards from Taos, but none of my family seems to know how postcards work and wrote in all the wrong places on them so I will be pleased if you get any of them. Did you get your package?

We were going to stay another day to visit my family, but nobody is around so we’re heading home tomorrow. 

We haven’t had great coverage on this trip, but I’m sure you can message Ben and see how we’re doing with that. I will look forward to your letter and any communication we can muster. I’m so curious to hear about your comp and how you’re doing in your area.

I do have to add that the force seems to be finding its balance with byu losing to Boise state, Utah not only beating usc but looking really good doing it. That flea flicker by Rising was soooo good, just perfect. Rising is one of those guys who makes football look fun.

Sadly, I can’t think of much more to say, I wish I could because I feel closer to you when I’m writing these boring letters.

Just know that I love you.

Pops