I love Daddy-Daughter dates!!!! Daddy and I haven't spent a lot of time together since I went off to college, so it was great to get to spend time with him!
Two weeks ago the family had tickets to go see Scarlet Pimpernel in Salt Lake. I drove up from Cedar and since everyone else was off at Education Week, work, or visiting in-laws, I was in charge of picking Daddy up from the airport. His flight came in at 10am, the musical didn't start till 4, and with everyone busy doing other things, Dad and I decided to stay up in the Salt Lake area and tour the sites.
We went to Gardner Village that was settled by our ancestors, Archibald and Robert Gardner Jr. (We come through Robert and his third wife). It was awesome to see some of the things that were still standing 150 years later. Dad was disappointed that none of the stores had any souvenir type things. We had to ask if they had any books about the Gardners and they only had one tiny little book. Daddy bought it for me anyway :) It would have been cool if they had little replicas of the mill and silo that Robert and Archibald built that has since been transformed into a restaurant/store. We would have been all over that!
We walked all through the mill turned store - taking little notice of the things for sell - to find the hidden original workings that were still there. Dad took a lot of pictures with his phone of them. I wish I had taken some, but I was having too much fun wondering around and looking. One of the store clerks we talked to (can you believe that Dad and I actually talked to someone!??!) said that they have to dust everyday because there was still flour dust that would settle on the furniture.
After we got tired of walking around the village and seeing all the stores (I think Dad tired of it sooner than I did, there were a lot of stores!), we headed to the Archibald Restaurant for lunch. They turned the silo into the restaurant, where they have 11 booths - one dedicated to each of Archibald's 11 wives. While we waited for our food, Dad quizzed me on my knowledge of the story of how Robert Gardner Sr. and family ended up in Canada and then America. I didn't know as much as Dad thought I should have. Then we had to have a discussion as to who's fault that was ;) Luckily the food came just as Dad agreed with me that it was his fault (love ya Daddy!). The food there was really good! I'd definitely eat there again and you should go too. When we were done eating we took one last look around Gardner Village and headed out on the next adventure.
Here's some pictures of the Village:
The waterwheel that's still spinning - I'd think it would get dizzy or something
Daddy with the wheel
My turn!
Everything there was wet and it felt as though it never really got a chance to dry out from the water being splashed constantly. That didn't stop us!
Action shot!
The sign to Archibald's Restaurant with the yummy food
I really like the way this one turned out. I couldn't really see what I was taking a picture of, so I'm doubly impressed with the coolness of it!
Robert and Archibald laid those stones 150 years ago to direct the river to their mill and they haven't had to touch them since. That's how good we Gardners build things!
Pretty picture of the rest of the river
Around Gardner Village
More around the village, but this time with random people in it. Yeah Random People!
An outhouse that most likely was never used as a real outhouse. It's tiny and way too close to the building
The river is in the back of this picture with benches near by to sit and enjoy the view
We left Gardner Village and headed to This Is The Place Monument because Becca had free tickets to it that she gave us. We ended up not using the tickets because they were for the things in the little town next to the monument and I was ready to be done with walking by the time we were done seeing the monument and statutes that we decided to save them for someone else to use. This Is The Place was interesting to see. I'm not too sure I'd ever go out of my way to go there again, but Dad and I had fun. We wondered around seeing all the different statutes and reading all the plaques. Again there was a history quiz for me that I was unprepared for - I need to remember to study up on my history before going on a Daddy-Daughter Date again!
This is my favorite picture that I have ever taken - we're not counting all my favorites that actually have people in them, those ones trump this one, but I really like this picture!
When we were done seeing the statutes, Dad and I headed to the theater. There was still an hour or so to burn before the musical, but we were done being in the 90 degree heat so we decided to find something close to the theater that was inside to do. Apparently there's a movie theater with an arcade-like-thing in the building next door to the Hale Family Theater. Dad bought me a soda and we just sat inside and talked until it was time for the musical.
As you can tell by this really long post, I completely enjoyed my Daddy-Daughter Date. I've missed talking to Dad on that personal of a level, it's hard to have a really good, deep conversation when there's 10 other people in the house vying for his attention. I was able to open up and express ideas and opinions that I never would have done in any other situation. It was refreshing to say some of those things and have someone actually listen and take me seriously. As the 6th kid out of 8, it's hard sometimes to feel as though I have a voice with the other, usually louder, voices in the family. That is why I treasure any one-on-one time that I get with my parents. It's at those times that I get to show them the person I've become and the things I have accomplished. It's also when I get to see how deeply they love me and how proud they are to be my parents. Those are the things that help me get through any trial that is thrown at me.
