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Thursday, December 31, 2020

If You Hated 2020...You'll Probably Hate 2021


 When my mother-in-law was investigating a new place to live, she asked a realtor familiar with a particular area what the neighborhood was like. She asked, "What are the people like that live there--are they nice?"

The realtor asked a very interesting question.

"Well," she said. "How are the neighbors where you live?

My mother-in-law responded, "I love my neighbors where I live."

The realtor then said, "Then you'll most likely love the neighbors here."

There's a lot of wisdom in what the realtor said.

As the final embers of 2020 cool and will soon die, many are posting thoughts and opinions about the year that was. The consensus is it sucked. And, my most accounts, it did. There were a lot of negatives about the year, quarantines, shut-downs, elections, events/trips canceled, covid, sickness, and death. People can't wait until the clock strikes midnight and a new year (per the calendar...) begins. Most who have expressed dissatisfaction with 2020 hope 2021 is better.

2021 may in fact turn out to be better--for many that would not be difficult, but I think back on the realtor. If you think last year was bad, next year will probably be the same. Even without the sickness, death, and elections, many would have had a tough 2020. Life is tough sometimes.

Of course, I may just be full of it and don't know what I'm talking about. Then again, I may be right after all. I hope I'm wrong--I hope things get better for everyone. The trick will be how we react to whatever comes down the pike. And as with most things, time will tell.

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

I Wish I Understood English Rules Better...


 Sometimes, I feel like Yoda. I hardly ever feel like the teacher. English--the rules part--has never been my strong suit. I think I actually got out of a year (or half a year...) of high school English. The rules always tripped me up. If it wasn't for Schoolhouse Rock videos on Saturday mornings, I'd have been completely lost.

I thought I wouldn't do well in English classes because of this, but when I started up at the U of U as a freshman, I was placed in an advanced English class...shocking, I guess I did okay on the written evaluation all freshman had to take. That gave me the idea that I might not be terrible with the subject.

I loved that freshman English class. It was the only one I needed to take for my degree. After I graduated, I tinkered around with writing. Things really sped up when I returned to school and graduated with a Masters of English from Weber State University. I loved those classes as well.

But, the rules...they still trip me up. In all my classes I don't ever remember diagramming a sentence. I don't even think they teach that anymore--I could be wrong on that count since my kids are homeschooled. I don't know how much they actually teach about the rules of English, what with autocorrect and other "helps" students have nowadays. 

For me, I go by how the words feel as they're written or how they sound when spoken. I know there are hard and fast rules when it comes to grammar and sentence structure. I also know that rules can be broken--mostly for effect. But, you've got to know the rules in you want to break them.

English is tricky. It's an amazing language that you can study for decades and never really master it. I suppose the point is to keep trudging and get through it, learn from your mistakes, and do your best. And don't get upset if a teacher looks at your work and says, "not even close."

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

The Cardboard Mountain...The Sequel


 When you have annual to burn and no where to go, really, what is there to do? If you've got a basement and garage full of boxes and those boxes are full of stuff, the time off can be used to de-box, de-clutter, and de-disorganize.

So that's what we've been doing.

There's a mountain of cardboard boxes in our garage that stands as a testament to how much we've done so far.

Oh, why do we have all this stuff? I've got many many boxes to still to go through that have the words, "Scott's Office" on them. How did I manage to fill so many boxes full of office supplies? I think the fact that I previously worked in a basement storage room and there was no shortage of space for me to accumulate office items.

We still have a long way to go until everything is in its rightful place. We may, of course, need to buy new places for all those things. Interesting thing about buying new places, they usually come in cardboard boxes, so when we buy new shelves and other things for all our stuff still stored in our boxes, we'll be generating more cardboard to add to our already large cardboard mountains.

 Vicious circle.

Monday, December 28, 2020

What Am I Going To Do With All These Clothes...And Shoes?


 A few years ago my work decided to send me home and I became a telecommuter. I was. ahead of the curve. I distinctly remember thinking, "I'm never going to need to buy another pair of dress shoes in my life."

A few years before they sent me home I discovered Dr. Martens Shoes. And I discovered they last a really long time--thick soles. I had purchased a new pair of Dr. Martens a few months earlier (because my old pair finally bit the dust...) and because I was working from home and didn't need to wear those shoes, I thought that I would most likely never wear out my new pair.

That was then. Looks like there's more things I will most likely not wear out than shoes.

