We settled into our routine in Cedar City. I soon became active in the Single Adult activities. There were single adult dances in St George at least once a month. I started going to them. I did a lot of holding up the wall. Things had not changed. I was still the wall flower. Attractive single men were few and far between.
I had started putting on weight in Washington and being home did not help. Not only was I still gaining but I had my Mother monitoring every bit of food I put in my mouth. “No one will be interested in you if you are fat.” She talked me into joining Weight Watchers. I threw myself into it. I did not want to be heavy. But it seemed like with every breath I took I gained a pound.
I enrolled in The College of Southern Utah. I tried to take practical business classes that would help me to establish a career so that I could support myself and my children.
I made friends with a girl that lived on our old street. She was divorced and she had a couple of kids. She was about four years older than me. We went to single adult activities together and the dances in St. George.
I was assigned to be our wards single adult representative. It was very interesting to go to Stake Single Adult activities along with the Principles of my Jr. High and High School and my Dad’s oldest Sister, Aunt Inez. Of course Bro. Miles and Bro. Bethers were much older that me, but those old ladies sure did like them. As for as single men my age or even a few years older, there were none in Cedar City at least none that came to Church and Single Adult activities. I also came to the conclusion that it was better to be a widow than to be divorced. I had a steady income and I was not dependent on an ex-husband to send me money every month. It all boiled down to money.
It was August when we arrived back in Cedar City so it soon started getting colder. Winter set in. I started planning for Christmas. I tried to just get a few things for my kids. Just a couple of things here and a couple of things there. By the time Christmas rolled around and I started gathering it all together we had quite a pile. My Uncle Reid made two little chairs for David and Patti. They became cherished possessions.