Date: Sun, 4 Aug 1996 Subject: The Saga of a Steel Magnolia in Utah

Hi All, Katherine and I went into Salt Lake City on Saturday and visited the Museum of Natural History. We drove around and saw the Capital building and other historic areas, too. All in all, it was a nice day. The museum had some very nice exhibits on dinosaurs, and my current favorite topic.....rock/minerals. We played tourist as long as we could stand it (about 2 hours), then we got out of the city and headed back to Layton to make the yard sale circuit before high tea. Never know what you'll find that you really don't need but will look cute any way. Besides, SLC is a small place. The Capital Building sits in a area that looks a lot like Mid-Town, kinda run down residential with the yuppie set hell bent on refurbishing every thing in sight. Lots of small houses being remodeled with expensive cars in the driveway.

This is an interesting area and there are lots of nice people, but make no mistake who is in control out here. LDS, Latter Day Saints, or Mormons. They have a complete strangle hold on the economy and populace. They are worse than the Baptists of the early 70's in Georgia. However, with the influx of outsiders, moi and others, they will be absorbed into Americana just like every one else. It's weird in a way that I haven't really been able to describe yet. But, I'll try any way.

We saw Chain Reaction Friday night. A good film, lots of action, little profanity, and really good explosions. Can't wait to get the tape for my collection. It was a narrow miss, we almost went into Independence Day out of habit. Who knows what will happen this coming Friday night? (grin)

Well, I am one step closer to the rock hunting expedition. It's August finally and I got my CB for the truck. The temperature took a break yesterday and it was cold in the morning with the day time high in the eighties instead of the low hundreds. If the temperature stays in the eighties, than I'll head into the desert in a couple of weeks. I still need a hydraulic jack to move rocks (big momma rocks...grin). If all goes well, I'll pack the truck and find that there's no room for me after I get all the stuff that ya need to break rocks stowed inside the truck. But I'll find a way, or rent a trailer. The museum had some nice specimens of topaz and other rocks from Topaz Mountain and I'll try to get similar ones for my own collection. The Dugway Geode beds are in the same area as Topaz Mountain, on the other side of the Thomas Range, Apache Tears are waiting for me to find them.

It is with great sadness that I admit that Katherine has become an internet junkie. I have threatened to take the power cords with me in the mornings, but haven't had to go to those extremes just yet. The woes of a parent in the 90's. Maybe I'll ship her off the French Foreign Legion or some other place that deals with teen net junkies. Got any advice?

Take care and write when you can.

See ya soon.

Jan Noble, steel_magnolia@mindspring.com

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