We moved my daughter out of one bedroom and into another last week. This means I was able to utilize the bedroom's closet space. I think I am by nature a hoarder. Must be something I picked up from my parents who both grew up in the Great Depression. It something has value--whether or not you particularly need it--you keep it. I moved a bunch of my clothes I no longer wear into the closest, which includes a lot of shoes. I filled it up, actually. 

After I finished, I snapped a picture. It was strange looking at clothes that have miles of wear in them, but I just don't need them, at least, not like I once did. There may be one day in the future when I'll need to wear suits every day, or even business casual on Fridays. Maybe...

I can't be the only one who is experiencing this. For many, I'm sure they expect to put on the suit and tie, shine the black leather shoes, and return to the office. I hope they do, if that's what they want. As for me in my house, I'll be happy with a closet full of not the best, but well-maintained clothing while I happily work from home.

Sunday, December 27, 2020

Give Thanks...Christmas


 In November many posted articles and sayings, photographs, thoughts, and memories with the hashtag, #GiveThanks, me included. I enjoyed the experience of not only realizing amazing things in my life, but sharing them with others, that I decided to keep the tradition going. Sundays were the day I chose to use the phrase, #GiveThanks.

I didn't know how long I would keep the tradition going. I wrote for two or three weeks on Sundays, then I forgot a week ago. I wrote about how much I enjoyed watching different variations of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. I forgot to give thanks, though I am thankful for that timeless story.

This week, how can I not give thanks for Christmas?

I don't know what I did to warrant the blessings I've been given. This past week I was surrounded by family, good health, all the food we could eat, shelter, and anything else a person could want. We tried to make the day special for our kids and we were fortunate enough to have all our children home on Christmas Eve. The above present was given to us by my newly-found half sister. Finding her is one of the best presents anyone could ever ask for.

I'm sure this was a difficult holiday for millions, and I hope things improve for them. I hope also that people can find a promise of better days ahead. 

Some thoughts that ran through my mind Thursday night--I remembered as a child how difficult it was to sleep Christmas Eve night. Oh, what promise the new day held! Eventually I would fall asleep, sometimes awakening before anyone else and I 'd have to wait for the family to wake up. I re-lived those emotions through my own children. Now, they're teenagers and older, no longer do they share that innocence of the holiday. Hopefully, we'll be able to experience that again if/when the grandkids show up.

The title of the song says it all, It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. For me, that's been so true. This year, I'm giving thanks for Christmas. I pray you've had a good day as well, a good Christmas Day.

Saturday, December 26, 2020

Goodnight, Kevin...A Unique Soul


 After the kids opened up their presents and we settled down to enjoy the rest of Christmas Day, I grabbed my phone and checked social media. There are things you expect to see on major holidays, especially Christmas--friends posting pictures of their families and friends, and almost everyone wishing each other warm regards for the holiday.

You don't expect to see news that a writer friend has died.

But that's what happened yesterday. Tragic.

I should start by saying I knew Kevin more by reputation. When you're part of a writing community, you sort of know everyone, some better than others. If you meet someone for the first time at a writing convention or comic con, there's a chance you'll get to know them better at the next show, the next gathering. In my opinion, the writing community where I live is one of the most welcoming groups of people I've ever met. Maybe because we share the highs and lows, the wins and losses, the pains and joys of telling stories. Kevin and his wife were at most of the local conventions I attended. Just looking at him you knew he had a fascinating mind.

This was confirmed several times by chatting and getting to know him. When I found he was building a house miles from anywhere, it made sense...it suited him. He's one of those people who you could learn new things from him every time you spoke, no matter how many times that ended up to be.

There's a risk involved with getting to know people, especially fascinating ones. When they're gone, you wish you could find a comfortable couch in the lobby of a hotel or a chair in a green room and just talk, communicate over deep philosophical issues or discuss the pros and cons of cowboy boots. As a family of writers, we--like everyone--have missed seeing each other, sharing laughs and swapping stories. Maybe that's why news like this hurts so much...because we know how separation feels, only this time, it's for good.

God speed, Kevin. I'm sure wherever you are, you're sharing a fascinating story, and those hearing it are learning new things.

Friday, December 25, 2020

Christmas Wonders...At Willard Bay

 

We prepare for Christmas, personally and as groups. Our family put up lights, a tree, lights on the tree. We prepared food, wrapped presents, readied ourselves for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It's amazing how much work goes into the holiday. It's a direct result in how much the day means to people.

Not just families prepare, but communities as well. The bigger the population, the bigger the display, usually. It's our first Christmas in a new area so we didn't know what displays were around. My daughter, when driving back and forth to the valley in which we used to live, noticed a large light display near Willard Bay. With a little research we found out what it was and we decided to see if four ourselves.

We're so glad we did.

First, it was a drive-through display. Love that--you don't freeze your tail off. We noticed instantly that many had cars with sunroofs and through those sunroofs, many a child peaked through. In fact some cars had multiple younglings hanging outside the vehicle. Of course, they had the best view. The display was set up at the Willard Bay Campground. They were also able to accommodate a lot of cars--we went the last Monday (Family Night...) before Christmas. We completed the tour quickly.

I took a lot of videos, but I only included one here. There was so much to see. So, if you're in the area--Northern Utah in about eleven months, check out the display. It took a lot of work to set up and we appreciated it. It definitely set the mood. Well done.



Thursday, December 24, 2020

Merry Sithmas To All...And To All A Good Night


As we all settle down to prepare for Christmas, I think I'll have my crazy talented friend read a story, a Christmas story, a Star Wars story, an awesome story.

Here is BJ Whimpey reading The Night Before Sithmas, you can access the story by clicking: HERE.

My wish is for you to have a wonderful Christmas, no matter where you find yourself, no matter the circumstances. I'm sure it's going to be tough for many and I pray you'll find comfort during this time. I hope you and yours will be safe and healthy and loved.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Starting A New Tradition...Christmas Karaoke


 People have gone without this year, some more than others. One thing we've done with out is singing. We normally participate in our church Christmas program...this year, nope. 

My wife and I are singers, or at least we used to be--she more than me. She even used her voice to earn college scholarships. That was decades ago. It's been so long since either of us used to sing on a daily basis for school, church, or just for fun. It was her idea to sing some Christmas songs in the front room the other night.

The results were mixed...our voices are not used to singing...you could hear the neglect, years out of practice. But you could also hear a sound missing for so long--music. I forget how much I enjoy hearing sung songs and you can't beat Christmas time for good songs to sing.

We sang the one night and we may again before the season's over. I know we need more practice--it doesn't sound much like it once did, but darn...it was fun.

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Why Don't We Put The Presents Under The Tree? A Novel Idea...


 When you make the decision to bring a pet--dog or cat--into your family (or, they make the decision for you...), you realize there will be changes and adjustments, but you can't consider every change, every adjustment. Case in point...the house at Christmastime.

You don't know what things can stay the same and what needs to change.

For us, we had to make modifications to our tree and where we put the presents. For years we had cats and a small dog, Patch. Patch had long since not cared about the tree. It helped that she was almost blind for several years. We did have to be mindful of the cats, however. No matter how old they got, shiny ornaments and pretty lights fascinated the cats. We lost many a glass ornament at their hands...or, paws.

Then we got the standard poodle.

For the past couple of years we've had to re-arrange the front room, put the tree behind gates, and even put the tree upstairs where the dog had no access. Needless to say, we had to be careful of the presents. I don't know why, exactly, but this year we decided to try an experiment. We put things under the tree. Maybe it's because the dog has an entire house to explore, and because of that the cats don't have an entire house to explore...either way, so far our experiment has been successful. Everything's safe and untouched.

Looking back, we probably could have given the animals more of a benefit of the doubt, but at the time, we just weren't sure. Part of the reason is because the dog was younger--he's mellowed since then. We're grateful for that, at not just at Christmas.

Personally, I love seeing the presents--they're a symbol of how blessed we are. Part of those blessings are having pets living with us, pets who thankfully are leaving things alone...at least, so far.

Monday, December 21, 2020

After Months...The Home Office Is Finally Up And Running


When we were looking for a new home, we needed a few things. We wanted a room for each child and because there were three left at home, that didn't seem that big of a requirement. And we needed a home office. I had been telecommuting almost two years when covid hit and I made the decision long ago that if I can help it, I don't want to work away from home again.

The home office was what we needed.


The home we chose did not have the rooms, but it had room to grow. No problem--I can work in the garage. I knew this because I worked in an unfinished basement for over two years. And so I worked in the garage. And things went well until it got cold. 


Too cold.

Since the basement was not yet finished, I moved into the master bedroom. This had its advantages--warmth, for one. And, I could literally roll out of bed and log on. And so I worked in the master bedroom.


Last week the basement was finished. The boys moved downstairs, my daughter moved out of the smallest bedroom in the house into the larger room next door, and I hauled in the big desk from the garage and set everything up. This morning, I rolled out of bed and went into another room and worked my shift.

I know it's not the biggest journey, garage to bedroom to office, but it represents a months--even years--of transition, a lot of changes. It's not a room built specifically for an office with double doors and built-in shelving, but I don't care. It's a place dedicated to providing for the family. Many have helped us reach this point and I'm grateful for that help. Tomorrow, it's off to work I'll go...only now, to the right room.

Sunday, December 20, 2020

Can't Get Enough "A Christmas Carol" This Year...


 My friend Bryan posted the above picture on Facebook. I had to include it. Today, as I channel surfed, I happened upon Scrooge, the Albert Finney version. I had to watch it. Of course, since it's a musical and since I've been in productions of that very show several times over the years, it makes the show that much more enjoyable for me.

The story's the very definition of "classic." 

Some of the film versions of A Christmas Carol are better than others--as with everything in life. I tend to identify them by who plays Ebenezer. There's Alastair Sim (the first Scrooge I remember), George C. Scott, Albert Finney, Patrick Stewart, Kelsey Grammer, Jim Carrey, Henry Winkler, Michael Caine, and Bill Murray (sort of...), and others that in productions I haven't seen. Each of those listed have strengths they've used to make the part their own.

Like most classics, A Christmas Carol speaks to us differently depending on what stage you are in life, at least it does to me. As a child, I thought, "Well, this is easy to understand--don't be a jerk and love money more than people and ghosts won't haunt you seven years after your business partner dies."

But then you get older.

It's not like I put money in front of love, at least, not on that grand of scale, but I have been selfish and kept when I could have been selfless and given? Sometimes, it's the small battles that have the biggest impact.

And then, you reach that "Scrooge age" and you go from "I'm not going to be that way when I grow up," to "I hope I haven't lived my life that way and do I have time to change?"

Maybe it's the year we've had...maybe it's the fact we're entering a new year on shakier ground. Whatever the reason, I feel drawn to the story and more importantly, its message. It could be because we need to hear those four words more now than ever before...God bless us, everyone.

Cartoon Credit: John Atkinson, @WrongHands

Saturday, December 19, 2020

A Couch's Tale...Not Ours, But Still


 If you're in the market for a large appliance, or some furniture, this may come as no surprise to you, but if you're thinking of getting something for your home, depending on what it is, just going to the store, picking out something, and having it delivered the in the next couple of days...well, that's not how it works anymore.

No, you've got to wait.

The year of craziness has even affected home decor. 

Case in point, my mother-in-law's couch. It arrived today. She placed the order in September. Her new front room was couch-less since she moved in October. We even ran into the same situation when picking out a new refrigerator. We found one we wanted, but the salesman said we could get it sometime early next year. We were moving in a week.

We were told that when covid hit, everything shut down. But some of the phone centers opened up early so orders were placed. The problem was, the factories creating the goods were not up and running, so when those factories did finally start up again, all those orders were quickly filled with nothing to replace them. 

Hence, the delays.

I'm not in the construction business, but we've had several subcontractors work on the house in the past month. Everyone of them--without exception--told us the same thing...this has been the strangest year they've ever had.

The couch arrived today and it looks fantastic. I'm glad the room is finally finished...only a few months late.

Better late than never.

Friday, December 18, 2020

Have I Told You Lately How Much I Love This Car...?


 Because my daughter decided she wanted to go away for college (and because it was time...), our family needed to pick up another vehicle. She got my beloved Pontiac Vibe, and that meant, I needed to find something else.

We found a Subaru.

Our family had a somewhat checkered past with Subarus. My mom bought one in the mid-70s. We traded in my dad's Buick 225 for it--kind of like going from a mansion to a rambler. We had the car for a few years, then she turned it in for, I think, a Pontiac...maybe a Chevy.

About ten years later, she got another Subaru. This one was cool, but either the head gasket or the transmission went out--either way, she got rid of it. My brother bought a Crosstrek a few years back and he loves it. When it came time for me to find a car, I set my sights on a Forester. We found one last January and I bought it.

I do like that it's a manual. But the best part is that it's an all-wheel drive. We had a storm blow through yesterday and it dumped several inches of snow. Our minivan does not do well in snow, but the Subaru, a care we lovingly named "Donk," flies in it. The almost new tires helps in its ability to chew up the road. 

Donk is the first all-wheel drive vehicle I've ever owned. Back when I drove VW beetles, they were excellent in the snow, but since then, it's been front-wheel drive cars. We needed to go to the hardware store last night so we took Donk. It was like driving on a clear drive road...well, almost. Point is, it was a blast and a blessing to drive.

I know it's like I'm learning something everyone else has known for a long time, but it's still cool when it happens. Better last than never.

Thursday, December 17, 2020

The Frankentable...Is Done


 Tonight, I lifted the three parts of the table and carried them downstairs where I re-assembled them to form a game table.

Of course, there's a story behind it.

We moved recently (you may be sick of hearing about that, but so much of our life revolves around this--new experiences, new adventures...). We also recently finished putting in a full basement. A few months ago I thought it would be cool to have a bumper pool table. We don't have the room for a full pool table--they're big and expensive, but a bumper pool table would be great. I remember my best friend growing up, Kerry Soper had a table in his house and we had a blast playing on that thing for hours and hours. 

So, imagine my surprise when a week or so before construction began on the basement I found the top of a bumper pool table at a local thrift store. We didn't buy it--it was only the top, after all. But that night I thought how coincidental it was that I thought it would be cool to have a table and, like magic, there it was.

I went back the next day and bought it.

I had to find something to put it on. Many times the thrift stores have tables, tables with solid bases. I had to just wait until I found one that would work. Luckily, a few weeks ago, I found my table. I took off the top, re-fit the base, and attached the game table. Tonight, I took it downstairs and put it all together.

It's not the prettiest table, or the nicest. Heck, I don't even know if I or my kids will like playing bumper pool. Kerry and I didn't have video games or cable back then. But I hope we do. I hope it's used. I hope maybe in forty-five years my kids may remember when they were kids, how they used to have a grand old time playing bumper pool with their dad.

Then, they'll have a story to tell.

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

The Beginning...Of Something I've Been Tinkering With


 I've started so many stories over the years...to many to count, and even more have lived in my head that never made it to the page or screen. The other day I thought of a character, then I gave him an occupation, then a situation. Here's the first couple of pages.

New Story

How To Succeed At Solitaire


A man once said every solitaire hand ever dealt is solvable. 

That man’s an idiot.

I play solitaire every day. I’ve played since my grandfather taught me the game when I was five-years old and he, seventy-five. For me, the game equals perfection, a singular player, a singular deck of cards, endless possibilities. Being born before the “digital age,” I played with good old-fashioned cards, frayed edges and all. I cannot tell you how many decks literally disintegrated in my hands. But as technology infects us more and more each day, I’ve converted to the binary of 1s and 0s that exist on my phone.

I am, in a word, addicted.

And will most likely be until I die.

But, that’s okay—of all the things to be addictive to, a “simple” card came isn’t one of them.


Ainsley Todd stopped typing. A thought that actually made him chuckle moments earlier evaporated into the darkened room. He looked up, as if the fleeting thought may somehow miraculously appear above his head, but no such luck.

“Damn,” he said to a room occupied by only himself and his cat, Mr. Meowskerton, the cat currently asleep on the desk next to his MacBook Air. Ainsley re-read the words newly created hoping his clever thought might return.

A rumbling in his gut reminded him he forgot to eat dinner yet again. Maybe food would help.

It wouldn’t hurt. He mentally scanned the kitchen, the small pantry…nothing much, five-day old pizza, some Chinese of an undetermined age. Better go out, again.

“Mr. Meowskerton, I’ll be back.” Ainsley grabbed his leather jacket from the back of his chair, threw it on and dug into the inside pocket for the keys to his aging Jeep Wrangler. One quick look at the cat before he closed the door to his 1400 square foot bungalow—the feline hadn’t moved a whisker.

“Ah, to live a cat’s life…” Ainsley said and the door closed behind him.


Fall in Logan Utah can be unpredictable. It snows as early as September and can be in the mid-70s into November. It’s a crap-shoot. To quote Mr. Gump, “You never know what you’re going to get.” Tonight—cold, maybe snow, and it was only mid-October. That’s okay, Ainsley thought. He chose to live in this little valley only a half hour from the Idaho border. He told anyone who cared that his “official” job was that of a columnist, but being a handyman paid the bills. And living in a college town meant there was never a time when those kids weren’t breaking something, malfunctioning doorknobs, shattered windows, clogged toilets—you name it. He had verbal contacts for handyman services with several apartment complexes—he never wanted for work. No, he chose to live in Cache Valley, but he could live anywhere.

But, he’d tried anywhere and it suited him poorly. Having grown up in a smaller yet similar valley to the south, the mountains and ever-shrinking solitude of Logan suited him. If the valley kept growing, however, he’d consider moving. Maybe Wyoming. He’d be farther away from his kids and ex, but closer to his only brother, Matt, the good-for-nothing deadbeat who still owed him a couple of grand from gambling debts.

Tough choice.

Ainsley climbed inside his 1994 Jeep and silently prayed. After a few cranks, his prayer was answered as the engine roared to life. He sat and revved the engine a few times—failure to do so resulted in the engine dying. 

Ainsley exhaled—his breath visible. Saturday night, deadline for his column due in a few hours. He survived another week, a particularly tough week. He thought back on the past seven days and tried to remember if he’d heard from his kids, Mark and Trisha—twins—one living an hour away, one living two states over.

His ex-wife…her he’d heard from.

It’s not that he hated Vivian, at least, not anymore. He’d spent a decade hating her until finally, he stopped. It took too much work, and when he realized the end result never changed regardless of whether he hated her or not, he just gave up. He’d been happier ever since.

But, not completely happy. This was Vivian after all. The woman who convinced herself that she needed more in her life, and by more she meant more money. Ainsley tried to give it to her, nearly killed himself working two jobs and even going back to school to finish that degree. Still, something in her changed and no matter what he did, the woman could not be satisfied.

After years of pretending, they both agreed to part ways. The kids were teenagers and they would understand. All their friends’s parents (it seemed) were divorced, and they seemed to be surviving. Vivian kept the house in Salt Lake. Ainsley moved north. After a few years, he moved north again finally ending up in Logan. The kids grew, graduated, chose different colleges, and started lives of their own.

Not hearing from the twins hurt, but Ainsley understood. He knew they loved him, deep down, and when Vivian tried pitting them against their father, he backed down and let her.

Was it manly?

He didn’t care. He felt it was the right thing to do. Eventually, the kids would one day understand why he did what he did. If not, well…can’t change some things, no matter how hard you want to.

Vivian’s e-mail resurfaced in his mind. She wanted him to come down and fix her new boyfriend’s truck…timing belt. One thing he hated more than helping her out was helping out her new fella. The e-mail came hours earlier. He hadn’t responded, hoping to give her the impression that he hadn’t checked his e-mail, even though they both knew he had, that he had received the request and was avoiding her.

As the inside of the Jeep warmed, he glanced out at a couple of college co-eds walking past. He made eye contact and he noticed the familiar, “you’re killing the planet by driving that hunk of junk” look he received from so many students. Mostly, he agreed, but the realities of a non-steady paycheck and alimony prevented him from buying anything “green” or even a pale mint.

If he could just remember that thought for his column. At the moment this proved his most immediate problem. It was really good, too. It was the perfect thing to complete the column, a side-gig he’d had for the past five years. He still remembered getting the call asking if he’d want to write a weekly column on playing Solitaire of all things.

“Is that really a thing?” He asked Stephen, the geeky-sounding man on the other end of the phone. The silence that followed told Ainsley he’d offended the man. He quickly said, “Just kidding—I would love to help out any way I can.”

And five years later, fifty-two times a year, another column became part of all that mankind had created, a column on the secrets of the ever-illusive and never-fully mastered Solitaire.

Ainsley engaged first gear, popped the clutch, and turned onto 5th North toward downtown.

So, it's a start, a start that was actually started. Hope you liked it.

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

When You Have Two Cats...You Might as Well Have Ten


 At our old house, we had six people living with three pets. And because the animals all had different personalities, we had perfected a system that kept them all separated. It required shifts and a series of gates that must be opened and closed at specific times (think The Others, but different...). 

And it worked.

But then, we moved.

And the whole thing had to be re-established.

Add to the fact that we're in the process of finishing the basement and things get even more complicated. Hopefully, when everything's done, we'll set up a new system to accommodate the three pets--I'm sure we'll perfect that system, too.

But now, it's kind of crazy.

When the dog goes to bed, the cats come out and play. We believe the dog would love to play with the cats, but the cats think the dog would like to eat them, so they haven't had a chance to place nice together. Since they're all set in their ways, they most like never will play together. That's okay--we've lived with gates and separation for years. We can keep going. What's been interesting is seeing the cats get together.

Not what we expected.

The cats don't fight. Sure, they hiss a little and paw at each other, but if they truly hated each other, it would be a different story. It's been fun to watch them walk around together when the dog is gone. Keeping things under control when a single cat's around is one thing. When there's two...that increases the  problems exponentially. We might as well have ten of them running around.

We love our pets--can't imagine life without them. Sure, they're a pain at times. I guess that's what makes us love them so much...all that work.

Monday, December 14, 2020

The Highs...And The Lows


 A few weeks ago, I posted a picture showing the final score of the University of Utah vs. the University of Washington football game.

It was not a pretty sight...

Unless you're a Husky's fan.

No, the game was a tough pill to swallow, especially after Utah lead 21-0 and watched the other team score 24 straight points and win in the final minutes. It was, in a word, brutal. The next week I snapped another picture, only this wasn't from the Utah game, but from the Brigham Young University vs. Coastal Carolina University game played in South Carolina. That was an amazing game...

Unless you're a Cougar fan.

Both games, the UofU and BYU games were heartbreaking, both local teams played good enough to win, but didn't. Both fan bases were devastated (unless, you're an anti-fan of either team and then, you may have liked the outcomes...). 

Following the Washington loss, the Utes played two games and won them both, most recently, the Utes beat the Buffalos of Colorado--that was a fun one to watch.

Both teams have at least one more game to play this season. BYU is headed to Florida for a bowl game. Utah plays the other Washington team this weekend and, from what I've been told, if the Utes win they could play a bowl game themselves. With so few games to watch, the wins have been better and the losses tougher. All I know is, I'm glad to experience both the highs, and the lows.

Sunday, December 13, 2020

Give Thanks...Music


 It's Sunday...a day I've set aside to try and write something about giving thanks. This week, it's music.

I could write a hundred posts about music.

Music changed my life.

Before the internet, before iPods, CDs, even MTV and Walkmans, we had only a couple of ways to listen to music. You could listen to it live. You could play a record, listen to a tape or 8-track, or hope they played what you wanted to hear on the radio.

That was it.

It sounds so weird considering not being able to just listen to your favorite song or album anytime, anywhere. Hence, the wonders of technology. In my high school years I remember sitting in our font room, RUSH, Styx, REO, ELO, Kansas, or any number of records blasting in my father-built speakers. When I was younger, I listened to Mitch Miller, the Beatles, even the soundtrack to Saturday's Warrior (I listened to that album so many times...). 

My senior year I joined a high school choir and that is when I fell in love with choral singing. I sang for four years in a college choir, three years with Mormon Youth Chorus, and we part of a bell choir for another couple of years. Doing musical theater productions has allowed me to keep singing since I left those choirs. It was because of a choir I met my wife.

Yes...music's been an important part of my life.

Today in church, we were able to sing a couple of Christmas songs. I appreciate them all the more because for several months were were not to sing in our meetings. I love singing Christmas songs, love them most of all.

Today, I give thinks for music. It is the language of deity...how God communicates to us, and there's nothing you can say to convince me otherwise.

Saturday, December 12, 2020

The Mini-Gingerbread House That Was Amazing...


The past couple of years, our family has a tradition of constructing a gingerbread house at Christmas. Another tradition we started, in addition to building the houses, is destroying them on New Years Eve.  Since we're just going to blow them up anyway, we haven't put too much effort in making them look "nice."

Earlier this week we saw a gingerbread house that was most likely not built to be destroyed.


It was beautiful.

The edible art was a gift to my mother-in-law from her new neighbors. It was small--actually built with graham crackers. The detail, though...we were blown away. I tried to get shots of each side showing some of the detail. I'm going to post all the pictures I took and hopefully you can appreciate the artistry that we saw. It was really cool. Who knows...maybe it will inspire us to put more effort into our next Christmas tradition. We'll see.




Friday, December 11, 2020

Missing Friends...


 When you work from home, you get to see what happens around the house, every day. Personally, I love it. I've heard that some don't and I can respect that--not everyone's the same. Earlier this week, my wife took my son to the dentist. Since we've moved, we haven't changed dentists so the trip took several hours.

Everyone in the house seemed to take the missing house members pretty well...

Everyone, except the dog.

He did not have a good time.

About two and a half years ago we rescued a poodle and that dog has been wonderful. In fact, we can't imagine life without him in our family. Poodles are high-energy animals. In some ways, there's more we could do for him. Hopefully, next spring we'll put in a fenced yard so he can run around more. But, in other ways, that dog is spoiled.

He's almost never alone.

I understand that modern living means there are times when pets are left alone during part of the day. Growing up, my little dog Tasha was alone when my mom worked and us kids were at school. Lots of pets spend some time alone--it's not optimum, but that's life. With homeschooling and now me working from home, our dog always has people around.

When my wife and son left for the dentists, our dog saw two of his biggest friends leave and after a few minutes, they didn't come back. That's when the howling began. He didn't howl constantly, but every once in a while, he remembered they were not in the house and he'd begin howling again.

It's sweet, but also a little sad to hear. I recorded a few seconds of him expressing himself. I had to keep the door closed in case anyone called. I tried including the clip on this post, but since google changed to format, I can't seem to post any videos now. Too bad. When my wife and son returned, the dog literally jumped for joy. He's not been alone since. No, there's not a lot of time our dog's alone. And we like it that way.

So does he.

Thursday, December 10, 2020

The Room Loft...Fascinating


If you're driving from Cache Valley Utah to Brigham City, if you continue on Hwy 89 as you leave the canyon, if you look to the west you'll see the remnants of an old school, a huge school. But, it was more than just a singular building where the basics were taught, it was a campus with living quarters and an entire little town. It was home to the Intermountain Indian School. 


There's not much left of the school, a few buildings here and there, roads--some that continue through and some that go nowhere. The school was still in operation when I was in high school. Sometime after, they closed it down and leveled most of it. There's now a golf course on the land and other things, but a couple of buildings still stand, and two are used as a furniture and antique store.

And it's amazing.

The store's called The Room Loft. You enter on the main level of one long building. It's packed with furniture and decor. There's also an upstairs that holds even more things to buy. Halfway down the floor, there's a hallway that goes north and it opens up to another huge building. This is where the antiques are stored and for sale.

Again, amazing.

Unfortunately, we had to hurry back home or we could have stayed in that antique store for hours--there was so much to see, even a couple of cars were for sale.

Check the hours to make sure they're open if you want to see this store. Yes, it's a drive, but if you want a feast for the eyes, The Room Loft will not disappoint.

Wednesday, December 9, 2020

That Time I Helped Out On "Studio C"...A Blast


 I can't remember where I saw the notice--If you want to be considered as an extra on BYU TV's Studio C, send in a bio and a picture to such-and-such.

I did.

They asked me to participate.

And it was a blast.

Back in the 1990s, I did some extra work, not much, but enough for people to come up to me after the show aired to ask, "Weren't you on such-and-such show last night?" And I would answer, "yeah, that was me." I didn't pursue it seriously, just something fun to do. I'd like to do it more, but being a single-income family (and me with the income...), it wasn't something I could devote time and energy to.

So, when I saw the casting call, I thought I'd give it a shot. It was filmed in March of this year, about a week after it all hit the fan. The episode recently aired and the skit I was in is up on YouTube. You can watch the whole thing: HERE.

The skit was hilarious, and I'm not just saying that. Well, I found it very funny. If you've ever done extra work on a set, you know there's a lot of sitting around. I did my share. They had about twenty of us and we'd be called in for the different segments where various items were being evaluated. I was in two, the doll, and the final scene. That final scene--you can't tell, but that girl almost struck me several times with those vases on her hands (understandable, since she couldn't see anything...). Me ducking was not acting, but acts of survival.

I've said it before, but the crews on those sets work so hard. There's so much work that goes into a five-minute segment. I had total respect for people in that business. If you've got a minute or two and would like a laugh, click the link. After all, everyone can use a laugh now and then.

Tuesday, December 8, 2020

The Genius...Behind The Bear River Valley Merchants "2020 Christmas Coloring Book"


 It came in the mail and I thought it was quaint, but it wasn't until I opened the insert that realized what it truly was...

A great big ad.

I'm not "anti-advertising" for the most part. Of course, I draw the line with calls every other hour informing me that my car warranty is expired. But, a coloring book for kids created by businesses in the town, that's something I can support.

I especially liked how the pictures matched--for a majority, at least--what the businesses sell. The eighteen-wheeler for Transport Diesel, an elf driving a tractor for Buttars Tractor, and Santa filling up the sleigh for Miller Gas. Some didn't match as well, but that's okay--I'm sure the kids coloring the pictures don't care. 

Then, once the pictures are colored, they can be taken into the businesses to get a special prize to the winner in each of the four age groups. Yet another way to get kids and their parents to visit the businesses. Maybe it's because I haven't seen anything like this before, but I thought it was fun and creative. They might do this where we used to live, but if so, I didn't know about it. It has such a small-town feel, I loved it.

There's probably no age group for my kids so I don't see us participating. I wonder how successful this advertising campaign is. Even if it's not all that successful, it's still genius.